Hammond unveils Operation Panic!!!

Exciting news from Petrol-head Hammond.

Clearly unconcerned by negative Shires' reaction to his High Speed 2 plans the beleaguered Secretary of State for Transport has unveiled 'Operation Panic!!!'.

This from the Daily Telegraph...

As opposition to the £32 billion project continues, Philip Hammond, the Transport Secretary, tried to pacify critics with figures showing that it could also trigger 160 extra trains a day into the capital from towns and cities to the north.

Eye understands that as absolutely no one in the industry has been consulted about these plans the DfT will soon issue an ITT for a brand new franchise: - Operation Panic!!! Trains

This is expected to be won by Directly Operated Railways.

Derby wins new Royal Train order

This courtesy of the Wyvern Rail newsgroup...

I am very pleased to announce after many many months of negotiations that the Sultan of Brunei has agreed to fund our reconnection to the national network, further refurbish the line to Shottle and install a number of facilities on the site of the Peak Oil operation including undercover storage of his own Royal Train to be built locally in Derby.

Good news indeed.

Meanwhile in other date related news...

It is now 729 days since the last order for new passenger trains was placed.