Good news for those who hate concrete cows!
This from New Civil Engineer...
Network Rail has received planning permission to build its new eco-friendly national centre in Central Milton Keynes for 3,000 employees.
The 122km² building will be built on the site of a former hockey stadium...
Talk of a 500lb gorilla now appear somewhat conservative.
This from Lobby Fodder...
I thought your readers might be interested in this example of PR puffery gone wrong.
Many Westminster colleagues received an email today from Grand Central celebrating the score it received in the Autumn 2009 Passenger Survey, the results of which were published today.
Unfortunately GC's PR (the soi disant 'veteran' observer. Ed) appears to have suffered a keyboard malfunction, judging from the subject line in this email:
Unless of course this is a new front in the War of SLC2?
Exciting news from Network Rail!
The company hopes to appoint two new non-Exec directors, subject of course to the pliant Members rubber stamping the appointments in July.
So who are these giants of corporate governance?
Why none other than ODA Chief Executive David Higgins and railwayman's railwayman Graham Eccles.
Eccles at least should bring some much needed board focus on the needs of train operators.
But what's this?
Is NR not keen to give the uber-operator too much visibility?
Study these pictures closely, contained in NR's email release announcing the appointments, and see if you can find Mr Eccles amongst the sea of Higgins...
Looks like Network Rail spin machine is already starting to airbrush the Silver Fox out of existence.
UPDATE: This from Steve Strong...
Eye is being a little unfair.
Obviously this is part of NR's determination to become economic and efficient.
If all NR non-Execs were called Higgins it would save a fortune on stationery costs.
UPDATE: This from NR's Internet Rapid Rebuttal Unit...
This is what happens when I don't check releases before they go out.
Rest assured it was put right in minutes of the email going out and the website version is correct.
Of course it's not a surfeit of Higginses we have at Network Rail, but of Eccleses.
Graham, of course, joins his brother Richard who is our head of route planning
UPDATE: This from Driver Potter...
Right, I want to make things clear at the outset that I'm only asking because I don't want to look an idiot later on.
The Missing Eccles isn't the same as The Famous Eccles, is he?
Eye is sure NR's Eccles will be paying a similar amount of attention to times written down on a piece of paper...
This just in from Jumbo...
Overheard on the Derby train: A man telling his travelling companions that he is shortly to meet Captain Deltic and convince him that the bi-mode extravaganza will save the world.
Shome mishtake shurely?
UPDATE: This from Captain Deltic...
How intriguing.
I am indeed going to Ashford Depot tomorrow on a technical visit to find out how the Hitachi Class 395 fleet and the Class 465 re-powering is going and an SET update has been promised over a working lunch.
If Jumbo will provide details of the train I will ask which of those present was on it and actually admitting to talking to me.
They must be coming up to retirement.
UPDATE: Jumbo responds...
I thought that the IEP only had one supporter.
UPDATE: More from Captain Deltic...
Having fallen off his chair laughing the Captain gets his breath back and points out that Jumbo is being very naughty.
So which train from Euston to Rugby was it?
UPDATE: This from our International Correspondent...
What perfect symmetry.
Uncloaking industry secrets by ear-wigging over-talkative and indiscreet rolling stock engineers in the First Class end of anything leaving Derby was an intelligence gathering technique pioneered in the early 80s by one Captain Deltic, in between bouts of car-park watching (a practice now known more colloquially as 'Dogging').
Of course he was just a junior subaltern in those days.
UPDATE: Captain Deltic reminisces...
It was on a train to Derby that a foursome of Department of Transport civil servants were talking about closing the WCML north of Preston.
They didn't seem to notice that I was taking notes.
A minor stir, denials and a witch hunt ensued following publication.
Odd that while DfT is daft, we never referred to DoT as dotty.
It must have been the age of deference. Or perhaps in those dim and distant days the civil service had higher standards of competence.
UPDATE: Further cryptic details from Jumbo...
Definitely a train to Derby, well Sheffield to be strictly correct.
And a clue, it was not the noble Lord but another recently ennobled person, well gonged actually...
Good to see that freedom of speech is alive and well at Peak Rail.
As may be seen from this interesting email marking the demise of the Peak Rail discussion forum on Google Groups...
From:
To: Peak Group
Sent: Tuesday, February 02, 2010 7:21 PM
Subject: {Peak Rail topic:551} Closure of this Discussion Group
Dear All,
Today, I mistakenly let a posting through the moderation process which would have normally been moderated out.
This was caused by me not reading to the end of the post when using my Blackberry. It was a human error. I have been instructed by Jackie and Roger to reframe from moderating any further emails to this group and to "shut it down until further notice".
