This day in history 04 December
Images
Crewe South Shed: BR Standard class 2 2-6-0 no 78036 photographed on Crewe South shed (5B) in December 1966.
Royal Oak Junction: Grab shot from a passing Hammersmith & City Line train between Royal Oak and Paddington in December 1968 showing D3756 and D3761 on the north side of the line. Both locomotives were involved in transporting materials in connection with construction of the elevated 'Westway' section of the A40, part of which can be seen in the picture.
Penistone: Crewe built BR Sulzer Type 2 sisters 24082 and 24087 accelerate away from the Woodhead line eastbound platform at Penistone on 4 December 1976, whilst working the Wirral Railway Circle's 'The Grand Central' Railtour which ran from Crewe to Crewe, outward via the Woodhead Route to Beighton Junction then south to Loughborough with return via the Hope Valley route. This tour was a precursor to the start of the mass withdrawal of the Class 24s.
Fowey: The infamous Western China Clay Railtour of 4 December 1976 stands at Carne Point, Cornwall, in the fading afternoon light, with the Maybach engine exhausts from the pair of Western class diesel hydraulic locomotives (D1056 Western Sultan front and D1023 Western Fusilier rear) reflected in the cold, dark waters of the Fowey estuary.
Penistone: Crewe built BR Sulzer Type 2 24082 is standing in the Woodhead line eastbound platform at Penistone on 4 December 1976, whilst working with sister 24087 on the Wirral Railway Circle's 'The Grand Central' railtour which ran from Crewe to Crewe, outward via the Woodhead Route to Loughborough and return via the Hope Valley route. This tour was around the start of the mass withdrawal of the Class 24s. This loco was withdrawn on 1 March 1979 and cut up at Doncaster Works a month later.
Sheringham: The site of the former level crossing in a bleak and lifeless Sheringham on Sunday 4th December 1977. Gates, track and signal box have all gone and wasteland remains. On the far side of the road is the 1967 vintage Sheringham station, little more than a simple halt plus bus shelter since the crossing to the original station was closed. Fast forward to the 21st century and the gates, track and signal box magically reappear, courtesy of the North Norfolk railway. The Jolly Tar café (formerly the Gatehouse Café) stays with us in the time jump, but not so the Shoe Repair and Antiques shops which were demolished and replaced with offices.
West Runton: Overshadowed on one side by Cromer station, and on the other side by Sheringham station, the humble halt at West Runton is a rather unexpected survivor of the once extensive Midland and Great Northern Joint network. This view was taken on 4th December 1977 when the original buildings were still present.
Crawford Viaduct: Schedued maintenance activity being undertaken on Crawford Viaduct in December 2002. About to run past the works compound and cross the Clyde at much reduced speed is a Virgin Voyager on a Birmingham New Street - Glasgow Central service.
Crawford Viaduct: Full matching set. Virgin liveried class 86 locomotive and stock forming a WCML service passing over Crawford Viaduct on 4 December 2002. The train is running under temporary speed restrictions due to maintenance work being carried out on the viaduct at that time.
Edinburgh Park: Edinburgh Park on its opening day. A somewhat misty and cold day.
Haddington: One of the old platform buildings at Haddington seen here in December 2004 following conversion for use as commercial offices. The former station site is now incorporated within a modern industrial estate.
Haddington: Remains of the former Haddington Station, seen here on 4 December 2004 - looking east into the terminus. The main goods yard and sidings were on the left. Haddington closed to passenger traffic in 1949, with the branch from Longniddry Junction closing completely in 1968.
Haddington: Station remains at Haddington, closed to passengers in 1949. The branch from the ECML at Longniddry remained open for freight until 1968. A surviving building is seen here in December 2004, having been put to use as an office by a local plant hire company. Standing beyond is the modified original station building, which later became the station master's house. Both buildings were accessible from upper and lower levels. (For the rear view see image [[71659]].)
Glasgow Central: First TransPennine Express 185130 stands at Glasgow Central after its pre-launch special run from Waverley on 4 December 2007.
