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Rail Magazine

Off-lease 221104 passes Wellington as part of a driver training run between Central Rivers TMD and Wrexham. ALISTAIR COX.
News

All three West Coast Main Line open access bid rejected

Bids by FirstGroup, Virgin and Wrexham, Shropshire and Midlands Railway have all been turned down.

Open access 3 Jul
South Western Railway Class 701s stored at Long Marston. JACK BOSKETT.
News

MP raises SWR '701' delay with government

South Western Railway 3 Jul
A DRS Class 68.
News

DRS told to improve on nuclear material handling shortcomings

Direct Rail Services 3 Jul
Stored SWR Class 701s and former West Midlands Railway Class 323s at Long Marston. JACK BOSKETT/RAIL.
News

UK "fails to provide trains people want or like"

Rail Live 2 Jul
DB Cargo 66139 at Peak Forest. DAVID STUBBINGS.
News

DB Cargo creates pool for Class 66s available for loan to other freight operators

DB Cargo UK 3 Jul
The overgrown island platform at King's Norton station. PETER PLISNER.
News

Midlands Rail Hub plans for East Midlands 'put on hold'

Midlands Connect 2 Jul
GWR battery train 230001 at West Ealing station. JOE CAMPBELL.
News

GWR battery train trial "shows technology can replace diesel units"

Great Western Railway 2 Jul
Europhoenix 37901 waits to remove 350247 on June 27 the day after it derailed crossing from the Up to the Down slow of the West Coast Main Line near Bletchley. NETWORK RAIL.
News

WCML derailment damage blocks through trains onto East West Rail

West Coast Main Line 2 Jul
The Royal Train, led by 67005, passes Bishton Crossing heading East, having just picked up HRH's Duke and Duchess of Cambridge from Cardiff Central as part of their Royal tour by train around the UK. After Cardiff they visited Bath. JACK BOSKETT.
News

Decision to axe Royal Train "incredibly sad for rail" says DB Cargo UK

DB Cargo UK 1 Jul
Latest news

Comment

Around 30% of Nottingham Express Transit passengers travel by tram rather than use their cars because of the comfort and reliability, says Wolmar. Nottingham trams run along the city’s South Parade on June 12 2023. ALAMY.
Comment

How to make trams a priority

The UK has lagged behind in providing trams, says Christian Wolmar, but recent announcements could help it to catch up.

Christian Wolmar 2 Jul
Tyne and Wear route map. NEXUS
Comment

Momentum builds for Washington and Metro expansion

Philip Haigh considers the options and challenges for completing a Tyne and Wear Metro loop through Washington to Pelaw.

Phil Haigh 27 Jun
Tyne and Wear route map. NEXUS
Comment

Momentum builds for Washington and Metro expansion

Phil Haigh 27 Jun
JACK BOSTOCK
News

Comment: Here comes the sun

Dickon Ross 18 Jun
RAIL columnist Christian Wolmar
Comment

Comment: First Class delights with an occasional pang of hunger

Christian Wolmar 13 Jun
RAIL columnist Christian Wolmar
Comment

Comment: The stakes have been raised on rail ‘renationalisation’

Christian Wolmar 11 Jun

Insights from the experts

The first section of roof to be restored as part of the wider Huddersfield station upgrade was unveiled in April. With the expansive scaffolding structure now moved so the restoration of the next section can commence. Northern Class 150 waits at the west-facing Penistone Platform 2. This platform will be moved closer to the main entrance to improve accessibility. CHRIS HOWE.
Feature

Milestones for Manchester-Leeds

Chris Howe explores the latest Transpennine Route Upgrade developments, and records how the railway landscape in the area is rapidly changing.

