ScotRail Emergency Measures Agreement extended
UK: The Scottish government has extended its funding for the ScotRail and Caledonian Sleeper franchises, following on from the six-month Emergency Measures Agreement introduced in April 2020, which was due to expire on September 20.
UK government announces the end of rail franchising
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’.
Rose Hill Marple service cut back as Northern faces training backlog
Northern Managing Director Nick Donovan explains to Rail Business UK why the service from Manchester to Rose Hill Marple has been reduced to just three trains per day.
GTR launches £55m Electrostar refurbishment
UK: Govia Thameslink Railway and leasing company Porterbrook have begun a £55m five-year programme to modernise 214 Bombardier Transportation Class 377 Electrostar electric multiple-units operated on Southern services, and 56 similar Class 387 units used on Gatwick Express and Great Northern services.
Track Your Train as signalling data added to Realtime Trains
UK: The Realtime Trains web platform which provides independent train running information for the national network added a further layer of functionality on September 14 known as Track Your Train.
Solar-powered scarecrow deployed to keep birds away from electrical equipment
UK: A solar-powered scarecrow that mimics the calls of a hawk is being used to humanely scare away birds which were damaging overhead line equipment and the pantographs of Avanti West Coast Pendolino trainsets at Alstom’s Longsight depot.
Grand Central drops plans for Blackpool – London open access service
Rail Business UK understands that after months of work exploring all options, it had become clear that the service would not be financially viable until at least 2024.
Wabtec to overhaul IC225 sets as lease extended
UK: Leasing company Eversholt Rail The leasing has awarded Wabtec Faiveley UK a contract to overhaul seven IC225 push-pull trainsets at its Doncaster site.
Class 730 EMU for Birmingham’s Cross-City Line revealed
UK: One of the Bombardier Transportation Class 730 Aventra electric multiple-units which West Midlands Trains has ordered for its Cross-City Line services through Birmingham has been unveiled at the manufacturer’s Derby factory.
Class 230 variants approved for passenger service
UK: The Office of Rail & Road has given authorisation for battery and diesel-battery versions of Vivarail’s Class 230 D-Train multiple-units to be used in passenger service.
Railcard discounts now available on GTR smart cards
UK: Railcard discounts can now be obtained for pay-as-you-go travel when using Govia Thameslink Railway’s Key smart cards.