Will we ever see Eurostar’s Channel Tunnel monopoly end?
I wonder it we will ever see an alternative to Eurostar providing all passenger rail services through the Channel Tunnel? I had great hopes that DB might provide some competition…
Network Rail chairman talks cars at National Railway Museum dinner
Richard Parry-Jones talked cars at last week’s National Railway Museum 40th anniversary dinner, warning the assembled railwaymen that cars were closing the gap on rail’s environmental advantage. Parry-Jones has had…
Class 319s come to Northern England
Let’s welcome Northern’s newest electric train fleet to service. And welcome its oldest fleet into use. For they are the same. Northern’s Class 319s entered passenger traffic with that operator…
New trains show the railway’s progress
There’s nothing like new trains for showing visible progress in modernising a railway. New signalling passes most passengers by and there’s not much a following for new lifts and escalators.…
Poor work at Peterborough
I was back in Peterborough the other day to help make sure Steam Railway magazine reached the printers on time. The trip gave me a chance to have a look…
Little change for East Coast Main Line franchise
In terms of destinations, the East Coast Main Line franchise today is pretty much the same as when GNER took over from British Rail in 1996. The new company added…
RAIL 743 Stop & Examine
DB drops plans to run Channel Tunnel passenger trains DB’s decision to drop plans to run international trains to London is a bitter blow to those promoting European rail travel.…
Delayed on East Coast
Arriving at Newcastle station late last night for the 2115 to London, I was met with a departures board displaying an ominous ‘Delayed’. This was strange because the 2115 starts…
A first class conundrum
At face value, it sounds simple to convert first class coaches into standard class to reduce congestion. Think of first class and many will think of large seats arranged in…