Mallard 126mph - unbroken for 75 years

Okay!

It would be churlish not to mention the 75th anniversary of the LNER's 126mph kettle triumph today.



But only because Sir Nigel was brought up in Derbyshire and served his apprenticeship on the LNWR (therefore, de facto, an LMS man!).

That is all. 

UPDATE: This from the late Col H F Stephens...

With speed in mind might I congratulate Lord Mandelson of Foy in the County of Herefordshire and of Hartlepool in the County of Durham, for his intervention against HS2.

As I proved, the hoi polloi are quite happy travelling very slowly, with chickens, sheep and goats if necessary.

Meanwhile terribly grand people can continue to 'monetise' their time by taking private jets to their terribly important meetings across the globe.

East Coast acknowledges Christian Heritage

This from East Coast...

Train operator East Coast today named a locomotive “Durham Cathedral”, as thousands of visitors flock to the North East to see the Lindisfarne Gospels in the shadow of the iconic Norman cathedral.

The locomotive, number 91114, was unveiled by the Dean of Durham, the Very Reverend Michael Sadgrove, accompanied by the Vice Chancellor of Durham University, Professor Chris Higgins, and East Coast’s Managing Director Karen Boswell, on Platform 2 at Newcastle Central Station today

The Durham Cathedral Choir provided musical accompaniment to the ceremony, and also sang for passengers on-board the train’s inaugural journey from Newcastle to Durham. The East Coast Railway Chaplain, the Reverend Stephen Sorby, blessed the newly-named train prior to its inaugural departure for Durham, and on to London King’s Cross.

Very good.

So whilst the Girl Guides have abandoned God, it would seem that East Coast is still prepared to acknowledge our Christian Heritage.

And a perfect opportunity for members of the erastian national church and the nation's erastian train operator to share the same platform.

Pointless signs - Southampton Central

This from Some guy who works for SWT... 

Not really a pointless sign, in fact a poster...

...but it shows what a lack of proof-reading can achieve

BR totem anschlussed!

Oh dear!

Is DB (prop Angela Merkel) about to fall foul of the mighty Heritage Railway Association?

Regular followers of the railway scene will of course know that the HRA is one of the most powerful lobby groups in the industry.

So what are we to make of this slightly sad rendering of an iconic railway brand on DB owned Arriva CrossCountry's website...

As any fule kno "Copyright of the former British Railways' Totem is the property of the Heritage Railway Association".

Eye looks forward to a stand off between the bicycling and bowler hatted David Morgan MBE and XC supremo Andy Cooper.

Seconds out!

Miller's alive!

Good news from Neville Hill for fans of both Valentas and clag!

41001's engine was successfully started just after 18:00 last night.

Congratulations to all involved at Project Miller.
 

Pointless signs - Norwich

Good luck in finding either a footbridge or subway...

UPDATE: This from a Mr Oliver Cromwell, another satisfied reader...

Dear Fact Compiler, you silly old fool.

You've already done this one, in 2010.

And it wasn't funny then either.

UPDATE: This from a Mr Tony Miles... 

If Eye covered this in 2010 then it’s been there for three years without anyone in “authority” doing something about it – which makes it even more funny than it was at that time.

If Mr Cromwell doesn’t think that’s amusing then I’d like to know why!!

Juicing the network whilst the lights dim...

This from the PM's spokesman in today's Lobby...

"The clear view of the Government is that the lights are not going out.

"We are confident there are adequate supplies available. Power is not going to be rationed. Lights are not going to be turned off.

"The fundamental questions here are: are the lights going to go out? No.

"Will power be rationed? No."

What an excellent time to be embarking on a major programme of electrication, eh?

Reports of the demise of diesel trains appear somewhat exaggerated!

A reminder of Ministerial double speak

Time to compare and contrast.

This from the Earl Attlee on the 25th April...

Earl Attlee (Whip, House of Lords; Conservative)
Rolling stock deployment is a matter for the train operators with the Government's role primarily focused on ensuring that this represents value for money when the taxpayer's interest is involved. It is therefore for franchise bidders to determine the rolling stock requirements for routes within the franchise area and to work with the rolling stock owning groups to make decisions on investment in both new and existing rolling stock.

The Department for Transport is currently investing in rolling stock for the Thameslink and Inter City Express programmes. These procurements will significantly increase the national fleet size, enabling the department's investment strategy requirements to be met.

Existing rolling stock procurement programmes (including Thameslink and InterCity Express), and potential cascades of trains to other lines will not be delayed by the franchise schedule announced in March 2013, including during periods of direct awards contracts. The department will be working with both the train operators and rolling stock owning companies to understand any further rolling stock needs identified by them during the direct award periods.

Quite so and quite right!

Let the market decide!

Alas, here is the Earl Attlee on the 26th June...

Earl Attlee (Whip, House of Lords; Conservative)
Bidders for the East Coast franchise will be required to enter into arrangements for the use of trains procured through the InterCity Express Programme for use on East Coast in any agreements finalised by Her Majesty's Government.

So My Lord, it is not really 'for franchise bidders to determine rolling stock requirements' at all then?

Stand by your beds!

This from Whitehall...

Several hundred civil servants who serve in the Reserve Forces are proudly wearing their military uniforms to work today, 26 June, in job centres, tax offices and government departments across the country to mark Uniform to Work Day.

