Rail 955: A campaign well fought

Rail 955: A campaign well fought

Dennis Fancett is a happy man. But he is not totally satisfied, as there are further battles ahead. He has been ...
How they do railways better in Europe

How they do railways better in Europe

It’s welcome news that the Government has belatedly realised that attracting people back on to trains is vital for numerous ...
Rail 954: One country, four rail systems

Rail 954: One country, four rail systems

One of the most spurious justifications for rail privatisation was that it would ‘get government’ out of the railways’. The ...
Why Crossrail took so long - and why it's worth the wait

Why Crossrail took so long – and why it’s worth the wait

Crossrail was, in the words of its former chairman Tony Meggs, ‘the best project in Europe, indeed the world until ...
The value of economics to writing about transport

The value of economics to writing about transport

I fell into book writing by accident. In all my career, I have done everything a bit late, which is ...
Rail 953: Ukraine conflict shows rail still key in modern warfare

Rail 953: Ukraine conflict shows rail still key in modern warfare

Never say history does not repeat itself. An aspect of the Ukranian war that has been largely neglected by the ...
Be careful what you wish for

Be careful what you wish for

The reaction by many rail journalists to the publication of the Integrated Rail Plan was uncontrolled fury. They railed against ...
Rail 952: The agenda for a new transport secretary

Rail 952: The agenda for a new transport secretary

Given world events that have managed to put even Partygate on the back burner, it is difficult to focus on ...
March 2022 Newsletter: Railways still relevant in modern warfare

March 2022 Newsletter: Railways still relevant in modern warfare

In researching my forthcoming book on the role of the railways in the reoccupation of northern Europe following D Day, ...
Crossrail: The whole story (sort of)

Crossrail: The whole story (sort of)

Crossrail was, in the words of its former chairman Tony Meggs, ‘the best project in Europe, indeed the world until ...
Rail 951: LNER success shows the way forward; and a note on Transport's eminence grise

Rail 951: LNER success shows the way forward; and a note on Transport’s eminence grise

For many years, the train operating companies have complained about excessive interference from the Department for Treasury – ooops, sorry, ...
Crossrail - a story to cheer us up in these hard times

Crossrail – a story to cheer us up in these hard times

The big poker game that has been played over the financial future of Transport for London ever since the start ...
Rail 950: It's the passengers, stupid

Rail 950: It’s the passengers, stupid

I’m delighted that Grant Shapps is on the case of the incessant noise that ensures there is never any chance ...
The original Northern Powerhouse - lecture for Sunderland University

The original Northern Powerhouse – lecture for Sunderland University

It was no accident that the North of England was the cradle for the railways, nor that a self-educated but ...
Rail 949: The creeping cuts to rail -and mystery on the Normandy invasion

Rail 949: The creeping cuts to rail -and mystery on the Normandy invasion

Nothing encapsulates the current dilemmas on the railway than the fate of the Marston Vale line which is a 16 ...
Rail 948: Rocky times ahead for rail

Rail 948: Rocky times ahead for rail

Forgive me if I welcome the New Year by letting off a bit of steam (and breaking my rule about ...
Railways face the perfect storm

Railways face the perfect storm

“So, Mum/Dad, what are the railways for?” That is the question the UK rail industry will be dreading hearing in ...
The last newsletter of the year

The last newsletter of the year

The biggest risk of the long term effect of the pandemic is that we see a permanent change from the ...
Rail 947: Connecting the four nations report is a diversion

Rail 947: Connecting the four nations report is a diversion

In the swathe of reports and events in the past few weeks, one rather important document has been lost. This ...
Rail 946: Beware the cuts are 'a coming

Rail 946: Beware the cuts are ‘a coming

Amid all the hoo-ha of HS2, integrated rail plans and Great British Railways, there’s a rather more serious situation brewing ...
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