Green Signals

35. Turbo Pendolinos for HS2? Is a directing mind required & why Tornado cost £1m to overhaul


Listen Later

HS2 Phase 2 to Manchester may have been cancelled but the problems have only begun. How to deal with the 54 brand new Alstom / Hitachi trains on order? What about fewer seats being available on Britain’s most valuable route, London – Manchester? And then there’s Euston station – what on earth do we build now? Chris Gibb, a senior figure in the railway industry previously a director of Virgin Cross Country, Virgin West Coast and Network Rail to name but three thinks he knows what to do – and he’s written it down in a dramatic new plan which we discuss in detail with him.

Andrew Haines has appeared at the Public Accounts Committee where he and the DfT officials

also present seemed to reject the notion of a directing mind. The Labour Party, possibly the next party of Government, appear to think otherwise. Is there a showdown coming?

There’s mixed news in the Heritage Sector. In an interview with Steve Davies MBE, Chairman of the A1 Steam Locomotive Trust which owns celebrity locomotive 60163 Tornado, we discuss how its recent general overhaul cost £1m as well as the challenges faced when installing a modern electronic signalling system onto a steam engine. Then we consider the desperate times faced at the Nene Valley Railway which needs £300,000 to stay afloat.

And, there’s good news from the Community Rail sector. We discuss Community Rail week and the marvellous work volunteers carry out to promote their loco lines and stations.

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)


With thanks to the A1 Steam Locomotive Trust for additional material

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Green SignalsBy Green Signals Productions


More shows like Green Signals

View all
Page 94: The Private Eye Podcast by Page 94: The Private Eye Podcast

Page 94: The Private Eye Podcast

347 Listeners

Politics Unpacked by Times Radio

Politics Unpacked

108 Listeners

Political Thinking with Nick Robinson by BBC Radio 4

Political Thinking with Nick Robinson

110 Listeners

Newscast by BBC News

Newscast

624 Listeners

Where Politics Meets History by Global

Where Politics Meets History

71 Listeners

Rock & Roll Politics with Steve Richards by Steve Richards

Rock & Roll Politics with Steve Richards

49 Listeners

Giles Coren Has No Idea by The Times

Giles Coren Has No Idea

98 Listeners

Inside Briefing with the Institute for Government by Institute for Government

Inside Briefing with the Institute for Government

19 Listeners

Simon Calder's Independent Travel Podcast by The Independent

Simon Calder's Independent Travel Podcast

71 Listeners

The Rest Is Politics by Goalhanger

The Rest Is Politics

3,005 Listeners

The News Agents by Global

The News Agents

980 Listeners

The Rest Is Money by Goalhanger

The Rest Is Money

182 Listeners

How To Win An Election by Times Radio

How To Win An Election

27 Listeners

Radical with Amol Rajan by BBC Radio 4

Radical with Amol Rajan

52 Listeners

Not Another One by Steve Richards, Miranda Green, Tim Montgomerie and Iain Martin

Not Another One

23 Listeners