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Keith Barrow @keithbarrow80.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Nothing there explains their ludicrous claim that battery trains are better than conventional electrification.

Keith Barrow @keithbarrow80.bsky.social · 15/08/2026

Competition is allowed under European law and new operators such as Velvet are preparing to compete with SNCF. Plenty of opportunity in the high-speed sector where SNCF isn't providing enough seats to meet demand. State-funded Intercity routes will be competitively tendered.

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Keith Barrow @keithbarrow80.bsky.social · 08/06/2026

I was going to watch it this evening. Opened the iPlayer app. Saw these three faces. Closed the iPlayer app.

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Keith Barrow @keithbarrow80.bsky.social · 06/06/2026

The one silver lining is that Vance's intervention in the affairs of other countries always seems to harm the parties he is trying to support. Trump and Vance have no idea how utterly toxic they are to European voters, including many on the right.

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Keith Barrow @keithbarrow80.bsky.social · 21/01/2026

If these men really believe in peace they should have their first meeting in The Hague.

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Today's Railways Europe @todaysrailwayseu.bsky.social · 19/01/2026

DB Cargo UK has agreed to sell 25 Class 66 diesel locos to Romanian rail freight operator Grup Feroviar Român. The first loco, 66014, is due to leave the UK at the end of January and all 25 locos will be delivered to Romania by mid-2028. Photo: DB Cargo

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Keith Barrow @keithbarrow80.bsky.social · 30/12/2025

Unfortunately this remains the pervasive orthodoxy in the Treasury, and UK cities have suffered greatly for it.

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Today's Railways Europe @todaysrailwayseu.bsky.social · 22/12/2025

Irish Rail has placed a €173.9 million order with Alstom for 20 additional 5-car X'Trapolis EMUs to replace the ageing 1500 V DC 8100 Class EMUs on Dublin's DART suburban network. An article on the expansion of the DART network will be published in the February 2026 issue of Today's Railways Europe.

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Today's Railways Europe @todaysrailwayseu.bsky.social · 19/12/2025

The first of 22 Stadler FLIRT regional multiple units for CP has arrived in Portugal. Designated Class 2700, the fleet of 12 EDMUs and 10 EMUs are the first new trains to be delivered to CP for nearly two decades. The units are expected to enter passenger service from the second half of 2026.

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Today's Railways Europe @todaysrailwayseu.bsky.social · 15/12/2025

Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) Class RABe 501 Giruno trainsets took over Hamburg–Basel EuroCity services from 14 December, replacing loco-hauled trains formed of SBB stock and further reducing duties for DB Fernverkehr's Class 101 electric locos. Photo: DB AG/Volker Emersleben

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Today's Railways Europe @todaysrailwayseu.bsky.social · 15/12/2025

Austria's Koralmbahn was inaugurated on 12 December, with public services on the 130 km high-speed line from Graz to Klagenfurt commencing on 14 December. The centrepiece of the €5.9 billion project is the 32.9 km Koralm Tunnel, Austria's longest railway tunnel.

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Keith Barrow @keithbarrow80.bsky.social · 12/12/2025

These being the only four European countries Trump can name. And he would've called one of them Australia.

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Today's Railways Europe @todaysrailwayseu.bsky.social · 09/12/2025

Dutch start-up GoVolta has launched ticket sales for its new open-access passenger services from Amsterdam to Berlin and Hamburg, which will begin operating in March 2026. The trains will be worked by a Vectron MS locomotive and formed of ex-SNCB Type I10 coaches.

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Today's Railways UK @todaysrailwaysuk.bsky.social · 08/12/2025

Tomorrow the new blue, red & white GBR livery & brand will be launched. The new design will be displayed on digital displays at a number of major stations. The DfT says the livery will appear across already publicly owned train operators from spring 2026, with the roll-out being gradual. 📷DfT

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Today's Railways Europe @todaysrailwayseu.bsky.social · 05/12/2025

Bayern passenger rail authority BEG has unveiled a new standardised livery design for regional trains, which will be introduced gradually from the end of 2028. The livery will only be applied to new stock ordered as part of future tenders, starting with the new S-Bahn EMUs for München.

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Today's Railways Europe @todaysrailwayseu.bsky.social · 04/12/2025

Eurostar and DB have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to explore options for the joint operation of services between London and major German cities such as Köln and Frankfurt. The two companies say they aim to launch services in the early 2030s using Eurostar's new Celestia double-deck trains.

