How long before Lord Adonis, the Prince of Daftness, realises that the complacent reassurances he is being given to read out by his civil serpents are in fact total bollocks?
For example on the 4th November he stated that his Department has "a very keen interest in ensuring that the 1300 vehicles in the High Level Output Specification are procured as rapidly as we practically can".Oh how we all laughed!
In the case of Northern Rail, discussions on the 125 new DMUs (well that's what Captain Deltic's table claims) will not be concluded until some time in 2010!
Of course, it's all the Franchise owners' fault.
If Lockjaw, Wee Brian and Ludo were to go to Marsham Street to give their old mucker Dr Mike and the Prince of Daftness the same hard time their TOC MDs receive, then the message might start to get through.
But Eye can't see them biting the hand that so generously subsidises them.
Meanwhile TOC MDs will continue to take the flak from long suffering and overcrowded passengers.