Institution of Railway Signal Engineers

The Institution of Railway Signal Engineers (IRSE) is a worldwide professional body for all those engaged or interested in railway signalling and telecommunications (S&T) and allied disciplines. Half its members are in the UK and half are outside it.

Local sections
The IRSE is based in London, with international sections in:
 * Australasia
 * Hong Kong
 * India
 * Japan
 * The Netherlands
 * North America
 * Singapore
 * Southern Africa
 * Switzerland
 * Malaysia
 * Indonesia
 * France
 * Thailand

In the UK:
 * London and South East
 * Midland and North Western
 * Plymouth
 * Scottish
 * Western
 * York

There is also a Minor Railways section specialising in railways that are not part of the national network, including industrial, tourist and heritage railways.

Additionally there is a Younger Members section which aims to contribute to and improve the benefits that the IRSE provides for its younger members, which includes the co-ordination of a number of events each year.

Membership grades
Membership grade is dependent on the individual member's experience and / or formal qualification.


 * Affiliate
 * Accredited Technician
 * Associate Member
 * Member
 * Fellow
 * Companion

Headquarters
The headquarters of the IRSE is in Westminster, London, in the offices of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.

Notable Members
Elsie Louisa Winterton became the IRSE's first woman member in 1923, whilst working as a draughtswoman for the Great Western Railway.

IRSE Licensing Scheme
The IRSE Licensing Scheme was introduced in 1994 as a means of competence certification for people undertaking work in the railway signalling and telecommunications industry. There are over 50 licence categories that cover the design, installation, testing, maintenance and engineering management of both railway signalling and telecommunications. Possession of a licence (or evidence that you are working towards obtaining a licence) is essential for people who want to carry out S&T engineering work for Network Rail or London Underground. Network Rail and London Underground require themselves and their contractors and consultants, ensure that all S&T engineers engaged in safety-critical and safety-related work possess IRSE licences.

Publications

 * IRSE News – a near monthly journal featuring technical articles and papers, as well as articles of general interest to the signalling community.