Spring Conference 2026

‘People and possibilities’ – the heritage rail spring conference 2026

Hosted by the Heritage Railway Association

Tuesday 14th and Wednesday 15th April 2026

Hilton Newcastle Gateshead, Bottle Bank, Gateshead

Sponsored by

Linking the themes of ‘People’, ‘Insights’ and ‘Opportunities’ you’ll learn and takeaway:

• Actionable insights and opportunities to maximise visitor spend
• Strategies for engaging, inspiring and motivating volunteers
• Useable and useful ideas and innovations
• Meaningful connections and opportunities to collaborate

Early-Bird two-day tickets are now available at 'cost-price' until 22 March.

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Designed to stimulate thinking and draw together ideas and opportunities, our speakers and panellists will share their lived experiences and insights to help you steer through the current challenges

Speakers include:

• Bernard Donahue, Association of Leading Visitor Attractions 
• Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay
• Nick Sharp and Noel Hartley Keighley and Worth Valley Railway 
• Claire Gibbons, Weardale Railway
• Iain Wilkinson, Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railways
• Stuart Williams, Vale of Rheidol Railway
• Rebecca Dalley, Watercress Line
• Simon Barber, Office of Rail and Road
• Fran Bailey, Middleton Railway Trust
• Dean Taylor, Isle of Wight Steam Railway
  … With more still being confirmed

The heritage rail spring conference is for leaders, managers and volunteers across every heritage railway, tramway, funicular railway and related organisation. If you’ve got concerns, worries or uncertainties about getting through the next couple of years, you need to be there!

Sessions already confirmed include:

• Engaging with Parliament - Insights and tips on engaging with politicians and officials in Westminster, Holyrood, the Senedd and Stormont, whether in government or opposition 
• The visitor and leisure market - Challenges, opportunities and need-to-knows to get more visitors spending more
• Why I volunteer - Younger volunteers talk frankly about what interests them in heritage rail and how to attract young people, keep them engaged and build them into long-term volunteers 
• Putting volunteers at the heart of your business - How one railway is placing the long-term recruitment, retention and nurturing of volunteers at the top of its board and management structure 
• Working without volunteers - an insight into railways that operate effectively without using volunteers 
• Accessibility - Let’s talk about whether we really do welcome everyone to our railways and tramways!
• Events and Innovations - Ideas and opportunities to share and takeaways
• Maximising secondary spend - Driving revenue from key parts of your attraction
• Keeping it fresh and relevant - A case study on reviewing and renewing your marketing
  
  Further sessions being developed to cover:
• Using video in your comms
• Funding
• Latest insights on safety 

Ticket prices have again been kept to a minimum; this conference is designed to be accessible and relevant to all.

The Heritage Railway Association 2026 AGM will take place on Day One of the conference

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.

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”

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Please Note: Tickets are available for the conference only and do not include for hotel accommodation or any other costs attendees may incur in attending this event.