Railfuture now holds one major national conference each year, in late summer/early autumn (in addition to its AGM for members). We aim only to cover our costs. The conferences are competitively priced, to be within rail users' price range, and are open to everyone. Railfuture members are usually offered a chance to attend at a discounted rate. We also produce free-to-attend Webinars.
Speakers come from a variety of backgrounds. Some of the organisations who have spoken at conferences and webinars include Anglia Railways, Arriva Cross Country, Arriva Trains Wales, Association of Train Operating Companies, Cardiff International Airport, Centro, Chester-le-Track, Chiltern Railways, CrossCountry Trains, Delta Rail, East Coast, East Midlands Trains, East West Rail Consortium, Eurostar, First Capital Connect, First Great Western, First Transpennine Express, Furrer + Frey GB, Grand Central, Great British Railways Transition Team (GBRTT), Great Western Railway, Greater Anglia, Heathrow Southern Railway, Hitachi Rail Europe, HS2, London Midland, London Overground Railway Operations, Merseytravel, MyTestTrack.com, Network Rail, Northern Rail, Northern (Arriva Rail North), Nottingham Express Transit, Parry People Movers, Port Of Sunderland, Rail Delivery Group, RSSB, ScotRail Alliance, SLC Rail, Southeastern, South West Trains, Thameslink and Great Northern, Transpennine Express, TramPower, Transport for Wales Rail, Transport Salaried Staffs' Association, UK Rail Leasing, Virgin Trains, Virgin Trains East Coast, Vivarail and West Midlands Trains.
Click HERE to see a list events and speakers for each organisation.
To follow Railfuture's conferences and webinars on Twitter use the hash-tag shown against the event.
Note: this hash-tag is not exclusive to Railfuture.
Future Events
Click HERE For a list of rail-related events including free-to-attend Railfuture branch meetings
2024/Edinburgh (AGM) [link]
- Sat 13/07/2024 19th Railfuture Ltd AGM [Why Attend?]
- 61 days until AGM
- Plus presentation of Rail User Group Awards by Railfuture Honorary President Christian Wolmar
- Hosted by Railfuture Scotland branch
- Social media hashtag (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram) for this event: #rfconference
- Registration from 10:00 with refreshments from 10:30. AGM starts at 11:00. Includes presentation c.12:30 of the 3rd award for Railfuture Member of the Year, organised by Director Wendy Thorne, followed by a break for lunch (at venue if booked). Afternoon session from 13:30 (open to all) has presentation from two rail industry speakers and then the 9th Rail User Group Awards, organised by Director Roger Blake. Close at 15:30
- Speakers:
- Cllr. Scott Arthur
, Edinburgh City Council
(talking about: Edinburgh Trams — incl. proposals to open a second line) - Cllr. Arthur has confirmed and he will be having lunch at the AGM venue, so this will be a chance for others to speak to him. A second speaker, possibly from ScotRail, is being sought.
- Venue: Edinburgh Holyrood Hotel
- Room: Holyrood Suite
- 81 Holyrood Rd, Edinburgh
- Postcode: EH8 8AU
- Phone: (0131) 528 8000
- Email: info at edinburghholyroodhotel.com
- Route: The venue is a 4-star hotel, 0.5 miles from Edinburgh Waverley Station and just metres from Holyrood Park. From Waverley station exit via Market Street; cross road and turn into Jeffrey Street. At traffic lights, continue forward into St Mary Street, passing a Travelodge on your right. At second set of traffic lights, turn left into Cowgate, keep left on to Holyrood Road. The Hotel is situated on the left about 400 metres from the traffic lights.
- Enquiries about the AGM: please see the inserts included with the current edition of Railwatch, click the 'Further Info' link below or email conferences at railfuture.org.uk.
- The AGM is open to all current members or their proxy - there is no fee to attend.
- All paperwork was completed on Tue 27/02/2024. It is now too late to include anything for the AGM in the standard mailing with Railwatch.
