IEP undoomed?

This from Guido...

When Philip Hammond tried to sell the cuts package to the people of the north-east on Question Time last night he mentioned a deal with Hitachi to build high speed trains in the area. Jobs were promised...

No doubt Bombardier and Siemens are already consulting M'learned Friends.

UPDATE: This via the WNXX forum...

But not by Hammond !

I just watched Question Time again on BBC iPlayer and Guido is giving the wrong impression.

Hammond was claiming foreign investors liked the North East because of the availability of land and labour.

He said Hitachi promised to build a train factory for the next generation of trains IF they won the contract.

No promises were made by him.

West Yorkshire to get 140mph trains - Official

Exciting news from Yoghurt Rail!

It would appear that the putative Open Access Operator, Alliance Rail, has already stolen a march on Sir Roy McNulty.

Whilst the 'reality based' community is busy working out how joint ventures between NR and TOC's might work Mr Yeowart and his Arriva backed team have apparently solved the problem.

According to the Bradford Telegraph and Argus:

A rail operator has revealed plans to introduce new 140mph inter-city services between Bradford and London and major cities in the north.

Upgrades in CP5? Pah!

Forget NR, let's give the whole network to Yoghurt Rail!

East Coast driven to distraction

This from Our Man in the Black Mac...
In the days of the North Eastern, LNER, BR, InterCity, GNER and NXEC there was always a tradition that, no matter what your rank, you acknowledged the man at the front.

So what are we to make of today's behaviour at York?

Rail Barbie and load five (lawyers?) strolled onto platform 3 to catch the 15:35 to London.

As the train glided in neither the Chairman of East Coast, nor any of her acolytes, could be bothered to salute the driver.

Hopefully when Rail Barbie reaches Town she'll make up for such rudeness by slipping Driv' the customary 10 bob note?