38 episodes
Green Signals Green Signal Productions
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- News
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4.9 • 27 Ratings
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Green Signals is a show about railways - its politics, its economics, its people and history. We turn over the issues of the day and talk to the people making the decisions that affect all our lives. We also dig into many of the amazing events in the history of an industry that spans nearly 200 years. Nigel Harris (former Managing Editor and Events Director of the leading industry and opinion forming magazine RAIL) and Richard Bowker (former Chair & CEO of the Strategic Rail Authority) steer the show to make it sometimes controversial, frequently irreverent - but always topical and relevant.
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31. Top 5 Rail 'Nationalisation' Myths Busted!
Our Top 5 myths of rail ‘nationalisation’ based on the reaction to Labour’s plans for the railway if it wins the next General Election. We discuss what’s been said in the media and by others and debunk some of the myths that are starting to take root as a result.
Rail Minister Huw Merriman was our most recent Big Interview guest we reflect on what he said and whether we agreed with him on everything from HS2, to train strikes, rail freight, decarbonisation, rolling stock and more.
And Richard gets excited about a very special train that’s going to be running in June for the Railway Benefit Fund.
Green Signals:
Website - http://www.greensignals.org
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@GreenSignals
Newsletter - http://www.greensignals.org/#mailing-list
Follow:
X (Twitter) - https://twitter.com/greensignallers
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/green-signals-productions-ltd
Instagram - https://instagram.com/greensignallers
Credits:
Presenters - Nigel Harris (@railnigel on X) & Richard Bowker CBE (@SRichardBowker). General Manager: Stef Foster (@stefatrail) -
The Big Interview - Rail Minister Huw Merriman: We ask him the questions you are all asking!
We meet Rail Minister Huw Merriman in his private office at the Department for Transport to ask as many of the big questions people have about our railways as we could.
We cover:
HS2 - the decision to cancel the line to Manchester, the facts about the project's rising costs, and whether Network North is a genuine alternative.
Train strikes - we ask "surely it's time that everybody started talking to each other?"
Fares and train tickets
Rail Reform and the creation of Great British Railways - will anything really happen before the next General Election?
And... Rail freight, new trains and decarbonisation
These are the rail issues everyone is talking about - and in this interview, we tackle them all. Head on.
Green Signals:
Website - http://www.greensignals.org
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@GreenSignals
Newsletter - http://www.greensignals.org/#mailing-list
Follow:
X (Twitter) - https://twitter.com/greensignallers
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/green-signals-productions-ltd
Instagram - https://instagram.com/greensignallers
Credits:
Presenters - Nigel Harris (@railnigel on X) & Richard Bowker CBE (@SRichardBowker). General Manager: Stef Foster (@stefatrail) -
30. TRAINS vs PLANES – which is cheaper, greener & faster?
Trains vs planes – why taking the train can be up to 80%
cheaper than flying and 17 times greener, according to new research published by the Rail Delivery Group. We examine the findings in detail… and discover some surprising facts along the way.
Rail ‘fat cats’ earn big bonuses, while passengers face
worse performance… but is that really true? According to the Daily Mirror it is, but we don’t agree.
We have a bit of an update on the Jacobite steam train and its return to service, but many questions still remain unanswered.
Is the heritage railway sector in crisis? We discuss our
recent experience having fun with steam trains on the fantastic Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railway’s ‘Snowdonian’ and some of the conversations we had about the fate of the heritage railway sector more widely.
And… it’s Railway Family Week and you can get involved!
Green Signals:
Website - http://www.greensignals.org
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@GreenSignals
Newsletter - http://www.greensignals.org/#mailing-list
Follow:
X (Twitter) - https://twitter.com/greensignallers
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/green-signals-productions-ltd
Instagram - https://instagram.com/greensignallers
Credits:
Presenters - Nigel Harris (@railnigel on X) & Richard Bowker CBE (@SRichardBowker). General Manager: Stef Foster (@stefatrail) -
Labour’s Plan to Fix Britain’s Railways – key points & first impressions
Labour’s Shadow Transport Secretary Louise Haigh has announced Labour’s Plan to Fix Britain’s Railways (Getting Britain Moving) – Richard and Nigel give their first impressions of the plan and pull out the key points in this special Breaking News Special episode.
We answer:
Will it work?
Is it ‘unfunded and pointless’, as suggested by the Government?
What could it mean for rail fares and ticketing?
What could it mean for rail freight?
Green Signals:
Website - http://www.greensignals.org
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@GreenSignals
Newsletter - http://www.greensignals.org/#mailing-list
Follow:
X (Twitter) - https://twitter.com/greensignallers
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/green-signals-productions-ltd
Instagram - https://instagram.com/greensignallers
Credits:
Presenters - Nigel Harris (@railnigel on X) & Richard Bowker CBE (@SRichardBowker). General Manager: Stef Foster (@stefatrail) -
The Big Interview – The Inside Story: Government and Railways – Sir Philip Rutnam
The inner workings of the Department for Transport and Government finances are revealed in this fascinating interview with former Permanent Secretary of both the Department for Transport and the Home Office, Sir Philip
Rutnam.
Having spent his career as a senior civil servant,
including in roles within the Treasury, there is no one better to tell the inside story of the Government’s relationship with railways.
Green Signals:
Website - http://www.greensignals.org
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@GreenSignals
Newsletter - http://www.greensignals.org/#mailing-list
Follow:
X (Twitter) - https://twitter.com/greensignallers
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/green-signals-productions-ltd
Instagram - https://instagram.com/greensignallers
Credits:
Presenters - Nigel Harris (@railnigel on X) & Richard Bowker CBE (@SRichardBowker). General Manager: Stef Foster (@stefatrail) -
29. Time for British Rail 2.0? & Jacobite steam train fails
The Jacobite steam train fails on its first run of the season from Fort William to Mallaig, stopping near Glenfinnan viaduct… and it had Mk 1 carriages on the train.
Alstom Derby and the Government are on the verge of doing a deal over a train order for the Elizabeth line – an order that could save the UK train manufacturing facility.
Is the East Coast Main Line timetable change heading towards a repeat of the 2018 Thameslink and Northern timetable fiascos?...
Leading Richard to ask whether the answer to this and the other challenges facing the industry is a British Rail 2.0. He then shares his own six-point plan for his version of British Rail 2.0.
The Railway Industry Association (RIA)) launches a plan to deliver a lower cost, higher performing net zero railway by 2050.
And Northern Rail uses classical music to curb anti-social behaviour. Yes, really!
Green Signals:
Website - http://www.greensignals.org
Newsletter - http://www.greensignals.org/#mailing-list
Follow:
X (Twitter) - https://twitter.com/greensignallers
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/green-signals-productions-ltd
Instagram - https://instagram.com/greensignallers
Credits:
Presenters - Nigel Harris (@railnigel on X) & Richard Bowker CBE (@SRichardBowker). General Manager: Stef Foster (@stefatrail)
Customer Reviews
One of the best and informative podcasts out there
This podcast has given me a greater understanding of how the railway system works, the complexities of having the government involved, the ticket issuance and the rolling stock all delivered by two candid men who should be running the country.