WATTRAIN CONGRESS 29 September - 7 October 2012

 

 

The first WATTRAIN CONGRESS will take place in the UK during September/October 2012. A great deal of planning has already gone into this and we are now able to give a better idea of what’s in store. Mon 24th to Fri 28/9/12 Delegates arrive in UK. We will be giving ideas of railways to visit, including any special offers. We recommend that overseas delegates obtain the Britrail pass and will give details of how to obtain the pass in due course.

Sat 29/9/12 Delegates arrive Leeds
Our base hotel will the Mint Hotel, Granary Wharf, Leeds:-
http://www.minthotel.com/leeds/leeds-hotels.htm
For those on a budget, the Bewley’s Hotel
http://www.bewleyshotels.com/leeds/
is very near and good value.

FOR THE TIME BEING, DO NOT ATTEMPT TO BOOK HOTEL ROOMS AS WE ARE SETTING UP A BOOKING SERVICE FOR THIS!
Sun 30/9/12 Visit Middleton Railway & Armley Mills Industrial Museum
Mon 1/10/12 Visit KWVR and possible Civic Reception in Leeds early evening.
Tues 2/10/12 Visit National Tramway Museum, Crich and Great Central Railway, Loughborough [Evening Dining Train]
Wed 3/10/12 WATTRAIN Congress at NRM, York – Evening trip Huddersfield-Sheffield Beer & Music train [Ist Group]
Thurs 4/10/12 WATTRAIN Congress at NRM, York Evening trip Huddersfield-Sheffield Beer & Music train [2nd Group]
Fri 5/10/12 WATTRAIN Congress at NRM, York
Sat 6/10/12 WATTRAIN Congress special visit [tba]
Sun 7/10/12 Delegates transfer to North Wales

CONFERENCE THEME is to be “Sustainability” with four sub-headings, “financial/commercial”; “Technical Challenges”; “people issues”; and “Environment”. We will look for speakers on those subjects in due course.

Financial & Commercial Sustainability & Economics
What partnership opportunities exist which might ensure the continued prosperity and long term financial sustainability of railway heritage? How do we measure and quantify our economic benefit to the community?
Rail museums and heritage railways are largely fixed cost, capital intensive operations. One bad season or a major equipment or infrastructure failure can represent the difference between profit or loss, not only for the organisations concerned, but also for the communities in which they are located. Theatre of the Railway
What do visitors take away from a heritage rail experience? How do we ensure historical accuracy and authenticity? Which stories should we be telling?
Visitors to railway museums and heritage railways now demand more than static exhibits and rides in restored trains. A meaningful and engaging experience for visitors provides railway museums and heritage railways with an opportunity to capture the public’s imagination, build audiences and tell the stories of rail and its people.

People Issues – Training & Regulation
What creative solutions exist to meet the training and staffing in an increasingly regulated environment?
Accessing / retaining the skills and knowledge necessary for maintaining heritage railway equipment and systems, and meeting current regulatory requirements is a major challenge for the sector. Until now, heritage railway operations have relied on vast numbers of former railway employees with the training, knowledge and experience to volunteer. As the number of people who have experienced working on mainline steam diminishes, training the next generation and meeting future regulatory requirements presents a significant challenge.

Environment
Who are the environmental innovators and what can we learn from them?
New challenges are emerging for heritage railway operations - the introduction of new environmental standards and carbon tax, use of recycled water, management of trackside vegetation, fire prevention/control, and noise and pollution management.

CONGRESS 2012 BOOKING DATE EXTENDED TO 31st AUGUST

Posted on August 1, 2012 by wattrain

Due to popular demand from prospective delegates, WATTRAIN has extended its booking date until 31st August to allow for further bookings to be made on our website, www.wattrain.org We have a world class speakers list and a good visitor’s and partner’s programme so we hope to see you there!