RailEI Technical Seminar
ELECTRIFICATION: Investment, Maintenance, Renewals, Research
Hilton, Liverpool
10 September
2026
Members £97
Non-members £177
Students £20
The North West provides a wonderful setting for the Railway Engineering Institution to explore a selection of key themes in Rail Electrification; the region is currently undergoing a renaissance in terms of the development of Integrated Transport Strategies and so has much to offer RailEI Members and supporters. There are many examples of developing and ongoing projects and programmes including expansion of the Merseyrail network, the West Coast mainline renewal and maintenance challenges, Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) and Manchester Metrolink extensions and a diverse spread of AC and DC traction and contact systems.
This Seminar will include opportunities for delegate interaction and participation, offering facilitated discussions and Q&As.
Ready to be part of the conversation? Book now to advance your knowledge and understanding of the challenges facing track renewals.
Speakers
08:30 – 09:10 Registration and networking with exhibitors
09:10 – 09:20 Chair’s Welcome Cathal Mangan: RailEI President
09:20 – 10:00 Keynote address and Q&A Liam Robinson: Leader, Liverpool City Council
10:00 – 10:20 Traction Capacity and Strategic Bottlenecks Dominic Banham-Hall: Interim Chief Mechanical and Electrical Engineer, Network Rail & Derrick Chan: Regional Engineer (E&P), Network Rail
10:20 – 10:45 Discontinuous Electrification Design Factors Sarah Dale: Technical Traction Power Lead MWJV (Technical Director Traction Power, Mott MacDonald)
10:45 Q&A / 11:00 – 11:30 Break
11:30 – 12:30 Breakout Sessions
Session A – Electrification: Invisible Threats, Visible Accountability
Lead by Network Rail – Philip Doughty: Chief Technical Officer, Network Rail & Sarajane Gibson: Senior Programme Manager, Network Rail
Session B – Implementations of DFT Strategy in Freight
Chair: David Clarke:Senior Technical Advisor, RIA
Stuart Hilmansen: Professor of Railway Traction Systems, University of Birmingham
Paul Hooper: Fellow RailEI
Session C – Asset Management & Maintenance of Electrical Components – A Data Driven Approach
Chair: John Merriman: Technical Manager, RailEI
Derrick Chan: Regional Engineer (E&P), Network Rail
Ian Edwards: Senior Project Engineer, TfW and Geriant Powell CVL Infrastructure Manage
12:30 – 13.20 Lunch & Exhibition
13:20 – 13:25 Chair’s Welcome: Cathal Mangan: RailEI President
13:25 – 13:55 Review of Breakout Sessions Lead by Chair
13:55 – 14:20 Harnessing & Distributing Power on the Rail Network Leo Murray: CEO, Riding Sunbeams
14:20 – 14:45 Energy Hubs – From Track to Zero and beyond Nick Fletcher: MA, QTLs, Business Development Manager, University of Leeds & Li Zhang: Associate Professor, University of Leeds
14:45 – 14:55 Comfort Break
14:55 – 15:15 Embracing Change Emma Porter: Founder and CEO, Rebuild
15:15 – 15:35 Rail investment in Ireland with a Focus on Electrification Alan Lord: Development and Design Director, Capital Investments, Irish Rail
15:35 Q&A
15:55 – 16.00 Closing Comments Rob Cummings, VP Northwest England and North Wales
16:00 – 17:00 Networking Drinks
Major Sponsor
Company Links
PACE Networks is a specialist distributor partnering with leading manufacturers of rail solutions. Through close collaboration, we deliver high levels of service alongside innovative components and systems. Our portfolio includes advanced rail technologies, including industry-renowned cantilevers that improve efficiency and reliability. With decades of experience, we provide expert advice, knowhow, stockholding, logistics and onsite support. We hold exclusive agreements with electrification and monitoring manufacturers, acting as an extension of their teams. These partnerships streamline procurement, reduce complexity, and enable operators and installers to focus on integrated solutions and future network performance improvements while ensuring consistent quality, innovation, and long-term value.
Sponsor
Exhibitor
What else is on?
Check out all of our upcoming events and activities on our events calendar.
Important things you should know
Absolutely! We are very happy to liaise with your colleagues regarding your booking and can raise an invoice for payment. Please contact our Membership Team at secretary@railei.org
Please email secretary@railei.org with the names and email addresses of all the delegates you would like to book on to an event. We will check whether or not they are RailEI members to ensure you are charged the right amount. All the individuals will be registered to attend, and we will send you an invoice ready for payment.
Approximately two weeks before the event, we will send you an email with the joining instructions confirming timings, the agenda, location and arrangements for the day. We don’t issue tickets, but your name will be on our registration list and your name badge will be waiting at the welcome desk.
Unfortunately, this isn’t something we can provide, but many of the venues we use have accommodation on site or in the local vicinity. Visit the venue’s website for full details.
Smart, casual is the usual advice, although many do wear business attire. These events provide excellent networking opportunities with colleagues and peers, so our advice is dress to impress!
Yes, approximately two weeks after the event, the presentations that are given at the seminar will be made available to attendees. They will then be placed in our Knowledge Hub where RailEI members will be able to download them at any time.
Our technical seminars provide excellent opportunities to raise awareness of your company, through promotion in the lead up to the event and via your exhibition stand on the day. Spaces are limited and are always in high demand, so if you are interested in sponsoring or exhibiting at an event please contact events@railei.org as soon as possible.
Yes, we always include time for Q&A and the feedback we receive often cites these sessions as the most insightful and beneficial part. Delegates will have the opportunity to ask their questions directly to the speaker and we encourage a broad range of queries, from the most straightforward to the really complex issues.
Absolutely! Let us know any dietary requirements when you book, or simply drop us an email at secretary@railei.org and we will ensure the venue are notified.
All our seminars are held at professional venues that aim to cater for every circumstance. Please drop us an email with your individual requirements and we will liaise with the venue and yourself to ensure that, as far as possible, your needs are met.
In the unlikely event that a seminar is cancelled, we will contact you as soon as possible and give you the option to either transfer your booking to an alternative event or receive a full refund.
We’ll really miss having you there, but you will still receive a link to the presentations. You are welcome to give your place away to a colleague and we can make them a name badge on the day. Unfortunately, we can’t provide a refund unless you notify us at least three weeks before the event. For full details, please see our Terms and Conditions.