Villiers vignettes - rewriting history

This from Ithuriel...

From a written answer by Theresa Villiers on 6 March.

DfT asked the rail industry to look into the possibility of improving the existing fleet of diesel Cross Country Voyager trains by adding an additional carriage with a pantograph and upgrading the rest of the train.

DfT asked the industry?!?

Do they take us for fools?

Bombardier and HSBC Rail were pushing Project Thor for months, with zero interest, or rather, active opposition, from DfT which saw it as a threat to IEP.

Now they claim it is their own idea!

No doubt the next claim will be that Marsham Street had to lean on Alstom, Angel, East Coast and Virgin to run Tuesday's Pendolino trial.

DafT promises North even older trains!

Does anyone in the Department actually believe the guff they supply as responses to PQs?

This written answer given in the Upper House yesterday...

Lord Bradshaw (Liberal Democrat)
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have for reducing the average age in rolling stock on the Northern Rail franchise, given that the average age of trains is now 25.7 years.

Earl Attlee (Whip, House of Lords; Conservative)
The Government confirmed the electrification of the routes Liverpool to Manchester via Newton-le-Willows, Huyton-Wigan, Preston to Blackpool and Manchester to Preston in November 2010. This will enable younger electric trains to operate on these routes. Future use of rolling stock on the Northern Rail franchise will be for the bidders to propose.

So what are these exciting 'younger trains'?

Presumably the Noble Lord is referring to DfT's plans to cascade some of the current Thameslink fleet Up North?

And would these units be the same as the Class 319s that are currently 24 years old?

And that will be a minimum of 28 years old by the time they dodder off to the North West!

UPDATE: This from He Who Protests Too Much...

If the 319s do go to Northern in 4 years time then OK they’ll be 28 years old by your calculation but the average age of the Northern fleet will also have increased to 29.7 by then so the 319s would indeed be younger as per the answer.

More importantly, 25.7 is the average age of the Northern fleet, some trains will be younger and some older, so assuming that the 319s will replace some of Northern’s older vehicles the average age will come down even further.

UPDATE: The Fact Compiler fumes...

Does nobody read exam questions any more?!?

Lord Bradshaw asked about reducing the average age of the Northern fleet from today's average age of 25.7 years.

Sending 28 year old electric trains North will not do this! (oh and the Adelantes will be leaving soon, increasing the average age of Northern's current fleet).

UPDATE: This from Chianothus Virginicus...

I think reference to "exam questions" in the light of Friday's revelations that exam papers have been set with questions which are impossible to answer or don't have the correct solution in the list of alternatives is quite apposite.

The DfT are experts at DafT answers !

DfT spins a line on new carriages for Leeds

Whilst governments change the misinformation generated by their officials continues.

This from the Hammond Organs...

Leeds commuters are to benefit from more than 2,000 extra seats each day after Transport Secretary Philip Hammond announced today that twenty additional rail carriages are to be deployed on routes serving the city.

The extra carriages will be used to run more trains at busy times – on the lines from Skipton, Ilkley and Doncaster via Wakefield into Leeds – and to lengthen other existing services operated by Northern Rail.

They form part of the 650 additional carriages the Government will introduce onto the UK’s rail network by 2014.

Part of the 650 additional carriages eh?

So presumably these aren't the twenty year old 322s currently in Scotland and previously on National Express East Anglia?

Good old DafT - never letting the facts get in the way of a good story.

UPDATE: This from The Archer...

In the same release Hammond said:

“Even at a time of severe pressure on public spending we cannot afford not to invest in Britain’s future – and that’s why we are investing more than £10m in providing these extra carriages for Yorkshire commuters. These extra trains will ease crowding and provide passengers with more comfortable journeys.

“The tough decisions the Government has taken on rail fares allow us to continue to deliver this sort of much needed improvement to the railways. We are investing in 2,100 extra carriages to increase capacity across the rail network and in the longer term we have plans for a high speed rail network which will ease overcrowding and make our railways fit for the 21st century.”

It must be comforting for regional railway passengers to know that if they were to be beneficiaries of a High Speed Line they would be 'overcrowded', but as they only travel on local lines they are merely 'crowded'.

Perhaps Petrol-head can explain what metric he uses to draw this interesting and novel distinction?

UPDATE: This from Our Man by the Photocopier...

I may be able to explain how moving five 21-year old Class 322s from the North Berwick line to bring a moderate amount of joy to the lucky people of West Yorkshire has cost £10 million -- that's £500,000 a vehicle.

This Friday afternoon press release from Messrs Sue, Grabbit and Run makes it all so much clearer ...

International law firm Eversheds has advised the Department for Transport on a £10m investment to provide 20 additional rail carriages on commuter trains in Leeds.

