The world's leading independent railway podcast hosted by award-winning rail engineer Gareth Dennis. Features conversations with guests about all things trains and transport. The show broadcasts live every Wednesday at 8pm UK time, with the audio podcast following on all common platforms.
Episodes
Scotland's Transport Policy Is Still A Disaster | #Railnatter 329
Billions on roads, barely a penny on rail? Tonight, we're diving into an all-Scotland extravaganza, as we look across a range of stories that show that, far from the paradise perceived south of the border, things are in fact a real rockin' shambles when it comes to Scottish transport policy.We'll be talking about the A9, about trams in Edinburgh, about multi-lingual signage in Glasgow
This is how NOT to brand Britain's trains | #Railnatter 328
The government has released the proposed temporary liveries that it is going to stick on trains once GBR is set up but before they finish rolling out the Scrabble Union Jack Edition livery. We take a closer look, think about better options and explain why actually it IS important to get the look of trains right. We'll also be covering a heap of news, not least the aftermath of the horrific Urd
What Do We Know About The Urda Rail Crash? | #Railnatter 327
Today's original plans have been put on hold (we'll cover the budget in tonight's #BONUS) because of the horrendous high speed rail crash in Spain, near the town of Urda. I'll be answering your questions, talking through what we do know so far, and crucially describing how to pick through the rabid misinformation that seems to accompany these incidents. Support #Railnatter at https
Labour have CANCELLED Bradford's new station | #Railnatter 326
Tonight is an episode of two halves... First, we'll ask the question: is there anything Tracy Brabin won't let Westminster cancel and dress up as a good news story? So far the answer is no, as Bradford just had its new through station at the already agreed St James site cancelled.Second, we're opening up the London Assembly's report into driverless taxis. Driverless vehicles don
This Is How Leeds Gets A Metro | #Railnatter 325
Copenhagen and Leeds are basically comparable cities - except that Copenhagen has twice the GDP of Leeds. Why? Because it has a functioning, integrated transport system with a proper metro as its beating heart. Leeds has none of that, and it shows. But what should West Yorkshire's Weaver Metro really look like? Spoiler alert: not trams.This one's going to be a visual feast. Not to be missed.Go bac
The GB Rolling Stock Strategy Misses The Mark | #Railnatter 324
We've a lot to get through tonight, with news and updates galore, including new seats, new services, the collapse of what3words, Brightline's bankruptcy and so much more... But at the heart of tonight's episode is a page-turn of the new GBR rolling stock and infrastructure strategy, released last month to tremendous fanfare. There's some very good stuff in it that we'll flag, b
How Treasury Broke Britain: The History of PFI (Part 1) | #Railnatter 323
In the first of an EPIC two-parter, I'm delighted to say that Britain's best podcaster November Kelly will be joining us to tell the story of PFI, how it was thrust upon an unwilling public by about six guys, how it is completely intertwined with the story of UK transport engineering and how the Treasury used it to completely break Britain.**Audio level issues will be fixed in Part 2, blam
Why This Beautiful Main Line Is A Mess | #Railnatter 322
The East Coast Main Line between Newcastle and Edinburgh is possibly the most beautiful mainline in Britain, but from an operational perspective, it’s a mess. It might not be as slow as you think, but thanks to heavy usage by intercity services, the local stations suffer – indeed, this section of railway has some of Britain’s least used railway stations on it.But what can we do to fix it? this eve
Are We Headed For Another Railtrack Crisis? | #Railnatter 321
The Lewes and Wickford derailments have been confirmed as being triggered by track buckles. But what has led us to the point where two trains can derail in two days? How have we let our track condition across the country get so poor? And why is Hendy involved again?Support #Railnatter at https://patreon.com/garethdennis. Merch at https://merch.railnatter.uk. Join in the discussion at https://disco
Can California's long term rail plan fix HSR? | #Railnatter 320
California High Speed Rail is stumbling onwards, and we'll be catching up with progress as best as we can. However, tonight's main feature will be a run through of the 2024 state rail plan to see if HSR is being set into its wider transportation context in a way that might avoid the worst failures of High Speed 2 in the UK.Support #Railnatter at https://patreon.com/garethdennis. Merch at h
