All GWR articles – Page 3

  • Regular passenger services between Okehampton and Exeter are to be reinstated, after the Department for Transport confirmed the provision of £40·5m of funding under the Restoring Your Railway initiative
    Rail Business UK

    Exeter – Okehampton passenger service to be revived

    2021-03-19T00:05:00Z

    UK: Regular passenger services between Okehampton and Exeter are to be reinstated, after the Department for Transport confirmed the provision of £40·5m of funding under the Restoring Your Railway initiative on March 19. The initial service will start by the end of this year, with an ...

  • gb c2c coronavirus wear a face covering sign West Ham
    Rail Business UK

    Government agrees ERMA extensions with three operators

    2021-03-10T14:43:00Z

    UK: The Department for Transport has exercised its option to extend the Emergency Recovery Measures Agreements with c2c, South Western Railway and TransPennine Express, as discussions continue over the ending of franchise agreements and a move to directly-awarded National Rail Contracts. FirstGroup, which operates the South ...

  • gb GWR Newbury Racecourse
    Rail Business UK

    GWR to make extra stops to serve vaccination centre

    2021-02-05T05:00:00Z

    UK: Great Western Railway is to stop 17 extra London Paddington – Bedwyn trains a day at Newbury Racecourse from February 8, to help people access a coronavirus vaccination centre there. This will be in addition to the current hourly timetabled service between Newbury and Reading. ‘Rail ...

  • GWR IETs at Swindon
    Rail Business UK

    It’s right to change timetables in ‘a challenging environment’, says GWR MD Hopwood

    2021-01-14T10:00:00Z

    UK: The need to adapt timetables to cope with reduced demand as well as increased staff absences as a result of the coronavirus pandemic is creating a ‘very challenging environment’, Great Western Railway Managing Director Mark Hopwood has told Rail Business UK. ‘Normally as an industry ...

  • gb-GWR-802-teignmouth-Hitachi
    Rail Business UK

    GWR to test Hitachi battery hybrid inter-city train

    2020-12-15T11:22:00Z

    UK: Leasing company Eversholt Rail and Hitachi Rail Europe have signed a memorandum of understanding to develop an underfloor battery powerpack to be trialled on a Class 802 electro-diesel inter-city trainset operated by Great Western Railway on the London – Penzance route.

  • FirstGroup and the Department for Transport have reached agreement on the termination of the South Western Railway and West Coast Partnership franchise agreements
    Rail Business UK

    South Western and West Coast franchise termination payments agreed

    2020-12-10T11:21:00Z

    UK: FirstGroup and the Department for Transport have reached agreement on payments for the termination of the South Western Railway and West Coast Partnership franchise agreements, which were signed before the pandemic, and are negotiating new directly-awarded management contracts which would come into effect when the current ...

  • Mechan worked with main contractor Hochtief to design, supply and install a set of 12 lifting jacks and two turntables for a three-road maintenance facility which has been built to expand GWR’s Exeter Olds View depot near St David’s station.
    Rail Business UK

    Mechan jacks and turntables installed in Exeter

    2020-12-04T05:00:00Z

    UK: Mechan worked with main contractor Hochtief to design, supply and install a set of 12 lifting jacks and two turntables for a three-road maintenance facility which has been built to expand GWR’s Exeter Olds View depot near St David’s station. The 15 tonne rail mounted jacks ...

  • gb SWR Claire Mann
    Rail Business UK

    Claire Mann named South Western Railway Managing Director

    2020-12-03T11:34:00Z

    UK: Claire Mann has been appointed as the next Managing Director of South Western Railway, and will take up the post in early 2021. Mark Hopwood, currently Interim Managing Director of SWR, will return to his former role as Managing Director of Great Western Railway on ...

  • ·The government has announced the end of rail franchising, with Secretary of State for Transport Grant Shapps saying ‘the model of privatisation adopted 25 years ago has seen significant rises in passenger numbers, but this pandemic has proven that it is
    Rail Business UK

    UK government announces the end of rail franchising

    2020-09-21T08:38:00Z

    UK:·The government has announced the end of rail franchising, with Secretary of State for Transport Grant Shapps saying ‘the model of privatisation adopted 25 years ago has seen significant rises in passenger numbers, but this pandemic has proven that it is no longer working’.

