Good news for passengers on GoAhead's dire franchises.
This from StockMarketWire.com...
The bus and train company, Go-Ahead, has appointed Keith Down, formally Finance Director of pub group, JD Wetherspoon plc, as its new Group Finance Director.
He takes up his position in March.
At last!
Fall-Behind has finally managed to recruit a director with experience of running a piss-up in a brewery.
This from the BBC's Martin Rosenbaum...
Lord McNally, the minister in charge of freedom of information policy, says he once tried to submit an FOI request himself. He submitted his application to Network Rail - only to be frustrated when informed that this government-created company falls outside the scope of the Freedom of Information Act.
Earlier this month his government announced plans to broaden the scope of FOI to additional bodies, including various private organisations with public functions.
But ironically this did not extend to Network Rail. Although both coalition parties pledged before the election that it should be covered, Lord McNally says they will now wait while the restructuring of the rail industry is under consideration.
Yet another broken promise from the ConDems.
No doubt the sighs of relief in King's Place will be audible all along York Way.
Dear Flabby Southerners
Apparently:
'Tony Beckwith at Ribblehead dines on cow pie and spinach and can do baton twirls with railway lines.
'Rumour has it he uses detonators to clear his sinuses' (but don't tell RSSB. Ed)
View this and weep!
And this
Slack renewals teams South of Watford (and in Lancashire) claim that these are mere fibreglass components of a display at the Ribblehead Visitor Centre - presently undergoing refurbishment.
We shall see, when it re-opens at Easter.
This from an Eye spy...
You might like to know that Cross Country unit 220030 has been fitted with trial WiFi in First Class and will be labelled internally next week.
Good news!
Reports on its effectiveness or otherwise most welcome.
This from the Mad Hatter...
Pans People at work...
Pans People not at work...
Naughty!
Telegrammed by Biggles
Time for an exciting New Eye Competition!
Using your skill and judgment please categorise these three photos accordingly:
1. A pointless obstruction
2. Another pointless obstruction
3. A national asset
Photo one:
Photo two:
Photo three:
The prize, for the right answer, is a brand new passenger focused railway!
This from The Yokel...
Would these pictures from Hatfield (Herts) qualify as Pointless Sign entries?
The bridge is the only way onto and off the island platform that serves both fast and slow Down lines.
If we cannot pass the sign, then it is pointless having Down trains stop at Hatfield (except to pick up passengers from the previous train who have realised that they cannot leave the station).
With the slightly darker mood occasioned by the news that the BTP intends to award itself the authority to shoot passengers, perhaps all those pictured breaching railway bylaws should be dealt with 'Met stylee'?
Good news for those concerned about fare evasion!
This from Sky News...
Sky News has learned that the growing threat of terrorism has prompted British Transport Police to draw up plans for its own firearms division.
Brazilian passengers may wish to travel by coach in future.
Telegrammed by Leo Pink
The Government's response to the Franchising Consultation appears to mark a clean break with the policies of the discredited Major, Blair and Brown years.
Or so it would appear from this:
So. Welcome to the new world of Franchising!
This from the DfT's Reforming Rail Franchising: Government response to consultation and policy statement, published today:
2.4 It was pointed out that the present arrangement of 7-10 year franchises has established a highly competitive market, delivering increasing financial returns to the Government.
3.2 The consultation acknowledged that the “Cap and Collar” mechanism used on many existing franchises has produced perverse outcomes, as well as significant financial liabilities for the Government.
Can both these statements be true?
UPDATE: This from Travelling_Wolf, via Twitter...
Yes.
High returns are consistent with high liabilities.
This from The Marsham Street Observer...
Following Japan's heavyweight lobbying in favour of Hitachi, the reception area outside Petrol-head's Great Minster House office is increasingly resembling the Court of Tamerlane.
The place is awash with ministers, ambassadors and plenipotentiaries from France, Germany, Spain, China, and Korea all vying to lay their manufacturers plans for an HST successor before King Hammond.
Sadly though, of Brits not a sight was seen...
