Table of contents for Issue 812 in RAIL

“...DBC has lost 85% of its coal revenues. This year, up until the end of September, DBC ran 1,353 coal trains - last year it was 6,153” As a long-time fan of self-professed ‘song and dance man’ Bob Dylan I was pleased to see him awarded the coveted Nobel prize for literature - and subsequently amused to see that the Nobel committee gave up trying to contact the enigmatic and unpredictable artist about it after three fruitless days of trying! Despite Dylan’s massive back catalogue of incredible work over a half century or so (best album ever, by the way, was 1975’s Blood on the Tracks. Just saying...) media the world over reporting the Nobel prize harked back to his early 1960s days as a so-called protest singer. His anthemic…

Hans-Georg Werner took up his role as DB Cargo Rail’s Chief Executive Officer at the start of October. He replaces Geoff Spencer, who announced his retirement in June. Werner has worked in the supply chain industry for 35 years, starting with Deutsche Bahn in 1981. Previous roles for DB include CEO at DB Schenker Rail Polska and Board Member - Intermodal at DB Schenker Rail Deutschland AG. “Building successful relationships with my colleagues and our customers is very important to me,” he said. “I will be visiting our depots and customers throughout the coming months to build a deeper understanding of the UK business, the opportunities and the challenges that we face together.”…

MPs on the Commons Transport Select Committee have strongly attacked the Government’s handling of the Govia Thameslink Railway franchise, saying passengers have been “badly let down” by a “catastrophic” service that has been “woeful for more than a year.” In their report Improving the Passenger Experience, MPs referred to “inadequate staffing, rolling stock issues, mismanagement and prolonged industrial action complicated by the huge Thameslink infrastructure programme”. They said the Department for Transport must “get a grip on enforcement of GTR’s franchise agreement to deliver services”, adding: “It is simply not credible for the DfT to continue to claim that no other operator could do a better job. If that is the case, it is a consequence of the structuring of the franchise, for which the Department is ultimately accountable.” The…

AS this issue of RAIL went to press, an irrevocable offer had been submitted by EQT Infrastructure II to buy GB Railfreight from Groupe Eurotunnel SE. The offer was submitted through an indirectly owned company within the Hector Rail Group. The potential new owner said it was “an integral part of EQT’s strategy to create a leading independent pan-European rail freight operator”. Eurotunnel stated it acquired GBRf in 2010 for £25 million (at an exchange rate of £1 to 1.17 euros). The Internal Rate of Return for the same period, from 2010 to 2016, estimated at the time of the potential sale, is just above 28%. Jacques Gounon, chairman and chief executive officer of Groupe Eurotunnel SE, stated: “I am convinced that EQT is the right owner to take GB…

Proposals to devolve inner-suburban services from franchised operators to Transport for London would deliver the equivalent of £4.30 for every £1 spent, according to the business case submitted by London Mayor Sadiq Khan. Secretary of State for Transport Chris Grayling was presented with the business case on October 14. It sets out plans for TfL to take over routes currently operated by Southeastern, South West Trains and Govia Thameslink Railway (RAIL 811). “For too long, London’s rail commuters have been getting a bad service - with nightmare delays, cancellations and overcrowding increasingly the norm on our suburban rail routes,” said Khan. “The business case sets out in detail the huge benefits Londoners will feel from devolving suburban rail routes to TfL.” He said the plans would act as a catalyst…

Network Rail’s installation of an access platform secured to tunnel walls 15 metres above the railway, in the tunnel leading to Liverpool Central, is saving £9.5 million. This method is enabling engineers to apply layers of water-sealing cement into the curve ceiling while trains continue to run. Concrete is applied using a robotic arm, which NR deems a safer and more cost-efficient approach. When the work is completed, no more will be required for more than 100 years. AMCO Rail Project Manager Adrian Bullock said: “We are doing 160 linear metres of tunnel line repair, putting a steelwork arch in with 300mm of concrete, which basically will see the roof become maintenance-free for the next 120 years. Usually this work would cost £14m, but doing it with this new system…

Maintenance on the Borders Railway has been enhanced to eliminate infrastructure failures on the line, a little over a year after it opened. Network Rail confirmed it had experienced calibration issues with certain axle-counters and telecoms assets. Spokesman Nick King told RAIL that these faults accounted for around 18% of all public performance measurement (PPM) failures on the route, which opened to passengers on September 5 last year ( RAIL 783). However, he said that “the overall performance of the infrastructure on the route has been good”, and denied claims from RAIL sources that the failures were caused by the axle-counters on the route being second-hand, stating that “they were new kit”. King told RAIL : “The maintenance regime on the line has been enhanced to eliminate calibration drift faults…

CONSTRUCTION work has begun on Alstom’s new training academy and technology centre in Widnes. Costing 25 million euros (£22.3m) and covering 300,000 sq ft, the academy is located immediately adjacent to the West Coast Main Line. Alstom says it could create up to 600 jobs in the local area following completion in May 2017, and the company will offer 15,000 days of training each year to both its own employees and those from its supply chain. In addition to training, the facility will be used to carry out maintenance contracts, commencing with a £25.3m project to repaint Virgin Trains’ fleet of 56 Class 390 ‘tilting’ Pendolinos. This will create 80 jobs from the outset. Alstom has also not ruled out building trains in Widnes, although that would depend on securing…

Trains began running on a new track through Rochester on October 10, helping to release capacity in the Medway Towns area. The work is one of the final sections of the East Kent Resignalling project. Network Rail installed a loop at Rochester, which complements the recently opened new platform at Rainham. The loop crosses the site of the former signal box and runs to the former railway station, where it rejoins the main line. NR says it is capable of holding a full-length freight train. “The railway through the Medway Towns has been a pinch-point since it was built, and this extra track will help us run a more reliable and flexible service,” said Huw Edwards, Network Rail’s director of signalling projects in the South East. “Up until now the…

