Engineering In Perspective: Lessons For A Successful Career

by Tony Ridley

Overview

'It is well referenced, with significant projects from his personal experience. Factually accurate, the stories reflect the ups and downs of the major projects environment. His thoughts on handling the tragedy of the King's Cross fire are remarkable, and his compassionate treatment of this work is likely to prove of interest to those outside the project management and engineering fields … What resonates throughout the book is the coming together of countries, organisations and people. The ability to formulate and structure delivery teams that take on the holistic project life cycle — from project initiation and business case, through design, construction and effective handover, to fully using or operating a facility — is comprehensively covered.'
PROJECTEngineering in Perspective provides a unique look into the career of one of Britain's most widely experienced engineers, Professor Tony Ridley. Ridley analyses key moments from his career to identify the real-world skills required for success. Through this, he examines how important it is that a successful engineer has not only traditional engineering skills but also good interpersonal skills coupled with a deep understanding of social, economic and political factors.Ridley's career case-studies include his time as first Director General of the Tyne & Wear Passenger Transport Executive and working on the creation of the Metro; first Managing Director of the Hong Kong Mass Transit Railway; Chairman and Managing Director of London Underground; the development of the Docklands Light Railway; and working through the trauma of the Kings Cross fire. As Professor of Transport Engineering at Imperial College London, Ridley was involved in national and international engineering bodies, including President of the Institution of Civil Engineers. The book contains papers from this time that develop the concept of the 'breadth of engineering'.Highly relevant for engineering students, newly qualified engineers, educators and employers, this book allows examination of successes and failures of important engineering projects from the 20th century, with lessons and insights for the 21st century engineer.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781786342270
Publisher:	World Scientific Publishing Europe Ltd
Publication date:	04/19/2017
Pages:	340
Product dimensions:	6.20(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.90(d)

