Awards

The PWI Young Achiever Award is a prize of up to $10,000 for the winner to go towards the cost of attending a relevant international railway conference. To be eligible for this award, an entrant must be 35 or younger at the 1 January of the year of entry. The aim is to encourage younger members into our industry and promote knowledge sharing. We have now broadened the judging criteria to make it more multi-disciplinary so that it includes for all members who are involved in the numerous rail infrastructure projects that are being delivered at the moment.

Specific submission multi-disciplinary examples that would be eligible could include:

• Design and installation of a bespoke fastening system to alleviate ground borne vibration issues that had received so many complaints that they had gained the attention of not only the mayor of London but also members of the UK parliament
• Systems integration experience on projects such as the Sydney Light Rail and Sydney Metro; and
• General rail infrastructure upgrade works or program of works including stations, power systems or signalling systems to increase capacity and the user experience.

The prize winners are announced at the Australasian Rail Industry Awards Dinner  and it will give the winner an opportunity to be recognised by the whole of the Australian Railway family.
The winner will be invited to attend the Australasian Rail Industry Awards Dinner as a guest of the PWI and the Awards Committee. Partners may also attend at their own cost.
For further information on entries please go directly to the new ARA Awards Web portal at www.railindustryawards.com.au
Or contact Julian Sharp on 0437 638 398 or julian.sharp@cpbcon.com.au

Entries close April 2025

Click here for the Young Achiever Award Rules and criteria
Click here for Previous winner document as an example

Judging Panel:

• Julian Sharp – CPB Contractors
• Lee Taylor – Category 5 Rail
• David Spiteri – UGL Regional Linx
• Rebecca Coffey – UGL Regional Linx
• David Robotham – Laing O’Rourke
• Matt Jones – JHG
• Nagajyothi Lolla – TfNSW
• Anna Murray – Consultant

The maintenance Team Award is named in the honour of Alan Barham. Alan held several positions over the years after he joined as a graduate engineer with the NSW Government Railways in the Structures Design section of Transport House in about 1969 until 1996.

Alan Barham was an advocate of the importance of local housekeeping/ routine maintenance from fettling gangs to safety, reliability and the condition of the railway.  This award was established to promote pride in track maintenance and associated structures.

It is for the above reasons that this award has been named in Alan’s honour whom sadly succumbed to cancer in early 1997.

For further information on entries please contact Scott Chapman on 0427 298 577.

Entries to be submitted to schapman@ARTC.com.au

Click here to review Alan Barham Award Flyer

Click here to review Alan Barham Award Criteria

Entries close 31 October 2024 , the winners will be announced at the PWI awards night in February.

Judging Panel:

• Scott Chapman – ARTC
• Anthoni Elmargi – Vertex Group Australia
• Rodney Masman – UGL Regional Linx
• Nick Brown – ARTC
• Phuoc Nguyen – Sydney Trains
• Jon Giffney – Sydney Trains

Ken Erickson was elected as a Fellow of the New South Wales Permanent Way Institution on 30 November 1981. He was a member of the Committee from 1981 until his untimely death on 25 November 1988. Ken was always trying to provide new ideas or concepts to the PWI, hence it is fitting that the Innovation Award (previously Achievement Award) is named in his honour. This Annual Award is made to recognise an initiative or significant advance, which has been towards improvement in any part of the Rail Industry during the last year.

Submissions are to be submitted to gareth.beynon@linkrailandcivil.com.au

Entries closed, the winners will be announced at the PWI awards night in February.

For further information on entries please contact Gareth Beynon on 0429 041 991

Click here to review Ken Erickson Award Criteria

Click here for Ken Erickson Entry Form

Click here for Journal Entry Template

Click here for Journal Entry Example

Click here for Winning Submission Example

Judging Panel:

• Gareth Beynon – LINK Rail and Civil
• Peter Boonstra – retired Life member
• Paul Ryan – Capital Infrastructure
• Anee Modderno – Swietelsky Rail
• Daniel Siladyi – Laing O’Rourke

Steve Maxwell was a Member of the PWI Committee for many years, and his hard work and dedication enabled the PWI to continue during some difficult times.  Steve was an informed Judge of the Platelaying Award, and also an entertaining speaker and presenter.  Steve’s death in 1997 was a great loss to the PWI and took from the industry a great engineer, friend and personable and supportive leader.  The Committee deemed it appropriate to name the prestigious Platelaying Award after Steve.

The awards are split into three categories, two categories enabling recognition for minor and major projects, along with a third category focusing on the traditional Platelaying aspects of a project.

