PLANS to reopen the station at Soham, between Ely and Kennett, have won planning permission for Network Rail from East Cambridgeshire District Council. The funding has come from Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority, and enabling works should now start this autumn. The rebuilt station will include a 99m platform, long enough

LNER was given a further Direct Award on 26 June which will extend its contract for at least another three years and up to two years beyond that. The contract has been run by the DfT’s Operator of Last Resort since June 2018, following the collapse of Virgin Trains East

If there was any remaining doubt about the survival of the established rail franchises that doubt was put to rest by transport secretary Grant Shapps on 24 June. What is not yet confirmed, writes Sim Harris, is the future shape of the passenger railway. WE do have a fairish idea. Keith

GLASGOW SUBWAY operator Strathclyde Partnership for Transport has sounded a warning about the Subway’s finances as a result of the pandemic, and members of SPT are meeting today to discuss the growing cash crisis. SPT said it had been calling on the Scottish Government’s Transport Scotland for help since the lockdown

THE Class 33s – A Sixty Year History will be published by Crecy on July 30, and The Railway Magazine has three signed copies to give away. Author Simon Lilley details in-depth the background and history of this versatile, popular and successful Type 3 locomotive, which included a fleet of 12

LONG distance operator LNER is the latest train operator to participate in the ‘Know Your Train’ service feature of the website Real Time Trains. ‘Know Your Train’ gives you more information about the rolling stock actually operating on each service, such as what it will look like and what the facilities are

TRANSPORT SECRETARY Grant Shapps has given the clearest indication yet that the old style train operating franchises will not be revived after the pandemic. Instead, he told the Commons Transport Committee that concessions will be the way foward, with the DfT or another contract-awarding body collecting the revenue and taking responsibility

THREE bidders for the £570 million contract to build the HS2 station at Birmingham Curzon Street have been shortlisted. They are BAM Ferrovial (a joint venture of BAM Nuttall and Ferrovial Construction), Laing O’Rourke Construction, and Mace Dragados (a joint venture of Mace and Dragados S.A., UK branch). The station

A new type of vehicle for use on both road and rail was trialled in the early 1930s, but never caught on. Alan Dale considers whether early road-rail vehicles were too advanced for their time. The Ro-railer, or road-rail vehicle, is an innovation that has flickered in and out of fashion

THE timing of an announcement for a reduction in social distancing by Prime Minister Boris Johnson, along with a further easing of restrictions has come at a perfect time for the launch of a new thrice daily luxury charter train, which will operate over the scenic Settle & Carlisle line