New Timetables

Timetables across Britain are about to change on the 14th December. Most changes will be minor but it is worth checking before you turn up for your train. Even if is leaving only 5 minutes earlier than before, you could miss it if you are not expecting the change! I have listed all timetables you can download here. For the first time I have included a link to the National Rail timetable which includes every train and line. It is a large document but you can download it in stages. Previously this timetable was only available in selected retailers for around fifteen pounds so it is great to now be able to download it for free.

Some of the notable changes and improvements which will come in this timetable change are:
In Wales-

• A new direct service will run between Aberystwyth and Birmingham International
• A new direct service will run between Holyhead and Birmingham International.
• There are increased services between Cardiff Central and Manchester Piccadilly
• Faster services will be running between Swansea and Milford Haven / Pembroke Dock

Chiltern Railways -

• A new station at Aylesbury Vale Parkway, to the north of Aylesbury, is expected to open during late 2008 / early 2009. This will extend current Chiltern Railways services to and from London Marylebone via Amersham

Crosscountry-
no improvements, rather the withdrawal of some services...

• Services between Reading and Brighton via Kensington Olympia and Gatwick Airport have been withdrawn

Scotrail-

• A new service will be introduced between Inverurie and Aberdeen
• New services on the Far North and Kyle Lines
• A new commuter rail service to Inverness from the north.

Virgin Trains-

• A new direct service will run between London Euston and Crewe via the Trent Valley
• A new direct service will run between London Euston and Birmingham New Street via Northampton. This also increases the number of services running between Northampton and Birmingham New Street
• More services will run between Liverpool Lime Street and Birmingham, with faster journey times
• A new service will run between Worcester and Gloucester
• Services between Walsall and Wolverhampton have been withdrawn

January Fare Increases

It hardly seems a year since I was last updating the website to let readers know about above inflation fare increases on National Rail. Last year (Jan 2008 increase) the government used the higher inflation measure (retail price index) plus 1% as the guide for increasing regulated rail fares. Other fares went up by as much as the rail companies wanted which meant from 0 - 7%. It is unfair that the government uses the lower inflation figure for pay increases but the higher for rail fare increases. Last year's increase was in my view not only unfair but unjustified. Unfortunately this years will be worse. If you would like to compare the forthcoming increase to last years, check out my comparison table on the main website. The green or light coloured numbers show were they are up to the level of inflation, while red represents above inflation. You can see how last year quite a few were neutral or green while this year the board is red. Unregulated fares are going up by up to 11% with the average being 7. While inflation is higher this year we have now entered a recession. A lot has changed since the summer inflation figure which is being used.

But are these increases justified? The Association of Train Operating Companies sound like a mouthpiece for the government with their talk of the increases being used for investment. The investment is happening anyway and some of the examples they quite are a little hard to believe. Lets have a quick look at the reasons for the increases. One is the London Midland refurbishment of their class 158 trains for £10 Million. However London Midland is not increasing their off peak fares. Another example is the new trains for Wrexham and Shropshire. This is a new railway company just started this year so you can't use that as a reason for a fare increase next year! Also they aren't even listed in the ATOC table of increases. Finally they mention the refurbishment of Scotrail sleepers and trains. That was completed earlier this year and was paid for by the Scottish government...not fare increases.

As BBC news correctly pointed out these fare increases are to reduce government subsidy, they have nothing to do with investment. However even worse, these increases are actually an alternative to investment. They are designed to discourage rail travel. Let's say a train is running at capacity, and many are. To add carriages takes money for trains and longer platforms etc. So rather than spend money on this the government simply increases fares to discourage travel. So much for cutting our carbon footprint. It is because they do not want to invest, not for investment that these fares are increasing.

One final point. Should the government decide to change their minds and invest they will find that carrying more passengers, in the long term, will bring in far more revenue than increasing fares for those already travelling. Unfortunately there is very little you can do about it as a passenger. However, I'll be keeping the site updated with special offers. At least one piece of good news is that if you have a railcard you will now get 1/3 off all rail fares, even advance tickets and that's one real discount that's not to be missed next year.

News from North America

If you are planning a trip to the USA make tracks to Amtrak. Amtrak is America's national intercity rail company. Timetables for individual routes have been available online for years but now for the first time you can download the entire system timetable which is usually only available as a printed book (see left). The timetable is more than just a list of when the trains are running. There is a guide to using Amtrak, a list of stations across the USA, a network map, details of how to buy tickets and special offers. I think this type of document is especially useful for overseas visitors who might be unsure of how to get about the US and want to plan their trip in advance. So where can you go? Well this year one of Amtrak's premier named trains, the Crescent is celebrating its 30th year of operation. It departs from New York (ideal for flights from the UK) and takes you to the southern states including Atlanta and New Orleans. Or how about taking the Empire Builder from Chicago to Glacier National Park or right through to Seattle? And what your travel agent probably didn't tell you was that you'd be much better flying to New York, staying a day or two and then taking the train to Florida. See a bit of America on your way! Trains in America travel over longer distances than our UK versions and tend to operate more like cruise liners on land. The most basic level of service is coach class - imagine a first class airline seat and you won't be far off what that means. Then you can go all the way up to your own cabin for two.

Further North in Canada, VIA Rail, has developed a blog called 'on the go with Vivian'. Like the US, Canadian trains are epic and sometimes once in a lifetime journeys.

Britain's first steam locomotive for 50 years

In 1966 British Railways were busy replacing their huge fleet of steam locomotives and in the rush to modernise much was destroyed. It is sometimes forgotten that it is not just steam locomotives that were lost. The modernisation plan abandoned nearly half the UK rail network. Stations too were lost including the magnificent Euston Station, and its even more famous arch. People too were lost. Many lifelong railmen and those setting out in their careers suddenly found that the railway no longer needed them. It is easy to look back and be critical of course and modernisation was badly needed. However there was a dark side which seemed to take pleasure in destruction.

1966 was also the year that the last class A1 steam locomotive was sent for scrapping. These magnificent LNER racehorses were gone for good. But not every sad story ends sad. A group was set up to build a new A1 and a few weeks ago their brand new steam locomotive named Tornado took to the rails. Tornado is the first steam locomotive to be built in Britain for 50 years and is currently the world's newest steam locomotive. This beautiful machine can now been seen on preserved railways and out on the mainline railway taking passengers for day trips. You can find out where it is operating by visiting the www.a1steam.com website.