Today's Railways UK 295: September 2026

£6.75

The September 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:

Breathing New Life Into Springburn Works: Robert Pritchard reports on the revival of the former Caledonian Railway Springburn Works in Glasgow in words and pictures.

Looking to the Future on Tyne & Wear: Robert Pritchard visits the rebuilt Tyne & Wear Metro depot at South Gosforth and looks at Nexus’s plans to extend the Metro to Washington near Sunderland.

Heritage Railway Volunteer Crisis: Heritage railways play a valuable role in preserving railway history and providing a boost to sustainable tourism in the areas that they serve, yet they rely largely on volunteer labour which has often been in short supply in recent years, as Jonathan Webb explains.

Exploring the Caterham and Tattenham Corner Branches: Ian Buck explores these two interesting branch lines south of London.

Network SouthEast: 40 Years On: 40 years ago, in 1986, British Rail’s London & South-East sector was relaunched as Network SouthEast to create a more unified rail network for the region with its own distinct identity. Ian Morrish of the Network SouthEast Friends reflects on the 40th anniversary of NSE.

The Aln Valley Railway: Chris Booth tells the story of Northumberland’s only standard gauge heritage railway and takes a look at the line today.

News stories this month include:

• East Midlands Railway Intercity services in meltdown: emergency timetable, shortage of trains, strikes and Managing Director resigns
• Greater Anglia and c2c trains in GBR livery
• £33.4M for new ticket gates
• RAIB says Hoghton level crossing warnings failed
• HS2 civils pass more milestones
• Paignton station damaged by fire
• Merseyrail to return to public control
• New homes for Inspiration train coaches
• Leicester station rebuild moves closer
• GBRf officially largest freight operator
• Balgray station to open in September
• New control hub for North Clyde Line
• More heatwave disruption and lineside fires on rail network
• New training centre opens at Barrow Hill
• First live ETCS test completed on East Coast Main Line
• Work on White Rose station resumes
• LNER to operate trial services on Midland Main Line
• Go-op outlines battery train ambitions
• Stansted Express launches trial all-night Friday service
• Work begins on Cowley branch as county council covers £14.5M shortfall
• Tram test running to Dudley starts but opening delayed again
• Brimingham tram named after light rail champion
• Tyne & Wear Metro “royal” train donated to museum 
• Coventry Very Light Rail tram stop and platform plan submitted
• Funding secured for Douglas horse tram extension
• DRS trials Class 93s
• Chiltern trials Class 68 noise reduction at Stourbridge
• Class 99s start commercial service
• First Class 175 in GWR livery
• Northern to swap Class 323s for 350/2s
• Extra Class 345s start to arrive at Old Oak
• Class 350 in Invictus Games Foundation livery
• SWR starts to stand down Class 458/4s
• Severn Valley Railway to launch trial commuter service 
• Three locos return to service at East Lancs Summer Diesel Gala
• HST tour marks start of celebrations for 50th anniversary 
• Network Rail brings in steam ban