Table of contents for Issue 810 in RAIL

 I spent six fascinating hours at Westminster recently, listening to the views of the industry, Government and stakeholders from northern England and East Anglia. It really made clear to me where the rail industry is, where it could be, and (perhaps most importantly) where it should be. “NR strives to do a good job most of the time, but for big projects that have a huge impact, things must improve.” I was the only member of the trade press at the East Anglian Rail Summit. This was the first time campaigners from the Great Eastern Main Line Taskforce, officials from the winning Abellio franchise, Government officials (including new Rail Minister Paul Maynard) and Network Rail representatives were able to get together after the franchise was awarded in August ( RAIL…

The fuel cells on each Coradia iLint provide electrical energy by combining the hydrogen stored in on-board tanks with oxygen from the air. Although Alstom offers hydrogen-refuelling infrastructure as part of its train package, it still requires a cost-effective hydrogen supply, which cannot be delivered in sufficient quantities on road tankers. With few natural reservoirs of hydrogen, supply mostly results as a bi-product of industrial processes such as the production of chlorine from electrolysis. Germany has a large chemicals manufacturing sector and already has an established hydrogen pipeline infrastructure, with ambitions to build over 400 hydrogen-refuelling stations for road vehicles by 2023. This makes the country an ideal starting point for hydrogen transport technology, while other countries such as the UK considers its own approach. Andreas Knitter, Alstom’s senior vice…

THE House of Commons Public Accounts Committee (PAC) says the Government must “move quickly” to set out a “realistic timetable” for delivering High Speed 2 and to clarify important details about its second phase and impact on the wider rail network. In the latest Progress with Preparations for High Speed 2 report, the PAC says it is not convinced the timetable for delivering HS2 is realistic. It recommends that the announcement of the route of Phase 2b - the final section between the Midlands and Leeds - should include a realistic timetable against which to hold HS2 to account. It also says the Department for Transport (DfT) should confirm whether Phase 1 from London to Birmingham will open in 2026 or 2027. Furthermore, it adds that the DfT does not…

LONDON Overground Railway Operations Ltd has claimed the blue riband award at this year’s National Rail Awards - the Passenger Operator of the Year. This is the 17th year RAIL’s National Rail Awards have taken place. This year’s event, due to be held at London’s prestigious Grosvenor House Hotel on September 22 (after this issue of RAIL went to press), was due to be attended by leading figures in the rail industry. BBC Radio 4 Today presenter Justin Webb was due to host, alongside RAIL Managing Editor and Events Director Nigel Harris. Network Rail has also enjoyed a good year - its partnership with the RMT on the High Output Track Renewals safe and efficient access project has earned it the Safety Award, while the S&C South Alliance, of which…

Freightliner and model train company Dapol are to honour Britain’s war dead for the 100th anniversary of the Armistice on November 11 2018, to raise money for former servicemen and women. The Railway Honour project will entail Freightliner naming one of its Class 66s, while Dapol will produce a scale model of it. For every model sold a donation will be made to ABF The Soldiers Charity. Advanced discussions are being held with two other railway companies to name two other locomotives. If successful, the trio will be named Patriot , Valour and Remembrance , echoing locomotives built by the London & North Western, Great Central and London Brighton & South Coast Railways. The scheme is the brainchild of Corporal Gareth Atkinson, who serves in the 1st Battalion of the…

The new Abellio East Anglia franchise beginning on October 16 is split into three phases, Abellio Greater Anglia Managing Director Jamie Burles revealed on September 7. “Phase 1 is preparing, Phase 2 is the new fleet, and Phase 3 is the new railway,” he explained. This is the first time for a long time that the region has had a long-term deal, he said, noting: “That means conversations can be had that have not been had before.” Abellio took over the franchise on a 29-month deal in February 2012, but that was extended through a Direct Award in July 2014. Before that, National Express ran the franchise from April 2004 until February 2012, when the Anglia Railways and First Great Eastern franchises were merged along with some of West Anglia…

Network Rail would prefer tackling pinch-points over improving line speeds on the Great Eastern Main Line, Chris Rowley (NR’s principal strategic planner for London and the South East) told Ipswich MP Ben Gummer at the Rail Summit on September 7. Gummer was highly critical of NR and its perceived lack of information regarding the improvements needed for the GEML. He said: “This franchise is a model for the railways. It is life-changing for all our constituents. We have an operator calling for economic growth. Network Rail talks of engineering and we have heard of the money release. Yet not £1 has been spent on the suggestions from the Taskforce. “A premium of £3 billion is being spent and yet you discuss pinch-points. Network Rail has to deliver. Getting a plan…

Eurostar is to send the first of its 186mph Class 373 trains for scrap after just 22 years in service, even though older and slower intercity trains will remain in service in Britain. The 18-car trains will be scrapped by European Metal Recycling (EMR) at Kingsbury. The first train was due to move to EMR’s Midlands site as this issue of RAIL went to press. GB Railfreight has been contracted to move the trains, and must use a Class 66 for the work as these are fitted with specific coupling equipment enabling the ‘373s’ to be hauled on their final journeys. It is expected that when they arrive at EMR, it will take two days to shunt the trains due to their articulation which means the doomed carriages must be…

Crossrail 2 needs to be properly planned, otherwise the scheme’s benefits will not be felt, a group of companies and agencies involved in the project have been told. On September 14 Transport for London and Network Rail brought together companies that could be involved in the project, which is designed to create new capacity across London running north to south (it is planned to link Broxbourne, Epsom, Chessington South, Hampton Court and Shepperton). Crossrail 2 will enable an additional 270,000 people to enter central London at morning peak. It is believed that the railway could drive the development of 200,000 homes and support a further 200,000 new jobs. TfL Managing Director for Crossrail 2 Michele Dix, Network Rail Head of Crossrail 2 Mike Brown, TfL Commissioner Mike Brown and Transport…

NETWORK Rail Chief Executive Mark Carne has called for business to play a much bigger role in helping fund rail projects and improvements. Speaking at an event in London on September 6, Carne said that with rail driving regeneration, the infrastructure company could not continue to rely on public funding. “It is clear that we need to increasingly source funding from those people, authorities and businesses that directly benefit from better railways,” he said. Carne acknowledged how running more trains to meet demand has led to congestion, especially at peak times, and this subsequently has had an impact on the reliability and punctuality of services. “Railways are not just important because more and more people are choosing to use them, they are also a major driver of economic growth,” he…

