Transport Scotland today launched a consultation on whether or not to ban booze on trains, turn back Anglo Scottish services at Edinburgh and kill, or flog, off the Deer Stalker Express.
In happier news ScotRail has acquired a new Commercial Director.
This from The Drum...
Newsquest Herald & Evening Times sales boss Sean Duffy is to leave the publisher to become commercial director of First Rail.
It is understood that Duffy, who joined the Glasgow operation of Newsquest in September 2010, is expected to take up his new role early next year, where, he will oversee all advertising and sales contracts throughout First Rail.
From frying pan to fire?
UPDATE: This from our man at 222 Marylebone Road...
It was the Green of McGreen who started extending InterCity services north of Edinburgh.Back at the end of the 1970s when he was appointed the Laird o' the Clan ScotRail, the McGreen, he of the Red Lamposts, had the sort of autonomy that would give even Sir David 'Devolution' Higgins sleepless nights.
Noticing that the new IC125s seemed to be sitting around idle at Edinburgh, the McGreen worked out that he could augment ScotRail services north of Edinburgh in the marginal time.
Unfortunately the journey times were just a bit longer than the layovers as a result of Permanent Speed Restrictions designed for chunkier locomotives than the IC125 power car.
Aided and abetted by a can do Chief Civil Engineer the Laird introduced differential speed restrictions and soon signs at the trackside had two speeds including a marker for HSTs.
All this was done beyond the ken of British Rail Headquarters in London. And by the time the differential speed restriction ploy came to BRB's attention all that could be done about the unauthorised innovation was to give the McGreen a severe bollocking which concluded with 'carry on the good work!'.