NR unveils brand new Holgate turnout

Exciting news from Network Rail!


Good to see that the Infrastructure Controller is being careful with the pennies by recycling assets.

GW OJEU exposes passenger mileage collapse!

This from Ithuriel...

According to the Great Western franchise OJEU Notice issued by DfT on 19 December:

In the last year of BR, Intercity Great Western - which then didn't include Thames Trains and other later accretions - generated 14 million passenger journeys and 1,218 million passenger miles.

So in the 'bad old days' the average length of journey was 87 miles. Today it is apparently 199 feet 6 inches.

Another triumph of numeracy from those wonderful people who still haven't brought you the IEP.

UPDATE: This from the Blue Lamp...

I think Ithuriel is being a little unfair to Marsham Street.

Whilst this OJEU may have been issued in a hurry, this hasn't prevented the Department from planning ahead.

On page 26 DfT confirms that First will retain the franchise as it expects to sign an agreement with the Aberdeen based bus bandits on 22nd November 2012

That's forward planning for you!

UPDATE: This also from Ithuriel...

According to the same consultation document

"In the last financial year, franchise revenues were £694m, while a premium of £250 million was paid to the Department for Transport".

No mention of the fact that the franchise is in Revenue Support to the maximum level and costing the Taxpayer and FGW shareholders shedloads of money.

Pointless signs - Reading and wriitng

ScotRail uses PsychOps on Hogmanay revellers

This from ScotRail...

ScotRail today announced it is trialling the use of ‘3D’ graphics to brighten the look of train toilets.

The walls are being covered with laminated images featuring designs using a 'deceive the eye' technique to give the impression of being in 3D.

They have been introduced on a train serving key cities including Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Inverness.


New Year's eve will see some very, very confused passengers!

And on the 1000th day DfT gave to me...

A Merry Christmas to all Eye readers!

On the day that we were due to celebrate the 1000th day without an order for new rolling stock, DfT has pulled its finger out!

This from Bombardier:

London, 28 December, 2011 – Bombardier Transportation today announced that it has secured an additional order for 130 BOMBARDIER ELECTROSTAR* cars for Southern. The new trains will augment Southern’s existing fleet of Bombardier’s award winning electric multiple units. The contract is valued at £188.8 million (Euro 222.8 million).

Hail Greening - a Transport Secretary who makes things happen!

DfT issues revised timetable for announcements

This from Leo Pink...

Hot on the news that the Secretary of State has issued a five page missive telling DfT officials how to write letters perhaps Eye readers will be interested in the latest memo circulating in Marsham Street:

Forecasts and Statements (Semantics) Policy on Terminology Committee
Simplifcation Working Group

Terminology - In a fast changing world , flexibility is essential.

The use of seasons in setting policy delivery targets has become overly granular, introducing increased risk of target dates become excessively specific and vulnerable to events. This gives an unwanted and unwarranted impression that Government is not in control of policy.

All officials within the Department should ensure that with effect from 1 January 2012 all policy announcements adopt the new FSSPOT principles.

Events will now be specified as happening to the following time scales:

• Later this year
• By the end of the year*
• Early next year

* Please note that this should not be used after 31 March and in any event requires Ministerial authorisation

For long term planning horizons the following may be used:

• On or about about the same date that the first IEP is delivered
  

Sir Humphrey Gussett
Permanent Secretary Designate

Apparently this has been issued to counter Informed Sources Third Law (Distrust all forecasts based on the seasons).

FGW restores the glass of Christmas cheer

Oh dear!

Last week's roasting by Sir Beardie of DfT franchising policy and Johnny Foreigner railways has resulted in unexpected collatoral damage to the industry's great and good.

Today should have seen the hard working team from Modern Railways wasailing with Virgin as they sped to Crewe to play on simulators followed by an agreeable luncheon.

Alas Virgin received a severe spanky botty from Marsham Street for last week's unguarded words and as a consequence all schmoozing by the red machine's PR department has been unceremoniously caped!