Rail Minister Paul Maynard says it is unlikely that the Department for Transport will “wish to let such a franchise in the future”, when discussing Govia Thameslink Railway. Responding to a Commons Written Question from Henry Smith (Conservative, Crawley) on September 13, Maynard reiterated his stance from his appearance before the Transport Select Committee, relating to GTR. “The size of the franchise is a factor in this assessment,” he said. “However, I believe that with the measures recently announced this franchise should deliver a better passenger experience in the future. “We take a very large number of factors into account when determining the most appropriate way forward when franchises are due for renewal. We undertook just such an assessment when considering options for the most appropriate approach to providing passenger…

Network Rail is to expand its Advanced Apprenticeship scheme by 50% in 2017, with 100 additional apprenticeships taking the total to 300. As part of the expansion, the scheme will now have two apprentice intakes each year - in March and September. Additionally, NR has moved the three-year Advanced Apprenticeship scheme to its training and development centre near Coventry. Apprentices will spend the first five months of the programme at the centre, specialising in either electrification and plant, overhead lines, signalling, telecoms or track. They then move to local depots for on-the-job training on the front line. More than 4,000 applications for the scheme were received last year.…

Eurostar will run two extra trains in each direction between London and the French Alps in the February 2017 half-term, in response to demand for the original service. Two outward and two return journeys will run, with the outbound trains leaving on a Saturday night (February 11 and 18), and return workings leaving on a Sunday morning (February 12 and 19). Return fares start at £309. Trains from London St Pancras call at Ashford, Moûtiers, Aime la Plagne and Bourg-Saint-Maurice.…

The House of Commons Transport Select Committee (TSC) is to hold an inquiry into railway safety, following previous investigations into safety at level crossings and security on the railway. MPs will examine the effectiveness of the current system of management, investigation, enforcement and policing in ensuring the safety of passengers, staff and the public. The TSC says it is particularly interested in progress made by the Department for Transport (DfT) and Network Rail on implementing previous recommendations on level crosssings, and in the DfT, British Transport Police and British Transport Police Authority’s progress on security and measures to reduce violent crime. Other areas to be examined include the effect of the EU referendum on the framework for rail safety and security, and the extent to which growing passenger numbers, infrastructure…

Eurotunnel reported the highest number of trucks carried on its Channel Tunnel shuttle service this August, with 127,769 carried (a 24% increase on 2015’s figure). Between January and August, the truck shuttles recorded 12% growth (to almost 1.1 million vehicles). However, the number of cars carried fell by 3% to 347,920, which Eurotunnel blames on there being only four weekends in the month. Coach traffic also grew (by 3%) to 3,325 vehicles, although year-to-date figures show a 10% decline to 36,194 vehicles. Shuttle traffic: August 2016…

LABOUR mobility will be the biggest challenge to rail over the next decade, according to new Rail Minister Paul Maynard. Speaking at an East Anglian Rail Summit at Westminster on September 7, and then at an All-Party Parliamentary reception for Rail North the same day (also at Westminster), Maynard highlighted the plights of coastal towns. The Conservative MP for Blackpool North and Cleveleys cited Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft as examples at the East Anglian summit, and then Blackpool at the APPG Rail in the North event. He said: “The importance of links to coastal towns is vital. It is always said these links bring people to the towns, and they do, but they are to help people get out of the towns for work.” Maynard said that large schemes in…

Campaigners are calling for an hourly local rail service north of Morpeth. The South East Northumberland Rail Users Group (SENRUG) wants the existing Metrocentre to Morpeth route extended to Berwick, with stations re-opened at Belford and Beal. The group is working alongside campaign group RAGES (Rail Action Group, East of Scotland), which wants a similar service between Berwick and Edinburgh with stations at Reston and East Linton re-opened. The two groups believe the routes should be linked to create a local rail service between Newcastle and Edinburgh. SENRUG believes that while the route is served by inter-city trains, the line needs a local service serving its smaller stations. “A through service such as this would create access to jobs and universities at either Newcastle or Edinburgh, and boost the economies…

The RSSB (Rail Safety & Standards Board) has launched an app for recording platform risk assessments. The Platform Train Interface (PTI) Risk Assessment Tool enables staff to complete assessments on the platform in real time. Information is collated anywhere on a platform and synchronised using WiFi. This enables train operating companies to share data. The app has already been tested and piloted with TOCs including East Midlands Trains and Merseyrail, and Network Rail.…

PUNCTUALITY has dropped on the railway in the past year, with the worst figures in 11 years recorded. Office of Rail and Road (ORR) figures for quarter 1 (Q1) of 2016-2017 reveal that the national Public Performance Measure (PPM) was 89.2%, 2.2 percentage points (pp) worse than the corresponding period last year. This was the lowest first quarter since 2005-2006 when a score of 87.5% was recorded. The Moving Annual Average (MAA) was down 1.1pp compared with the same period, finishing Q1 at 88.5%. The London and South East (LSE) sector recorded a PPM MAA of 87.0%, a 1.8pp fall, with the ORR blaming Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) for 1.2pp of this. This was a lower figure than that of the Long Distance sector. The LSE’s PPM score was 86.8%…

Southern Railway restored more services to its emergency timetable from September 19. It reinstated a full timetable from Tonbridge and Reigate to London Victoria, and restored a full service from Redhill to Victoria and London Bridge. Some South London Metro services and trains on the West London Line to Watford were restored two weeks earlier. Southern Passenger Services Director Alex Foulds said more routes would be added in the coming weeks. “The temporary revised weekday timetable has been delivering a more consistent, reliable service,” he said. “Now we are steadily reintroducing trains and will continue to do so until the entire timetable is back in place.” The emergency timetable has been in place since July 11. Some 341 trains a day were cancelled until September 5, amounting to 15% of…

Govia Thameslink Railway is consulting passengers on a major recast of its timetables from 2018, when the Thameslink programme is due to be completed. The number of services through central London will increase, leading to (it is claimed) 80% more peak-time seats, while new direct services will operate between Brighton, Gatwick Airport and Cambridge. New Thameslink routes through London Bridge from the Medway towns are also planned, along with new trains and more frequent metro services for Great Northern. Services currently operated by Southern from Littlehampton, Horsham and East Grinstead to London Bridge will transfer to Thameslink in 2018, continuing through central London to Bedford and Peterborough. New direct trains will run from Cambridge and Peterborough to Gatwick Airport and beyond, with additional direct services to Maidstone from Cambridge. The…

