Spring Conference 2026

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

Hosted by the Heritage Railway Association

Tuesday 14 and Wednesday 15 April 2026

Hilton Newcastle Gateshead, Bottle Bank, Gateshead

Sponsored by

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

• Bold ideas, 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

Full speaker line-up and two-day programme listed below

This conference is designed to be accessible and relevant to all, so ticket prices have again been kept to a minimum

Presentations now available for members

You've told us areas where you're struggling or need a boost ... Our speakers and panellists will share their lived experiences and insights to help you steer through the current challenges.

Agenda

The agendas for both days of the conferene are now available to download ...

Presentations 

PDF versions of presentations are now available for members to download, please note that a login is required ...

Keynote Speaker

Bernard Donoghue OBE, CEO of the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions 

Bernard is the CEO of the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions, the trade association and advocacy body representing the UK's most significant museums, galleries, heritage sites, cathedrals, palaces, places of worship, stately homes, gardens, zoos, performance venues, cultural organisations and visitor attractions. He is Chair of the board of trustees of the Bristol Old Vic Theatre; Chair of the board of trustees of the People's History Museum; Chair of the London and South East Regional Advisory Board of the National Trust; and Co-Chair of VisitLondon, the London Tourist Board.  He is a guest lecturer on the Oxford Cultural Leaders programme of the Saïd Business School of the University of Oxford; on the Masters in Cultural Leadership course of the Royal Academy of the Arts; and on MA and BA courses of the University of Oxford, University College London and Goldsmiths College, University of London. He is a former Chair of the London International Festival of Theatre (LIFT), the Tourism Alliance, VisitManchester, and the Ambassadors' Council of WWF. Bernard was a trustee of WWF-UK, Centrepoint, the Museum of The Home, the Heritage Alliance and Kids in Museums, and was a member of the Cathedral Council of St Paul's Cathedral, London. He was awarded the OBE in 2022 for 'services to tourism and to culture'.

Other speakers include:

• Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay
• Tim Dunn, Broadcaster
• Jonathan Williams, NFP Insurance Services
• Nick Sharp and Noel Hartley, Keighley and Worth Valley Railway 
• Gus Dunster, Severn 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
• Will Stratford, Watercress Line
• Rob Lowe, Railway 200/Network Rail
• John Hunt, NELPG
• David Watchman, Tanfield Railway
• Erin Flynn, Isle of Wight Steam Railway
• John Hunt, North Eastern Locomotive Preservation Group
• Andy Savage, National Rail heritage Awards
• Felix Singleton, Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways

Designed to stimulate thinking and draw together ideas and opportunities, 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!

Bring the UK's biggest-selling steam news magazine to your platform

Day One

Putting volunteers at the heart of your business - Ian Wilkinson, Head of Volunteering,  F&WHR

How one railway is placing the long-term recruitment, retention and nurturing of volunteers at the top of its board and management structure.

Is EDI ‘accessible’? - Rebecca Dalley, Watercress Line

At a time when intellectual concepts are evolving and legislative obligations rising, Rebecca is as confused as you about EDI. Is the generational gap widening and how do we bridge the gap? 

Rebecca outlines the start of a manifesto to take on the ‘committee formerly known as EDI’ to begin the journey towards a more positive approach to helping heritage railways become physically, socially and generationally accessible.

Middleton Railways’ Almoner Role - Fran Bailey, Middleton Railway

An award-winning and innovative approach to welfare, paying dividends for people, volunteers and the railway. The Almoner Role provides pastoral care and welfare to former and current volunteers at Middleton Railway.
Former volunteers still feel included and working volunteers know the Almoner is there to support them, as their welfare and wellbeing is of paramount importance.

‘A tale of two operations’ - Working with and without volunteers - Stuart Williams, General Manager, Vale of Rheidol Railway

As the former GM of Talyllyn Railway and now the GM at Vale of Rheidol and Brecon Mountain, Stuart provides an insight into railways that operate effectively both with and without using volunteers.

Why I volunteer - Erin Flynn, Isle of Wight Steam Railway and Felix Singleton, Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways

Two 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. 

The Panel - ‘Heritage needs its future more than it needs its past’

Speakers from the morning sessions discuss why heritage railways must recognise that heritage rail’s future relies on finding and nurturing new people

The Regulatory Bit - Simon Barber, HM Principal Inspector, ORR

An update on ORR inspection activities and the current key safety issues for heritage railways

It's all about the people! - John Hunt, North-East Locomotive Preservation Group

60 years ago NELPG's inaugural meeting was held at the Bridge Hotel in Newcastle. In it's Diamond Jubilee year, John Hunt explains what makes the organisation special and how it has managed to be so successful for so long

Reflections on R200 - Outcomes and Legacy - Rob Lowe, Network Rail

Six million people engaged online, 400,000 people participated in events, 100,000 young people engaged with career based activities, and an exhibition train touring 12,000 miles (so far!)