AN extra 6.5 million rail passengers were carried in the first quarter of 2016-17 (Q1 2016-17, April-June), compared with the corresponding three-month period in 2015-16. This represents a 1.6% increase from 412.0 million to 418.5 million passengers, according to figures released by the Office of Rail and Road on October 6. However, there was a decrease of 1.3% in the number of passenger journeys made on non-franchised operations. This is the first quarter since Q4 2011-12 that this has happened. ORR said the biggest driver in this decrease was Grand Central, which reported a 4.1% reduction in passengers to 0.3 million in Q1. Over the past decade, ORR figures show that the UK railways today are carrying 48.9% more passengers than in 2006. This is second only to Luxembourg, which…

Network Rail plans to refurbish and repair Barmouth Bridge, but has no plans to replace the structure. Spokesman Dan Donovan told RAIL that while the company was investigating how to carry out repairs on the structure, the fact that it is listed means it “won’t every get fully replaced”. The viaduct was recently shut for almost a week following a fire, closing on October 4 and re-openeing on October 10.NR is investigating the cause of the fire, which caused localised damage to one of the viaduct spans. Donovan told RAIL : “We’re working with our partners and industry stakeholders, including CADW (the Welsh Government’s historic environment service), and will make announcements when the plans have been confirmed.” NR said a small amount of remedial work will take place overnight and…

SNC-Lavalin has appointed David Brennen, Russell Cohen and Sebastien Maillot to its UK Rail & Transit team. Brennen will be based in the company’s Manchester office as Operational Development Director. He was most recently working for Wabtec Rail at Doncaster. Cohen, who joins from Mott Macdonald, will head Systems & Systems Engineering as Team Leader. Maillot joins as Technical Director for Systems Engineering. He was most recently working for Parson Brinkerhoff and Network Rail.…

A new bridge over the Great Western Main Line at Newport, in south Wales, has been installed as part of the Great Western Route Modernisation. The 50-metre skewed road bridge was completed in late September, and was required to increase clearance heights for overhead line equipment. The structure was fabricated at Cleveland Bridge UK’s Darlington facility and assembled before installation. The old structure was removed in a six-hour blockade, before the new structure was installed over a weekend closure of the railway (within three hours of receiving confirmation of the route closure). This then allowed time for installation of 90 pre-cast concrete units before the route re-opened.…

The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) says an independent “consumer champion”-type member should participate in decision-making groups that affect third-party ticket retailing, in order to scrutinise train operating companies’ decision-making processes. The recommendation was published in the ORR’s Retail Market Review conclusions on October 5. It says the measure would help protect the consumer interest “within the context of decisions that impact on the third-party retailer”. However, it adds that the Rail Delivery Group (RDG), which is responsible for such decisions, does not intend to implement the option. The industry body cites concerns that the independent member could undermine its accountability in managing the relationships with third-party retailers, and could cut across wider governance changes that it intends to take forward. Other recommendations contained in the Retail Market Review…

FOUR bidders have been selected to bid for the Wales and Borders franchise that begins in October 2018. Abellio Rail Cymru, Arriva Rail Wales/Rheilffyrdd Arriva Cymru Limited, KeolisAmey and MTR Corporation (Cymru) Ltd have all qualified to bid for the franchise, which also involves taking forward the next stage of the South Wales Metro. Currently Arriva Trains Wales runs the franchise. The Welsh Government wants an Operator and Development Partner (ODP) for the franchise, and the four bidders must now demonstrate a track record and “appetite for providing high-quality services”, as well as financial standing. Economy and Infrastructure Secretary Ken Skates said: “Over the next ten years I envisage significant strides in the delivery of our public transport network, including the electrification of the Swansea, Valleys and North Wales lines,…

THE national network needs to be run more like the London Underground, according to Network Rail Chairman Sir Peter Hendy. Delivering The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport’s lecture on October 5, Hendy also said that those who will benefit from railway improvements could contribute to the cost of schemes. “We have the most congested railway in Western Europe, but this is not a bad thing - we just need to fix it,” he told delegates, explaining that this is where the Tube-style operation can help. “I think digital railway signalling is inevitable on the larger rail network. We did it on the Underground simply to fit more trains.” Hendy was following up his view that “rail has seen its fastest level of growth since the Victorian era - so…

MANCHESTER Metrolink will serve the city’s Trafford Centre, after approval for the £350 million extension was granted by Secretary of State for Transport Chris Grayling on October 13. Construction could start this winter, with trams running by 2020-21. The route will run from Ponoma and will include six stops including Wharfside (near Old Trafford), Imperial War Museum North and EventCity. “Today’s announcement is another big step forward for Greater Manchester,” said Mayor of Greater Manchester Tony Lloyd. “Our new Trafford Park line will connect people across Greater Manchester to thousands of new job opportunities, as well as offering fast, frequent and sustainable links to some of our city region’s greatest sporting and cultural venues, as well as the Trafford Centre. I look forward to seeing the first shovel in the…

Southeastern will operate its third commemorative ‘Poppy’ train on November 12, raising money for the Royal British Legion. Organised by SET High Speed Fleet Engineering Manager Andy Harding and Driver Manager Kent Evenden, the train will run from London to Kent and Brighton. It will mark the 100th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme and will use 395016, which will carry a special ‘wrap’ for the tour. “The units are chosen because their number correlates to the year of the war, so last year a special design featured on unit 395015,” said Evenden. The two previous trains have raised a combined £46,000 for the Legion. UK Railtours will market the tour and sell tickets.…

STORED Class 442s could yet have a future, with their owner Angel Trains telling RAIL it is planning a refurbishment programme. The trains were leased by Govia Thameslink Railway for its Gatwick Express operations, before being replaced by 27 four-car Class 387/2s. All but six were sent off-lease - GTR retained these (442402/406/408/410/413/419) to operate London Bridge-Eastbourne trains. Angel Trains spokesman George Eddy told RAIL : “While they all have a high level of accessibility for people with restricted mobility, including power-operated doors, they need some work to the lavatories to bring them up to full compliance with 2020 regulations. While Angel Trains is planning this refurbishment work at the moment, the next phase in the life-cycle of this fleet has yet to be decided.” AT owns 24 five-car Class…

