This day in history 06 February
Images
General Terminus: North British Railway wagon label for a wagon from General Terminus to South Leith via (where?).
St Margarets Shed: View south across the ECML at St Margarets shed in February 1965 with the usual haze hanging over London Road. 64A residents on shed that day included Standard Class 4 2-6-4T 80022 and B1 4-6-0 61099 in the right background alongside the coaling stage.
St Margarets Shed: Scene inside St Margarets shed on 6 February 1965. Gresley A4 Pacific 60024 Kingfisher stands nearest the camera, with sister locomotive 60027 Merlin beyond.
St Margarets Shed: A3 Pacific 60041 Salmon Trout stands on St Margarets shed, in February 1965. The locomotive was withdrawn at the end of that year.
Lochmuir Summit: Located between Markinch and Ladybank, Lochmuir had a Down loop and signal box until July 1980. 40030 eases a Northbound working out of the loop on 6th February 1979.
Doncaster: 40035 in the station sidings at Doncaster on 6 February 1981.
Doncaster: Deltic 55021 'Argyll and Sutherland Highlander' photographed at Doncaster on 6 February 1981.
Newark North Gate: Deltic 55017 The Durham Light Infantry about to leave Newark Northgate on 6 February 1981.
Doncaster: Deltic 55010 The Kings Own Scottish Borderer southbound out of Doncaster on 6 February 1981.
Moulinearn Crossing: Moulinearn Level Crossing looking to Inverness. The photograph was taken not long after an accident here and a portacabin was permanently manned by the crossing for safety. The crossing is hard by the A9.
Moulinearn Crossing: Moulinearn Level Crossing looking to Perth. The photograph was taken not long after an accident here and a portacabin was permanently manned by the crossing for safety.
Gordon: Looking west along the formation of the Berwickshire Railway in June 2002 as it cuts through the Sunny Braes with Gordon station just behind the camera.
Balbirnie Viaduct: Viaduct through a viaduct. Shortly after leaving the main line south of Markinch station, the Leslie branch crossed the Leven on Balbirnie viaduct, seen here in the centre background on 6 February 2007. Photographed looking west through one of the arches of Markinch Viaduct.
Markinch: A Dundee - Edinburgh train calls at Markinch on 6 February 2007, with work on the new interchange in full swing.
Cameron Bridge [1st]: Cameron Bridge in February 2007 looking west towards Thornton Junction. View showing the platform remains with the modernised distillery dominating the background.
Cameron Bridge [1st]: View east at Cameron Bridge with the River Leven on the right and the former rail route to the Fife coast curving away to the left beyond the bridge. February 2007.
Balbirnie Viaduct: Balbirnie Viaduct once carried the Leslie branch over the River Leven, seen here in February 2007.
Leptis Magna, Libya: Abandoned railway track at Leptis Magna, Libya, photographed 6 February 2007. An Italian team had been excavating in the 1930's and laid the tracks as a way or removing spoil.
Markinch Viaduct: A southbound service crossing Markinch Viaduct in February 2007.
Shankend Viaduct: Opened in 1862, Shankend Viaduct carried the Waverley Route across the Langside Valley, approximately 6 miles south of Hawick. Wide view taken from the east on a cold February morning in 2008, showing all 15 arches of the viaduct.
Belses: Less than 10 miles north from Hawick on the Waverley route stood Belses station. Closed in 1969, it has since been converted to residential accomodation and is seen here, standing on its embankment, on 6 February 2008. View is east, looking across the driveway from a layby alongside the B6400 road. (The rail bridge that once spanned the road immediately north of the station is long gone.) See image [[28694]]
Whitrope Summit: Looking south towards Whitrope Cottages and the headquarters of the Waverley Route Heritage Association from the level crossing on 6 February 2008. Behind the camera is the south portal of Whitrope Tunnel and over on the far left the B6399 road heads towards Newcastleton.
