World's Greatest Living Transport Correspondent bests Beardie

The results of this year's Ipsos MORI Survey of Transport Journalists have just been released.

73 hacks were polled, and amongst a wealth of data on just how rubbish they perceive transport policy to be, is the following gem:

So amongst the Street of Shame's brightest and best our very own Wolmar is seen as more impressive than both Beardie and Baker!

Poor old LibDems, last again.

Now if Wolmayor can just prevent Adonis from standing, this sort of polling might yet secure him Labour's mayoral nomination!

Welcome back I K Gricer

There are very few journalists who 'get railways' and fewer still who write in the City pages.

If there is a pantheon of such writers then the legendry Christopher Fildes would certainly sit amongst them..

As well as working on the Telegraph's City desk Christopher also wrote the hugely enjoyable City and Suburban column in the Spectator for over 20 years.

It was of course City and Suburban that introduced the world to the great railwayman I K Gricer who offered Speccie readers insights into the industry as it was assailed first by the simplistic adulterer Major and then by the messianic pultroon Blair.

Although City and Suburban came to an end in 2006 the Speccie has wisely called upon Fildes services again to review the latest opus by uber-railway-historian Prof Terry Gourvish, entitled Britain’s Railways 1997-2005: Labour’s Strategic Experiment.

The book sounds a must for all those interested in the political and economic developments in the industry over the last decade.

Meanwhile for those in a hurry it goes without saying that Fildes review is a masterpiece in its own right!

No FT No Comment

The recent thread on Chris Randall's departure to Cyprus has excited further reader comment.

A Mr Wright writes from Southwark Bridge:

"You shouldn't worry about the future of Chris Randall's column. I have no doubt at all as to his successor's quality.

"However, I expect his column to become a little more pro free-market and a little less convinced that Railtrack could have survived... "

Who could this mystery man be?

Jaw dropping

Is there no limit to the talents of polymath Christian Wolmar?

Cyclists' champion, cricketing legend, journalist, commentator, author and bete noir of Network Rail - the man's skills know no bounds.

In his most recent incarnation, this morning, he was seen under the drill whilst being serenaded by North London's only singing dentist (we may thank God for small mercies).

View the BBC clip here

For those of tender sensibilities best to forward to about 1min 15secs through the clip.

Wolmar is seen on screen for the merest of seconds. The Fact Compiler understands that this was unconnected with the surprise appearence in the consultation room of an NR bance team, instructed to assist with any fillings that Wolmar required.

Reid all about it

Telegrammed from our man in 222 Marylebone Road

Robert Wright, the transport correspondent of the Financial Times is at it again, relying for his print bites on the soi disant 'veteran observer' of the railway scene Rupert Brennan-Brown.

Presumably the FT eschews the usual rent-a-quotes because Wolmar follows up with an invoice, Roger Ford is too techy, Barry Doe only does fares and Nigel Harris is too busy taking the great and the good to lunch.

But calling RB-B a 'veteran' almost justifies a sharp note to the Press Complaints johnnies.

The man is a damn parvenu, one of the carpet baggers who came in to the industry on the coat tails of former Shell Chairman Sir Robert Reid.

As any fule kno "veteran status" can only be accorded to those who served in the industry under his predecessor, the late great, Sir Robert Reid.

An explanation for younger readers: In the Tory 1980s it was Government policy that new Chairmen of nationalised industries had to have the same name as their predecessor to save on stationary costs.