Network Rail will complete a major signalling overhaul in Manchester over the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Bank Holiday. As part of a project to modernise journeys into the city, a 132-year-old signal box near Philips Park will be removed, with control of the signalling equipment moving to Manchester’s state-of-the-art rail operating...

HS2 has opened the first stage of a 50-mile-long (80km) temporary access road that will link construction sites across Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Northamptonshire and South Warwickshire, and take pressure off local roads. Closely following the route of the new high-speed railway, the road is designed to carry around 400-500 vehicles every...

The Queen has made a surprise visit to the opening ceremony of the Elizabeth line at Paddington Station. She was joined by her youngest son, Prince Edward. The longest reigning head of state was unable to attend last week's Queen's Speech due to mobility problems. "In a happy development, Her Majesty...

Last week, from 10-12 May 2022, Railtex / Infrarail brought together a total of 3,707 industry professionals, mainly from the UK. With topics from decarbonisation, investments to create a more sustainable rail industry to the digitalisation of rail transport, the exhibition once again showcased the full potential of the...

Renowned as the leading one-stop-shop event for the entire railway industry in the UK, Railtex / Infrarail reflects the dynamic developments in the sector and the vision of the rail network of the future. The event is the first choice for railway professionals on the lookout for the latest...

Plans to replace the traditional mechanical signalling and associated signal boxes in Cornwall have been around for over three decades. In the late 1980s, a proposal to outsource the project to one of the major signalling suppliers was seriously considered by the British Railways Board but was eventually rejected...

The class 168 and class 170/171 (hereinafter class 170) ‘Turbostar’ diesel mechanical multiple units were built between 1998 and 2005. In railway terms these trains might be described as being halfway through their lives. But in terms of diesel engine technology and environmental knowledge a lot has happened that...

Between January and March 2022, the North Yorkshire Moors Railway (NYMR) completed the reconstruction of the last two of a package of four bridges at Goathland; one of the largest bridge renewal projects yet undertaken by the heritage rail sector. The railway’s 180-year-old route runs along 18 miles of scenic...

Nature’s reclamation of our dismantled railway network describes a delightfully melancholy intermingling, whereby wildlife and vegetation recolonise trackbeds while structures are lost to the permeative interventions of water and tree growth. But a more malevolent force has also been at play here - that of our state-owned roads company...

At a recent rail industry press round table, Network Rail’s Chief Executive Andrew Haines hit out at those complaining about the Integrated Rail Plan (IRP). He felt they had done the industry “an enormous disservice with the Treasury, when the economics of the railway are really challenging,” and that...

The South Wales Metro (Metro De Cymru) is an integrated heavy rail, light rail, and bus-based public transport services and systems network under construction in South East Wales, around the hub of Cardiff Central. The project includes a brand-new depot at Taff’s Well, new trains, the electrification of the...

The role of track to train radio communications is becoming ever more important. The early networks of the 1970-80s have long been replaced by GSM-R, a standard that has been adopted on an international scale. However, this is 2G technology which is outdated and has been overtaken in the...