iRAIL 2014
Above: West Park School was judged the overall winner on the day.
Peter Stanton (one of the judges this year) via the IET Railway Network, and he took up the opportunity again this year to mentor the teams.
He told RTM: “It’s an exciting event to be part of; it’s great to sit down with the kids, to really get to spend some decent time with them. It’s good to see the group dynamics in action and to see some really bright kids.
“Atkins is happy to send me along to do my bit. From next year we have two days each for special leave for this kind of thing.”
‘Passionate about engineering’
Simon Evans, technical director at Brush Traction,
part of Wabtec Group, said:
“We’re local to the area, along with LH. iRail is clearly of benefit to the community. I live locally and I’ve got kids at school the same age as these, and feel passionate about engineering.
“This is a stage earlier than we’d usually get involved in, but I think being party to this now, with the kids at this level, showing the students who we are and what we do, it’s a
great way to give them a feel for the sort of technology involved.”
Evans and the team from the Wabtec Group companies showed the kids some physical examples of their technology, including a Victoria Line door operator, of which there are 4,500 in active service, hidden under Tube seats. Another display showed a loco rebuild and repower.
The judges on the day included Colin Scott, Peter Stanton, Dave Horton, Georgette Hall, and Marian Molloy, while other exhibitors and supporters included RVEL, Rail,
Network NSARE, Porterbrook, Atkins, Bombardier, the RAIB,
Derby College, the
Derby Railway Engineering Society, the IMechE, ESG and LH (part of Wabtec Group). RTM’s Roy Rowlands was also among the exhibitors, telling the students and teachers about the national Gen Y Rail events and the UK Rail Industry Training Trust.
Marian Molloy, Network Rail’s HR manager for Infrastructure Projects in the Central region, said: “There’s a skills shortage out there, and we’re not going to deal with that just by retraining existing engineers.
“Even if out of all these people at iRail, something sparks in their mind about rail engineering for just a few of them, it’s worth it.
Network Rail are very supportive of this and of Gen Y Rail, she said.
“The people who come along and do it are really energised and clearly enjoy it, while the children ask some great – and difficult! – questions. Our industry placement students, and even some of our older engineers, occasionally have to say, ‘You know, I never thought of that…’”
TELL US WHAT YOU THINK
opinion@railtechnologymagazine.com
rail technology magazine Apr/May 14 | 49
All photos ©Dee Bodalikar –
www.DB7photography.com
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