Gibb transitions from poacher to gamekeeper

So. A big Eye farewell to Chris Gibb, as he moves from Chief Operating Officer at Virgin to a Non-exec role at Network Rail. 

With NR soon to abandon King's Place for pastures new it looks as if Gibby is keeping an eye on future travel expenses by selecting a sub-125 mode of transport.

Behold the Non-exec vehicle de choix - the Twizy, which Renault claims has a range of 61 miles between charges.

Alas, the actualité appears to be closer to 50 miles.

Chums of the railman be warned, a visit from Chris may see him clutching three pin plug in hand!

Lowrie to Keolis as CFO

This from Keolis...

Keolis UK appoints first chief financial officer

UK public transport operator, Keolis UK, has appointed David Lowrie as its new Chief Financial Officer, to support its growing presence in the UK.

David moves into this newly created role with over 20 years of commercial experience including several high profile posts within the UK rail sector.

From an early career at KPMG and Powell Duffryn, he joined Prism Rail PLC as Group Financial Controller. He has since held a number of director level positions including Group Finance and Commercial Development Director at the Grand Central Group.

Very good, carry on.

Meiklejohn re-emerges!

Word reaches Eye that the Ninky Nonk Train has gained another supporter!

Graham Meiklejohn, late of DBS, has set up his own communications consultancy - Meiklejohn Communications - specialising in rail and logistics.

According to a PR puff piece sent to Eye the new entity "has already commenced project work to support the Intercity Express Programme, employee engagement and passenger rail franchising."

Good news indeed!

Leaving Hitachi and DfT with just another 62 million people to convince...

Bunker steps out of the err... bunker!

Word reaches Eye that former TOC MD Graeme Bunker is reining back on his commitments in the kettle and charter world.
 
Interesting.

Perchance this is connected with the dearth of operating talent in the industry, a situation compounded by the need for bid teams able to handle a bow wave of franchise renewals and extensions?

No doubt Bunker's background in high profile special rail projects (and kettle based stunts) will see him re-emerge in TOC-land soonest!

Dean's 'getting the band back together'...

This from National Express...

Mary Grant, former chief executive officer, Phones 4U, will join National Express in July 2013 as Managing Director, Business Development. Her role initially will be to work on international growth opportunities. She will increasingly focus on UK Rail opportunities during 2014.

Who'd have guessed?

Silver Fox to TXM Group!

Eye understands that the Silver Fox is abandoning Network Rail!

Graham Eccles, for it is he, has apparently decided to take up the role of chairman at the TXM Group.

He will step down from the NR board in July.

Interesting...

UPDATE: This from the Silver Fox himself...

Nothing odd about my moving on.  I'm getting on a bit and the time commitment at Network Rail, especially since becoming Chair of Remuneration Committee, is just more than I want to put in and there are other things I'd like to do with my life. TXM is something new for me and much more suited to an elderly gentleman.

Earlier this year David Wilson (ex Siemens) and I, along with another friend, bought a vineyard in the High Beaujolais.  I'd like to start spending more time there which I can't do with the time commitment at Network Rail.  David is an ideal partner, if he can flog £1.4 billion worth of trains to a Yorkshireman, he can certainly flog a few bottles of wine to our Gallic cousins.

Writing to you allows me to shamelessly plug the vineyard (see www.vatre.com), but it would also be nice to see old railway chums call in if they are out that way.

Regards G

 

Hutton, Kelly and 45 minutes

Much excitement across the airwaves!

The most recent edition of Radio 4's excellent programme 'The Reunion' brought together some of the key players involved in the Hutton Report.

Amongst the likes of Geoff 'Buff' Hoon, Andrew Gilligan and former BBC DG Greg Dyke was NR's very own media guru Tom Kelly - then the PM's official spokesman.

Fans of hard core verbal punch-ups can enjoy the prog courtesy of Listen Again.

Those with long memories may recall the questionable claim that Saddam Hussein possessed weapons of mass destruction that could be "ready within 45 minutes".

Unlike Gilligoon, whose eventual arrival at the studio exceeded even that generous time frame.

ATOC's loss is HS2's gain!

Good news from under pressure HS2 Ltd!

ATOC's very own 'Mr Smooth' has been poached to join the company building Britain's newest high speed railway.

“Andy Taylor has been appointed Head of Public Affairs for HS2 Ltd, the Government-backed company planning and building Britain’s new high speed rail network.

“Andy will be responsible for building relationships with elected representatives at national and local levels as the company prepares to submit a hybrid bill to Parliament for Phase One of the project, between London and the West Midlands, and begins a public consultation on the proposed route for Phase Two between Birmingham, Leeds and Manchester." 

Very good! 

But who will now fill the Taylor sized hole in ATOC's public affairs operation?

Farewell - keep it McLean and good Knight

Yesterday saw a farewell do for two time served railway PRs.

Virgin men, Allan McLean and Steve Knight, held a retirement breakfast aboard the Pendolino which was later named Chad Varah (see post below) at Euston.

Pictured are Allan and Steve aboard the train, as they head of to the Dun Spinning Retirement Home.

Eye wishes both well and is sure it won't be the last we've heard of them!

All change at Railcare

Eye understands that there have been some changes at Railcare.

So farewell Robert Baxter!

And a big Eye welcome to new MD Mark Cooper, although apparently on an interim basis.

Nothing on the website yet...

The luck of the Irish

Eye had a right royal craic last night!

Those nice people at Railtours Ireland hosted a champagne reception at St Pancras yesterday evening, to celebrate their daily Boat Train from London to Dublin .

Whilst taking an innocuous phot of RI supremo Jim Deegan and the mighty bottle used to refresh guests, another tableau inadvertently appeared in the frame...

The Fact Compiler can only wonder what Virgin's Leathley and Stagecoach's Stacpoole were discussing...

Smooth man gets hot and bothered, possibly

Eye was amused to receive the following email from Odgers' uber-recruitment guru Tim Hartley.

Well not from him, obviously, but from his PA...

Having been on the Board of Railway Children for nearly 5 years, I am ashamed to admit that I have not yet taken part in the flagship annual fundraising event – the 3 peaks by rail. 

That is, until June of this year, when I will be boarding an especially chartered train with hundreds of other participants to climb the UK’s 3 highest mountains. I am told that the climbs are mentally and physically draining, and to be completed sequentially with very little sleep in between… clearly not an ideal challenge for me! 

Eye bets that at the end of the three days Smooth Tim doesn't even glow!

Either way, all those businesses, quangos and departments of state who have benefitted from Tim's skills may want to divvy up?

Hendy - Railway Hero?

This from the BBC's Tom Edwards...

@BBCTomEdwards: Peter Hendy very proud he has been awarded the "beer drinker of the year" by Parliamentary Beer Group 

That is all!

Apart from good effort, of course

So. Farewell Beau Bowker!

Eye style guide update:

From: Satirical Nomenclature Bureau
To: All Railway Eye Contributors
Subject: Richard Bowker CBE

Please note that following the subject's resignation as Chief Executive, Etihad Rail he no longer falls under the Satirical Nomenclature/Literary Pastiche/PCWren/Foreign Legion SNB Classification.

As a result, and with immediate effect, the nom de gare 'Beau Bowker' has been withdrawn.

Pending a new appointment a temporary SNB Classificatioin has been allocated reflecting the subject's directorship of the Football League.

The new SNB Classification is Satirical Nomenclature/Boys' Comics/Sport/Football.

Therefore, and until further notice, Mr Bowker should now be referred to as 'Ricky of the Rovers'.

That is all.

Alan Francis Pegler OBE - RIP

This via the Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railway website...

Alan Francis Pegler OBE

It is with great sadness that we report that Alan Francis Pegler passed away on Sunday 18th March 2012 after a short illness. He was 91.

As well as being the President of both the Ffestiniog Railway Society and the Ffestiniog Railway Company, Alan was also responsible for preserving Flying Scotsman after she was withdrawn from service by British Railways.

Alan Francis Pegler OBE: 16th April 1920 - 18th March 2012

Rest in Peace.

Grand Central appoints new MD

This from the Northern Echo...

At that time York based Grand Central, employing 125, said it would continue with the same management team, but now Arriva has announced its managing director Tom Clift is to leave.

Mr Clift, who has been in his role since the firm's launch, said: "I have enormous pride in the small, committed and professional team that has worked so hard to make Grand Central the success it is today.

Richard McClean will become managing director of the open access operator, in addition to his current role as managing director of Arriva's Tyne and Wear Metro operation.

Heil Bahn!

Bombardier changes its PR team

Sad news reaches Eye from Derby.

Uber PR's Neil Harvey and Heidi Lee have left Bombardier.

They will be missed.

In happier news and clearly reflecting the Age of Austerity the Canadian company has downsized its UK comms team from two to three people (Is this right? Ed).

Oh, and a further three bodies from RLM Finsbury Global Strategic Communications.

Does this burgeoning PR empire reflect Bombardier's growing confidence in the UK market?

Holt to leave Directly Operated Railways

This from Rail Barbie...

I wanted to write and let you know personally that I will be stepping down from my position as both Chairman of Directly Operated Railways (DOR) and East Coast Main Line Company (East Coast), at the expiry of my contract term at the end of the year. I shall be taking up a new senior industry role at the beginning of January 2012.

I’ve immensely enjoyed being at the helm of East Coast, it’s a really good business and I’m genuinely sorry to be leaving. We’ve achieved a huge amount in the last two years and we’re just starting to see the benefits of the Company ‘turnaround’. The business still has a number of challenges to overcome – but I’m absolutely convinced we made the right base choices and have established a strong new foundation for our successes to be sustainable. The franchise extension until the end of 2013 will see this task largely completed – with Britain’s flagship train company in much better shape than when we started. I couldn’t have achieved this level of progress without the very strong support from the staff of East Coast, the board, and in particular Karen Boswell, East Coast’s Managing Director.

And so, I’m genuinely regretful of the fact that I won’t now be around to ‘finish the job’. The introduction of a major new timetable and the launch of a new complimentary catering offer in First Class in May 2011, have both been strategically significant and delivered positive results. Passenger numbers have increased by 3 per cent in the last year (2010/11), and East Coast is now one of the best financial performers in the rail industry.

I want to personally thank all our customers and stakeholders for travelling with us, but particularly for your engagement over the last couple of years. I can assure you that your feedback has been pivotal in helping us to drive our determination to, ‘get it right’. I know Karen and her team are passionate about carrying on the good work – and will welcome a continuance of the dialogue in the future.

Following my departure, Michael Holden will become Chairman of East Coast and Doug Sutherland Non Executive Chairman of Directly Operated Railways. Michael and Doug will fulfil these roles on an interim basis until discussions with the Department for Transport on filling these roles permanently are concluded.

- ENDS -

Sandals and beards at ACoRP awards - Shocker!

Disappointing news from Friday's ACoRP Community Rail awards!

Despite the best efforts of General Manager, Neil Buxton, and the industry's very own 'Pictographer Royal' there was a shocking beard deficit amongst the evening's 270 attendees.

The assembled Community Rail champions, industry supporters, hacks and TOC directors apparently eschewed the traditional facial-fuzz and sandals in favour of smart suits and safety footwear...


EMT's Shoveller & Northern's Butcher hosted the evening and here present Mark Hopwood of FGW with a special award - allegedly for rescuing passengers from a long distance 'dog-box'.

Sadly, busy diaries prevented a Minister from seeing and saluting the 'Big Society' in action.

Sources charitably suggest that it takes some time to recover from the National Rail Awards.

Brooker-Carey joins Crossrail

This from PR Week...

Crossrail has hired the former comms director of Tube Lines to shake up its PR team.

Louise Brooker-Carey will join the company behind Europe’s largest civil engineering project in August as head of public affairs.

She will report to newly appointed chief executive Andrew Wolstenholme, who also starts in August and will be responsible for shaping the future of the comms team.

As Head of Public Affairs Brooker-Carey will also need to have a good working relationship with other board members, especially the chairman of Crossrail.

One Terry Morgan who, before joining Crossrail in 2009, was CEO of Tube Lines and her former boss.