Eye prepares for Brexit!

An Eye chum in Europe has sent the following screen grab...

Hopefully RENFE and CAF are regular browsers...

Situation has developed not necessarily to iDave's advantge!

Oh the irony!

Just days BEFORE Her Majesty's Britannic Government expended more taxpayer cash on additional Ninky Nonk trains, Japan stuck the Imperial boot into British politics:

"The UK, as a champion of free trade, is a reliable partner for Japan. More than 1,300 Japanese companies have invested in the UK, as part of the Single Market of the EU, and have created 130,000 jobs, more than anywhere else in Europe. This fact demonstrates that the advantage of the UK as a gateway to the European market has attracted Japanese investment. The Government of Japan expects the UK to maintain this favourable role."

Hmmm...

So. "The Government of Japan expects the UK to maintain this favourable role."

Is Britain perhaps now known as 'Little Manchuria' in the Chancelleries of Asia?

No matter.

Eye suspects this is a very clever move by Tokyo.

Allowing Hitachi to prepare a swift evacuation from Newton Aycliffe, as Europe stubbornly fails to order Japanese trains (whether the UK is in, or out, of the EU)...

UPDATE: This from Hagrid's Brother... 

I wonder if ‘someone’ might speculate as to the effect of say a 25%-lower non-compliant future ECML bid using a sensible fleet. 

Apart from predictable embarrassment and the ire of Ms Hodge, of course. 

One for m’learned chums no doubt.

NRMM - bypass Whitehall, head to Bruxelles!

This from Sue La Manche...

Ne pas jeter le bébé avec l'eau du bain!

As the rhetoric over our relationship with Europe grow ever louder, some of the more enlightened (!) ministers are seizing the opportunity to stand tough and demand greater concessions from Brussels in support of the UK economy and UK businesses.

They would have you believe this is something new, yet the UK has historically been rather successful at securing such amendments. 

Take, for example, Directive 2011/88/EU, the so called Flexibility package of the Non Road Mobile Machinery (NRMM) Directive which allows UK businesses to order a limited number of new diesel locomotives, and to re-engine old locomotives at the previous IIIa emissions limit instead of the otherwise mandatory IIIb standard.  

After much negotiation, the Directive was passed into European law in November 2011, triggering a three year period for orders to be placed.

Yet, rather that shout about the great concession we have secured, UK Government has just sat on its hands.  

Halfway through the extension period, the Directive is still not transposed into UK law, to the intense frustration of those businesses looking to invest in new or modified equipment, yet who cannot, in the UK, gain the necessary clearance for their plans.

And, whilst they wait, what is the best advice that Government can offer to industry?

To get approval from the Belgian Safety Authority!

New Franchising Policy - Advisory Panel

This from Claude Bottom... 

Is the Fact Compiler losing his touch?

Amongst yesterday's flurry of observations about the New Franchising Policy, not a word on the Rail Franchise Advisory Panel chaired by no less a figure than Richard Brown.

The same Richard Brown who is also chairman of Eurostar, which by happy coincidence is 60% state owned!

Good to see that the new Advisory Panel can offer first hand experience of integrated and nationalised railways, even if they are those of France and Belgium.

Chemin de fer Barbie!

LinkedIn is truly a wonderous thing!

A quick perusal today reveals that Elaine Holt is now 'UK Rail Franchise Director at Ratp Dev'.

Nope, Eye neither.

Congratulations none the less.

And Eye looks forward to hearing more about Ratp Dev's plans to enter the UK rail market.

UPDATE: This from Your Father Smelt of Elderberries...

Crossrail!!

You silly English. 

Eurocrats and ORR misaligned?

Exciting news from somebody nobody voted for!

According to the eGovMonitor...

Today, the Council and the European Parliament agreed on a new framework for railway traffic in Europe in the shape of a recast of the first railway package. This will bring about improved conditions for the European railways.

In this context, Minister for Transport Mr Henrik Dam Kristensen says (Who he? Ed):
 

"I am pleased that we agreed on a new and better framework for railway traffic in Europe today

.

"With the agreement, we have taken an important step towards developing the European railway.

