Click here to listen to the latest rail news on Thursday, 4th August 2022
InTheNews: The latest rail news on Thursday, 4th August 2022
Transport for London (TfL) has received a final funding offer from the government in order to help it recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has said.
An article on the BBC website says Mr Shapps told BBC London TfL needed to move towards “driverless trains” in order to modernise “like Paris”.
Talks between the government and TfL have been continuing for weeks and the existing deal expired at midday yesterday.
A bid to create a new direct rail link connecting Falmouth and Newquay has been submitted to get money from the Government’s Levelling Up fund.
An article on Cornwall Live says the Mid Cornwall Metro project between Cornwall Council, Great Western Railway and Network Rail would be a major improvement to rail services in Cornwall.
Cornwall Council submitted a bid for almost £50 million for the scheme for consideration in round two of the Levelling Up fund which is providing around £4.8 billion for schemes across the country. The deadline for bids closed earlier this week.
Works to be carried out include: a new platform at Newquay station; a new passing loop at Tregoss Moor; extended platforms at Falmouth stations; infrastructure at Newquay, Roche, Bugle, Penryn and Falmouth stations; digitalisation of rail ticketing.
A train operator said it has completed £2.56 million work on a depot, allowing more trains to be located there.
An article on the BBC website says East Midlands Railway (EMR) said its work on Nottingham’s Eastcroft depot would also allow it to include more fuel pumps and improve train cleaning facilities.
It said it had partnered with Network Rail to fit a new lighting system on the London Road site, improving safety.
The Kent & East Sussex Railway (K&ESR) has appointed one of the heritage industry’s most respected and experienced professionals as its new full time General Manager, taking over from Shaun Dewey who retired in July.
Robin Coombes has over 30 years’ experience working with both the railways and in heritage tourism, latterly as the Company Secretary for the Vintage Trains Group. He has also worked in construction, in marketing and advised successive Governments on regional development.
Pledging to channel the spirit of the railway’s founder, Colonel Stephens, Robin says: “In joining K&ESR, I’m fulfilling a true childhood ambition to one day become a railway General Manager, having first found a passion for trains watching tank engines from the platform of Cardiff General station.”
Photo credit: Taliesin Coombes
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