Sommaire pour Issue 1020 de RAIL

THE Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) has warned that decision-makers must learn lessons from the cancellation of HS2’s northern leg. One year after then-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak scrapped Phase 2 of the high-speed project, a 17-page briefing note, The cancellation of HS2’s northern leg- learning lessons, has been drawn from interviews and written submissions from key decision-makers involved throughout HS2’s lifecycle. The report said the benefits of projects must be clearly defined and communicated, to provide clarity and consistency about the project’s purpose for politicians and decision-makers, the media and the public. In the case of HS2, it said: “The lack of clear transport objectives meant the strategic need was not clear.” There was also concern about the construction contracts, with the original seven becoming just four after contractors combined…

KeolisAmey, the operator of London’s Docklands Light Railway, has been awarded a new eight-year contract. It will start on April 1 2025 and the operator is promising a number of improvements -including enhanced timetables and capacity upgrades to support population growth, particularly in parts of Royal Dock and the Isle of Dogs where the DLR is the main transport option. Additionally, 54 new DLR trains are being introduced to help improve the frequency and reliability of services. The new trains will replace the 33 oldest trains in the fleet, with a further 21 helping to boost overall capacity by 50%.…

A new direct train service linking Cleethorpes and Grimsby with London will not start in December 2024, as had been planned. RAIL has been told that LNER’s reintroduction of a through service from north-east Lincolnshire is on hold because of timetabling, financial, operational and infrastructure issues. The last direct services were withdrawn in 1992. The plan would entail LNER extending one of its Lincoln-London King’s Cross services to and from Cleethorpes, with a morning departure from Cleethorpes and an evening return from London, running via Barnetby and Market Rasen. The proposal has the support of major businesses in northern Lincolnshire, including Phillips 66 which runs the large Humber Refinery, the Grimsby and Immingham port operator ABP, and the Hull & Humber Chamber of Commerce. On June 26 2023, a test…

Martin Beable took over as the new Managing Director at Greater Anglia on October 7. Beable had been the New Trains and Fleet Director at Transport UK since October 2023, having previously spent nearly five years as GA’s Engineering Director, where he helped to oversee the full fleet replacement programme and boost the operator’s performance. He also led the upgrades for train maintenance depots at Ilford and Norwich Crown Point. Beable succeeds Jamie Burles, who will take up a new role at Network Rail’s Eastern Region.…

Alstom will be opening its historic Derby Litchurch Lane factory to the public for the first time in 2025, to host an event in celebration of Railway 200. The August 1-3 Greatest Gathering will see the largest temporary assembly of rolling stock and railway-related exhibits in a generation, all coming together for three days across the site. “In partnership with other industry and heritage operators, The Greatest Gathering promises to showcase iconic vehicles from the past, present and future of Britain’s railways- delighting thousands of enthusiasts of all ages, while inspiring the rail pioneers of the future,” said Alstom. “Alongside displays of historic and modern main line locomotives, Britain’s biggest rail celebration will also feature rides along Derby’s test track, a variety of miniature trains in operation, and layouts staged…

TRAIN operators will pay less to use High Speed 1 from next April, with forecasts of reduced renewals driving an overall 9% fall in charges. In its draft determination of access charges for HS1’s Control Period 4 (CP4, April 1 2025-March 30 2030), the Office of Rail and Road proposes that Eurostar pays £312.3 million (down 7.7% from CP3), Southeastern pays £461.2m (down 10.8%), and East Midlands Railway pays £50.0m (which represents a 3.2% rise on CP3’s charges. ORR published its figures on September 30 and is now running a consultation until November 11, after which it will prepare its final determination for publication on January 6 2025. HS1 largely charges passenger operators per minute to use its 108.6km (67.5 mile) route from London St Pancras to the Channel Tunnel,…

The national rail pay dispute that has dragged on for over a year is finally over, after members of the last remaining union yet to settle voted to accept the government’s offer. It averts industrial action by 1,000 members of the Unite union, after they were initially offered a 3% increase, and “reinforces the government’s desire to nationalise the rail industry,” says the union. They voted to accept an improved offer at Network Rail and at English train operating companies (TOCs) controlled by the Department for Transport. Unite’s members work predominantly within rolling stock engineering and maintenance. The accepted offer sees an increase of 4.5% at NR for 2024. At the TOCs, a two-year deal features a 4.75% increase for 2023 and a further 4.5% increase for 2024. The deal…

