Buses are to replace trains on a busy section of Metro line between Wallsend and St James in Newcastle for nine days to allow for a £1.7 million programme of bridge and tunnel modernisation work. Nexus, the public body which runs Metro, is carrying out a series of structural repairs on four different Metro bridges ..read more

Samaritans has announced that it will continue to be the primary delivery partner for Network Rail’s strategy to prevent suicide on the railway following a tender process. Samaritans hasbeen partnering with Network Rail since 2010, and this contract will be delivered between September 2024 and March 2027. Olivia Cayley, head of Rail Programme at Samaritans ..read more

Sella Controls, part of the HIMA Group, has announced the contract award by Northern Trains Ltd for the Lot 2 CIS Replacement Programme GRIP5 (ES5) to GRIP8 (ES8). The scope of works shall cover GRIP4 & GRIP5 Design, equipment supply, installation and commissioning of 269 Customer Information Displays as well as Long Line Public Address ..read more

A specialist cantilever process has been used for the first time in the UK by HS2 to build the first span of a 472-metre-long single track viaduct in the West Midlands. The River Tame West Viaducts carry three rail tracks in total, made up of one single track viaduct and one double-track viaduct. These precast segmental viaducts are located at the northern tip of the Delta Junction – the triangular section of the railway that enables trains to run between London, Birmingham and the north. The two River Tame West Viaducts cross the River Tame near Water Orton and join the Curdworth Box, which ..read more

GCRE Limited and Network Rail have signed a major new commercial arrangement aimed at accelerating innovation in UK rail. The deal will see the Global Centre of Rail Excellence (GCRE) support Network Rail with testing, research and innovation, once the site is operational. GCRE Ltd Chief Executive Simon Jones said the collaboration would help to accelerate UK rail innovation; support decarbonisation of the UK rail network and help in the development of more cost-efficient rail infrastructure. GCRE has been supported with funding from Welsh and UK Governments and will be a purpose-built facili ..read more

Leading provider of intelligent train technology, Petards Rail, drives growth with the appointment of Simon Jones as Director of Business Development. Simon brings with him over 20 years of sales experience in the technical security industry, including significant roles in managing complex projects and forming successful bid teams. During his tenure at March Networks, and previously at Everbridge, Simon was instrumental in securing substantial new contracts and nurturing key client relationships. His extensive experience includes working on critical national infrastructure projects with the p ..read more

A train conductor working for Northern has been praised after he made sure a passenger got swift medical treatment which may have saved her life. Naheed Asif, 47, was working on a train travelling from Crewe to Manchester Piccadilly in June when he realised a woman who had just boarded was not well and urgently needed help. The conductor, who is trained in first aid, alerted the driver. He halted the train at Cheadle Hulme and the line was blocked while Mr Asif contacted the emergency services. Her condition deteriorated but Mr Asif followed instructions from the call handler and provided ass ..read more

Sheffield-based Zonegreen has returned to a rail depot in Nottingham to replace an existing safety system, installed more than a decade ago, enhancing the protection offered to staff. Working with principal contractor, RTS Infrastructure, the rail safety specialist – part of the Sentric Safety Group – has installed its Depot Personnel Protection System (DPPS) on two roads at East Midland Railway’s Eastcroft facility, as part of a £2 million overhaul. DPPS provides physical protection from the dangers encountered in a rail depot, enabling staff to create safe zones in which to work through the ..read more

Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) has joined a group of companies worldwide who have set science-based greenhouse gas reduction targets to keep global warming below catastrophic levels. The goals have been validated by the corporate climate action organisation Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). Fewer than 5,800 companies worldwide have this accreditation. GTR Head of Environment and Sustainability Jason Brooker said: “This is our public commitment to push ahead with net-zero by 2050. We have set near-term science-based targets that are in line with what is needed to keep global warming bel ..read more

Transport for Wales (TfW) and Comms Design are trialling a digital signalling system that will enhance passenger experience and optimise train operations on rural and low-density rail routes. Request to Stop (RtS) enables passengers to request a train to stop using an on-platform communication system that sends a signal directly to the driver of the inbound train, notifying them that a passenger is waiting to board. RtS is being be trialled at Llanfairpwll and Ty Croes station from 23 – 24 July, and follows the introduction of RtS on the Far North Line in Scotland using Radio Electronic Token ..read more