- Proxy voting and registering your attendance is now open (click HERE to do so online) and paper forms must be received by the Membership Renewals officer, Lloyd Butler (see details on AGM notice) by Thu 11/07/2024
- Motions must be received by the Railfuture Ltd Chair, Chris Page (see details on AGM notice) by Sat 29/06/2024
- Information about how Railfuture is run, including a copy of the Articles of Association, can be found at Railfuture+organisation.
- Further Info: Click [Download] or [Display] for the AGM notice and agenda, including map (PDF format)
- Refreshments are complimentary. Lunch, if required, must be purchased in advance (by Fri 05/07/2024) [book].
- The venue does not allow people to eat their own food on the premises.
- Lunch Prices for Edinburgh AGM: [book]
- £14.00 - Standard Lunch
Book Your AGM Lunch Now
(MEDIA: For a free 'press pass' please contact Bruce Williamson by e-mailing media at railfuture.org.uk or phone on 07759 557389).
Please mention any additional requirements or information by email (see 'enquiries' above) after receiving your booking acknowledgement.
Terms and Conditions
Before booking please make sure that you have read the Railfuture conference terms and conditions (PDF format).
Past Conferences
The location of Railfuture national conferences vary each year but always with good rail connections. The following is a list of conferences and webinars in recent years.
2023/Leeds - ANNUAL NATIONAL CONFERENCE [link]
- Thu 30/03/2023 Turning Point for the Railway
- The railway needs to understand and influence what politicians want from it, including how to structure it to make it much more effective. Where should the focus of campaigners for a bigger, better, railway be? The railway can be a highly effective contributor to decarbonisation, to levelling up and as part of many wider initiatives — but only if it is successful in attracting passengers and freight to use the railway. The post-Covid railway can no longer rely on commuters who 'have' to travel to work each day — who can replace them? Our conference provided an opportunity to pause and reflect on this.
- This conference was dedicated to the memory of William Whiting, who helped to organise this event and was a widely respected rail campaigner
- 'What do we want the railways to look like in the future?'
- It was held at St George's Centre
- Read an [Article] about the conference — Railfuture's Annual National Conference still coming to Leeds despite strikes (Rail Business Daily on 17/03/2023)
- About the speakers: [Read Speaker Biographies]
- Nick Flynn
- Stewart Palmer, Vice President and Director, Railfuture (talked about: Railfuture's view on whether the railway is working for passengers)
- Stewart was previously Managing Director of South West Trains
- Karen Bennett (talked about: How young people can be engaged in the railways)
- Phil Smart, Assistant Policy Manager, Rail Freight Group
- Phil is also Councillor at Ipswich Borough Council with a strong knowledge of transport matters
- Dr Manuel Ojeda Cabral, Senior Research Fellow in Transport Economics and Appraisal, University of Leeds (talked about: The value of new railway lines and stations)
- Craig Alexander, replaced Alison Smith, Head of Accessibility and Inclusion, Great British Railways Transition Team (GBRTT)
(talked about: where GBRTT is currently) - Conference Chair: Brian Barnsley
- The above speakers have confirmed their availability for the new conference date, although they may provide a substitute in their place
CONFERENCE MATERIALS:
CONFERENCE SPEAKERS (AND THEIR PRESENTATIONS):
2019/Bristol - ANNUAL NATIONAL CONFERENCE [link]
- Sat 21/09/2019 Every Passenger Matters
- The Railfuture national conference centred on topics around inclusion and accessibility for passengers using the rail network.
- It was held at St Michael's Centre
- Railfuture is grateful for sponsorship from Cross Country Trains
- Further Info: Click [Download] or [Display] for the AGM notice and agenda, including map (PDF format)
- Read a [Press Release] about the conference
- Listen to a [Radio Interview] about the conference Script running on unknown website 'railfuture.org.uk.'!
CONFERENCE MATERIALS: