All The Stations - worth a watch

A Pilgrimage of Grice undertaken by Geoff and Vicki, supported by RDG...

From the All The Stations website:

All The Stations is a project to travel to ALL the national railway stations in Britain in just three months, and to create an online documentary film about the journey.

Here is a vlog the team filmed yesterday:

Good effort!

Worth a watch. Worth a follow.

Meanwhile, Eye hopes that RDG will contact RFG and RSG so that freight and the supply chain can also offer to showcase their contribution to Britain's railway?

Three percent (3%) will take some nudging, so every channel counts.

If we are serious about 'One Railway', Eye would expect nothing less.

ORR back-tracks on Biomass charging

This from the Rail Freight Group...

Rail Freight Group (RFG) today welcomed the ORR’s decisions on freight charges announced as part of the Draft Determination of the Periodic Review 2013.

As part of a package of reforms, ORR have concluded that;

• Biomass will not be subject to a new freight specific charge in control period 5.
• Increases in the variable access charges for freight will be capped at an average 10% compared to the 23% previously announced.  This is likely to reduce charges for intermodal traffic, and limits the impact of rises in the bulk markets such as aggregates and steel.
• The proposed 400% increase to the capacity charge for freight will not be implemented and a revised approach will be developed.
• The previously announced caps on the freight specific charge for ESI coal, iron ore and spent nuclear fuel will be reduced.  For ESI Coal, for example, the cap will reduce from £4.04 to £1.04 per kgtm.

Maggie Simpson, RFG Executive Director said today "We are pleased that ORR has listened to the concerns of the industry and has taken a balanced decision that is affordable and fair.  This will be a great relief to rail freight operators, customers and those seeking to invest in the sector who can now develop their business plans with confidence."

A good result!

RfG showing how lobbying should be done.

UPDATE: This from Steve Strong...

Bit of an embarrassing climb down from ORR then?

Presumably no one bothered to salute this when they ran it up the flag pole?

Cautious RfG welcome for NR/DBS depot deal

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.

Scremerston - Eye salutes the Railway!

Eye does not know what it took to achieve the re-opening today of the East Coast Main Line north of Newcastle...

But bloody good effort!

Afore..

 During...

Wheels free..

The Railway (NR, Supply Chain and Operators) - Eye salutes you!

Lord Berkeley bigs up Hammond at RFG lunch

Is ace railfreight lobbyist and Labour peer, Lord Berkeley, mellowing with age?

Despite harbouring republican sympathies Lord B had secured the services of Her Majesty's very own Scots Guards to lead revellers in a medley of Carols at yesterday's Rail Freight Group Christmas Lunch.


The canny political operator had also invited shadow Rail Minister Stephen Hammond MP to address members before luncheon.

There was a collective choking on bread rolls when Lord B confidently predicted that Hammond "would make a very good Secretary of State"!

Of course the wily old fox was clever enough to add... "or opposition spokesman".

UPDATE: This from Steve Strong...

Hammond may not have endeared himself to any railway hacks present.

He told a joke about five surgeons discussing who in the industry was easiest under the knife.

The punch line had the last saw-bones saying he preferred operating on railway hacks; as they had neither heart nor backbone and their lips and ar$eholes were interchangeable...

UPDATE: This from the Lobby Correspondent...

Could this be the same Stephen Hammond who was observed entertaining one Roger Ford in the the cafe area of Portcullis House earlier this year, in what was clearly an unsuccessful attempt by the good Captain to explain the break down of the 1300 (sic) vehicles in the HLOS?

I think we should be told!

UPDATE: This from NR's Internet Rapid Rebuttal Unit...

'Bigs up'?

Tfc will be 'repping his endz', next.

UPDATE: This from 5741 Duck...

You say that Lord Berkeley is a "cany political operator".

Is that because they frown on whips in the House of Lords?

Thank you 5741. Noted and corrected!