The financial performance of the national rail industry continues to improve, helped by ongoing growth in passenger volume, as shown by the crowds flooding off the first off-peak trains of the day at Waterloo.

An exciting new work experience pilot scheme has been launched today by East Midlands Trains as Amelia Humphries (24) and Mitchell Grant (20) embark on a four-week work experience trial with members of the Derby station team.

David Cameron opened the new Hitachi train assembly plant at Newton Aycliffe in County Durham yesterday, saying the railways had returned home to the North East.

International rail travellers either love the SNCF jingle or hate it. Our policy director Ian Brown really quite likes it if not always what follows it!

Former London Underground District line trains are being transformed at Vivarail’s Long Marston base in Warwickshire. A prototype green and yellow rebuilt coach, centre, is flanked by unrebuilt coaches, left and right. In the depot, more coaches are being transformed.

Last week the West & North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce published their proposal for a single Leeds station serving all HS2, inter-city, regional and metro rail services, rather than the separate station remote from the city centre currently planned by HS2 Ltd.

The class 700 at the new Three Bridges Siemens depot. Picture by Siemens

Consultants charged with proving the case for the MetroWest service to Henbury have settled for a simple turnback solution, failing to grasp the opportunities which a Henbury loop could create.