This day in history 13 January
Images
Edinburgh Waverley: A pair of Type 2s led by 5325 leaving Waverley on 13 January 1970 with a morning train for Inverness.
Kings Cross: View from the station concourse at Kings Cross over the buffer stops in 1981. Nearest the camera 31402 has recently arrived with empty stock. Alongside is a class 312 EMU about to depart on a Royston service. Furthest away is 31405, another locomotive engaged in empty stock duties.
Kings Cross: View over the buffer stops at Kings Cross in 1981. On the left 31405 has brought in empty stock, while alongside is emu 312708 with a recent arrival from Royston.
Cantley: Looking over the level crossing at Cantley, Norfolk, as the gates are reopened in January 1988 with a DMU standing at the platform. View is north west towards Norwich.
Eccles Road: View north east from the platform at Eccles Road station in January 1988 looking towards Norwich.
Braeside Junction: 37240 photographed at Braeside Junction alongside the Forth to the west of Charlestown on 13 January 1993 during the second last freight trip to the Royal Naval armament depot at Crombie.
Braeside Junction: 37240 at Braeside Junction alongside the Firth of Forth on 13 January 1993 with a freight for RNAD Crombie.
Braeside Junction: 37240 approaching Braeside Junction from the north on 13 January 1993 with the second last train to RNAD Crombie. The warning notice at the end of the line running in on the left from the armament depot states clearly MOD PROPERTY - NO RIGHT OF WAY.
Braeside Junction: After leaving the Dunfermline - Kincardine line at Elbowend Junction the branch serving the Royal Naval Armament Depot at Crombie ran down to the north shore of the Firth of Forth to reach Braeside Junction. No 37240 is seen there on 13 January 1993 in connection with one of the last branch trips to the MoD establishment, which was reached via the line to the left.
St Pancras: St Pancras at an early stage of renovation in 2003. The construction of the new part of the station had just begun out of view to the left.
Middle Peak Quarry: The Middle Peak Quarry loading point is to the left (with the quarry even further to the left connected by conveyor) in this 2005 view looking to what is now Ravenstor station.
Ravenstor: Ravenstor station in 2005 before restoration of the track. An inclined plane ran north from here to the Cromford and High Peak Railway. See image [[41082]].
Darley Dale: Darley Dale station looking north towards Rowsley from the level crossing. The signalbox is on the edge of the photograph to the right. Today this is a preserved station on Peak Rail.
Glasgow Central: Virgin West Coast and GNER services at Glasgow Central awaiting passengers.
Glasgow Central: 67015 at Glasgow Central coupling up to the empty stock of the Caledonian Sleeper.
Driffield: A track machine stabled in the remaining siding alongside Driffield station on the Hull - Scarborough line on 13 January 2008.
Winsford: First ScotRail liveried EWS 90021 runs north light engine approaching Winsford Station on 13 January 2010.
Caldercruix: Unit 334028 has run non-stop east from Airdrie on 13 January 2011 and is about to continue on through Caldercruix station, closed in January 1956, but due to reopen soon. The next scheduled stop for the 11.40 Helensburgh Central - Edinburgh Waverley service today will be the new station at Blackridge.
Blackridge: The westbound platform at Blackridge on 13 January 2011, with the last of the snow being washed away by rain. The train is the 11.57 to Helensburgh Central (11.21 ex-Waverley) formed by SPT liveried 334007.
Blackridge: The 11.57 service to Helensburgh Central (11.21 ex-Edinburgh Waverley) pulls into platform 2 at Blackridge on 13 January 2011. Note the old formation running across the centre of the photograph, which once carried a mineral line from Woodend Junction (located just out of shot in the right background) serving Blackrigg No 2 Colliery. See image [[32303]]
Blackridge: The 10.39 Helensburgh Central - Edinburgh Waverley arrives at Blackridge on 13 January 2011.
Caldercruix: The 12.21 Edinburgh Waverley - Helensburgh runs past the ongoing works at Caldercruix station on 13 January 2011. Despite the time being 13.04 it was very dim, with arclights in use around the works and the camera on 3200ASA.
