Railnews Magazine Oct 2020 Back Issue

THE Department for Transport has extended its emergency measures to keep trains running until at least 2022, but admits franchises have had their day. The industry now wants to know what will replace them – and when. Meanwhile timetables on many lines were increased to around 90 per cent of pre-pandemic levels during September, as children returned to school and more commuters travelled again, at least for a while.

Network Rail is increasing the amount it spends on maintaining cuttings and embankments in the wake of the fatal derailment at Carmont near Stonehaven on 12 August, while it has also published an ambitious plan to decarbonise the rail network by 2050.

In other news, Transport for London says its Night Tube services are set to remain suspended for now because the number of drivers is down and demand has fallen, while trains built as recently as five years ago are among those to be upgraded as part of a £55 million fleet modernisation announced by Govia Thameslink Railway and Porterbrook.

Eurostar has axed Ashford and Ebbsfleet from its timetables, and says its trains are unlikely to call again at the international stations in Kent before 2022. This month’s feature – Knowing when to Stop – looks at the dilemma of when to provide intermediate stations on high speed and intercity lines.

The Rail Accident Investigation Branch is 15 years old. In a special article for Railnews, chief inspector Simon French says there is still much to be done to improve safety.

Finally, they have been flying the red duster, which is the ensign of the Merchant Navy, at Handforth between Stockport and Wilmslow, as the Friends of Handforth returned to carry on with their work cheering up the station.

All this and much more is in Railnews for ¬October.