London Midland - committed to 'Elf & Safety

This with a bowler tip to @Swlines, via twitter...

To celebrate successfully completing his A Levels @Swlines is undertaking a Pilgrimage of Grice with a 14 day All Line Rover.

You can follow his travels via Twitter or on his blog.

How to maximise driver hours - Explained

Exciting news from the road fleet world!

Eye has been sent these splendid images showing how Babcock's Network Division applied corporate branding to a road vehicle

And what a smart image it presents!

But what's this?

No doubt the amount of time it takes drivers to enter and exit vehicles is much reduced?

Publication praises Chairman - Shocker

Telegrammed by our International Correspondent

Railnews has kicked off its new on line supplement entitled Railnews Focus.

It contains a glowing account of the celebrations that Sir William McAlpine held to mark the 50 years he has lived in his agreeable stately pile at Fawley Hill, which also includes a one mile standard gauge railway.

Sir Bill is, of course, the Chairman of Railnews Limited. So good to see that the editorial team is already very clearly focused on meeting the needs of key stakeholders!

No matter.

The real meat is in the editorial, which does a manful and very moving job of analysing the Potter’s Bar Inquest proceedings – certainly good enough to cause consternation in the dead tree industry rags.

Focus is penned by Sim Harris, an ex-BBC man who keeps his ear very close to the ground.

Setting aside the curious launch timing – bang in the middle of the quietest week of the silly season when no-one of any consequence was at their desks, the new ePublication is a bid by Railnews for a new editorial beat.

Ever since it was conceived as the heir and successor to the old regional BR staff magazines it has stuck solidly to its blue collar audience. Now they are going after decision makers, a market targeted not wholly successfully by the erstwhile Rail Manager On Line.

But with only a small amount of lavish corporate advertising to go round in these straightened times, and great uncertainty about who our real decision makers actually are, it will be interesting to see if digital can trounce dead tree or if there will be tears before bedtime.

Meanwhile, Eye welcomes another member to the on-line Commentariat.

Pointless signs - Wakefield Kirkgate

Pointless signs - Safe Removals

This with a bowler tip to Turbostar...

Safe Removals?

Indeed not.

Exciting new design for the IEP?

Telegrammed by Ithuriel
According to everyone's favourite railway fortnightly this is the new name for the IEP

ボイジャー

Hitachi have made a five car EMU eliminated the power car and increased the number of underfloor 'donkey engines' to give enough power to match IC125 performance away from the wires.

That sounds like a diesel engine under the middle three cars with the electrical gubbins under the driving cars.

A design that appears to have much in common with the 子午線.

Great minds thinking alike or the Japanese perfecting yet another European design?

Pointless signs - Normal in Norfolk