A lament for the Voyager shop

The Fact Compiler salutes Arriva Dross Country.

In particular the genius who decided to dispense with the shop in favour of an 'at-seat' (sic) trolley service.

As last week saw the final shop removed from the Voyagers the following plaintive call is to be heard aboard all XC services:

"Due to overcrowding and luggage in the aisles the trolley cannot make it down the train. Passengers wanting refreshments are invited to come to the end of coach F."

Brilliant - replace a fixed retail unit in the centre of the train with one at the far end.

And of course it carries less stock because it's just a trolley.

Did any of the bid team, so ably supported by First Class Partnerships, ever ride XC services in summer?

UPDATE: This just in from 'Bacon Butty'...

Eye readers might like to know that during the bidding there were many "mystery shoppers" aboard XC services and the shop staff all warned these people about overcrowding, bumpy vestibule connections and the general unsuitability of trolleys.

Perhaps one for Lord Adonis to get his teeth into after he's sorted out catering on the new state owned (but FCP managed) East Coast franchise...

UPDATE: This from Steve Strong...

Bollox to that!

Screw the Voyagers.

The HST's are great.

Arriva do proper trains!

UPDATE: This from Simon...

Your post on the problems caused by the removal of the shops from the Voyagers is all too familiar to this regular traveller from Oxford to Southampton .

Not only has this wrecked catering provision, it has also significantly worsened the provision for bicycles.

The previous four bike spaces (at the end of coach F) have been replaced by three (in part of the space previously occupied by the shop), one of which is effectively unusable, and all of which require you to block the door and aisle while struggling to suspend your bike from the ceiling hook.

When you add to this the fact that Cross Country seem to make no attempt to enforce their ‘mandatory’ cycle reservation policy, things rapidly descend into a free-for-all, particularly at peak hours, and those with reservations (like yours truly) regularly end up standing in the corridor connection for long periods, being attacked by the automatic doors.

Anyone would think the DfT wanted people to drive to the station!

NX borrows from Open Access again

This from an astonished reader...

Renaissance Trains has certainly been behind some radical changes to the industry in recent years.

But it's not just Open Access where they have left their mark.

Or so it would appear, judging by this statement on their website:

"Mike is a recognised expert in the areas of rail customer services, both non-board trains and at stations."

So this is where National Express got the idea for 'non-board' catering!

Advenza news

A reader emails to ask whether the Eye has seen any Advenza moves today?

The Fact Compiler is uncertain what this means.

Presumably the Gloucester firm has all eventualities covered... or possibly not.

UPDATE: Eye has been ensured that all is well.

Network Rail plays with political fire

We know that Number 10 is annoyed.

We know that tomorrow morning the Chief Executive of Network Rail is to give a presentation entitled:

"Meeting the rail capacity challenge - the case for new high speed lines."

Do we know what's in it? Possibly.

Have all the right people been invited? Maybe.

Has anyone a serious clue as to what's going on? Nobody!

Alas.

What with it being the Silly Season and all, industry hacks have been inundated with calls from the 'mejia' desperate to know what tomorrow is all about.

Yet more woe!

Nobody seems to have been briefed yet.

Although those with a wireless may benefit by tuning into 97.2 on the FM dial tomorrow morning...

No matter.

What are we to make of this?

Eye offers the following back-of-a-fag-packet offering (takes deep breath)...

NR have done lots of Route Utilisation Strategies (a good thing).

So they should know where the future capacity issues are (another good thing).

Logically they should plan (as both track supplier and Infrastructure Controller) to address these capacity issues (a very good thing) by suggesting new High Speed railways (even Adonis can't fault this).

Of course these new High Speed lines need to connect with the "classic railway" otherwise it will be a complete disaster.

Also NR has been working on this before Lord Adonis was invented and HS2 conceived (both also very good things).

So in the current economic climate it would be a great wickedness to throw all that work and knowledge away.

So Eye hopes that tomorrow will reveal a well though out RUS for future High Speed lines.

Something that David Rowlands of HS2 and Lord Adonis will be able to welcome.

And even something that our taciturn but cricket loving Prime Minister will be prepared to embrace.