Wales needs infrastructure fit for the 21st century if it is to build on its strengths and drive economic growth, says Wales Minister Guto Bebb. Speaking at a Policy Forum Wales seminar, Bebb said: “The UK Government is determined to work together with the Welsh Government and local partners to improve the experience of passengers and commuters throughout Wales.” One such project is electrification between Cardiff and Swansea, for which there is no confirmed date. Network Rail spokesman Dan Donovan told RAIL on September 19: “Electrification between London Paddington to Cardiff is planned to be completed within Control Period 5 (2014-2019) within the estimated total cost of £2.8 billion. “Electrification beyond Cardiff to Swansea is now planned to be completed within CP6 (2019-2024) with the specific date and costs to…

Rail Minister Paul Maynard says unregulated advance tickets have increased from 8% of revenue in 2007/2008 to 14% of revenue in 2015/2016. Maynard was replying to a question from Labour MP Steve McCabe (Birmingham, Selly Oak), who had asked what recent representations the minister had made to rail franchises on above-inflation rail increases. Maynard said: “We have capped the rail fares we regulate at inflation (Retail Price Index) for four years running, and will continue to do so for the life of this parliament. This means those fares we regulate will rise by no more than 1.9% in 2017.”…

MORE than £125,000 was raised by GB Railfreight’s GB15 charity railtour that ran on September 8-11. The train used 19 locomotives and visited London, Swanage, Great Yarmouth, Harwich, Edinburgh, Inverness, Liverpool and Doncaster before returning to London. The money raised will be split between the operator’s chosen charities: British Heart Foundation, Woking Homes and The Ripple Project. The charter was operated to mark the 15th anniversary of GB Railfreight running trains, and offered passengers the chance to ride behind all members of the company’s fleet, as well as a Class 47 hired from Colas Rail. Business Manager for Infrastructure and Rail Services Paul Taylor, Account Manager for Rail Services Dale Williams and Train Planner Richard Owen organised the charter. More than 30 staff volunteered their time. GBRf locomotives visited unusual…

DIRECT Rail Services has confirmed it will “seek to deploy our newest assets onto as many services as possible”, which could spell the end for some of its older locomotives. The freight operator was responding to questions by RAIL related to Class 57s, which have been stored by DRS at MoD Longtown. No other classes were mentioned, but the Cumbrian-based company is about to start taking delivery of the first of ten dual-mode Class 88s that are being built by Stadler in Valencia, Spain. DRS spokesman Kyle Palmer did not give a date for the delivery, but said: “The Class 88 locomotives are in the final stages of homologation and acceptance - following completion of this DRS and Stadler will agree a programme for delivery.” The ‘88s’ will be used…

Ahead of a planned increase in the number of Class 700s in traffic with Govia Thameslink Railway, there are now 28 of the electric multiple units in the UK (from an order of 115). The latest to arrive was eight-car 700016, which arrived on September 14 and was delivered to Three Bridges depot. It follows 700019 (delivered on September 7), 700015 (August 29) and 700018 (August 24). The Class 700s are built by Siemens in Krefeld, Germany, and following testing at the Wildenrath test facility are brought to the UK for further testing and commissioning before entering traffic. Currently GTR has seven duties for the 12-car Class 700/1s, and plans to introduce the eight-car ‘700/0s’ from October ( RAIL 809). There are now 13 Class 700/0s and 15 Class 700/1s…

Operating a successful railway is becoming an increasingly complex task as passenger numbers continue to rise and the network is used more intensively than ever. Collaboration between infrastructure owners, freight and passenger train operators, engineers, contractors and rolling stock manufacturers is therefore essential in making the system work as efficiently as possible. This 32-page collaboration special demonstrates where the level of achievement has been driven much higher through working in partnership, and where the sum of team-based working has frequently been greater than its constituent parts. One notable example is supplement sponsors Hitachi, which is following on from the introduction of the AT300 Intercity Express Programme (IEP) by collaborating with Transport Scotland on its order for 70 Class 385s for ScotRail (page 44). These will mostly be manufactured at the…

InnoTrans is the biggest rail trade show in the World. Held in Berlin, it’s where Hitachi Rail Europe chose to showcase its latest European successes and capabilities, while demonstrating its wider potential, due to its native country’s technical heritage. At its stand, Hitachi Rail Europe demonstrated how its successes were drawn from its Japanese expertise - from manufacture and maintenance of rolling stock to traction, signalling and digital railway products. This was also the first time that the brand could co-exhibit alongside its recent acquisitions, Ansaldo STS in which Hitachi is now the majority shareholder, and Hitachi Rail Italy, previously AnsaldoBreda – showcasing a truly global brand. The show took place on September 20-23, and Hitachi had one of the largest stands in one of the most prominent halls. This…

In preparation for Crossrail, an intensive 18-month programme of works is being carried out by Network Rail. Some of this work will lead to a loss of stabling capacity at all three of MTR Crossrail’s locations at Ilford, Shenfield and Gidea Park, so Aldersbook Sidings (near Ilford) was chosen as an alternative stabling facility. A considerable amount of work is needed, so MTR Crossrail’s maintenance team has worked tirelessly to ensure that the sidings were fit to be used by the Class 315 fleet. Alongside the basic work required to re-lay new tracks and ballast, the maintenance team also worked to facilitate the sidings’ supplementary functions, including staff welfare facilities, enhanced lighting and new safe walkways. The sidings was delivered on time and to a very high standard and are…

Paul Stephen “When Network Rail first closed the railway on February 4, it was estimated that 500,000 tonnes of material had moved - almost 100 times the tonnage that fell into the sea at Dawlish two years earlier.” Barry Doe “I was really annoyed to read in RAIL 808 of Will Quince MP referring to the “bad old days of British Rail sandwiches”. What a pitifully trivial comment from someone who was only 13 when privatisation took place.” Paul Shannon “As the contract signed in 1988 neared its end, the bright new face of Res couldn’t hide the fact that the whole mail network was life-expired. Further tinkering would merely prolong the decline.”…

2021 is the earliest date that Coradia iLint trains could appear on UK metals, according to Andreas Knitter, Alstom’s senior vice president, Europe. This takes into account the time it will take to manufacture the vehicles and go through UK-specific testing and commissioning. It would also rely on successful deployment in Germany first, and for the UK to plan for a nationwide hydrogen supply and delivery pipeline to make it a more viable fuel source. Speaking at InnoTrans, Knitter told RAIL : “2021 would probably be the earliest you would see them on UK lines. We wouldn’t be open to tender until next year and then it would take three years to build. We would then need one year for testing and commissioning. “In 2019 we will have the first…

