The slow retreat of Robert Wright from covering UK rail stories appears almost complete.
Last October, the cycling FT hack changed jobs from transport correspondent to shipping and logistics, leaving only rail freight subject to his scrutiny.
Then, earlier this year, Rail Professional magazine axed his long-running "The Wright Track" column in which he held forth on the politics of the iron road.
Now, Eye understands, he is packing his bags to head for New York, where, as the FT's new US industry correspondent, he will mostly cover the automotive industry!
A small consolation remains for UK transport enthusiasts. Eye is led to believe that the Invisible Visible Man, the blog about the philosophy of cycling written by someone who seems a lot like Wright, is going to continue - albeit with moans about New York drivers, rather than those in London.
Happily, all is not completely lost.
Wright's departure for far flung climes should finally see the deeply tedious soi disant 'veteran observer', Brennan-Brown, expunged from future editions of the Pink 'Un!
Proof positive that every cloud has a silver lining.
UPDATE: This from the aforementioned Brennan-Brown...
I have written to you more than once to complain about your use of the term 'soi disant veteran observer'.
It is deeply childish and I must now insist that you stop... (sadly,
owing to pressures of space, Eye is unable to reproduce in full this latest encomium from the soi disant veteran observer. Ed)