Edinburgh Waverley: First Group CEO Moir Lockhead is serenaded aboard the FTPE special to Glasgow Central at Waverley on 4 December 2007 celebrating the launch of the First TransPennine Express services linking Edinburgh and Glasgow with Manchester Airport. [The names on the signpost refer to locations featured in a talk by travel journalist Simon Calder at the pre-launch bash in a well known local hotel.]
Edinburgh Waverley: First TransPennine Express 185130 stands at Waverley on 4 December with the 12.56 special to Glasgow Central. The train, together with associated events, was organised by FTPE as a precursor to the launch of the new services linking Edinburgh and Glasgow with Manchester Airport, which commence on 9 December 2007.
Edinburgh Waverley: Looking east from Edinburgh's North Bridge on 4 December 2007, with a southbound CrossCountry service about to leave Waverley's platform 9. The Voyager is still in the colours of Virgin Trains, who had given up the CrossCountry franchise less than a month earlier.
Edinburgh Waverley: A First TransPennine Express 185 on a promotional visit stands at Waverley on 4 December. Daily services to and from the destination shown will become a reality from 9 December 2007.
Edinburgh Waverley: TV cameras at Waverley on 4 December 2007 during a publicity event marking the imminent introduction of direct rail services linking both Edinburgh and Glasgow with Manchester Airport. First TransPennine Express 185130 carried media representatives and invited guests on a special commemorative trip to Glasgow Central. Scheduled passenger services on the new routes got underway 9 days later.
Blackburn: A Northern Pacer calls at Blackburn's rebuilt station on its way to Colne. To the right, partly obscured by the telephone mast, the original station entrance building is still in use but the huge trainshed that once spanned the platforms See image [[7725]] is now demolished.
Blackburn: A Clitheroe to Manchester service emerges from the west end of Blackburn tunnel and runs into the station on 4th December 2009. The area in front of the two retaining walls was occupied by Blackburn East signal box until 1972, since when the track layout has been simplified and the tunnel lines are now bi-directional.
Feniscowles: The direct line from Blackburn to Chorley closed to passengers on 4 January 1960 and, almost fifty years later, the viaduct at Feniscowles still spans the A674 main road. This structure and the long embankment from Cherry Tree Junction can be seen from East Lancashire line trains between Pleasington and Cherry Tree station, which is situated immediately beyond the far bend in the road. Map reference SD649358.
Mill Hill: Mill Hill station was a Lancashire and Yorkshire era addition to the East Lancashire line and so was constructed with a L&YR standard island platform, platform canopy and street level booking office. See image [[21199]] for a surviving example at Atherton. All original facilities have now been swept away but beyond the platform the goods shed still stands and is in industrial use. 158753 runs through the station with a York to Blackpool service on 4 December in this view towards Blackburn.
Cherry Tree: The next stop at Mill Hill is in sight (just by the distant bridge) as 142048 leaves Cherry Tree heading for Blackburn and Colne on a gloomy day. The long platform on the far side is disused apart from a short (2-coach) section.
Blackburn: Blackburn, as seen looking west from the adjacent supermarket car park, showing 158842 pulling into Platform 3 on a York to Blackpool service. The one remaining through goods line is to the left of the train and on the far right the four chimneys of the original station building can be seen, still partly in railway use but mainly now the town centre police station.
Blackburn: Clitheroe bound trains usually use the loop (Platform 1) at Blackburn while trains for York or Colne use platform 2. 150205 pulls away from Blackburn heading for the Ribble Valley and Clitheroe in this view looking west from the multistorey supermarket that occupies the old fish and parcels depot site. There is a marked contrast between the surviving station entrance building on the right and the rebuilt platform structures.
Rishton: The causeway at Rishton sees a Northern Pacer crossing on its way to Colne with a late afternoon service. This structure divides a local reservoir in two. On the north side of the railway is a sailing club but on this side only the local wildlife.
