Trackside
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First and Trenitalia to run West Coast Main Line
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By Tony Miles OPERATION of the West Coast Partnership (WCP) will be in the hands of First Group and Trenitalia from December 8, under what will be the first of a new franchise partnership model. With a 70/30 partnership in favour of First, the pair will end Virgin Trains’ domination of the flagship route, which…
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It’s crunch time for HS2 as Government review considers costs and scope
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By Ben Jones NEW Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has thrown the future of High Speed 2 (HS2) into doubt with a new review that will challenge the £56billion project’s scope, design and affordability. Doug Oakervee, a retired engineer, former HS2 Ltd chairman ,and ally of Prime Minister Boris Johnson, will lead the review, assisted by…
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Asset Monitoring: Looking after the rail infrastructure
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Many RM readers will have seen the yellow Network Rail trains around the country, but what do they do and why are they operated? Andrew Royle, who was a technician on the trains, explains their crucial role. The yellow-liveried test trains of Network Rail, or ‘Infrastructure Monitoring’ (IM) trains to use the correct description, feature…
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HS2 railway to be delayed and exceed budget
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HS2 could cost up to £22 billion more than its previous budget and be delayed by as many as seven years, the company building the railway said.
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GBRf names loco Made in Sheffield
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GB Railfreight has reliveried Class 66 No. 66747 in branding to mark its growing relationship with Yorkshire-based haulier and logistics company Newell & Wright. The loco was named Made in Sheffield at the London Gateway freight terminal on July 9, two years after running the first service for the company. GB now operates trains, including…
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Rainbow branding for Thameslink Class 700
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GOVIA Thameslink has added rainbow vinyls to set No. 700155 in connection with the Brighton & Hove Pride event from August 2-4. It is seen passing Brockley on July 16 with the 14.35 Bedford-Gatwick Airport train. The unit is the first to carry any branding other than its white base livery. GTR revealed the livery…
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TransPennine accepts first Hitachi-built ‘Nova 1’ set
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TRANSPENNINE Express has accepted the first Hitachi Class 802 bi-mode train into its fleet. Dubbed ‘Nova 1’, TPE received the set following approval from the Office of Rail and Road. TPE has ordered 19 five-carriage ‘Nova 1’ trains, each containing 342 seats, an extra 161 compared to its current Class 185 trains. They will be…
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First Class 91 withdrawn to become spares donor
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LNER Class 91 No. 91108 became the first of the 31-strong class to be taken out of service on July 22. Withdrawal of Class 91s was anticipated following the introduction of the Hitachi ‘Azuma’ trains on LNER services, and is in line with LNER’s plans to hand locos back to the leasing company. The operator made…
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Heathrow Express Class 387s external livery revealed
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THE first units of a fleet of Class 387s that will take over Heathrow Express services by December have been returned from Bombardier Ilford with a new external livery. GWR is taking over responsibility for the 15-minute frequency operations, and the current Class 332s, now more than 20 years old and not fitted with TPWS,…
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GWR gives ‘Castle’ names to its HST power cars… and revives Class 255 designation
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GWR has unveiled a series of new cast nameplates with ‘Castle’ names that will be applied to its HST power cars. The HST power cars are used on the shortened 2+4 formations, which run between Bristol and Penzance. The plates are of a new design and feature the outline of a 2+4 HST set as…