From December 2011, commuters in the Leeds area will benefit from more than 2,000 extra seats each day as more trains will run at peak times, improving the service in the region. This project forms part of the 650 additional carriages the Government will introduce on to the UK’s rail network by 2014.

The extra carriages will allow a total of six additional trains per day (three in the morning peak and three in the evening peak) operating on the Leeds - Skipton, Leeds - Ilkley and Leeds – Doncaster routes. In addition, three morning peak trains will be lengthened on the Leeds - Manchester Victoria and Bradford Forster Square - Leeds routes.

The Eversheds team advising the Department for Transport was led by Partner Peter McCormack.

Peter McCormack said:

“This investment in transport in Leeds and surrounding area will improve the services that commuters use on a daily basis. Rail services are an important part of the growth of British economy and we are pleased to continue to assist the Department for Transport with its plans to increase capacity across the rail network.”

Trebles all round, m'lud!

Villiers vignettes - On plucking figures out of thin air!

Telegrammed by Ithuriel
According to St Theresa, in a written answer.

"Introducing the bi-mode option for the Intercity Express Programme is estimated to save around £200 million (net present value) as compared to introducing a fleet of all-electric trains to be coupled to a diesel locomotive beyond the electrified sections of the railway."

Can it be that her advisors have failed to tell her that the original specification for an ultra-lightweight IEP has turned into a Voyager DEMU clone?

And that a five car EMU ought to have a capital and whole life maintenance cost a darn sight less than the same train with three diesel engines underneath?

Eye suspects that DfT civil servants are even now wondering how to tell their boss that she somehow transposed their NPV and omitted the sentence explaining that:

"Whilst a bi-mode would cost more, it provides valuable insurance against the UK nuclear power programme - and with it electritifcation - being delayed."

Perhaps we will never know. Unless one of Eye's Parliamentary readers feels like asking the question...

UPDATE: This from an Eye reader in the supply chain who wishes to remain anonymous...

Amazing that Villiers can have such an accurate NPV saving for bi-mode against EMU+Diesel when suppliers of modern diesel locos (Builders and Lessors) were not even consulted on relative costs both capital and whole-life.

Villiers vignettes... apology accepted

Regular readers may recollect that Eye took the Saviour of the Jammy Dodger to task on Monday 12th July for misleading the House about rolling stock orders.

Clearly someone has been reading Eye, for lo and behold Cruella had to deliver this Ministerial Correction yesterday (19th July):

• Email me when Theresa Villiers speaks
• Most recent apperances
• Numerology
• Full profile ...

Theresa Villiers (Minister of State (Rail and Aviation), Transport; Chipping Barnet, Conservative)

I regret to inform the House that there was an inaccuracy in the answer I gave to parliamentary question 4042 on 7 July 2010, Hansard, column 265W, about what new rolling stock orders have been placed for each rail franchise since 2007.

The table was incomplete and omitted the order, placed in April 2009 by National Express East Anglia, for 120 new EMU vehicles.

The full table is reproduced below.

Franchise	Order date	Type	Vehicles
Southern	May-07	EMU	48
London Midland	Aug-07	EMU	148
London Midland	Dec-07	DMU	69
Chiltern Railway	Jan-08	DMU	8
Southern	Mar-08	EMU	44
Virgin West Coast	Sep-08	EMU	106
National Express East Anglia	Apr-09	EMU	120

Just fancy that!

UPDATE: This from Captain Deltic, the HLOS Vehicle Finder General...

There you are Theresa, doesn't that feel better?

Now what about the 8th June table you published?

Yes, the Table with the double counting I mentioned to Philip Hammond's SpAd at the time?

And has the civil servant responsible now been transferred to work on TramTrains?

Villiers vignettes....

An occasional series celebrating the relationship of the Minister of State for Transport with her Department...

This answer given by Theresa Villiers on Wednesday the 7th July, (with a bowler tip to Flat Cap and Whippet):

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what new rolling stock orders have been placed for each rail franchise since 2007. [4042]

Mrs Villiers: Rolling stock orders for franchised operators since 2007 are as shown in the following table.

Franchise	Order date	Type	Vehicles
Southern	May 2007	EMU	48
London Midland	August 2007	EMU	148
London Midland	December 2007	DMU	69
Chiltern Railway	January 2008	DMU	8
Southern	March 2008	EMU	44
Virgin West Coast	September 2008	EMU	106

And where are the Greater Anglia 379s that were ordered on 2nd April 2009?

This isn't the first time that the Minister has misled the House.

A previous statement on HLOS rolling stock given by Villiers contained double counting!

When prompted by Captain Deltic a Special Advisor (SpAd) said she would raise it with the officials concerned.

Good to see that the Coalition promise to reduce the power of SpAds over Civil Servants has already been delivered on!

