NR restructuring - let them eat cake!

This from BR Old Timer...

Having just read the latest edition of Modern Railways I am intrigued by Roger Ford's reference to the possible privatisation of the Anglia Route by July 2014 -- conveniently just ahead of a general election (if the Coalition holds together).

After all, is not Anglia where it all began!

BR had plans for a new business-led vertically-integrated structure, and put them to the test by creating a new Anglia Region (in 1987/88, I think), bringing together the engineering functions with InterCity Anglia and NSE Anglia and LT&S — bringing together the passenger businesses and, of course, the Railfreight and RfD businesses, too, as they then were, to determine their engineering requirements and oversee the engineers' budgets.

John Edmonds was made Anglia's General Manager and Graham Eccles the Regional Operating Manager.

When the Tories won in 1992 they dismissed BR Chairman Sir Bob Reid II's 'Future Rail' proposals, proceeding instead to develop their privatisation plans. J Edmonds then became CEO of Railtrack, overseeing the concept that the company merely outsourced management and maintenance of the infrastructure, which started to go belly-up with the Southall and Ladbroke Grove collisions, then the Hatfield crash, and ultimately the Potters Bar derailment.

Strange to relate, the latest announcements on future restructuring of Network Rail were made just before NR indicated they would submit a guilty plea (as the successor to Railtrack) at the Crown Court to Health & Safety charges arising from the Potters Bar crash, following last year's much-delayed inquest.

Graham Eccles went on to become Divisional Manager on BR's South Central Division and then, after privatisation, was appointed MD of SWT, which has long argued for a return to vertical integration.

Now we are told the Wessex Route is to be one of the first two to be subjected to the new structure proposed by Network Rail, whose board now includes Graham Eccles as a Non-Executive Director — while brother Richard is employed by NR to mastermind the Route Utilisation Strategies.

Is the railways' future now to be Eccles' shaped?

Eye solves NR's recruitment problem

This from Leo Pink...

I note that Network Rail is advertising for Managing Directors on its website.

Would not it make more sense to advertise for these new Regional Managing Directors in the Australian or Irish press, since those seem to be the countries of choice for ex British Rail senior managers who know how to run a railway?

Advertising in the UK press will only get applications from TOC directors (much to the annoyance of Philip Hammond) or people from other industries who think running a railway is easy (much to the annoyance of everyone else).

And we all recall where importing such thrusting new executives left Railtrack in days gone by...

Network Rail ensures equality of experience for all!

Exciting news from Network Rail!

Captain Permatan has been appointed a non-Executive Director of the not for profit company!

Rick Haythornthwaite said: "Keith Ludeman brings to Network Rail decades of experience of leadership in Britain’s transport industry. The addition of him to the board will provide first-hand, passenger-focused expertise which will help Network Rail on its journey to becoming ever more responsive to its customers and passengers."

Indeed!

No doubt London Midland, Southern and SouthEastern passengers are particularly delighted by this exciting news...

Happy in the knowledge that Go-Ahead levels of 'passenger-focused' responsiveness will soon become standard across the national network.

UPDATE: This from Steve Strong...

Could this be the same Captain Permatan who last week warned that rail industry profit margins are unsustainable?

Perhaps the grass is greener on the infrastructure side? (shurely oranger? Ed)

For you the snow is over - says DB?

Once our Teutonic friends have bought out all the TOCs and NR's exciting new RIMs perhaps we could have a couple of these please?

With a bowler tip to the latest edition of RAILDATE.

Network Rail shifts the deckchairs?

Despite Petrol-head planning to restructure the industry with primary legislation Network Rail continues to try and seize the initiative.

The latest exciting development from the infrastructure controller will be unveiled today - devolved business units run by managing directors!

Based on NR's existing nine routes these new business units will see route managing directors, in effect, running their own infrastructure railway business with annual spending power of some £600m+, employing some 3,000 people.

Exciting news indeed and not before time.

Eye understands that NR has set itself a challenging pace to achieve these reforms, with the new MD roles advertised in the press today and two devolved routes (Scotland and Wessex) going live in April!

But is this all too little too late?

Eureka!!!!!!!!! Don't panic, don't panic!

This from Archimedes...

It all looks as if the preparation for Eureka!!!!!! are going swimmingly.

East Coast has belatedly realised that, with just three months to go, it has to plan and prepare for the introduction of a major timetable change - with all the fleet and crew rostering to sort out etc....

As it took Virgin 18 months to do the same for its "VHF" timetable change (and they only just achieved it in time) East Coast is reported to be imploring the industry for help, particularly from "anyone with experience of bringing in a major timetable change".

