This day in history 19 February
Images
Hopton-on-Sea: Holiday makers crowded these platforms on summer Saturdays in the 1950s and 1960s, either starting or ending their breaks at the numerous holiday camps in and around Hopton. Local children added to the mix, with home made handcarts brought along to earn pocket money transporting luggage to and from the camps. By 19th February 1978 when this photo was taken, it was all over for Hopton-on-Sea station, which had finally closed in May 1970. Since 1978, these remains, along with the associated overbridge and embankment, have been removed and built over, such that 'Station Road' is now one of the few clues that the station ever existed.
Callander (Dreadnought): Tracks lifted at Callander station - view west in February 1970. The station closed to passengers in November 1965. See image [[22795]] for the same view 5 years earlier.
Albert Road Level Crossing: 08718 framed by the gateway of the Albert Road entrance to Leith Docks on 19 February 1990.
Workington: 31276 and 47196 amongst locomotives stabled at Workington on 19 February 1992.
Bridgeton [2nd]: Standing between the tenements of London Road is the former Bridgeton Central station, closed in 1979 and now (2005) a bookies. The Station Bar remains alongside as a reminder of times past. [Note the 99p breakfast menu at neighbouring Scooby Snacks, as advertised on the post, consisting of sausage, bacon, tattie scone, egg, black pudding, beans, fried tomato and a slice of bread!]
Springburn: A Queen Street - Cumbernauld DMU pulls into Springburn station on 19 February 2005. On the right passengers are leaving an electric service recently arrived from Dalmuir.
Bellgrove: View east from the station entrance at Bellgrove in February 2005, with trains for Airdrie and Balloch at the platforms.
Springburn: Entrance to Springburn station, Glasgow, from Atlas Road in 2005.
Glasgow Green: Two memorable buildings. The remains of Glasgow Green station, with Templetons carpet factory beyond. February 2005.
Springburn: A DMU from Cumbernauld arrives at Springburn on 19 February 2005, with one passenger waiting to board for the 6 minute journey to Queen Street High Level.
Partick Central: View west over the River Kelvin in February 2005 from the car park of Glasgow Museum of Transport off Bunhouse Road. The photograph shows the viaduct that carried the Glasgow Central Railway across the River towards Partick Central station, whose former main entrance and booking office can be seen on Benalder Street in the right background.
Springburn: A train for Dalmuir leaving Springburn in February 2005.
Haymarket: The original eastern terminus of the Edinburgh & Glasgow Railway at Haymarket on a cold February morning in 2006. The steps down to the car park and site of the old coal yard are on the right. You could smell the coffee from here. Yes, I did...
Roseburn Terrace Bridge: Part of an abutment of the former Caledonian Railway bridge over Roseburn Terrace, just south of Murrayfield station, in February 2006. The CR initials are formed within the recess.
Tynecastle Bridge Signal Box: Looking west at the Caledonian Railway bridge crossing Gorgie Road, quarter of a mile southwest of Haymarket East Junction, in February 2006 following an impressive bit of repainting.
Roseburn Terrace Bridge: Detail of central section of the former Caledonian Railway bridge over Roseburn Terrace, Edinburgh, on the approach to Murrayfield station in February 2006. Now part of a public walkway.
Tynecastle Bridge Signal Box: Detail on Caledonian Railway Bridge over Gorgie Road. 2006.
Walkerburn: Looking west over the old level crossing towards Walkerburn station in 2007. The canopy area has been converted into an extension to the station building with another built over the trackbed. The former station masters house stands on the left.
Walkerburn: The former station masters house at Walkerburn looking west with the converted station seen on the right. Tickets were once purchased here and a passenger footbridge spanned the line, February 2007.
Walkerburn: Looking east along the platform at Walkerburn station in February 2007 with the former station masters house to the right. (With thanks to owner Helen Furness.)
Carstairs: 86605+86613 take the daily Crewe - Coatbridge Freightliner service through Carstairs on 19 February passing 66554 with coal empties held in the down loop.
Glasgow Central: 92012 Thomas Hardy crossing the Clyde Viaduct to collect the Caledonian Sleeper.
Walkerburn: View north over the remains of Walkerburn yard and goods shed in 2007.
