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Friday, 12 April 2019

Department for Transport

• New appointments made to strengthen HS2 Ltd boardDame Judith Hackitt and Stephen Hughes appointed to the HS2 Ltd board as non-executive directors.

The Guardian

• Virgin Trains is a Bransonian dystopia – good riddance to itI’m not misty-eyed about British Rail, but I do want a world where trains run as a service and don’t niff like a used nappy
• Richard Branson's Virgin Group has made £300m from rail franchisesSir Richard Branson’s Virgin Group will have taken at least £306m in dividends from Virgin Trains by the time the firm’s 22-year tenure as a rail operator comes to an end within the next 12 months.

The Telegraph

• Inside the revamped Caledonian Sleeper, with double beds and hotel-style keycards [subscription]The Caledonian Sleeper has revealed its long-awaited makeover.

Times Online

• Grayling under fire for Stagecoach ban [Subscription]Chris Grayling, the transport secretary, came under fire from MPs after the government disqualified Stagecoach from bidding for rail franchises.
• On fast track for state-owned rail [subscription]So much for Jeremy Corbyn. Who needs him to renationalise the railways? If he ever gets to power, he’ll find the job already done — by that arch leftie Chris Grayling.

City AM

• Liz Truss is right to hit the brakes – HS2 would put us all on the train to nowhereThe bogeyman of politics may be ousted for good, if the chief secretary to the Treasury has anything to say about it.
• Rail union boss threatens national shutdown following Stagecoach pensions rowThe boss of one of the UK's largest transport unions has threatened a national shutdown on the railways following a row over pensions that escalated after the government barred Stagecoach from bidding for three rail franchises.

Bolton News

• Testing of £500m train fleet delayed after engineers discover a faultTESTING of a £500m fleet of new trains has been partially halted after a fault was discovered. A problem was found in Northern’s 98 trains, built by Spanish train manufacturer CAF in Irun and Zaragoza, which have been undergoing testing since the first unit arrived in the UK in late 2018.

London Evening Standard

• National rail strike threat as operator's pension row with Grayling escalatesUnion barons today warned of the first national rail strike for more than two decades in an escalating row over staff pensions.

North Wales Live

• With Virgin Trains disqualified - these are the firms that could run our rail services in the futurePassengers were left shocked yesterday by decision to stop Virgin from bidding for new West Coast franchise
• Anglesey railway bridge damaged when lorry got wedged under it must be repaired The crossing at Llangefni carried the Gaerwen to Amlwch line which enthusiasts want to reopen

Rail Technology Magazine

• Branson says Virgin Trains could be gone by November after 'baffling' DfT franchise decisionVirgin Trains could disappear from Britain’s railways by the end of the year, Sir Richard Branson has announced after the government disqualified its joint franchise bid with Stagecoach. Branson he was “devastated” by the decision after Virgin, which is 49% owned by Stagecoach...
• Train 'fortunate' to avoid collision after breaking through barriers at a level crossing, RAIB reportsThe RAIB has published a raft of safety measures after a train ran onto a level crossing and broke through the barriers in what could have been a fatal incident. The engineering train was approaching a level crossing at Penrhyn in Wales on 6 January 2019 and did not stop, striking the closed...
• 'Huge challenges ahead' as Crossrail bosses say new rolling stock coming in DecemberA possible opening date for Crossrail could be announced by the end of month and Class 345 Elizabeth Line trains to be introduced in December but there are “huge challenges ahead,” Crossrail bosses have warned. Crossrail chief executive Mark Wild has warned that progress continues to...

Other News Sources

• Final bill for Crossrail could rise even further, admits transport ministerTory peer says last year's £2.8bn bailout might still not be enough
• Liz Truss is right to take a hard look at HS2The kings of Siam used to gift a white elephant to courtiers to whom they took a dislike. The elephants would be incredibly costly to maintain as they required special food and housing and it was illegal for the owner to sell them or to put them to work. What is more, the owner would have to arrange for the public to worship them. The unfortunate recipient would thus be reduced to penury.