First for cutting carbon emissions

Is it a bird, is it a plane...

No, it's the latest German designed kettle!



Makes Tornado look halfhearted.

(With a bowler tip to Driver Potter and WNXX)

London Midland - no plan B?

So a truly disastrous day for London Midland.

Nothing running on the franchise, with the honourable exception of the Liverpool - Birmingham route.

First a bit of background.

Several months ago London Midland found it difficult to operate all its timetabled Sunday services.

Sunday is of course a rest day and therefore not a rostered turn, requiring staff to volunteer to crew services.

In an attempt to buy its way out of trouble the beleaguered TOC agreed to pay traincrew double time to work on Sundays!

Double time on a £37k drivers salary - nice work if you can get it.

Alas.

This couldn't last, not least because DfT has been making dark noises about LM costs being "out of control".

So an end to this cosy arrangement was never in doubt.

What is causing surprise is LM's apparent lack of preparedness for the obvious backlash.

Why, for instance, weren't managers drafted in to provide a token London service?

No doubt Lord Adonis will be asking the same question of Captain Permatan at their next meeting (sans biscuits).

Curse of Porterbrook?

Captain Deltic may wish to look away now!



Unhappy D9009.

This is of course the same loco that was previously owned by Porterbrook.

And which errr... 'got on fire' on its first public outing after being expensively repainted in the Rosco's livery...

UPDATE: This from an 'Old Porterbrookian'...

Oh no it wasn't!

Porterbrook had 9016 Gordon Highlander.

That was the one which 'got on fire' - nicely snatching defeat from the jaws of a PR victory.

The Fact Compiler stands corrected - a shame as it was a jolly good headline!

UPDATE: This from our International Correspondent...

Fact Compiler - you are such a pants trainspotter!

UPDATE: This just in from Driver Potter...

How sad.

A beached Gunboat.

What a shame there wasn't a third rail present - clearly some form of stabaliser is required...

UPDATE: This from our International Correspondent...

Driver Potter bewails the absence of a third rail beneath the beached gunboat.

Why?

It would just result in the East Coast greyhound emitting a shower of sparks.

And we already know what a Deltic with sparks coming out looks like:


Hopefully we have now managed to work into this thread the correct engine number (and associated PR Own Goal for Porterbrook) that the Fact Compiler thought he was talking about first time round.

No, no, no! I was talking about the second time it "got on fire", or was it the third, just after leaving Brush in 1999 in its pretty new Porterbook livery.

Stewards enquiry shocker

This just in from Bob Poynter...

I am not convinced that David Rowlands voted for himself in your recent poll to identify who should lead high speed rail.

A far more likely explanation is that Sadie the Guide Dog put her paw on the wrong button when trying to vote for herself.

Which is of course why she is the stand out choice to lead the project.

Alliva Closs Countly

This from the Ninja...

Arriva Cross Country must be getting desperate...

...judging by the enthusiasm of its train managers for excessing any passenger whose knowledge of rail fares falls just slightly short of Barry Doe's.

So far (on 1M46) I've seen one spend the time between Basingstoke and Reading winning a prize for revenue protection - but not international relations - with his treatment of four Japanese tourists unwise enough to use an SWT Groupsave ticket on an AXC "voyager".

Plus the new mobile shopette (or trolley) cornered two girls at Banbury and they got overcarried to Leamington before they could get past to rescue their luggage. Not sure if they got exc'eed though!

Perhaps it's an attempt to reduce overcrowding as I don't expect they'll be back in a hurry.

September seventy years ago...

The European railways didn't cover themselves with glory during Hitler's war.

'Nuff said.

However, there were one or two occasions where continental railways played their part.

This from Tunnel Vision...

Sir Nicholas Winton has been referred to as the ‘British Schindler’...

Eye raises the bowler to all those who played their part, on land, sea or air, seventy years ago.

Death of the machine - Shocker

Telegrammed by our Independent Expert
The fightback against mechanized mugging has begun!

This seen next to a vending machine on the down platform at Wickford today:


Perhaps a portent?

One heralding the return of decent on-train nosh in East Anglia?

(Start lobbying Stagecoach now folks. Ed)

Eccles 25:17

Has the Silver Fox lost his touch?

Commenting on tomorrow’s widespread cancellation of services by London Midland, Shadow Secretary of State for Transport, Theresa Villiers, said:

“London Midland needs to get their act together. They really should have contingency plans for a situation when their regular drivers don't put their names down for Sunday shifts.

“Given the importance of Sunday services to passengers, particularly families, it is just not good enough to cancel virtually every train for the whole day just because of driver shortages. And passengers should have been given much longer notice of this problem.

“Why didn't the company see this problem coming sooner?”

No matter.

Eye gives you Mr Eccles in full flow (in French of course)...



