Peter Plisner

Birmingham

Former BBC Business and Transport Correspondent. Still enjoying writing about transport and driving an EV. Also check out my company page @conclusionsltd

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Articles

Coventry VLR trials get under way on easy-to-install test track

1 week ago | railmagazine.com | Peter Plisner

Trials of Coventry’s Very Light Rail tram system have begun on a city centre test track. Members of the public and local businesses have been invited to ride on the revolutionary vehicle under controlled conditions. The tram is running on track which took less than two months to install. The ‘slab track’ system negates the need to divert utilities such as gas pipes and telecoms cables by only digging down to a depth of 30cm.
The Greatest Gathering: Tickets on sale for Alstom's Railway 200 event after launch event

Jan 31, 2025 | railmagazine.com | Peter Plisner

Tickets have gone on sale for one of the biggest Railway 200 events at Alstom’s Litchurch Lane factory in Derby. The event called ‘The Greatest Gathering’ will take place from August 1-3 and will feature more than 50 rolling stock exhibits and be a highlight of the year-long celebrations marking the opening of the Stockton and Darlington Railway (S&DR) on September 27, 1825.
Avanti West Coast to challenge West Coast Main Line journey record as part of Railway 200

Jan 31, 2025 | railmagazine.com | Peter Plisner

Avanti West Coast will attempt to break the long-standing record between London and Glasgow as part of Railway 200. The record of 3 hours 52 minutes and 40 seconds was set by the Advanced Passenger Train back in 1984. However, it was allowed to travel at speeds in excess of the current speed limit of 125mph. The record attempt was announced at the launch event for Alstom’s Great Gathering event, which will take place in August this year.
Second study backs new Midlands to North West line

Oct 9, 2024 | railmagazine.com | Peter Plisner

A new cheaper alternative to the cancelled HS2 northern leg has been proposed by a consortium backed by the mayors of Greater Manchester and the West Midlands. The 50-mile-long railway would also be slower than HS2, but still deliver the majority of the benefits, according to a new report. The Opportunity Through Connectivity document has been put together by a consortium of consultants and construction specialists.
HS2 Bromford Tunnel reaches halfway mark

Aug 30, 2024 | railmagazine.com | Peter Plisner

Work on HS2’s Bromford Tunnel in East Birmingham has reached a major milestone, with the first tunnel boring machine (TBM) reaching the halfway point of the 3.5-mile-long twin-bore tunnel. The 1600-tonne TBM, called ‘Mary-Ann’, has been digging since July last year and has evacuated and built 1.75 miles of the first bore of the tunnel, reaching the mid-way ventilation shaft that has been sunk in the Castle Vale area of the city.
Major HS2 bridges completed in the Midlands

Aug 19, 2024 | railmagazine.com | Peter Plisner

HS2 contractors have completed two significant bridge projects in the West Midlands this month. The new bridges at Saltley, Birmingham, and Balsall Common near Solihull are among more than 500 bridge structures being built as part of Phase One of the high-speed line. First to be completed was the 1600-tonne Aston Church Road bridge, close to Birmingham City Centre. It’s designed to provide additional space for HS2 as it runs parallel with the line from Derby. The new bridge spans both lines.
HS2 to sell spare telecoms capacity to improve rural broadband

Aug 9, 2024 | railmagazine.com | Peter Plisner

Analysis by HS2 suggests that thousands of properties along the route of the high-speed line could gain access to ultrafast broadband using spare data capacity sold to broadband providers. Phase One of the line from London to the West Midlands runs through largely rural areas of Buckinghamshire, Northamptonshire, Warwickshire and Staffordshire. Many of the areas identified are said to lag behind the rest of the UK in terms of data speed and mobile coverage.
Railway renaissance at Washwood Heath

Jul 31, 2024 | railmagazine.com | Peter Plisner

Having closed several years ago, the site of the old Metro-Cammell factory at Washwood Heath will soon have a new railway use, housing a major HS2 train depot. Peter Plisner visits the site to find out how work’s progressing. It’s a site that’s steeped in railway history. The factory that stood at Washwood Heath, about a mile outside Birmingham city centre, was the place where (most recently, under the ownership of Alstom) the Class 390 Pendolino tilting trains were assembled.
Vivarail bullish about D-train demand, despite fire setback

Apr 10, 2024 | transportxtra.com | Peter Plisner

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