In southwest London, there is an adventure to be had at Chessington. It’s not the theme park of the same name. This adventure does not require you to step off the quaint South station. All you need to do is wait and, if the time is right, a train will call at the never used…
Author: Simon Walton
Souped up ’66 DB Cargo’s tasty treat
Heavier loads, greater pulling power. Weight for weight, the workhorse Class 66 diesel is already one fo the most powerful locomotives to have turned out on British rails. Now, DB Cargo UK has decided, enough is not enough. The Doncaster-based operator has gotten under the hood and pulled a few customising tricks out of the…
Building future skills for the UK rail industry
The engineering faculty at Edinburgh University is one of the leading sources of graduate talent in the UK. In late April, the school hosted a seminar specifically addressing future recruitment into the rail industry. However, the target audience was not quite ready to start their doctorate studies. In fact, the audience for the interactive welcome…
English city promotes rail freight for industrial development
Doncaster is playing its railway card in a bid to attract investment. The north of England city is leveraging its rich railway heritage as a catalyst for industrial investment. It’s a novel way to harness the collateral benefits of rail development. It may just pay off for the city, which is often overshadowed by more…
Emotive locomotive signals digital future
A new route for a ’66. DB Cargo UK has offered up one of its workhorses of the rail freight industry. The first “Shed” in the dynamic signalling revolution has had a digital makeover. The pathfinder locomotive has been retrofitted and moved on to begin dynamic testing. They’ve been around for over a quarter of…
Mossend International Railfreight Park ambitions for Scottish logistics
Mossend International Railfreight Park (MIRP) is making significant strides towards becoming Scotland’s first carbon-free rail terminal. Recent developments showcase its growing importance in the logistics sector. As construction progresses at the site located near Glasgow, key figures from the industry are taking notice of its potential to revolutionise supply chain logistics in Scotland and beyond.…
UK industry is generally supportive of Labour Party rail reform
The left-wing Labour Party is expected to take over in office when the United Kingdom goes to the polls later this year. The party has been in opposition for thirteen years. It could be argued that the traditionally blue-collar and industrial Labour Party has had plenty of time to formulate its plans for office. So,…
Go for good now, not perfect net-zero later, says Railfuture
Waiting for the perfect solution to carbon emissions is the wrong strategy. Rail freight can deliver a good solution now, which is better overall, says Railfuture, the influential pressure group that promotes rail development in the UK. Railfuture is campaigning to get freight off road trucks and onto trains. They agree with the UK Government’s…
West Coast drives Scotland’s huge potential for rail freight growth
The Rail Freight Group, which represents the industry in the UK, has heard that Scotland’s potential for growth could benefit the UK as a whole. Despite that good economic outlook, the Scottish government has decided to suspend its Modal Shift Revenue Support scheme due to a strained budget. That, however, may not be the death-knell…