In The News: 5th May

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Health fears may force HS2 into a station design rethink. That’s according to an article in the Daily Telegraph which features comments from Mark Thurston, the project’s chief executive.

He has warned in an industry seminar that HS2 designs dated from a pre-coronavirus world, raising the prospect of a redesign to cope with new habits.

An HS2 spokesman said the project was not considering a fundamental redesign of its stations or trains.

Meanwhile sticking with HS2, and several of the construction sites along the rail route were blocked by protestors aiming to stop areas of woodland being felled for the project.

The campaigners claim the work is non-essential.

Development consent has been given for the West Midlands Interchange.

Four Ashes Limited, the consortium behind the project, said it will generate £427 million of local economic activity each year, and, through the supply chain, create £912 million of economic activity each year nationally.

An important milestone has been marked in the £4 million HyDrive project. Angel Trains, Chiltern Railways and Magtec are looking to convert a DMU into a low-emission hybrid unit, in a bid to pave the way for decarbonisation of the UK rail industry.

Following success modelling and rig testing, a Chiltern Class 165 has arrived at Loram UK ready to be fitted with traction motors, range extender engines and traction batteries.

Finally, and disruption was caused to the railways last night after the discovery of a possible World War Two unexploded device close to the Newcastle Coastal route railway line in Hartlepool.

British Transport Police were called to the scene yesterday, with trains back up and running shortly before 8 last night.

Photo credit: HS2 Ltd

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