Feniscowles: Housing covers much of the Chorley to Blackburn line's formation around Feniscowles, including the station site, but a bridge abutment survives next to the A6062. There was a very large goods shed here, probably serving two paper mills situated nearby. The next station south from here, Withnell, has survived intact since line closure on 5.1.60. See image [[23878]]
Cherry Tree: The old goods shed in Cherry Tree yard is still in use, currently as a showroom for stoves and fireplaces. Lying as it does, at an angle to the main line, it must have been a tight little yard for shunting when open to rail traffic. Northern Pacer 142044 leaves for Preston and Blackpool South.
Glasgow Central: Work continuing on the new Platform 12 & 13 at Glasgow Central. The platforms have been partially completed, with work at the moment appearing to be strengthening the undercroft to allow trains to enter the platform. The current Platform 12 will close on 12th December, and work will start to allow the rails to be brought into the station. Many thanks to the Balfour Beatty contractor who allowed me to take the picture.
Cranmore: 5637 steam heating its train at Cranmore on the East Somerset Railway prior to running round and heading up the line. Photographed on 4 December 2010.
Cranmore: Scene on the East Somerset Railway at Cranmore on 4 December 2010. The locomotive featured here is Lord Fisher, a 10' Barclay 0-4-0ST, currently in store pending overhaul.
Cranmore: LSBCR class E1 0-6-0T awaiting an expensive boiler repair at Cranmore in December 2010.
Kelty: Looking west along the Blairenbathie Colliery branch trackbed from the the site of the level crossing over Main Street, Kelty, in December 2011. The branch closed in 1964.
Goodge Street: Exterior of Goodge Street, LUL Northern Line, on 4th December 2012. This was opened by the Charing Cross, Euston & Hampstead Railway on 22nd June 1907 as Tottenham Court Road and renamed Goodge Street when the CCEHR's Oxford Street station, one stop south, was renamed Tottenham Court Road in conjunction with the Central London Railway platforms where the two lines intersected. In 1924, the City & South London Railway was extended north to a connection with the CCEHR at Camden Town while, at the same time, the CCEHR was extended south from its original terminus at Charing Cross (now Embankment) to a connection with the CSLR at Kennington. The two combined lines were then known as the Morden-Edgware Line until 1937 when it was further renamed as the Northern Line.
Didcot Parkway: The east end signal gantry at Didcot in the early morning sun on 4 December 2012.
Culham RNAS: The long abandoned siding running into the former Royal Naval Air Station at Culham, Oxfordshire, (HMS Hornbill) seen here in December 2012. In 1960 the site of the disused RNAS became the headquarters of the UK Atomic Energy Authority, renamed the Culham Centre for Fusion Energy in 2009.
Didcot Parkway: LMS 6201 Princess Elizabeth approaching Didcot with a special on 4 December. The Stanier Pacific was bound for the Oxford line hauling a Slough to Chester excursion.
Didcot Parkway: Stanier Pacific 6201 Princess Elizabeth takes the east to north curve at Didcot on 4 December with a special for Chester.
Didcot Parkway: It would appear that the Didcot Railway Centre have taken to using their mobile crane as shed shunter! View from the platform at Didcot station on 4 December.
Didcot Parkway: Running 45 minutes late, 6201 Princess Elizabeth passes Didcot with a special for Chester at 08.45 on 4 December 2012. Had the train been on schedule it is doubtful if enough light would have been available to capture an image.
Riverside Museum: Do I look smart? 'Cunarder' 1392 at the Riverside Museum in December 2013.
Spey Bay: Since my last visit a few years ago, the former Spey Bay Station has been refurbished and looks like new in December 2013. The grounds have been landscaped and the trees that hid much of it from view are gone. See image [[5588]]
Kings Cross: Platforms 1 to 4 at Kings Cross are unusually devoid of stock at 18.45 on 4 December, with only the lights of the Thunderbird class 67 stabled in the siding beyond the platforms visible.
Kings Cross: Consecutively Numbered First Hull Trains 185111, at platform 6, and Arriva Grand Central 185112, at platform 8, await their departure times at Kings Cross on 4 December 2013 with the 18.50 for Hull and 19.18 for Sunderland respectively.
Swindon: DB liveried 60040 pulls out of the down loop at the east end of Swindon Station on 4 December with the Theale to Robeston empty fuel tanks.
