Table of contents for Issue 817 in RAIL

“It was only in 2011 that ASLEF’s Mick Whelan agreed to the operation and further development of driver control to 12 cars.” Just as I grimly concluded that it would be difficult for the Southern strike to become more bitter, it plumbed new levels of vitriol. On December 18 The Sunday Times (ST) ran a lead story reporting comments by RMT president Sean Hoyle which made it difficult to avoid the conclusion that the union’s vocal concerns about safety mask a political agenda to bring down the elected Government. Hopefully, I clung to the notion that the ST was ‘bigging up’ anecdotal stories of off-the-record throwaway comments that we shouldn’t make too much of. Then Sky News broadcast YouTube footage of Hoyle, in Brighton, addressing a September meeting of the…

The order for new trains on Merseyside will controversially mean the removal of more than 200 guards from the Merseyrail network, as the Stadler-built trains will feature Driver Controlled Operation (DCO) of doors and dispatch. This is despite the introduction of DCO trains on the Southern network being the catalyst for bitter and ongoing industrial action from union members, resulting in serious disruption to commuters following the widespread cancellation of services throughout much of 2016 and into the New Year. Liverpool City Region Combined Authority defended its decision by pointing to the many other metro networks in the UK operating DCO (including London Underground and Manchester Metrolink), while re-stating that 60%-70% of all UK rail journeys are currently made on DCO networks. Its implementation across Liverpool was also a key…

Mpact Thales (MPT) and WSP Parsons Brinckerhoff will construct the 3.4-mile Manchester Metrolink extension to the Trafford Centre. MPT is a consortium of VolkerRail, Laing O’Rourke and Thales, with the first two companies responsible for the design and construction of the civil engineering and track, while Thales delivers the tram operating systems. WSP Parsons Brinckerhoff acts as Transport for Greater Manchester’s Delivery Partner. The partnership has already delivered the MediaCityUK, Manchester Airport, Ashton, East Didsbury and the Oldham and Rochdale extensions, and is in the final stages of completing the Second City Crossing (see separate story). The deal was confirmed at a meeting of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA). “Together we have developed a tried and tested approach to delivering our award-winning expansion programme,” said Transport for Greater Manchester…

A two-year trial of trains linking the West Somerset Railway and the national network is being targeted by the heritage railway and Minehead Chamber of Commerce. The plan is for the trains to run providing they are viable and sustainable. They would be complementary to the heritage and tourist trains that already operate on the WSR, and both parties hope that information gained from the trial can be fed into the next Great Western franchise bidding process. The next stage of these plans is a trial linking the national network to the WSR via Bishops Lydeard. It is hoped this could start in 2018, with the results taken into account for the next GW franchise that starts in 2019. “We are completely behind this initiative being spearheaded by the WSR…

The RMT union complained that it was excluded from talks at ACAS. Govia Thameslink Railway met only the drivers’ union, ASLEF, and would not talk to the RMT at the same time. The RMT represents 12 drivers on Southern Railway, while ASLEF has around 1,000. RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said: “Southern Rail were fully aware that I would be attending talks alongside our ASLEF colleagues. On arrival, I was told by representatives from the company that I would not be allowed to take part. “RMT is furious at the complete contempt that has been shown to us. We have had the door slammed in our faces.” The union says it was informed by Southern that it did not recognise the RMT for the purpose of bargaining on behalf of…

Go-Ahead Group says it expects passenger revenue on its Govia Thameslink Railway concession to fall by 4% in the six months to December 31. The number of passenger journeys is expected to fall by 2%. In a trading statement issued on December 15, the company says it “expects to incur additional costs in this financial year” due to industrial action, and that risks to GTR’s performance remain. There was better news for Go-Ahead’s other rail operations. London Midland is predicted to experience a 5.5% increase in passenger revenue and a 4% rise in journeys, while for Southeastern the figures are 2.5% and 2% respectively. The half-year results will be announced on February 28.…

The crash happened on November 6 2004, and is the only level crossing incident in 30 years in which people on board a train have been killed. The 1735 Paddington-Plymouth First Great Western HST had 200 people on board. Half of them were injured, 12 seriously. Twenty ambulances from five counties attended, and the line was closed for nine days. Investigations by the police, Health and Safety Executive and Rail Safety and Standards Board found the level crossing had been operating correctly. They found that the structural strength of Mk 3 carriages had prevented a higher death toll, but that laminated glass in the windows would have retained people within the train. Fatalities: • Train Driver Stan Martin (54). • Anjanette Rossi (38) and her daughter Louella Main (9). •…

