Doncaster Chamber chief champions city's railway heritage ahead of event tonight

The Railway Club’s event at Hilton Garden Inn, Doncaster Racecourse, will bring together rail professionals and business leaders for an evening of networking, collaboration, and celebration.

With around 300 attendees expected, the event aims to strengthen industry connections and showcase opportunities within the rail sector and the wider regional economy.

Dan Fell highlights Doncaster as an ambitious city on the move.

In the lead-up to the event, his message has centred on the transformative power of collaboration, a force that has already delivered major milestones for Doncaster, including achieving City Status and advancing plans to reopen Doncaster Sheffield Airport.

The speech is set out to explore the rail sector’s role in shaping South Yorkshire’s transport future, with themes including digitalisation, AI-enabled maintenance, modal i

ntegration, and net zero traction. The CEO will place a particular emphasis on the vital role of connectivity, both physically, through infrastructure, and the human networks that drive collaboration and opportunity.

On this, Mr Fell said ““Partnership” is one of those over-used words but, done well, meaningful collaboration remains one of the strongest determinants of economic success. When businesses network,

opportunities multiply. When organisations share ideas, innovation accelerates. When sectors come together, systems get stronger.”

He will continue to advocate for continued investment in skills to address emerging competency gaps in the rail industry, citing initiatives such as the South Yorkshire Local Skills Improvement Plan and partnerships with Doncaster UTC, Doncaster College, and The Gresley Institute.

The Railway Club event will underscore the importance of networks in driving innovation and economic growth, reinforcing Doncaster’s position as a hub for rail and advanced engineering.