LM Chief Exec blames everyone else

Telegrammed by Golden Connection
Exciting news from the latest splendid edition of New Transit magazine.

In an insightful piece Permatan Rail supremo, Keith Ludeman, reflects on London Midland's Sunday and Rest Day working problems:

"What I find disappointing is it was not sorted out by the time we took the business over. In Southern and Southeastern we dealt with the issue of Sunday working and rest day working years ago, and I don’t know why [previous franchise holder] National Express did not.

"It beggars belief but there you go."

Indeed it does Keith, indeed it does.

But what's this?

Wasn't it London Midland that did a deal which meant all new guards no longer had to work Sundays?

And didn't London Midland also rescinded the long standing arrangements whereby drivers could also work as guards?

And wasn't it London Midland that offered crews double time to work Sundays, then removed the bung and had to promptly reinstate it as Sunday working evaporated?

Nor was Central Trains or Silverlink ever issued with a Remedial Improvement Notice as happened to London Midland only today.

Keith finishes off his puff piece with the self evident truth that "Chief Executives make or break... groups".

Indeed they do Keith. As Richard "call me a villain forevermore" Bowker learnt to his cost.

Lookalike - The Glasnost years

With a bowler tip to Eliot.

Doomed London Midland slapped with wet fish

Disastrous GoAhead franchise London Midland has been severely chastised by Moley and crew:

Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport (Chris Mole):

My right honourable and Noble Friend the Secretary of State for the Department for Transport (Lord Adonis) has made the following Ministerial Statement:

The performance of London Midland on 6 September 2009 fell short of its customers’ expectations and was unacceptable to both passengers and Government.

I can now outline the measures I have taken, and the actions I have agreed with London Midland in respect of London Midland’s breach of its franchise agreement.

First, I have issued London Midland with a Remedial Plan Notice for exceeding the Franchise Agreement threshold on cancellations. This requires London Midland to submit to me a Remedial Plan for addressing the level of cancellations. Discussions are at an advanced stage on a range of measures to be implemented within the Remedial Plan.

The Remedial Plan will be contractualised as a Remedial Agreement.

Second, a package of additional benefits for passengers has been agreed, including:

An additional franchise agreement obligation to invest in new, and additional, high-quality information equipment, spending no less than £4.4 million over the life of the franchise in addition to the investment that has already committed in the franchise agreement; and

A promotion for 50,000 day rover tickets for travel over the Christmas period and London Midland will also make available an additional 400,000 Advance Purchase tickets over the next two years on some of the most popular routes.

That should have Permatan Rail quaking in its boots!

UPDATE: This from D1062...

After LM appears to have climbed back from the brink, I was intrigued to hear that unless the company improve their pay offer then ASLEF members will block RDW and O/T from 14th November.

More mass cancellations at LM then...

UPDATE: This from our man at 222 Marylebone Road...

Clearly the Grey Fox has taken on a long term project.

(Based on recent performance he may be better to view it as a very short term project. Ed)

Had drink been taken?

With a bowler tip to the Daily Telegraph

Ugly, ugly, ugly - Part II

Via Twitter

@PowerHaul: Video footage of the first two PowerHaul locomotives being unveiled

With a bowler tip to @RailwayGazette

DafT in denial - again

Telegrammed by the Archer
Eye readers might be interested in the following DRES lecture on the Management of Rail Projects.

The lecture will focus on the way in which DafT has managed procurement of new trains.

DRES Poster - 2009.12

But what's this?

No reference to the failed procurement of new DMUs.

Obviously no lessons need to be learnt there then!

UPDATE: This from Leo Pink...

Has the Derby Constabulary been alerted to Mr Dillon's lecture?

There is a strong possibility of a break down of public order if local rail firms attend.

The presence of the riot squad might be worthwhile to separate Interfleet - recipient of squillions of DfT largess on Thameslink rolling stock procurement and Porterbrook non-recipeint of even a brass farthing.

Add in the mass demonstration from Litchurch Lane praising Marshall Dillon for booting Alstom out of the Thameslink contest and Brush, from down the road, joining Porterbrook in demanding life extension of IC125 to the end of the century to ensure the binning of IEP and we have the making of a bar room brawl beyond even the dreams of the great western film director John Ford.

Or perhaps the well known artist Mr Firth might add the lecture to his works such as 'Derby Day' and the 'Railway Station'.

UPDATE: This, allegedly and somewhat surprisingly, from Brian Sewell...

My dear Fact Compiler

My very old and dear chum Leo has committed the most egregious solecism in miss-spelling that minor Victorian painter Frith, noted for his scenes of public venues.

May I add in passing how much I was disturbed by the decorated HST power car portrayed in your eximious blog.

Surely the imposition of a faux Hurst spot print on that masterly icon of railway velocity is akin to erecting Tracey Emin's tent on a Bentley convertible.

UPDATE: this from 5741 Duck...


Maybe Matt Dillon has been spending too much time in the Long Branch Saloon with Miss Kitty.

UPDATE: This from Globetrotter...

Shurely any talk by DafT's IEP sponsor in Derby risks inflaming the locals, regardless of which side they are on?

More significantly, my colleagues have pointed out that Leo Pink's attribution of said paintings needs clarification.

Is he perchance referring to the well-known efforts of one Mr FRITH, or has HMRI's former inspector of light rail systems (Stephen Firth, of that ilk) found a new direction in life?

That Gordon Brown transcript

The Fact Compiler is no fan of the OESI.

However, he feels very uncomfortable about the way that certain media is handling the continuing revelations about the telephone conversation that the PM had with grieving mother Mrs Janes.

Just thought you might like to know.

UPDATE: Then again, Gordon's been up to his old tricks again...

Labour forces secret inquests Bill through the Commons

They just can't be trusted can they.

