Attending the last Rail Live event in 2019, we never thought the events of 2020 were just around the corner and it would be two years on when the next event would take place. The rail industry is one where networking, events and face-to-face relationship building thrives and Rail Live, a key event on the industry calendar, captures this.
In prime position at stand M58 down at Quinton Rail Technology Centre in Warwickshire, we were excited to see our friends and colleagues from the across the industry beyond the screen and face-to-face. The atmosphere was palpable, and it felt like a safe space to be in, with additional safety precautions from hand sanitizing stations and reduced numbers, to keeping a lot of the activity outdoors to advanced PPE; the event felt as Covid secure as possible. Credit must be given to the Rail Live organisers for the hard work that went in to making the event happen and a resounding success.
Our stand was in a fantastic location to meet with our peers from across the rail industry and discuss the latest innovations we are developing at 3Squared. We found there was a significant amount of interest in our PathPlanner system and of course, our RailSmart suite of products. To see interest in our products is always an exciting feeling and it was nice to have the opportunity to build an in-person rapport with the delegates and go into the detail behind how we construct and build our products and services. Given it was the hottest day of the year so far, our slushie machine also went down a treat with delegates flocking to our stand to escape the heat and chat to our team whilst they cooled down!
There was much to see and do at the event, and a particular draw was the innovative and attractive footbridge design unveiled by Network Rail. The circular bridge design is set to revolutionise how bridges are built over railway lines and are made from lightweight Fibre-Reinforced Polymer, which is successfully and widely used in the aerospace and automotive industries. You can read more about this innovative and groundbreaking design here – we can’t wait to see the positive impact this innovative design will have on the network.
Credit must also be given to the fantastic set up by across the Network Rail Village. We felt there was a real appetite from the body to engage with what is going on across the industry and find out about the latest technologies, and it was great to see leading industry figures such as Andrew Haines and Ian Prosser out and about, on the ground at the event.
All in all, attending this year’s event really highlighted to us just how collaborative and engaging the rail industry is to work in. People are at the heart of the industry and events like Rail Live serve to reinforce this. Thanks to those who took the time to visit us down at stand M58 and we cannot wait to see you at more industry events, in-person and virtually, soon.
If you would be interested in hearing more about 3Squared or would like a demo of our tools, then get in touch with a member of our team today.