Green Signals

Flying Scotsman, the world’s most famous steam locomotive, is to have a new custodian. But what is a custodian, who are they, and what will it mean in practice? Jacobite steam train operator West Coast Railway Company is fitting central door locking after all BUT…only to Mark 2s it seems… Lumo trains and the divisive issue of Open Access. Richard interviews MD Martijn Gilbert and things get a bit lively! And some good news… the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway is due to fully reopen! Green Signals: Website - http://www.greensignals.org YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@GreenSignals Newsletter - http://www.greensignals.org/#mailing-list Follow: X (Twitter) - https://twitter.com/greensignallers LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/green-signals-productions-ltd Instagram - https://instagram.com/greensignallers Credits: Presenters - Nigel Harris (@railnigel on X) & Richard Bowker CBE (@SRichardBowker). General Manager: Stef Foster (@stefatrail)

Behind the scenes at Hitachi Rail’s Newton Aycliffe train building facility, where we find out about the process and skills required to build trains… and discuss why it’s absolutely vital that the Newton Aycliffe factory is saved. We also speak to the Rt Hon Justine Greening about the work of the Purpose Coalition. Keeping with Hitachi Rail… Avanti West Coast’s new Evero train fleet launches! Nigel asks if Richard is going to get himself into some hot water with Richard Branson… Breaking News! Jacobite steam train exemption application update. And we discuss the Levenmouth rail link opening! Green Signals: Website - http://www.greensignals.org YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@GreenSignals Newsletter - http://www.greensignals.org/#mailing-list Follow: X (Twitter) - https://twitter.com/greensignallers LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/green-signals-productions-ltd Instagram - https://instagram.com/greensignallers Credits: Presenters - Nigel Harris (@railnigel on X) & Richard Bowker CBE (@SRichardBowker). General Manager: Stef Foster (@stefatrail)

HS2 Phase 2 to Manchester may have been cancelled but the problems have only begun. How to deal with the 54 brand new Alstom / Hitachi trains on order? What about fewer seats being available on Britain’s most valuable route, London – Manchester? And then there’s Euston station – what on earth do we build now? Chris Gibb, a senior figure in the railway industry previously a director of Virgin Cross Country, Virgin West Coast and Network Rail to name but three thinks he knows what to do – and he’s written it down in a dramatic new plan which we discuss in detail with him. Andrew Haines has appeared at the Public Accounts Committee where he and the DfT officials also present seemed to reject the notion of a directing mind. The Labour Party, possibly the next party of Government, appear to think otherwise. Is there a showdown coming? There’s mixed news in the Heritage Sector. In an interview with Steve Davies MBE, Chairman of the A1 Steam Locomotive Trust which owns celebrity locomotive 60163 Tornado, we discuss how its recent general overhaul cost £1m as well as the challenges faced when installing a modern electronic signalling system onto a steam engine. Then we consider the desperate times faced at the Nene Valley Railway which needs £300,000 to stay afloat. And, there’s good news from the Community Rail sector. We discuss Community Rail week and the marvellous work volunteers carry out to promote their loco lines and stations. Green Signals: Website - ⁠http://www.greensignals.org⁠ YouTube - ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@GreenSignals⁠ Newsletter - ⁠http://www.greensignals.org/#mailing-list⁠ Follow: X (Twitter) - ⁠https://twitter.com/greensignallers⁠ LinkedIn - ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/green-signals-productions-ltd⁠ Instagram - ⁠https://instagram.com/greensignallers⁠ Credits: Presenters - Nigel Harris (@railnigel on X) & Richard Bowker CBE (@SRichardBowker). General Manager: Stef Foster (@stefatrail) With thanks to the A1 Steam Locomotive Trust for additional material

Hitachi’s new battery Class 802 train trial. We take an exclusive behind the scenes look at this ground breaking new collaboration between Hitachi, TransPennine Express and Angel Trains direct from Newton Aycliffe. Rishi Sunak fires the starting gun on a General Election. Are the railways about to enter a new era? Is Sir Richard Branson about to mount a Virgin Trains comeback on the West Coast Main Line, this time with Open Access? Southeastern Railway launches a major tender for brand new trains – we talk to MD Steve White to get the inside track. And… we’ve some good news on the route of the Jacobite Steam Train for once – Glenfinnan viaduct is getting a makeover using an innovative new rope access system. But it’s not for the faint hearted! Green Signals: Website - http://www.greensignals.org YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@GreenSignals Newsletter - http://www.greensignals.org/#mailing-list Follow: X (Twitter) - https://twitter.com/greensignallers LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/green-signals-productions-ltd Instagram - https://instagram.com/greensignallers Credits: Presenters - Nigel Harris (@railnigel on X) & Richard Bowker CBE (@SRichardBowker). General Manager: Stef Foster (@stefatrail)