The freight industry is having to run to stand still in the current climate, says Network Rail’s Head of Freight Development Guy Bates. Addressing the Rail Freight Group’s annual conference on September 26, Bates said: “We have a growth target for Control Period 7 [CP7, April 2024-March 2029] of 8%. That’s 25 additional trains in circulation a day we need to achieve over this period. “But we need to make up for the fact that by the end of Control Period 6, the material suppliers for HS2 would have tailed off. That will need to be replaced, and other trains could go, so in many ways we need to run to stand still.” Bates did highlight that the freight industry will still be benefiting from investment in the network from…

West Midlands Trains has ended its use of Class 323 electric multiple units, now that sufficient Class 730/0s are in traffic. The final day of normal operation was September 27, on the Cross-City line from Redditch and Bromsgrove to Lichfield. Just one diagram was entrusted to the 1992-built three-car EMUs, with the final units in traffic being 323222/240. They worked the 1609 Lichfield Trent Valley-Bromsgrove, and returned on the 1729 to Lichfield Trent Valley. The following day, 323221/222 were used for a Branch Line Society/WMT charity charter when they worked from Birmingham New Street to Liverpool via Bromsgrove, then returned via the Trent Valley line, Cannock and Coventry back to Birmingham NS. This is not the end for Class 323 operation, as 17 of the WMT fleet of 26 units…

EXAMPLES of ex-BR Classes 47, ‘56’ and ‘86’ are to star on a three-day railtour next spring (May 17-19), which will take the Hungarian-based Class 47, 47375, into Croatia and Slovenia. Organised and promoted by the Brush Type 4 Fund (the premier Class 47 preservation group and the owner of 47105/376, which are based at the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway), the ‘Jugo Brush’ trip will be worked in the main by the ‘47’. But as many as seven other locally based locomotives, as well as a Class 56 and two Class 86s, should also feature. The charter starts at Budapest with a Continental Rail Solutions locomotive, most likely an ex-Czech 740 or 742, with 47375 on the rear. The train will first run to the Dunakeszi Works for a visit. There…

WESTERN Henbury: Revised plans for the new single-platform Bristol station were submitted to South Gloucestershire Council in mid-September, after last year’s application was turned down. The platforms will be able to accommodate five-car trains. Okehampton: Site clearance is due to start for the construction of the new £13.5 million Okehampton Parkway station, which has an opening date of February 2026. Track design work has been completed, and a 200-space car park is being mapped out. Swindon: The Mechanics’ Institution Trust, which wants to renovate the derelict former GWR training centre, has been rebranded as Swindon Heritage Preservation to expand its scope for conserving four old buildings in the Railway Village, as well as the works area. The borough council has allocated £110,000 to the project. EASTERN Alconbury: More than 20…

CHANGE is the watchword of the new government. At the recent Labour conference in Liverpool, the words “change begins” were ubiquitous on posters everywhere, although what that entailed was mostly left unexplained. Ministers invited to fringe meetings often did not turn up, either reluctant to set out the details of policies or prevented from doing so by the fierce ‘keepers of the message’, who in this new administration make Tony Blair’s capo di capi Alastair Campbell seem like a pussycat. In terms of transport, the key message has been about the ‘renationalisation’ of the railways, which is presented as a radical policy. While I am supportive of the basic idea of bringing train and track closer together, and of scrapping the franchising structure (whose purpose, other than union busting, has…

NETWORK Rail’s plan to improve performance on its Wales and Western Region has been accepted by the rail regulator. The decision lifts the threat of a fine on the infrastructure owner, following prolonged inadequate performance, particularly between Reading and London Paddington. The Office of Road and Rail launched an investigation in autumn 2023 to find out why train performance in the region had continued to deteriorate, while stabilising across the rest of the network. ORR has now concluded that passengers “can look forwards to more reliable journeys in future”. Network Rail has implemented an improvement plan, internally known as Project Brunel. Through 2024, it has been tackling sections of track most likely to cause delays. The programme of work will continue in phases until 2029. ORR said the “robust evidenced…

