For you the railway is over...

This from the BBC...

The head of Germany's railway company, Deutsche Bahn, has offered to resign after the company admitted spying on thousands of its employees.

Old habits die hard.

Virgin poo-poo smell solution

Telegrammed by our Independent Expert
Wolmar, in the current issue of Rail, turns up his nose at stinky Pendolino lavatories.

Now further intelligence reaches the Eye from the state-of-the-art cleaning company invited to inspect problems at Oxley.

"The problem was that Virgin and train maker Alstom blamed each other. And they said there was not enough turn round time for a proper deep clean of the coach and vestibule floor areas.

"We could have done the job but they just seemed to want to brush it under the carpet."

Perhaps this explains the continued stink?

Welcome back British Rail

Good to see the Department getting its ducks in a row.

This from DafT's recently issued OJEU for an Operator of Last Resort...

Due to the uncertainty of Operator of Last Resort (OoLR) plans being activated (i.e. whether any TOCs, and, if so, how many, would require the DfT to step in to maintain services), it is difficult to estimate a total figure should the Department require support.

Perhaps the Eye can help.

All of the TOCs (yes, each and everyone) have approached DafT about easing of franchise terms.

Pendolino at maximum tilt?

(LNW) At 2200, as Virgin Pendolino unit No. 390006 was being shunted from the wheel lathe onto the Down Carriage line at Wembley Carriage Sidings South, the signaller at Carriage Sidings South signalbox inadvertently moved CS4 points under the unit, thereby causing an irregular movement, and resulting in the unit becoming derailed by two bogies, fouling the Down & Up Carriage lines and colliding with Pendolino unit No. 390008, the latter of which at the time was stationary on the Up Carriage line, having arrived at 2151 per 5A78, HF, 2135 London Euston – Wembley Carriage Sidings. Upon observing the approaching unit, the driver of unit No. 390008 jumped clear, and was badly shaken. The force of impact resulted in unit No. 390008 leaning at a 45 degree angle.

Which brings to three the number of 390's damaged by NR - how long before there are none left?

UPDATE: This from an expert...

If the signaller was able to move the points, they can't have been locked by track circuits.

Unusual at such a place with power operated points.

31422
signalman