Green Signals

Spanish train builder CAF is blacklisted by the UN… but what does that mean for its contracts in the UK? We preview an interview with Transport for Wales’s James Price – and explain the Barnett Formula And we discuss how projects get through the planning system… and what’s wrong with the system! In this episode: (00:00) Intro (00:32) CAF ‘blacklisted’ by the United Nations (09:01) 25th Anniversary...

Andy Mellors is a career railwayman with a successful careerin railway engineering and other senior leadership positions.  In March 2023 he took on his biggest challenge to date –Managing Director of Avanti West Coast. The challenge hasbeen tough and there is still much to do but there is evidence the supertanker is beginning to turn. In this candid interview, we talk to Any about a wide rangeof i...

Greater Anglia is renationalised… and the Transport Secretary makes some curious comments Chiltern Railways launches its Mk 5a sets in a striking new livery And there are developments on cross-Channel Eurostar competition In this episode: (00:00) Intro (00:44) Greater Anglia is nationalised (06:59) GWR droplight window fine update (13:41) Chiltern Railways Mk 5a launch (18:29) Eurostar competition...

Great Western Railway is fined £1 million over a fatal droplight window incident in 2018 – we ask what the implications are for other parts of the network And Rail Minister Lord Hendy demands that rail companies urgently hire more train drivers – but how realistic is it? In this episode: (00:00) Intro (00:32) GWR droplight window fine (17:34) Lord Hendy demands action on train drivers (29:40) Than...

Railways and vegetation, bats, dormice – and biodiversity in general – don’t always mix well. Are we getting the balance wrong? The railway celebrates its 200th anniversary in style! And Rail Minister Lord Hendy wades in on Eurostar competition… In this episode: (00:00) Intro (00:33) Biodiversity on the railway (22:35) Railway 200 Locomotion No. 1 event (35:18) South Eastern Railway Networker tour...

Northern Powerhouse Rail – has it become the new HS2 for politicians to argue about? We chat to Northern Powerhouse Partnership CEO Henri Murison The Liberal Democrats announce a new rail policy – and Richard has many questions. And Avanti West Coast trials using the Settle & Carlisle Railway as a diversionary route – and Richard got to be on board… In this episode: (00:00) Intro (00:33) North...

Imagine being responsible for the East Coast Main Line, or the Midland Main Line, or the whole of the Anglia – and then imagine actually being responsible for all of it – plus East West Rail, Trans Pennine Route Upgrade and the East Coast Digital Programme; all at the same time. That’s the extraordinary challenge that Ellie Burrows,Regional Managing Director (Eastern) for Network Rail faces every...

In the days of British Rail and Virgin Trains, the iconic and spectacular Settle & Carlisle railway line was used as a diversionary route whenever there were closures for engineering works or similar on the West Coast Main Line between Preston and Carlisle. The Settle & Carlisle line has not been used for diversions for a decade however, much to the displeasure of communities along the rou...

We visit TWO of HS2’s ‘green tunnels’ and discuss whether they’re a great idea or a huge waste of taxpayers’ money… Reform says they’ll cancel HS2 and leave the part-built project as a “testament to British incompetence”. Yes, really. And Midlands Rail Hub – full steam ahead? Or maybe not… In this episode: (00:00) Intro (00:34) HS2’s Green Tunnels (26:12) Andrew Gilligan and Reform on HS2 (40:59)...

Why are train tickets in the UK so expensive? In this short explainer video, we cover the top ten things that answer that question – and some of them are surprising! Questions: (00:00) Intro (00:08) No. 1 What are the railway’s main sources of income? (00:30) No. 2 How much subsidy do the railways need? (01:39) No. 3 Who controls fares? (02:25) No. 4 Why not just reduce the price of fares? (03:26)...

The Tyne and Wear Metro has a fascinating story that very nearly didn’t happen. We take a tour of Stadler’s new £70 million depot in South Gosforth, Newcastle to find out all about the new Metro Class 555s that are based there and what makes them different to the old Metros. Membership: If you want to see even more from Green Signals, including exclusive content, become a member and support the ch...

East Coast Main Line December timetable changes – are fewer stops a good thing? We find out more about how Network Rail is spending money with its suppliers… And Scotland announces electrification of Fife and Borders! In this episode: (00:00 Intro) (00:32) East Coast Main Line timetable (16:22) Network Rail Supplier Spend Report (36:27 )Tyne and Wear Metro teaser (40:03) Thanks to Supporters (41:5...

