Rail graffiti attacks rise during lockdown

THE number of rail vehicles being attacked by graffiti vandals has risen since the lockdown started in March, according to West Midlands Trains. The latest of a number of incidents affecting WMT trains and depots was discovered at Coventry yesterday. WMT said the vandalism meant some units were not available for service at a time when longer trains were needed to help social distancing on board. It explained that cleaning off the paint was adding to the workload on cleaners who are already working ‘extremely hard’ to keep trains as clean as possible, and that the additional task of removing graffiti was ’soul-destroying’ for the staff involved.

Bank Holiday track renewals will disrupt train services

A PROGRAMME of track renewals and other work has been announced by Network Rail for the coming Bank Holiday weekend. The possessions will disrupt services on several main lines with major projects planned at a number of places including Wembley, Euxton, Camden, Carlisle, Wolverhampton, Preston, Fareham and Eastleigh, Kettering and Corby, and Mill Hill Broadway and London St Pancras International. In many cases trains will not be running through the affected areas and passengers are being advised to check the details of their journeys before they travel.