Shaken and stirred - David Brown to Northern

This from Northern...

David Brown has been appointed as Managing Director of Arriva Rail North Ltd which operates the Northern rail franchise.

David, who is currently Chief Executive at Transport for the North, will take up his role at Arriva during September and will succeed Alan Chaplin who has been Acting Managing Director since February.

An interesting case of gamekeeper turned poacher!

Of perhaps greater interest is what this says about TfN...

Crumbling Edge of Something...

No comment.

Railway Garden Competition - Blackburn

This from Kettledrummle...

As you will see Blackburn is well on track to achieving "garden" status. Unfortunately what was in the 4 foot where the train has stopped was not so green.

Probably better classed as fertiliser!

Railway Garden Competition - Eastleigh

This from Rover...

Keep 'em coming.

Rail minister returns!

No. Not that one.

Claire Perry, who is now a minister at BEIS looking after the Industrial Strategy.

A positively glacial formation of a new government.

Strong and stable my arsenal.

Dust settling - GE2017

This from Daisy Hill...

Well that was interesting!

Grayling returned to transport following a very minor reshuffle.

We await news on who will be the rail minister.

Meanwhile,  those wondering what the election result means for transport policy are reminded that Northern Ireland's railways are both state owned and vertically integrated.

Eat your heart out Jeremy Corbyn!

Railway Garden Competition - Charing Cross

This from Dan D. Lion...

It's not as if those cables and cabinets control anything important after all.

Pointless signs - Newark

This from a Mr InterCity Swift..

A contribution for your pointless signs series.

Or should that be pontless signs?



It's been there for a couple of years now.

Railway Garden Competition - Retford

This from a Mr InterCity Swift...

Much to the annoyance of VTEC, it's back - bigger and stronger!

Are there any hardy Railway Garden perennials near you? If so do send them in!

BTP first in the line of duty at London Bridge

This from our 'Railway Plod'; which is very much part of the Railway Family.

Which makes it somewhat personal!

Statement from Chief Constable on British Transport Police officer injured at London Bridge

Following the horrific attacks at London Bridge last night, the British Transport Police officer who was injured is now in a stable condition.

Chief Constable Paul Crowther said: “Having visited the officer in hospital shortly after he was admitted for treatment, I was able to hear his account of what happened last night.

“It became clear that he showed enormous courage in the face of danger, as did many others who were at the scene and rushed to help.

“Although he is seriously unwell, he was able to recount how he faced the attackers armed only with his baton, outside London Bridge station.

“For an officer who only joined us less than two years ago, the bravery he showed was outstanding and makes me extremely proud.

“All of us at BTP wish him a swift recovery, and I know he will be touched by the hundreds of messages of support from across the UK and the world.

“Our thoughts are with all of those who died or were injured, and their loved ones as they try to come to terms with what happened.”

Big respect!

Good effort.

And our prayers and thoughts are with the officer, his colleagues, family and friends.

Also... thank you to all our BTP colleagues for all that you do to keep everyone safe, day in and day out, on or about the railway.

Of course, the BTP has often been at the forefront of policing.

This from the British Transport Police History Group...

The railway police were the first force in the country to use trained police dogs (1909), one of the first to use drug sniffer dogs (1974), and the first to introduce a computerised crime reporting procedure (1970s). 

The force took a national lead in football intelligence in the 1980s, and developed a bomb threat analysis procedure, later adopted nationally, as a result of dealing with twenty high explosive devices, forty incendiary devices and more than five thousand bomb threats during one three year period (1991-94).

Perhaps Theresa May will consult with the railway industry, before attempting to merge the specialist BTP into the constabularies of very different industries?

Meanwhile, Hands off our Bobbies!

EGIP costs contained - sort of?

This from 'My Laird'...

Truly, the world has gone mad. And budgets madder?

EGIP taking over a public path to Plean south of Stirling!

Railway Garden Competition - Dorking (Main)

This from @NickRH14...

Looking lush at Dorking (Main)...

Keep 'em coming (and remember the rules - only UK railway gardens are eligible)!

Railway Garden Competition - Sleaford

This from a Mr Dogboxdriver...

