TORG are pleased to announce their seminar this week:
"Fares and Ticketing on Britain's Railways"
Alex Nelson, Stationmaster and Director of Chester-le-Track
Wednesday 25/11/2009, 13.00-15:00 in Room 2.33, 2nd Floor, Cassie Building, Claremont Road, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 7RU
About the Seminar
This seminar will discuss the Chester-le-Street station website and how after experience in taxis, coaches and group travel, Alex Nelson moved into the rail industry over ten years ago. At the time, the internet was taking off and he acquired many significant domain names which have been sold or developed to increase traffic for the station website. The second part of the talk will outline the features of the fares system in Great Britain with several examples of how to save money, including the virtues of the famous "Ryde" season ticket. Chester-le-Street station was also the pioneer for selling Oyster cards outside London and has sold well over 1,000 such tickets, at first unofficially, and now with proper point of sale materials.
Time will be given for questions to enable students to find out anything they ever wanted to know about railway ticketing from one of the few private sector entrepreneurs working in the industry.
About the Speaker
Alex Nelson BA MBA FCILT FRGS is Director of Chester-le-Track Ltd and stationmaster of Chester-le-Street station. Alex obtained his MBA in 1992 from Newcastle University. He is a Fellow of both the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport, and of the Royal Geographical Society.
Chester-le-Track operates this station on the East Coast Main Line as an independent business, selling tickets nationwide to personal callers, over the phone and on the internet. Alex operates the station's website which has in excess of 15,000 visitors every weekday, and sells on-line tickets throughout the network. He is significantly involved with development of internet interactive maps to provide information on the operation of the railway system, including real time departures and is currently engaged on a project to produce a printed map of the entire National Rail network including through bus links and community rail partnerships. Alex is also a Director of Railroute Ltd and Ankers House Museum Ltd.
Previous roles include Senior Management Trainee, Eastern Counties Omnibus Company; Operations Manager and General Manager, Northern General Transport Company, which became Go-Ahead Northern and later Go-Ahead Group plc and Director and Company Secretary of Mayfair Group Travel, which later became Durham City Coaches.
Seminar Venue
The Cassie Building is building number 14 on the Campus Map (http://www.ncl.ac.uk/travel/maps/printable/Campus-Map-Print.pdf) and is about a 5-10 minute walk from Haymarket bus station, Haymarket or Jesmond metro stations, both of which are easily accessible from Newcastle Central station or Newcastle International Airport. Car parking in and around the University campus is limited, but Park and Ride options are available from seven metro stations within Newcastle - please see the Nexus website http://www.nexus.org.uk/wps/wcm/connect/Nexus/Metro/Metro+map/) for more details.
The TORG seminars are intended to disseminate ongoing research and encourage detailed discussions of a diverse range of transport topics in an informal environment. The seminars are part of a wider programme within the School of Civil Engineering and Geosciences (http://www.ceg.ncl.ac.uk/seminars/index.htm) all of which are free of charge and open for external guests to attend. Please let Miss Emma Simblett ([log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>) know if you wish to attend a TORG seminar to allow names of external guests to be noted.
For further information on the TORG seminars, please contact Dr. Dilum Dissanayake ([log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>) or Mr. Gareth Evans ([log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>).
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