Wednesday 30 September 2009

Captain Deltic - looking for a way out! Shocker

Via the wonders of MMS this from Captain Deltic...


Help! shouts Captain D.

I'm trapped on the refurbished Platform 6 at Derby and someone has forgotten the Way Out signs.


UPDATE: This from a Mr Malins...

Here it is, but there's a pesky ticket barrier in the way!


All part of the Stagecoach plan to make travel difficult.

Lee stars in Return of the Dragon?

Good news for media in the South East!

Uber-PR, Jane Lee, is to return to the industry as Southern's PR supremo.


Eye hopes Ms Lee will forgive the use of her namesake's movie title...

UPDATE: Captain Deltic shares his favourite Jane Lee story.

A few years ago a car''s steering failed and it ran into Jane.

Surprisingly the car didn't come off worse and Jane was taken to hospital with a broken arm.

In casualty the doctor was about to cut away Jane's fashionable leather jacket to assess the damage.

'Cut this coat and you're a dead man' growled the patient. The jacket remained intact.


Welcome back!

RMT voices safety concerns

This from the RMT...

RAIL UNION RMT today launched a confidential email hotline for members amid growing concerns over planned maintenance cuts by Network Rail which have put over 2500 – nearly 20% of the total workforce – at risk.

Today, all RMT Network Rail maintenance members have been sent by text and email details of a confidential email address where they can feed through local details of the impact of the cuts the length and breadth of the UK.

Get ready for a Winter of Discontent.

UPDATE: This just in from Network Rail...

May I gently remind the RMT that there is already an independent safety body (CIRAS) that maintains a confidential hotline for anyone who has rail safety concerns:

They can be contacted online, by Freephone (0800 4 101 101), by text
(07507 285887 - standard text rates apply) or in writing at Freepost CIRAS.

Spot the Operator #5

This one with a bowler tip to Bushy...

Using your skill and judgment can you identify this well known musical Railway Operator?


And for a bonus point can you suggest what she is singing?

Answers please on a postcard to Northern Rail...

2009 Railway Garden Competition #XXVIII

This just in from a Mr Fergie-Lee...

Pictured is Malton, in the delightful district of Ryedale in North Yorkshire (of Calendar Girls fame); a station with just one platform face, a signalbox that looks like it was built by King John and a café that serves the best vegetarian quiche this side of Didsbury.

However, it is a shame that passengers to such a fine market town have to contemplate this screen of crappy vegetation whilst waiting for their train to York or Scarborough.


While the station buildings have been sensitively modernised, only the coming of Autumn will damp down the usual collection of weeds in the six foot, while the screen of scrubby silver birch trees just serves to show that if it isn't covered by a franchise commitment, nobody gives a monkey's.

What would Helen Mirren say?

UPDATE: This from a Mr Rodgers...

I suspect that Helen Mirren would have very little to say!

Yes, Malton is in Ryedale (District Council) but this is not the same place as where 'Calendar Girls' was set which was filmed in and around Grassington in the Yorkshire Dales, a mere 60+ miles away albeit in Yorkshire.

Mind you at least your contributor has also been caught without his clothes on (so to speak).

Balkanisation at Railnews

With the Noble Lord justifiably proud of his Greek antecedents is someone at Railnews labouring the point?

CYCLING HUBS

Lord Adonios also announced to the Labour conference a £14 million programme to create cycling hubs in ten major stations as part of the government's green transport policy.

Perhaps we should be toldios...

UPDATE: This from EastWestDivide...

But will the railway cycling hubs be Sturmey-Archer 3-speed?