Click here to listen to the latest rail news on Thursday, 11th August 2022
InTheNews: The latest rail news on Thursday, 11th August 2022
It is 75 years since the start of the express rail link between Belfast and Dublin known as the Enterprise service.
An article on the BBC says it began in August 1947 to try to compete with the improving road network and the prospect of an air link between the two cities.
There have been many changes to the inter-city train link in the past 75 years.
The service survived frequent disruption in the 1970s and 1980s after violence erupted in Northern Ireland.
The current journey time on the 110-miles (177km) route is just over two hours, not much faster than when the non-stop Enterprise began in 1947.
A major investment to protect the railway from erosion by the River Tyne and allow a popular footpath to reopen will get underway this month.
River erosion has caused a section of Keelman’s Way Footpath in Wylam, which runs next to the railway, to collapse meaning it’s had to close for safety reasons.
To prevent further deterioration which could impact on the rail route between Wylam and Clara Vale, Network Rail is carrying out work to install a defence against erosion.
Old diesel trains have been pulled out of retirement to ferry passengers along Southend Pier following continued technical problems with the new models.
An article on the Southend Echo says both of Southend’s two new electric trains have been taken out of service as specialists work to identify and fix issues.
On Tuesday, the new trains broke down with Southend Council’s forced to turn to one of the older blue diesel models to keep the pier’s rail services running – but at a reduced service.
Network Rail’s Eastern region has been granted a special licence to safely relocate the UK’s largest native newt species — an industry first which is designed to protect the creatures from engineering work.
The new initiative will see specialists build large-scale habitats for great crested newts to move to when railway upgrades disrupt their existing homes.
Network Rail says this balance will allow the amphibians to thrive in a safe environment and in turn reduce any delays to engineering work.
The licence was granted by Natural England following a successful trial on the Midland Main Line Upgrade last year.
Photo credit: Network Rail
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