Will the Washington Metro extension work? | #Railnatter 319
Tonight, Gareth is looking over the proposed Washington extension of the Tyne and Wear Metro to see if it works, and what to look out for as the proposals develop. We'll go through a short history of the system and think about the wider integrated transport context. Also: there's news to catch up on!Respond to the consultation with your thoughts here: https://bit.ly/metwashSupport #Railnat
CrossCountry Trains Cannot Be Saved | #Railnatter 318
By pure chance, the entirety of the CrossCountry Trains service fell over the weekend just gone, cancelling countless services and exporting disruption across the network. But this failure is just the tip of the iceberg. Tonight, we look at what is broken at CrossCountry and how a new fleet of trains could solve many of the problems. However, the biggest question we will tackle is: should we destr
York to Hull: Yorkshire's crucial missing rail link? | #Railnatter 317
This is it! We are building a new railway from York to Hull, looking at route options, stations, services and costs, and most importantly setting the railway into its local, regional and national context. We're LIVE so bring your thoughts, opinions and proposals!Watch the first episode of the series here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHYjemzb7rYSupport #Railnatter at https://patreon.com/gar
Why GBR's AI plan is a SHAMBLES | #Railnatter 316
A year after being created, GBRX has done one thing: write a rail industry AI action plan. And it is absolutely shambolic.It is also insightful about the direction Britain's railways are being taken in, and who is taking them there. Featuring: Amazon, Google, NVIDIA, OpenAI and... Palantir. It's grim, but it's important.Read Cory Doctorow's essay: https://pluralistic.net/2026/08/01/dare-snot/#i-wi
How Britain lost THOUSANDS of train services in 2026 | #Railnatter 315
Since 2020, Britain's railways have seen drastic cuts in timetabled services across much of the country. But what have these cuts done for overcrowding? How have they impacted on growth?And which cities and operators are now chronically overcrowded? Thanks to MUCH DATA, we'll fling at high speed through a detailed picture of the railway that we have, and the railway that we need.Read the N
What Great British Railways should ACTUALLY be | #Railnatter 314
We've had a change in leadership for the country, but not for transport, and that means that the creation of GBR continues unaltered. In an episode of two halves, we'll first look at what the IDEAL railway organisation looks like, and how it fits into the wider transport picture.In the second half, we'll talk to Jo Grew, strategy director for GWR and NR Western, to understand what inte
Rebuilding Yorkshire's Broken Railway Network | #Railnatter 313
It's a corker tonight - the long-awaited network development episode for Yorkshire and the North East (outside of WY, SY and Tyne/Wear). Where are the gaps? What are the new bits of railway we need to maximise the railways' ability to get people and goods off the road?Join us for the first of a four-part mini-series!Support #Railnatter at https://patreon.com/garethdennis. Merch at https://
The Titfield Thunderbolt Predicted Today's Transport Crisis | #Railnatter 312
Tonight, we’re talking about the Titfield Thunderbolt! To celebrate its re-release in 4K we’ll be speaking to the team behind its loving restoration, talking about its impact and where its predictions hit the mark (and where they perhaps didn’t) and we’ll be taking a deeper look at the railway that inspired it all – the @TalyllynRailway1865 .Support #Railnatter at https://patreon.com/garethdennis
Labour’s rail promises versus reality | #Railnatter 311
We have a packed show for you tonight! We start at the new Cambridge South station, taking stock of what major station budgets can buy you. Then we review Starmer's Labour legacy for railways, and how much of Louise Haigh's original vision remains intact. Then we blast our way through two months of news - joined by @MikeWillSee of @NetworkNewsUK !Support #Railnatter at https://patreon.c
Why Safety Systems Failed At Talerddig | #Railnatter 310
On 21 October 2024, two Welsh regional trains collided with each other at Talerddig on the line between Aberystwyth and Shrewsbury, resulting in the death of a passenger and serious injuries to three others. A week ago, the RAIB released their final report into this terrible crash.Given extra poignance by the appalling crash between two East Midlands trains near Bedford last week, this episode we'
