Dr Colin Bayliss, G3WKZ, 6th September 2014

| September 29, 2014
The late G3WKZ

Colin, G3WKZ

Dr Colin Bayliss, PhD, MSc, FIET, G3WKZ, died, sadly on Saturday, 6th September 2014, a short time after an unexpected diagnosis of cancer, age 64. This was a great shock to all his friends and family and to the radio amateurs of Reading & District Amateur Radio Club (RADARC), many of whom saw him last at the Mid-Summer Club BBQ.

Colin was an internationally known electrical engineer, a man with an extraordinarily able mind (which he never conceded – he thought his was normal), phenomenal energy, enthusiasm for life and living, hugely practical and able, problem solver, with a love of the best that life and people could offer.

After an apprenticeship and sponsorship from British Steel Corporation, Colin graduated from Nottingham University with a 1st Class honours Degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering followed by a PhD in Materials Science, and much later, gaining an MSc in Engineering Construction Project Management at Cranfield School of Management.

Colin’s career started with the European Space Agency, Plessey and MoD post-doctoral research sponsorships; then with:-

  • Anglo American – Nchanga Consolidated Copper Mines, Zambia, Senior Assistant Project Engineer – Sir William Halcrow and Partners (now part of CH2MHill) – Saudi, Red Sea coast power reticulation projects, – Ewbank & Partners (now part of Mott MacDonald) – Principal Electrical Engineer, Qatar and Far East power construction projects, and was “The Engineer” under standard Terms and Conditions of Contract for many major projects. Fully funded secondment to Cranfield School of Management as Company/Engineering Industry Training Board (EITB) Fellow
  • Balfour Beatty Principal Engineer and Trans-Manche Link (Channel Tunnel Main Contractor) Fixed Equipment Executive Engineering Director (responsibilities for engineering of all other than Channel Tunnel civil works and rolling stock) during last two years of that major project’s construction; and as Technical and Engineering Director for UK Nirex Ltd.
  • He joined United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) in August 1997 and held the posts – Planning and Performance Executive Director; – Major Projects and Engineering Executive Director;  Operations and Main Board Director (~£250M pa expenditure). Colin retired from UKAE in 2010.

He gave evidence to the House of Lords Committee on “Managing Nuclear Energy and Waste: The role of the EU.” 2005 / 06.

He continued his interest in post-graduate training, lecturing every Spring Term at Imperial College London (Nuclear Engineering MSc) and the University of Birmingham (Engineering Management MSc) and held an honorary professorship for this work.

He served as a Non-Executive Director of Radsafe CLG. Also as Non-Executive Director on the Cogent Sector Skills Council. He was a Member of the Civil Nuclear Police Authority Board representing Site Licence and security interests.

He was a world authority on Power Distribution, and his book, Transmission and Distribution Engineering, now in its 4nd Edition, is internationally recognised.

Also, Nuclear Decommissioning , Waste Management, and Environmental Site Restoration with Kevin Langley.

Colin’s father was G8PD, and he gained his first amateur radio licence at 15 years of age (G8AJU) and his current licence, G3WKZ, in 1967. During the 1970s he operated as 9J2CB from the Zambia. He has operated on all bands from 160m to 23cm, phone, VW and data modes, more recently using homemade high power linear amplifiers for the bands between 4m and 23cm. A keen VHF/UHF contester, Colin joined RADARC in 2009 and immediately made a big impact, entering contests and giving a series of talks of the highest quality. He was a first rate speaker. His home made equipment was beautifully built and was also the subject of talks. Living at a very low location in Streatley in the Thames valley, he operated portable from local hills to enter contests and activity nights, using a vast array of portable antennas and masts. He operated through the local repeater, GB3RD and was very well known to locals and Club members, many of us will remember very pleasant and educational chats with him.

His death is a huge loss to us all, just as he was getting into the stride of his retirement and increasing his hobby activity.

Tribute by Vin Robinson, G4JTR, Chairman, RADARC (www.radarc.org).

Category: Silent Keys