TransPennine Express has announced the death of an internet famous railway station cat, sparking an outpouring of grief from her social media followers. Felix, who was given the title of senior pest controller at Huddersfield station, West Yorkshire, was “more than a cat”, TPE said. Shooting to fame in 2015 when a passenger created a Facebook page for her with photos showing her wearing a name badge and high-vis vest while on patrol, her Facebook page now has 170,000 followers, and other social media accounts dedicated to her have tens of thousands of followers. TPE said that Felix, aged 12 ..read more

The Railway Magazine provides the latest news, Steam & Heritage, modern traction and reviews and our brand-new December issue is out now! Britain’s newest steam loco The story behind the incredible Double-Fairlie No. 8 James Spooner, which has been officially launched into service at the Ffestiniog Railway. Climbing high Hastings again has two operational funiculars after the reopening of the East Hill Lift, which is the UK’s steepest. Going south for winter A look at the state of French railways with a trip from London to Marseille via the eastern city of Strasbourg ..read more

Heritage railways up and down the country are getting into the festive spirit. Whether it’s the opportunity to meet Santa, impressive light displays, on board pantomimes or more relaxed Christmas dining, your local heritage railway is undoubtedly doing something to celebrate the season. See below for some of our top recommendations. Our top 10 Santa Special steam trains Avon Valley Railway Bo’ness & Kinnell Railway Brecon Mountain Railway Bure Valley Railway Cholsey and Wallingford Railway East Lancashire Railway East Somerset Railway Great Central Railway North York Moors Railway Seve ..read more

Members of the RMT union have voted overwhelmingly to accept a deal to end their long-running dispute over pay and conditions. Lynch speaking at a rally in August. Photo: Jonathan Brady/PA Wire The Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union has been taking regular strike action for more than 18 months. RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: “Our members have spoken in huge numbers to accept this offer and I want to congratulate them on their steadfastness in this long industrial campaign. “We will be negotiating further with the train operators over reforms they want to see, and we will never sh ..read more

Rail commuters suffered disruption on Thursday morning as a series of infrastructure failures disrupted several major routes. Great Western Railway and Elizabeth line services between London Paddington and Reading were being forced to run at a reduced speed due to a broken rail, which was expected to cause delays throughout the day. The operator said the problem was discovered in the area around Hayes & Harlington station, west London, early on Wednesday, with Network Rail unable to carry out a full repair until Thursday night. The defect was at a set of points used to transfer trains from ..read more

The popular ‘Hogwarts Express’ service could be at the end of the line as it awaits a ruling after challenging a safety rule. The famous steam training passing over the Glenfinnan Viaduct in the Scottish Highlands. IStock. The Jacobite – often referred to as the Hogwarts Express due to its appearance in the Harry Potter movies – is a popular tourist attraction between Mallaig and Fort William across the Glenfinnan Viaduct in the Scottish Highlands. Operators West Coast Railway (WCR) have challenged health & safety requirements for central locking systems to be fitted to carriage doors. WCR ..read more

A lost monkey toy has been returned to its three-year-old owner after a 600-mile railway adventure. Network Rail said Kayna Tay, 43, and her three-year-old son misplaced the toy – which he has had since birth – while changing carriages on the first leg of a journey from Oakham, East Midlands, to Bristol Temple Meads on Monday. When they realised what had happened as they arrived at Birmingham New Street to change trains, the boy was distraught. Ms Tay and her son went to the station’s reception to report the lost monkey. Customer service assistants Leon Allen and Vinny Murphy arranged for a s ..read more

The Railway Magazine provides the latest news, Steam & Heritage, modern traction and reviews and our brand-new November issue is out now! The unstoppable ‘Gronks’ Class 08s are now in their eighth decade of use. Mel Thorley shares some little known facts about them. The need for flexibility Gareth Evans talks to Welsh pool & Llanfair Light Railway chairman Steve Clews about current and future challenges. Practice & Performance John Heaton FCILT seeks out ‘sweet’ spots in runs over the Leeds Northern and Airdale/Wharfedale lines ..read more

The opening of the new Grand Central Station next year will transform an often forgotten corner of Belfast city centre. Translink Program Manager Lisa McFadden (left) and Duran McAllister, Head of Program for Weavers Cross and the Belfast Grand Central Station, Transllink at the construction site. Liam McBurney/PA Wire. A £200 million transport hub will open in Belfast at the end of 2024, becoming the largest in Ireland and one of the biggest in the UK. The bulk of the site at Weavers Cross, in the area behind the Europa Hotel, was previously dominated by warehouses for freight. The project st ..read more

TransPennine Express gave one of its trains new livery to encourage passengers “it’s okay to talk” for International Men’s Day. TransPennine Express (TPE) unveiled the message on one of its Class 185 trains to raise awareness of men’s mental health for International Men’s Day last Sunday. The design was developed with suicide prevention charity Andy’s Man Club, which has more than 120 free support groups across Britain where men can talk about issues affecting them. TPE managing director Chris Jackson said: “Charities such as Andy’s Man Club are life-savers for so many, and we’re extremely pr ..read more