Around 200 members, MPs, rail industry partners and third-sector supporters gathered at the Palace of Westminster to celebrate the growing impact of the community rail movement.

Community Rail Network, the umbrella body for the grassroots movement, held a parliamentary reception to showcase the valuable work being delivered by community rail, putting railways and stations at the heart of local communities.

The event was hosted by Helena Dollimore, MP for Hastings, Rye, and the villages, and guests from all over England, Scotland and Wales were also addressed by the Rail Minister Lord Hendy.

The reception shone a spotlight on the efforts of local community organisations and volunteers who work tirelessly to ensure that the railway remains accessible, sustainable, and integral to everyday life. It highlighted the hugely diverse activities of 75 community rail partnerships, which cover more than a third (35%) of Britain’s railways, and 1,300 station friends’ groups made up of more than 8,250 volunteers, who tend to more than half of the stations on the network.

Community rail members enjoyed the vital opportunity to engage in positive conversations with their local MPs, community rail colleagues, rail industry partners and third-sector supporters, emphasising the positive role the movement can play in progressing rail reform.

Bill Freeman, interim chief executive of Community Rail Network, said: “We are absolutely delighted to have held our parliamentary reception at the Palace of Westminster. We’d like to say a huge thank you to Helena Dollimore MP and Lord Hendy for their support in bringing community rail to the Houses of Parliament, allowing us to celebrate the tireless, tenacious work of hundreds of officers and thousands of dedicated volunteers in community rail, and the brilliant and beautiful things that happen when people and communities feel that their railway belongs to them.”

In his speech, Lord Hendy spoke of the importance of rail in driving the government’s ambitions of connectivity and growth, and the transformative impact of the railways over the past 200 years. A long-time supporter of the movement, he outlined the work done by community rail in caring for and promoting local railways and stations and encouraged close working relationships between community rail and the wider rail industry.

Community Rail Network used the event to share a new ‘postcard’ with key asks across integrated and sustainable transport, station buildings and land, accessibility and inclusion, and rail reform and devolution, highlighting the positive role community rail can play in these policy areas.

Mr Freeman said: “Our movement is uniquely placed to support a new era of rail: one that is more passenger-focused, locally responsive, and aligned with the social, environmental, and economic goals of the communities our members serve. Community rail is already rooted in local insight, collaboration, and innovation. It’s already helping to bridge gaps—between modes of transport, between communities and the railway, and between policy and lived experience.

“Rail reform is changing how our railway is owned and operates, devolution is shifting more transport decisions to regional and local leaders, and there is growing demand for more joined-up, integrated travel options that reshape local transport networks to better serve people and communities.

“These are big changes. They raise big questions. And for many of those questions, community rail can and must be part of the answer.”

For more information, go to communityrail.org.uk

GB Railfreight (GBRf) unveiled its new fleet of Class 99 locomotives at its Peterborough headquarters on July 18. The locomotives, initially unveiled whilst in production at Innotrans last year have been backed by Infracapital and Beacon Rail, costing an estimated £150 million.

The first two units were on display at the company’s Peterborough depot with GBRf expecting them to enter commercial service towards the end of the year. Dynamic testing is expected to begin next week.

GB Railfreight (GBRf) unveiled its new fleet of Class 99 locomotives at its Peterborough headquarters on July 18. The locomotives, initially unveiled whilst in production at Innotrans last year have been backed by Infracapital and Beacon Rail, costing an estimated £150 million.

The first two units were on display at the company’s Peterborough depot with GBRf expecting them to enter commercial service towards the end of the year. Dynamic testing is expected to begin next week.

The company has ordered 30 of the vehicles from the manufacturer Stadler, with the full fleet expected to be in full traffic in 2027, with a gradual introduction happening until then.

The locomotives are dual-mode, operating seamlessly on electric lines as well as capable of switching to renewable fuels. GBRf claims that this will halve carbon emissions compared to traditional diesel engines.

