Telegrammed by Our Independent Expert
Extra traffic from air disruption seems to have gone to Virgin's corporate head.
Weary standard class passengers on 17.56 Preston to Euston Voyager tonight were evicted with heavy luggage to recreate first class from standard class four-abreast coach they were already sitting in on grounds there were not enough first class seats.
When one passenger complained: "'I've paid nearly 100 pounds for this ticket" he was told by aggressive train member of train staff: "These are the rules mate, you've got to move right away. It's a hybid".
Hybrid?
Doh?
There will be many on tonight's train who will be cheering the return today of domestic air services.
UPDATE: This from the Premier Line Controller...
It is in fact just so - Virgin has returned to the the concept of the Composite coach, with a small twist.
Seating in Coach D is almost entirely table seating with generous legroom and a neat retractable table leaf to accommodate corporate growth (NB = corpus as in Habeas Corpus) and the coach has all the required services to operate as a First Class saloon (with a big on-line nudge and a wink!), as required.
Maybe some similar design initiative can be undertaken with the Pendolino fleet to make up for the non-appearance of coaches J and K, in the foreseeable future.
The 50 steerage passengers counted standing on a Sunday service to Glasgow between Euston and Bank Quay, and joined by a further crowd at Preston (many 'standing' for the full 4 hours 40 minutes) might well have appreciated a reverse regrading of a coach or two at the London end of the train.
Maybe a permanent working for a 12 -coach VT64?
Wednesday, 21 April 2010
Frontpage of the Standard....
It was the railway wot won it!
Don't you worry Andrew - after this week's bumper loadings there'll be jobs aplenty if you want to come back...
UPDATE: This from Trailer Second...
I couldn't work out why the aviation industry suddenly started behaving like the railway.
Tonight the railway eye brought sight to the blind.
Don't you worry Andrew - after this week's bumper loadings there'll be jobs aplenty if you want to come back...
UPDATE: This from Trailer Second...
I couldn't work out why the aviation industry suddenly started behaving like the railway.
Tonight the railway eye brought sight to the blind.
Railway prepares for The Great Return
This from Network Rail...
Network Rail will be keeping the rail lines serving London's airports open around the clock tonight to help get stranded air passengers home.
Weekend engineering work on the Anglo-Scottish routes - the east and west coast main lines - has also been cancelled to enable more direct services to run.
Paddington, Liverpool Street, Victoria and Gatwick - some of Network Rail's, and the UK's, biggest and busiest stations - will also stay open around the clock tonight.
Network Rail is also talking to retailers at these stations about extending their opening hours to assist late arriving passengers.
Good effort!
Network Rail will be keeping the rail lines serving London's airports open around the clock tonight to help get stranded air passengers home.
Weekend engineering work on the Anglo-Scottish routes - the east and west coast main lines - has also been cancelled to enable more direct services to run.
Paddington, Liverpool Street, Victoria and Gatwick - some of Network Rail's, and the UK's, biggest and busiest stations - will also stay open around the clock tonight.
Network Rail is also talking to retailers at these stations about extending their opening hours to assist late arriving passengers.
Good effort!
Aviations 'Railtrack moment'
This from Captain Oveur...
Eye readers may care to compare and contrast the following.
Hatfield, England October 2000: Cracked rail due to rolling contact fatigue causes a fatal derailment. Railtrack don't understand the effects of rolling contact fatigue and shut down the railway. Travel chaos follows
London England April 2010: Ash cloud from Icelandic volcano drifts over Europe. Civil Aviation Authority doesn't understand the effects of ash on jet engines and shuts down the airways. Travel chaos follows.
Cue Coucher to set up not for profit Network Sky?
Eye readers may care to compare and contrast the following.
Hatfield, England October 2000: Cracked rail due to rolling contact fatigue causes a fatal derailment. Railtrack don't understand the effects of rolling contact fatigue and shut down the railway. Travel chaos follows
London England April 2010: Ash cloud from Icelandic volcano drifts over Europe. Civil Aviation Authority doesn't understand the effects of ash on jet engines and shuts down the airways. Travel chaos follows.
Cue Coucher to set up not for profit Network Sky?
Eurotunnel - lost in translation
Apparently Deutsche Bahn is hoping to operate through the Chunnel in time for the Olympics.
According to Reuters:
Eurotunnel chief Jacques Gounon said: 'Deutsche Bahn has a real willingness. We can trust a house that powerful.'
Anyone got a Babel Fish to hand?
According to Reuters:
Eurotunnel chief Jacques Gounon said: 'Deutsche Bahn has a real willingness. We can trust a house that powerful.'
Anyone got a Babel Fish to hand?
