NEW for 2024 – Engineering Theatre Agenda

For the first time, Rail Live is hosting a dedicated engineering theatre. Running across both days and hosted by prominent engineer and RAIL contributor Gareth Dennis, the theatre will explore key issues with a range of high-profile speakers and panel discussions.

Running on both days will be the Primary Engineering programme challenge. This is a not-for-profit scheme delivered in partnership with Porterbrook. 5 teams each made up of 4 primary-age children and an adult engineer will take part in a timed engineering challenge. This will celebrate the pupils' engineering achievements so all pupils taking part will be recognised for their work. The event is to start at 1100 on Day One and 1245 on Day Two.

Other topics covered across the two days include:

Day one topics:

1. How do suppliers get ahead of the railway’s needs?

2. Unlocking freight’s potential

Day two topics:

1. Solving the track access equation

2. Real-world uses of machine learning

3. Rail Partners with Ukraine

4. Relearning the lessons of cost effective electrifications

Click here to download the full Rail Live agenda >>

Engineering Theatre

Day 1
Day 2

11:00 – 12:00	Primary Engineer Rail Programme 11:00 – 12:00 Taking place in the engineering theatre will be the Primary Engineer programme challenge! The Primary Engineer Rail Programme is an educational not-for-profit scheme delivered in partnership with Porterbrook. For Rail Live, five teams each made up of four primary-age children and an adult engineer will take part in a timed engineering challenge. Although this will be a timed challenge, the overall activity is designed to celebrate the pupils’ engineering achievements so all pupils taking part will be recognised for their work; all of them have also already taken part in the Primary Engineer Rail Programme.
12:30 – 13:00	How do suppliers get ahead of the railway's needs? 12:30 – 13:00 The railway's main advantage is that it has solved the big questions about the efficient movement of people and goods over land. The broad technology has, consequently, remained largely the same for two centuries. Yet the challenges the railway faces today are significant - how do suppliers develop new solutions to tackle these evolving needs? As a supplier of some of the most fundamental components that make the railway work, Jamie Pogson will talk us through Pandrol's latest innovations in noise and vibration mitigation as a case study in research and development. Chaired by: Gareth Dennis, UK professional head of track, SYSTRA UK & Ireland Speakers Jamie Pogson Research & Development Engineer Pandrol
13:45 – 14:15	Unlocking rail freight's potential 13:45 – 14:15 In all the talk of a passenger-focussed railway, freight operations get all too easily bumped into second place, yet expanding the volume of goods moved by rail is absolutely critical in reducing transport's impact on the environment and on improving safety. Speakers from Network Rail, Freightliner and one of our valued freight customers joins the panel to consider how the rail industry can do more to unlock rail freight's potential. Chaired by: Gareth Dennis, UK professional head of track, SYSTRA UK & Ireland Speakers Kate Turner Head of Operations and Service Delivery - North DB Cargo Chris Swan Head of Rail UK & Europe Tarmac

10:00 – 10:30	Solving the track access equation 10:00 – 10:30 One of the biggest threats to the railway is that there is simply not enough access to maintain today's services as they are, let alone upgrading services for the future. Whilst solving this will require structural changes to the way the industry is organised, we can also work smarter under existing arrangements. Speakers join our panel to discuss how we can make better use of the access we have, book smarter access and deliver more efficiently for the railway and its users. Chaired by: Gareth Dennis, UK professional head of track, SYSTRA UK & Ireland Speakers Emma Porter Managing Director Story Plant
10:45 – 11:15	Real-world uses of machine learning 10:45 – 11:15 We hear a lot about how artificial intelligence can solve any and all problems - and much of this hype is bluster - but there are real world applications of the technologies it refers to. Machine learning is a key example when you've got the right data. Cate Lough from One Big Circle explains what these applications look like in practice, and how best to deploy them. Chaired by: Gareth Dennis, UK professional head of track, SYSTRA UK & Ireland Speakers Cate Lough Head of Business Development One Big Circle
11:30 – 12:30	Rail Partners with Ukraine 11:30 – 12:30 Senior members of the Ukrainian Railways (Ukrzaliznytsia) management board will talk about their experiences and the challenges Ukrainian rail workers are facing due to the ongoing conflict with Russia – and what you can do to help. The session will also include a panel discussion with commentary from the British rail industry involved in supporting the Ukrainian Railway. Chaired by: Gareth Dennis, UK professional head of track, SYSTRA UK & Ireland Speakers Viacheslav Yeromin Member of the Management Board Ukrzaliznytsya (JSC Ukrainian Railway) Oleg Yakovenko Director of Strategy and Transformation Ukrzaliznytsya (JSC Ukrainian Railway) Andy Bagnall Chief Executive, Rail Partners David Brown Managing Director Arriva Trains
12:45 – 13:45	Primary Engineer Rail Programme 12:45 – 13:45 Taking place in the engineering theatre will be the Primary Engineer programme challenge! The Primary Engineer Rail Programme is an educational not-for-profit scheme delivered in partnership with Porterbrook. For Rail Live, five teams each made up of four primary-age children and an adult engineer will take part in a timed engineering challenge. Although this will be a timed challenge, the overall activity is designed to celebrate the pupils’ engineering achievements so all pupils taking part will be recognised for their work; all of them have also already taken part in the Primary Engineer Rail Programme.
14:00 – 14:30	Relearning the lessons of cost effective electrifications 14:00 – 14:30 For any railway with fast, frequent or freight services, there's no viable long term traction solution than overhead electrification. Britain needs to be wiring up around 600 single track kilometres a year to meet the government's own net zero targets. But we're barely managing that, even if the pace is picking back up. Simon Skinner joins us to explain what we're doing to get up to those numbers from a contractor perspective, and what lessons we've learnt over the last ten years. Chaired by: Gareth Dennis, UK professional head of track, SYSTRA UK & Ireland Speakers Simon Skinner Engineering Director SPL Powerlines

Rail Live and the General Election

We’re sure you know that the UK is about to hold a General Election – and this will bring unavoidable changes to certain aspects of the speaker line-up, given that Rail Live takes place during the period of election ‘purdah’.

However, where changes are unavoidable, we’re doing our utmost to make sure we have suitable replacements, and we’ll update our speaker line-up before the show.

With a broad and comprehensive range of discussions, plus an unrivalled display of plant and innovative equipment, we’re confident that Rail Live is, and will remain, an unmissable event.

NEW for 2024 – Engineering Theatre Agenda

Primary Engineer Rail Programme

How do suppliers get ahead of the railway's needs?

Jamie Pogson

Unlocking rail freight's potential

Kate Turner

Chris Swan

Solving the track access equation

Emma Porter

Real-world uses of machine learning

Cate Lough

Rail Partners with Ukraine

Viacheslav Yeromin

Oleg Yakovenko

Andy Bagnall

David Brown

Primary Engineer Rail Programme

Relearning the lessons of cost effective electrifications

Simon Skinner

Rail Live and the General Election