Abellio has completed a £1.5 million refurbishment of 15 Class 317/5s used by Greater Anglia (317501-317515). The work was carried out at AGA’s Clacton-on-Sea depot. The ‘317s’ received new seat covers and flooring, and new First Class seat covers and trim. Carpets were renewed, interiors were repainted and new signage applied. The final ‘317’ treated was 317514. Work now turns to the six Class 317/8s (317881-317886) used by AGA alongside the ‘317/5s’. Also to be refurbished are 317337-317348 - these are with Govia Thameslink Railway, but will move to AGA next year. AGA has a fleet of 45 four-car Class 317s that will increase to 59 when the 12 from GTR are cascaded (317337-317348, 317501-317515, 317649-317672, 317881-317887). They will all be replaced by Bombardier Aventras from 2019. LIVERY CHANGES KEY…

Having been taken out of service, Eurostars 373013 and 373014 have been left in storage in the middle of the Kent countryside - midway along the now disused Fawkham Junction-Southfleet Junction line (formerly the link between the conventional network and HS1) which itself closed earlier this year. Eurostar plans to retain eight Class 373s, with the rest of the fleet withdrawn. They are to be scrapped by European Metal Recycling at Kingsbury over the next four years.…

Harry Needle Railroad Company (HNRC) took delivery of 47853 on October 10. The Class 47/8 was bought from Direct Rail Services earlier this year, and will go on hire to GB Railfreight for super shunting duties. The ‘47/8’ has lost its DRS branding and Rail Express nameplates. It was moved from MoD Longtown (where it had been stored) to Carlisle, and then to Barrow Hill, where it will undergo an exam and minor overhaul before entering traffic. HNRC already hires Class 08s and ‘20s’ to GBRf. The ‘47/8’ has been out of traffic since February 2015.…

SECRETARY of State for Transport Chris Grayling visited the National College of High Speed Rail in Birmingham on October 5, to see the roof of the new training facility being finalised. This is the latest stage in the construction of the college, which will provide specialist training, skills and qualifications to students in preparation for building HS2 and other future rail projects. About 87,000 graduate level engineers will be required every year for the next ten years, and 30% of the current workforce will need further training, to cope with the current anticipated demand for high speed rail in the future. Grayling said of his visit: “Work on the new college sites shows the transformational effect that HS2 is already having, creating jobs and supporting economic growth. Around 25,000 jobs…

“The RACE project has set the benchmark for efficient delivery of electrification schemes.”Andy Stocks, Engineering Services Director, Carillion Ambitious plans to electrify a number of key routes in Scotland are part of a strategy to provide significant economic, social and environmental benefits for future generations. While several parts of the scheme will stretch into 2019 and beyond, portions of the work are already complete and delivering benefits to the Scottish network. One of those was delivered rather earlier than anticipated… In May 2013, Scottish Ministers announced that electrification of the Whifflet Line (Rutherglen-Coatbridge) would be commissioned sooner and delivered ahead of schedule. Originally planned for completion in 2018/19, the new deadline would be in 2016. With a value of £28 million, the project linked the West Coast Main Line in…

Hitachi’s new AT200 electric multiple units are set to revolutionise the railways of Scotland. The 100mph EMUs are being custom-made for Scotland. They will be longer, faster and greener than the trains they are replacing, and will enable passengers to travel in greater comfort. Fully air-conditioned, and fitted with plug sockets and WiFi capabilities, the AT200 is the train for 21st century Scottish passengers. It will also add capacity to a line highlighted by the Rail Delivery Group as otherwise being full in the next couple of years (see pages 40-41). The AT200 is the first commuter train delivered by Hitachi to the UK, following the successful introduction of Class 395 Javelins on High Speed 1. They are the first Hitachi trains delivered to Scotland, but will be followed in…

Importance of rail freight Philip Haigh’s article misses the key purpose of the Government’s rail freight strategy (RAIL 810). As a private industry the rail freight industry needs to determine how best to grow and innovate. Our role is to enable it to fully realise its potential, and the strategy is clear on the steps needed to help the industry to succeed. Rail freight has an important role to play both in supporting economic growth across the whole of the UK and in reducing carbon emissions. It is also an exemplar of the dynamism and innovation that can result from competition in the rail industry. The Department for Transport and the industry will work together over the coming months to deliver the goals of the strategy. Paul Maynard, Rail Minister…

“The risky part of the Mayor’s strategy is whether there are the funds available to run these new services to the same standard as the existing ones.” I’VE spent the past couple of weeks deeply immersed in writing a chapter for my book on Indian railways, on the period between the wars when they were brought increasingly under government control. Nationalisation of the railways in India was a source of great controversy in the first couple of decades of the 20th century, with the Indian public largely in favour and the British commercial interests largely against - which was hardly surprising since they owned and ran the railways from their distant London offices. Eventually, after much pressure, just after the First World War a committee was set up to examine…

“The Euston Express plans would force another change on HS2 - they would restrict trains to be ‘classic-compatible’ throughout.” WHAT to do about Euston? In recent years there have been various proposals to rebuild the station for High Speed 2. The latest came a little over a year ago ( RAIL 783), when HS2 revealed that it had ditched its ‘big bang’ approach to rebuilding its planned southern terminus in favour of a phased approach that would add £250 million to its bill. At the same time, Network Rail said it was “at a very early stage of looking at options for potential redevelopment of the current station at Euston”. Since then, there’s been silence from the national network owner. Meanwhile, Camden Council has continued to argue for a joined-up…