Barnes Viaduct: The four arches of Stobs Viaduct, photographed from the north east in February 2008. The former station on the Waverley route is now a substantial converted private residence off to the left of the picture at the south end of the viaduct.
Hassendean: Across the fields from the B6405 road stands the old station at Hassendean on the Waverley route. The privately owned property is seen here looking east on 6 February 2008.
St David's Harbour: An old stone sleeper recycled for use as a coping stone, seen at St Davids Harbour, southern terminus of the Fordell Railway, on 6 February 2008.
Elbowend Junction: A farm accommodation crossing south of Elbowend Junction photographed on 6 February 2008. The old crossing is on part of the Charlestown/Crombie branch dating from the original Elgin Railway of 1723.
Lockerbie: The new footbridge at Lockerbie - looking across to the southbound platform on 6 February 2008. Something of a military feel about the structure?
Stobs: Standing at the entrance to the drive and looking east towards the converted former Waverley Line station building at Stobs on 6 February 2008. The old station stood just to the south of Stobs viaduct.
Galashiels [1st]: View from the new road bridge over Station Brae on 6 February 2008. Beyond the bridge is a block of flats converted from an old mill which stood adjacent to the railway prior to closure. It will need to be demolished to make way for the new route, which is having to be realigned to avoid the recently built supermarket behind the camera. The trackbed continues northwest as a walkway alongside the A7 in the middle distance, passing the site of the proposed new station.
Lockerbie: The remains of the trainshed that once formed the eastern terminus of the Dumfries, Lochmaben and Lockerbie Railway at the northwest corner of Lockerbie station on 6 February 2008. The line lost its passenger service in 1952 and closed completely in 1966. The bay was infilled and the roof removed in the early 1970s see image [[2704]].
Stobs Camp: View west at Stobs on 6 February 2008 over part of the site of the former Stobs Camp (1903-1959). The various remains dotted around the hillsides say little of the many thousands of men who passed through here over the years, including those on their way to fight in two world wars. In addition, Stobs also operated for a time as a PoW Camp. The area was rail served by a branch leaving the Waverley Line near Acreknowe Farm, north of Stobs Viaduct and, while few details are known due to the site being a militarily sensitive area for much of its life, Butts Directory lists a private station at Stobs Camp, although no opening or closing dates are given.
Hassendean: The refurbished up side at Hassendean station on the Waverley Route in February 2008. View is north towards St Boswells, with the trackbed having been raised to platform level to form a lawn. The old station site now comprises a private residence together with self catering holiday accommodation.
Barnes Viaduct: The unclassified road running west off the B6399 passing through one of the arches of the old railway viaduct at Stobs on the former Waverley route. Caught by the afternoon sunshine on 6 February 2008. For a freight crossing 45 years earlier see image [[31380]].
Shankend: View from a layby on the B6399 just south of Shankend Viaduct on 6 February 2008, looking up towards the refurbished and privately occupied Shankend signal box.
Hassendean: The station frontage at Hassendean on 6 February 2008, looking north towards St Boswells from the south east corner of the old station yard.
Lockerbie: Final checks at Lockerbie on 6 February before moving off with the 1311 Virgin CrossCountry service to Edinburgh Waverley. The newly commissioned footbridge can be seen towards the north end of the plaform.
Hassendean: View north along the Waverley trackbed through the former station at Hassendean. Photographed on 6 February 2008 from what is now the garden gate. See image [[35282]]
Shankend: The old station at Shankend still stands on the hillside just to the south of the viaduct on 6 February 2008.
Lockerbie: The 1311 Virgin CrossCountry service to Edinburgh leaving Lockerbie on 6 February 2008. The harsh winter sun is casting some interesting shadows on the lift towers of the recently commissioned footbridge. Prior to the opening of the new structure with its integral lifts, passengers arriving from the north with impaired mobility and requiring assistance were advised to travel to Carlisle and change to a northbound stopping train.
