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Rail Magazine

Northern 156472 passes a level crossing on the Northumberland Line. NORTHERN.
News

Delay to next Northumberland Line stations explained

Northern and Northumberland County Council celebrate half a million journeys since line opened in December.

Northern 7 Aug
Freightliner 70008 operates the 1257 intermodal service to Crewe Basford Hall on July 25 2014, shortly after leaving London Gateway. PAUL SHANNON.
News

Freight operators look for ways to run more London Gateway services

London Gateway 6 Aug
TransPennine Express Class 802 between Church Fenton and York. NETWORK RAIL.
News

Transpennine Route Upgrade: York-Church Fenton electrification complete

Transpennine Route Upgrade 7 Aug
Varamis Rail 321334 heads south on the West Coast Main Line at Wandel Mill (north of Abington) with the 1818 Mossend to Birmingham International parcels train on June 15 2023. The operator has now suspended services until September. STUART FOWLER.
News

Varamis vows to fight on after pausing operations

6 Aug
Robin Gisby when he was Managing Director, Network Operations at Network Rail. NETWORK RAIL.
News

DFTO Chief Executive to leave as up to 300 DfT staff prepare to move to operator

Department for Transport 6 Aug
The first Metrolink tram on test in Exchange Square on November 1. TFGM.
News

TfGM Launches £1.6bn Metrolink Procurement Process

Light rail 6 Aug
Marchwood station.
News

Alliance Rail frustration at Network Rail's Marchwood objection

Open access 4 Aug
A former TransPennine Express Mk5 rake stands at Long Marston on June 18. DAVID STUBBINGS.
News

Chiltern Railways finally confirms £360m Mk 5A deal

Chiltern Railways 5 Aug
London Underground Roundel. TFL
News

Man run over by London Underground train looking for him - inquest

Transport for London 5 Aug
Latest news

Comment

The first Tarmac ‘jumbo service’, comprising 39 wagons hauled by a Freightliner Class 70 and ‘66’, ran between Tarmac’s Tunstead quarry and Wembley Yard in London on March 17 2021. It carried material destined for infrastructure projects in the South East such as HS2. NETWORK RAIL.
Comment

What rail freight customers need to expand

Rail reform must help business keep expansion on track, says Chris Swan, Head of Rail for Tarmac.

Industry views 5 Aug
OLE work south of Bedford on the Midland Main Line in October 2023. NETWORK RAIL.
Comment

Battery benefits

Benefits could come from developing battery power, argues Noel Dolphin of OLE supplier Furrer+Frey.

Industry views 28 Jul
OLE work south of Bedford on the Midland Main Line in October 2023. NETWORK RAIL.
Comment

Battery benefits

Industry views 28 Jul
RAIL columnist Christian Wolmar
Comment

Why Britain needs a proper transport strategy

Christian Wolmar 25 Jul
On July 11, construction work continues on the platform hall of the new underground station at Stuttgart. Wolmar says the project has attracted criticism for delays and escalating costs. ALAMY.
Comment

Things go wrong in Europe too

Christian Wolmar 24 Jul
Avanti West Coast 390118 passes Docker on October 5 2024, with the 0707 Birmingham New Street to Glasgow Central. Improved frequencies and faster speeds following electrification attracted more business to the West Coast Main Line. TOM MCATEE.
Comment

Electrification history repeats itself

Phil Haigh 23 Jul

Insights from the experts
Feature

Pulling in the same direction

At the heart of the Great Western Main Line, work is under way on a project that will form part of the government’s mission of reshaping how Britain’s railways are run. RICHARD WILCOCK learns more from DARYN MCCOMBE, the man leading the project

TOCs 6 Aug
Feature

Electrostars get new lease of life at Hornsey Depot

TOCs 7 Aug
Artist’s impressions of White Rose station… once completed and in operation. MUNROE K.
Feature

When will new Leeds station open?

Stations 24 Jul
377312 sits at Selhurst Depot, waiting for its refurbishment to begin. RICHARD WILCOCK.
Feature

A new dawn for Electrostars as £100m project nears completion

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

RAIL events

National Rail Awards 2024. JACK BOSKETT.
News

National Rail Awards 2025 nominations announced

National Rail Awards 23 Jul
McCulloch reel handler. JACK BOSKETT
Feature

Rail Live 2025: the essential tech

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

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