Rail Magazine News

NEW DRS LOCOMOTIVES

Mon, 13 May 2013 15:26:18 GMT

First Class 68 Eurolight to arrive in the UK in October

WEST COAST MAIN LINE

Mon, 13 May 2013 15:23:07 GMT

£18m junction renewal work will force line to close for nine days in July

CHANNEL TUNNEL FREIGHT

Mon, 13 May 2013 15:14:36 GMT

The barriers to getting more rail freight from Britain into Europe

NATIONAL RAIL TIMETABLE

Mon, 13 May 2013 11:42:00 GMT

RAIL fares expert BARRY Doe delivers his expert bi-annual analysis

RAIL REGULARS

Mon, 13 May 2013 11:36:33 GMT

Providing you with the industry’s best news, comment and analysis.

NATIONAL RAIL AWARDS 2012, WINNERS

Tue, 2 Apr 2013 16:22:21 GMT

Winners of the National Rail Awards 2012 revealed.

RAIL MAGAZINE NOW AVALIABLE FOR IPAD

Mon, 25 Feb 2013 14:59:12 GMT

RAIL is Britain’s market leading modern railway magazine and now it is avaliable for your iPad, packed full of extras.

BBC Radio 4, 11:00 tomorrow, Reversing Dr Beeching programme looks worth a listen

Fri, 16 Mar 2012 11:14:08 GMT

This looks like a BBC broadcast worth catching, either live or by iPlayer. I know Scotland has been busy developing railways this last couple of decades but it surprised me to see no fewer than 62 stations reopened.

Time to launch BBW 2011 (that’s bin bag and weedkiller, by the way) – Wednesday March 23

Wed, 23 Mar 2011 15:30:27 GMT

There’s an old saying that you only ever get the one chance to make a first impression – and it’s true. So, I wonder what first impressions railway passengers seeing sights like this for the first time take away with them as they ponder their maybe-costly rail fares?

What is this plaque at King’s Cross? – Monday March 21 2011

Mon, 21 Mar 2011 15:49:54 GMT

I like to think I’m observant and with an eye for detail but occasionally get a reminder that many small interesting things slip beneath our radar every day.

Once so full of life, now so very dead – Monday March 14 2011.

Tue, 15 Mar 2011 09:26:43 GMT

Born and brought up in Burnley, my local Motive Power Depot was Rose Grove and as a student at the nearby Grammar School, it was but a short hop from classroom to platform. Well, it was a brisk 15-minute walk actually, but this nevertheless made it accessible during our 90-minute ‘lunch hour’ from 1215 to 1345. And we certainly made the most of this, most days, in our later years at the school.

Keep your nerves in Mexico - Friday March 11 2011

Fri, 11 Mar 2011 10:22:07 GMT

In 1999 I had the privilege of spending many miles on ‘the point’ (in the cab) of a Wisconsin Central train as it headed north from Chicago, heading for the Canadian border via places with names like Stephens Point, Neneh and Oshkosh. Marvellous.

St Pancras movies as promised – March 9 2011

Thu, 10 Mar 2011 13:03:05 GMT

As promised in my blog on March here are the movies I shot on the trusty old iPhone, giving a flavour of the superb event staged by HS1 at St Pancras International top unveil the massive Olympic rings hanging in front of the famous clock.

Steam is still the universal symbol for trains! – March 9 2011

Wed, 9 Mar 2011 10:55:09 GMT

I was really impressed during a recent visit to the new East London Line train depot at New Cross, not least because it’s packed into a quite small and awkwardly-shaped site and has thus needed careful design.

St Pancras never looked better - Tuesday March 8 2011

Tue, 8 Mar 2011 17:33:01 GMT

I know, I know ... I promise to shut up about St P for a while, but the place just fascinates me!

Boris Johnson & McFly share the same gig ... at St Pancras International! - Monday March 7

Mon, 7 Mar 2011 11:27:51 GMT

Every now and then a PR team come along who really know how to create almost surreal promotional events that appeal across the age groups and demographics and which really stick in the mind - which, surely, is a big part of the whole point of PR.

St Pancras‘ famous frontage emerges again! - Monday February 28 2011

Fri, 4 Mar 2011 15:29:12 GMT

After a decade or so shrouded in builders' screens and with it's zig-zag carriage road occupied by construction plant, delivery lorries and a double deck portakabin community, St Pancras' famous Euston Road frontage is emerging again.

High Speed hysteria - March 3 2011

Thu, 3 Mar 2011 16:03:01 GMT

High Speed 2 is at the eye of a storm of protest, principally by the Chiltern NIMBYs, who are currently making a great deal of noise objecting to the idea of the railway passing through their area.

Statin‘ the b******g obvious! - Tuesday March 1 2011

Thu, 3 Mar 2011 09:27:14 GMT

As RAIL's friend and colleague the Fact Compiler has been pointing out for many months, the railway often excels in providing pointless signs.

