Rail Focus - Chris 🏳️‍🌈
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railfocus.bsky.social
Rail Focus - Chris 🏳️‍🌈
@railfocus.bsky.social
Freelance transport & engineering journalist, railway campaigner and self proclaimed engineering nerd.
http://Youtube.com/@Rail_Focus
he/him/they/them 🏳️‍🌈
Reposted by Rail Focus - Chris 🏳️‍🌈
Late-night Northern line disruption as Bank branch to shut early for engineering works

www.ianvisits.co.uk/articles/lat...
Late-night Northern line disruption as Bank branch to shut early for engineering works
Late-night Northern line passengers are being warned that the Bank branch will close at 10pm on most evenings for several months in early 2026, as part of planned works on the line.
www.ianvisits.co.uk
December 12, 2025 at 3:05 PM
Just finished writing a feature about #HS2 "Interchange". I'm hoping the relative simplicity of the station will mean it can be delivered quickly. There's really not much to see at the minute, although a significant amount of work around the station has and is taking place.
December 11, 2025 at 4:47 PM
Just started watching #Landman, it's a surprisingly captivating watch.
December 10, 2025 at 10:35 PM
Unfortunately it wasn't possible to incorporate the full analysis into my @railmagazine.bsky.social Old Oak Common feature. So here's the full data set, which is as accurate as I could possibly make it, to the best of my knowledge. #HS2
December 10, 2025 at 8:17 PM
Not 1, but 2 features in the latest issue of @railmagazine.bsky.social The 1st looking at how Old Oak Common could improve connectivity between North and South and not just London. The other counts down the top 10 most expensive modern day railway projects
December 10, 2025 at 2:39 PM
It was fantastic to be able to ride on 507 001 again yesterday. It's a real testament to the hard work put in by the @class507.org.uk volunteers who've got managed to get it in working order and looking immaculate again.
December 9, 2025 at 1:39 PM
@signaloftheday.bsky.social
For your consideration 😉
December 9, 2025 at 10:03 AM
In all seriousness, ignoring the crass flag waving. Liveries should never be about politics, they should be elegant and should stand the test of time. But more importantly they should differentiate the different types of service (local/regional/IC) in a simple way for passengers. 1/2
As others have pointed out, it looks more like a GBN train 😬
Red, White and Rails: The Great British Railways livery unveiled for 2026 rollout

www.ianvisits.co.uk/articles/red...
December 9, 2025 at 10:02 AM
As others have pointed out, it looks more like a GBN train 😬
December 9, 2025 at 9:33 AM
Reposted by Rail Focus - Chris 🏳️‍🌈
This is only me scratching the surface of my XC opinions!

I feel there’ll be a follow up standard class review at some point!
🎬 NEW VIDEO 🎬

I took a ride on CrossCountry first class to see if it was worth it - and what I got was definitely not a first class experience!

Clicky: www.youtube.com/watch?v=_uYn...
First Class on CrossCountry... might as well not exist!
YouTube video by JenOnTheMove
www.youtube.com
December 8, 2025 at 8:27 PM
Reposted by Rail Focus - Chris 🏳️‍🌈
If you’re in the East Midlands TV region, you might want to watch BBC East Midlands Today at 6.30pm 👀 www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...
BBC One - East Midlands Today, Evening News, 08/12/2025
The latest news, sport and weather for the East Midlands.
www.bbc.co.uk
December 8, 2025 at 4:24 PM
It lives!
December 8, 2025 at 2:36 PM
Back here again. Still not much to see, but I needed some up to date images #HS2
December 8, 2025 at 11:13 AM
Reposted by Rail Focus - Chris 🏳️‍🌈
With GWR withdrawing the Castle Class HSTs, I travelled down to Devon & Cornwall to ride them one last time.

A bit of nostalgia, a bit of chaos, and a lot of gratitude for nearly 50 years of service.