Walkerburn: Walkerburn station looking west in February 2007 with extensions occupying the former canopy area and part of the trackbed. A section of the white painted platform face can be seen in the foreground.
Coppull: Northbound Voyager at Coppull, Lancs, on 19 February 2007.
Whitemoss Level Crossing: Whitemoss level crossing looking north on 19 February.
Halton [NWR]: View east over the former station at Halton on the line between Lancaster and Wennington, on 19 February 2008. The line can be followed as a cycle track and footpath from Lancaster through Halton, over the Crook O Lune bridges to beyond Caton. The station accomodation, which includes an integral goods shed, stands alongside the River Lune and is currently used as a boathouse by the local rowing club. (SD 505645)
Halton [NWR]: The former goods shed attached to Halton station seen on 19 February 2008. Now used by the local rowing club.
Carlisle: A Northern DMU stands in the bay below the impressive mural at the south end of Carlisle station on 19 February 2009. The plate reads 150 years of Carlisle's Citadel Station.
Carlisle: Virgin Thunderbirds 57302 Virgil Tracy and 57311 Parker stand in the sidings on the west side of Carlisle station on 19 February 2009.
Carlisle: DRS 47712 Pride of Carlisle hauls NR load bank testing locomotive 86902 north through Carlisle on 19 February after coming off the Newcastle line.
Carlisle: Part of the much refurbished former Maryport & Carlisle Railway Goods shed at the south end of Carlisle station, with the building still being used for the storage of goods in February 2009.
Carlisle: An SPT liveried DMU leaves Carlisle on 19 February with a Stranraer - Newcastle service.
Carlisle: Network Rail load bank testing locomotive 86902 is hauled north through platform 3 at Carlisle on 19 February 2009 by DRS 47712 Pride of Carlisle.
Carlisle: EWS 66103 takes a northbound freight through platform 4 at Carlisle on 19 February as a Voyager boards at platform 3.
Carlisle: Freightliner 66513 heads north through Carlisle station with coal empties on 19 February 2009.
Carlisle: A Pendolino pulls into platform 4 at Carlisle in February 2009 with a southbound service.
Salford Central: Photograph relating to mystery image 5135 (see comments) taken on 19 February from a 156 DMU (with non-opening and less than clean windows!) This shows the view today just west of Salford Central on the line to Ordsall Junction passing the bridge I believe is depicted in 5135. While the section in the right foreground is the original, that on the left became part of a new bridge when the road below was widened a few years ago. Following the viaduct round there are two more bridges which are discernible in Query 5135 and before them is an arch with a wider span which now has a large billboard in front of it. See image [[5135]]
Eccles: On the route of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway, a Northern service between those cities heads east non stop through Eccles station on 19 February 2011. The Class 156 unit travels a little faster than Stephenson's Rocket and the other locomotives of that era. The station is kept in a very tidy condition by FRECCLES (Friends of Eccles Station). In addition to the flower beds on both platforms they have also provided several excellent posters explaining the history of the station from 1830 up to the fire that resulted in its destruction in 1971. To the right of the fence there is one other track where once there were two (each with its own platform). Today this is a loop line used by freights and occasional steam specials when they need to stop for water.
Salford Central: A street level view of Salford Central station on 19 February 2011. The glass encased area on the left below the overbridges is the spacious concourse which contains a booking office. Of the three overbridges which have been smartly painted, the furthest away carries the two tracks which serve platforms 1 and 2. The middle bridge once carried two tracks, each with platforms, but is now empty. The nearest bridge used to carry 4 tracks from Deal St Jn on the route to Ordsall Jn but this has now been reduced to two tracks. See image [[32888]]
Eccles: A Virgin Voyager heads west through Eccles on 19 February 2011.
Manchester Victoria: Those who knew Manchester Victoria in the 60s and 70s may find it hard to believe that this is the same station on 19 February 2011. The photograph was taken looking west from high above platform 5 as 142012 waits to commence a journey to Blackpool North. Above the station is the major Manchester concert venue the MEN (Manchester Evening News) arena.
Salford Central: The 1610 hrs from Manchester Victoria to Kirkby calls at Salford Central station on 19 February 2011. There are now only two platforms in use here with two abandoned to the right beyond the fence. On the extreme right the former 4 track route from Deal Street Junction to Ordsall Junction has now been reduced to two. See image [[32857]]
Belford: A southbound CrossCountry service photographed near Belford, Northumberland, on 19 February 2012.
