NatEx - learns lessons from East Coast debacle

Just how far is Dean 'Long-tongue' Finch prepared to go, to ingratiate himself with Petrol-head and Cruella de Villiers?

This toe curling piece of National Express arslikan from the Gruaniad:

Dean Finch, chief executive of the firm, said the Department for Transport was right to warn passengers that it may scrap a fares cap that limits price increases to 1% above inflation.

"It is absolutely legitimate for anybody to look at, in terms of raising revenues," said Finch.

"Everybody complains about rail fares being awful, but we have more than 1bn journeys on the railways every year. That tells you that in the overall scheme of things the railway is an effective form of travel and is an integral part of peoples' lives."

Of course National Express knows all about 'raising revenues'.

Why less than a year ago the Bus Bandit group was banned from bidding for new franchises by former Secretary of State Lord Adonis.

The reason?

Whilst its East Coast franchise may have been an "integral part of peoples lives" it certainly wasn't that integral to National Excess, who threatened to dump the operation unless they paid a lot less lovely lolly to the tax-payer.

Sadly it was not to be and the group not only forfeited the premier East Coast franchise but its then Chief Exec as well.

No matter. National Express have obviously learnt their lesson.

No doubt NatEx will continue to focus on 'raising revenues', but this time at the expense of the poor bloody passenger.

NR GSMR project disconnected?

Exciting news from Network Rail's GSMR project!

Those are the chaps constructing telephone masts up and down the network.

At least that was the plan.

Sadly word reaches Eye that 200 of them have just been told that they will be 'released' in September to save cash.

With the project rumoured to be millions over budget this is perhaps no surprise.

Happily, in a further saving, the project plans to use 02 infrastructure on freight lines to save the construction costs of building dedicated masts.

If you've ever tried to use the 02 network aboard a train you will know that the savings in call costs can also be considerable...

UPDATE: This from Billy Connections...

From around March 2012 the radio frequencies used by existing cab to shore radios have been given to broadcasters in time for the massive number of radio microphone channels required for the London 2012 Olympics.

Of course - this does open up the possibility of the Olympic Games starting late due to "overrunning engineering work"!

Railway Garden Competition - St Pancras Irrigation

Railway Garden Competition - Cardiff Central

Who should replace Iain Coucher?

The race to replace Coucher has already started.

Yesterday the Independent on Sunday suggested that NR directors Robin Gisby and Simon Kirkby might be interested in Iain's enormous bonus (shurely challenging role? Ed).

With industry bigwigs already being asked their views on who should become Network Rail's new Chief Executive it seemed only right, in the spirit of openness and transparency, that Eye readers should also have an opportunity to participate in the Great Succession Debate.

Each week Eye will post a new selection of names and invite you, dear reader, to use your skill and judgement to decide who could best replace Iain Coucher

Our first category is Men of the Moment.

And the nominations are:

• Tony Hayward (BP CEO) - Well qualified in clearing up a mess
• Gen Stan McChrystal - Well qualified in managing relationships with government
• Fabio Capello - Well qualified in managing over-expectation.
• Gordon Brown - Well qualified in listening to taxpayers
  

You can vote on the right hand side menu bar....

EDM calls on NR Members to block bonuses

Halifax MP, Linda Riordan, has sponsored the following Early Day Motion:

"That this House views with deep concern the decision of Network Rail Board to pay senior management a total of £2.4m in bonuses for 2009/10; notes that Network Rail is heavily reliant on taxpayer funding; further notes that the decision was reported in a week when everyone was asked by the Government to share the burden of reducing Britain's deficit; considers such payments as being unjustified and inappropriate and calls on the public members of Network Rail to vote against such bonus payments at the impending Network Rail AGM."

Sadly if Coucher and co wouldn't listen to the ORR or the Secretary of State for Transport then Eye doesn't hold out much hope for this succeeding.

After all NR's Public Members are famed for their ability to hold the 'private' company to account.

On the plus side - at least it affords a further opportunity for MP's to show their utter contempt for NR's money-grubbing directors

Railway Garden Competition - Birkenhead Central

This with a bowler tip to @kpmarek, via Twitter...

Transport Select Committee News

Eye understands that it is proving somewhat of a challenge to recruit the full complement of MPs to some Select Committees.

In yet another unintended consequence of the Wright Reforms MPs are proving backwards in coming forwards to take on roles.

Westminster insiders suggest that restrictions on MPs travel allowances and reductions in staffing budgets mean that some older hands are unwilling to shoulder the additional workload. Especially where Select Committee's meet on Mondays or Fridays

This means that many of those elected to serve on the new Select Committees are also new to Parliament.

Take for instance the Transport Select Committee.

Conservative Home provides a list of those who have been elected to serve as Tory members of the TSC.

