TheGreatBritishRailScene

SouthEastern have updated the software for CIS screens at their stations.  More information here.  Meanwhile, South Western Railway will introduce the ATOS system for their announcements as of October 28th.  Default announcements, using Roger (also heard on Great Western Railway) and Anne (used around most of the UK).  In other news: GWR Night Riviera Lounge Cars fully refurbished . 3 ScotRail 314s off-lease, as the new fleet is introduced.  Class 320 on test with LNWR.  HST for ScotRail. 

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...

For those of you who follow us on Twitter, you'll see us sharing, liking and posting news, stories and photos.  However, for those of you who aren't apart of the social media platform, I wouldn't want you to miss out on anything exciting .  So that's why we've condensed down the year so far from our Twitter feed into this handy dosage.... It's practically a year review, so we'll call it just that....  At the start of 2017,  345002 was on tests and trials prior to entering service on the Liverpool Street to Shenfield section of the Cross-Rail route. In June, the first of the new fleet  went into passenger service. Also in February, Thameslink 387124 went on hire to Gatwick Express. Brand spanking new  EMUs were planned for Mersey Rail. Between the 8th and 23rd April, there were significant upgrades to Bath Spa station. Primarily, the platform were widened to ensure that the gap isn't so big between the train & platform edge once the ne...

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.

Soon we'll say farewell to the final few 442s which are being leased at Gatwick Express, as 387s step in fully.  But the 442s aren't going without a fight. On Sunday 12th March, it'll be there farewell tour as arranged by the Branch Line Society and Govia. The service will be formed of at least 5-cars, 442 402 or 410, and there'll be catering facilities onboard. The route currently planned (awaiting Network Rail schedule) is: 10:30 London Victoria - Clapham Junction - Beckenham Junction - West Norwood and then back to London Victoria via Clapham Jctn. The train will then run south towards East Croydon and Three Bridges, then onto Brighton before heading back up towards New Cross Gate, Selhurst Depot and London Victoria (19.43). Finally the train will operate down to Stewarts lane and back to Victoria in time for 21:09. 

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! 

London Midland have defended the short formation of some of their services. January 2017 "Customers regularly using our weekday trains to and from Euston during November and December will probably have noticed one or more services operating with fewer carriages than advertised. If you are one of these people, we are very sorry for any discomfort and inconvenience you have experienced. Below you will find information on why there has been an increase in short trains on the route and what we are doing to improve things."

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.

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. 

As you probably remember, the milestone SPM Depot Open Day was at the start of May, with an array of locomotives, stock and DMUs.  Such a good event, with such variety, that we've decided to take a trip down memory lane - we return to the Open Day for lots of photos plus a few descriptions.

In order to celebrate the 15th Anniversary of GBRf, numerous charity tours will take place around the UK between the 8th/11th September - where momey will be donated to the British Heart Foundation, Ripple Project and Woking Hines - as nominated by GBRf staff. These tours will be using 15 of their locomotives,  including  59003  since it has returned to the UK and  66779  ( the final built 66 ), along with 20s, 47s, 73/1s,  73/9s,  86s and 92s, trailed by a convoy of air-conditioned MK2s with First Class and Standard Accommodation available (plus a buffet car for a selection of light refreshments and a sales outlet for memorabilia. 

IN SUMMARY: - Free Wi-Fi on Many Trains and also an  improved WiFi service at stations .  - Additional seats on trains across the network, by increasing train lengths and capacity.  - CET toilets, so waste isn't flushed onto tracks. This is already on MK3s.  - Increasing train punctuality and performance. - Entire fleet replacement (stated below), so other units are displaced or withdrawn. - Norwich to Cambridge trains extended to Stansted, and Sudbury branch lines running to Colchester. - Lowestoft connections to London Liverpool Street reinstated, using the electro-diesel units, four times per day. - Trains half hourly to Great Yarmouth, plus later connections to Sheringham and Lowestoft.

Harry Back From Vacation! No Week Review Today Though, As Peter Skuce Has Sent In Some Great Images Of His.  First, Chiltern Rail. This is the interior of a Class 168 clubman, used on their services in Western England. Chiltern operate many types of this unit... 5 from 1999 (168001-005), 8 from the year 2000 (168107-113), 6 from 2004 (214/218/219 are 3-car, and 215-217 are 4-car) and also 2-car 168/3s numbered 168321-329.

Interestingly the Great Western Main Line consists of three main lines: * London Paddington – Reading – Didcot – Swindon – Bath – Bristol * London Paddington – Reading – Didcot – Swindon – Newport – Cardiff – Swansea * London Paddington – Reading – Newbury – Taunton – Exeter – Plymouth – Penzance History: British Railways built thirty eight Class 42 Warship Diesel Hydraulic locomotives between the period 1958 – 1961 at Swindon Works, powered by two Maybach MD650 engines. Also British Railways built seventy four Class 52 Western Diesel Hydraulic locomotives between the period 1961 – 1964 at Swindon Works, powered by two Maybach MD655 engines. Both classes 42 and 52 were designed for intercity express passenger trains formed of British Railways Mark 1. They had a top speed of 90 mph.

Peter's made some excellent reports, so we couldn't resist using them! Part 6A yesterday highlighted the Chiltern Line Modernisation, and this will lead from that.  Between 2003 to 2005, Chiltern Railways carried out a major interior refurbishment to the Class 165 Chiltern Turbo DMU trains. The refurbishment featured the following enhancements:

Chiltern 168. (C) P Skuce. Peter. Part A is for the Chiltern Line Modernisation. Part B will lead from this. During the 1960s British Railways built forty one, 4 carriage Class 115 DMU trains for the London Marylebone – Aylesbury Chiltern Line. One trailer carriage had entirely Standard Class accommodation with 106 seats, whilst the other trailer carriage was a composite, featuring First Class cabins with seating to the 2+2 layout and Standard Class with two toilets. They were powered by Leyland Albion engines, with mechanical transmission and their maximum speed was 70 mph. A new maintenance depot was built at Aylesbury to accommodate the trains.

Harry Here, for a Rail News Summary For London, South East England and East Anglia.... First, Anglia. A thumper went down the Great Eastern Mainline last month off  to Sheringham . Plus another uncommon site was the Network Rail test train at Lowestoft which doesn't visit regularly. 

SEE YESTERDAY'S POST FOR PART 1 OF THE WCML MODERNISATION, TAKING YOU UP TO THE EIGHTEES! In 1982 Milton Keynes Central station opened and was to become a major interchange station between suburban and intercity express services. Also in 1984, Watford Junction was completely rebuilt with the demolition of the Victorian buildings and replaced by modern buildings. KingsLangley station was rebuilt during the mid 1980s due to theruction of the M25 motorway During the mid 1980s British Rail constructed fifteen Class 90 AC Electric Locomotives to replace ageing and unreliable Classes 81 and 85 AC Electric Locomotives. The Class 90 was supposed to be a development of the Class 87, however the Class 90 were not as reliable as the Class 87 as the electrical components were poorly placed within the body shell of the Class 90 from an engineer’s point of view.