Up until the outbreak of Covid-19, FEDECRAIL would normally organise an international conference each year on subjects important to heritage railways and railway museums. For 2020, 2021 and 2022 the conference has had to be postponed but it is envisaged that it will be held once again in 2023.
The conference programme will see a new format highlighting one or two special themes and then focusing on more general subjects. There will also be a physical study programme with visits to interesting places aligned with the conference agenda.
FEDECRAIL will also develop a modern hybrid formula, in which presentations during the conference can be attended physically as well as online.
The conference is targeted mainly at people playing an active role in the broad spectrum of the museum, heritage and tourist railway sectors. Locomotives, rolling stock, infrastructure, including signalling, railway legislation, tourism and culture, national and international federations and other (railway) heritage bodies will be part of an exchange of ideas and knowledge given by expert presentations during the conference.
Others with broader interests in working industrial and mobile heritage are also welcome to attend.
USEFUL ADVICE
- Who should take part in this Conference? – We warmly welcome participation by anyone who has an active role in the management and/or running of heritage railways and tramways, rail museums and rail and tram heritage organisations. The business programme is targeted at addressing subjects of interest to those playing such active roles.
- Partners are also very welcome to join us for the parallel Partners Programme and the general programme of visits following the business sessions.
- Our core participants are voting delegates for Fedecrail member organisations, our team of Council Members and support officers and our existing ‘Friends of Fedecrail’. Conference fees for individual participants will include a ‘Friends of Fedecrail’ annual membership subscription.
- Insurance – As always, you are advised to take out appropriate travel insurance to cover your travel and accommodation and your participation in both the conference and related activities. EU citizens should also bring their EHIC health card. You should be aware that some years ago a reimbursement claim was refused to a participant by an insurer as the insurance company maintained that the conference constituted a “Business Activity” rather than a “Holiday” that would have been covered by their holiday travel insurance.
- Programme subject to change without notice.
Previous Conferences
FEDECRAIL’s previous conferences are listed below. If available electronically, the conference papers will be made available for general download at the earliest one year after the conference. FEDECRAIL members and conference participants will receive the papers as soon as they are available.
- 2024 – Bilbao – BOOK NOW
- 2023 – Krems/Austria
- 2022 – Cancelled
- 2021 – Cancelled due to Corona pandemic
- 2020 – Bilbao/Spain – cancelled due to Corona pandemic
- 2019 – Wernigerode/Germany – Proceedings
- 2018 – Edinburgh/Great Britain – Proceedings
- 2017 – Antwerp/Belgium – Proceedings
- 2016 – Dornbirn/Austria – Proceedings
- 2015 – Padua/Italy – Proceedings
- 2014 – Budapest/Hungary – Proceedings
- 2013 – Albi/France – Proceedings
- 2012 – Helsingborg/Sweden – Proceedings
- 2011 – Dresden/Germany – Proceedings
- 2010 – Budapest/Hungary – Proceedings
- 2009 – Pétange/Luxembourg – Proceedings
- 2008 – Salzburg/Austria – Proceedings
- 2007 – Odense/Denmark – Proceedings
- 2006 – Volos/Greece
- 2005 – Lyon/France
- 2004 – Leiden/Netherlands
- 2003 – Llandudno/United Kingdom – Proceedings
- 2002 – Riga/Latvia
- 2001 – Torino/Italy – Proceedings
- 2000 – Bad Breisig/Germany
- 1999 – Prague/Czech Republic
- 1998 – Barcelona/Spain – Proceedings: Lectures on Steam Operation in the 21st Century
- 1997 – Stockholm/Sweden – Proceedings
- 1996 – Birmingham/United Kingdom – Proceedings
- 1995 – Strasbourg/France
- 1994 – Bruxelles/Belgium – Proceedings
Details will be advertised here on the website and in the FEDECRAIL Newsletter “Update”, which you can subscribe to free of charge below.
