Disgraceful

Please ignore this link.

;-)

IEP in perspective

40 years ago this month...

Chief Engineer Terry Miller made the formal submission to the British Railways Board to develop the new 125 mile/h InterCity diesel train - offering a prototype with six coaches and two power cars ready to run 22 months after the funding was authorised.

And not a consultant in sight...

Department of the bleedin' obvious

No comment.

Just click, read and weep.


Next week: BOTTOMS! How to wipe safely.

Tory Rail Review

***Look out for the publication of the Tories' Rail Review tomorrow. Anticipate 'Motherhood and Apple Pie' for radical it's not!***

Crossing the line

Has Network Rail's success in managing the recent adverse weather gone to its head?

The Fact Compiler has received the following email from one of NR's PR monkeys:

It would be marvellous if you could highlight all the great coverage (that) Network Rail achieved in raising awareness of level crossing misuse this week...

Wait a minute!

As numerous headlines pointed out:

The number of cases of motorists taking dangerous and illegal risks at UK level crossings is at a four-year high.

So what has Network Rail been doing for the last four years to address this problem?

Ah, of course.

Sticking ads on the back of vans and, errr..., running locos into vehicles for the exclusive benefit of Clarkson and Top Gear!

Pay attention Network Rail.

If you want to see how to reduce level crossing abuse look across the pond to America and Canada.

Where is Network Rail's Operation Lifesaver equivalent?

Fingers out and website up - if you please!

UPDATE: A Network Rail spokesman writes...

Don't begrudge us for using every weapon in our armoury in countering level crossing misuse.

The Top Gear collision was an attempt to get the message across to petrolheads, we make no apology for that.

Of course, we want to make more headway on the misuse stat, but this is a young campaign.

It took decades for the drink driving message to cut through and make it socially unacceptable - we're here for the long term

So get a dedicated bloody website up and resource the campaign properly!

48 Hours

Telegrammed by the Archer
The IEP announcement will be delayed for 48 hours whilst Geoff Hoon tries to explain an Incredibly Embarrassing Predicament to Derby MPs.

'Nuff said!

UPDATE: From our man at 222 Marylebone Road...

IEP reported to be stuck in Downing Street while the Prime Minister tries to work out how to spin British jobs for Japanese workers as good news for the out of work tax-payers and fare-payers in the Midlands rolling stock supply chain.

One solution could be to bundle the IEP announcement with electrification commitments.

Winners are now expected to start envying the losers from Wednesday evening.

Lookalike Vll

This from a Mr Lazarus.

What a cultured lot you are....