CHAIRS’ CORNER | BTS & BTSYM


CHAIRS’ CORNER Update from the Chairs of the British Tunnelling Society and BTS Young Members (BTSYM)


Dancers, musicians, storytellers, children, grandchildren and Liz. All took part and offered reflections on John’s life. It was all you would expect from such a flamboyant, fun-loving person. My job was to talk about his career as a civil engineer. I received several stories from those who had worked with John during his career, which greatly helped me put a few words together. Colleagues recall when John was working in the


jungle in central Java, he amazingly managed to conjure up a steam train with six carriages. Families boarded with picnic baskets and blankets, embarking on a day so magical that colleagues still speak of it with disbelief and delight. It was the kind of experience only John could have imagined—and make happen. For me, my lasting memories will be of his endless enthusiasm, his ever- present humour, his voice, always laced with a hint of mischief, coupled with his professionalism and sense of fun. And his waistcoats! A cocktail of qualities that made him unique, irreplaceable and someone who looked for and found the fun in everything he did. In January I visited Exeter University with retired BTS


BTS CHAIR: JOHN CORCORAN Hi everyone. Well, this is my fourth and probably my final Chair’s Corner - an update on what the BTS Committee has been involved in the last few months, and what I think are subjects you will find interesting. Alastair Smith will be taking over as Chair at the May AGM. My two-year term has flown by. It has been such a privilege, opening so many opportunities for me. I can honestly say that throughout my career, the BTS has been good to me. From my first introductions entering the Harding Prize competition in 1991, to the many great nights I enjoyed after the evening presentations. As I draw closer to retirement (not yet though!) I will look back with great pride on my time as BTS Chair. I will remain on the Committee, where I will have the pleasure of organising our Annual Dinners. So it is with sadness that I tell of John Scholey’s passing.


It was Ivor Thomas who, in 2019, asked me to help John organise the Annual Dinners. Again, a complete privilege which the BTS provided. I came to know John and his wife Liz well, frequently visiting them in Tunbridge Wells. Liz asked me to say a few words at the celebration of John’s life. There were many speakers there, Morris


member Mike McConnell. We presented ‘BTS at 50’ books to their civil engineering professors, Dr Prakash and Dr Vinai, then toured the laboratories and gave a lecture to third year students. During the six years Ken Spiby lead the team writing the book, one of his aims was for the book to act as a conduit into schools and universities, to inspire the young. The BTS is always looking to foster links with


universities. For many years Benoit Jones ran the MSc in Tunnelling, at Warwick University. The course provided a unique mix of academic learning coupled with meeting industry speakers. The BTS is working hard to resurrect the MSc course, with the anticipated support of clients, contractors and consultants. Booking is now open for this year’s BTS Annual


Conference, over 6-7 October, at the Queen Elizabeth Conference Centre, Westminster, London. There is always an excellent array of industry speakers. It was one of my first duties, as new BTS Chair, to deliver


the David Wallace lecture at the Conference. I choose to speak about a topic that has always fascinated me - that often very fine line between a contract or a specific task being a success or a struggle. I gave examples from my career of both successes and failures. I tried to capture what is the magic formula for success. Reflecting on my lecture, I would say that ‘ownership’ is a fundamental


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