Economy Class & Beyond

Rail fares in England to rise by 3.8% from March

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Words that always make me grimace are "Rail Fare" and "rises". Well, the Department of Transport (who are bringing you Zero Air Passenger Duty on flights), are allowing fare rises - capping rises at 3.8% CrossCountry Voyager, Avanti Pendolino and a Transpennine Express Desiro at Manchester Piccadilly - expect the fares on these to jump - Image, Economy Class and … [Read more...]

HS2 announces the winner of its rolling stock tender….

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Whilst still controversial, and sliced and diced, HS2 Limited has announced the winner of who will build rolling stock for its new line operating out of London Euston And it’s a consortium of Alston and Hitachi Rail who will be building the new trains. The Hitachi-Alstom High Speed) 50/50 joint venture has signed contracts with High Speed Two to design, build, … [Read more...]

Eurostar trials facial recognition for contactless travel

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As we continue to move away from paper tickets and such, contactless travel is the current buzzword. iProov and Eurostar have launched a trial to Provide Contactless Travel at London St Pancras International The new service "SmartCheck" went live on 6th December. The SmartCheck service enables passengers to complete secure ticket verification and UK exit check on … [Read more...]

TRAIN CHECK: CrossCountry Trains Birmingham to Manchester – Is there enough capacity in the system?

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Time for a transport check to see how mad things are in the world, as I turn my eye to CrossCountry Trains on a Trip to Manchester. And how in some cases, if building it, they will come - but at what price passenger comfort? Booking I took the 10:57 from Birmingham New Street to Manchester Piccadilly. I booked this the day before, with split-ticketing enabled (saving … [Read more...]

Alstom and Eversholt Rail to develop a Hydrogen powered train

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So far in the UK, the work on Hydrogen-powered trains has been focused on upcycling older trains into "new" trains. Well, Alstom is to work with Eversholt Rail to develop a new-build Hydrogen Multiple Unit. Enter the Hydrogen Adventra, Image, Alstom  Both Alstom and Eversholt Rail announced a Memorandum of Understanding aimed at delivering the UK’s first-ever … [Read more...]

Hitachi Rail, Angel Trains and Transpennine Express work to to create intercity battery hybrid train

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Rail traction traditionally tends to be powered by electricity (be it overhead or via the rail) or via a combustion engine (diesel-powered normally).  Well, Hitachi Rail, Angel Trains and TransPeninne Express have agreed to trial retrofitting batteries on an intercity train - and on Class 802 "Nova 1" train.  Transpennine Express "Nova 1" Class 802 Train - Image, Hitachi … [Read more...]

Lumo commences operations on the East Coast Main Line

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Open Access Train operator Lumo commenced operations, with the first train departing Kings Cross to Edinburhg on a press trip. Lumo Class 803 Hitachi AT300 - Image, Hitachi Rail. Lumo will operate between London Kings Cross and Edinburgh, operating between the principal stations of Stevenage, Newcastle, and Morpeth, with an end-to-end journey taking 4 and a half … [Read more...]

Southeastern Railway to return to Government control

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It seems all is not well, with Her Majestys government stripping Govia of the operating rights of Southeastern Railway. Southeastern Class 707 "CityBeam" train - Image, SouthEastern. For an action like this to be taken - either a train operator is close or near bankrupt, or there is serious fiscal mismanagement has been caught. And it seems money is the route of … [Read more...]

Enter Lumo – The new East Coast Railway competitor

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FirstGroup has been teasing its new Open Access rail operator between London and Scotland for some time now. Well - a brand has been unveiled - enter Lumo.  Lumo Class 803 train - Image, Lumo. Lumo will commence operations between London Kings Cross and Edinburgh on the 25th October 2021, operating between the principal stations of Stevenage, Newcastle, and Morpeth, with an … [Read more...]