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 adjacent to the railway? This is the first in a new series of podcasts from Green Signals where we seek to share knowledge and expertise from around the railway and, hopefully, to explain some of the things that many people don't know that much about!

Following Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s 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?

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.

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? It’s 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 Sunak’s scrapping of HS2 Phase 2a? Plus, a new Green Signals feature – positive and GOOD news from the grass roots railway, including the UK’s very first railway station railway library!

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: LNER’s new Simpler Fares pilot The Great British Rail Sale Which? magazine’s 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 speed rail project? Northern Mayors Andy Burnham and Andy Street’s HS2 alternative and has Defence Secretary Grant Shapps just poured cold water on it before Mark Harper and Rishi Sunak have even heard what it is? Rail disruption in Network Rail’s Western region on 363 days out of 365 – is it really as bad as that?

Has Harry Potter’s 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 Richard’s letter on HS2… except that he doesn’t… And ASLEF announces yet more strikes. But are they working, and is it time to really ‘take the gloves off’?

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 week’s show… LNER’s #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 weather disruption and floods this last week - and… Serious rail disruption in the South West, and finally some good news… Tube strikes called off This week's quiz!

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 the economics of running a freight operating company.

The first of our new magazine-style episodes, where we focus on the big topical issues and what’s been happening on and around the railway over the festive period. Here’s what we delve into this time… The great Christmas getaway on the roads Rail disruption over the Christmas break Richard’s 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 cooking up this year, and… A new feature – our weekly quiz with the chance to get a namecheck on the next show (but you’ll have to listen to the end to find out how).

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 of the solution to homelessness? Q5 - Which is the finest type of locomotive ever to run on Britain’s railway? Q6 - Why does wheelslip occur on trains? Q7 - How would you enhance the customer experience on the West Highland Lines? Q8 - Has any politician ever made a really positive contribution to the railways? Q9 - How can we prevent Railcard fraud? Q10 Why are leaves on the line such a problem? Q11 - Which railway figure do you wish you had had a chance to work for or with?