International & UK Railway News Friday 25th April 2014

Headlines


It all depends on your perspective... the same news item covered in several ways...you'd think they were different stories, but it is interesting to note the "take" each media outlet has on given information. So there are 4 versions of news relating to the increase in UK rail travel in recent years...

 

HS2 is still at the heart of matters... one group even offers the thought of a "Green Corridor" to safeguard wildlife.

The Borders railway could well extend to Scotland...and Scotland (post independence??) would start a high speed line before England....

Another glowing report on Eurostar's profits, Gard du Nord station is 150 years old.... and Alstom

have no knowledge of a potential General Electric takeover....

Read on...

UK & Europe

 

Letter from Patrick McLoughlin to Transport Select Committee Chair re Trans Pennine Express Franchise.(UK Parliament)

 

Network Rail
New rail investment delivery agreement tested in the north of England

 

Network Rail, Northern Rail and First TransPennine Express (FTPE) have signed a formal collaboration agreement aimed at putting value for passengers at the heart of the rail improvements planned for the rail network in the north of England over the next five years.

This formal agreement is designed to improve efficiency through putting whole life costs at the centre of the planning and delivery of work. It is an idea which was developed by the Rail Delivery Group and is being piloted by the three companies. It is designed to supplement the close working which already exists between Network Rail and all operators, and will see the three companies sharing expertise to develop capacity improvements at Leeds station and in the east Leeds area. Both schemes are due to complete by spring 2019.


Phil Verster, Route Managing Director at Network Rail explained: “We have exciting plans to increase services in to and around Leeds over the next five years. These plans are vital if we are to meet demand for services which continues to grow ahead of forecasts. Investment in rail is expensive and this agreement sets out a formal framework to allow us to share resources and reduce inter-railway compensation costs in order to maximise value for money.”


The principles of the agreement are intrinsic to Office of Rail Regulation’s requirements for the development of all CP5 enhancement projects. Where cost savings can be found over and above those already planned in the project, these will be shared among the partners.

 

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Huge surge in rail journeys since 1990s.(BBC News)

 

Boom in rail travel continues as passenger journeys double over 18 years.(heraldscotland)

 

Rail passengers take 1.2 billion journeys a year despite hike in fares.(Express)

 

Millions of extra journeys as passengers rediscover their love of the railway travel.(The Yorkshire Post)

 

Build 'green corridor' around HS2.(The Telegraph)

 

Group warns high-speed railway poses threat to 500 wildlife sites.(The Yorkshire Post)

 

Tube boss not 'optimistic' strike will be called off.(BBC News)

 

 

Borders to Edinburgh railway: Carlisle extension would be 'wonderful'.(BBC News)



Edinburgh Waverley

 

Experts criticise latest design changes to New Street Station.(Birmingham Post)

 

Gare du Nord celebrates 150th anniversary(Global Rail News)

 

Siemens plans to delist from NYSE - Siemens Global Website(railwaygazette)

Alstom unaware of GE takeover plans.(Global Rail News)

 

Further growth in 2014 for Eurostar.(Global Rail News)

 

Eurostar at London St Pancras International

 

UK Heritage News 

75029 substitute for K1 | North Yorkshire Moors Railway :: A steam train adventure through the stunning Yorkshire Moors

GWR - Gloucestershire's mainline heritage railway - Eighth locomotive secured for 'Back to Black'!

MIXED TRACTION WEEKEND ONLY CHANCE IN 2014 TO RIDE BEHIND “WESTERN CAMPAIGNER” « West Somerset Railway

Southern at War - Special Events(Bluebell Railway)

Have your say on the Bridge to the Future.(GCR)

Russian Railways News

Russian Railways announces introduction of summer timetable for Sapsan high-speed trains


"In order to ensure a balanced development of the transport system comparable levels of infrastructure capacity are necessary for each mode of transport," says First Vice President of Russian Railways Vadim Morozov


New RIC carriages to run as part of international passenger train No. 32/31 Leo Tolstoy between Moscow - Helsinki


Facebook post (25th April 2014)

