First Class To Be Abolished On South Eastern Routes In Next Franchise

New trains will have more standing room and be capable of driver-only operation.

Full Thameslink Timetable Postponed For 12 Months

The core section will be ready for December 2018, but the wider network will need another year of further investment to support the new services.

BARS Locomotive Fleet Broken Up

The sale of the Devon and Cornwall Railways (DCR) operation by its parent company may have brought about the end of main line Class 31s.

IRM Hits Big With 'Bubbles'

One of Ireland’s most iconic wagon designs, the two-axle cement wagons, are now available in ready-to-run form.

Second Royal '47' From Locomotion

With some coincidental timing, modellers can now celebrate the Royal wedding with a model of Prince Henry.

Tram Extension Uses Former Mainline Route

Part of a new cross-city extension to Dublin’s Green Line tram route is built on trackbed last used by passengers in 1937.

Final GBRF Sand Hoppers Delivered

The second week of December saw the outstanding 20 IIA-F wagons arrive for the Sibelco sand contract.

Trans Pennine Debut For Class 68s

The first loco-hauled passenger working took place at the very end of 2017 in rather unusual circumstances.

First Place For Realtrack 'Sprinter'

The next livery for the Rapido Trains-developed Class 156 second generation DMU has now arrived in the shape of First ScotRail.

Type 2s And DMUs From Bachmann

Both Class 25 designs and a retooled ‘Turbostar’ family headline the manufacturer’s ‘OO’ programme for 2018.

Fares Rise Seen As Unsustainable

Ticket price hikes have outstripped wage increases yet again, contributing to a levelling offin passenger numbers.

Peak-hour Stops Withdrawn With MML Timetable Change

New intensive Thameslink timetable will increase train frequencies on the Midland route but with fewer intermediate stops for InterCity trains south of Leicester.

Ballast Rehabilitation Project Recommences

Upgrade work brings overnight locos to NIR’s Lisburn-Lurgan line

More HST Stock On The Move

Former Great Western Railway coaches head to Ely, Doncaster and Scotland.

Hunslet '08' Goes For Scrap

It did not take long for the new year to claim its first victim, as one of the Malcolm Rail-liveried machines headed for Kingsbury.

Steam Heat Diesels In Limited Supply!

Train heating is essential on preserved railways during the cold winter months, but few preserved diesels have a working boiler capable of steam heating coaches. David Russell surveys the current situation.

TFL To Sell Class 345 Fleet To Raise Money For 'New Tube For London'

The Elizabeth Line fleet will be sold and leased back to raise finance for replacement Piccadilly Line trains.

Report Finds TSGN 'Not Value For Money'

Government auditor finds Govia Thameslink Railway has failed to deliver for passengers.

Carillion Failure Highlights Outsourcing Weakness

Contractors must balance bidding too low against securing the work.

Knottingley Celebrates 50 Years

Staff at DB Cargo’s West Yorkshire depot organised a mini open day on October 28, raising money for Cancer Research UK and marking the depot’s 50th anniversary.

Happy Birthday Class 31 An Unlikely Survivor

This month marks the diamond jubilee of the Brush Type 2 fleet, nearly one in seven of which have survived into 2017.

NVR 'Goyle' Gala Celebrates Diamond Jubilee

The Nene Valley Railway marked 60 years of Class 31s with an intensive three-day gala featuring no less than eight locos in action.

0 To 60!

A Class 345 takes over as leader in our series, as Neville Hill takes a seven-car version for a spin to Shenfield. Just how nimble are today’s locos and units, and what’s the quickest offthe mark?

The Pride Of Canton

Looking to portray an early Doncaster-built Class 56, Alex Carpenter describes how he modelled one of the Trainload Metals fleet in no less a form than the Cardiff depot’s notional flagship.

Pool Profile 2: Trainload Metals Class 56s

Although the Metals sub-sector was initially given a small allocation of ‘Grids’ upon the division of the locomotive fleet in 1987, these were removed just months later. It would be the 1990s before the class was again officially allocated to steel duties, first in South Wales and then the North East. Simon Bendall details their history.

Sub-Sector Customisation

One of the philosophies behind the design of the triple grey scheme was to create a uniform look for the Railfreight fleet with no deviation from the set livery layout. However, as Simon Bendall explains, some depots did not get this memo.

Channel Tunnel 'Cromptons'

The late 1980s saw a pool of Class 33s allocated to the Construction sub-sector, these being largely dedicated to transporting materials to the various Channel Tunnel building sites in Kent. Paul Wade describes how to upgrade the Heljan ‘Slim Jim’ variant as well as model the associated Queen Mary brake vans.

Celebrity Locos In Demand For Railtours

Irish Rail’s two retro-liveried 071 Class locos were requested for two recent railtours, including a first use in multiple.

Diesel First For Isle Of Wight

The Isle of Wight Steam Railway made history at the end of September by running the island’s first-ever main line diesel locomotive.

ScotRail Calls In Financial Support

Strikes, engineering works and falling revenue led franchise holder Abellio to ask its Dutch parent company for a £10 million loan to fund franchise commitments.