Wednesday 29 April 2009

Bum steer from Greengauge?

Telegrammed by our man at 222 Marylebone Road
According to a Press Release...

Anticipating progressive improvement in energy efficiency and reduced carbon emissions from the rail, aviation and automotive sectors, the work, which was carried out by ATOC shows that high-speed rail could offer a huge saving in carbon compared with air travel and result in 70% less carbon per passenger-km than would be produced from a totally modernised electric car fleet. Against a mixed car fleet, in transition away from petrol/diesel engines, the advantages would be even more dramatic: HSR would produce 30 times less carbon per passenger-km.

"The basic point is this:”, said Greengauge 21 Director Jim Steer, “to achieve lower carbon in the transport sector, we need to provide a better alternative to flying or driving medium/long distances in Britain. High-speed rail offers the transformation needed to make this possible”.

Are we seriously expected to believe that by the time HS2 is built electric cars will have the range and speed to compete with rail, let alone high Speed Rail on inter-city journeys?

Professional is, as professional does...

Telegrammed by our man at 222 Marylebone Road
According to the latest issue of Rail Professional the Department for Transport is...

"...seeking pitches for an unspecified number of electric multiple units as part of the Thameslink upgrade."


Er, the Invitation to Tender is quite specific about the number of full length and reduced length diagrams to be met and when, leaving the supplier to work out the availability and the number of trains needed.

RailPro adds that the closing date for submissions is 30 April.

Er, because of funding issues the bidders have now been given an extra couple of months to shake their piggy banks.

Still, the magazine is free.

RMT cuts off nose to spite face?

This just in from the RMT...

RMT ANNOUNCED today that around 1000 rail engineering members at Jarvis, will be taking industrial action on May 5 2009 in response to plans by the company to axe 450 jobs as union talks with Transport Secretary Geoff Hoon broke up with the government failing to give assurances on job cuts in the rail industry.

Let the scorched earth policy begin!

Update on the SofS meeting with the unions

This from the Evening Standard...

Sack 'Buff Hoon' say rail unions

Went well then!