I would like to take this opportunity to aploligise for allowing such an inaccurate post to be published. This is therefore the last post to the 'Google Group'. I hope you, like me, found the open and transparent debate both enjoyable and informative.
With Best Wishes,
What wickedness could the offending post have contained?
Merely this:
To return to the original topic, what is the state of completion of the various stages of the legal framework we will need to connect with NetworkRail and operate into Matlock? The December Bulletin Board firmly stated that preparation work would begin in January.
From an examination of the site it appears that a shoulder of rock on the old quarry site will need to be removed. Has the permission of the landowner been obtained?
I have obtained a copy of the letter sent by NetworkRail to our M.P. in December. He seems to have sent out a number of copies. This sets out the list of outstanding agreements which they require to have completed; it has the potential to be a complicated affair which will require a lot of hard detailed work to get through. It will not be solved by a meeting or a few letters.
NetworkRail make it plain that they will have costs which they expect to recover from us. Is there an estimate of these costs and is the money to hand?
How deeply shocking!
Surely the letter from Network Rail to Patrick McLoughlin MP is not that contentious?
NR to McLoughlin 14-12-09
Eye readers are invited to draw their own conclusions.
Eye hears that Jon Pridmore is to leave the National Railway Museum on the 11th of April 2010.
Jon will be joining the A1 Steam Locomotive Trust as their ‘Mobile Operations Manager’.
Eye wonders how you can be a MoM with a fleet of just one kettle?
Unless of course Tornado isn't the limit of the A1 Truss's operational aspirations.
Jon will be celebrating his new job over drinks in York on the preceding Thursday.
As a service to the citizens of York here is a photo of the man himself.
You may wish to lock up your daughters.
Poor old FuCC.
Her Majesty's Daily Telegraph has now joined the legion calling for First to be stripped of the franchise:
The Government could do this as early as April because of a "break clause" allowing the Department for Transport to remove the company for poor performance after four years.
Eye thinks not.
Our resident legal expert, Hugh Fee, points out that the 10th April termination date referred to in the contract was dependent on performance between April 07 - April 08.
So whilst the Noble Lord might huff and puff he still can't bring FuCC's house down.
UPDATE: This from Thameslink Tommy...
Poor Neal Lawson don't you mean.
The guys only been in the job two weeks and he's already been roasted by the High Speed Evangelist.
Your readers might be interested to know that the shortfall in FuCC's driver establishment had its origins in the obsession with driving out costs championed by a previous MD.
Obviously the elimination of "spare drivers" was seen as an easy target.
Older hands knew that this wasn't wise but in the aggressive management climate that existed at the time no one felt brave enough to say so.
So as drivers left, no replacements were recruited and over time cancellations due to "driver shortages" became more and more frequent.
Hopefully driver spare ratios are being maintained over at East Coast?
Ixion - Railway Eye's resident louche traction and rolling stock engineer has just spotted this table in the InterCity East Coast franchise consultation document.
| Table 5.1 SET Train configurations | |||||
| | | | Seating capacity | ||
| | Type | Formation | Total | First | Standard |
| HST replacement | Bi-mode | Full | 630 | 132 | 498 |
| Class 365 replacement | Electric | Half | 331 | 27 | 304 |
| Class 313 replacement | Electric* | Third | 250 | | 250 |
| Tram-train | Bi-mode | Quarter | 150 | | 150 |
| Class 180 replacement | Bi-mode | Half | 273 | 27 | 246 |
| IC225 replacement | Electric | Full | 688 | 132 | 556 |
| Spares | Bi-mode | Full | 630 | 132 | 498 |
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This from New Civil Engineer...
Shadow chancellor George Osborne has today pledged that his party will build London’s £15.9bn Crossrail scheme and start work on a north-south high speed rail line should they win the next General Election.
As today's announcement signalled the third change in Tory economic policy in almost as many days, Eye wonders how long this particular commitment will last.
Exciting news from the Department for Transport!
This from the 2009 DfT staff survey:
9. Leadership & Change Management
B40 I feel that DFT as a whole is well managed 49%
B41 Senior Managers in DFT are sufficiently visible 53%
B42 I believe the actions of senior managers are consistent with DFT's values 47%
B43 I believe senior management has a clear vision for the future of DFT 40%
B44 Overall, I have confidence in the decisions made by DFT's senior managers 42%
B45 I feel that change is managed well in DFT 25%
B46 When changes are made in DFT they are usually for the better 22%
Indeed!
UPDATE: This from Leo Pink...
Do we have the score for the statement
I believe St**rt B*k*r has at least three ingenious solutions to every conceivable railway problem?