IN RAIL 807’s The Fare Dealer I explained how the rail industry was failing a reader who travels frequently from Woolwich Arsenal to Canterbury West via Gravesend, Ebbsfleet and Ashford International, using an Off-Peak Day Return marked ‘not London’. He had been told the ticket is not valid via Ebbsfleet. The Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC) checked, and confirmed Southeastern did not want it used on that route. Southeastern did not respond to my queries. The Office of Rail & Road (ORR) looked into it, and confirmed I was correct in saying that the only route the Routeing Guide allows for this journey with a non-London ticket is indeed via Ebbsfleet, and that if Southeastern wishes to bar it, it should show this in the ticket’s routeing (that is,…

BRITAIN’S largest freight company, DB Cargo, plans to cut 893 of its 2,974 jobs by June 2017. The company says it is facing “unprecedented challenges with the dramatic decline in core markets such as coal”. Chief Executive Hans-George Werner said: “Responsible and successful businesses must evolve and reshape as their markets change, and sometimes this means making tough decisions. “While this is a difficult time for all of us at DB Cargo UK, reshaping the company will enable us to build a business for the future and protect the majority of jobs. We are fully committed to supporting colleagues who may be at risk of redundancy.” Werner said DB “firmly believes in the future of rail freight in the UK”, adding: “Our new business strategy will ensure we are a…

FURTHER attempts to settle the ten-month dispute between Southern Railway and the RMT union have failed, with another disruptive three-day strike by Southern conductors under way as this issue of RAIL went to press. The company said that around 60% of services ran on strike days, slightly ahead of the number achieved during previous industrial action. South Coast services continued to be most affected, with no services west of Chichester, buses replacing trains at Havant, and no services after 1900 each day. During the first three-day strike, on October 11-13, Govia Thameslink Railway Chief Executive Charles Horton and RMT General Secretary Mick Cash met face to face. But the talks broke down after just a few minutes. Cash said: “The industrial action goes ahead, with the union remaining committed to…

“Have you ever been on a train and wondered about the lives of the people who live near the tracks?” asks Emily Blunt’s character in the opening lines of The Girl On The Train, the film adapted from Paula Hawkins’ best-selling novel. James Tulley is so fed up with Southern Railway’s performance that he has made a spoof trailer for the movie - The Girl On The Southern Train. “I travel from Brighton to Worthing every day on the train. It has been a nightmare for the last six months. I have been driven to distraction - enough to promote the film with a new trailer.” Tulley is in charge of film programming at the Connaught Theatre in Worthing, a venue close to the station. “If The Girl On The…

NETWORK Rail, Virgin Trains, Caledonian Sleeper and GB Railfreight all joined forces on October 18 to facilitate the celebrations in Manchester and London marking Britain’s 2016 Olympic and Paralympic successes in Rio. Both Team GB and Paralympic GB enjoyed outstanding Games, surpassing their medal hauls from the London Games four years previously (both were ranked second in their respective medals tables). The athletes’ journey between the two cities was made possible by two chartered trains that ran from Manchester Piccadilly to London Euston, where a fleet of ten double-decker London buses waited to take over 350 of them onward to a parade at Trafalgar Square. Virgin Trains operated 11-car Pendolino 390153, which arrived into the capital shortly before 1100. Meanwhile, Caledonian Sleeper 87002 Royal Sovereign led a six-car charter formed…

Transport for London, British Transport Police, Metropolitan Police and City of London Police held a series of events at Lonson transport hubs on October 10-14, as part of National Hate Crime Awareness Week. The campaign provides information to people about what to do if they witness or fall victim to any sort of hate crime. BTP Superintendent Chris Horton said: “Hate crime has absolutely no place on the transport network, and everyone should be free to travel without being targeted on the basis of who they are.”…

Between 2009-10 and 2015-16 the Government spent £1.4 billion on the HS2 programme, Rail Minister Andrew Jones confirmed in a Commons Written Reply on October 10. Jones said the total payroll costs for HS2 Ltd permanent staff for the same period was £94.6 million, of which £113,500 was spent on performance-related pay. Jones was responding to a question from Steve McCabe (Labour, Birmingham, Selly Oak), who had asked about the proportion of total spending on HS2 on wages and bonuses.…

Alstom MD for UK & Ireland Nick Crossfield has confirmed to RAIL that the French company is keen to restart manufacturing rolling stock within the UK, after a gap of more than a decade. This represents a marked shift in strategy since Alstom shut its Washwood Heath plant near Birmingham in 2005, following the completion of its contract to deliver Virgin Trains’ Pendolino fleet. The company’s Eastleigh plant in Hampshire was also shut at around the same time. Train building could take place at the company’s new site in Widnes should Alstom successfully bid for a number of forthcoming contracts, Crossfield told RAIL . “The concept we are committing to in Widnes is a technology centre, so it will be the hub for modernisation work on existing rolling stock including…

It is forecast that 90% of franchised services will have free WiFi by the end of 2018, Rail Minister Paul Maynard said on October 12. Responding to a Commons Written Question from Hugo Swire (Conservative, East Devon) about whether Secretary of State for Transport Chris Grayling had met with Great Western Railway and South West Trains to discuss the provision of WiFi, Maynard said: “On all Department for Transport-controlled rail franchises in England and Wales, free WiFi is being introduced. All train operators bidding for new franchises and Direct Award agreements will have to present a phased implementation plan for free WiFi. “As of July 2016, 25% of passenger journeys operating within the DfT-controlled franchises have WiFi available. “We forecast 90% of passenger journeys will benefit from free WiFi by…

Northern incurred the most costs in its franchising project, Rail Minister Paul Maynard told Shadow Transport Secretary Andy McDonald in a Commons Written Reply on October 17. McDonald has asked what was the cost to Government for each re-tendering exercise held for franchises in each year since 2005-06, covering long-distance and regional passenger services. Maynard said that prior to the relaunch of the Franchising Programme in spring 2013, the costs were not individually recorded. Since then Northern cost £8.668 million, followed by East Coast (£8.429m), TransPennine Express (£7.577m), East Anglia (£7.413m) and Essex Thameside (£4.815m). These figures include adviser costs (financial, technical and legal advisers), pay costs for the project team, “non-pay” costs (such as bidder day seminars and public consultations), and VAT where applicable, for the duration of the…

