Many RM readers will have seen the yellow Network Rail trains around the country, but what do they do and why are they operated? Andrew Royle, who was a technician on the trains, explains their crucial role.  The yellow-liveried test trains of Network Rail, or ‘Infrastructure Monitoring’ (IM) trains to

The building of HS2 should continue despite being behind schedule and over-budget, a business group has claimed. Confederation of British Industry director of infrastructure Tom Thackray admitted the problems facing the high-speed railway are disappointing but insisted it “promises to bring huge economic benefits across the country”. Photo: Steve Parsons/PA

SWITZERLAND: Swiss Combi AG, a joint venture formed of four road transport and logistics companies in the private sector, has bought a 35% stake in SBB Cargo AG for an undisclosed sum, although SBB AG retains a 65% majority holding. Swiss Combi consists of Planzer Holding AG (40%), Camion Transport AG

Britain’s best-selling rail title is back for another month of award-winning photos, news, features and exclusives from the rail industry, past and present. This month’s The Railway Magazine features Abellio’s takeover of East Midlands franchise; it’s make or break for HS2 plus take at steam’s ‘mystery’ man! ABELLIO TAKES

AUSTRALIA: The Victoria state government has ordered a further batch of VLocity diesel multiple-units from Bombardier Transportation, in order to meet growing demand on regional routes radiating from Melbourne. Due to enter service in 2021, the six three-car units will follow on from the nine sets ordered in 2017 for delivery

SWITZERLAND: SBB Cargo has begun using a cloud-hosted version of IVU Traffic Technologies’ IVU.rail software to plan the deployment of around 320 locomotives and 2 200 employees each day. The supplier said its IVU.cloud package offered the operator scalability, with a secure connection enabling up to 150 people work simultaneously on high-availability

THE government has admitted that HS2 will cost a lot more than the official budget of £55.7 billion for all phases, which ministers were still promising was correct only a few weeks ago.In a written statement to Parliament, transport secretary Grant Shapps has also said the project will take longer

UK: The Chairman of High Speed 2 Ltd Allan Cook believes that ‘the benefits of the current scheme are substantially undervalued’, according to a ‘stocktake report’ presented to the House of Commons by Secretary of State for Transport Grant Shapps on September 3. Updating Parliament on progress with the 540 route-km high

Siemens/PA HS2 could cost up to £22 billion more than its previous budget and be delayed by as many as seven years, the company building the railway said. A report by HS2 Ltd chairman Allan Cook stated that the original plans “did not take sufficient account” of the effect of building

GB Railfreight has reliveried Class 66 No. 66747 in branding to mark its growing relationship with Yorkshire-based haulier and logistics company Newell & Wright.  The loco was named Made in Sheffield at the London Gateway freight terminal on July 9, twoyears after running the first service for the company.