Telegrammed by Ithuriel
Here is a table from the interim submission of Sir Roy McNulty's Rail Value for Money study.
Older readers who passed the 11 Plus and younger readers with an A* in Advanced Maths may care to check the right hand column.
Eye wonders whether it is safe to trust Sir Roy and his team with the industry's finances?
UPDATE: This from Martin...
It's more serious than you realise...
Never mind the fact that the percentages don't add up to 100 (which could be explained by a further, hidden category).
I'm more interested in the way that if you use the net cost of each category together with it's percentage to calculate the overall total, each category suggests wildly different figures...
UPDATE: This from The Economist...
It's not clear what the final column actually refers to.
I think it is saying that long distance franchises cover 75% of their costs and government covers the remaining 25% while for regional franchises they only cover 39% of their costs. - hence the col should not add up to 100%
It is certainly not the proportion of Govt spending that goes to each of the three groups.
UPDATE: This from The Archer...
What’s more worrying than the 105% total is that none of the figures in the final column bear any relation to the supposedly related figures in the £m column.
The 61% should for example read 56% so the ‘inescapable conclusion’ in paragraph 6.3.3 is not correct, although what the actual conclusion should be escapes me.
Sad news indeed for South Eastern passengers who rely on social media to plan their journeys.
According to the 853 blog @Train_Driver is no more!
The anonymous twitterer was famed for being the only reliable source of information on how South Eastern services were running (sic) during the recent adverse weather.
This for instance on the 30th November:
Of course South Eastern doesn't do social media.
This despite yesterday's wise words from Bill Emery of the ORR:
"Britain has recently experienced hostile weather conditions and all transport sectors have faced difficulties - but the regulator is clear that the rail industry can, and must, improve performance for passengers, particularly in providing useful and accurate information."
@Train_Driver - you will be sorely missed.
This from the Windsorian...
I see that a Stop HS2 2011 National Convention has been called for 19th February at Stoneleigh Park in Warwickshire.
Apparently the opening speaker is none other than... Christian Wolmar - the World's Greatest Living Transport Correspondent!
Eye fervently hopes that the Great Man can recover his bicycle in time to attend this important event.
Perhaps readers can help?
Apparently it was last seen on Mount Kilimanjaro, further updates would be appreciated...
UPDATE: This also from the Windsorian...
Wolmar sets out his case against HS2...
No longer 'Two Bikes Wolmar' - now it's 'Two Mikes'!
On a more serious note, Wolmar asks legitimate questions about the case for HS2.
Anyone care to go head-to-head with Wolmar in a public debate?
Jim Steer? Or perhaps our very own Petrol-head...
UPDATE: This from The Water Baby...
May I please open a book on things Wolmar is most likely NOT to say in his address to the Stop HS2 mob?
How about:
'HS2 is palpably unnecessary because ETCS Level 3 has the potential to unlock hitherto unimaginable reams of spare capacity on the upgraded 21st Century WCML by providing "straight out of the box" moving block functionality...!?!'
UPDATE: This from a Julie Mills, at Greengauge 21...
Having seen your recent post on Christian Wolmar...
Jim Steer of Greengauge 21 would be more than happy to debate the case for HS2 with Christian and to explain why it is needed and how it does have a very good economic and environmental case.
Good effort! Wolmar do you accept the challenge?
Telegrammed by Howard Wade
This from the Northern Echo on the 13th January...
THE Japanese government yesterday lobbied ministers to urge them not to reject Hitachi’s £7.5bn plans to bring train building back to the region.
Shin Ebihara, the country’s ambassador to the UK, requested the meeting with Transport Secretary Philip Hammond, as one of his last acts before leaving the post.
Meanwhile, it is understood that Yutaka Banno, Japan’s Foreign Secretary, is also attempting to secure talks at the Department for Transport (Dft), when he arrives in Britain next week.
The powerful twin-pronged lobbying operation underlines the huge importance of the Intercity Express Programme (IEP) to the world’s third-biggest economy – as well as to the North-East.
