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Network Rail and Great Western Railway (GWR) are joining forces by bringing their Control functions together in a single, joint team to bolster collaborative working and service delivery. 

Passengers are being reminded to check before travelling this Easter holiday as Network Rail works to deliver vital upgrades and track renewals. 

• New survey data reveals 58% of people in the South West of England don’t know what the ‘third’ or electric rail is
• 40% believe that electrocution from rail tracks can hurt but won’t cause serious injury
• “It's heartbreaking to see preventable injuries devastate lives”. New hard-hitting campaign is launched to educate people of the horrific consequences of straying onto the tracks as railway trespass spikes during British Summer Time

Reading station turns 185-years-old this week, having opened its doors in 1840 as a temporary terminus for Brunel’s Great Western Railway while engineers continued building the line to Bristol, the eventual final stop on the line. Passengers are invited to join the station team and community members from 3pm-5pm today (Friday 28 March) to mark the occasion, with live music and a railway-related exhibition as the star attractions.

Trains are running again between Newquay and Par this morning after Network Rail completed the third major stage of work to create Mid Cornwall Metro (MCM) and transform coast-to-coast travel in the county.

Network Rail is completing planned engineering works along the mainline between Didcot and Swindon which means GWR trains will need to use alternative routes to serve Bristol and South Wales. 

New research* commissioned by Network Rail to mark Global Recycling Day (Tuesday 18 March 2025) reveals that almost a fifth (19%) of people living in the south west don’t know fly-tipping is a crime you can be fined or prosecuted for.

Trains between Okehampton, Barnstaple and Exeter are running again after Network Rail successfully completed engineering work to protect and enhance the railway in Devon.