The May 2026 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:
EMR’s Aurora Bi-modes in Profile: The new East Midlands Railway Intercity trains, the Class 810 “Auroras”, have now been in service for more than four months. Robert Pritchard samples what they have to offer to passengers, and also hears the latest on challenges faced by the EMR team introducing the trains.
Bedford to Bletchley – The Line That Refused to Die: A pleasant but often overlooked line is the Bedford–Bletchley Marston Vale Line. It has, on more than one occasion, been mused that had the line closed it would have made an ideal heritage railway. Jonathan Webb explores the route.
20 Not Out: The TPE 185s: The TransPennine Express Class 185s have been one of the modern day railway success stories. Robert Pritchard looks back over their lives to date and reports on a recent event hosted by TPE to mark their 20th anniversary.
British Built Engineering Still Going Strong in Sri Lanka: Eddie Holden gives us a snapshot of the railways of Sri Lanka, which still boast some British built locos and others with British engines.
News stories this month include:
- Class 222s to replace ScotRail HSTs by December 2028
- Fire closes Glasgow Central
- Five new stations open in West Midlands
- Work starts to reinstate Birmingham Snow Hill Platform 4
- Funding approved for Elland station
- Core Valley Lines electrification completed
- Government asks HS2 to cut costs by running slower; renegotiates formation of trains
- West London Orbital moves forward
- Lumo gears up for May Euston–Stirling launch
- South Yorkshire People’s Network launched with new orange livery
- No funding for new Cleethorpes–London service
- DRS to host Crewe open day in July
- Freight traffic down 5% compared to autumn 2024
- North Wales services remodelled
- Final Midland Railway lower quadrant signal abolished
- Bedlington becomes final Northumberland Line station to open
- New Piccadilly Line trains delayed again
- New dates for Railway 200 train
- Southeastern to reinstate more Metro services
- Magna tram stop set for April opening
- New DLR trains to return to service by late summer
- Cutty Sark DLR station reopens
- Crew training on West Midlands Metro Eastside line
- 89001 on loaded test trains
- Heavy Haul Rail unveils new livery
- New Crewe base for Rail Operations Group Class 99s
- Class 93 set for trial on GWR Sleeper
- Class 91s return to Newcastle in service
- Second Class 175 diagram for GWR
- Chiltern finishes with Mark 3s
- Final Class 197 delivered
- SWR Class 455s bow out
- Last-built Class 466 saved
- Severn Valley faces backlash over lineside trees
- Tanfield Railway to host Diesel Pioneers Gala
- Brundall signal box to be moved to County School?
- East Lancs Railway hosts “Small Engines” gala
- Great Britain XVIII confirmed but doubt surrounds “Jacobite” operations
- BLS tour to celebrate half a century of Class 56s
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