Pointless signs - Stoke on Trent

ATOC car crash on Radio 4

This from Sir Humphrey Beeching...

I suspect many of your readers will have delighted in this morning's media performance by ATOC on the Today programme (2.10 in).

Certainly it is the talk of my former colleagues in Marsham Street.

In the new spirit of constructive dialogue between the Department and the train operators I have been asked to discreetly convey the views of senior officials as to how ATOC might have improved its on-air performance.

With ATOC's core message in mind perhaps it would have been best for all concerned if their own Corporate Affairs Director had not 'got through'.

UPDATE: This from SN Barnes...

With their obvious attention to detail in delivery of rail information it took until the early hours of Thursday morning for ATOC's National Rail site to wake up to the fact that they should be including London Midland services on their Journey Planning database ... whilst London Midland had spent previous 24 hours having to tell punters that NRES had yet to correct their system.

Is this what is meant by 24 hour (and 7 day?) railway - the time it takes to convey information to the passengers?

UPDATE: This from a Mr Loughton...

The Humphrey Beeching story is nonsense - the ATOC guy was given the standard Humphrys beating.

So what?

The DfT today are far more interested in Norman Baker's indiscretions, telling the Telegraph that Villiers gets LibDem policy while Hammond is oddly immune.

UPDATE: The Fact Compiler observes...

Does anyone really care whether 'Villiers gets LibDem policy' if the Sectretary of State remains immune?

If either DafT and/or the LibDems think this is important then they seriously need to retune their political antennae.

UPDATE: This from Sir Humphrey Beeching...

The Fact Compiler is quite wrong.

The views of the Minister of State for Transport are extremely important to my erstwhile colleagues in the Department.

Why at least once a month she has a one-to-one, lasting almost twenty minutes, with the Private Secretary to the Permanent Secretary's Permanent Secretary.

UPDATE: This from Leo Pink...

I fear Mr Loughton may be talking nonsense.

Humphrys could have been pinned back with a few well chosen statistics backing up Robin Gisby's interview of yesterday.

For example, how many trains ran compared with the normal service, how many hundreds of thousands of commuters were got to and from work, etc.

If ATOC could not put someone up with the knowledge and media training to survive the inquisitors of the Today programme then it should have declined the invitation rather than make things worse.

It was hiding behind the sofa embarrassing and an insult to the efforts of railwaymen and women who have battled to keep the railway running.

Pointless signs - Tamworth station

Eye salutes London Midland for this encouragingly festive message seen at Tamworth station today.

No doubt an equal source of delight to CrossCountry and Virgin West Coast who also serve the station.


Doomed I tell you, we are all doomed!

Villiers vignettes - Turning a drama into a crisis

Good news from the Minister of Transport!

According to Theresa in a debate on the 'Severe Weather' yesterday...

Throughout the crisis, officials in the Department were in constant contact with Network Rail and the train operators-before, during and after the severe weather episode.

Crisis?!?

Shome mishtake shurely?

SouthEastern taking the PIS?

Enjoy...



More here.

Hitachiballs - Phil Wilson MP

This from the Honourable Member for Sedgefield yesterday...

The Hitachi trains are bimodal, which means that they can switch from diesel to electric and vice versa when the need arises. Southeastern operates such Hitachi high speed trains, which have an excellent record in the current bad weather. That is a ringing endorsement of the technology and work force.

No Phil. SouthEastern does not.

The Javelins are not bi-modes, they are dual voltage.

And as their current reliability is little better that the Golden Spanner winning BR built EMU's its perhaps not that much to shout about!

Evidently a little knowledge is a dangerous thing.

UPDATE: This from Ithuriel...

Not only is Phil Wilson MP technologically challenged, he seems to have a very selective memory when it comes to investment in the North East.

On 21 December he also told the House of Commons:

"Hitachi's investment would be the biggest investment in the north-east of England since Nissan back in the 1980s".

Clearly the small matter of Siemens' £1 billion silicon chip factory on Tyneside skipped his mind.

Here's a reminder, Phil, it was opened by HM the Queen in 1997 and closed two years later, with the loss of 1100 jobs, when the price of the DRAM chips it was set up to make dropped from $50 each to under $5.