And quite right too!

After all Saturday is Armed Forces Day.

But who is this we spy in the accompanying pictures?

 
Well blow me, if it isn't Sgt 'High-tops' Stargazey, of the Queen's Own Regiment of Spinners!

Eye wonders if a certain Lt Col in the trade press isn't tempted, just very occasionally, to pull rank?

Glasto' and the railway

Nice video from First Great Western!

In their own words...

Castle Cary is normally one of the quality (sic) stations on the First Great Western network, seeing around 1000 passengers pass through it each day.

But, during Glastonbury Festival week, the station turns into the central hub for revelers traveling to the festival - with passenger numbers increasing by five or six times that number.

This video shows the transformation on day one of the festival this year.


 
Over the course of the festival First Great Western will be providing more than 50 extra trains and 13,000 extra seats to help get customers to Glastonbury, avoiding thousands of additional car journeys to the site.

Good effort - shows the railway doing what it does best; moving large numbers of people, safely.

Dean's 'getting the band back together'...

This from National Express...

Mary Grant, former chief executive officer, Phones 4U, will join National Express in July 2013 as Managing Director, Business Development. Her role initially will be to work on international growth opportunities. She will increasingly focus on UK Rail opportunities during 2014.

Who'd have guessed?

Pointless signs - Norman's Bay

This from The Albatross...

In the middle of the barren salt marshes of East Sussex lies Norman's Bay station, with it's very own 'Meeting Point'!
 

Who? Why? When?
 

Baker and Burns lead the cuts...

This from Confused of Whitehall...

I note the following from the Chancellor's  Comprehensive Spending Review statement today:

"The Department for Transport will make a 9 per cent saving in its day to day resource spending, bearing down on the running costs of Transport for London and rail administration"

Is this in addition to, or instead of, this year's planned 50% reduction in the DfT ministerial team?

Perhaps Eye, or its readers, can clarify?

Crossrail concession shortlisted bidders

The following have been shortlisted for the Crossrail operating concession:

• Arriva;
• Keolis/Go-Ahead;
• MTR; and
• National Express.

Perhaps a surprise not to see RATP in the list.

Did Eye mention that this will be a Concession rather than a Franchise?

Hynes to Northern

This from the Abellio website...

Following the announcement in late March that Ian Bevan had decided to step down from his role as MD of Northern Rail, Abellio and Serco have appointed Alex Hynes as MD for Northern, commencing in September 2013.
 
Alex’s early career as a senior consultant for Halcrow Fox saw him providing policy, financial and economic advice to transport operators in UK rail franchise bidding. He then progressed his career with the ORR before joining the Go-Ahead Group in 2005, performing a number of roles including Commercial Director for London Midland and his most recent role as MD – Rail Development. In this role he was a member of Go-Ahead’s Executive Committee and led the development and delivery of Go-Ahead’s 5 year rail strategy including all franchise bidding activity.
 
Alex brings a wealth of experience in which will position him well to take Northern Rail to the next stage of operational excellence across all aspects of the business. We welcome him to the Group and wish him every success in his new role.
 
We would also like to take this opportunity to express our sincere thanks to Alan Chaplin for undertaking the role of Acting MD to date and pending Alex’s commencement at which time he will facilitate a smooth handover before returning to focus on his COO role. 

Nothing about the appointment on Serco's website though...

ATOC to hold wake for franchising?

Good news for fans of black armbands and dirges!

ATOC is hosting a tres elegant soiree in July to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Railways Act, the piece of legislation that paved the way for, in Chris Grayling's words, "a flawed privitisation".

Quite so.

The timing could not be better with the next party of government nudging ever closer to renationalising the railways, according to an article today by Mark Ferguson on Labour List.

No matter!

No doubt those attending the ATOC bun fight, including the Secretary of State for Transport, will appreciate the deep irony of holding it in the former home of the Greater London Council (now the Marriott County Hall).

Of course that was another piece of Tory abolition legislation that has subsequently been reversed.

More amusing still is the fact that the successors to the GLC, the Mayor and GLA, are absolutely adamant that Concessions, rather than Franchises, are the way forward for rail services; unless of course you include London Underground which remains resolutely state-owned.

Perhaps ATOC realises the game is up?

Pointless signs - Exeter Central

This from the Wicked Weaver...

They must be short of seats at Exeter Central.

Pointless signs - Ashford

This from @Goddent83...

People in Ashford have long memories...

Railway Garden Competition - London Victoria

Chunnel woes - but silver lining in sight

This from Judge Nutmeg...

The European Commission has today announced that it is taking proceedings against the UK and French Governments over their failure to comply with European railway law in the structure and regulation of the Channel Tunnel.  

In particular, the Commission is concerned that this non-compliance is causing prices for passengers and freight customers to be too high. 

No doubt this will be strongly opposed by the Governments, and long protracted court cases will follow.

Of course, if the European single market was working properly, one could rely on competitive powers to control prices; in this case competition from the alternative mode, cross channel ferries.

The same ferries in fact that the Competition Regulator has just banned Eurotunnel from buying, with multiple legal cases also heading to court.

The benefits of EU Membership for the Legal Profession can surely not be doubted even by Monsieur Farage and Co.