At a recent meeting one senior EC chap sniffily told an assembled gathering of industry bigwigs "we're doing this without any offers of help from any of you"

To which the response was "That's because you haven't asked us!".

Readers may care to avoid the ECML on the 22nd May.

Get ready for the new Railways Act

This from Louise Ellman at Thursday's Westminster Hall debate on Investment Priorities for the Railways:

The Select Committee takes rail investment extremely seriously and will give the McNulty report full consideration in due course, along with the Government's White Paper on the future of rail.

So. Petrol-head has managed to create time in the legislative timetable for a Railways Bill.

In ye olden days the convention was that a Green Paper would be issued in advance of a White Paper.

For those under the age of forty, a Green Paper was a clearly announced consultation document containing policy proposals for debate and discussion before the Government made a decision on the contents of a White Paper (a White Paper, of course, contains detailed proposals for legislation).

Eye assumes that the endeavours of McNulty and LEK constitute such a consultation.

Meanwhile the industry had better brace itself for another Tory legislative restructuring of our industry. Let us hope it is more succesful than that of 1993?

With places on Petrol-head's High Level Group as yet unfilled it will be interesting to see who will be invited to sup with the devil.

Not only will these exalted ones help shape Hammond's exciting new Railway's Bill, they will also create a structure for the industry that could last for the next twenty years.

Meanwhile, those who care about the railways, but left out in the cold by McNulty's 'industry consultation' and adrift from Hammond's HLG may take comfort from the 'Yew-turn' the ConDems were forced to execute over Forest policy this week.

After all, it's not just woodland that has branches.

Latest ABC figures show print holding up

It's ABC time again...

As Eye pointed out last year most railway titles don't submit themselves to the indignity of an ABC circulation audit, so a bowler tip to those that do.

Here the recently published 2010 circulation figures for the top three (with 2009 figures in brackets):

Railway Magazine 34,168 (34,715)

Steam Railway 32,441 (32,842)

RAIL magazine 20,006 (20,546)

Eye's man in the Dead Tree Media comments:

As all three titles recorded a roughly similar decline in circulation this suggests that readers are consolidating the number of titles they buy and that overall readership is subject to... ahem... ‘natural wastage’!

Evidently print media continues to hold its own.

UPDATE: This from Arnie the Anorak...

Of course RAIL is published every two weeks or 26 times a year, where as Railway Magazine is published 12 times a year and Steam 13 times a year.

If you then add up the total annual circulation for each publication... (that's enough gratuitous puffery for Dead Tree media. Ed).

Virgin fails to learn from aviation experience

This from Our Independent Expert...

Q. Would Virgin Airlines allow one of it's planes to fly with bits missing?

A. Exactly!

So why is this Glasgow arrival at Euston last night in such a scruffy state - a sight increasingly typical of Pendolinos.


Perhaps VT and Alstom no longer care about their corporate image.

But it's the sort of thing that bothers passengers who have the choice of taking the plane.

UPDATE: This from West Coast Maintainer...

Your correspondent suggests passengers would have been unimpressed at boarding a Pendolino with a missing coupler hatch.

As a defender of the passengers I presume he'd have been happier for it to run empty to the right depot for repair whilst the service was cancelled?

I think perhaps passengers would be happier to know that their train was going to run, even if a little ugly, rather than see it set off without them only to be told "we thought you'd rather wait for the next one rather than suffer the humiliation of sitting in a train with a plastic door missing."

Pendolinos are certified to run with the coupler hatches open, or removed, at line speed.

Huggable Higgins in front of the TSC

NETWORK RAIL – ORAL EVIDENCE SESSION

Tuesday 1 March 2011

Committee Room 6, House of Commons

The Transport Committee will be taking oral evidence from Network Rail’s new Chief Executive, David Higgins on Tuesday 1 March at 10.15 am. Mr Higgins was previously Chief Executive of the Olympic Delivery Authority. He began his new post at Network Rail on 1 February.

The Committee will question Mr Higgins about his priorities for the national rail infrastructure operator in the coming years, at a time when the rail industry is likely to undergo significant reform.

These timings are approximate and the session may start slightly earlier or later than advertised.

Eureka!!!! emerges into the light of day!

This from Albatross...

The much awaited EUREKA East Coast time table is now available in all its “GORY” on the East Coast website.

For the down trodden commuters of Retford, Newark and Grantham, and those who wish to travel to nearby stations to visit relatives and friends make sure you complete your journeys before 23rd May.

The timetable is dreadful and offers little benefit to the long suffering passengers of R, N or G:- less trains, less frequent connections, three hour gaps in service, and no doubt less passenger and revenue for East Coast.

Any finally, welcome the new McGhost Train!