Kirkliston Viaduct: Old railway bridge crossing the River Almond approaching Kirkliston, on the former branch between Ratho and Dalmeny. View is north towards the village in January 2012. The line remained in use for freight traffic until the mid sixties.
Morecambe: Newly cascaded from the West Midlands to Northern, Sprinter 150206 stands alongside 153352 at Morecambe in January 2012. Purple vinyl was quickly applied to the new arrivals and the green Centro livery wasn't seen around the North West for long.
Kirkliston Viaduct: Alongside the River Almond at Kirkliston under a low winter sun in January 2012. View south east, with the village off picture to the left and the Pentland Hills in the right background to the south of Edinburgh. The bridge carried the branch from Ratho (Lower) to Dalmeny and is now a walkway. The line closed to passengers in 1930 (Kirkliston being the only intermediate station) but continued to handle goods traffic, including a distillery at Kirkliston and a Navy victualling depot at the north end see image [[36169]] for many years, before closing completely in 1966.
Morecambe: The green livery of a cascaded former Centro Sprinter makes a change from the usual Northern purple at Morecambe. The cars that make up set 150206 actually ran for many years as centre coaches in two three-car units in the West Midlands but were reunited when sent to Northern, who have indicated they will be rebranding their new stock quickly. On this day 150206 was heading for Leeds while 153352 was for Lancaster.
Kirkliston Viaduct: The trackbed of the South Queensferry branch looking south shortly after crossing the River Almond on the afternoon of 13 January 2012. The line closed to passengers in 1930 although goods traffic continued for a further 35 years. View is south towards Ratho with the Pentland Hills forming the horizon. Kirkliston Viaduct is just behind the camera [[37201]].
St James's Park: St. James's Park station, LUL Circle and District Lines, looking east on the evening of Sunday, 13th January 2013. This station was opened with the first stage of the Metropolitan District Railway from South Kensington to Westminster Bridge (renamed Westminster in 1907) on 24th December 1868. In 1929, a skyscraper was built above the station as the HQ of the London Underground and has never had a name, for 90 years being referred to simply as 55, Broadway.
Temple: LUL D78 stock with a District Line service to Wimbledon at Temple station, on the evening of Sunday 13th January 2013 when it was snowing outside. This station opened on 30th May 1870 with the extension of the Metropolitan District Railway from Westminster Bridge (renamed Westminster in 1907) to Blackfriars. For many years, Temple station was closed on Sundays but is now open full time again.
Great Portland Street: Victorian brickwork at the west end of the eastbound platform at Great Portland Street station, on 13th January 2013. This station opened as Portland Road with the world's first Underground, the Metropolitan Railway from Bishop's Road, Paddington (now simply Paddington) to Farringdon Street (now Farringdon) on 10th January 1863, this photo being three days after the line and station's 150th birthday.
Edgware Road: Fast approaching the end of their days, and each in a grubby condition, three now withdrawn LU C stock trains are seen at Edgware Road station on 13th January 2013. This stock, the Underground's final link with the 1960s, was withdrawn from service the following year.
Kensington Olympia: A surviving sign from a vanished age outside Kensington (Olympia) station, showing its earlier name of Kensington Addison Road, on 13th January 2013. It was opened by the West London Railway in 1844 as Kensington and renamed Kensington Addison Road in 1869 (even though it is NOT in Addison Road at all but Russell Road) and then to Kensington (Olympia) when it partially reopened after WWII, in 1946. For many years, it had only an 'exhibition service' of LU District Line trains shuttling to and from Earl's Court and an unadvertised peak hours service to and from Clapham Junction for post office workers (though the general public could use this) until fully reopened by Network Rail in 1994 with a service of diesel unit trains running from Willesden Junction to Clapham Junction, later electrified and which became part of London Overground in 2007.
Monument [Met]: LUL D78 train on a District Line service to Ealing Broadway departing from Monument station, alongside a D78 train to Upminster, on the evening of Sunday, 13th January 2013. This station opened as Eastcheap with the completion of the Circle Line on 6th October 1884 but was quickly renamed Monument just three weeks later on 1st November. An escalator connection to Bank station (Central, Northern and Waterloo & City Lines) was opened in 1933 and with the Docklands Light Railway opened to Bank in 1991, this is now one of the biggest and busiest interchanges on the LUL system.
