TheGreatBritishRailScene

Welcome to this long-awaited summary of rail news, covering February and March 2018.  The main news from March was of course owing to the Beast From The East. Let's not mention the weather, though. I'll just direct you to some fantastic shots... WALKING IN A WINTER WONDERLAND. AND snow ploughs.... CLICK RIGHT HERE.   Oh, here is another photo you may like, it features 37s in East Anglia.  If you're a fan of 66s instead though, this'll tickle your fancy... DAB THIS BUTTON. Leading  on from our special post about CIS displays at stations , it has recently been announced that Greater Anglia will also upgrade information screens at stations. NOTE - THESE ARE NOT PROVIDED BY INFOTECH. Simone Bailey, Greater Anglia’s Asset Management Director, said: “We have been focusing our efforts on improving information provision for our customers – especially during disruption - and these new screens demonstrate our commitment to providing up-to-date information, in ...

Harry Here, Summarising Some Of The Interesting Fleet News Between Oct 2016 and Spring 2017...... 10/2016: 142073 heads to  Doncaster for overhaul , as all ArrivaTrainsWales are going into the new livery gradually. 27/01/2017: 37423 and an extra DRS MK2 arrive at Norwich from  Derby, for Short Set usage.  Meanwhile, 68021 and 68016 arrive to take over duty's on the 68 Hauled Anglia Short Set, because 68025 and 68005 both need exams.  01/17: Virgin East coast finish the overhaul of all 45 trains! 

This Is The 2017 Summary, To State The Voices Used In Announcements At Stations And On Trains Around The UK: 

Harry here, for what looks to be my final post, as you were probably all expecting at some point now. Though saying this, it's still an exciting time for UK Railways at the minute, with so much investment and improvements being made.

Welcome To The 1st Week Review For August. Some Of This News Also Regards The End Of June/July, Just As We Haven't Reported All Of The Significant Stories Out There Yet!  GE Focus: Following on  from older posts,  I now bring a quick update on Gatwick Express.  387s are the talk  of the town, entering service on the corridor. And they have gone elsewhere too, as  387202  has been on loan to  TLink  whilst one of their 387/1s undergo maintenance. And what happened to the class 442s and 460s? Well 442s have been  going into storage,  eventually leaving just of these at GE by Summer. The 460s have been gone a while, dismantled and the internal carriages used to add a coach to SWT 458/5s. The  driving cars are at Doncaster still. 

Dear GB Rail Scene, I  am writing to you with regards to the post dated Tuesday 11 November 2014: Plans for UK Train Stock and Units by Harry.  I would like to add my own comments with regards to what is happening to trains affected by PRM TSI (Persons of Reduced Mobility Technical Specification for Interoperability and replaces Disability Discrimination Act), which comes into effect from 1 January 2020 and features the following legal requirements:        EAO series 56 ‘easy to see, easy to press’ yellow circular LED Passenger Door Controls.       Audible door opening sounders and door closing hustle alarms.      Easily accessible grab poles/sanchlions.        Ceiling mounted passenger information displays and audio announcements.        Internal gangway door handles.        RVAR universal accessible toilet (if the train is already fitted with toilets)

Kirkstall Forge station, on the Northern Rail network in Leeds, opened on Sunday 19th June - providing one train per hour in each direction. The orignal station was not too far from the current site, but this one is host to numerous aspects: 129 spaces in the carpark; Fully accessible platforms; A footbridge and ramps; Secure cycle parking; and Waiting shelters.

The Week Review Is Back, By Popular Demand! And We're Giving This Series A Whole New Lease Of Life With A New Style! So Here We Go.... Today, we tie up loose ends of news we haven't yet reported on this blog.

Edd Hughes.   Southern: As announced in 2015, ScotRail lost 9 of their 170/4 units as they prep for new additions  - though  5 of these have returned to ScotRail following  sub-lease.  The units which are staying were cascaded to Southern due to plans to use the stock on the Uckfield branch - converted into 171s so they're compatible with the existing units of their fleet. Anyone wishing to identify these ex-170/4 units, just look at the headlight arrangement compared to sister 171 units.

In 2021 First Group will launch a new rail service between Edinburgh, Stevenage and London. BBC say 'A new budget rail service between Edinburgh and London has been given the green light by the Rail Regulator from 2021. The 10-year deal will allow First Group to operate five trains a day each way. It said average fares would be less than £25 and there would be only one class of carriage.'

Harry Here Today. Welcome To Our General News Update Post! Without Further Ado.... To see what has already been posted, and to be able to refer to these developing stories, see here , here  and here .  RENATUS : This programme is well underway, as reported! Units 321303 , 321304 and 321321 (as seen to the right, captured by J Maxim at Doncaster) are all due back in Anglia following Renatus overhaul this Spring.  Fleet List for the full database. 

Faster, longer, greener trains for Scotland are soon to become reality.  The 385's which will be running Scotland's rails from Autumn 2017 are coming closer to completion. A pilot is already available at Edinburgh Waverley.  These 70 new trains will run on 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 from  December 2018 onwards, says Scotrail. 321s and HSTs also join the fleet.