Railnews Magazine April 2015 Back Issue

March has been a month of franchise news -- perhaps because a general election is imminent. Stagecoach and Virgin took over East Coast at the start of the month, and since then there have been two further announcements, both of which were good news for FirstGroup. First has been given a twelve-month extension to First TransPennine Express, and also a new Great Western franchise which will start in September and run until early 2019. We report the implications of this award in detail, which includes major infrastructure improvements and an ambitious rolling stock programme -- with more new trains than had been expected. The first Intercity Express arrived at Southampton from Japan, while there was good news for Chiltern passengers, when the Harbury landslip site was reopened to traffic three weeks earlier than predicted. The controversy over the overcrowding at London Bridge continues, with the ORR now staging a safety probe, and towards the end of the month the RMT declared itself in dispute with Network Rail over a pay claim. A strike ballot could follow. There was more controversy when it emerged that British Transport Police north of the border could be merged with Police Scotland, and there are continuing questions over the future status of Network Rail. Our feature looks at the remarkable rail renaissance which is taking place in Booming Birmingham, and we also reveal that a new train fleet is being ordered which could one day be sold for just one pound. Find out why in the new edition of Railnews.