Meanwhile, enter Eye's latest exciting new survey on who should give future direction on High Speed rail (eyes right!)

The way of the transgressor...

This from the Daily Record...

Teenager wrote graffiti on bridge moments before deadly fall onto railway track

'Nuff said.

PPP woes bode well for Crossrail

Yet more good news for Londoners!

According to Tube boss Richard Parry, quoted in today's Gruaniad...

"Regrettably, we now harbour grave doubts over Tube Lines and Bechtel's ability to deliver the upgrade of the Jubilee line by the end of December, which they are contracted to do."

Strange.

Surely Transport for London is not calling into question Bechtel's project management skills?

Surely not.

Why only four months ago the TfL Board rubber stamped Crossrail's decision to award the £400m Project Delivery Partner concession to err... Bechtel - based on the US company's supposed ability to deliver complex projects on time and to budget.

Of course every cloud has a silver lining.

With Crossrail looking set to be caped after the next General Election there'll be no risk of the project overrunning.

May: "We was robbed!"

It seems even the illustrious James May of Top Gear fame is not immune from the perils of railway trespass and vandalism.

This sorry tale from This is Devon...

A TV celebrity's world record attempt to build the longest model railway was repeatedly thwarted yesterday – by spoilsport thieves who stole parts of the track.

If only Mr May had consulted Driver Potter.

Juicing it with 750dc would have seen the thieving 'Erberts dance!

2009 Railway Garden Competition #XXV

This just in from Tim...

Pictured is Hawarden Bridge taken a couple of weeks ago.


Do I win a prize?

Alas no Tim - but Network Rail are certainly in the running if Hawarden still looks this piss-poor today.

Can any readers supply more recent pictures?

All bets off at Derby

Good news for York!

Provincial backwater Derby has abandoned its grandiose plans to become the UK's 'Rail Capital'.

According to This is Derbyshire...

PLANS to build a £15m centre for the UK rail industry in Derby have been scrapped.

The UK Rail Centre was intended to provide a showcase venue for the industry but the East Midlands Development Agency admits it has failed to attract investment for the project.

Derby was chosen ahead of York by the Railway Industry Association and the Rail Sector Advisory Group for the right to house the centre in 2005.

Alas.

Despite the East Midlands Development Agency spending £1.95m in 2006 on a 2.6-acre site close to Derby station no additional external funding has been forthcoming.

The design for the proposed centre also proved slightly contentious, with its eye catching 32m ventilation tower being nicknamed the traffic cone.


Perhaps apt now that this particular avenue for regional grandstanding has been closed off.

NRES maps the future

This just in from the son of John...

If you are travelling to Dublin Ferryport and need local information then the National Rail website provides the following helpful map:


You have to zoom out a long way though to see any useful landmarks...


Perhaps Messrs Hall and Green (Stationers to Lord DafT Vader) could ask NR to shift a couple of their major stations into this Equatorial paradise?

Pointless signs 10#

This just in from Lee...


With thanks to readers of the WNXX Forum who suggested Lee forward this to Eye.

Sadiq says...

Via Twitter...

Exciting announcement on smart cards (like Oyster) for all public transport in the UK...

Quite so minister.

Although not entirely 'like Oyster'.

Oyster works.

Whilst ITSO, on the other hand...

Another maintenance holiday?

Network Rail's East Midlands' Route Utilisation Strategy makes interesting reading.

Here for instance...

3.1 Train operators
At present, four franchised passenger train operators and six freight train operators runservices over the lines covered by the Route Utilisation Strategy (RUS).

These are: CrossCountry, East Midlands Trains, First Capital Connect, Northern Rail, DB Schenker, Freightliner, First GB Railfreight, Fastline Freight, Colas Rail and Advenza Freight.

Indeed.

But what's this?

No mention of Derby based operator Serco, who run Network Rail's own infrastructure monitoring trains.

Perhaps the New Black Tower has identified another efficiency saving?

Flushed with failure...

It's not just Pendolini, Voyagers and Merdians you know.

This from 'Doron' on Tuesday...

18/08/09 10:15 2H81 TOILET FAULT DIN 158712

First ScotRail Control and Inverness RETB SC report that Driver of 2H81 is not prepared to take train beyond Dingwall due to a disgusting smell emanating from toilets on 158712 which has now permeated the whole train.

