Twitter - a game of two halves

Many congratulations to @LondonMidland who scooped possibly the most important gong at last night's National Rail Awards.

Sponsored by Passenger Focus the award was for 'Putting Passengers First' and was given in recognition of how the go-ahead TOC (geddit!!!) had transformed customer service through the use of social media.

In the words of @PassengerFocus:

Passenger Focus sponsored National Rail Award won by @LondonMidland great use of social media during disruption, no jargon, quick and useful.

Hopefully other TOCs will take note and consider offering a similar interactive service to their customers?

Meanwhile Eye is pleased to see that even the Infrastructure Controller has embraced social media, with @NetworkRail dealing with the concerns of the railway's neighbours in real time.

Of course not all railway companies are so foresighted and this can lead to problems. Social Media (whether facebook, blogs or twitter) is very much like nature - in that it abhors a vacuum.

So where there is no effective official presence lots of others will rush-in to fill the gap.

Some who occupy the space are just plain malicious, but others are loyal and enthusiatic members of staff who give of themselves and their time at no cost. Sadly this is not always appreciated when public and private personas overlap..

The Fact Compiler was sad to see that the Apostle of the 3rd Rail has decided to hang up his keyboard.

He/she (?) along with myriad other railway employees can be found on twitter performing an invaluable service answering passengers' questions, defending their company from the usual on-line calumny and representing the railway in the public forum.

Oh if only enlightened employers would harness, focus and reward the undoubted enthusiasm of these brave souls who unlike so many in the industry are actually prepared to put their head above the parapet!

No matter!

Meanwhile to those industry colleagues who selflessly plough the lonely on-line furrow on behalf of our industry - Eye salutes you, and respectfully offers the following gentle observation....

The identity of The Fact Compiler is of course a closely guarded secret known to only two people in the entire universe. However your humble author remains acutely aware that, despite this all pervading cloak of anonymity, he too wears a 'company uniform' (Shurely several? Ed).

So whilst his tweets are 'whispered in the dark' they will almost inevitably be 'shouted from the rooftops' - and seldom in context.

Perhaps something all those on-line may wish to reflect on?

'Nuff said?

DfT procurement priorities laid bare

This from Ithuriel...

This illuminating written answer given in the House yesterday...

John McDonnell (Hayes and Harlington, Labour)
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which external consultants were contracted to advise his Department on the (a) design, (b) tendering and (c) award of preferred bidder status for the Thameslink rolling stock contract; and what the cost to the public purse was of each such contract.

Theresa Villiers (Minister of State (Rail and Aviation), Transport; Chipping Barnet, Conservative)
The cost of each contract against the categories requested up to June 2011 is as follows:

£ million
Vendor	(a) Design	(b) Tendering (1)	(c) Award of preferred bidder status
Arup	2.53	2.86	0.14
Booz and Company	0.22	0.49	0.09
Freshfields	2.44	5.31	0.18
Interfleet	0.16	1.49	0.02
PWC	0.77	2.26	0.26
Total	6.12	12.4	0.69
Total	19.2
(1 )Tendering relates to evaluation. Note: These figures exclude VAT.

Eye Readers will doubtless note that even in the Design phase for a technical project, engineering consultants Interfleet were paid less than half the fees of lawyers Freshfields.

Is this because:

a) engineers are as cheap, as lawyers are expensive ?
b) making sure you can get your money back if the train doesn't work is more important than making sure it does work?
c) Interfleet missed a zero from their invoice?

Answers on a postcard please to Great Minster House.

UPDATE: This from Captain Deltic...

Can I point out that this table corrects the inaccurate information in a previous written answer from Theresa Villiers in July this year.

Villiers said then that the cost of Thameslink consultancy was £13.1 million of which £5.3 million had been spent since May 2010.

Since Lord Adonis had put the figure at £13 million a year earlier it was obvious some civil servant was going for the Jammie Dodger Embarrassment Trophy.

Naturally, in publishing the correction the Minister apologised for misleading the House (actually, I made that last bit up)

Might I take this opportunity to point out that this blindingly obvious error was exposed in my Informed Sources column in Modern... (No. Ed)

The race to chair NR starts here!

So. Farewell then Ricky Haystacks.

You came, showed Iain the door, installed Hurricane Higgins and yet in 10 months time you too will be gone. Now the search for your successor begins.

With such a daunting task before NR's recruitment consultants Eye is keen to be of assistance.

Therefore our latest exciting survey asks the question:

Who should chair Network Rail?

