The last of Southeastern’ s 29 Class 395 EMUs to receive an interior refresh has re-entered passenger service, marking the end of the first phase of a £27m upgrade programme which is being delivered in partnership with leasing company Eversholt Rail and manufacturer Hitachi Rail. The second phase is now underway, including improved passenger information, new CCTV and a new livery.
The Railway Industry Association has opened an office in Leeds in addition to its Westminster and Rayleigh premises. This provides meeting rooms and event spaces available for hire, with exclusive rates for RIA members. RIA will hold its own events and meetings in the northern base, such as Member Interest Groups, workshops, roundtables and RIA Training Services courses. ‘Rail suppliers need a strong voice across the Nations & Regions of the UK, and the new Leeds office will provide a lynchpin for this engagement at all levels’, said Chief Executive Darren Caplan.
The South Rail Systems Alliance of Colas Rail UK, Network Rail and Aecom has completed infrastructure upgrades between Shepreth and Cambridge on the West Anglia main line to support the future Cambridge South station. This included renewal of 5·7 km of track and the realignment of 1·4 km, installation of eight turnouts and eight signals and 110 foundations for 79 structures supporting 10 km of new overhead wiring. Station contractor Murphy will continue to complete the fit-out of the new station until autumn, and Network Rail and Alstom are continuing to plan the next major stage for the signalling renewal programme which would enable the station to open in 2026.
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has announced the appointment of three people to the Transport for London board, who will serve to September 2028. Following a nomination from the Trades Union Congress, the Mayor has appointed Jim Kelly of Unite to represent workers. Greg Clark and Anne McMeel are due to step down after eight years on the board in July, and following an external recruitment campaign the Mayor has appointed Carolyn Dwyer who has a background in property development and urban regeneration and Mike O’Donnell, who was CEO of the pension pool for the London boroughs and the City of London.
Specialist company Restore London has undertaken restoration work on hand-painted ceramic rail maps at London Victoria station which were made in 1899 for the London Brighton & South Coast Railway. Broken tiles and surrounding stonework were matched in colour and detail by tilemaker Craven Dunnill Jackfield. Govia Thameslink Railway oversaw the restoration with funding from Network Rail and a grant from the Railway Heritage Trust.
Greater Anglia and Hereward Community Rail Partnership ran a ‘Try A Train’ service from March to Ely on April 1 for people with early onset dementia and their carers. This aimed to improve confidence to travel by rail, demonstrate accessibility features and highlight the Passenger Assistance service.
Heathrow Express has launched its earliest service, a 04.34 departure from London Paddington. It said the number of early morning departures from the airport continued to increase, with more than 400 flights/month now leaving Heathrow before 07.00 each month. ‘By looking closely at how and when our passengers travel, we identified a clear need for earlier services to help reach 06.00 departures’, said Aoife Considine, Business Lead at Heathrow Express.
c2c has fitted its 26 stations with defibrillators, which are available for use by members of the public on a 24/7 basis.
RMT union members at Eurostar have voted to accept a deal which includes a 3·8% pay rise, a matching 3·8% increase in home-to-work travel allowances, one extra day of paid carer’s leave and an additional two days of paid paternity leave. The agreement also guarantees the union a place in national discussions on industry-wide travel benefits, ensuring Eurostar staff are represented in wider sector talks. Commitments around talks on productivity, including peak-time operational support, rostering improvements, job booking systems and service delivery targets were also agreed.