Longhoughton: Southbound East Coast train near Longhoughton, Northumberland, on 19 February 2012.
St Petersburg: Tram 3912 operating on the no 6 route in St. Petersburg on 19 February 2012. Once the biggest system in the world, this is now much reduced.
Grantshouse: A southbound CrossCountry service on the ECML near Grantshouse on 19 February 2012.
Crianlarich: A stack of steel sleepers stockpiled at Crianlarich on 19 February in connection with the relaying of track south of the station. See image [[3591]]
Ardlui: 156492 leads 156458 into Ardlui with the combined 08.11 ex Oban/06.03 ex Mallaig bound for Glasgow Queen Street. The train will cross the 08.21 Queen Street - Mallaig/Oban service here.
Prestwick International Airport: The 09.30 ex-Glasgow Central arrives at Prestwick Airport on 19 February 2013. View north through a window in the station footbridge.
Crianlarich: 156447 runs into Crianlarich with the Fort William portion already set up to couple onto 156493 with the Oban portion for the run to Glasgow Queen Street at 13.36 on 19 February 2013.
Glasgow Queen Street High Level: 156493 has arrived at Glasgow Queen Street on 19 February at the rear of a 6 car class 156 commuter service. The unit stands ready to work back out as the Oban portion of the 08.21 West Highland line service to Oban and Mallaig.
Ardlui: 156493 heading the 08.21 ex Glasgow Queen Street stands at Ardlui on 19 February as 156458 runs in on the rear of the 09.52 southbound working.
Crianlarich: 156493 stands at Crianlarich awaiting the Fort William portion on 19 February 2013. Over on the left steel sleepers are being off-loaded from a road vehicle in the goods yard.
Rannoch: The unusual curved split-level footbridge at Rannoch Station, seen looking south during a station stop on 19 February 2013.
Oban Bay: Caledonian MacBrayne ferry MV Isle of Mull is nearing the dock at Oban on 19 February 2013, to off-load passengers and vehicles, heading for the mainland from Mull, and re-load before the 11.50 crossing back to Craignure.
Hest Bank: Having missed out several planned loop stops, Colas 60095 brings the Carlisle to Chirk logs through Hest Bank almost ninety minutes early on a wet 19th February 2016.
St Lucia: No.1 (of 16) Gondola swings round at the lower station of the St. Lucia Rainforest Experience prior to taking a full load of passengers up the hill side through the forest. The Aerial Tram goes up through the trees at mid-height but returns on top of the forest canopy with outstanding views. Contrary to appearances safety gear is not needed for the ride. This particular group of passengers will be returning by zip wire from the top station.
St Lucia: Looking up through the roof bars of a gondola on the St Lucia Aerial Tram as it climbs the hill through the rainforest, generally around mid tree height. Above, another car is returning to the base station but doing so above the forest canopy. Each gondola carries up to eight passengers plus a guide.
Waldersea Depot: On the out of use line between March and Wisbech is Waldersea Depot of the Bramley Line Heritage Railway Trust. Although a siding has been recreated it is not connected to the branch line which has been cleared of vegetation immediately beyond the level crossing gates for a short distance. Unlike some level crossings on the branch, the track remains in place across the crossing although the grass has taken hold either side of the tarmac.
March: A pair of Cross Country Class 170s 'crossing' at March on 19 February 2018. On the left is the 1427 hrs service from Stanstead Airport to Birmingham New Street while the one on the right is the 1322 hrs service from Birmingham New Street in the opposite direction.
March: Arriva XC 3-car Class 170 service, from Stanstead Airport to Birmingham New Street, approaching March on a wet and miserable 19th February 2018.
March East Junction: The March East Junction signalbox and level crossing with the station to the left of this view on a very dull and wet 19th February 2018.
March: A view along the two disused platforms at March on 19th February 2018. The platforms used to serve trains to Wisbech and along the GE/GN Joint line to Spalding and the north.
