HOTEL ACCOMMODATION With the tightening of security regulations regarding personal information and credit cards, together with increasing use of online booking, we will not be collecting and passing hotel Booking Forms for delegates for this conference. Delegates should make their own bookings direct with their choice of hotel. There are a number of major chains with several hotels in the city centre - in particular, Accor Ibis, Premier Inn, Motel One and Travelodge. A Hotel Information Sheet will be available listing a selection of chain hotels within an approx 1 km radius of the main business sessions base at National Museum of Scotland. Similar information for the Post Conference Tour will be provided for hotels close to the railway station at Inverness. ENQUIRIES / FURTHER INFORMATION Please contact the Conference Team: John and Liz Fuller Peter Ovenstone 261. Lower Higham Road 33. Palmerston Place Chalk, Gravesend, Kent DA12 2NP EH12 5AU UK UK

Email:[email protected] Email: [email protected]

Tel: + 44 (0)1474 362208 * Fax: + 44 (0) 131 220 5886 Mobile: + 44 (0) 7785 250571 Mobile: + 44 (0) 7740 289702 Mobile : +44 (0) 7887 760032 * Not after 22 00 hrs UK Time USEFUL ADVICE

Who should take part in this Conference? - Our core participants are voting delegates for Fedecrail member organisations, our team of Council Members and support officers and our existing ‘Friends of Fedecrail’. Partners and spouses are also very welcome to join us for the parallel Partners Programme and the general programme of visits following the business sessions. We warmly welcome participation by anyone who has an active role in the management and/or running of Fedecrail adherent 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. 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. Programme subject to change without notice. TRAVEL INFORMATION

OUTWARD JOURNEY – Edinburgh is easily reached by air, rail or road. Air Travel oEdinburgh Airport - Wide range of direct flights from throughout Europe for full details see www.edinburghairport.com Tram or Express Bus Services link the airport to the city. Note that the airport is an extra zone and city zone tickets are not valid. Rail Travel oFrequent trains from all parts of the United Kingdom. The East Coast and West Coast main lines link and intermediate towns and cities with Scotland. Eurostar trains to London St. Pancras International arrive just across the road from Kings Cross Station which is the main terminus for trains to/from Edinburgh. Road Travel o Parking in Edinburgh, like all capital cities, can be difficult and expensive. Certain hotels may have arrangements for paid parking.

HOMEWARD JOURNEY o From Edinburgh – As for outward journey o From Inverness o Trains to Inverness Airport for homeward flights. o Trains to Edinburgh Haymarket for bus and tram connections to Edinburgh Airport. o“Highland Chieftain” through train to London Kings Cross (departs at 07.55). o Caledonian Sleeper night service to London Euston (departs at 20.45). o Scotrail services to Edinburgh and for connections to the rest of the UK. o It will be possible during some of the days to leave the programme to start return journeys.