An app enabling passengers to use transport such as train and tram as well as bus and taxi will be launched in the West Midlands in the spring. Whim, developed in Finland, will be rolled out worldwide if the trial is successful. Volunteers are being sought to take part in the trial, which is a collaboration between Transport for West Midlands (TfWM), MaaS Global and local transport providers. Users pay for the transport they think will need over the course of a month, or on a pay-as-you-go basis. The app also identifies the best journey routes and deals. The pilot will last 12 months and involve up to 500 passengers. For more details on how to take part, visit www.whimapp.com/uk…

Network Rail should reduce the risk to vulnerable level crossing users when it upgrades passive crossings, while needing to understand and manage the effects of skewed alignment on the use of level crossings. These are the learning points recommended in a Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) report, following the death of 82-year old Stanley Sawyer on February 23 2016. The pensioner was struck by the 1158 Ipswich-Felixstowe train (formed of 153309) at Grimston Lane footpath level crossing in Trimley St Martin, Suffolk. The accident happened at 1219, and the Class 153 was travelling at 64mph. The driver sounded the train’s warning horn after seeing Sawyer, who acknowledged this by raising his arm but then continued to cross in front of the train. RAIB said it was not possible to ascertain…

JMP and SIAS are said to be making “swift progress” on integrating with their new owner Systra. The two companies were acquired by the consultancy last year, and a formal start for the new fully integrated business was planned for January 1 (after this issue of RAIL went to press). SYSTRA Group Chief Operating Officer Andrew McNaughton said: “The UK is a key market for Systra, and in 2016 we have significantly increased the scale of our business and the breadth of expertise through the acquisition of JMP and SIAS. Our teams have worked closely during the year on establishing our wider service offer, as well as increasing our footprint throughout the UK and beyond.”…

THE first refurbished Class 321 Renatus was unveiled on December 16, at various visiting stations that the electric multiple units will serve between now and 2021 (when they are to be sent off-lease). The 100mph EMUs being refurbished are operated by Greater Anglia. First to be treated was 321303, while the EMU used for the launch was 321304. It was unveiled at London Liverpool Street before running to Southend Victoria, Shenfield, Colchester and Ipswich. Thirty four-car EMUs will be refurbished by Wabtec Faiveley UK at Doncaster Works. The deal was signed in 2015, with the first unit delivered last year. Using a specially-built facility at the south Yorkshire site, the work carried out on the ‘321s’ has included: • Total interior refurbishment, including new seats, flooring and glazing. • Saloon…

Almost seventeen years after it last hauled a passenger train, Direct Rail Services 37424 Avro Vulcan XH558 hauled the 1902 Norwich-Great Yarmouth on December 16. The rebuilt Class 37/4 has been returned to traffic after a restoration project carried out by LORAM UK, which took more than a year. Along with 37407, the locomotive was bought from preservation by DRS in April 2015. It moved to Derby for a return to traffic, and was released in the autumn. Following its naming at Crewe Gresty Bridge on July 23, the ‘37’ returned to Derby for finishing touches. After a period of running on freight and saloon duties, the ‘37’ (which carries the number 37558 to mark the Vulcan aircraft it’s named after) ran to Norwich on December 18. It had been…

Five Class 08s offered for sale by DB Cargo have been bought by RSS (Railway Support Services), as the company expands its shunting fleet. RSS has purchased 08405/480, 08632, 08703/752. The locomotives are located across the UK, and will be added to the company’s hire fleet. 08405 was withdrawn in August 2014 and is at Crewe International Electric Maintenance Depot; 08480 was withdrawn in May 2011 and is at Toton; 08632 was withdrawn in October this year and is at Mossend; and the other two locomotives remain active with DB. Two further DB ‘08s’ have been bought by private individuals linked with the Great Central Railway (Nottingham). The locomotives are 08784 and 08907, with the latter expected to move to the neighbouring Great Central Railway. The former was withdrawn in…

LONDON’S new underground railway attraction is one step closer to the finish line, after the Mail Rail trains made their first journeys through the tunnels in early December. It is the first time in four decades that trains have been lowered into the tunnels through the original engineering shaft at Mount Pleasant, and run on the perfectly-preserved time capsule of a network. The two bespoke trains were lowered into the tunnels, 70 feet under London, on October 24 (RAIL 815), following their arrival from manufacturer Severn Lamb. Since its closure in 2003, the railway (which runs from Whitechapel in East London to Paddington in the west) has been maintained by three Mail Rail engineers - they have looked after the narrow tunnels, which are just seven feet wide in some…

HS2 is a catalyst for prosperity in the West Midlands. That was the message given to guests at a parliamentary reception at the House of Commons on November 30. The event was held by the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) for more than 80 guests - including ministers, MPs, peers and prominent business figures. The WMCA says that a package of infrastructure projects and investment will ensure the region makes the most out of the opportunities presented by HS2, including 100,000 new jobs and a £14 billion economic boost for the region. Speaking at the event, Secretary of State for Transport Chris Grayling said: “The West Midlands will be key beneficiaries of HS2, which they are using as a springboard for regeneration and economic growth.” WMCA Chairman Bob Sleigh said:…

