Villiers vignettes...

An occasional series celebrating the relationship of the Minister of State for Transport with her Department...

Theresa Villiers (Minister of State (Rail and Aviation), Transport; Chipping Barnet, Conservative) holding answer 24 June 2010

The two franchise extensions will have a theoretical opportunity cost caused by foregoing the higher premium/lower subsidy expected if the franchises were re-competed instead of extended. This is difficult to quantify, because assumptions need to be made about the likely prices from new bidders versus the cost of extending with incumbents.

The opportunity cost arising from the delay to replacing franchises was estimated to be £6 million for Essex Tameside and £18 million for Greater Anglia. However, we believe that including the two franchises in the reformed system, on which we will be consulting shortly, will yield benefits for passengers and facilitate investment in the railways which will outweigh these costs.

In accordance with our accreditation process as advised to bidders the Department does not expect to have cause to incur compensation.

So. DafT is still expecting to get more/pay less for these two franchises when re-reletting them in the middle of a recession?

Good effort!

Railway Garden Competition - Clapham Yard

This from Brighton Belle...

Clapham Yard, CY43 Ground Signal - a joint effort from SWT and NR.


Trains do regularly use the track to the left.

Hard to believe, isn't it?

This picture also adds substance to a recent rumour about the imminanet replacement of the Class 455 fleet.

It would appear that these new units really will be built by a consortium of Alstom, Bombardier and Flymo.

MacShoveller tosses caber in ring for NR CEO job

Evidently Eye's exciting new poll on who should succeed Iain Coucher is encouraging those in the industry to up their game.

This from the Northants Evening Telegraph...

The 42nd Chieftain of Corby's Highland Gathering has been unveiled as rail boss Tim Shoveller.

Mr Shoveller will preside over activities at the gathering on Sunday, July 11.

A clever ploy by EMT's boss to boost his credentials in the race to replace Coucher

By Eye's reckoning Chieftain Shoveller has just outranked the Laird of Iainland.

Railway Garden Competition - Duffield

This from Chionanthus Virginicus...

Here is the end of the platform at that well known leafy suburban station - beloved of Midland Railway Directors (and more recently senior executives of the Derby rail scene) - namely Duffield.


I see that some lateral thinkers at NR (possibly in response to Eye's platform-end fencing jibes) have decided to use this freely available vegetation to prevent passenger egress from the platform ends.

I am surprised that the "soi disant" so called veteran railway observer has not mentioned this!