RDG disconnected from the industry it 'leads'?

This was just asking for trouble.

Earlier this week Transport Minister Baroness Kramer observed that dumping raw effluent on the tracks was "utterly disgusting".

Quite so.

So what are we to make of this from the BBC...

The Rail Delivery Group, which represents the train companies and Network Rail, said the issue did not come up in a bi-annual national passenger survey and it was not often raised as an issue by staff.

Hmmm...

This from the RMT:

RMT has also completely refuted suggestions from within the industry that the issue has either never, or rarely, been raised as the union has been campaigning on the scandal for at least decade and passengers have now launched their own petition to get it stamped out.

Track workers have repeatedly pointed out that some sections of the rail infrastructure are like an open sewer and that the human waste doesn’t simply hit the track bed, it sprays out when trains are travelling at speed posing a serious and disgusting health risk to track-based staff. Rail works have been delayed because staff have been confronted with pools of raw sewage.

Either the RDG has a very short memory or none at all. 

UPDATE: This from Captain Deltic...

And not just track workers are at risk.

Changing brake pads is a really sh*tt* job when the bogies have been covered by an  aerosol of excrement.

And do passengers opening slam doors on Mk 3 stock realise that the external handles have received the same treatment.?

Didn't Angel propose a major IC125 upgrade which included retrofitting retention tank toilets almost a decade ago?

A shame DfT decided it wasn't worthwhile because the trains wouldn't be in service much longer.
 

Railway Garden Competition - York

This from Anon...

Surely a winning entry from York, one of the UK's premier stations?

Perhaps the secret of York's success can be traced to its use of fine British organic fertiliser, samples of which can be found here in the 4' alongside platform 8?

What a marvelous way to greet passengers to this fine city!

Virgin poo-poo smell solution

Telegrammed by our Independent Expert
Wolmar, in the current issue of Rail, turns up his nose at stinky Pendolino lavatories.

Now further intelligence reaches the Eye from the state-of-the-art cleaning company invited to inspect problems at Oxley.

"The problem was that Virgin and train maker Alstom blamed each other. And they said there was not enough turn round time for a proper deep clean of the coach and vestibule floor areas.

"We could have done the job but they just seemed to want to brush it under the carpet."

Perhaps this explains the continued stink?

A multitude of sins

One of the delights of summer is the traditional Railway Garden.

Alas, with winter upon us Mother Nature is in retreat, revealing a multitude of sins previously obscured by the Railway Garden.



Above is the delightful vista that welcomed passengers awaiting trains from Crewe's platform 4 on Friday.