Historic survivors - Friday February 25 2011

Fri, 25 Feb 2011 16:03:33 GMT

Lots of historic structures have been turned to dust as the inevitable consequence of modernisation. Lots of wonderful buildings and other structures have of course survived and in many cases modernised for today's - and tomorrow's - use.

Tuesday February 22 - Aviation

Tue, 22 Feb 2011 09:29:08 GMT

I know that for once the aviation industry was pilloried before Christmas when Heathrow ground to a halt for days on end because of snow...

My Top Ten of 2010

Tue, 8 Feb 2011 16:16:26 GMT

Look, I know this is a bit late…mea culpa and all that. What was it John Lennon said about ‘Life’s what happens to you while you’re making other plans” – well, he was right.

A proposal for RAIB - Thursday August 12 2010

Thu, 12 Aug 2010 14:35:52 GMT

I always find Rail Accident Investigation Branch incident reports interesting reading. I’ve always been fascinated by the way the circumstances to an accident large or small often builds from the most innocuous mistake. A signalman forgets to place a lever collar and overlooks the train standing at the signal controlled by that lever, or a driver complacently fails to carry out Rule 55 to remind a signalman of his presence at a stop signal…and the seeds of catastrophe are sown.

Is it a tram or bus? Maybe a ‘bram’ – or even a ‘trus’?!

Mon, 9 Aug 2010 09:08:30 GMT

Whatever it is, it’s b****y huge, or even ‘gi-normous’ as this techie website would have it. Whatever tram train or guided bus ideas we may play about with with here, the Chinese do it much bigger. And I do mean much bigger.

Civility, judgement and tact – Wednesday August 4 2010

Wed, 4 Aug 2010 16:05:41 GMT

My old chum Richard Greenwood, Rochdale solicitor, estwhile Worth Valley Railway top man and scourge of Northern in his role as passenger champion these days, is kind enough to copy me on a newsgroup discussion about railway matters in the north west.

Getting the hump - Monday August 2 2010

Mon, 2 Aug 2010 13:38:18 GMT

I was sent this a highly enjoyable youtube link t'other day by a chum, so thought I'd share it with you. It's a long time since Britain's railways had the hump like this - more's the pity.

Excuse me – why aren’t your legs out of the train window? Friday July 30 2010.

Fri, 30 Jul 2010 10:04:33 GMT

Having got your attention with that headlinbe, I'll come back to that in a minute! It was the National Rail Awards final judging session for the 2010 even in London yesterday - and all this year’s winners are now agreed. Their names will be kept strictly secret until the NRA ‘railway Oscars’ dinner at the Grosvenor, in Park Lane, on Thursday September 16.

UK aviation and even Russian Railways openly welcome hobbyists, so why can’t we? – Monday July 26 20

Mon, 26 Jul 2010 17:19:20 GMT

Regular RAIL readers will be aware of our long-running campaign to persuade Network Rail – and especially our train operators – to regard hobbyist photographers as friends rather than potential terrorists to be hassled and harried.

A railway re-think on signs? - Tuesday July 13 2010

Tue, 13 Jul 2010 14:19:45 GMT

This picture of a ‘use the handrail’ sign at York which I criticised in Stop & Examine in RAIL 648 (on the news-stands Wednesday July 14) caused something of a discussion at the National Rail Conference, held last week in Liverpool on Thursday.

Virgin victorious, Piccadilly poor – Friday July 9 2010

Fri, 9 Jul 2010 14:47:22 GMT

I’m on my way back to Peterborough on the final leg of my circular journey to Liverpool for the National Rail Conference yesterday and have therefore sampled East Coast, Virgin, Trans-Pennine Express and East Coast (again). And, of course, Network Rail.

I love St Pancras International, BUT….. Monday June 10 2010

Mon, 14 Jun 2010 11:21:47 GMT

I absolutely love St Pancras International. As a 21^st century reworking of a 19^th century Gothic masterpiece I think it’s a triumph of design and implementation and I always enjoy using it. A lot!

Network Rail ‘obstructive and incompetent’ says ORR – June 3 2010.

Thu, 3 Jun 2010 09:22:38 GMT

I was at a rather odd press conference at the Office of Rail Regulation yesterday, at which ORR Chief Executive Bill Emery reported that in a ‘mixed year’ NR had been both obstructive and incompetent.

Is time running out for Network Rail? – Tuesday June 1 2010.

Tue, 1 Jun 2010 09:49:33 GMT

Those who tune in regularly to my mumblings here will have seen Sunday’s post, prompted by the intriguing (and revealing) Sunday Times Business Section story about new Secretary of State for Transport Philip Hammond’s letter urging restraint on top executive NR bonuses this year.