• The latest media pundit to pontificate against HS2 is Simon Calder, writing in the ‘I’ (November 16 2016). He complains that HS2 will not stop at Aylesbury, but entirely misses the point of the line, which is to supplement and complement the classic routes. The Aylesbury region has various options - Chiltern runs one of the best rail lines in the country, which is more than can be said for Northern, which we up here have suffered for years. What is it about the Chilterns? They also have the West Coast Main Line, and links to London via Amersham. It seems that people there are only concerned about themselves. If they came up to Barnsley or Hebden Bridge or Southport or New Mills, they would turn on their heels…

DeAr reader - I may bore you at times with my view that the railways are best run as a single integrated business, which I often frame as the question: “What are franchises for?” I try not to go on too much about this, as I am conscious that the structure of the railway is not (for many of you) the most fascinating of topics. But this time, bear with me. The rollout of the Hitachi train, at a ceremony in December, and its planned operation on the main line network this autumn highlights (yet again) that the fragmented railway is fundamentally flawed and dysfunctional. In fact, you may have noticed that the integrated railway is somewhat flavour of the month, given that Secretary of State for Transport Chris Grayling…

CITY Region leaders on Merseyside have given the go-ahead to the procurement of a new fleet of trains for the Merseyrail network, in a deal worth £460 million. More than 200 new vehicles will be built by Stadler and delivered between 2019-20 to replace the ageing and increasingly unreliable fleet of Class 507 and ‘508/1s’ that have operated since the late 1970s. The procurement programme for the electric multiple units (EMUs) also includes upgrades to power supply and track, as well as refurbishment of depots at Kirkdale and Birkenhead North for ongoing maintenance. The order is for 52 four-car trains that will be able to carry 60% more passengers than Merseyrail’s current 59-strong fleet of three-car units, on a network where patronage is growing by 2.5% a year. Dwell times…

NETWORK Rail Chief Executive Mark Carne says that planning of the Great Western Route Modernisation (GWRM) would take longer if it were being done again - in order to spend less time on construction. Speaking at the Public Accounts Committee hearing into the Great Western Railway on December 14, Carne said: “If I could have my time all over again, and we were doing this project again, I would take even longer over the early phases of it, so that we could spend less time on the construction period. “As the NAO [National Audit Office] report makes clear, the early stages of this project were not carried out in an appropriate way. The initial design was incomplete. The cost estimating was not good enough for the project. We started construction…

Three bidders - Balfour Beatty, Carillion plc and Volker Fitzpatrick - have been shortlisted to build Transport for London’s 2.8-mile Barking Riverside extension. The line will extend from the Gospel Oak-Barking line to the Riverside, where 10,800 new homes are being built along with a new school, healthcare services, shops, restaurants and leisure facilities. A Transport and Works Act Order (TWAO) was submitted to the Secretary of State for Transport in March last year, and if approved construction could start later this year. Trains would begin running in 2021. The extension will cost £263 million, with developer Barking Riverside Ltd meeting £172m of that cost. The developers are a joint venture between the Greater London Authority and London & Quadrant. TfL is paying the remaining £91m.…

“I love this countryside but the crash took that away. ” JULIE LLOYDS Ufton Nervet survivor recalls the collision between a train and a car in 2004 that killed seven people, as a new bridge opens to replace the fatal level crossing. “ The railway has gone from swallowing billions of pounds of taxpayers’ money just to keep trains running to now contributing £200 million a year to improve services. ” PAUL PLUMMER RDG Chief Executive launches a report into rail industry figures. “Consumers are poorly protected in rail with no independent body to help them resolve a complaint. ” VICKIE SHERIFF Director of Campaigns and Communications for Which? responds to Tim Loughton’s (MP for East Worthing and Shoreham) calls for a new rail ombudsman. “The Scottish Government are strong…

Network Rail has submitted plans for a second footbridge in Lincoln city centre. It would cross Brayford Wharf East level crossing, which is used by more than 16,000 pedestrians as well as 7,000 vehicles every day. More than 140 trains use the crossing. Should the plans be approved by the city council, pedestrians will no longer use the crossing. A similar structure at High Street was opened in July 2016. Once planning is approved, NR will begin tendering for a contractor. There are no timescales for project completion.…

The Rail Delivery Group (RDG) says Britain’s railway has turned a £2 billion a year loss in 1997-98 into a £200 million net contribution to government in 2014-15. The findings are contained in its annual dataset on rail industry finances, performance and investment, released on December 19. The RDG, which represents train operators and other rail industry companies, says this financial turnaround effectively means the Government’s £3.5bn annual spend on the railway is supporting capital projects. The figures also show that passengers are paying a greater proportion of the railway’s total costs, up from 57% in 2011 to 71% in 2015. It says this is mainly due to greater passenger numbers rather than higher fares, with average fares for single journeys rising by 3% in the same period.Net payments to…

