Rail Partners' conference at Rolling Stock Networking 2024
Agenda
The networking lunch is sponsored by Stadler and Angel Trains
About Stadler
Stadler builds and supplies high-speed trains, intercity trains, regional and commuter heavy rail trains, underground trains, tram-trains and trams, locomotives and passenger carriages.
The world’s leading manufacturer in the rack-and-pinion sector, its rolling stock is safe, reliable, innovative, high quality, built to last, and highly comfortable. Stadler offers signalling and service products, enabling trains to operate safely, efficiently and in an environmentally-sustainable way. It is at the forefront of green technology and keen to promote social value.
About Angel Trains
Angel Trains is the UK’s largest rolling stock company. We have invested more than £1.5 billion in rolling stock and innovation projects in the last ten years.
Helping to modernise and improve UK rail and meet the needs of today’s passengers. We collaborate with like-minded companies to make our trains more accessible, comfortable and connected. Together, we are creating an environment where people can enjoy the journey as much as the destination.
We invest in small and medium businesses who drive our innovation in new technologies. From battery and hydrogen power systems to 3D printed parts and high-definition cameras. Our long-term outlook means we can support skilled jobs across the sector, from coast to coast, across the whole country.
We will continue to reimagine our investments, to work with the talented people in our industry and to engineer a brighter, greener, more cost-effective future for UK Rail.
Our speakers
Mark has most recently been the Head of Railway Strategy at the Rail Delivery Group where his focus was on improving the performance and planning of the railway. Mark also led on sustainability within RDG as a member of the Rail Industry Decarbonisation Taskforce - which has developed a vision for how the railway can fully decarbonise - and the Sustainable Rail Leadership Group.
Mark worked at the Department for Transport, before joining RDG in 2017. During his time in the department he worked on issues including the development of road vehicle safety standards, introducing new tax systems and incentives to encourage cleaner vehicles, developing the business cases for rail electrification schemes and leading the rail input to the Transport Infrastructure Skills Strategy.
Morning session: Enabling innovation in rolling stock
Benjamin is the interim engineering director for Greater Anglia, with a career spanning both supply chain and railway operations. He led several R&D programmes to develop innovative rolling stock products whilst at Bombardier.
Ben is currently focussed on delivering operational excellent for passengers in the East of England.
Previously Managing Director of UK and Europe for Unipart Rail, Kelly began her rail industry career with Alstom in 2001. She joined NRS, now Unipart Rail, in 2004 and worked her way up through the commercial division before becoming a member of the Unipart Rail Board and Group leadership team. She is also a Board member of the Rail Industry Association (RIA) and judge of the Everywoman in Transport Programme.
Matt is a Chartered Mechanical Engineer with 28 years of experience in rolling stock engineering and leadership. He joined Angel Trains in 2019 where he leads the Asset Management Directorate.
Prior to joining Angel Trains, Matthew spent 14 years at Arriva with roles as Engineering and Safety Director at Chiltern Railways and Engineering Director at Arriva Trains Wales. Matthew started his career in the railways as a management trainee at Eurostar.
Daisy is the innovation manager at East West Rail; with a passion for transport transformation, accessibility, sustainability, and inclusion. She delivers innovation into this nationally significant railway project, which will deliver much-needed transport connections for communities between Oxford and Cambridge. Her main goal is to make rail better for all customers; safer, accessible, and enjoyable.
Daisy is also a non-exec board member for the Community Rail Network.
Afternoon session: Transforming depots
Steve is the head of fleet north for Greater Anglia. He has overall responsibility for the successful delivery of the Class 745/755 trains into service each day and management of the maintenance contract with Stadler. Prior to this he has held roles in Greater Anglia, as the Joint Project Manager for Stadler Fleet.
Introduction, Engineering Director, Head of Engineering and Fleet Manager. Prior to this he worked for ALSTOM as the Engineering Manager for their “Metrotrains” division, helping to introduce the 95TS into service.
James is the UK head of programmes at Stadler Rail Service UK, and was appointed in 2023. He joined Stadler in 2021 as the programme lead for a major rolling stock overhaul initiative in Newcastle and then moved on to be the programme lead for the award winning Depot construction project in Gosforth, Newcastle.
In his current role, he acts as programme director for the introduction of the class 777 fleet in Liverpool and the programme director for the introduction of the class 555 fleet in Newcastle upon Tyne. He is responsible for the coordination and delivery of all new Stadler projects within the UK with oversight of projects in Glasgow, Leicester and Cardiff, as part of a wider Stadler portfolio.
James spent most of his early career in the army, primarily in rapid reaction units. He left with the rank of Major, moving to take up the role of Head of Service Delivery for the Tyne and Wear Metro, before joining Stadler.
Cat is the membership and engagement director for the Rail Forum, having joined the Rail Forum team in 2019, and as a Board Member prior to this from 2016.
In her role, she has steadily grown the membership to its current level of 390 nationally and shaped the membership offer, including developing the unique account management model.
Prior to joining the Forum, Cat was Customer Account Director for a rolling stock modifications company. She spent many years working with rail and engineering firms in the UK and overseas supporting both inward investment and export activities with local, regional & national Government departments. This expertise continues to support Rail Forum activities and member aspirations for international growth.
Richard supports RIA members by engaging and influencing key decision-makers in the regions, delivering networking and intelligence-sharing events, and supporting the delivery of the RIA Nations & Regions priorities.
Richard has extensive experience working in the rail sector, having worked as Owner and Managing Director of rail equipment manufacturer Mechan for 20 years, and having provided consultancy services for the University of Huddersfield and several supply chain companies. He was also an active member of the Rail Supply Group SME and Export workstreams and helped establish the Rail Sector Deal SME Collaboration pilot scheme.