THE UK’s newest train factory was officially opened on October 3. Transport Secretary Louise Haigh and London Mayor Sadiq Khan attended the opening of Siemens Mobility’s Goole Train Manufacturing Facility, where new trains for London Underground’s Piccadilly Line (the first deep-level Tube trains to have air-conditioning) are being assembled. Alongside the opening, Siemens announced an investment of up to £40 million in a new Bogie Assembly and Service Centre, to expand the company’s current capability of overhauling bogies of UK trains. The facility will also include new production lines for assembling bogies for new trains - a first for Siemens in the UK. Some 200 new jobs are expected to be created in the service centre. Eventually, the overall Goole Rail Village (as Siemens is calling the 67-acre site) will…

A blind passenger has helped to write an audio guide that describes Thameslink’s fleet of trains. Dave Smith, from Redhill, is a member of Thameslink’s accessibility advisory panel. He told RAIL: “I use these trains all the time. But for someone else who is blind or partially-sighted, it can be incredibly daunting. When you can’t see, it’s difficult to understand your environment and what’s around you.” The audio guide, available on the Thameslink website, describes the layout of the operator’s Class 700 trains. “It describes where they might find a toilet, and its layout -where to find the wash basin, flush button, and door lock lever,” explained Smith. “And where and how to contact the driver in an emergency. The guide gives them access to information that sighted travellers take…

THE Deepcar freight-only branch in north Sheffield is no longer in use after Network Rail mothballed the line from September 29. It is one of the last remaining sections of the old 1,500V DC Manchester-Sheffield-Wath (MSW) ‘Woodhead’ route - the first overhead electrified main line in the UK. The decision, while not closing the Deepcar line, prevents traffic going up the branch. This includes Infrastructure Monitoring trains, which in turn means it is unlikely to reopen without a substantial business case and investment. Network Rail confirmed the decision to close the line, adding: “There are no plans at the moment for Network Rail to take the line on.” The rest of the MSW line was controversially closed on July 20 1981, by which time it had been freight-only east of…

The Mayor of London says the relationship between City Hall and the government has changed for the better. Sadiq Khan was speaking at the official opening of the Siemens Mobility train factory in Goole (East Yorkshire), where 80% of the new Piccadilly Line trains for London Underground will be assembled. “In three months, we have seen them give the green light to 350 homes at Cockfosters, the green light to Oxford Street being regenerated, and here you have a £2.9 billon investment with trains coming to London next year,” said Khan. “If the first three months are anything to go by, I’m hopeful this government understands what’s being invested in our capital. “I hope we get a long-term deal, and I’m hoping this factory will also build the new Bakerloo…

GB Railfreight named 66768 Yvonne Bradley and 66774 Sue Coles after two of its staff at Cardiff on September 18, prior to the locomotives working a special train to Birmingham and back. The following day, 69004 was named RIDC Melton at Asfordby. The ‘69’ is in the old BR Research Department livery, so an appropriate choice for naming after the Research Innovation and Development Centre which includes the Asfordby test track. GBRf now has 11 Class 66s and six Class 73s named after its female members of staff. ■ GB Railfreight has added its latest Class 66 acquisition from Europe to its fleet, with 66311 joining 66306-310/312 in traffic. 66313-315 are all painted and going through the modification process, while 66316 has still to arrive in the UK from the…

A new intermodal rail freight service has launched between Tilbury2 and Manchester Trafford Park. The service, operated by Freightliner, is the first to utilise Network Rai’s recently introduced Access Charge Discount scheme, which is designed to encourage the launch of new rail services and shift freight from road to rail. Freightliner’s new service will transport containers arriving from Europe, in partnership with P&O Ferrymasters. We are delighted to see this new service up and running,” said Freightliner CEO Tim Shoveller. “The Access Charge Discount scheme is a vital initiative for achieving industry growth targets and promoting modal shift. “We are proud that our new daily train for P&O Ferrymasters is the first to benefit from the scheme.” The new service will depart from Tilbury2 (one of London’s major ports) to…

Two guest locomotives - 20048 from the Severn Valley Railway, and 50021 Rodney, based at Eastleigh Works - were star attractions at the Epping and Ongar Railway’s September 20-22 diesel gala. They lined up alongside resident locomotives D2170, 08114, 20227 Sherlock Holmes and 47635 Jimmy Milne. On the Saturday, 50021 suffered a failure and its support crew had to return to Eastleigh, collect a replacement part, head back to Essex, fit it, and test it. The ‘50’ was passed for use at 0200, and its participation on the Sunday was confirmed after a test run early that morning before the timetable started.…

