Rail Alliance

The Rail Alliance spans all aspects of the Rail Sector enabling its 320+ members to Network, Collaborate and Innovate with both suppliers and customers in order for them to Thrive as businesses through its extensive list of industry contacts and its regular programme of networking events, seminars and focused one-to-one support.  Although networking is the main effort of the Rail Alliance, latterly the focus has shifted towards product acceptance and addressing the various route-to-market issues including staging the largest outdoor exhibition (www.raillive.com) for the rail sector for the past 3 years. Membership of the Rail Alliance costs £500+VAT per year to join as a Full Member; however, non-members are encouraged to come along to up to 2 of our networking meetings and industry specific seminars free of charge to find out more about the Rail Alliance (subject of course to space availability).

The Rail Alliance is plugged into the UK Rail R&D communities with MIRA, the Transport KTN and TRL among its members; moreover the Rail Alliance has a strong link to academe through the Rail Research UK Association (it has particularly strong links with the University of Birmingham’s Centre for Rail Research and Education) and is a founder member of the European Rail Cluster Initiative (see www.eurailclusters.com). The Rail Alliance has also championed Collaborative Business Relationships, particularly since the introduction of the relevant British Standard (BS 11000-1:2010) and runs BS 11000 courses as well as specific seminars advising companies how best to generate and cultivate a Collaborative Culture within, and across, their organisations.

The Rail Alliance also facilitates product test, trial and demonstration opportunities for UK-based companies under the auspices of the RSSB’s Rail Test Voucher Scheme at its home at the Quinton Rail Technology Centre near Stratford-on-Avon.  During the last 2 years, this scheme has seen many UK companies benefit from a total of 150+ company-days’ worth of test, trial and demonstration – providing tailored assistance to companies to help them develop their products, goods and services through and across the appropriate Technology Readiness Level(s).