The Railway Magazine
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RAIB says Romney & Hythe sands incident has echoes of Abermule
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By Cliff Thomas A REPORT by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) into the serious operating irregularity at the Romney Hythe & Dymchurch Railway (RH&DR) on August 28 draws parallels to the circumstances that led to the head-on Abermule collision in 1921, when 17 people were killed. In the 2019 incident, a passenger train (designated…
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Worcester Parkway on track for December opening
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Construction work is almost complete on the new Worcestershire Parkway station, with testing and commissioning expected to be complete ready for opening on December 15. The split-level station will be operated by Great Western Railway (GWR) on behalf of Worcestershire County Council, with CrossCountry Cardiff to Nottingham trains serving the lower platforms on the Birmingham…
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Rail Riders enthusiasts’ club set for relaunch
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Rail Riders, the club for rail travellers and enthusiasts founded and operated by British Rail between 1981 and 1991, is being relaunched in February. Almost 30 years after the iconic fan club closed, it is being revived by well-known railway accessory and clothing supplier Bufferbeam. Unlike the original club, which was aimed at children aged…
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Northern franchise hangs in the balance after Shapps warning
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By Tony Miles The future of the Northern franchise is hanging in the balance after Transport Secretary Grant Shapps addressed the Transport Select Committee on October 16. He said: “I can tell the committee that I have already issued a request for proposals from both Arriva and the operator of last resort (OLR), because I…
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December debut for Hull Trains ‘Paragon’ fleet
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November 25 saw the first of five Hull Trains’ (HT) Class 802/3s make its debut in the company’s home city. The First Group-owned open access operator confirmed that the bi-mode trains will be phased into passenger service over the next two months, releasing its ailing Class 180s for transfer to East Midlands Railway (EMR). The…
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Former UK electrics have mixed fortunes in Bulgaria
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BULGARIA remains the main user of ex-BR built electric locomotives, but the competitive nature of freight operations has led to mixed fortunes for the Class 86, 87 and 92s exported there. Operator Bulmarket has work for its well-maintained Class 87s (Nos. 87009/17/23/25), however its Class 86s, which are around 10 years older, are reported to have…
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Vivarail battery hybrid trials underway
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TRIALS using a Vivarail Class 230 battery hybrid multiple unit were operated on September 9-10 between Evesham and Moreton-in-Marsh. In addition to diesel power on its converted trains, Vivarail can harness battery power, with hydrogen eventually planned. The company is building on tests undertaken in 2018 when its development set No. 230002 ran 60 miles between…
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‘Plain Jane’ look for ‘Pendolino’
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THE end of Virgin Train West Coast franchise is just two months away, and an on-going repaint programme has led to the release of the first unbranded Class 390 ‘Pendolino’ set. The repaint work is part of the interim maintenance regime, which began in June 2017. Set No. 390137 was released from Alstom’s Technology Centre, at…
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Factory commissioning of Merseyrail Class 777 begins
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STATIC factory-based testing of the first of 52 Stadler Class 777 four-car EMUs for Merseyrail has started in Switzerland. When engineers are satisfied, the set will be moved to Germany for dynamic testing on Siemens Wildenrath test circuit, before the first completed set is delivered to Merseyside later in the year. The first trains of…
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‘Aberdonian’ success prompts return in 2020
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TORNADO Railtours’ series of Edinburgh to Aberdeen day trips concluded on September 7 after a successful first season, with dates having been announced for next year’s trains. The tours are hauled by ‘A1’ No. 60163 Tornado and will operate on July 23, September 3 and September 10, offering passengers a diverse selection of off-train excursions as…
