Railway Division Chair's HQ Address 2025: Engineering Good Connections – Next 200 Years of Railways

IMechE Railway Division 57th Chair Rebeka Sellick MEng CEng FIMechE offer a vision of the contribution railways should make in a world that increasingly requires energy efficient and low carbon transport. The theme of her address is Engineering Good Connections, exploring the role of engineers in radically growing the market share of railways by providing better solutions for trunk freight, for mass transit commuters and for long distance passengers.

Rebeka’s passion is to stimulate transformation in both political priorities and personal behaviours to make the most of the fundamental advantages of steel wheel on steel rail. She will encourage the mechanical engineering community to make the case to decision-makers and individuals to choose railways, so things can be moved more sustainably, and more people can travel well within a joined-up transport system.

The address will draw on the collaborative strategy needed to implement IMechE’s Transport Hierarchy: to first Reduce Demand; then Shift Modes; and finally Improve Vehicle Efficiency, measuring grammes of CO₂ per km travelled (or per tonne-km moved).

Pivoting from celebrating Railway 200, Rebeka will look ahead to the year 2225. By this time, will people consider having a large carbon footprint as anti-social behaviour? Starting from the current direction of travel, can we inspire more engineering careers? Can we make railways more attractive, by reversing societal norms? What if we value ‘technical’ roles more? Can we challenge petrolhead aspirations and ‘sell’ maintained as better than new? Let’s share the riches of connecting with different people on our railway journeys!