Euston: Well, that sign certainly works - not an HST to be seen. Euston, January 2014.
Altrincham: Sprinter 150118 rolls into Altrincham on a Northern service from Chester to Piccadilly on 13th January 2015. The train is passing the Metrolink bay platforms, seen from the vantage point of the new glass footbridge.
Newcastle West Junction: TransPennine 185144 about to turn onto the King Edward Bridge on 13 January after leaving bay platform 9 at Newcastle Central as the 1206 service to Liverpool Lime Street via Manchester Victoria.
Trafford Bar [Tram]: Nearly new Metrolink 3088, leaving the East Didsbury line, emerges from the dive under at Trafford Bar to join the Altrincham line into Manchester on 13 January. In BR days the two railways were not connected. With the opening of the Manchester Airport line Trafford Bar now has 20 trams per hour in each direction.
Newcastle Central: Royal Mail EMU 325015 stands at signals alongside platform 4 at Newcastle Central on 13 January 2015. The unit was returning to Tyne Yard following driver training along the north end of the East Coast route in advance of planned diversions during February.
Newcastle Central: East Coast HST power car 43319 stands alongside platform 4 at Newcastle Central on 13 January following the early arrival of the 0755 ex Inverness Highland Chieftain to Kings Cross. In the background 43367 leads the 10.00 ex Kings Cross Northern Lights service out of platform 2 on the 4 hour journey to Aberdeen.
Altrincham: A Metrolink service departs for Manchester and the signal is immediately cleared for an inbound tram to enter Altrincham's Platform 1. The tracks on the left of the tram are the Network rail lines running through Platforms 3 and 4 and just ahead of the tram is the occasional use link between the two systems.
Navigation Road: Two services for Manchester Piccadilly meet at Navigation Road. Pacer 142047 will travel via Stockport with three intermediate stops. Tram 3052 has 11 intermediate stops but a more direct route and both services will reach Piccadilly in just under thirty minutes.
Altrincham: 156423, on a Piccadilly to Chester service, calls at Platform 4 at Altrincham on 13th January. The gaps in the canopies mark the removal of the old footbridge, its accessible replacement having recently been commissioned. I would expect the missing sections to be replaced as part of the project.
Clyde Viaduct [Uddingston]: Though one of the less exotic trains to use the line, this humble Class 156 DMU, on a service from Edinburgh to Glasgow Central via Shotts, nonetheless makes a fine sight crossing the Clyde viaduct at Uddingston in the winter sunshine on 13th January 2015.
Doncaster: GBRf 66740 crosses from the up through line to the down side as it runs south through Doncaster Station on 13 January with a mixed rake of empty GBRf and former Fastline coal wagons.
Dunfermline Queen Margaret: 158869 arriving at Dunfermline Queen Margaret at dusk on 13 January 2015 with a Cowdenbeath-bound service.
Clyde Viaduct [Uddingston]: The 1848 Caledonian Railway cast iron viaduct at Uddingston (foreground) looks solid enough in 2015 (and was put on the market for sale in 1993) but is now designated 'At Risk'. Its 1903 latticework replacement (behind) still carries the West Coast Main Line, Edinburgh and local traffic across the Clyde between Uddingston and Newton.
Altrincham: A new footbridge is nearing completion at Altrincham, providing access to all four platforms. Single tram 3016 has just arrived in Platform 1 from Piccadilly. View from the Metrolink buffer stops on 13th January 2015 with the Network Rail platforms on the right.
Newcastle Central: Royal Mail EMU 325015 runs to the stop block on the stabling siding at the west end of Newcastle Central station shortly after mid-day on 13 January 2015.
Deansgate Junction: Deansgate Junction signal box, as seen from a Manchester bound tram. The box controls trains and trams between here and Altrincham including frequent movements over the level crossings here and at Navigation Road. The line to Stockport and Chinley can be seen curving right just beyond the box, which was extended when Metrolink opened but is scheduled to close in 2019.