The Forth Bridge has been named Scotland’s greatest man-made wonder, beating other famous structures such as Edinburgh Castle and Glenfinnan Viaduct. The 1890 structure was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2015 and scored 30% of the vote, more than double that of second-placed Edinburgh Castle. Another railway structure - Glenfinnan Viaduct - was voted fourth, receiving 7% of the vote. The poll was organised by VisitScotland as part of the Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design.…

Two of Virgin Trains’ most respected senior managers are to retire in April 2017. Commercial Director Graham Leech and Operations and Projects Director Phil Bearpark will be succeeded by Sarah Copley and Peter Broadley respectively. Leech has worked for Virgin Trains for 18 years including a number of senior roles, while Bearpark has enjoyed a 25-year career on the railway. He was instrumental in introducing the very high frequency timetable between London Euston and Birmingham New Street.…

Virgins Trains East Coast (VTEC) is initiating what it claims is the largest single driver recruitment campaign for the East Coast Main Line since the 1980s. The company says it needs 78 drivers to operate the 65-strong Class 800/801 fleet. Successful recruits will spend a year in training before becoming fully qualified trainee drivers. During that year they well spend time in classrooms and on-the-job training on the ECML. They will also spend time on simulators in preparation for their roles. VTEC recruited 24 trainee drivers in January this year, but prior to that had not hired any for three years. Applications closed on October 14.…

Highlands and Islands Transport Partnership (HITRANS) has submitted a planning application for the first phase of the proposed new station serving Inverness Airport. The plans envisage a single-platform station on the north side of the Inverness-Aberdeen line at Dalcross. The platform will be 173 metres long and will be able to accommodate 2+4 and 2+5 formation High Speed Trains. Facilities will include shelters, ticket machines and passenger information systems. The nearby Dalcross (Petty) level crossing will be closed due to its proximity to the station. Car parking for 150 vehicles and park and ride facilities to take passengers to the airport terminal will be built. A future second phase could involve doubling the section of track, allowing hourly services from Inverness to Aberdeen and half-hourly services from Inverness to Elgin.…

Network Rail Chairman Sir Peter Hendy has once again championed the need for a diverse and talented railway workforce. Speaking at The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport’s lecture on October 5, Hendy said there was “a job for everybody in the new railway industry”. He added: “With a digital railway, we also need to develop new skills and we need to encourage a more diverse workforce,” before stating that the industry was failing to do this. “The industry has historically been seen as not attractive because we do not explain what it is doing and where we are going. The rail industry is slower than others in attracting a diverse workforce because we fail to communicate that we are an industry of growth. “We fail to get the positive…

Driver fatigue was the direct cause of two Signals Passed at Danger (SPAD) near Reading in 2015, according to the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB). On March 28 2015, the 0825 Acton-Merehead Quarry passed signal T1729 at danger on the Up Westbury line at Reading Westbury Line Junction. It was travelling at 13mph when it passed the signal, and stopped 24 metres beyond it. The second incident was on November 3 2015, when the 0622 Acton-Merehead passed signal T1627 at danger on the Down relief line at Ruscombe Junction, near Twyford. Its speed was 33mph at the signal and it stopped 164 metres past it. In both cases the drivers stated that they momentarily fell asleep before passing the signals. The RAIB concludes that both incidents occurred because the drivers…

WESTERN Cullompton: With the prospect of 10,000 new homes in the town, local authorities are set to part-finance a study into re-opening the Mid-Devon station. Lostwithiel: The town council would like to see the station improved with a new footbridge, the Fowey branch re-opened to passenger services, and the clay trains sidings area turned into a car park. Cornwall County Council is showing interest. Pembroke: Despite the investment in The Hub rail-coach interchange alongside Pembroke Dock station, it is currently only served by one bus service (operated by A. B. Phillips of Haverfordwest). Trawsfynydd: Network Rail is co-operating with the clearance of vegetation from the seven-mile line to Blaenau Ffestiniog, which a group wants to re-open as a tourist line. It has been disused for 18 years. EASTERN Horden: Durham…

CASCADED High Speed Trains are still expected to enter traffic with ScotRail from spring 2018. The first HSTs are due to be sent off-lease by Great Western Railway (GWR) in July next year, almost 41 years after the fleet first entered traffic on the Great Western Main Line (GWML). GWR expects to introduce the first of the replacement Intercity Express Programme (IEP) trains on July 10. As more IEPs are introduced, the plan is for the incumbent HSTs to then be removed from traffic and then head north after modifications. Industry speculation suggests that there could be a delay to the planned cascade as a result of the late-running GWML electrification programme, which would mean the replacement IEPs built by Hitachi would not be able to operate at full capacity.…

A DB Cargo Class 90 was due to move to Abellio Greater Anglia in mid-October for a hire period, covering 90034 which had been on hire to AGA. AGA hires a ‘90’ from the freight company to cover for its own Class 90s that are undergoing planned heavy maintenance. This is carried out by Axiom Rail at Crewe International Maintenance Depot (IEMD), where 90004 is currently undergoing a G-exam. Additionally, 90006 Modern Railways Magazine/Roger Ford is there for warranty repairs to its traction motors. This is the second time 90006 has had to return to Crewe for repairs to its motors following its overhaul. The DB ‘90’ will stay with AGA for a lengthy period, as 90034 requires a C-exam and bogie change. Both ‘90s’ are fitted with Driver’s Reminder…

Eight-car Class 700/0 electric multiple units have entered traffic with Govia Thameslink Railway. There are 16 currently in the UK. Until October 3 none had been passed for passenger traffic, but by October 10, 700002/003/008/019 had all been used in traffic. Additionally, 700102-104/107-114 have been used, and it is planned that another four duties will be transferred to Class 700 operation before December. Meanwhile deliveries of the trains continue, with eight-car 700023 arriving at Three Bridges during the early hours of October 5, making it the 31st of 115 ‘700s’ in the UK. There are now 16 eight-car Class 700/0s and 15 12-car Class 700/1s. This is 308 vehicles, the equivalent of 77 four-car EMUs that they are replacing. In the UK are 700002-008/010/014-016/018-021/023, 700101-700115. Currently 700110 is being used…