London Midland: Be afraid, be very afraid...

Arriva XC - Lather and lace?

Arriva Cross Country must be upping its game!

Judging by the chintzy lace blinds to be found on this Voyager set pictured at Sheffield.


Presumably the much derided 'trolley' now has a linen tablecloth?

UPDATE: This just in from Arriva Cross Country...

Dear Fact Compiler

Having seen the picture of our splendid Voyager at Sheffield I couldn't help but comment.

While we aim to ensure our customers' travel experiences with us are excellent, we hadn't actually thought about putting lace blinds in the windows.

However, looking at the image a little closer I think you will find that anyone who likes the idea could enjoy a similar experience by sitting opposite any stationary train at that platform on a suitably sunny day to get the same reflection from the canopy edgings.

Sadly, like the accusation our 'trolley' service is "much derided", there's just no truth to the story...

2009 Railway Garden Competition #XXIV

Through the wonders of MMS the following communication reaches The Fact Compiler.

It reads...

Captain Deltic's contribution to the 2009 Railway Garden Competition:


Eye imagines Iain Coucher saying "Pah! Amateurs".

Stagecoach rattles the bucket

Good news for East Midlands Trains passengers!

This from the Independent...

Some rail passengers will have to fork out for fare rises of up to 145 per cent from next week.

The East Midlands Trains company is making alterations to some of its Travelcard tickets which will affect passengers travelling in the morning from Market Harborough, Kettering and Wellingborough to London.

Presumably Stagecoach supremo Brian Souter needs all the pennies he can get if he is to buy the rail and bus businesses of the doomed National Express Group.

Meanwhile, don't expect DafT to kick up a fuss over EMT's swinging fare increases.

If Souter can raise the necessary gee-gaws to buy C2C and NXEA it will save DafT the public humiliation of testing Cross Default in court.

Happy days!

Pointless signs #11

UPDATE: This from A Train Driver Lost somewhere in EMT-land...

Pointless sign #11 isn't *entirely* pointless - in the areas of EMT-land where passenger intelligence is best described as limited, it can be almost embarrassing watching the darlings trying to open the doors by thumping the glass, kicking the body of the door, swearing at it or merely looking bemusedly at it because it hasn't magically opened for them.

Having a little sign pointing out that there's a nice button to press helps - at least for those who can read...

Nice to know our efforts are appreciated by the Eye though! ;o)

2009 Railway Garden Competition #XXIII

Eye is delighted to present the Hanging Gardens of Derby...



With a bowler tip to the Wicked Weaver...

Avaracious vending machines

A quid for a cup of hot water!


Compliments to Beardie Rail for allowing this mechanised mugging to take place at Rugby station.

2009 Railway Garden Competition #XXII

This just in from JASB the Ninja...

I thought you'd like to see a couple more entries for the Railway Gardening Competition, both seen on a jolly family outing to Vectis on Bank Holiday Monday.

Here's the start of our trip at Hook. My son said that this was "lacking in colour", so it may not be a winning entry.

He also pointed out that the vegetation is beginning to obscure the bases for the new signals (which were installed about 18 months ago as part of the Basingstoke resignalling phase II or III ... but that's another story).

Here's what we found at the other end.


Now this really is a Railway Garden.

It was installed on the disused Up platform at Shanklin some years ago (probably during Island Rail's short-lived period of UDI).

I think a machete is advised now if you want to admire its charms.

South Eastern shows a caring side

This just in from from Our Man in Bradway Tunnel...

Nice to see that there are still youngsters who are excited by the railway.

This from the BBC...

"The parents of a boy who has run away to try to catch a train have asked railway staff to put up warning posters to stop him getting into danger."

I note the young gentleman has tried to buy a ticket to leave Marden.

Can't say I blame him.

It's heartening to read this, though:

"Railway staff at stations all along the line from Tonbridge to Ashford now have pictures of Toby to help them keep a lookout for him should he try to get on a train again."

A bowler tip to staff on South Eastern - clearly they are taking their duty to their passengers seriously.

Sir Peter Hall claims barriers "insane"

This just in from a Mr Malins...

I know the Eye has had a lot of fun with the Railway Garden Competition, and I trust we shall see more of the weedkilling train as a result, but are you ready to return to the theme of barriers? It deserves Eye's renewed attention.

I have a letter, signed by his Lordship DafT Vader concerning the work of his stationers Green and Hall:

"The stations standards initiative that I have set up will be focusing on getting the basic facilities right as well as considering the broader role of stations. It will not be looking at ticket gates."

The duo have been to Sheffield whereupon Sir Peter described the Stagecoach barrier scheme as "insane" and said he would have a word with Adonis.

So it's back to you Secretary of State.

Results of Eye's latest exciting survey

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.

ATW backs steam rail motor

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...

Sarah and the security guard

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!