Almost 10 years ago, CRRC (China Railway Rolling Stock Company), the world’s largest rail rolling stock and railcar components company, a Chinese Communist Party SOE (State-Owned Enterprise), set forth a grand strategy to dominate the …
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Who owns the trains? ROSCOs & their repatriated profits (RailwayTechnology)
All three rolling stock companies, or ROSCOs, have parent companies in low-tax jurisdictions. In the realm of British rail transportation, a curious financial arrangement defines the landscape of locomotives hurtling across England, Scotland, and Wales. …
Continue readingMassive night train orders for 6 European operators from 3+ manufacturers (Mediarail Rail)
Six countries – or rather six operators – in Europe are investing in new night trains by purchasing new rolling stock. Most of the projects are located in the eastern and northern half of Europe. …
Continue readingFast Charge Battery Train Trial: Video (IMechE)
GWR presentation to the IMechE about the Greenford branch Fast Charging Trial. In collaboration with the former company Vivarail, GWR will trial new fast charging battery-charging technology on its network, paving the way for future …
Continue readingLayoffs at Adif & Renfe after train too big for tunnels design debacle (RailTech)
An error in the design of the new fleet for the Spanish metric gauge networks in Asturias and Cantabria will likely delay delivery of the rolling stock by several years. The current train design means …
Continue readingUpgrading the Underground’s Central line Tube stock (RailEngineer)
The demand for train services in London is large, growing, and is expected to continue to do so despite the hiatus caused by Covid-19. This trend has been apparent since the early 1980s. London Underground …
Continue readingRFID is the answer to defective wheels on UK railways (RailTech)
Flat spots, hot boxes, and host of other problems could be tackled by the technology originally developed to keep retail goods safe from light-fingered shop lifters. Radio-frequency identification (RFID) is set to be rolled on …
Continue readingJR West to order tilting EMUs (RailwayGazette)
West Japan Railway plans to order four 11-car Series 273 electric multiple-units to replace the Series 381 trainsets used on Yakumo Limited Express services on the Hakubi line. This 1 067 mm gauge route runs across the main island …
Continue readingIn Pictures: Overground Class 710s Enter Service
After what can only be described as a painful gestation, the first of London Overground’s new Class 710s have now entered service.
Continue readingThird World Class Capacity: Cancelling Tube Upgrades
On Friday, 13 October 2017 TfL officially announced a ‘pause’ to its Jubilee and Northern lines World Class Capacity programme. This harked back to a similar statement made by Patrick McLoughlin, then Transport Minister, about …
Continue readingMore Trains for London Overground: A Bargain Never to be Repeated
One of the rules of LR is that the more innocuous the title, the more interesting a TfL committee paper is likely to be. Additional New Rolling Stock for London Overground for the October 2017 …
Continue readingWhy capacity won’t increase on Southeastern Metro any time soon
Way back in 2011 we wrote a piece called Two Of Our Carriages Are Missing. It was about the long term failure to provide 12-car trains on Southeastern Metro services via London Bridge to Charing …
Continue readingBakerloo Déjà Vu: Buying New Trains for the DLR
With tight curves and other unique features. Buying trains for the DLR means buying bespoke. We look at TfL’s current plans to renew the rolling stock and the timescales involved.
Continue readingThe Elizabethan Age: Crossrail’s Trains Make Their Debut
Today saw the official unveiling of the first of Crossrail’s Class 345s, built by Bombardier in Derby. It would be rude, therefore, not to share with LR readers some photos of the new class in …
Continue readingIn Pictures: “An Album of Railway Engines”
Between our more detailed pieces it is nice, occasionally, to draw breath. Beginning in 1875 cigarette cards became a popular collectable in both the UK and abroad. They often featured illustrations of various modes of …
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