Saturday, 28 February 2009
Fraser the Eagle
Sunday travel
This from mhmediaonline
Adolf attempts to take his bicycle on a train... on a Sunday!
Genius
Penny wise, pound rich
Bowler tip to Driver Potter for this...
Where the air world leads can the railways fail to follow?
Ryanair is musing over whether to charge passengers for making use of on-board facilities.
How long before cash strapped TOCs follow suit?
Virgin fares farce
Beardie Rail has been caught out offering non-existent fares.
This from the News and Star...
"Virgin Trains is advertising return tickets from Cumbria to Paris and Brussels for £87 – but has now admitted the fare is impossible to obtain."
Here's to fares supremo Graeme Leech being hauled up in front of the Advertising Standards Authority!
Friday, 27 February 2009
Bowker sets out his stall
***This from former Rail hack Will Green, now The Journal's Political Editor***
Perhaps Platinum Trains had a point?
Bowkerballs 2
By his own words shall you judge him!
This from the Daily Telegraph, 15th August 2007...
"We have had a very simple bidding philosophy,'' said Mr Bowker. ''We will not bid at levels we think are unsustainable or undeliverable - there's no point in being a hero for a day and a villain forever more afterwards."
A villain forever more.
Bowkerballs
The Silver Surfer argued that National Express East Coast should no longer be liable for the £1.4bn it has promised to pay the treasury, as the deal was signed in "a different economic climate" .
Good effort Rich!
What an ugly baby!
The donor vehicle is 37272 and work has already started today at top secret Derbyshire research centre, Llih Worrab!
UPDATE: An excited Captain Deltic asks...
...will the next project be to re-engine a Deltic with a class 50 engine to recreate DP2?
UPDATE: This harsh response from a Rail Professional columnist...
I think it's great if someone is going to recreate a baby Deltic.
Since they were withdrawn after barely a decade's service, it can be a permanent reminder to everyone of everything that was worst about British Rail.
Perhaps a Rosco could pay for its refurbishment as a permanent reminder of the follies of public sector specification?
No point - the IEP is doing the job already.
Thursday, 26 February 2009
Adonis ruled "out of order"
Lord Adonis received a dressing down from the Transport Select Committee yesterday for having leaked his evidence beforehand.
"There's extreme concern in the committee that today there was extensive coverage in the media of what it's alleged you are going to say," Louise Ellman said.
"This is really out of order".
He claimed he thought that, since he was merely restating government policy, it wouldn't be a problem.
He's frankly lucky Gwynneth Dunwoody is no longer around to rip him limb from limb.
UPDATE: Meanwhile Nigel Harris excoriates the TSC for piss-poor performance...
Wednesday, 25 February 2009
Listening government
Where Railway Eye goes, ministers are sure to follow.
Within hours of our Independent Expert posting that rail fares need to fall because of deflation, what happens?
Ministers let it be known that "rail fares will be allowed to fall in line with deflation".
In the land of the one-eyed the blogger is king!
Pigs in space?
UPDATE: This direct from Network Rail...
What confirmation that 'sizeable' bonuses wil be paid at Network Rail this year?
The year is not over, the final numbers have not been crunched and the remuneration committee has not made a decision.
The story that provoked this latest furore is the TSSA's brandishing of a 'leaked' letter which talks about NEXT year's management incentive plan - a plan that stretches incentives and further aligns them to passenger benefits.
Unlike the banks, Network Rail's bonus scheme (which encompasses everyone, whether signaller, maintenance worker, humble press officer or board member) rewards success.
It is also a licence condition and agreed with the ORR.
If train performance improves, assets are well managed and costs are controlled then bonuses are triggered.
We welcome this debate.
O'Toole - the reason why shocker
This from the Currant Bun.
"O’Toole – known as the Invisible Man – masterminded the huge transport operation."
Disgraceful!
Gone to the dogs?
Captain Deltic reporting that Rotem has not submitted a bid for the 200+ DMU vehicles brought forward by the Pre Budget Statement:
"With Hyundai Rotem of Korea having pulled out for the time being, the bidders, in alphabetical order, are Bombardier Transportation, CAF of Spain and CSR Nanjing Puzhen of China."
DafT is still claiming it's an open race, despite strange words from my Lord Adonis at the IEP press conference...
Legs crossed
This from DMPS at Newcastle...
An announcement on departure of the 16.06 Transpennine Express from Newcastle to Manchester Airport yesterday:
"Ladies and gentlemen we are sorry to announce that this train has no working toilets. We will be making toilet stops at Darlington, York and Huddersfield".
The Lord said smile, things could be worse, so I smiled and tied a knot in it.
At least we now know that the maximum time between permitted loo stops is 48 minutes! (York - Huddersfield).
IEP horsepower revealed
This from Andy Roden, over at the IRJ...
The real number of horsepower for the IEP is two!
At least it could be, judging by the very odd picture to be found at the ONCF's website:Zut alors!
Mystery 377
This from Peezedtee...
Not sure if this is of any interest, but for the last few days an empty Class 377 (in Southern colours) has been whizzing back and forth through Elephant and Castle, a beast not previously seen in these parts, as far as I know.
Presumably this is something to do with Key Output Zero (route testing?) ready for 22 March.
Yeo off message?
Telegrammed by the Master
The Master attended Monday night’s Railway Study Association annual dinner.
An occasion where the great and the good of the railway industry get to meet the strange fraternity of men with an over abundance of pens in their top pockets.
The guest speaker was Tory Tim Yeo MP, a choice which puzzled many as he’s not known for his knowledge of the rail industry.
Tory Tim quickly alienated many by needlessly sticking the boot into the corpse of BR in a poor attempt to defend privatisation.
But it was his remarks about Colchester station which confused the most.
Tory Tim criticised the station as being an unpleasant place to use because it didn’t offer “an airline experience”.
Presumably he meant that you can just pitch up, buy a ticket and board a train.
Rather than have to turn up two hours before and queue for security with your shoes in your hand whilst your luggage is sent to another country.
Mind the gap
So farewell then Tim O'Toole, top man at London Underground.
Eye understands that Tim will return to the States for personal reasons.
Even so, should provide an interesting topic of conversation when Boris meets Gordon today to discuss moving Crossrail forward.
Monday, 23 February 2009
A clue to the IEP decision
Bombardier of course had already traded Long for Short, as the original commitment was for 23 !
Air leak
This just in from the Transport Select Committee...
23 February 2009: For immediate release
SCA 10/2008-09
EVIDENCE SESSIONS
1. RAIL FARES AND FRANCHISES
2. THE USE OF AIRSPACE
As Dr Death will not be giving evidence the TSC must already have a view on the best "use of airspace".