Shows / Green Signals
Green Signals
Green Signals is a show about railways - its politics, its economics, its people and history. We turn over the issues of the day and talk to the people making the decisions that affect all our lives. We also dig into many of the amazing events in the history of an industry that spans nearly 200 years. Nigel Harris (former Managing Editor and Events Director of the leading industry and opinion forming magazine RAIL) and Richard Bowker (former Chair & CEO of the Strategic Rail Authority) steer…
Episodes
Green Signals101. East Coast Main Line Timetable - Are fewer stops a good thing?!
East Coast Main Line December timetable changes – are fewer stops a good thing? We find out more about how Network Rail is spending money with its suppliers……
Green Signals100. Scotland scraps peak rail fares. Is England next?
Scotland scraps peak rail fares. Is England next? Network Rail releases its supplier spending report… and it raises some concerns. And the Office of Rail and…
Green Signals99. Eurostar: The full (mind-blowing!) guide to Channel Tunnel competition
Eurostar competitors submit detailed plans to the Regulator. We ask - has anyone made a compelling case? We speak to a leading expert on cross border and…
Green SignalsSouth Eastern Railway – Track and Train reunited at last: Interview with Steve White
The Government believes that by uniting track and train together, performance on the railway will improve and costs will come down, leading to better outcomes…
Green Signals98. ASLEF claims victory for train drivers over toilets… but is it a victory?
ASLEF hails a victory for drivers over access to toilets. But is it really a victory? Network Rail is accused of “sabotaging” Alliance Rail’s open access…
Green Signals97. The Brighton Belle - take a tour inside! And Chiltern Railways NEW trains - or not?
The Brighton Belle – We visit the iconic train that will soon return to the main line Chiltern Railways new trains – or are they? We ask Managing Director…
Green Signals96. Inside Yorkshire’s £250m train factory: Goole Rail Village
Following on from our recent Piccadilly Line Tube Trainvideo, this week we go behind the scenes at Siemens’ Goole Rail Village in Yorkshire to see everything…
Green Signals95. The Greatest Gathering preview! Green Signals heads to Derby…
It’s the week of Alstom’s The Greatest Gathering Railway 200celebration in Derby – we preview what’s coming up this weekend. West of England Main Line trains…
Green Signals94. Have bimode trains scuppered electrification of the rail network?
Have bimode trains scuppered our chances of ever electrifying the UK rail network? The latest Transport Select Committeesuggests they just might… The Secretary…
Green SignalsNew Tube trains for the Piccadilly Line – inside the factory!
New trains are being built for the London Underground’s Piccadilly Line – the very first deep Tube trains that will have air conditioning and walk-through…
Green Signals93. Midland Main Line electrification ‘paused’… But whose fault is it?
Government commits to 50 road and rail projects… or does it? Midland Mainline Electrification is ‘paused’. But whose fault is it? And the Severn Valley Railway…
Green SignalsHS2 didn’t GO wrong. It STARTED wrong – James Stewart review interview
James Stewart, author of the recent review into HS2 and theDfT’s approach to major projects speaks to Richard in this fascinating interview. Here’s the…
Green Signals92. Virgin trains is denied a return to the WCML… and so is everyone else!
Virgin Trains is denied a return to the West Coast Main Line…but in a big shock - along with everyone else HS1 is judged poor value for money – but have all…
Green Signals91. The Royal Train is decommissioned & Derailment causes travel chaos on WCML
The Royal Train is to be decommissioned by 2027 bringing toan end to getting on for 200 years of association. A derailment at Bletchley and a fallen tree near…
Green SignalsInside a Class 99 – The UK’s Most Powerful Locomotive
An exclusive tour inside GB Railfreight’s brand new Class 99 locomotive at UK Rail Leasing’s depot in Leicester. 8,000 horsepower in electric mode and 2,400hp…
Green Signals90. Are the Industrial Strategy & Infrastructure Strategy actually strategies? And what about rail?
Are the Government’s ‘UK Infrastructure Strategy: A 10-Year Strategy’ and ‘The UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy’ actually strategies? And do they tell a…
Green SignalsInterview: LNER’s David Horne on running a railway in the public sector
LNER Managing Director David Horne meets Richard in York to talk about running a railway in the public sector, delivering for the passenger, rail fares, Great…
Green Signals89. Rail passenger numbers are up! But is there more behind the headlines?
Rail ridership is almost back to pre-Covid levels! But is there more behind the headlines? HS2 could be delayed yet again – and the blame game is already…
Green Signals88. £15.6BN For Transport Outside London! But Is It Just Political Spin?
