DfT: An apology!

Over recent years Eye may have given readers the erroneous impression that officials hadn't a clue about rolling stock procurement.

Headlines such as 'Sell out to the Boche', 'IEP in your Dreams' and 'Lets make Pendolino Extensions Really Complicated'  may have led readers to believe that the Department wasn't fit for purpose, or indeed couldn't organise a soiree in a brewery.

In fact nothing could be further from the truth, as has been revealed by DfT's inspired decision to allow Southern to exercise an existing option for 40 new Electrostar carriages from Bombardier, and develop proposals with the Department for a new procurement competition for 116 electric (dual voltage) new rolling stock vehicles, with an option for a further 100.

Such a masterful and visionary approach is of course entirely unconnected with the potentially embarrassing scenario of diesel trains running under newly electrified lines in the North West.

Eye is sorry for any confusion that previous coverage may have caused and looks forward to welcoming the expected announcement that the £1.4bn Thameslink fleet order will now be transferred to Bombardier. (Is this right!?! Ed)

Pointless signs - Newport

This from Chef Ellwood...

This sign recently went up at the entrance to Newport station.

A classic statement of the bleedin' obvious, in any language.

What really adds insult to injury though is that fact that the internal signage is so appallingly bad that passengers unfamiliar with the station layout are frequently left wandering around in a confused state trying to find their way out of the infernal place.