Rail franchises operators & contracts

South Wales Metro railway works imminent

09 July 2020Transformational works on railway lines through South Wales set to begin on the 3rd of August. As part of Transport for Wales’ (TfW) three-quarters-of-a-billion-pound investment in Metro, which included £164 million of European Region...

National Skills Academy for Rail appoints new Chair

09 July 2020The National Skills Academy for Rail (NSAR) have today (July 9th) announcement the appointment of their new Chair, Dyan Crowther, Chief Executive of HS1, effective from June 23rd 2020. NSAR said Dyan’s industry experience at a senior level...

The rail industry responds to Chancellor’s statement

09 July 2020Yesterday (July 8th) Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, announced the details of his ‘Plan for Jobs’ that will enhance the UK’s recovery from the Covid-19 outbreak. He detailed a package of measures to support jobs, give...

£14m depot facility opened in Doncaster

08 July 2020After work began back in 2015 to transform the site at Marshgate, on Tuesday (July 7) Network Rail opened their new £14m depot in Doncaster. The site aims to bring highly skilled teams across the area together and to boost the economy in th...

New bridge in progress at Eridge station

07 July 2020Work to remove and rebuild a footbridge at Eridge station in East Sussex took place over the weekend. In order to keep those safe who use the bridge and the trainline operating below, the work was needed due to the old age and condition of the st...

SWR launches campaign in support of local businesses

06 July 2020South Western Railway (SWR) has launched a campaign to celebrate and generate support for local businesses across the region. Covid-19 has hit local businesses hard and with restrictions now easing, it has never been more important to support the...

Stations light up blue as NHS turns 72

06 July 2020In celebration of the NHS turning 72 over the weekend (July 4th) stations across the country were lit up blue. The four major transport hubs in Network Rail’s North West and Central region, Birmingham New Street, Liverpool Lime Street, Manc...

Greater Anglia new electric commuter trains testing continues

03 July 2020Greater Anglia are currently in the depths of replacing their old trains with brand new state-of-the-art modern trains, including 111 trains from UK train manufacturer Bombardier. There are now four Bombardier trains on the Greater Anglia network...

Calls from England and Wales to restore Beeching lines

30 June 2020Rail Minister, Chris Heaton-Harris, has today (June 30) announced fifty bids have been received from across England and Wales to build or reopen lines and stations closed by British Rail chief Dr Richard Beeching from 1963, with the potential to l...

Soham station given the go-ahead

29 June 2020On Friday (June 26th) proposals to construct a new station for Soham were confirmed by East Cambridgeshire District Council. Working alongside with the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority, led by Mayor James Palmer, who have provid...

£250m HS2 work package puts firms on alert

26 June 2020High Speed Two (HS2) Ltd has placed ground investigation firms on alert for a £250m package of work for phase two of the project, north of Birmingham. HS2 is planning to brief firms about the package in a webinar on July 9th ahead of inviti...

Avanti West Coast adopts Sunflower scheme

26 June 2020Avanti West Coast has this month partnered with the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Scheme. The scheme gives customers with hidden disabilities a lanyard, wristband or wallet card with a recognisable sunflower logo. They can then show this item to...

HS2 Minister responds to Transport Select Committee

25 June 2020Following a letter from the Transport Select Committee back in May, Andrew Stephenson, HS2 Minister yesterday (June 24th) responded and published his letter of response. Mr. Stephenson began his later by discussing the challenge of transparency....

Newcastle Central Station set for renovation

24 June 2020Last year Newcastle City Council and partners announced plans to open-up access to the Victorian station, accommodate more passengers, improve traffic flows in front, change taxi pick-up points and short stay parking. City residents, taxi drivers...

Network Rail promotes Women in Engineering Day following findings

23 June 2020Today (June 23rd) marks Women in Engineering Day and to mark the occasion Network Rail is promoting the contributions of women in engineering as new research has exhibited a lack of female role models within Science, Technology, Engineering and Ma...