Railnews Magazine September 2025 Back Issue

Railnews for September leads with the news that a world record run has been made by a battery train on Great Western Railway, leading to hopes that the technology could be used on the next generation of local trains.

Battery trains are also part of a £342 million plan to electrify the Fife Circle and Borders Railway, along with new electric trains for Glasgow. Hybrid battery trains will be needed when trains cross the Forth Bridge, where the headroom is too low for wires.

Regulated fares could increase by 5.8 per cent in 2026, after the RPI for July was 4.8 per cent. Peak fares were abolished again on ScotRail from 1 September, and the First Minister said this time the change will be ‘for good’.

There was disruption on CrossCountry over the August bank holiday because of industrial action by the RMT, and the RMT was also staging a series of ‘rolling strikes’ on London Underground in early September.

A scheme to improve Cornish train services has been delayed to 2026 because more work is needed on signalling, and more engineering work on the Isle of Wight will mean various closures of Island Line, including complete closure from 18 October to 3 November.

Two men have been given life sentences for killing another man at Seven Sisters Underground station, and trains through Wigan were badly disrupted on 20 August after signal cables were damaged, apparently by would-be thieves.

The plan to build Northern Powerhouse Rail is reported to be back on the government’s agenda, and it could include a new railway on the alignment of HS2 to Manchester.

A campaign aimed at passengers who play loud music on their phones has been launched by Transport for London, which wants them to wear headphones.

Railnews for September is out now.