The May 2025 issue of Today's Railways UK is packed with interesting articles and features, plus all the very latest news from across Britain’s railway network. We also include all our regular monthly sections covering light rail, heritage railways, preservation and railtours, with readers’ letters and our grumpy old man also in attendance.
Feature articles this month include:
Mail Rail – London’s Hidden Gem: Ronan Thomas looks back at the history of London’s Mail Rail underground railway and samples the tourist attraction operated as part of the Postal Museum.
Exploring the Yorkshire Coast Line: Chris Booth heads north from Hull to explore the coastal route via Bridlington to Scarborough.
Batteries Included: Behind the Scenes at West Midlands Metro: Robert Pritchard visits West Midlands Metro’s Wednesbury depot to find out more about the operation of its tram fleet and the use of battery technology.
The Alford Valley Community Railway: Gary Essex visits this narrow gauge community line in Scotland.
An Afternoon at Tunbridge Wells: Mike Reynolds' latest trip takes him to Royal Tunbridge Wells in Kent.
Panning For Gold: A Guide to the Art of Panning: Ian Beardsley provides a guide to the art of panning, a technique commonly used by photographers to convey a sense of movement in action shots, draw the viewer’s attention to the subject and disguise unattractive backgrounds.
News stories this month include:
- Chiltern Railways confirmed as East West Rail operator
- ORR rules on Temple Mills depot capacity: competition for Eurostar on the way?
- Train performance data goes live at stations
- Contactless ticketing for North and Midlands
- Passenger journey numbers much improved
- Cricklewood becomes UK’s first net zero freight terminal
- LNER trials Azuma into St Pancras
- Network Rail fined £3.41M for Surbiton track worker death
- Grand Central applies to run new Cleethorpes service and orders battery-hybrid units from Hitachi
- Avanti rest day working dispute settled
- Hull Trains drivers to strike for eight weeks
- Siemens opens new Goole distribution centre
- Newsham station opens on Northumberland Line
- Railway 200 exhibition train tour dates announced
- More “Greatest Gathering” exhibits announced
- Caledonian Sleeper looks for new locos from 2030
- ScotRail lengthens West Highland Line trains
- Borders Rail extension study to begin
- Polmadie depot to host 150th anniversary open day
- HS2’s new CEO lays out reasons behind delays to HS2 project
- Two HS2 tunnel sections completed
- Cardiff Central’s £140M refurbishment comes nearer
- Lib Dem MPs persuade GWR not to stop all trains at Old Oak
- LT Museum launches new Hidden London tour tickets to mark tenth anniversary
- Rail a key element in Mayor Sadiq Khan’s ten-year London Growth Plan
- Midlands Connect steps up pressure for direct Coventry–Leicester–Nottingham services
- Transport Secretary rejects giant Hinckley freight interchange
- Planned dates announced for next West Midlands Metro extensions
- Merseyside trams arrive at Crich from Wirral Transport Museum
- West Yorks mass transit consultation shows strong support for scheme
- GBRf’s 99001 on test in the Czech Republic
- Rail Operations’ third Class 93 arrives from Spain
- DB Cargo signs contract with Siemens to fit 66s with European Train Control System
- GBRf names Class 69 after EMD Longport
- GBRf to run Drax service powered exclusively by HVO
- HST rescues failed GWR Sleeper
- Europhoenix Class 91 restarts overhead line testing duties
- First refurbished CrossCountry Class 170 in service
- Class 175s for GWR
- Network Rail enters into new agreement with Bluebell Railway
- Ffestiniog Railway unveils plans for Platinum Jubilee celebrations
- More heritage diesel tours on offer from InterCity
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