department for transport

Services: Strategy, Website Design, Website Development, Website Hosting, Content Management, Search Engine Optimisation
Technologies: Asp, Access Database, XHTML, CSS-P, Javascript
Launched: December 2006
URL: www.rhc.gov.uk
Background
Operating within the Department for Transport, the Railway Heritage Committee has the function of managing, designating and preserving artefacts within British Rail.

Chaired by Lord Faulkner of Worcester - a former adviser to the British Railways Board, the committee consists of seventeen members drawn from the railway industry. Members are appointed by the Secretary of State for Transport and have a mission statement to secure the preservation of evidence which is significant to the railway industry.

Project Brief
The Department for Transport needed a supplier to setup a dedicated website to represent the Railway Heritage Committee. The website needed to meet strict accessibility guidelines ensuring that is was viewable by users operating different browsers and technologies and needed to contain a database listing a total of over 200 artefacts that had been handled by the committee.

A functional, yet easy to use content management system was required, coupled with a guaranteed support service that was both responsive and professional.

The Outcome
The website was launched towards the end of 2006 and has been well received by the committee as well as people within the industry. The database on the website is now the central point of reference for designated items and undertakings and the robust content management system is being used on a frequent basis.

The committee are very pleased with the outcome and the initial contract was extended early with the site being expanded to include information relating to committee membership, british railway history, and a 'downloads' section providing pdf copies of annual reports, seminars and minutes of meetings.

Visit the website at www.rhc.gov.uk