"I expect the new rules to engender more passengers and more goods transport by rail in Europe. An efficient railway sector benefits both citizens and businesses alike and is an important piece of the puzzle in terms of strengthening growth in Europe".

"More goods transport by rail". Eh?

Perhaps Hans Kristensen Andersen needs to have a word with our very own Price-is-Right of the ORR?
  

UPDATE: This from Globetrotter...

Have just caught up with your latest piece on the Recast of the First Railway Package, and more particularly the heading comment ‘who nobody voted for’.

I think you will find that the residents of southern Jutland did indeed vote for Henrik Dam Kristensen, who as Minister of Transport in the Danish parliament currently holds the rotating presidency of the Council of Ministers in terms of transport policy.

And of course, the latest agreement is between the Council (all elected ministers in their respective governments) and the Parliament (all directly elected MEPs), rather than the ‘unelected bureaucrats’ of the European Commission (or more accurately DG-Move) who simply did the leg-work in preparing the initial draft for the recast.

Methinks that your correspondent should consider getting an updated version of the ‘ABC Guide to Tripartite European Institutions’ (I'll be sure and buy a copy immediately after casting my vote in the In/Out Referendum. Ed).

PS: Quite what Messrs ORR-Price, McNulty & Co will make of the Recast will, of course, be very interesting to see.

Heil Bahn!

Hot on the heels of DB Arriva's take-over of Grand Central, this from the RMT...

RAIL UNION RMT revealed today that rail workers are being told to take German lessons as part of their training course for operating new track equipment...

Rail staff on a recent course in Kent were told that they had to learn a series of German phrases relating to instructions on track equipment. RMT says that it would be simpler and safer to get the equipment re-programmed with a translation into English rather than placing the responsibility to learn German on the workforce but the union believes it is all about money.

Phrases that form part of the course, and which workers are to be tested on include:

Kdo abgew AZGR ANFORD Grund BETRIEBLICH - Reset requested but not carried out due to section being clear
UARTFEHLER - Receiver / transmitter fault - corrupted data message
VERBINDUNGSAUSFALL - Connecting failure

We are all German now.

UPDATE: This from Steve Strong...

Or Spanish!

As according to The Times today the siesta monkeys at RENFE are sniffing around Go-Ahead.

Arriva snaps up Grand Central

This from Arriva...

ARRIVA ACQUIRES OPEN ACCESS OPERATOR GRAND CENTRAL RAILWAY

Arriva plc has confirmed it has acquired UK open access operator Grand Central Railway which runs passenger train services between Sunderland and London, and between Bradford/Halifax and London.

The acquisition, for an undisclosed amount, adds to Arriva’s UK Trains portfolio of the CrossCountry, Arriva Trains Wales and Chiltern Railways franchises, and concessions to operate the Tyne and Wear Metro and (as a joint venture) London Overground operations.

Grand Central is an open access operator, it does not receive subsidy from, or pay any premium to the Department for Transport. It operates four direct services between Sunderland and London Kings Cross daily, and three direct services between Bradford/Halifax and London Kings Cross. It provides approximately 700,000 passenger journeys a year.

Bob Holland, Arriva UK Trains managing director, said: “We firmly believe open access will play a valuable part of a balanced portfolio for our UK Trains division alongside our three franchises and concessions operated on London Overground and the Tyne and Wear Metro.

“Bringing Grand Central on board means we have a live open access operation up and running, one which is popular with customers and which we believe we can develop to become a key commercial part of our UK rail operations.”

- Ends -

Hmmm!

Go on then... but in the original version of course!



Well, even Her Majesty is part German!

Another UK success story sold overseas

Air traffic controllers in the East Midlands are on a state of high alert following reports that a large number of wheel barrows are circling Derby.

Apparently the wheel barrows, which observers say are plated in gold, are converging on the Pride Park area of the city, near to the offices of Interfleet Technology.

Interfleet was created in 1994 following the management buy-out of BR's former InterCity Fleet Engineering.

This from Canadian Company SNC-Lavalin...

SNC-Lavalin (TSX: SNC) is pleased to announce that it has acquired Interfleet Technology, an international rail technology consultancy group headquartered in Derby, United Kingdom.

