Overview
Join this year’s George Ramshaw Curry Memorial Lecture either in-person at One Birdcage Walk or online on 19 March 2024.
Beyond today’s headlines around High Speed 2, strikes and the rolling stock order crisis, there’s a considerable amount of positive work going on - HS2 is being built, digital signalling is going in on the East Coast Main Line, the trans-Pennine route is being upgraded and East West Rail’s next phase will soon open. Yet many see railways as a problem rather than an answer. Philip Haigh will draw different strands together and suggest that there’s a bright future ahead.
About George Ramshaw Curry
George Ramshaw Curry was the fourth and longest serving Chief Executive of the Railway Industry Association. After obtaining a First Class Honours degree at Trinity College, Cambridge and a brief spell in industry, in 1951 he joined what was then the Locomotive Manufacturers’ Association (which had been founded in 1875) as Assistant Director. He was appointed Director in 1954.
Over the next 31 years, Curry was responsible for the progressive expansion of both the scope and membership of the Association. This was reflected in the changes of title, first to the ‘Locomotive & Allied Manufacturers’ Association’, and then in 1971 to the all-embracing ‘Railway Industry Association’ - RIA. By the time George Curry retired in October 1985, RIA was stronger in terms of membership, influence and activities than ever before. Yet, in a technology-based industry, he was always conscious that it is people who make things happen. Many engineers and managers throughout the industry benefited from his personal interest in their careers.
In recognition of his immense contribution to the railway industry, George Curry was made a Companion of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers in October 1985, a rare distinction awarded to those non-engineers who have rendered important services to mechanical engineering. In June 1986 he died after a brief illness.
This lecture is free to attend, book your place via this website to join this event in-person or online.
Sign-up online to attend the event either in-person or online. Joining instructions will be sent to you no later than 24 hours before the event is due to begin. If you have not received the joining instructions, please contact the Event Enquiries team at eventenquiries@imeche.org