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Thursday, 07 May 2015

Financial Times

• Longest German rail strike begins to biteDispute at Deutsche Bahn draws attention to growing influence of smaller unions

The Guardian

• Signalling problems signal misery for South West Trains passengersRail firm the target of fury after passengers get stuck in trains for two hours – with some forced to stand in toilet – as unions hit out at lack of debate on transport in electionPassengers stuck in trains for up to two hours because of signal failures at Surbiton, south London, and Waterloo vented their fury at South West Trains as it struggled to restore normal service.Passengers were forced to stand in the toilet on one overcrowded train, while platforms at Surbiton were packed on Wednesday. Related: Chaos at Clapham Junction after rail power supply problem Continue reading...

The Telegraph

• South West Trains rush-hour chaos brings commuter misery: as it happenedPassengers were stuck on packed platforms as signal failures at Surbiton and Waterloo stations caused travel misery for commuters
• Travel chaos hits London's commuters yet againPassengers took to standing in the toilets to make it to work on time as journeys were delayed over two hours

Mail Online

• Rail passengers crowd in toilets on overcrowded trains over London delays Delays, diversions and cancellations caused chaos to rush-hour South West Trains services, which were hit by signal failures at Surbiton in south-west London and at Waterloo station.

London Evening Standard

• Clapham rail delays: track repair work caused delays for thousands of commuters Last week's rail chaos in Clapham was caused by a section of track that became misaligned after engineers worked on it overnight, it emerged today.
• Surbiton rail delays: Passengers stand in toilets on packed trains as signal failure causes rush hour chaos for commuters London commuters were hit by another blast of rush hour misery this morning, with some forced to stand in a toilet because their carriage was so crowded.

Newcastle Journal

• Karen Boswell named as new managing director of Hitachi Rail EuropeKaren Boswell was managing director at East Coast Train for five years, until the Virgin Trains franchise took over in March

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• Register now for your free visit to the UK’s premier rail eventRailtex 2015, the UK’s showcase for railway technology, products and systems, will soon be opening its doors, so now is the ideal time to register for your free visit via the show website www.railtex.co.uk.  Railtex takes place at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham from 12 to 14 May. More than 450 companies will be taking part, making this the biggest of these popular exhibitions in over a decade – and an event not to be missed by anyone involved in managing, maintaining or equipping main line or urban rail networks. Busy supporting programme As well as showcasing...
• Hitachi Rail Europe to launch interior concepts for a British bullet train: NEC, Birmingham, 12-14 May, Stand J11Hitachi Rail Europe will be showcasing its headline vision for the future of high speed rail in the UK at this year’s Railtex. The vision encompasses Hitachi’s expertise in delivering rolling stock for HS1 and the iconic Shinkansen trains in Japan. Following extensive user research and passenger studies, Hitachi has developed a conceptual train interior in which the central focus is user experience. The design draws upon key influences from existing and influential rolling stock in the UK and looks forward to address the needs of future passengers, providing a train that has the ...
• National Express on track to meet expectationsNational Express remained on track to meet annual expectations as revenue grew across the board in the first four months of 2015, the transport services operator said on Wednesday. Group revenue rose 4% on a constant currency basis, while passenger volumes climbed 2% across the group's divisions and headline profit was higher than in the corresponding period in 2014. The FTSE 250 group said its businesses in the UK were on a steady footing, driven by rising passenger demand and cost controls in the division, while its c2c rail franchise had started well, as passenger volume grew 4% and revenu...
• Heathrow Express installs platform gap-fillersHeathrow Express (HEx) has become the first rail company in the UK to install platform gap-fillers at its stations to reduce the risk of passenger accidents. The bespoke gap-fillers sit along the edge of station platforms reducing the size of the gap between the train and platform edge. Stepboard accidents are a concern of the whole rail industry. They occur when a passenger falls between the train and the platform edge. They are responsible for 48 per cent of the overall fatality risk to passengers, and cause knock-on delays to train services while the passenger’s welfare is being look...

Rail Magazine

• Karen Boswell appointed Managing Director of Hitachi Rail EuropeFormer East Coast MD among senior level appointments.
• TransPennine Express introduces new staff training schemeFirst TransPennine Express introduces new customer service training.