Enjoy the latest news, in-depth features and much more, all from your favourite monthly modern railway magazine.
Seeking the cure for cracks
DfT goes legal as Hitachi 800 Series saga continues
ROGER FORD
Celebrating innovation
Excitement is mounting for the Fourth Friday Club Railway Innovation Awards on 15 October. Modern Railways summarises a selection of entries
Williams-Shapps Plan: creating the new model railway
ROGER FORD CONTINUES HIS ANALYSIS OF THE WILLIAMS-SHAPPS PLAN
■ DfT developing ‘operating model’
■ Transition Team in action
■ Timelines emerging
Williams-Shapps: what future for open access?
■ Increased track access charges for new ventures
■ Revenue abstraction criteria eased
■ Existing operators protected
Polishing the Crown
Norwich Crown Point depot was opened in 1982 by Sir Peter Parker, British Rail Chairman. Nearly 40 years on, it has had a major upgrade for Swiss trains and a Dutch operator
Ian Walmsley
Alan Williams - October 2021
Our columnist reflects on developments with the now aborted East Coast main line timetable change
ALAN WILLIAMS
Smart electrification for the Valleys
Planning infrastructure and rolling stock upgrades together is key to success
The return to rail, Essex-style
Our new columnist VICKI PIPE travels on a Bucket & Spade special to the Sunshine Coast
Vicki Pipe
Siemens reboots affordable signalling renewals
Low Cost Digital Ready approach to be applied in Devon and Cornwall
ROGER FORD
Decarbonising Scotland's Railway
With longstanding aspirations to electrify virtually all of its rail network, Scotland’s Railway has big ambitions for decarbonising its operations, on and off track. Andy Roden investigates its progress and ambitions
Rail showcases environmental potential
Martin Frobisher, Group Safety & Engineering Director at Network Rail, explains to Roger Ford that tackling environmental challenges is about more than just decarbonising traction
HS2 goes green at Euston
A new piling technique that cuts down concrete use is just one of many environmental initiatives on the new railway, reports JAMES ABBOTT
TO BE OR NOT TO BE? ‘Strat’ is the question…
Reversing the 1976 closure of the railway from Stratford-upon-Avon to Honeybourne is the aim of one of the larger Restoring your Railway bids. Will this reinstatement solve some of the town’s long-standing transport problems?
MODAL SWITCH OF FREIGHT TO RAIL: how, how much and where?
How can rail freight best play its role in achieving net zero, asks JULIAN WORTH
Improving Anglian performance
Greater Anglia’s Engineering Director MARTIN BEABLE and Train Service Delivery Director JAY THOMPSON explained to an Institution of Railway Operators webinar how the company has worked to improve performance
ABBEY FLYER PRAYS FOR A PASSING LOOP
The Watford Junction to St Albans Abbey branch has huge potential, reports James Abbott
Daventry Parkway: the right station at the right time?
Daventry is reckoned to be one of the largest towns in England without a rail link. HARRY BURR of Sustainable Transport Midlands talks to ANDY RODEN about the possibilities a new parkway station could offer
TIMETABLING IN CRISIS
Our monthly editorial focuses on current scheduling challenges facing the industry
GREATER ANGLIA GETS SET FOR RECOVERY
Managing Director JAMIE BURLES talks to PHILIP SHERRATT about the post-Covid outlook for railways in East Anglia
NETWORK RAIL APPROVES BENDER RS4 TIER 2 INTELLIGENT INSULATION MONITORING SYSTEM
Network Rail has awarded full product acceptance (PA05/07464) of Bender UK’s RS4 Tier 2 Intelligent Insulation Monitoring System after numerous live trials of the equipment.
Mobile station managers minimise ECML disruption
Scarred by engineering overruns at King’s Cross in Christmas 2014, Govia Thameslink Railway was determined to make things run as smoothly as possible during the recent East Coast Upgrade. COLIN ORD and DAVID GOTT talk to ANDY RODEN about why a new Mobile Station Manager role was created and why it has proved so successful
Alan Williams - September 2021
Alan Williams discusses unpopular timetable changes proposed for North East England
SOLENT ASPIRATION
Local politicians and rail activists are keen to see passenger services restored to the Fawley branch, reports James Abbott
James Abbott