JUNE 9 saw a Class 31 return to main line action after a gap of several months.  Nemesis Rail’s No. 31128 Charybdis, currently the only Brush Type 2 authorised for use on Network Rail metals, powered the Branch Line Society’s ‘Sunday Yicker’ tour in top-and-tail formation with West Coast Railways’ No. 37668

GERMANY: The Land of Baden-Württemberg has decided to order a fleet of 20 Mireo battery-electric multiple units from Siemens Mobility to operate the Netz 8 Ortenau package of regional lines, the state government announced on August 2. Procurement began in May for the concession to operate the electrified route from Offenburg

ITALY: State-owned passenger operator Trenitalia has invited expressions of interest by October 1 for the supply of up to 250 single-deck EMUs with an estimated total value of €2·7bn. The FS Group subsidiary is looking to award two four-year framework agreements for EMUs to operate regional passenger services on the 3 kV

In pictures: Here are a selection of railways during World War II in advertisements that appeared in The Railway Magazine in 1940. Throughout World War II, The Railway Magazine carried several British Railways adverts per issue, reminding the public (and possibly the enemy) of the amazing service they were

ISRAEL: Railway cybersecurity startup company Cervello has raised US$4·5m during a seed funding round. Investors include North First Ventures of Israel and Awz Ventures of Canada, along with Nissim Bar-El, the founder of technology security consultancy Comsec Group. ‘As operators further digitise their infrastructure, the railway industry is adopting an active

EUROPE: Open access operators Westbahn and RegioJet have signed an agreement under which Westbahn will take over the ‘technical operation’ in Austria of RegioJet’s international trains which link Wien, Brno and Praha. Since their launch in December 2017, these trains have been operated between Wien Hbf and the Czech border station

High Court refuses to reject claims from frustrated franchise biddersTHE HIGH COURT has rejected a government attempt to quash legal challenges from Stagecoach, Virgin and Arriva, which argue that the rejection of four franchise bids in April was unlawful. In each case the reason was the same, because the bidders

THE annual rail industry ‘Three Peaks Challenge’ – raising money for the Railway Children charity – was once again supported by Direct Rail Services on June 13-15.  The operator supplied ‘retro’-liveried No. 37402 Stephen Middlemore 23.12.1954 – 8.6.2013 and No. 37419 Carl Haviland for the train, which carried participants between their

HAPPY memories of Class 20s on summer-dated holiday trains to Skegness were rekindled on May 27 when Pathfinder Tours took a pair of blue EE Type 1s back to the Lincolnshire coast.  Harry Needle Railroad Co Nos. 20096 and 20107, usually hired to GB Railfreight for London Underground ‘S’ stock

STRATFORD-upon-Avon will gain its second regular steam operation later this month when West Coast Railways launches its ‘Merchant of Avon’ trains on July 28.  Five summer Sunday trains are planned initially, starting from Burton-on-Trent and calling at Tamworth, Coleshill Parkway, Henley-in-Arden, Tyseley, Dorridge and Stratford on July 28, August 11/25