Secretary of State for Transport Chris Grayling has described claims that the Government has failed to set a workable, realistic timetable for HS2 Ltd as “a lot of nonsense”. Grayling was responding to a question from Shadow Transport Secretary Andy McDonald in a Parliamentary debate on September 15. McDonald said: “HS2 is intended to be a jewel in the crown of British infrastructure, but as was revealed in the Public Accounts Committee’s report, it is losing some of its lustre. “To be at this stage and still not know how much HS2 will cost, what the route will be and when it will open is unacceptable. “The Government is quite clearly losing its grip on the project. Will the Secretary of State take this opportunity to say why his Department…

The Department for Transport is looking through the recommendations made by Nicola Shaw in her report published earlier this year, but has yet to confirm any outcomes. The outgoing HS1 Chief Executive recommended that Network Rail should look outside the industry for funding, and that routes could be controlled by third parties ( RAIL 797). Stuart White, Programme Director, Network Services London and South East, DfT Rail at the DfT, said: “We are trying to work through the Shaw report and what it says. Large changes are suggested, and lots of what was said Network Rail is already doing. Nicola’s ideas do need thinking through before they are implemented.” Speaking at an East Anglia Rail Summit at Westminster on September 7, White said work is under way between the DfT…

Passenger Operator of the Year Winner: London Overground Railway Operations Limited (LOROL). Highly commended: Chiltern Railways. Civil Engineering Achievement of the Year Winner: Kier Infrastructure - Chelsea River Bridge Repair. Freight &B Logistic Achievement of the Year Winner: AV Dawson - Teesside Distribution Centre. Highly commended: VTG Rail UK/Hope Construction Materials - Cement: The lifeblood of the UK construction industry. Innovation of the Year Winner: AMCO Rail - Soot Scabbling Machine. Highly commended: Network Rail/London Underground - Introduction of under sleeper pads for UK railway. Highly commended: Network Rail GWRM Wales - Innovative drilling for overhead line electrification in Severn Tunnel. Outstanding Personal Contribution (Frontline) Winner: Andre Xavier -Commercial Guard, Bournemouth (South West Trains). Highly commended: Kim Cinavas - Ticket advisor (East Midlands Trains). Highly commended: Bramwell Bines - Driver…

“ Rail freight is crucial to Britain, helping to ensure supermarket shelves are full, next day deliveries arrive the next day and the traffic keeps moving by taking thousands of lorries off the road. ” ELIZABETH DE JONG Director of policy at the Rail Delivery Group reiterates the importance of the DfT’s rail freight strategy “ The benefits HS2 can bring to the country are significant, but the Government must urgently get a grip in order to keep the project on track. ” ANDY MCDONALD Shadow Transport Secretary responds to the Public Accounts Committee report Progress with preparations for High Speed 2. “ I urge anyone that has the determination, talent and enthusiasm to work in a role where you not only make a difference…

West Anglia Main Line Taskforce Chairman Sir Alan Haselhurst MP told the Westminster summit that East Anglia faces a tale of two halves, and stressed the need for ‘weak links’ to Stratford and from Norwich to Cambridge to be more substantial. He also highlighted northeast London, which he called the most neglected in the capital: “Stansted Airport has a lot to gain. The only spare air capacity is at Stansted, and that means that the airport link needs to have much extra traffic.” He said the WAML Taskforce wants the railway four-tracked between Copper Mill Junction and Broxbourne Junction, saying: “It should have been done in 1985 when the route to Stansted was planned. It has been neglected.” And he described Stansted Express as a hindrance to the operations of…

New Rail Minister Paul Maynard attended the Summit, and said of the delays to the franchise: “They say good things come to those who wait. It is fair to say that no group has been so keen to achieve so much in a franchise, and to make sure it was delivered.” He noted that the average age of the current rolling stock was 26, and said he was glad that would be reduced. And while the much-vaunted 90-minute journeys between Norwich and London would currently only be off-peak, he said this timing would also be for peak-time trains. Maynard said of the region: “You’re unique. You have a net contribution to the UK. How can you grow successfully? Infrastructure needs to grow - that supports growth.” He said of concerns…

HS2 Ltd’s Chief Executive Simon Kirby is to join Rolls-Royce as Chief Operating Officer. Chairman of HS2 Ltd David Higgins said that Kirby will be replaced, with that process now under way. “While naturally we will miss his experience and leadership, I also recognise that he is joining a truly great, global company in an industry in which he has previously worked,” he added. Kirby has been in his current role for two and a half years, having joined HS2 Ltd from Network Rail in May 2014. He recruited and shaped a team to build HS2 in two phases, with the first phase from London to Birmingham due to open in 2026. Higgins added that Kirby’s team will “turn HS2 into a reality that will be of lasting benefit to…

Trains running at their full potential via infrastructure upgrades and full devolution by the end of the recently-awarded Northern and TransPennine Express franchises are the aims of Rail North. “Many of the new trains are capable of 125mph. Much of the track they currently run on is suitable for 90mph at the most, but if we can improve the line speed we can get more of the rolling stock and we can make savings in how that’s delivered,” said Rail North director David Hoggarth. Speaking to Transport for the North (TfN) on September 16, Hoggarth said: “We are also starting work on the next round of franchises. The current franchises run to 2023-2025 and our ambition is to have full devolution at that point and for the North to be…

The rail industry must work harder to ensure passengers get the best deal when buying tickets, says Rail Minister Paul Maynard. In a Commons Written Reply on September 13 to Drew Hendry (SNP, Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey), regarding Government simplifying fares between London and Scotland and reducing the fare anomalies that lead to split ticketing, Maynard said: “We are aware that there are a number of routes for which it can be cheaper to purchase two or more tickets for individual parts of the route than a through ticket for the entire journey. “Anyone is entitled to purchase two or more separate tickets for their journey so long as the train they are travelling on stops at the stations indicated at the end of each ticket. “Apparent anomalies in…

EAST Midlands Trains says decisions on the acquisition of new rolling stock and service enhancements need to be taken now, to speed up and improve services. At the launch of the new A Railway for Growth report, published on September 16, EMT Managing Director Jake Kelly said: “We are at a critical crossroads for rail services in the East Midlands, and we have a great opportunity to work together now to secure the improvements needed for this railway. “The message we are hearing from local stakeholders is very clear. If we are to build on the big progress made in recent years, we need to take action to ensure communities and the economy in the East Midlands benefit from further improvements and we don’t lose out to other regions. “While…

