The UK avoided a freight disaster forty years ago, thanks to a brilliant, but modest signalman. Commemoration has been made for the quick thinking and potentially life saving actions of Willie Taylor. On the fortieth anniversary of his actions, Carlisle Signalman Willie Taylor has been honoured with a locomotive named in his memory at Carlisle…
Category: Human interest
French Minister to summon SNCF chief over early retirement deal
France’s Finance and Economic Affairs minister, Bruno Le Maire, is to summon SNCF chief, Jean-Pierre Farandou, to a meeting to explain the signing of an ‘early retirement’ agreement with the four main labour unions at the state railways which he believes circumvents a 2023 French reform law. The agreement, signed at the end of last…
French Minister to summon SNCF chief over early retirement deal
France’s Finance and Economic Affairs minister, Bruno Le Maire, is to summon SNCF chief, Jean-Pierre Farandou, to a meeting to explain the signing of an ‘early retirement’ agreement with the four main labour unions at the state railways which he believes circumvents a 2023 French reform law. The agreement, signed at the end of last…
Greek railway accident: more evidence surface over ‘lost container’
The investigation into the fatal railway accident involving a passenger and freight train in Greece a year ago continues on three fronts. Some of the most critical findings currently concern the notorious ‘lost wagon/container’ that was not registered as part of the freight train service but was allegedly carrying illegal cargo, specifically dangerous chemical substances…
DB and GDL strike deal for collective bargaining agreement
Deutsche Bahn (DB) and the German Locomotive Drivers’ Union (GDL) finally sealed the deal on a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA). The CBA will be retroactively implemented from 1 November 2023 and will last until 31 December 2025. One of the main bones of contention between GDL and DB is that the union wanted to…
DB vs GDL: strikes end, agreement in sight
There seems to be light at the end of the tunnel. Deutsche Bahn (DB) and the German Locomotive Drivers’ Union (GDL) said that a deal for a new collective bargaining agreement should be expected in the coming days. “Until then, the GDL will refrain from further strikes”, the parties stated in a joint note. Five […]
Strike in Finland halts rail freight services and exports
A number of Finnish trade unions started a political strike Monday 11 March which will continue until 25 March. The initiative has a significant impact on the Finnish transport industry, including rail freight. According to the Confederation of Finnish Business (EK), the strike will cost Finland 320 million euros in damage to the gross domestic […]
Strike in Finland halts rail freight services and exports
A number of Finnish trade unions started a political strike Monday 11 March which will continue until 25 March. The initiative has a significant impact on the Finnish transport industry, including rail freight. According to the Confederation of Finnish Business (EK), the strike will cost Finland 320 million euros in damage to the gross domestic […]
DB’s third attempt to take GDL to court fails
Deutsche Bahn is trying in many ways to stop the wave of strikes announced by the German Locomotive Drivers’ Union (GDL). Most recently, the company tried to take legal action against the union for the third time. However, the Frankfurt am Main Labor Court ruled in favour of GDL, stating that the strikes are proportionate, […]
A year after the Greek tragedy: Mystery covers freight train’s load
It has been something more than a year since the late night of 28 February 2023, when Greece experienced the deadliest railway accident of its modern history. A tragedy that occurred under unprecedented conditions and a death toll of 57 were more than enough to uncover the chronic weaknesses and neglect of the Greek railway […]