PlanningxChange Episode 87, features Steve Oates, the Chief Executive of the Heritage Railway Association (HRA).

Formerly a property professional who then spent 20 years in commercial radio, Steve has had an active lifelong interest in heritage and steam railways.

From his teenage years, and for more than 40 years, Steve has worked with the award-winning Isle of Wight Steam Railway in a non-executive and voluntary capacity, including ten years chairing its board of directors and trustees.

He was appointed as the HRA’s first chief executive 4 years ago, moving it from an entirely volunteer-run organisation to its’ position as the UK-wide trade association and professional support body for the Heritage Rail sector.

From the World’s first preserved heritage railway – the Talyllyn in North Wales – to railways operating iconic mainline locomotives such as Flying Scotsman, between them the UK’s heritage railways operate steam, diesel and electric traction and range from large standard gauge railways to smaller 12-inch and 15-inch gauge lines. As the sector’s trade association, the HRA actively represents, and works to protect and promote, the interests of this wide range of heritage and tourist railways, tramways, cliff railways, related museums, railway preservation groups and associated organisations.

The HRA has some 300 member railways, tramways and other organisations located throughout England and the UK. Coming in all shapes and sizes, more than 180 HRA member organisations regularly open to the public, 160 of them operating with passengers. The HRA's website is https://www.hra.uk.com

Professionally Steve is a chartered surveyor, but has wide commercial experience, having founded and managed three successful commercial radio stations, and headed-up an economic development service for a local authority.

Heritage railways attract some 13 million visitors each year; they retain and nurture important skills, and employ some 4,000 people; they are important to local communities, providing interest and participation for 22,000 volunteers; and they are important to the wider economy, together annually contributing approaching £500million of economic impact.

The HRA 2021 annual awards can be viewed either on the HRA website or at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AkwvuCI6wnI

Audio production by Jack Bavage. The episode was released on 27 December 2021.