Remember - the Chairman's role is to lead the board and ensure harmonious relations with key stakeholders

So what are you waiting for - this could be your opportunity to shape the railway of tomorrow!

Here are Eye's runners and riders in the Career Development Handicap

• A Jammy Dodger

• Beau Bowker

• Captain Permatan

• Chris 'Red' Green

• Ivor the Engine

• Tom 'ACPO' Winsor

• Rail Barbie

• Slugger O'Toole

• Tinky Winky
  

Remember vote early, vote often.

UPDATE: This from @bendolino, via Twitter...

I nominate the Chanel 9 team from the Fast Show.

"OLE Speed 1? Scorchio!"

UPDATE: This from the Major...

No mention of Rob 'HS1' Holden?

Then again I'm not sure how serious Eye is about some of the names on the list.

I mean Tinky Winky for goodness sake, when are the MoD ever likely to release her?

Pointless Ticketing - How many pieces of card?

This from @Al_S, via Twitter...

One return train journey Cambridge to Stirling.

Three changes, two reservable trains.

There's two seat and two, two-part, bike reservations per journey.

15 pieces of card!


Surely there has to be a better way?

DfT feels Derby pain and awards new train order!

Finally some good news for Derby!

Clearly stung into action by the national campaign to save the UK's last train manufacturing plant the Department for Transfer has decided that a contract for up to 120 new vehicles will be awarded to the hard pressed Dusseldorf factory of Siemens (Is this right!?! Ed).

This from London Midland's website:

London Midland is pleased to announce today that it has selected preferred bidders for the manufacture, maintenance and financing of new rolling stock. This is intended for both London Midland and the Manchester to Scotland services operated by First TransPennine Express, which would result in significant additional capacity, making travel easier, more reliable and less crowded on some of the busiest sections of the rail network.

The preferred bidders are Siemens Plc for manufacture and maintenance of the new rolling stock, which are expected to be Desiro EMUs, and Angel Trains Limited for the necessary financing. We are now entering a period of exclusive negotiations with those companies. If those negotiations are brought to a successful conclusion, and parallel discussions with the Department for Transport confirm the business case and the necessary amendments to the London Midland franchise agreement, then a firm order is likely to be placed by early 2012.

Nice of London Midland take the heat off DfT by ordering the TPE vehicles as well. After all, what are franchises for? (Wolmar ibid)

No doubt Derby was unable to offer a suitable Electrostar product or had too much work on - what with losing the Thameslink order and all?

UPDATE: This from M'Duck...

This announcement is a little rich on the back of iDave's word's at PMQ's today:



A 'bright future' for Derby indeed!

UPDATE: This from Sir William A Stanier FRS...

Whilst applauding Railway Eye's continued support for our other Works in Derby, perhaps The Fact Compiler could advise whether Messrs Bombardier of Canada actually bid for this contract?

According to my successors, who are experts on the new twitterphone device, "You have to be in it - to win it!".

UPDATE: This from The Archer...

Sir Bill is right: You do have to be in it, to win it!

And maybe the Canuks didn't bid for the LM contract, LM after all already operate Siemens EMUs so Derby would have had little chance of success.

The real question though is whether Bombardier would have bid if they had known that LM would front a (larger) order for TPE on the back of LM's bid?

TPE don't currently operate any EMUs so Bombardier vs Siemens would have been a level playing field - perhaps that's what DfT were worried about.

• Thameslink = Siemens because of credit ratings.

• LM = Siemens because of the existing LM fleet.

• TPE = Siemens because ?

Anyone know?

UPDATE: This from a Mr Tony Miles...

TPE - because:

1) the sets will be based/maintained at the Siemens depot in Ardwick, Manchester.
2) and at the Scottish end the sets will looked after overnight by people who service other Siemens (class 380) sets and, more importantly,
3) it is thought probable that the TPE sets will eventually return to the LM franchise when more of the network in the NW is electrified and the TP franchise orders a much bigger fleet - so the 10 sets have to be compatible with the LM sets.

Does that answer the question?

UPDATE: This from Howard Wade...

What are the DfT (under the non de guerre of London Midland) going on about?

Bombardier did not bid, or, rather pulled out after pre-qualification, because of the small quantity and because a repeat order for Class 350/1 was the blindingly obvious solution - even to competitive procurment crazed civil servants.

Siemens has been the formally confirmed sole/preferred bidder for over a year.