Longridge (Lancashire): Stone Bridge at Longridge was really a short artificial tunnel. This is the south side, now almost completely filled in, but also showing the north side parapet see image [[19849]] across the roundabout. It is over 40 years since the last goods train passed through and a funeral director's premises now occupies the railway cutting.
Inverkeithing: Saltire liveried 170 434 pauses at Inverkeithing on 6 February.
Carlingnose Submarine Mining Pier: Britain's shortest railway? The remains of an old Admiralty jetty standing in the Firth of Forth just off Carlingnose Point, to the east of North Queensferry station in February 2009. The surviving rails of the 3 ft gauge double track railway can be clearly seen on the decking. In the middle distance a tanker is loading North Sea oil at the BP terminal off Hound Point on the south shore, while in the left background lies the City of Edinburgh, with the framework of the old Granton gasometer to the fore.
Glasgow Central: 314213 at Platform 8 of Glasgow Central waiting to depart with a service for Newton on 6 February.
Glasgow Central: East Coast Railways 91129 at Platform 2 of Glasgow Central on 6th February 2010 after arriving with a service from London Kings Cross. In the background, the traincare crew go into action to get the train ready for the return journey.
Alloway Tunnel: View west through the refurbished Alloway Tunnel on 6 February 2010.
Glasgow Central: 156502 waiting to depart to Whifflet from Glasgow Central platform 4 on 6th February 2010. Now in it's new ScotRail branding, this unit was sent to Utrecht in 1989 when new as BR's representative (in SPT black and orange branding) to celebrate the Dutch Railways 150th anniversary. It went there and back under it's own power, and has since carried commemorative stickers above each cab.
Ribble Steam Railway Workshops: Simmering in the winter sunshine, Austerity 0-6-0ST Cumbria has just uncoupled from GWR 5643 after a double headed trip along the branch. The Ribble Steam Railway has really benefitted from its new links with the Furness Railway Trust, resulting in four locos operating at the February Steam Gala.
Brundall: Dawn breaks over Brundall station, Norfolk, in February 2010. The line to the left is for Great Yarmouth and to the right for Lowestoft.
Preston (Ribble Branch): The view from the train past GWR 56xx 0-6-2T 5643 as it runs alongside the River Ribble on 6 February during the Ribble Steam Railway Steam Gala weekend.
Glasgow Central: Two Class 156 units pass by the works taking place at the former Platform 11a/12 at Glasgow Central. The platform has been demolished and work is continuing to prepare the ground for the track to be laid into the station. See image [[16098]]
Glasgow Central: Two unusual events in one working. 170432 arriving at Glasgow Central on 6 February with a service from Edinburgh making a rare appearance on a route now normally handled by Class 158's. It is also working as a two car unit rather than three as the centre coach was undergoing repairs.
Glasgow Central: 334037 passing by the works taking place at the former Platform 11a/12 at Glasgow Central on 6 February 2010. The platform has been demolished and work is continuing to prepare the ground for the track to be laid into the station. The end of Platform 11 has been closed and will be rebuilt when works are complete
Preston Total Bitumen: An operational railfreight terminal. This is the bitumen unloading siding at Preston Dock, viewed from a passing Ribble Steam Railway train. Out of use for many years the facilities were refurbished with a government grant and now receive three large tanker trains a week from the Lindsey Oil Refinery near Immingham, hauled from the exchange sidings by the RSR's own diesel locomotives. The tanks in the picture will have arrived on Friday's train for unloading in this siding and then be tripped back to the exchange sidings for collection by the Monday working.
Alloway Tunnel: The refurbished Alloway Tunnel, recently cleaned up, re-lit, resurfaced and reopened as a cycle path see image [[25400]]. View into the tunnel looking back from the Doon Viaduct on 6 February 2010. The old telegraph wire insulator arms can still be seen on the wall to the left, together with a new plaque marking the site of the well (beyond the fence) Whare Mungo's mither hang'd hersel' in Tam O'Shanter.
