This day in history 19 January
Images
Ashburton: 0-6-0PT no 1638 stands under the station roof at Ashburton on the Dart Valley Railway in January 1971. Services to Ashburton ceased in October that year to facilitate improvements to the A38 trunk road, which now incorporates part of the trackbed between Buckfastleigh and Ashburton.
Keith Town: BR Type 2 Bo-Bo 25035, resting in front of the LNER/GNSR goods shed at Keith in 1979.
Keith: An Aberdeen bound DMU in Keith station at 1330 on 19th January 1979. Bubble Car SC55007 is the rostered unit on this service.
Keith Town: An LNER notice on the GNSR Keith Town goods shed wall, seen in January 1979.
Keith Town: BR Type 2 25035 is propelling two grain wagons back to Keith Town in January 1979. They have come from Strathmill Distillery Siding, which faced south hence the reversal.
Manningtree: The sun and thermometer mercury are both about to drop out of sight at Manningtree in January 1979. Leaving for Ipswich and Norwich is a Class 31 on an express passenger working from Liverpool Street, a challenging task normally given to a Class 47. The semaphores also controlled the junction with the Harwich branch, and were replaced when the junction was remodelled in 1980.
Leyland: The now sole surviving Class 81, preserved 81002 (E3003), has just taken over this mixed freight at Farington Junction and is on the Up Slow approaching Leyland in January 1981. The train will have been diesel hauled via the S & C to the junction with the WCML where this early AC electric took charge.
Leyland: 40055 heads a train of track panels along the Up Slow line approaching Leyland station on a sunny day in January 1981. There was a variety of traffic and motive power on the WCML at this time - See image [[20495]] taken that same morning.
Driffield: 37252 with a PW train at Driffield in January 1986.
Hull: Station pilot with nameboard at Hull station in January 1986.
Hull: A class 08 shunts ecs at Hull (formerly Paragon) station in January 1986 carrying an appropriate nameboard.
Bellwater Junction: The panel and instruments at Bellwater Junction signal box in January 1987. For an external view of the box see [[20903]].
Glasgow Central: 318250 departing Glasgow Central in 1989 en route to Largs.
Haymarket Goods: The site of Haymarket goods station was used by a coal merchant until the early 1990s, then it lay empty for a while. Here in January 1998 work had started on office development which now largely fills the area. The building being staked out was to be a tax office, tant pis. Haymarket station is in the background.
Heathrow: Platform scene at Heathrow Terminal 1 on 19 January 2006, with a Heathrow Connect stopping service to Paddington pulling in.
Heathrow: A Heathrow Connect stopping service for Paddington waiting to board at Heathrow terminal 1 on 19 January 2006.
Barron Falls: Brief stopover at Barron Falls station. The front of the 14 coach train can just about be made out in the distance. In case you were wondering, they have not heard of sprinters, turbostars or voyagers out here either!
Kaim Points: Looking east along the remains of the former Roslin branch at the south west corner of Millerhill yard in January 2007. The route was latterly used by trains serving Bilston Glen Colliery. The last train over the branch ran in 1991 see image [[36126]].
Kuranda: Signal box on the island platform at Kuranda. Passenger trains terminate here, but the line runs further inland to Mareeba and beyond. This line was primarily built to transport gold from the inland mines in Mareeba and elsewhere in North Queensland.
Kuranda: Looking eastward over Kuranda Station. Note the lower quadrant semaphore signal seen in the middle distance.
Stoney Creek Viaduct: Crossing Stoney Creek Falls on the Kuranda Scenic Railway. This 3ft 6in railway runs inland from Cairns to Kuranda; the 41km journey taking 90 minutes. Makes the West Highland look like a TGV route...
Kaim Points: Looking west over the former Roslin branch as it leaves Millerhill in January 2007. Bridge no 2 in the middle distance marks the current limit of Railtrack property. See image [[50526]]
Yelvertoft and Stanford Park: Quite why this hut, a quarter of a mile towards the A14 from the old station, should be so well preserved is anyone's guess. Just enjoy.