Old Trafford: All the first generation Metrolink trams have now been withdrawn and most of them scrapped by Booths of Rotherham. However, three sets remain in open storage at the Old Trafford depot. T68 trams 1023 and 1020 are seen here with T68a 2001 hidden behind them. One of them was used for ice breaking duties last winter but it is unclear what is planned for the three at this time. See image [[47623]].
Altrincham: Prior to 1971 the bay platforms at Altrincham were through roads leading under the two right hand arches to the EMU Depot where the 1931 built MSJ&A dedicated sets were maintained. When the Altrincham line was converted to 25kvAC the depot closed and the site was built on. Metrolink 3024 pauses briefly in Platform 1 on 13 January 2015 before returning to Bury.
Navigation Road: On parallel lines. Two services, both heading for Manchester Piccadilly, meet at Navigation Road on 13 January. Northern 142047, from Chester, runs over the level crossing, closely followed by Metrolink 3052. The Pacer will turn right at Deansgate Jnction to run via Northenden and Stockport while the tram service continues along the old MSJ&A route through Stretford.
Newcastle Central: The normal CrossCountry bodyside company name has now been supplemented by a family tree legend located between the window top and the cantrail, as on this Voyager seen during its station stop at Newcastle on 13 January.
Doncaster: 66750 still in 'Rush Rail' livery but with GBRf branding, stands at the south end of Doncaster station on 13 January. The locomotive is hauling a train of bogie box wagons loaded with aggregate from Swinden Quarry on the Grassington branch, destined for the Lafarge facility at Small Heath, Birmingham
Doncaster: Northern Rail ex-West Yorkshire Metro owned 321901 stands in north end bay platform 6 at Doncaster on 13 January. The unit was about to head for Leeds with the 07.56 all stations service. See image [[32034]]
Oubeck Loops: Winding through the reverse curves at the Oubeck Loops are DRS 66425 and 66301, double heading the Tesco Express to Mossend on 13th January 2016
Glasgow Queen Street High Level: Works, and service alterations, have been in progress and will be in progress until March 2016 when the more serious works involving the closure of high level Queen Street will lead to its closure for 20 weeks. Following that, of course, will be the removal of the concrete extension to the Millennium Hotel and building of the new entrance.
Carmuirs East Junction: Composite image showing the interior of Carmuirs East signal box in January 2016.
Carmuirs East Junction: The refurbished signal box at Carmuirs East Junction in January 2016.
Glasgow Queen Street High Level: This flyer was being handed out to passengers at Queen Street. It warns of the, then, upcoming closure of the high level station, from the 20th of March to the re-opening on the 8th of of August, in connection with electrification and renewals in the Cowlairs Tunnel. Services will be diverted to low level Queen Street or Glasgow Central. Interesting times were ahead for contractors, passengers, ScotRail staff and enthusiasts.
Bendor Level Crossing: This is Bendor Level Crossing signal box just north of Wooler and near Akeld on Friday the 13th of January. A little bit of snow is on the ground. I have been past for many years, a number of signal boxes and impressive stations survive on this line.
Morecambe South Junction: TPE 350406 runs past some flooded fields at Morecambe South Junction with a Manchester Airport to Edinburgh service on 13th January 2017.
Preston: The 1930 hrs Preston to Liverpool Lime Street waits to depart from platform 2 at Preston on 13 January 2018. Although the tail lights are lit, this will be the front of the train, once the driver arrives and opens up the cab.
Kirkhill: A Newton to Glasgow 314 EMU service calls at Kirkhill on the wet Saurday afternoon of 13th January 2018. I think Kirkhill can be considered the posh end of Cambuslang.
Garscadden: The tower blocks of Scotstounhill seem to be advancing on Garscadden station as a Dumbarton Central service calls on 13th January 2018.
Duke Street: A Cumbernauld service calls at Duke Street on 13th January 2018 with, appropriately, Cumbernauld Road as a backdrop. Baking bread smells waft from the Hovis Bakery right next to the station and nearby is a car wash called 'Foam and Away'. A bit of local colour for you.
