A huge thank you to everyone who exhibited at or attended this year’s Ticket to Innovate event at Nene Valley Railway.

Building on the success of its 2024 debut, this year’s event was significantly larger in scale and attendance, with more suppliers participating and a wider range of live demonstrations delivered in a working heritage rail setting. The day had a strong focus on sustainability and innovation, with key suppliers to the rail industry in attendance, showcasing their latest technologies and solutions. Key suppliers were on hand among those demonstrating their latest innovations in sustainable rail maintenance.

The aim remained clear: to bring suppliers and customers together to see the latest innovations in the rail infrastructure sector, with the net zero journey and practical deployment at the top of the agenda.

As organisers and partners, we’re proud to have created a space where ideas were shared, partnerships were formed, and challenges were tackled head-on. It’s been inspiring to hear how discussions started on the day are already turning into real projects and initiatives. The Ticket to Innovate event once again demonstrated the power of placing the latest technologies within a live heritage rail environment, where the future of rail quite literally meets its past. It offered a clear view of how lower-carbon, higher-performance solutions can move rapidly from concept to track.

Daryl Doherty, Rail Director, Speedy Hire, said:
“We’re thrilled to have partnered again with Ritelite to deliver Ticket to Innovate for a second year – bigger, better and even more relevant. We had key decision makers at the event, and it was a huge success. The day gave customers and suppliers the opportunity to discuss specific needs and explore how, collaboratively and through innovation, we can overcome challenges together. You can really see and feel the step change in appetite to deploy new technology and sustainable practices at pace across the rail industry.”

Marcus Batty, Managing Director, Ritelite Systems, said:
“Our collaboration with Speedy Hire gave us the confidence to scale the event in 2025, and the response has more than justified that decision. The benefit of hosting the event in a real rail environment is that it sparks valuable conversations, which often lead to innovative ideas for solving issues unique to rail projects. Seeing products operate in a genuine working setting is rarely possible, and the growth from year one to year two highlights just how powerful that visibility can be.”

We look forward to continuing the momentum and working with you to turn these ideas into solutions that deliver real-world value.

Thank you for being part of the journey and we hope to see you again at the next Ticket to Innovate exhibition.