Ashton Swing Bridge (Preston): The Ribble Steam Railway Steam Gala, on 6th and 7th February, featured four working locomotives and a frequent service. Star of the show was GWR 56xx 0-6-2T 5643, which is seen here on the first train of the day crossing the swing bridge over the dock entrance.
Cheddleton: 5542 stands at Cheddleton on the Churnet Valley Railway on 6 February 2010.
Alloway Viaduct: Leaving Alloway tunnel on 6 February and about to cross the Doon Viaduct. See image [[22004]]
Lea Road: Just to the east of long closed Lea Road station, the Blackpool line crosses the Savick Brook, which in 2002 was canalised to provide a four mile link from the Lancaster Canal to the River Ribble. The bridge is made of red brick on the south side as seen here but the north side is blue brick dating from the line's quadrupling. A Northern Class 150 Sprinter heads for Blackpool.
Ribble Steam Railway Museum: A pioneer back in its birthplace. As Netherlands State Railways No.601 this shunter was the first of the Dutch Class 11 locos to be built by English Electric at the former Dick Kerr works in Preston in 1955. It was later converted to remote control radio operation (and renumbered 671) but at the end of its working life in Holland was repatriated to the UK in 2005. It is currently a non-operational exhibit at the Ribble Steam Railway and seen here in a line of locomotives that also includes the L&YR A Class 0-6-0 No.1300 (BR 52322).
Ribble Steam Railway Museum: Lancaster Power Station's Barclay 0-4-0F 1950/1928 was originally built for Liverpool Corporation but worked at Lancaster from 1966 until the station closed in 1981 See image [[27588]]. This fireless locomotive then shunted nuclear flask wagons at the Heysham Nuclear Power Stations site under the name Heysham No.2 until replaced by a Sentinel diesel shunter [[55295]]. It is now a cosmetically restored static exhibit in the RSR museum.
Leyland: The tortoise and the hare ...or perhaps the donkey and the racehorse? On the left the 14.09 service to Liverpool Lime Street gets underway from Leyland, just as the 13.59 from Preston to Euston passes at speed on 6 February 2012. Meanwhile, on the platform, the men in orange have returned to erect the new shelters.
Euxton: A Network Rail test train propelled by 31602 Driver Dave Green heads north on the Down Slow line at Euxton on 6 February 2012. The train was braking for a signal check due to Preston PSB slotting in a down Northern service off the Chorley line across in front of it at Euxton Junction.
Inverkeithing Central Junction: A Network Rail Inspection Train, made up of a single coach sandwiched between 37059 and 37218, approaches Inverkeithing Central Junction on 6 February 2012.
Ladybank: The bufferstop of the former Kinross bay platform (trains had to reverse onto and off the branch until its closure in 1950) is visible in the stationmaster's garden at Ladybank, where trees have been removed from the up sidings.
Crigglestone: A Northern Rail three car class 144 runs by the former Crigglestone West station along the newly laid down line on 6 February 2014. The initial re-laid section of the up line, from the curve towards Woolley tunnel, can be seen in the distance.
Leyland: DRS 68007 and 68004 double head the 4S43 Daventry to Mossend Tesco container train through Leyland station on the morning of 6 February 2015.
Easterhouse: 334001 on an Edinburgh Waverley - Helensburgh Central stopping service passes Bargeddie Parish Church on the approach to Easterhouse on 6 February 2015.
Milnthorpe: The inaugural public run of restored 60103 Flying Scotsman on 6th Feburary 2016 started in appalling weather but, despite this, vantage points were full of spectators. Soon after departure from Carnforth the A3 is seen approaching the over bridge at Elmsfield near Milnthorpe. The smoke deflectors are clearly needed for main line running - what would the view ahead at this point have been without them?
Murrayfield Stadium [Tram]: The normally little-used Murrayfield bursts into life when there's an event at the stadium, in this case an opening Six Nations match. I wonder if the gentleman amidst the off-duty storm troopers is aware that his underwear is showing?