  • The Department for Transport has exercised its option to extend the Emergency Measures Agreement covering FirstGroup’s Great Western franchise until at least June 26 2021.
    Rail Business UK

    GWR Emergency Measures Agreement extended

    2020-09-01T09:47:00Z

    UK: On September 1 the Department for Transport exercised its option to extend the Emergency Measures Agreement covering FirstGroup’s Great Western franchise until at least June 26 2021. FirstGroup Chief Executive Matthew Gregory said this ‘provides important clarity and continuity for our customers, employees and wider stakeholders’. ...

  • gb GWR Class 769 Reading
    Rail Business UK

    Great Western Railway takes delivery of trimode electro-diesel multiple-unit

    2020-08-31T05:00:00Z

    UK: Great Western Railway has taken delivery of the first of 19 Class 769 Flex multiple-units equipped to operate using 750 V DC third rail, 25 kV 50 Hz overhead or diesel power. The Class 769 has been developed from Class 319 dual-system EMUs formerly used on ...

  • GWR Mini HST Saltash 260618 TM1
    Rail Business UK

    GWR buys vehicles outright in HST fleet expansion

    2020-08-19T06:42:00Z

    Photos: Tony Miles UK: Despite concerns over future passenger numbers, the Department for Transport has given permission for Great Western Railway to procure three more shortened HST diesel trainsets, branded as the Castle Class by the franchisee. Each set comprises four refurbished PRM TSI-compliant MkIII trailer ...

  • The Department for Transport has directly awarded incumbent FirstGroup a new three-year contract to continue to operate Great Western services
    Rail Business UK

    FirstGroup says new Great Western contract has ‘appropriate balance’ of risk and reward

    2020-03-30T10:34:00Z

    UK: The Department for Transport has directly awarded incumbent FirstGroup a new three-year contract to continue to operate Great Western services from the expiry of the current direct award on April 1 2020 until March 31 2023, with a possible extension of up to one year at ...

  • Shapps 200302 TM1
    Rail Business UK

    Franchise decisions imminent, as Shapps targets concession model

    2020-03-03T14:13:00Z

    UK: Decisions about the future of the Southeastern and Great Western franchises are set to be announced imminently, according to Secretary of State for Transport Grant Shapps.

  • Heathrow Express Class 387 EMU (13)
    Rail Business UK

    Trains refurbished to provide a ‘dedicated airport experience’ on the Heathrow Express

    2020-02-27T10:44:00Z

    UK: Heathrow Express has released images of the Bombardier Transportation Class 387 electric multiple-units which are being refurbished as a dedicated pool for use on the London Paddington – Heathrow Airport shuttle service from this summer. The 12 four-car Electrostar EMUs previously used ...

  • GWR Class 387 Electrostar
    Rail Business UK

    Supply chain to collaborate on ETCS deployment

    2020-02-12T06:00:00Z

    UK: An agreement for the original manufacturers of existing rolling stock to take a more active role in the retrofitting of ETCS has been reached by leasing company Porterbrook, Siemens Mobility and Bombardier Transportation. ‘This is an excellent example of collaboration and partnership across the supply chain, ...

  • GWR mobility team
    Rail Business UK

    GWR launches mobile assistance service

    2020-01-22T06:00:00Z

    UK: GWR has launched a 10-member mobile Customer Assistance Team to help enable passengers with reduced mobility travel with confidence. Until recently people needing additional assistance were helped onto a train by one member of staff and met at their destination by another. This meant that customers ...

  • The 08.50 to London Paddington on January 5 was the first passenger service to leave Cardiff Central using electric power (Photo: Jeremy Segrott).
    Rail Business UK

    Cardiff electric services go live

    2020-01-07T15:09:00Z

    The 08.50 to London Paddington on January 5 was the first passenger service to leave Cardiff Central using electric power (Photo: Jeremy Segrott). UK: GWR’s 08:50 train to London Paddington on January 5 was the first passenger service to leave Cardiff using electric power, after the 25 ...

  • gb-northern-pacer-retirement
    Rail Business UK

    Non-PRM compliant trains get last-minute derogation

    2019-12-24T12:18:00Z

    UK: A few days ahead of the January 1 2020 deadline for ensuring compliance with tighter accessibility standards, the Department for Transport has granted limited dispensations for operators to keep in service for up to one year trains which do not meet the TSI-PRM requirements.

  • News

    Three replacement franchises start

    2006-05-01T10:00:00Z

    UK: Low-key celebrations were held in London on April 3 to mark the start of three replacement train operating franchises. FirstGroup has retained the First Great Western branding for its expanded ’Greater Western’ franchise which combines the FGW Link suburban services and the Wessex Trains regional services formerly run by ...