International & UK Railway News Saturday 15th March 2014

The weekend news gives opportunity to review progress and prospects.....
On the station front, Acocks Green, Worcester Foregate, and Malvern Link are to be "revamped", whilst Wokingham is now enjoying its new £6 million station. 


For users of the railways, the local MP is not enamoured of the service for his constituents offered by Northern Rail. London Overground announce that booking is not required by disabled passengers....and  Bristol and Weymouth will benefit from a summer Saturday service via First Great Western.


HS2 fares shouldn't be more than normal: 4 regeneration schemes are linked to HS2.... and costs really do need to be reined in...


The train in Spain' s preferred to travel by plane...whilst an article from China offers a cautionary note to the high speed rail building process....making sure that the money goes where it is originally intended, and the need to keep skill levels and safety of the track up to internationsl standards at least.


And only 19 days to the line at Dawlish being reopened for traffic....


Read on.........




Headlines..


Long for the glamour days of travel? You have to try this unforgettable train ride. (The Globe and Mail)


Acocks Green train station's £1.7m lift work begins.(BBC News)


Worcester Foregate and Malvern Link stations revamped.(BBC News)


Wokingham's £6m train station revamp opened by transport minister.(BBC News)


Hartlepool MP launches stinging attack on Northern Rail’s ‘cattle trucks’ service.(Hartlepool Mail)


Airport train-tram link 'will cost £90m'.(heraldscotland)


Booking no longer needed for disabled people using London Overground.(London Evening Standard)


All aboard for new high-speed train service between Bristol and Weymouth.(Dorset Echo)





HS2 fares ‘shouldn’t cost more than other trains’.(The Yorkshire Post)


Now four big regeneration projects are linked to HS2.(Railnews)


Time to move HS2 debate forward, says RDG.(Railnews)


Cost of £50bn High Speed 2 project will soar unless politicians 'bite the bullet', trouble-shooter argues. (This Is Money)


China’s High-Speed Railway Empire (China Digital Times)


High speed rail in Spain is more popular than the airplane. (Dilemma X)


EU Transport Council adopts a favourable position on SHIFT²RAIL, a major step towards the creation of the Joint Undertaking for Rail Research (Railway Gazette)




Network Rail


Northampton schoolgirl gets first year’s university tuition paid after winning Network Rail’s ‘Could IT Be You?’ girls in IT competition


National train performance for period 12 is 87.1% despite severe storms





Network Rail chief executive apologises for past failings on level crossing safety but points to significant progress


Network Rail boldly launches Star Track trainee engineering scheme for 2014


Easter holiday boost for south-west as Network Rail confirms Dawlish railway reopening




Crossrail

Project timeline and future milestones

2014:

• In early 2014, Crossrail’s final tunnelling machine will be launched from Pudding Mill Lane in east London.
• The contract for Crossrail’s new high-capacity rolling stock will be awarded in 2014.
• By the end of 2014, the vast majority of Crossrail’s 26 miles of tunnelling will be completed and the major civil engineering works will be complete.
• In late 2014, Transport for London are due to confirm who has been awarded the Crossrail operating concession from 2015.

2015-2017:

• Major fit-out of stations and tunnels continues as does the major upgrade of the existing rail network for Crossrail services by Network Rail.

2017:

• The first new Crossrail rolling stock will start to replace existing suburban trains between Liverpool Street and Shenfield.

2018:

• In late 2018, the first Crossrail services will start through the central London tunnelled section.

2019:

• In late 2019, the full Crossrail service will be operating from Heathrow and Maidenhead to Abbey Wood and Shenfield.

Heritage News


West Somerset Railway Spring Gala Marks 50th Anniversary.(About My Area)


Weekly newsletter 12/03/14 | The UK's Only Main Line Heritage Railway(GCR)


Blog: What's New at the Bluebell Railway?


Rheilffordd Talyllyn Railway on Pinterest


Timetable | North Yorkshire Moors Railway :: A steam train adventure through the stunning Yorkshire Moors