THE Government has announced that rail franchising is over, after more than 24 years. The Emergency Measures Agreements introduced in England on 23 March have been extended by 18 months and will be known from now on as Emergency Recovery Management Agreements or ERMAs, while the Scottish Government announced just

All the franchises in England were transferred to Emergency Measures Agreements in March this year, to coincide with the start of lockdown. The EMAs essentially removed commercial risk for the operators, who neither pay the bills nor keep the revenue but simply receive a management fee. At the time, the

THE Government must decide the fate of most English rail franchises by Sunday, when the Emergency Measures Agreements which came into force on 23 March run out. However, transport secretary Grant Shapps refused to reveal what could happen when he was questioned by the Labour/Co-op. MP for Oldham West and Royton,

Photo: Nexus Nexus has revealed the colourful design for Tyne and Wear Metro’s new £362 million train fleet.  The public body, which owns and manages the Tyne and Wear Metro, has chosen a modern and eye-catching yellow paint job with black and pale grey along the train sides, following input from passengers

TRAINS built just five years ago are among those set to be upgraded at Selhurst Depot as part of a £55 million fleet modernisation programme announced by Govia Thameslink Railway and leasing company Porterbrook. The newest of the 270 electric multiple units in the programme are more than 50 Bombardier ‘Electrostar’

TRANSPORT secretary Grant Shapps has announced a new campaign to tackle the ‘blight’ of graffiti on railways and roadsides. In a letter to the rail industry, the transport secretary has called for long-term plans to tackle the issue in addition to action which has already been taken, including a review of

Get your name in the limited edition copy of The North Yorkshire Moors Railway and the Esk Valley Line. Mortons Books are launching a brand-new, limited edition book titled The North Yorkshire Moors Railway and The Esk Valley Line. If you order your limited edition copy before September 20th, the first

Alan Barnes is a regular visitor to the North East. Here, he takes a look at the history of the Aln Valley Railway and its progress in extending one of Britain’s newest heritage lines, a project which has not had the easiest of starts. VERY little evidence remains of the railway

A NEW report from Network Rail is setting out plans for the future railway, and it reveals that the last diesel trains could be withdrawn or converted to other forms of traction within three decades or less. The report, an ‘interim business case’, sets out the strategy for decarbonising the network.

All the franchises in England were transferred to Emergency Measures Agreements in March this year, to coincide with the start of lockdown. The EMAs essentially removed commercial risk for the operators, who neither pay the bills nor keep the revenue but simply receive a management fee. At the time, the