Our Top 5 myths of rail nationalisation based on the reaction to Labours plans for the railway if it wins the next General Election. We discuss whats been said in the media and by others and debunk some of the myths that are starting to take root as a result. Rail Minister Huw Merriman was our most recent Big Interview guest we reflect on what he said and whether we agreed with him on everything from HS2, to train strikes, rail freight, decarbonisation, rolling stock and more. And Richard gets e...
May 02, 2024•59 min•Ep 31•Transcript available on Metacast We meet Rail Minister Huw Merriman in his private office at the Department for Transport to ask as many of the big questions people have about our railways as we could. We cover: HS2 - the decision to cancel the line to Manchester, the facts about the project's rising costs, and whether Network North is a genuine alternative. Train strikes - we ask "surely it's time that everybody started talking to each other?" Fares and train tickets Rail Reform and the creation of Great Brit...
Apr 30, 2024•1 hr 7 min•Transcript available on Metacast Trains vs planes why taking the train can be up to 80% cheaper than flying and 17 times greener, according to new research published by the Rail Delivery Group. We examine the findings in detail and discover some surprising facts along the way. Rail fat cats earn big bonuses, while passengers face worse performance but is that really true? According to the Daily Mirror it is, but we dont agree. We have a bit of an update on the Jacobite steam train and its return to service, but many questions s...
Apr 26, 2024•45 min•Ep 30•Transcript available on Metacast Labours Shadow Transport Secretary Louise Haigh has announced Labours Plan to Fix Britains Railways (Getting Britain Moving) Richard and Nigel give their first impressions of the plan and pull out the key points in this special Breaking News Special episode. We answer: Will it work? Is it unfunded and pointless, as suggested by the Government? What could it mean for rail fares and ticketing? What could it mean for rail freight? Green Signals: Website - http://www.greensignals.org YouTube - https...
Apr 25, 2024•30 min•Transcript available on Metacast The inner workings of the Department for Transport and Government finances are revealed in this fascinating interview with former Permanent Secretary of both the Department for Transport and the Home Office, Sir Philip Rutnam. Having spent his career as a senior civil servant, including in roles within the Treasury, there is no one better to tell the inside story of the Governments relationship with railways. Green Signals: Website - http://www.greensignals.org YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/...
Apr 23, 2024•1 hr 5 min•Transcript available on Metacast The Jacobite steam train fails on its first run of the season from Fort William to Mallaig, stopping near Glenfinnan viaduct and it had Mk 1 carriages on the train. Alstom Derby and the Government are on the verge of doing a deal over a train order for the Elizabeth line an order that could save the UK train manufacturing facility. Is the East Coast Main Line timetable change heading towards a repeat of the 2018 Thameslink and Northern timetable fiascos?... Leading Richard to ask whether the ans...
Apr 18, 2024•57 min•Ep 29•Transcript available on Metacast The latest updates on both the Jacobite steam train stand-off with ORR and the campaign to save Alstom Derbys UK train manufacturing facility. Were not beyond the point of no return to save Alstoms Derby Litchurch Lane train building facility but government MUST act now or we will lose it. We analyse our exclusive interview with Alstom Managing Director of UK and Ireland Nick Crossfield, which you can also watch here: https://youtu.be/aRLaioz1ZB8 The Jacobite Steam Train dispute between West Coa...
Apr 12, 2024•57 min•Ep 28•Transcript available on Metacast Nick Crossfield, Managing Director of Alstom's UK and Ireland business discusses the background to the desperate situation at the Alstom Derby UK manufacturing train building factory, where closure through lack of orders is a real possibility. It would have devastating consequences for the men and women who work there and on the UK's credibility in global rail vehicle manufacturing. We discuss how in December last year, Secretary of State Mark Harper committed that a package which includ...
Apr 09, 2024•33 min•Transcript available on Metacast Are 147 years of UK manufacturing of trains about to come to an end in Derby as Alstom begins the process of mothballing its facility there? The Jacobite steam train dispute between West Coast Railway Company and the Office of Rail and Road rumbles on. Is Labour about to do a u-turn on bringing the railways back into public ownership? Leading to a somewhat spicy debate between Nigel and Richard about the potential costs of rail nationalisation And a new 17.5 million rail terminal opens at Southa...
Apr 04, 2024•50 min•Ep 27•Transcript available on Metacast West Coast Railway Company stops sales of Jacobite steam train tickets the famous Harry Potter Hogwarts Express route across Glenfinnan Viaduct, amid another battle with the ORR over central door locking. Mayors Andy Street and Andy Burnham unveil their alternative to HS2 but is it a viable alternative? ASLEF announces more train strikes. And good news on train passenger numbers! Rail journeys are up 20%! Green Signals: Website - http://www.greensignals.org YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@Gre...