Korean competition was blamed.

Mediaballs - Evening Standard

This from the Evening Standard...


Where is Dick Murray when you need him?

Normality is a relative thing...

This from Dr Beard...

Seen this from East Coast?

EAST COAST SERVICES RETURN TO NORMAL - WEDNESDAY 22 DECEMBER

If this is Rail Barbie's idea of 'normal' (ie hourly not half hourly to Leeds and Newcastle and the fringe services chopped) then roll on the German invasion.

Or is she doing it deliberately to make the next private sector franchisee look good however badly they perform?

Hitachiballs - the lobbying continues

Telegrammed by Ithuriel
This from the Newcastle Journal...

BUILDING a fleet of new Intercity trains in the North East will save the country more than £100m rather than buying them from abroad, a new report argued yesterday.

Analysis by the Northern TUC shows that taxpayers would save substantial sums if ministers finally give the go-ahead for a train assembly plant in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham.

The report comes as Transport Secretary Phillip Hammond prepares to announce in the New Year whether the proposals, put forward by Hitachi, will get the go-ahead.

There are also fears among some campaigners that ministers may decide to buy trains from overseas, despite that option not creating a single British job.

The research by the Northern TUC shows that more than £106m a year would be generated through the creation of 800 direct jobs at the County Durham plant along with 7,500 supply chain jobs.

And for every £27,000 salaried job created, the taxpayer gains by £13,000 as a result of reduced benefit payments and the increased taxes paid by people in work.

The Northern TUC is now urging the Government to take into account the full benefits of creating new manufacturing jobs in the North East when making its final decision about the Intercity Express Programme (IEP).

Where to start in demolishing this farrago of nonsense.

Well, first, the trains would be 'bought from abroad' and simply assembled in the UK.

So the 800 direct jobs is out by at least a factor of four.

And, if the factory was to have a future beyond IEP Hitachi would have to win Crossrail, so the creation of flat pack assembly jobs in the North East might have to be offset against the loss of skilled engineering and train building jobs at Derby.

And if the alternative to IEP is a conventional EMU the suppliers would be, in alphabetical order Alstom - up to 30% UK content including traction equipment, Bombardier - trains built at Derby
or Siemens.

Odd, while this sort of lobbying is going on that the European train builders keep schtumm.

Perhaps they see the UK market as Hitachi's tar baby?

Or perhaps they are more concerned about the Chinese and Korean threats to their heartland markets?

Mediaballs: Pearls before swine

Phrases you never thought you would hear...

"That's quite technical from Nigel Harris" James Naughtie on the Today Programme, err, today!

Lord Reith must be spinning in his grave if a Today presenter found Nigel's explanation 'quite technical'.

Where was the world's greatest living transport commentator when we needed him?

And would James Naughtie's head have exploded if Radio 4 had coaxed Captain Deltic out of bed before 07.00?

Come back Raymond Baxter, we say.

UPDATE: This from Sir William Pollitt...

I suppose the word 'wheelbarrow' would sound technical to the presenter who uttered the C word on Today only last week.

London Midland strike off. Sort of...

Good news from the High Court!

London Midland is delighted that a strike by members of the ASLEF Union has been halted in the High Court.

The decision was made in the High Court today (Tuesday) after London Midland challenged the way in which ASLEF held its ballot. ASLEF had wanted to strike on Thursday (December 23) after balloting members who voted in favour of industrial action.

Of course, given the current appalling weather in the Birmingham area don't be too surprised if the brothers can't ahem... make it in to work tomorrow!

RAIL misses deadline

Much chagrin amongst Eye readers over the non-appearance of subscription copies of RAIL

The Fact Compiler has had words with RAIL editor Nigel Harris and asked why copies are now over a week late dropping through subscriber letter-boxes.

Nigel offers the following...

I’m in the same boat – my copy hasn’t arrived either!

The editorial team did their stuff and it went to press on time, it was printed on time and posted – by first class post, as usual – on time, on Friday December 10.