‘Orange Army’ on song Network Rail’s track team at Rugby has released a reworking of Christmas carol Away in a Manger on social media. Away on the Railway was posted on Twitter, YouTube and Network Rail’s website. EMT’s Santa train East Midlands Trains ran its first Santa Train to Norwich on December 11, taking children from Harford Manor School, which specialises in educating children with autism and other learning difficulties. Sunderland services Virgin Trains East Coast marked the first anniversary of its Sunderland-London services on December 14. The service runs Mondays to Fridays, with one train in each direction.…

Based on usage statistics alone, Ufton Nervet is a low-risk crossing. The quiet lane has little traffic. But this is a uniquely emotive site. Seven deaths in 2004, and four further suicides in the years since then, give the place a bleak atmosphere. Survivors speak of feeling ill at ease when they visit the forlorn memorial alongside the track. The footpath on the new bridge overlooks the field in which the wreckage lay. As the ribbon was cut to declare the road open, there were quiet tears. But also smiles and applause, and a sense of moving on. Below, the level crossing is being dug up and removed. Within weeks there will be no trace of it. In its place will be the foundations for gantries as electrification to Newbury…

A Far North Line Review Group has been set up by the Scottish Government to examine opportunities for improving performance on the route from Inverness to Wick and Thurso. Scottish Cabinet Secretary Fergus Ewing made the announcement at the Hitrans Annual Rail Stakeholder Conference in Inverness on December 16. “The Scottish Government is determined to improve overall performance on our longest rural railway line, and it is imperative we look at options to achieve that,” he said. “It is essential we make the most of this important asset for passengers, for sustainable freight transport, and for the communities and businesses along the whole route.” Ewing said the purpose of the Review Group was to identify timetable improvements and works, including those at level crossings at Lairg and Brora, that can…

THE Department for Transport (DfT) is to change the way passengers can appeal over penalty fares, following consultation on issues raised by Transport Focus in its Ticket to Ride report in 2015. The new rules are due to go through Parliament this year. The main change is that appeals bodies will be completely independent of train operators and their owners. Other changes include simpler rules on deadlines for payment and appeals, and stronger DfT oversight of the appeals process through an annual audit of penalty fares data. Announcing the changes in December, Rail Minister Paul Maynard said: “Fare dodgers cost the railways £240 million every year, and this bill is picked up by honest passengers in the form of higher rail fares. Penalty fares are imposed to deter those seeking…

Government recognises the importance of high-quality, efficient and reliable rail access to airports, Transport Minister John Hayes said in a Commons Written Reply on December 5. Greg Mulholland (Liberal Democrat, Leeds North West) had asked if an assessment would be made of the adequacy of rail connectivity to each of the UK’s 20 busiest airports. Hayes replied: “Government’s plans for the strategic rail connections to airports are taken forward through its High Level Output Specification (HLOS). This defines, following assessment, the railway that the Government wishes to see by 2019 and includes four strategic priorities, one of which is to improve railway links to major ports and airports. “For clarity in respect of airports across the UK, surface access to airports is a devolved matter and therefore the responsibility of…

INVESTMENT of £3 billion to upgrade the East Coast Main Line (ECML) will generate £9bn in wider benefits for the UK economy, according to the East Coast Main Line Authority (ECMA). The conclusions were reached in independent research conducted by JMP and released on December 8. The research analysed the potential benefits of conventional upgrades to the ECML (the so-called Silver Standard) and of development of the eastern leg of High Speed 2 (the Gold Standard). It also examined the impact of proposed service improvements post-2020 by Virgin Trains East Coast (VTEC). The Benefit:Cost Ratio (BCR) of Virgin’s plans is calculated at 2.63, for the Silver Standard 2.74, and for the Gold Standard 3.33. JMP has also calculated the annual financial benefit of the three options, with VTEC’s plans calculated…

Eversholt Rail sources have told RAIL that they expect some Class 321s to be disposed of. The rolling stock leasing company began developing its Renatus plans in 2011, and the first demonstrator (321448) was launched in December 2013 to gauge public opinion on new interiors. The four-car electric multiple unit was then fitted with the Vossloh Kiepe UK traction equipment in late 2015, and entered traffic in 2016 after tests. Eversholt had hoped to offer refurbished Renatus ‘321s’ to the new Greater Anglia franchise, but instead the Government ordered 111 Aventra EMUs from Bombardier ( RAIL 807). The cost of a refurbished ‘321’ is less than a new train, the ROSCO says, although the performance does not meet the same levels. However, Eversholt says there are options for the fleet.…

