Passengers on Birmingham’s iconic Cross City Line have been travelling on a brand new train fleet for the first time today (Monday 15 April). Train operator West Midlands Railway (WMR) said the introduction of the Class 730 fleet represents the start of a new era for rail travel on the line, which is used by millions of passengers every year and connects Birmingham with destinations including Lichfield, Redditch, and Bromsgrove. The new fleet, part of WMR’s £1 billion investment in new trains and infrastructure, can carry a third more passengers than the 30-year-old fleet they are replacing ..read more

A new £3.6m footbridge and lifts are now in place at Dumfries station. That’s after Network Rail engineers worked through the night on Saturday (April 13) into Sunday to install the steel structures, which will provide step-free access to the platforms. It’s part of a £3.6m Access for All scheme investment which aims to make it easier for people with impaired mobility or those travelling with luggage, children, or bicycles to travel by train. The installation was completed using a 500-tonne crane and a 110-tonne crane to lift the superstructure into place. This followed a successful inspectio ..read more

The railway between Redhill and Tonbridge will reopen for the start of service on Monday morning after Network Rail’s engineers successfully completed emergency landslip repairs at Bough Beech, near Edenbridge in Kent. Over the last two weeks, engineers have worked tirelessly to install 91 sheet piles – 8m long sheets of metal – and strengthened the railway embankment over a 100 metre section with soil nails (steel rods) underpinning the railway, after the embankment had become saturated and weakened as a result of the impact of recent heavy rain. Because of the work that needed to be complet ..read more

An autistic artist from Middleton in Rochdale, Greater Manchester has spoken out about the role that railway stations have played in his mission to inspire the region’s neurodivergent residents. Dez, who also goes by the name LoveArtPix, is an artist and campaigner whose work can be found at transport hubs across the North West. Speaking as part of an event to mark Autism Awareness Month (1-30 April), Dez said: “Railway stations are a great ‘platform’ for my work. “Not everyone will find themselves in an art gallery or exhibition hall, but millions of people pass through train stations every ..read more

Train services on the Conwy Valley Line in North Wales have resumed (Saturday 13 April) following emergency repairs to flood damage. The line was closed on Tuesday afternoon (9 April) when river flooding washed away ballast (the stones that support the track) near Dolgarrog station. Network Rail engineers have since worked around the clock so the railway could reopen safely, installing more than 200 tonnes of new ballast. The work was completed last night, with the line successfully tested this morning to allow Transport for Wales to resume services between Llandudno Junction and Blaenau Ffes ..read more

East Midlands Railway (EMR) has launched a new program designed to promote rail safety education among primary and secondary school students. The Rail Safety Pathway, which is being run in partnership with Network Rail, is a comprehensive three-tiered toolkit aimed at equipping schools with the resources they need to effectively promote rail safety in their communities. Through EMR’s Bronze, Silver, and Gold tiers, participating schools will have access to a range of engaging educational materials and activities. The tiers are broken down as follows: Bronze Tier: Schools will receive Rail Saf ..read more

Network Rail has improved safety on two branch lines in Cornwall after work to upgrade four level crossings was completed Crossings on the Gunnislake branch, at Okeltor and Sandways, and Lodge Farm and Terras crossings on the Looe branch have all been upgraded from open crossings, without barriers, to actively protected crossings. Previously, trains needed to slow down approaching the crossings, sound their horn to warn pedestrians or traffic and proceed at a very slow speed. With automatic active protection now in place, lights and alarms warn crossing users that a train is approaching. New ..read more

Network Rail engineers visited a steelworks in Annan to see progress on steel fabrication for ongoing projects to improve accessibility at three stations across Scotland. Team members travelled to M&S Engineering where the structure for Dumfries Access for All project was set up in the yard. M&S is also working on the steel components for similar projects at Anniesland and Uddginston stations. In recent weeks the Network Rail project team have been able to inspect and approve the Dumfries structure for the next stages of production before the steel is installed in the coming ..read more

Octavius Infrastructure is delighted to announce it has been appointed by Network Rail to the North-West and Central (NW&C) Capital Delivery Framework for Major Projects for Control Period 7. They have secured a place on Lot A2, covering multi-discipline projects valued between £7 million and £50 million, encompassing building, civils and railway engineering. “This win marks a significant milestone” said Matt Smith, Managing Director of Octavius Infrastructure’s Rail Division. “We are thrilled to have been selected to contribute to the enhancement of rail infrastructure in the NW&C re ..read more

Network Rail engineers have restarted work at the site of a landslip in Baildon. Services through the town have been suspended since February 9, and after repair work was paused due to complex issues on site, work that will allow trains between Ilkley and Bradford to resume is now well underway. The volume of work required means that the line is expected to reopen at the end of June. Northern has operated a rail replacement service since the beginning of the closure which will continue to connect passengers through the area. Passengers are advised to check their journey before travelling via ..read more