Coldham: A view south-east over the level crossing at Coldham on a dull and wet 19 February 2018. To the right is March and the left is Wisbech but Coldham station was split with the platform to March on the left and platform to Wisbech on the right. The crossing gates have seen better days and although the track is in place, it is heavily overgrown with brambles and a few small trees.
Millom: 37401 Mary Queen of Scots pulls away from Millom with a Barrow to Carlisle service on 19th February 2018.
March: Looking west from the LC at March on 19 February 2018 with the former platforms to Whitemoor yard and Spalding on the right. Access to Whitemoor yard is still possible from the east with another junction on the Peterborough line beyond the station. To compare the view almost 22 years earlier See image [[39319]]
Perth: South end of Perth Station with a Turbostar 170404 on the 1238hrs service to Glasgow Queen Street, which originated at Inverness. 19th February 2018
Dalgety Bay: The course of the Fordell Waggonway, looking north on 19 February 2019. The original wooden waggonway crossed the ploughed field on the right from St Davids harbour, took a right turn to cross a stream (at the muddy patch) then passed the pine tree to cross the field and enter the woods. The embankment carrying the later diversion is in the distance and the two followed a parallel or the same course northwards.
Crieff [2nd]: The King Street railway bridge at Crieff station is still there though infilled. The distinctive building across the road is recognisible in some of the photographs of the station when in use see image [[ 28895]] where the building can be seen just below the awning and above the footbridge.
Brough: TPE Class 802 (5Q95) approaching Brough on a test run from Hull to Kings Cross on 19th February 2019.
Crieff [1st]: The only trace I could find of the first station (and later the goods yard) at Crieff in February 2019 was the railway boundary wall which still runs from Duchlage Road to King Street, now forming the boundary to the small industrial estate at Crioch place. The original station and later the goods yard were to the right of the boundary wall.
Crieff [2nd]: View from the location of the Comrie platform towards the King Street bridge, to the right of which still remains the distinctive towered building (centre, above the blue trimmed ambulance station) seen in photographs of the working station see image [[28895]].
Garscadden: This plaque at Garscadden station is for 'Night Geometry and the Garscadden Trains' by A.L. Kennedy, winner of the 1991 Saltire Society First Book of the Year Award.
Crieff [2nd]: As near as it is now (2019) possible to replicate the view over the station site from Duchlage Road see image [[49643]] thanks to the foliage planted on the edge of Crieff Hospital site.
Hornby: The view Southwest along the Wennington to Lancaster trackbed from the A683 main road at Hornby in February 2019. The railway crossed the road on a bridge, which was removed after 1966, and then curved towards Camp Bridge which can still be seen in this picture then on down the Lune Valley.
Crieff [2nd]: View east from King Street bridge in 2019. The building across the former trackbed is the ambulance station, and Crieff hospital can just be seen through the foliage on the left and centre. See image [[27574]] for a similar view in early 1970.
Brough: Trans Pennine Express Class 802, running as 5Q95, approaching Brough on a Hull Trains test run from Hull to Kings Cross on 19th February 2019. With Northern operating crew training runs with ex Scotrail 170s and Hull Trains doing training with short HST's the rolling stock on view in this area is currently a bit more exiting than our usual pacer / sprinter mix.
Gilmerton: The modest single-platform effort at Gilmerton had a suitably unflashy station house which has nonetheless outlived the station by 90 years. A mercurial auntie of mine lived there for about 15 minutes in 1975. A new housing estate with the typically random and ridiculous name of King's Cove is under construction opposite.
Kaim Points: The Glencorse branch walkway doesn't quite extend all the way to the junction at Millerhill and to be fair that is not much of a loss. The course of the line can just be made out in this photograph from the end of the walkway, looking towards Millerhill Junction. The sandstone sculptures represent imagined fountains of the complex geological... you get the idea. Incidentally the 'P&R' is called Sheriffhall, not Shawfair, and always has been.
Shawfair: A four-car (mercy, and not even peak time) service from Tweedbank to Waverley approaches Shawfair on 19 February 2020. The building in the background was the school in what is always known for some reason as 'Newton Village' currently the nearest settlement. Just behind it though the first Shawfair development to be actually near its station is under way. Even by the standards of UK construction progress here is glacial.
Shawfair: A Tweedbank service calls at Shawfair on 19 February 2020. Nobody got on or off but this is not unusual, during the day anyway. So much for 3 cars as standard, promised some time ago.
