#Railnatter

Hosted by Gareth Dennis

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317

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Aug 2026

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About the show

The world's leading independent railway podcast. Join award-winning rail engineer Gareth Dennis and many guests talking about all things TRAINS and TRANSPORT. #Railnatter goes out LIVE every Wednesday at 8pm, UK time, with the audio podcast following on all common platforms.

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60 recent

August 5, 202651 min

Why GBR's AI plan is a SHAMBLES | #Railnatter 316

A year after being created, GBRX has done one thing: write a rail industry AI action plan. And it is absolutely shambolic.It is also insightful about the direction Britain's railways are being taken in, and who is taking them there. Featuring: Amazon, Google, NVIDIA, OpenAI and... Palantir. It's grim, but it's important.Read Cory Doctorow's essay: https://pluralistic.net/2026/08/01/dare-snot/#i-will-fucking-piledrive-you-if-you-mention-ai-againSupport #Railnatter at https://patreon.com/garethdennis. Merch at https://merch.railnatter.uk. Join in the discussion at https://discord.railnatter.uk. You can also buy my book #HowTheRailwaysWillFixTheFuture: https://bit.ly/HowTheRailways

July 29, 202619 min

How Britain lost THOUSANDS of train services in 2026 | #Railnatter 315

Since 2020, Britain's railways have seen drastic cuts in timetabled services across much of the country. But what have these cuts done for overcrowding? How have they impacted on growth?And which cities and operators are now chronically overcrowded? Thanks to MUCH DATA, we'll fling at high speed through a detailed picture of the railway that we have, and the railway that we need.Read the NEF report here: https://neweconomics.org/2026/07/cutting-the-transport-cost-of-livingSupport #Railnatter at https://patreon.com/garethdennis. Merch at https://merch.railnatter.uk. Join in the discussion at https://discord.railnatter.uk. You can also buy my book #HowTheRailwaysWillFixTheFuture: https://bit.ly/HowTheRailways

July 22, 20261 hr 2 min

What Great British Railways should ACTUALLY be | #Railnatter 314

We've had a change in leadership for the country, but not for transport, and that means that the creation of GBR continues unaltered. In an episode of two halves, we'll first look at what the IDEAL railway organisation looks like, and how it fits into the wider transport picture.In the second half, we'll talk to Jo Grew, strategy director for GWR and NR Western, to understand what integrated operations like in practice, and remind ourselves: what is this all for?Support #Railnatter at https://patreon.com/garethdennis. Merch at https://merch.railnatter.uk. Join in the discussion at https://discord.railnatter.uk. You can also buy my book #HowTheRailwaysWillFixTheFuture: https://bit.ly/HowTheRailways

July 15, 202649 min

Rebuilding Yorkshire's Broken Railway Network | #Railnatter 313

It's a corker tonight - the long-awaited network development episode for Yorkshire and the North East (outside of WY, SY and Tyne/Wear). Where are the gaps? What are the new bits of railway we need to maximise the railways' ability to get people and goods off the road?Join us for the first of a four-part mini-series!Support #Railnatter at https://patreon.com/garethdennis. Merch at https://merch.railnatter.uk. Join in the discussion at https://discord.railnatter.uk. You can also buy my book #HowTheRailwaysWillFixTheFuture: https://bit.ly/HowTheRailways

July 8, 20261 hr 8 min

The Titfield Thunderbolt Predicted Today's Transport Crisis | #Railnatter 312

Tonight, we’re talking about the Titfield Thunderbolt! To celebrate its re-release in 4K we’ll be speaking to the team behind its loving restoration, talking about its impact and where its predictions hit the mark (and where they perhaps didn’t) and we’ll be taking a deeper look at the railway that inspired it all – the @TalyllynRailway1865 .Support #Railnatter at https://patreon.com/garethdennis. Merch at https://merch.railnatter.uk. Join in the discussion at https://discord.railnatter.uk. You can also buy my book #HowTheRailwaysWillFixTheFuture: https://bit.ly/HowTheRailways

July 1, 20261 hr 9 min

Labour’s rail promises versus reality | #Railnatter 311

We have a packed show for you tonight! We start at the new Cambridge South station, taking stock of what major station budgets can buy you. Then we review Starmer's Labour legacy for railways, and how much of Louise Haigh's original vision remains intact. Then we blast our way through two months of news - joined by @MikeWillSee of @NetworkNewsUK !Support #Railnatter at https://patreon.com/garethdennis. Merch at https://merch.railnatter.uk. Join in the discussion at https://discord.railnatter.uk. You can also buy my book #HowTheRailwaysWillFixTheFuture: https://bit.ly/HowTheRailways

June 24, 202658 min

Why Safety Systems Failed At Talerddig | #Railnatter 310

On 21 October 2024, two Welsh regional trains collided with each other at Talerddig on the line between Aberystwyth and Shrewsbury, resulting in the death of a passenger and serious injuries to three others. A week ago, the RAIB released their final report into this terrible crash.Given extra poignance by the appalling crash between two East Midlands trains near Bedford last week, this episode we'll ask the question: how do trains crash into each other on today's highly protected railway?Full RAIB report: https://www.gov.uk/raib-reports/report-08-slash-2026-collision-between-two-passenger-trains-near-talerddigSupport #Railnatter at https://patreon.com/garethdennis. Merch at https://merch.railnatter.uk. Join in the discussion at https://discord.railnatter.uk. You can also buy my book #HowTheRailwaysWillFixTheFuture: https://bit.ly/HowTheRailways

June 17, 202648 min

The hidden history of Adelaide's weird transport | #Railnatter 309

He's back! Chris Brownbill grips the reverser for this week's episode with another trip to an Australian city: this time we are in ADELAIDE, or rather TARNDANYA. We cover all manner of transport systems, but we hone in on the O-BAHN for its pure ridiculousness, and I bring a long a bit of a historical deep-dive.Support #Railnatter at https://patreon.com/garethdennis. Merch at https://merch.railnatter.uk. Join in the discussion at https://discord.railnatter.uk. You can also buy my book #HowTheRailwaysWillFixTheFuture: https://bit.ly/HowTheRailways

May 13, 202633 min

The post-election reality for Britain’s transport system | #Railnatter 308

Well, they did it. Labour got a drubbing and are in the process of collapsing. The Tories are nowhere. Reform are ascendant and the Greens are hot on their tails. But what does it mean for transport in Britain? What does it mean for GBR? We'll get stuck in, alongside a bit of news too.Support #Railnatter at https://patreon.com/garethdennis. Merch at https://merch.railnatter.uk. Join in the discussion at https://discord.railnatter.uk. You can also buy my book #HowTheRailwaysWillFixTheFuture: https://bit.ly/HowTheRailways

May 6, 202655 min

The truth about local elections and public transport | #Railnatter 307

Westminster has always infantilised local elections, but local authorities are the most persistent interface between our lives and the functioning state, and this is absolutely true when it comes to transport.In this "local" election special, we'll dig into this relationship, talking with Nathan Goldup-John, first candidate in Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd and Charlotte Husnjak, second candidate in Caerdydd Ffynnon Taf, to explore the relationship between local and devolved government and the scale of their ability to change how transport works for you.Support #Railnatter at https://patreon.com/garethdennis. Merch at https://merch.railnatter.uk. Join in the discussion at https://discord.railnatter.uk. You can also buy my book #HowTheRailwaysWillFixTheFuture: https://bit.ly/HowTheRailways