Singer: A Balloch to Airdrie service calls at Singer on 13th January 2018. There was a distinct smell of drains, and the visual evidence of a sewage problem is in the foreground (sorry if you are eating as you read this). Some work needed?
Drumchapel: An Airdrie service calls at Drumchapel on the dull morning of 13 January. As so often the Gaelic version of the name on the sign (Druim a Caibeal) is questionable to say the least. Toponymists are pretty much agreed that Drumchapel means 'ridge of the horse' or 'horse's back', and is nothing to do with chapels as suggested.
Inverkeithing Central Junction: Freightliner 66555 leads an Aberdeen - Millerhill empty Rail Drop Train past Inverkeithing Central Junction. 66513 was out of sight on the rear.
Haymarket MPD: HSTs at Haymarket MPD seen from a tram on 13th January 2019.
Gorgie East Goods : The site of Gorgie East Goods station is occupied by interesting-looking housing, seen in January 2019. The signal for Gorgie Junction marks the viewpoint.
Edinburgh Princes Street: The Princes Street station arch, recently restored in Caledonian Railway colours on the advice of the National Railway Museum, as mentioned in new issue of The True Line. 13th January 2019
Woodacre Crossing: Another Sunday brings another SRPS ECS movement on the WCML. On 13th January 2019 it was DB 67018 in charge of ten coaches from Wembley to Bo'ness, seen here at Woodacre in a sudden shower.
Burntisland Junction: Freightliner 66593 with a train of concrete sleepers at Burntisland. A machine is tamping the trackbed in preparation for setting out the sleepers. On the left is the disconnected and disused Dock branch.
Burntisland East Junction: Ballast being spread on the Up line at the former junction with the Dock branch besides Burntisland links. GBRf 66708 is at the front of the train.
East Pilton Halt: The base of the Down platform shelter at East Pilton seen on 13 January 2020. Nothing much has changed since I photographed this in 1986 See image [[20395]]. If I'd known it would still be there 34 years later I'd maybe have saved the cost of a Kodachrome slide. Yes kids, taking photographs once cost money. That now seems almost like a human rights issue.
East Pilton Halt: The base of East Pilton's small and rudimentary ticket office on Pilton Drive seen on 13 January 2020. With its all-wooden construction and lack of goods facilities nothing could look more like a halt, but for some reason LMS dropped the 'Halt' from the name. BR did the same for all remaining halts in 1983 as the distinction had ceased to have any meaning.
Edinburgh Waverley: A picture of a last resort, which is how ScotRail describe stop-skipping. In this case the 1535 Waverley to Glasgow Queen Street will not call at Cumbernauld, Greenfaulds, Gartcosh, Stepps, Robroyston or Springburn. Last year they blamed delays on having to avoid stop-skipping. Yes those pesky passengers, wanting to get on and off trains ...
Restonhill Ballast Pit: A likely location for the source of the gravel heaps mapped beside Houndwood Siding see [[75407]] The location is near Restonhill Farm about 3 miles South East of Houndwood and less than a mile from Reston Station. How was the gravel loaded and unloaded? The shape of the heaps suggests it was dropped vertically rather than end- or side-tipped. There is no siding at the gravel pit and the running line is on embankment so it is unlikely to have been hand-shovelled into barrows then into ballast wagons which suggests the use of a wagon-mounted or portable crane or gin. Both maps are from the 1st Edition Ordnance Survey 1:2500 scale surveyed in 1856 see https://maps.nls.uk/view/74943985 for this map and https://maps.nls.uk/view/74944000 for Houndwood Siding. Used with permission of the National Library of Scotland. https://maps.nls.uk/copyright.html
Leyland: DVT 82139, on the rear of a LSL return test run from Crewe to Carlisle, passing through Leyland on 13th December 2022. The full LSL rake of MkIII 1st Class coaches was used with 87002 hauling the train northwards but propelling the return trip with this DVT leading. The test was repeated the following day.
