Travers Cosgrove MC RIP

This from the Daily Telegraph...

Travers Cosgrove , who has died aged 93, was awarded an MC in Germany in 1945; he subsequently worked for LNER and British Rail and was responsible for the design and introduction of innovatory equipment and safety measures...

After LNER was nationalised in 1948, he worked for British Railways Scottish Region until 1955 and then for the Western Region. He was the Materials Handling Officer on the British Railways Board from 1962 to 1976. Cosgrove introduced a number of innovations which became familiar sights to railway travellers in Britain. Among these were the luggage trolleys at main-line stations and the multifunctional cages (known as BRUTES) for the parcel service, which he researched and designed. 

Who knew?

Good effort.

TSC - Suggestions for future inquiries

This from the Transport Select Committee... 

Transport Committee invites ideas for future inquiries 

The Transport Committee today invites the public to suggest subjects for inquiries to take place later in the year.

Topics should relate to the work of the Department for Transport or one of its related bodies, such as the Highways Agency, Maritime and Coastguard Agency or Network Rail.

The Committee Chair, Louise Ellman MP, has said:

“If you have an issue which you think we should look at we would like to hear from you. Please write to us, email, or submit your suggestion using our website or Twitter.

“Your suggestions will be important in shaping our future work programme. Once we have decided on which inquiries to hold we will publish all of the suggestions we received and what we decided in relation to each of them”.

“That said, I must also emphasise that the Committee does not take up individual cases and will not look at local transport issues or specific transport projects unless they raise issues of national significance.”

The Committee last invited the public to suggest inquiry ideas in March 2013. The suggestions received and the Committee’s decisions about its programme were published in June 2013. 

Future programme: 2013-14 

Further information 

Submissions should be 250 words or less and sent by e-mail to transcom@parliament.uk or via Twitter using @CommonsTrans 

Nothing to see here, move along.

Hammond Eggs - Time shall unfold what plighted cunning hides...

This from Leo Pink... 

As these written answers show, DfT continues to play the 'nothing to do with us, Guv' card when asked questions relating to Network Rail.

They should make the most of it because NR becomes a Departmental responsibility from 1st September 2014. 

Railways: Cumbria 

Mr Jamie Reed asked the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what steps he plans to take to ensure that the Cumbrian Coast railway line is protected from severe storm damage; (2) what steps he is taking to ensure that rail services in West Cumbria will be less affected by adverse weather conditions in future.

Stephen Hammond replied that Network Rail own and operate Britain's rail infrastructure. Included in their plans for Control Period 5 (2014-19) is a weather mitigation strategy, to help reduce the impact of severe weather on the network.

Mr Jamie Reed asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many Network Rail delay minutes have been caused by adverse weather in Cumbria in each of the last five years.

Stephen Hammond replied that the Department does not hold the data at this level of disaggregation. This is a matter for Network Rail. 

Tick, tick, tick...

Road Barbie and Ken unveiled!

This from the Highways Agency...

Elaine Holt and Tom Smith will provide valuable insight and leadership in helping the Highways Agency to maintain, operate and improve England’s major roads, as well as preparing for the biggest investment in the country’s road network for 40 years. Both take up their roles this month.

A marriage made in heaven!

Meanwhile, come 1st September - Network Rail, be afraid, be very afraid...

First... for being genuinely quite brilliant!

This from the Sleeper...

This has been installed at Huddersfield station:

Felix apparently still prefers to go under the barriers - but a jolly wheeze by First TPE none the less.

Absolutely brilliant! Good effort!

Soi disant Time Lord?

This from Leo Pink...
 
It looks as though the soi disant veteran observer is even more of a veteran than we first thought!

It turns out that he is chairing the Derby175 group tasked with delivering celebrations to mark the 175th anniversary of the railway's arrival in Derby.

Presumably he was appointed because he is the only person who can remember what happened at the time?

Or more likely, because he is a silly old... (that's quite enough history! Ed)

Hitachiballs: Trading standards...

This from Howard Wade...

Reacting to today’s news that the government is to build a dedicated further education college to train the next generation of train engineers for HS2, Alistair Dormer, Hitachi Rail Europe's Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, said:

"We are very pleased the government recognises the importance of good infrastructure. Hitachi Rail Europe is investing in Britain’s future through a new factory at Newton Aycliffe, in County Durham, which will employ 730 people building trains for the home and export market with Made in Britain stamped on them."

Where will this proud claim be 'stamped', we wonder?

No doubt some journalist with an inconveniently long memory will ask to be shown the precise location?

The Empire strikes back, sort of!

This from Ithuriel...

In an article in the Sunday Express, Stagecoach CEO, Martin Griffiths, launched his Chairmanship of the RDG (What that? Ed) with a fighting article headed: 'Railways are still on track'.