Haymarket: 'Faster, longer, greener'? Well, lets wait and see. I think the ambition to 'Arrive this year' is at least achievable. In the background the development of the old goods yard, on the corner of Morrison Street and Dalry Road, is set to transform the area. Photographed 06/02/2017.
Merryhill Quarry Siding: Charlestown Railway NBR - Merryhill Quarry Siding in February 2017 - looking northeast in the direction of Elbowend Junction.
Merryhill Quarry Siding: Merryhill Quarry Siding on the Charlestown Railway looking east in February 2017. [Ref query 983]
Weymss Bay: 385102 stabled at Weymss Bay station whilst on test in February 2017.
Wemyss Bay: 66187 stabled with 385102 at Weymss Bay station in February 2017.
Edinburgh Waverley: Bold Virgin Trains advertising on the footway over Leith Street with the railway hotel tower in the background.
Wemyss Bay: The station concourse at Wemyss Bay in February 2017.
Wemyss Bay: A view of the station throat at Weymss Bay in February 2017.
Neilston: The Class 314 forming the 14.28 Neilston to Glasgow on 6 February 2018 carried this notice announcing its impending retirement.
Woodacre Crossing: First snow of the winter in the Garstang area on 6th February 2018. DRS electro-diesel 88006 Juno heads north with an early running Daventry to Mossend Tesco.
Baillieston: The overbridge at Baillieston seen a few days before it was due to be closed for demolition and replacement. Work was still in progress on diverting the many utilities over the temporary pedestrian bridge.
Leyland: TPE's new Mk 5 loco hauled set with Driving Trailer leading heads back to Crewe from Carlisle on 06 February 2019 whilst out on test.
Euston: Contrasting ends at the buffer end of Euston station.
Ayr: Semi-fast (left) and stopping trains for Glasgow wait in the bays at Ayr on 6 February 2019. Temporary station accommodation can be seen on the right. The screened-off part of the crumbling hotel building looks like it has been badly photoshopped out.
Leyland: DRS 68025 in TPE livery propels the new Mark 5 loco hauled set south at Leyland whilst on a Carlisle to Crewe test run. The lack of yellow warning panels or full yellow ends on the front of diesel/electric locos and stock after so many years takes a bit of getting used to but it will become the norm again in years to come.
Wallyford Colliery Pit No 1: Looking east across Salters Road, Wallyford, on 6 February 2019 at the site of the level crossing that once carried the mineral line linking the local coal mine and brickworks with exchange sidings alongside the ECML just behind the camera. Planning consent has recently been given for a steel sculpture commemorating 'The Wallyford Pug' to be erected here. [See recent news item]
Grantown-on-Spey East: The restored station building at Grantown-on-Spey East on 6 February 2019. The building is now part of the Grantown East Highland Heritage and Cultural Centre.
Coatdyke: An Edinburgh service pulls into the rather spartan station at Coatdyke in Coatbridge on 6 February 2019.
Hoole: Much of the Preston to Southport line ran across open farmland and has disappeared back into it since closure in 1964. This is the view north from Hoole level crossing towards Longton and Preston in February 2019. Part of the old level crossing gate survives but the trackbed doesn't reappear until it meets the trees in the distance. [Ref query 8 February 2019]
Ayr: The sealed-off concourse and Platform 3 steps at Ayr, seen on 6 February 2019. For now you have to buy your tickets from a Portakabin(TM) well away from the now dangerous station building. The neglected heart of the station seems to be decaying rapidly and the departures screen updates for the benefit of no one
Grantown-on-Spey East: View along the trackbed at Grantown-on-Spey East on 6 February 2019 showing the two coaches now incorporated within the site of the Highland Heritage and Cultural Centre.
Troon: A Kilmarnock to Stranraer service calls at Troon on 6 February 2019. The heritage-style Sugg Rochester lighting has been a feature here (and at a few other stations) for years and has survived a recent change in columns. Its a pity the 'heritage' is street rather than platform lighting, but at least it's something.