Events
Events from the chronology which occured on this day. This generally lists events before 1995, the creation of the website.
| Year | Companies | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Hitachi Rail Europe | Class 800, Class 801 and Class 802s to be fitted with new brakes by Knorr-Bremse. |
News
These are old news items which which occured on this day. This generally lists events after 1995, the creation of the website.
| Year | Companies | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | EWS introduces multi user service between Mossend and Fort William | Small businesses can now book space on a Saturday return service from Mossend (by Glasgow) to Fort William. |
| 2005 | EWS wins Fort William aluminium contract | EWS has won a contract to carry 40,000 tonnes of aluminium per annum from Alcan. This will lead to a 3,500 per annum lorry loads being taken from the tortuous A82 road. |
| 2006 | Staff shortages delay rail line [BBC News] | The reopening of the rail line between Larne and Belfast is delayed because of staffing shortages, Translink say. |
| 2006 | Trams ^won^t drive buses away^ [Scotsman] | TRANSPORT leader Andrew Burns has insisted Edinburgh^s proposed trams network will not affect the city^s bus companies. |
| 2006 | Rail line delay ^beggars belief^ [BBC News] | The delay in reopening the Larne to Belfast rail line "beggars belief", according to the Consumer Council. |
| 2006 | Disability chief denied rail help [BBC News] | The Disability Rights Commission chairman, who is a wheelchair user, was left stranded by Euston Station staff. |
| 2009 | NETWORK RAIL TENDERS FOR PARTNER ON CROSSRAIL [Network Rail Article] | |
| 2010 | Ballot to be held after train row [BBC News Article] | The RMT union plans to ballot its members for industrial action following a dispute with ScotRail over driver only trains. |
| 2011 | New Blackpool tram design unveiled by council [BBC News] | Blackpool people are being given their first chance to see how the resort^s new trams will look with the council^s unveiling of a model. |
| 2011 | Severe weather costs Scots-based First Group £7m [BBC News] | A Scottish-based transport firm has said the recent severe weather has cost it £7m. |
| 2011 | Another strike to hit rail passengers [Wales Online] | Commuters in South Wales will face more disruption next week as train drivers once again go on strike. The RMT union yesterday confirmed Arriva Trains Wales drivers, who have voted overwhelmingly for strike action and action short of a strike in a dispute over pay and conditions, will walk out on January 19. |
| 2011 | Stourbridge raIl service records near 100% reliability [BBC News] | A shuttle service on a stretch of railway in the Black Country has defied the recent bad weather to achieve reliability rates of 99.5%. |
| 2011 | Independent rail ticket retailer to shake up travel market [Travel Daily UK] | The UK’s first independent season tickets retailer for rail travel has been launched. Until now rail season tickets have only been available from rail stations or train company websites. |
| 2011 | ^Ugly^ revamp of Haymarket gets go-ahead [Scotsman] | PLANS to overhaul one of Scotland^s busiest railway stations have been given the green light - despite claims the development is an ^ugly^ eyesore. |
| 2012 | Passenger boost for reopened Airdrie-Bathgate rail link [BBC News] | A reopened rail link between North Lanarkshire and West Lothian has boosted passenger numbers along the route, according to Transport Scotland. Figures for the £300m Airdrie-Bathgate Rail Link, which opened just over a year ago, showed a significant increase in usage at existing stations. Transport Scotland said three new stations on the route were also on target to meet passenger forecasts. |
| 2012 | Open crossing barrier plan for Ayrshire and Highlands [BBC] | Barriers could be installed at 23 open level crossings on Scottish railway lines. Network Rail has told MSP Dave Thomson that a new type of barrier system will be tested at two sites in Ayrshire. If the trials are successful, the company plans to roll-out the system to the other crossings, all of them in the Highlands [From Richard Buckby] |
| 2015 | Rail disruption caused by bad planning, Network Rail says [BBC News] | Equipment failure and bad planning for delays caused the disruption to rail travellers over Christmas, a report by Network Rail has said. Thousands of passengers had their journeys disrupted when work near King^s Cross took longer than planned. Trains were switched to Finsbury Park, a much smaller station. ^Not enough was done^ in planning the switch, said the report, which included an apology from Mark Carne, Network Rail^s chief executive. Work near London^s Paddington station finished on time, but a safety check took eight hours longer than planned. |