The hidden history of Adelaide's weird transport | #Railnatter 309
He's back! Chris Brownbill grips the reverser for this week's episode with another trip to an Australian city: this time we are in ADELAIDE, or rather TARNDANYA. We cover all manner of transport systems, but we hone in on the O-BAHN for its pure ridiculousness, and I bring a long a bit of a historical deep-dive.Support #Railnatter at https://patreon.com/garethdennis. Merch at https://merch
The post-election reality for Britain’s transport system | #Railnatter 308
Well, they did it. Labour got a drubbing and are in the process of collapsing. The Tories are nowhere. Reform are ascendant and the Greens are hot on their tails. But what does it mean for transport in Britain? What does it mean for GBR? We'll get stuck in, alongside a bit of news too.Support #Railnatter at https://patreon.com/garethdennis. Merch at https://merch.railnatter.uk. Join in the dis
The truth about local elections and public transport | #Railnatter 307
Westminster has always infantilised local elections, but local authorities are the most persistent interface between our lives and the functioning state, and this is absolutely true when it comes to transport.In this "local" election special, we'll dig into this relationship, talking with Nathan Goldup-John, first candidate in Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd and Charlotte Husnjak, second candi
Britain's Suburbs Are Broken, Here's The Solution | #Railnatter 306
This month, the Foundation for Integrated Transport released its paper on decarbonising suburban transport in Britain. Led by Jonathan Bray, it looks at the key challenges with providing adequate transport options to Britain's suburban communities, it picks out the main lessons we can learn from other cities that are way ahead of the UK on this, and makes a series of recommendations for the UK gov
The Secret to Fixing Britain's Railways | #Railnatter 305
What if we've been getting railway upgrades wrong for decades? What if big, grand, finite projects were about the worst way to deliver the change to transport Britain so desperately needs? By looking at what the Transpennine Route Upgrade is delivering in detail, including the latest look at some massive civil engineering, we'll ask ourselves: "What if the secret to modernising a nati
This cheap fix will SOLVE rural travel | #Railnatter 304
Can the adoption of a Swiss taktfahrplan provide a blueprint for rural and regional transport in Britain?This is the question we'll be asking tonight, as we dig into the plans for the Hope Valley transport integration demonstrator, what £6M is paying for, and whether it can work. We'll also ask: what is a taktfahrplan? Why do these sorts of timetables matter and how would they fix things i
The BILLION POUND flaw on the Elizabeth Line | #Railnatter 303
Last week, the Campaign for Level Boarding published its letter to the Old Oak Common project endorsing a non-standard platform height. But what's that about? And how does it link to Crossrail's most expensive and damaging design flaw?
Read the full Campaign for Level Boarding letter here: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/vs7rqv8utn1s9ne3kah36/CampaignForLevelBoarding_LetterRegardingOOC.pdf?rlkey=on
This train TRANSFORMED Britain’s railways | #Railnatter 302
This week we are talking about Network Rail's PLPR train - the incredible and now pretty experienced train that put machine learning into practice in a way that makes today's AI boosters look more like hucksters than they already are. Alex Cusdin joins us to talk through the train and its tech, and tell the story of how it came into being.
Capturing an incredible 18TB of data a day, this train cap
Talking GBR, cost of living and Iran with TSSA’s Maryam Eslamdoust | #Railnatter 301
In the first of a series of chats with political leaders who are shaping the mobility landscape in the UK, I was delighted to spend a long lunch with Maryam Eslamdoust, general secretary of the TSSA. We talked about a range of subjects including union saturation into the consultancy world, the Iran war and its impacts on the cost of living, rail reform and GBR, as well as her current campaign on v
Transport in Leeds isn't working | #Railnatter 300
10 hours, 22 locations and about 100 miles (probably) of travel later, and we've got a real feast of an episode to mark our 300th... Tonight, we rate ALL OF LEEDS for mobility using our patented science-based system: the PROCIV system. In doing so, we will consider the West Yorkshire mass transit plans and whether they are prioritising the right solutions.
