The new PWI website is live!
The central team spent the last few months beavering away and now this new and improved digital home is ready for you to explore.
You will find all the usual important stuff about your membership, plus information on events, training, professional registration and more – only now on a fresh and easy-to-use website powered by a far greater user interface and content management system. Log into your member portal to track your Continued Professional Development, benefit from discounts, and book your place on training courses and events. Plus, access hundreds of technical resources in our new Knowledge Hub.
We’re finalising some of the more tricky elements, which is why some links within this website - such as ‘Join’ and ‘Shop’ - will direct you back to our old website at www.thepwi.uk. This is only for a short time.
We hope you enjoy the new look and feel, which is aligned to our brand enhancement, and that all these changes show our continued commitment to providing the best services and experiences to our valued community.
Recent activities
Technical visit to Tensar
Tensar offers leading, high-performance site solutions that save time and money on projects. PWI members are invited to attend Tensar UK manufacturing facilities in Blackburn, Lancashire on either 19 or 20 May 2022 (10am – 3pm). Places are limited to 15 and will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.
Techs Factor submissions
Organised by the PWI London Section. Techs Factor gives apprentices and young engineers the opportunity to make a short presentation to a judging panel on a railway-related task or project which they have been involved in. Presenters are welcome from across the rail industry, however individual presentations may be given by a maximum of two people. It is open to any London Section member or anyone working in the capital. The deadline for submissions is 31 March 2022.
Ryan Lord at Routes into Rail webinar
At the Routes into Rail Apprenticeships’ webinar, on Tuesday 8 February, PWI Ambassador Ryan Lord spoke about his apprenticeship, how the PWI is a great learning tool for young engineers, and his professional registration journey. The event was produced by Routes into Rail and CareerMap.
Engineering Talent Awards nominations
The deadline for nominations for the Engineering Talent Awards 2022 has been extended until 11 March! In partnership with the Royal Academy of Engineers and powered by EqualEngineers, the Engineering Talent Awards aim to raise the profile of the engineering and technology professions across the UK and highlight diversity in engineering on a national platform. Category winners will be announced on 15 September.
Success shout out
Errol Maginley started his CEng application to recognise his achievements from starting his career as an apprentice up to the present. The entire process enabled Errol to reflect on his career, and highlighted the importance of not only what he achieved but how he did it and the significance of having a network of people and organisations to help make it happen.
Upcoming PWI seminars
Climate emergency & decarbonisation:
The railway's response
3 March 2022 - Manchester
Climate change and the consequent requirement to both adapt and decarbonise global society is the largest and most important issue facing humanity. Engineering and engineers have a critical role to play: in defining the policies and actions necessary to avert physical and societal collapse; and in working with government, other key disciplines and industry to win the arguments so that those actions are taken with the urgency necessary.
In recent months the Permanent Way Institution has become more focused in this arena as it is of huge relevance to our community. The Manchester and Liverpool Section are therefore delighted to host a technical seminar on the subject of “Climate Emergency and Decarbonisation”.
Delegates will hear from a range of speakers, from those dealing with understanding weather patterns and the implications for the rail network, through to projects which have provided sustainable long term solutions. The industry is very much at a stage of gathering and sharing knowledge and experience on this important subject and this is a technical seminar that cannot be missed.
Manchester Conference Centre | £85 Member | £150 Non-Member | £10 Student
Electrification: Delivering the business case
21 April 2022 - Glasgow
The Scottish Government has recognised the benefits of a rolling programme of electrification and Network Rail Scotland is developing those plans. Electrifying an existing railway requires the electrification system to be integrated into the broader railway system: the configuration of the traction system and its constituent parts has implications for the operation, maintenance, and performance of the railway.
The challenge facing engineers of all disciplines is to simplify the systems integration task so that it supports a rolling programme of electrification rather than impedes it. This seminar will help engineers across the railway disciplines understand the implications of converting a route to electric traction, and explore ways in which system specification, design, and implementation can support a rolling plan.
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall | £70 Member | £120 Non-Member | £10 Student
Exhibitor space available; for more details contact: secretary@thepwi.org
Tomorrow's rail safety today
26 May 2022 - Birmingham
Attend this seminar in-person or virtually.
On our railway, the safety of those who work on the infrastructure and of the infrastructure itself are of vital importance to the delivery of a reliable railway for our passengers and freight customers. Intelligent Infrastructure - earthworks and structures, track, power, electrification, control, and train systems - integrated with diagnostic and predictive ‘decision support tools’ and coupled with smarter inspections, make for a railway where we can predict the work we need to do and proactively plan to do that work in the safest possible way.
Modern safety equipment that significantly reduces the risk of human error is now available across our network to keep infrastructure workers and trains separate and safe. Bring predictive work schedules and this safety equipment together via a simple-to-use planning and ‘Safe Work Pack’ system and deploy site safety leaders trained with the most up-to-date human factor skills, and we have tomorrow’s safety expectations today!
The conference will show how this vision can be our reality now. Delegates will be encouraged to consider how the techniques presented can be embraced and applied widely to real world operations, to keep infrastructure workers and railway infrastructure as safe as they can possibly be.
The future is here - and ready to use...
Austin Court, Birmingham | £80 Member | £150 Non-Member | £10 Student
Sponsorship and exhibition space available; for more details contact: secretary@thepwi.org
Sustainable infrastructure: Design & maintenance
10 November 2022 - Bristol
This seminar will tackle three critical railway industry themes: infrastructure resilience, designing for maintainability and sustainability, and strategic thinking. Come and join us as we challenge ourselves to collaborate to design, build, operate and maintain a safe and reliable railway infrastructure that delivers value for money for passengers and freight operators in a sustainable manner. The guest speakers will provide their views on the new paradigm of changing travel patterns, improving personal track safety and maximising revenue.
St Michael's Centre, Bristol | £85 Member | £150 Non-Member | £10 Student
Sponsorship and exhibition space available; for more details contact: secretary@thepwi.org
Your PWI
Your local link to our wider Institution
PWI Sections hold over 200 meetings a year on all aspects of rail infrastructure engineering throughout the UK and beyond.
Learn about rail projects, new technical developments and network with like-minded professionals.
These meetings are open to all PWI Members, so you can dip into other regions when it suits you. Non-members are also welcome to attend as a taster and will be invited to join up to our Institution if the experience was found to be beneficial.
Other activities for Members that are organised by local Sections include technical visits and online talks.
Access hundreds of technical resources
Our online resources library provides hundreds of technical documents, reports, presentations, videos and more, written and delivered by world-class experts in the field of rail engineering.
Browse at your leisure, use the filters, or simply type a topic in the search bar.
Pursuing your career in engineering
Professional registration is an important step in pursuing a career in engineering and it lends itself to a ready-made career path, progressing through the titles as your experience broadens and deepens.
Whatever your academic background, you can be recognised as a professional Engineer. We have different routes to registration available to facilitate this, depending on your unique circumstances.
Training delivered by industry experts
PWI training started over 100 years ago and has been providing high level technical training for engineers and professionals operating at all levels ever since.
Our courses are designed to develop skills and knowledge in all aspects of rail infrastructure repairs, renewals and projects – and can help you on your journey to professional registration.
Not only will you gain an understanding of the underlying theory, you will develop an appreciation of the real-life challenges facing engineers from our team of experienced rail infrastructure lecturers.
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