Telegrammed by Party Animal
An impressive performance from NX railwaymen at this year's party conferences.
Despite challenging circumstances they put up a good show.
Each TOC sent their PR, the MD's took turns to be seen and Franksy was visible throughout.
But the pièce de résistance was reserved for the Tories. Bring forth Lord Bunting of Schmooze!
Impressive lobbying! But is it too late?
No matter - Good effort.
London Reconnections has photos of the first test train on the East London line/Railway.
Meanwhile Boris Watch unveils a nice spat between DafT and TfL on funding for the replacement South London Line service.
Great headline too: Sadiq Khan bitch-slaps Boris
Cameron's speech at the Tory Party conference appears not to have played well with the brothers.
Unite joint general secretary, Derek Simpson said, "At the height of the worst recession in decades Cameron said nothing about job creation, nothing about supporting our industries and nothing about reigning in his friends in the city who caused economic meltdown. "
But what's this.
Is this the same Unite who donated almost £4m to the Labour Party last year?
Or indeed the same Unite whose Deputy General Secretary is one Jack Dromey, husband of Cabinet Minister Harriet Harperson, and who is being lined up for the safe Labour parliamentary seat of Leyton and Wanstead.
Indeed it is.
So no chance of reopening the Matlock - Buxton route to freight traffic then.
This official line from Network Rail, with a bowler tip to Kestrel Eyes:
Rumours of work on the Matlock-Buxton line are exaggerated.
We looked at strategic freight route options on existing routes to the north that potentially could provide further capacity for W10 gauge clearance.
Matlock to Buxton was a no goer owing to the prohibitive costs involved.
Still no news on when Peak Rail will gain access to Matlock's second platform.
The Eye has been inundated by furious emails from Railway Garden fans following a shock Tube Lines announcement.
According to a press release issued today:
Tube Lines has become the first railway company in the UK to eradicate Japanese Knotweed (fallopia japonica spp), thanks to a pioneering weed killer.
Fortunately Network Rail can be trusted to keep the Railway Garden Competition in business for quite a few years yet...
But...
You'll have to wait till tomorrow!
UPDATE: Thanks for the emails and apologies for the delay - this one is evolving.
Eye will post details as soon as practicable...
Telegrammed by Leo Pink
In Network Rail's list of newly appointed public members, issued today, I note the name of J Bray.
Is this Jonathan Bray of PTEG fame?
And would that be the same J Bray who was on the previous list of public members helpfully provided by NR's Internet Rapid Rebuttal Unit?
I think we should be told!
Perhaps J Bray is in danger of becoming like Peter Simple's Alderman Foodbottom; the 'perpetual' Chairman of the Bradford Tramways and Fine Arts Committee.
This just in from Tony Miles...
Has nobody bothered to tell you that Advenza is no more?
The Fact Compiler apologises for being a little slow on the uptake.
But having recorded the demise of Advenza so many times Eye wanted to make sure it really had ceased to be.
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