DIRECT Rail Services says its new dual-mode Class 88 locomotives are expected to enter UK service in the “next few months”. The comments were made by DRS Engineering and Performance Director Tony Bush, as 88003 was presented at InnoTrans on September 20. The Berlin trade fair was also used by Siemens to display its Desiro City SWT electric multiple unit 707006 - the new units are expected to enter service with South West Trains next year ( RAIL 806). Presentation of the dual-mode Class 88 locomotive follows two years after the Class 68 - with which it shares around 80% commonality - was displayed at InnoTrans in 2014. The leading railway trade show is held every two years. Of the ten Class 88s currently on order for rolling stock owner…

The Friends of the Far North Line (FoFNL) group is calling for major upgrades to the route, in a bid to reverse what convener Mike Lunan calls “a shameful decline in standards” since 2001. “The service on the Far North Line has deteriorated hugely in the last 15 years,” said Lunan. “Trains are timetabled to take over 30 minutes longer than in 2001, and yet less than half of them manage to arrive on time. Caithness has been appallingly let down, and Control Period 6 must include significant spending to reverse this shameful decline in standards.” FoFNL advocates installation of passing loops at Lentran and Kinbrace, as well as track and level crossing upgrades, to regain some of the 30 minutes of Inverness-Thurso/Wick journey times lost since 2005. An hourly…

Hitachi Rail Europe’s in-cab European Train Control System (ETCS) has been approved. Successful tests carried out on the Cambrian Line means that it is the first train manufacturer in the UK to have its digital signalling system authorised by the Office of Rail and Road to run passenger trains. Hitachi Rail Europe Project Director Andy Rogers said: “This is a big step forward for digital innovation on the UK rail network and, once implemented, can deliver revolutionary benefits for rail passengers.” Tests were carried out using West Coast Railway Company 37668, which has been fitted with Hitachi’s ECTS. The system tells the driver when to accelerate, brake, or about upcoming hazards. The information is fed directly to the train’s cab and is drawn from the trackside system that monitors every…

More than 1,100 people were saved from committing suicide in 2015-16 by railway staff, police officers and members of the public. New statistics from Network Rail revealed that 252 people committed suicide on the railway in 2015-16. This is a 12% reduction on the previous year, bucking the national trend. However, 80% of the deaths were men. The railway has pledged to work together to tackle the issue, which includes talking about suicide, especially with men. Suicide has been highlighted as the biggest killer of UK men aged under 50. NR Chief Executive Mark Carne, also the deputy chairman of the Rail Delivery Group, chaired a meeting at London Euston regarding the subject. He said: “Any death on the railway is a tragedy which has a real emotional impact on…

Devolution has a vital role for the railways, but should not be introduced unless necessary, according to Rail Minister Paul Maynard. Speaking at an All-Party Parliamentary Group reception at Westminster on September 7, hosted by Rail North, Maynard said: “Devolution should not be done just for devolution’s sake. I want councillors to have more powers because it will be local decisions being made. That way people can, for example, look at HS2 and ask how we can make benefits from it. You need a clear focus.” Shadow Transport Secretary Andy MacDonald, speaking at the event, said of devolution: “There is great interest around it and I warmly congratulate Rail North for its work and for not concentrating on just one area. We all know northern England has been a powerhouse,…

• Public Performance Measure (PPM) – the percentage of trains that arrive at their final destination within five minutes of their scheduled arrival time (ten minutes for Long Distance services). A higher score is better. • PPM Moving Annual Average (PPM MAA) – the percentage of trains that met PPM in the last 12 months. • Cancellations and Significant Lateness (CaSL) – the percentage of trains that have been cancelled (in part or full) and/or arrived at their destination more than 30 minutes late. Trains that fail CaSL also fail PPM. A lower score is better. • CaSL moving annual average (CaSL MAA) – the percentage of trains that failed CaSL in the past 12 months. • Freight Delivery Metric (FDM) – the percentage of freight trains arriving at their…

A recently formed rail passenger group is to fund a legal review of the Government’s handling of Southern Railway. The Association of British Commuters said it planned to hold the Government to account, with a Judicial Review into the action taken by the Department for Transport. The group said it would compile evidence of people losing their jobs because of cancelled trains, and documenting disruption to family life. ABC spokesman Summer Dean announced a crowdfunding initiative to raise money to engage lawyers. She said the target was £25,000 by the end of September, and claimed to have reached pledges worth £10,000 after just a few days.…

Nearly three in ten Govia Thameslink Railway services failed to reach their destination on time between June 26 and July 23, according to figures from the Office of Rail and Road. GTR was by far the worst performing operator in that period. The figure was also the highest recorded since current statistics started in 2004. The period covered strike action by guards in the RMT union. It also included weeks of disruption caused by high levels of sickness among train crew, which both GTR and the Government claimed amounted to unofficial strike action. Some 70.4% of GTR services arrived within five minutes of the scheduled time. The next worst operator was Virgin Trains East Coast (82.2% of trains on time). The average for England and Wales was 87.1%. From July…

WESTERN Cardiff: The Grade 2-listed 1840 Bute Road station is among the 2016 list of ten endangered buildings in England and Wales, compiled by the Victorian Society. It was used as a railway preservation centre until 1997, and is now earmarked for restoration and conversion into a military museum. Marsh Barton: Network Rail has delayed a start on the new £7.4 million Exeter station from the end of this year to early 2017, because design and signalling issues need to be resolved. A second new station for the area at Cranbrook is in the land acquisition and design preparation phase. Saltash: The town council says it intends to end the indecision over the future of the old station building by purchasing it itself for community and private use. It has…

SIX brand new trains at a time will be under test on Abellio East Anglia’s network, when delivery of the new vehicles begins. Abellio Greater Anglia Managing Director Jamie Burles, who will lead the new AEA franchise that is due to start on October 16, told the East Anglia Rail Summit at Westminster on September 7 that one of the key elements regarding the order for 1,043 new vehicles from Bombardier and Stadler was that they could be delivered quickly. “We wanted new trains in as soon as possible. They start coming in in 2019 -that’s pretty quick,” he said. “We need them for a massive timetable change in May 2019, so we needed a proven platform and we couldn’t afford to wait.” Burles said that the 660 Aventra vehicles…

Direct Rail Services has confirmed that it has no plans to have 37413 overhauled. The ‘37/4’ was bought by DRS from preservation last year, and is stored at LORAM UK’s Derby facility. It had been used for component recovery for other ‘37s’, but was expected to be reinstated with DRS having to hire 37403 from the Scottish Railway Preservation Society to meet its requirements. The stored ‘37/4’ was withdrawn by EWS in December 2000, and has not hauled a train since. It was not serviceable when acquired for preservation in December 2007, and had not been restored when bought by DRS last year.…