We'll also drop a few bombshells, not lea
Can we end Britain's boom and bust problem? | #Railnatter 299
Back at the start of February, the UK's Transport Select Committee published its report into rail investment pipelines and how to end the boom and bust cycle that double prices and delays improvements... But is the report any good? Does it propose any useful solutions? Will government have any interest in doing anything it suggests?
It's a classic page-turn, and you can grab the report yourself, h
What links Speed, Warriors and Roger Rabbit? | #Railnatter 298
Are there three movies that better define US transit culture better than Speed (1994), Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) and The Warriors (1979)? Probably not, if our guest this week is to be believed!
Because who could be better to guide us on this silver screen odyssey than Josh Boerman, co-host of @TheWorstOfAllPossibleWorlds and @IllConceived ? Nobody, that's who!
Support #Railnatter at https:
Justin Roczniak fixes Britain's railways | #Railnatter 297
It's a delight to say we welcome back Justin Roczniak of @wtyppod fame as we sift through some local, national and international news and try to work out: WHAT IS GOING ON?
Support #Railnatter at https://patreon.com/garethdennis. Merch at https://merch.railnatter.uk. Join in the discussion at https://discord.railnatter.uk. You can also buy my book #HowTheRailwaysWillFixTheFuture: https://bit.ly/
Can the Greens win the Gorton & Denton by-election? | #Railnatter 296
This one's important. If the Greens win, it will end Starmer's short stint as PM and - as importantly - show that Reform are NOT the default winners at the next general election. But can they do it?
Transport is a key local issue in this byelection, and given its importance for communities and indeed the future of our democracy, it was time to create a new scoring system to help target where impro
Why the British rail industry is SO complicated | #Railnatter 295
I'm joined by not one, not two but THREE guests tonight, as fellow rail industry employees Georgia Haslam, Kostas Kuklys and Katie Williams help demystify the immensely complicated British railway industry...
Find out more about this year's Rail Week here: https://www.railweek.com/
Support #Railnatter at https://patreon.com/garethdennis. Merch at https://merch.railnatter.uk. Join in the discussio
Here's how HS2 gives Birmingham a metro system | #Railnatter 294
I've been teasing this one for ages, but we are finally looking at how HS2 gives Birmingham and the West Midlands a metro system, and what its wider suburban railway network COULD look like... Plus there's a bit of news.
Support #Railnatter at https://patreon.com/garethdennis. Merch at https://merch.railnatter.uk. Join in the discussion at https://discord.railnatter.uk. You can also buy my book #H
The trans woman who gave us model railways | #Railnatter 293
Have you heard of Lillian "Curly" Lawrence? Get comfy for a story of genius, wit, charm and tragedy - and of a transgender woman who shaped the model railway scene perhaps more than any other individual.
We'll also touch on LGBTQIA+ history more broadly, dipping into the Railway Museum's oral archives as well as looking at existing exhibits through a different lens.
Here's a link to the project: h
Here's how the Spanish rail crash unfolded | #Railnatter 292
On Sunday, two trains collided near Adamuz in Spain in an appalling, extremely unlikely and hugely tragic crash, which so far has claimed the lives of 40 people. Enough detail has been released that we can plot out how the two trains derailed with reasonable confidence - and that's what we'll do, using photos and video from the scene.
Rob and Jamie from Podcasting Is Praxis drop in to explore the
What is the actual Northern Powerhouse Rail plan? | #Railnatter 291
Northern Powerhouse Rail has been announced by government, again, and this time what's being proposed is even more nebulous than last time... If we ignore Network North, that is. We dig into the details to understand what is being promised, what is new (if anything) and what we've been left since the 2020 high point in UK railway aspirations.
Read the full government release here: https://www.gov.
The Audenshaw rail crash | #Railnatter 290
On 6 September 2024, a freight train derailed over a bridge in Audenshaw in Greater Manchester. At the end of 2025, the RAIB published their report into the crash, looking in detail at the sequence of failures that let to this event. It lays out a series of mistakes and engineering limitations that force us to look more closely at the way we run our railway and train our engineers.