Brucklay [2nd]: View north from the site of the A950 bridge demolition on 19 January over the location of the former Brucklay station, which is clear of serious growth for the first time in a long while.
Brucklay [2nd]: A last look at the A950 road over-bridge at Brucklay before demolition, looking south from the former station towards Maud Junction. Until recently this bridge was almost totally obscured at ground level by trees and vegetation.
Yelvertoft and Stanford Park: Further to my comments regarding the sylvan delights of Bulwell see image [[25822]], this is just the sort of walk you shouldn't take your wife on, especially when it's raining and she wants to buy shoes. Earache, anyone? The location is near Rugby, just before the line is cut by the A14.
Yelvertoft and Stanford Park: This station has been converted for residential and business use. It's hard to get a decent picture - I stumbled on this viewpoint trying to park the car safely on a verge to walk along the trackbed. It's not a good walking location see image [[25889]].
Glasgow Central: NXEC service for Kings Cross about to depart from Platform 10 at Glasgow Central on 19th January
Glasgow Central: 334032 stands at Glasgow Central platform 9 on 19 January 2008 with a service for Gourock.
Glasgow Central: 390028 at Platform 2 at Glasgow Central waiting to depart for London Euston on 19th January
Carrbridge: A 'shed' in the back garden. Covered with tarpaulins no 66048 James the engine lives up to the nickname of the Class 66 as it awaits recovery at Carrbridge along with two wrecked container wagons.
Carrbridge: Heading north,170423 eases slowly past the site of the goods train derailment at Carrbridge.The damage to the platforms is visible and the damaged track in the loop has been lifted.
Woodlesford: 158906 runs slowly under the new footbridge at Woodlesford Station on the 12.05 ex Leeds fast service to Nottingham following the late running 12.08 Knottingley departure. The footbridge is to replace the existing boarded crossing seen forward of the DMU. See image [[30851]]
Ardrossan South Beach: DBS locomotive 66155 powers through Ardrossan South Beach station with heavy haul train 6G07 fully loaded Hunterston HL sidings-Longannet power station.
Ardrossan South Beach: View south east along the platform at Ardrossan South Beach on 19 January 2011 as DBS 66054 approaches with train 4J06 Longannet empties destined for Hunterston HL sidings.
Cairneyhill: 66107 passes Cairneyhill with a Ladybank - Millerhill engineers train on 19 January. Note the housing now occupying the old goods yard.
Rosyth: 170472 calls at Rosyth with an Edinburgh-bound service on 19 January with construction work on a new footbridge in evidence and the temporary structure in the background.
Newmills: 66197 skirts the Forth estuary at Newmills on 19 January with a Ladybank - Millerhill engineers train.
Dublin Pearse: A Dart service to Greystones stands at Dublin (Pearse) platform 2 on 19 January 2014.
Coolmine: A train for Dublin [Pearce] approaching Coolmine on 19 January 2014.
Dublin Pearse: A DART service to Howth awaiting its departure time at Dublin Pearse on 19 January 2014.
Dublin Connolly: The turntable by Dublin's Connolly station, photographed in fading light on 19 January 2014.
Dublin Pearse: Scene at Dublin Pearse station on 19 January 2014. Trains for Malahide and Howth are awaiting their departure times at platforms 1 (left) and 2 respectively.
Woodacre Crossing: Diesel locomotive - trailing load 1215 tons, or so the timetable said but DRS 57002 is hauling considerably less than that on this special working from the DRS Motherwell depot to Crewe (LNWR). The loco and its two pairs of container wagons are seen approaching Woodacre on 19th January 2015
Drumgelloch: Helensburgh bound train arriving in the snow at Drumgelloch on 19th January 2015.
Drumgelloch: The 0921 Edinburgh Waverley - Helensburgh Central arriving in the snow at Drumgelloch on 19 January 2015.
Shawfair: View south over Shawfair Station on 19 January 2015.
Bowshank Tunnel: South portal of Bowshank Tunnel on 19 January, with the forward vehicle of the tracklaying train standing at the extremity of the down line.
