Railnews Magazine December 2023 Back Issue

The news that members of the RMT had voted to accept the Rail Delivery Group’s pay offer for 2022-23 broke just one day before Railnews for December went to press. The vote made our lead story, but we also reported that members of ASLEF, who are striking at various operators this week, have voted in favour of another six months of industrial action, and strike ballot papers are being sent to RMT members on London Underground.

Passenger figures are continuing their post-pandemic recovery on both National Rail and London Underground, and the modernised station at Gatwick Airport opened to passengers on 21 November, while a new station will open on the Midland Main Line in London on 10 December and the first electric train has run under test on the Glasgow Central to Barrhead line.

Alstom has warned Derby City Council that it intends to end the building of trains in the city, and changes to the rules about door locking could mean the end of heritage trains on Network Rail, according to charter operator West Coast.

Christmas is approaching, and Network Rail has said that less than 4 per cent of the network will be affected by engineering possessions.

In business news, Rail Partners has made a new bid to get the private sector more involved in passenger railways, a draft Rail Reform Bill to create Great British Railways was included in the King’s Speech, the Government could reintroduce some commercial freedom in National Rail Contracts and Grand Central trains will soon be calling at Peterborough for the first time.

Finally, a happy story for the festive season. A mother has thanked railway staff after they rescued her three-year old’s toy monkey, who was mislaid on a train in the Midlands and went on an unexpected trip to Edinburgh.