The Intercity 225s Have RETURNED To Newcastle! YouTube video by Michael C.

New Video!

After more than half a decade, the iconic Intercity 225s have made their long-awaited return to Newcastle!

youtu.be/DB05WCxlKgA

Thanks to everyone who tuned into this, I hope you enjoyed listening to it as much as I did presenting it!

If you missed it live and would like to catch up, you can do so here: www.mixcloud.com/surreyhillsr...

The opening ceremony for Bedlington Station, featuring Alex Hornby, Dennis Fancett, and Glen Sanderson, amongst others.

Make sure you tune in to surreyhillsradio.co.uk LIVE from 5PM - 7PM for the full, uncut interviews with those behind the reopening of the Northumberland Line, as well as a discussion with @garethdennis.uk on the future of level boarding at Old Oak Common and much much more!

Camp Hill Line Opening: Riding The FIRST Train to Birmingham's Newest Stations! YouTube video by Michael C.

New Video!

Recently, three new stations opened in Birmingham on the Camp Hill Line, and of course I was there to ride the first train!

In this video we'll discuss the history and future of the line, all whilst riding the inaugural service and touring the reopened stations: youtu.be/0q2NEmaWnvQ

Sadly not, though that would be cool!

Easy mistake to make. It's a Metro system so logical assumption!

So if you're looking for third rail electrification on national rail tracks outside of the Southeast, Liverpool is the only one.

A Tyne & Wear Metro Class 555 pulling out of a station. Overhead catenary can be seen above it with the train connecting to it via a rooftop pantograph.

Merseyrail and Glasgow Subway use third rail, but T&W metro doesn't.

It instead uses 1500V DC OLE

Translation: “I don’t want to help the UK by paying tax”.

I am really growing very tired of hearing advice from super-wealthy people who so obviously put themselves first but pretend otherwise.

Two Tram Expansions Opening Soon: Magna Tram-Train & Birmingham Eastside Metro YouTube video by Network News

Did you know that we're getting not one, not two, but THREE new tram stops opening over this next week?

In this latest video, we'll take an in-depth look at all three of the new stops, discussing their opening date, justification behind them, and how they fit into the future:

youtu.be/Vtaqoz9cqK0

Yep, there's a lot of them around...

That's what makes them so great!

Bedlington Station Opening Day: The Northumberland Line's FINAL* Station YouTube video by Michael C.

New Video!

As teased yesterday, I've been up in the northeast again, this time visiting the FINAL station on the Northumberland Line... or is it?

Watch now to find out all you need to know about the new Bedlington Station!

youtu.be/Pc_YHMvRsBQ

It most certainly is!

A screenshot of my account page on Bluesky featuring a new banner showing me in front of the recently opened Bedlington station with a Northern Class 156 in the background.

New banner who dis?

(Also a teaser for my next video 👀)

Camp Hill Line Opening Soon: Birmingham's Next Three Stations! YouTube video by Network News

New Video!

This time we're taking an in-depth look at the five new stations opening in the West Midlands, including the Camp Hill Line, which is set to open on the 7th of April:

youtu.be/lBr_aXOoDUE

Well well well, what do we have here!?

We've only gone and bloody done it! Thank you all so much for making this possible! Road to 2,000 babyyyy!!!

Congratulations to @fynnjones.bsky.social on achieving 1000 subscribers, hopefully it's onwards and upwards from here!

Do be sure to check out his channel if you haven't already!

Dang, I wish I'd known or I'd have come out for a ride!

Finally withdrawn then?

I made a rail journey NO ONE has ever made before! YouTube video by Fynn Jones

New video!
Today you join me at my local station of Chesterfield as we embark of a journey no one has ever made before! Where are we going? Watch to find out!
With thanks to @mikewillsee.bsky.social for joining me!
youtu.be/ofjId5GVjSA?...

Yeah I was thinking about that the other week. The whole thing has gone suspiciously quiet to the point where I think it's pretty safe to assume it's not happening any more...

Well that's very encouraging to hear!

I'd assumed that some of GWR's (admittedly limited) slow-line services to Reading/Didcot would also be on the slow lines at OOC but it sounds like that may not be the case.

However I do still have concerns about potential future use by Chiltern services.

At least with high-floor trains and low-floor platforms you can still achieve accessibility via a ramp. Far from perfect but better than excluding people entirely!

I suspect @garethdennis.uk will have thoughts on this.

I wonder if that's even legal then - deliberately excluding people from boarding certain types of trains?

Especially bad in a new-build station!

There's also GWR's 387 services towards Didcot to deal with, which are likely to be replaced with low-floor trains at some point.

My question is, if you've got a low-floored train at a high-floor platform, is it even possible to ramp down from the platform into the train to maintain accessibility?

My understanding was that they'd try to achieve it on all four of the slow line platforms, and whilst it would mostly be used for EL trains, the platforms would inevitably get used by other services, particularly during disruption.

Level Boarding for Elizabeth Line Trains at Old Oak Common Station - Philip Holbourn YouTube video by Railway Engineering Institution (RailEI)

In this video they reckon they can get level boarding to XR trains at OOC, BUT it would mean that any low-floor trains would be beneath the platform. Is it even possible to 'ramp into' a train below platform level the way one might 'ramp up' to a train above platform level?

youtu.be/KryXjiUycZU

That would be very good if they're able to pull it off!

You also have no CIV through ticketing guarantee with Ouigo, unlike SNCF, so it's a big loss for long-distance/international travellers too!

Even with an overall increase in daily seating capacity, reducing the number of trains per day is still a backwards step as it leads to less choice for passengers and may put people off travelling by rail if both of the daily departures are at inconvenient times.