Transportinfo.org.uk - today's transport news in the uk, hand picked for you each morning

Monday, 15 October 2018

BBC News

• Blasting leaves from the rail linesHigh pressure water and sand are applied to the tracks to remove
• West Coast rail: Virgin Trains and Stagecoach net £51.2m in dividendsDespite walking away from another franchise, Virgin Trains and Stagecoach shared £51.2m in dividends.
• A '15 year journey' to transform Welsh railwayThe new operators of Wales and Borders rail services have taken over the running of the franchise.

ITV News

• Transport for Wales has taken over the Wales and Border franchise

The Herald

• New ScotRail trains returning to service after fault fixedThree trains were taken out of service on October 4.

The Independent

• Richard Branson under fire over £52m Virgin Rail and Stagecoach payoutThe payout came months before the companies pulled out of the East Coast line, forcing a £2bn government bail out

This is Money

• Billionaires Sir Richard Branson and Stagecoach founder Sir Brian Souter share £52m rail payoutSir Richard Branson and Stagecoach founder Sir Brian Souter have shared a £52million payout from the West Coast Main Line railway.

Bristol Live

• Long forgotten: Bristol's lost railways stationsThere were 13 more railway stations in and around Bristol before the 1980s, including one under Clifton Suspension Bridge

Yorkshire Evening Post

• Tim Farron: Chris Grayling has run out of excuses for failure on the railways NO ONE took charge during the timetable chaos that caused severe disruption on Britain’s railways this year. That was 
the judgement by the regulator last month, the Office of Rail and Road 
(ORR).
• YEP says: We must heed HS2 warnings of impact on Leeds city centre NO huge engineering project can be completed without disruption and some collateral damage
• Rail network 'crippling the North': Leeds commuter's angry open letter about life as a Northern passengerThe rail network is “single-handedly crippling the North of England”, one angry rail commuter has said.

Plymouth Herald

• The real reason the Dawlish mainline is closed and all trains are cancelled AGAINA six foot hole opened up under the tracks despite warnings to Network Rail four years ago

Other Regional Press

• Ten new trainees all 'fired up' to learn heritage railway skills on FFWHRTEN new trainees are all 'fired up' to learn new skills on one of Wales most iconic heritage railways.
• Rail shakeup on Larbert to Dunblane line The railway line between Larbert and Dunblane will close for several days from today while work to electrify the Stirling, Dunblane and Alloa lines is carried out.

The Business Desk

• Fury over Virgin Rail Group West Coast franchise dividendLabour has hit out at reports that Virgin Trains and Stagecoach shared £51.2m worth of dividends from the West Coast main line railway.

Other News Sources

• New branding comes to Wrexham – as Arriva Trains Wales leaves the station foreverSunday marked both the end and dawn of a new era for rail passengers as Arriva Trains Wales ended its services for Wales and Borders passengers, with the new branding locally being the first signs of the new way forward.
• £90 million cash boost for Surrey and Hampshire stationsSouth Western Railway have announced a multi-million pound investment into stations across the network.