NETWORK Rail has proposed a tender for more locomotives. The company currently owns two Class 31s, four ‘37s’ and a ‘73/1’, and will take delivery of two rebuilt Class 73/9s from LORAM upon the completion of testing. It also hires locomotives from operators for various contracts relating to its National Supply Chain (NSC) work, and is looking to increase this work. Spokesman Dan Donovan denied suggestions that NR wanted more rebuilt Class 73/9s from GB Railfreight (NR hires 73961-73965 as part of a ten-year deal). He told RAIL: “There is merely a proposed tender for more locomotives, but we are only considering it at this stage. The process has not begun and we are not focused on any type, build or supplier.” Donovan also explained that NR was in the…

RAIL Minister Paul Maynard apologised to his audience at the Andaz Hotel, London Liverpool Street, for repeating a message that many present had heard before. Speaking of the ambitious plans for the new Greater Anglia franchise, at its launch on October 17, he said: “Forgive me for repeating Dominic Booth’s point [Abellio UK Managing Director], but yes this is ambitious and it is deliberately ambitious. It is crucial to deliver a step-change. Delivering a 55% increase in capacity is transformative.” He added that the Government wanted the region to keep growing, with this growth generated through reduced journey times. The headline figures are Norwich in 90 minutes, Ipswich in 60 minutes and Chelmsford in 30 minutes. We already know that, but Maynard stressed that not everyone wants to go to…

• We should treat Ysenda Maxtone Graham’s puerile and inaccurate article in The Spectator with the contempt it deserves (HS2 Matters, RAIL 809). The use of the word “phallic” is designed to get more hits on search engines. Deliberately provocative articles such as this, using offensive language (“HS2 spits on communities”), are known as ‘clickbait’ and aim to drive traffic to the publication’s website. This sordid tactic works, as the 236 comments show. The national HS2 debate has descended into irrational bigotry unsupported by facts, but HS2 Ltd and the Department for Transport have only themselves to blame. Both have been inept in putting across the key message that the line is about capacity enhancement rather than speed. It is harder to refute the other big criticism of HS2, namely…

• Intense delivery programme: The main section of the route was completed within just 12 months, allowing driver training and rolling stock commissioning in time for the first passengers 15 months after the start of electrification. • Delivery achievements: An intensive and accelerated project was delivered on time, safely, and to budget. • Benefits: The work has achieved what was envisaged, with a new range of destinations provided for communities along the line, a Sunday service now operating, more capacity at Glasgow Central High Level station, much improved network resilience, and new routes for freight operators to benefit economic development in the region. • Local delivery: Carillion and the design team were all Scottish-based, with a locally sourced supply chain. • Skills improvement: New entrants to the rail industry were…

While enjoying RAIL’s coverage on the forthcoming transformation of the railways in East Anglia, I was rather disappointed by the new Rail Minister Paul Maynard’s comments regarding the coastal towns in our region (RAIL 810). I fear he is missing the point with Great Yarmouth, in particular. Yes, it would be excellent to get people back on the trains from Norwich to the coast, but I fear that any new stock as proposed will not be enticing enough? The reason the trains are not popular is that the current terminus at Vauxhall is too far out, with a very poor bus service. On the adjacent A47 there is a bus at a minimum of every 15 minutes that goes directly into the town centre from Norwich city centre. Also, the…

A couple of trips on the Rome underground and then a 120-mile journey from the capital to Terontola (two-thirds of the way to Florence, and a key station in Tuscany for tourists) showed me that the grass is not always greener elsewhere. The Rome underground is far worse than the Tube in London was at its nadir in the 1970s, when fires were commonplace, stations were dark and dingy, and people were actually fearful of travelling on it. Some of the Rome stations, notably the one serving the tourist honeypot of the Trevi Fountains (don’t bother, it’s more crowded than the underground!), are so dark that it was a struggle to read the map, which in any case was difficult to find because there is a shortage of signs and…

“Whoever thought of this idea has never worked at a major station.” When the Thameslink timetable is implemented in stages during 2018, the structure of services will look very different to those planned when the initial Thameslink 2000 project was conceived two decades ago. Back then the expected allocation of the 24 paths per hour operating through the central section between St Pancras International and Blackfriars was to be split equally between the Midland Main Line and Great Northern routes, with the promise of through services to the South Coast from a wide range of stations. Consultation is taking place with stakeholder groups covering the proposed pattern of services, which are now heavily weighted towards the Midland route with 16 trains per hour being provided. Great Northern route stations will…

In its statement, DB Cargo outlined the sharp decline in traffic. It said that between January 1 and September 30 this year, the company ran 1,353 coal trains compared with 6,163 in the same period last year - a drop of 78%. It added that in the same period it ran 5,820 steel trains, down 33% from the 8,733 in January-September 2015. DB highlighted Government energy policy change that has resulted in the early closure of numerous coal-fired power stations, and the planned phaseout of the remaining ones by 2025. Regarding steel, it said that volumes continue to drop much quicker than predicted, with the industry hit by high energy prices, the extra cost of climate change policies and competition from Asia. It added that there was significant structural instability…

The RMT union has consistently demanded that each train should have a second “safety-critical” member of staff. Southern Railway’s offer, unchanged since August 8, has stated that “every train currently operated with a conductor will continue to have either a traditional conductor or a second member of on board employees rostered”. Southern has guaranteed that the new role of On Board Supervisor will continue to be safety competent - including track safety, train evacuation and full commercial route knowledge, excluding train dispatch. But it will also propose a list of “exceptional circumstances” in which a train could continue in service without a second member of on board staff. Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on the first day of the current strikes (October 11), Chief Executive Charles Horton repeated…

