Rail Live '19 Returns to Warwickshire - a showcase for Rail Excellence

“The Midlands Region offers an unrivalled opportunity for international rail companies..."

Rail Live returned to the Midlands for 2019, showcasing the latest in rail and trackside technology.

The event, organised by Bauer Media in association with Rail Alliance, saw more than 250 exhibitors and more than 6,000 delegates visit the Quinton Rail Technology Centre in Long Marston, a short stop from Stratford-upon-Avon, to see the latest rolling stock technology and trackside and infrastructure development.

The UK rail industry is seeing unprecedented investment in the rail network across the UK. This includes major projects like HS2 and Crossrail, but also new rail franchises such as the £680m Abellio/Mitsui/JR East Japan and West Midlands Trains, bringing new rolling stock into service, and new stations such as Kenilworth and light rail extensions such as Midlands Metro.

This unprecedented UK rail investment is also driving new innovations in digital technologies and rolling stock, such as very light rail.

Invest Warwickshire, part of the Economies and Skills Group at Warwickshire County Council, joined the Department for International Trade Midlands Engine Investment Hub to promote this UK investment opportunity to potential inward investors. The team spoke to a number of potential investors on its stand ‘Midlands Engine Rail’.

The Midlands Engine has been touring  leading European rail and advanced manufacturing shows to promote the UK rail investment opportunities. Invest Warks has joined them before, at Railtex in May at the NEC, and again at Rail Live at Long Marston.

Rail Live19 provides an ideal opportunity for the Midlands Engine to reach out to a captive and engaged audience interested in finding out more about what the region offers – both in terms of rail expertise and technologies in as well as the opportunities to establish business operations in the area.

The show was a great opportunity for local companies to showcase their rail technologies. Porterbrook and University of Birmingham BCRRE were at the show with a UK first, the Hydroflex, the UK’s first train to run on hydrogen. Rail Alliance, the business network group based at Long Marston, was recently absorbed into BCRRE and the university does much of its testing and development at the Quinton Rail Technology Centre at Long Marston. Meanwhile, Vivarail, who are based at Long Marston, ran demonstrations of its battery fuel cell train which can run as a diesel electric hybrid, or by battery or other power sources such as hydrogen. 

PCAT, the innovative very light rail infrastructure system, which has a permanent demonstrator at QRTC, was also exhibiting at the show, as was Chrysalis Rail, who refit and renew existing rail carriages.

“The Midlands Region offers an unrivalled opportunity for international rail companies to be located at the heart of the UK Rail industry not to mention its excellent proximity for major future rail infrastructure projects,” said Mark Goldby, Midlands Engine/Department of International Trade.

Ian Flynn, Inward Investment Manager at Invest in Warwickshire, added: “Rail Live 2019 was a great place to see the future of rail and so much of the technology is being developed in the local area.

“There was also lots of support for business to access the rail sector at the show, from UKRRIN (UK Rail Research and Innovation Network) to the Digi-Rail Programme, as well as excellent business networks such as Midlands Rail Forum and the Rail Alliance. It’s a great opportunity for auto, aero and other advanced engineering and technology companies to diversify their sales base.”