
Green Signals
Green Signals is a show about railways - its politics, its economics, its people and history. We turn over the issues of the day and talk to the people making the decisions that affect all our lives. We also dig into many of the amazing events in the history of an industry that spans nearly 200 years. Nigel Harris (former Managing Editor and Events Director of the leading industry and opinion forming magazine RAIL) and Richard Bowker (former Chair & CEO of the Strategic Rail Authority) steer the show to make it sometimes controversial, frequently irreverent - but always topical and relevant.
Latest episodes

Sep 5, 2024 • 54min
49. Euston station safety row: What happened? & Shadow Great British Railways is launched
Euston station: Lord Hendy – now Rail Minister - is accused of getting a railway engineer fired over raising safety concerns when he was Chair of Network Rail. We investigate…
Shadow Great British Railways is launched and the Passenger Railway Services Public Ownership Bill enters the final stages in the Commons.
An HS2 construction update at Birmingham as tunnelling reaches the halfway point.
And Hitachi’s battery intercity train begins testing on the national network.
Membership: If you want to see even more from Green Signals, including exclusive content, become a member and support the channel further too.
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@GreenSignals/join
Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/GreenSignals
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)

Aug 29, 2024 • 1h 6min
48. HS2 Phase 2 revival? & Behind the scenes on New Measurement Train
Is HS2 Phase 2 about to be revived? We discuss an important new report to Government says we must not allow the West Coast Main Line to collapse.
Richard takes a trip on the UK’s most exciting freight train with GB Railfreight – an alumina train from North Blyth to Fort William in Scotland.
He also gets to go behind the scenes on Network Rail’s New Measurement Train – the fascinating Doctor Yellow.
And we have a lovely story about the All Aboard to Northampton project!
Membership: If you want to see even more from Green Signals, including exclusive content, become a member.
Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/GreenSignals
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)

Aug 22, 2024 • 1h 8min
47. Train strikes: Just when we thought it was over… & HS2 construction update
Train strikes – the fight we all thought was over, just became more heated than ever. We speak to ASLEF’s Mick Whelan to understand what’s gone wrong now.
Is it time to close the Island Line? We visit the Isle of Wight’s railway to find out.
And an HS2 construction update as bridges and viaducts move into place!
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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)

Aug 16, 2024 • 25min
Green Signals After Hours: Raw & Uncut | Ep 46
The unscripted, uncensored, uncut blather from the Green Signals team after we've finished recording a show...
When we finish recording an episode of Green Signals, the three of us always hang around for a while to chat about the show and what we've got coming up... so we decided to carry on recording and let our listeners in on the action.
Expect some fun, more than a bit of silliness, and some sneak peeks into what we're working on.
**This is a very special sneak preview of some of the exclusive content we'll be offering in our upcoming membership scheme, details of which will be announced very soon**
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)

Aug 15, 2024 • 54min
46. UK's most exciting railway project? & CrossCountry trains cancelled
Is the most innovative and important rail site in Europe coming to Wales? We visit the Global Centre of Rail Excellence site to find out…
CrossCountry services are cancelled on several routes and Transport Secretary Louise Haigh intervenes…
Driver training begins on the Northumberland Line from Newcastle to Ashington, ahead of passenger services returning to the line on December 15th.
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)

Aug 8, 2024 • 1h 13min
45. HS2: Should we just cancel it now?!
Without HS2, the West Coast Main Line will soon be rammed. We speak to experts Simon Pilkington and William Barter to explain why.
We ask whether the problematic Trent Valley bottleneck can ever be resolved on the WCML.
And controversially, we ask whether we should just cancel HS2 right now. Is there any point in continuing if we only build Phase 1?
We also bring you some little teasers from our upcoming videos on Network Rail’s New Measurement Train (the Flying Banana as it is often known), and the Global Centre of Rail Excellence (GCRE) in South Wales.
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)

Aug 1, 2024 • 1h 11min
44. HS2 £2BN write-off! Reversing Beeching cancelled & Royal Mail train alternative
HS2 cancellation of Phase 2 north of Birmingham means writing off £2 billion of costs.
Restoring Your Railways (often referred to as ‘Reversing Beeching’) is cancelled by Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves… and Richard is jumping for joy. Meanwhile, HS2 from Old Oak Common to Euston appears to be safe – for now.
75,000 fare evasion prosecutions are officially judged unlawful – we speak to a leading lawyer on the subject about what happens next.
Royal Mail’s decision to quit rail – Varamis Rail tells us why they might have the answer...
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)

Jul 25, 2024 • 1h 9min
43. Glenfinnan viaduct: Jacobite steam train route repairs & HS2 Old Oak Common station progress
Glenfinnan Viaduct, one of the world's most iconic railway viaducts, is having major repair work carried out. The Director of Engineering for Scotland's railway talks to us about repairs to the iconic structure on the route of the Jacobite Steam Train
The Government launches its first piece of railway legislation in double quick time – but we ask where (Shadow) Great British Railways has got to?
A vast number of train tickets on Britain's railway are sold by third parties. We speak with Anthony Smith, the new Chair of the Independent Rail Retailers Association about the opportunities and challenges in the sector.
In good news, HS2’s Old Oak Common station reaches a major milestone – and the head of the project tells us all about it!
And Nigel gets all misty eyed over 1970's Prog Rock.......

Jul 18, 2024 • 1h
42. Frightening level crossing CCTV! Flying Scotsman at Locomotion & ScotRail cuts 600 services
Frightening level crossing misuse footage from Network Rail’s Wessex region highlights the true dangers of abusing the railway.
ScotRail slashes 600 services and introduces a temporary timetable because of lack of availability of staff for overtime and rest-day working, as it battles on with the rail unions.
World-famous Flying Scotsman heads to the National Railway Museum’s Locomotion in Shildon for a special summer visit.
The Isle of Wight Bus and Rail User Group speaks to us about further Island Line closures.
And in good news, the TransPennine Route Upgrade launches a Community programme to improve local facilities and spaces along the 75-mile route.
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)

Jul 11, 2024 • 1h 6min
41. Royal Mail trains to run no more, inside the Severn Tunnel & priorities for new Government
Is Royal Mail quitting rail after 194 years? Royal Mail announces that it will scrap its trains, but tells us it will continue to use rail services. The question is… how much?
Louise Haigh becomes Transport Secretary and Lord Peter Hendy is appointed a Minister at the Department for Transport. We examine their in-trays and key priorities.
Richard gets to go underground in the Severn Tunnel on a very special trip to find out about major track renewals through this monster of a tunnel.
And the brand-new Northumberland Line fares are announced – with some brilliant offers!
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)