In the News – 6th March 2020

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We start with the train operating companies celebrating International Women’s Day. Network Rail and Southeastern have joined forces to launch the first ever passenger service run entirely by women.

The 7.42 this morning out of London Victoria to Faversham was driven by Monika Kurek and operated exclusively by female rail staff from start to finish – from depot to destination.

Meanwhile London North Eastern Railway is running a special Flying Scotswoman service and is calling on the rail industry to encourage more women to consider a career in rail.

Despite improvements in recent years, research has found 85 per cent of women of working age in the UK have never considered a career in rail.

HS2 could run into planning problems if Crossrail 2 doesn’t get the go-ahead according to HS2’s chief executive.

That’s according to an article in City AM, featuring comments from Mark Thurston, who was speaking to the Public Accounts Committee.

He said the Crossrail 2 Tube line was needed to cope with an influx of passengers at Euston station expected because of HS2.

The UK Rail Research Innovation Network Data Platform has been launched by the Birmingham Centre for Railway Research and Education.

It will create the largest single source of data, both historic and real-time, covering railway operations in the UK and internationally.

A lot of papers are reporting the news featured on RBD yesterday of kind-hearted train operating companies offering free travel to staff and passengers from Flybe.

It follows the airlines collapse earlier this week.

Photo credit: Matt Alexander/PA Wire

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