Swindon: DB Schenker 59203 westbound, I assume to Westbury and the Somerset Quarries via Melksham and Trowbridge.
Nuneaton: 66594 NYK Spirit of Kyoto has just arrived at Nuneaton with a container train off the Coventry line and is about to depart northbound with a fresh driver. Unusually, the screens were advertising arrival of a charter train 40 minutes later; which turned out to be steam loco Tangmere, southbound with a support coach.
Daventry International Rail Freight Terminal: I may be losing count, but I think this hoarding, adjacent to the A5 Southbound, foreshadows DIRFT terminal 4. This will need an overbridge across the A5 similar to that over the A428, and an extension of the existing embankment past DIRFT 3 see image [[52516]].
Tweedbank: 158705 leaves Tweedbank and crosses the River Tweed on Redbridge Viaduct with a train for Edinburgh on 4 December 2015. The walkway of the Southern Upland Way shares the viaduct. See image [[38163]]
Stirling: The 1607 departure for Edinburgh in Platform 8 at Stirling on 4th December 2017.
Edinburgh Princes Street: Tram 277, carrying 'Free trams on Hogmanay night' branding, heads east past the Royal Scottish Academy on 4th December 2017.
Margam Knuckle Yard: DBS locomotives in Margam Knucke Yard on 4th December 2017. Those present include 66200 and 60066.
Margam Knuckle Yard: 57312 on the rear of the Belmond Northern Belle Christmas lunch trip from Newport to Fishguard Harbour, seen passing Margam Knuckle Yard heading towards Port Talbot.
Margam Knuckle Yard: DBS 66200, seen at the east end of Margam Knuckle Yard on 4th December 2017.
Haymarket: A view of Haymarket normally seen only by a few locals, as it is behind a wall on a dead-end lane. One wonders therefore why they went to the trouble and expense of putting up the huge 'Haymarket' lettering, particular as it is invisible from the platfrorms. 4th December 2017.
Alloa: 158721 forms the 1541hrs to Glasgow at Alloa on 4th December 2017.
Hest Bank: 88003 Genesis approaches Hest Bank level crossing with its pantograph well extended on 4th December 2017. The Tesco Express has seen a variety of diesel and electric traction over recent years See image [[28531]]. It is still the only regular booked working for the Class 88 electro-diesels at this time.
Margam Knuckle Yard: 57305 leads the Belmond Northern Belle on a Newport to Fishguard Harbour Christmas lunch trip. The train is heading west past Margam Knuckle Yard on 4th December 2017.
Edinburgh Waverley: Colas 37421 leads a Network Rail test train out of Waverley, bound for Glasgow Queen Street. 37219 is on the rear. 4th December 2017.
Perth New Yard: New gate and fencing at the entrance to Perth New Yard on 4th December 2018. A train maintenance depot may be opened here.
Galgate: A bright morning at Hampson Lane near Galgate but the sun has not yet reached the frost in the cutting as the Network Rail High Speed Measurement Train heads north on 4th December 2018.
Blackford: Construction work for the Highland Spring freight terminal is under way. The Up and Down refuge sidings have been removed. View east over the former goods yard with materials and equipment being assembled.
Glasgow Queen Street High Level: View from platform 2, on 4th December, of the first of the steelwork which is beginning to appear at the west (Dundas Street) side of Queen Street station. The first signs of the framework of the new south (West George Steet) extension to the station building are also now visible see image [[66669]].
Glasgow Queen Street High Level: The first steelwork for the new south face of Queen Street Station rises out the depths of the large cavern left by the demolition of Consort House. In the background are (left) the 1807-1818 North British (now Millennium) Hotel and (right) the 1874 Merchants House, both fine buildings of rather more traditional styles. Will this new building prove to be be a worthy neighbour? 4th December 2018.
Blackford: Looking west at Blackford on 4th December 2018 with the site of the Down refuge siding being used for an S&T conduit/walkway. The Highland Spring freight terminal work site extends to the now-closed Panholes foot crossing.
