Click here to listen to the latest rail news on Friday, 25th February 2022
InTheNews: The latest rail news on Friday, 25th February 2022
A sawmill in Abergavenny in Wales has received its first load of rail-transported timber since 2004, thanks to a partnership between Network Rail and freight operator Colas Rail.
The timber, felled in a forest in Bickleigh, south Devon, was loaded onto a Colas Rail freight train at Hackney Yard near Newton Abbot to be transported 92 miles to Pontrilas Timber in Abergavenny.
As part of this pilot project, the freight train carried a total of 320 tonnes of timber in eight wagons, with the aspiration to more than double the load to 720 tonnes across 18 wagons in the future.
Transport bosses have u-turned on controversial plans to slash opening hours at ticket offices and close three permanently.
An article on the Glasgow Evening Times says ScotRail has backtracked on plans to close the ticket office at Clydebank station as well as Cartsdyke and Woodhall in Greenock.
They will also add back 33 hours to stations that were facing cuts in hours including East Kilbride and Bellshill.
Industrial action from the RMT union could cause major disruption to its services this weekend, TransPennine Express (TPE) has warned.
The action will take place on Sunday, 27 February.
This would be the third weekend in a row action has affected the line, TPE said, and there will be an amended timetable in place with a significant reduction in the number of trains running.
Journeycall has won a major contract to run the Network Rail National Contact Centre.
The three-year, £3.8 million contract will see the customer service support and smartcard services company manage the Contact Centre and helpdesk service – the primary point of contact for Network Rail.
Journeycall will handle all enquiries into the four components of the National Contact Centre: the National Helpline (including the emergency line), the central switchboard, the Commercial Property helpdesk; and an out of hours Media Service.
Photo credit: Network Rail