Arbroath 'The Dens' Siding: DRS 68003 'Astute' heads north through Arbroath on Sunday 19th January 2015 with the Grangemouth - Aberdeen Intermodal container train.
Stow: Reverse curves south of Stow on 19 January 2015, showing the limit of ballasting on the down line.
Bay Horse: DRS Class 66s 66427 and 66305 take the Tesco Express north near Bay Horse on 19th January 2016.
Newcraighall North Junction: An Edinburgh bound train off the Borders line approaching the Newcraighall stop on a cold January morning in 2016, with passengers at the platform beyond the bridge eagerly awaiting its arrival. The ScotRail 158 is about to join the E&D at Newcraighall North Junction - not to be confused with Newcraighall Unction, as shown on the damaged road sign above the train, this being the point where the A6095 leaves the A1 for Usselburgh...
Bay Horse: DRS 37409 Lord Hinton propels the Northern 0515 Carlisle to Preston southwards on 19th January 2016. The train is on the embankment immediately south of the closed station at Bay Horse.
Newcraighall North Junction: ScotRail 170475 takes the Borders line at Newcraighall North Junction on 19 January 2016 shortly after restarting from Newcraighall station with the 1054 Edinburgh Waverley - Tweedbank.
Dalmeny: A few Borders trains run from Fife in the morning and to it in the evening. These services however don't share a public timetable and it seems to me an odd decision to post timetables at stations which aren't mentioned on them. This example is seen at Dalmeny in January 2016.
Newcraighall South Junction: Two men comparing sticks alongside the attenuation pool of the Edinburgh and Midlothian food waste recycling plant at Millerhill on 19 January 2016. In the centre background ScotRail 170475 is about to pass below the bridge linking the main plant with Whitehill Road. Note that the lifebelt is attached to the perimeter fence, not the train.
Dalmeny: Scotrail's uniform 'Saltire' livery was unveiled in a blaze of publicity back in September 2008. Re-branding of the stock, which was already approximately the right colour, was slow and seems to have stopped altogether. 158726 still sports the older livery with the pink swoosh of the previous operator, First Group, at Dalmeny station on 19 January 2016.
Newcraighall South Junction: An Edinburgh bound train comes off the double track section from Kings Gate at Newcraighall South Junction on a grey January morning in 2016. The Biogen food waste recycling plant dominates the background.
Forton: Heading for the first stop at Lancaster, 37409 Lord Hinton is seen between Scorton and Bay Horse running through the cutting at Forton with the 1005hrs (M-F) Preston to Barrow service.
Newcraighall North Junction: A 158 DMU approaching Newcraighall North Junction on an overcast 19 January 2016. The train is the 1045 (Sunday) Tweedbank - Edinburgh Waverley.
Princes Street Gardens Cutting: Since the turn of the year, cement traffic from Oxwellmains has been handled by Colas. Their 60076 emerges from Haymarket North Tunnel into Princes Street Gardens with the empties from Aberdeen Craiginches on 19 January.
Glasgow Central: An exhibition about Ambulance Trains held at Glasgow Central.
Glasgow Central: A display at a Great War exhibition at Glasgow Central showing the connections between the war and the railway.
Glasgow Central: Part of a First World War exhibition at Glasgow Central.
Carnforth: BRCW Type 3 33030 pokes a faded nose out of the West Coast depot at Carnforth on 19th January 2017. The former DRS loco has been stored at Carnforth for many years but for most of the time was in the open yard See image [[36467]]. Is something planned for it now?
Galgate: 37402 propels the 0515 Carlisle to Preston service over the skew bridge that crosses the A6 in Galgate. 19th January 2017.
Glasgow Queen Street High Level: The side entrance of Glasgow Queen Street station during the extensive refurbishment works. 19th January 2018. For the view 11 years earlier see image [[15034]].
Glasgow Queen Street High Level: Information boards concealing the work underway at Glasgow Queen Street on 19th January 2018.
Hyndland: 318264 calls at Hyndland station on 19th January 2018 with a service for Dalmuir via Singer.