Edinburgh Waverley: Platform indicator at Waverley, showing the train to Inverness cancelled on 4th December 2018. This necessitated a bus to Perth, where the train started.
Brierfield: 156464, working from Preston to Colne pulls away from Brierfield on 4th December 2019, heading for the penultimate station at nearby Nelson.
Burnley Barracks: 156429 climbs the steep gradient from Burnley Central to Burnley Barracks and crosses the replacement (now single track) bridge over the Leeds Liverpool Canal, which runs immediately east of the surviving platform. This photo taken with one hand as the other was flagging down the Sprinter at this request stop. The train was a Colne to Preston service on 4th December 2019.
Euston: Ewan - can I caption this as two naked Virgins? No? Okay. Two debranded Pendolinos at the Euston buffers on 4th December 2019.
Burnley Barracks: Three-arch Cavalry Street bridge, to the west of Burnley Barracks station, once formed the access from Padiham Road to the long demolished army barracks. With Padiham Road diverted, and no barracks, the bridge no longer serves a useful purpose and has been blocked off but it still spans the Colne branch. These short sections of wall appear to be the sole surviving remnants of the boundary wall of the barracks, or a representation of the north corner. 4th December 2019.
See query 2210
Burnley Central: View looking south from a Sprinter crossing Burnley Viaduct as it climbs from Burnley Central See image [[23301]] to Burnley Barracks in December 2019. In the centre is the River Calder, although immediately beyond the road bridge is the confluence of that watercourse and the River Brun. The viaduct once carried a busy double track main line to Skipton but now only sees the hourly DMU on the single track siding between Rose Grove (Gannow Junction) and Colne.
Blackburn: 60103 'Flying Scotsman' pulls into Platform 1 at Blackburn while working a special from Manchester Victoria to Carlisle, via the S&C, on 4th December 2019.
Blackburn: The Morrison's car park makes an excellent vantage point to watch the comings and goings at Blackburn station. There were surprisingly few snappers about as 'Flying Scotsman' pulled out on 4th December 2019 with a Manchester Victoria to Carlisle excursion. Immediately beyond the tunnel the train will swing left at Daisyfield Junction to take the Clitheroe and Hellifield line. See image [[26798]] taken from this spot ten years earlier.
Burnley Barracks: The rather low key entrance to Burnley Barracks, accessed from the surviving truncated section of Padiham Road, in December 2019. Originally there was a street level booking office here with a footbridge leading directly from this across to the now closed eastbound platform and another staircase down to the westbound. Now there is just a rather steep ramp down to the surviving single platform.
Brierfield: Brierfield station, in December 2019, taken from a bridge carrying a public footpath over the Colne branch. All platform buildings went long ago but 'Station House' lives on as a private home. The signal box was also demolished several years ago and the level crossing is now controlled from Preston PSB.
Burnley Barracks: 156464 pauses at the surviving platform, between the bridges, at Burnley Barracks on 4th December 2019, before departing towards Rose Grove with a Preston service. The far bridge carries the truncated Padiham Road. The concrete deck was installed after a gas leak in the old structure was reportedly ignited by a 4F 0-6-0 causing an explosion.
Brierfield: View towards Burnley over the level crossing at Brierfield station in December 2019. The crossing box See image [[16799]] was a relatively recent casualty, with control passing to Preston PSB in 2014 when the 140 year old box, by then operating with only two levers, finally closed.
Burnley Barracks: 156429, heading for Colne, drops down from Gannow Junction towards the station at Burnley Barracks on 4th December 2019. The train has just passed under the now redundant Cavalry Street bridge, an access route to the actual infantry barracks that stood above the line on the left from 1820 to 1898. Above the Gannow Junction signal is another redundant bridge that used to carry Barracks Road.
Silloth Marshall Dock: The tidal Marshall Dock at Silloth, viewed from the sea wall, with the New Dock beyond. Ships in the New Dock stay afloat thanks to the lock gates. Railway tracks ran along the land to the left and also on the right hand side of the dock. Carr's flour mills were big users of the railway but, although still active in the town, transferred to road haulage in the early 1960s and the branch closed completely in 1964.