THE future of Class 31s owned by Harry Needle Railroad Company is uncertain, as the company looks to evaluate its traction assets. Speaking exclusively to RAIL , HNRC Managing Director Harry Needle said he would be assessing the business in the wake of Brexit and the downturn in the freight market, as well as assessing the supply of locomotives by freight operating companies (FOCs) for possessions. He admitted planned hire of the veteran Type 2s to FOCs was now on hold. HNRC owns 31235/255/285,31459/465. Two were bought from preservation (31235/255), two from Network Rail (31285, 31465), and one from Rail Vehicle Engineering Ltd, now LORAM UK (31459). All are currently stored. The longest out of main line traffic is 31235, which was withdrawn by Transrail in September 1995, and subsequently…

“Any increase in journeys or train services is limited by the availability of rolling stock, and there is currently an industry-wide shortage of spare diesel units,” Rail Minister Paul Maynard admitted in a Commons Written Reply on December 5. Iain Wright (Labour, Hartlepool) had asked what discussions had been had with Northern regarding overcrowding, and what steps were being taken to counter the problem. Maynard highlighted that 281 carriages were on order on what he called “tight delivery timescales with no ability to bring their introduction forward”. He added: “As part of the bidding process all bidders were encouraged to bring forward their delivery of additional rolling stock as early as possible,” before stating there was a shortage of DMUs.…

DB livery for 66041 DB Cargo 66041 has been painted into the company’s colours. It follows 66055/066, which were treated earlier in the autumn, while 66001/058/097,66101/114/152/185 were repainted when it was DB Schenker. ‘442s’ moved to Ely Stored 442401/417 were taken to Ely Potters Group for storage on December 9. The ex-Gatwick Express five-car electric multiple units were hauled from Eastleigh Works by Rail Operations Group 37884. ‘31’ on Polar Express Harry Needle Railroad Company 31465 has moved to the Weardale Railway to haul Polar Express trains. It moved by road from Long Marston.…

Created on June 17 2016, the WMCA comprises: Constituent members: Birmingham City Council, City of Wolverhampton Council, Coventry City Council, Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council, Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council, Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council, Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council. Non-constituent authorities with reduced voting rights: Cannock Chase District Council, Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council, Redditch Borough Council, Tamworth Borough Council, Telford and Wrekin Council. LEPs (Local Enterprise Partnerships): Black Country LEP, Coventry and Warwickshire LEP, Greater Birmingham and Solihull LEP. Observer organisations awaiting membership:North Warwickshire Borough Council, Rugby Borough Council, Stratford-on-Avon District Council, Shropshire Council, Warwickshire County Council, Herefordshire Council, The Marches LEP. • Subject to Parliamentary processes, the new mayor for the West Midlands will be elected in May 2017.…

A ‘reverse Beeching’ Articles and readers’ letters in RAIL magazine regularly highlight campaigns to reopen lines and stations, but these often seem to be at the initiative of volunteer groups and local authorities. The original decisions to close these were mostly taken over 50 years ago, when the country was markedly different to today. Since then the population has grown by around a quarter, car ownership has increased hugely, and rural bus services have been continually degraded. The assumptions that underpinned Beeching’s report regarding alternatives to rail travel wouldn’t apply today. The lack of road capacity, the changes in work patterns (more commuting as older, local industries have declined), and technological developments (the ability to work productively while travelling) has shifted the balance back towards rail. So perhaps we need…

The valleys and bridges were crowded with people watching, filming and photographing the train. It was indeed a superb sight. I felt deep emotion as I considered that the line might have closed. What a terrible loss that would have been.Michael Portillo, former Transport Minister Almost 30 years ago the world-famous Settle-Carlisle Line was sensationally reprieved from closure. Using the Freedom of Information Act, Martin Pearson has spent the past three years sifting through now declassified official government papers to discover how the unexpected U-turn from Margaret Thatcher and her minister came about. And he has lifted the lid in his new book The Settle-Carlisle Railway 1850-1990: The Building and Saving of a Great Railway, A line of Critical Decisions . To mark its release,…

Usually, at this time of year, I have to write that Mystic and his crystal ball have let the side down again. But actually, this year, old Mystic has not done too badly, despite being (rightly) a bit gloomy. Here were Mystic’s predictions for 2016. • 1: A financial crisis in the industry is inevitable. It may not happen in 2016, although I feel it will, but will certainly occur before the end of Control Period 5 (2014-19). The figures simply do not add up as relatively generous franchise deals, with lots of goodies for passengers, are signed up while savings are expected of the industry. So watch for real cutbacks in maintenance and renewals, leading to more temporary speed restrictions, and a squeeze on later franchise deals. • 2:…