Speaking at the event, John Smith, CEO of GBRf, emphasised the importance of the new fleet: “A phenomenal amount of effort has gone into this locomotive from all the teams involved, and I truly believe this is the start of the next generation in rail freight.

“The Class 99 locomotives set a new benchmark for performance. We had to prove we had a business model that would work and that is never easy, so for everybody who has stood by us, we thank them for their support.”

In his speech at the event, Rail Minister, Lord Hendy, welcomed the project, adding that he had “no doubt, this locomotive will be the next icon of Britain’s freight railways.”

He added: “This innovation, built by Stadler, financed by Beacon Rail and introduced to us by GBRf is going to lead the rail freight sector and demonstrate to it and the rest of the world that Britain is at the front.”

Also at the event was Adam Cunliffe, CEO of Beacon Rail, who said; “The arrival of the Class 99s marks an important step forward for rail freight in the UK. They reflect Beacon’s commitment to investing in modern, efficient, and lower-carbon transport solutions that are built to meet the needs of an evolving industry and changing world.”

Smith did express his frustration at the lack of investment in the rail freight sector, in comments likely aimed at the rail minister.

He added; “We should not forget that rail freight has been a success throughout privatisation, and minister, you need to be very careful, we and the number of customers here today are very concerned, that despite the strong words we are hearing, which are very welcome, we need more certainty than that.

“We need the security of capacity, an affordable charging regime and assurance that we don’t become marginalised in an integrated network.”

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Plans for possible direct trains from London to Berlin will be drawn up by a joint UK-German taskforce, reigniting hopes for better rail connections across Europe.

The partnership, announced as part of the bilateral treaty to be signed by the British prime minister, Keir Starmer, and his German counterpart, Friedrich Merz, could eventually lead to direct rail services between the two countries after previous plans for London-Frankfurt trains hit the buffers.

The Department for Transport described the agreement as a “significant step forward”, with direct trains the most eye-catching part of a commitment to collaborate in enhancing sustainable transport links and mobility.

Germany has also agreed to allow some arriving UK airline passengers to use passport e-gates at its airports by the end of August, the Cabinet Office said.

Since Brexit, UK travellers have needed to queue to have their passports manually stamped, rather than use automated gates, at EU airports.

A joint taskforce will bring together transport experts from Germany and the UK to tackle the issues that have blocked such services in the past, including commercial, safety and technical requirements, and, not least, border arrangements.

The transport secretary, Heidi Alexander, raised the possibility of visiting Checkpoint Charlie “direct from the comfort of a train”, adding that the government was “determined to put Britain at the heart of a better-connected continent”.

She said: “The Brandenburg Gate, the Berlin Wall and Checkpoint Charlie – in just a matter of years, rail passengers in the UK could be able to visit these iconic sights direct from the comfort of a train, thanks to a direct connection linking London and Berlin.

“This landmark agreement – part of a new treaty the prime minister will sign with Chancellor Merz today – has the potential to fundamentally change how millions of people travel between our two countries, offering a faster, more convenient and significantly greener alternative to flying.

“The economic potential is enormous. A direct rail link would support the creation of jobs and strengthen the vital trade links that underpin our economic relationship with Germany. British businesses will have better access to European markets, whilst German companies will find it easier to invest and operate in the UK.”

The deal follows a similar memorandum of understanding signed with Switzerland in May to explore direct services.

While direct trains to new European countries may be at least a decade away, the international train operator Eurostar has spoken of its ambition to open new routes to Frankfurt and Geneva. Other potential rival operators, including Virgin, are hoping to start cross-Channel services.

Opening new routes has been difficult due to commercial viability, different track and train systems, and border requirements and station capacity. Eurostar’s longest direct route to date, London to Amsterdam, has had to overcome numerous difficulties, largely linked to border security and passport control, since its delayed inception in 2018.

The demand for direct London-Berlin trains is unclear. Passengers can travel between the UK and German capitals in about 10 hours, changing in Brussels and Cologne.