Welcome to the Yorkshire Region
Dear Member
In my second year as Chairman for the Yorkshire Region and the South Yorkshire Area of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers it is my privilege to present our forthcoming programme of events for the 2008 - 2009 year. Our future programme looks likely to be even better than last year’s and this is testament to the hard work and dedication of the Regional and Area committee members whom I would like to acknowledge and thank.
A major event being planned this year is the Celebratory Dinner and Social Event on Friday 27th March 2009 at the Royal Armouries, Leeds. The evening is open to all and will start with a congratulatory pre-dinner drinks reception for all recent new members of the Institution within the Yorkshire Region. A short introduction from our sponsor and IMechE will be followed by dinner, then an after dinner speech (speaker to be confirmed) and finishing with a ‘fun casino’ with a prize for the 'best gambler of the night'. Tickets will be available early in 2009 and more details will be available on these pages or by contacting the Admin Officer. We look forward to welcoming you to this prestigious event.
This site will be used to update you on events and activities being organised by IMechE Yorkshire Region. I hope you find something of interest in your Area and if you need any further information please contact one of the committee members whose details can be found under the Contacts link.
During the last year some of our long serving committee members have retired and they will be missed. On behalf of the Institution I would like to pay tribute to them for their valued contribution.
We always welcome new committee members so please come along and help if you can. Details of your Area committee meetings can be found on the relevant pages through the links to the left, or you can contact the Area Secretary for details.
The Eng Tech grade of membership is now fully available through IMechE and is a level of professional registration exclusively for engineering technicians. The IMechE can now offer a level and grade of membership for everyone involved in or interested in Mechanical Engineering. For further information please get in touch with the Regional Manager, Denis Healy.
The Young Members section of the Region continues to be successful and in the Northern Area the Young Members have re-established themselves and with the help of the Northern Area committee their future looks bright.
Some of our events are joint events with other institutions and organisations such as SMEA, IET and ICE and I would like to thank them for their support. Please also view the Other Information and Links page to find details of the other organisations we work with. This will include details of their events that may be of interest to our Members.
During the forthcoming year we will continue our work of supporting industry and education and serving our membership. Please help us to help you by giving us feedback and suggestions.
I sincerely hope that you will be able to join us at a local committee meeting or event. You will be guaranteed a warm welcome.
Yours faithfully
S M Shaw CEng FIMechE
Yorkshire Region & South Yorkshire Area Chairman
17 November 2008 | 18:00 - 20:30
This Senior Partner in Brooke North LLP, a leading Leeds law firm, will discuss from his personal involvement the topics of product liability and copyright for engineers.
25 November 2008 | 18:30 - 21:00
The talk is intended to introduce people to the design requirements of motorcycles due to their handling dynamics. The talk should make the audience consider motorcycles from first principles and allow then to draw their own conclusions as to the complexity and integration of motorcycle designs.
26 November 2008 | 18:30 - 21:00
November committee meeting of Yorkshire Eastern Area. All area members welcome to attend and observe business.
02 December 2008 | 10:00 - 12:30
This is a Senior Members event. A chance to visit this facility where prostheses are designed and manufactured and hopefully see a demonstrative procedure in action. Limited places. Registration with Admin Officer required.
03 December 2008 | 18:30 - 21:00
The presentation will describe the AAIB and its relationship with national and international regulators. Examples will be used to illustrate why and how accidents are investigated, how the causal factors are identified and how the safety recommendations are made to improve aviation safety.
09 December 2008 | 18:30 - 21:00
Due to a change in company ownership this visit has been cancelled.
08 January 2009 | 18:00 - 21:30
January Committee Meeting
14 January 2009 | 10:15 - 12:00
This is a Senior Members event. The speaker, Dr Dick Etheridge, has been associated with caravans since his father built their first one in the front garden in 1937. In the talk he explains how a domestic industry became a multi-million international business.
27 January 2009 | 18:30 - 21:30
Rod Smith brings his highly successful lecture to Yorkshire. Rod will discuss technologies that are being developed to curb society's dependence on carbon as its main source of fuel. THIS EVENT IS FREE AND OPEN TO ALL. Please register with the Admin Officer.
Transport plays a pivotal role in our lives. As the economy grows, we travel further and faster. Transport has now become the largest user of energy in the developed world and is growing at an explosive rate in the developing world. Nearly all our transport is fuelled by the burning of hydrocarbos. Thus transport is the largest single producer of CO2 and curbing its growth presents an enormous challenge to society at large and our political masters. Great hope is placed on the role of technology for ‘decarbonising’ transport. The lecture, originally presented as teh 95th Thomas Hawksley Memorial Lecture, will outline and discuss the technologies which may help in the next few decades, together with some of the policy measures which are becoming increasingly necessary.
Rod Smith was a Student Apprentice with the David Brown Corporation. After taking a PhD at Cambridge in the fatigue of metal, he was a Fellow of Queen's College and a Lecturer in Engineering before moving to a Chair at Sheffield University in 1988. He was Head of Mechanical Engineering before becoming the Royal Academy of Engineering /British Rail Research Professor and Chairman of the Advanced Railway Research Centre. From 2000 to 2005, he was Head of Mechanical Engineering at Imperial College London, where he is now a Royal Academy of Engineering Research Professor and Chairman of the Future Railway Research Centre.