Cupar: Azuma 800107 passes Riggs Row (a through road until arrival of the railway) on the approach to Cupar on 4 December 2021. The service is the 07.08 from Leeds to Aberdeen.
Edinburgh Waverley: Santa Special to Boat of Garten. 0858 5-car Inter7City from Waverley.
Events
Events from the chronology which occured on this day. This generally lists events before 1995, the creation of the website.
| Year | Companies | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1838 | Arbroath and Forfar Railway | Leysmill to Forfar officially opened. Stations opened at: Leysmill, Friockheim, Guthrie, Auldbar Road, Clocksbriggs, 1st_>Forfar 1st . |
| 1855 | Ballymena, Ballymoney, Coleraine and Portrush Junction Railway | Opened from a new Ballymena station (just north of the Belfast and Ballymena Railway terminus 1st_>Ballymena 1st which closed) to Coleraine and Portrush. Stations opened at Ballymena, Killagan, Ballymoney, Coleraine and Portrush |
| 1895 | Garngaber Curve (Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway) | Garngaber Junction Line opened for Merchandise (this line? Seems a bit late.) |
| 1901 | Wrington Vale Light Railway | Line opened. |
| 1950 | Aberdeen Railway | Muchalls closed. |
| 1957 | North Kent Railway | 90 are killed at Lewisham when an express trains passes signals and runs into a stopped electric train. As a result of the crash a 350 ton bridge over the line is dropped onto the crash site. |
| 1967 | Balerno Branch (Caledonian Railway) | Balerno Goods to Balerno Junction and Balerno Goods Junction to Ravelrig Junction closed. |
| 2001 | Edinburgh and Dalkeith Railway | Tree-planting ceremony marks the site-start at Newcraighall. Construction of Newcraighall and Brunstane stations on the Edinburgh CrossRail scheme commences. |
| 2005 | Caledonian Railway | Network Rail^s upgrade of line north from Preston to Glasgow Central will allow 125mph running. |
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 | Edinburgh CrossRail | New SRA Chair Richard Bowker^s first public duty was to perform with new Scottish Transport Minister Wendy Alexander a tree-planting to mark the site-start at Newcraighall Station on 4 December. A half-hourly service from Newcraighall and Brunstane Stations on the Edinburgh Crossrail line is due to commence on 2 June 2002, making this the first mainline reopening with stations to be committed anywhere in Britain since privatisation. A Sunday service will be funded by Chartwell Land in return for planning permission to expand the B&Q store near Newcraighall. Another new station at Edinburgh Park (between Saughton and Newbridge Junction) is due to open in the first half of 2003. Click on the images for a larger version. |
| 2003 | Edinburgh Park station services begin | Services began on the 4th of December. |
| 2008 | Converted station building wins heritage award [Railways Illustrated] | At the National Heritage Railway Awards in London on 3 December, the Modern Railways Restoration Award went to Amatt Network Ltd for Chu Chus Restaurant at West Kilbride Station. ^It is hard to imagine that this smart dining room at Chu Chus Restaurant in West Kilbride was once a derelict station waiting room,^ writes one of the judges, John Frater, in the January 2009 issue of ^Railways Illustrated^. |
| 2008 | New platform ready nearly 2 weeks early [Network Rail] | The platform now standing at Manchester Airport station has arrived 11 days early - that’s the sort of announcement you could expect to hear at the station as Network Rail, GMPTE, the Northern Way and Manchester Airport celebrate the completion of a major project. |
| 2008 | Police have tunnel vision for youth club [Evening News] | THROUGHOUT the 19th century it served as a route for thousands of rail passengers making their way from Granton to Princes Street. But now part of the Scotland Street rail tunnel is to be transformed into a youth club under plans being backed by the police. |
| 2009 | MSPs reject Labour rail link bid [BBC News Article] | An attempt by Labour to have the scrapped Glasgow Airport Rail Link reinstated into the Scottish budget is rejected by MSPs. |
| 2009 | Safety review of level crossings [BBC News Article] | All barrier-free railway level crossings across Scotland are to be inspected as part of a wider review by the railway regulator. |
| 2010 | Trains restored to north of Scotland [BBC News] | ScotRail has restored some trains to the north of Scotland after snow virtually wiped out services beyond the central belt on Friday. |
