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Rail Magazine

Avanti West Coast 807001 awaits departure from Liverpool Lime Street on November 11 2024 with the 0901 to London Euston. AVANTI WEST COAST.
News

Avanti West Coast at risk of losing extra Liverpool paths after track access appeal

Appeal by Virgin over the way Network Rail handled track access situation is partially upheld.

Avanti West Coast 22 Jul
Containers are loaded onto the train ready for its return to Birch Coppice.
News

Study for potential South West freight terminal under way

Rail freight 22 Jul
News

Government confirms HS2 eastern leg land sale but no decision on western leg

HS2 21 Jul
ScotRail 318268 arrives at Exhibition Centre station on July 15 2019. ALAMY.
News

Alternative funding options being considered to finance new ScotRail fleet

ScotRail 22 Jul
London Waterloo.
News

Severe disruption at London Waterloo as rare Do Not Travel notice issued

Network Rail 21 Jul
Helping a disabled passenger
News

Still too many instances of booked assisted travel not happening as lift failures increase

Office of Rail and Road 21 Jul
c2c Managing Director Rob Mullen with Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander. DEPARTMENT FOR TRANSPORT.
News

c2c managers to be "allowed to get on" after nationalisation

c2c 18 Jul
99001 at GBRf's Peterborough Depot on July 17
News

"A new benchmark of performance": Dual-mode Class 99 launched by GBRf

GB Railfreight 18 Jul
Blue House Lane level crossing. RAIB.
News

Level crossing investigation notes danger posed by trains obscured by others

Level crossings 21 Jul
Latest news

Comment

Work began last October on the installation of 2,000 vertical concrete columns for the foundations of HS2’s Birmingham’s Curzon Street station. Wolmar says abandoning the project is not viable, and that the endgame of trains running from Curzon Street to Old Oak Common (at least) justifies the controversy and the waiting. HS2 LTD.
Comment

HS2: grin and bear it

He's never been an HS2 fan. But we must finish what we've started, says Christian Wolmar.

Christian Wolmar 18 Jul
HS2 Ltd Chief Executive Mark Wild speaks to workers in May, after Tunnel Boring Machine Mary Ann broke through at Washwood Heath depot. Wild has noted critical gaps in the company for commercial, technical, assurance, control and finance expertise. ALAMY.
Comment

HS2's top obstacles

Philip Haigh examines two reports that lay bare why the mega-project has gone so wrong… and considers if anything can be done to get it back on track.

Phil Haigh 16 Jul
HS2 Ltd Chief Executive Mark Wild speaks to workers in May, after Tunnel Boring Machine Mary Ann broke through at Washwood Heath depot. Wild has noted critical gaps in the company for commercial, technical, assurance, control and finance expertise. ALAMY.
Comment

HS2's top obstacles

Phil Haigh 16 Jul
Source: GREENGAUGE 21
Comment

Reinforce where rail links meet to meet North West’s needs

Industry views 9 Jul
Manchester has been favoured by the government, with transport plans including a Metrolink extension to Stockport and new tram stops. Longer two-car trams to reduce the double-heading of the ‘M5000’ Bombardier/Alstom units has also been suggested locally. In such a formation, Metrolink Trams 3046 and 3047 cross the River Irwell on August 11 2004, approaching Radcliffe with a Bury to Altrincham service. TOM MCATEE.
Comment

How far will money for trams go?

Industry views 8 Jul
RAIL columnist Christian Wolmar
Comment

The madness of the 28,000 jobs claim

Christian Wolmar 4 Jul

Insights from the experts

377312 sits at Selhurst Depot, waiting for its refurbishment to begin. RICHARD WILCOCK.
Feature

A new dawn for Electrostars

Over the past five years, Govia Thameslink Railway has been quietly overhauling its fleet of Class 377s and ‘387s’. As the refurbishment reaches its completion, RICHARD WILCOCK visits Selhurst Depot in south London to learn more about Project Aurora.