Dalry Middle Junction: This junction was just to the west of Dalry Road station and was where the link to Haymarket West Junction parted from the Caledonian's Leith North line. The box, on an embankment, closed in 1964 and when it was demolished the brickwork below track level was left intact. There it remains, seen on 19 January. In 1974 the trackbed became the West Approach Road and far more people pass here daily than they ever did in rail days.
Glasgow Queen Street High Level: On the concourse at Queen Street in January 2018, with nothing to indicate the huge amount of work going on outside.
Dumbarton Central: Quirky pedestrian barriers outside the entrance to Dumbarton Central in January 2018.
Carnforth: Although several crew training runs took place in January 2018 the plan to use Class 68s on Cumbrian Coast services is reported to have fizzled out, for a variety of reasons, and the Class 37s continue on both diagrams. On 19th January 68003 Astute was on the rear of a two coach train that had come round the coast line and was just going into the sidings at Carnforth for a lunch stopover prior to returning. 68029 had been the lead locomotive on the outward leg. DB 66018 can also be seen stabled on the right.
Dalreoch: 334 027 in a sudden snow shower at Dalreoch forming the 10.09 to Edinburgh.
Carnforth: Another Class 68 Cumbrian Coast crew training run from Carlisle arrives in Carnforth on 19th January 2018. 68029 has just two coaches and 68003 Astute in tow and is signalled into the loops for a lunchtime break before the return run.
Glasgow Queen Street High Level: The shrouded frontage of Glasgow Queen Street station on 19th January 2018.
Dumbarton Central: The Dumbarton Stations Improvement Trust are now entering the second week of their consultation about the improvement of the town's Central Station which is being held at Dumbarton Library. Here seen on Saturday 19 January are James Duncan, John Yellowlees who was looking in, Rose and David Harvie.
Further details on the consultation.
Edinburgh Waverley: View overlooking platforms 5 and 6 at Waverley. The overhead is due to go live on 27 January.
Pilton West Junction: Part of the course of the CR's Granton branch was converted to this not terribly useful mini relief road after the track was lifted in the 1980s. It runs between the site of Crew Junction (behind me) and Pilton West Junction at Granton Gasworks. A connection from Pilton East came in from the right and joined it in the middle distance at points controlled from Pilton West box. This connection can't have been of much use either and disappeared between the wars. It survived long enough to dictate the curve of Crewe Road West, the houses seen through the trees.
Mount Vernon: Looking east along Hamilton Road towards Mount Vernon station on a dreich January day. The gates (left) survive from the now demolished 'Golden Gates' hotel, formerly a private residence (225 Hamilton Road) which in the early 1940s housed the BBC's regional emergency studio for the west of Scotland. Fortunately never actually needing to be used, the secret studio still required to be tested fortnightly or thereby by junior BBC engineers during the war years.
Carnforth: 'FOR SALE'. 37409 'Lord Hinton' is one of the locos on the third tranche of the DRS Heritage Sale tender list. It is seen here in Carnforth on 19th January 2019 with the 'Class 37 Farewell', organised by DRS when loco hauled passenger services on the Cumbrian Coast line came to an end. 37425 was the other loco used.
Carlisle: 37409 'Lord Hinton' at Carlisle ahead of the 'Class 37 Farewell', organised by DRS on 19th January 2019 when loco hauled passenger services ceased on the Cumbrian Coast line. The other 37 was 37425 'Concrete Bob / Sir Robert McAlpine'. 37409 has been offered for sale by DRS.
Scorton [Lancashire] [2nd]: TPE 397003 heads north on the Scorton embankment with a late running Sunday service from Manchester Airport to Glasgow, which was actually terminated at Carlisle, on 19th January 2020.
Slateford Viaduct: A deserted Inglis Green Road on 19 January 2019 as a Sunday morning empty stock movement crosses Slateford Viaduct eastbound on its way to Waverley. The lengthy Voyager forming the 0850 ex-Polmadie CMD is scheduled to recross the viaduct running in the opposite direction 56 minutes later as the 1051 Edinburgh - London Euston.
