• Bakerloo line extension pre-contracts awarded (IanVisits) • National Highways to stop calling collisions ‘accidents’ (road.cc) • UK‘s new £340 million fully integrated rail, bus and coach station is open (BusAndTrainUser) • Can the UK …
Continue readingCategory: Light Rail
New electrolytes to power supercapacitors and redox flow batteries for light rail (RailwayTechnology)
Companies in the rail sector are actively working on decarbonisation and transitioning to renewable energy sources. But many of the new technologies that are being developed can be too expensive to be viable, or even …
Continue readingOrder in Very Light Rail – VLR – development (UKTram)
A recent deal that will lead to trials of new lightweight passenger trains has been welcomed by a recently established very light rail (VLR) working party. Late last year, one of the country’s leading rolling …
Continue readingFriday Reads – 26 January 2024
• German union calls longest train strike in Deutsche Bahn’s history (Reuters) • Zurich 2040 plan approved to expand public transport network significantly (Urban Transport) • The Southern Heights Light Railway: Video (Jago Hazzard) • …
Continue readingFrance developing 3 light & ultra-light rail technologies as local mobility (SNCF)
A well-developed rail network is the cornerstone of tomorrow’s public transport, so we’re expanding and innovating everywhere—including rural and low-density communities. Learn more about our tests and solutions. Mobility is a critical public service, and …
Continue readingMonday’s Friday Reads – 22 November 2021
• TfL conversion of car parks to housing stymied by NIMBYs (ArchitectsJ) • Blue plaque unveiled for Britain’s first black train driver (BBC) • The twice abandoned Millwall Extension Railway (JagoHazzard) • The only light …
Continue readingMaking light rail affordable: Very light rail (RailEngineer)
Pre-Covid, there were almost 300 million journeys a year on Britain’s light rail systems. Their high capacity provides urban connectivity that drives economic growth. For example, the Docklands Light Railway helped regenerate London’s Docklands whilst …
Continue readingUKTram consults on draft light rail strategy (RailwayGazette)
Light rail industry body UKTram is seeking comments on its draft Light Rail Strategy for the UK, which is due to be submitted to ministers and the Department for Transport later this year. Comments on the …
Continue readingPrototype Very Light Rail vehicle ready for testing (RailBusiness)
Assembly of the prototype Revolution Very Light Rail vehicle has been completed, and is it now ready for testing to assess the feasibility of providing passenger services on low-traffic and feeder routes where the high …
Continue readingFrance developing branch line light trains (IntlRailJ)
THE Occitanie regional council has announced it is supporting two projects under the French government’s plans to develop light rail passenger trains, with the aim of safeguarding and developing rural branch lines by reducing operating …
Continue readingUK light rail benefits documentary (UKTram)
A specially commissioned documentary has been launched to recognise the huge positive impact modern tramways can have in key UK cities. Featuring successful systems in the areas including the West Midlands, Nottingham, Manchester and Edinburgh, …
Continue readingEuropean tram-train alliance formed (Tramways & Urban Transit)
The Verband Deutscher Verkehrsunternehmen (VDV – Association of German Transport Operators) and seven transport undertakings from across Germany and Austria have set up a joint group to procure tram-train LRVs to drive efficiencies of scale …
Continue readingThe Past and Future of the Bromley North Branch
The branch line from Grove Park to Bromley North is only one and a half miles long. It has but two stations (excluding Grove Park itself) and those two are ridiculously close to each other. …
Continue readingA Look Under Kingsway
Our previous excursion into the disused City Widened Lines beneath Smithfield prompted a certain amount of thought. The opportunity arose thanks to the need to carry out compensation grouting ahead of the passage of the Crossrail TBMs below, leading to the Line’s being temporarily occupied by Crossrail themselves as a worksite. Given the length and route of the Crossrail tunnels therefore, and the likely need for grouting elsewhere, what other sites within the City might this present a rare chance to take a closer look at? It was Crossrail themselves who swiftly spotted a similar opportunity and helpfully arranged access – the Kingsway Tram Tunnel.
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