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Wednesday, 07 February 2018

BBC News

• 'Plastic pig' trains undergo revamp in EastleighTrains nicknamed "plastic pigs" in the 1980s are set to come back into service later this year after being refurbished in Eastleigh, Hampshire.
• Carillion chief says his decisions were 'best for the business'Keith Cochrane, Carillion's interim chief executive, tells the committee he was
• Carillion: Ex-chairman Philip Green takes blame for collapseFormer chairman Philip Green tells MPs he takes

ITV News

• South Western Railway begins £100m upgradeSouth Western Railway has started work on a £100 million upgrade of its trains, the biggest ever of its kind.

Financial Times

• Chief executive of Network Rail to retireMark Carne has spent four tumultuous years at UK’s railway infrastructure operator
• East Coast rail franchise woes set the UK a tough choiceCompanies must not profiteer, but privatisation depends on reasonable margins
• Stark choices for Chris Grayling over failed East Coast rail lineTransport secretary must renationalise or ‘reward’ failure

The Guardian

• Network Rail boss Mark Carne to step down this yearThe head of Network Rail is to step down later this year, with his position having come under increased pressure from government.

Times Online

• Grayling misses his rail connection [Subscription]Spotting a strategic visionary can be tricky — not least in this government. So, how lucky that one cabinet minister has saved everyone the trouble by already identifying himself as a proper futurist thinker: Chris Grayling, transport secretary.
• How Stagecoach’s ‘best ever’ east coast rail franchise failed [subscription]Stagecoach’s bid to run the troubled east coast rail franchise was praised by the government as the “highest quality” it had ever seen — and then three years later it collapsed.
• Network Rail boss Mark Carne quits after Whitehall whispers [subscription]The chief executive of Network Rail is to leave the company after speculation that the government wanted him out because of delays to major upgrades.

Mail Online

• Fat-cat boss of Network Rail to retire aged 58 Mark Carne, 58, who is the head of Network Rail announced yesterday he will retire from is £820,000-a-year job, which made him Britain's highest payed public servant.

Network Rail

• Infrastructure insights: railway signallingThe changes we’re making to an ageing signalling system are an essential part of our vision for a better railway for a better Britain.

Birmingham Post

• HS2 give homeowners three months to leave but residents 'want better deal' Residents of Common Lane, Ward End are demanding a fair price for their homes

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Push for high-speed rail station in Bradford city centre continues CAMPAIGNERS fighting to bring high-speed rail to Bradford are urging people to share their views as they continue to push the case for a city centre station on the Northern Powerhouse Rail line.

Manchester Evening News

• Metrolink bosses unveil plans to 'corral' Manchester United fans at Trafford Bar stop There are plans for a permanent queuing system at the popular fan stop

Northern Echo

• Newton Aycliffe trainbuilder Hitachi Rail Europe says first East Coast trains expected on lines in DecemberA RAIL operator’s franchise woes will have no bearing on a trainbuilder’s rolling stock supply deal, company bosses have told The Northern Echo.

The Press and Journal (Aberdeen)

• Nicola Sturgeon urged to intervene in East Coast rail ‘fiasco’First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has been urged to intervene in a “fiasco” over the future of the East Coast rail line between Aberdeen and London.

The York Press

• York Station revamp pledge despite Virgin franchise blowVIRGIN Trains East Coast has sought to allay concerns that its £1.5 million scheme to revamp York Railway Station will be derailed by the latest franchise shock.

Yorkshire Evening Post

• Rail workers left 'dangling by a string' over East Coast MainlineThousands of rail workers have been left "dangling by a string" because of unanswered questions over the future of the East Coast mainline, a union has warned.

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• Mark Carne to retire from Network Rail Mark Carne, the chief executive of Network Rail, has advised the Board that he has decided to retire from the company later this year. The timing of his announcement ensures that a new chief executive will be established in the role before the start of the next five year regulatory control period which begins in April 2019. Mr Carne joined Network Rail in January 2014. During his time as chief executive, he has steered the company through the period of being reclassified into the public sector, and skilfully handled the significant rebasing of the delivery plan that was required following t...

Global Rail News

• Bidders shortlisted for East Midlands franchiseAbellio, Arriva, Stagecoach and a FirstGroup/Trenitalia joint venture have been shortlisted for the new East Midlands rail franchise.

New Civil Engineer

• Tunnelling preferred option for Heathrow rail linkHeathrow Southern Railway executive director Graham Cross has said tunnelling is his preferred option for the new 13km long “missing link” railway line connecting Heathrow Airport to the local network in the South East.

Railway Gazette

• Eva to offer 100%-connected high speed at low costSPAIN: On February 6 Development Minister Íñigo de la Serna unveiled Eva, a smart train concept...
• Virgin Trains East Coast franchise to end within monthsUK: InterCity East Coast franchisee Virgin Trains East Coast has breached ‘a key financial...

Other News Sources

• Scotrail trains 'nearly 500,000 seats short' in 2017Scotrail trains were running nearly half a million seats fewer than planned last year, it has emerged.