First Chair of Great British Railways is named
Sir John Kingman has been named as the first Chair of Great British Railways. Sir John will begin his duties immediately. The Government said he will play a ‘critical role’ in shaping the design of the new organisation, continuing the integration of train and track operations, as the Railways Bill continues its passage through Parliament.
Passengers have made more than 2,000,000 journeys on the Northumberland Line less than two years after it opened. The line has 416 services a week along the route, a 29km freight line which was reopened to passengers in December 2024. Six stations were built and more than 26km of track was renewed, although the opening of some stations was delayed by local problems.
The headquarters of Great British Railways in Derby will be in the city centre. Work will begin at Becketwell, a brownfield site, early in the New Year. It is set to be completed by spring 2029. The shadow GBR has been using temporary quarters at Pride Park, and the possible site for the permanent HQ had been narrowed down to two locations. The alternative, Midland House, is close to Derby station.
CrossCountry will lease eight more Class 221 Voyagers from early next year. Six of the units have been cascaded from Avanti West Coast, and two have been released by Grand Central.
One casualty of privatisation was probably unexpected -- the names of stations. Sim Harris discusses the confusion on our platforms.
The Office of Rail and Road has launched a consultation on a draft Retail Code of Practice that is intended to create a level playing field for sellers of tickets. At the moment, 14 separate operators run their own websites and apps, and these will be replaced by Great British Railways. However, independent retailers will continue, including open access and devolved operators in Scotland and Wales.
The rail regulator has turned down two more open access applications, on the grounds that there is not enough capacity on the West Coast Main Line. The ORR had been considering proposals for four return services between London and Wrexham from the Wrexham, Shropshire & Midlands Railway Company. It has also refused Lumo’s plans for up to four daily trains between London and Rochdale and an application from Avanti West Coast for more paths between London and Blackpool.