Last week, Alstom signed a contract with the UK Department for Transport and Transport for London for a further 10 nine-car Aventra trains. These trains will be a continuation of the Class 345 trainsets that are used on the Elizabeth Line. The contract worth is around €430 (£370) million, along with associated maintenance until 2046. According to Alstom,  the Elizabeth line … [Read more...]

Avanti West Coast is celebrating its new timetable, and in the process, introducing its new Evero family of trains. Class 805 Evero at Penmaenmawr on the North Wales Line Six trains out of a fleet of 23 have entered service - these being the of the 5-carriage Class 805. The Evero fleet will be comprised of 10 seven-carriage electric trains (807) and 13 five-carriage … [Read more...]

For those who look back with rose-tinted spectacles, there was a time when Virgin Trains operated on the West Coast main line. Well, it seems they want to again - as an open-access operator. The Return of Virgin Trains? Class 390 Pendolino in Virgin Trains colours - Image, Economy Class and Beyond  The group has started the process towards bringing Virgin back to the … [Read more...]

Firstgroup-owned open-access rail operator Lumo has submitted the first phase of an application for a new open-access rail service between Rochdale and London to the Office of Rail and Road (ORR). Lumo operates between London and Edinburgh as an open-access operator on the East Coast Mainline. The new service calls for trains which would be electric and battery-powered, … [Read more...]

Eurostar has been working in the background and has announced a goal it wishes to meet - ensuring the power its trains draw in France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany and the UK will run off 100% renewable energy by 2030. Channel Tunnel Eurostar Trains at St Pancras International - Image, Economy Class and Beyond. It comes as the train operator releases its first … [Read more...]

SLC Rail and Alstom are proposing a new rail route between Wrexham and London. Let's dive in... as there are some things we need to think about. Wrexham General railway station (Credit - El Pollock) Image, Alstom The new operator will be known as the Wrexham, Shropshire and Midlands Railway (WSMR). It will provide direct connectivity to and from North Wales, Shropshire, … [Read more...]

It seems a new train operator will soon be operating trains on the West Coast Main Line in the United Kingdom - with Grand Union Trains getting the green light. The start of a new service to London - Image, Office of Road and Rail. The new service will allow Grand Union Trains to start a new train service between London and the city of Stirling, from June 2025, bringing … [Read more...]

FirstGroup continues to work on its Lumo brand and where it operates, with it requesting access to extend its services to Glasgow. Lumo Class 802 Train - Image, Lumo/FirstGroup/ The open-access train operator wishes to extend some of its London-Edinburgh trains to and from Glasgow. Having identified opportunities to extend several daily journeys to and from Glasgow … [Read more...]

The London Overground, whilst useful as a transport connection around the capital, can be confusing for some people, given the orange spiral of sometimes non-interconnected lines. Thus, it's time for a big rebrand, with the six lines of the Overground getting new names (akin to how all the London Underground lines have names). The new London Overground - Image, … [Read more...]