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A friend lives near a railway line and has a problem with rats, in the garden and sometimes in the house. The track is curved and I think there is a "flange greaser" (it that's the right term) nearby, possibly also points. I once read that rats will eat the grease. Is that correct?

There was a rail grinder running on my line on the Brussels Metro over the weekend. I noticed in my stop (Tomberg, a sub surface station) that almost every flat surface was covered in very noticeable layer of grey dust. All over the platforms, through the concourse, handrails etc. Right up to...

Yesterday I watched a guy plug his eScooter into a socket to charge on a Siemens Desiro. Would that have any effect on the scooter and/or the train?

https://www.businesstraveller.com/business-travel/2020/09/16/eurostar-and-thalys-to-merge-in-2021/?fbclid=IwAR0IM1sajBSjGLeH2nOZuxU8jB4xZFo6ZSSFhIls4OVBxsgkhV2R7Kx4_u4

Looking at some recent new rolling stock they seem to have followed the company car model of having very plain, uniform colours. Azumas mostly grey and the new 315s only have a different colour on the ends. Even Crossrail stock is very bland. Is this to reduce cost on change of franchise?

How widespread is this made available? Is it constrained to sidings or also available at stations? What kind of rolling stock receives/uses it? For example, are sleepers "plugged in" between services? Cheers Ben

I would guess the only way this is possible today is via a lorry on EuroTunnel. Are there any more movements left? When did they stop?

I have a model railway layout with a theme of 1990s Belgium. Most local rolling stock is not difficult to find. I was wondering, what DB stock would have been coming from Germany to Belgium at that time? I don't think ICE 1 or ICE 2 could have worked here. The period is pre-high speed line to...

There's a good line in Len Deighton's book "An Expensive Place to Die". "Schliefeen has no plan". I read somewhere that at the outbreak of war (WWI) German troops simply boarded trains that were already heading back to Belgium. Was that really the case? Ben

My uncle who lives in the south of France once told a story of people placing a suitcase aboard a TGV in Marseille and then immediately getting off the train. An accomplice then collects the suitcase from the pre-arranged carriage when the train arrives in Paris. Has anyone else heard this...

I took my Mum from Brussels to Paddington on Saturday after staying with us for the holidays in Belgium. Paddington Station Reception staff were excellent and her pre-booked assistance was on their list. They phoned through to Bristol Parkway, Newport and Bridgend as there was a bus service for...

This interesting tweet popped up. Can anyone top it? I remember the Eurostar coming into Waterloo and there is a huge scrap yard at Wandsworth on the right hand side as the track turns towards Vauxhall. Often overheard gasps from people seeing their first view of London.

Given that the "shortage of drivers" story comes up quite often wouldn't it make more sense to run driver management, hiring, training, allocation etc. at a national level? It might avoid duplication of many functions and allow a central organisation to have a longer term view of what skills...

Does any other European country do this? https://www.belgiantrain.be/fr/news/kiezersbiljet/

I was going to ask how the pumping equipment is controlled on RHTT trains but this timely picture on Twitter from the BBCs Paul Clifton seems to explain it. Looks like the second man is in charge. The display seems to show liquid levels and pump status. I wonder if it also doubles as a display...

Following rail industry people on twitter is very interesting, drivers, engineers, station staff. You get to see things that the public wouldn't normally have access to. One thing I notice is that there seem to be a lot of award ceremonies in the rail industry. Both for front line staff and...

http://www.dhnet.be/regions/brabant/rer-le-brabant-devra-attendre-2026-5abbc83fcd709bfa6b0baadd Work has restarted on two lines of the Brussels RER after a three year gap. Especially frustrating on my line, Brussels <-> Charleroi as so much of the earthworks, new bridges and stations was...

http://www.xpats.com/belgium-hopes-restore-namur-paris-train-link From the article :- A direct train service from Wallonia to Paris could be restored next year, subject to a feasibility study being carried out by French and Belgian rail operators. The SNCB is keen to restore the...

Just booked a trip on Eurotunnel to see my mum in Wales next week (half term here in Belgium). I noticed that once the booking is complete it now says :- You must add passport or identity card details for all people travelling on each Folkestone to Calais booking that you make. You can do this...

Saw Network Rail Scotland posting some great pictures of a class 37 on snow duties. https://twitter.com/NetworkRailSCOT/status/954999473339535360 Why don't EMUs and DMUs have snow blades fitted? Is it a question of power?