New Class 707 for SWT takes shape

“This is an industry for the future – not the past,” says minister at King’s Heath opening

RAIL minister Claire Perry declared the new National Training Academy

Electrification costs surge ‘unbelievable’

THE unhappy saga of Network Rail’s faltering electrification programme has

Late news

Perfect storm Network Rail apologised for Manchester disruption on 28

Buses replace overcrowded Borders trains

SOME of the busiest trains on the new Borders Railway

Waterloo poppy sculpture pays tribute to those who fell in war

This sculpture of six giant poppies was unveiled at London

Prime Minister opens Oxford Parkway station

TRAINS started to carry commuters from a new station in

New Three Bridges depot for Thameslink is opened

ONE of two major depots for future Thameslink services was

Report calls for expansion of TfL-managed network

A NEW report by councillors is recommending a major expansion

Cheshire comes out on top in Community Rail awards

MID Cheshire Community Rail Partnership walked away with the top

Time for a change at Newark Castle

WORK began on a major upgrade at Newark Castle station

Eurostar finds a place in museum

A EUROSTAR power car built by Alstom almost a quarter

‘Transformed’ Manchester Victoria station is opened

THE rebuilt Manchester Victoria station has opened after a refurbishment

Level crossing upgrade is stopped by judge

A JUDGE has ordered Network Rail not to replace the

Stratford campaigners condemn service cuts as trains move south for Oxford line

CAMPAIGNERS calling for restoration of the railway between Stratford-upon-Avon and

METRO IN BRIEF

Strike call The RMT announced that it had called a

Trams by Christmas on first part of Manchester’s new city crossing

TRAMS will be running on part of the Second City

Tyne & Wear passenger figures continue recovery

THE number of journeys made on the Tyne & Wear

Route of next Midland Metro extension decided

THE route of a proposed extension of Midland Metro has

BTP seek track youth who‘diced with death’

BRITISH Transport Police officers have released CCTV footage and images

One passenger slightly hurt after train hit stolen car near Bathgate

BTP officers in Scotland are hunting two men who were

‘Prolific’ graffiti vandal banned from railway for a year

A GRAFFITI vandal has been banned from the railway for

BTP IN BRIEF

Trolley incidents BTP officers have described two incidents in Yorkshire

EURONEWS IN BRIEF

Dutch rescue The new chief exeutive of Dutch Railways was

Thousands of jobs may be at risk as DB looks for cash

THE German state-owned operator Deutsche Bahn has revealed that the

Fresh strikes called on Irish Rail in continuing dispute over pay and jobs

IRISH train services are being hit by new industrial action,

Can we really devolve rail?

Devolution is one of the industry’s favourite words at the

“This is no longer a declining industry of wheeltappers”

RAIL minister Claire Perry declared the new National Training Academy

Stagecoach, Virgin urge franchising changes

STAGECOACH Group and Virgin Trains have suggested a fundamental reform

Armitt and Rosewell for National Infrastructure Commission

FORMER Network Rail chief executive Sir John Armitt and one

National Express signs German rail franchises

NATIONAL Express Group has signed two contracts with a combined

Better transport could be boost for Midlands region worth £1bn a year

A REGIONAL partnership which was relaunched in late October is

Infrarail heads for ExCeL London

NEXT year’s Infrarail exhibition will be at a new venue,

CITY WIRES

Tube contract Wabtec subsidiary Brush Traction of Loughborough has won

An element of danger

THE railway in Britain is officially described as ‘the safest

Dear Mr Smith

Thank you very much for sending us your latest newsletter

We need a network overlord as a ‘system authority’

THE nature of Britain’s railway organisation today can result in

Virgin Trains East Coast: six months in

IF you’re a fan of Downton Abbey or you like

New National Infrastructure Commission needs clear rules to make progress now

WHEN we are compared to other countries in Europe, it

Is the £44m transformation of Manchester Victoria incomplete?

IT has been reported that Manchester Victoria [rated Category B

Cumbria has been treated shabbily

METHOUGHT Sim Harris’s response to Robert Talbot’s letter (October’s Railnews)

Questions for proposed expansion of the TfL-managed network

IT’S been claimed “some of the best rail passenger satisfaction

Latest developments highlight concerns about progress with Network Rail projects

ONE of the initial problems with Great Western main line

Walkers get new information map at Community Rail station in Kent

MIKE FitzGerald, Chairman of the Kent Community Rail Partnership, unveiled

InterCity 125 designer on GWR charity special

A SPECIAL ‘Explorer Train’ to South Devon, aimed at raising

SWT guard backs cancer charity with Football Day

SWT train guard James Doe, above, has again supported Prostate

Ribblehead Viaduct photograph scoops national award

A stunning image of a freight train curving through the

HS2’s Jonathan Sharrock is on the move to lead Sussex Growth Deal

JONATHAN Sharrock is leaving HS2 Ltd to join the West

10,000 rail staff trained to provide ‘emotional first aid’ to save lives

MORE THAN ten thousand railway staff have now been trained

Campaign launched to save Wolverton’s historic buildings

PROTESTOR Philip Webb has started an on-line campaign against plans

Scarborough railway poster exhibition

AN exhibition of railway posters has opened at Scarborough Art

Woman passenger seeks good Samaritans

A woman passenger who faced walking home alone in the

Budding bridge builders join Network Rail volunteers

CHILDREN at a South Wales primary school got the chance

Tribute to historic Mallard unveiled

WHEN celebrations were held in 2013 for the 75th anniversary

Sweet relaunch for East Midlands Trains franchise

STAGECOACH franchise East Midlands Trains celebrated the first weekday of

Market Harborough station is EMT’s ‘best’

MARKET HARBOROUGH station has been named as the best of

Dear diary

WITH Hallowe’en just behind us, Diary was suitably spooked to

Operational planning into the High Speed era

THE timetable is an important input to the business plan

Network Rail invites women to consider high-tech careers

NETWORK RAIL has launched the third year of its award-winning

Record number of graduate trainees join Transport for London

TRANSPORT for London has opened its doors to a record

ScotRail apprentices celebrate frontline training

SCOTRAIL’S third intake of Modern Apprentices in Customer Service graduated