However, once the magazine is posted there’s nothing we can do other than have conversations with the Royal Mail – and those conversations have certainly taken place. You can be sure about that.

I apologise to all disappointed subscribers about the delay – because believe me, the last thing my team wants is for our work to be delayed, but we really do have have no control once it’s posted.

The Royal Mail says it will clear the backlog – caused by the weather – as soon as possible.

Perhaps time for some vertical integration in the publishing world?

Eye looks forward to Bauer buying the Royal Mail.

UPDATE: The Fact Compiler's copy arrived today, courtesy of Mr Postie. A fiver in the Christmas box me thinks.

Yesterday's ECML woe

Much media excitement yesterday over disruption to the East Coast Main Line

This from the BBC...

Thousands of rail passengers are being urged to reschedule their journeys after a power failure caused havoc on the East Coast mainline...

Passengers heading north from Kings Cross were advised to use alternative services from St Pancras, heading to Yorkshire, or on the West Coast mainline from Euston to Glasgow.

But what's this?

The same story was illustrated with this picture of Kings Cross:

It would appear that not all operators gave up the ghost quite as easily as nationalised East Coast...

Quarmby calls for abolition of Third Rail

Has David Quarmby woken up with somebody else's wallet?

This from his review on winter resilience published today...

With the experience of the third successive winter affecting the operation of these services, I believe the time has come to seriously investigate the costs and benefits of the replacement of the entire third rail top contact system with an alternative method of bringing traction power to the trains. Possible solutions include converting to side contact or underneath contact (like DLR and many metro systems in continental Europe), which still using DC traction would not involve replacement of trains or power supply. Or conversion to 25kV overhead lines, which would have wider ramifications for power distribution and for trains. No solution will be cheap, given the network mileage of the existing system.

Not cheap?

That has to be the understatement of the year and what about the disruption to passengers during the changeover?

Not forgetting the cost of modifying rolling stock.

No matter.

On the plus side this proposal should have Driver Potter frothing about the gills!

UPDATE: This from the Velopodist...

Of course, David Quarmby suggests converting the southern third rail system to underside or side contact in the same report where he notes that the Berlin S-Bahn was severely affected in the bout of bad weather on which he's reporting.

He doesn't mention how the Berlin S-Bahn is electrified. It uses a 750V DC third rail - with underside contact.

UPDATE: This from Dr Dionysius Lardne...

Surely replacing the third rail with on-board hydrogen fuel cells would cost less than replacing the third rail with OHLE south of the Thames.

According to the DfT's 2007 Rail Technical Strategy fuel cell power will make electrification obsolete by 2022 anyway.

And the electrical output from the fuel cells could power the existing traction equipment.

UPDATE: This, surprisingly, from the Rev Robert Stirling...

Awa' wi yon fancy gases.

My heat engine is the obvious solution.

Dinna forget, the automobile manufacturers in oor Amercian colonies built Stirling powered vehicles.

Noo's the time,th noo.

UPDATE: This, remarkably, from Mr Herbet Akroyd Stuart.

Happen tha could use my compression ignition engine, the most efficient prime mover, tha knows.

Imagine Waterloo in the rush hour echoing to a thousand exhausts.

Gradely. (Deltic! Is that you hiding beneath a very poor comedy Yorkshire accent? Ed)

UPDATE: This from a Mr Saltaire...

Quarmby seems to suggest that the top contact third rail system, as adopted by the Southern Railway, is a significant weak spot when exposed to the inclement winter weather.

Yet, what’s this? During the same period that South Eastern & Southern were providing PPM that languished in the 40 odd percentage points, Merseyrail managed to deliver 91%, operating 750 V dc third rail trains with top contact conductor rails.

The main difference of course is that the majority (though by no means all) of the Merseyrail network is underground.

So, since Mr Quarmby appears to have such deep pockets, perhaps he should suggest that the south of the river network should be encapsulated in tunnels, to mitigate the issue!

UPDATE: This from a Mr Hind...

Surely the 3rd Rail will last a 1000 Years ?

UPDATE: This from The Voyager...