Table of Contents

About the Author vii

Acknowledgements ix

Chapter 1 Introduction 1

1.1 Aims and Method 1

1.2 The Breadth of Engineering and Hardy Cross 2

1.3 Mentors 5

1.4 The Totality of Engineering Projects 6

1.5 Finding a Way around the Book 6

Bibliography 9

Part I The Making of an Engineer 11

Chapter 2 Formative Years, Qualification and a New Direction 1933-1965 13

2.1 The Ridley/Armstrongs 13

2.1.1 School 14

2.1.2 University 14

2.2 USA 15

2.3 Go West Young Man 16

2.4 Return Home 18

2.4.1 Site Experience 18

2.4.2 Design Experience 19

2.5 Professional Qualification 20

2.6 University of California 21

2.6.1 A Significant Conference 21

2.6.2 Why Go Back to the States? 22

2.6.3 First Year at ITTE 23

2.6.4 A Formative Paper 23

2.6.5 Second Year 24

2.6.6 Teaching 25

2.6.7 Dissertation 25

2.7 Settling on a Future Direction 26

Bibliography 27

Part II Practising Engineering 1965-1990 29

Chapter 3 Greater London Council 1965-1969 31

3.1 The New GLC 31

3.2 An Opportunity 33

3.2.1 Early Days 34

3.2.2 The New Transport Planners 36

3.2.3 Transport Planning Lessons 37

Bibliography 40

Chapter 4 Tyne and Wear Metro 1969-1975 41

4.1 Job Change 41

4.1.1 Interview 42

4.1.2 Moving North 44

4.1.3 White Paper: Public Transport and Traffic 44

4.2 Beginning 47

4.2.1 The Structure of the New PTEs 48

4.3 Policy Framework 48

4.3.1 PTA and PTE Joint Policy Statement 48

4.3.2 Tyne and Wear Plan 49

4.4 Making It Happen 50

4.4.1 British Rail Uncertainty 53

4.4.2 Securing Commitment 54

4.4.3 Parliamentary Bill 57

4.5 What Happened Next? 58

4.6 The Millennium Bridge 59

Bibliography 61

Chapter 5 Hong Kong 1975-1980 63

5.1 A Surprise Approach 64

5.1.1 Recruitment 64

5.2 Genesis of the Mass Transport Railway 66

5.2.1 The Mass Transport Study 66

5.2.2 Other Studies 67

5.3 Every Major Project Needs a Champion 68

5.4 The Japanese Letter of Intent 70

5.4.1 A Setback: The Letter of Intent Fails 71

5.5 Taking Up the Reins 73

5.5.1 Canton Trade Fair 74

5.5.2 A Crucial Executive Council Meeting: Approving the MIS 74

5.5.3 Property Development 75

5.6 Securing the Go-ahead 76

5.6.1 E&M Contracts 79

5.7 Integrating the MTR with the Public Transport System 81

5.7.1 Complementary Bus Services 82

5.7.2 Emerging Controversy about Sharing Information 83

5.7.3 MTR Fares 84

5.7.4 Press Interest 86

5.8 Operations 87

5.8.1 Stan of Revenue Operations 87

5.8.2 Official Opening 88

5.9 A Timely Invitation 88

5.9.1 Where Does the Responsibility for Success Lie? 89

5.9.2 A Mature Successful Railway 89

5.10 Looking Ahead 90

5.10.1 Halcrow Fox and Associates 90

5.10.2 Stanford 91

Bibliography 92

Chapter 6 London Transport 1980-1988 95

6.1 Walking into a Challenging Environment 95

6.1.1 How and Why 95

6.1.2 Networks of Relationships 99

6.1.3 Early Challenges 102

6.1.4 Put m My Place? 103

6.2 Engineering and Project Management 103

6.3 Strategy 104

6.3.1 Developing a Strategy for the Rail Business 105

6.4 A New Administration for London 107

6.5 Fares Fair 108

6.5.1 Challenge by Bromley Council 109

6.6 A New Chairman 111

6.7 Implementing Strategy: The Need for Renewal and Improvement 112

6.7.1 International Union of Public Transport 116

6.7.2 Tube Costs 119

6.8 Major Projects 120

6.8.1 Strategic Initiatives 120

6.9 Organisational Change 122

6.9.1 Smoking on the Underground 123

6.9.2 Planning for Renewal and Growth 125

6.9.3 One Person Operation 126

6.9.4 Involvement of the Trade Unions 127

6.9.5 New Workshops at Acton Depot 129

6.10 1988 Strategic Plan 131

6.10.1 Impact of the Kings Cross Fire on the Process 132

Bibliography 137

Chapter 7 Management after a Disaster 1987-1988 139

7.1 Introduction 139

7.2 The Fire 140

7.2.1 Public Reaction 141

7.2.2 Support during Times of Stress 143

7.3 Public Inquiry 143

7.3.1 A Boost 144

7.3.2 Witness Statement 148

7.3.3 Budgets 150

7.3.4 Change of Evidence 152

7.4 Resignation 155

7.4.1 A Memorable Interview 156

7.4.2 The Press 159

7.4.3 Welcome Support 162

7.5 Thereafter 167

Bibliography 167

Chapter 8 Docklands Light Railway 171

8.1 DLR from 'White Elephant' to 'We Need More Capacity' 171

8.1.1 No More Underground Lines 172

8.1.2 Go-ahead for a Low-Cost Railway 174

8.2 Implementation 176

8.3 Extension to the City of London 178

8.3.1 The Role of the Barely Remembered G Ware Travelstead 178

8.4 Opening of the DLR 181

8.4.1 To Delay or Go Ahead with the Royal Opening 182

8.5 It Was the 'Toy Train' Wot Won It 186

8.6 Transport - Prerequisite to Winning the Games 187

8.7 The Job 188

Bibliography 191

Chapter 9 Eurotunnel 1987-1990 193

9.1 How It Began 193

9.1.1 Morton in Action 195

9.1.2 A Serious Mistake 197

9.2 Starting as MD 197

9.2.1 Rebuilding Relationships 198

9.2.2 Nichols and Eurotunnel 200

9.2.3 Jack Lemley 203

9.2.4 End Game 205

9.3 Aftermath 210

9.4 Postscript 214

Bibliography 214

Part III Changed Perspective 1991 to Date 217

Chapter 10 Transport 219

10.1 Transport at Imperial 219

10.2 The Rees Jeffreys Road Fund and Imperial 221

10.3 Inaugural Lecture ('Transport Matters') 222

10.4 Carmen Lecture ('Transport and Society: Master or Servant?') 224

10.5 Railway Technology Strategy Centre 226

10.6 Sir Dugald Clerk Lecture ('Light Rail: Technology or Way of Life) 228

10.7 Head of Department 229

10.8 Professor Chin Lecture ('What Is a Successful Transit Project?') 229

10.9 Singapore 233

10.10 RAC Foundation 234

10.11 Cars and the Environment: A View to the Year 2020 234

10.12 Motoring towards 2050 236

10.13 Paviors Lecture ('Transport Engineering: A Future Paved with Gold') 237

10.14 London School of Economics 237

Bibliography 239

Chapter 11 The Engineering Profession 241

11.1 Presidential Beginning 241

11.2 Whither Civil Engineering? 242

11.3 Taking over the Reins Early 245

11.4 Presidential Address ('Is Our Civil Engineering Too Small?') 245

11.5 Future Voice for the Profession 249

11.6 Future Framework 251

11.7 Inaugural Brunei International Lecture ('How Do We Advance Technology into the Third Millennium?') 253

11.8 Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport 256

11.9 The Universe of Engineering 257

11.10 LTA Lecture ('Benchmarking: Productivity and Service') 259

Bibliography 265

Chapter 12 Project Management 267

12.1 Risk and Collaboration with the Actuarial Profession 267

12.2 Major Projects Association 269

12.3 Association for Project Management 270

12.4 Some Projects 270

12.5 Bangkok 272

12.6 Jakarta 276

Bibliography 281

Chapter 13 International 283

13.1 Commonwealth Engineers Council 283

13.2 World Federation of Engineering Organisations 285

13.3 United Nations 287

13.4 UN Task Force 10 288

Bibliography 292

Epilogue 293

The Role of Engineers 293

The Breadth of Engineering 294

New Challenges 295

21^st Century Engineers 296

Challenges for Educators and Employers 297

Glossary 301

Index 307