Two of West Coast Railways’ Class 33s (33029/207) were pressed into passenger use on September 28, filling in for an unavailable steam locomotive owing to an issue with WCR’s only dual-braked steam locomotive (34067 Tangmere). The ‘33s’ worked the Lune Rivers Trust charter from Carnforth to Carlisle via the West Coast Main Line, and returned light engine. The day before, Vintage Trains had used 20142/189 to work its ‘Mayflower’ train from Birmingham New Street to Bristol Temple Meads and back, with steam power in the form of a pair of GWR ‘Castles’ (5029 Clun Castle and 5043 Earl of Mount Edgcumbe) taking the train forward to Plymouth. As the train was vacuum-braked only, the ‘20s’ shadowed the train in case it ran into difficulties. They were not needed, but it did…

Late September saw the start of the Railhead Treatment Trains (RHTT) season, with DB Cargo, Direct Rail Services, Colas Rail, Freightliner and GB Railfreight all providing locomotives to either top-and-tail RHTT sets or to operate Network Rail’s own fleet of Multi-Purpose Vehicles (MPVs). DB Cargo is still preparing Class 66s for RHTT work, but so far in traffic are 66104 (Mossend), 66054/083 (Margam), 66065/182 (Stirling), 66066/205 (Peterborough), 66154/179 (St Blazey), and 66165/206 (Didcot). GBRf has put three pairs of Class 73s (73136/213, 73107/201, 73202/212) into RHTT traffic at Tonbridge, while 69004/013 and 69005/012 were used for shakedown trial runs working off Stowmarket, although the first pair to go into traffic were 69004/012 and they have since moved to Tonbridge. Colas has 37116/254, 66847/848, 66849/850 working off York and 67023/027 at…

Getting to the heart of the matter IT is no great surprise that the creation of Great British Railways is at the top of everyone’s list for rail reform. But we must realistically expect it to be two years before the promised changes really begin to kick in. The King’s Speech delivered to Parliament on July 14 promised legislation early in 2025 to get the ball rolling. Our railways, says the government, will be easier and better to use, cost the taxpayer less, be better at supporting local and national ambitions, and be simpler to do business with. But if it’s that easy, why has it already been 40 months since the creation of GBR was announced by the former Conservative government? It seemed to make complete sense then, so…

When GB Railfreight Chief Executive John Smith launched his company’s new Class 99 at InnoTrans (RAIL 1019), it underlined the importance of the Berlin show- not only to international markets in general, but to the UK in particular. Prominently placed in the outdoor display area, the new Stadler locomotive showcased the future for the British freight company with arguably the most distinctive locomotive policy. GBRf has 30 Class 99s on order, to join a motive power fleet that has already seen the rebuilding of BR Class 56s into the new Class 69s. The new 75mph electro-diesel CoCos, part of the EuroDual family that also includes Classes 68, ‘88’ and ‘93’, are expected to replace Class 66s and enter service from a new depot in Leicester next year. GBRf’s presence was…

EARLIER this summer, I was heading to London when my train rolled to a halt between Grantham and Stoke Tunnel. Network Rail had stopped all trains after reports of a trespasser. After a while, we saw him, crunching his way north along the ballast of the Down Main as we sat on the Up. By this time, there was a queue of trains in both directions. But with the trespasser now behind us, we and the trains ahead of us could move. As we eventually did, although picking up an hour’s delay. What caused this man to be on the track in a fairly remote part of the countryside, I don’t know and I can’t guess. However, in trespassing, he’s not alone. The Rail Safety and Standards Board’s (RSSB’s) safety…

The new government has rightly said that rail is “emblematic of British ambition and innovation” and key to our economy. Yet one of our industry’s most transformative developments has received little attention to date. Electrification scored only a passing mention in Labour’s manifesto, Getting Britain Moving: Labour’s Plan to Fix Britain’s Railways, with reference to a strategy to “create a stable foundation for innovation and problem-solving; allowing, for example, electrification to be delivered efficiently in due course”. It was also noticeably absent from the King’s Speech briefing notes. With only 38% of the UK rail network currently electrified (far behind many European counterparts), electrification should be at the forefront of the government’s rail agenda, helping to fulfil economic growth promises and net zero commitments. Displacing diesel reduces carbon emissions, improves…

