Cultivating a team of winners...helping clients to achieve outstanding results
It seems fitting that as I write this blog, focused on AARCP’s first ever attendance at a rail event in Ireland, the Emerald Isle’s own Rory McIlroy has just completed the ‘Grand Slam’ of major golf tournaments after winning the Masters in Augusta. Like Rory, here at AARCPS, we’re continuously cultivating a team of ‘winners’ – seasoned rail professionals, drawing on over five decades of experience to help our clients achieve outstanding results. And whilst not quite a ‘Grand Slam,’ this year we have our own tour underway, which kicked off last month at Rail Infrastructure Networking’s London event on 6th March 2025.
Fostering interactions among key stakeholders in the UK & Irish Rail industries
For April 2025 however, we set our sights overseas, with attendance at the inaugural Rail Link event in Dublin. Held on Thursday 10th at the Aviva Stadium, Lansdowne Road, the event was the first in a series aimed at fostering interactions among key stakeholders in the UK & Irish Rail industries, with representation from passenger, freight, logistics, railway and building services enterprises of all sizes. Joining me at AARC Professional Services’ stand in Dublin were colleagues and AARCPS Associates Derek Mason and Mick Gates, as well as Dan Barrett, who is based in Ireland and who helped bring some ‘in-country’ expertise to our team on the day.
Our Irish adventure began on the 9th when we arrived at the venue to set up the stand, which fortunately went without a hitch, with all of our exhibition materials waiting for us when we arrived. A smooth set-up enabled us to experience another kind of smooth – a well earned pint of ‘real’ Guinness and a first for Mick! This also helped to wash down the excellent food at F X Buckley Steakhouse in Pembroke Street.
Bringing together colleagues from the rail infrastructure industry
With Dublin enjoying a period of warm unbroken sunny weather, the actual event on the 10th was lively right from the off, with a steady footfall from opening at 10am through to taking down our stand at 2pm. The Aviva Stadium proved itself to be an excellent venue, with plenty of space to engage with people around our stand. Most importantly, we enjoyed some great conversations, ranging from students looking to start a career in rail through to tangible leads regarding supporting work in Ireland. There was certainly no time to sit down, with all of us talking to attendees throughout the four-hour running time.
In summation, was it worth taking time out to exhibit at Rail Link – Dublin. The answer has to be an unequivocal ‘yes,’ with all four of us making meaningful contacts which will hopefully lead to something in the future. A big ‘thank you and well done’ to the Rail Link team for making it such a great event to be a part of. And of course, my personal thanks to Mick, Derek and Dan for supporting me on our first ‘overseas’ exhibition and to all those who stopped by to talk to us on the day.
Team of like-minded professionals
Post Rail Link, we now set our sights to future events and in particular those organised by Rail Infrastructure Networking (RIN). Led by rail specialist insurance broker Jobson James Rail, the RIN events are aimed at bringing together colleagues from the rail infrastructure industry for a variety of networking opportunities, held on a quarterly basis at locations across the country. Having attended the first RIN event last month (March), we’re also booked in to appear at the other three events, to be held as follows:
- RIN Glasgow – Thursday 22nd May 2025, Hilton Glasgow, William Street, Glasgow
- RIN Derby – Thursday 11th September 2025, Derby Arena, Derby
- RIN Harrogate – Thursday 13th November 2025, The Great Yorkshire Events Centre, Great Yorkshire Showground
If you’re attending any of the above, please do come and say hello and find out more about our team of like-minded rail professionals, all who share a common goal to deliver expert support and advisory services to the rail industry.
