Green Signals

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 Government’s relationship with railways. 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)

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 answer to this and the other challenges facing the industry is a British Rail 2.0. He then shares his own six-point plan for his version of British Rail 2.0. The Railway Industry Association (RIA)) launches a plan to deliver a lower cost, higher performing net zero railway by 2050. And Northern Rail uses classical music to curb anti-social behaviour. Yes, really! Green Signals: Website - http://www.greensignals.org 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)

The latest updates on both the Jacobite steam train stand-off with ORR and the campaign to save Alstom Derby’s UK train manufacturing facility. We’re not beyond the point of no return to save Alstom’s 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 Coast Railway Company and the rail regulator ORR heats up yet again as the operator gets MPs involved. Meanwhile affected tourist businesses criticise WCRC for not complying. But, there’s good news on the Hope Valley Line as upgrades to Dore & Totley station are completed. 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)

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 included around 90 additional Aventra carriages that could be used to provide much needed extra capacity on London's booming Elizabeth line would be signed, sealed and delivered by the end of January 2024. But that deadline came and went. We also hear how if the UK government makes the decision to order those extra carriages, Alstom will invest yet more in Derby, with the result that Derby becomes the centre of excellence for Alstom's new electric commuter train worldwide. An export story to be proud of. This is a story of government and civil service bureaucracy, procrastination and world-class dithering. At stake, around 15 ,000 jobs in the factory as well as the local and regional supply chain. Nick explains how it's still possible to save the factory. But for Derby, it's one minute to midnight. 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)

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 Southampton docks. 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)

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/@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)

The Department for Transport appoints Scotland’s 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 slipping into real crisis? Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has been at it again with his private jets. The M25 closes for a weekend… and we ask whether National Highways has done any media training lately! Richard experiences train tickets and rail fares madness first hand… And Marylebone station celebrates 125 years. Not bad considering it nearly became a coach park. Green Signals: Website - http://www.greensignals.org Newsletter - http://www.greensignals.org/#mailing-list YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@GreenSignals 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 examine what the railway got from last week’s budget with a bit of Budget 2024 analysis… spoiler alert – nothing that hasn’t already been announced! The National Audit Office (NAO) report into the Department for Transport’s 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 an even tighter grip on the railway? And Grand Union is granted open access rights for a new service from London Euston to Stirling from 2025. But Richard is not happy about it…

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 driver’s 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 million tonnes of construction material – by train of course! Green Signals: Website - http://www.greensignals.org Newsletter - http://www.greensignals.org/#mailing-list   Follow: YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@GreenSignals 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)

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 countdown to the return of rail services to Levenmouth is on. And… Florence the HS2 TBM (tunnel boring machine) completes her 10-mile journey under the Chilterns. Green Signals: Website - http://www.greensignals.org 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)