19-01-2009, 03:13 PM
(This post was last modified: 19-01-2009, 03:20 PM by nicklawford.)
I am just starting on the road to IRSE exams and - before registering with this forum several months ago - I was thinking and planning that I would start with Module 1. After all, it is the compulsory module.
Then I studied the threads in this forum, where indications are that Module 1 is the hardest.
Last week I was at the IRSE YM meeting/seminar in London [*]. I found Paul Cheesemans' presentation useful , and the 2008 exam review, although I was not able to stay for all of it.
Perhaps because of my background - I only entered the rail industry 2 years ago - I am not convinced Module 1 can be the hardest exam, although I can see it covers a very very wide syllabus that could lead to almost anything coming up.
Or perhaps it is because I am working inside the London underground environment, currently on modern control systems, including tbtc. To me, to take one example, main line multiple aspect signalling is something way outside my area of work and experience, so I have no day-to-day practical experience to base theory for other Modules upon.
All this now concerns me - if I am from the outside, why am I perceiving the opposite view to insiders ?
Comments ?
On top if this is the fact that I have not sat down and taken one single formal exam since my engineering degree finals in 1982.
I have yet to decide if I am going to take any exam in 2009 (I am aware of the registration deadline) because of other factors that might take priority, it might have to be 2010. If I do have to defer to 2010 then it has crossed my mind to try Modules 1 and 7 together at the same time.
Can anyone offer advice if thats a good or bad idea - some of the questions in Module 7 look spectacularly vague!!!
[*] thanks for Peter Woodbridge presentation too.
Regards
Nick