Neil Foster, Northern TUC campaigns officer, said: “Why hasn’t the Government yet committed to the Agility consortium, which would create 800 direct and 7,500 indirect British jobs? Why are they considering an off-theshelf option overseas?”
Diesel locomotives are made in Germany and the US, while most electric trains are manufactured in Germany, France and Spain, although some are made in Derby by Bombardier.
Presumably the East Midlands TUC Campaigns Officer is asleep?
Is Bombardier's Management unable to see any problem in a foreign train manufacturer whose home market is protected from international competition lobbying to put Derby Litchurch Lane out of business?
And, Hello!, is anyone awake at the Derby and Derbyshire Rail Forum?
Why aren't East Midlands MPs being primed to defend skilled local manufacturing jobs in Derby with the same vim and vigour as North Eastern MPs push for unskilled assembly roles on their patch?
No doubt the Hon Members for Derby and Derbyshire will become highly vocal once it is all too late and the closure notice is posted on the gates of Litchurch Lane!
Meanwhile our ever cost conscious Government must be absolutely delighted by Hitachi's insistence that it should receive a £15 million bung towards the cost of a new assembly plant in the North East?
As for the TUC's lobbying, even Tokyo Rose knew that you needed a modicum of accuracy to make propaganda convincing.
Apart from 'some' electric trains being built at Derby (actually about 5 vehicles a week at present) roughly 20% of the content-by-value of the new Pendolinos is being manufactured at Preston, Lancs. This is high added value traction equipment, not a mere spanner and screwdriver fitting-out job which apparently Foster San thinks more important than the real high tech British design and manufacturing jobs which could be lost.
Would any politician or civil servant recognise the long term value of an industrial strategy?
That is, of course, a rhetorical question.
UPDATE: This from a Mr Reginald Slicker
You do the hard pressed British rail traveller no favours with your jingoistic attempts to stem the tide of international trade and keep the Derby factory manufacturing trains when superior products are available from abroad.
If you had your way, passengers on South Eastern's high speed services would not be travelling in the lightest trains in Britain with better reliability and availability figures way exceeding that achieved by European manufacturers.
I remain, Sir, R Slicker
This from Kentnews...
A government minister has refused to intervene in the ongoing rail fare dispute, stating the massive price hike was well within the rights of Kent’s berated train firm.
Conservative transport minister Theresa Villiers wrote to North Thanet MP Roger Gale saying she would not approach Southeastern boss Charles Horton on the issue.
In a letter to the senior Tory backbencher, Ms Villiers said the train company was allowed to increase fares by inflation plus three per cent rather than the normal one per cent to cover improvements made to the network.
Presumably Cruella had the recent adverse weather in mind when referring to 'improvements' made to South Eastern's network?
Exciting news for fans of the Welsh language!
This from the Cambrian News...
A LANGUAGE row has erupted in Pen Llyn, after councillors criticised a train company for using English-only announcements on their service.
The issue was raised by Pwllheli town councillor Alan Williams, who said: “I find it very disappointing that in such a Welsh area as Pwllheli and Pen Llyn, the announcements are made in English only.
“I travel a lot on the Cambrian Line, all the way down to Aberdyfi sometimes, and I was shocked to hear English-only announcements."
He said, errr... in English!
Good news for fans of German rail travel...
This from The Local...
The police on Friday said they had arrested a woman having a good time with herself and a vibrator on a train in Bavaria.
The Fact Compiler's flabber is well and truly gasted!
This from NR's Internet Rapid Rebuttal Unit...
Fans of GBRJ will be glad to hear that the production team are reasonably confident that a third series will be commissioned by the BBC.
Ratings are good and Mr Portillo himself told me at last night, at the wrap party, that he reckons that Bradshaw can provide him with enough material for at least another two series...
Portillo better hurry up then, before Petrol-head draws the inevitable conclusion from page 26 of McNulty's Interim Review.
Shocking news from the World's Greatest Living Transport Correspondent!
Oh Wolmar - penny wise, pound foolish.
UPDATE: How the media works...
It appears that Wolmar's tale of woe is already the front page lead on the Islington Gazette.
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