Alstom, global leader in smart and sustainable mobility, has signed a £50 million contract in partnership with FirstGroup and Eversholt Rail for the refresh and maintenance of five, six-car Class 222 Meridian trains. This comes ahead of open access passenger services being launched between Stirling and London under FirstGroup’s Lumo brand. The contract comprises two key […]
Category: General Interest
Derbyshire station’s accessibility scheme is completed
Network Rail’s project to deliver step-free access at Alfreton station has been completed. An investment of £6.75 million has seen the ageing footbridge renewed and two lifts added. The changes make travelling through Alfreton station much easier for passengers who have limited mobility, use wheelchairs or have heavy luggage, bikes or pushchairs with them. A […]
Make our rail stations accessible, say Northern politicians
Transport for the North asked over 2,000 people across the region to share their experiences using rail stations – especially those living with health conditions or disabilities. What we heard was loud and clear: for too many people, our stations are not accessible enough. That’s not good enough – and we’re committed to fixing it. […]
On Track for a Purpose: A Mother-Daughter Journey Through Britain’s Railways
At the start of the year, Margate Platform staff member Kudakwashe Osoba made a quiet butdetermined resolution: 2025 would be the year she’d travel more and do it for fun. The spark for thisidea came in the form of a calendar, gifted by Lee Woolcott-Ellis, Southeastern’s Wellbeing Lead. Thecalendar, produced by the Railway Mission, featured a different […]
Mitie embarks on a new journey with South Western Railway
Mitie has been awarded a new three-year contract with South Western Railway (SWR), with the option to extend for two additional years. The contract covers a range of maintenance services including preventative maintenance, reactive and emergency repairs and project works at over 200 stations – including SWR’s hub which is located at London Waterloo, the […]
A new era of long-distance train travel?
A significant new study, published by Hitachi Rail, has found that citizens around Europe and North America anticipate train travel to soar in the coming years at the expense of flying. Almost two-thirds also back legislation to enforce this change, supporting a ban on short-haul flights where high speed rail alternatives exist. The survey, carried out […]
Roads reopen after £30 million bridge deck upgrade in Camden
All roads have reopened on a new bridge deck installed over the railway in north London – marking one of the £30 million project’s final milestones. The 160-year-old structure at Agar Grove, Camden, was completely replaced in just nine days in late 2024, to improve journeys on the Midland Main Line. Rail journeys were able […]
Transport for London and London Trams celebrate their 25th anniversary together
Transport for London (TfL) is celebrating 25 years of modern London Trams and the network’s support of the growth and development of south London, as it launches a customer competition and special 25th anniversary poster campaign. The London tram network originally dates back nearly 160 years, beginning with horse-drawn vehicles. The network was closed in 1952before […]
Accessibility upgrades provide further improvements to Stoneleigh station in Surrey
Stoneleigh has become the latest station on Network Rail’s Wessex route to become step free, following the completion of a £9.1m investment to improve accessibility. A new covered footbridge replaces the existing structure at Stoneleigh station, providing full access via lifts or stairs to the central platform from both sides of the station. New lighting […]
‘Major milestone’ reached as 250,000 journeys are made on the Northumberland Line
Northern said the major milestone was reached this week, after it began running passenger trains on the line in December, for the first time in 60 years. Services call at Newcastle, Manors and new stations in Seaton Delaval, Newsham and Ashington, with a journey along the entire route taking around 35 minutes and a single […]