Grantown-on-Spey East: Appropriately themed furnishings in the restaurant coach at Grantown-on-Spey East on 6 February 2019.
Hoole: The view east along Station Road at Hoole from the level crossing at the old station site on 6th February 2019. Station and line closed in September 1964 but the main level crossing gates (just) survive on the Southport side along with the smaller wicket gates. The signal box stood immediately to the right of this small gate. There is a scattering of houses on Station Road but Hoole village centre is over half a mile away (on the main bus route).
Hoole: Fifty five years after the 1964 closure of the Preston to Southport line the level crossing gates at Hoole station are still a visible reminder of the old line. This view looks towards Hesketh Bank and Southport in February 2019. The little signal box stood immediately to the right of the gates with the two short platforms beyond.
Girvan: A Kilmanock to Stranraer service calls at Girvan on 6 February 2019, making a slightly extended stop to allow a delayed return working to enter the station. The station building is the only art deco one in Scotland and from the outside looks like a rather squat cinema.
Irvine: An Ayr service calls at Irvine on 6 February 2019. Irvine has original (or at least old) buildings on both sides, but neither of the non-matching canopies are as built.
Events
Events from the chronology which occured on this day. This generally lists events before 1995, the creation of the website.
| Year | Companies | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1939 | Glasgow Central Railway | Botanic Gardens closed. |
| 1950 | Portpatrick Railway | Portpatrick to Stranraer closed to passengers. Portpatrick and Colfin stations closed. Portpatrick to Colfin (excluded) closed to all traffic. |
| 1967 | Whiteinch Railway | Whiteinch Victoria Park to Jordanhill closed to freight. The line was used for construction trains during the Glasgow North Bank Electrification Scheme. |
| 1967 | Glasgow and Paisley Joint Railway | Ibrox closed. |
News
These are old news items which which occured on this day. This generally lists events after 1995, the creation of the website.
| Year | Companies | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Train trapped in snow at Kinbrace | A passenger train became trapped in drifting snow at Kinbrace and passengers taken off hours later. A number of other trains also became stuck or were cancelled. |
| 2001 | TurboStar hits fallen tree in poor weather conditions | A TurboStar travelling from Inverness to Edinburgh was de-railed south of Blair Atholl when it struck a fallen tree. The damage to the train is minor but the driver and one passenger out of the 35 were injured. |
| 2004 | Rail beats road for rush-hour dash [Scotsman] | CAR commuters have been persuaded to travel to work by train for a month in a ground-breaking experiment to test the attractiveness of public transport. |
| 2004 | Station parking the decider in whether to stick to driving [Scotsman] | CAROLINE Gormley believes rail travel is more reliable than battling with traffic-choked roads, but lack of station parking may dissuade her from switching from car to train in the long term. |
| 2005 | Train strike will hit commuters [Scotsman] | THOUSANDS of commuters will face disruption on the Glasgow underground tomorrow when subway staff stage a second one-day strike. |
| 2006 | Rail chiefs apologise after boys left at station [Press and Journal] | 6 Feb: Rail bosses were forced to apologise last night after two children were left stranded at a station for more than two hours because their train was packed with rugby fans. |
| 2006 | Tram chiefs face grilling from MSPs over links to Waterfront [Scotsman] | MSPs scrutinising Edinburgh^s trams scheme will tomorrow demand reassurances that project chiefs will be able to deliver plans to serve the massive Waterfront development. |
| 2008 | Bluetooth posters target visitors [BBC News Article] | Stirling railway station becomes the first in Scotland to communicate with commuters through Bluetooth. |
| 2008 | [Ebbw Vale] Train service resumes 46 years on [BBC News Article] | The first passenger train service between the Ebbw valley and Cardiff for 46 years has started, after a two-month delay because of engineering issues. |
| 2009 | Scottish line is voted the best rail journey in the world [BBC News Article] | The West Highland line from Glasgow to Mallaig has been voted the best rail journey in the world. |