| 2010 | Rail bosses facing fines over paralysed network [Express] | SCOTLAND’S main rail operator could be fined tens of thousands of pounds for failing to keep trains running during the worst snow storms in 45 years. |
| 2011 | Leeds railway station entrance plans go on show [BBC News] | Plans for a £14.2m pedestrian entrance at Leeds railway station have gone on show. The entrance, to the south of the station next to the river Aire, will give direct access to and from the Leeds waterfront area. |
| 2012 | Bluebell Railway extension nears completion [BBC] | More money is required to finish an extension to a stretch of track on a heritage steam railway in Sussex which is 100m from completion. The Bluebell Railway is being extended by two miles to allow trains to connect to the main railway line at East Grinstead. |
| 2013 | ScotRail cancels train services on 22 routes due to high winds [STV] | With adverse weather sweeping across Scotland on Thursday, rail operator ScotRail has announced that no trains will run before 7am and 22 routes are not expected to be serviced at all until at least 4pm. |
| 2014 | Gatwick Airport railway station revamp backed with £60m [BBC News] | Transformation of Gatwick Airport^s railway station has been given a boost after Network Rail and the airport announced £60m funding. Work is due to begin in 2017 on the £120.5m project on the station concourse and links to the airport. Network Rail and the airport have announced they will each contribute £30m to the project. In December 2013, the government said it would provide £50m, subject to funding from the airport. |
| 2014 | Autumn Statement: New trains for northern rail routes [BBC News] | Investment in new rolling stock for rail franchises in the north of England has been announced by the government. The move is part of Chancellor George Osborne^s ambition to create a northern economic ^powerhouse^. It means the Northern Rail and Trans-Pennine Express routes will see the current ^pacer^ trains replaced with new and modern vehicles. [From Mark Bartlett] |
| 2015 | Scotland scrambles for extra trains after Forth Road Bridge closure [Guardian] | Scotland’s rail and transport authorities have been scrambling to find extra trains and buses after engineers completely closed the Forth Road Bridge for a month after discovering cracks in the steelwork. The bridge, one of Scotland’s most important road routes, was closed until early January after a 20mm wide crack was detected on a steel truss close to its north pier during a routine inspection. Up to eight other trusses could have similar defects. [From Mark Bartlett] |
| 2016 | Car crashes into Virgin train at level crossing in Lanarkshire [STV News] | A Virgin Voyager train has hit a car at a level crossing in South Lanarkshire. It is thought the train dragged the vehicle 80 yards during the incident at the Cleghorn level crossing, shortly before 7pm on Saturday. Services in the area have seen major disruption, with trains through Carluke and Carstairs cancelled or delayed. Eyewitnesses said the car turned on to the railway by accident, and the occupants were able to get out before it was hit. There are no casualties and the train, which was bound for Glasgow from Preston, did not derail. |
| 2016 | The future of Scotrail? A co-op run by workers and passengers [Sunday Herald] | THE SNP Government is looking at putting Scotland’s railways into a co-operative, with workers and passengers taking charge of the service as part of a possible plan for a publicly owned train network. A source close to Scotland^s Transport Minister Humza Yousaf revealed the option for the future of rail after the government staged a summit with trade unions, officials, pressure groups and politicians. The Sunday Herald previously reported that a model ministers are understood to have in mind for rail renationalisation is based on CalMac Ferries Ltd (CFL), which describes itself as a “wholly-owned subsidiary of David MacBrayne Ltd, which is wholly owned by Scottish ministersâ€. |
| 2016 | ScotRail^s ^new^ fleet of trains are so old the engines have already appeared in railway museum [Daily Record] | ScotRail are about to introduce trains that are so old, the engine has been on display in a museum. A fleet of 40-year-old diesel high-speed engines are due to start operating in 2018 in a bid to increase passenger capacity. They will be the oldest trains in ScotRail’s stock . The InterCity 125 is used by Great Western Railway in England but is being replaced with electric stock. One of the first made went on display at the National Railway Museum in York in October to mark its 40th anniversary. |
