Click here to listen to the latest rail news on Monday, 14th November 2022
InTheNews: The latest rail news on Monday, 14th November 2022
The Hitachi factory in Newton Aycliffe is at the forefront of green technology as new battery-powered train trials are set to start next year.
Engineers at the North East factory are working on replacing a diesel train engine with a battery pack to power an Hitachi train across the Pennines using electricity.
An article on the Northern Echo says the trials are expected to start in the spring and will mark a key moment for the Newton Aycliffe plant as Hitachi continues its push towards green energy.
Jim Brewin, chief director for Hitachi UK and Ireland, said he was ‘incredibly proud’ of the work being done at the plant.
ScotRail and RMT representatives have reached an agreement that a pay offer will be put to RMT members, calling a tentative halt to planned strike action.
ScotRail met with RMT representatives last week to discuss the ongoing pay dispute, and an agreement has been reached that a pay offer will be put to RMT members through a referendum.
This agreement to conduct a referendum means that the RMT’s overtime ban and all proposed strike action will be suspended pending the outcome of the vote.
The first 25 brand new JNA-X box wagons have successfully arrived in the UK and are now officially on lease with GB Railfreight (GBRf).
The wagons were assembled in Romania and arrived at Wembley before passing an acceptance and inspection process ahead of their handover to GBRf.
The delivery is part of the agreement for 50 new box wagons announced in March this year between Porterbrook, GBRf and Greenbrier. The remaining 25 wagons are expected to arrive in the UK before the end of this year.
The first freight train arrived at HS2’s newest Bucks construction hub last week as the high speed rail project confirmed that the new facility is expected to take the equivalent of 300,000 lorry movements off local roads.
Situated on an existing freight line north of Aylesbury, the new railhead will welcome approx 1,800 freight trains over the next three years as construction of HS2 – which will improve links between London, Birmingham and the north – gathers pace.
Photo credit: HS2 Ltd
