Proceedings 2002/2003 - IRSE

92
The Institution of Railway Signal Engineers
(Incorporated 1912)
Ninetieth Annual Report
1st January to 31st December 2002
INTRODUCTION
As an incoming President of the Institution I
quickly became aware of two things; firstly that most
things that came to fruition during the year were
initiated by my predecessors, secondly that whatever
contribution I could make to the development
of the Institution is only possible through the
assistance and support of the members, the railway
administrations, industry and the Institution’s
London office. I must start by recording my
personal thanks to Ken Burrage and his team who
make the role of President one that can be enjoyed
without concern for the Institution’s administration.
I am particularly pleased to acknowledge the help
given by three former Presidents, in chairing
committees and offering me their guidance and
support during the year. Bob Barnard, my immediate
predecessor, has chaired the Finance Committee
and brings considerable technical weight to our
discussions on position papers and Government
consultation requests, Clive Kessell is a member of
the International Technical Committee and chairs the
Membership Committee and Alastair Wilson has
chaired the Training & Development Committee.
The year has been an eventful one from many
different points of view. For example:
For the IRSE – changes to the Articles of
Association giving corporate member status to
Associate Members and the establishment of a new
grade of Accredited Technician, further work for the
SRA on the industry body of knowledge and other
projects.
In the UK – consultation on proposals for a Rail
Safety Authority and a Rail Accident Investigation
Board, publication of a report on a programme for
ERTMS, the postponement of Phase 2 of the West
Coast Main Line improvement project followed by
the dropping of 140 mph running, the Potters Bar
accident, Network Rail established and taking over
from Railtrack, the Strategic Rail Authority taking
primacy for major projects, Network Rail announcing
their intention to take some maintenance work
in-house, LUL privatisation proceeding.
In Europe – continued work on the revision of
ERTMS specifications and the production of Test
Specifications, development of the Conventional
Lines Directive, proposals for a Railway Safety
Directive.
These were just a few of the many changes that
concern our members, many of whom find themselves
in positions of heavy technical and safety
responsibility but with limited access to professional
advice and guidance and limited influence in the
formation of policy and strategy.
All this underlines the importance of the
Institution’s role in the fragmented and ever changing
railway industry as an organiser of the exchange
of ideas and technical knowledge, provider of
professional standards, contributor to opinion
forming in industry and government, and as an
accreditation authority of education, training and
competence certification agencies in the field of
train control systems and telecommunications.
Our role has no national boundaries and the
challenge for the Institution, mentioned in my
Presidential Address and previously by Bob Barnard,
is to find ways of discharging the role in countries
where individual membership of the Institution is not
affordable.
Following changes to the American Association of
Railroads in 2001, our USA members decided that a
North American Section of the IRSE was necessary
to which proposal Council agreed. The inaugural
meeting of the North American Section was held in
May under the chairmanship of Bill Scheerer. As the
IRSE membership in North America is dispersed
over three time zones the Section plans to continue
to hold its Annual Meeting in conjunction with the
RSSI Exhibit, the major Communications and
Signals Exhibition in North America. The Section has
begun to actively market the benefits of IRSE
membership and provide assistance with applications,
which has resulted in some new members and
a number of expressions of interest. The next Annual
Meeting in July 2003, immediately following the
Chicago RSSI Exhibit, will include a visit to a
signalling installation. The local committee members
listed on the North American Section web page will
welcome contact from any member travelling to the
USA.
My theme for the technical programme for the
year was based on the need to make information on
ERTMS more widely available and better understood.
At present most of the detailed technical
knowledge resides in the development departments
of the signalling suppliers. An understanding of
capabilities, limitations and safety principles is
essential if system and application engineers are to
make the best possible use of the technology and
make appropriate arrangements for maintenance,
recognising that with the migration of functions from
the trackside on to the train the necessary maintenance
arrangements will not fit easily with the
present day division of maintenance between infrastructure
and trains.
The technical visit to the UK Asfordby test track,
arranged by my predecessor, enabled members to