Interfleet specializes in rolling stock, railway systems, and strategic railway management and is well-known for its detailed understanding of both national rail systems and international best-practice.

A source close to Interfleet said "Whoopee!"

Operation Sea Lion delayed

Air and Business Travel News is reporting that DB services through the Chunnel will not now start until 2013

The initial plans of the German national rail network is to run three services a day to Brussels.

From there the train will divide with one section going on to Brussels and Amsterdam via Rotterdam and the other to Cologne and Frankfurt.

DB had originally hoped to reach London in 2012.

Older readers will recollect that similar German plans to cross the Channel 70 years ago were also subject to significant delay.

UPDATE: This from the Grim Reaper..

This would be hot news had DB intended to start “operations” in 2012.

However, as they have only ever intended to start in December 2013, it is distinctly un-news.

UPDATE: This from Herr Lock...

We’ve always planned 2013!

The Fact Compiler can only apologise!

Obviously he took far too seriously the claims by DB CEO Herr Grube, made on the Today Programme in September last year, that DB had wanted to start services in time for the Olympics but was being blocked by 'safety bureacracy'.

Still good to know that all is going to plan.

Don't tell him Pike!

This from Herr Restorer of Deutsche Reichsbahn...

You Britishers are a funny lot.

Either you like to dress as Germans to ride aboard your railways.


Or your Government begs superior German engineers and managers to build and run your trains.

Sadly not all of you have embraced the spirit of the new Europe!

There remain a small number of recidivists who still dream of a time when your small island ran and made things!

Foolish Britishers!

So whose idea was a Union Flag on the Brandenburg Gate?


This will not be tolerated!

Remember! We have ways of making you walk.

Frenchies advance to the rear - again

This from Bloomburg...

The French government said it won’t bar Siemens AG (SIE)trains from the Channel Tunnel if Europe’s rail- safety agency backs their introduction, a shift that should clear the way forDeutsche Bahn AG to begin services to London.

France will respect the European Railway Agency’s advice on operations planned by the German state railway using a variant of Siemens’s InterCityExpress train, said a government official who declined to be identified, citing official policy.

Eye wonders if the government official was called Pétain...

UPDATE: This from 5741 Duck...

Helped, no doubt, by your headline, I misread Pétain as Pétomane, the legendary French flatulist - a trumpeter who was never without his instrument!

No, I'm not making this up - google it.

Not somebody you'd want to share a tunnel with...

For you the snow is over - says DB?

Once our Teutonic friends have bought out all the TOCs and NR's exciting new RIMs perhaps we could have a couple of these please?

With a bowler tip to the latest edition of RAILDATE.

Ken Livingstone wins European Railway Award

Eye congratulates Ken Livingstone for winning the European Railway Award!

This from some people abroad...

Ken Livingstone and Stefan Haas receive European Railway Award

CER, EIM, and UNIFE presented the European Railway Award 2011 today to former Mayor of London Ken Livingstone for political achievements and to Knorr-Bremse Austria Managing Director Dr Stefan Haas for technical achievements. Since 2007, the European rail sector has honoured outstanding achievements in the development of competitive and environmentally sustainable rail transport. The European Railway Award 2011 attracted more than 500 guests from all over Europe, including high-level politicians and transport stakeholders.

Surely a move designed to gladden the hearts of both the ConDem Government and Mayor BoJo?

Lest it be forgot: CER claims it is the 'Voice of European Railways', UNIFE allegedly represents 'The European Rail Industry', whilst EIM purports to be the voice of 'European Infrastructure Managers'.

On the plus side this sort of political posturing should put paid to European nationalised railways taking over any further UK franchises.

UPDATE: This from Mizter T...

The Fact Compiler fails to mention why Ken got the Euro award.

It was for having the bottle to do something genuinely radical and introduce the congestion charge scheme to London in 2003, which in turn encouraged people out of their cars and onto public transport instead - rather than just talking tough the newt-fancier rather called the cynics' bluff.

BoJo - a man of a great many words but some might say a little less action - has since removed the western extension of the CC zone, but the original central area remains - and the monies accruing therefrom are probably the only thing keeping TfL's finances afloat.

