Black tie or 'tuxedo'?

The Fact Compiler prefers black tie.



Mind you, wearing one doesn't automatically make one a gentleman.

Drop light on the world

Another example of the law of unintended consequences.

On the 11th June 2003 a drunken student fell between the gap in the platform and a Silverlink train at Gunnersbury station.

Despite attempts by onlookers to alert the guard the train moved off, resulting in the student being dragged under the train.

As a consequence he lost fingers from his left hand and his left leg had to be amputated.

The High Court ruled this week that Silverlink must bear an equal responsibility for the accident, despite the student exhibiting "foolhardy behaviour".

Therefore, the student has been granted the right to claim a six-figure sum in compensation.

So far so reasonable.

Judge John Reddihough also ruled that the guard should have had an “openable” window in their carriage, to allow them to monitor platforms right up to the moment of departure.

The Fact Compiler wonders whether this judgement now makes such modifications mandatory? And if so whether the ROSCOs will be willing to pick up the bill, especially for MOLA fleets which DafT already claims are overpriced.

For you Timmy, the journey is over!

What is it with Germans and trains?

Children ordered off trains.

Put them in a uniform...

Curse of Capt Deltic

Bad news for wheel barrow manufacturers.

According to today's Times the Tories will give the ORR powers to veto or amend NR Directors' bonuses following "serious failure".

The Tories also plan to get shot of the majority of Public Interest Members - who have proven completely useless at holding the company to account.

Railway Eye readers will recollect the national fury that greeted the announcement earlier this year that NR's three executive directors would trouser £1.2m in bonuses between them; this despite the company being fined a record £14m by ORR for Christmastide engineering overruns.

The new scrutiny body will number 20 (down from 106) and will have additional powers to hold NR to account.

The Fact Compiler is confused. If Network Rail is a private company then surely the Tories cannot change the company's corporate governance, unless they nationalise it first. If they don't need to nationalise it, then it must already be under state control, in which case it can't be a private company.

He shoots they score

Is the Virgin media machine losing it's legendary PR prowess?

Only yesterday Railway Eye reported that a couple had been caught in most unfortunate circumstances aboard a Pendolino.

Today's media is full of scare stories about a major national shortage.

Surely Beardie Rail won't look this gift horse in the mouth.

Entente cordiale

An RMT press release announces that the brothers are off to France tomorrow.

The union has organised a Eurostar train to Paris so that members can demonstrate against the privatisation of Europe's rail networks.

The Fact Compiler assumes that Privs won't be valid on RMT's Eurostar either.

Silly money

Oh dear. Network Rail is at it again.

The Borderlands line connects Bidston to Wrexham, a distance of 27 miles.

Merseytravel and local user groups are keen to see the line electrified to link up Deeside with Liverpool.

Merseytravel consultants have costed the job at £66m.

Alas, Network Rail has quoted a price of £207m, to predictable local fury.

A spokesman for Network Rail said: “Merseytravel is well aware that the methodology used in the first two reports on this project were flawed.

“They did not take into account everything that needed to considered.”

The Fact Compiler can only assume that Merseytravel omitted to consider NR 'Bonus Trough Weighting'?

UPDATE: An 'anonymous' reader has contacted The Fact Compiler.

He writes:

"Oh dear - more factual inaccuracy and misplaced vitriol from Railway Eye - what a suprise!

"The things that Merseytravel missed that caused the price to increase were small things like:

• The new stations required
• The platform lengthenings needed
• Getting up from behind the desk and basing a quote on on-site surveys
• Updating increases in raw materials costs since three years ago (when the desktop study was done)

"A few small things then!"

The Fact Compiler hopes Merseytravel and WAG understands.

Prince Sardines

Telegrammed by our man at 222 Marylebone Road
How long before Lord Adonis, the Prince of Daftness, realises that the complacent reassurances he is being given to read out by his civil serpents are in fact total bollocks?
For example on the 4th November he stated that his Department has "a very keen interest in ensuring that the 1300 vehicles in the High Level Output Specification are procured as rapidly as we practically can".

Oh how we all laughed!

In the case of Northern Rail, discussions on the 125 new DMUs (well that's what Captain Deltic's table claims) will not be concluded until some time in 2010!

Of course, it's all the Franchise owners' fault.

If Lockjaw, Wee Brian and Ludo were to go to Marsham Street to give their old mucker Dr Mike and the Prince of Daftness the same hard time their TOC MDs receive, then the message might start to get through.

But Eye can't see them biting the hand that so generously subsidises them.

Meanwhile TOC MDs will continue to take the flak from long suffering and overcrowded passengers.

Caveat Emptor

The Fact Compiler has received an invitation to subscribe to a new weekly industry briefing note.