A slightly cheaper option which would involve modification of the fleet and encapsulating the third rail is the system used on the line through Chamonis which uses a third rail similar to ours but the traction is picked up by a blade instead of a shoe.

The Third Rail is almost encased in wood except for a slot in the side to allow the blade to sit on top of the rail.

UPDATE: This from a Mr Cherry...

The only parts of Merseyrail that are underground are those under Liverpool City centre, under the Mersey itself, and under central Birkenhead.

Over 90% of it is above ground !!!

UPDATE: This SN Barnes...

As a keen member of Friends of Potter I feel I must speak out

Are your readers living in a belief that NOTHING happened North of the Thames in the recent winter wonderland session.

A fair share of wee and not so wee incidents seem to have affected the 25KV knitting, indeed unlike the Juice Rail system, and its 'winter season', knitting gets snagged at any time of the year in any weather.

The recent spell has delivered a pretty spectacular pull-down, which knocked out the East Coast for much of the day, and ice build-up at least when the Third Rail goes bang trains can keep running, and nothing falls off the insulators.

Friends of Potter can be spotted around the network, rather like a masonic band concealing our shoe paddles under our coats...

UPDATE: This from Driver Potter (for it is he)...

To answer Mr Quarmby in one sentence:

"Don't spend money on overhauling a system that doesn't need fiddling with; give us the resources we need to keep lines open - it will be a damn site cheaper."

Perhaps a new run of rolling stock is called for? No computers, no fiddly namby-pamby shoegear...? We could give them simple designations like 4VEP, 4CIG, 4EPB, HA or HB....?

To get Captain Deltic onside, motors and switchgear will be stamped "English Electric.

Trainly speakibold - Facilities Management

This from @GrimNorth via Twitter...

Please could Prof Unwin help with this?



Professor Unwin offers: Door shut. Oh yes.

Hammond statement on HS2

STATEMENT TO THE HOUSE

HIGH SPEED RAIL

1. With permission, Mr Speaker, I wish to make a statement on the Government’s plans for the development of a national high speed rail network, and on the proposed route that we will put forward next year for public consultation.

2. One of the Coalition’s main objectives is to build an economy which is more balanced both sectorally and geographically, that will deliver sustainable economic growth while delivering on our climate change targets. Investment in infrastructure, and transport infrastructure in particular, will be a key part of that approach.

3. To deliver economic growth and carbon reduction we must provide attractive alternatives to short-haul aviation, while addressing the issue of scarce rail capacity between the city centres. Network Rail has calculated that by 2024 the West Coast Main Line will effectively be full, with no further enhancements that could reasonably be made to meet future demand.

4. The Government believes that the best long-term solution to these challenges is the development of a national high-speed rail network. Our proposed strategy is for a Y-shaped network, to be delivered in two phases: the first a line from London to the West Midlands, and the second the onward legs to Manchester and Leeds with connections to points further north via the East and West coast mainlines.

5. Our proposals would provide an unprecedented increase in capacity on the key north-south routes out of London, through a combination of new infrastructure and released capacity on existing lines.

6. Reliability would be improved and journey times between major cities would be slashed. Central Birmingham would be brought within 49 minutes of London – potentially less for non-stopping trains – and within 1 hour 5 minutes of Leeds. The released capacity on the West Coast Mainline would offer the possibility of commuter frequency fast services to London from places like Coventry and Milton Keynes.

7. By running trains seamlessly onto existing inter-city routes, our proposed network would also bring Glasgow and Edinburgh to within three-and-a-half hours of London – fast enough to induce a major shift of passengers from domestic aviation. In the longer-term, we will also explore with the Scottish Government the options for further reducing journey times to Scotland.

8. The development of a high speed rail network has been a key factor in our decision on additional runways at London's airports, and that is why we have said from the outset that any such network must be linked to our principal gateway airport and integrated with the European high speed network via HS1. In June, I asked HS2 Ltd to carry out additional work on such links. I have studied that work and the recommendations of Lord Mawhinney’s review. I have also examined Arup’s proposals for a transport hub near Iver.