“ The UK is highly regarded for its engineering capabilities, but we need to do more to attract new talent to the sector as well as improving the skills of the current workforce. ” CHRIS GRAYLING Secretary of State for Transport checks on the progress at the Birmingham site of the National College for High Speed Rail. “ If you want to work in the railway industry, you have a job for life. ” “We have the most congested railway in Western Europe, but this is not a bad thing - we just need to fix it. ” SIR PETER HENDY Network Rail Chairman delivers the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport Rail Lecture on October 5. “This new role will ensure a clear focus on future rail expansion, modernisation…

“I am the Transport Secretary who wanted to be Transport Secretary.” CHRIS GRAYLING Secretary of State for Transport speaking at the National Transport Awards on October 13. “Over the next ten years I envisage significant strides in the delivery of our public transport network.” KEN SKATES Welsh Government Economy and Infrastructure Secretary reveals an appetite for providing high-quality services as four bidders are selected for the Wales and Borders franchise. “ Train companies must introduce automatic compensation for delays, and structure in genuine passenger representation. ” LIANNA ETKIND Campaign for Better Transport’s Public Transport Campaigner Lianna Etkind responds to the Transport Select Committee’s report on franchising. “We need to be quicker and slicker. ” DOMINIC BOOTH Abellio UK Managing Director outlines his company’s plans as the new Greater Anglia franchise…

A “joined-up railway” is the best way of dealing with the capacity challenges the industry faces, Secretary of State for Transport Chris Grayling told the Commons Transport Select Committee on October 17. In a wide-ranging session, he also acknowledged criticism of Network Rail for project delivery and cost increases, but added: “There is a greater degree of discipline within NR. I do strongly support the Shaw Report… there needs to be a much more joined-up approach to running the railway and much greater co-ordination to running the railway.” Asked whether he believed in greater vertical integration, he said: “I don’t think it’s a secret that I think that our railway now - because it is operating at the extremes of capacity - needs to work together in a much more…

A £400,000 scheme to install a dedicated entrance and customer lounge for Gatwick Express passengers at Gatwick Airport station has been completed. The entrance is intended to make it easier for passengers to reach Gatwick Express trains calling at Platforms 5 and 6, and the lounge features charging points and free WiFi. There is also a countdown clock to tell passengers when the next train to London Victoria will arrive and on which platform. The project was joint-funded by Gatwick Airport.…

Trainline has introduced business profiles in its mobile application for the first time, in a bid to make train travel easier for business travellers. The update means travellers can separate business and leisure accounts quickly, and can bill business trips to a corporate account or company credit card. Digital receipts can be sent direct to a work email address. An SME portal is launching for employers, allowing them to set up an account, invite employees and manage business travel in one location.…

The Department for Transport will work with the Treasury and concerned stakeholders to ensure that schemes due to receive European Union funding serve the UK’s national interest. Transport Minister Andrew Jones repeated a statement made by Chancellor Philip Hammond on August 13 that included a commitment to provide continuity of funding for UK participants in EU programmes. This announcement was made following the Brexit referendum decision to leave the EU. Jones was replying to a Commons Written Question from Grant Shapps (Conservative, Welwyn Hatfield) on October 11. Shapps had asked whether the DfT planned to fund transport infrastructure projects that are completely or partly-funded by EU programmes after the UK leaves the EU. Jones explained: “The Department for Transport has responsibility for UK involvement in the transport element of the…

South Coast results Ministers are considering the findings made in a study into the London and South Coast Rail Corridor, Rail Minister Paul Maynard has confirmed. Replying to a Commons Written Question from Peter Kyle (Labour, Hove), Maynard said Government was committed to publishing the findings. Hull electrification? The Government is considering the case for electrification between Selby and Hull, after Hull Trains announced its intention to buy a fleet of bi-mode trains, Rail Minister Paul Maynard said in a Commons Written Reply to Karl Turner (Labour, Kingston upon Hull East) on October 10.…

Bidders for the West Midlands franchise will be able to remove seats from trains providing they meet certain criteria, Rail Minister Paul Maynard has confirmed. “The Invitation to Tender for the West Midlands franchise allows bidders to propose alternative layouts which could include fewer seats and more standing space for services which operate on the ‘Cross-City’ line in Birmingham,” he wrote in a Commons Written Reply to Shadow Transport Secretary Andy McDonald on October 17. “This option is included in response to the West Midlands franchise consultation, where there was a particularly strong response from respondents that use this line about changing the current 3+2 seating arrangement to provide wider aisles and more spacious and comfortable standing areas.”…

“To disrupt the lives of passengers to protect the old ways of working is simply not acceptable.” Chris Grayling, Secretary of State for Transport THERE is still a lot to do to improve the rail industry, Secretary of State for Transport Chris Grayling said in his first major speech since being appointed to the role. “When I arrived in the department, I gave my team a very simple message. We put the travelling public first,” Grayling told his audience at the National Transport Awards on October 13. He said he was a ‘customer’ of the railway, adding: “I am also one of the customers who sits on delayed trains wondering what on earth is going on. I am one of the passengers who queues at a machine in the morning…

Bloxwich meetings Network Rail held two information sessions in Walsall in October, to inform local residents about the upgrade of the Rugeley-Birmingham New Street Chase Line. A level crossing on Willenhall Lane (Bloxwich) will be closed during the upgrade. SMS service launched A new text message service offering travel advice to public transport users is said to be the first such free service in the country. Users can text 07800 002180 to receive almost instant advice to travel queries. Dalton is Telent MD Steve Dalton is to take over from Steve Pears as managing director of Telent Rail. He was previously managing director of the company’s Network Services division.…