With BeardieRail forced into the role of Scrooge it looked like Christmas had been cancelled for Ian Allan's finest.

Happily a Fairy God Mother appeared in the shape of First Great Western's Mr Hopwood, and as a consequence the Modern Railways team will still be able to dine in style today but heading West.

As the original Great Western was so fond of saying: "See your own country First". Indeed!

Pointless signs - St Pancras

This from the late General Lee...

Not so much pointless, just misspelt.


Who auhorised this poorly-checked sign that appears all over St. Pancras?

Revenue protection - Big Society style

Let this be a lesson to all those who wear beanie hats... (shurley fare dodge? Ed)



Good effort 'Big Man'!

LUL gets all 21st Century over upgrades

Good effort.

Christmas televisual feast - your starter for 10

This from Sinoda...

Idly leafing through the pages of the Double Issue Christmas Radio Times (other listings magazines are available. Ed), I find that 'The World's Greatest Living Transport Correspondent' is to be interrogated on television just before Christmas by Jeremy Paxman.

Nothing tremendously untoward so far you may think - but wait a mo!

Jezza 'Come on, Come On!' Paxo is hosting a special season of 'Christmas University Challenge' featuring 'famous alumni' representing their respective Universities, and the listings for BBC2 on Thursday 22nd December (almost) reads as follows:

Jeremy Paxman hosts another first-round match, tonight between the University of Warwick, led by the 'World's Greatest Living Transport Correspondent', and the University of Sheffield, captained by George Ergatoudis.

"Here's your starter for 10: What is the connection between a Banana and the failure to construct high-speed railway lines?"

DafT - life imitates art

This from a Mr Murray Mint...

Good to see that several local authorities have embraced a right thinking approach to nomenclature.

This from Southend Council’s mobile CCTV guidelines (para 1.1.2)

1.1.2 The Traffic Management Act (TMA) (2004) has provided a solution to this on Going issue by permitting the use of Mobile CCTV vehicles to enforce the kind of Contraventions mentioned above. Paragraph 50 of the Department for Transport (Daft) TMA 2004 The Secretary of State’s Statutory Guidance to Local Authorities etc, etc, etc...

This from Newham Council on Sustainable Impact Appraisals para 1.1.1

1.1.1 It was a requirement of the ORN designation by the Department of Transport that an EqIA was prepared in order to demonstrate that the equalities impacts of the ORN proposals can be effectively managed. This document was approved by Daft during the ORN designation process etc, etc, etc...

This from Bexley's Public Transport Sub-Committee (page 11):

VL responded that while Southeastern had sympathy with local aspirations, stops at Deal on
the high speed network had not been included in the Daft’s service specification, etc, etc, etc...

That’s DafT enough – Ed

Railway Carol Service - 21st December

Gaudete!

This year's Transport Benevolent Fund rail staff carol service takes place on:

Wednesday 21st December at 12:30

at St Mary's Somers Town, Eversholt Street, near Euston Station (NW1 IBN).

All supporters of the railway most welcome.

Meanwhile, for those unable to make it...



Hope to see you on the 21st...

Pointless sign - Newhaven

Pointless signs - Hull Paragon

Pointless signs - A big shout out to Ravey Davey

Railways - A social service? Discuss.

This from the CambsTimes24...

A FOOTBALL club manager was so embarrassed by the toilets at a March playing field that he ferried a visiting girls’ team to the railway station to use their loos.

Q.E.D.

Exciting new Eye feature: Ask Uncle Roger

Eye is delighted to announce an exciting new feature!

Introducing everyone's favourite Agony Aunt - Uncle Roger...

Our first question to Uncle Roger comes from a gentleman who lives in both Tatton and Whitehall...

Dear Uncle Roger

My friend has published an Autumn Statement.

I... sorry he... refers to £80 million in support of the Southern Rail franchise’s procurement of 130 new carriages.

