John Knox alive and well at Scotrail

Good news for fans of the New Puritanism! 

The McKilljoys of Scotrail have banned e-fags!

According to The Herald...

SCOTRAIL has banned e-cigarettes from its trains and railway stations as concerns over their safety continue to grow.

The train company this week confirmed staff and passengers were no longer allowed to use the smoking devices on their services.

And they said there was concern other passengers might think they could smoke real cigarettes on the trains, if they saw someone using the alternative product.

FFS!

Where to start? 

Good to see First Group doing their level best to make rail travel that little less bearable.

Souter going out with a bang!

So, Sir Brian Souter will be a guest on BBC Question Time tomorrow night.

Expect some fireworks in light of recent House of Commons' business, as in the past Sir Brian has had some clear views on promoting what were once termed 'alternative' lifestyles.

No matter.

Thursday's telefest may be the Wee Man's last high profile public outing, ahem, before he becomes Stagecoach Group's chairman in May, relinquishing the role of chief executive to the now ubiquitous Martin Griffiths (currently finance director).

Despite Brian's interesting history with matters 'equality' don't expect too much criticism from Humza Yousaf the MSP member of the panel. In the devolved world of Scottish politics Our Brian has proven a generous benefactor to the Scottish National Party over recent years.

No doubt First's Tim O'Toole, which currently holds the ScotRail franchise, will be watching with interest?

ScotRail uses PsychOps on Hogmanay revellers

This from ScotRail...

ScotRail today announced it is trialling the use of ‘3D’ graphics to brighten the look of train toilets.

The walls are being covered with laminated images featuring designs using a 'deceive the eye' technique to give the impression of being in 3D.

They have been introduced on a train serving key cities including Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Inverness.


New Year's eve will see some very, very confused passengers!

ScotRail McDoomed

Exciting times for North British travellers!

Transport Scotland today launched a consultation on whether or not to ban booze on trains, turn back Anglo Scottish services at Edinburgh and kill, or flog, off the Deer Stalker Express.

In happier news ScotRail has acquired a new Commercial Director.

This from The Drum...

Newsquest Herald & Evening Times sales boss Sean Duffy is to leave the publisher to become commercial director of First Rail.

It is understood that Duffy, who joined the Glasgow operation of Newsquest in September 2010, is expected to take up his new role early next year, where, he will oversee all advertising and sales contracts throughout First Rail.

From frying pan to fire?

UPDATE: This from our man at 222 Marylebone Road...

It was the Green of McGreen who started extending InterCity services north of Edinburgh.

Back at the end of the 1970s when he was appointed the Laird o' the Clan ScotRail, the McGreen, he of the Red Lamposts, had the sort of autonomy that would give even Sir David 'Devolution' Higgins sleepless nights.

Noticing that the new IC125s seemed to be sitting around idle at Edinburgh, the McGreen worked out that he could augment ScotRail services north of Edinburgh in the marginal time.
Unfortunately the journey times were just a bit longer than the layovers as a result of Permanent Speed Restrictions designed for chunkier locomotives than the IC125 power car.

Aided and abetted by a can do Chief Civil Engineer the Laird introduced differential speed restrictions and soon signs at the trackside had two speeds including a marker for HSTs.

All this was done beyond the ken of British Rail Headquarters in London. And by the time the differential speed restriction ploy came to BRB's attention all that could be done about the unauthorised innovation was to give the McGreen a severe bollocking which concluded with 'carry on the good work!'.

Pointless signs - "Special" passengers

The glorious victory of Jamie's 'Not a Blog'

Regular Eye readers may recall this piece of music:



Original post here.

Meanwhile there is an update to Jamie's sad story here.

Result!

Alas.

And here is the denouement :-(

No matter.

To all Eye's industry friends, a message:

Turn on, tune in, get social!

(Can you also mention that Orange have no idea either? Ed)

First for failing to monitor the fitness of its drivers

This from the BBC...

Sheriff Convery said"In my view this cases raises profoundly disturbing questions regarding the safety of the public and the arrangements for monitoring the fitness of train drivers."

