This Week on the Railway
CrossCountry introduces a new seven-hour-long service between Edinburgh and Cardiff. Plus, Avanti West Coast launches its Class 807 fleet, Eurostar celebrates its 30th anniversary, and ETCS is fully operational between Moorgate and Finsbury Park
News
Avanti West Coast have officially introduced their Class 807 electric multiple units (EMUs) into passenger service between Liverpool and London, with train 807001 departing Liverpool Lime Street station today at 9:01 am. The Class 807 is the second, electric-operation-only member of Avanti's 'Evero' family of
This Week on the Railway
Plus, the Rail Accident and Investigation Branch share their preliminary examination findings of the Powys collision, and a Northern train conductor saves a passenger's life
News
Southeastern has announced a sweeping, £2 million station improvement and deep clean programme involving over 100 of their stations. The work is due to take place over a six month period, starting now and wrapping up no later than March 2025. The planned improvements are fairly minor, with public areas
This Week on the Railway
Meanwhile, signalling on the East Coast Main Line gets an upgrade, GWR unveils a special Paddington-themed livery, and new electrification projects are confirmed
News
Something kept quiet in the Autumn 2024 Budget statement was regulated rail fares, but it has since been confirmed that they will rise across England by up to 4.6%, starting 2 March 2025. This marks a return to the Department for Transport's formula of retail prices index
News
Today (30 October 2024), Rachel Reeves, Chancellor of the Exchequer, set out her Autumn 2024 Budget. It is the first time in over 14 years that a Labour budget has been presented to Parliament. Among a lot of talk on tax and spending was a short segment dedicated to transport
The Class 221 Super Voyager is a diesel-electric multiple unit (DEMU). It is operated primarily by Avanti West Coast and CrossCountry, but Grand Central has also leased two units for its services between London and Bradford. The Super Voyagers were constructed by Bombardier Transportation between 2001 and 2002, and the
The Class 755 is a modern bi-mode multiple unit (BMU) manufactured by Stadler between 2018 and 2020. It is a part of their FLIRT ("Fast Light Intercity and Regional Trains") family of trains, and accompanies the Class 745 on the network. These trains are now operated by Greater
The Class 390 is an iconic electric multiple unit (EMU), well known for its presence on the West Coast Main Line (WCML) and tilting technology, which allows the driver to maintain a higher speed around corners. The trains were constructed by Alstom, with tilt components supplied by Fiat Ferroviaria, between
The Class 805 Evero is a relatively new addition to the network; the first of these bi-mode multiple unit (BMU) trains made their way to revenue-earning service on 2 June 2024. It will be operated by Avanti West Coast along the West Coast Main Line (WCML), North Wales Main Line,
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Today (30 October 2024), Rachel Reeves, Chancellor of the Exchequer, set out her Autumn 2024 Budget. It is the first time in over 14 years that a Labour budget has been presented to Parliament. Among a lot of talk on tax and spending was a short segment dedicated to transport
Passengers departing from London Euston will now be able to board their trains sooner, in hopes of reducing instances of the so-called 'Euston rush'. The move is one in a series of interventions to tackle overcrowding at the London terminus after concerns were raised by London TravelWatch. Earlier
The fare cap for bus travel in England will increase by 50% from £2 to £3, starting January 2025. The news was confirmed by Starmer at an event in Birmingham today (Monday, 28 October 2024), ahead of his Government's Autumn Budget on Wednesday. This is the first increase
Eurostar has reintroduced their 'Snap' ticketing scheme, which offers passengers up to a 50% discount on their international travels. The catch? Flexibility is a must — you'll only find out which train you're on 48 hours before departure. The high-speed rail operator hopes to fill
Today (28 September 2024), Ashley Down station in Bristol was opened and saw a return of passenger services to the area for the first time in 60 years. The new station was constructed on the same site that Ashley Hill occupied, a former railway station that fell victim to the
For returning players, the upgrade is merely incremental, but with solid simulation fundamentals and one of the best route line-ups in the series, Train Sim World 5 is an excellent entry point for new players.
Members of the Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen (ASLEF), known otherwise as the trade union representing train drivers, have accepted a pay proposal from the Department for Transport. After Labour returned to Government in July 2024, ASLEF's negotiating team had their first formal meeting with the
From today, players who pre-ordered the deluxe or special editions of Train Sim World 5 will be able to get started with early access. Effectively, it offers a five days' head start with the game compared to standard edition owners. TSW5's full release is scheduled for 17
A closer look at train fares with a Railcard discount for 14 and 15 September 2024 reveals a subtle but important change. On Saturday, they're one price, but on Sunday they're another price — slightly more expensive, in fact. And no, this is not to do with
The Class 801 is an electric multiple unit (EMU) manufactured by Hitachi Rail between 2017 and 2020. It is a part of their A-train family of trains, although they are more commonly referred to as IETs ("Intercity Express Trains"). These trains are operated exclusively by London North Eastern
The Class 345 Aventra is an electric multiple unit (EMU) operated by Transport for London (TfL) on the Elizabeth line, which runs from Reading and the Heathrow Airport terminals in the west to Abbey Wood and Shenfield to the east. The trains, which were ready long before the core section
The Class 755 is a modern bi-mode multiple unit (BMU) manufactured by Stadler between 2018 and 2020. It is a part of their FLIRT ("Fast Light Intercity and Regional Trains") family of trains, and accompanies the Class 745 on the network. These trains are now operated by Greater