| 2017 | Architect produces longest moving walkway alternative to tram-train Glasgow Airport link [Herald] | THE worlds longest moving walkway is the latest suggestion to end the long running saga of linking Glasgow Airport and the city centre. Architect Maurice Rodger has mooted the mile long sky travelator as an affordable solution to the Glasgow Airport rail link which he claims would cut the cost from £144 million to just £10 million. Mr Rodger of ID>A Design has drawn up a rough plan to create a new train station on the Glasgow to Wemyss Bay line near the Ferguslie Park housing estate in Paisley. |
| 2018 | Criticism for Grayling as MPs issue scathing report into rail timetable chaos [ITV News] | Disruption following the timetable change demonstrated that significant change is required in the rail industry, says the Department for Transport ... |
| 2018 | Person dies after being electrocuted on Scottish train track, man arrested [Scotsman] | A person has died after being electrocuted on a train track in Scotland. |
| 2018 | ScotRail stations open for new business [ScotRail] | ScotRail has announced a host of new retail opportunities at stations across the country. The train operator is looking for local and national retail partners to improve the range and quality of facilities at stations - from coffee and food outlets to other services that would benefit the local community. Over 20 stations from Aviemore to Bathgate are being made available for new ventures, with many locations offering significant footfall in the centre of towns and cities. |
| 2018 | SNP minister joins attack on ^unacceptable^ ScotRail cancellations [Scotsman] | ScotRail was today blasted by the Scottish Government for cancelling services for staff training. |
| 2019 | Four major railway stations among first to recognise hidden disability sunflowers [Network Rail] | Four of the country^s biggest railway stations will now offer passengers with hidden disabilities a discreet way to ask for extra help while making their journeys. |
| 2019 | ScotRail: New timetables will ^add an extra 10,000 seats^ [BBC News] | The changes, which include a new station at Robroyston in the north of Glasgow, take effect on 15 December. |
| 2019 | Survey reveals ScotRail staff are angry and demoralised [Scotsman] | ScotRail has admitted things are ^not good enough^ after a staff survey revealed ^too many^ felt irritated and just 1 per cent said they were empowered in their roles, The Scotsman has learned. |
| 2019 | Timetable improvements boost for customers [ScotRail] | ScotRail will deliver a boost for customers throughout the country, with more seats, more services, and a brand-new station as it introduces its new timetable. Announcing the changes to the timetable from 15 December 2019, the rail operator has confirmed the opening of Robroyston station, additional services in the north east of the country, extra seats between Edinburgh and Glasgow, and more peak seats on key services. |
| 2019 | National Railway Heritage Awards [RailScot] | At the 40th annual National Railway Heritage Awards presented today by HRH Princess Anne, the three Scottish winners were: - South Esk Viaduct at Montrose : the Costain Structures Award to Network Rail and Taziker International - Restoration of Ferryhill Turntable : the Stagecoach Volunteers Award to the Ferryhill Railway Heritage Trust - Ballater Old Royal Station : the Southeastern Commercial Restoration Award to Aberdeenshire Council, collected in person by Council Leader Jim Gifford Shortlisted Scottish entries were: - Craft Skills Award : Edinburgh Princes Street station gates - Volunteers Award: Lochearnhead scout station - Commercial Restoration: Dunbar Station Yard micropub, Nairn Men^s Shed |
| 2019 | Monifieth to Edinburgh passengers to change at Dundee when new ScotRail station opens [Evening Telegraph] | Passengers in Angus and Dundee have been told to be aware of timetable changes in place from December 15, as Scotrail opens a new station. |
| 2019 | CalMac sues Scottish government over ferry routes [BBC News] | The legal action is part of a dispute over the Northern Isles service contract awarded to Serco. |
| 2019 | Extra seats promised on Borders Railway from next week [Border Telegraph] | Rail bosses have promised to increase the number of seats on the Borders Railway, from next week. |
