News archive

23 February 2024 10:00

New lease of life for Henley-in-Arden station as Network Rail’s chair Lord Peter Hendy opens new community space

Yesterday (Thursday 22 February), representatives from the Railway Heritage Trust, Henley-in-Arden Parish Council, West Midlands Railway, Friends of the Shakespeare Line and Friends of Henley Railway Station joined Network Rail’s Lord Peter Hendy to open Henley-in-Arden’s newly refurbished station building.
The original station building, which dates back to 1908, has been repurposed into a styl

19 February 2024 11:30

London Northwestern Railway: Full timetable resumes on Marston Vale Line

A full rail timetable has resumed on the Marston Vale Line between Bletchley and Bedford today (Monday 19 February).
A partial service has been running on the line since November 2023 when operator London Northwestern Railway (LNR) introduced a replacement train fleet. Prior to that, rail replacement had been in operation on the line since December 2022 after the company which maintained the Cl

13 February 2024 15:45

Passengers thanked after West Coast main line reopens following emergency landslip repairs

Network Rail has thanked passengers after completing major repairs to stabilise a railway embankment on the West Coast main line after storms and heavy rain caused a landslip between Coventry and Rugby on Sunday 11 February.
The railway between London Euston and Birmingham reopened this afternoon (Tuesday 13 February) after rail engineers closed the line to secure the embankment allowing trai

13 February 2024 11:00

London Northwestern Railway: Full timetable to resume on Marston Vale Line as £1 tickets launched

A full timetable will resume on the Marston Vale Line between Bedford and Bletchley next week, operator London Northwestern Railway (LNR) has announced today.
A partial timetable has been in operation on the route since November 2023, with four services per day in each direction during weekday morning and afternoon peaks. Prior to this the line had been served by rail replacement buses since De

13 February 2024 09:30

West Midlands Railway: Class 730 fleet enters service between Wolverhampton and Walsall

A brand new West Midlands Railway (WMR) electric train fleet has carried its first passengers this week, marking the start of a new era of rail travel in the region.

The first Class 730 to carry passengers in the region was Monday's 10.41pm departure from Birmingham New Street to Wolverhampton. From today, the trains are operating services on the Wolverhampton-Walsall (via Birmingham) route

12 February 2024 06:30

Passengers urged to check before travelling as landslip causes travel disruption between Birmingham and London

Passengers travelling on the West Coast Main Line between Birmingham and London are being urged to check their journeys on Monday due to disruption following a landslip near Rugby.
Through Monday (12 February), one of the two tracks which connect Coventry and Rugby will remain closed while engineers cut back and clear vegetation from the railway embankment. This critical clearance work will hel

8 February 2024 12:30

New era of rail travel to begin as West Midlands Railway unveils electric train fleet

A new era is set to begin for rail passengers in the West Midlands after West Midlands Railway unveiled its brand new fleet of electric trains.
The Class 730 fleet will enter service in the region for the first time next week, carrying passengers between Wolverhampton, Birmingham and Walsall. Later this year, in spring, the fleet will also enter service on the busy Cross City Line, connecting L

26 January 2024 10:07

New University Station buildings to open their doors this Sunday

University Railway Station’s impressive new buildings open their doors to passengers for the first time this Sunday.
With new wider entrances, stairways and exits serving the neighbouring University of Birmingham and Queen Elizabeth Hospital, more open space to circulate and wait, lifts to the platforms, a larger ticket office and better customer facilities it will offer a vastly improved exper

22 January 2024 10:00

West Midlands Railway issues warning to fare evaders after thousands fined

Bosses at West Midlands Railway (WMR) have issued a warning to fare evaders after new figures released today revealed the company issued thousands of fines for non-payment last year.
The warning comes one year after the national Penalty Fare for ticketless travel increased to a minimum of £100 in a bid to cut fare evasion.
In 2023, WMR and sister company London Northwestern Railway issued a

22 January 2024 10:00

London Northwestern Railway issues warning to fare evaders after thousands fined

Bosses at London Northwestern Railway (LNR) have issued a warning to fare evaders after new figures released today revealed the company issued thousands of fines for non-payment last year.
The warning comes one year after the national Penalty Fare for ticketless travel increased to a minimum of £100 in a bid to cut fare evasion.
In 2023, LNR and sister company West Midlands Railway issued a

15 January 2024 09:20

Historic platform canopies restored at Great Malvern station

Victorian platform canopies have been renovated at Great Malvern station in Worcestershire as part a £5m investment to improve the station for passengers.
Network Rail has worked with its contractor Murphy to replace overhead glazing, complete structural strengthening and repainting of the ornate ironwork on both of the station's platform canopies.
The project which was supported by West Mid

11 January 2024 16:00

Rail industry announces positive findings of long-term University of Cambridge research project into staff safety and body-worn cameras

Rail industry and the University of Cambridge announce findings of multi-year research project around body-worn cameras for rail staff Research shows that staff wearing cameras decreases assault rate by nearly 50 per cent and has “a substantial impact on court outcomes” Body-worn cameras have a powerful impact in stopping assaults from happening, by acting as a visible deterrent Rail industry pla