| 2009 | New walkway for Waverley [Evening News] | A WALKWAY is to be constructed across the roof of a city shopping centre to help disabled people access Waverley Station. |
| 2012 | UK railways judged worst for fares and efficiency [Guardian] | Britain^s railways have been judged worst for fares, efficiency and comfort in a study of rail services in Europe. The report by the thinktank Just Economics said UK rail services were less affordable, less comfortable, slower, more inefficient and more expensive than those in France, Germany, Spain and Italy. Frequency of trains was the only area in which the UK performed better. ^In terms of bang for buck, not only does the UK come bottom of the index of outcomes but it also spends a relatively large amount of money to achieve this woeful result. This means that it also comes bottom of the value for money league,^ said the report. |
| 2012 | Ferry sailings may return to city [BBC News] | The Isle of Man Steam Packet Company is considering moving the majority of its operations from Heysham, Lancashire, to Liverpool. The company runs passenger and freight sailings to Douglas from Heysham, fast craft summer services from Liverpool and weekend sailings from Birkenhead. [From Mark Bartlett] |
| 2012 | Boris bid to run every rail service in London [Evening Standard] | Boris Johnson today made a bid to take over every rail service in London in a move described as the biggest shake-up since privatisation. |
| 2014 | Bombardier wins £1bn Crossrail deal [BBC News] | Bombardier has won a £1bn contract to provide trains for the Crossrail project, the government has announced. The company will provide 65 trains for the Crossrail service, which is set to open in 2018. The trains will be manufactured and assembled at Bombardier^s plant in Derby. The Department for Transport said Bombardier^s contract would provide 760 manufacturing jobs and 80 apprenticeships. It also said that about 74% of the amount spent on the contract would stay in the UK economy. Bombardier beat Japan^s Hitachi and Spain^s CAF to secure the deal. [From Richard Buckby] |
| 2014 | If the A9 can be dualled, why not tracks too? [Scotsman] | Rail freight and road hauliers are competing on a playing field that is far from level, says David Spaven [From David Spaven] |
| 2014 | Heathrow rail link plan unveiled by Network Rail [BBC News] | Plans for a direct rail link between the Great Western main line and Heathrow Airport have been unveiled. A 5km (3m) tunnel under the M4 and M25 would link Terminal 5 with Langley and Iver, connecting passengers via Slough to Reading and the west. Business groups in the Thames Valley claim the route could create up to 40,000 new jobs and up to £2bn in economic benefits. If granted planning permission, Network Rail could begin construction in 2016. The £500m rail link was included in the government^s plans for airport expansion announced in 2012. |
| 2014 | Dawlish storm damage rail line closure ^to cost economy millions^ [BBC News] | The storm destruction of the railway line connecting Devon and Cornwall to the rest of the UK will cost the South West economy millions of pounds each day, business leaders have claimed. Network Rail said the line, which is hanging in mid-air, will take a minimum of six weeks to repair. |
| 2015 | Don’t expect ScotRail changes overnight [Scotsman] | THE new owners of ScotRail promise much – but don’t expect improvements soon, writes Alastair Dalton. Within two months, control of most of Scotland’s trains will have changed hands in arguably the biggest shake-up since the end of British Rail 20 years ago. But contrary to what you may have read elsewhere, it’s not the incoming ScotRail operator’s performance elsewhere that will count, but its skill at running the train set it will inherit. |
| 2015 | Port of Sunderland welcomes Transport Secretary to rail line trial [The Journal] | Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin visited Port of Sunderland to witness its rail lines being used for the first time in more than 20 years. Yesterday, locomotive provided by BD Schenker Rail UK was given a trial run on the newly connected infrastructure, which will soon be used for commercial operations. The event followed work by Network Rail to reinstate the former rail line between December 2014 and January of this year. Yhe move is set to boost the import and export credentials of the port which, despite being at the heart of the North East coastline, has not had working train lines for more than two decades. |
