Secretary of State shows deep railway knowledge

This just in from the Wickerman...

Just been to the opening of Kings Cross' new platform, which was attended by our new Transport Secretary.

In his speech he gave a commitment to HS2, although on the proviso it goes through Heathrow.

For the first official train into the new platform, East Coast obliged by providing a manky mk4 set with a mouldy tea towel stuck to the front of the leading class 91.

And here our new Secretary of State shows his in-depth railway knowledge by safely exiting a Class 91 cab...



A picture paints a thousand words...

Poetry corner - lines on a new Minister

This just in from Clarence Spad, Life President, Young Railway Poets Society, Platform 5 Reading Station (the interesting end)

LINES WRITTEN ON THE APPOINTMENT OF PHIL HAMMOND MP AS SECRETARY OF STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORT

So welcome in Phil
For a moment I thought Dave had made a mistake
And muddled you up with Stephen
Who was doing railways
Before you moved into Marsham Street

Perhaps Stephen will come and work with you
Which will be alright
But you may not want to cause any confusion
So Norman might get the job instead

I can't wait to see what you decide
When I get home for tea tonight

With ardent acknowledgments to my mentor EJ Thribb of Private Eye.

Eye welcomes The Scrawny Controller

So welcome Philip Hammond, MP for Runnymede and Weybridge and now Secretary of State for Transport.


Eye salutes Tory uber-blogger Iain Dale for suggesting Hammond's appointment at 08:25 this morning!

No matter.

Biog below with a bowler tip to the Industry Forum:

Philip Hammond has been a Member of Parliament representing Runnymede and Weybridge since 1997. He previously fought a parliamentary by-election in Newham North-East in 1994. Philip was Secretary of the Conservative Party Health Committee and has also served as a member of the Select Committee for Environment, Transport and the Regions and the Trade & Industry Select Committee.

In June 1998, Philip was appointed to the Opposition Front Bench as Shadow Minister for Health. In September 2001, he was appointed Shadow Trade & Industry Minister with the additional role of Shadow Minister for Small Business.

From 2002 to 2005, he was Shadow Minister for Local Government. In this role Philip was responsible for developing Conservative Party policy on local government finance (including council tax), the Fire and Rescue Service and traveller management.

In May 2005, he became the Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury. From December 2005 until July 2007, Philip served as the Shadow Secretary of State for Work & Pensions, when he was re-appointed Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury.

And one piece of good news.

Today's egalitarian Conservative party couldn't have selected a better man to tackle the thorny issue of Network Rail governance.

With a personal fortune estimated at £9m Hammond will clearly not feel too inferior at his first meeting with NR's bonus encrusted directors.

UPDATE: This from Fareham Philip...

Although representing Weybridge, Philip Hammond did not want to travel up to Westminster on his local SWT Class 450 every day as his constituents have to.

So he bought a second house in London and charged the taxpayers over £100,000 (as reported in Telegraph) for paying his mortgage and running it.

Perhaps a daily 2nd Class commute on the 3+2 seating of a 450 will enlighten him a lot more as to the problems of the railway industry.