Jacobite steam train controversy intensifies as customers vent their frustration at increasingly poor service. HS2 – the Government makes a sensible u-turn on funding the HS2 tunnels from Old Oak Common to Euston… but did Labour miss an opportunity with their response to the news? We discuss the initial findings of our look into train drivers’ terms and conditions following the feedback we received to our Big Interview with Rail Minister Huw Merriman… but it’s seriously complicated. WiFi on trains – just when we thought a viable superfast solution was approaching, it appears to have been cruelly snatched away… We talk to someone who can count five generations of his family working for the railways – and he has a lovely story to tell about the West Coast Main Line electrification too. And a little update on tree clearance in the South West following our recent visit with Route MD Nick Millington. Green Signals: Website - http://www.greensignals.org YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@GreenSignals Newsletter - http://www.greensignals.org/#mailing-list Follow: X (Twitter) - https://twitter.com/greensignallers LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/green-signals-productions-ltd Instagram - https://instagram.com/greensignallers Credits: Presenters - Nigel Harris (@railnigel on X) & Richard Bowker CBE (@SRichardBowker). General Manager: Stef Foster (@stefatrail)

What the Metro Mayors want to spend YOUR money on – we delve into some of the transport promises in winning Mayoral manifestos and ask how realistic they are. Richard has to eat a bit of humble pie over Yorkshire; and The Channel Tunnel turns 30! This time presented by Richard Bowker and Green Signals General Manager Stef Foster. Green Signals: Website - http://www.greensignals.org YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@GreenSignals Newsletter - http://www.greensignals.org/#mailing-list Follow: X (Twitter) - https://twitter.com/greensignallers LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/green-signals-productions-ltd Instagram - https://instagram.com/greensignallers Credits: Presenters - Nigel Harris (@railnigel on X) & Richard Bowker CBE (@SRichardBowker). General Manager: Stef Foster (@stefatrail)

Our Top 5 myths of rail ‘nationalisation’ based on the reaction to Labour’s plans for the railway if it wins the next General Election. We discuss what’s 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 excited about a very special train that’s going to be running in June for the Railway Benefit Fund. Green Signals: Website - http://www.greensignals.org YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@GreenSignals Newsletter - http://www.greensignals.org/#mailing-list Follow: X (Twitter) - https://twitter.com/greensignallers LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/green-signals-productions-ltd Instagram - https://instagram.com/greensignallers Credits: Presenters - Nigel Harris (@railnigel on X) & Richard Bowker CBE (@SRichardBowker). General Manager: Stef Foster (@stefatrail)

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 British Railways - will anything really happen before the next General Election? And... Rail freight, new trains and decarbonisation These are the rail issues everyone is talking about - and in this interview, we tackle them all. Head on. Green Signals: Website - http://www.greensignals.org YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@GreenSignals Newsletter - http://www.greensignals.org/#mailing-list Follow: X (Twitter) - https://twitter.com/greensignallers LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/green-signals-productions-ltd Instagram - https://instagram.com/greensignallers Credits: Presenters - Nigel Harris (@railnigel on X) & Richard Bowker CBE (@SRichardBowker). General Manager: Stef Foster (@stefatrail)

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 don’t agree. We have a bit of an update on the Jacobite steam train and its return to service, but many questions still remain unanswered. Is the heritage railway sector in crisis? We discuss our recent experience having fun with steam trains on the fantastic Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railway’s ‘Snowdonian’ and some of the conversations we had about the fate of the heritage railway sector more widely. And… it’s Railway Family Week and you can get involved! Green Signals: Website - http://www.greensignals.org YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@GreenSignals Newsletter - http://www.greensignals.org/#mailing-list Follow: X (Twitter) - https://twitter.com/greensignallers LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/green-signals-productions-ltd Instagram - https://instagram.com/greensignallers Credits: Presenters - Nigel Harris (@railnigel on X) & Richard Bowker CBE (@SRichardBowker). General Manager: Stef Foster (@stefatrail)

Labour’s Shadow Transport Secretary Louise Haigh has announced Labour’s Plan to Fix Britain’s 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://www.youtube.com/@GreenSignals Newsletter - http://www.greensignals.org/#mailing-list Follow: X (Twitter) - https://twitter.com/greensignallers LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/green-signals-productions-ltd Instagram - https://instagram.com/greensignallers Credits: Presenters - Nigel Harris (@railnigel on X) & Richard Bowker CBE (@SRichardBowker). General Manager: Stef Foster (@stefatrail)