Opinion Industry Insider TOP officials at the Department for Transport have been successful in persuading HM Treasury that it makes no sense to terminate HS2 at Old Oak Common, and that the extension to Euston (on which work has been paused) should be authorised. This is expected to be announced in the autumn budget on October 30. A debate continues about funding options, and a degree of private sector investment is likely to be used to ease concerns about further taxpayer funding. The business case has been improved by combining the rail link with the benefit of redeveloping Euston station, where overcrowding has caused London TravelWatch to raise safety concerns. This has resulted in a short-term improvement plan to increase space on the concourse and to improve passenger information. A revamp…

Send contributions to: mike.wright@bauermedia.co.uk Welcome to Blyton! From September 24 to October 7, Southern renamed Brighton station was renamed to honour Bly Twomey, one of Britain’s youngest ever Paralympians. The 14-year-old table tennis star claimed two bronze medals at the 2024 Paralympic Games, alongside Fliss Pickard. Passengers arriving at the station were greeted by the new ‘Welcome to Blyton’ sign, celebrating Bly’s historic achievement. “It is a privilege to see my name at my hometown station,” she said., “I hope it inspires others to believe that anything is possible, no matter who you are. Sport, particularly table tennis, is great for getting people together and making them feel that they belong to a community. I’m very proud to be part of that journey.” David Doulton took this picture of a…

Climate change, urbanisation and technological progress “need a united approach” from industry, says Alstom CEO Henri Poupart-Lafarge. “And we are well… on the way. InnoTrans 2024 has confirmed my optimism about the future.” Poupart-Lafarge was speaking after the 2024 version of the world’s pre-eminent rail show, held in Berlin in late September. Described as “the event of the global railway industry”, the biennial trade fair this year attracted 2,940 exhibitors, including more than 100 from the UK, while preliminary figures suggested around 170,000 people attended. Key topics at this year’s InnoTrans included sustainability, electrification, digitisation and artificial intelligence. Concentrated in a dedicated new ‘AI Mobility lab’ area, the latter theme drew 42 exhibitors from 17 countries, displaying AI, robotics, data protection and cybersecurity products. Among the 226 ‘world premieres’ and…

Northern says that teachers organising school trips could use the train, not a coach. “There will be some visitor attractions that, because of their location, require a private transfer. But for those in town and city centres, rail would be a much cheaper option,” said Northern Commercial and Customer Director Mark Powles. The operator says that based on 20 children and five adults travelling midweek, a return journey between Saltaire and Bradford would cost £450 to hire a coach, but £58.50 to travel by train.…

Rail services at Belfast’s Grand Central station were set to commence on October 13 (after this issue of RAIL went to press) for local services to Bangor, Larne and Derry, with the hourly Enterprise service to Dublin set to start on October 29. This development marks a crucial milestone for a project that has encountered delays and cost increases. Initially projected to cost £200 million, the budget has surged to £340m. Following completion of a 13-week blockade between Lisburn and Lanyon Place in early September, the station has undergone a series of tests for certification from the NI Rail Safety Authority and the Office of Rail and Road. Once fully operational, the transport hub is expected to accommodate up to 20 million passenger journeys per year.…

The railway on the Isle of Wight has reopened after a month-long closure. Trains are now running twice an hour on the 8.5-mile, 24-minute route between Ryde Esplanade and Shanklin. However, Ryde Pier will remain closed for major restoration work until May 2025, severing the rail link between the island and the ferry connection to Portsmouth. A shuttle bus service along the road pier is offered instead. New track has been laid through Ryde Esplanade station. New composite sleepers have been used, which Network Rail said are more resilient to the harsh weather on the seafront. It said the sleepers should last for at least 60 years. The footbridge at Brading station has also been refurbished. “All of our focus now turns to continuing life extension work to the Ryde…

Laura Shoaf (pictured) has been appointed Chair of Shadow Great British Railways (SGBR). She joins from West Midlands Combined Authority, where she has been chief executive since 2021. Shoaf previously served as managing director of Transport for West Midlands, where she oversaw significant investments in the region’s transport infrastructure. “I recognise the great power that our transport network plays in our day-to-day lives. But in order for it to work, and for it to keep opening up these opportunities, it has to be built around our passengers and freight users,” she said. “My focus will be ensuring people are at the heart of the railways.” The new government has wasted no time in setting up SGBR, as it looks to bring passenger services back into public hands and unify track…

