Potential but no plans for Scottish rail reopenings
There’s a stark contrast on show at Alloa station. The line heading west towards Stirling features shiny rails. That heading east is heavy with rust. Yet the line only reopened…
Transport Scotland should build Dalmeny Chord to boost rail access to Edinburgh Airport
Recent news that Edinburgh Airport is to increase road capacity to its terminal is a sure sign that public transport to Scotland’s busiest airport needs to improve.The Scottish government dropped…
Digital Railway: better information for better decisions
Digital Railway is an alluring concept that’s easy to describe in general terms but much harder to pin down in detail.According to Network Rail: “Digital railway offers capacity and performance…
Hydrogen can be the number one for tomorrow’s railway
Diesel is dirty. And electric expensive. This gives rail a problem.What fuel should tomorrow’s trains burn? After decades wedded to diesel it seemed that rail was about to break into…
RAIB report highlights lack of leadership at NR
No reports from the Rail Accident Investigation Branch make easy reading. When RAIB’s chief inspector describes an incident as alarming, the railway should sit up and pay attention.Thankfully, there was…
Time for RMT to embrace the role of on-board supervisor
ASLEF’s deal with Southern has no implications for other train operators. That’s the claim from Mick Whelan, the drivers’ union general secretary in the wake of his members on Southern…
Decisive action today for a joined-up North tomorrow
False starts have bedevilled attempts to upgrade the trans-Pennine route through Huddersfield. It has long been the primary route between Leeds and Manchester carrying a mix of express, local and…
Franchise flashpoint puts DfT under pressure
How many times have you heard the warning ‘buyer beware’ or been cautioned ‘if a deal looks to good to be true, then it is too good to be true’.I’m…
The hunt for DfT’s rail strategy
Strategy and policy are inextricably linked. The first is a reaction to the second. Decide your policy, then the strategy that delivers it and, finally, plans to implement.According to the…
Will the dream of reopening Woodhead become reality?
There’s an irony in Woodhead’s tunnels carrying electricity under the Pennines. Where once they thrived on carrying its raw material, coal, now they carry the finished product.Woodhead the line is…