Lincolnshire's first entry of this year's contest is this fine effort at Sleaford station. 

Note especially the distant jungle waiting to swallow the railcar...

Railway Garden Competition - Newhaven Harbour

This via @mikewallis11...

Keep 'em coming!

VTEC in Fake News - Shocker

This from Captain Deltic (for it is he)...

You can imagine the good Captain's consternation when PR firm Hope & Glory sent out a photo of the recent reconstruction of a 1977 East Coast Main Line line-up featuring the handover of the blue riband of high speed traction from the Deltic to IC125.

They kindly attached a black and white print of the original 1977 event.

Which only emphasised that there was something missing from the 2017 line up. Something big and green, with a smokey exhaust and not Flying Scotsman?

But, wait a minute, or 31 minutes to be precise.  Here's a correction from  Hope & Glory with a new photo and caption featuring  D9002 in all its two tone glory, plus some other trains.

And the correction arrived before Captain D had a chance to register his protest.

So who in VTEC spotted this faux pas and ordered a prompt re-issue by their PR agency? (Eye's money is on one D Horne Esq. Ed)

Court backs ORR on Heathrow TAC

This from the ORR...

Court upholds ORR decision on Crossrail charges

As the independent regulator for the UK’s railways, we have a statutory role in ensuring charges to run trains on relevant networks are underpinned by evidence and comply with legal requirements.

In May 2016, taking into account representations and evidence from affected parties, including considerable documentation and submissions from Heathrow Airport Limited (HAL), we decided HAL is not permitted to introduce all of its proposed new charges for train operators to use its track, which links Heathrow ‎Airport to the Great Western main line.‎

HAL launched a judicial review of our decision and after a three day hearing, the court has dismissed HAL’s application and upheld our decision. We welcome this judgment and we will now work with all the affected parties to enable Crossrail services to start running as scheduled into the airport.

Perhaps just as well. 

Not much point in being too greedy when you need your TfL friends to support your exciting expansion plans...

Railway Garden Competition - Clapham Junction

This week sees the Chelsea Flower Show!

So with this in mind here is the railways contribution at Clapham Jct.



Keep 'em coming!

RMT makes welcome gesture

Amidst all the ghastliness of recent hours, a small but significant gesture from The Brothers...

RMT SUSPENDS STRIKE ACTION ON MERSEYRAIL, NORTHERN RAIL AND SOUTHERN RAIL

Mick Cash, RMT General Secretary, said:

“In light of the horrific bombing in Manchester last night, and the heightened safety and security alerts on our transport services, RMT’s executive has taken the decision to suspend the 24 hours of strike action scheduled for Tuesday 30th May on Merseyrail, Northern Rail and Southern Rail.

“Our thoughts and solidarity at this time are with the people of Manchester.”

Quite.

Tory manifesto - Welsh railways

This from Julian and Sandy...

With the Prime Minister facing a difficult day in Wales over her U-turn on the 'dementia tax' I thought it might be worth looking at what the Tory party manifesto had to say about rail in Wales.

Here's the relevant section:

Wales plays a crucial role in our modern industrial strategy, in the promotion of growing industries in Wales and in the additional powers handed to Welsh local authorities and businesses to promote local growth. Welsh businesses will be central to our new trade and export policies, and our investment in improved infrastructure will help Welsh companies bene t even more from the UK single market than they do now. We will modernise the railway infrastructure across Wales, including new and improved stations, and explore ways to harness Welsh natural resources for the generation of power. 

Not sure whether this applies to narrow gauge lines as well as standard gauge, but clearly it is all jolly promising...

I found it by searching the Tory party manifesto for 'single market' and in the Wales bit there is an intriguing reference to the benefit of the UK single market. I had no idea that was under threat too.

A new Welsh border would make accounting on the English leg of the Holyhead-Cardiff Red Dragon Express extremely tricky.

Hammond Eggs: The memories of glories past...

So Philip Hammond has been on the election trail in Derby...

The Chancellor Philip Hammond has been visiting Bombardier in Derby. pic.twitter.com/LTCox6Wfg9

— Chris Doidge (@BBCChrisD) May 22, 2017

Let's hope nobody mentioned his role in the Thameslink fleet award!