The Railway Magazine
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ScotRail Class 153 cycle conversions underway
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WORK on the first of five Class 153 units to be converted for use by ScotRail on the West Highland line has begun at Brodies in Kilmarnock. Under ScotRail’s plan, these designated carriages, with space for cycles and large sporting equipment, as well as additional seating, will be used with the Class 156 units that…
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Class 313 charity farewell to Moorgate raises £10,000
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THE final two operational Govia Class 313s – Nos. 313064 and 313134 – worked a charity farewell special on October 23 from King’s Cross to Royston, then to Hertford North, before running to Moorgate where the train terminated. The sets were replaced by Class 717s on all Great Northern services by September 30, ending the…
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RAIB says Romney & Hythe sands incident has echoes of Abermule
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By Cliff Thomas A REPORT by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) into the serious operating irregularity at the Romney Hythe & Dymchurch Railway (RH&DR) on August 28 draws parallels to the circumstances that led to the head-on Abermule collision in 1921, when 17 people were killed. In the 2019 incident, a passenger train (designated…
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Worcester Parkway on track for December opening
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Construction work is almost complete on the new Worcestershire Parkway station, with testing and commissioning expected to be complete ready for opening on December 15. The split-level station will be operated by Great Western Railway (GWR) on behalf of Worcestershire County Council, with CrossCountry Cardiff to Nottingham trains serving the lower platforms on the Birmingham…
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Rail Riders enthusiasts’ club set for relaunch
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Rail Riders, the club for rail travellers and enthusiasts founded and operated by British Rail between 1981 and 1991, is being relaunched in February. Almost 30 years after the iconic fan club closed, it is being revived by well-known railway accessory and clothing supplier Bufferbeam. Unlike the original club, which was aimed at children aged…
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Northern franchise hangs in the balance after Shapps warning
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By Tony Miles The future of the Northern franchise is hanging in the balance after Transport Secretary Grant Shapps addressed the Transport Select Committee on October 16. He said: “I can tell the committee that I have already issued a request for proposals from both Arriva and the operator of last resort (OLR), because I…
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December debut for Hull Trains ‘Paragon’ fleet
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November 25 saw the first of five Hull Trains’ (HT) Class 802/3s make its debut in the company’s home city. The First Group-owned open access operator confirmed that the bi-mode trains will be phased into passenger service over the next two months, releasing its ailing Class 180s for transfer to East Midlands Railway (EMR). The…
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Former UK electrics have mixed fortunes in Bulgaria
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BULGARIA remains the main user of ex-BR built electric locomotives, but the competitive nature of freight operations has led to mixed fortunes for the Class 86, 87 and 92s exported there. Operator Bulmarket has work for its well-maintained Class 87s (Nos. 87009/17/23/25), however its Class 86s, which are around 10 years older, are reported to have…
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Vivarail battery hybrid trials underway
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TRIALS using a Vivarail Class 230 battery hybrid multiple unit were operated on September 9-10 between Evesham and Moreton-in-Marsh. In addition to diesel power on its converted trains, Vivarail can harness battery power, with hydrogen eventually planned. The company is building on tests undertaken in 2018 when its development set No. 230002 ran 60 miles between…
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‘Plain Jane’ look for ‘Pendolino’
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THE end of Virgin Train West Coast franchise is just two months away, and an on-going repaint programme has led to the release of the first unbranded Class 390 ‘Pendolino’ set. The repaint work is part of the interim maintenance regime, which began in June 2017. Set No. 390137 was released from Alstom’s Technology Centre, at…