Rolling stock developed for the Northern Powerhouse could be used on HS2, Transport Minister Andrew Jones said on October 12. “Transport for the North are leading the development of a number of options for Northern Powerhouse Rail, including options that make use of sections of the HS2 network,” he wrote in a Commons Written Reply to Luciana Berger (Labour, Liverpool Wavertree). “Should Northern Powerhouse Rail be integrated directly with sections of the HS2 network, the rolling stock will be specified to operate on HS2 infrastructure.”…

Network Rail will refurbish Whalley Viaduct, on the Clitheroe to Manchester route, in a £1.6 million project. No train services will be disrupted during the work. The scheme will last six months and involves strengthening the structure and improving drainage. In total, 2,800 steel brackets and 16,800 anchors will be fixed to the viaduct to improve its stability. Around 0.8 miles of handrails will be fitted while the work is being carried out. A new 400-metre drainage channel and 16 catch pits will be dug out, and will include a flow control chamber. This will hold excess surface water from the track during heavy rainfall, preventing it from entering into the River Calder. The excess water will instead be slowly released into the river when water levels have dropped. Work…

The West Midlands Combined Authority says High Speed 2 will provide more job opportunities and greater prosperity for people in the region. “The positive impact that HS2 can make to our local economy and to people’s job prospects, in particular young people, should not be underestimated,” WMCA Chairman Bob Sleigh said of Secretary of State for Transport Chris Grayling’s commitment to the project. “It is why we are determined to make the most of HS2, and maximise the benefits by putting in place the local transport links needed to connect and feed into the line, and the job training and apprenticeships that will equip people with the right skills to fill the thousands of jobs that will be created. “The West Midlands will sit at the heart of the UK…

The last of Manchester Metrolink’s new second-generation M5000 trams (3120) has been dispatched to the UK by Bombardier. It is the 120th to be built in the past seven years. It left Vienna on September 27, and will enter traffic later this year. The first of the Bombardier M5000 trams (3001) entered traffic on December 16 2009. The new trams have enabled Metrolink to withdraw the T68s that have been used when the system opened in 1992, with the final one removed from traffic in 2014. Transport for Greater Manchester Committee Chairman Councillor Andrew Fender said: “Coupled with the recent return of services to a bigger and better St Peter’s Square, and with the opening of the Second City Crossing just around the corner, we are ensuring Metrolink will continue…

Several level crossings in east Nottinghamshire are to close in October and November, to enable work as part of a £48 million upgrade. Mechanical signals between Lowdham and Newark will be replaced by colour light signals controlled from the East Midlands Control Centre in Derby. Buses replaced trains on the route on October 1/2/23 and November 5/6. The level crossings affected are Lowdham and Bleasby (which closed on October 3), Moreton and Rolleston (October 8-24), Fiskerton (October 8-22) and Staythorpe (October 22-November 7). Pedestrian access will be maintained throughout the closures. Platforms at Lowdham and Fiskerton stations will be extended from later in the year.…

The railway at Bromsgrove will be closed for 12 days from October 26 to November 6, for preparations for electrification to the town from Barnt Green. The works will allow all four platforms to be used at Bromsgrove’s new station (opened in July). Tracks, points and crossings in the area will be reconfigured, and signalling between Five Ways and Ashchurch brought into use. When electrification is completed by December 2017, four trains an hour will be able to operate between Birmingham and Bromsgrove. During the blockade, buses will replace trains serving Bromsgrove, while trains between Birmingham, Hereford, South Wales and the South West will be subject to timetable alterations and diversions. There will also be timetable changes on the Birmingham Snow Hill line, to allow for the diversion of long-distance…

Six Class 319s bound for Northern remain at Wolverton Works. The four-car electric multiple units have been sent off-lease by Govia Thameslink Railway, and will be introduced by their new operator later this year. Eight have been selected to move from GTR to Northern, with 319218 and 319219 having moved to Allerton. Still at Wolverton are 319004/005, 319436/442/448/456. Northern is introducing more electric services from this December, using ‘319s’ sent off-lease by GTR. The operator already uses 20 EMUs for its Northern Electrics services in the North West, which launched in February 2015.…

‘84’ to Bo’ness Preserved 84001, which is owned by the National Railway Museum, has moved to Bo’ness & Kinneil Railway, where it will be displayed in the Scottish Railway Museum. It arrived by road from Barrow Hill on September 27. DRS Yorkshire ‘20s’ Direct Rail Services is again using Class 20s on railhead treatment trains in Yorkshire. The Type 1s have been reinstated for the seasonal work. Based at York are 20303/305/308/312. ‘20’ due for repaint Destined for main line use, 20007 has arrived at Midland Railway - Butterley for final repairs and a repaint. It will join 20142/189, 20205 in the 20189 Locomotive Limited fleet. ROG Class 47 to Ely Rail Operations Group 47848 has moved to Ely for carriage heating duties. It replaces 47815, which has been used…

Abellio will introduce three key stages of timetable changes during the new franchise. By May 2019 - making the existing timetable more robust, increasing train lengths where possible, and using infrastructure enhancements in the Lea Valley to add an extra two trains per hour between Stratford and Angel Road. From May 2019 - ‘Norwich in 90’ achieved by two trains per day in each direction. These will run up to London in the morning peak, and down to Norwich in the evening peak. There will be an extra train each hour between Ipswich and Norwich by extending the existing London to Ipswich trains. Lowestoft will be linked to London by four trains per day, while Norwich-Cambridge trains will be extended to Stansted Airport. Southend services will be increased from three…

Information-sharing event: Update on the Hillingdon Traffic Study report and Ground Investigations Surveys Since the House of Commons Select Committee, HS2 has been actively engaging with the Borough and Transport for London in a series of workshops to identify ways of reducing HGV traffic movements in the West Ruislip and Ickenham area - in particular, the peak two-way HGV movements from 1,060 to a maximum of 550 per day at Swakeleys Roundabout. This event is an opportunity to learn about the findings of those workshops. Date: November 3 Time: 1500-2100 Location: St Giles’ Church Hall, Corner of Swakeleys Road and High Road, Ickenham UB10 8BG…