Sir David Higgins is known to most on the railway for holding two of the biggest roles there are – as a former Chairman of Network Rail and former Chairman of HS2. But he was also Chief Executive of the London 2012 Summer Olympics Delivery Authority before that.

Australian-born, Higgins has returned to the HS2 spotlight as chair of a private sector consortium proposing the Midlands-Northwest Rail Link (the alternative to the cancelled HS2 Phase 2).

He speaks candidly of his time at HS2, the decisions made on the project, its economics, and his views on former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s decision to cancel HS2 Phase 2, while also delving into discussion of wider rail issues.

In this interview:

(00:00) Intro and what brought Sir David Higgins to the UK?

(01:28) His time at the Olympic Delivery Authority?

(03:50) Why join Network Rail before the London 2012 Olympics?

(05:41) Time at Network Rail

(08:39) Why did he join HS2?

(10:16) What did he think about Rishi Sunak’s decision to cancel HS2 Phase 2?

(11:59) Was the strategic pitch and narrative for HS2 wrong?

(14:51) Was not including wider economic benefits a missed opportunity?

(19:02) Did the constant change of senior people involved have an impact?

(22:33) The costs of HS2

(29:59) HS2 contracts

(32:10) Skills and apprentices on HS2

(35:19) Government oversight of HS2

(38:34) Midlands North West Rail Link

(43:43) Are the urgent actions happening?

(45:00) The funding strategy

(47:30) Not going to Euston: Mad?

(50:15) What happens next?

(50:41) View of the current political landscape for the railway

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Ahead of the Autumn Budget on October 30 2024, Richard spoke to the Railway Industry Association’s (RIA’s) Chief Executive Darren Caplan about what the railway’s supply chain wants to see announced.

They discuss: the economic value of investment in the railway, the importance of a pipeline of work to secure the supply chain, the part private finance might play, and some specific projects such as Euston station, new rolling stock orders and electrification.

In this episode:

(00:00) Intro (02:36) Labour’s first 100 days (05:39) RIA’s Budget submission theme and motivations (09:47) Economic value of rail investment (14:58) The role of private finance (18:02) Land Value Capture schemes (20:02) Urgent actions – why no HS2? (22:32) Optimism about the future?

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It’s an HS2 special this week! Is an HS2 Phase 2a Euston to Crewe revival on the cards? We look into rumours that the Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is preparing to reverse Rishi Sunak’s decision to cancel the project.

Sir David Higgins – we preview an exclusive interview with the former HS2 Chairman.

Transport Secretary Louise Haigh launches an independent review into HS2 Phase 1, led by James Stewart… and we’re pretty underwhelmed.

In this episode:

(00:00) Intro

(00:59) HS2 Special

(01:20) Is an HS2 Phase 2a revival on the cards?

(05:55) Henri Murison, Northern Powerhouse Partnership interview

(29:56) Sir David Higgins interview preview

(33:49) Independent review launched into HS2 Phase 1

(48:18) Thanks to SuperThanks and Members

(49:32) Railway News Round Up

(49:34) Strikes announced on London Underground

(50:43) First new Piccadilly Line train delivered

(52:29) HS2 Birmingham Curzon Street station construction progress

(53:12) Transpennine Route Upgrade Transport and Works Act Order

(55:03) Network Rail employs goats at Folkestone

(56:17) The Quiz (1:00:39) Rail Delivery Group free travel for military personnel and veterans

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Green Signals was exclusively invited to visit Alstom’s Derby Litchurch Lane train building and maintenance works to have a look around in the wake of the news earlier in the year that a follow-on order would be made for Elizabeth Line trains – securing the future the site. Richard speaks to a process manufacturing engineer who started as an apprentice, and to Alstom’s Communications Director about the Railway 200 The Greatest Gathering event that will be taking place at the site in 2025. Principally, he speaks to Nick Crossfield, Managing Director for UK & Ireland for Alstom about prospects for the future and the outlook for the rolling stock market in the UK. In this episode: (00:00) Intro (02:48) Interview with Chloe Turnbull, Process Manufacturing Engineer, Alstom (06:08) South Western Railway Class 701 Arterio on Derby Litchurch Lane test track (07:22) Interview with Nick Crossfield, Managing Director UK& Ireland, Alstom (08:27) What did the news of an Elizabeth Line order do for Derby? (11:32) Is Derby being a political topic helpful? (13:06) Can we do anything about feast and famine in the rolling stock market? (15:20) Is boom and bust a British problem? (17:05) Is there potentially too much train building capacity in the UK? (19:23) Why does train procurement take so long in the UK? (25:19) Does DfT involvement have an impact? (27:45) The future of Derby Litchurch Lane (37:50) Does Labour's change of approach cause concern? (41:23) Has Derby downsizing too much? (45:08) Nick Crossfield's memories of Alstom (51:11) Plans for The Greatest Gathering - Ben Goodwin interview

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On the evening of October 21st, two Transport for Wales Class 158 trains were involved in a low-speed collision, right alongside the A470 main road, near Llanbrynmair (east of Machynlleth) in Powys, Mid Wales.