| 2016 | Flying Scotsman^s mainline return after £4.2m revamp [BBC News] | One of the world^s most famous locomotives has returned to the West Coast mainline. Flying Scotsman is travelling from Carnforth on the West Coast Main Line following a £4.2m restoration project, which has taken 10 years. The engine, which was retired from service in 1963, has been restored for York^s National Railway Museum by Riley and Son Ltd, based in Bury. Low-speed tests have taken place along the East Lancashire Railway. The locomotive is in its black undercoat and sporting wartime numbers. It will painted in its new green livery next week after the test run. |
| 2017 | £2m Caernarfon steam railway station work begins [BBC News] | Work has begun on a £2m steam railway station in Gwynedd. The Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railway - the UK^s longest heritage line - is behind the scheme in Caernarfon and hopes to attract 5,000 extra visitors to the town each year. Funding has come through the Welsh Government^s Vibrant and Viable Places programme, but a water pipe had to be moved before work could start. The station is expected to open in Spring 2018. |
| 2018 | Flying Scotsman locomotive to make three Scottish trips in May [Scotsman] | The Flying Scotsman locomotive will add a third trip when it returns to Scotland in May, operators announced today. Tickets go on sale at 9am tomorrow for the excursions from Edinburgh on Sunday 20 May. The third annual visit by the locomotive since its restoration will see it again haul the Cathedrals Express over the Forth Bridge and round the Fife Circle - but this time three times. |
| 2019 | Northern rail: Strikes halted by ^breakthrough^ [BBC News] | Strikes on Northern rail have been suspended after a ^major breakthrough^ in a long-running dispute over plans to axe guards on trains, a union said. Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) have taken 47 days of industrial action and were due to walk out on the next two Saturdays. Passengers have faced huge disruption since the dispute began two years ago. |
| 2019 | French-German rail merger blocked by Brussels [BBC News] | Brussels has knocked down a proposed French-German rail merger, designed to help Europe compete with China. The EU^s competition commission blocked the tie-up, saying uniting France^s Alstom with the rail arm of Germany^s Siemens would lead to higher prices. The firms had said the merger would create an industrial champion on a par with other global players. |
| 2019 | ScotRail trials personalised announcements [ScotRail] | ScotRail is trialing new communications technology that uses Messenger to notify passengers of updates to their journeys with personalised direct messages, a first for Scotlands Railway. Customers on ScotRail services will be able to receive personalised announcements through Facebook while on the move. Customers can opt in to receive information for any ScotRail service, including regular journeys, through a Keep Me Updated button on the ScotRail website, or directly through Messenger itself. |
| 2020 | Robroyston: New Station, New Platform [Rail Engineer] | The December timetable change saw Scotland getting its 358th railway station [Robroyston] and the reinstatement of a station platform that was removed in the late 1980s [Dunbar - not quite, but close to the site of the removed platform]. |
| 2020 | Italy train crash: Two dead and dozens injured as high-speed carriages derail [Mirror] | A high-speed train came off the tracks on the Milan-Bologna line, in Lodi, Italy, at around 5.35am this morning, leaving the train driver and a railway worker dead - and dozens injured |
| 2020 | Caledonian Sleeper boss slams locomotive firm for repeated delays to services [Scotsman] | Caledonian Sleeper chiefs have blasted the firm that provides its locomotives after a series of breakdowns left services arriving up to six-and-a-half hours late. |
| 2020 | Future of HSTs to be decided as first vehicles sent for scrap [RAIL] | Trial scrapping of first HST vehicles could herald start of more disposals. |
| 2020 | Rail travel is not ^viable option^: North-east station named as one of Scotland^s least accessible [Press and Journal] | An Aberdeenshire station has been branded one of the least accessible in Scotland. |
| 2020 | New transport hub could see Hairmyres station in East Kilbride on the move [Daily Record] | Plans unveiled this week would see Hairmyres station relocated further west, near to St James Retail Centre, with improved park-and-ride facilities. |
