Gordon Brown wields the handbag!

This just in from Lord Deltic of Pan in the Counties of Brunel and Stephenson...

Announcing the decision to embark on a programme of electrification the Prime Minister said:

“To build a better Britain, we must be bold, innovative and forward-looking and invest with confidence in our country’s transport infrastructure, jobs and industry. This electrification programme is vital to building a 21st century transport system.”

Given that this coming Monday (27 July) marks the 25th anniversary of the then Transport Secretary, Nicholas Ridley, announcing the go ahead for the East Coast Main Line Electrification, shouldn't that be 'backward looking'?

And who would have thought that Gordon Brown would prove to be heir to Margaret Thatcher!

A summer Saturday enlightened by Lady Theresa of Chipping Barnet

Telegrammed by the Globetrotter
Shadow Transport Secretary, Theresa Villiers wastes no time in jumping onto the bandwagon following the Transport Select Committee’s report which “found massive failings in the way our railways are run”.

Into the in-box thunders an indignant statement which underlines that the report is “scathing about the way Labour has run the rail franchising system. The Government has failed to tackle the problems on our railways, creating a franchise system which resorts to pricing passengers off the railway to deal with overcrowding. Labour's approach has been so flawed as to contribute to not just one but two failures on the same line.”

Maybe someone should have a quiet word to remind the fragrant lady just who it was that introduced passenger franchising to the UK rail sector in the first place.

Or maybe sending out a press release at mid-day on a warm sunny Saturday just as the Parliamentary recess begins is all part of her cunning plan to ensure that no-one who remembers the facts will actually notice!

No matter..

All will be well, and all will be well and all manner of things shall be well, prophesied the saintly Lady Julian of Norwich.

Theresa obviously shares this view: "A future Conservative Government would prioritise value for money on our railways. We would put the interests of passengers first, lengthen rail franchises and reform Network Rail to ensure taxpayers and fare-payers alike get the most from our railways."

Eye just can’t wait…

Harry Patch RIP

Harry Patch, the last British survivor of the Kaiser's War on the Western Front, has died.

What a generation!

We will not forget.

Requiescat in pace et in amore.