9. I have concluded that a spur to the airport, running on the surface close to the M25 for part of its length, is the best option. It is lower-cost than the other options considered by HS2 Ltd, keeps journey times between London and Birmingham to a minimum, and retains the flexibility to be extended into a loop in future. In order to deliver the best possible value for taxpayers’ money, I propose that a spur be constructed as part of the second phase of the network, opening at the same time as the routes to Manchester and Leeds. I have today asked HS2 Ltd, to carry out further work on such a spur route, with a view to public consultation later in this Parliament alongside the routes to Manchester and Leeds.

10. For the period prior to the opening of that second phase, high speed rail travellers to the airport would be able to change to fast Heathrow Express services at Old Oak Common, where there would also be a direct interchange with Crossrail.

11. With regard to a link to HS1, HS2 Ltd’s report identifies that a connection can be made via a new tunnel from Old Oak Common to the North London Line near Chalk Farm, from where existing infrastructure can be used to reach the HS1 line north of St Pancras. This proposal is significantly cheaper than any other option for a direct link, and would enable direct trains to run from the midlands and the north to Europe, without affecting existing service levels on the North London Line.

12. Such a tunnel can only be constructed before the Old Oak Common interchange comes into operation, so this link will be included in the phase one scheme put forward for consultation.

13. Mr Speaker, the Government believes that the construction of a high speed rail network will support economic growth and the rebalancing of the UK economy. But we recognise that the proposed line will have significant local impacts on the areas it passes through. And that we have a duty to do everything practically possible to mitigate those impacts.

14. That is why, since my appointment as Secretary of State, I have reviewed the proposals of the previous administration. I have looked at the case for High Speed Rail, at the corridor options for a north-south route, at the different route options put forward by HS2 Ltd and in detail at the route option recommended in its March report. I have reached the conclusion, as the previous administration did, that the route option recommended in March represents the most appropriate general alignment for the High Speed Railway between London and the West Midlands. However before finalising the detailed route that I am publishing today for consultation, I travelled the length of it and talked directly to local authorities, property owners, many of the protest groups and their Members of Parliament, as well as commissioning additional work on the options for improving the proposed alignment.

15. As a consequence, significant amendments have been made to both the vertical and horizontal alignment, and to the proposed mitigation measures. In total, around 50% of the preferred route proposal published in March has been amended in some respect.

16. I am confident that solutions have now been found which can significantly mitigate the impacts of the railway at local level which, when properly understood, will reassure many of those who have been understandably apprehensive about the potential impact on their lives and their property values.

17. For instance, in Primrose Hill, work to identify the most appropriate locations for the necessary vent shafts has shifted the proposed tunnel, and thus also the vent shafts themselves, to the north, away from the most sensitive areas of this part of London, locating them alongside the existing railway.

18. Between Amersham and Wendover, opportunities to cover section of the proposed cutting to create a ‘green bridge’ and longer ‘green tunnel’ have been incorporated into the route design to reduce its visual impact and avoid severance of public rights of way.

19. At Hartwell House, by moving the alignment away from this historic property, HS2 Ltd have been able to ensure that the line would not be visible from the House itself and that additional earthworks and planting can be undertaken to further reduce visual and noise impacts.

20. And in the most northerly section of the route, an improved alignment has been identified which would move the line further from Lichfield.

21. But, Mr Speaker, despite our best efforts at mitigation, we will not be able to avoid all impacts on property values. Where a project which is in the national interest imposes significant financial loss on individuals, I believe it is right and proper that they should be compensated fairly for that loss. So I have asked my officials to prepare a range of options for a scheme to assist those whose properties would not be required for the construction of the railway, but who would nonetheless see a significant diminution of value as a result of the construction of the line. The forthcoming consultation will include proposals for such a scheme, which will sit alongside the statutory blight regime which covers those whose properties would need to be taken to build the line.

22. I am publishing today on my Department’s website and placing in the library of the House, a set of reports by HS2 Ltd which set out for each route section the options considered and the changes proposed, together with detailed maps showing the revised preferred route from London to the West Midlands in full. This route will form the basis for the public consultation, which I expect to begin in February next year.

