DB Schenker Rail UK, the British railfreight subsidiary of German Rail (DB), has announced plans to equip 90 EMD class 66 diesel locomotives with stop-start technology following a successful trial in southwest England.

THE European Railway Agency (ERA) elected Mr Josef Doppelbauer as its new executive director at a meeting of the body's administrative board in Valenciennes on September 30.

TRANSPORT for London (TfL) launched a public consultation on September 30 on proposals to extend London Underground's Bakerloo Line south from its existing terminus at Elephant & Castle to serve the districts of Lewisham and Bromley.

BRITISH train operator Southern Railway announced on September 29 that it has selected Porterbrook leasing to finance an order worth around £172m for 29 four-car class 387/1 EMUs from Bombardier.

HAMBURG-based wagon leasing company VTG announced on September 29 that it has agreed to acquire Switzerland's Ahaus Alstätter Eisenbahn Holding (AAE) in a takeover that will increase VTG's European lease fleet from 50,000 to 80,000 vehicles.

DUTCH secretary of state for infrastructure Mrs Wilma Mansveld has informed the Dutch Parliament that Netherlands Railways (NS) will retrofit its fleet of 131 SLT 'Sprinter Light Train' suburban EMUs with toilets.

BASLE Transport Authority (BVB) celebrated the start of testing on the cross-border extension of tram Line 8 on September 29, when the first BVB tram reached the town of Weil-am-Rhein, Germany.

GERMAN Rail (DB) has selected Mitsubishi Electric to modernise traction equipment on 46 ICE 2 high-speed trains in a deal worth €22m up to 2019.

THE DUTCH government has allocated to €2.4bn to maintain and improve the country's railway network as part of its 2015 budget, which was announced on September 16.

LOWER Austrian Transport Company (Növog) has issued tenders for two used or new diesel locomotives with optional maintenance and financing, and for five panoramic coaches with an option for up to ten additional vehicles.