Railnews Magazine June 2023 Back Issue

The renationalisation of TransPennine Express in late May and Caledonian Sleeper later this month will mean that state-run operators are now covering a greater length of route than the remaining ones in the private sector, according to new analysis by Railnews.

Operators in England of both types had their services disrupted again by more strikes at the end of May and start of June, as the pay and conditions deadlock continued. Meanwhile, RMT members on London Underground have approved more industrial action.

The recovery since the pandemic is continuing, but Covid appears to have left a lasting impression on travel patterns. As a sign of how things have changed, engineers have started to use mid-week possessions, because more people are now travelling at the weekend.

Reports claiming Great British Railways is being ‘scrapped’ have been officially dismissed, with the government saying no decisions have been made about the Parliamentary agenda for the coming year.

In other news, a study into reopening a railway running west of Oxford has been published, Nuneham viaduct in Oxfordshire is set to reopen on 10 June, the first concrete slab has been poured for the new station at Old Oak Common, trams started running on the first extension in Edinburgh on 7 June and bad weather and ageing structures are costing Network Rail more.

Work is continuing on East West Rail, but there’s a problem in Bicester, where a level crossing could be closed for 50 minutes each hour when full services start.

Rail minister Huw Merriman has announced £72 million for railways in north west England, while Transport for the North has calculated transport investment would be worth £118 billion a year to the region’s economy.

Finally, a TransPennine Express driver has retired after 52 years of service.

Railnews for June is out now.