London North East Railway - which operates the London Kings Cross to Edinburgh route via the East Coast Main Line has unveiled a repaint for their Class 91 locomotives. And if you're not paying attention, you'd think you've gone back in time with the livery they've chosen. LNER's new livery for the Class 91 Locomotives - Image, LNER  The design … [Read more...]

It's coming up to the extra-long Platinum Jubilee Bank Holiday. If you're planning to head to London or travel for celebrations - what major engineering works are there to look forward to? Don't expect to see many empty platforms at mainline stations this weekend. There is a lot less work going on this bank holiday weekend, with major works suspended with "normal" … [Read more...]

After years of discussion, various proposals and more than a few delays, the Elizabeth Line in London is set to open to the public on 24th May. What is going on and what to expect? Well, here are more than a few thoughts, assumptions and darn good guesses. Show me a two-minute guide. Geoff Marshall is here explaining it for you. Why are there three lines? When will … [Read more...]

Izy - the "slower" and "lower cost" service operated by Thalys is to cease services on the 10th of July 2022, ending six years of operations. Izzy currently operates services between Paris Gare du Nord and Brussels Midi. Instead of using high-speed lines that connect Paris and Brussels together, they chose to operate on the conventional railway lines - … [Read more...]

One of the last major regulatory hurdles for the opening of the Elizabeth Line/Crossrail has been cleared, with the Office of Rail and Road delivering final authorisation for the line to be opened. The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) has issued approvals for all the Elizabeth line stations – with the exception of Bond Street – confirming the stations and … [Read more...]

In 20 days' time, The Elizabeth Line - or CrossRail will do something it hasn't ever done before - it will carry fare-paying passengers fo the first time as the new line is set to open. Time to put the Purple Trains into the use they were built for - Class 345 Elizabeth Line train at London Paddington - Image, Economy Class and Beyond  Transport for London (TfL) … [Read more...]

We’re barrelling towards the Early Spring Bank Holiday - or another chance for a long weekend by jumping on a train and heading off somewhere. As usual, is that a good idea?  Good luck getting a train out of Euston Station for a start - Image, Economy Class and Beyond. Whilst the majority of the network, there are major pinch points that will be shut - including … [Read more...]

Avanti West Coast - the operator of intercity services on the West Coast Main Line - has unveiled the first of the long-anticipated refurbishment of its Pendolino (Class 390) fleet. First class seats  The refurbishment of the Pendolino fleet is part of a £117 million upgrade programme that should add further capacity to the trains, as well as an updated … [Read more...]