Download the @
Structural collapse, and what to do about it | #Railnatter 289
We've reached the end of 2025! It's been an extremely difficult year across the board, with some points of light dotted around for nourishment, but I wanted to end with some hope. Also with a bridge collapsing on my head.
Support #Railnatter at https://patreon.com/garethdennis. Merch at https://merch.railnatter.uk. Join in the discussion at https://discord.railnatter.uk. You can also buy my book #
What bits of railway are being built over Christmas? | #Railnatter 288
Merry Christmas! Raise a glass to all the folk out there this holiday season prodding, building and generally messing about with railways in the freezing cold.
It's a brief, last minute news filler episode really - and we'll cover a few things including West Yorkshire mass transit delays, two Slovak trains playing chicken on the same track and negging the IEA.
Support #Railnatter at https://patreo
Why diversity and inclusion policies aren't enough | #Railnatter 287
This week I'm delighted to say that we are joined by Poggy Murray Whitham joining us to talk about moving from the technical to the human side of engineering, abuse, threats, hate - and how to overcome them by thinking about psychological safety as rigorously as we think about physical safety. Last time we spoke was in "my" tent at Rail Live, so I've been looking forward to this!
Pick up Poggy's
The definitive verdict on Great British Railways’ new look - with JenOnTheMove | #Railnatter 286
They did it! Or rather, they did... something! The "new" identity of Great British Railways was released yesterday to noises resembling moisture purped through polyester. Alas, it wasn't the wondrous fanfare this ailing government were expecting, but it also isn't a total disaster.
Plus it's a whoops all news episode - and who better to join than long time friend of the show, @JenOnTheMove!
Suppor
The Secret To Fixing York's Traffic Problems | #Railnatter 285
York is broken - traffic is knackered and the city, with its wonderful medieval core and rivers, barely reaches a fraction of its potential as a result.
It turns out there's a fix though - and it involves LEARNING FROM OTHER PLACES! Shock/horror/etc.
Support #Railnatter at https://patreon.com/garethdennis. Merch at https://merch.railnatter.uk. Join in the discussion at https://discord.railnatter.u
Melbourne’s trains - with Chris Brownbill | #Railnatter 284
Chris Brownbill (https://railmaps.com.au/) has taken over! With Melbourne's Metro Tunnel - their Crossrail - opening this weekend, it is as good a time as any to get to know Melbourne's public transport that bit better...
Support #Railnatter at https://patreon.com/garethdennis. Merch at https://merch.railnatter.uk. Join in the discussion at https://discord.railnatter.uk. You can also buy my book #
The PWI has to change its name | #Railnatter 283
It's time for the PWI (the Permanent Way Institution) - my beloved professional institution, the best of the lot, and one I'm immensely proud of - to change its name. And you can make it happen.
Find out more at: https://www.thepwi.org/about/our-next-chapter
Support #Railnatter at https://patreon.com/garethdennis. Merch at https://merch.railnatter.uk. Join in the discussion at https://discord.rai
The man who destroyed Britain's buses | #Railnatter 282
We need a laugh (?) so this week we are going through a report written by Professor John Hibbs for the IEA (the bad one) nearly twenty years ago, and twenty years after Britain's buses were deregulated outside of London and proceeded to be completely decimated, where they weren't engaging in outright urban combat.
In its pages, we see why he and the IEA maniacs think that deregulation was great, a
Everything you need to know about the Railways Bill | #Railnatter 281
Yesterday, the UK Secretary of State for Transport Heidi Alexander deposited the Railways Bill in the House of Commons. Does this actually mean anything? Not yet, not least as quite a lot of important stuff about the future of Britain's railways isn't in this document at all, but it does help clarify the direction of travel, if not the destination.
Support #Railnatter at https://patreon.com/gareth
The real reason HS2 died | #Railnatter 280
Back in June the Stewart Review suggested a series of reasons why Britain's embryonic domestic high speed railway line was tripping over its shoelaces. Today, we dig into that report, with the usual useful context on its author and its subject matter.
