Today’s Railways UK 232 – June 2021

The June 2021 issue of Today’s Railways UK contains all our regular features and interesting articles, plus all the very latest railway news from across the railway network. As usual, this issue also contains all our regular monthly sections looking at light rail, heritage railways, preservation, railtours, readers’ letters, our grumpy old man and much, much more!

Feature articles this month include:

SLC Operations – Britain’s Newest Operator: SLC Operations is Britain’s newest train operator, having operated its first trains a year ago. It has grown slowly but steadily with a number of new contracts and plans for further expansion. Robert Pritchard chats to Managing Director Cath Bellamy about how the company first started and its future plans.

Aylesbury to Harrow-on-the-Hill: In his latest Portilloesque amble on the rails, Stephen Roberts is out guide to the former Metropolitan Railway line between the Buckinghamshire town of Aylesbury and Harrow-on-the-Hill in north-west London.

The New Timetable: Building Back for the Summer: The new summer timetable starts on Sunday 16 May. Mike Stone provides his usual in-depth operator-by-operator summary.

Railways of Perth: The Fair City: Perth has long been known as the “Fair City” having been a Royal Burgh since the 12th century; however it was only awarded city status in 2012. A key factor in the city’s development was its strategic location at the first easily bridgeable point on the River Tay, and being at the gateway to the Highlands, so unsurprisingly Perth was an early target for railway development. Chris Booth visits this key junction in central Scotland.

Back on the rails with an East Midlands Ranger: With the easing of lockdown restrictions, Anders Beavis-Berry takes a trip to the East Midlands in mid-April.

News stories this month include:

• More TOCs restore services as open access operators return
• Railway industry calls for programmer of electrification to meet carbon targets
• First Group commits to net zero target
• Class 701s delayed until the autumn
• SWR ditches 442s but will retain 458s
• Carmont HST hit stones washed onto track
• HS2 appeals against order to stop work
• Crossrail now a railway – but not yet safe enough
• Heathrow western rail link paused
• Barking Riverside viaduct nears completion
• Eastern bore of Gasworks Tunnels reopen
• Network Rail submits North TransPennine route plans
• Fatigue issues raised over Croydon tram crash investigation
• Rail Operations Group sells off Class 47 fleet
• HST power cars find new lease of life with RailAdventure
• First TfW 197 completed for testing ahead of December launch
• Software problems lead to delays with Island Line Class 484s
• Heritage railways in England awarded over £7.71m of additional lottery funding