Called XBriefing it promises, for the princely sum of £745, to "remove noise and allow higher productivity".

But what's this?

The 'emaciated' edition attached to the email did not quite deliver on the promise.

For instance an article on First Group's results appeared to be heavily dependent on the PLC's press release for content.

Furthermore the publication's editorial team are unnamed and appear to inhabit an accommodation address in SW1.

Alas, the Xbriefing "team" were out when Railway Eye called to discover the editors name.

The Fact Compiler will keep an open mind but suspects that he will continue to rely on Rail Business Intelligence and Rail Management for his on-line industry news and analysis.

Fishy goings on

Much angst in North Wales over a shortage of rolling stock on Aberystwyth to Birmingham services.

According to the Daily Post "peak hour services have been dubbed the “sardine express”, prompting Tory Mark Pritchard to send a tin of the fish to Transport Secretary Geoff Hoon to highlight the problems".

This is absolutely disgraceful behaviour! The Fact Compiler sincerely hopes it doesn't catch on.

Have it away day

Surprisingly this took place on a Virgin service.

Perhaps a case of suck it and see.

And of course the lady was from Essex.

Railways Illustrator file

Telegrammed by The Master
Rail enthusiasts are notorious for disliking change.

So it was brave of Pip Dunn (Editor of Railways Illustrated) to stick his head in the lions mouth and ask for feedback on his mag's new look from members of the WNXX forum.

Perhaps predictably, a lot of the feedback wasn't exactly a ringing endorsement of the changes.

To redress the balance Railway Eye has launched an exciting new survey into the Railways Illustrated redesign.

Please select your choice from the options on the right...

Corby Trouser Press

Much excitement at Corby where Network Rail has built a beautiful new station (on time).

Unfortunately intending passengers will now have to wait until March for the service to begin.

Deputy leader of Corby Council Mark Pengelly said: "This is shambolic. We will have a train station by December 14 so North Northants Development Company and English Partnerships have done their bit. The people who have let us down are the private rail companies. They have had a year to find the trains."

Perhaps First group, owner of Hull Trains, can explain the delay?

Un-Beeching

Good news from the Liberal Democrats!

The Beeching cuts of the 1960s will be reversed if the Liberal Democrats win power, according to today's Yorkshire Post.

Pictured is a fruit cake.

Rumour and tittle tattle

On Sunday The Fact Compiler popped round to see Brian Souter with some used carrier bags to refresh his collection.

Whilst partaking of a glass of Lidl's British Sherry with the careful entrepreneur the blackberry buzzes into life.

"It would appear", I venture, "that EMT may be short a managing director!"

The Stagecoach tycoon races out the room, after carefully locking away the tupperware, to make a call.

He returns.

With a negative nod of his head he resumes counting the sugar cubes and The Fact Compiler takes his leave.

The Fact Compiler also understands that recent rumours about the MD of FGW have no similar basis in truth...

Remembrance Sunday

Rutles Rail

Splendid news for Oakham and Melton Mowbray (pop 342).

According to Transit a new open access operator is hoping to serve the two towns.

Simon Pielow, formerly of Eurostar and now MD of Train Chartering is behind the open access venture.

The new company, Rutles Rail, has already had discussions with the ORR and Network Rail to identify paths.



The Rutles previously had considerable success in the 1960s as a pop band.

Unacceptable face of capitalism

First has come out in support of a third runway at Heathrow.

Moir Lockhead, the charmless Chief Executive of First Group, says the airport should be expanded.

Words that have delighted First's Thames Valley customers who have expressed near universal dismay at the scheme.

Presumably Lockjaw's damescene conversion to Heathrow expansion has nothing to do with DafT's soon to be announced decision that electrification of the Great Western will be a priority?

Cross purposes

A question for those masters of the black-arts the Timetable Planners.

BAA has divied up £240m for Crossrail

In return Lord Adonis, Prince of Daftness, has promised BAA 'four fast-train services an hour' to Heathrow.

Obviously these 'fast trains' will not stop at all stations.

The core tunnelled section, linking Paddington and Liverpool Street, is being designed to handle a maximum of 24tph (trains per hour) and it is upon this service pattern that the Crossrail business case is predicated.

If you run a mixed traffic railway (fast and slow trains) you reduce capacity - fast trains requiring a greater headway.

Is the Fact Compiler correct in thinking that for a mess of pottage DafT has sacrificed 24tph and the current Crossrail business case?

59% say Ross must go!

A very disappointing result from the latest Railway Eye survey.

Readers were invited to answer the simple question "Should Iain Coucher reject the ORR Final Determination?".

The correct answer as any fule kno was "Jonathon Ross should resign".

Well done to the 59% of you who got it right. The rest of you - 100 lines; "I must try harder".