Click here to listen to the latest rail news on Wednesday, 12th May 2021
The latest rail news on Wednesday, 12th May 2021
The chaos on two of Britain’s busiest railways is threatening to wreck May Bank Holiday plans.
That is according to an article in The Daily Mail, that says insiders said the problems, following the discovery of cracks under some of Hitachi Rail’s trains, could drag on for several more weeks.
The paper says a total of 182 Class 800 trains were taken out of service – including 93 on Great Western Railway and 65 on LNER.
The article says that last night it emerged ministers are demanding that Hitachi picks up the multi-million-pound passenger compensation bill.
The Queen has outlined the government’s priorities saying the aim is to deliver a national recovery from the pandemic that makes the UK “stronger, healthier and more prosperous than before”.
Her Majesty, speaking at the state opening of parliament, said to achieve this “my Government will level up opportunities across all parts of the UK, supporting jobs, businesses and economic growth and addressing the impact of the pandemic on public services”.
In her speech, she also said: “My Government will strengthen the economic ties across the union, investing in and improving national infrastructure. Proposals will be taken forward to transform connectivity by rail and bus (High Speed Rail (Crewe – Manchester) Bill).”
An Edinburgh-based architectural practice has won a competition to help create the ideal railway station of the future.
An article in The Herald says 7n Architects was hailed by Network Rail and the Royal Institute of British Architects as they announced the Scottish firm would help shape Britain’s future railway station experience.
It will now work closely with Network Rail project representatives to develop the design into a formal proposal.
Finally, and a piece of Isle of Wight nostalgia has surfaced on an auction website – at an eye-watering price of £32,000.
An article on the Isle of Wight County Press says one of the Island Line train carriages, replaced by refitted, newer carriages this year, is available to purchase on eBay.
Built in 1938 in Birmingham, these deep-level tube trains served the London Underground between 1938 and 1988, before serving the Island from 1989 until January this year.
Photo credit: 7n Architects
