The Institution was founded in December 1912 and in late 2012 and 2013 the Institution of Railway Signal Engineers celebrated the Centenary of its formation. It was an occasion to both look back at the life of the Institution, and to look forward to the future – both of which were reflected in the theme for the centenary year, “100 Years of Facing the Future”.

The future for railways is around the world is a bright one. We are witnessing an ongoing and growing demand for railways for urban transportation, for high speed passenger services, and for freight traffic. Technological changes are starting to revolutionise railways. Train control systems, traffic management and information systems and telecommunications systems are at the height of this revolution, and form a vital part of making the railways of the future more efficient, effective and sustainable. The IRSE is part of that future, and in collaboration with others our role is to help shape it and make it happen.

Around the world, the IRSE celebrated the Centenary in a variety of ways, but continuing on from then, you can see the whole worldwide programme of events via the link on this page. I encourage you to participate fully in IRSE activities, whether you are a long-standing S&T engineer or are new to the profession and seeking to learn.