23. When the consultation is launched, I will also publish a revised business case; a full Appraisal of sustainability; noise contour maps; and route visualisations; all of which can only be completed now that the final preferred route for consultation has been determined.

24. Let me be clear, the consultation will encompass the Government’s strategy for a national high speed rail network, the choice of corridor and the detailed line of route that I have outlined for the initial London to West Midlands phase.

25. As part of the consultation process, roadshows will be held along the length of the preferred route from London to the West Midlands to ensure that local people have the opportunity to find out more about the project and to discuss specific concerns with those involved in developing the scheme.

26. Mr Speaker, it is my view that a high speed rail network would deliver a transformational change to the way Britain works and competes in the 21st century,

27. It would allow the economies of the Midlands and the North to benefit much more directly from the economic engine of London, tackling the North-South divide more effectively than half a century of regional policy has done, expanding labour markets and bringing our major conurbations closer together.

28. The consultation exercise we will launch in the New Year will be one of the biggest and most wide-ranging ever undertaken by Government and I urge all Hon. Members with an interest to participate and to encourage their constituents to do so.

29. These proposals have the support of political and business leaders from all parts of the United Kingdom, and I hope they will gain cross-party support in this House.

30. Mr Speaker, I commend this statement to the House

- ENDS -

You can download the High Speed Rail Strategy Consultation documents here

Snowballs - exclusive to everybody

This from everybody (but mostly the Daily Mail)...

As the arctic (sic) weather conditions plunge Britain into chaos our fair weather Frenchie friends are showing their true colours once more!

Like rats from a sinking ship they are abandoning Britain in its hour of need, just as they did seventy years ago.

With all aerodromes closed and rumours that martial law will soon be imposed literally millions of Garlic Munchers are desperately trying to board the last international train out of St Pancras before the world ends (cont' p94...).



Get a grip, it's only a bit of snow.

UPDATE: This from The Major...

Are you sure they are French?

They appear to be queuing?

UPDATE: This, believably, from the Daily Mail...

Combine that with several inches of snow and the grimmest conditions for decades, and we can show Johnny Foreigner a thing or two about how not to handle a crisis.

Asymmetry in action!

Remember, you read it here first.

Pointless signs - How to use a door handle

Chiltern obviously holds the intelligence of its customers in the very highest regard...


Good news for HS2 - providing they can convince local residents that the new electric stage-coaches won't cause all the phlogiston to explode.

UPDATE: This from @Kermitbantam, via Twitter...

You say it's pointless but it's amazing how many people on EC stand staring at the doors.

Only had HSTs here for 30 years.

Nervous Hammond runs scared of Wolmar?

Is Petrol-head a cowardy custard?

Yesterday saw the Secretary of State appear on BBC Radio 4's The World this Weekend, where he explained how he intended to pork-barrel Tory constituencies in the Northern home counties unhappy with the alignment of HS2.

The programme was also graced by Britain's leading transport commentator!

Wolmar, for it was he, tweeted before the show:

Eye understands that this is not the first time that Chicken Hammond has run scared of the World's Greatest Living Transport Correspondent.

Only last month the timerous Secretary of State blew a raspberry at the Great Man and declined to be guest of honour at one of Wolmar's exclusive Transport Lunches!

Mind you, perhaps just as well.

Previous guests, including the late Sir Alastair Morton and Gwyneth Dunwoody, appear not to have prospered from Wolmar's hospitality...

UPDATE: This from the Great Man himself!

How dare Eye suggest I kill my guests.

All the other 28 have survived.

M'learned friends will be in touch...

HS2 statement on Monday and Speaker Bercow

This interesting constitutional conundrum from Paul Waugh writing on Politics Home...

Now, the real problem with all of this is that some in Government are wondering whether it would be entirely appropriate for the Speaker to chair the Oral Statement on Monday. Given his vociferous opposition and clear interest, should he pass proceedings over to one of his deputies?

This won't be the first time that Hammond and the 'sanctimonious dwarf' have locked horns as can be seen from this video of Petrol-head's summer visit to Buckingham (long but worth the watch).



Monday will be an interesting test of Bercow's much questioned impartiality.

Will he allow a deputy to take the chair?