Challenges Facing Heritage Rail (IA Section)

To be held by Zoom video conferencing

A talk by Steve Oates entitled “Challenges Facing Heritage Rail in 2021 and Beyond….”

Heritage railways attract some 13 million visitors each year; they retain and nurture important skills, and employ some 4,000 people; they are important to local communities, providing interest and participation for 22,000 volunteers; and they are important to the wider economy, together contributing approaching £500 million economic impact. This talk focuses on the challenges they face in the contexts of coal, volunteers, safety and standards, and funding.

Steve Oates is CEO of the Heritage Railway Association. For more than 30 years he has worked with the award-winning Isle of Wight Steam Railway in a non-executive and voluntary capacity, including ten years as Chairman. Professionally he is a chartered surveyor, but has wide commercial experience, having founded and managed three successful commercial radio stations, and headed an economic development service for a local authority.

Important notes

If you would like to join this meeting, please contact the Organiser (details below) before 19 June – instructions on how to log in etc will be sent on that day. Please don’t worry if you are not familiar with the Zoom software. It is quite straightforward to use and does not involve any expense. You will be able to log in a few minutes before the start of the lecture.

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