Monday 14 December 2009

Eye welcomes Pierre Attendu

Bombardier UK customers might find the below of interest.

Always worth knowing who is on the up.

UPDATE: This from
Anagrammaticus...

Pierre Attendu = Train et Perdue !


So if he loses Thameslink, will he be on the "Down Fast" ?

Gordon Brown breaks Javelin embargo

Oh dear.

It looks like the PM is off message.

This from the Number 10 website:

Gordon Brown called the Javelin train’s first weekday journey, “a momentous day in the long and glorious history of British railways” during the official launch of the UK’s first domestic high-speed rail service at St Pancras International station this morning.

Putting aside the interesting quote about the 'glorious history of British railways' hasn't the dear leader committed a faux pas by referring to South Eastern's high speed train as a 'Javelin'?

This name, we are constantly reminded, cannot be used before the London 2012 Olympics (copyright ODA).

Can it be long before threatening letters are sent to Downing Street?

UPDATE: This from Lobby Fodder...

I'm amazed at Brown's bare faced cheek!

Take this quote from the same release:

“I know some people who think this is not the time to be investing in infrastructure but I believe it is essential to do so and we will be investing £20 billion in our rail infrastructure in the next few years.

Talk about making spending commitments with someone else's budget.

I suspect the "we" he is referring to will be in opposition within six months and therefore not in a position to invest in anything.


Apart from cleaners and painting summer houses obviously...

Bloke with 'tash is to be new EU transport commissar

Good news from the European Union!

A bloke with a 'tash has been nominated for the role of Transport Commissar in Manuel Barroso's new European Commission.


Bloke with Tash comes from Estonia and lists the following amongst his achievements:

  • 1972-1990: Member of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union
  • 1991-1995 and 1999-2004: President of the Estonian Cyclists Union
  • 2002: Elected among "100 Great Estonians of the 20th Century"
  • 2003: Order of the National Coat of Arms 2nd class
  • 2009: Order of the Hair Dryer 3rd Class (is this one right? Ed)
The appointment is expected to be rubber stamped on the 26th January.

Aside from being a former president of the Estonian Cyclists Union the BWT has no previous experience of Transport.

Eye salutes this triumph for demoracy and 'tash wearing.

UPDATE: This just in from Lu Ki Liki...

May I submit the following for the delectation and delight of Eye's readers?


I wonder if they are in anyway related?

UPDATE: An anonymous source volunteers....

Surely Eurotash's British relative is spin doctor Steve Fleming of "The Thick Of It" fame.



He makes an appearance from just after 3.20 on this clip.

Not in front of the kids... & volume off in the office.

Peace breaks out between NatEx and DafT

Happy news for beleaguered National Express share holders.

Today there will be a veritable love in between the doomed company and the Department:

Chris Mole MP, The Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport and Andrew Chivers, Managing Director, NXEA will launch the Service Improvement Plan by naming a train at Liverpool Street station at 10.00am and unveil a customer information brochure giving details about the improvements.

Good to see Moley out and about on the network, but a shame the Noble Lord couldn't make it.

Perhaps a late and unexpected diary conflict?

UPDATE: This from the Master...

Sadly 'twas not to be.


Someone at DfT must have 'contacts' as a cable theft at Chelmsford caused the event to be cancelled.

UPDATE: This from Steve Strong...

Adonis couldn't do it because he was at a meeting with Hitachi "discussing IEP".

To suffer one ministerial cancellation may be regarded as a misfortune...

DafT invests in flower power

Telegrammed by Patience Strong
More profligacy from the men at the ministry...

Written Answers — Transport: Departmental Plants (10 Dec 2009)

Grant Shapps (Shadow Minister (Housing), Communities and Local Government; Welwyn Hatfield, Conservative)

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how much has been spent by his Department on (a) cut flowers and (b) pot plants in each of the last three years.

Chris Mole (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Department for Transport; Ipswich, Labour)

The information is not held in the format requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, the Department for Transport spent £87,401 on pot plants and £3,419 on cut flowers in 2008-09. This excludes spend incurred at the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency as the information requested can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

No doubt that includes the cost of flying in chrysanthemums for IEP meetings.