Chancellor Sajid Javid is set to throw his support behind HS2 ahead of a key meeting with Boris Johnson and Transport Secretary Grant Shapps. It is understood that having reviewed costs and alternatives the Chancellor will “broadly back” the high-speed line from London to Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds. Downing Street declined to rule

Chancellor Sajid Javid has thrown his support behind HS2 in a key meeting with Boris Johnson and Transport Secretary Grant Shapps. It is understood that having reviewed costs and alternatives the Chancellor “broadly backs” the high-speed line from London to Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds. Downing Street declined to rule out that Mr

Railtrail Tours’ brand new ‘Focus on Steam’ 2020 programme features over 25 UK and Europe steam tours, including a new USA option. There will be a variety of short five-day trips of UK steam railways, including miniature to standard gauge. The UK programme kicks off at Easter with two tours departing

SPECULATION is growing that HS2 is set to be approved by the Government – possibly as soon as next week. Chancellor Sajid Javid is meeting the Prime Minister today, and it is reported that the Treasury will support the project. The scheme to build High Speed lines has been put under the

TRANSPORT Grant Shapps has decided to terminate Arriva's Northern franchise. The operation will be transferred to the DfT's Operator of Last Resort on 1 March. Transport secretary Grant Shapps said: ‘This is a new beginning for Northern, but it is only a beginning. ‘Northern's network is huge and complex and some of

A LEAKED letter from Network Rail is said to be warning the Government that abandoning HS2 would mean that expensive upgrades would be needed on existing classic lines, some of which could take almost 30 years to achieve. The letter from Network Rail chief executive Andrew Haines adds that without HS2

Swiss manufacturer Stadler has beaten rivals CAF and Hitachi to secure a £362m contract to build a fleet of 42 new trains for the Tyne & Wear Metro. The Department for Transport will be providing £337m in funding for the trains. Unveiling the new designs, Nexus, which operates the metro system

The East Midlands is a large and varied area, and its contribution to railway preservation is equally eclectic. The premier preserved steam railway is undoubtedly the Great Central Railway, with its length of double-track mainline. The line should one day connect with the GCR Nottingham to give a heritage line from

Photo: PA Wire The Government is going ahead with plans to reverse historical rail cuts, despite critics warning its £500 million budget is not sufficient. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps is visiting Fleetwood today with a pledge £100,000 towards a feasibility study into reopening the train line linking the Lancashire town to Poulton-le-Fylde. The Fleetwood line

A FUND of £500 million has been promised by the Government as the first step in reopening railways around the country, although only £21.9 million has been allocated so far. Transport secretary Grant Shapps visited the Fleetwood area, where the line from Fleetwood to Poulton-le-Fylde lost its passenger services in 1970,