No, it wasn't a  riposte to busway conversions, but a paen to the newly nationalised railway (Shurely 'triumph of Privatisation'? Ed)

Martin showed his Finance Director background with this statistical claim:

"Train companies last year switched from being net recipients of Government support to net contributors. Overall industry subsidy per journey is lower than or the same as in six of the 12 years leading up to privatisation."

Good news indeed!

But what's this?

Note that Mr Griffiths is comparing 'now' (after 20 years of privatisation) with 12 years then, conveniently ignoring the post Railtrack years when subsidy was indeed four to five times BR at its best (Where is this going? Ed).  

Griffith's comparison is also based on passenger journeys not passenger kilometers. 

Since Clapham Junction to Waterloo and Kings Cross to Aberdeen are both 'journeys', the average cost measure is meaningless (Got you! Ed). 

So what about comparing cost per passenger kilometre?

In 1982, before the revival of BR's fortunes under Sir Bob Reid, the subsidy per passenger kilometre at today's prices was 8.1p. 

In 2006-07, when subsidy peaked at £6.3 billion - three times BR's 1982 subsidy, this equated to 15.8 p per passenger km!

Nice try.  But sadly, no cigar!

Update: This from The Horn of Plenty...

Shurely it was Sir Robert Reid who revived BR's fortunes, paving the way for Shell's Sir Bob later?

On a more serious point, do we honestly think that we were at a sustainable level of spend in 1982, the era before Clapham, Hidden, Hatfield, DDA, Interoperability, Climate Change Levy, Pension Protection Levy, TPWS, GSMR, etc...?

Hopefully we are now where Sir Robert may have wished us to be, with the Government treating:

"... the network according to its importance to the nation rather than its financial value..."

Where "...safety must be 'top of the agenda': the only answer [is] high standards, efficient systems and constant vigilance."

Does anyone on today's railway really believe that our old nationalised industry could have delivered this?

Lookalike - Wind in the Wimbledon edition

This from the Graun...

Stephen Hammond, the minister for buses and rail, who lives six miles from Westminster, used the government's "top up" cars 138 times in a year. These cars are at the call of ministers if an official departmental vehicle is unavailable. On 19 occasions Hammond used the service to move his red boxes unaccompanied from one place to another.

Where have we heard that before?

What is it with the internal combustion engine and Tory Transport ministers? 

Pointless signs - Wetherspoons

This from a Mr Whitley...

Spotted in a Wetherspoons' loo..

Has Mr Bowker been reminiscing over a few beers?

UPDATE: This from Deep Stoat's Brother...

Reminiscing or predicting?

I give unto you the Office of Passenger Rail Services!

SRA for short, obviously.

Pointless signs - Slough

Pointless sign - Northern 153

This from Northern Spirit...

This "Emergency Door Release" sticker on a Northern Rail Class 153 says the emergency handle is to the right (if looking at the arrow). 

It is actually to the left.

LUL has a Lady Bracknell moment?

This from Underground Ernie...

I see that TfL slipped this out on New Years Eve...

London Underground (LU) and Bombardier Transportation today announced that the signalling contract for the Circle, District, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan lines (Sub Surface lines) will be re-let by LU following discussions between the two companies

To lose one signalling supplier, Mr. Brown, may be regarded as a misfortune; to lose two looks like carelessness.

Manchester Victoria - 9 days of work in 2 minutes

This via Network Rail...



Very good. Tick.

Pointless signs - First Hull Trains

This from a Ms High Society...

I find myself feeling a bit sorry for any elderly or disabled men who, presumably, have to fend for themselves.

First for inclusion?

Railway Carol Service - 12:30 Thursday 19th December

If you are in London at lunchtime...

All welcome.

All that needs to be said about Biggs

This from Peter Rayner...

"My view is that whilst I was - and am - critical of the Great Train Robbers and the heroes' welcome they got, especially in light of the death of Jack Mills, my sympathies go out to his family and I would not wish to speak further on the subject."

That is all.

Silver Stump Watch - Edinburgh Waverley

This from Strawbrick...
 
There must be something about Scotland!

This is from the approach ramp to Edinburgh Waverley from the South Bridge, between 1/3rd and half-way down.

To get to these bollards you need to mount the kerb, which is about a foot high, then smash through the cast iron bollards and railings. 

If  your angle of attack is 90 degrees then your vehicle will have to be less than 6ft long so that you can turn right through exactly 90 degrees and then approach the silver bollards. If you attack the existing fence at less than 90 degrees you will impale yourself on the ends of the broken railings.

Perhaps taking belt and braces a little too far?

Pointless signs - Peterborough

This from Percy Kilometer...

Platform 2 (London end) yesterday.

What came to an end at 23.59 on November 13 2009?

4 years, 1 month and 5 days ago.... and counting.

Seems a long time to get the ladders out?

NR and ONS - Eye salutes the DfT!

What is this?

It is the sound of today's broadcast media coverage of the ONS decision on NR debt.

A deep doff of the bowler to Our Ma Sheriff's (and the Davies Commission)!