National Rail Convention and Innovation Feature in Major Midlands Rail Industry Show in Warwickshire

Better known as the home of William Shakespeare and in recent years the home of Aston Martin Lagonda and Jaguar Land Rover, Stratford-on-Avon has a growing presence in rail technology. The Quinton Rail Technology Centre, or QRTC, at Long Marston near Stratford-upon-Avon is an increasingly significant rail test and development centre with a cluster of rail tech companies.

This June sees the return to QRTC of the leading rail and trackside show Rail Live, now organised by RAIL magazine in partnership with Rail Alliance, Rail Live 2018 will be the largest, most comprehensive outdoor event for rail in the UK. It's undergoing a transformation for 2018 with many exciting new developments, with more exhibitors and improved facilities for 2018.

As well as trackside and signals demonstrations and static rolling stock displays,  there will be an Innovation Show in partnership with the UK Rail Research and Innovation Network (UKRRIN) and a National Rail Convention being held at Rail Live 2018 over 2 days for the first time, and a focus on skills with a 'Next Generation' project promoting the industry to undergraduate engineers and apprentices.

The Midlands Engine will be exhibiting at this major showcase of Midlands and UK rail capability, looking to meet investors from the UK and overseas who want to find out more about opportunities in the UK rail industry, the most buoyant and fastest growing in Europe.

Businesses can also find out more about export opportunities, with staff from the Department for International Trade at the show to advise on major global rail opportunities for UK based companies, including the best ways to access the Innotrans Rail Show in Berlin in September.

The event takes place 20th and 21st June with Midlands Engine exhibiting at stand W134. The Midlands Engine partners, including Nine Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEP) that cover the Midlands region, the Department for International Trade and Midlands Engine Investment Hub will showcase the opportunities UK rail presents. Showing that the Midlands is the perfect place to locate to for HS2 and the many other rail projects coming to the UK over the next 15 years.

The Midlands Engine Rail Prospectus, details the many strengths that the Midlands rail cluster provides. Key strengths include;  six rail rolling stock OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers); a supply chain of over 250 companies; five rail test centres of excellence; Universities investing in rail R&D – which includes the exciting UK Rail Research and Innovation Network (UKRRIN) - and information on current and future rail business development opportunities.

The Midlands is a core part of the UK’s £7bn rail manufacturing industry that employs over 80,000 people across the country and helps drive the UK advanced manufacturing and engineering sector.  Over 600,000 people in the Midlands work in manufacturing, delivering over 21% of the UK’s annual manufacturing output. Led by companies such as Bombardier, Siemens and Atkins, the region is home to the UK’s largest rail cluster and offers huge supply chain opportunities.

The region is at the heart of new UK rail projects including the £55bn HS2 rail network, mainline electrification, station redevelopments and extensions to light railway networks, along with the expansion of rail freight infrastructure. Overall the UK is investing in excess of £200bn in rail projects across the country in the coming years. This makes the UK an attractive place to locate for overseas companies active in rail, and the Midlands, given its location and strong rail cluster, is the ideal location in the UK to invest in.

Simon Hall, Deputy Director UK Regions - Midlands Engine, Department for International Trade, said:

“The UK has an innovative and thriving rail sector and is something of which we can be proud. The UK is making a sustained and considerable investment in mass transit systems over the next 25 years, making this a very appealing prospect for inward investors. As a location, the Midlands has a lot to recommend it, and I would encourage investors to visit our stand at Rail Live to find out more.

Sir John Peace, Chair of the Midlands Engine, said:

“The Midlands Engine area plays a huge role in UK plc’s rail sector.  We’re home to a young and well educated population and to many Original Equipment Manufacturers, universities, test and development centres and engineering colleges.

Rail is also vitally important to Midlands Engine and our ambitious transport programme Midlands Connect. The combined expertise of our Midlands transport technology sectors is of international significance and Midlands Engine provides a platform for organisations to work across sectors to develop new and improved world leading products and services”.

More information about Rail Live can be found at the website https://www.raillive.org.uk/, including details on how to register to attend.