Gordon gets fillited in Europe

As this is everywhere else on the blogsphere... enjoy!

By the by - nice whistle!



'Nuff said.

London Midland to abandon catering?

As the downturn bites owner groups are coming up with ever more Ludicrous reasons for cutting back on catering

This from UK Railway...

Travelling today on a 350/2 from Liverpool, the Trolly Dolly informed me that hot drinks cannot be served to standard class passengers for safety reasons.

Will Permatan Rail be the first to abandon on-train catering for 'elf'n'safety' reasons?

Inspire the next?

This just in from Captain Deltic!

Inspired by Hitachi's claim that the Super Express (the train formerly known as IEP) will be 'proudly built in Britain', Captain Deltic was moved to share this picture of an IKEA chair he 'proudly built' in Welwyn Garden City.


Eye draws attention to IKEA's policy of naming items of furniture after railway journalists and invites suggestions for future recipients of this honour.

UPDATE: A reader suggests...

How about 'The COLIN' - a flat pack bookcase, complete with instructions containing caption errors.

FURTHER UPDATE: A very naughty reader suggests...

'The NIGEL' - a large well-upholstered sofa and 'The WØLMĀR' - a self-assembly bidet...

ANOTHER UPDATE: This from a reader keen to expand the envelope...

I don't see why this should be restricted just to railway journos, why not let the wider industry share in the fun.

How about:

'The IAIN', a plastic self-inflating chair, with bonus.

'The MOIR', a dining carver with optional ejection seat (only available in tartan)

'The JIM', a stylish but eccentric hostess trolley fitted with only three high-speed castors out of four

'The MICHAEL', a newly launched left-handed upside-down egg whisk (only available in Atoc)

and finally, if you insist on journos only

'The PHIL', a slightly moth-eaten, khaki chaise longue which constantly swallows biscuit crumbs.

AND ANOTHER: This from The Master...

'The BIGLUND' - a table ideal for keeping safe hold of BlackBerrys...

AND FINALLY: These wildly off-topic offerings...

'The BORIS' - A well padded Ottoman (may arrive looking a little disheveled).

'The FRED' - A glass fronted bookcase (comes with broken windows).

New industry model unveiled

Telegrammed by our man at 222 Marylebone Road.
Exciting news from the world of railway modelling.

According to BBC online...

Twin brothers Frederick and Gerrit Braun have built the world's longest model railway in the city of Hamburg.


It has six miles of track, cost £8m to build and its 1,150 square metres (12,380 square feet) take in the US, Scandinavia and the Swiss Alps.

The UK version, being built in a loft in Neasden, is still laying track, is undecided on the power source, has yet to order any trains but is already building an extension to its replica of New Minister House and comes complete with an army of several thousand animated miniature civil servants.

Good to see that the UK version remains faithful to reality.

Affordability - or lack there of

This from yesterday's FT...

Train order deadline put back

The deadline for trainmakers to submit bids for one of the UK’s biggest-ever train orders has been put back by nearly two months over problems financing the enormous order.

It's not just new trains that are at risk.

The Eye understands that the whole CP4 funding settlement is also in question.

There's no fool like...

This from the East Anglian Daily Times...

A 71-YEAR-OLD man put lives in danger at a railway crossing by deliberately turning round important information signs, a court has heard.

Silly burgher!