Scotland Trains Ordered

Angel Trains and the DfT have today announced that contracts worth £145 million have been signed for new Class 350 trains, ten of which will go to TransPennine Express for Manchester to Edinburgh and Glasgow services.

Let's hope I don't have to reverse the story again.

Scotland Trains NOT Ordered?

Contrary to my report of 3rd February, Siemens and the DfT have apparently both denied the existence of any signed order. So despite getting my news from an "informed source", it appears I may have been premature.

Bridge Works at Roby

The work to raise the Bridge Road bridge at Roby station is well under way, with the brick-faced concrete parapet being craned in to position when I visited.

Gantries Up!

The first new overhead electrification structures, located on the Castlefield Viaduct in Manchester, have been erected.

Scotland Trains Ordered

The new class 350/3 Desiro units for the Manchester / Scotland services have at last been ordered, the order for ten four-car units from Siemens specifies delivery "no earlier than December 2013", whatever that means.

The contract includes a further ten units for London Midland and the electrification and upgrading of Ardwick depot.