Rail Business UK
-
Rail Business UKUpskilling for a rapidly evolving rail industry
UK: Two more training courses have been launched by the Rail Safety & Standards Board. One will help frontline rail workers develop leadership skills for a ‘dynamic and complex’ environment, and another is aimed at equipping operational decision-makers with the skills to make rational choices under ...
-
In depthDecarbonisation: ‘Rail risks being left behind’ in emerging hydrogen economy
Birmingham University spin-out Vanguard STS launched its HydroShunter locomotive on January 31 before convening a round table to assess the prospects of hydrogen traction gaining ground in rail applications. Nick Kingsley joined the discussion.
-
NewsVirgin seeks partners to launch cross-Channel train service
EUROPE: Virgin Group is seeking partners to invest in its planned launch of international high speed train services through the Channel Tunnel. On March 9, the Financial Times reported that Virgin Group is seeking to raise £300m in equity and £400m in debt. A Virgin Group ...
-
Rail Business UKRailtex 2025 exhibition postponed
UK: The Railtex rail industry trade fair which was to have been held at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham on May 13-15 2025 has been postponed. Event organiser RX Global told Rail Business UK that ‘we have been looking into the rail portfolio strategy and ...
-
NewsSwiss Federal Railways targets London as it seeks more cross-border high speed trains
EUROPE: Swiss Federal Railways is looking at ordering up to 40 high speed trainsets for use on international services to Italy and France, and ’potentially for other destinations such as Barcelona and London’. To meet growing demand for international travel, SBB is planning to expand the ...
-
Rail Business UKUK railway news round-up
This week’s round-up of business news from the UK railway industry.
-
Rail Business UKFreight sector says rail reforms need to offer investors more certainty
UK: The government’s rail reforms must provide more robust guarantees and stronger regulation so that freight operators have fair and economically viable access to the Great British Railways network and investors will be willing to look at the sector, politicians and industry representatives said at the ...
-
Rail Business UKClass 175 DMUs to enter service with GWR this year
UK: The fleet of 10 two-car and 16 three-car Alstom Class 175 diesel multiple-units owned by Angel Trains and previously used by Transport for Wales until 2023 is to begin entering service with Great Western Railway in Devon and Cornwall later this year, with all expected ...
-
Rail Business UKResearch centre to explore the use of AI and fare evasion in public transport
UK: Cubic Transportation Systems and experts from Imperial College London are to conduct joint research into the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning in the public transport sector. Collaboration is already underway, and in September an ‘immersive’ centre will be opened at CTC’s Redhill site ...
-
Rail Business UKGPS ticketing trial planned for this year
UK: The Department for Transport is seeking suppliers to take part in trials of GPS-based pay-as-you-go ticketing in Yorkshire and the East Midlands later this year, The successful bidders would work alongside train operators Northern and East Midlands Railways to deliver the government-funded trials, which will ...
-
Rail Business UKPay-as-you-go rail ticketing technology contract awarded
UK: The Rail Delivery Group has awarded Tracsis a multi-year contract to provide a Tap Converter system which will support the roll-out of pay-as-you-go National Rail travel in urban areas across the country. Tracsis said this will be a major step towards modernising rail ticketing. Tap ...
-
NewsTransport for NSW and Network Rail to collaborate
INTERNATIONAL: Australia’s Transport for New South Wales and British infrastructure manager Network Rail have signed a five-year memorandum of understanding to co-operate to develop rail technology, improve reliability and drive sustainability. The MoU focuses on four areas: Sustainability & Net Zero Carbon: reducing emissions and ...
-
Rail Business UKCrossCountry ticketing contract to support ACE innovation
UK: CrossCountry has selected the Arriva Customer Engine platform to provide web and app journey planning, ticket sales and travel information services including live travel updates. CrossCountry selected the fellow Arriva Group supplier after a procurement process involving 22 competitors. ACE is already used by Arriva’s ...
-
Rail Business UKStation becomes carbon neutral five years after opening
UK: Rail project consultancy SLC has used data from the RSSB Rail Carbon Tool to calculate that after being open for five years, Worcestershire Parkway has removed more carbon from the atmosphere than was emitted during its construction and operation. The station has been used for ...
-
Rail Business UKRIA launches rail training service
UK: Following a successful pilot last year, the Railway Industry Association has launched a training service to support the industry, including RIA members, in developing and refining skills and knowledge. Courses include: Introduction to UK Rail, a one-day course for anyone new to the industry, ...
-
Rail Business UKEddie Dempsey becomes RMT General Secretary
UK: Eddie Dempsey has been elected unopposed as the next General Secretary of the National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers. He will take over from Mick Lynch on March 7. Dempsey has been the RMT’s Senior Assistant General Secretary since April 2022. He originally joined ...
-
Rail Business UKCrossCountry Class 170 DMUs evolve
UK: Arriva TrainCare’s Crewe depot has completed work on the first of 29 Class 170 diesel multiple-units operated by CrossCountry which are to be refurbished by 2028. The multi-million pound programme has been funded by leasing company Porterbrook. The scope includes fitting the DMUs originally built ...
-
Rail Business UKUK railway news round-up
This week’s round-up of business news from the UK railway industry.
-
In depthComment: Rail needs to find Another Way
Amid geopolitical turbulence, governments in Europe and beyond will need to ramp up their defence spending urgently, potentially squeezing the funding avilable for rail and wider civilian infrastructure. However, a push for more efficiency offers opportunities too, believes our Executive Editor Nick Kingsley.
-
Rail Business UKHigh Speed Rail Group seeks ‘Euston – Crewe core’ in HS2 vision
UK: The High Speed Rail Group has called for ‘new, affordable and realistic plan’ for HS2 including the completion of a London Euston to Crewe ‘core’. In a submission to the Treasury ahead of the spending review, HSRG urges the government to: re-scope HS2 to ...