| 2015 | Batteries included: Prototype battery-powered train carries passengers for first time [Network Rail] | The first battery-powered train to run on Britain’s rail network in more than half a century carries its first passengers this week. This marks an important milestone in the project to demonstrate the viability of an eco-friendly battery-powered train for the twenty-first century. [From Richard Buckby] |
| 2016 | Tarmac awards British rail freight contracts [IRJ] | BRITISH construction materials supplier Tarmac has awarded five-year contracts to four rail freight operators as it seeks to increase the volume of aggregate and other materials it moves by rail. Under the new contracts, Colas Rail will operate cement trains from Oxwellmains cement works, which is situated east of Edinburgh at the northern end of the East Coast Main Line. GB Railfreight will operate aggregate trains from Swinden, Thrislington and Dry Rigg quarries in northern England, while Freightliner has been awarded a contract for aggregates operations from Tunstead in central England. [From Richard Buckby] |
| 2017 | Happy days: Young people in France to get unlimited train travel for €79 a month [The Local] | France^s national railway company SNCF is introducing a new youth card that will allow unlimited travel on high speed TGV trains for just €79 a month. The pass has been named the ^Happy Card^ (yes, in English) and will be available for 16-27-year-olds from January 19th. Those hoping to nab themselves a card must buy it online and will have to sign up for at least three months, reported Le Parisien newspaper. Those with a Happy Card, which will work for both high-speed TGV trains and the slower Intercité services, will only be able to reserve a trip up to one month in advance, compared to three months for the rest of us. SNCF is hoping to encourage younger people to travel more often by rail. [From Richard Buckby] |
| 2018 | Nottingham railway station reopens after fire [Guardian] | Nottingham station has reopened after it was damaged by a huge fire as police hunt for those responsible for the suspected arson attack. About 60 firefighters tackled the blaze, which started at 6.30am on Friday and spread to the main concourse and roof but did not cause any injuries. The British Transport Police and Nottinghamshire fire and rescue service launched a joint investigation on Friday, saying they had reason to believe the fire may have been started deliberately. |
| 2018 | New Glasgow Queen Street Station building may be torn down [Scotsman] | A partially constructed building that forms part of Scotlands biggest rail project faces being torn down in an extraordinary 11th-hour Scottish Government rethink. Sources have estimated the cost of the U-turn at Queen Street Station in Glasgow at between £3 million and £15m. Transport Scotland has ordered a review of the building in the car park, for rail staff and shops, as part of expanding the station to accommodate new electric trains on the main line to Edinburgh this year. The trains are finally due to start running in March, but other delays to the £800m Edinburgh Glasgow Improvement Programme (Egip) have already put back completion of the station until 2020. |
| 2019 | HS2 may run fewer, slower trains to stay on budget and schedule [The Guardian] | High-speed rail project^s CEO says service could be reduced by four trains an hourHS2 could be forced to run fewer trains and at slower speeds in order to keep the high-speed rail project within budget, the company^s chief executive has said.The government-backed infrastructure development has faced criticism for ^misleading MPs^ with price estimates that were hundreds of millions of pounds too low, following fears that costs were spiralling out of control. |
| 2020 | Work on £8m railway station at Bow Street gets under way [BBC News] | Work is getting under way to build a new railway station that will see trains call at a Welsh village for the first time in 55 years. The new Bow Street station in Ceredigion is costing about £8m - funded by the Welsh Government and the UK^s Department for Transport. It is due to open later in 2020, served by Cambrian Line trains between Aberystwyth and Shrewsbury. |
| 2020 | Balfour Beatty completes electrification of Bristol-Cardiff rail route [Railway Technology] | Balfour Beatty has completed the work to electrify the 77km Bristol-Cardiff rail line on the Great Western Railway (GWR) line. |
| 2020 | Historic Springburn Caley railworks could be re-opened by Brexit-backing tycoon [Evening Times] | A Brexiteer businessman told of his plans to buy the closed Springburn railway in a multi-million pound deal. |
| 2020 | Aberdeen rail fans get on track with work at signal box [Evening Express] | Transport bosses gifted the equipment from the facility to the group and they took advantage of a lack of train services to strip it down ahead of its demolition. |
