Rail freight hub gets green light in face of protests TRANSPORT secretary Grant Shapps has granted a Development Consent Order to promoter Four Ashes Ltd for a rail freight hub in Staffordshire. It will be connected to the West Coast Main Line and create up to 8,500 jobs, according to the

Video 125 is releasing a film showing the very first Intercity railway in the world, filmed before the overhead wires went up. The team at Video 125 travel aboard a Northern Rail class 156 Sprinter, starting at Manchester Airport before joining the original L&M route surveyed and built by George Stephenson. “We

THE London Underground will not be able to carry as nearly as many passengers as before while social distancing is required, according to a leaked report from Transport for London. TfL’s conclusions essentially confirm those of the London Strategic Coordination Group, whose calculations for several scenarios were leaked last week. The

A REPORT from the high speed rail pressure group Greengauge 21 is urging the government to improve railways in the north of England soon, and not to wait until HS2 arrives in the 2040s. The group says important work should be carried out over the next five to ten years, to

FUNDING from the Department for Transport worth £8.6 million over 12 weeks for Tyne & Wear Metro to keep key worker transport running is not enough, according to the man who chairs the North East Joint Transport Committee. The cash is part of a £30 million settlement for light rail and

THE three main rail unions have written a letter of protest to governments in England, Scotland and Wales, and also to the Mayor of London, as plans to run more trains in the near future become clearer. Transport secretary Grant Shapps has repeated his proposal that working hours should be staggered,

If the rules of safe working on the railway are ignored, the consequences can be horrific. Sim Harris looks back at the Margam tragedy last July, when two track workers were killed.WORKING on the railway has always involved risks, and those who are most at risk are the staff who

Eurostar introduces face-cover rule ALL Eurostar passengers must wear some form of face-covering from today, to conform with guidelines in force in France and Belgium. Passengers who do not comply could face fines in continental Europe, Eurostar warned. The company added ‘please ensure you have a mask with you when you travel.

Familiar voices are guests at stations A NUMBER of well-known people are making special announcements at Network Rail stations this week. The guests on station public address systems include Gary Lineker, Claudia Winkleman, Beverley Knight, Lord Sugar and President Trump (although his voice is actually provided by Rory Bremner). The recordings,

Two railway honours for Captain – sorry – Colonel Tom’s 100th THE war veteran who has raised almost £30 million for the NHS by performing laps of his garden in Bedfordshire using a walking frame has been honoured by two railway namings to celebrate his 100th birthday today. Captain Tom Moore