This from @Andrew_Tinkler, CEO of Stobart Group, via Twitter...
Just starting using Twitter. I think it will be useful to let people know what's going on at Stobart Group.
Would that some railway CEOs and MDs did the same!
UPDATE: This from Steady Eddie...
Isn't it a bit 20th Century using his own name?
Why not two girls' names like the lorries?
Nothing yet...
...to this story on Guido's blog:
Transport Minister Sadiq Khan is in hot water this afternoon after it has been revealed that he lied to the press and to the Parliamentary authorities.
Ooops!
UPDATE: This from Steve Strong...
Will just one of these bent MPs do the honourable thing and resign?
Does anyone at Network Rail bother listening to their Chairman?
In November Rick Haythornthwaite admitted that he "heard the word 'arrogant' a lot" when listening to views of NR.
Indeed.
So what are we to make of the following?
NR's recently published Great Western RUS contains a suggestion that the former Cheltenham Spa to Stratford-upon-Avon route might be reopened.
Splendid news!
But what is this?
Alas!
Part of the route has already been reopened and is in regular use!
This from Gloucestshire.co.uk...
Volunteers from Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway (GWR), which operates steam trains on a section of the Honeybourne Line between Cheltenham Racecourse and Toddington, say they were not consulted by Network Rail before the restoration proposals were included in its route utilisation strategy.
Of course NR is not alone in riding rough shod over heritage lines.
ATOC was guilty of the same offence back in June last year.
Surely basic good manners would have avoided NR falling into the same trap?
UPDATE: This from Richard...
I think you need to look who's asking for this reopening.
If you look through the submissions to the consultation, then the "demand" actually comes from one Rt Hon D. Cameron (MP for Witney, which of course encompasses the eastern end of the Cotswold Line). He appears to have written, at the behest of a constituent, a slightly confused letter suggesting that Honeybourne-Stratford should be considered for reopening.
Network Rail may not think this is a remotely plausible scheme, but I presume self-preservation dictates that when the probable next Prime Minister suggests something, you have to at least pay it lip service.
Eye has in the past been a little critical of The Thin Controller.
But this is as nothing to the fury that will be directed against the Noble Lord for having the temerity to criticise UNITE and its members for threatening industrial action over Easter.
On Sunday Lord Adonis opined:
"Let's be absolutely clear the stakes are incredibly high in this strike and I absolutely deplore the strike,"
"It's totally unjustified, this strike, on the merits of the issues at stake, and I do call on the union to engage constructively with the company."
See the 'forces of hell' muster here, here and here.
The next big question is will Adonis dare to open a second front against the brothers by laying into the RMT and TSSA, who are also threatening to paralyse Easter travel on the railways?
UPDATE: This from Lobby Fodder...
It looks as if Adonis is getting his retaliation in first.
The plans for a super new 10 platform HS2 station at Euston will see TSSA's HQ demolished!
UPDATE: This from Sir Humphrey Beeching...
As the Clunking Fist backed Lord Adonis on BBC Radio 4's Women's Hour today, it is pretty safe to assume that the 'forces of hell' have not yet been unleashed...
UPDATE: This from Biggles...
TSSA's head office gets reduced to rubble but ASLEF retains its Branch Office (The Exmouth Arms) which miraculously looks set to escape the bulldozers!
Yet further proof that ASLEF stands head and shoulders above the rest.
This from the Civil Aviation Authority...
CAA STATISTICS show last year’s fall in passenger numbers was biggest since the Second World War
This from the Commuter...
Last year Eye ran a piece about John McCririck helping XC promote their services to the Cheltenham Festival.
Well he's back again.
And this time there is a highly professional video making use of some top quality Powerpoint effects.
Poor old John - he looks as shaky as the franchise he is promoting.
UPDATE: This from Steve Strong...
Perhaps Arriva should would have been better spending McCririck's fee on installing WiFi across its fleets, as it promised when it won the franchise.
According to the shaky TOC this should have been completed by 11th November 2009 (two years into the franchise).
Good to see that Department for Transport is on the case with this clear breach of a franchise commitment.
Those nice people over at the Railway Herald organised a surprise Birthday Party for Brian Morrison yesterday. 
Although Brian reached the tender age of 80 last week, his big-do was held on Saturday at the Buckinghamshire Railway Centre.
Guests from the railway industry, press, photographic and ten-pin bowling worlds marked the occasion in some style.
Although absences, without due apologies, were duly noted.
Anyone remember that crap from Rentokil about cockroaches on trains?
Well Ben Goldacre has fisked the story.
As a consequence Rentokil snuck out the following half arsed apology last night:
All of which means that, in our experience, it is very rare to find heavily infested buses, trains or other forms of transport in the UK. Standards will vary around the world but UK standards are very high...
