Railnews Magazine Oct-18 Back Issue

THERE has been widespread industry reaction to the announcement that the Department for Transport is undertaking a ‘significant’ review of the structure of the railway, and the ORR has been deeply critical of the arrangements for the May timetable changes. The Labour Party has unveiled more proposals to renationalise the passenger railway, as rumours of a snap election continue to grow.

More strikes have been called by the RMT on Northern and South Western Railway, as the disputes about on-train staffing continue, while the legislation needed to authorise Phase 2 of HS2 has reportedly been postponed for a year. New trials of hybrid trains using batteries were unveiled on the same day by two rolling stock leasing companies.

Staff at Network Rail worked around the clock over the bank holiday weekend at the end of August, when work worth a total of £84 million was carried out. Tree felling alongside railways is set to continue. Network Rail has warned that problems caused by trees are becoming worse because of the exceptionally dry weather. Most train services have been able to return to Derby after a possession which had involved the removal of 10,000 tonnes of material from the platforms.

In police news, the controversial plan to merge British Transport Police north of the border with Police Scotland has been placed on hold indefinitely. It should have taken place in April 2019.

An inquiry has been launched after a London Underground train ran in service between two stations with at least some of its doors fully open.

A sale of 5,200 Network Rail properties, most of them in railway arches, has gone ahead to Telereal Trillium and Blackstone Property Partners for £1.46 billion.

It was a busy month, and is reflected in the pages of Railnews for October – out now.