The 05.40 Edinburgh to London with one stop, and most likely one passenger! What an utter waste of scarce paths, trainsets and crew.

UPDATE: This from Taffeta Girl...

Albatross is being just a little unfair.

I believe that this will be the most luxurious, comfortable and gorgeous timetable that the East Coast has ever seen!

Judging by the amount of padding...

UPDATE: This, rather wittily, from You Reeker...

Try getting from Newark to Retford on a Saturday.

UPDATE: This, allegedly, from Angus MacKiltup...

Shurely MacGhost Train?

UPDATE: This from the Wicked Weaver...

Currently there is a 07:00 and a 07:20 from Newcastle arriving KX 09:55, 10:11 respectively.

From May the 07:00 leaves 5 minutes earlier (and starts from Berwick !!!)

But anyone wishing to reach London from stations between Berwick and Newcastle will transfer to the McGhost service, which departs Newcastle at 07:03.

Why?

Because it arrives KX 09:40, the earlier departure is overtaken, not arriving until 10:06.

And the next option from Newcastle, the 07:28, (which must leave Waverley empty at 05:45) does not arrive KX until 10:45: a massive difference.

So. The timetable has been 'cooked' but the McGhost Train will be busy as it passes through England.

Arriva celebrates arrival of on-board WiFi

This from The Man by the Photocopier...

Well, well, well.

With just ONE CrossCountry Voyager finally equipped with wi-fi after years of franchise breach by Arriva in Britain, look what they've managed on the other side of the North Sea!

ARRIVA Netherlands launch on board WIFI service

Arriva Netherlands today launched their complimentary on board WiFi service providing on the move connectivity for the first time, much to the delight of their rail passengers.

As Arriva's Dutch Managing Director said:

"We are delighted to be able to offer our passengers such a high quality on board service, which will only enhance the journey experience."

Quite so.

UPDATE: This from a Virgin Twice Removed...

A Virgin chum travelled with CrossCountry last week and was delighted to see the pretty little light on his PC light up, suggesting that a WiFi signal was available.

Wondering why such a momentous event had taken place without fanfares and celebratory stickers appearing in the saloon he logged on…

Only to discover he was picking up the signal from an adjacent Pendolino set at New Street.

Perhaps in future Arriva XC should just advise "WiFi available when adjacent to Bendydildos."

Captain Deltic issues a call to arms!

This from the good Captain (for it is he)...

Another railway research strategy consultation document has been published - this time by consultants TRL on behalf of DafT.

It is, if anything, even worse than the TSSB/TSAG document featured in the February Informed Sources.

Here is the link.

Consultation is open until April.

Here are the questions posed by TRL which consultees might care to consider:

• Is the strategic focus right?
• Do you agree with key actions that come out of the report?
• Can we develop leadership for research in a fragmented industry?
• Can we strengthen the case for research in a difficult economic climate?
• Can we share knowledge and maintain the legacy/heritage knowledge in an industry with changing ownership?
• Can we be more effective in making use of technology developed in other industries?
• How do we make the rail industry a more comfortable place for innovation and research?

Where to start!

Septic scribbler screws NRs budget

This from ITV...

Best-selling author Bill Bryson, who lives in Norfolk, is fronting a new campaign to clean up England's railways.

Bryson, who's President of the Campaign to Protect Rural England, wants to use the law to make public land managers clear up unsightly litter around railways. He's demanding Network Rail clear up rubbish along tracks in Cambridgeshire.

Well Bill - this is really helpful. Thank you.

Perhaps Bill and his ever-so-cosy Campaign to Protect Ruritanian England should focus on the challenge of fly-tipping, rather than on the poor sods on whose land this rubbish ends up.

Meanwhile, Network Rail is now expected to divert scarce resource on prettifying 8,000 route miles to meet Bill and his chums vision of the English idyll.

Eye hopes that Network Rail will meet the demands of Bryson and the CPRE in full.

And pay for it using the East Anglia maintenance budget.

Perhaps Bill and his CPRE chums won't think they are quite so clever when standing on a litter free station where trains can't run.

On the plus side this would allow Bryson even more time to "write a history of the world without leaving home."

Would that he had done that today.

UPDATE: This from Carbon-Neutral Potter...

Anyone else think that perhaps encouraging, say, the re-instatement of litter bins on stations might be a way forward?

Although it didn't start with NR's reign, housekeeping seems to be something that the railway is particularly bad at.

Perhaps Eye readers are aware of more examples?

Right - I'm off to eat some organic Fairtrade pizza and compost my toenail clippings.

Every little helps.

UPDATE: This from Inspector Blakey...

I thought that the traditional idiom of the flytipper was to dump old sofas, fridges and other household rubbish.