 I’M not a train driver. I have sat in a cab and made a train move. I’ve even made one stop in roughly the right place. That’s far from being a train driver. “The brakes on a ‘700’ are good, but you can’t hit the platform end at over 60mph and expect to stop.” So the overgrown schoolboy in me jumped at chance to have a go in Thameslink’s Class 700 simulator housed in the new three-road depot at Hornsey, in north London. Training Simulator Project Manager Barry Thomas displayed enormous patience in showing me the ropes. Such simulators are not new - the railway has been using them for many years. Thameslink’s has a full-size cab with images projected on a large front screen and side images on monitors…

SINCE Arriva took over the CrossCountry (XC) franchise, I have always thought it the inter-city operator that offers the poorest on-board experience. It took over the Voyagers from Virgin Trains and removed tilt, removed the shop, and replaced the First Class galley service with an ad hoc service from a trolley. It offers little to First Class ticket-holders - just a few snacks, some hot - and regular users tell me they often get nothing on quite lengthy journeys. Meals can be ordered at least 72 hours ahead and are charged for, but I don’t know anybody who has sampled one. For the privilege of using a downgraded service XC charges some of the most expensive fares in the country. A typical 100-mile journey in First Class with an Anytime…

 Collective bargaining is a familiar way of providing a channel of communication between managers and larger workforces, and the rail industry has a long tradition of this that generally works well for all concerned. That is until external forces come in to play, where leaders entrusted with power by those they represent misuse it for political purposes. “To cancel the whole service is a soft option to prevent the need for short-term service management.” The series of disputes that have effectively closed down the Southern network for days at a time have the feel that whatever is put on the negotiating table will be rejected on ideological grounds without any reference to the staff. It may be illogical, but after many years of driver-only operation a groundswell of adverse opinion…

Union leaders are hoping for a U-turn on Merseyside and a firm reassurance that no guards will be removed from trains, in order to prevent a repeat of the strikes currently disrupting services across the south of England. Both ASLEF and the RMT say they are keen to negotiate, but warn that further action could take place if there is no climbdown from the planned introduction of DCO across the Merseyrail network, once the new trains arrive at the end of the decade. An ASLEF spokesman told RAIL : “Our policy remains the same [as with Southern] and there is the possibility that we could end up in the same position. But we would hope it can be resolved long before that happens.” RMT General Secretary Mick Cash added: “Merseytravel…

Network Rail Chief Executive Mark Carne acknowledged that the decision to secure more than 1,800 separate planning consents, rather than using provisions of the Transport and Works Act to obtain a single planning consent for the Great Western Route Modernisation, was “not the right way to do it”. Speaking to the Public Accounts Committee on December 14, Carne said: “A key lesson from this sort of project is you really would be far better off to get a single or larger consents for larger pieces of the track. But it does mean that you do have to accept considerably longer in the early phases, because you can’t get a consent on a listed bridge, for example, unless you can describe exactly what you are going to do. “I think that…

Department for Transport Permanent Secretary Philip Rutnam acknowledged that progress on the Great Western Route Modernisation has been similar in some respects to the West Coast Route Modernisation programme. At the Public Accounts Committee on December 14, Kwasi Kwarteng (Spelthorne, Conservative) had asked Rutnam where the DfT’s approach could improve, saying: “For me, a lot of this is déjà vu in terms of the Department misjudging and severely underestimating costs,” Rutnam responded: “The same analogy has occurred to me. At a very high level, the difference I would observe between the West Coast fiasco and this is the time over which things have unfolded. With West Coast things were got wrong, and the fact that they had been got wrong was exposed very very quickly, in a short number of…

BELEAGUERED Southern Railway passengers face further strikes and disruption, following the failure of talks between the company and the drivers’ union ASLEF. Two days of discussions were held at the conciliation service, ACAS, but no progress was made. Passengers have so far endured three days of strikes by drivers. On each day no Southern trains at all have run - 2,242 services were cancelled, affecting 300,000 passenger journeys a day. Sister brand Gatwick Express operated half the normal number of services, with trains every 30 minutes. The company said an overtime ban imposed by the union continued to cause substantial disruption every day. Conductors in the RMT union also held a further 48-hour strike just before Christmas, with more industrial action scheduled for New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day and…

Employers are rejecting job applications from commuters who use Southern, according to Nick Herbert, Conservative MP for Arundel and South Downs. He said: “One of my constituents had a vital new job offer withdrawn when the employer realised she would travel on Southern.” The IT trainer wished to remain anonymous, but told Herbert: “They told me I couldn’t get an interview for the role because I’m on Southern. They said candidates are not going to the top of shortlists because we cannot get to work on time.” Sir Nicholas Soames, who chairs the all-party parliamentary group on Southern Railway, said people had complained of losing jobs and of not being able to get their children to school. He said there was “a mood of real anarchy” among passengers.…