We’re really sorry that the numbers that appeared in the media were wrong and misleading and we’ve put in place a number of measures to ensure it doesn’t happen again.
Cnuts.
UPDATE: This from Peezedtee...
So, I've left a message on the Rentokil blog, expressing my confidence that Rentokil will now be paying large compensation to train and bus companies for telling complete lies that will have damaged their businesses.
My comment is "awaiting moderation".
UPDATE: From Peezedtee on Sunday evening...
The Rentokil blog has now published my comment, along with 48 others, every single one extremely critical of their policy of putting our barefaced fibs.
This seems to have turned into a major PR disaster for Rentokil.
This from the Pink 'Un...
Tim O'Toole has held preliminary discussions with Tube Lines about the possibility of becoming its chief executive.
Gosh!
Fame at last!
Whilst your Nigel Harrises, Roger Fords and Christian Wolmars swan around the broadcast media the team behind Railway Eye have achieved true fame in no less a mighty organ than the Western Gazette: (who? Ed)
Since The Western Gazette reported UK Railtours' refusal to stop its train at Sherborne, company owner John Farrow has reiterated his argument on popular the internet blog Railway Eye. (this is almost gibberish are you sure you want to run this? Ed)
To view Eye's original story click here.
Meanwhile your humble scribblers are off to celebrate our fabulous new found fame with a very large... (no you're not - you're all fired. Ed)
This extra-ordinary image of the Tay Bridge from Google Maps, with a bowler tip to Mercator...
Mercator continues:
The Road Bridge has an equally slipped connection.
Fife appears to have grown by between 15 and 20 yards at this point.....relative to Angus on the north shore.
What more proof do you need that the interweb is the devil's work!
The Fact Compiler has been wondering where the Thin Controller got his idea for a Y shaped HS2 route?
No, it's not possible - is it?
UPDATE: This from Lobby Fodder...
I think this is what you are looking for.
It has been commissioned by a grateful nation and shows The Thin Controller in his HS2 trollies.
It will have pride of place in the new Euston Arch - gateway to the HS2 station.
So good news from the North Norfolk Railway!
This from ITV Anglia Tonight...
An extraordinary thing happened on Thursday: hundreds and hundreds of people, possibly even thousands turned out for the opening of a new level crossing in North Norfolk.
Can it be long before NR issues a press release entitled: Sheringham 'would it kill you to wait?'
UPDATE: This from a Mr Tilly...
Some more photos of the opening event here.
Telegrammed by Ithuriel
This Written Answer from the Noble Lord given on the 10th March:
In the latest year for which figures are available, the Department for Transport spent £328,471 on photocopier paper.
This figure excludes spend by the Vehicle Operator Services Agency, which could only provide the information at disproportionate cost.
£328,471!
On photocopier paper!!
And how much of that was down to the late and unlamented IEP?
This from Moley in the House on the 9th March...
Recent improvements in the industry include the introduction of new train protection systems, new rolling stock and better management of the infrastructure. The independent rail safety regulator, the Office of Rail Regulation, has acknowledged a steady improvement in railway safety standards, and the UK's record is comparable to that of other western European countries. To build further on this strong safety record, the high level output specification for rail calls for a 3 per cent. reduction in the risk of death or injury to passengers and staff by the end of 2014.
With the country broke no doubt DafT knows exactly how it will achieve this 3% reduction in risk... operate 3% fewer trains!
This just in from Claude Bottom...
You Roast Beef are zo funny.
In your Chilterns you have Messieurs Les Nimby complaining about the route of your LGV Deux.
Incrediblue!
En la Grand France we welcome such things.
And if our government fails to provide a gare to compensate for ze blight then it is guerre!
So Monsieur Bufton Le Tufton pull up les socks, embrace le change and campaign for Shooter Hauptbahnhof! (is this right? Ed)
UPDATE: This from our man in a railway carriage near Compiegne...
Lieber Fakt Kompiler.
I zink zat my meine freunde Klaus von Bottom from Alsace Lorraine let his cover as a cheminot slip when he referred to Herr Schuter's railway.
Telegrammed by Biggles
Questions will no doubt be asked at the British Airport Authority’s (BAA) Heathrow bunker this weekend over how the HS2 link hit the blocks.
HS2’s report was dismissive of the suggested link, sniffily pointing out that over 80% of prospective punters for HS2 will want to get to Central London, and not be delayed by 9 minutes taking the scenic route via Heathrow.
Meanwhile the big aviation winner in the HS2 plans unveiled by Adonis yesterday is Independent Birmingham Airport’s (BHX) - which should gain a swanky new Airport station, putting Birmingham International Airport just 38 minutes from London and encroaching on Heathrow’s lucrative customer base.