Indeed!

Mind you, at least it was just the one bottle.

Scotrail - 54 days and counting

Remember the YouTube hit United Breaks Guitars?

Now rail users are getting in on the act.

This sorry tale from Jamie Anderson - you can follow the full saga over at Jamie's blog



Don't get mad - get viral!

East Coast Main Line to Glasgow or not?

Last week the Eye prophesied that when the East Coast Main Line franchise is returned to the private sector it will not operate services beyond Edinburgh.

It appears that the Eye was wrong!

Judging by this cryptic statement from Elaine Holt picked up by The Herald on Saturday this may happen sooner rather than later...

Speaking yesterday before taking over from National Express just before midnight, Elaine Holt, chair of East Coast, said services would continue to Glasgow but they may be run by a different operator. However, she stressed that discussions over the route’s future were still active and no decision had been made.

Now what does that mean?

Glasgow will lose East Coast Main Line services!

Much excitement in the media this weekend over suggestions that Glasgow will come off the East Coast franchise map.

The story prompted a strong denial from the Noble Lord in the Sunday Times:

Lord Adonis, the UK transport minister, last night dismissed claims that direct train services between Glasgow and London on the East Coast Main Line were about to be axed.

Adonis said that he knew of no such plan, insisting that he would not withdraw rail services from Glasgow.

But what's this?

The Noble Lord claims that he has no knowledge of such a plan.

Shome mishtake shurley!

Why it was only two years ago, when the last East Coast franchise failed, that exactly the same plans were submitted by officials.

The fact that they were vetoed by the then minister doesn't mean that such plans have gone away.

Indeed, after a second high profile franchise failure on the same route, these plans now make even more sense.

By removing the need to serve Glasgow, Inverness and Aberdeen there would be considerable operational savings (fuel, traincrew and rolling stock).

Better still it may be possible to free up some East Coast 125mph trains so that ScotRail could run their own premium service within Scotland.

Class 180s anyone?

So Eye confidently predicts that when the East Coast franchise is eventually re-let Edinburgh will be as far is it goes.

First for North British news

This from a powerful Leader in The Herald....

"Should ScotRail be trusted with the £2.5bn franchise to run 95% of Scotland's train services?"

Gosh!

MacInsider Trading?

This from the Scotsman...

Transport Scotland's former chief executive Dr Malcolm Reed told the Scottish Parliament in January that his finance chief Guy Houston, a shareholder with FirstGroup, had only taken part in two meetings "after the deal had been struck" on the contract to run ScotRail.

But the agency has now admitted that Houston actually attended several other internal meetings at Transport Scotland when the decision over the lucrative ScotRail contract was still being discussed.

Last week, it emerged that when Transport Scotland was discussing the deal with the firm, Houston was increasing his shareholding.

Perhaps there is a chapter devoted to this disgraceful affair in Moir's lovely book?

Why the railways cost so much

This from the Press and Journal...

Scottish train operator First ScotRail, which put up many of its fares by 6% at the start of this year, has reported a 60% jump in profits

An unnamed director received emoluments and pension contributions totalling £466,351 in the latest period, up nearly 70% from the £276,595 payout its best-paid boss received in 2006-07.

Here's a novel thought!

Perhaps if Train Operating Companies paid their fat-cat directors and greedy owner groups rather less, then maybe the railways wouldn't be so bloody expensive to run?

Houston we have a problem

Good to see Transport Scotland setting the very highest standards of public probity.

This from The Herald

"Opposition politicians and unions last night called for an inquiry after a report raised questions of conflict of interest in the award of Scotland's £2.5bn railway franchise.

"Concerns arose after Guy Houston quit as finance and corporate services director of Transport Scotland following publication of a report by Audit Scotland.

"Mr Houston, thought to earn £90,000 a year, stepped down on Thursday night after it emerged he held shares and share options in FirstGroup, which will receive the £2.5bn in government subsidies over the next 10 years."

Frankly unbelievable. This stinks.