Latest Rail News

Transtraxman   27/03/2015 at 10:58

Strange it is that this news only comes out after the vote seeking headlines about all the investment in rail in the North of England to be made priorities and brought forward as soon as possible. Now timetables on existing projects are put back so that any other project will be pushed further into the future or even forgotten about. Will we ever get in the North of England the basic infrasructure improvements needed for generations(without thinking about "pie in the sky" projects like HS3)? I will believe it when I see it.

Stephen Waring   27/03/2015 at 12:34

To be honest this is no surprise. It is consistent with the timetable change dates in the TSRs for the Northern and TPE franchises which were published a month ago.

Stpaddy   27/03/2015 at 14:38

There should be 10 times more angry noise about these electrification delays than about Network Rail's Xmas issues at Finsbury Park. It is a huge problem. Electrification is key to the future of our railways and will lead to faster, more frequent services and resolve the critical shortage of acceptable rolling stock, so the rate of electrification needs to increase sharply. What needs to be done? Network rail clearly need a step change in resource for these projects. To help achieve that NR need improved strategic planning over longer timescales- CP5 was only finalised just before it started, so that detailed plans and budgets for major component schemes (such as Trans Pennine Electrification) are still up in the air - this is madness, planning for this huge, complex industry should be on a longer cycle. There also needs to be a commitment to a national rolling electrification plan, incorporating the recent Northern Electrification Task Force proposals and also including obvious candidates such as Newbury-Plymouth, Derby-Bristol, Ipswich- Birmingham, Snow Hill and Chiltern lines. There's a lot to be done - and I believe much of this has a higher utility than HS2 which is going to hog a huge share of engineering resource.

Neil Palmer   27/03/2015 at 19:56

Well, I don't totally blame Network Rail. They can often build something in less time than it takes various levels of government (and politicians) to get through the interminable approvals process. That's why everything costs more when it is EVENTUALLY approved.

Nickk   29/03/2015 at 11:16

When will this country realise that we're already running low on electricity? Nuclear and coal power stations are being decommissioned, and the likelihood of winter power cuts grows each year. HS2 has told me they will have a guaranteed power supply from National Grid. I'm sure everyone will be thrilled that almost-empty trains can hurtle up and down the country when our lights are out!

John Gilbert   29/03/2015 at 17:05

But this adds ONE WHOLE YEAR on to the forecast introduction of electric trains, even clapped-out southeast England cast-offs. Obviously insufficient men are being employed on these projects or this kind of slippage simply wouldn't happen. It needn't be happening given sufficient drive and energy. Regrettably typical of the UK. and its attitude..

AE   30/03/2015 at 13:43

Nickk, It's more than 10 years until the first HS2 train runs. How do you know that there will not be enough electricity to run them? How do you know that the trains will be almost empty? Sounds to me as if your a simple minded anti-HS2 troll.

Hazel Kelly   16/04/2015 at 19:59

i live right behind the rail and if you all had the view from your kitchen window a massive electric stanchon you wouldnt be happy total waste of government money could have been spent else where instead of ruining lovely landscape we used to have