Scotland scraps peak rail fares. Is England next? Network Rail releases its supplier spending report… and it raises some concerns. And the Office of Rail and Road seeks to find out just how much money open access is costing the railway. In this episode: (00:00) Intro (00:51) Scotland scraps peak rail fares (17:51) Network Rail Supplier Spend Report (25:04) Open Access tender (31:10) It’s our 100th...

Eurostar competitors submit detailed plans to the Regulator. We ask - has anyone made a compelling case? We speak to a leading expert on cross border and Channel Tunnel rail services and ask – just what are the French up to?! And Great Western Railway’s battery train sets a new world record In this episode: (00:00) Intro (00:32) Eurostar competition (43:34) Thanks to supporters (45:23) Railway New...

The Government believes that by uniting track and train together, performance on the railway will improve and costs will come down, leading to better outcomes for passengers and taxpayers. But after 30 years of vertical separation, reintegrating operations at a practical level will be more complex than just issuing a few soundbites. On 18th June 2025, South Eastern Railway was created – this unite...

ASLEF hails a victory for drivers over access to toilets. But is it really a victory? Network Rail is accused of “sabotaging” Alliance Rail’s open access application on the old Fawley Branch. Really? And Jaguar Land Rover objects to the phrase ‘Ranger and Rover’ tickets being used on rail company websites. In this episode: (00:00) Intro (00:40) ASLEF’s Dignity for Drivers campaign (09:33) Alliance...

The Brighton Belle – We visit the iconic train that will soon return to the main line Chiltern Railways new trains – or are they? We ask Managing Director Richard Allan And Richard speculates about the forthcoming Budget and the state of public finances – and has some dire predictions for the railway. (00:00) Intro (00:33) The Brighton Belle - soon to return to the mainline. (08:14) Chiltern Railw...

Following on from our recent Piccadilly Line Tube Trainvideo, this week we go behind the scenes at Siemens’ Goole Rail Village in Yorkshire to see everything that is going on there. The Government has announced the creation of a new property business called Platform4 to kick start the building of 40,000 houses on surplus railway land. We ask whether the plan is good business or just flogging off t...

It’s the week of Alstom’s The Greatest Gathering Railway 200celebration in Derby – we preview what’s coming up this weekend. West of England Main Line trains will not be stopping atCrewkerne until further notice. What on earth has happened And is it the right decision? Plus Richard has a rant… about the Secretary of State’s social media It’s the week of Alstom’s The Greatest Gathering Railway 200...

Have bimode trains scuppered our chances of ever electrifying the UK rail network? The latest Transport Select Committeesuggests they just might… The Secretary of State updates Parliament on HS2 – are weany closer to knowing when and how much? And ORR delivers its annual performance review of Network Rail – with some rather chilling words… In this episode: (00:00) Intro (00:37) Transport Select Co...

New trains are being built for the London Underground’s Piccadilly Line – the very first deep Tube trains that will have air conditioning and walk-through carriages. We visited the Siemens train manufacturing plant in Goole (Yorkshire) to find out more about them and to see them being built. Membership: If you want to see even more from Green Signals, including exclusive content, become a member a...

Government commits to 50 road and rail projects… or does it? Midland Mainline Electrification is ‘paused’. But whose fault is it? And the Severn Valley Railway pulls off a miracle to reopen just 6 months after a major landslip! In this episode: (00:00) Intro (00:27) Green light for over 50 road and rail upgrades (07:16) Midland Main Line electrification ‘paused’ (32:57) New Piccadilly Line trains...

James Stewart, author of the recent review into HS2 and theDfT’s approach to major projects speaks to Richard in this fascinating interview. Here’s the background to James’s review as set out by the Government: In October 2024, the Department for Transport (DfT) announced that James Stewart would lead a review of DfT’s approach to the governance and assurance of major infrastructure project delive...

Virgin Trains is denied a return to the West Coast Main Line…but in a big shock - along with everyone else HS1 is judged poor value for money – but have all the benefits been accounted for? And an Avanti West Coast Pendolino hits the buffers at Euston In this episode: (00:00) Intro (00:32) ORR rejects WCML open access applications (27:15) HS1 is judged poor value for money (31:38) James Stewart in...

The Royal Train is to be decommissioned by 2027 bringing toan end to getting on for 200 years of association. A derailment at Bletchley and a fallen tree near Beattockcause days of travel chaos on the West Coast Main Line. And we speak to Stadler about their take on theUK rolling stock market. In this episode: (00:00) Intro (00:33) Royal Train to be decommissioned (11:39) Derailment at Bletchley (...