Govia Thameslink Railway 387120 has moved to Great Northern for crew training, ahead of the four-car electric multiple units entering traffic on routes between London King’s Cross and Cambridge and Peterborough. The EMU joins classmates 387104/106/110/114/119 based at Hornsey, having moved from GTR’s Thameslink operations. They are due to enter traffic this autumn. Plans are in place for them to use their 110mph capability on the East Coast Main Line, thereby increasing capacity on GTR’s GN network. Eventually 29 Class 387/1s will move from TL to GN routes, as more Class 700s are introduced.…

A pair of BR blue main line-certified Class 20s will attend the Nene Valley Railway diesel gala on October 14-16, taking the number of visitors to ten. The Type 1s will be 20189 and 20205 from 20189 Locomotives Limited. They replace UK Rail Leasing 37905, which will now not be attending. A GB Railfreight Class 66/7 will also work at the gala, depending upon railhead treatment train requirements. DCRail is contracted to move locomotives to the event by rail. It will supply a Class 56 for the gala, with 56303 requested. Other visitors at the event are 26007/038, 45041, 47765, 55022 and Class 14 D9523 if serviceable. From the home fleet, Class 14s D9520/9529, and 31271 will be in action. LIVERY CHANGES…

Hitachi Rail Europe’s success means growth, and its 1,000th employee has just begun work at its manufacturing facility in Newton Aycliffe. The facility, which celebrated its first anniversary in early September, is one of several sites across the UK operated by Hitachi Rail Europe. Just ten years ago, it was opening its first office in the UK in London. Emma Dixon is the company’s 1,000th recruit. Prior to joining Hitachi Rail Europe, Dixon, from Spennymoor, worked in retail. As well as her most recent retail experience, Dixon has experience in manufacturing in the electrical arena. She says: “It’s a great opportunity for me. I’m now looking forward to a rewarding career.” Initially, her tasks will involve working on the assembly of Intercity Express Programme trains, AT200 Class 385 electric multiple…

MTR has set up a new operation from scratch for the pre-Crossrail, London Rail operation from Liverpool Street to Shenfield with an inherited fleet of 44 old and unreliable Class 315 trains. MTR operates the trains as a Train Operating Company. The trains are still maintained by Abellio at Ilford depot, but client management oversight for maintenance has been instituted by MTR. Reliability performance has doubled as a result of attention to detail in terms of maintenance, in the form of analysis of faults and rectification, as well as a series of modifications to and investment in the trains to improve performance, reliability and train presentation. This is a spectacular performance achieved in a short time, resulting in MTR being one of the top performing TOCs, despite operating over the…

ALSTOM has launched its hydrogen-powered emission-free train at InnoTrans, the industry trade fair that ran in Berlin from September 20-23. The Coradia iLint, which uses on-board hydrogen fuel cells to produce electrical power for traction, was presented as the company’s solution to the expense of electrification projects. And as the iLint’s only bi-products are condensed water and steam, Alstom says it presents a far more environmentally-friendly alternative to any further deployment of diesel traction, as well as lower noise levels for passengers. “If offers a carbon dioxide-free option, and allows you to better the benefit of electrification without the associated capital expenditure,” said Alstom’s Managing Director for UK & Ireland Nick Crossfield. “My view at the moment is that electrification is very expensive and, at the current trajectory, there will…

The industry is ‘good to go’ in the rollout of Network Rail’s Digital Railway programme, and is now waiting for NR implementation. That was the message to Government from Nick Crossfield, Alstom’s MD for the UK & Ireland. Speaking at InnoTrans, he said the company’s experience of implementing key parts of the modernisation package such as ERTMS (European Rail Traffic Management System) elsewhere in Europe left it poised to deliver these measures on this side of the English Channel. Since appointing David Waboso as Managing Director for Digital Railway earlier this year, NR has made a U-turn on piloting the programme on the Wherry Lines between Norwich, Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft. A new pilot area has yet to be announced before a full rollout can begin across the network during…

A longer tunnel south of Crewe, revised connections to the West Coast Main Line (WCML) and a relocated construction railhead are planned for Phase 2a of High Speed 2, which will run from the West Midlands to Crewe and open in 2027. The changes are detailed in the Design Refinement Consultation, issued on September 13. The proposed tunnel under Crewe will be extended south by around 2,100 metres, with the tunnel portal re-sited south of the A500 and Weston Lane. This will mean less disruption to the West Coast Main Line and Basford Hall yard, as well as fewer road closures. The Department for Transport has concluded that it will be significantly simpler to build, and will reduce the visual intrusion of the railway while costing around the same as…

“ We must plan properly for Crossrail 2 to ensure it is the right scheme to help make London’s transport network fit for the future. ” LORD AHMAD OF WIMBLEDON The Government’s transport spokesman in the House of Lords expresses the importance of working with businesses to make a success of new infrastructure. “Transformation is not a choice, it is a necessity. ” MARK CARNE Network Rail Chief Executive discusses his vision for NR to act more like a private sector business. “ As the implications of Brexit continue to be digested by London’s firms, it’s clear they want to see the Mayor given a seat at the table in the UK’s negotiations to leave the EU” LUCY HAYNES CBI London Director on Brexit.…

Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) is aiming to open the £165 million Second City Crossing earlier than planned. It had been expected that the Manchester Metrolink extension would open next summer. But TfGM said that contractor M-Pact Thales (MPT), working closely with utility companies and TfGM, would be able to complete the project ahead of schedule through collaborative management and mitigation of construction work. The latest milestone for the 2CC scheme was marked on September 13, when the final rails were laid. Main construction work for the Metrolink expansion is now expected to be complete before Christmas. The first phase of the route, from Victoria Station to a new stop at Exchange Square, opened last December following a grant from the European Regional Development Fund. Work still to be completed…

“WE still have key and political milestones to achieve,” Great Eastern Main Line Taskforce co-Chairman Chloe Smith told assorted MPs and members of the rail industry at a summit in Westminster on September 7. Smith was talking at the East Anglia Rail Summit, which was the first meeting of stakeholders - including Network Rail, the Department for Transport and local MPs - since Abellio was awarded the long-term franchise on August 10 ( RAIL 807). Abellio will replace its entire fleet (1,043 new vehicles are on order) as part of the nine-year franchise, but Smith said: “These new carriages are a key piece of the jigsaw, but there is more to do that is just as significant.” She highlighted that the recommendations from the Nicola Shaw report published in March…

