Click here to listen to the latest rail news on Monday, 15th May 2023
InTheNews: The latest rail news on Monday, 15th May 2023
A large hole has opened up above a tunnel built for the HS2 high speed rail line.
An article on the BBC website says a spokesperson for HS2 Ltd said the opening in the ground near Little Missenden, Buckinghamshire, was above part of the Chiltern tunnel.
It said they were engaging with the landowner and had notified the Environment Agency.
The spokesperson said investigations were ongoing but it was likely linked to “pre-existing ground conditions”.
A plan to convert old London Underground rolling stock into state-of-the-art battery powered trains could see the first units delivered by the end of the year.
An article on the Daily Mail website said in 2014, Vivarail paid £2 million to buy 150 former District Line trains which had been retired after 40 years of service.
Great Western Railway bought Vivarail and its remaining stock when the company went into liquidation earlier this year.
Now, Mark Hopwood, Managing Director of GWR, believes the 1970s rolling stock could be brought back to life and replace diesel-powered trains on a west London branch line.
An old British Rail covered wagon is expected to sell for thousands of pounds at auction.
The owner of the wagon bought it 45 years ago in Somerset and first used it as a playhouse for his young daughter.
After she grew up it was moved into a barn and became a store where it has remained since 1983, and is only for sale as the owner is looking to retire soon and emigrate to Australia.
“The return to rail has clearly gathered significant pace in recent months.”
That is the message from Darren Caplan, chief executive of the Railway Industry Association.
It follows the release of the Department for Transport’s post-COVID national rail passenger figures showing a record post COVID high daily average of 98.3 per cent for the month of April.
Of the 30 days in April, 14 days registered 101 per cent to 106 per cent, and only four days saw less than 90 per cent on the first four days of the month.
Photo credit: RIA
