Sam Hewitt

THE face of Derby station is changing rapidly as construction of its new island platform progresses rapidly. Part of Network Rail’s £198million remodelling programme, the new 320-metre long platform will increase the number of through platforms from five to six. Step-free access will be provided by new lifts from the footbridge as well as new…

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TRANSPORT SECRETARY Chris Grayling has called an end to the loss-making East Coast franchise, jointly run by Stagecoach and Virgin, under the Virgin Trains East Coast brand. From June 24, the franchise will be run by the Department for Transport (DfT), using an operator of last resort, which will revive the London North Eastern Railway…

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CONSTRUCTION of new servicing facilities for East Midlands Trains HSTs and Class 222s is well underway at Barrow Hill depot in Derbyshire. Two former storage sidings alongside the HNRC depot have been relaid to a high standard to accommodate five-car Class 222s, and will feature access platforms and lighting, enabling cleaning and light maintenance to…

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By Ben Jones MAJOR changes to timetables across the country brought disruption to Thameslink Southern Great Northern (TSGN) and Arriva Northern passengers from May 20. More than four million services had to be rescheduled, six times the usual workload for planners, as various infrastructure enhancements were due to be completed. However, delays to key projects…

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THE Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway (GWSR) has described the latest lorry strike on the rail-over-road bridge at Broadway station as “frustrating and infuriating”, after the newly restored structure was hit again on May 1. On this occasion the driver of a flatbed articulated lorry approached the bridge, which carries the railway over the B4632 Station…

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GREATER Anglia has released images of the front of the new Class 745/755 trains which are being built in Bussnang, Switzerland, by Stadler. The units are part of the ‘Flirt’ family, with GA having ordered 38 bi-mode and 20 all-electric versions. The first of the sets was due for completion around the end of April,…

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EAST Midlands Trains (EMT) sent power cars Nos. 43467 British Transport Police Nottingham/Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service and 43468 on a comprehensive test run on April 13, following work on the trailers. The two vehicles are part of the six HST power cars and 18 trailer cars recently taken on by EMT, which were previously…

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THE first five-car bi-mode Class 800/2 IET set destined for use by Virgin Trains East Coast (VTEC) was unloaded at Teesport on March 20 after a long journey from Japan. The set was built at Hitachi’s Kasado works and will be used for driver training and training of on-board staff. Along with all-electric Class 801…

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TESTING of the new Mk 5 carriages for the Caledonian Sleeper operation moved to the West Highland line on April 10, when four of the vehicles were hauled from Polmadie depot to Arrochar & Tarbet. The testing was due to continue on the West Highland route before moving to the West Coast Main Line, where…

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