Much of south London’s suburban network will be out of action for seven days from the end of this month, as Network Rail implements the next stage of its £400 million area resignalling programme. NR has selected the less-busy school half-term period of October 26-November 1, but the disruption will still seriously affect around 30 stations, some of which will close completely. The work, known as Victoria Stage 4, has been postponed from earlier this year. The latest upgrades are primarily taking place between Crystal Palace, Tulse Hill and Peckham Rye, to allow the area’s signalling management to be relocated to Three Bridges from the cramped and outdated Victoria Area Signalling Centre. Two more phases will be tackled into 2025, embracing the routes radiating from Brixton and Bromley. Resignalling has…

A South Devon MP is hoping for a second U-turn from the government, after the new station promised for Cullompton was cancelled one day after Chancellor Rachel Reeves told Parliament that it would definitely go ahead. Richard Foord (Liberal Democrat, Honiton and Sidmouth) has met Rail Minister Lord Peter Hendy to seek assurances that money will be forthcoming to reopen the station - 15 miles north of Exeter on the West of England line. The well-developed proposals had been advanced £50 million before the previous government’s Restoring Your Railway scheme was halted on July 29. Two weeks after the plug was pulled, Hendy told Mid Devon District Council: “While we will attempt to consider the Wellington and Cullompton stations project, I want to be clear at this stage that the…

Organisers of the Kit for Kyiv campaign are calling for a final push of donations before protective gear is provided to Ukrainian railway workers. Run by Rail Partners and supported by RAIL, Kit for Kyiv is supplying people working near Ukraine’s frontlines with helmets and body armour. More than 2,500 Ukrainian railway employees have been killed or injured since the war started in 2022. Rail Partners is asking for donations to be made by October 16, to ensure an accurate total can be calculated for purchasing the kit. Any donations made after this date will still go towards supporting Ukrainian rail workers in other ways. Rail Partners Chief Executive Andy Bagnall said: “Thank you to readers of RAIL magazine that have already donated to the Kit for Kyiv campaign. “The…

THE first passenger workings in the UK by a Class 58 in more than 22 years was the headline attraction at the Severn Valley Railway’s October 3-6 diesel event, with 58023 Leicester Depot working one return trip on the Friday and Saturday. Because of the locomotive’s relatively high weight (129 tonnes) and the need to have a Class 20 translator, the line’s civil engineer requested that its use be limited. A Class 58 is air-braked only, and the SVR’s coaches are all vacuum-braked, meaning that a dual-braked Class 20 was needed to operate the trains - 20142 was used on the first trip and 20048 on the second. The Class 58 recently had Mainline Freight logos and lettering reapplied to its previously unbranded Mainline blue livery. It was previously named…

‘321’ sent for scrap Ex-Greater Anglia 321305 was despatched for scrap on October 3, with Rail Operations Group’s 37800 Cassiopeia moving it from Ilford EMUD to Sims Metals at Newport Docks. Class 555s arrive Two more Tyne & Wear Metro Stadler Class 555 units have arrived in the UK, with 555006/007 moved by Rail Adventure’s 43465/484 as the 0246 Wembley-York Holgate sidings on September 12. DBC starts ‘66’ project DB Cargo is starting its Guardian Project trial with in-cab monitoring. The trial equipment has been fitted to 66139, which is now in a new WBGT pool. ‘08’ moves for repairs Rail Support Services 08507 was moved by road on October 1 from Teesport to Wishaw, for repairs.…

PASSENGERS using London’s Euston station are being put in danger by high levels of overcrowding, according to London TravelWatch (LTW). The watchdog said that last-minute announcements mean passengers rush to platforms, and staff “appear overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of people”. On October 4, Network Rail announced a five-point plan to improve the station. It has turned off a large advertising board, following criticism that it made the passenger experience worse. The overhead board had previously carried the main departure information, but was replaced with smaller information screens. Other measures include creating more concourse space, upgrading toilets, and enhancing how the station operates during disruption. NR will also reconsider how passengers are given boarding information during train delays, and aims to increase the reliability of the infrastructure. NR said its…

A public consultation has begun on the next phase of the Transpennine Route U pgrade (TRU). The planned upgrade of the route between Diggle and Stalybridge includes more accessible stations at Mossley and Greenfield, full electrification of the line, and bridge works to allow the installation of overhead line equipment. The consultation events will include details of the installation of OLE on the iconic Uppermill Viaduct, also known as Saddleworth Viaduct. One of the most obvious changes for passengers will be the new Mossley station. The plan is to build a new station 300 metres north-east of the current one, in the direction of Greenfield. The TRU team says this will allow space to provide a more accessible station, which will include a new footbridge and lifts. As well as…