This from Agnes Fairchild...
I read with interest this weekend's report, sponsored by RMT, ASLEF,
Unite and TSSA, which urges The Labour Party to consider proposals for
renationalising the railways.
And who can blame them for wanting a return to the halcyon days of 1978/79, when a Labour Government last presided over a state owned railway!
And who can blame them for wanting a return to the halcyon days of 1978/79, when a Labour Government last presided over a state owned railway!
I myself am particularly excited at the prospect of
reinstating SeaLink Ferries, SeaSpeed Hovercraft services and British
Transport Hotels.
Frustrated engineers in Derby are no doubt already sharpening
their pencils in anticipation of the resumption of a gas turbine APT
programme, (what price IEP now?).
And the re-nationalisation of
Travellers Fare will of course delight all those that mourn the passing of the British Rail sandwich.
Of course 1978/79 was also famous as the Winter of Discontent, where, after tens of millions of working days were lost through union strike action, the Government capitulated with double digit pay settlements.
Of course 1978/79 was also famous as the Winter of Discontent, where, after tens of millions of working days were lost through union strike action, the Government capitulated with double digit pay settlements.
UPDATE: This from John...
Please can I add a heartfelt wish to this:
Please can we have Red Star Parcels back at the same time?
Same day deliveries around the country were a real boon to British manufacturing industry, as all the items that were running late could be delivered at the last possible minute!
Please can we have Red Star Parcels back at the same time?
Same day deliveries around the country were a real boon to British manufacturing industry, as all the items that were running late could be delivered at the last possible minute!
UPDATE: This from Andrew...
"Agnes Fairchild" obviously lived in a parallel
world to the one containing the British Rail that I worked in!
In mine:
- there was a relatively simple fare structure that applied across the whole country,
- returns from investment in one route provided the money to upgrade another, and it was the most cost-effective network in Europe
- operators and engineers cooperated in the design of locos and rolling stock and used their experience (something that the current Mandarins/accountants/Directors and Franchise owners wouldn't recognise if it bit them on the bum) to produce kit that lasted many decades - & much of it is still working or would be if it hadn't been thrown away,
- the timetables were designed to fit together and to make the best use of resources (& were improving) - rather than just trying to maximise flows to and from London- [how can anyone justify making all passengers wanting to go from a triangle covering the area from Northampton and Newport to Crewe having to use just the Birmingham to Scotland "service" of single Voyagers to get to Glasgow and Edinburgh alternately? Just look at the table 51/65 services from the 1970's and see the hourly options to get to everywhere - on proper trains of adequate capacity that - like many others - were strengthened or duplicated at busy times]
- most rolling stock was reasonably well suited to its use...
- staff knew about the network outside their own patch, there was a Control who thought about passengers' overall journeys and people were mostly all in it together
I could go on (and on and on...!).
Passenger Control also ensured that on one occasion
when because of some delay our young family arrived at Shrewsbury from
Bristol via New St and Wolverhampton (where we briefly alerted platform staff to
the problem) an hour after the last Wrexham service had left. We were told
to stay on board and the unit ran non-stop to Wrexham to deliver
us!
It might not have been "cost effective" in the short term, but it
built faith in the reliability of "the railway" and ensured further use.
UPDATE: This from Logistical...
How lovely to see the old "British Rail sandwich" canard being rolled out again. It brought a nostalgic tear to my eye.
I can confirm that the BR sandwich is alive and well in.... Switzerland !!
The trolley (?) on the splendid Golden Pass service (Montreux - Zweisimmen) served two slices of dry bread interlaced with a piece of rather rubbery gruyere - no lettuce, mayo, of fillings etc and only a glister of butter.
Each to his own taste ...but the train was, of course, On Time.
UPDATE: This from Chionanthus Virginicus
I can confirm that the BR sandwich is alive and well in.... Switzerland !!
The trolley (?) on the splendid Golden Pass service (Montreux - Zweisimmen) served two slices of dry bread interlaced with a piece of rather rubbery gruyere - no lettuce, mayo, of fillings etc and only a glister of butter.
Each to his own taste ...but the train was, of course, On Time.
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