Southeastern has created a £1·5m Centre of Excellence for Train Presentation to undertake interior repairs and heavy cleaning at Grove Park depot in London. Two 12-car walkways have been installed to improve access for cleaning, a third berthing road fitted with power isolation and drainage improved to stay within water discharge limits. There will be a more centralised approach to training to ensure quality.
A containerised Powercube is to be installed at the Global Centre of Rail Excellence. To be built off-site by Mavin Powercube, it will include a modular data centre, a signal equipment room and interconnecting access and staging unit.
Network Rail is joining Samaritans and British Transport Police to host a Small Talk Salon at London King’s Cross on February 22. This is part of the Small Talk Saves Lives campaign which aims to empower people to start a conversation if they think someone needs help, reassuring the public that a little small talk like ‘do you know where I can grab a cuppa?’ can be all it takes to interrupt suicidal thoughts. ‘People might worry that they will say the wrong thing, but saying something is better than saying nothing’, said Network Rail.
The UK government has committed to working with the local authority and Transport for Wales to fund the development of a business case for a proposed station at St Athan on the Vale of Glamorgan line.
Former HS2 Phase 2a Delivery Director Pete Sollitt has been appointed Managing Director of the Transpennine Route Upgrade West Alliance which is responsible for projects west of Leeds.
Govia Thameslink Railway has awarded incumbent JC Decaux a four-year concession to manage out of home advertising assets, including at stations and on land adjacent to the railway. There are currently 163 digital screens and over 1 300 static displays at more than 200 stations.
FirstGroup’s open access operators Lumo and Hull Trains have appointed Lucy Harper as Head of Public Affairs and Richard Salkeld as Head of Communications. Harper joins from Trainline, while Salkeld has previously worked at LNER and GWR and as a journalist at ITV Tyne Tees.
Marcus Robertson has stepped down from Steam Dreams to start Belle Trains which will offer international holidays involving steam traction.
Southeastern has obtained Safeguarding on Rail Scheme accreditation from the British Transport Police. This ‘recognises our extra efforts to protect those who are vulnerable and who need our support and care more than others’, said Safeguarding Manager Mark Sutton.
Law firm Burges Salmon advised Transport Design International on a deal to supply three pre-series battery-powered Revolution Very Light Rail vehicles to Eversholt Rail which was announced in December.
A plaque dedicated to railway employees and family members who died during the pandemic has been unveiled at the National Railway Museum by Network Rail Chair Peter Hendy and Railway Mission’s York region chaplain Angela Levitt-Harwood. ‘It is absolutely right that we commemorate the loss, and suffering of railway people during the pandemic, and also dedication of the railway in delivering essential passenger and freight services to transport key workers, and goods, during the pandemic’, said Hendy.