This is a companion page to Far North Express 99, September 2026.
Links mentioned in the magazine, and larger versions of some pictures:
New Track Construction train at work on the Far North Line - June 2026
This amazing machine can lay 1km of new track in a day.
This is Network Rail's video of the Balfour Beatty NTC unit working during the FNL 2026 blockade.
Tom Smith, ScotRail's Head of Fleet Technical, mentioned the installation of Variable Rate Sanding (VRS) on the Class 158s in his presentation. On the Siemens website you'll find much more information about this.
Jim Summers, former Chief Operations Manager Scotland for British Rail used many slides to illustrate how ScotRail came into being in the 1980s as an almost autonomous separate entity. Many of of these have great relevance today.
There wasn't enough room in the magazine to show these, so here are three more:
Staff Information - the New Age of ScotRail
Kenny Barclay, one of our members, took quite a few photos at the conference. Here are three from Jim Summers' talk:
Here is Network Rail's video featuring Alan McDougall, one of the bridge keepers at Clachnaharry.
These are the reports referred to in the RIA Press Release:
The trial display showed the train location and direction of travel in relation to each user-worked level crossing. Image: Universal Signalling