Green Signals is a show about railways - its politics, its economics, its people and history. We turn over the issues of the day and talk to the people making t...
63. £500m Hitachi Rail new trains deal for Lumo – but is it in conflict with renationalisation?
A £500 million Hitachi Rail train deal for Lumo & Hull Trains. But is this in direct conflict with the Labour Government’s railway renationalisation plans? We speak to First Rail Managing Director Steve Montgomery to find out more about the deal and discuss what it means for the future of open access.
Blackpool Trams announces suspension of Heritage Trams
And we round up the latest railway stats for passenger journeys, rail freight, performance and more from the Office of Rail and Road (ORR’s) latest Rail Statistics Compendium
In this episode:
(00:00) Intro
(00:48) £500m new train deal
(33:04) ORR Rail Statistics Compendium
(43:29) Blackpool Trams suspends Heritage Tram Tours
(47:04) Thanks to Super Thanks and Members
(49:07) Railway News Round-Up
(49:11) HS2 construction update at Delta Junction
(50:22) Euston station five-point plan update
(51:29) Level crossing misuse in Rye, East Sussex
(54:14) Storm Darragh railway disruption
(56:50) Northumberland Line due to open
(57:56) The Quiz
(01:01:14) Railway 200 – longest-serving railway family
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Credits:
Presenters - Nigel Harris (@railnigel on X) & Richard Bowker CBE (@SRichardBowker). General Manager: Stef Foster (@stefatrail)
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1:04:19
GO-OP: Can a community cooperative run a railway?
Open Access railway operation is a divisive topic. Whilst there have been undoubted success stories with major communities such as Hull and Bradford previously sidelined by the big operators suddenly being reconnected with through services to London, there have been challenges. How much do Open Access services abstract from existing operators, and can they really claim to be operated entirely at the risk of the open access operator, free from public subsidy?
GO-OP rail is a new type of Open Access operator who may just provide an alternative. It’s local, very community based and with a co-operative ownership model that means it is there to serve passengers and workers. It’s all very laudable but it is credible?
Richard went to Taunton to meet GO-OP Chair Alex Lawrie and Vice Chair David Northey to find out.
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Credits:
Presenters - Nigel Harris (@railnigel on X) & Richard Bowker CBE (@SRichardBowker). General Manager: Stef Foster (@stefatrail)
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25:38
62. Heritage railways face ‘existential threat’ & New Transport Secretary takes the helm
Heritage railways face an existential threat as Autumn
Budget tax changes will cost some more than £200,000 a year! We speak to Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railway General Manager and Acting Chair of the Heritage
Railway Association Paul Lewin to find out just how challenging things have become for steam and heritage railways.
Heidi Alexander becomes the new Transport Secretary
following the shock resignation of Louise Haigh
The Public Ownership Bill to nationalise Britain’s railways
receives Royal Assent
And Richard finds out more about Britain’s latest open
access operator Go-Op
Membership: If you want to see even more from Green Signals, including exclusive content, become a member and support the channel further too.
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@GreenSignals/join
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Website - http://www.greensignals.org
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Credits:
Presenters - Nigel Harris (@railnigel on X) & Richard Bowker CBE (@SRichardBowker). General Manager: Stef Foster (@stefatrail)
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58:23
Shock as Transport Secretary Louise Haigh resigns. More chaos for the railway?
Transport Secretary Louise Haigh has stunned her colleagues, the DFT and everyone in the railway by announcing her shock resignation just hours after a story broke regarding a Magistrates’ discharge almost 10 years ago.
Her decision to go quickly rather than try and ride out the storm has thrown the rail industry into yet another period of uncertainty, right at the moment that it looked like a clear plan for the way forward was emerging.
Nigel and Richard discuss the challenges facing the industry in the immediate aftermath of the news and what may lie ahead for pace of the promised reforms.
UPDATE: Almost as soon as we had recorded the show, it was announced that Heidi Alexander, previously Minister for Courts and Social Justice, has been appointed as Secretary of State for Transport. She has also previously been Deputy Mayor of London for Transport from 2018 and departed her role in 2022 to prepare for a return to Parliament which she did at the 2024 General Election. She is the MP for Swindon South.
Membership: If you want to see even more from Green Signals, including exclusive content, become a member and support the channel further too.
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@GreenSignals/join
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Green Signals:
Website - http://www.greensignals.org
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Credits:
Presenters - Nigel Harris (@railnigel on X) & Richard Bowker CBE (@SRichardBowker). General Manager: Stef Foster (@stefatrail)
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17:42
61. Storm Bert rail disruption & Network Rail and SWR tackle leaf fall
Storm Bert wreaks havoc across the railway with heavy flooding and high winds causing major disruption for trains. Richard visits Northampton station, which experienced major flooding when the River Nene burst its banks. Here’s just a snapshot of some of the problems:
Great Western Railway was running very limited services at the start of the week and advising people not to travel.
Greater Anglia stopped running from Liverpool Street to Stansted Airport and Cambridge, along with other routes.
The River Nene burst its banks at Northampton, causing severe disruption to London Northwestern and Avanti West Coast.
Transport for Wales had widespread disruption across their network.
Northern Rail services were cancelled on some routes because of heavy flooding.
West Midlands Railway ran fewer trains.
And ScotRail had to put some travel restrictions in place too.
A new Network Rail and South Western Railway initiative is tackling leaf fall and wheel slip on the network.
Plus… the Young Railway Photographer of the Year competition opens for entries.
In this episode:
(00:00) Intro
(00:45) Storm Bert rail disruption
(12:04) Network Rail and South Western Railway leaf fall initiative
(27:43) Railway Benefit Fund
(38:00) Thanks to Super Thanks and Members
(39:42) Railway News Round Up
(39:44) Bridge strike statistics
(42:06) Northern trains strike 97 objects in a year
(43:37) Most used stations in Britain
(47:22) Jacobite steam train - West Coast Railways customer service
(49:43) Young Railway Photographer of the Year
(58:57) The Quiz
(01:01:36) Colne Valley Viaduct wins an award
Membership: If you want to see even more from Green Signals, including exclusive content, become a member and support the channel further too.
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@GreenSignals/join
Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/GreenSignals
Green Signals:
Website - http://www.greensignals.org
Newsletter - http://www.greensignals.org/#mailing-list
Follow:
X (Twitter) - https://twitter.com/greensignallers
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/green-signals-productions-ltd
Instagram - https://instagram.com/greensignallers
Credits:
Presenters - Nigel Harris (@railnigel on X) & Richard Bowker CBE (@SRichardBowker). General Manager: Stef Foster (@stefatrail)
Green Signals is a show about railways - its politics, its economics, its people and history. We turn over the issues of the day and talk to the people making the decisions that affect all our lives. We also dig into many of the amazing events in the history of an industry that spans nearly 200 years. Nigel Harris (former Managing Editor and Events Director of the leading industry and opinion forming magazine RAIL) and Richard Bowker (former Chair & CEO of the Strategic Rail Authority) steer the show to make it sometimes controversial, frequently irreverent - but always topical and relevant.
UK