NETWORK RAIL
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Major power and access upgrades for Doncaster
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Network Rail is installing a new electricity sub-station in Doncaster to deliver more power and greater reliability for East Coast Main Line (ECML) electric services. The new sub-station should be commissioned in October, allowing LNER to increase its use of electric Intercity Express Trains (IETs) in time for the introduction of the new higher-frequency timetable…
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Bespoke footbridge for South Downs park site
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A UNIQUE new footbridge has been designed to provide safer access across the railway at Tide Mills, near Seaford, in the South Downs National Park. Planning permission has been granted for the bespoke design, which is intended to blend with the local landscape and the old village of Tide Mills. Once funding has been secured,…
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Strong growth for rail in city regions ‘bucks trend’
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RAIL travel continues to grow rapidly in the UK’s urban centres. This increase is bucking the trend for reduced commuting that has seen car use and bus patronage fall in recent years, according to a new report by the Urban Transport Group (UTG). Regional rail, which includes most train services in major metropolitan areas, has…
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Art project lights up Cannon Street bridge
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A £45MILLION project to illuminate 15 bridges over the River Thames in central London is underway, with four of the city’s most famous crossings now completed. Network Rail’s Cannon Street bridge is one of the initial quartet featuring multi-coloured lighting, as the result of a collaboration between London-based and international creative artists and around 50…
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NR annual report highlights delivery successes – but debt grows again
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NEW and expanded stations, electrification schemes and capacity for an additional 3,000 trains a week are all highlighted as successes in Network Rail’s 2018/19 annual report. The year to March 31, 2019, saw £7billion invested in targeted improvements to the British rail network, and although many of those were delayed, the benefits of various major…
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A1 trust takes delivery of first new components for ‘V4’ project
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THE first new components for the A1 Steam Locomotive Trust’s (A1SLT) third new-build locomotive – Gresley ‘V4’ 2-6-2 No. 3403 – have been delivered to Darlington Locomotive Works ahead of the project’s formal launch next year. The £4,320 order for 12 tender spring hooks was placed with Unilathe of Stoke-on-Trent as part of a larger order…
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Operation ‘Javelin’
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Class 395 ‘Javelin’ charter trains have raised more than £125,000 for the Royal British Legion’s Poppy Appeal. With this year’s Remembrance Day only two months away, Doug Lindsay takes up the story. The history of these special charter trains, utilising Southeastern High Speed Class 395 ‘Javelin’ trains’, dates back to 2011, and followed a meeting…
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The shocking state of trackside vegetation in public areas
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I AM constantly depressed by the lack of vegetation control on our national network, as highlighted in your Readers’ Platform this month (RM August). On a recent visit to St Mary’s crossing near Stroud I was shocked by just how bad things have got. Not only were there weeds growing between the track but small shrubs…
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East Midlands franchise taken over by Abellio
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AUGUST 18 saw the take over of the East Midland franchise by Abellio, with the brand name East Midlands Railway replacing East Midlands Trains (EMT), the Stagecoach brand. EMT had run services since November 2007 Abellio formally launched the franchise and new brand in Derby the following day, unveiling reliveried ‘Meridian’ set No. 222104 in a…
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Torrential rain and landslips closes West Highland line
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SCOTLAND’S West Highland line was closed on August 4 after heavy rain caused serious landslips at Glen Falloch, south of Crianlarich, which left the track in mid-air. There was also a ballast washout near Tyndrum Lower, with heavy rain flooding the line at Arrochar. After Network Rail had carried out a detailed geo-technical and aerial…