Support #Railnatter at https://patreon.com/garethdennis. Merch at https://merch.railnatter.uk. Join in the discussion at https://discord.railnatter.
British airports that have got to go | #Railnatter 279
You've been asking for this one for a long time - YES, the airports episode is finally here! Which of the UK's 32 mainland airports (including on the island of Ireland) deserve to survive into the 2040s, and which must CLOSE? Tune in to find out!
Support #Railnatter at https://patreon.com/garethdennis. Merch at https://merch.railnatter.uk. Join in the discussion at https://discord.railnatter.uk. Y
The city that’s choking itself to death | #Railnatter 278
A city I love and have travelled to many times for a decade now - Belgrade is a melting pot of culture, art and architecture, food and fun. And yet it is being poisoned by corruption, greed and car dominance. The result is a dying city - and a warning to the UK, given our cities are taking exactly the same trajectory.
(don't worry about the hallelujah chorus after the Graun extract slides)
Support
How British Rail gave us the USA’s newest high speed train | #Railnatter 277
Following a wee hiatus from host knackeredness syndrome, we're back! And we're returning to our roots by talking all about British Rail's Advanced Passenger Train, and the corporate nonsense that took APT's tilting technology via about a dozen legal entities to slap it straight into the replacement Acela fleet this year! We also answer the question: was the Pendolino just the APT sold back to us?
The five reasons UK transport fails disabled people | #Railnatter 276
In the second of our episodes focusing on disabled travel, we look at NCAT's latest report on the overall picture for accessible transport in the UK. It's not a rosy picture.
Support #Railnatter at https://patreon.com/garethdennis. Merch at https://merch.railnatter.uk. Join in the discussion at https://discord.railnatter.uk. You can also buy my book #HowTheRailwaysWillFixTheFuture: https://bit.ly/
This campaign made railways better for everyone | #Railnatter 275
With ScotRail announcing that their new fleet procurement will include level "access" as well as a key report being published on progress with transport accessibility, it's the right time to revisit Episode 31 and see what progress has been made - and it is actually good news!
Disability ARK links here: https://linktr.ee/disabilityark
Support #Railnatter at https://patreon.com/garethdennis. Merch
10 new railways to fix Devon and Cornwall | #Railnatter 274
We're back! And we're doing some classic network analysis, this time for Devon and Cornwall. I knew this one would be hard, but making this network make sense is extremely tricky! In any case, we'll list off 10 railway projects the region needs, think about why and what they might look like in more detail.
Support #Railnatter at https://patreon.com/garethdennis. Merch at https://merch.railnatter.u
How to build your own train simulator | #Railnatter 273
We're joined by Daisy from newly-formed ProCab Simulators as she tells us the tale of taking a bunch of bits, wires and programmes and turning them from a fire hazard into a working - and ACCESSIBLE - train cab that works with off-the-shelf train simulator games. It's a story of knowledge, networks, determination, ADHD and the rail industry stepping up!
Plus a bit of news that's worth catching up
An engineer's tour of the Railway Museum's New Hall | #Railnatter 272
My visit to the New Hall at Locomotion in Shildon is FINALLY WITH YOU. See why I think this is the best bit of the whole railway museum, including York...
Support #Railnatter at https://patreon.com/garethdennis. Merch at https://merch.railnatter.uk. Join in the discussion at https://discord.railnatter.uk. You can also buy my book #HowTheRailwaysWillFixTheFuture: https://bit.ly/HowTheRailways
Australia's surprising rail transformation story - with Chris Brownbill | #Railnatter 271
It's the second half of our chat with the wonderful Chris Brownbill, and this time we are looking to the future. Urban and high speed rail plans feature!
Support #Railnatter at https://patreon.com/garethdennis. Merch at https://merch.railnatter.uk. Join in the discussion at https://discord.railnatter.uk. You can also buy my book #HowTheRailwaysWillFixTheFuture: https://bit.ly/HowTheRailways
This Scottish town is a nightmare | #Railnatter 270
One of the most severely and regularly gridlocked regional bottlenecks in Scotland sits slap bang on the top of Fort William, and in doing so it is throttling the life out of the town and surrounding communities. Plans to fix this are now in development, so in readiness for looking at those, we consider what options are available, and work out how to save the Highlands' biggest town in the process
Railways we desperately need, cancelled in favour of roads | #Railnatter 269
The Department for Transport has published the list of projects that it is progressing, and those it is putting on ice... We take a look at the 50 projects that made it.