Conservative members: Angie Bray (Ealing Central & Acton)*, Kwasi Kwarteng (Spelthorne)*, Paul Maynard (Blackpool North and Cleveleys)*, Iain Stewart (Milton Keynes South)* and Julian Sturdy (York Outer)* Members marked with an asterisk are new to Parliament*:

Not one old hand amongst them..

Reassuringly, according to Labour Uncut, the opposition party's nominees include some older and therefore perhaps wiser heads, including former Transport Minister Tom Harris:

Labour members – Lilian Greenwood (Nottingham South)*, Tom Harris (Glasgow South), Kelvin Hopkins (Luton North) and Angela Smith (Penistone & Stocksbridge) Members marked with an asterisk are new to Parliament*:

Meanwhile from the LibDem's not a murmur.

Apparently the coalition party hopes to confirm which of their MP's have been elected to which Select Committees by Wednesday of this week.

Expect formal confirmation of Transport Select Committee membership week commencing the 4th July.

With the Labour Shadow team somewhat thin on the ground Eye hopes TSC Chair Louise Ellman (Liverpool Riverside) has already booked Petrol-head for a grilling.

Three Peaks Challenge by Rail

This from a Mr Houghton...

Dear Fact Compiler

Would you be willing to mention that Railway Vehicle Engineering Limited participated in the Three Peaks Challenge by Rail this weekend (24th - 26th June).

Hopefully the following vaguely humourous picture of our team scaling the heights might amuse your readers:


If any of your readers feel generous then donations can still be made here.

Eye is happy to support the Railway Children - if you haven't yet please do donate. Any more teams want a mention?

Railway Garden Competition - Newcastle

Railway Garden Competition - Brora

Pointless signs - International edition

This from Globetrotter...

I hesitate to propose a signalling instruction as a pointless sign, but at first glance this makes a good candidate.


Does this mean that EMUs can SPAD with immunity?

Maybe not ...

Knowing the location, I think I know what it is all about, but others may care to hazard a guess.

UPDATE: This from Bruce...

G'Day FC,

Is it because the next signal after CL11 is in tunnel, and the sensitive Queenslanders do not want to be barbequed by fumes from antiquities that burn their own fossil fuel on board?

Or get their nice OLE knitting coated with carbon deposits when said antiquity stands at danger?

If CL11 is green, the theatrical traction has the road all the way to the open air section.

Right Away Cobber!!

UPDATE: This from our International Correspondent...

Curiously, Queensland Rail, like Dick Fearn's IE, is taking the financial hit of training more steam men to safely - and sustainably - operate kettles.

How quaint of former dominions to unbelt for this - have they not heard of Wet Coat's money saving business model of bunging retired (or in some cases, rest day) DBS men £120 for a driving turn?

Cheap and dirty, like their XXXX (removed on legal advice. Ed).

Catalis Rail Training into administration

This from City Insider...

So. Farewell Catalis Rail Training,

Born out of the old BR training division and based at the former LMS training college in Derby it went into administration on Friday.

RTC Group plc (the "Group")

Catalis administration

RTC Group plc has today (Friday) put its Training subsidiary Catalis Limited into administration.

Although restructuring in 2009 brought the business close to breakeven in the first quarter of 2010, significant revenue shortfalls in the second quarter and the uncertainty over future industry spend on rail training has led to this action being taken. The Group had explored a wide range of options in respect of the Catalis business prior to taking this action.

All other Group companies continue to trade as normal.

Eye fears that this will not be the first rail business to fall victim to uncertainties over future industry spend.

Why new Thameslink fleet is essential

Today's FT explains the importance of ordering a new Thameslink fleet:

If he cancels the Thameslink order, Mr Hammond is likely to face criticism for failing to address the shortage of rolling stock on the Oxford route - one of the most heavily used in the country.

A little knowledge is a dangerous thing.

UPDATE: This from the Raver...

I was amused to read the FT piece, in particular the reference to Wolmar 's 'Fire and Steam' sitting on Hammond's desk.

Apparently Wolmar had been to see the new Secretary of State earlier and the meeting did not go well!

When the 'transport expert' offered Hammond his tome he was curtly told "I know about railway history".

Showing his exhaustive knowledge Petrol-head then went into a rant demanding to know why trains received priority over cars at level crossings, even when it's just "a two coach train".

Sadly the FT is unclear whether cricket mad Wolmar managed to connect with the Sectretary of State when he bowled the book onto his desk...

UPDATE: This from Ithuriel...

Why does the Financial Times send people who know nothing about Transport in general and railway policy in particular to interview Transport Secretary Philip Hammond?

Does it matter that they confuse Thameslink with the residual orders of the HLOS 1300 extra vehicles?