Can you help me to understand what is actually being bought?

Yours Confused & Concerned, Horse Guards.

Dear Gideon.

You should not be ashamed about this, as many have asked the same question.

It is all too easy to think that new trains will arrive on the network unloved, off-lease and unlikely ever to carry passengers.

Happily, the figure of £80m you mention merely represents the DfT's best-estimate, based on experience with the IEP, of the fees consultants and lawyers will charge to specify these new trains.

Be assured that this paltry sum will deliver not one new train, ensuring sidings remain free for the storage of existing train fleets as soon as Theresa's new franchises are signed.

Uncle Roger

Have you a question for Uncle Roger? Please send to the usual address...

ITSO - What's in a name?

This from, a fulminating, Captain Deltic...

Is there a more stupid name for an ITSO compliant transport smart card, than Southern's 'the key' - note the poncey lower case.

Must add Southern's Development Director to my harangue list.

UPDATE: This from Randy Scouse Git...

You should be so lucky!

Mersey Travel is calling ours the 'Walrus'.

'Daydream Believer' would have been so much better!

UPDATE: This from Mr Reginald Slicker...

One can only commend MerseyTravel on their capitalisation of the name.

And if I may say so - Goo goo g'joob goo!

UPDATE: This from Retired Railway Manager...

At least ‘Walrus’ shows knowledge of a bit of railway history (being the ‘Fishkind’ name of a bogie engineers ballast wagon).

However, what connection that may have with ITSO and or anything else connected with it is debatable.

Unless this is forward planning for when the Mersey floods?

Autumn Statement - Christmas comes early?

So what goodies did the Chancellor's Autumn Statement contain?

Aside from causing chaos with the fares system by the late reduction of January's average regulated fare increase to RPI+1 (down from Petrol-heads eye watering RPI+3) there are one or two additional jee-jaws to delight.

The simultaneous publication of the 2011 National Infrastructure Plan lists the following in section 3.c Network Rail Schemes:

New infrastructure projects

• North Trans Pennine electrification
• New rail link between Oxford, Bicester, Aylesbury, Milton Keynes and Bedford
• Network Rail Discretionary Fund
• Funding for winter resilience measures
• Bridge renewals

Note - there are no plans for additional rolling stock over and above what has already been (often and repeatedly) promised.

So once released from Thameslink the Class 319 fleet will now be expected to cover almost as much ground as Santa on Christmas Eve!

UPDATE: This from the Transport Select Committee...

Following the Autumn Statement made on 29 November, the Transport Committee will be taking oral evidence from the Secretary of State for Transport.

Wednesday 14 December 2011, 5.05 pm

Committee Room 8

Witness: Rt Hon Justine Greening MP, Secretary of State for Transport

Good to see that Louise Ellman and co are on their toes.

UPDATE: The DfT have also published the Logistics Growth Review today...

Good news for Freighties!

In section 2.30 DfT commits £55m of investment to developing a Strategic Freight Network:

The Government is making available funding for an investment of £55m for the Strategic Rail Freight Network (SFN) allowing delivery of schemes that remove bottlenecks and improve capability and longer term connectivity to the UK’s major ports.

These are: the Ely – Soham doubling scheme that will remove a bottleneck on the Felixstowe-Nuneaton route, improving both freight and passenger capacity and reliability on this section of the route and increasing the attractiveness of freight paths between Felixstowe and Nuneaton, reducing demand for paths on more heavily congested routes via London; and

Gauge clearance of additional rail freight routes in the Midlands between Syston Junction (just north of Leicester) and Stoke that will allow existing freight capacity to be used more efficiently by enabling the routes to carry 9ft 6in 'hi-cube' containers - which otherwise require specialist rail wagons or carriage by road. These schemes will improve access to Felixstowe and Southampton ports and the new port at London Gateway, as well as northern locations including Liverpool.

Details here.