The Major and Minor Project Awards are made to the staff responsible, who in the opinion of the Judges, best demonstrate this excellence. In other words, the Award will indicate a permanent way Project well done.

The Steve Maxwell Platelaying award recognizes individuals or teams who have demonstrated excellence in the traditional Platelaying discipline. It is not about the size or grandeur of the project, but about finding suitable Platelaying solutions that effectively tackle real network and/or project challenges. Eligible nominations could include overcoming a difficult perway component in a major project, implementing innovative Perway maintenance or renewal projects, or successfully carrying out emergency response repairs or rectifications under pressure.

Eligible projects are any track renewal, or construction work, completed in the last financial year by, or under the control of, a Member of the NSW Section, whether on a government or private railway system.

• Awards Nominations – Minor Works Category <$5m
• Awards Nominations – Major Works Category >$5m

Entries close 9th November 2024,  the winners will be announced at the PWI awards night in February.

Entries can be submitted to Stephen Fleck at Stephen.fleck@jhg.com.au

For further information on entries please contact Stephen Fleck on 0407 103 228.

Click here to review Steve Maxwell Award Judging Criteria

Click here for Steve Maxwell Minor Entry Journal Template

Click here for Steve Maxwell Major Entry Journal Template

Click here for Steve Maxwell Platelaying Template

Click here for a sample submission

Judging Panel:

• Stephen Fleck – John Holland
• Mark Harris – Acciona Rail
• Richard Morgan – Rhomberg Sersa Australia (RSA)
• Cory Gray – John Holland
• Kevin Ho – JMDR

PWI NSW introduced this Award in 2002 to recognise the efforts of field workers in the area of rail welding.This award attracts entries from all over the State, which is testimony to the wide geographic base of PWI members.

Entries closed,  the winners will be announced at the PWI awards night in February.

For further information on entries please contact Mark White on 0407 940 577

Click here to review Welders Award Criteria

Click here for Journal Entry Template

Judging Panel:

• Mark White – Speno Rail Maintenance Australia
• Ross Gin – Rogin Ultrasonic P/L
• Ben Muscat – Sydney Trains

This Annual Electrical Safety and Quality award is to recognise an initiative or significant advance in improvements to electrical safety or installation quality in any part of the Rail Industry during the last year. The award recognises the contribution of a business or individual who has implemented a new approach, strategy, or tool that has improved safety and quality outcomes, with tangible risk reduction or performance outcomes. Successful applicants are not necessarily required to have generated a new method, product or technique. This award equally considers the use of current technologies and approaches in new ways to improve electrical safety and quality outcomes within the Rail Industry.

The field is open to all relevant disciplines within the rail industry, with a focus on electrical and overhead wiring construction and maintenance work, as well as management and engineering design.

Entries must have been completed in the last financial year by, or under control of, a member of the NSW Section, whether on a government or private railway system.

Entries can be submitted to Louis Petroulias, Louisp@gazelleadvisory.com, 0409 908 098

Entries will close on 29^th November 2024 , the winners will be announced at the PWI awards night in February

Judging is based on:

Judging Panel:

• Keith Middleton – Middleton Group
• Ian Prescotte – Laing O’rourke
• Colin Kenny – Unity Alliance (CPB Contractors)
• David Stuart Smith – Arup

The PWI Design Award recognises design leadership of multi-disciplinary rail project studies or designs completed in NSW.

The study or design should demonstrate excellence in influencing benefit to the customer alongside, building a pipeline of talent, treading carefully on the earth and importantly creating an everlasting community benefit. Nominations should also show an innovative approach to solving design challenges and collaboration and partnership in the rail industry.

Entries are welcome from project studies or designs completed during the past two years of the submission date in two categories:

• Consultant engagement fees less than $1M
• Consultant engagement fees over $1M.

The PWI Design Award was established in 2022 to recognised the important role of consultants in the rail industry.

Entries can be submitted to Rebecca Want at Rebecca.Want@ghd.com

Closing Dates

Design Awards Category 1 <$1M – 

Design Awards Category 2 >$1M – 

submission date – noon on 21 January 2025

The winners will be announced at the PWI awards night in February.
For further information on entries please contact Rebecca Want on 0466 318 867 or Julian Small on 0418 897 270.

Click here for the UPDATED PWI Design Award Judging Criteria

Judging Panel:

• Julian Small – Jacobs
• Paul Feris – Acciona Rail
• Rebecca Want – GHD
• Ron Azzi – John Holland Group
• Robert Munro – Sydney Trains