£15.6bn for transport investments outside of London and the South East. Fabulous news! But is any of it new money? Or is it just political spin? Fares evasion…
Green Signals87. On location: What’s next for the Northumberland Line?!
We’re on location on the Northumberland Line! We take a trip along the line and chat to Northern about what comes next for the popular rail reopening.Plus, we…
Green Signals86. Rail Nationalisation has begun: Great British Railways is ‘coming soon’!
Rail nationalisation has begun! South Western Railway is the first to re-enter public sector control. What happens next? We discuss the Secretary of State…
Green SignalsLord Hendy: The EXCLUSIVE interview with the Rail Minister that you NEED to watch
South Western Railway became the first train operating company to be formally taken back into public ownership on the expiry of its contract on Sunday May…
Green Signals85. A railway with no signals?! First commuter line runs on digital signals alone
No signals! The Northern City Line becomes the first main line commuter railway to run on digital signals. West Coast Railways is reported to have run a…
Green Signals84. An End to 'Boom & Bust' For Rail Suppliers? Hmm...
An end to the ‘boom and bust’ of contracts for rail suppliers? Sir Andrew Haines, Network Rail CEO, describes the Rail Enhancement Pipeline as a ‘flawed…
Green SignalsDeltic D9015 lives! Fired up on a behind-the-scenes trip to Barrow Hill Roundhouse
Barrow Hill is a treasure trove of railway and locomotive history – the last surviving roundhouse in the country with an operational turntable. We were lucky…
Green Signals83. Will private rail operators cost the taxpayer £BILLIONS, even after renationalisation?
Will private rail operators still cost the taxpayer billions of pounds, even after rail renationalisation? New analysis seen by Green Signals says they just…
Green SignalsLet's play fantasy Great British Railways CEO... With Tim Shoveller EXCLUSIVE
Great British Railways needs a leader… and a good one if it’s going to succeed. Richard speaks to a man with a unique railway background. He’s run train…
Green Signals82. No Great British Railways until 2027?! Heidi Alexander at Transport Select Committee
No Great British Railways until 2027?! We dissect Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander’s first appearance as Secretary of State for Transport at the Transport…
Green SignalsThe Future of the North: Henri Murison on Devolution, HS2, Rail Reform & Levelling Up
We sit down with Henri Murison, CEO of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership, to discuss the past, present, and future of the North of England. From the…
Green Signals81. EXCLUSIVE Is Gemini Trains the REAL Eurostar competitor?
New Eurostar challenger Gemini Trains CEO Adrian Quine gives us an EXCLUSIVE interview. And we preview an upcoming interview with Northern Powerhouse…
Green SignalsThe Pioneer of Open Access on the Railway – Ian Yeowart interview
Open Access services are an emotive topic. They also risk becoming a real political headache in the process of reforming Britain’s railway. Politicians are…
Green SignalsInside Northern Trains: COO Matt Rice on Fixing the North's Railway
Northern Trains operates one of the most complex and expansive rail networks in the UK, serving everything from scenic rural routes to busy urban lines across…
Green Signals80. Tornado - First Digitally Signalled Steam Locomotive on the Main Line!
We dive into the ground breaking test of A1 Steam Locomotive Trust’s Tornado, the world’s first steam locomotive equipped with digital signalling equipment…
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75. How late are YOUR trains? Train performance data shown at stations
How late are YOUR trains?! Train performance data to be displayed at stations to ‘rebuild trust’ – but will it really do that? Rail Minister Lord Hendy doubts…
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77. Thousands of rail jobs to be axed… including on HS2?
Thousands of rail jobs to be axed, including on HS2? We discuss the reports in the context of the Chancellor’s Spring Statement Network Rail and the Office of…
Green SignalsOn track for £15M of track renewals on the Cambrian Line & The future of ‘Local Railways’
Join us for an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the major £15 million track renewal project on the Cambrian railway line near Machynlleth. In this video, we…
Green SignalsThe killer you didn’t see coming… Shocking railway trespass near misses
Every year, thousands of people, especially teenagers, risk their lives by trespassing on railway tracks, often unaware of the deadly consequences. In this…
Green Signals79. Will HS2 trains cause a ‘sonic boom’ effect? AND Exclusive Rail Minister interview
We dive into the intriguing topic of whether HS2 trains could cause a ‘sonic boom’ as they speed through the UK’s high-speed rail network. High-speed trains in…
Green Signals78. £415 million for rail in the North… or government spin?
