david stubbings

3 weeks ago | railmagazine.com | david stubbings

The Rail Accident Investigation Branch has said a tractor driver did phone the signaller prior to a collision involving a Transport for Wales train and a farm trailer at a crossing in Herefordshire. The 0830 Manchester Piccadilly-Cardiff Central service, led by DVT 82229, struck the tractor and trailer at Nordan Farm on the Marches Line near Leominster at 1037 on May 22.

3 weeks ago | railmagazine.com | david stubbings

The first electric-powered train has run between Wigan and Bolton, marking a significant milestone in the project to improve services between the towns. A Northern Class 323 unit made two return trips between Wigan North Western and Bolton in the early hours of Tuesday June 3 using overhead line equipment installed in a £100 million project. Engineers monitored how the OLE performed during the test runs along the 6.5-mile line.

3 weeks ago | railmagazine.com | david stubbings

Tram-trains in Greater Manchester, an extension to the Tyne and Wear Metro and a platform extension are all projects that are set to benefit from a government injection of more than £15 billion into regional transport schemes across England. Chancellor Rachel Reeves is today announcing £15.6bn in funding in local transport projects ahead of next week’s Spending Review, 11 months after the government paused a similar plan announced by the Conservatives in 2023.

3 weeks ago | railmagazine.com | david stubbings

FirstGroup has confirmed it has agreed the lease of five Class 222 DMU sets for its new London Euston-Stirling open access service. The sets, currently in use with East Midlands Railway (EMR), will be leased from Eversholt Rail in a deal that runs until the end of the current track access agreement in 2030. The company, which currently has an order with Hitachi for 14 new trains, will consider using electric or bi-mode units should its track access agreement be extended.

1 month ago | railmagazine.com | david stubbings

The first section of platform at HS2’s Old Oak Common station has been installed. Six platforms are being built in the underground box where the new line will connect with the Great Western Main Line. A new station on the GWML will have eight platforms. Each HS2 platform will be long enough to take 400-metre-long trains. Old Oak Common is the first location on the high-speed route to have platforms installed.