In The News | 25th January 2022 | Latest Rail News

Click here to listen to the latest rail news on Tuesday, 25th January 2022

InTheNews: The latest rail news on Tuesday, 25th January 2022

Govia Thameslink, one of the UK’s biggest train operators, is reportedly rushing to secure a contract with co-owner Go-Ahead, in an effort to avoid nationalisation.

An article in City A.M. says nationalisation plans were proposed after Go-Ahead failed to file its financial results on Monday – the second time since the Southeastern rail scandal, when the group admitted serious errors and failures in the way it ran the operation.

Go-Ahead’s financial results will now be published by the end of February, a few weeks before the March deadline to secure the contracts.

The paper says that while all stakeholders are reportedly confident a deal will be reached, other options – including extending the emergency funding deal set out during the pandemic to keep trains running and nationalisation – were considered.

“We are in discussions with the Department for Transport about a new contract to run Govia Thameslink,” a spokesperson told the Telegraph.

Mid Fife and Glenrothes MSP Jenny Gilruth has been announced as Scotland’s new Transport Minister.

An article in the Daily Record says her appointment came after colleague Graeme Dey quit the role for health reasons.

Network Rail’s investing more than £4 million renewing track on the line between Dundee and Aberdeen.

During the next three weekends, engineers will be working to replace two miles of track at various locations around Cove Bay, Montrose, and Arbroath.

Network Rail teams will be removing the old track before laying new stone ballast, sleepers, and rails.

Thameslink’s oldest employee, who has worked on the railway almost 60 years, has won another Lifetime Achievement award

This time it was the turn of the Railway Benefit Fund (RBF) to recognise station assistant Siggy Cragwell for his outstanding customer service, and music mogul and president Pete Waterman met him to hand over the trophy.

Siggy, who works at Elstree & Borehamwood station, won the award after huge numbers of passengers and colleagues voted for the 82-year-old station assistant as part of the annual Heart Of Gold Awards.

Less than two years ago, he received a similar accolade in the National Rail Awards.

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Photo credit: Thameslink

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