The Prime Minister announces £415m investment in railways in the north! But what’s the real story? Virgin Trains moves a step closer to challenging Eurostar……
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A NEW Liverpool to Manchester railway
Huw Merriman, former Minister of Rail in the last Conservative Government talks about his new role as Chair of the Liverpool Manchester Railway Board. He…
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76. Virgin Trains comes out fighting for open access rights
Richard Branson’s Virgin Trains fights hard to return to the West Coast Main Line with an appeal to the Office of Rail and Road over available capacity We ask…
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74. Flying Scotsman DOES have a main line future & HS2 damning PAC report
Flying Scotsman DOES have a main line future – we speak to the National Railway Museum about plans for the world-famous locomotive Where now for HS2? The…
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Could some heritage railways be heading for the brink? HRA CEO Steve Oates interview
Heritage Railway Association CEO Steve Oates talks about the challenges facing the heritage railway sector. Steam railways are under increasing pressure…
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73. Railway structures: Has Network Rail got a grip?
The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) threatens Network Rail with possible enforcement action under the Health & Safety at Work Act. Could there be growing safety…
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72. Has the government finally got something right?! Railways Bill Consultation analysis
The government publishes ‘Delivering a railway fit forBritain’s future’. It’s the clearest indication yet of the government’sintentions for the future…
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HS2: What will it be like for passengers? West Coast Partnership Development interview
Amongst all the HS2 construction updates, one important thing has been missing. What is HS2 actually going to be like for passengers? When will we see HS2…
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How to celebrate Railway 200 in 2025
2025 is a big year for the railway. It’s the 200thanniversary of the Stockton & Darlington railway, which is generally considered the world’s first commercial…
- Green Signals
71. Is a Virgin Trains comeback on the West Coast Main Line about to be crushed?
Is a Virgin Trains comeback on the West Coast Main Lineabout to be crushed? And the Department for Transport strongly objects to a swarm of other open access…
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70. HS2’s incredible 4.5k tonne deck slide at Small Dean & semaphore signals in Shrewsbury
An HS2 construction update this week with the completion of an incredible 4,500 tonne deck slide for a viaduct at Small Dean in Buckinghamshire Richard takes a…
- Green Signals
69. Chancellor Rachel Reeves and the speech of eternal ‘rubbish’
Has Chancellor Rachel Reeves given the economy the growth serum it needs, or is she on a planet looking increasingly like it’s far, far away? Great British…
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“Government has made a BIG mistake” Rail Partners CEO Andy Bagnall interview
Rail Partners is a trade body that was set up to promote and focus on the interests of the private sector train operators, both passenger and freight, on the…
- Green Signals
68. Forget trains, roads are the way forward! Wait… what?!
Forget trains, roads are the way forward – or that seems to be the message from the National Infrastructure Commission’s Chairman Sir John Armitt CBE at a…
- Green Signals
The new £5M railway being built in Wales – Bala Lake Railway extension (Snowdonia)
A brand new railway is being built in Wales. They have theland. They have the planning permission. Some of the ballast is even laid. All they need is the rest…
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Investigating railway accidents – Interview with RAIB Deputy Chief Inspector
Railway accidents and train crashes are investigated thoroughly to find out what caused them and how they can be prevented from happening again. We spoke to…
- Green Signals
67. Is Virgin Trains making a comeback with a £500m train order to challenge Eurostar?
Is Virgin Trains about to make a comeback in the UK with a £500m train order to operate services through the Channel Tunnel to compete with Eurostar? Is…
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South Wales Metro – the transformational Welsh answer to the Tube!
We take a trip to the Transport for Wales Taffs Well depot to find out about progress on a remarkable project - the South Wales Metro. TfW CEO James Price…
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66. Is Northern Powerhouse Rail dead? And levelling up with it?
Is Northern Powerhouse Rail dead? And levelling up with it…? Has the Secretary of State for Transport Heidi Alexander signalled the beginning of the end for…
- Green Signals
65. Railways in 2025: HS2, Great British Railways, performance & more
What does 2025 have in store for the railway? We first take a look back at the big stories of 2024, before looking forward to the year ahead… And an HS2…
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A Life in Transport: Buses, trains and trams - Roger Bowker
Richard Bowker is in conversation with his father Roger Bowker, a legendary transport industry professional who spent 62 years in the bus industry working for…
- Green Signals
64. Northumberland Line opens! & Bowker dissects Rail Minister's TSC performance
The Northumberland Line opens to passengers from Newcastle to Ashington after 60 years. The Isle of Wight’s Island Line major engineering reaches the halfway…