Bantry Pier: Bantry Railway Pier, Cork, Bandon & South Coast Railway, on 19th January 2020. The CB&SCR reached Bantry in 1881. The station was off to the left and the site is now underneath a SuperValu supermarket although remarkably the ruined former engine shed survives in the supermarket car park. A single track ran on to the pier from which a number of ferry services operated. The railway closed on 1st April 1961.
Bantry Pier: Bantry Railway Pier, Cork, Bandon & South Coast Railway, looking east on 19th January 2020. You can see where the space for the railway track in the pier has been filled in with concrete. The station site lay underneath the buildings in the background which include a SuperValu supermarket. 19th January 2020.
Thornton Junction: Levenmouth progress View from a passing train, on 19 January 2022, of the western end of the Methil branch, last used by coal trains from Earlseat. The former Up line trackbed has been scraped and will be used for storing new ballast, the first delivery having been made early that morning.
Bishopbriggs: Stand back fast train approaching. A HST, ex-Aberdeen 09.44, about to hurtle through Bishopbriggs heading for its last stop at Glasgow Queen Street just three minutes away.
Leyland: 87002 'Royal Sovereign' comes out of the sun at Leyland on 13th January 2022, heading for Carlisle with the first of two loaded test runs working with a rake of LSL 1st Class MkIIIs and a DVT.
Bishopbriggs: Signal sign on platform 2 at Bishopbriggs in January 2022.
Bishopbriggs: An unidentified Scotrail HST roaring through Bishopbriggs on its way to Inverness on a lovely frosty January 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 1736 | James Watt | Birth of James Watt in Greenock. |
| 1877 | Tay Bridge and Associated Lines (North British Railway) | During construction two spans are blown from 1st_>Tay Bridge 1st during severe gales. |
| 1898 | Great North of Scotland Railway | Doubled Huntly to Avochie Signal Box (near Rothiemay) opened. |
| 1967 | Stirling and Dunfermline Railway | Alloa Shed closed. |
| 1986 | West Highland Railway | Arrochar and Tarbet signal box closed. |
| 1987 | Ardrossan Railway | Ardrossan Town re-opened. |
| 2000 | Aberdeen Railway | Transport Minister Sarah Boyach opposes electrification of the Aberdeen line. |
| 2003 | Channel Tunnel Rail Link Phase 1 | Beechbrook Farm Railhead disconnected from line as construction nears completion. |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Beauly station re-opening | The Strategic Rail Authority announced a £84k award of Rail Passenger Partnership funding to Highland Rail Developments towards the £200k cost of reopening Beauly Station (which closed 13 June 1960) from the start of the winter 20001/2 timetable as a very short platform alongside which the two centre doors of a Class 158 will open. Chris Austin of the SRA and Charles Kennedy MP were photographed afterwards standing on the old platform with the 1152 Kyle of Lochalsh to Edinburgh posing alongside them. |
| 2005 | Scotland to control railways in £326m transfer of powers [Scotsman] | SCOTLAND has been handed control of the rail network north of the Border in a £326 million deal that is the largest gain in powers for the Scottish Executive since devolution. |
| 2005 | Haymarket on track to be a hub for trams [Scotsman] | MINISTERS are set to announce a £750,000 feasibility study into a long-awaited revamp of the Capital^s Haymarket Station. |
| 2007 | Tories back 300mph capital rail link | The Herald 19/01/2007. An eight-minute, 300mph rail journey between Glasgow and Edinburgh is being considered by Tory transport planners. Chris Grayling, the Shadow Transport Secretary, said yesterday he wants a business plan drawn up for the next generation of rail travel, which could make magnetic levitation, or maglev, a feature of busy inter-city routes. Few such projects exist beyond experimental prototypes, with the only commercial route in Shanghai in China. So far the technology, using powerful magnets to lift the train off the track and propel it forward, is seen as suitable only for short journeys of less than 50 miles. As the entire shadow cabinet met in Edinburgh yesterday, Mr Grayling arrived at Waverley Station and announced the routes seen as suitable are between Edinburgh and Glasgow and Manchester and Leeds. This is being considered as an option alongside a major investment in more conventional high-speed rail, with support from Scottish Tories as an idea to be included in their manifesto for the Holyrood election in May. Murdo Fraser, the Scottish Tory deputy leader, explained: "Whilst this would be a significant capital outlay, it would reduce the usage of and the congestion on the M8." |