See the full list here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/green-light-for-over-50-road-and-rail-upgrades-supporting-over-39000-new-homes-and-42000-jobs
Support #Railnatter at https://patreon.com/garethdennis. Merch at https://me
How North Wales will demolish car dependency | #Railnatter 268
Transport for Wales recently released their plan for a public transport network for North Wales, and it is actually very good. We'll take a look, and pick out why Westminster is incapable of delivering this sort of strategic thinking.
Support #Railnatter at https://patreon.com/garethdennis. Merch at https://merch.railnatter.uk. Join in the discussion at https://discord.railnatter.uk. You can also
Why the UK economy will continue to fail | #Railnatter 267
A couple of major things to cover this week that will set the direction of the UK economy for... a bit. Until this government changes their mind again. Those are: the new Industrial Strategy, and the Comprehensive Spending Review from earlier this month. Both talking about where money will - or indeed will not - be spent to make the country work better. And we are taking a closer look.
Support #Ra
Russia's railways WERE the best in the world - with Milo Edwards | #Railnatter 266
Readers of The Book will know that, pre-hot war (we'll get there), Russia's railways were ranked the best in the world by modal share. But how? And what does this look like?
Who better to join us than the UK's official* vibes ambassador to Russia, Milo Edwards? Nobody, that's who. Milo lifts the lid on his experiences as we work out what's good, bad and weird about Russia's railways.
Milo's websit
A history of Australia’s railways - with Chris Brownbill | #Railnatter 265
Chris Brownbill (https://railmaps.com.au/) joins us this week to take us on a quick jaunt through the history of Australia's railways - in the process busting a few myths, talking about a major tragedy and helping explain how the Aussie railways nearly beat Japan on the Top Twenty national railway list...
Support #Railnatter at https://patreon.com/garethdennis. Merch at https://garethdennis.co.uk/
Burnham is key to northern high speed rail network | #Railnatter 264
This week we are looking at the proposals of the Liverpool-Manchester Railway Board, the collective of combined and local authorities across the north west of England wanting to finish off the Manchester bits of HS2 as well as the western end of whatever the trans-Pennine high speed line is called today.
We'll also be talking about Great British Railways and its latest hint at branding in our new,
The cases for and against open access rail operators | #Railnatter 263
The role of open access operations - you know: Hull Trains, Grand Central, Lumo, Go-Op - is one I've been dancing around in #Railnatter for a long while, but I'm hoping tonight to take a reasonably exhaustive look at the cases for and against...
We'll be looking at two documents to do this: firstly, First Group's January 2025 paper making their case in favour of open access, and secondly the rec
Driverless Cars Are Pointless - with Victoria Scott | #Railnatter 262
The wonderful, erudite and incisive Victoria Scott - that's right, my @wtyppod nemesis - is joining us this week for what will I already know will be one of our all-time greats. Why are driverless cars still being pushed onto an unwilling public, three-quarters of a century after the first trials? What's the real reason for adding a near-literal tonne of sensors and high technology to the simple
How not to do feasibility studies | #Railnatter 261
We're looking at the proposals for a new line connecting the North Wales Main Line and the Cambrian Coast Line between Bangor and Afon Wen... Are the plans any good? Should they go ahead even if the correct route for a north-south Welsh mainline is at the other side of the country?
Way back in Episode 57 we analysed where any future north-south Welsh railway needed to be, and we fleshed those plan
Starline's high speed rail "plans" for Europe | #Railnatter 260
In the first of another two-parter, we look at some rather meaningless and silly plans for a high speed rail network that I can't quite categorise between "absolutely nothing" or "actively damaging". Join me LIVE to see if we can work it out together!
