The Polar Express train ride will return to South Devon Railway from 27 November to 23 December, with themed journeys, characters, entertainment, and visits to Father Christmas. Tickets are expected to sell quickly.
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Garw Valley Railway in Wales will host a Santa’s Grotto on 5 December, with tickets at £5 per child. Families can meet Santa, receive gifts and refreshments, and see Christmas displays, a miniature train and shed tours.
A World Bank Kenya Economic Update says the Mombasa–Nairobi SGR could have saved up to US$900 million if built at Tanzania-like costs. The report cites procurement irregularities, land speculation and corruption, and says governance weaknesses have raised public spending and borrowing costs.
KTM unveiled the 2027 1390 Super Duke GT EVO at EICMA 2026 with a 1,350 cc engine, semi-active suspension, AMT and touring equipment. It is expected in dealerships in early 2027, while KTM Malaysia has listed it locally but has not confirmed launch timing or pricing.
Spain approved €30 million in aid and advance compensation for victims of the Urda high-speed rail crash near Toledo. The decree sets €72,121.46 per fatality, injury compensation by insurance scale, and temporary price caps on travel alternatives and accommodation linked to affected trips.
A collision near Urda on Spain’s Madrid–Seville high-speed line is under investigation after an LZB control failure and an alleged decision to let one train resume normal running. The line remains closed while Renfe runs replacement services.
UIC Statistics Platform plenary meeting held on 19 Nov 2026 from 09:30 to 16:00.
Malaysia has approved funding for preliminary work to extend the under-construction East Coast Rail Link by 32km to the Thai border.
The Rail Accident Investigation Branch said a train not in service hit the buffers at London Liverpool Street on 15 October 2026 at about 7 mph, derailing the first three carriages and damaging the train and buffer stop. A safety digest will follow.
UIC WG1 Station & Urban Design meeting will be held online on 1 December 2026.
SYSTRA, as part of the RMTC joint venture led by Parsons, has been awarded PMCM consultancy for the Riyadh Metro Red Line extension in Saudi Arabia. The project will add 5.4 km, eight stations, mostly underground tunnels, and connect Diriyah to the wider network.
Porterbrook will supply 56 new box wagons to GB Railfreight, with the wagons built by WH Davis in Nottinghamshire. The fleet is due to start completion in September 2027 and will be used to move recycled material to 7Steel’s Cardiff site for UK steel production.
Kent’s Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway says it will mark its 100th anniversary in 2027 with galas, a golden ticket competition, and the return of locomotives Typhoon, Hurricane and the Armoured Wagon.
Summer Suites is a freehold serviced apartment project in Johor Bahru by Connoisseur Properties, about 850m from JB CIQ and the future Bukit Chagar RTS Station. The 44-storey tower has 748 units, smart-home features and more than 20 facilities, with completion targeted for 2029.
Siemens completed its acquisition of MERMEC’s signaling, electrification, telecommunication, diagnostics and analytics businesses. The acquired perimeter includes about 1,700 employees and €430 million in fiscal 2025 revenue, with signaling contributing about 60% of revenue. Siemens said the businesses serve customers in more than 70 countries.
ScotRail will add extra carriages and staff, and manage queuing at Haymarket, for the Scotland v New Zealand rugby international at Murrayfield on 7 November 2026. Services on several routes are expected to be very busy, and passengers are advised to buy tickets in advance.
Holmatro says it has developed and supplied rerailing hydraulic systems for trains, metros and trams over the past decade, with deployments in countries including the Netherlands, Australia, the United States, Spain, China and Thailand. It highlights lighter aluminum components, remote control, and safety features for faster recovery after derailments.
SRI Rail Invest ordered a Vectron Dual Mode locomotive for delivery in late 2027 or early 2028. In a separate deal, it arranged financing for Projektbahn to acquire former ICE 2 vehicles from DB Fernverkehr.
East Midlands Railway says the Derwent Valley Line between Derby and Matlock will close from 14 to 22 November 2026 for £3m of Network Rail upgrade works, mainly track renewals at Whatstandwell, Cromford and Matlock Bath. Over 3,500 sleepers and 6,400 tonnes of ballast will be installed.
ČD has launched a tender to sell six Taurus locomotives, offered individually or as a package with spare parts. The three-system units were built in 2007–2011, reach 230 km/h, and are approved for several Central European countries; two have ETCS, while two have Polish SHP equipment.