The £3.7 billion premium Abellio must pay Government over the length of the East Anglia franchise is “scary”, admits Abellio Greater Anglia Managing Director Jamie Burles, but he says it will be unlocked by growth created by improvements to the service. “Our priorities 1, 2 and 3 were new trains,” he said. “We are introducing 1,000 new services. We need the extra capacity, absolutely. We are about giving people seats. We need performance to improve so that it is not all jam tomorrow, we need some jam today.” Burles said of the new trains: “Bi-mode is huge for us. There will be a true transformation for many routes. A lot of our diesels run under the wires, and if you think some regional trains have one coach, then our new…

SKILLS, innovation, network capacity and “telling the story” of the sector form the backbone of the Government’s latest rail freight strategy, published on September 13. The strategy points out that rail transported 17.8 billion tonne kilometres of freight in 2015-16 (a market share of 12% of freight surface transport), and that analysis by KPMG in 2015 calculated the benefits of rail freight to the UK economy at £1.6 billion per year. The Department for Transport (DfT) says it will support the sector to identify new market opportunities through provision of information, and support Data 4 Freight - a new project that aims to develop a better understanding of UK freight movements. It will also: ensure that rail freight is considered as part of work on options for wider deployment of…

Systra backs Translink Northern Ireland public transport operator Translink’s impending new public transport ticketing system ( RAIL 809) has been backed by Systra, which provided research, feasibility analysis, and technical and commercial support through the procurement process. The contract to upgrade the province’s ticketing was awarded to Parkeon. Thales hails Darwin Thales says the Darwin real-time information system is proving a success, with 400 million hits per month and an average of three million enquiries made via it per day. Darwin collates data from sources across the rail industry to provide a single point of information for real-time train operation.…

A major new campaign aimed at raising awareness of investment in Britain’s railway - and why it is needed - was launched on September 14. Britain Runs on Rail has been created by the Rail Delivery Group with the aim of prompting a public debate about a range of issues the railway must tackle. It will explore how to balance taxpayer and funding of the railway, how to reform fares regulation to make it easier for passengers to buy the cheapest fares, how to modernise the railway to meet growing passenger expectations, where to focus investment on capacity, and how to improve the industry’s structure. RDG Chief Executive Paul Plummer said: “It’s been a difficult few months for the railway, and there are many challenges still ahead that we need…

The RSSB (Rail Safety and Standards Board) has appointed technical content specialist Mekon to help develop a Rule Book application for mobile telephones and tablets. The Board says it will be easier to keep the Rule Book up-to-date for staff by updating it remotely, while also saving costs compared with the printed version. “The Rule Book going digital will bring a whole host of benefits in terms of the way users will be able to access Rule Book content,” said RSSB Professional Head of Rail Operations Gary Portsmouth. “It’s a potential win-win, where staff have a Rule Book which is easier to use and keep up-to-date, yet which is more cost-effective for the industry as a whole.” More than 120,000 copies of the Rule Book are currently in use on…

The Department for Transport says it is “particularly interested to see credible commitments” to creating proposals for occasional use on the national network of heritage traction and rolling stock, “for example to augment capacity to serve special events, to provide a special standard of customer experience, or to commemorate significant events”. Also on the DfT’s ‘wish list’ are proposals to increase modal share to and from Birmingham International Airport, to operate services on Boxing Day, to enhance frequencies between Birmingham and Worcester and Worcester and Gloucester, and to extend the operating day at times that are most important for passengers.…

Alejandro Moreno has been appointed director of the Midland Metro Alliance, the organisation in charge of the expansion of the tram network. Moreno is managing director for Scandinavia for Colas Rail, and was previously MD for central Europe. Colas is one of the partners of the Alliance. Prior to joining Colas, he was general manager of Tranvia de Zaragoza in Spain, and has experience of delivering and operating catenary-free tram networks (as per some of the Midland extensions). He replaces Iain Anderson, who oversaw the alliance’s formation and who has returned to Colas. The Alliance consists of West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), Colas, Barhale, Thomas Vale and Auctus Management Group.…

Henrik Anderberg is Alstom’s new managing director for regional and inter-city UK and Ireland. He was previously director for High Speed 2 and replaces Rob Whyte, who becomes the new managing director for Alstom in the Nordics. Anderberg will retain his HS2 role. In his new position, Anderberg will oversee maintenance for the Virgin Trains West Coast Class 390 fleet as well as the rollout of Alstom’s TrainScanner system. He will also be in charge of bids for new rolling stock contracts on conventional and high-speed routes in the UK.…

Transport Minister Andrew Jones launched the West Midlands Swift smartcard onto the rail network on September 20. The smart ticketing scheme has been introduced by Transport for the West Midlands and can be used on London Midland, Chiltern, CrossCountry and Virgin Trains services. The card can be used on trains, buses and the Midland Metro, for pay-as-you-go or weekly and monthly travel passes, and offers a range of discounts. More than 40,000 people currently use the system for bus and light rail journeys, making more than 1.6 million journeys per month. At its launch the ticket was available to the 3,000 passengers signed up to the ‘nNetwork’ direct debit scheme. Ticket barriers are in place at Snow Hill, University and Five Ways (operated by London Midland), as well as at…

Rail Minister Paul Maynard has confirmed that the Department for Transport has no plans to tender other contracts to perform functions of Operator of Last Resort. A partnership of Arup, SNC-Lavalin Transport Advisory and EY won a contract to provide services support to the Secretary of State for Transport, to maintain the continuity of services if a franchise is terminated and not immediately replaced. Maynard supplied the information in a Commons Written Reply to Shadow Transport Secretary Andy McDonald on September 14.…

DB Cargo is selling its remaining 24 shunting locomotives. It put 23 Class 08s and one Class 09 on the market on September 18, with expressions of interest to close on October 5. While 16 of the locomotives were stored, with some out of traffic since 2011, eight of the machines were still in traffic on September 19. The company has been dispensing with the type steadily over the past few years, as the need for shunting has reduced with more bulk trains operating. Shunting duties in yards such as Doncaster Decoy tend to be carried out by larger locomotives including Class 60s and ‘66s’. For sale are 08405/428/480/495,08605/623/632/633, 08703/706/735/742/752/757/782/784/799,08804/879/888, 08904/907/922, 09106. At the start of 1997, the year EWS bought Railfreight Distribution, completing the purchases of the available freight…