Does it matter that that apparently don't know about the Foster Review let alone McNulty?

Well, yes, if you are a multinational bidding for railway business in the UK and your main board in Paris, Berlin or Montreal rely on the FT for their over-view.

Has Hammond really ''frozen an order for hundreds of carriages destined for Thameslink"?

If he has the FT has a genuine scoop. Or has he just frozen two minor contracts in the HLOS capacity requirement?

Still, when it comes to finance, the FT shows all its traditional expertise and insight.

A commitment to 33% cuts would mean 'shaving £5bn from the department's annual budget of just under £16bn'. No shit Sherlock! Nobel prizes for economics have been awarded for less penetrating analysis

Where is FT Transport Correspondent Robert Wright and his faithful 'railway veteran' companion when we need him?

BMA quackers

This from the Observer:

Doctors are calling for an alcohol ban on all public transport, including intercity trains and cross-Channel ferries, in an attempt to stop drunks annoying fellow passengers.

Eye calls for a similar ban on Doctors, for the same reason.

Railway Garden Competition - Faversham

This from William Dargan...


I nominate the back road (and most of the up sidings) at Faversham.

Network Rail - doomed

Whilst Coucher and his board trouser £2.4m in bonuses for a job well done (shurely shome mishtake! Ed) dark clouds are already swirling round NR's CP4 funding settlement.

This from a written answer given on Tuesday 22nd June:

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what (a) rolling stock and (b) highway improvement schemes have been deferred as part of his Department's contribution to in-year expenditure reductions for 2010-11. [2757]

Mr Philip Hammond: In light of the current fiscal position, and a softening of demand, a reappraisal of all un-committed High-Level Output Specification schemes will now commence, taking account of the National Audit Office report entitled "Increasing Passenger Rail Capacity" which was published on 4 June 2010. This report is available on the NAO website.

With the government already planning to unpick Network Rail's regulated settlement how long before the NAO decides that NR debt does indeed belong on the Government's books.

So farewell Network Rail and your grossly overpaid and out of touch board.

And a big Eye welcome to Sir Alan Budd and the Office for Budget Responsibility.

Sadly the new Director General of the Rail Infrastructure Agency will have to get along with a paltry £160k a year.

Network Rail directors show restraint

Eye salutes the restraint shown by Network Rail's directors.

Paid a mere pittance these noble figures bestride our industry like veritable colossi.

So it is only right that their paltry salaries should be boosted to enable them to put bread on the table for their starving families.

With total annual bonuses for the six top directors amounting to a piffling £1.34 million, it is surely only right that they should also receive management incentive bonuses adding up to £906,000, making a total of more than £2.4 million.

After all - just how many Iainlands can you buy for such a derisory amount?

UPDATE: This from Steve Strong...

It's Network Rail's remuneration committee that you should be having a go at!

They set these outrageous amounts.

And of course the NR Board could always turn the bonuses down. But don't hold your breath.

UPDATE: This from Philip Hammond via the BBC...

"Network Rail is of course a private company," said Mr Hammond. "But one that is dependant on taxpayer funding."

"In the week when everyone has been asked to share the burden of reducing Britain's deficit, people will rightly be asking how Network Rail's top executives feel this is appropriate."

UPDATE: This from Sir Humphrey Beeching...

No need to hold your breath.

My departmental colleagues tell me that NR Directors intend taking their full bonus entitlement.

UPDATE: This from a Time Lord...

The BBC story on NR's bonuses uses an unusual picture of the company's Chief Executive.

Do you think they had this lookalike in mind?


One is a feared genius whose creatures are made in their master's image, they seek to rule the universe and those who do not obey are immediately exterminated. The other of course invented the Daleks.

Do you think they are related? (No! Ed)

Go-Ahead blighted by schmooze policy

This from the Gruaniad...

Transport group Go-Ahead has gone into reverse after it warned that recently introduced contracts for its regulated London bus business would hit profit margins.

This downturn in performance was of course inevitable.

And happily Eye can pinpoint the precise moment Go-Ahead's fate was sealed.


When you sup with Jonah...

The Germans are coming

This from George Cross...

According to Reuters:

German state rail operator Deutsche Bahn AG is in talks with Britain about running its trains on the country's only high-speed railway, in a move that could break rival Eurostar's monopoly.

As my Grandfather observed: "Nice of them to ask this time."

UPDATE: This from Hat-maker...

I note that Eurostar has rebranded a set to mark de Gaulle’s flight to exile in London seventy years ago.

With similar French victories in mind can we look forward to a Class 373 liveried to celebrate France's World Cup football team flying home in economy class?

UPDATE: This, surprisingly, from the late President Charles de Gaulle...

Non.