Sadly, one passenger has died and 15 others were taken to hospital, with what have been described as non-life-threatening or life-changing injuries.

In this short bulletin, we lay out the facts as we understand them at the time of recording on October 22nd and explain what investigators will be looking for to establish what the causes of the collision were.

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Northern Rail threatens to prosecute a man over a £1.90 16-25 Railcard misunderstanding – but backs down

Alstom’s Derby works – we preview a Green Signals visit to Litchurch Lane

Northern Powerhouse Partnership leaders call on Chancellor Rachel Reeves to support HS2 Phase 2 alternative

In this episode:

(00:00) Intro

(05:52) Northern Rail 16-25 Railcard story

(28:50) Northern Powerhouse Partnership leaders support HS2

(34:34) Alstom Derby Litchurch Lane visit preview

(43:10) Thanks to SuperThanks and Members

(44:24) Railway News Round-up

(44:29) HS2 Westbury and Turweston viaducts milestones

(45:27) Belfast Grand Central station opens

(46:36) Lineside fire at Stevenage causes King’s Cross chaos

(48:11) Delay to LNER introduction of Grimsby, Lincoln and Market Rasen services

(50:40) The Quiz

(53:45) Windsor & Eton Central station 175th anniversary

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YouTube - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@GreenSignals/join⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Patreon - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/GreenSignals⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Green Signals: Website - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://www.greensignals.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Newsletter - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://www.greensignals.org/#mailing-list⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow: X (Twitter) - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/greensignallers⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/green-signals-productions-ltd⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://instagram.com/greensignallers⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Credits: Presenters - Nigel Harris (@railnigel on X) & Richard Bowker CBE (@SRichardBowker). General Manager: Stef Foster (@stefatrail)

Freightliner CEO Tim Shoveller talks about rail freight's challenges and the battle against road haulage. Tim describes his early career and how he progressed to roles including: Managing Director of Network Rail's North West and Central Region, MD of South West Trains (where he led the development of the alliance with Network Rail), MD of East Midlands Trains from the beginning of its franchise in 2007, and senior roles at Virgin Trains and Eurostar. Tim is a man who believes in getting things done today, not putting them off until tomorrow. Determination, urgency and leadership are at his core. Covered in the interview: (00:00) Intro and why Tim joined the railway (02:33) Tim’s big roles (05:42) South West Trains-Network Rail Alliance (10:48) Move to Network Rail (13:07) Frustration that led to the move to Freightliner (17:38) Does he have a vision or a plan? (20:48) The state of rail freight in 2024 (23:20) The economics of rail freight (36:28) HS2 and West Coast Main Line capacity (39:17) Do capacity constraints put customers off? (43:18) Great British Railways (55:35) Positivity about the future (57:29) Railway Benefit Fund

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YouTube - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@GreenSignals/join⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Patreon - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/GreenSignals⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Green Signals: Website - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://www.greensignals.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Newsletter - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://www.greensignals.org/#mailing-list⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow: X (Twitter) - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/greensignallers⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/green-signals-productions-ltd⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://instagram.com/greensignallers⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Credits: Presenters - Nigel Harris (@railnigel on X) & Richard Bowker CBE (@SRichardBowker). General Manager: Stef Foster (@stefatrail)

£1bn fleet of South Western Railway Class 170 Arterio trains in storage ‘because their windscreen wipers are too big’… but is that the real story?

Great Western Railway’s Fast Charge Battery Train – we find out more about this exciting project.

Euston station gets a 5-point plan… but are we impressed?

And Siemens’ Goole Train Manufacturing Facility opens in Yorkshire!

In this episode:

(00:00) Intro (01:00) South Western Railway Arterio windscreen wipers (05:57) GWR Battery Train (31:18) Euston station five-point plan (40:26) Laura Shoaf is appointed Chair of Shadow Great British Railways (44:50) Tim Shoveller, Freightliner interview preview (55:05) Video updates, SuperThanks & Member thanks (58:49) Railway News Round-Up (58:58) Goole Train Manufacturing Facility opens (59:53) Bristol’s new Ashley Down station opens (1:00:37) Grand Central strange tweet (1:01:38) Business travel by rail rises 21% (1:04:00) The Quiz (1:08:25) Northern Yorkshire Dales Explorer

Membership: If you want to see even more from Green Signals, including exclusive content, become a member and support the channel further too.

YouTube - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@GreenSignals/join⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Patreon - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/GreenSignals⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Green Signals: Website - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://www.greensignals.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Newsletter - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://www.greensignals.org/#mailing-list⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow: X (Twitter) - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/greensignallers⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/green-signals-productions-ltd⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://instagram.com/greensignallers⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Credits: Presenters - Nigel Harris (@railnigel on X) & Richard Bowker CBE (@SRichardBowker). General Manager: Stef Foster (@stefatrail)