Major projects 2 Jul
On September 4 2007, and by now the Chief Executive of Eurostar, Richard Brown was at Gare du Nord in Paris to mark the start of running over high-speed lines to London’s refurbished St Pancras. It was effectively the completion of the Channel Tunnel project. ALAMY.
Feature

Interview: ex-Eurostar boss Richard Brown

GBR 27 Jun
LNER 82205 stands at Leeds on May 22 before departing with the 1245 to London King's Cross. SNAPPITYSNAPS PHOTOGRAPHY.
Feature

“This is the East Coast thoroughbred”

Locomotives 24 Jun
Dating from 1984, the ‘Highland Chieftain’ service was originally operated by HSTs, with Azumas taking over in 2019. On July 21 2021, 800112 is between Inverness and Aviemore, as it heads over Slochd Viaduct with the ‘Highland Chieftain’ for London. Under the current public (as opposed to working) timetable, northbound trains leave King’s Cross at 1200 and arrive in Inverness at 2007, while southbound trains depart from the Highland city at 0755 and arrive in London at 1549. NIGEL CAPELLE.
Feature

Review: ‘Chieftain’ is a practical long-distance choice

Reviews 24 Jun
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander unveils the new “GBR - Coming Soon” logo at SWR’s Bournemouth Depot on May 22. PAUL CLIFTON.
Feature

SWR returns to the public domain - but what difference will it make?

Policy 10 Jun
Bridlington is a key location on the route served by the Community Rail Partnership. Northern 170477 waits to leave the Yorkshire seaside town with the 1300 Scarborough to Sheffield service on March 23 2022. PAUL BIGGS.
Feature

A railway with “people at its heart”

Engineering 13 Jun
Could a stop like this be coming to somewhere near you? This mock-up is a proof-of-concept design for the planned Coventry VLR system. RAIL PHOTOGRAPHY: PETER PLISNER.
Feature

Very light rail: the lower cost alternative to traditional light rail

Light rail 11 Jun

RAIL events

Stored SWR Class 701s and former West Midlands Railway Class 323s at Long Marston. JACK BOSKETT/RAIL.
News

UK "fails to provide trains people want or like"

Rail Live 2 Jul
Network Rail engineers carry out wiring work on the Midland Main Line
News

Rail electrification workforce has halved since 2018, study suggests

Electrification 30 Jun
Porterbrook's HydroFLEX unit opposite 93007 at Rail Live 2025. JACK BOSKETT/RAIL.
News

17 fantastic photos from this year's Rail Live

Rail Live 30 Jun
News

"A potential gamechanger": Siemens Mobility launches new Rail Charging Converter

Siemens Mobility 24 Jun

Reviews

Dating from 1984, the ‘Highland Chieftain’ service was originally operated by HSTs, with Azumas taking over in 2019. On July 21 2021, 800112 is between Inverness and Aviemore, as it heads over Slochd Viaduct with the ‘Highland Chieftain’ for London. Under the current public (as opposed to working) timetable, northbound trains leave King’s Cross at 1200 and arrive in Inverness at 2007, while southbound trains depart from the Highland city at 0755 and arrive in London at 1549. NIGEL CAPELLE.
Feature

Review: ‘Chieftain’ is a practical long-distance choice

In RAIL’s latest Mystery Shopper, we take LNER’s ‘Highland Chieftain’ to Inverness, boarding at Peterborough. How does it fare against driving or flying?

Reviews 24 Jun
The main entrance to the Irish Ferries terminal at Dublin Port. ANDY COMFORT
Feature

Review: train and ferry together tickets

Reviews 3 Jun
The replacement bus wasn’t too bad, but getting off it was time-consuming as it was single file only. RAIL
Feature

Review: the dreaded rail replacement buses

Reviews 16 May
Refurbished and in its new livery, CrossCountry 170101 passes Elford occupation bridge with a Nottingham-Cardiff Central service on April 9. On their Birmingham-Cambridge journey, our Mystery Shopper had to ‘rough it’ on an unrefurbished unit. PAUL KEIGHTLEY.
Feature

Review: 170 (minutes) on a crowded Class 170

Reviews 28 Apr
Glasgow Central is Scotland’s busiest station. As well as commuter and semi-fast trains, Sleeper and inter-city trains also use the terminus. 385022 has just arrived with the 0852 from Lanark-Glasgow Central, while 156495 has arrived from Kilmarnock.
Feature

Review: ScotRail with a 'Spirit of Scotland' rover ticket

Reviews 7 Mar