Category: General Interest

Engineers work their magic on world-famous Glenfinnan Viaduct

A team of specialist engineers have cast a protective spell over the iconic Glenfinnan Viaduct with the completion of a year-long, £3.4 million restoration project.   The structure in the Scottish Highlands, made famous worldwide by the Harry Potter films, has undergone an extensive maintenance programme to safeguard its future for generations to come.   Network Rail, […]

Arriva Group submits open access rail application to connect Newcastle and Brighton, via London Gatwick

Arriva Group has today announced it is submitting an open access application to the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) to introduce a new direct rail service between Newcastle and Brighton, via London Gatwick, providing vital connectivity for underserved communities along the route. Arriva’s application, to be formally notified to Network Rail today, makes use […]

Darlington man becomes youngest train driver at Wensleydale Railway

Wensleydale Railway has announced the appointment of its youngest train driver. George Stephens, fromDarlington, has passed his driver training and is now qualified to drive the railway’s class 142 and class 143 diesel multiple unit passenger trains. George is 21 years old and studied Travel and Tourism at Darlington College. He started working for therailway […]

Railway 200: Bookings now open for unique touring exhibition train coming to Sussex this July

Bookings have now opened for visits to a new and unique exhibition train, part of a national celebration of the 200th anniversary of the modern railway called Railway 200.  The train, named Inspiration, launches at Severn Valley Railway in Worcestershire on 27 June and will criss-cross Britain over the following 12 months, visiting 60 locations including […]

Plan ahead: Rail journeys to be affected by track upgrade work in Gloucestershire

Passengers are being advised to plan journeys in advance as Great Western Railway services will be affected by rail improvement works taking place throughout May in the Gloucester and Cheltenham areas.  Network Rail will carry out vital track upgrades between Gloucester and Stroud or Yate, affecting trains from Saturday 3 to Monday 5 May, plus […]

Sustainability Partner of the Year honour for Avanti West Coast

Avanti West Coast has been named Rail Operator Sustainability Partner of the Year at BTN Group’s 2025 Business Travel Sustainability Awards. The intercity operator’s progress in making sustainable rail travel a viable business alternative for its corporate customers across the west coast resulted in it winning the Rail Operator category. The awards celebrate actions taken […]

Sustainability Partner of the Year honour for Avanti West Coast

Avanti West Coast has been named Rail Operator Sustainability Partner of the Year at BTN Group’s 2025 Business Travel Sustainability Awards. The intercity operator’s progress in making sustainable rail travel a viable business alternative for its corporate customers across the west coast resulted in it winning the Rail Operator category. The awards celebrate actions taken […]

Lumo and Hull Trains shine a spotlight on the sustainability of rail travel to mark World Earth Day

The pioneering open access rail operators Lumo and Hull Trains are marking the annual World Earth Day (22nd April 25) by shining a spotlight on the environmental benefits of catching the train instead of driving or flying. The annual global occasion is all about highlighting the importance of protecting the environment, with events taking place to mark it across the world. Rail […]

EMR recovers nearly £2 million from fare dodgers

East Midlands Railway (EMR) has recovered more than £1.9 million from fare dodgers travelling between 1 April 2024 and 31 March 2025 – helping to reduce costs for taxpayers and fare-paying customers. During this period, its revenue protection officers and onboard staff issued 11,798 notices, returning a combined total of £1,912,887. The notices were issued […]