New Government’s clear warning to Network Rail – Sunday May 30 2010

Sun, 30 May 2010 20:30:24 GMT

New Con-Lib Secretary of State for Transport Philip Hammond has put a clear warning shot across Network Rail’s bows – the question is this: will the company take any notice?

Train operators in denial. What planet are they ON?! – Wednesday May 26 2010.

Wed, 26 May 2010 10:16:56 GMT

It’s a press day and RAIL’s Richard Clinnick has just brought the office to a standstill (and not for the first time, but we won’t go into that now) by a truly gobsmacking exchange with a train operator ‘somewhere in England.’

First meeting with new Secretary of State – May 14 2014

Mon, 17 May 2010 09:14:13 GMT

So, there I was, yesterday, on Taunton station, mulling over that I now had to ‘start again’ getting to know a new, and (to me) completely unknown Secretary of State for Transport - when my mobile buzzed.

Unbelievably complacent. Unbelievably lucky – Wednesday May 12 2010

Sun, 16 May 2010 16:53:54 GMT

I defy you to watch this 'lucky escape' video and not wince in horror.

Please don’t forget to vote! – May 6 2010

Thu, 6 May 2010 09:00:23 GMT

It’s nowt to do with me how you vote, and vice versa…..but it’s really important that you do, in fact, drop by your polling station sometime today and excercise your franchise.

More level crossing madness – Tuesday May 4 2010.

Tue, 4 May 2010 14:17:51 GMT

We recently had the scarcely credible incident in the UK where a lorry driver knowingly tried to barge through level crossing barriers as they were actually descending - and ended up being fined just £170 with three penalty points!

And today’s mystery question, is…. - Monday April 12 2010

Mon, 12 Apr 2010 15:20:53 GMT

Which is the only major station in mainland Britain where you look down on the roof on all sides from the surrounding cityscape?

Extra pictures of Help for Heroes event, March 27 2010

Thu, 8 Apr 2010 13:57:14 GMT

My apologies for the lack of any extra pictures of this HfH event, as promised in RAIL 641, which went on sale on Wednesday April 7. This is owing to a small technical difficulty which we’ll resolve by the end of this week. The Help for Heroes picture Gallery will be uploaded on Monday April 12. My apologies for this slight delay.

Say it plainly: level crossing abuse kills – Tuesday February 23 2010

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 11:21:28 GMT

I’ve always felt that level crossing abuse ads in the UK pull their punches too much. I’m sure it’s done for reasons of what is perceived as ‘good taste’ but there’s too much of a tendency to avoid tough messages and very direct images.

Charity begins at home – Well done Graham! – Tuesday February 17 2010

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 16:32:53 GMT

RAIL is proud to have the Railway Benefit Fund as its ‘official’ charity because charity does indeed begin at home and I’m keen that we help former railwaymen and women who fall on hard times.

Election date confirmed! – Tuesday February 9 2010 (Part II)

Tue, 9 Feb 2010 10:26:46 GMT

We’ve just been talking to the diary staff at Conservative Transport Shadow Theresa Villiers’ office about an event on Thursday April 22 2010 - and stumbled across the General Election date!

Train hits lorry: lorry loses – Tuesday February 9 2010.

Tue, 9 Feb 2010 08:25:20 GMT

Despite several roadside signs making clear that big rigs are banned from this level crossing, this fruit n’veg trucker decided to take the chance.

Do they think we’re stupid? – Monday February 8 2010

Mon, 8 Feb 2010 09:20:43 GMT

I think I first noticed the trend when Hillary Clinton, having been found out being economical with the actualite about landing in Bosnia ‘under fire’, said she ‘mis-spoke.’

Only in today‘s Britain, sadly - Thursday February 4 2010

Thu, 4 Feb 2010 13:52:06 GMT

This has absolutely nothing to do with railways, but knowing RAIL readers as I do, I'm confident you'll find this is as unbelievably stupid as I do. No further comment needed!

Birmingham-London Mystery Shopper latest! – Tuesday February 2 2010.

Tue, 2 Feb 2010 08:39:40 GMT

Here’s a blog I’ll be taking a look at each day for the next week and you might like to add it to your daily online reading list too, as it’s providing a fascinating informed snapshot of passenger rail services via a variety of companies between Birmingham and London.

Two-day rail journey blog - Friday January 29 2010

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 14:45:24 GMT

I started writing this two-day rail journey blog aboard a Northern train at Liverpool Lime Street at 0800 this morning and am concluding it on an EC Leeds-KX train (not service!) back to Peterborough, reflecting on the last few days travelling about by train, on RAIL business and to attend a funeral near Lancaster.

Adonis announces National Grice II: the Campaign Tour – Wednesday January 27 2010

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 09:24:41 GMT

As the general election approaches (on May 6, if Defence Secretary’s apparent gaffe last weekend is anything to go by) I’m sure we’re all looking forward to the oncoming bout of baby-kissing and 24-hour political gurning which passes for campaigning these days.