Monday, 30 October 2017

Arriva pulls out of Wales and Borders

This from the twitter feed of Ken Skates…

Ken is 'the Official channel of the Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Infrastructure' at the Welsh Assembly Government:
This leaves the following in the running:
  • KeolisAmey;
  • MTR; and 
  • Abellio
Interesting, possibly even unexpected...
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Digital railway's missing link

The latest organisation trying, belatedly, to get inside the digital railway bubble are civil engineers Balfour Beatty.

What, Eye ponders, do a bunch of chaps in rigger safety boots and hard hats know about the digital railway?

Eager to find out we followed the instruction at the foot of the press release (below).

 Mark Bullock, Managing Director, Balfour Beatty’s rail business said, “The Digital Railway will be transformative, bringing the UK’s railways into the 21st century. Making the Digital Railway a reality calls for a shake-up of the way the rail industry does business by better connecting the constituent parts, aligning the objectives of multiple stakeholders and bringing track and trains closer together. This will require robust planning and coordination, funding and a concerted effort to address the skills shortage.

 Above all, the new approach will have to be more collaborative and more inclusive. Although the challenges are significant, the potential prize is great. The industry must come together to unlock the benefits of the Digital Railway and Balfour Beatty is committed to making this happen.”

 ENDS

 To read the paper in full, please click here and get involved in the conversation using #ExpertEngineers

Alas, link was there none!

 Perhaps a good old fashioned analogue fax address would have been more reliable?

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Industry 'improved finances' - a gentle reminder

This from Benjamin Disraeli...

According to the Rail Delivery Group Notes to Editors on today's launch of the 'Landmark coming together':

"The plan details the progress that the industry has made since it was restructured in the 1990s, when Britain’s railway ran a £2bn a year operating deficit (1997-98) compared to generating a £200m surplus today, benefiting taxpayers. The plan says that improved finances have helped to sustain improvements in the railway that see Britain’s network now ranked by passengers as the best major railway in Europe".

In 1997-98 all Government subsidy to the railway went to the train operators who then provided all Railtrack's income through track access charges. In other words, they met their full operating costs.

Today Network Rail's income comes from a combinatioon of track access charges and a direct grant from DfT.

According to the ORR, in 2016-17, only South West Trains and Virgin Trains East Coast made a net contribution to DfT after Network Rail's Direct Grant had been allocated to the TOCs. The rest ran an operating deficit requiring subsidy. 

And SWT was in revenue share, while VTEC is running at a loss…

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Railway Pride - Hampton Court (update)

Good news for fans of Railway Pride and Hampton Court station.

Regular Eye readers may recall this sorry image of the buffer stops at Platform 2 from a post on the 14th October?


The situation is now much improved as this photo from the weekend shows!


As the legend on the billboard behind notes: 'Ever onwards' indeed!

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Railway Garden Competition - North Dulwich

This, apparently, from Dicky Davis…



As you might expect in North Dulwich, they have gone one better: hanging gardens!
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Railway Garden Competition - Bury St Edmunds

This from the Lady Mallet…


Arboreal greetings from Suffolk!
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Partnership Railway - more gloom for the Roscos?

So, today the rail industry launched its ‘In Partnership for Britain’s Prosperity’ plan.

Backed by all passenger train operating companies and Network Rail, as well as rail freight companies and the supply chain acting in partnership as one railway for Britain the plan contains the following commitments:
  1. Strengthen the railway’s contribution to the economy, keeping running costs in the black, freeing up taxpayers’ money
  2. Increase customer satisfaction by improving the railway to remain the top-rated major railway in Europe
  3. Boost local communities through localised decision making and investment
  4. Create more jobs, increase diversity and provide our employees with rewarding careers
The RDG press release contains a host of supportive quotes from business and the industry, as well as this from NR CEO Mark Carne:


“Over the next 18 months passengers and communities across the country will see a transformation in the services that they receive. Thousands of new trains will be introduced as the culmination of years of heavy investment in improving our railway comes to fruition, stimulating the economy by delivering new job and housing opportunities."

'Thousands of new trains'?

Has anyone told the Roscos? Or did Mark mean 'vehicles'?
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