Mar 28, 2024•58 min•Ep 26•Transcript available on Metacast The Department for Transport appoints Scotlands Railway Managing Director Alex Hynes as its new Director General of the Rail Infrastructure and Service Delivery Group, giving us a ray of hope for the first time, which leads us on to Richard spilling the beans on a hitherto unknown exchange that took place during the Rail Review 2004 and why we must heed the lessons on history. Auditors question the going concern status of the North Yorkshire Moors Railway and we ask whether the sector is slippin...
Mar 21, 2024•54 min•Ep 25•Transcript available on Metacast We examine what the railway got from last weeks budget with a bit of Budget 2024 analysis spoiler alert nothing that hasnt already been announced! The National Audit Office (NAO) report into the Department for Transports Rail Transformation Programme is not flattering we discuss why five of the high level benefits have been rated RED. The Department for Transport reorganises again. Is it just another example of rearranging the deckchairs, or should we be worrying that the DfT is trying to take a...
Mar 14, 2024•49 min•Ep 24•Transcript available on Metacast Train tickets just got more expensive Rail fares go up by 4.9% sparking fury amongst passenger groups. Has the time come to reconsider the balance between fares and subsidy? Rail Minister Huw Merriman and drivers union ASLEF are at loggerheads again and a resolution seems as far away as ever. Our adventures on Great Western Railway begin with the launch of our Pullman dining video ( https://youtu.be/6fHub4_Vkb0?si=fsZMeiqBndjWFc_Z ) and plenty more to look forward to. HS2 Limited delivers 1 mill...
Mar 07, 2024•46 min•Ep 23•Transcript available on Metacast Local leaders are to receive 4.7 billion to transform transport in the North and Midlands through the Local Transport Fund money that has apparently been reallocated from HS2. But is there a catch? Why has the Government still not committed to Northern Powerhouse Rail? Henri Murison, Chief Executive of The Northern Powerhouse Partnership joins us to discuss! Avanti West Coast talk about what they are doing for women, and we hear from an expert on what more the whole industry needs to do. The cou...
Feb 29, 2024•58 min•Ep 22•Transcript available on Metacast Network Rail Chief Executive Andrew Haines joins us to talk all things draft Rail Reform Bill. If youve been left with all sorts of questions after the Department for Transports recent announcement, watch this and youll be much clearer afterwards! We talk about: Is the Great British Railways (GBR) brand going to be the name of the new Integrated Rail Body or will it die as some have been suggesting? And indeed, will the Network Rail brand disappear too? What chance is there of getting this into ...
Feb 28, 2024•48 min•Transcript available on Metacast The Department for Transport finally publishes the Rail Reform Bill, but is there any point to it? Nigel reviews the annual George Bradshaw address which saw two senior rail politicians go head-to-head. But who came out on top? Avanti West Coast are in the national news again thanks largely to ASLEF but has the union overstepped the mark this time? And Richard has been in the firing line over his comments on the Reversing Beeching plans. But, being Richard, hes fighting back! Green Signals: Webs...
Feb 22, 2024•55 min•Ep 21•Transcript available on Metacast Richard talks about his visit to Wales & Borders with Nick Millington MBE, Route Director at Network Rail and finds out about lagoons, climate models and vegetation control. In particular Richard is amazed at the complex multi-agency approach to securing ecology licences and concludes, perhaps controversially, that it's time to let Network Rail self certify. After all, they can do it with safety critical matters so why not when it comes to clearing dying or dead Ash trees? Nigel and Rich...
Feb 15, 2024•44 min•Ep 20•Transcript available on Metacast Richard Bowker visits Network Rail's Wales and Western region to spend the day with Route Director Nick Millington MBE. It's a fascinating day of learning about the challenges of weather resilience on Britain's railways, the devastating effects of climate change, the complexities of managing trees and vegetation on the lineside... and surprisingly, about dormice. How does Network Rail manage flood risk? How are trees on the railway managed? What rules are there to protect habitats ad...
Feb 13, 2024•28 min•Transcript available on Metacast Following Prime Minister Rishi Sunaks scrapping of HS2 Phase 2A, HS2 is branded very poor value for money by the Public Accounts Committee And... is Labour about to unveil its plans for its own vision of rail nationalisation, and is it back to the bad old days of curly sandwiches?
Feb 08, 2024•43 min•Ep 19•Transcript available on Metacast Train strikes have hit the headlines frequently over the past three years as an increasingly bitter dispute between train drivers union ASLEF and the government and train operating companies continues. Our Big Interview guest is ASLEF General Secretary Mick Whelan. We find out how the rail strikes began in the first place and what has happened since And, crucially, what it will take to end the long-running disruption to passengers.
