UK passenger train operator news – Page 48
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NewsUK’s biggest rail franchise launched
UK: Rail Minister Claire Perry joined senior executives and VIPs at The Shard, the landmark tower overlooking London Bridge station, on September 15 to mark the launch of Govia Thameslink Railway. The new franchise had taken over the operation of London's Thameslink and Great Northern routes from First Capital Connect ...
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NewsGovia directly awarded new South Eastern franchise
UK: Incumbent Govia has been directly awarded a new franchise to operate South Eastern services from the expiry of its current contract on October 12 2014 until June 24 2018, the Department for Transport announced on September 11. The current Integrated Kent franchise has been operated ...
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NewsTfL consults on Barking Riverside extension
UK: Transport for London has begun public consultation on plans to extend London Overground services on the Gospel Oak – Barking line to a new station at Barking Riverside, where up to 10 800 new homes are planned along with commercial and leisure facilities. The 4 km extension would ...
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NewsLondon Overground EMU shortlist announced
UK: Bombardier, CAF, Hitachi and Siemens have been shortlisted for a contract to supply 39 four-car ‘metro-style’ electric multiple-units for London Overground services, Transport for London announced on July 15. Tenders are to be submitted by the end of October, and TfL expects to announce the successful bidder by ...
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NewsNew trains and ticketing as National Express retains Essex Thameside
UK: The Department for Transport announced that incumbent National Express had been selected as preferred bidder for the next Essex Thameside franchise on June 27. The franchise covers a largely self-contained network of commuter services into London Fenchurch Street station from Tilbury, Southend and Shoeburyness. The contract will ...
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NewsLOROL to operate TfL’s West Anglia routes
UK: Transport for London has selected London Overground Rail Operations Ltd as interim operator of the West Anglia routes in northeast London that are to be transferred to TfL from next year. LOROL will operate services currently run by Abellio Greater Anglia from Liverpool Street to Enfield Town, Cheshunt ...
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NewsSerco wins 15-year Caledonian Sleeper franchise
UK: Serco has won a 15-year franchise to operate the Caledonian Sleeper service between London and various Scottish destinations from April 2015, replacing incumbent FirstGroup.At present, two trains operate in each directions on six nights per week; a ‘lowland’ service connecting London Euston with Edinburgh and Glasgow Central, and a ...
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NewsMore EMUs for London Overground
UK: Transport for London announced on April 9 that it would be inviting expressions of interest in a contract to supply electric multiple-units to operate routes that are to be transferred to its London Overground network in 2015. New rolling stock will also be required following electrification of London Overground’s ...
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NewsLondonderry line renewal project completed
UK: Northern Ireland transport company Translink officially reopened the 54 km line between Coleraine and Londonderry on March 22, following an eight-month suspension of services while a £30m infrastructure renewal programme was undertaken. The Renewals Phase 1 project is intended to secure the future of the line for the next ...
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NewsLondon Overground train lengthening approved
UK: A £320m programme of rolling stock procurement and infrastructure works to extend London Overground's 57 Class 378 electric multiple-units from four to five cars was approved by the Transport for London board on February 6. TfL is negotiating with Class 378 Capitalstar EMU manufacturer Bombardier Transportation and QW Leasing ...
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NewsLooking into the future of Northern Ireland Railways
UK: Northern Ireland's Department for Regional Development has begun public consultation on the future of the rail network, seeking views on how to prioritise transport investment in 2015-35. A consultation document sets out a range of options, starting with a basic package necessary to retain the rail network at current ...
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NewsLondon Overground orbital route completed
UK: Mayor of London Boris Johnson and Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin inaugurated an extension of the London Overground network through south London on December 10, creating an orbital service around the capital. Passenger services had begun the previous day. The project required construction of a 1·3 km link joining existing ...
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NewsProcurement of new Merseyrail trains begins
UK: Transport authority Merseytravel announced on May 14 that it had begun procurement of a new fleet of suburban electric multiple-units for the 750 V DC third rail Merseyrail network centred on Liverpool. Recruitment consultants have been asked to identify candidates for the post of Project Director. 'Getting the right ...
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NewsUK franchise pre-qualified bidders announced
UK: The pre-qualified bidders for the Great Western, Thameslink and Essex Thameside passenger rail franchises were announced by the Department for Transport on March 29. Absent from the lists was Spanish national operator RENFE, which had reportedly been seeking to enter the UK market. Great Western First Great Western ...
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NewsC4Ks start running to Larne
UK: Northern Ireland’s Transport Minister Danny Kennedy joined the celebrations on October 3 to mark the entry into service on the Belfast – Larne route of the first of Translink’s new Class 4000 DMUs. The 20 three-car units are being supplied by CAF under the operator’s £150m New Trains Programme, ...
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NewsEast London Line to Clapham Junction underway
UK: TfL announced on May 19 that its contractor Birse Metro had begun work to build the 1∙3 km of new track, using a disused alignment, that will enable East London Line services to reach Clapham Junction. The new corridor will run from south of Surrey Quays station to join ...
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NewsFirst CAF Class 4000 DMU arrives in Belfast
UK: The first of 20 three-car diesel multiple-units for Translink NI Railways was delivered to Belfast docks on March 14, two years after the order was placed with Spanish manufacturer CAF under a £114m project funded by the Department for Regional Development. Testing at up 145 km/h is set to ...
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NewsEast London Line reaches Highbury and Islington
UK: The latest phase of Transport for London’s East London Line extension programme was completed on February 28 when London Overground services began carrying passengers over the 2∙1 km between Dalston Junction and Highbury & Islington. Restoring a connection removed in the 1980s, the £50m project has also involved the ...
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NewsEast London Line reopens
UK: The East London Line was formally inaugurated by Mayor of London Boris Johnson at Dalston Junction station on April 27. Accompanied by Transport Commissioner Peter Hendy, and Managing Director of London Rail Ian Brown, the Mayor travelled to Dalston Junction by train from Shoreditch High Street.Johnson praised Transport for ...
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NewsSoutheastern rehearses Olympic shuttle
UK: Former Olympic athlete Daley Thompson took the controls of a Class 395 EMU on July 27 for a special ‘time trial’ to rehearse the intensive ‘Javelin’ service that will operate between London St Pancras and Stratford International during the 2012 London Olympics. The shuttle is intended ...