Obviously Railway Eye is now required reading within DafT's sprawling empire.
Or so it would appear from Eye's latest exciting survey (eyes right).
As usual, Eye's powerful analytical software has identified the source of the single vote, cast in favour of DfT specifying new High Speed lines...
Welcome Sir David and thank you for taking part.
The Fact Compiler compiler has been forwarded the following witty email.
It reads...
"Most of you will be aware of the splendid GWR Steam Railmotor under restoration at Didcot."
"In support of the project, Arriva recently staged an impromptu demonstration of what a modern steam motor might look like..."
Eye apologises to Paul for the blatant plagiarism but this was just too good not to use...
Oh dear.
Perhaps a little additional staff training required for these fine gentleman at Upminster station (C2C and the General Manager of the District line please take note).
Meantimes... nice to see pictures of Sarah back in traffic!
Good news for North Britons!
Last week the figure to build HS2 to Scotland was £34bn.
Now, according to the Birmingham Post, it's £41bn!
Presumably the SNP's referendum announcement has already halved the value of the putative country's new MacCurrency.
This just in from Peter...
I thought you would like this, but I can’t compete with Wrexham...
Welcome to Norwood Junction.
Taken on Friday at great risk from the platform ‘Stasi’ as I was standing between the yellow and white lines!
On Thursday former Shadow Secretary of State for Transport, Chris Grayling MP attended a photocall to mark the improvements at Ewell West station.
Also pictured is the former mayor who has campaigned for the changes.
Without leaving The Fact Compiler at the mercy of My Learned Friends perhaps readers might wish to suggest an appropriate caption...
Telegrammed by our International Correspondent
For those who remember when the British Railways Board went down to the sea in ships, an appeal for dosh to revive the Paddle Steamer Ryde.
This one time icon and vomit bucket paddled generations of holidaymakers to and from Vectis and has now been replaced with a sort of jetfoil catamaran thingy that is Just Not The Same.
It isn't the last railway paddler - that honour belongs to PS Waverley, neither is it the biggest bit of ex-Sealink detritus to clutter our shores (see TS Duke of Lancaster, rusting not very gently next to the North Wales Coast line) but it is very fondly remembered by those who lost their lunch overboard.
Anyone with a few bob left after the global financial crisis is invited to contact the PS Ryde Trust at info@psryde.co.uk
Former Minister Michael Heseltine has just come out in favour of Network Rail's new high speed rail proposals!
And on Radio 4's 'Any Questions'.
Mind you he was part of the government that built the Channel Tunnel!
Good to see the Telegraph maintaining its hard won reputation as a journal of record.
This from the Torygraph's website about safety concerns on the sub-surface District line.
Illustrated with a nice shot of tube stock at Oxford Circus station.
Mind you, the General Manager of the District line once ran the Bakerloo...
This just in from 'Willie' Rushton...
Further to your earlier request for updated pictures of Hawarden Bridge I travelled the Bidston to Wrexham line yesterday but did not alight there.
However I did take this photo of the northern end of platform 4 at Wrexham General station. 
Could this be a contender?
Indeed it could!
The Fact Compiler is amazed anyone can actually sign this route, unless it's by touch.
The Fact Compiler salutes Arriva Dross Country.
In particular the genius who decided to dispense with the shop in favour of an 'at-seat' (sic) trolley service.
As last week saw the final shop removed from the Voyagers the following plaintive call is to be heard aboard all XC services:
"Due to overcrowding and luggage in the aisles the trolley cannot make it down the train. Passengers wanting refreshments are invited to come to the end of coach F."
Brilliant - replace a fixed retail unit in the centre of the train with one at the far end.
And of course it carries less stock because it's just a trolley.
Did any of the bid team, so ably supported by First Class Partnerships, ever ride XC services in summer?
UPDATE: This just in from 'Bacon Butty'...
Eye readers might like to know that during the bidding there were many "mystery shoppers" aboard XC services and the shop staff all warned these people about overcrowding, bumpy vestibule connections and the general unsuitability of trolleys.
Perhaps one for Lord Adonis to get his teeth into after he's sorted out catering on the new state owned (but FCP managed) East Coast franchise...
This from an astonished reader...
Renaissance Trains has certainly been behind some radical changes to the industry in recent years.
But it's not just Open Access where they have left their mark.
Or so it would appear, judging by this statement on their website:
"Mike is a recognised expert in the areas of rail customer services, both non-board trains and at stations."