Read the plans here: https://21st-europe.com/blueprints/starline
Enjoyed this? Please do consider supporting #Railnatter at https://patreon.com/gar
Labour are out of ideas already | #Railnatter 259
It's a news episode! And as ever we've got loads to catch up on, not least Labour and the Prime Minister's supine desperation in using precisely the same language as the Conservatives by virtue signalling to car drivers as a distinct class of their own. It's grim to see.
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Data, maps and how to use them (with Will Deakin) | #Railnatter 258
Ever wondered how you develop and deploy a new timetable? Or how to map flows of humans across regions, countries and continents? Well this is the primer on all of that, and crucially why we do it and what the pitfalls are...
Friend of the show Will Deakin joins us to talk about temporal data, spatial data, big data and having fun with it in what I know will be the first of a few return episodes o
Designing Glasgow a metro system | #Railnatter 257
It's the second half of the two-parter you all wanted in one go last week! Yes - this time we get to the good stuff. Maps. And using them to see what a realistic but bold modern metro system for Scotland's largest city could look like.
Plus we might mention Glasgow Airport again since that got everyone very excited.
See the piece I wrote about this: https://www.glasgowbell.co.uk/a-blueprint-for-gl
Clyde Metro? Glasgow must think bigger | #Railnatter 256
I've been promising this one for a while - what should Glasgow be doing about its urban mobility? What about the Glasgow Subway? Crossing the Clyde? What about the airport? Well, the way to solve all of this is with MAPS and that's what we will be doing!
See the piece I wrote about this: https://www.glasgowbell.co.uk/a-blueprint-for-glasgows-rail/
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#Railnatter Episode 255: Goodbye USAID, hello China (and much more railway geopolitics)
Whilst there's plenty of local news for us to pick through, I wanted to focus this week's episode on how railways are becoming sharply relevant in the rise and fall of national and international powers...
Whether it's the railway expansion intentions of USAID versus China in south central Africa, increasingly heated riots in Greece over the Tempi rail disaster (an episode for itself soon) or the n
#Railnatter Episode 254: Urban transport in Dubai (and what’s stupid about a lot of it)
At the World Government Summit in early 2025, Dubai's city leaders revealed the latest nonsense they were putting their mobility hopes and dreams into... And it is a real hotch-potch of junk ranging from obviously stupid to mostly pointless to outright fascist. So let's get the #NotAMetro sorter out and sift through them!
Read Nicole's great retort to it all: https://www.forbes.com/sites/nicolekob
#Railnatter Episode 253: The (draft) Mid Wales Regional Transport Plan
Given it's our fifth anniversary, how better to celebrate than to look at and think about rural Welsh transport and what to do about it? Cue the music!
Access the documentation here: https://www.growingmid.wales/article/10136/Mid-Wales-Transportation
Enjoyed this? Please do consider supporting #Railnatter at https://patreon.com/garethdennis or throw loose change at me via https://paypal.me/gareth
#Railnatter Episode 252: What we must learn from the Grenfell Tower disaster (2)
Back in Episode 240 we looked in detail at the corruption, callousness and incompetence that led to the deaths of seventy people in the fire in Grenfell Tower in 2017. Tonight, we are joined by fire engineer and researcher Alastair Temple to look at what the inquiry into the disaster recommends to avoid it ever happening again.
Find Alastair Temple's portfolio: https://alastairtemple.co.uk/
Enjoy
#Railnatter Episode 251: The Future of Cities (keeping an eye on urban trends)
Cities are extremely important, despite only one of them getting much meaningful attention in the UK. Network Rail and WPI Economics have pulled together a report looking at cities and the trends that are defining their futures right now, including post-COVID behavioural changes, and it piqued my interest. Let's take a look together in the usual way!
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#Railnatter Episode 250: The little station that defeated Westminster
To celebrate our reaching 250 episodes, I thought I'd tell the tale of the little railway station that rebelled against Westminster's swinging axe and survived for us all to enjoy today...
Located in a stunning spot on the railway line from Inverness to Kyle of Lochalsh, Duncraig station sees only around 500 passengers a year hopping on or off trains at its diminutive halt. But it is a unique, bea
