In 2013, I attended the IRSE International Convention, which was mostly in Sweden. This was probably my favourite day of the convention – tunnels, train museum exhibits and a rail trip amongst picturesque countryside – what more could any signalling lady need!
This morning, we took a chartered train north to Ängelholm. As soon as the train pulled up to the platform, a sea of cameras pointed towards it to capture the very special occasion for every IRSE member’s personal scrapbook, slideshow or blog:
Ängelholm was about an hour train ride away so we took in the scenery throughout the journey:
After arriving in Ängelholm (station below), we were given the opportunity to visit the Swedish Railway Training Centre where you seem to be able to learn anything about railway track, power, signalling and telecommunications, and also how to drive trains.
They also had a room full of interlockings connected to a model railway. As awesome as this was, it actually wasn’t the most impressive model railway of the day.
Part of the same complex as the training centre was the Swedish Railway Museum, which had some intricate exhibits, like this one showcasing a locomotive competition from the 1800s:
My favourite attraction was an interactive film projected onto a screen with a model railway below which provided commentary about the historical varieties of trains that had been used on the Swedish network while operating a model of that particular type of train through the model network. I absolutely loved it and I think I need to get one for my office.
Another awesome attraction was a simulator with a moving floor and screen that demonstrated the experience of travelling in different classes of historical train. We certainly got our train geek on today!
I took a photo of that semaphore display above because it reminded me of the Help! cover done by the Beatles.
After learning what AloeVera Drycken tastes like after mistaking it for a plain bottle of water (note that it not only has a taste like moisturiser and lychees but a texture like uneven bubble tea), we visited the Hallandsås Tunnel project office and watched some presentations about the breakthrough of the main tunnels, had a short walk to view the tunnel entrance and then posed for some photos.
This is an interesting project with a tumultuous history relating to the failure of the original tunnelling method selected and some other sorts of political stuff. (Read more here). I think the most interesting feature of the tunnel was the requirement to provide wifi to passengers during their journey despite the quite limited time they would spend in the tunnel.
We were allocated some free time before dinner so we had a wander around the town centre.
We found the obligatory H&M store and then settled into a pub to escape the wind. I tried a few cocktails, one of which bore a striking resemblance to metho…
We had a lovely traditional dinner and tried some awful shots which tasted as if you had already vomited as soon as you drank them (unlike normal shots where there is a delay between the consumption and the taste of spew).
Our chartered train only just arrived back in town and it is way past my bedtime so I’m calling it a night.
A Hedy Journey 