Newtonhill: The End. Newtonhill box seen partly demolished on the 19th of February 2021.
Croston: 158816 departs from Croston with the 1501 hrs from Ormskirk to Preston on 19 February 2021. The original station house remains in private ownership although other platform buildings have been replaced with a modern shelter.
Newtonhill: The End. The demolition of Newtonhill box with 158731 passing.
Halton [NWR]: Immediately on the Lancaster side of Halton station the trackbed cyclepath is carried over the Denny Beck by this substantial bridge. The deck appears to be the original (Little) North Western Railway structure but the stone parapets perhaps a more recent addition. The confluence with the River Lune is immediately behind the camera.
Halton [NWR]: The old station building at Halton has always been maintained in good condition, as a rowing club house, and appears to have received a lockdown lick of paint. The sculpture by the cycle path is a nice touch and a pretty fair representation of a Midland 3F 0-6-0 too. This view towards Lancaster on 19th February 2021.
Newtonhill: The End. Newtonhill box was in the last stages of demolition when I passed on 19th February 2021.
Halton [NWR]: Since I last photographed the M6 bridge over the Lancaster to Wennington trackbed (see image [[23392]]) the Bay Gateway road has been completed and also spans this popular cyclepath. This view towards Halton station and Wennington on 19th February 2021.
Southampton Docks: On Friday 19 February engineers finished a series of improvements on the lines used by freight trains between Southampton Central and Redbridge, unlocking more capacity at the country's second busiest container port. Freight services between Southampton, the Midlands and the North can now carry up to 20% more goods thanks to track, signals and sidings improvements. Trains once restricted to 520 metres in length can now be extended up to 775 metres in length, or 14 extra containers per train. Six 775 metre long freight trains per day are now set to operate from the Freightliner Maritime Terminal in Redbridge and if each of those trains adds 14 containers, they will combine to move an extra 84 containers of goods per day.
Halton [NWR]: The old railway from Lancaster is a nicely surfaced cycle track and footpath through the old Halton and Caton station sites almost to Claughton. From Lancaster the line closely follows the River Lune for five miles and this elevated section to the north of Halton station is very popular. Patriots from Lancaster's Green Ayre shed would haul expresses to Leeds along this scenic line, and it even saw Peak diesels before the 1966 closure. View towards Caton on 19th February 2021.
Halton [NWR]: Looking towards Lancaster along the old line from Wennington in February 2021. This point, just to the south of Halton, is where the line passed under the M6 motorway between 1960 and the 1966 closure. In the foreground is a concrete occupation bridge, built to replace an older structure that lay directly in the path of the motorway. Beyond the M6 is a further bridge, dating from 2016, which carries the Bay Gateway link road over the cycleway and the River Lune.
Manor House: Refurbished 49 years old LU 1973 stock arriving at Manor House with a Piccadilly Line service to Cockfosters, on 19th February 2022. Replacement of these trains with new stock has been set back by the covid pandemic. Manor House station will celebrate its 90th birthday on 19th September 2022, having been opened with the first stage of the London Electric Railways extension as far as Arnos Grove in 1932 with the line being renamed the Piccadilly Line in 1937 during a general renaming of lines by the LPTB. All the stations on the extension were designed by Dr. Charles Holden (1875-1960), the London Underground's Chief Architect between the two World Wars.
Streatham Hill: The rather quaint street level building to Streatham Hill station, south London, in pouring rain on the afternoon of Saturday, 19th February 2022. This station was opened as Streatham by the West End of London & Crystal Palace Railway in 1865 with the service being provided by the London, Brighton & South Coast Railway. It was renamed Streatham & Brixton Hill in 1868 and finally to Streatham Hill the following year. In 1911, the LBSCR electrified the line on the overhead wire system but this was replaced with third rails by the Southern Railway in 1928.
Brixton [LTB]: Entrance to Brixton station, southern terminus of the LU Victoria Line, in pouring rain on the afternoon of Saturday, 19th February 2022. This station opened on 23rd July 1971, with the extension from Victoria, and I travelled on it on that very first day, all those decades ago. There are no direct connections to the National Rail station which is a short walk away to the north (left of photo).
