Scottish diesel operations to continue to 2045
UK: The deadline for removing diesel powered passenger trains from the Scottish rail network has been put back from 2035 to 2045.
ScotRail begins HST replacement process
UK: ScotRail has formally begun the procurement of trainsets to replace the current fleet of 25 HST sets used on Inter7City services.
Northumberland Line service from Newcastle to Ashington launched
UK: Cheers greeted the arrival of the first Northumberland Line passenger service at Ashington station on December 15, more than 60 years after services to Newcastle were withdrawn in November 1964 and the route became freight-only.
Greater Anglia expands paper roll ticketing
UK: Following a trial backed by the Rail Delivery Group, a further 194 Scheidt & Bachmann ticket machines on Greater Anglia routes are to switch to using paper roll ticket instead of the traditional orange magnetic stripe cards.
‘We grow, they grow’: FirstGroup sets out open access rail aims
Following FirstGroup’s announcement that it is to order more trains to support its growth drive in the open access market, First Rail Managing Director Steve Montgomery explains the next steps to Rail Business UK.
Southeastern to support supply chain in driving environmental and social change
UK: Train operator Southeastern has partnered with consultancy Action Sustainability to help small and medium-sized enterprises in its supply chain drive positive environmental and social change.
FirstGroup orders more Hitachi trains to underpin open access growth ambitions
UK: FirstGroup is to expand its open access fleet with an order for 14 Class 80X trainsets from Hitachi Rail.
Rail industry responds to confirmation that SWR, c2c and Greater Anglia will transfer to the public sector in 2025
UK: The government has confirmed the timescales for the first three train operators to transfer to the public sector following royal assent to the Passenger Railway Services (Public Ownership) Act 2024 which provides the legal framework.
Tri-mode trains launch South Wales Metro electric services
UK: Transport for Wales put its Stadler Class 756 tri-mode multiple-units into passenger service on November 18, launching electric operation as part of the South Wales Metro programme to upgrade lines around Cardiff.
Next London Overground operator sought
UK: Transport for London has invited requests to participate in the procurement of the next London Overground operating concessionaire.
Grand Central applies to extend track access rights to 2038
UK: Open access operator Grand Central has formerly applied to industry regulator the Office for Rail & Road to extend its current track access rights which run to 2027 until 2038 to ensure its long-term future.