Maintenance and refurb 22 Jul
Piccadilly Line train car at Siemens factory in Goole
Feature

Cautious optimism for rail's future, Siemens Joint CEO tells RAIL

GBR 15 Jul
The first section of roof to be restored as part of the wider Huddersfield station upgrade was unveiled in April. With the expansive scaffolding structure now moved so the restoration of the next section can commence. Northern Class 150 waits at the west-facing Penistone Platform 2. This platform will be moved closer to the main entrance to improve accessibility. CHRIS HOWE.
Feature

Milestones for Manchester-Leeds

Major projects 2 Jul
On September 4 2007, and by now the Chief Executive of Eurostar, Richard Brown was at Gare du Nord in Paris to mark the start of running over high-speed lines to London’s refurbished St Pancras. It was effectively the completion of the Channel Tunnel project. ALAMY.
Feature

Interview: ex-Eurostar boss Richard Brown

GBR 27 Jun
The Networker trains, built for British Rail, are getting close to life-expired. But they will take “several years to replace” says Steve White. Networker 465005 calls at Gravesend in 2015. SOUTH EASTERN RAILWAY.
Feature

Southeastern becomes South Eastern

TOCs 8 Jul
LNER 82205 stands at Leeds on May 22 before departing with the 1245 to London King's Cross. SNAPPITYSNAPS PHOTOGRAPHY.
Feature

“This is the East Coast thoroughbred”

Locomotives 24 Jun
Dating from 1984, the ‘Highland Chieftain’ service was originally operated by HSTs, with Azumas taking over in 2019. On July 21 2021, 800112 is between Inverness and Aviemore, as it heads over Slochd Viaduct with the ‘Highland Chieftain’ for London. Under the current public (as opposed to working) timetable, northbound trains leave King’s Cross at 1200 and arrive in Inverness at 2007, while southbound trains depart from the Highland city at 0755 and arrive in London at 1549. NIGEL CAPELLE.
Feature

Review: ‘Chieftain’ is a practical long-distance choice

Reviews 24 Jun

RAIL events

McCulloch reel handler. JACK BOSKETT
Feature

Rail Live 2025: the essential tech

Plant & equipment 14 Jul
Network Rail Chief Executive Sir Andrew Haines with RAIL Editor Dickon Ross at Rail Live. JACK BOSKETT/RAIL.
News

Rail reform "frustratingly slow" says Network Rail Chief Executive

Rail reform 9 Jul
At York on April 20, Grand Central 180102 has arrived with the 1213 Sunderland-London King’s Cross, while CrossCountry 220018 and 221132 wait with the 1105 Edinburgh-Penzance. STEVE WIDDOWSON.
News

UK "could have diesel trains for 30 years" amid lack of electrification strategy

Electrification 8 Jul
Grand Central's 180104 speeds through South Otterington (near Northallerton) on September 12 2024 with the 0853 Sunderland to London King’s Cross. ALEX AYRE.
News

"Too much smoke and mirrors" about open access - Haines

Open access 7 Jul

Reviews

Dating from 1984, the ‘Highland Chieftain’ service was originally operated by HSTs, with Azumas taking over in 2019. On July 21 2021, 800112 is between Inverness and Aviemore, as it heads over Slochd Viaduct with the ‘Highland Chieftain’ for London. Under the current public (as opposed to working) timetable, northbound trains leave King’s Cross at 1200 and arrive in Inverness at 2007, while southbound trains depart from the Highland city at 0755 and arrive in London at 1549. NIGEL CAPELLE.
Feature

Review: ‘Chieftain’ is a practical long-distance choice

In RAIL’s latest Mystery Shopper, we take LNER’s ‘Highland Chieftain’ to Inverness, boarding at Peterborough. How does it fare against driving or flying?

Reviews 24 Jun
The main entrance to the Irish Ferries terminal at Dublin Port. ANDY COMFORT
Feature

Review: train and ferry together tickets

Reviews 3 Jun
The replacement bus wasn’t too bad, but getting off it was time-consuming as it was single file only. RAIL
Feature

Review: the dreaded rail replacement buses

Reviews 16 May
Refurbished and in its new livery, CrossCountry 170101 passes Elford occupation bridge with a Nottingham-Cardiff Central service on April 9. On their Birmingham-Cambridge journey, our Mystery Shopper had to ‘rough it’ on an unrefurbished unit. PAUL KEIGHTLEY.
Feature

Review: 170 (minutes) on a crowded Class 170

Reviews 28 Apr
Glasgow Central is Scotland’s busiest station. As well as commuter and semi-fast trains, Sleeper and inter-city trains also use the terminus. 385022 has just arrived with the 0852 from Lanark-Glasgow Central, while 156495 has arrived from Kilmarnock.
Feature

Review: ScotRail with a 'Spirit of Scotland' rover ticket

Reviews 7 Mar