All the stuff about European wide procurement is pure spin.

Pointless signs - St Pancras

First TPE triumphs

Eye congratulates Vernon 'Smooth' Barker!

The uber-slick MD of First TransPennine Express is to be the new MD of First Group's UK Rail Division.

In the words of one gnarled operator "a well deserved appointment".

High praise indeed!

An apology to all Eye readers

The Fact Compiler offer his humble apologies to readers for the temporary cessation of hostilities.

Convinced that Eye's brand of satire and humour was at risk of subjecting the industry to ridicule he was minded to hang up his bowler.

Happily the recent bravura series of performances by the Secretary of State for Transport reveals that in today's railway satire is the new reality!

And while Eye would not pretend to be in the same league as that occupied by our beloved Petrol-head, the least it can do its bring his wit, wisdom and general gaffe prone urbanity to a wider audience, the while offering a platform to our many contributors and supporters.

And so to business!

How the Tory Party has progressed

Back in the 1990's then Transport Minister Roger Freeman suggested privatisation would deliver separate train services for businessmen and their office staff - for 'toffs and typists' in tabloid shorthand...

Happily swingeing fares increases, compounded by Hammond’s desire to increase regulated fares by 8%, has priced poor Doreen and Babs off our railways, leaving it fit only to be what Petrol-head terms 'a rich man's toy'.

How multi-millionaire Hammond would know this to be the case is of course anyone's guess.

Philip Hammond - Eye salutes you. An inspiration to satirists everywhere.

Railway Bothy - Bishops Lydeard

Here a wriggly tin bothy from the West Country to see August out!

With a bowler tip to the Mad Axeman...


All back to the grindstone from the Feast of St Giles!

Railway Garden Competition - Stourbridge Junc

UPDATE: This from The Major...

Not only has the Stourbridge Line a fine selection of plant life, someone has even dumped a greenhouse on the track!

NR employs hare raising scheme

Exciting news from NR's Sussex Route!

This from the Route Performance Manager:

To improve communication and awareness of our performance, we are launching The Sussex Hare.

This is a performance challenge, designed to communicate how we are doing against challenging, but realistic, daily performance goals.

Every day, you will receive an e-mail outlining how the previous day's performance went, highlighting our achievements and areas for improvement.

Every week and every 4 week period, the message will be longer and will summarise how we have done in the previous week or period.

Our mission is simple: to catch as many Sussex Hares as possible. There are clear measures of success, outlined and defined below.

Good news indeed!

The missive continues...

Why a Sussex hare?

Two reasons: firstly, you may remember we once had a Golden Rabbit performance competition. This is the closest thing to that!

Secondly, the hare is an animal well-known across the Sussex Downs, north and south. So a nice local trophy!

No doubt the Sussex Hare will also help sign off the somewhat delayed JPIP for the route?

UPDATE: This from Bugs Bunny...

Sadly a Horsham driver managed to run over the Sussex Hare this morning, at the third attempt!

Confused old man causes rail chaos

A confused old man from Twickenham caused chaos in Derby today when he discovered that his zimmer frame would not go into reverse.

The confused old man, who is often to be seen waving at the traffic in London's Victoria Street, said:

"My reputation for dithering will be seriously damaged if I perform a U-turn."

Vince Cable is 204.

Railway Garden Competition - Aberdovey

This from The Sleeper...

I thought Eye readers might enjoy this picture of a Pwllheli service emerging from Aberdovey number three tunnel on the 17th Aug 2011.


Good to see that NR's Wales Route has developed an environmentally friendly way of cleaning trains.

Pointless signs - Lancaster

Cameron shows commitment to British industry

Exciting news from iDave!

Our brave and gallant Prime Minister is now wombling his way back to Cornwall after single-handedly presiding over the capture of Gaddafi (is this right? Ed).

However, before he left with his bucket and spade the former member of the Bullingdon Club and newly appointed chairman of the Quisling Society has determined that there will be no reconsideration of the decision to award the Thameslink contract to Siemens.

Of course the Rt Hon David Cameron is renowned for his great wisdom and sound judgement.


'Nuff said!

Pointless signs - Windermere

This from the Mad Hatter...


Ought you to be more worried by the 'passing trains' impact with the buffer stops rather than any 'air turbulence' generated?

NR signals end to Railway Gardens - Shocker

The Fact Compiler is on his hols...

So posting will be, at best, intermittent.



No doubt a source of relief to many.

Unexpected bonus for Transpennine franchise

This from ShareCast...