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Today's Railways UK @todaysrailwaysuk.bsky.social · 03/12/2025

Great to be on the first East Midlands Railway “Aurora” to enter passenger service this morning - 810010 working the 07.00 Sheffield-St Pancras as its first train. More on the 810s in the next TR UK

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Today's Railways Europe @todaysrailwayseu.bsky.social · 04/12/2025

Slovakian state-owned passenger operator ZSSK has awarded a consortium of Škoda Group and ŽOS Trnava a framework contract worth up to €332 million to supply up to 36 battery-electric multiple units. ZSSK plans to order the first 16 trains at a cost of €144 million in 2026.

New Škoda battery-electric trainset for ZSSK, Slovakia.

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Today's Railways Europe @todaysrailwayseu.bsky.social · 24/11/2025

In the December 2025 issue of Today's Railways Europe OUT NOW: Double-deck trains for Eurostar, 60 years of Class M62 diesels in Hungary, the end of SNCF steam 50 years on, Harz narrow gauge future in doubt, plus 28 pages of news from across Europe. Subscribe today and save: bit.ly/3JV0XtD

Front cover of December 2025 issue of Today's Railways Europe magazine.

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Noel Dolphin @noeldolphin.bsky.social · 05/11/2025

Into Swansea earlier this evening. Transport Minister Heidi Alexander comments today, cancelling any further electrification works - reminds me why I find the route into Swansea depressing.

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OM the Rails 🇵🇸 @omtherails.bsky.social · 26/09/2025

Protests outside of Paris Est this evening - with news of the Nightjets to Vienna and Berlin potentially being axed due to reduced funding from SNCF, it would seem the community’s come together to send them a message… @seatsixtyone.bsky.social

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Keith Barrow @keithbarrow80.bsky.social · 26/09/2025

You really should reconsider that headline.

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Keith Barrow @keithbarrow80.bsky.social · 12/07/2025

It's very difficult to keep track of the locations that can still be used and sometimes new ones open up. Penzance - Cardiff will be split at Exeter St Davids with 175s in the west and IETs on Exeter - Cardiff. Some of the IETs will therefore be freed up for inter-city services.

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Keith Barrow @keithbarrow80.bsky.social · 12/07/2025

Nice shots Dominic. Vegetation growth is a constant challenge for railway photography in Cornwall. When the Class 175s enter service with GWR there will be fewer IETs on regional services in Devon and Cornwall (and no HSTs).

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Keith Barrow @keithbarrow80.bsky.social · 12/07/2025

It's preserved, based at CMCF in Oignies. No idea what it's doing in Lille.

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Keith Barrow @keithbarrow80.bsky.social · 02/07/2025

Shame there isn't quite as much enthusiasm on the French side.

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Keith Barrow @keithbarrow80.bsky.social · 15/05/2025

"Soaring bung" would be more appropriate.

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Keith Barrow @keithbarrow80.bsky.social · 14/05/2025

The Baltic States could also teach the US a thing or two about press freedom.

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ChrisO_wiki @chriso-wiki.bsky.social · 09/05/2025

1/ An ongoing crisis at Russian Railways is deepening, with a 50% cut on payments to employees and such a severe shortage of personnel that some divisions of the company are down to 40% of their intended staff numbers. Despite this, it has imposed a ban on hiring. ⬇️

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Keith Barrow @keithbarrow80.bsky.social · 29/04/2025

There has been a lot of modernisation in recent years but still plenty of loco haulage, especially on EC/IC trains and Railjets. These are usually Class 1116/1216 Taurus locos but 1144s still work some ICs and regional trains (usually in push-pull mode with a driving trailer).

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Keith Barrow @keithbarrow80.bsky.social · 28/04/2025

Agree 100%, every kit in my stash is there because I want to build it. The appeal is in bringing the contents of the box to life and getting acquainted with the subject through the build.

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Keith Barrow @keithbarrow80.bsky.social · 28/04/2025

Early 90s for me, just after the last of the 1044.2s entered service. Still love to get a bit of 1144 haulage, but lots of new EMUs on the way in Austria so it'll be very different in a few years.

