Pointless signs - National Railway Museum

DafT - High on the Hog on HS2

Listeners to Radio 4's Today programme were treated to a short debate between fans and opponents of HS2 this morning.

On the side of the angels was David 'Beggy' Begg of the Campaign for High Speed Rail, whilst the anti's were represented Jerry Marshall of Aghast.

Sadly, for fans of knock-about wireless, the discussion was remarkably good natured.

Interestingly, the piece also contained several claims that Train Operating Companies have been asked to fund the Campaign for High Speed Rail.

As Petrol-head still hasn't ordered a single new vehicle that TOCs could lease to address overcrowding, this is presumably the next best use of passengers' fares or taxpayers' income?

Railway Garden Competition - King's Cross

Welcome to the 2011 Railway Garden Competition.

And our first entry shows the Easter Garden that has been cultivated at London King's Cross.

Good to see Network Rail entering into the seasonal spirit of things.


No doubt this particular four-foot flowering will enter its apogee in time for the 23rd May launch of Eureka!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.

More welcome.

East Coast invites readers to name a loco

This from the York Press...

The Press appealed for readers to send suggestions in after rail operator East Coast decided to revive the tradition of naming locomotives on the Edinburgh to London route.

Latest suggestions for names, which must have a particular relevance to York, have included Ebor Rose, HRH Duke of York, The Duchess, Saint Margaret Clitherow and the York Flyer.

Strange. No one appears to have suggested 'Rail Barbie' or even 'Barbie Rail'.

Happily there is still time...

UPDATE: This from Captain Deltic...

Surely if a locomotive is to be named it is time to revise the East Coast policy of honouring its locomotive engineers.

With an IC125 power car now named after T.C.B. Miller, the Chief Engineer (responsible for the 125 mile/h high speed train which saved InterCity) the naming of a Class 91 locomotive after its designer John Dowling is long overdue.

The Class 91, which met an extreme specification from hauling tilting trains at 140mph to 500 tonne sleepers over Shap and Beattock, was John Dowling's final design and his masterwork.

Si monumentum requiris, circumspice

UPDATE: This from Yorkshire Lad...

I wonder if this lookalike might help Captain Deltic's case?

As well as a Rail Barbie it also features a Garrett!


Do I win £5?

Hitachiballs - Promises, promises

An over excited press release reaches Eye from the British led consortium (shurely shome mishtake? Ed) that is preferred bidder for the IEP.

It says...

London and Durham, UK, 26 April, 2011 – More than 700 individuals representing over 400 companies are set to attend the first Open Day event for Hitachi Rail Europe’s Intercity Express Programme in the north east in late May, an event organized by County Durham Development Company on behalf of the involved parties.

700 individuals indeed, from 400 companies!

Why that's more individuals visiting the Open Day than the number of people the much vaunted Newton Aycliffe assembly plant will actually employ.

Evidently management of expectation continues to be a challenge for Hitachi.

Pointless signs - Paddington Platform 10

This from the Ticketcollector...


Just how many signs do you need for some batteries?

Mallard comes second!

This from Steve...

I was doing a bit of delving for rail orientated stuff via the NMSI site and found the following on the home page.


Look closely on the left under "popular objects" to see what trumps Mallard in the popularity stakes.


Perhaps this is what is meant by the phrase "prize length"?