Perhaps unsurprising if the market was reliant on ShareCast for information?

Hammond announces franchising timetable

This from the DfT...

The Secretary of State for Transport, Philip Hammond:

The Government is committed to a major reform of rail franchising that will benefit passengers and taxpayers alike. In preparing our policies we have paid careful attention to the views the rail industry, and others, have expressed to us. Our reforms will create longer, less prescriptive franchises that will give the industry more freedom to innovate, address passenger needs, and more incentive to invest. The reforms will also help achieve the radical efficiency changes needed for a sustainable lower cost railway for the long term. This will include a more equitable balance of risk between the public and private sectors, including replacement of the ‘cap and collar’ revenue support mechanism with one linked to economic indicators. There will also be stronger emphasis on partnership and closer working between train operators and their local Network Rail Route teams, allowing integrated decision-making which benefits passengers and drives out cost.

These new type of rail franchises will replace existing ones, as and when they expire, and I have today published a comprehensive forward timetable for the re-letting of rail franchises that represents a deliverable and balanced programme. My aim in doing so is to give the market clarity about the timing of the opportunities that will arise. In producing this timetable, I have had regard to the impact on bidders and their sub-contractors of trying to compete for too many franchises at once, and the likely reduction in value for money to the taxpayer that would result.

In summary, the new programme is as follows:

• As I have already announced, the new Inter City West Coast franchise will commence in December 2012, with an Invitation to Tender (ITT) issued to the pre-qualified bidders in January 2012.
• Following First Group’s decision not to exercise its contractual entitlement to take up a 3-year extension on its existing Greater Western contract from 2013, this will now be the next long-distance franchise to come to market, with the new franchise commencing in April 2013, instead of 2016 as originally planned.
• As a result, and to avoid having to offer more than one long-distance franchise competition at the same time, with possible consequences for taxpayer value, the new Inter City East Coast franchise will commence in December 2013.
• Turning to commuter franchises, there is no change in my plans for Essex Thameside, with the new 15 year contract due to commence in May 2013. The same is true for South Eastern, where the new franchise will start in April 2014.
• In light of the likely delivery timescales for Thameslink rolling stock, I judge it right to exercise my contractual entitlement to bring forward the start of a new franchise to September 2013. The franchise is likely to be shorter than 15 years, with a focus on managing services through the major Thameslink infrastructure upgrade. It would then be re-let at the end of the project.
• To accommodate the changed dates for Thameslink and Inter City East Coast, I intend to move the start of the long term 15 year Greater Anglia franchise to July 2014, exercising the 12 month extension that is included in to the short franchise that is currently being competed.
• I have concluded an agreement with First Keolis TransPennine Express (TPE) which extends the current franchise. The extension incorporates the flexibility to terminate the franchise between April 2014 and March 2015. This flexibility could allow the start dates for the new Northern and TransPennine franchises to be aligned in April 2014, by also exercising the short extension provision in the current Northern franchise. Having both existing franchises end at the same date could allow for these franchises to be combined, or split in different ways. I will be considering the optimal configuration and intend to seek views on the optimum structure from local interested parties. The timescales outlined above will allow for proper consultation and consideration of the possibilities of a radical restructuring in the Northern/TPE area.

In summary, Great Western and Thameslink have come forward (by 35 months and 18 months respectively), the Northern and TPE franchises could now be aligned with a start date of April 2014 - so that we have greater flexibility in re-letting - and two other franchises (Inter City East Coast and Greater Anglia) have been pushed back to accommodate the acceleration of Great Western and Thameslink. Three franchises (Inter City West Coast, South Eastern and Essex Thameside) remain unchanged.

I have already been clear that not all of these franchises will look the same. I believe in horses for courses and a pragmatic, not dogmatic, approach. I will be guided by what drives value for the taxpayer and service for the passenger on each individual franchise.

Some commentators have suggested this represents a huge programme of work and a major culture shift in Government. I agree with them. It is arguably the biggest programme of franchising since the industry was originally privatised. But it is also a major programme – and a significant culture shift – for bidders. There should be no doubt about our determination to deliver on this agenda, nor the importance of managing it properly.

Revising the programme in this way, while remaining clear about our objectives reflects my view that success depends on having a crystal-clear and unwavering strategy, coupled with a willingness and ability to be agile and tactical in implementing it. The end result of this work will be a new rail franchising system that delivers better outcomes for passengers and better value for money for taxpayers.

- Ends -