Public Speaking
Christian Wolmar is a regular speaker at conferences, meetings and seminars both in the UK and abroad on transport and, specifically, rail matters. He often speaks at conferences on the latest development in the rail and transport industries and gives lectures on all his rail history books
Christian gives around 30 talks per year and has spoken all around the country, as well as in Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, France, the United States and Australia where he has twice been invited to provide his expertise. He has given two lectures at the Royal Geographic Society and his most recent book is The Great Railroad Revolution, a history of American railways.
If you are interested in inviting Christian to speak, please use the form on the Contact page. His fee varies according to the type of organisation and event, though of course he will speak free at charity events. He has illustrated Powerpoint talks on five of his books, which are very suitable for entertaining after dinner speaking or presentations:
- Subterranean Railway, on the history of the London Underground
- Fire and Steam, on the history of Britain’s railways
- Blood, Iron and Gold, on how the railways changed the world
- Engines of War, on how wars were won and lost on the railways
- The Great Railway Revolution, the epic tale of American railroads
(Picture of Christian’s speech to the Royal Geographic Society on January 12 2006 on the Subterranean Railway. Proceeds from the event were given to the Railway Children.
Photo by Robert Lampard.)
“That great authority on the privatisation of the railways, Christian Wolmar, made it clear in his superb book Broken Rails that he regarded the privatisation of the railways as being criminally irresponsible”
William Keegan, The Observer
“I just wanted to thank you for all your effort as chair of the Transport conference yesterday. Many other members of GovNet staff noted how well you handled proceedings, especially during some difficult questions from delegates.”
Jay Patel, Programme Manager, Govnet Events
Public Speaking Engagements
- Rail privatisation, the first 20 years
Wed 5 Jun 2013 at 19:30 – 21:30 at Basingstoke & District Railway Society - Chartered Institute of Highways and Transportation, awards presentation and keynote speech
Thu 13 Jun 2013 at 19:00 – 23:59 at Madame Tussauds - Future of transport
Wed 26 Jun 2013 at 19:00 – 21:00 at Edinburgh Green Party , Edinburgh - Great railway revolution, the history of American railroads
Tue 10 Sep 2013 at 13:00 – 14:00 at City of London library, Artizan Street, City of London - Great railway revolution, the history of American railroads
Thu 24 Oct 2013 at 19:30 – 21:30 at Alton regional group, mid hants railway promotion society - Railfuture users group
Sat 2 Nov 2013 at 10:00 – 16:00 at Oxford Town Hall, St Aldates - Rail privatisation, the first 20 years
Wed 20 Nov 2013 at 19:00 – 22:00 at Basingstoke and District Railway Society - Chichester RCTS
Wed 27 Nov 2013 at 19:30 – 21:45 at West Sussex County Hall , Chichester - HS2 – yes or no?
Tue 10 Dec 2013 at 19:00 – 21:00 at Manchester Statistical Society
Past Speaking Engagements
- Great Railway Revolution book launch
Mon 14 May 2012 at 18:30 – 20:30 at Daunt's bookshop, Holland Park, 112-114 Holland Park Avenue London W11 4UA - Subterranean Railway, Norbury and South London Transport Club
Tue 29 May 2012 at 20:00 – 00:00 - American railways
Fri 1 Jun 2012 at 20:00 – 22:00 at Slough and Windsor Railway Society, The Manor,, Brunel Way, SL1 1LW, next to Slough station - Launch lecture of Great Railway Revolution, the epic story of the American railroad
Fri 8 Jun 2012 – Sat 9 Jun 2012, at 18:30 – 09:00 at National Railway Museum, NRM York, Leeman Road, York YO26 4XJ, York - Radical pragmatism
Wed 13 Jun 2012 at 18:30 – 20:30 at St Stephens Tavern, 10 Bridge St. Westminster, London - Transport & Environment conference on future and design of trucks
Tue 19 Jun 2012 at 10:00 – 17:00 at Brussels - Keeping Communities Moving: Improving Availability and Access to Public Transport
Thu 21 Jun 2012 at 10:30 – 15:30 at westminster - Great Railway Revolution – American railroads: Book signing
Thu 21 Jun 2012 at 19:00 – 21:00 at Tetbury Market House, Tetbury, Gloucs - LetterAltura Verbania book festival
Sat 30 Jun 2012 at 16:30 – 17:30 at Blood Iron and Gold – Sangue, Ferro i Oro, Hotel Il Chiostro, Verbania, Italy - Great Railway Revolution book signing and lecture
Tue 10 Jul 2012 at 18:30 – 20:30 , Lancing, East Sussex - Engines of War
Wed 18 Jul 2012 at 12:30 – 13:30 at Shoe Lane Library, City of London - LCC campaigners conference
Sat 8 Sep 2012 at 13:30 – 14:00 at Southbank University , London - Great Railway Revolution
Wed 12 Sep 2012 at 19:00 – 20:30 at Worthing Library, Richmond Road, Worthing, West Sussex BN11 1HD, Worthing - Great Railway Revolution
Fri 14 Sep 2012 at 19:00 – 20:30 at Market House, Market House, The top of Long Street, GL8 8JG Tetbury, Tetbury - Great Railroad Revolution, bookstore event
Tue 18 Sep 2012 at 19:00 – 21:00 at Powells bookstore, Cedar Hills Crossing, 3415 SW Cedar Hills Blvd., Beaverton, Portland