The HS2 team also saw through a ‘Trojan Horse’ report from the Conservative Bow Group – which whined on about the importance of feeding ever-increasing numbers of punters to Heathrow.
Industry cynics see the Bow report as a pisspoor vicarious attempt to attract volume, thus justifying the deeply loathed third runway at Heathrow (prop. BAA) rather than distribute aviation to other UK airports with spare capacity.
The BHX change of fortunes results from a happy planetary alignment which saw new Chief Executive Paul Kehoe parachuted in during 2008, to give the Birmingham BHX regime a good shake-up (shurely 'kicking'? – ed), with a new gospel that the world did not end at the county boundary.
Since then Kehoe has orchestrated a £50 million new terminal, and is well on his way to starting work on a runway extension which will see BHX competing on a level playing field with all the other ‘big boys’ for very long-haul aviation business.
Adding HS2 to the mix will signal open season on the cosy coterie of so-called London Airports who are terrified that new long-haul airlines may choose Birmingham instead.
BAA’s spin machine was caught off guard when Reichsmarshall Kehoe deployed his secret weapon - none other than the sharp-shooting and combative Baron Von Richtmorris (former Virgin Cross Country PR monkey John Morris).
After shredding the ludicrous ‘Boris Island’ Airport proposal, Morris cheerfully declared that BHX should feature on the Underground Map as, in journey time, it would soon be in Zone 4 – closer than Gatwick, Stansted, Luton – or even Heathrow on a good day. Evidently an Aviation Wonk promoting rail has succeeded in winning friends in high places.
It helps of course that Kehoe is not an aviation ideologue. He has caused more than a stir in the rank and file of aviationistas by suggesting that the German Model – to ‘fly the train’ and mix modes should not be beyond the wit of man, even in Britain. If some short-haul European business goes to rail then so be it – there are bigger fish to fry.
He also infuriated BAA, BA and Virgin bosses at the AGM of the Airport Operators Association (ATOC for the flyboys) by pointing out that Heathrow had six runways in 1946 and they’d been rather careless in losing four of them. Such was the old guard fury over this witty observation that it was excised from the official record of proceedings!
Whilst aviation industry grandees find his approach irksome, Kehoe has impressed politicians of all colours by his practical yet blunt style which offers solutions without making huge demands on the local environment or the public purse.
His killer blow was that Birmingham has slots to spare – claiming it can take another 9 million extra passengers without pouring a drop of concrete and that Birmingham could provide a Solution to the ‘Heathrow Problem’ for around 2% of the cost and without slating 700 homes for demolition.
Clearly BAA was over confident that Adonis and HS2 Limited would fall in line, sheep-like, as so many politicians and transport planners have done before.
The Fact Compiler has received this blatant piece of self publicity from the IRRU...
For those who missed me on Five Live tonight, where I scored a points victory against Bob, there is good news!
PJ fans can tune into C4 news tonight at 7pm, too...
You have been warned!
This from Transport Minister Sadiq Khan, via Twitter...
Big big announcment today on High Speed Rail. Lord Adonis to make in Lords at 1130 with me making statement in Commons at 1215. Big Day!
Who says Twitter isn't useful.
UPDATE:This from Lobby Fodder...
Thought you might like to know that there will also be an un-press conference with Lord Adonis between 14:00 and 15:00 this afternoon.
But as it will be "off the record" and "off camera" it won't officially be happening.
And now that you know I'm afraid I'll have to kill you.
UPDATE: This just in from the DfT Press Office...
To confirm our press conference today is on-the-record but off-camera.
UPDATE: This from our man at 222 Marylebone Road...
According to the Thin Control-freak writing in The Thunderer today:
"Three of the pioneers of high- speed rail are Japan, the Netherlands and South Korea."
Ah yes, who can forget the race between the Dutch and the Japanese to be first with a high speed line.
Those were the days when the railway world followed with fascination the ever increasing speeds achieved in test runs of the Bullet Train and 'Flying Clog'.
UPDATE: This from 10 Downing Street, via Twitter...
No10: Gordon Brown travelling to East Midlands this morning ahead of the government's HS2 announcement.
The 'tweet' was accompanied by this picture:
His staff may wish to ensure that there are no mobiles in the vicinity when they tell him he is on the wrong train...
UPDATE: This from the Commuter at about 12:12...
See there's a pic of Gordon Brown taking the train to the HS2 announcement on his Twitter feed.
Funny, because I live opposite the site and saw his cavalcade of about 6 highly polluting cars, accompanied by several police motorcycles, pull up a few hours ago.
So he certainly didn't arrive by train!
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