| 2007 | Disabled rail users ^treated like bikes^ [Scotsman] | DISABILITY groups today attacked First ScotRail for treating wheelchair users "no better than bikes" on its trains - despite a national ruling. |
| 2007 | Man jailed for lying on rail line [BBC News] | A man is jailed after being found lying on the tracks of a busy railway line in the east of Scotland. |
| 2008 | Agency staff to be cut in engineering shake-up [Network Rail Article] | |
| 2009 | MSP^s bid for new rail station [BBC News Article] | Michael Matheson MSP launches a public consultation to assess the demand for a new station at Bonnybridge. |
| 2010 | High-speed trains for the Great Central Railway? [Telegraph] | Engineers could resurrect the Great Central Railway as a new high-speed railway |
| 2010 | Normal services ^by week^s end^ [BBC News Article] | Network Rail says its hopes normal rail services can resume between Inverness and Aviemore by the end of the week. |
| 2011 | Commuter train plan for KWVR [Bradford Telegraph & Argus] | A study into the feasibility of running commuter trains on a heritage steam railway has been published. If adopted, the plan could see four services running morning and evening along the five-mile Keighley and Worth Valley line. |
| 2012 | Osborne confirms Newton Aycliffe Hitachi plant on track [Northern Echo] | CHANCELLOR George Osborne tonight confirmed that plans to bring a high-speed train manufacturing plant to County Durham were on track. Mr Osborne^s comments, made during a visit to Japan, came after concerns were raised last month that the plans for the factory in Newton Aycliffe could be in jeopardy. Transport Secretary Philip Hammond announced in March that the Hitachi-led Agility Trains consortium was the Government^s chosen bidder for the Intercity Express Programme. [From Richard Buckby] |
| 2012 | Google Maps now include train times [Telegraph] | The update to Google Maps, which is live now on maps.google.co.uk, means that desktop users can plan journeys without needing to visit separate rail information sites. Developed in conjunction with thetrainline.com, the mobile version can also automatically deduce fastest routes from a user’s location and direct them to their nearest stations. Options to click through to buy tickets are included as separate links. |
| 2012 | Station has 2,000 people every week [Lancashire Evening Post] | More than 2,000 passengers a week are passing through the doors of one of Lancashire’s newest train stations. The long-awaited Buckshaw Parkway railway station opened in October. And officials say 335 people are boarding at the £6.8m station every day. Gemma Colley, public relations manager for Northern Rail, said a ticket vending machine had been added. She said: “We are delighted with the success of Buckshaw Parkway station, which has exceeded our expectations in passenger footfall and ticket sales.” [From Mark Bartlett] |
| 2013 | Bowland bridge rail plan [Southern Reporter] | NETWORK Rail have submitted plans to refurbish a historic bridge as part of the Border Railway project, writes Kenny Paterson. The transport company needs to strengthen the C listed Dryburn Bridge on the Bowland Estate north of Galashiels as part of its advanced works for the scheme. A spokesman for Network Rail said: ^At present the disused railway corridor is used by Bowland Estate as a route for farm traffic between pieces of farmland on either side of the proposed new railway.^ [From Dave Scott] |
| 2014 | Cambrian Coast rail flood repairs at Barmouth and Pwllheli to take months [BBC News] | The Cambrian Coast railway line may not fully reopen for another four months as repairs after tidal storms continue, Network Rail says. It is closed between Dovey Junction and Pwllheli in Gwynedd due to flood damage at Tywyn, Barmouth and Criccieth. Engineers used a helicopter to conduct an aerial survey showing the line north from Barmouth to Pwllheli suffered the "most devastating damage" [From Alastair McLellan] |
| 2015 | Cab ride over the new Reading viaduct [Dailymotion] | A video cab ride from Tilehurst to Reading over the new Reading Viaduct. [From Richard Buckby] |
