Rail franchises operators & contracts

Transform a Pacer competition winners announced

23.01.20: Aired on television last night (Jan 22) the lucky winners of the Transform a Pacer competition were announced. The competition means that after 30 years of service to northern communities Pacer trains will now serve them in a new way, focused on...

Engineering expertise in Northern's £100m investment

23.01.20: Rail operator, Northern, has published insight into the processes and engineering expertise involved with its current £100m investment into its trains. The ongoing modernisation programme is working to fully refurbish 268 diesel and e...

Ep. 005 - Monica Barbosa, Xrail

22.01.20: Director of Business development and communications at Xrail, Monica Barbosa, joins us in the RTM Podcast room to discuss the rail industry from an SME perspective. Monica is a cheerleader for small and medium enterprises and explains how t...

DfT statement on South Western Railway

22.01.20: The Department for Transport (DfT) has today (Jan 22) announced an update on South Western Railway, outlining precautionary measures to ensure the continuation of services. Transport secretary, Grant Shapps, has released a written statement...

The age of Intelligent Infrastructure - Network Rail

21.01.20: Source: RTM Dec 19/Jan 20   Predictive technology that informs engineers when, where and why faults will occur on the railway are vital to improving infrastructure performance and driving a better service for passengers. Jona...

Vivarail’s Class 230 achieves UK first with 40-mile battery-powered trip

16.01.20: Vivarail achieved a UK first yesterday (Jan 15) as their Class 230 train travelled 40 miles on battery power alone. It comes during a time of desperate need for a cleaner, greener train network as the UK strives for net zero carbon by 2050....

£1.7m investment from Network Rail to protect famous viaduct

16.01.20: The viaduct which was been featured in the Harry Potter series, is the latest Network Rail project. Work has begun the protect the railway from possible landslips and rock-falls from the hillsides and embankments. £1.7m has been inves...

Greater Anglia’s new commuter trains have arrived in Essex

15.01.20: The new Bombardier electric trains have now arrived and are ready to commence a series of safety and performance tests in Essex, Cambridgeshire, Herefordshire and Suffolk. Designed and built at Bombardier’s Derby factory, the five-car...

White Hart Lane Station - Fereday Pollard Architects

15.01.20: Source RTM Dan 19/ Jan 20   Fereday Pollard Architects are delighted to have completed their commission as lead architects and public realm designers for Taylor Woodrow who have successfully built and handed over the landmark new...

Building on success - Hull Trains

15.01.20: Source: RTM Dec 19/Jan 20  Louise Cheeseman, managing director at Hull Trains, speaks to Rail Technology Magazine as she reflects on 2019 and outlines what’s next for Hull Trains in 2020 As we approach our twentieth year in...

Zonegreen boosts safety at Northam

14.01.20: Cast your mind back 18 years to the beginning of the millennium. In its infancy at the time, was depot safety technology that went on to revolutionise the way we protect rail staff and equipment. Developed by Sheffield-based Zonegreen, the...

South Western Railway £70m ‘Desiro’ fleet completed

13.01.20: South Western Railway (SWR) has completed the £70m refurbishment of Desiro trains as final train enters passenger service. The rail operators’ £70m upgrade programme started in December 2017 and has seen the modernisation...

Network Rail 'taking action' on SMEs

13.01.20: Source RTM: Dec 2019 /Jan 2020   Commercial director Ken Blackley explains how Network Rail’s new action plan for working with small and medium sized enterprises will mean better engagement, listening and solutions. ...

£9.4m in rail technology contracts announced

13.01.20: Innovate UK has announced £9.4m worth of technology contracts from the Department of Transport, for organisations to apply for, aiming to improve rail services to passengers and operators. As the number of rail users in the UK continu...

Elizabeth line completion update from Crossrail Ltd

10.01.20: Today (10 January) Crossrail Ltd issued its latest update on progress to complete the Elizabeth line. They have confirmed their plans to open the central section between Paddington and Abbey Wood in summer in 2021. Following the openin...