So this is where National Express got the idea for 'non-board' catering!
A reader emails to ask whether the Eye has seen any Advenza moves today?
The Fact Compiler is uncertain what this means.
Presumably the Gloucester firm has all eventualities covered... or possibly not.
We know that Number 10 is annoyed.
We know that tomorrow morning the Chief Executive of Network Rail is to give a presentation entitled:
"Meeting the rail capacity challenge - the case for new high speed lines."
Do we know what's in it? Possibly.
Have all the right people been invited? Maybe.
Has anyone a serious clue as to what's going on? Nobody!
Alas.
What with it being the Silly Season and all, industry hacks have been inundated with calls from the 'mejia' desperate to know what tomorrow is all about.
Yet more woe!
Nobody seems to have been briefed yet.
Although those with a wireless may benefit by tuning into 97.2 on the FM dial tomorrow morning...
No matter.
What are we to make of this?
Eye offers the following back-of-a-fag-packet offering (takes deep breath)...
NR have done lots of Route Utilisation Strategies (a good thing).
So they should know where the future capacity issues are (another good thing).
Logically they should plan (as both track supplier and Infrastructure Controller) to address these capacity issues (a very good thing) by suggesting new High Speed railways (even Adonis can't fault this).
Of course these new High Speed lines need to connect with the "classic railway" otherwise it will be a complete disaster.
Also NR has been working on this before Lord Adonis was invented and HS2 conceived (both also very good things).
So in the current economic climate it would be a great wickedness to throw all that work and knowledge away.
So Eye hopes that tomorrow will reveal a well though out RUS for future High Speed lines.
Something that David Rowlands of HS2 and Lord Adonis will be able to welcome.
And even something that our taciturn but cricket loving Prime Minister will be prepared to embrace.
Meanwhile, enter Eye's latest exciting new survey on who should give future direction on High Speed rail (eyes right!)
This from the Daily Record...
Teenager wrote graffiti on bridge moments before deadly fall onto railway track
'Nuff said.
Yet more good news for Londoners!
According to Tube boss Richard Parry, quoted in today's Gruaniad...
"Regrettably, we now harbour grave doubts over Tube Lines and Bechtel's ability to deliver the upgrade of the Jubilee line by the end of December, which they are contracted to do."
Strange.
Surely Transport for London is not calling into question Bechtel's project management skills?
Surely not.
Why only four months ago the TfL Board rubber stamped Crossrail's decision to award the £400m Project Delivery Partner concession to err... Bechtel - based on the US company's supposed ability to deliver complex projects on time and to budget.
Of course every cloud has a silver lining.
With Crossrail looking set to be caped after the next General Election there'll be no risk of the project overrunning.
It seems even the illustrious James May of Top Gear fame is not immune from the perils of railway trespass and vandalism.
This sorry tale from This is Devon...
A TV celebrity's world record attempt to build the longest model railway was repeatedly thwarted yesterday – by spoilsport thieves who stole parts of the track.
If only Mr May had consulted Driver Potter.
Juicing it with 750dc would have seen the thieving 'Erberts dance!
This just in from Tim...
Pictured is Hawarden Bridge taken a couple of weeks ago.
Do I win a prize?
Alas no Tim - but Network Rail are certainly in the running if Hawarden still looks this piss-poor today.
Can any readers supply more recent pictures?
Good news for York!
Provincial backwater Derby has abandoned its grandiose plans to become the UK's 'Rail Capital'.
According to This is Derbyshire...
PLANS to build a £15m centre for the UK rail industry in Derby have been scrapped.
The UK Rail Centre was intended to provide a showcase venue for the industry but the East Midlands Development Agency admits it has failed to attract investment for the project.
Derby was chosen ahead of York by the Railway Industry Association and the Rail Sector Advisory Group for the right to house the centre in 2005.
Alas.
Despite the East Midlands Development Agency spending £1.95m in 2006 on a 2.6-acre site close to Derby station no additional external funding has been forthcoming.
The design for the proposed centre also proved slightly contentious, with its eye catching 32m ventilation tower being nicknamed the traffic cone.
Perhaps apt now that this particular avenue for regional grandstanding has been closed off.
This just in from the son of John...
If you are travelling to Dublin Ferryport and need local information then the National Rail website provides the following helpful map:
You have to zoom out a long way though to see any useful landmarks...
Perhaps Messrs Hall and Green (Stationers to Lord DafT Vader) could ask NR to shift a couple of their major stations into this Equatorial paradise?
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