Crossrail Programme Partner announced

***Crossrail has selected Transcend as Programme Partner***

The announcement on which bidder has won the Delivery Partner role (Central London tunnelled section) is believed to have been delayed by several weeks.

Brady bunchballs

The Eye has received a number of furious emails about the latest press release to emerge from the Associated Train Crew Union.

ACTU circulated the following to the media yesterday:

ATCU argues that terrorists do not require the use of explosives to disrupt the mainline rail system, all that is required is the purchasing of a standard rail ticket.

The release then goes on to explain precisely how any malcontent could gain access to a cab.

Shaun Brady the acting general secretary said “terrorists are continually looking at ways of creating as much disruption and mayhem and it is our considered opinion that, before long, they may see the mainline railway system as a prime target”.

If they didn't they do now!

UPDATE: This from an 'Anonymous' reader...

I read the ACTU press release on their website.

It’s interesting to note that scrolling all the way down the release leads you to the next one, dated March 6 and entitled “Companies Exploiting Climate of Fear”.

Pot, kettle, black maybe?

National Excrete

***Oh Dear!***

Clark rewrites history

Telegrammed by Ithuriel

According to the Greek God's mini-me in the House of Commons, Paul Clark:

"Some hon. Members referred to times gone by. Thirty years ago, the railway was being written off as an expensive, outdated and declining mode of transport."

Not by Sir Peter Parker and Sir Bob Reid it wasn't!

And at that time brand new Intercity 125s were being extended to the East Coast Main Line having given the Western Region the fastest trains in Europe and second only in the world high speed league table to the Japanese bullet trains.

In fact eximious railway historian Dr Terry Gourvish considers this period a Golden Age, when Bob Reid's business led railway was in the making.

The so-called Clark went on to say:

"Some hon. Members claimed that the railways had improved because of privatisation. I well remember in 1997 that the railway lines in my neck of the woods suffered from gross under-investment, were unreliable and had rolling stock from the 1960s and 1970s. [Interruption] That is not nonsense."

So nationalised railway bad, privatised railway bad.

Good grief, we're back to the 'Third Way'!

UPDATE: This from BR PR legend Alan Marshall...

"30 years ago BR was perceived by virtually every railway overseas as one of the best in the world, and operating with the least amount of government subsidy!"

"Where on earth is the rest of the railway industry in rubbishing this sort of comment?"

Presumably busy trying not to bite the hand that feeds it.