Many UK trains grind to a halt in four days of strike actions
London commuters may be forgiven for feeling it was still full-on dispute mode. Services of the Underground were curtailed by a widespread stoppage yesterday. Today, and on Saturday, it’s the turn of surface railways to...Read more
Anger and little sympathy for UK’s high-speed rail delay
Controversy has followed the UK government decision last week to slow down the construction of HS2. Ironically, the high-speed railway project will be a slow-speed build, long into the next decade. The government in London...Read more
UK HS2 north of Birmingham delayed for years
Sources close to the British high speed rail project HS2 have said that the project is to be delayed in an effort to cut spiralling costs. Only the section between London and Birmingham is to...Read more
UK strikes called off at Network Rail, passenger operators still under threat
The British infrastructure agency Network Rail, has confirmed that strike action called by the trades union RMT, has been suspended. Staff at Network Rail, including safety critical signallers, were due to take part in a...Read more
Scotland’s Caledonian Sleeper operators tossed out of bed
The Scottish government has stepped in to run the troubled overnight services from Scotland. It is lights out on Serco, the second and final franchise operators of the overnight rail service between Scotland and London....Read more
Abellio UK management buyout cuts ties with Dutch parent
Dutch owned Abellio UK is about to be renamed Transport UK Group. The company is the subject of a management buyout that has been coming down the tracks for almost a year. Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS)...Read more
Newcastle Metro sends top drivers for first drive of new fleet in Brno
From a seat on Tyneside to sitting beside the manufacturers in Czech Republic, central Europe. Newcastle Metro drivers have had their first chance to drive the new Stadler Metro train on the test track in...Read more
UK strike breakthrough – first union agrees terms
The Transport Salaried Staff Association, the smallest of the three main trades unions involved, has agreed terms with railway employers. The move ends their members participation in the long-running national rail dispute. The move is...Read more
Happy Centenary, Flying Scotsman
The most famous steam locomotive in the world, Flying Scotsman, turned one hundred years old last Friday (24 February 2023). Astonishingly, the engine is still in main line revenue-earning service as a charter operation. In...Read more
TransPennine Express reputation trashed in Parliament
British passenger train operator TransPennine Express has been pilloried in the press for cancelled trains and poor performance. The operator, which connects northern England with southern Scotland, has fallen from grace, big time. Now, their...Read more
UK logistics operator proves low carbon at high speed is possible
Specialist express logistics conveyor InterCity RailFreight has been promoting its low carbon credentials. They were among several stakeholder groups taking part in the debate on the future of logistics within the context of high speed...Read more
Edinburgh trams extension opening finally announced
The long awaited next phase of Edinburgh’s tram line now has a date for opening. Citizens of Scotland’s capital have marked their diaries for 21 June this year. Finally they will be able to ride...Read more
UK Strikes outlook stormy with action called for March and April
The long running dispute in the British railway industry has flared up again with the announcement of a fresh round of strikes. The trades union RMT (Rail, Maritime and Transport) has announced four days of...Read more