Railnews Magazine December 2016 Back Issue

THE driver-only operation dispute on Southern has taken some new turns. One development in November was a vote in favour of strikes by members of ASLEF, whose union announced some dates for walkouts by drivers. Southern's owner Govia Thameslink Railway responded by seeking a High Court injunction against this action, and the case is due to be heard this week. The Chancellor's Autumn Statement in 23 November included investment of more than £600 million in railway projects, including £450 million for development of Digital Railway and £110 million for the East West link. The next section of this railway, between Oxford and Oxford Parkway, is due to open for Chiltern Railways services on 12 December. The first Class 230 vehicles left Vivarail in Warwickshire in November, and these converted Underground cars should now go into service with London Midland soon. Weather has been a problem again, disrupting Great Western Railway and CrossCountry services in Bristol, Somerset and Devon, while Network Rail has promised a 'careful review' of the report into the damage to Lamington Viaduct on the West Coast Main Line at the start of 2016, whose foundations were dangerously scoured by the River Clyde as a result of Storm Angus. Features this month include a look at how rolling stock is changing, with more 5,500 new vehicles coming into service to meet growing demand, and there is also a rare glimpse inside the international terminal at London Waterloo, which is being remodelled as part of an £800 million project to increase capacity at the station. In Guest Opinion, British Transport Police chief constable Paul Crowther explains how railway policing is changing, and we also have the story of a campaigning group who are battling to save a former railway tunnel. All this and much more is in Railnews for December.