Train in fatal Welsh head-on collision had various sander faults
The Rail Accident Investigation Branch has confirmed that there were two blocked sander hoses on a Class 158 unit involved in a fatal head-on collision in mid-Wales last year. One person died and four others were seriously hurt.
Network Rail has announced a new series of contracts with several freight operators to clear leaves from the railway and deal with icy winter weather. The new contracts, which start in August and run until 2030 at least, will be worth around 850 million pounds altogether. They will also cover weed killing as well as leaf-blasting, ice removal and snow plough trains.
Eurostar has called for investment to fuel international rail growth, as the debate over capacity at Temple Mills depot continues. Eurostar said a new ORR report ignored its own growth ambitions, and that although there is some space at Temple Mills it would not be enough for new operators as well as an enlarged Eurostar fleet.
Arriva says it has submitted a new open access application to the Office of Rail and Road for direct services between Newcastle-upon-Tyne and Brighton.
Train services between Bicester, Bletchley and Milton Keynes are not expected to start until almost the end of this year, although test trains ran successfully on the line last October.
Colour light lineside signals are being removed for the first time on a commuter railway as digital train regulation expands. Signals will be removed between Moorgate and Finsbury Park over the weekend of 17 and 18 May, following the introduction of the European Train Control System on the route.
Planning permssion has been granted for a new 100 million-pound station in Liverpool which is expected to stimulate further development in the growing Baltic Triangle district.