Meanwhile we must bide our time until the 2023 European Coiffurists' Award is given to Boris - for providing the continent's most inspiring Mayoral barnet.

DB masters the skies!

This exciting news from DB's Trade & Press newsletter, just landed...

Deutsche Bahn launches “flying trains” to promote Rail&Fly-offer.

Deutsche Bahn goes up in the air: Two Tuifly Boeing 737-800 have been designed in order to promote DB’s offer Rail&Fly in co-operation with over 90 airlines for rail journeys to and from major airports in Germany and Amsterdam.

The official christening of “DB Air one” in ICE design and “DB Air Two” in DB Regio design took place on 7th February 2011 at Cologne/Bonn airport.

Good news indeed.

Sadly Eye was unable to find a picture of the branded planes so our art department mocked up the following.


Apparently the noise pollution is minimal, till they land.

UPDATE: This, paradoxically, from EastWestDivide...

Am I the only one who find this kneejerk association of Germany = WW2 a bit tiresome?

Tschüß

Virgin plans Chunnel service to Serbia - Shocker

This from Manxman...

I thought Railway Eye readers might enjoy the below, spotted on the side of a Virgin Voyager at Crewe last Thursday morning.


Travelling 1,100 miles with an underfloor engine? Lovely!

HS1 flogged to the Canucks

This from Sharecast.com...

LONDON (SHARECAST) - The government has sold the right to run the high speed rail link between London and the Channel Tunnel to a Canadian consortium for £2.1bn.

The purchase of High Speed 1 gives the consortium, which comprises two Canadian pension funds, operating rights over running the line and the stations along it for 30 years.

Transport Minister Philip Hammond said the sale price ‘exceeds the highest expectations for the sale.’

He said it would help the government to reduce the deficit

Eye respectfully suggests to the Rt Hon Petrol-head that he uses this cash windfall to buy some much needed new trains for the rest of the network.

But not IEPs, obviously.

ICE test train causes panic in Lobby

News from the Lobby...

After a discussion on the Strategic Defence and Security Review the following exchange took place at this morning's lobby briefing with the Downing Street spokesman:

Transport minister Theresa Villiers is meeting an intercity train from Frankfurt at St Pancras, said the prime ministers spokesman.

"Don't ask me why - before you ask" he added.

A correspondent said it was to publicise the Germans' intention to run a high speed train from Berlin into the centre of London.

"Does the Defence Secretary know about this? " asked another...

DB fails to finish race it never started

It rather looks as if our Teutonic friends are behaving in typically high handed fashion!

Much huffing and puffing from DB's Chief Executive, Rüdiger Grube, who claimed on the BBC Today programme yesterday that "safety bureaucracy" was preventing ICE3 trains operating between London and Frankfurt in time for the Olympics.

But what's this?

According to the Channel Tunnel Safety Authority DB hasn't even submitted a request to operate through the Chunnel yet!

Richard Clifton, the head of the UK delegation said “I cannot understand any statement that what is holding up his service is safety procedures relating to the Channel tunnel”.

Clifton claimed that once a request was received it could be dealt with in a couple of months.

Clearly DB is softening up the market for another 'great betrayal' myth when the much trumpeted service fails to start.

Nationalised railways flex their muscles...

This from Rose Hill...

In the very week that the European Commission publishes its Recast of the First Railway Package, is it any co-incidence that ATOC publishes its proposals to re-monopolise the UK rail sector?

Around a third of UK franchises are now owned, or partly owned by European state owned railway companies, who make no secret of their dislike of liberalisation.

Imagine the joy if the UK turned its back on it after all and went back to those heady days when we all worked together in a single company in a low cost, cheap and cheerful, kind of way.

Except of course there would have to be more regional companies now – a German one, a French one, a Dutch one and so on.

Of course that would be ok, because they’re all used to working together.

The French and German governments in fact met recently to discuss their opposition to the Recast and by sheer chance, SNCF have now discovered that it will be far too expensive to operate passenger trains in Germany after all. Just fancy that!

Mind you, at least the state owned passenger operators have extensive experience of managing track and signalling, unlike the bus companies who run the other two thirds of the franchises…