Up to 69 minutes when I booked off at 14:00.

It makes you wonder if the toiletless TramTrain might not be such a bad idea, if they ever happen of course...

2009 Railway Garden Competition #XX - Revisited

This just in from Dr Gloucester...

I found myself at Salford Crescent again this evening.

There may be an avid follower of the Eye in Network Rail at Manchester, looks like the abundant growth near the Relay Room has had a dose of Roundup (TM) since it was entered in the Railway Garden Competition.


Is this down to coincidence, or embarrassment, I wonder?

Over at the platform end, it's the same story, nowhere for those pesky Pacers to hide now.


To avoid distressing those of a sensitive nature, no Pacers were photographed during the compilation of this submission.

So, NR, if you're still watching, how about tackling this lot, viewed from midway along the Up Platform face.


Then maybe you'd like to deal with this, just round the corner at Ordsall Lane Junction. Yes, that's a signal in there.


The Fact Compiler compliments Network Rail on getting to grips with the vegetation at Salford Crescent and hopes it is able to continue the good work...

North Korea sets ITSO standard

Telegrammed by Ithuriel
Why do the Government keep on insulting our intelligence?

According to the DfT's consultation document on smart and integrated ticketing:

"There is a Government sponsored national specification for smart ticketing called ITSO which is designed to make different schemes technically compatible with each other, facilitating seamless journeys. The specification is maintained by ITSO Ltd, an independent member controlled organisation".

So independent and member controlled that DafT nominates three directors to the board, each with four votes when the other members can only muster 11 votes between them.

Even Kim Jung Il would be impressed by such transparent democracy.

Mandy in hospital

This from the BBC...

Lord Mandelson is in hospital for an operation for a "benign condition of the prostate", says a government spokesman.

What a triumph of modern science to find the one part of the First Secretary that isn't malignant... (with a bowler tip to Evelyn Waugh)

UPDATE: This from Surgeon General Potter...

Further to your coverage on Mandlesons continued pulse, I feel I should be the first to suggest a form of surgery that will suit all.

Please find below the solution to Mandy's health woes.

If it's good enough for Al Gore, then it's good enough for the Noble Lord Mandelson.

After all, people like Al Gore.

South Africa unites behind Midlands & Continental Shocker

It's not just South African athletes whose gender is being called into question.

This from the Derby Evening Telegraph...

Network Rail route director Dyan Crowther said the plan was in response to a growth in demand for rail travel, with the national passenger demand of three million journeys made nationally per day predicted to rise by 28% during the next decade.

He said: "Demand for rail travel has grown significantly over the last decade, and while this success is to be welcomed, it brings with it the challenge of meeting this demand while improving services for rail users."

ATOC is keen to look into the matter...

Pistols at dawn

Telegrammed by Leo Pink
Isn't it typical, you wait for years for a proposals for a new UK high speed line network then two come along.

Next week Network Rail will pre-empt the report from the Department of Transport's own company High speed Two Ltd, promised by the end of the year, with its own "costed and detailed business case for a new high speed line".

DfT Rail is reported to be puzzled by this. 'What have high speed lines got to do with Network Rail' is the view in Marsham Street?'

Network Rail point out that their High Speed Line study was underway long before HS2 Ltd was even thought of.

So a tip of the bowler to Iain Coucher for yet again being the only railwayman willing to plant his tanks on DfT Rail's lawn.

We apologise for the error

This beautiful piece from the Cornish Guardian....

In an article last week ‘Residents call for eyesore red wall to be demolished’ we said that the BRB (Residuary) Ltd was a subsidiary of Network Rail this was incorrect BRB (Residuary) Ltd is owned by the government's Department for Transport and has no connection with Network Rail.

We apologise for the error.

As indeed they ought!

Obviously there is no connection between the private sector company Network Rail and BRB (Residuary) owned by the Department for Transport.

But what's this?

Could this be the same Department of Transport that lobbied the Treasury to allow Network Rail to add the electrification bill to the company's Regulatory Asset Base?

Obviously no connection at all then.