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Arian @ayranundspeck.bsky.social · 17/04/2025

And another sad news for dining car lovers: the ARkimbz Bistro car on the SJ EuroNight project is now finally and terminally cancelled. It was a rumour first, I had hinted at it for months, it was finally confirmed in the media some time ago. Last week news broke it‘s not going to happen 😔

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Keith Barrow @keithbarrow80.bsky.social · 07/04/2025

I can see what's coming. This is being done so Trump's allies can buy up a load of stock at rock-bottom prices. He'll rescind the tariffs, the markets will bounce back, and a few wealthy people will become insanely wealthy.

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Jon Worth @jonworth.eu · 31/03/2025

The court is mightier than Le Pen 🎉

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Today's Railways Europe @todaysrailwayseu.bsky.social · 27/03/2025

More bad news for Channel Tunnel rail freight: DB Cargo's Ditton Junction (Liverpool) to Neuss (Germany) train, carrying aluminium for Novelis, ceased on 26 March, the traffic having been lost to road. The only remaining cross-Channel flows are now French mineral water and Toyota cars from the UK.

The now-withdrawn DB Cargo Ditton - Neuss aluminium train crossing northern France behind a Class 185 electric locomotive. Photo: D. Haydock

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Chris Ogilvie @ogilvie.org.uk · 26/03/2025

Il Arlecchino 🇮🇹 The Harlequin Italy's unique 1960 luxury train is back. Dates for 2025: 18 May/29 June: Milan - Desenzano (Lake Garda) & Verona (€25?) 200+ more heritage trains... ℹ️: www.fondazionefs.it/en/itinerari...

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Today's Railways Europe @todaysrailwayseu.bsky.social · 24/03/2025

New open-access operator Gemini Trains has announced plans to launch cross-Channel services in competition with Eurostar. Initial services will be London - Paris/Brussels with further destinations under development.

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Keith Barrow @keithbarrow80.bsky.social · 21/03/2025

It's based on the EMD corporate livery.

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Today's Railways Europe @todaysrailwayseu.bsky.social · 12/03/2025

Austrian operator WESTbahn has placed an order with Stadler for three 250 km/h SMILE trainsets. The 11-car multi-system units are due to be introduced on Wien - Graz - Klagenfurt - Villach services via the new Koralmbahn from March 2026.

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Oliver Blanthorn @bovine3dom.masto.ai.ap.brid.gy · 11/03/2025

Interrail tickets are on sale again, 15% off until April 1st, buy now and start any time within the next 11 months I recommend buying from allaboard.eu/interrail who will give you a free refund unlike if you buy direct For adults aged 28-59, the pass I […] [Original post on masto.ai]

A typical Interrail evening: mountains in Innsbruck

And get lured by the sound of church bells to the red light district

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Simon Maarfield @simonmaarfield.bsky.social · 10/03/2025

Well, there we have it, the Easter and spring travel markets on the most popular #NightJet routes decimated by poorly planned engineering works #nighttrain @seatsixtyone.bsky.social

Screenshot showing dates on which Nightjets Amsterdam - Zürich, Prague - Zürich and Berlin - Zürich are cancelled in April 2025

Screenshot showing dates on which Nightjet Vienna / Berlin - Paris/ Brussels is cancelled from March to May 2025

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Keith Barrow @keithbarrow80.bsky.social · 10/03/2025

If "centrists" are the only people who still fear foreign interference in elections we really are in trouble. Surely concern for the future of democracy in Europe extends at least a little beyond the centre ground?

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Keith Barrow @keithbarrow80.bsky.social · 08/03/2025

And maybe what Europe needs urgently right now is someone calm to placate the man baby and hopefully buy us some much-needed time. Starmer's position is serving Europe's strategic interests, but we can't just uncouple ourselves from the US in a week.

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Keith Barrow @keithbarrow80.bsky.social · 07/03/2025

Might be OK if they're only running on 15 kV AC, you wouldn't want them on anything involving frequent voltage changes.

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Today's Railways Europe @todaysrailwayseu.bsky.social · 05/03/2025

Netherlands Railways (NS) has unveiled a mock-up of its future Civity Duo high-capacity partially double-deck EMU, 60 of which have been ordered from CAF. The first units are due to enter service in 2029.

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Keith Barrow @keithbarrow80.bsky.social · 02/03/2025

The Mail has also seen the opinion polls and understands Trump is deeply unpopular in the UK, even among their readership. It's an easy front page that requires even less effort than their usual bilge.

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