Watch the farewell trip: youtu.be/PM3SX7ub-Dc

Share your HST stories below.
December 7, 2025 at 4:59 PM
Reposted by Rail Focus - Chris 🏳️‍🌈
then, the transphobes , feeling victorious at how many people they have made unhappy and despairing in the previous week, move on to anything else that has a spectrum and the possibility of more colours than they can conceive - such hateful people - they cannot understand anything that is not THEM
December 7, 2025 at 7:07 PM
I definitely do PCs that are nice to look at 😅
December 7, 2025 at 1:54 PM
So much for the Supreme Court ruling bringing clarity. Even Labour doesn't understand how it should be applied.
December 6, 2025 at 3:54 PM
What is wrong with people?! Trains cancelled over fake bridge collapse image share.google/lxq3FwWxAu8h...
Trains cancelled over fake bridge collapse image
Rail services were cancelled after a 'hoax' picture of a damaged bridge appeared on social media
share.google
December 6, 2025 at 11:37 AM
Ending the Year with some decent looking YouTube numbers. Admittedly my Engineering Focus channel used a repurposed existing channel, but it has gained quite a few new subscribers just from the first new video.
December 5, 2025 at 10:58 AM
Reposted by Rail Focus - Chris 🏳️‍🌈
If this where any other politician or political party it would be the first bong on ITV news.
Is that £9million… Russian money?
December 5, 2025 at 9:39 AM
A TPE Class 185 heading for Dewsbury crossing the River Calder and a cold winter afternoon. In the back ground a new viaduct is being constructed to replace 2 bridges.
December 4, 2025 at 4:53 PM
Apparently I'm one of the lucky ones, "high intelligence" (clinician's words not mine) meant I was able to work around ADHD and have been reasonably productive. But it means I went under the radar and being diagnosed late in life leaves a big what if question, how much more could I have achieved..
An independent taskforce *just* did a huge review of ADHD in England, and the conclusion was that it's "under-recognised, under-diagnosed and under-treated."
www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/re...
NHS England » Report of the independent ADHD Taskforce: Part 1
April 2025
www.england.nhs.uk
December 4, 2025 at 3:24 PM
Reposted by Rail Focus - Chris 🏳️‍🌈
An independent taskforce *just* did a huge review of ADHD in England, and the conclusion was that it's "under-recognised, under-diagnosed and under-treated."
www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/re...
NHS England » Report of the independent ADHD Taskforce: Part 1
April 2025
www.england.nhs.uk
December 4, 2025 at 12:48 AM
Reposted by Rail Focus - Chris 🏳️‍🌈
Everything is broken and nothing works and this is making people depressed and crazy. BUT what if we didn't want to hear that answer? What if, instead, we were a bunch of depraved ideologues utterly convinced that everyone on benefits was a cheating scrounger on the take? What then?
Wes Streeting orders review of mental health diagnoses as benefit claims soar
Wes Streeting orders review of mental health diagnoses as benefit claims soar
Health secretary has asked experts to investigate whether normal feelings have become ‘over-pathologised’ The health secretary, Wes Streeting, has ordered a clinical review of the diagnosis of mental health conditions, according to reports. Streeting is understood to be concerned about a sharp rise in the number of people making sickness benefits claims because of diagnoses for mental illness, autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), the Times reported. He has asked leading experts to investigate whether normal feelings have become “over-pathologised”, the newspaper said, as he seeks to grapple with the 4.4 million working-age people now claiming sickness or incapacity benefit. The figure has risen by 1.2 million since 2019, while the number of 16 to 34-year-olds off work with long-term sickness because of a mental health condition is said to have grown rapidly in the same period. Streeting told the Times he knew from “personal experience how devastating it can be for people who face poor mental health, have ADHD or autism and can’t get a diagnosis or the right support”. He added: “I also know, from speaking to clinicians, how the diagnosis of these conditions is sharply rising. “We must look at this through a strictly clinical lens to get an evidence-based understanding of what we know, what we don’t know, and what these patterns tell us about our mental health system, autism and ADHD services. “That’s the only way we can ensure everyone gets timely access to accurate diagnosis and effective support.” The review, which is expected to be launched on Thursday, is set to be led by Prof Peter Fonagy, a clinical psychologist at University College London specialising in child mental health, with Sir Simon Wessely, a former president of the Royal College of Psychiatry, acting as vice-chair. Continue reading...
www.theguardian.com
December 4, 2025 at 2:57 PM