So Terry Morgan will be the new chairman of Crossrail.
Morgan, currently boss of Tube Lines, will start work in November next year, according to a story filed by Dan Milmo last Thursday.
But what's this?
There is still no mention of this key non-executive appointment on the Crossrail website.
Perhaps unsurprising therefore, that none of the Sunday's could be bothered with the story either.
One of the delights of summer is the traditional Railway Garden.
Alas, with winter upon us Mother Nature is in retreat, revealing a multitude of sins previously obscured by the Railway Garden.
Above is the delightful vista that welcomed passengers awaiting trains from Crewe's platform 4 on Friday.
The Fact Compiler prefers black tie.
Mind you, wearing one doesn't automatically make one a gentleman.
What is it with Germans and trains?
Children ordered off trains.
Put them in a uniform...
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.
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.
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.”
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.
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.
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.Surprisingly this took place on a Virgin service.
Perhaps a case of suck it and see.
And of course the lady was from Essex.
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...
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?
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.
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.
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