Paul Middleton returns with a new five-episode Steam Train Diaries series on More4 from 12 November. The programme visits several heritage railways, including North Yorkshire Moors Railway, where bridge repairs are under way and locomotive Omaha is being converted from coal to oil.
Transport for Wales has proposed a Swansea Bay and West Wales Metro with new stations, extra services, a new platform at Swansea, track links and signalling-related enabling works. Phase A and Phase B plans are open for public feedback until 13 December 2026, with funding still to be secured.
VIA Rail will provide free train travel for young patients and families to six children’s hospitals in Ontario and Quebec under a three-year partnership with Canada’s Children’s Hospital Foundations. The program builds on a similar London, Ontario collaboration launched in April 2026.
Premium PSU will present its full auxiliary and services power conversion range for rolling stock at InnoTrans 2026 in Berlin, including AC/DC supplies, DC/DC converters, inverters, VFDs and DC-UPS. The products are engineered to EN 50155 and related railway standards and built in Barcelona.
Services between Leeds and York resumed after a nine-day closure for TransPennine Route Upgrade works. The works included replacing Common Lane Bridge at Church Fenton, installing new power lines for future electrification, and other track, overhead line and drainage upgrades on the East Coast Main Line.
UIC Rail Expert Group meeting 2026 will be held on 18–19 November 2026 in Hamburg, Germany, hosted by DB InfraGo.
Financial Times article on Alstom says the French rail company is facing a series of disruptions and knock-on problems. The provided text is only a partial excerpt.
At InnoTrans 2026 in Berlin, SOGECLAIR TRAINING & SIMULATION presented Oksygen® and LITE, simulation tools for driver and operator training. The platforms use real infrastructure data, digital twins, 2D/3D modelling and portable hardware to support training, assessment and operational readiness.
The article argues that rail emergency exit systems should still function without connectivity or power, citing EU interoperability rules and the IEC RAMS framework. It says physically independent mechanisms can complement digitally enabled systems in trains.
A commentary says Alstom shares fell sharply after two profit warnings, with the company still weighed down by delayed projects, cost overruns and integration issues after the Bombardier Transportation deal. It says another warning cannot be ruled out as the new CEO prepares a future strategy update in 2027.
ZSSK plans to invest €43.9 million in six battery-electric shunting locomotives for Bratislava and Žilina, with delivery planned by end-2030. Slovakia’s finance ministry recommends battery traction over diesel on lifecycle-cost grounds, ahead of ETCS-only operation on key corridors from 2031.
Alstom cut its 2026/27 outlook after production delays and technical issues on the Coradia Max platform and other German projects. First-half adjusted EBIT margin was about -4%, free cash flow was negative EUR 1.25 billion, and full-year rail vehicle production guidance was reduced to about 4,000.
MRT Corp has awarded a RM2.69 billion contract for CMC2, covering design and construction of a 5.5km Penang Mutiara Line extension from Macallum Street to Penang Sentral, including a 3.05km sea-crossing bridge. The 22-station project is 16% complete and is expected to open in 2031.
Spanish infrastructure manager Adif has awarded the operation of the Vitoria-Jundiz intermodal terminal to Terminal Intermodal Jundiz, a consortium led by Medlog Spain Logistic with port and regional partners. The terminal covers 55,000 m² and is expected to grow from 4,723 ITUs in 2025 to 60,000 annually from year three.
British rail staff assaults rose 12% to 11,289 in 2025-26, with many incidents linked to late shifts. The article says operators can reduce risk through roster planning, station lighting, CCTV, body cameras, safe spaces and stronger incident reporting and follow-up.
Indian Railways reported higher coal and overall freight loading in October, CONCOR ordered 12 rakes of container wagons from Golden Rock Workshop, DP World expanded double-stack services from JNPA, and the Rowghat iron ore line was commissioned. A new East-West dedicated freight corridor is under study.
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.
Ares has agreed to acquire Infinity Transportation, a US railcar leasing business with about 50,000 railcars leased to more than 350 customers across the US, Canada and Mexico, for about $2.9 billion. Completion is expected in Q1 2027, subject to approvals.
MRT Corp awarded a RM2.69 billion civil main contract to a CCCC-TRC Construction-Ufuk Semarak joint venture for the Penang LRT Mutiara Line cross-sea extension from Macallum to Penang Sentral. The 5.5km package includes a 3.05km bridge and is targeted for completion by December 2031.
Sydney Metro Southwest has opened passenger services, completing Sydney’s 66 km metro line with 31 stations. Alstom supplied Metropolis trains, Urbalis CBTC signalling and maintenance services for the extension, and also maintains the fleet at Metro Trains Sydney’s Tallawong depot.