This from Network Rail's increasingly impressive LNW Route.
Lest it be forgot, LNW is opening Euston Station for the homeless on Christmas Day.
Here Birmingham New Street staff outline the work of the #RailwayFamily over Christmas.
Words and more information here.
Terrible! But good effort.
A big Eye welcome to Caroline Murdoch, NR's Group Communications Director designate.
Caroline steps into the shoes vacated by Barney Wyld who left NR's top comms role for Rolls Royce last month.
Caroline currently works for the National Crime Agency, heading up the Corporate Affairs function. She has previously worked at the Met and TfL and brings over 20 years’ experience to Network Rail from national communications, public affairs, crisis communication management, marketing and internal communications within both public and private sectors.
Scot Marchbank continues as interim, until Caroline joins NR in late February/early March 2018.
This from a Mr Weights and Measures...
According to the Network Rail Rail press release on the annual report and accounts:
A record £3.9 billion was spent on enhancing Britain’s railway last year, 10 percent more than in any previous year, according to Network Rail’s annual report published today.
Almost all significant project milestones were met, although two were not – Gospel Oak to Barking electrification, and one on the Edinburgh to Glasgow improvement project. The report also highlights that the company’s exceptional safety record has continued to improve in both workforce and passenger safety.
Those 'significant milestones' were of course removed and placed further along the road by the Hendy Review!
This from Snapper...
There's never a good time to close a railway for engineering works, but one does wonder if someone looked at an events calender when planning the forthcoming Huddersfield blockade.
Amazingly, since Eye's return to the fray, we have not been inveigled into giving a blatant plug for the industry's stealth newsletter Rail Business Intelligence.
So here is an item from last week's issue:
Commissioning of the resignalling between Platforms 20-24 at Waterloo Station and International Junction, scheduled to be brought into use on May 15, has been postponed. This is part of the programme to bring the former Waterloo International platforms into domestic use as part of the CP5 Waterloo Capacity enhancement programme. Availability of these platforms will allow the partial blockade at Waterloo from August 5-28 for the lengthening of Platforms 1-4
It would appear that someone at the Sunday Times is an avid readers of RBI?
Eye's man with the safety critical software notes that, unusually, the Weekly Operating Notice containing this information (on Page 95 of 102) did not give a revised commissioning date.
Ooh er!
No, sorry. Eye lied.
It's actually a huge shot in the foot, or other more sensitive parts of the anatomy!
Readers of today's Sunday Times will no doubt have seen the following story about state owned Network Rail:
No, not that one!
This from Insider Media...
Hull-based Spencer Group has appointed an experienced industry figure as chief executive of its Spencer Rail business.
With more than 30 years' experience in the rail industry, David
McLoughlin is currently the finance and commercial director for the
infrastructure projects division within Network Rail.
McLoughlin, who will report to the Spencer Group board, has held this
position for three years with a remit to develop and implement new
commercial arrangements for its national and major capital projects.
A high profile departure none-the-less.
This from the Grauniad...
"Network Rail has invested funds into the project is a great sign for
the solar industry," she said. "They're an old English institution and
they're looking to the future to make investments into non-core
technologies for the business, and that's a great statement that other
large corporations in the country can start realising."
Who knew?
UPDATE: This from Howard Wade...
Yes indeed, one of the oldest English institutions, with a proud history going back in to the mists of time to er, October 2002.
In fact not that long after the the railway came to Derby... (that's quite enough gratuitous Derby175 plugs! Ed)
What is this?
This from the Rail Delivery Group...
“The railway is undergoing one of the biggest programmes of improvement in its history delivering more trains, better stations and faster journeys and this will not change.
“With help from Government, the rail industry will remain focused on delivering its massive investment programme. This is encouraging more passengers and businesses to use the railway, helping pay for further improvements. The effective partnership between public and private sectors is a winning formula for the railway that is delivering for passengers, businesses and taxpayers."
Funny... something is missing!
Where is the obligatory reference to the triumph of privatisation?
This from The Man by the Photocopier...
I note that Network Rail is to become a public sector body.
I have it on the very best authority that this is the new NR logo that will be used from next September.
That didn't take long!
This from Network Rail...
‘Lifetime railwayman’ Chris Gibb to join Network Rail as non-executive director
Network Rail has today announced the appointment of one of Britain’s most experienced rail industry figures, Chris Gibb, as a non-executive director.
Mr Gibb, 50, has worked in the rail industry for more than 30 years and is currently chief operating officer of Virgin Rail Group, responsible for all aspects of the delivery of Virgin’s operations on the West Coast main line.
Last year, he undertook a successful six-month secondment to Network Rail to lead a taskforce focused on improving the performance and reliability of the West Coast main line, resulting in the implementation of a targeted programme of investment to tackle the most common causes of delay.
