Latest Rail News

Delays to £68m rail line upgrade to keep Norfolk branch line closed

11.01.19: A Norfolk branch line will remain closer after a major £68m railway upgrade for the line has been delayed. The upgrade project on the line between Norwich, Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft was due to be completed by 31 March, but this dea... more >

Engineers able to predict and fix track faults before they develop using new Costain augmented reality tech

11.01.19: Engineers will be able to use augmented reality (AR) to predict failing components and faults on train tracks and in stations after engineering companies, in collaboration with a university, have developed a network of Internet of Things (IoT). ... more >

Investigation launched after track worker forced to dodge train with two seconds to spare

10.01.19: An investigation has been launched after a track worker removing cables from a rail line was forced to dodge a train less than two seconds before the vehicle passed him at 51mph. According to the RAIB, the employee was removing cables which... more >

One in three train operators failing to pay out compensation on time, according to ORR

10.01.19: Statistics revealing which train operators have failed to pay compensation to passengers on time have been released by the ORR for the first time, revealing that more than one in three companies are failing to meet target response times. Ov... more >

Rail industry urges policymakers to save Crossrail 2 in wake of major Crossrail delays

10.01.19: The Railway Industry Association (RIA) has urged Crossrail policymakers not to postpone Crossrail 2 after it emerged that there are “thousands of hours of construction work still to be done” on Crossrail. Following discussions a... more >

£10.6m Horden station gets the green light

09.01.19: Proposals to build a new £10.55m railway station in East Durham by 2020 have been given the go-ahead today after being granted planning permission. Two 100-metre platforms will be built at Horden, near Peterlee, along with a footbridg... more >

RAIB calls for safety review of Sheffield junction after double tram collision

09.01.19: The RAIB has called for a safety review after two tram crashes took place at the same Sheffield junction in just six weeks. Investigators have written to Sheffield City Council advising that a “risk-based review” of the junction... more >

Sir Terry Morgan launches attack on TfL and claims it altered his reports on Crossrail’s progress

09.01.19: Former Crossrail chair Sir Terry Morgan has accused TfL of altering reports on the scheme's progress and manipulating the information on whether the flagship project would be delayed. Appearing before the London Assembly’s Transport C... more >

Porterbrook signs supply deal for new rail parcel service

08.01.19: Porterbrook has signed a deal to supply specialist train operator the Rail Operations Group (ROG) with bi-mode FLEX trains to help the group enter the rail postal industry. The derby-based company is the largest owner of passenger trains in... more >

Network Rail Digital Railway boss David Waboso to retire

08.01.19: The managing director of Network Rail’s Digital Railway, David Waboso, will retire in March. An internal memo from chief executive Andrew Haines said that Waboso was leaving with a “fantastic legacy” and a “clear dir... more >

Concerns raised over HS2 as Treasury chief warns government must be prepared to scrap ‘white elephant’ projects

08.01.19: Chief secretary to the Treasury Liz Truss has warned that HS2 could be scrapped as she said the government must be prepared to “junk white elephant” projects after Brexit. Truss is leading a major government spending review this... more >

New hydrogen ‘Breeze’ trains unveiled by Alstom and Eversholt

07.01.19: Hydrogen trains will be introduced in as little as two years after a deal has been struck to convert more than 100 trains into the first fleet powered by hydrogen fuel cell technology. The new trains, to be called “Breeze” train... more >

Northern owner Deutsche Bahn wants compensation from Network Rail over extensive delays and disruption

07.01.19: Deutsche Bahn has demanded Network Rail pay compensation for the extensive delays in electrifying its under fire Northern rail franchise. First reported in the Telegraph, the parent company of Arriva Rail North, who run the struggling opera... more >

Stagecoach took £35m from rail franchise before abandoning East Coast Main Line

07.01.19: Transport giant Stagecoach took out £35m from the East Midlands Trains franchise before it abandoned the London-to-Edinburgh East Coast Main Line (ECML) less than a year later, it has been revealed. The massive dividend represents a &... more >

Ambitious £10bn plans for Gatwick Heathrow HS4Air rail service rejected

04.01.19: Plans to build a new £10bn high-speed rail service connecting HS1 with HS2 via Gatwick and Heathrow airports have been rejected by the DfT. The ambitious plans would see passengers able to travel between Heathrow and Gatwick in under... more >