Feb 06, 2024•1 hr 11 min•Ep 18•Transcript available on Metacast Ministers seem unable to agree, either on transport decisions or more embarrassingly with each other at a Conservative Home conference. What is going on with LNER fares and ticketing? Its now clear that its Simpler Fares trial is turning out to be anything but simple Will HS2 now reduce capacity to Manchester? And is the wider world and mainstream media finally waking up to the true stupidity of Rishi Sunaks scrapping of HS2 Phase 2a? Plus, a new Green Signals feature positive and GOOD news from...
Jan 31, 2024•55 min•Ep 17•Transcript available on Metacast Why train ticket booking and rail fares in the UK are so confusing. With the help of fares expert The Man in Seat 61 Mark Smith, we demystify: LNERs new Simpler Fares pilot The Great British Rail Sale Which? magazines report that railway ticket vending machines are twice as expensive as booking train tickets online How to buy the cheapest train tickets or get the best deal on train tickets We also cover: HS2 land safeguarding lifted north of Birmingham has it struck a fatal blow to the high spee...
Jan 24, 2024•55 min•Ep 16•Transcript available on Metacast Has Harry Potters favourite train the Hogwarts Express hit the buffers now that Jacobite steam train operator West Coast Railways has been derailed by the ORR? Has Labour leader Keir Starmer bottled it on HS2? Secretary of State for Transport Mark Harper responds to Richards letter on HS2 except that he doesnt And ASLEF announces yet more strikes. But are they working, and is it time to really take the gloves off?
Jan 17, 2024•49 min•Ep 15•Transcript available on Metacast It's been a week of severe weather disruption on the railway, news that HS2 land may not be sold before the next election, Tube strikes being called off, and the release of some disappointing train cancellation stats. On this weeks show LNERs #FreedomAllTheWay teaser campaign and advert HS2 land sell-off unlikely before the General Election and why mayors Andy Burnham and Andy Street are making a BIG mistake Pre-cancellation stats from train operators (translation: misleading stats!) Major w...
Jan 11, 2024•40 min•Ep 14•Transcript available on Metacast The first of our new The Big Interview episodes, and we were so excited about it that we decided to invite two guests to join us! Director of the Rail Freight Group Maggie Simpson comes on to discuss freight strategy, including the effect of Rishi Sunak's decision to cancel HS2 Phase 2 and the "breach of trust" that it represents. And GB Railfreight Managing Director John Smith joins us for a fascinating and lively discussion about everything from HS2 to railfreight challenges and ...
Jan 09, 2024•1 hr 14 min•Ep 13•Transcript available on Metacast The first of our new magazine-style episodes, where we focus on the big topical issues and whats been happening on and around the railway over the festive period. Heres what we delve into this time The great Christmas getaway on the roads Rail disruption over the Christmas break Richards Monsal Trail video and an interesting fact about Dr Beeching Peter Townend tribute video success Storm damage and HSTs More cuts coming for TOC budgets New Year Honours Predicting what rail hating Rishi might be...
Jan 03, 2024•48 min•Ep 12•Transcript available on Metacast Getting into the festive spirit this time with our Christmas Special! Richard Bowker and Nigel Harris answer the questions listeners and viewers have been sending in over the past couple of weeks - and they really were about anything and everything on the railway! Q1 - Was privatisation a total disaster? Q2 - What might the impact of AI be on the rail industry? Q3 - In the last 30 years, who would you say has made the greatest contribution to the railway? Q4 - Can the railway community be part o...
Dec 20, 2023•1 hr 2 min•Ep 11•Transcript available on Metacast Its another busy episode with plenty to talk about and this time, weve gone on location too! Richard Bowker reports from Siemens Mobilitys HQ in Chippenham, where he attended a very special event on December 12 which marked 35 years since the notorious Clapham rail accident in which 35 people died and a further 69 suffered life-changing injuries. It was a tragic disaster that led to fundamental changes in railway safety management. Then we return to Scotland for part 2 of our exploration of rail...
Dec 14, 2023•1 hr 6 min•Ep 10•Transcript available on Metacast In this special extra episode of Green Signals, we remember the life of rail elder statesman Peter Norman Townend who died on October 18th at the grand old age of 98. A railwayman whose career began in 1941 at the age of 16, as a premium apprentice for the London & North Eastern Railway at Doncaster Plant as its headquarters was known locally Peter was undoubtedly best-known for his time as Shedmaster at Top Shed at Londons Kings Cross during the last great days of steam, in the later 1950s ...
Dec 11, 2023•55 min•Ep 1•Transcript available on Metacast This time, were heading north of the border with special guest Alex Hynes (Managing Director, Scotlands Railway) to find out why they seem to keep getting it right on railways in Scotland when the rest of the UK struggles. We talk alignment of track and train, the Sleeper, and rolling stock. Richard Bowker puts his cynical accountants hat on to question the gamble Scotland has taken to scrap Peak fares for a six-month trial period. And we find out how Scotland is responding to one of its biggest...
Dec 06, 2023•1 hr•Ep 9•Transcript available on Metacast 
