Last month, Seaton Tramway headed off to Austria to be a part of the  annual FEDECRAIL Conference.

The meeting brings together heritage railways and tramways from across Europe. 

Attendees from various countries, including Jenny Nunn, Chief Executive and Josh Castree, Marketing Manager from Seaton Tramway, gathered to discuss a range of topics including coal sources, insurance, and the future of heritage rail.

The conference, which was held in person for the first time since 2019, provided an opportunity for railway representatives to network and share ideas with fellow railway organisations from across the continent.

Discussions were held on topics such as the use of renewable energy sources, and ways to attract more visitors to heritage rail sites.

Jenny Nunn, Chief Executive at Seaton Tramway said: "It was an incredibly enlightening experience to learn from so many experts in the industry. We had the opportunity to discuss a range of topics and explore new possibilities for the future of heritage rail. We are excited to bring these new ideas back to our own organization and to work together for a bright future for heritage rail. We have made so many new connections and to be part of a larger community that is working to preserve this important part of our history "

The conference gave an opportunity to visit Vienna’s rich history of tram operations, with the group being able to travel through Vienna’s streets on original Viennese trams.

Time was also spent exploring ‘Remise’ Vienna’s Transport Museum, home to steam trams, horse-drawn trams and buses.

Overall, the FEDECRAIL Conference was a great success, providing attendees with the opportunity to learn and explore new possibilities for the future of heritage rail.

Seaton Tramway looks forward to applying the lessons learned at the conference and to continuing to work with fellow organisations across Europe to preserve this important part of our shared history.

You can find out more about FEDECRAIL at www.fedecrail.org