All articles by Rail Business UK – Page 109
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Rail Business UKUK railway news round-up
Worcestershire Parkway station opened on February 23, served by GWR and CrossCountry. The fully-accessible station has a single platform on the North Cotswolds Line and two platforms on the route from the Midlands to South Wales, along with toilets, a ticket desk, a 500-space car park, secure ...
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Rail Business UKSPL Powerlines UK opens head office
UK: Electrification design and installation contractor SPL Powerlines UK formally opened its headquarters in Coatbridge to the east of Glasgow on February 20. The complex has 1 000 m2 of office space and work halls, with room for future growth. Around 50 employees have moved into the ...
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Rail Business UKSignalling equipment on stilts helps storm-proof main line
UK: Network Rail’s decision to mount signalling equipment on 3 m high stilts following previous flood damage meant the West Coast Main Line at Caldew Junction just north of Carlisle was able to reopen within 24 h of flooding during Storm Ciara on February 9, compared to ...
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Rail Business UK‘Trusted, bold and innovative’ companies sought for East West Rail
UK: Project promoter East West Railway Co has published a Prior Information Notice seeking specialist companies to participate in the development of the planned Oxford – Cambridge rail corridor. A market engagement event is to be held in Milton Keynes on March 5. ‘Our mission is to ...
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Rail Business UKNorthern franchise termination was the only option, says Transport for the North
Industry sources have expressed some unease at the decision to terminate Arriva’s franchise rather than agree to its proposals for stabilisation. But termination was the only available option, Transport for the North Strategic Rail Director David Hoggarth tells Rail Business UK’s Tony Miles.
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Rail Business UKPrince of Wales inaugurates CAF’s Newport rolling stock factory
Source: Tony Miles UK: CAF’s rolling stock factory at Newport was formally inaugurated by the Prince of Wales on February 21, when he toured the facility and learned more about the complex process of building trains. CAF now employs around 200 people at the factory on the ...
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Rail Business UKNetwork Rail opens STEM learning facility to inspire the next generation
UK: Network Rail has opened a dedicated STEM learning facility with the aim of closing national skills gaps by inspiring children to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and maths. Schoolchildren and community groups can participate in a range of STEM-based activities at ...
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Rail Business UKSouth Western Railway announces additional strike compensation
UK: South Western Railway has announced additional compensation above normal delay repay arrangements for passengers who were affected by industrial action in December. The cost of up to five days of travel will be paid to season ticket holders and daily ticket holders who travelled frequently. Season ...
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Rail Business UKPorterbrook appoints former Labour adviser as Director of Public Affairs
UK: Leasing company Porterbrook has appointed James McGowan as Director of Public Affairs with effect from March 2. McGowan has more than 20 years’ experience in politics and communications, most recently as transport policy adviser to Labour’s Shadow Transport Secretary Andy McDonald. Before that, he was Head ...
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Rail Business UKGrand Central prepares to launch London – Blackpool services
Source: DB Cargo UK UK: The first of five Class 90 electric locomotives to receive open access passenger operator Grand Central’s branding has been unveiled ahead of the launch of London Euston – Blackpool North services this spring. Four of the 175 km/h locomotives hired from DB ...
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Rail Business UKUK railway news round-up
Andrew Stephenson MP was appointed Minister of State at the Department for Transport on February 13, with responsibility for HS2, Northern Powerhouse Rail and the Trans-Pennine Route Upgrade. He was first elected as Conservative MP for Pendle in May 2010, and had been Minister of State at ...
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Rail Business UKWherry lines resignalling goes live
UK: The Norwich – Great Yarmouth line reopened on February 17, services having been suspended since February 1 during a major project to replace the mechanical signalling with digital equipment controlled from Colchester. Final works are underway for the Norwich – Lowestoft line to ...
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Rail Business UKUnited call for a rolling programme of electrification
UK: Business, passenger, freight and community groups have published an open letter calling on Secretary of State for Transport Grant Shapps to end the stop-start nature of railway electrification projects and instead kick-start an ‘ambitious’ rolling programme. The letter says electric railways: have carbon emissions ...
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Rail Business UKOn-train connectivity ‘stuck in the digital dark ages’
UK: The National Infrastructure Commission has published its Connected Future: Getting Back on Track report, saying that progress with providing mobile connectivity on trains has stalled since the government accepted the findings of its 2016 Connected Future report. NIC found there are few technical barriers to delivering ...
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Rail Business UKWigan multiple-unit depot inaugurated
Source: Tony Miles UK: Northern and Network Rail have inaugurated a £46m rolling stock stabling and light maintenance facility at Wigan Springs Branch, alongside the former diesel locomotive depot now used by Network Rail. The four-road depot provides Northern with an additional base for its expanding fleet, ...
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Rail Business UKUnite seeks reassurance about future of Bombardier’s Derby factory
UK: Trade union Unite said it was seeking reassurances about the long-term future of the Bombardier Transportation factory in Derby following Alstom’s announcement on February 17 that it had signed a memorandum of understanding to acquire Bombardier Inc’s activities in the rail sector. ‘The Bombardier factory in ...
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Rail Business UKTransport Focus publishes penalty fare appeals investigation
UK: Transport Focus has published its Penalty Fares – the Appeals Process investigation into how passengers are treated when they appeal a penalty fare to two independent bodies under the regulations which came into force in 2018. The watchdog found problems with the signposting of the service, ...
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Rail Business UKWest Midlands Trains required to spend £20m on improvements
Source: Tony Miles UK: West Midlands Trains must spend an extra £20m on improving services for passengers as a penalty for breaching its performance targets, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said on February 9. The £20m will be used for a variety of measures including compensating passengers by ...
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Rail Business UKWilliam Cook Rail commissions bogie overhaul workshop
UK: William Cook Rail has commissioned a 750 m2 bogie overhaul workshop where it can undertake cleaning, shot blasting, non-destructive testing, repair welding, component replacement, painting and rebuilding work. This is complemented by machining facilities capable of accommodating complete bogie frames after repair. The company said the ...
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Rail Business UKFive ‘crunch points’ for the UK rail network
UK: Ahead of the government delivering the first budget of the new parliament on March 11, the Railway Industry Association has highlighted five ‘crunch points’ for the rail network in 2020-24. These are: ‘boom and bust’ renewals; a lack of shovel-ready enhancements and, whilst acknowledging the ...