Comment

Grayling's review can get rail devolution back on track

30.10.18: Jonathan Bray, director of the Urban Transport Group, states that the government rail sector review offers the opportunity to put control of the railways back where it belongs. Last month, the government launched what it called a ‘roo...

The Railway Test Facility

30.10.18: John de Bono, research fellow at the Nottingham University’s Nottingham Centre for Geomechanics, sheds a light on their Railway Test Facility. The University of Nottingham’s Railway Test Facility is a full-scale experimental fac...

Northern Powerhouse Rail: The need for change

18.09.18: Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) will be transformational for the north – it will change the way people live, work, and play. It will rebalance the UK economy, and also make sure the north can take full advantage of the opportunities HS2 wil...

Innovation through people and technology

18.09.18: Ian Prosser, HM chief inspector of railways and director of railway safety at the ORR, picks out the key industry challenges to focus on based on the regulator’s most recent annual health and safety report. In the ORR’s most rec...

Why we all must mind the gap

18.09.18: Clair Mowbray, chief executive of the National College for High Speed Rail (NCHSR), explains how we can all ensure the UK’s next generation of talented engineers are not only equipped with the skills necessary for major infrastructure proj...

3D printing: from virtual to real

11.09.18: Like so many other technological advancements, 3D printing has moved from being the stuff of science fiction, through niche industrial application, to increasingly becoming a common industry tool and even a reality in the home. David Shipman, in...

Repoint: A way out of the perfect storm

11.09.18: The Repoint project was originally created to examine capacity constraints at junctions. But fast-forward seven years and the radical scheme has completely changed every aspect of the track switch as we know it. Sam Bemment, senior research and...

Digitisation: Confessions of a dinosaur

11.09.18: Digitisation is taking the railways by storm. Are our staff ready to embrace it? Neil Robertson, chief executive of NSAR, talks all things technology. How many times have you heard that the digital revolution is coming? Every day we are exh...

Past, present & future: The rail heritage of Tees Valley

11.09.18: Two centuries ago, the world’s first public railway to use steam locomotives was officially opened at the heart of the north east. Fast-forward to 2018 and the rich transport heritage of the area continues to prosper. Ben Houchen, the Tees...

Alstom: Creating something special

04.09.18: Jason Baldock, director of high-speed rail at Alstom UK & Ireland, takes a journey through the company’s high-speed rail heritage to demonstrate what sets it apart in the race to build HS2’s shiny new rolling stock. As the o...

Hitachi & Bombardier: A high-speed legacy

04.09.18: Barrie Cottam and Rob Davies, Hitachi Rail and Bombardier HS2 joint venture bid directors, explain how the two companies would harness their railway heritage and global reputation to deliver a world-class fleet for the high-speed line. Hita...

LNER: Business as usual

04.09.18: On 24 June, the operation of the East Coast Main Line (ECML) service transferred from Virgin Trains East Coast to the newly-created London North Eastern Railway (LNER). David Horne, its managing director, talks about the first few months and wha...

HS2 Leeds depot: Driving more than just trains

04.09.18: In July, the government confirmed Leeds as the site of the new HS2 eastern leg rolling stock depot. Councillor Judith Blake, leader of Leeds City Council and West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) board member, explains how her region is ready...

Siemens: Unrivalled experience

04.09.18: Siemens has a well-established footprint in the UK and has long been a part of its industrial heritage. Now, with HS2 just around the corner, it could go one step further and deliver the most reliable and advanced trains for the brand-new high-s...

Network Rail: We have been listening

30.08.18: Network Rail has heard you – and now, it is easier to work with. Mona Sihota, the organisation’s national professional head of asset protection and optimisation (ASPRO), a brand-new role within the company, talks about what’s i...