Friends, we recently told you about TEM19-001 shunter with gas engine. The world's first locomotive to run on compressed natural gas (photos – http://goo.gl/7PHsQp). Want to see what it looks like inside this new locomotive? Come check out our virtual tour http://goo.gl/qqt5zQ

Americas News
www.progressiverailroading.com

 

Great plans for the Great Northern Corridor


LACMTA's board awards Regional Connector contract
 
AAR traffic report: Carloads, intermodal units continue to climb in Week 16
 
Sound Transit OKs agreements with state, Amtrak to improve service
 
ASLRRA honors three small railroads' marketing efforts
 

CSX to launch haz-mat 'Safety Train'

  

WMATA, airports authority pact moves Silver Line closer to summer opening
  
BTS: Value of goods shipped by rail between NAFTA nations dipped in February

CTA to recognize 50 years of the 'Skokie Swift'

 

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DOT outlines options for enhancing tank car standards(railwaygazette)


Canada announces tank wagon safety changes - Railway Gazette


CSR fleet enters service on San Martín route - Railway Gazette




Asia News


High speed rail link from Bangalore to Mangalore and other cities proposed.(dailjiworld.com)


Guizhou-Guangzhou high-speed railway to open at end of 2014.(ecns.cn)




Other Railway Press


www.railway-technology.com


Alstom consortium wins ERTMS supply contract from Spain's ADIF
A consortium led by Alstom has secured a €410m contract from Spanish railway infrastructure manager ADIF to supply the European railways traffic management system (ERTMS) level 2 signalling system, Atlas 200, for a high-speed line in the country.
       
Three UK rail operators partner for capacity improvements at Leeds station
UK rail operators Network Rail, Northern Rail and First TransPennine Express (FTPE) have entered into a partnership to provide planned improvements for the rail network in the north of England over the next five years.
       
France's Alstom denies reports on takeover bids from GE
French train maker Alstom has issued an official statement denying press reports that it has received takeover bids from US-based General Electric (GE).
       
Eurostar Q1 revenues up 7%
Channel tunnel train operator Eurostar has reported that its sales revenues have increased by 7% to £227m for the first quarter (Q1) of 2014, compared with £213m for the same period in 2013.


Future Rail Magazine
The UK saw a 150% increase in the number of journeys using disabled persons rail cards over the past ten years, but many stations remain unusable for people with severe disabilities. We ask the UK Minister of State for Transport Baroness Kramer what is being done to improve disabled access at new and existing stations.

We also take a look at campaigns to reopen old rail lines to better connect rural areas in Devon and the Scottish Borders and find out why the quality of pedestrian links between rail stations and city centres is a critical element in improving the door-to-door passenger experience.

Moreover, we investigate why Network Rail has come under renewed pressure to increase safety measures at level crossings, speak to Capital Metro about its switch to a mobile ticketing system and ask how industry stakeholders are working to reduce the skills shortage with investment in training.

Program Tuesday, May 13, 2014 The 4th edition of the Grand Prix Regions Ville, Rail & Transport will be held Tuesday, May 13, 2014 at Espaces Cap 15.

4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Home participants Cap 15 Spaces

5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Panel Discussion "What future for the TER with decentralization?" The MAPAM law (modernization of public action and affirmation of cities) provides the transformation of "transport authorities" to "organizing authorities of mobility." This change in legislation accompanying the idea supported by many stakeholders and elected officials that public transport can no longer interested in only one mode. Accelerate the barriers between modes through the erasure of administrative and institutional boundaries, the development of intermodality, simplifying the use (tickets, pricing, information ...). Speakers: Alain-Jean BERTHELET, president of Gather, Jean-Michel Bodin, Vice-President of the Central Region delegate transport, infrastructure, soft traffic and indermodalité, vice president of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee of the ARF, Jean-Charles KOHLHAAS, President of the Regional Council EELV Group, Chairman of the Committee "Transport, travel and infrastructure", the Rhône-Alpes region Jean-Aimé MOUGENOT, Deputy Branch Regions and SNCF Intercity, Claude Steinmetz, rail director of Transdev France. Gilles Savary, Member of Gironde and rapporteur on the railway reform in the National Assembly.