A new station will be built at Dalcross, using £3.34 million of funding from Transport Scotland. The station deal includes a car park and drop-off facilities for buses and taxis, and is designed to improve access to Inverness Airport, to a planned housing development at Tornagrain, and to the Inverness Airport Business Park. The money comes from the Scottish Stations Fund and represents around 60% of the cost. The remaining funds are expected to be met by scheme promoters including Hitrans, Highland Council and the Highlands and Islands Enterprise. “This substantial funding package brings a station at Dalcross a step closer to reality, and is a welcome boost to passengers and communities along the Inverness to Aberdeen corridor,” said Humza Yousaf, Scottish Minister for Transport and the Islands. “The track…

“THIS lays some ghosts to rest.” The words of a survivor of the 2004 crash at Ufton Nervet level crossing in Berkshire. A new £7 million bridge was opened on December 16, just over 12 years after the incident that killed seven people and injured 100 others. Bryan Drysdale, a local chef, had parked his uninsured car on the level crossing, intending to take his own life. The engine and lights were switched off, the handbrake fully on. A heavy drinker, he had taken a test for HIV the previous day. A First Great Western High Speed Train struck Drysdale’s vehicle at 100mph. The leading power car derailed but remained upright as it pushed the Mazda off the crossing. Some 91 metres beyond the crossing, the car jammed in points…

Three new stations in the Leeds area form part of a planned £270 million investment in the city’s transport infrastructure. Consideration will also be given to a mass transit system, although that proposal requires much longer development. The plans were unveiled in a transport strategy plan on December 6, following consultation with residents, businesses, stakeholders and city visitors. A new station on the Leeds to Harrogate line, connecting the city with Leeds Bradford Airport, is part of the package. The airport is used by 3.5 million passengers per year, and contributes £100 million to the city region economy. The station will double as a park and ride facility. Two other stations are proposed: at White Rose Shopping Centre and Office Park, and at Thorpe Park. Both are designed to support…

Consultations with local communities regarding visually appropriate overhead line equipment designs are planned for January and February, Rail Minister Paul Maynard told Edward Vaizey (Conservative, Wantage) in a Commons Written Reply on December 14. “Network Rail has been working with Natural England and the conservation officers for the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) & North Wessex Downs AONB already affected by works as part of the Great Western Main Line modernisation,” said Maynard. “They will develop a package of suitable retrospective mitigation measures including overhead line electrification designs to ensure due regard is given to protecting the visual amenity of the AONBs.”…

Going to an independent body to appeal is certainly a move to be welcomed, and it will also be an improvement that any further appeal will then be considered by different people. I personally have never liked the concept of penalty fares (PFs), and if all trains had revenue staff on board there would be far less need for such a system. PFs lead to different rules being imposed in areas where they apply. For example, in a non-PF area people can upgrade to the normal First Class fare on-train, whereas in a PF area a penalty would be imposed. Such inconsistency can only confuse legitimate users. Visit www.railmagazine.com…

Secretary of State for Transport Chris Grayling says Britain needs more skilled engineers to deliver infrastructure improvements planned by the Government. In a speech to the Civil Engineering Contractors Association at the London Transport Museum on November 30, Grayling pointed out that Transport for London will need 8,000 construction workers - including engineers - due to projects such as the Bank station upgrade and Northern Line extension. In addition, he said that High Speed 2 Phase 1 will need more than 8,000 engineers and 19,000 construction workers. “In total, we think to get all this work [including road and aviation upgrades] done, we’ll need an extra 56,000 skilled workers,” he said. Grayling called for companies to invest in staff, saying: “If you want to win contracts in transport, if you…

WESTERN Buckfastleigh: The town council supports the South Devon Railway’s plan to provide covered accommodation for its coaching stock. The £157,000 cost will be borne by Viridor Credits, the Landfill Communities Fund, and also the SDR Association from the recent sale of a turntable. Cheltenham: The station has been promised step-free access no later than March 2019. The provision of 300 additional cycle spaces will come much earlier, before the end of 2017. Taunton: The bridge over the former goods avoiding line has been returned after refurbishment. Its new role is to serve the new northern distributor road. Tetbury: The cycle path on the old Great Western Railway branch to Kemble will be extended from the station to Newnton Hill, following an offer from a local farmer to allow its…

A third full Eurostar Class 373 set was sent for scrap on December 14. The set, comprising 373003/ 3004, follows classmates 373005/ 006 and 373019/020 (the latter was dispatched for scrap on December 2). The trains are removed straight from traffic and sent to European Metal Recycling’s Kingsbury scrapyard for disposal. The first to be sent for scrap (373005/006) had been out of traffic for a month after its initial move was delayed, while the second set was moved having been stored. All but eight full sets will be scrapped by EMR over what is expected to be a four-year period. The remaining eight will be refurbished and will continue operating alongside Eurostar’s E320 fleet. The Class 373s were built by GEC-Alsthom in 1992-93 and were owned (initially) by British…

