The House of Commons Public Accounts Committee took evidence on the 4th June into the National Audit Office's report "Reducing passenger rail delays by better management of incidents."Rail industry witnesses included Dr Mike Mitchell (Director General, Rail and National Networks Group, DfT), Iain Coucher (Chief Executive, NR) and David Franks (MD, National Express East Coast and an ATOC Board member).
Coucher-Tiger and Franksy made a good fist of the affair showing themselves to be on top of their brief.
One small gem crept through the rather dry proceedings.
With a delicious sense of irony Ian Davidson MP (Glasgow South) asked David Franks how delays influenced the number of assaults on rail staff.
How Franksy, who was sat next to Mike Mitchell at the time, managed to keep a straight face is unclear.
Younger readers may be unaware that in 2005 Dr Mike Mitchell was accused of of verbally abusive and threatening conduct towards a member of GNER staff.
He was found not guilty.