Sam Hewitt

WSR to close for three-month ‘re-group’ after investigation

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Sam Hewitt

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3rd December 2018

THE West Somerset Railway (WSR) has made the unprecedented decision to voluntarily close for three months from January 2 to April 1, 2019 in order to ‘re-group’ following a visit by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) and the issuing of its findings. As a result there will be no running during the February…
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Virgin Trains USA launched

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Sam Hewitt

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3rd December 2018

By Keith Fender VIRGIN group has announced it will become a minority investor in start-up inter-city passenger operator Brightline. Brightline started operation in Florida in January 2018 and will be renamed Virgin Trains USA, with rebranding starting in 2019. Brightline operates its Florida services using 10 new 125mph Siemens-built ‘Charger’ diesel locos, and has five…
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TransPennine Express delays ‘Nova 3’ introduction to May

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Sam Hewitt

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3rd December 2018

TRANSPENNINE Express (TPE) is delaying the introduction of its ‘Nova 3’ loco-hauled sets until next May. The sets are being built by CAF in Spain and will be hauled by Class 68s sub-leased from DRS. They had been expected to be progressively introduced from the December timetable change, but acceptance testing has produced a technical…
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Talgo picks Scottish site for UK factory

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Sam Hewitt

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3rd December 2018

LONGANNET in Fife has been selected by Spanish train builder Talgo as the site for its proposed UK factory. The location is currently occupied by a closed power station, and has been chosen as it is rail-connected, close to sea ports at Grangemouth and Rosyth, and in a region with a good supply of skilled…
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Railways call time on lineside photo permits

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Sam Hewitt

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3rd December 2018

THE days of the lineside photography permit may be numbered as a number of preserved railways blame rising insurance costs and safety concerns for their decisions to end the issuing of permits to photographers. Lineside passes have traditionally been issued on an annual basis for a set fee. Successful applicants are then supplied with safety…
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REGENERATING RAILWAYS IN THE KINGDOM OF FIFE

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Sam Hewitt

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3rd December 2018

Graeme Pickering looks at two reopening proposals in Scotland which could again connect the university town of St Andrews and the conurbation of Levenmouth to the national network, as well as another long-term scheme to link the newly electrified line at Alloa with Dunfermline. The Central Lowlands are the most heavily populated region of Scotland,…
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EMT gives ex-Grand Central HSTs fresh interiors

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Sam Hewitt

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3rd December 2018

FRESH new interiors are being given to the three former Grand Central (GC) HSTs, now part of the East Midlands Trains (EMT) fleet. The sets – with two power cars and six trailers, rather than the usual eight – were taken on by EMT to provide additional capacity as a result of enforced diagram changes…
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Temporary grounding for ScotRail Class 385s

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Sam Hewitt

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3rd December 2018

THE introduction of ScotRail’s new Class 385 fleet was temporarily stopped after a driver reported a braking issue. It was the second such issue for the fleet and comes on top of electrification delays, software problems and windscreen issues that have dogged the upgrading of Scotland’s trains and services. In the first incident, believed to…
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First Class 315 goes for scrap

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Sam Hewitt

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3rd December 2018

OFF-LEASE set No. 315850 has been sent for scrap after a number of Class 345 ‘Aventra’ EMUs were accepted by TfL Rail for use between London Liverpool Street and Shenfield. The Eversholt Rail-owned set had been in store at Wolverton Works, but on October 20 it was hauled to Booth’s scrapyard, Rotherham by Rail Operations Group…
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Ilford works repaint for Virgin ‘Super Voyager’

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Sam Hewitt

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3rd December 2018

A FULL repaint into the revised Virgin Trains livery for Class 221 ‘Super Voyager’ No. 221101 has been completed by owner Beacon Rail at Ilford Works. Emerging in a livery emulates that being applied to the ‘Pendolino’, but a Virgin spokesman told The RM, that for the moment, it’s a one-off. The unit is due to…
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Sam Hewitt

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