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A host of improvements which are providing a better experience for thousands of passengers at Horsham station every week have been officially unveiled.

Financial highlights of the last six months:

• Revenue was £3,167m compared to £2,997m for the same period last year
• Operating profit was £1,226m compared to £1,227m
• Profit after taxation was £573m compared to £136m
• Capital expenditure – the amount invested in the railway over the period – was £2,064m compared to £2,071m
• Net borrowings were £28,043m compared to £27,200m at 31 March 2012

Michael O’Higgins, former chairman of the Audit Commission and current chairman of The Pensions Regulator, has been appointed to Network Rail’s board as a non-executive director.

Major engineering work will take place in Acton over Christmas as part of the construction of a new train underpass needed to improve rail services in the area. A public information session will be held this month so that local residents can find out more about the Christmas works.

Network Rail refreshed and expanded the data available on its website’s transparency portal today: www.networkrail.co.uk/transparency.

Councillors and business leaders from across Manchester and Salford last night viewed Network Rail’s plans for improved rail travel in the North. At an event in the Museum of Science and Industry, the new Ordsall Chord, a scheme to connect Manchester’s Piccadilly, Oxford Road and Victoria stations, was unveiled to stakeholders ahead of this week’s public consultation.

A new 1000 tonne bridge which links all platforms at East Croydon station has been slid into position.

Network Rail has seen 18 of its former apprentices graduate from Sheffield Hallam University with Higher National Certificates (HNC) in railway engineering – the first to do so following a decision to support the best and brightest by providing the opportunity to continue their learning and gain additional qualifications in their specialist field.