EUROPE: A ‘blueprint’ for the operation of direct high speed services to and from London was presented to the Mayor of Bordeaux and the President of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region on April 29. The proposals are being developed jointly by HS1 Ltd, which manages the high speed line between London and the

BELGIUM: Infrastructure manager Infrabel has awarded Kapsch CarrierCom a 15-year framework agreement covering the migration of its GSM-R communications network from R99/TDM to R4/VoIP and the provision of 12 years of maintenance. This is intended to provide the functionality and resilience needed for the use of ETCS Level 2 over GPRS.

Updated 11.00THE Rail Delivery Group is proposing major reforms for the management of the railways, by creating a new ‘independent national organising body in charge of the whole industry, acting as the glue that binds it together’. Such an idea recalls the former Strategic Rail Authority, which managed the franchising

ALGERIA: A rail link to Alger Houari Boumediene Airport  opened along with a new terminal on April 29. National railway SNTF operates an hourly service from Alger’s Agha station to Bab Ezzouar and the airport between 05.00 and 21.00, with a price of 80 dinar per adult and 40 dinar per

UK: Greater accountability to rail users and devolved authorities is envisaged under proposals from the Rail Delivery Group published on April 30, along with the establishment of an ‘independent national organising body’ to co-ordinate and oversee the entire rail sector. Unveiling its proposals to the Williams Rail Review, which has been

CHINA: CRRC and Tianjin Trust Co have launched a financial leasing subsidiary with the aim of expanding the rolling stock manufacturing group’s export activities and supporting the government’s Belt & Road Initiative. Target market sectors include high speed trainsets, high-power locomotives, wagons and urban rail vehicles. CRRC Financial Leasing Co Ltd is registered in the

UK: Infrastructure manager Network Rail announced the award of six geographical Signalling & Telecoms framework contracts with an estimated total value of £750m on April 29. The S&T frameworks cover projects of varying value, including stand-alone level crossing works, major telecommunications works and related civil works, during regulatory Control Period 6

UK: London to Scotland overnight train operator Caledonian Sleeper put the first of its new fleet of CAF coaches into service on April 28. The Mk V vehicles built in northern Spain are initially being used on the Lowlander route from London to Glasgow and Edinburgh. The Highlander route between London

ON-GOING testing of the new Mk5 carriages for the Caledonian Sleeper has brought the old and new trains side by side, well away from the depot. Six of the new carriages were out for winter testing on March 9 between Polmadie depot, Glasgow and Fort William, and on the return

CALEDONIAN Sleeper has released the first images of the finished interiors of its new train. The Caledonian Sleeper website – sleeper.scot – has been counting down to introducing the first of 75 new carriages (costing £100million) from June, and is offering a booking window of 12 months.  The new trains were