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
Following the ending of COVID-19 restrictions in England, Railfuture has resumed physical meetings, both at national and branch level. The first was the Railfuture Ltd AGM in Birmingham in July 2021. The successful 'Attracting Passengers Back to Rail' Zoom webinar, first staged in October 2020) was repeated in January 2022 to assess progress made by the rail industry (and government) and to see whether rail users' views had changed.
Click HERE For a list of rail-related events including free-to-attend Railfuture branch meetings
2022/Bristol (AGM) [link]
- Sat 16/07/2022 17th Railfuture Ltd AGM
- Plus presentation of Rail User Group Awards
- Hosted by Railfuture Severnside 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 of Railfuture Campaigner of the Year Award, followed by a break for lunch (not at venue). Afternoon session (open to all) has keynote speakers. Close at 15:30
- Venue: St Michael's Church Centre
- This venue is modern, attractive and is designed to hold large conferences
- Room: Large Meeting Room [image]
- The large meeting room can accommodate up 80 delegates seated cabaret style
- The Green, Stoke Gifford, Bristol
- Postcode: BS34 8PD
- Phone: 0117 969 2486
- Route: It is five minutes' walk from Bristol Parkway Station
- Enquiries about the AGM: please 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 08/03/2022. 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 14/07/2022
- Motions must be received by the Railfuture Ltd Chair, Chris Page (see details on AGM notice) by Sat 02/07/2022
- Information about how Railfuture is run, including a copy of the Articles of Association, can be found at Railfuture+organisation.
- Refreshments are complimentary. Lunch, if required, must be purchased in advance [book].
- The venue does not allow people to eat their own food on the premises.
- Lunch Prices for Bristol AGM: [book]
- £10.00 - Standard Lunch
2022/Leeds - RAILFUTURE ANNUAL CONFERENCE [link]
- Thu 15/09/2022 Turning Point for the Railways [Why Attend?]
- 'What do we want the railways to look like in the future?'
- Social media hashtag (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram) for this event: #rfconference
- Timings: 09.15-10.00 Arrivals - tea/coffee/pastries; 10.00-12.45 Morning session; 12.45-13.45 Lunch; 13.45-16.30 Afternoon session to include a workshop for all attendees
- Speakers:
- Nick Flynn
and Abby Taylor
- Stewart Palmer, Vice President and Director, Railfuture
(talking about: Railfuture's aspirations for the future of the railways)
- Stewart was previously Managing Director of South West Trains
- Karen Bennett (talking 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
- Anna-Jane Hunter, Partner, Winder Phillips Associates, Women in Rail
- Dr Manuel Ofeda Cabral, Senior Research Fellow in Transport Economics and Appraisal, University of Leeds (talking about: The value of new railway lines and stations)
- Alison Smith, Head of Accessibility, Great British Railways Transition Team (GBRTT) (talking about: Keynote Listener and update on GBRTT)
- The event will be chaired by Brian Barnsley - Deputy Chief Executive of Community Rail Network and Head of Support and Development
- Venue: St George's Centre
- This venue is modern, attractive and the air-conditioned room chosen is designed to hold large conferences
- Room: The Hemming Suite
- This large meeting room can accommodate up 150 delegates depending on layout; Railfuture has chosen a cabaret layout which handles 120 people
- 60 Great George Street, Leeds
- Postcode: LS1 3DL
- Phone: 0113 383 2140
- Enquiries about the conference: please email conferences at railfuture.org.uk.
- Places for this conference are still available. Please book by Tue 13/09/2022
- The 'Early Bird' discount offer is still open but will end on Fri 05/08/2022.
- Prices for the Railfuture Annual Conference in Leeds: [book]
- £45.00 - Early bird (members only)
- £50.00 - General Admission
- £35.00 - Student
- Includes: Lunch and refreshments will be provided
Book Your Conference Place/AGM Lunch Now
You do not have to be a member to attend a conference, but you can save money if you are. To become a member click
[HERE] to book the next conference and join Railfuture at the same time - you'll get a special discount
If bookings for the next conference have closed this will be for the conference after that.
Bookings should be made online. However, if this is not possible please send your details and a cheque to the 'All other correspondence' address (not the registered office address) shown on this page.
(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 dietary requirements in the 'optional note to seller' message box on the PayPal page.
Terms and Conditions
Before booking please make sure that you have read the Railfuture conference terms and conditions (PDF format).
Selected past event
2013/Taunton [link]
- Sat 22/06/2013 Vision and Reality - Can we have both?
- Hosted by Railfuture Severnside branch
- It was held at Albemarle Centre
- Railfuture is grateful for sponsorship from First Great Western
- John Chapman, Director, Kilbride Group (talked about: Return to Tavistock [Community Rail Reopening])
- John Dora, John Dora Consulting (former Network Rail engineer) (talked about: Railways, Weather and Climate Change Research)
- Alan Matthews, Chairman, Portishead Railway Group (talked about: Campaigning to reopen a long-closed line)
- Dean Cockwell, Project Manager, New Somerset and Dorset Railway (talked about: Rail reopening campaign with a long-term aim)
- Bernard Lane, Chairman, Friends of Suburban Bristol Railways (talked about: Campaigning for an effective City Rail Network)
- John Burch, Chairman, Tarka Rail Association (talked about: The Problem that is Cowley Bridge Junction)
- Steve Smith, Bedwyn Trains Passenger Group (talked about: Wisdom of Electrification to a Non-Terminus)
- Chris Fribbins and Chris Page, Railfuture Directors (talked about: Network Rail's Long-Term Planning Process)
CONFERENCE MATERIALS:
Nothing is available
CONFERENCE SPEAKERS (AND THEIR PRESENTATIONS):
Past events for each year
Up to three national events are held each year. Click on the location to see the details.
Click HERE to see a full list of past events. Looking for something else? Check the LIBRARY