Latest news with #NigelWilson
STV News
16 hours ago
- STV News
Iconic steam train engine to carry passengers across Forth Bridge during Fringe Festival
An iconic steam engine is set to carry passengers across the Forth Bridge this summer. The Scottish Railway Preservation Society Railtours announced it will offer passengers the chance to cross the UNESCO World Heritage Site hauled by steam locomotive 60007 Sir Nigel Gresley. The engine last worked a train for SRPS Railtours in 2011. The operator said at least five special trains will run from Edinburgh Waverley during August. There will be two services a day running via Fife, Alloa and Stirling from Edinburgh on August 14 and 18. One trip will see the Sir Nigel Gresley haul a train to Aberdeen on August 23. Nigel Wilson, chairman of the Sir Nigel Gresley Locomotive Trust (SNGLT), believes the journey is the locomotive's first visit to the Granite City since 1974. SRPS Railtours and SNGLT are working with the Scottish Railway Preservation Society and Locomotive Services Ltd to provide the services. Mr Wilson said the trust was 'very pleased' to see locomotive 60007 Sir Nigel Gresley return to Aberdeen. It was based there from 1962 until 1966, when SNGLT purchased it for preservation. 'The Trust aims to make our locomotive accessible to as wide an audience as possible, and these tours will be a very special opportunity to experience a trip on the mainline network with 'Sir Nigel' at the front,' he added. Alasdair Eadington, chairman of SRPS Railtours, echoed the sentiments, saying the team was 'delighted' to offer the special journeys as the operator celebrates its 55th anniversary. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
The Independent
12-03-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Legal & General unveils hefty shareholder returns as earnings lift
Legal & General has announced a £500 million share buyback under aims to return more than £5 billion to shareholders within three years, after posting higher earnings. The insurance and pensions giant reported a 6% rise in core operating profits, excluding its corporate investments division, to £1.62 billion for 2024. Pre-tax profits jumped to £542 million from £195 million in 2023. In a boost for investors, L&G revealed plans to buy back £500 million worth of shares in 2025 and said it will return more than £5 billion – or 40% of its entire stock market valuation – to shareholders within three years via dividends and buybacks. Chief executive Antonio Simoes has been leading an overhaul of the company after taking over as group chief executive from Sir Nigel Wilson last year. L&G has sold the group's housebuilding division, Cala, for £1.35 billion and its US protection arm for £1.8 billion, while also forming strategic tie-ups. The group is now focusing on its three core businesses – institutional retirement, asset management, and UK retail pensions and protection. It has also created a corporate investments division which houses parts of the business earmarked for sale or offloading. 'We now have a plan in place for the disposal of each of the remaining assets in our corporate investments portfolio as we continue to simplify our business and unlock value to redeploy into our strategic businesses,' the group said. As part of Mr Simoes' new strategy, the company has also merged LGIM, its under-performing asset management arm, with L&G Capital, which is focused on infrastructure investment. Mr Simoes said: 'We are seeing positive commercial momentum as we execute our strategy with rigour and pace.' He added: 'We stated at our Capital Markets Event that we intended to return more to shareholders and that is exactly what we are doing. 'Our clear capital allocation framework supports our plan to return over £5 billion over the next three years, through dividends and buybacks.'
