Click here to listen to the latest rail news on Thursday, 20th November 2025.
InTheNews: The latest rail news on Thursday 20th November 2025
Rachel Reeves is set to give the green light to a proposal to extend the Docklands Light Railway to Thamesmead in a major expansion of London’s transport network.
An article on City AM says the move, which would mark the first extension to a London train line since the Overground extension to Barking Riverside in July 2022, promises to create 10,000 jobs and unlock the development of as many as 30,000 much-needed new homes.
The development is among the top infrastructure priorities for which London Mayor Sadiq Khan and Transport for London have been seeking government funding. Other plans in need of funding include a southern extension to the Bakerloo line and the creation of a North-South Crossrail Two project.
A key member of Keir Starmer’s team has rejected a plea from Andy Burnham and other Northern leaders to hand them control of a funding pot to make the region’s railway stations more accessible.
An article on the Manchester Evening News says in a letter to the Greater Manchester mayor, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said there was currently “no prospect” of the North’s share of the Access for All (AfA) funding scheme being devolved from central government to local authorities.
This is two months after Mr Burnham asked the Department for Transport to end the “centralised decision-making” over which stations get vital funding to make them easier to use for passengers with disabilities or mobility issues.
Knorr-Bremse Rail Systems UK and VTG Rail UK have signed a landmark long-term framework agreement for the exclusive supply of Knorr-Bremse’s advanced FreightControl Sentinel system.
The agreement marks a major milestone in the digitalisation of rail freight and reinforces the long-standing partnership between the two companies.
Under the terms of the agreement, VTG Rail UK has committed to purchasing a minimum of 2,000 wagon sets of FreightControl Sentinel technology by the end of 2029.
The systems will be installed on both new-build and retrofitted wagons, having secured all necessary approvals to operate in service on the UK rail network.
A road-rail Land Rover is helping to keep train lines clear in parts of West Yorkshire this autumn.
An article on The Telegraph and Argus says deployed by Network Rail, the vehicle is being used to tackle the seasonal problem of leaves falling on the tracks.
Crushed leaves can create a slippery, black layer that reduces traction and can interfere with train detection systems.
Rhiannon Jones, signalling maintenance engineer for Network Rail, said: “We’ve integrated the ‘Flon Rover’ into our seasonal maintenance routine and have been making as much use of it as possible.