Events
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Commuters left stranded by fault [Scotsman] | DOZENS of commuters were left stranded on freezing railway platforms in the Lothians at rush hour when their usual train was halved in size due to a mechanical fault. |
| 2008 | A new beginning [Railway Strategies] | Freightliner Group Ltd has placed an order for 30 freight locomotives of a new design giving even greater hauling capacity and a significant improvement in fuel economy than currently seen on the UK network. |
| 2008 | Deutsche Bahn to acquire EWS [Railway Strategies] | The European Commission has approved the proposed acquisition of English Welsh & Scottish Railway Holdings Limited (EWS) by Deutsche Bahn. |
| 2009 | British commuters pay twice European rail fares [The Times] | British commuters pay rail fares twice as high as those in other major European countries, research by the passenger watchdog has found.[From Mark Bartlett] |
| 2010 | Weardale Railway to begin new network services [Northern Echo] | The American owners of the Weardale Railway, in County Durham, announced plans yesterday for a new service between Stanhope and Shildon using a new link into the main rail network at Bishop Auckland station. |
| 2011 | Network Rail moves to regional structure [Scotland on Sunday] | NETWORK Rail^s Scottish operation is set to become a semi-independent business as the company moves to a more ^devolved^ structure. The company, set up by the UK government to manage Britain^s rail infrastructure, plans to give greater autonomy to its nine regional operations, known as ^routes^. |
| 2013 | ScotRail conductor faces trial, accused of assaulting man with ticket machine [Herald] | A SCOTRAIL train conductor is to stand trial, accused of attacking a man with his ticket machine. William McCallum, 55, is alleged to have carried out the assault at Polmont station in September 2012. He denies assaulting Ryan Johnston by seizing him by the clothing and striking him on the head with his ticket machine to his injury. |
| 2013 | ScotRail to double train services for Oban [Oban Times] | From May 2014,the number of trains to and from Oban will double from three to six trains a day between Monday and Saturday. |
| 2014 | Germany^s Frankfurt-London high-speed rail link put on ice [Reuters] | FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Germany^s Deutsche Bahn has put on hold its high-speed Frankfurt-London rail project after delivery delays on Siemens^ ICE trains and will focus now on routes to Brussels and Paris, a top manager at the state-owned firm said. Deutsche Bahn had hoped to open the route last year and said the 640 km (400 mile) journey would take five hours, but late in 2012 it put back that deadline to 2016 when its 500-million-euro (410 million pounds) order for 16 trains was delayed. [From Richard Buckby] |
| 2014 | Dawlish rail line may not reopen before ^mid-April^ [BBC News] | Further damage to the railway line in Dawlish means it will not be repaired until mid-April, Network Rail has said. It had originally hoped to complete the repairs by the middle of March but the line suffered more damage on Friday. Exeter Labour MP Ben Bradshaw said the delay was "another serious blow" to the South West economy. Network Rail said it was "conscious of the importance" of the line which connects Cornwall and most of Devon to the rest of the UK. [From Richard Buckby] |
| 2015 | Rebuilding Farnworth Tunnel [Network Rail] | To electrify the Preston-Bolton-Manchester line we need to close one of two tunnels at Farnworth between Manchester and Bolton. The work will involve widening one of the tunnels to accommodate both railway lines and electrifying the route to provide a better, more reliable train service. [From Richard Buckby] |
| 2015 | Plans for more 24-hour trains are unveiled in London [Railnews] | PLANS to extend all-night services to the subsurface lines of London Underground as well as the DLR and part of the Overground have been announced by the Chancellor and the Mayor of London. All-night services at weekends on most tube lines are already set to begin in September. Trains will now run all night on the Metropolitan, Circle, District, and Hammersmith & City Lines as well once modernisation has been completed. 24-hour operation will be extended to the Highbury & Islington to New Cross Gate section of London Overground in 2017 and to the Docklands Light Railway by 2021. |
| 2016 | Inside Heathrow’s ‘immense’ secret railway station [BBC R5] | Heathrow airport has a secret: underneath it, a huge ghost station has been built, in order to serve Terminal 5 in the future. The empty station, which opened in 2008, already has platforms built but track and signals would need to be installed to make it operational. Giving 5 live an exclusive tour – Heathrow head of surface access Chris Joyce said the train station could be used between 2020 and 2030. |
