18-19 June 2025
Porterbrook’s Long Marston Rail Innovation Centre
Network Rail’s New Measurement Train (NMT) monitors and records track condition information at speeds up to 125mph. It helps locate and identify faults before they become a safety issue or affect performance.
Affectionately known as the Flying Banana due to its distinctive yellow livery, the NMT is a unique, high-tech machine that Network Rail have been using for almost 15 years.
Equipped with the newest equipment, high-tech measurement systems, track scanners, and a high-resolution camera, this converted Intercity High Speed Train (HST) helps measure the condition of tracks.
The Network Rail Aggregates, Sleepers and Materials Recycling stand explained what happens to track materials once they are removed from the infrastructure. Our national recycling depots identifed where assets are suitable for reuse, these are then graded and can be recycled back into the network. Other materials which cannot be reused are sold externally with the revenue generated helping to fund the operation of the railway.
On our stand we showcased our work across all our design disciplines with a focus on our specialist teams and how we apply the principles of SPEED to early stage design work. We also took to the Network Rail Village Stand and told you how our design work made the new FLOW Bridge a reality.
Network Rail Training designs, develops and delivers learning solutions that help our customers build their leadership and operational capability. We believe that excellent training and development, delivered locally and via our dedicated training centres, is the essential glue that enables Network Rail to put passengers and freight users first.
Guests visited the Network Rail Training stand and found out how we’re exploring new technology to enhance learning, investing in operations training, empowering our future leaders and provided opportunities for new graduates and apprentices to join the railway.
Intelligent Infrastructure is Network Rail's digital asset performance management programme. We use technology to turn data into intelligent information so the frontline and supporting teams can work safely, smarter and seamlessly to deliver improved services for passengers and freight customers.
Our network includes 20,000 miles of track, including 30,000 bridges, tunnels, and viaducts; thousands of stations, level crossings, and signals and we also manage rail timetabling for all of the Network Rail infrastructure.
By capturing and exploiting accurate data on the performance of railway assets, II will revolutionise the way Network Rail manages the network, shifting the business from traditional maintenance schedules to proactive predict and prevent regimes.
II will allow teams in the routes to gain clear evidence on where assets are, how they behave, how they degrade and when they are going to fail – allowing engineers to carry out the ‘right work, in the right place, at the right time.
Elsewhere on site at Rail Live, visitors met Network Rail’s Air Operations team for a ground-based demonstration of the high-tech cameras and equipment they use to deliver aerial surveys for their customers.
This included the helicopter-mounted cameras as well as visuals of the data pre- and post-processing for a better understanding of the ways it can be used to improve railway management and maintenance.
The team also brought a Drone for live demonstrations.
Welcome to Technical Services. We deliver specialist engineering, asset management, systems analysis, modelling and rail test development services. We work closely with the regions, routes, central functions and industry colleagues to improve the experience of our passengers and freight users.
The teams at Rail Live included:
Rail Live was once again the premier railway exhibition to attend. Rolling stock, plant, people, techniques – always a showstopper! Rail Live is consistently the best opportunity for everyone in the railway family to widen their networks, knowledge and understanding of the rail industry.
Rail Live is a truly notable event for all people with a professional rail interest, not only those involved with rail plant and track working. Having RAIL take over the organisation and promotion of the show has made it possible for Rail Live to become a ‘Farnborough for the Railway’, and an event that is now well and truly in the international rail calendar.
Some impressive tech on display at the @RAIL #RailLive2023 today - including digital temporary speed restriction signs, composite platforms from and even a @BostonDynamics robot dog! (I have no idea whether the @BTPDogs met robodog...).
I would encourage you to get around and talk to as many people as you can, because in my visit I genuinely have spoken to people I would never have seen before. That’s one of the joys of this dynamic, and it’s why I’m a real passionate supporter of Rail Live.
Rail Live is an unmissable event for SMEs like us to connect with passionate industry leaders and suppliers. The event has become a staple in our calendar, and is a fantastic opportunity to incept exciting project collaborations and partnerships. We're highly anticipating this year's event, and look forward to taking in the diverse breadth of rail expertise on offer!
Rail Live is a key event for Thomas Graham as an industrial supplier, it is a great opportunity to exhibit our range of products to the rail industry, speak to key contacts, that under normal conditions wouldn’t be accessible and we have been able to exhibit our specialised calibrated lockers, which have been a great success with some sizeable orders.
Rail Live 2023 was Trough-Tec System’s and HIRD Group’s best Rail Live yet! It’s the only show where we can truly showcase and demonstrate our entire product portfolio in such a practical manner, and to such a diverse audience of customers and end-users.
Network Rail is really pleased to continue to support Rail Live 2024. However, pre-election restrictions on public bodies mean that Network Rail won't be able to take part in any speaking slots this year. Our team, including Andrew Haines, Network Rail Chief Executive, will still attend in force.
The Network Rail Village will still have lots of exhibits across multiple zones, including safety, technology, and vehicle demos, so please do come and say hello. Our team are still pleased to speak to you, just not in a formal, recorded manor.
We're all looking forward to seeing you there!