03 February 2009 | 10:15 - 12:00
This is a Senior Members event. The speaker, Tony Bower, will cover a marine engineer's career in the Merchant Navy highlighting changes in this key sector. He will also discuss the design, development and financing of the Panama Canal.
04 February 2009 | 18:30 - 21:00
The speaker is the National Chairman of the IMechE Automobile Division. Climate Change is one of the greatest challenges facing the world. Engineers will need to devise the solutions that combat this effect. This lecture will discuss the macro scale energy alternatives available and will look in detail at automotive solutions and opportunities which will be employed in future car and commercial vehicle designs.
11 February 2009 | 18:00 - 21:30
February Committee Meeting
18 February 2009 | 18:30 - 21:00
The last of the renowned Peppercorn class A1 steam locomotives was scrapped in 1966. But, a brand new A1, 60163 Tornado, has been built at the Darlington Locomotive Works by The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust. Tornado was due to move for the first time under its own steam in August 2008 and enter main line service by the end of 2008. This lecture will cover the history of the Peppercorn Class A1s, the design and manufacturing of the 50th A1 Tornado and its first 6 months of operation in main line service.
02 March 2009 | 18:00 - 20:30
The speaker has extensive knowledge of the design, construction and effective maintenance of this ground breaking structure, that held the world record for the longest single span suspension bridge for 17 years
10 March 2009 | 18:30 - 21:00
Biofuels have gained a degree of acceptance as one means of the transport sector addressing greenhouse gas emissions. This talk will review how biofuels are being implemented, some of the technical challenges they pose, and discuss how some of these concerns can be addressed.
18 March 2009 | 18:30 - 21:00
The speaker traces the origins in Howden of this unusual vehicle and its subsequent development at Maidenhead. Its key features are described and its single application, Crossley Motor Co. will be illustrated.
27 March 2009 | 19:00 - 22:30
The evening will start with a congratulatory pre-dinner drinks reception for all recent new members of the Institution (EngTech - FIMechE) within the Yorkshire Region. Before dinner there will be a short introduction from our sponsor and IMechE, then an after dinner speech (speaker to be confirmed) and finishing with a ‘fun casino’ with a prize for the 'best gambler of the night'. Tickets will be available early in 2009 and more details will be available here on the NearYou website or by contacting the Admin Officer. Open to all, so come and join us in the impressive surrounding of the Royal Armouries, Leeds.
01 April 2009 | 08:00 - 18:00
This is a Senior Members event. All-day technical visit and presentation with coach travel from Leeds and lunch at the museum. There is a £10 charge per person for this visit and registration with Admin Officer is required.
02 April 2009 | 18:00 - 21:30
April Committee Meeting
07 April 2009 | 18:00 - 20:30
The Chief Executive will give a presentation on the design and production of the new generation large crankshaft grinding systems.
15 April 2009 | 18:00 - 20:15
The Humber Bridge opened in 1981 and held the world record as the longest single span suspension bridge for 17 years. Here is a fantastic opportunity to see the workings of the Humber Bridge. Tour will consist of visit to control room, anchorage and a presentation given by the Bridge Master. Duration approximately 1.5 hours.
21 April 2009 | 19:00 - 21:00
Aston Martin's continued success is founded upon a range of vehicles built to the VH architecture concept. The speaker will explain how this concept has allowed the launch of a complete range of high performance luxury sports cars over the last few years. He will take a detailed look at the most recent product developments.
This event is being kindly hosted by Brooklands Aston Martin and is joint with the Northern Area.
22 April 2009 | 11:00 - 13:00
This is a Senior Members event with the ICE Retired Members. George Stephenson had never been to school, he started work at the age of eight and he was working full-time in the pits by the time he was ten. From there to being the "Founder of the Railways" is a remarkable achievement especially for a self-taught engineer but perhaps he was more than an engineer.
06 May 2009 | 18:00 - 20:30
Unfortunately, as people age, the joints can become stiffer and muscles less strong. A particular challenge is to maintain a fully functional shoulder. This lecture will describe some of the current engineering techniques being applied to the design of novel shoulder joint replacements
17 May 2009 | 14:00 - 16:00
IMechE Members will enjoy a guided tour of the museum by John Hamshere, director of Sheffield Industrial Museums Trust and a talk on the history of car manufacture in Sheffield. Registration with Admin Officer required.
19 May 2009 | 18:00 - 21:30
May Committee Meeting
20 May 2009 | 13:30 - 18:30
This is a Senior Members event with IET. A unique visit followed by High Tea and a lecture at the University of York. Limited places for visit and High Tea. Registration with Admin Officer required.
20 May 2009 | 18:00 - 21:00
Visit to the Holmpton Bunker - PROVISIONAL - TO BE CONFIRMED
RAF HOLMPTON contains a major PUBLIC TOUR AND EXHIBITION depicting over 50 years service of this major UK Command Centre. The exhibition covers the first 25 years of Radar, the subsequent use of the site for RAF Support Command and its current use today. The exhibition is interpreted by a full guided tour, audio visual presentations, demonstrations and shows. The site contains a great deal of authentic apparatus and artefacts depicting the life of the facility.
07 June 2009 | 13:00 - 17:00
The Yorkshire Waterways Museum (recently rebranded) offers an extensive collection which tells the story of the Port of Goole, the transportation of coal, the lives of barge families, and the boat building tradition of our ancestors. Friends and family welcome. There will be a charge for this event (price to be confirmed). Buffet available.
11 June 2009 | 18:00 - 21:30
June Committee Meeting