Eye backs the Sun - get the truth out!

First for moving the deckchairs

As Eye revealed yesterday Jim Morgan is to leave First Group.

Mary Grant will cover the MD role at FuCC until a permanent (ie longer than six months) replacement can be found.

Meanwhile Karen Bosworth, former Customer Services Director at FuCC, is to be named as the new MD of nationalised East Coast Main Line.

Would the First one out last please turn off the lights.

UPDATE: The Daily Telegraph suggests that Susan Goldsmith may not prosper under the new East Coast Main Line regime.

UPDATE: This from the Shunter...

If the new regime over at East Coast Main Line is DfT's best shot then they may already have answered the 'Wolmar Question"!

Pudsey overlooked in great East Coast giveaway - Shocker

Telegrammed by Globetrotter
With apologies to the BBC, but isn’t his Lordship out by a week in his timing?

Surely it’s next Friday night (November 20) when UK taxpayers are traditionally invited to dig deep in their pockets and give generously for charitable causes?


Not that last year’s £28m would go far in filling the bottomless pit formerly known as NXEC.

UPDATE: This from J Alfred Prufrock...

Oh, I don't know.

£25 million would probably top up DOR East Coast's revenue shortfall for almost the next four months, now that NXEC's £40 million has gone.

Mutley moment at the DfT

Telegrammed by our man at 222 Marylebone Road
Oak leaves have been added to Lord Adonis' Орден Ленина in recognition of another heroic act of railway statism that will get them dancing round their handbags in Essex.

Andy baby has stepped in where even uber-privatiser Richard Bowker feared to tread and announced that when c2c is refranchised in 2011 the line will be named Essex Thameside.

It would have been oak leaves with diamonds had he reverted to London Tilbury and Sarf'end - the railway that serves where it says on the tin.

FuCC news

***So who is to be the new MD of First Capital Connect?***

ATOC - adrift from reality

Good news from ATOC!

Whilst their TOC members plead poverty it appears that the trade forum lives in a parallel universe where their suppliers have oodles of money.

Or so it would appear judging from this ratecard touted round suppliers by the agency selling space in the new ATOC Telephone Directory.

The ATOC Directory – November 2009

Advertising Space Available------Cost per Issue

Outside Back Cover--------------£10,000

Inside Back Cover----------------£6,000

Inside Front Cover---------------£7,000

Eye wateringly expensive!

Why for the price of the outside cover you could travel with Arriva XC from Newquay to Fort William almost ten times...

Shabby Eurostar marks 15th Anniversary

This from Marketing...

Eurostar launches campaign to mark 15th anniversary

Eye recommends that Eurostar marks the anniversary by cleaning, or better still repainting, its tatty trains.

Glasgow will lose East Coast Main Line services!

Much excitement in the media this weekend over suggestions that Glasgow will come off the East Coast franchise map.

The story prompted a strong denial from the Noble Lord in the Sunday Times:

Lord Adonis, the UK transport minister, last night dismissed claims that direct train services between Glasgow and London on the East Coast Main Line were about to be axed.

Adonis said that he knew of no such plan, insisting that he would not withdraw rail services from Glasgow.

But what's this?

The Noble Lord claims that he has no knowledge of such a plan.

Shome mishtake shurley!

Why it was only two years ago, when the last East Coast franchise failed, that exactly the same plans were submitted by officials.

The fact that they were vetoed by the then minister doesn't mean that such plans have gone away.

Indeed, after a second high profile franchise failure on the same route, these plans now make even more sense.

By removing the need to serve Glasgow, Inverness and Aberdeen there would be considerable operational savings (fuel, traincrew and rolling stock).

Better still it may be possible to free up some East Coast 125mph trains so that ScotRail could run their own premium service within Scotland.

Class 180s anyone?

So Eye confidently predicts that when the East Coast franchise is eventually re-let Edinburgh will be as far is it goes.

Lookalike - Railair

With a bowler tip to Inspector Blakey.

The Hammers... and tongs

This from Reuters...

Instead of the usual messages about delays, passengers at West Ham station in east London heard a couple's love-making antics being relayed over platform loudspeakers during the evening rush hour on Thursday.

Good old Extended Jubilee line - longer, faster, deeper!

Poppy appeal - play your part

Of your charity please consider doing the following...

Text the word POPPY to 70222 - to make a donation to The Royal British Legion. (Texts cost £1.50 plus your standard network message charge). At least £1.00* goes directly to the Legion.

Other ways in which you can support the Royal British Legion can be found here.

Transport Select Committe - next evidence session

Priorities for investment in the railways - 11 Nov 09 (3)

EVIDENCE SESSION

On Wednesday 11 November 2009 at 3.45pm in Committee Room 8, Palace of Westminster, House of Commons, the Committee will hold an evidence session on Priorities for investment in the railways. The following will give evidence:

Time Witnesses

3.45 pm - Eurostar, Deutsche Bahn, Greengauge 21

4.15 pm - Association of Train Operating Companies, Virgin Group, National Express

5.15 pm - Network Rail

These timings are approximate and the sessions may start slightly earlier or later than advertised.

UPDATE: This from J Alfred Prufrock...

Of all those appearing before the Transport Committee only Network Rail actually invests any money in the railway and that all comes from the taxpayer.

Bah, humbug.

UPDATE: This from Network Rail's Internet Rapidish Rebuttal Unit...

J Alfred Prufrock really should know better.

His assertion that the money Network Rail invests "all comes from the taxpayer" will come as news to train operators whose track access charges paid to us help fund the railway.

Also the £300m a year contribution from our commercial property division is not to be sniffed at either.

Signal sighting problems explained

UPDATE: Eye is grateful to a Mr Saltaire for this novel solution...


WTF?

Pointless signs - Simplified fares