HRA Autumn Conference 2026

‘Adapting to change when the world around us already has’

Tuesday 3 and Wednesday 4, November 2026

Birmingham Conference and Events Centre
Hill Street,
Birmingham,
B5 4EW

For future leaders and seasoned directors, trustees or managers ...

BOOKINGS NOW OPEN 

'Early Bird' rates available until 8 September.

Bringing together leaders, managers, young volunteers, rising stars and heritage rail people from across the UK for two days of learning, reflection and inspiration.

The conference offers a space to connect, share practice, challenge thinking and take away ideas and real-life examples to keep your railway, tramway or rolling stock group on the front foot!

What to Expect

• Keynote speakers offering fresh insight into adapting, innovating and volunteer engagement
• Engaging sessions to learn from peers, explore new approaches and take away practical ideas to implement and tools to strengthen your organisations
• Panel discussions exploring the future of volunteering in heritage rail and facing the challenge of severe weather incidents
• Networking and Collaborating with your counterparts in heritage rail
• The HRA Members and Partners Drinks Reception - Drinks reception and networking for all delegates and exhibitors kindly supported by Steam Railway Magazine

Conference Schedule

Sessions are still being planned and speakers booked but topics planned include:

Weather and Climate

• “I don’t regret it for one moment …” – Moving to oil burning – A case study – Paul Middleton
• Developing and implementing a severe weather plan – Jonathan Dunster
• Managing ‘S’ buckles in trackwork
• Infrastructure failures 
• Welfare and wellbeing in hot weather
• Lineside fires – mitigating and reducing the risks 
• Threats and incidents - planning and reaction for crisis communications  

Commuications, tourism, commercial and business

• What can we learn from outside heritage rail?
• Change, Refresh and Grow
• One year in from a marketing managers perspective
• Artificial Intelligence 
• The numbers
• Where does retail fit? 

Volunteers

• The legal bit; Volunteers or workers?
• Young Persons Guidance – the opportunity
• Safeguarding on Heritage Railways: A Practical Guide
• Young volunteers, or young leaders?

Evening Networking

Staying overnight on Monday and/or Tuesday? There will be plenty of opportunity to network in the hotel bar or at a nearby pub during the evenings.

Whether you work at a long standard gauge railway, a seaside tramway, or a 15in gauge line, you'll take away invaluable ideas and inspiration that can be actioned on your own line.

Recent HRA Conferences … What you said!

Genuine quotes from heritage rail people just like you who have attended HRA Conferences:

• “All-round excellent - the content, the networking - all good”
• “The fact that we felt uncomfortable at times was good!”
• “There was a real sense of community and there was so much willingness to help us with problems”
• “The chance to listen, learn and acknowledge that all the problems are not just ours!”
• “Friendly, helpful, informative, good to meet people with useful experience and knowledge”
• “Opportunity to network - but also find out the things you didn't know you needed to know”
• “HRA conferences spark motivation and trigger ideas - I have come away with 27 action points!”
• “Valuable info for my role and plenty of action points to take away”