A big Eye welcome back to Chris Gibb, it only seems hours ago that you left.
This from a Former NR Sleeper...
Thought readers might enjoy this handy Network Rail guide to shopping.
The launch of NR Strategic Business Plan yesterday was pretty well received, despite Fleet Street media fixating on fares, shedding more heat than light.
No matter.
This from the Rail Freight Group...
Consultation launched over reform of rail freight property
Commenting on the Network Rail / DB Schenker consultation on reform of rail freight property, Maggie Simpson, Executive Director, Rail Freight Group, said:
“We welcome this consultation setting out the proposals for reform of DB Schenker's land and property interests. The proposed deal offers strategic benefits for the growth of rail freight by separating land ownership from rail haulage, and by encouraging Network Rail to take a proactive role in developing the freight business.”
“However, this is a complex deal, and RFG members and rail freight customers are likely to have legitimate concerns over any impact on their businesses. It is imperative that they respond to this consultation, and that Network Rail and DB Schenker address all concerns in full prior to the conclusion of this deal.”
ENDS
Network Rail's consultation can be found here.
This from the latest issue of Network Rail's internal magazine for maintenance teams...
This from Network Rail...
Network Rail has promoted Jerry England to the role of group asset management director. He was formerly the group director of signalling and power asset management.
As well as working for Network Rail, chartered engineer Mr England has worked for the Highways Agency and Thames Water and will be focusing on developing more customer driven and efficient management of the company’s asset base.
Services provided by the asset management team are provided to customers including Network Rail’s devolved routes, as well as operations and infrastructure projects...
Mr England will take on the role with immediate effect, reporting to Network Rail’s chief executive David Higgins.
This from Network Rail...
I just wanted to drop you a line about the FA Cup Final, and the expected difficulties for fans travelling to and from Liverpool for the game. We’re obviously very aware of the importance of this game to the club and its supporters.
As you may be aware, both Network Rail and Virgin did tell the FA that the later kick-off time would cause problems for fans looking to travel by train to the match. If the match had kicked off in its traditional 3pm timeslot it would’ve been difficult, but possible for supporters to travel back from the game to Merseyside by rail.
However, the FA has been clear that it wants a 5.15pm kick off as this will enable it to maximise the domestic and global television audience for the game. This has exacerbated the fact that the final has already been moved forward a fortnight, both because the Champions League Final has been moved from its traditional slot on a Wednesday evening to a Saturday (19 May) and as a result of the need to give those players going to the European Championships a longer rest prior to the tournament.
In terms of the work we’re undertaking, some of it has been in the planning for 18-24 months. On the Saturday and Sunday we are rebuilding an entire junction north of Crewe, and we are also undertaking preparatory work for a major resignalling scheme at Bletchley.
At the site near Crewe there are currently five sets of crossovers, all quite close together, that make up the junction. A 30mph speed restriction is currently in place. These crossovers are being completely rebuilt, redesigned, relayed and re-spaced so the junction is opened out. This will allow us to raise the speed limit to 40mph, which will make a difference to journey time and reliability.
On Sunday, near Bletchley, we're undertaking a mixture of substantial track works for the installation of new points and signals as part of the ongoing resignalling project in this area.
Both these pieces of work are vitally important to us. The scheme at Crewe, in particular, has already had to be reprogrammed from April 2010 (when, due to the ash cloud from the volcano in Iceland, domestic flights were cancelled, and we subsequently cancelled all our work on long-distance routes).
Deferring this work would cost the company (and therefore the taxpayer) some £6m to postpone and rearrange. It would cause further disruption to the travelling public at a later date. In addition, this work is so substantial that it’s not feasible to move it to a normal weekend as the work being undertaken needs more time.
Finally, given that we have made a commitment not to work during the Olympic period (approximately six weeks covering both the Olympics and Paralympics) this May Bank Holiday weekend is even more important to us this year than it would normally be.
ENDS
Network Rail was today fined £1m after the company pleaded guilty to Health and Safety breaches at Chelmsford Crown Court.
Network Rail issued the following statement...
NETWORK RAIL STATEMENT FOLLOWING ELSENHAM HEARING
Following today's hearing at Chelmsford Crown Court, David Higgins, chief executive, Network Rail, said:
“On behalf of Network Rail I apologise for the mistakes made by us in this tragic case that contributed to the deaths of Olivia and Charlotte.
“Nothing we can say or do will lessen the pain felt by Olivia and Charlotte’s families but I have promised the families that we will make level crossings safer, and we will deliver on that promise.
“Fundamental changes to the way we manage and look after the country’s 6,500 level crossings have, and are being made. In recent years we have reassessed all of our crossings and closed over 500. There is still much to do and we are committed to doing what is necessary to improve our level crossings.”
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