New podcast series all about heritage steam railways
22 Jan 2024. Up Front & Steaming, the heritage steam railway podcast is launching a new series starting February 2024.
This third series brings you five new episodes, giving an insight into the people who volunteer, work and enjoy heritage railways
Episode one kicks off the series with “Restoration Standard”, the story behind bringing back to life a rusting hulk of metal of which the bits had been stored for decades and will soon be a shiny new steam locomotive. We will be following developments with brief updates throughout the series
“Track Talk”, we chat with Steve Oates, chief executive of the Heritage Railway Association who will bring us up to date with the issues, challenges, and opportunities of the 300 plus members who collectively contribute over £600 million to the economy.
“Rock Railheads” Rock and rail indeed go together there are a number of high-profile rollers who when they are not rocking like to rail. We give them a call to see what fires them up
“Meet The Media”, there are several magazines and online media that cover heritage railways, let’s find out what their editors think. In the last series we talked with Mel Holley, editor of Trackside magazine.
"Riding the Rails” , we get the inside track on a heritage railway with an interesting story to tell
Each episode will include a regular news bulletin from one of the leading magazines covering the sector
To help take the show to a wider audience a new website is being constructed and a new social media campaign initiated. The show is also seeking sponsors and marketing partners.
Tom Burgess producer of Upfront and Steaming said:
“We are delighted with the reception this podcast series has received from listeners and the industry. While there are some podcasts that talk about railways, there is no other podcast focussed exclusively heritage railway sector. We are not about spotting trains but about the people who volunteer, work or just enjoy visiting and riding on heritage railways. As one volunteer who had no initial interest in railways said in the earlier series, her local heritage line community was her happy place.
Up Front & Steaming is available free to listen and subscribe to on Amazon, Apple, Google, Spotify and all main podcast providers, just search “Up Front & Steaming Podcast” or click here. More information contact: info@upfrontandsteaming.com
About Us
Up Front & Steaming is a podcast series all about heritage steam railways where listeners can feel the joy, passion, fun and nostalgia shared by the thousands of people that volunteer and work for the 300 heritage railways in the UK, plus the delight of millions who ride the rails every year.
Episodes feature a selection of heritage railways as well as people who have a story to tell about steam railways, both the originals and the preserved. The first series featured the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway, the second series was produced in partnership with Trackside magazine featuring the Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland railway, the Great Central and a two-part episode on the Flying Scotsman. Series Three will include a regular news bulletin and an update on a steam restoration project as well as personalities from the world of heritage railways plus our usual feature on specific heritage railways.
After just 10 episodes, Up Front & Steaming has attracted up to 5,000 listeners per episode, putting it in top 10% of podcasts in the world, the series hopes to exceed 10,000 per episode in 2024 putting Up Front & Steaming in the top 1% of podcasts.
According to Trackside, The Journal of Railway Preservation, the UK heritage railway sector attracts 13 million visitors a year and generates £600m economic activity. More than 200 railways, museums and steam centres employ 4,000 people, with another 22,000 volunteers. Collectively, they operate 560 miles of railway, run 460 stations using 800 steam and 1,000 diesel locomotives, 2,000 carriages and 4,000 wagons. Visitors take 18.6m passenger journeys every year, covering 130m passenger miles.
The series is hosted by Tom Burgess, a BBC trained producer and presenter who has had a lifelong interest in railways, is a fully trained diesel and steam locomotive driver and recently started rebuilding his childhood model railway. Tom had an entrepreneurial career in marketing and communications, most recently as CEO of an international public relations firm with capability to handle campaigns in 100 countries. Tom is the author of “From Here To Prosperity, a practical policy agenda to build a sustainable economy and greater social justice.
Up Front & Steaming is available free to listen and subscribe to on Amazon, Apple, Google, Spotify and all main podcast providers, just search “Up Front & Steaming Podcast” or click here. More information contact: info@upfrontandsteaming.com
For more info
Tom Burgess +44 788 772 4285 tom@tomburgess.com