RAIL Minister Paul Maynard has denied that plans to increase compensation to Southern Railway commuters are “on the backburner”. Maynard used his first House of Commons debate since his appointment to urge the RMT union to end its dispute with Govia Thameslink Railway. He told MPs he was “considering more generous compensation for passengers on this route”, adding: “I want to ensure we focus on restoring normality to the timetable. That has to be the most important task at hand.” No Labour MPs attended the debate. Green Party co-chairman Caroline Lucas was the only person on the opposition benches, and most Conservatives taking part represented constituencies served by Southern. Chris Philp (Croydon South) asked: “Given that our constituents have paid very large sums of money for season tickets this year…

The TUC Congress in Brighton has repeated its call to renationalise the railway as a way of ending the “chaos”. RMT General Secretary Mick Cash told the Congress that all buses and railways should be brought under public ownership. “We are facing the most concerted attack on rail workers and passengers in living memory,” he said. “The Government and train operators have declared war on the rail unions and they don’t give a damn if passengers are collateral damage. ” Southern staff in the public gallery at the Congress were given a standing ovation. Cash said Secretary of State for Transport Chris Grayling had refused to meet the union to discuss the dispute, adding that Southern and the Government were determined to remove guards from trains “at all costs”. Simon…

THE Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) says the award of the Northern rail franchise to Arriva in December 2015 may result in higher fares on some local routes. Its provisional finding suggests there is a substantial lessening of competition (SLC) on four rail routes - Leeds to Sheffield, Wakefield to Sheffield, Chester to Manchester and Chester to Stockport - as well as nine bus routes. Some Arriva operations - Arriva Trains Wales, CrossCountry and Grand Central - have overlap with the Northern franchise. The company also operates local bus routes in the north of England. The acquisition of the franchise creates 167 overlaps between Northern and other Arriva train operations, and 1,068 between Northern and Arriva UK. However, while the CMA has a range of powers, it notes: “The relevant…

Porterbrook has awarded Arriva Train Care a contract to carry out C6 overhauls on Abellio Greater Anglia’s fleet of Class 170s. The deal covers all eight three-car diesel multiple units (170201-170208) and four two-car DMUs (170270-170273). The work centres on the bodies and internals of the DMUs, and is likely to be the first major refurbishment since they were delivered in 1999-2000 (three-car ‘170/2s’) and 2002 (two-car ‘170s’). It will include 170204, which is currently being rebuilt at Brodies in Kilmarnock, following a collision with a tractor on a level crossing near Thetford in April.…

Direct Rail Services supplied various Class 68s to Abellio Greater Anglia at the end of August and start of September, following failures. DRS 68009 Titan arrived on August 30, and was used on trains the following two days. It worked top and tail with 68016 Fearless, with its first train being the 1640 Norwich-Great Yarmouth. On September 3, DRS sent 68024 Centaur to AGA. This made its debut on September 5, working with 68016 after 68009 had to return to Wembley on September 3 to go back on-hire to Chiltern Railways (it is one of two that is ‘spare’ for CR operations). However, Fearless failed on September 5. DRS sent 68004 Rapid on September 6, and it entered traffic the following day, working with 68024. This means that so far…

The final Mk 3 Restaurant Standard Modular (RSM) to be converted by Wabtec Rail at Doncaster for Abellio Greater Anglia has returned to Norwich Crown Point. The vehicle (10411) was previously 10200. The former Restaurant First Modular (RFM) has had its First Class seating and kitchen removed, in favour of more Standard Class seats. Seven vehicles were converted (10411-417), with an RFM to be withdrawn from traffic (10229). Converting the RFMs to RSMs creates thousands of additional Standard Class seats per day.…

90008 renamed Abellio Greater Anglia 90008 has been renamed The East Anglian. Its nameplates were removed when it was repainted following its G-exam, but re-applied following rectification work at Crewe at the start of September. ‘375/7’ refurbished Southeastern 375709 was taken to Ramsgate following refurbishment on September 3. The ‘375/7’ had been refurbished by Bombardier at Derby Litchurch Lane. Thunderer at NVR Preserved 50008 Thunderer has been added to the line-up for the Nene Valley Railway diesel gala on October 14-16. DB reinstates ‘60’ DB Cargo reinstated 60019 Port of Grimsby and Immingham on September 5.…

The second Class 92 to be refurbished for GB Railfreight’s Caledonian Sleeper contract will be 92033, which is currently at Wabtec Rail’s Brush Traction Loughborough facility. The work involves a complete removal and testing of all the electronic boards, new thyristors and diodes in the Gate Drive Units (there are 34 per locomotive), clean test and replacement of all 174 optical fibres, replacing all emitters and receivers, overhauling the valve set, and a comprehensive inspection of all cabling and harnesses. The contract is worth £3 million and 92033 is the second of ten to be treated (92014 was the first). Also at Loughborough are 92006/020/021/028/040/045046, of which 92028 is expected to be one of the ten for overhaul. GBRf Managing Director John Smith has previously said that of the 16…

Both sides of Brexit coin I write to defend the right of your writers to question the outcome of the EU referendum, after they were the subject of much criticism (Open Access, RAIL 808). I am afraid the letters from Brexit sympathisers displayed the peevishness and suppressed anger which has been common whenever anyone questions the legitimacy of the referendum in a parliamentary democracy in which only 37% of the electorate voted in favour of this momentous change. The correspondents also display their hyper-sensitivity whenever anyone challenges the meaning of Brexit and the apparent absence of any serious plan for our future. It is important for your writers to continue to question what Brexit might mean for the rail industry, and for the future of the cross-border development of transport…

A new leaflet describing the range of cash payment and property purchase schemes available to eligible owner-occupiers along the proposed route of Phase 1 and 2a has been released by HS2 Ltd. Available from the HS2 Ltd website (www.hs2.gov.uk), the leaflet explains the options available for people affected by the project, as follows: • Express purchase: If you own and live in a property that is very close to the line of route and is in the designated ‘surface safeguarding area’, you could apply for it to be purchased. Safeguarding is a process that protects the land potentially required for HS2 from any conflicting developments. • Rural support zone: There are payments and purchase schemes for people who live up to 120 metres from the line of route (where not…

Phil Verster is the managing director of the ScotRail Alliance. North of the Border, he is in charge of delivering both the infrastructure that the new Hitachi AT200 Class 385 electric multiple units will operate on, and the ‘385s’ themselves. ScotRail will begin putting the trains into use from autumn 2017. Verster says: “The Class 385s will be a superb addition to our fleet and will transform rail services across the Central Belt when they begin to be introduced from autumn 2017, with faster, longer and more ecologically friendly journeys. “Furthermore, their arrival will enable a cascade of diesel trains to other areas of Scotland. For example, we will be able to switch displaced Class 170s to improve morning and peak capacity in Fife by 20%, compared to today. Almost…