From the Heritage Rail ‘Whistle-Up’ to The Greatest Gathering and 200 Wheels on the Cob, Railway 200’s activities and achievements have been wide and varied.

Rob Lowe summarises the outcomes and long-term legacies created by both heritage and main line railways.

What does good health & Safety look like? - Jonathan Williams, Managing Director Health & Safety, NFP Insurance Services

Based on insights and incident information spanning 10 years across several insurance business classes, we take a look at current health & safety ‘hot topics’ and focus on the main causes of personal injury claims in the heritage railway sector and how you can mitigate these risks

The National Rail Heritage Awards - Andy Savage, Chairman, National Rail Heritage Awards

Dedicated to encouraging and rewarding best practice in the restoration, re-use and continued upkeep of railway and tramway buildings and structures, these Awards have been presented annually since 1979. Initially focused on the heritage railway preservation movement, since privatisation in the 1990’s the Awards have broadened and, today, entries come from heritage railways, the mainline, and public and private owners of former railway buildings.

Andy highlights some previous winners from heritage rail and takes you through the opportunities to be a winner in 2026

HRA Annual General Meeting

Docments for the AGM are available to download here.

The HRA Members and Partners Drinks Reception hosted by Steam Railway Magazine

Drinks Reception and networking for all delegates and exhibitors

Day Two

Keynote – ‘What do visitors want and how do we plan in unpredictable times?’ 
Bernard Donoghue CEO of the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions

Trends, data and insights on what visitors want, what they're prepared to pay for, and how attractions are adapting their offer to appeal to core and new audiences.

Dreaming big to deliver bigger! The Greatest Gathering: Inspiration and legacy - Gus Dunster

Harnessing the power of a 'can do' attitude and the younger generation to create something truly unique with a lasting legacy.

Maximising secondary spend - Noel Hartley, Operations Manager, and Nick Sharp, Head of Catering, Keighley & Worth Valley Railway

Heritage railways are not food businesses that happen to use trains. Nor is catering a secondary or lesser activity. Catering is a core part of the visitor experience and a critical revenue stream balanced with heritage conservation, railway operations, and long-term organisational sustainability.

Trained to Executive Chef at Rosette level and with over 25 years of experience across catering and hospitality working within some of the UK’s most respected and demanding brands, Nick Sharp introduces his new 80-page guide ‘Best Practice in Catering on a Heritage Railway’ and explains how, through strategic planning, discipline and investment in people, he’s helped transform K&WVR’s catering into a multi-venue offer with clearly defined identities, supported by a strong and commercially successful pop-up and event catering arm.

From preservation to powerhouse through partnership - Claire Gibbons General Manager, Weardale Railway

A spotlight on refocussing and reshaping a heritage railway. Claire takes us through her journey so far, driving Weardale Railway from preservation to a community and tourism powerhouse.

The Power of the Picture: A railway film unit - can it work for you? - Will Stratford, The Watercress Line

Just railway enthusiasts sharing footage of trains? – or something much more powerful? Join Will Stratford from the Watercress Line as he takes you on a journey to show some of the many benefits the power of film has brought their railway and further afield

The Panel - The visitor and leisure market

Challenges, opportunities and need-to-knows to get more visitors spending more

Keeping it fresh and relevant: A case study on reviewing and renewing your marketing - Dean Taylor, Marketing Manager, Isle of Wight Steam Railway

Change happens fast and it’s easy to lose focus and not keep-up, especially when it comes to understanding customers and how best to reach them.

Having only joined the IW Steam Railway four months ago, Dean explains the process he’s been undertaking to rapidly review and reshape the railway’s marketing, ensuring it is data-driven and makes best use of the resources available

Engaging with Parliament

Steve Oates in conversation with Lord Parkinson (HRA Chairman and Shadow Heritage Minister) and Luke Akehurst MP (North Durham) TBC to reveal how best to engage with politicians and officials in Westminster, Holyrood, the Senedd and Stormont, whether in government or opposition

‘I can see why they won that!’ - David Watchman, General Manager, Tanfield Railway

Understanding what it takes to be a ‘Railway of the Year’.

"The end of the beginning" - Tim Dunn, Broadcaster, historian and marketer

Tim rounds off our Spring Conference to look back over 75 years' worth of heritage rails’ achievements, as we get ready to face the exciting new challenges ahead.

In a high-energy summary of railway preservation history, Tim examines where we've come from and what we have to be proud of; plus some of the forgotten achievements and a reminder that our own railways' modern heritage story is becoming as important as wider heritage stories

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.

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”

Bookings are now closed.