Brian Lucas (29 September 1950 – 15 February 2024), Chartered Engineer and Fellow of the Permanent Way Institution and former Irish Section Chair passed away peacefully surrounded by his loving family.

Brian joined the Permanent Way Institution in 1981 and was a stalwart of the Irish Section.  He served as Section Chair from 2005 to 2007 and was instrumental in organising the successful 2005 Summer Convention in Athlone. He was held in the highest regard by engineering colleagues in Irish Rail and is fondly remembered in the Irish Section of the Permanent Way Institution for his jovial spirit and warm nature.

Brian was born in Abbeyleix, Co. Laois.  He graduated in Civil Engineering from University College Dublin and spent 6 years working for building contractors in Ireland before joining the railway in 1980.  During his railway career he held several senior positions in the Chief Civil Engineers Department.  He was Production Manager from 1991 to 2002 when Portlaoise Depot reorganised under his leadership to increase production of concrete sleepers in support of the Railway Safety Programme to upgrade all intercity routes to CWR track.  He also strengthened the fleet of on-track machines with the introduction of 2 x P&T 08 Compact Dual Tampers and he procurement of the High Output Ballast System (HOBS) auto-ballast wagons.

In 2002, Brian was appointed to Divisional Engineer Athlone where he led the Maintenance and Renewals works for the Western area up until 2007.  From 2007 to summer 2010 he was Divisional Engineer Dublin.  During his years as a Divisional Engineer, Brian’s skills as a leader and excellent man-manager were frequently on display.  Among the many maintenance and renewals jobs undertaken there were major re-signalling projects involving station track remodelling and removal of mechanical signalling.  Summer 2010 brought organisational change and Brian became Principal Engineer (Track Quality & Projects) a position he retired from at the end of that year.