This from the ORR...
The Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) today launches a project aimed at improving the data it makes available to the rail industry.
The regulator is keen to shed light on how data can be most effectively disseminated to the rail industry, and is seeking views through a range of interviews and an online survey. Information emerging from the research will inform the future delivery and scope of ORR’s data.
ORR chief executive Bill Emery said: “The study will help us better understand how we can best deliver rail data and statistics to the rail industry and interested public.
“It is vital that the rail sector has ready access to reliable and useful information so that it can continue to improve standards of service, safety and efficiency for rail users.”
To take part in the online survey, which runs until 15 February 2010, click here.
With a bowler tip to Obnoxio...
Good to see the ORR board is broadening its membership base...
The Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) today announced the appointments of Tracey Barlow and Steve Walker to the Board as non-executive directors.
Tracey Barlow!
Coronation Street's very own Tracey Barlow who was sent down for murdering Charlie?
If the ORR can spring our Tracey from chokey just to serve on its board then NR should be very afraid.
Except it won't be.
This from Glyn Murray at National Preservation...
National Preservation have taken over the running of the Thief Watch Program.
This is for the sole purpose of raising the awareness thefts from railways and hopefully reducing the value of the items stolen (and in turn reducing the amount of thefts).
The Thief Watch system can be found at National Preservation here.
Members are invited to add items that have been stolen and any details such as photos, etc...
We can also provide an RSS feed for your website, giving live up-to date information on items stolen via this link.
UPDATE: This from an ever so slightly furious Baldrick...
National Preservation hasn't "taken over" (as Glynn so pompously claims) the running of Thief Watch.
They have merely offered help to it - along with the Railway Magazine, Steam Railway and Heritage Railway magazines.
This from Eobhann...
Network Rail appears to have withdrawn its objection to ATW’s proposed new London service.
And so have WSMR, judging from this statement in NR's letter to the ORR:
ATW has confirmed to WSMR that it would be prepared to delay the start date of the proposed services until December 2010. WSMR has indicated its support for this.
Which just leaves Virgin’s Moderation of Competition concerns…
ATW class 158 from Marylebone – Shrewsbury anyone?
No! Why ever not?
Has there been a falling out between Network Rail and the Observer?
This from Nick Cohen in yesterday's paper...
Ever since the Clearances, the nouveaux riches have aped the aristocracy and paid to play the highland gentleman. Coucher stood out from his predecessors, however. The new laird of Keills, the monarch of his very own glen, was, to all outward appearances, an undistinguished civil servant on a second-rate railway board.
Ouch!
UPDATE: This from Steve Strong...
Have any of Eye's readers noticed this extraordinary topographical lookalike?
Perhaps Mr Coucher aspires to live the lifestyle of Sir Beardie of Bendydildo?
UPDATE: This from Is 1A03 out of Chester yet, Bert?...
Now they're all getting in on the act!
This from the BBC, with a bowler tip to Sir William Pollitt...
Good to see the railway showing its best face to the nation.
After a bruising three months First Capital Connect has started going on the offensive.
According to The Herts Advertiser...
A spokesperson said: "Yesterday's performance on the Thameslink route saw 96.88 per cent of trains arriving on time which is our best performance on the route for some time. We still have a lot to do to sustain this and are doing everything we can to ensure consistency."
Of course to pretend that one solitary swallow makes a spring would be really offensive to hard pressed passengers still experiencing short formed trains...
UPDATE: This from Hirundo rustica...
One can only concur.
What the hard pressed passenger needs is a whole fleet of swallows, preferably silver on a red, grey, white and black livery.
This just in, somewhat surprisingly, from St Nicholas...
According to the policeman who took charge of one Eurostar in the absence of any initiative from the train staff - other than to call for police assistance - it was necessary to open the doors because young children were suffering because of the high temperature inside the Eurostar.
I had my work cut out that evening, I can tell you.
UPDATE: This, even more surprisingly, from St Christopher...
As Patron Saint of Travellers I should point out that St Nicholas was operating under my overall protection plan.
UPDATE: This just in from St Gregory of Nusia...
I just look after civil engineers.
Traction and rolling stock engineers appear not to have a patron saint which could explain a lot.
UPDATE: Astonishingly, this from the late Rudyard Kipling...
Could I suggest that St Martha takes over responsibility for railway engineers in general?
See my Poem "The sons of Martha and Mary".
UPDATE: This just in from Pope Benedict XVI...
I vill consider Herr Kipling's vequest and may grant ein plenary indulgence under ze usual conditions.
Right. Stop this now. It's all getting very silly. Ed
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