I didn't realize they were responsible for leaving all those chunks of scrap rail, sleepers, fishplates and half-empty aggregate bags lying around the cess too...

UPDATE: This from a Retired NR Contract Manager - one time responsible for litter picking contract in a RT Zone...

Most of the litter on tracks around station areas is from the TOCs trains and passenger/customers.

Most of it away from station areas is obviously not now from passengers throwing things out of windows, one advantage - possibly the only one, of hermetically sealed, air conditioned, non opening windowed, sanitised rolling stock, and is blown in from adjacent premises. Supermarket recycling points, Asda at Longsight for instance, being a prime example.

This does not get away from the fact that its looks a mess wherever, but pointing the legal finger at Network Rail just because it finishes up with them is a bit ripe.

It needs an industry wide task force and solution. Oh - I forgot, that’s not now possible is it?

UPDATE: This from Platelayer...

Perhaps Bill Bryson and the CPRE should be invited to sponsor a Prize Length competition?

Peter Fox's funeral service Friday 18th February

This from Robert at Today's Railways...

Peter Fox’s funeral service will be held at Carterknowle Methodist Church, Edgedale Road, Sheffield, S7 2BQ on Friday 18th February at 2 p.m., followed by burial in Abbey Lane Cemetery.

Peter’s family have requested family flowers only please. Donations in lieu of flowers if wished, made payable either to the `British Heart Foundation’ or `Railway Children’ may be sent to:

Adam Heath
John Heath & Sons
2-16 Earsham Street
SHEFFIELD
S4 7LS

Chiltern enters Pisspoor PR Awards

According to @Chilternrailway...

Our VIPs Wills and Kate at Marylebone.


No doubt this wheeze had them rolling in the aisles in Berlin?

UPDATE: This from Steve Strong...

What a lovely photo.

I expect Shooter will soon be getting a pre-paid jiffy bag from Brenda so he can return his CBE.

UPDATE: This from @Chilternrailway...

Ouch..possibly shouldn't have put our cheesiest photo up!

Looking forward to getting a card from you in the post ;)

Mail's transport correspondent gets spanked botty

Does SouthEastern have a guardian angel?

On Saturday the Daily Mail ran this story...

For once, it wasn’t wet weather outdoors that caused the delay.

A train driver left hundreds of commuters stranded during the morning rush hour – because his seat was damp.

The unnamed Southeastern Trains driver was due to take a busy service from Hastings in East Sussex to London, but refused to begin the journey after discovering his seat was wet.

So much so normal.

But Eye was copied in the following furious missive to Mail transport correspondent Ray Massey:

I have always thought you to be the least competent of all the national Transport Correspondents, but your words about the wet driving seat took the pissy biscuit even by your own personal low standards.

What exactly would you do if you got to work and found the only seat in your office was soaking wet?

On a train you cannot just sling your coat over it - railway safety jackets are made of nylon, and you will slide off the seat going round corners or stopping at stations. If you try standing up to drive, you can't see out of the windscreen or operate the Driver's Safety Device, which is how people die.

Apportioning the blame to the driver was cheap, nasty, and factually wrong. You are fortunate to be so untroubled by journalistic integrity. Southeastern provided a frank account of how the seat got wet in the first place. Can I suggest you buy Dick Murray a coffee and ask him how to cover transport?

Or, perhaps more usefully for Daily Mail readers, go write about something else altogether?

Growl!!! Steady Tiger!

NR looks for new Comms Director

With Huggable Higgins now in place NR is looking to fill the other half of the former Coucher Pender combo.

Yesterday's Sunday Times contained an ad for a Network Rail Communications Director (PR monkeys - fill your boots here).

With the infrastructure controller beefing up its spin and lobbying machine no doubt the internal discussions on how to handle the LEK report into Alternative Railway Structures will get a whole lot more animated.

Will NR's Board Room table be able to handle the excitement?

Wifi finally appears on a CrossCountry train

First Arriva CrossCountry wifi enabled set in traffic.

As exclusively revealed by Eye on the 21st January and seen in service on Friday.


With a bowler tip to Is 1A03 out of Chester yet, Bert?

Exciting privatisation news from abroad

Good news from The Zimbabwean...

HARARE - The government is considering opening up the railway network to private players, says State Enterprises and Parastatals Minister Gorden Moyo.

The move could put an end to the National Railway of Zimbabwe (NRZ’s) monopoly as it is drowning in a ballooning $274 million deficit of depleted fleet and recapitalisation costs.

What a marvelous opportunity for Britain, the former colonial power, to give something back.

With the help of DfT, ATOC and NR 'experts' that measly deficit could be trebled in no time.