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Rail Magazine

An HS2 tunnel boring machine is lowered into position.
News

Stewart Review lays bare fundamental issues with HS2

Scathing report details years of chronic mismanagement and failures at all levels of HS2.

HS2 23 Jun
Southern 377312 awaits final inspection after undergoing refurbishment at GTR’s Selhurst Depot in South London. As the five-year project comes to an end, the team has been working on one unit per week. RICHARD WILCOCK.
News

Five-year £100m refurbishment of Govia Thameslink trains nears completion

Govia Thameslink Railway 23 Jun
A new Piccadilly Line train on test. SIEMENS.
News

New Piccadilly Line trains delayed until second half of 2026

London Underground 20 Jun
A Southeastern Class 377 EMU
News

Manager of new Southeastern and Network Rail unification explains how operation will work

Southeastern 20 Jun
Network Rail teams replacing track at Lymington Pier station
News

Rail industry only training half the number of people it needs, MPs told

Transport Select Committee 19 Jun
DB Cargo 66090 west of Calvert on East West Rail with 1104 Didcot-Northampton Gateway intermodal service, the first freight flow on the route. PHIL MARSH.
News

East West Rail working timetable drawn up as first freight train uses route

East West Rail 19 Jun
GBRf's 57310 approaches Shrewsbury with the 0826 Haverfordwest-Pwllheli Britannic Explorer dry run on June 10. DAVID STUBBINGS.
News

Changes for Britannic Explorer as GBRf readies train's introduction

GB Railfreight 20 Jun
RAIL Editor Dickon Ross
News

Comment: Here comes the sun

Dickon Ross 18 Jun
93001 at Glasgow Central on June 9. SNAPPITYSNAPS PHOTOGRAPHY.
News

Class 93s reach new locations as testing continues

Rail Operations Group 18 Jun
Latest news

Comment

RAIL Editor Dickon Ross
News

Comment: Here comes the sun

Times are tough but the Spending Review offers reasons to be cheerful and the sun is out at RAIL Live

Dickon Ross 18 Jun
RAIL columnist Christian Wolmar
Comment

Comment: First Class delights with an occasional pang of hunger

Christian Wolmar samples a first class service and asks if it's really worth the extra.

Christian Wolmar 13 Jun
RAIL columnist Christian Wolmar
Comment

Comment: First Class delights with an occasional pang of hunger

Christian Wolmar 13 Jun
RAIL columnist Christian Wolmar
Comment

Comment: The stakes have been raised on rail ‘renationalisation’

Christian Wolmar 11 Jun
Columnist Phil Haigh
Comment

Comment: Room for improvement for Yorkshire’s rail services

Phil Haigh 9 Jun
RAIL columnist Christian Wolmar
Comment

Comment: The need to recruit drivers - both young and old

Christian Wolmar 3 Jun

Insights from the experts

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander unveils the new “GBR - Coming Soon” logo at SWR’s Bournemouth Depot on May 22. PAUL CLIFTON.
Feature

SWR returns to the public domain - but what difference will it make?

…but what difference will it make to services and passengers? Paul Clifton canvasses the opinion of rail leaders on SWR’s past, present and future.

Policy 10 Jun
Bridlington is a key location on the route served by the Community Rail Partnership. Northern 170477 waits to leave the Yorkshire seaside town with the 1300 Scarborough to Sheffield service on March 23 2022. PAUL BIGGS.
Feature

A railway with “people at its heart”

Engineering 13 Jun
Could a stop like this be coming to somewhere near you? This mock-up is a proof-of-concept design for the planned Coventry VLR system. RAIL PHOTOGRAPHY: PETER PLISNER.
Feature

Very light rail: the lower cost alternative to traditional light rail

Light rail 11 Jun
On November 30 2023, Transport for Wales 197050 stands at Neston with the 0950 Bidston to Wrexham. The ‘197s’ have been introduced to boost services on the Borderlands line. CHRIS HOWE.
Feature

Borderlands bids to revive its fortunes

Engineering 9 Jun
The main entrance to the Irish Ferries terminal at Dublin Port. ANDY COMFORT
Feature

Review: train and ferry together tickets

Reviews 3 Jun
Transport for Wales Class 197008 and 158818 stand at Shrewsbuy station on May 13. The station may soon be welcoming direct London trains, if WSMR’s application is approved. DAVID STUBBINGS.
Feature

Wrexham and Shropshire open access managers explain their vision

TOCs 3 Jun
Ukrainian railway delegates at Rail Live 2024
Feature

Rail Live 2025: The agenda and subjects for day two’s seminar theatres

Engineering 3 Jun

RAIL events

RAIL Editor Dickon Ross
News

Comment: Here comes the sun

Dickon Ross 18 Jun
Porterbrook’s HydroFLEX unit 799201 will be on display at Rail Live 2025, in a new livery to commemorate Railway 200. On June 21 2023, it departs Honeybourne with one of the day’s special shuttle services to that year’s Rail Live. DARREN FORD.
News

Rail Live 2025 walk-through so you don't miss the fantastic attractions

Rail Live 11 Jun
Ukrainian railway delegates at Rail Live 2024
Feature

Rail Live 2025: The agenda and subjects for day two’s seminar theatres

Engineering 3 Jun
RAIL Live Panel for sustainability
News

Rail Live 2025: The agenda and topics for day one's seminar theatres

Rail Live 30 May

Reviews

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

Review: train and ferry together tickets

With through train and ferry tickets available from most stations in Britain to Ireland and the Netherlands, Andy Comfort samples Sail Rail.

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
At Carlisle… heading north to Wemyss Bay. PETER PLISNER
Feature

How far will split tickets and railcards take you on UK rail?

Passengers 5 Mar