Southeastern ‘377/5s’ Eight Class 377/5s have transferred to Southeastern. The four-car Electrostars (377501-377508) have been displaced from Thameslink operations following the introduction of Class 700s. They are subleased from Southern. Class 375 refurbished Refurbished Southeastern 375803 was returned to Ramsgate on December 10. The four-car electric multiple unit had been treated at Derby Litchurch Lane. Last ‘387/3’ for c2c The final c2c Class 387/3 Electrostar (387305) was delivered to East Ham on December 11.…

“There is substantial witness evidence which indicates that this breakdown in communication between staff of the two lines was not an isolated example, and that there was a lack of trust between the staff of the two control rooms.” Rail Accident Investigation Branch report DIg into any railway accident and there’s usually an element of poor communications within its cause. Accidents take place on railways where one company runs the tracks and another runs the trains. They take place on vertically integrated railways where one company is responsible for everything. British Rail Chairman Sir Peter Parker reckoned: “A railway falls flat on its interfaces.” He was right, and every railway has its interfaces. They may be within companies, they may be between companies, but wherever they exist there’s a chance…

HS2 Construction surgeries - Euston Over the next few months, HS2 Ltd will stage a number of open evenings and surgeries to allow people to find out about the project and what it means for the local area. It is recommended that you provide advance notification of your queries, to ensure the right information is available for when you visit, and it is advised that you book at least two weeks in advance. For more information on any of these events, email HS2enquiries@hs2.org.uk or call 0207 944 4908. Construction surgery dates: January 12; February 9; March 9; April 13; May 11; June 8. Approximate times: 1400-2000. Construction open evenings: January 19; February 16; March 16; April 20; May 18; June 15. Approximate times: 1800-2000. Land and Property surgeries: January 26;…

We have five copies of Martin Pearson’s book The Settle-Carlisle Railway 1850-1990: The Building and Saving of a Great Railway to give away. For your chance to win one of these copies, courtesy of Martin Pearson, simply answer the following question: In what year was the line reprieved from closure? A) 1989 B) 1876 C) 1996 Send your answer, clearly marked RAIL 817 Settle-Carlisle Railway competition, along with your name and contact details to: Email: rail@bauermedia.co.uk Post: RAIL Magazine, Media House, Lynchwood, Peterborough Business Park, Peterborough. PE2 6EA. Closing date: January 20 2017. Winners will be announced in RAIL 819 and prizes sent out shortly afterwards. Terms and condition can be found at www.railmagazine.com…

“Although it is now more than 14 years since the station received any large-scale refurbishment work, the facilities at Piccadilly have been well designed and the station remains an important gateway to Manchester city centre.” To use an oft-quoted stereotype: “It’s grim up north!” But this old-fashioned impression of the North West as a region full of smog-filled towns and cities, with clog-wearing mill workers full of northern grit, is now very much a thing of the past. The area has worked hard to shake off its industrial bygone-era image. Modern businesses and industries have replaced the traditional manufacturing industries that were wiped out during the second half of the 20th century. Finance, technology and internet-based businesses now dominate many northern cities, while many of the surviving mills that once…

A new year… and a new Stop & Examine quiz to test our readers. This time we’re returning to the theme of our first quiz back in RAIL 712, and testing your knowledge of films about trains, or just films with prominent train scenes. And our prize is definitely one you’ll want to win - we have ten copies of The Railways: Nation, Network and People by Simon Bradley to give away, courtesy of Profile Books. Lauded by RAIL’s Managing Editor Nigel Harris as “Bradley’s literary legacy… simply brilliant”, the book is a social history of Britain’s railway. Nigel adds: “It absolutely lays bare the truth that the railway produced modern Britain in ways you’d never have thought of… I learned something new and interesting on every page.” So without…

RAIL Assistant Features Editor Paul Stephen returned from a recent press trip particularly pleased with himself, having ticked off two items from his boyhood wish list in one day: playing with trains and being a spaceman. On December 6 he visited Network Rail’s test track at High Marnham in the very terrestrial setting of north Nottinghamshire, in order to see the new high output ballast cleaning machine being commissioned there (RAIL 816). But with the ever present risk of inhaling silica dust, Paul was required to wear appropriate safety clothing. So here he is pictured wearing his self-proclaimed space helmet - otherwise known as Respiratory Protective Equipment (RPE) to the less childish. “I feel I am in a position to lay the ghost of your correspondent’s querying the Deltic…