Click here to listen to the latest rail news on Friday, 4th November 2022
InTheNews: The latest rail news on Friday, 4th November 2022
Work has begun on the next phase of electrification of the Midlands Main Line, with the 2-mile section of track between Market Harborough and Wigston, Leicestershire is being upgraded.
An article from the BBC said the project would allow for potential electrification of the route to Sheffield and Nottingham, supporting the government’s ambitions for a greener, more reliable railway.
As part of the Midland Main Line electrification, Network Rail will drive steel columns into the ground, as deep as seven metres to lay foundations for the overhead line equipment needed to power both electric and bi-mode trains.
Several rail routes in London were disrupted yesterday morning as heavy rain caused flooding.
Severe delays were experienced on the Gatwick Express, Great Northern, Southern, Southeastern, South Western, Great Western, London Overground and Thameslink services due to flooding on the tracks.
Passengers were told that tickets for affected services would be accepted on Transport for London buses.
A report from the Rail industry Association (RIA) has revealed how a 10% reduction in rail journey times could lead to a boost of nearly 35,000 extra jobs across the country.
The analysis, conducted by independent researchers Oxford Economics, found that a small reduction could provide 17,600 more jobs in London, 9,000 in the West Midlands and 8,200 in Scotland, due to people having easier access to employment.
Lord Berkeley, co-chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Rail, said the analysis provides “more evidence of the immense value of UK rail” and highlights “the need for ongoing investment in new and current infrastructure”.
Finally, a Nottingham Forest fan living in the US has built an 11,000-piece Lego replica of the city’s railway station.
An article from the BBC said Oklahoma’s Tyler Lawler began the project during the Covid-19 lockdown and now wants to donate the model to Nottingham.
The 36-year-old has been a Forest supporter since he attended the University of Nottingham in 2009 and has links to the city through his grandmother.
He said the model station took him many months to complete and the “doorframes were the trickiest part” to build.