Please consult the Conference Team for detailed advice. MAIN PROGRAMME POST-CONFERENCE Highlands Tour The 2018 conference will be our first visit to the wonders of Scotland. Our main hosts will be Tue 24 April o Day 1: Transfer on scheduled train Edinburgh to Aviemore. the Scottish member railways and museums of the UK Heritage Railway Association. After our business sessions in the Scottish capital Edinburgh the visit programme will be initially in o At Aviemore we join the Strathspey Railway for a steam train ride and the Lowlands region before travelling north to the mountains and lochs of the Highlands. Our our usual “behind the scenes” visit. planned second base is Inverness, “capital city” of the Highlands for our Post Conference o After the visit we continue to our tour base at Inverness Programme surrounded by fabulous scenery (and trains). Wed 25 April o Day 2: Rail transfer from Inverness to Keith Junction for road transfer to a special train on the Keith and Dufftown Railway. Scotland is a top tourist destination for both domestic and international visitors. There are o By popular demand a visit to the famous Glenfiiddich Speyside whisky excellent public transport services throughout most of the country and extra days before or distillery (if a large group, part will visit different distillery). after the conference for further private exploration are strongly recommended. o Road transfer to foot of the Cairngorm Mountains for a spectacular trip up the Cairngorm Mountain Railway, Scotland’s only mountain rack railway. Afterwards return by road to Inverness. Thu 19 April o Opening Reception in the early evening at a historic city centre location Thu 26 April o Day 3: Transfer by road from Inverness along the length of Loch Ness (of world fame!) to Fort William. o Various Fedecrail Working Groups will meet earlier in the day. o At Fort William either “The Jacobite” main line steam train or public Fri 20 April o Business Sessions Day based at the historic National Museum of service train for a journey over the highly scenic West Highland Line to Scotland. Our conference coincides with the Scottish Government Mallaig with views across to the Isle of Skye. “Year of Young People” as well as the European Year of Cultural Heritage 2018 both of which will be reflected in themes and o On our return journey from Mallaig we alight for a visit to the presentations for this conference Glenfinnan Station Railway Museum, close to the famous viaduct of the same name and Bonnie Prince Charlie monument. o For the partners a full day guided visit programme will be arranged. o Road transfer to Inverness. Possible evening meal stop en route. Sat 21 April o General Assembly + Forth Bridge Day Fedecrail General Assembly will be held in the morning, o For delegates entranced to visit more of the Highlands we recommend a stay of more nights in Inverness. Day return railway journeys to Kyle o Morning partners tour in Edinburgh city centre before joining the of Lochalsh or to the far north towns of Wick and Thurso run through delegates for lunch at the National Museum. beautiful scenery and are recommended. o Afternoon plan is ‘SRPS Railtours’ main line special steam tour including crossing the UNESCO World Heritage Forth Rail Bridge. VENUES (Addresses) Afternoon tea will be served on the train. Business Sessions - The venue for our business sessions will be the National Museum of Sun 22 April o Central Scotland Day Visit to the Scottish Railway Preservation Scotland, Chambers Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1JF. The venue will be within walking distance Society Bo’ness and Kinneil Railway and the extensive Museum of or a short local bus journey from the recommended conference hotels Scotland’s Railways. Return train ride and behind the scenes tour of approx 200 vehicle and loco collection and workshops. (Booking deadline 19th March) o We transfer by road to the Falkirk “Canal Wheel” a modern CONFERENCE FEES + BOOKING CONDITIONS engineering wonder. We plan a boat ride on the wheel and to visit the Edinburgh (Lowlands) Programme: 900 € / £820 canal heritage centre. (Thursday evening to Monday evening inclusive) Inverness (Highlands) Programme: 380 € / £350 Mon 23 April o West of Scotland Day Morning visit to the operating heritage (Tuesday morning to Thursday evening inclusive) tramway and railway collection at the Summerlee Industrial Museum, Coatbridge in Lanarkshire. Other prices for Business Sessions and shorter period participation are shown on the Conference Booking Form. The conference team will be happy to quote for other o Afternoon visit to the dramatic Riverside Transport Museum in participation on request. Glasgow, former European Museum of the Year Award winner with a huge railway and tramway collection When paying by Bank Transfer please send in your completed Booking Form and we will send you a Reference Code to be included in your bank transfer so that we can identify your o Possible bonus of a rare heritage tour of the mysterious derelict payment. Our bank IBAN and BIC Codes will be included with this advice. section of Glasgow Central Low Level Station For payment by Credit Card these will be charged in Euros Only. Please complete the details on your Booking Form. PRE-CONFERENCE MEETINGS Fedecrail Council will meet on the afternoon of Wednesday 18 April and the morning of Thursday 19 April. In addition meetings of Working Groups (Heritage Operating Group, Strategy Working Group, Tramway Operating Group and Environment Working Group) will take place on the afternoon of Thursday 19 April and participants will receive details direct from the secretaries of the workgroups. Official representatives attending these groups must indicate this on their Conference Booking Forms so that adequate facilities can be provided.