TheGreatBritishRailScene

CIS stands for Customer Information System, effectively more commonly known as departure/arrival screens. Infotec is the company that manufactures most of these systems on trains and at stations around the UK - but there's so much more to these systems than meets the eye....  Expectations from customers are constantly expanding. As a result, UK TOCs must keep up with the trends to offer the latest information systems. This is vital to keep customers informed and advised with the latest real-time information.... Traditional CIS expectations: What time is my train due? Which platform? How many carriages? Where's First Class?   Modern-life CIS expectations: Where can I purchase my low-fat mocha once I'm on the train? Is my seat reservation going to be honoured (or will I need to fight for it)? I've been too busy to check posters, so can I have an Engineering Summary now as I'm travelling this weekend? Even "I intend to know where to stow my bike without sp...

Happy New Year! Best Wishes From All Of Us Here At GBRailScene, The Unbiased/Accurate Blog For UK Rail News.  Also, Sorry Once Again For The Lack Of Posts, Difficult To Keep This Page Going Considering We're All Busy. Apologies For Reduced Effort - We Aim To Keep The Page Open As Long As Possible!  Anyway, Now A Welcome To The Latest Long-Awaited Summary Regarding Automated Announcements Currently Used On The UK Rail Network......  This article will highlight which voiceover artists are used for pre-automated announcements at each of the UK Train Operating Companies.  Generally, Anne from ATOS is the main person used ( she's even heard in Ireland ), as the ATOS system becomes the most popular information provision system. 

As previously reported , GWR are gradually repainting their fleet. Rather than being in "Dynamic Lines" (with the colourful swirls) or "Local Lines" (with place-names of stations on their network) livery, they're going into a two-tone green guise.  This is most certainly a hint of nostalgia for how GWR used to be before privatisation. This is as part of First Group's, whom run the Great Western franchise, plan to create the new brand identity.  Rather than summarising all the different units again in the livery, I'm just going to reproduce these images so you can see for yourself.....  As you can see, even the 153s are getting a facelift! I take the opportunity now to t hank J.Greener for the photos.  Here you can compare the old blue livery to the shiny new guise. Also note the affirm of the logo to the doorway..... But of course, it isn't all green galore. Here is their variation of their heritage Intercity Swallow colours...

As you've probably seen, Southern Rail let a 15 year old on work experience takeover their Twitter account earlier this week. Within hours, #AskEddie was trending on Twitter, with many people asking questions like what they should have for tea, and requesting that Eddie solved their riddles or answered their dilemmas. Exactly one month ago Greater Anglia unveiled an artist's impression of the Stadler FLIRT, which will replace class 153s, 156, and 170 units on its rural lines, as well as having another variation of the stock for the Intercity Norwich to London mainline and the Stansted Express.  This invoked over 1000 responses, with feedback on the seating layout, wide doorways and vestibules, USB ports and plug sockets. Greater Anglia have used the Feedback to finalise the design of the Stadler FLIRT fleet.  Also this week, the BBC have reported that Sugar Loaf station on the Arriva Trains network is Wales quietest station. A visitor book has bee...

GENERAL NEWS AND UPDATES..... Firstly, class 88  testing is soon to commence , as reported in this link from Rail Magazine. Meanwhile, sister 68027 of the older batch is currently being used on the Greater Anglia Short Hauled Set. It's only in standard blue livery because it'll be transferring to Transpennine Express to haul their MK5 coaches, thus will be repainted.

AN UPDATE TO HERE (ONE) AND THIS (TWO), REGARDING EX- GATWICK EXPRESS CLASS 442S WHICH ARE CURRENTLY (OR ARE SOON TO BE, AS ARE STILL AT GE) GOING INTO STORAGE.......                                                                                                 As previously reported, Class 442s have gradually been going into storage following the arrival of Class 387s. Angel Trains, the leaser of these units, will undertake an overhaul on the fleet though to give them a lease of life. Well, since that announcement, Alliance Rail Holdings has proposed to launch a Southampton to London Waterloo service from December 2017, to compete with the current demand for services in the region, using this fleet of refurbished Class 442s.

RILA Equipment - Colchester ~ J Maxim 2016. Harry Here, With An Automated Post As I Post Rarely Now..... Great Work Jonathan Who Now Runs The Blog. I Thought You'd Appreciate Me Summarising Some Of The News Stories From October 2016.  The RILA equipment shown below monitors the track, and has been used on the Norwich to London mainline this autumn. Also, GWR have a new livery for one of their GWR green HSTs , following the reopening of the Severn Tunnel. 

TIM MILLER   First Video Progress Of The Manufacturing Of ScotRail Class 385 - First Units Undergo Tests -  CLICK HERE... SUMMARY ONCE AGAIN: The first 24 are due in service in December 2017, arriving from Japan .  The 385s will be used on routes around Edinburgh and Glasgow, replacing some of the TurboStars ( some already at Southern ) - Edinburgh Waverley to Glasgow Queen Street (via Falkirk), Edinburgh to Dunblane/Alloa, Glasgow to Dunblane/Alloa, Glasgow to Cumbernauld/Falkirk Grahamston, Edinburgh to North Berwick / Dunbar / Berwick and Edinburgh to Newton/Neilston routes  FACTFILE HE RE. 

06:19 London Midland Service from Milton Keynes to London Euston station formed of 350264 at the front  has derailed at Watford Junction.  This is after hitting obstruction on track as result of a landslide outside the Hunton Bridge tunnel which occured due to heavy rain. There are currently two injuries, and the train has some damage to the cab as it was clipped in by 350 233 going the other way. Line reopened 4 hours later. Now From George Browning Rail Photos: "66727 Approaching Eastleigh platform 3 working 0Z27 Eastleigh Works GBRF - Peterborough GBRF. Seen in a brand spanking new livery with a covered name plate. Previously in First GBRF Barbie livery."

As Many Of You Are Aware, The AGA Franchise Renews This October For Services In East Anglia, Including To Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex and Cambridgeshire. Abellio Continue The Franchise, But Renamed East Anglia Ltd.  Greater Anglia, as it was at first, began in February 2012 - operating the short term tender which was due to expire in July 2014. However, the Government later extended this franchise, and it then became the rebranded Abellio Greater Anglia.

NEWS THIS WEEK, FROM ME (HARRY), FOR SOUTH EASTERN OVERHAULS PROGRAMME STUART COX (C). Many thanks for permission.  As previously reported by Andy, the South Eastern Class 375s are receiving an  overhaul .

456  006 sits at Guildford - Pic  © Andy Crawley . On the 8th May in 2012, the Department for Transport announced that the 24 2 car Class 456's would be transferred from Southern to South West trains to lengthen train lengths in peak services.  The Southern services on the South London Line were removed late in 2012 and replaced by London Overground services. 456 005 sat on it's own, waiting for refurbishment-  Pic  © Steve P. These 48 carriages are to be repainted (some currently completed) in to Metro Colour to match South West Trains Class 455's as part of a £15 million refurbishment plan. This special post expresses the current livery, the new livery & the history of these units.