RAILTEX 2013 will be opening its doors within weeks, and more than 400 exhibitors are now making their final preparations for the show, which takes place at Earls Court in London from 30 April to 2 May.
Well established as the UK’s leading rail event, Railtex comprises a familiar format of suppliers’ stands and displays showcasing the best the industry has to offer, plus a wide range of additional features providing visitors with insights into rail technology and policy. The event also creates plenty of opportunities to develop new business contacts or renew existing ones.
This year’s show will be the eleventh Railtex organised by Mack Brooks Exhibitions and it has attracted companies representing a true cross-section of the supply industry. These range from many of the best known names serving the UK market to specialists providing essential components, products and services. Among more familiar names present will be Alstom, Bombardier, GE Transportation, Hitachi, Invensys Rail, Knorr-Bremse, Siemens and Voith.
Some of the more specialised firms will be exhibiting as part of the Rail Alliance Hub, a dedicated area of the exhibition where members of the Alliance can promote their products, services and innovations. For the first time this year the show will also include the Derby & Derbyshire Rail Forum Hub, where East Midlands-based members of the DDRF will exhibit alongside each other.
A new feature in the exhibition hall will be The Yard. Successfully introduced at last year’s Infrarail show at the NEC in Birmingham and supported by the Rail Plant Association, this display area for larger items of rail plant such as road-rail vehicles provides manufacturers and hire companies with a unique opportunity to show their latest equipment. This is in addition to The Track, the now-familiar Tata Steel-sponsored display of rail-related machinery and tools presented on sections of track laid in the hall.
A full list of companies taking part in the exhibition can be found on the show website www.railtex.co.uk
Railtex 2013
Earls Court 2 Exhibition Centre, Warwick Road, London SW5 9TA
Opening times
Tuesday 30 April 10.00 - 17.00
Wednesday 1 May 10.00 - 17.00
Thursday 2 May 10.00 - 16.00
Minister to open show
Minister of State for Transport the Rt Hon Simon Burns MP will formally open Railtex on 30 April. On the same day the Minister will deliver a keynote speech as part of an extensive seminar programme running over all three days of the event. Keynote presentations will be made on subsequent days by Network Rail Chairman Richard Parry-Jones and by Crossrail Chief Executive Andrew Wolstenholme. Hosted by The Rail Engineer magazine and mainly covering technical subjects, the seminar programme runs throughout the show and is open to all, free of charge and without prior booking.
Another feature open to all visitors will be the Project Update Theatre. Here, project directors and managers will outline the status of major UK rail schemes. The programme includes three presentations by Network Rail, an update on the UK’s planned high-speed rail network, including an outline of procurement strategy and business opportunities for British companies, and a briefing by Hitachi Rail Europe on the IEP rolling stock programme. Talks on the Rail Baltica project and rail developments in Hong Kong will add an international dimension to the programme.
Further industry insights will be provided by The Platform, staged for the first time at Railtex in partnership with Rail Champions. This will take the form of an interactive discussion forum with panels of industry experts addressing topical themes, with audience participation welcome.
Railtex will also be the setting for the RSSB Showcase – an opportunity to hear about outputs and solutions from the cross-industry R&D programme managed by the Rail Safety and Standards Board. Attendees will learn how the programme is supporting the industry in reducing costs, improving performance and enhancing safety and reliability. The showcase will also give insights into the Rail Technical Strategy 2012, including its vision for rolling stock.
A chance to develop those social contacts that help bind the industry together will be provided by the opening day’s Networking Reception, and new this year will be the Railtex Awards, a dinner on 1 May celebrating the achievements of companies taking part in the exhibition. Similar awards dinners have taken place at Infrarail, the sister event to Railtex.
Full programme and timing details for all activities forming part of Railtex can be found on the show website.
Careers in rail
Addressing the industry’s skills needs at Railtex 2013 will be a new programme, ‘Rail – The Next Generation’. This is intended to introduce engineering students and graduates to career opportunities in the rail sector, and is supported by the National Skills Academy for Railway Engineering (NSARE) and Young Railway Professionals (YRP). Participants will be given a tour of the exhibition, including meetings with companies that have agreed to discuss their activities and point to possible career paths available. In addition, a feature entitled the Recruitment Wall is being made available to exhibitors to enable them to publicise their job vacancies and skills requirements – and perhaps set some visitors on a new career path.
Railtex 2013 boasts an impressive list of supporting organisations and show partners. Endorsing the event and in most cases taking a stand at the show are the Railway Industry Association, the Rail Alliance, Derby & Derbyshire Rail Forum, the Institution of Railway Signal Engineers, the Permanent Way Institution, the Institution of Engineering and Technology, the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (UK) and the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, plus the NSARE and the YRP.
Entry to Railtex is free for visitors who pre-register via the show website www.railtex.co.uk. This facility remains open until 29 April. Pre-registration also speeds up entry to the exhibition. The entry fee for non-registered visitors is £20.