| 2016 | California targets high speed service to Silicon Valley by 2025 [Railway Gazette] | USA: Issuing its Draft Business Plan for 2016 on February 18, the California High Speed Rail Authority set a target date for launching revenue-earning services between ‘Silicon Valley and Central Valley’ by 2025. |
| 2016 | Dover rail line collapse: Repairs to take ^up to a year^ [BBC News] | Damage to a sea wall in Kent which is causing major disruption for rail passengers will take six to 12 months to repair, Network Rail has admitted. Southeastern services were stopped between Folkestone and Dover Priory on 24 December after huge cracks appeared. Network Rail said major work is needed to repair the track and the sea wall will also need to be rebuilt. Its Chief Executive Mark Carne admitted on Tuesday six to 12 months was ^the sort of timeframe we are looking at^. A bus replacement service is running between Dover Priory and Folkestone Central while repairs take place. [From Richard Buckby] |
| 2017 | First scheduled steam train service used by 5,500 people [BBC News] | More than 5,000 people travelled on the first timetabled steam train service on the Settle to Carlisle railway line in 50 years, Northern Rail has said. Tornado, the newest steam locomotive in Britain, pulled 12 Northern services over three days from 14 -16 February. The company described the event as ^a remarkable success^ and has not ruled out running similar services again. It was part of celebrations to mark the upcoming reopening of the line after landslides closed a long stretch. |
| 2018 | Misery for passengers sees ScotRail fined a record amount [Herald] | RAIL passengers misery has been laid bare after ScotRail has received record fines for failing to meet required standards for the running of the nations trains and stations. The firm has clocked up £3 million in financial penalties over the first nine months of this financial year for its failings, having posted a £3.5m after-tax loss for 2016. That is double the financial penalties imposed on them for the whole of the previous year. The ScotRail report card shows Abellio which runs the franchise failed to reach the required standards of service to the public in 26 benchmarking areas out of 34. |
| 2018 | What the railway could look like in 30 years time [Network Rail] | Research and development teams across the rail industry are thinking about the needs of passengers and businesses in 30 years time and even further ahead, and considering how the railway can adapt through innovation to meet these requirements. Watch the video to see how the future might look. |
| 2019 | Birmingham: Washwood Heath train factory demolished [Rail Engineer] | The former Alstom factory at Washwood Heath, Birmingham, where Virgins Pendolinos were built, has been demolished to make way for an HS2 maintenance depot. Underground-train manufacturer Metro Cammell, which owned the site before Alstom, built trains for countries across the world at Washwood Heath, including British Rails iconic Blue Pullman as well as most of ... |
| 2019 | David Spaven: Packaging passengers and small freight will benefit rural railways [Scotsman] | Until the 1980s, a regular feature of Highland railway operation on the Kyle and Mallaig lines in particular was mixed trains, where the locomotive hauled both passenger coaches and freight wagons in a single trainload. This was a useful way of sharing haulage costs on lightly-trafficked lines, but the practice disappeared when loco-hauled passenger trains were displaced by more economic diesel units with engines slung under their floors. |
| 2019 | Over £10,000 awarded to Ayrshire community projects [ScotRail] | Three community projects in Ayrshire have been given the go-ahead thanks to over £10,000 worth of grants from the ScotRail Foundation Cultural and Arts Fund. Vics in the Community “ part of Whitletts Victoria Football Club “ has been awarded £2,670 to provide additional football coaching sessions for primary school aged children. Vics in the Community was established in April 2018 to tackle the high levels of social disadvantage and anti-social behaviour among young people in the Whitletts and Wallacetown areas of Ayr. |
| 2020 | Historic Wellingborough railway landmark one stop further down the line to being saved [Telegraph] | The Wellingborough Roundhouse, a notable railway landmark, has come a step closer to being saved from unauthorised demolition after councillors voted to list it locally. In January, Wellingborough Civic Society members highlighted the fate of the large red-brick Wellingborough Roundhouse, fearing that the building might be knocked down. Last night, Wellingborough council Development Meeting committee members voted unanimously to locally list the roundhouse meaning that planning permission would have to be sought to demolish the building. |
