Joseph Locke was just 17 when he took part in pioneering work that set out the birth of the modern passenger railway. Locke was born into a family of colliery managers on 9 August 1805. His planning for the Stockton and Darlington Railway in the North of England – under the leadership of engineer George … Continued
We proudly support the fantastic work of the Railway Heritage Trust (RHT). With funding predominantly from us at Network Rail, it helps restore listed buildings across the railway for practical use in communities all over Britain. Here’s a roundup of some of the projects it’s backed this year … Troon station RHT has agreed to … Continued
We look back at more than 100 years of Olympics history across London’s railway as Tokyo 2020 officially begins … 1908 – White City London 1908 took place in the shadow of the Franco-British Exhibition, which was considered more noteworthy at the time. As a result, London’s railway companies were more concerned about transport links … Continued
We’ve just trialled high-speed parcel deliveries to meet growing demand and bring rail freight into city centres. By converting passenger trains to take goods directly into central railway stations, we’re getting more post back onto trains – a tradition that goes back almost 200 years. A trial at London Euston station – which has important … Continued
This Windrush Day (22 June) we’re celebrating the vital contribution of the Windrush Generation with a digital flag at some of Britain’s biggest railway stations. The flag will fly on digital screens at railway stations directly managed by Network Rail. They include London Waterloo, which is strongly associated with the stories of many members of the Windrush … Continued
“Catch the train, enjoy the view, leave the car at home – you don’t need it.” Britain’s heritage railways run through some of our most stunning landscapes, from the heart of Snowdonia to the North York Moors and Northern Scotland. Many of them reopened for passenger services in May, giving visitors the first chance this … Continued
East Suffolk Lines Community Rail Partnership has supported the creation of a walking trail steps away from the site of one of the world’s most important archaeological finds – the Sutton Hoo Treasure. The discovery of the Anglo-Saxon ship burial at the Sutton Hoo estate in 1939 – the basis of Netflix’s The Dig, starring … Continued
Blea Moor signal box – on the scenic Settle to Carlisle line – is the most remote on our railway. This small wooden building sits in the mist near the famous Ribblehead Viaduct on one of the country’s most beautiful railway routes. From the window is a striking view of Ingleborough mountain, one of Yorkshire’s … Continued
We’re privileged to look after a railway that dates back hundreds of years – and are proud to ensure its survival for future generations. If you take a scenic rail trip in the coming year, you’ll enjoy stunning views around Britain … Ribblehead Viaduct Gallery: the Ribblehead Viaduct This spring we completed our restoration the … Continued
We talk a lot about Main Line railways but what are they and how do they differ from other lines? One simple answer is that we typically use Main Line to describe principal rail links between big towns and cities. Historically, it was applied to the names of routes such as West, East, Midland, Great … Continued