UPDATE: This from the Major...

Sadiq Khan is obviously enjoying his time in opposition.

As Shadow Secretary of State he gets to ask questions of the new Government in the full knowledge that the answers given will be crafted by the same lacklustre officials who previously made him appear a laughing stock at the Despatch Box.

Evidently the Department's officials have learned nothing from Foster's excoriating review of their communications skills.

UPDATE: This from The Hatter...

According to Theresa's answer new rolling stock has been ordered for the Virgin West Coast franchise.

Sadly this also is not strictly true.

The new Pendolini were procured by Virgin Rail Projects (prop. Beardie, but an entirely seperate company to Virgin Trains) for the West Coast franchise.

These much needed, overcrowding busting, trains are due to be delivered from July 2011.

Sadly, owing to Officials on the line and the wrong type of Civil Servant, they will not actually carry any passengers on the West Coast Main Line until 1st April 2012 when the new franchisee - not necessarily Virgin Trains (prop Beardie) - is due to takeover.

Happily this tax payer funded rolling stock will sit comfortably in sidings for many months, without turning a wheel in revenue earning service, because Sir Humphrey says so.

Welcome to Fred Karno’s railway.

Parliamentary language explained

This from the Noble Lord yesterday...

Lord Bradshaw (Liberal Democrat)
To ask Her Majesty's Government how much subsidy, if any, has been paid to the operator of the West Coast Main Line franchise since 2005.

Lord Adonis (Secretary of State, Department for Transport; Labour)
The Department for Transport routinely publishes details of contracted base franchise payments and receipts for individual franchise when they are let. Details for the west coast main line franchise is set out on our website and can be found at http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/rail/passenger/franchiseswestcoastfranchiseagreement.

Is this Parliamentary language for "My officials can't be arsed to answer your question"?

UPDATE: This from Sir Herbert Gussett (Rtd)...

Lord B asks Lord A for the subsidy paid to Virgin West Coast & Lord A refers him to an old press release.

Clearly Lord A is such a master of his brief that he forgets that since then track access charges nationally were re-based & a significant element of the high charge for using the WCML is now paid directly to Network Rail.

Virgin is now paying "a small premium" to the DfT (Source Tony Collins as quoted in Modern Railways).

Perhaps Lord B should now ask the following:

a) How much extra is the DfT now paying NR for the use of the WCML, despite the fact that it is so unreliable that Virgin is now the worst performing TOC!

and

b) Why Lord A is talking out of his ars... (Eye reserves the right to shorten reader comments due to pressures of space. Ed)

HS2 - Old fart breaks wind

According to Professional Engineering Magazine...

Tory heavyweight Lord Heseltine has cast doubt on the railway industry’s ability to come up with the best route for a new high speed network in the UK.

Not guilty My Lord.

This one is entirely down to the Civil Serpents - in particular HS2 Chairman and former Permanent Secretary, Sir David Rowlands.

HS2 - Is Rowlands in control?

Telegrammed by Sir Humphrey Beeching
Have we another Mottram Moment in the making?

A furious email has been issued by HS2 containing a statement from Sir David Rowlands...

HS2's response to RAIL Magazine

“The insinuation that Scotland would not be included in our proposals for a high-speed rail network is frankly ludicrous. Both Glasgow and Edinburgh are on our list of primary destinations and will definitely feature in all of our proposed network options.

“In fact, on the day RAIL Magazine published its factually inaccurate article, I was in Scotland meeting with the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change, Stewart Stevenson to discuss, among other things, the work Scotland is doing to ensure a future high-speed link is integrated with its transport planning strategies."

Well that clears that up then.

Or does it?

Perhaps Sir David would be better directing his ire closer to home.

After all, RAIL was merely reporting non-attributable briefings given to several trade titles by Rowlands' own staff...

UPDATE: This just in from RAIL's Managing Editor. Nigel Harris...

RE The Scottish Question

Eye watchers will be interested to know that I am already in correspondence with my good friend Sir David's office regarding RAIL's HS2 report, in the last issue, by Business Editor Phil Haigh.

RAIL stands 100% behind Phil's entirely accurate, objective, prompt, thoroughly professional news story and I shall be inviting Sir David to withdraw his allegation of inaccuracy forthwith.

I'll be dealing with this in the next RAIL - including, maybe, further revelations from Phil's carefully noted, on-the-record briefing, which contained the controversial 'not for Scotland' opinions.

Wild horses wouldn't drag the name of the highly-placed source from our lips, but if HS2 thinks the Scottish comments were embarrassing, then other remarks lying (currently) unpublished in the detailed transcript I asked Phil to produce, from his contemporaneous notes, may indeed prompt the 'Mottram Moment' you so wittily allude to.