| 2016 | New map shows Scotland’s rail commuter boom [Scotsman] | Scotland’s rail boom is dramatically illustrated in maps published today which show some stations are handling more than 100 times more passengers than 20 years ago. However, the Campaign for Better Transport (CBT) research also found some stations have seen a significant decline in popularity. The news comes as the ScotRail Alliance, which runs the network north of the Border, forecasts passenger numbers will further increase from more than 90 million to 139 million over next decade. |
| 2017 | Fire near train station causes misery for commuters [STV News] | Rush hour commuters faced major disruption to rail services after a fire at an West Lothian train station. The blaze broke out on Wednesday just before 10pm near the station in the village of Blackridge. A Scottish Fire and Rescue Service spokeswoman said the trees and branches were alight at the side of the station and affected the overhead lines. |
| 2017 | Scotrail boss admits they can^t afford free travel scheme promised by Humza Yousaf [Daily Record] | Scotrail^s boss yesterday admitted he doesn’t have enough cash to fund a free travel scheme promised by the Scottish Government. SNP Transport Minister Humza Yousaf announced last month that monthly and annual season-ticket holders will get a “free week†paid as a “thank-you†for their patience during disruption and upgrades. The Scottish Government said at the time they would fund the £3million freebie. But ScotRail boss Phil Verster yesterday told MSPs that he had been asked to pay £1.8million of it out of a railway improvement fund. That fund is valued at £1million and the cash has already been earmarked
 for other projects. Verster added: “We are working with the Scottish Government to understand how to fund the £3million. We’ve not finalised those conversations. I can’t vouch for whether the scheme goes ahead or not.†Verster said he got less than three weeks notice
 of the giveaway. Yousaf was also due to appear before the rural economy and connectivity committee but he was ill. |
| 2017 | RMT Southern rail strikes to go ahead [BBC News] | A strike by conductors on the Southern rail network will still go ahead next week after the RMT was barred from ongoing talks, the union has said. On Tuesday, the train drivers^ union Aslef suspended three days of strikes next week for the talks to take place. The RMT was due to strike next Monday and has said this will still go ahead. RMT chief Mick Cash said the union wanted access to the same talks as Aslef. Southern said it was happy to have formal talks with the RMT. ^RMT demands again today that this union be given access to exactly the same talks process in our Southern rail disputes as has been brokered for our sister union by the TUC,^ Mr Cash said. |
| 2018 | ScotRail Alliance needs to work on its relationship [Scotsman] | A year ago, there was a political storm over the ScotRail Alliances poor performance. This year, its actually got worse, and all is not well within the partnership that says it is building the best railway Scotland has ever had. The oft-repeated claim is because the network north of the border is on the cusp of a potentially revolutionary transformation, involving two sets of new trains, electrified lines, more frequent services and other improvements. However, though tantalisingly close, these are mostly still months or more away, and the alliance has the more pressing matter of getting its punctuality back on target. When the alliance train operator ScotRail and track owner Network Rail was first taken to task after timekeeping fell below the acceptable minimum in autumn 2016, a 249-point performance improvement plan was put in place and it has remained in force since. This initially seemed to do the trick, but since September, the gains have been reversed and month-by-month punctuality is now worse than a year ago. |
| 2019 | Obituary: Kenneth Gray [] | We regret to announce the death of Kenneth Gray whose fine photographs will be well known to site visitors. His friend Bruce McCartney has written his obituary. |
| 2020 | Debate on future of Scotland^s second busiest ferry route [BBC News] | Highland Council is assessing how it runs the Corran Ferry, prompting worries from some about the service^s future. |
| 2020 | People can upgrade to first class on Edinburgh to Glasgow trains for just £1 [Edinburgh Live] | ScotRail have announced that the offer will be running for the remainder of January. |