Bottom line: Phil's story is 100% accurate. Fact.

UPDATE: This from a Mr Saltaire...

Tut, you wait years for a Scotland scandal, and then two turn up at once!

UPDATE: This from Captain Deltic ( in serious mode for once)...

Several of us in the railway press have had the same story, with the same quotes from HS2L sources.

I didn't follow Phil into print for the simple reason that I have decided to write about HS rail only when there is something in print with hard numbers to crunch - such as the NR report.

Informed Sources has run for over a quarter of a century because the eponymous sources know I will never let them down.

But trust is bi-directional and I work on the basis that anyone is allowed to mislead me once.

Had I followed Phil with an item and then had a denial sent not to me or my editor in the first instance but to all the railway press I would wonder whether it represented a breach of trust.

North Korea sets ITSO standard

Telegrammed by Ithuriel
Why do the Government keep on insulting our intelligence?

According to the DfT's consultation document on smart and integrated ticketing:

"There is a Government sponsored national specification for smart ticketing called ITSO which is designed to make different schemes technically compatible with each other, facilitating seamless journeys. The specification is maintained by ITSO Ltd, an independent member controlled organisation".

So independent and member controlled that DafT nominates three directors to the board, each with four votes when the other members can only muster 11 votes between them.

Even Kim Jung Il would be impressed by such transparent democracy.

We apologise for the error

This beautiful piece from the Cornish Guardian....

In an article last week ‘Residents call for eyesore red wall to be demolished’ we said that the BRB (Residuary) Ltd was a subsidiary of Network Rail this was incorrect BRB (Residuary) Ltd is owned by the government's Department for Transport and has no connection with Network Rail.

We apologise for the error.

As indeed they ought!

Obviously there is no connection between the private sector company Network Rail and BRB (Residuary) owned by the Department for Transport.

But what's this?

Could this be the same Department of Transport that lobbied the Treasury to allow Network Rail to add the electrification bill to the company's Regulatory Asset Base?

Obviously no connection at all then.

Can DafT deliver anything on time?

Are DafT undertakings worth the paper they are written on?

In the South Central Franchise consultation document Daft glibly asserts that:

In London, the Oyster smartcard is already accepted for season tickets, and from 2009 Oyster pay as you go (PAYG) will be valid on all national rail services in London.

Alas.

The delivery deficient department has now made it clear that this won't happen till 2010.

Provoking predictable fury from London's TravelWatch:

“Passengers at railway stations around the capital are walking past covered up, unused Oyster machines every day, and have been for months. The lack of an integrated system and any joined-up thinking is ridiculous in a modern city like London. Another delay is simply unacceptable, and it is time for the Department for Transport to hold the transport providers to account.”

To paraphrase Reginald Perrin: "Why don't you re-time all your announcements to arrive a year late? - then they will all be on time."

DfT fails to apologise for delays

Ministers regularly excoriate TOCs and NR for late running so how is DafTs own record at delivering to passengers?

This from a distinctly optimistic DafT press release issued on the 21st December last year:

Invitation to tender issued for 200 new diesel train carriages... Closing date for bids is 16th February and it is anticipated that an announcement on the preferred bidder will be made in April.

It is now May.

When can we expect DafT to apologise for the delay, explain the reason and hand out passenger compensation forms?

DafT treats regionals with contempt

Two DafT press releases.

Both issued yesterday (Friday).

The first received at 14:50, the second at 23:30.

14:50 Rail passengers are set to benefit from a project costing more than £50 million to redouble one of the worst performing routes on the Cotswold Line, Transport Minister Andrew Adonis said today.

23:30 Rail passengers are set to benefit from a project costing more than £50 million to double parts of the Cotswold Line, from a single track service to two lines, Transport Minister Andrew Adonis said today.

Using your skill and judgment can you guess how many of today's newspapers were able to amend their copy in time?

Oh no it's not!

When is a franchise commitment not a franchise commitment?

When DafT says so, silly!

Bowler tip to Rail Manager on Line for these gems:

This from DafT on the 14th August 2007:
"NXEC will provide a full restaurant service on 87 train services Monday to Friday with an improved range of full meals".

This from DafT on 6th January 2009:
"Catering is not covered by the franchise agreement with National Express East Coast and is a matter for the train operating company".

DafT - making it up as they go along.

Police 5 Citizens 0

This just in from Sim Harris...

"Once again, DafT (like the rest of Government) is assuming limitless power.

From yesterday's DfT press release:
"The new penalties are being introduced as the Government extends its Penalty Notice for Disorder Scheme."

Minister: as Parliament must give its consent (and hasn't yet) don't you mean:
The new penalties are being proposed as the Government wishes to extend its Penalty Notice for Disorder Scheme?

It's called democratic process. Remember that?