And no one at home

The Fact Compiler has received an intriguing invitation to the Weardale Railway's 1940's themed 'War on the Line' event this weekend (2nd & 3rd of August).

Entering into the spirit of the occasion the Weardale's website promises gunfire, unexploded bombs and air raids.

Unfortunately the railway is one kettle short of a service and is therefore having to use a modern diesel as traction over the weekend.

Unabashed by such operating vicissitudes the website offers the following creative explanation:

"Trains: NB: Due to a direct hit the steam engine is out of commission. The Class 73 diesel will be operating the service between Wolsingham and Stanhope. (Diesel engines were used during the war – the advantage being that during air-raids the lights on the whole train could be switched off all at once)."

Perhaps a perfect illustration of the danger of trusting your PR department to dig you out of a hole. The Fact Compiler fears that the train may not be alone in having its lights out...

UPDATE: Telegrammed by our man in the flying goggles: The main use of loco sized diesel engines during the war was to power the vessels of our gallant submariners (and of course the despicable Hun U-Boats). Warming to his theme Capt. Biggles claimed that replacing a kettle with a class 73 is similar to replacing a Spitfire with a Hawker Hunter!

At one with nature

Good news for tree huggers.

According to the Environment Times London Underground manages 10 per cent of the Capital's biodiversity.

More than 200 trackside sites, totaling almost 2,000 acres, have been identified as Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation.

And in recent years an impressive 550 plant species, 42 types of bird, 14 mammals, and 538 invertebrates have been recorded on LU's network.

Presumably the remaining 90% of London's bio-diversity is to be found, unmanaged, on Network Rail infrastructure.

Oyster in BBQ Sauce

The TranSys' summer BBQ was an unusually subdued affair last Wednesday (23rd July) .

In previous years the Smartcard PFI Contractor has been besieged by TfL staff begging to attend the annual shindig.

However, this year even those with much sought after tickets pleaded prior engagements of the 'underwater knitting' variety.

Regular visitors to Railway Eye may recollect that there have been a number of issues in recent weeks with Oyster card readers.

Surely TfL bosses weren't small minded enough to suggest that staff attending the do might find it "career limiting"?

Silly old goat

The Fact Compiler was tempted to ask whether this BBC headline perhaps referred to the Chairman of a major infrastructure company?

Grazing goat causes train delay

Fortunately he has decided not to give into this temptation.

Clunking Fist shifts gear

Telegrammed from our man in 222 Marylebone Road
Gordon Brown, speaking at last week's Motorshow, said that the rising cost of oil meant that road transport had reached "an historic point'" at which green alternatives should be considered.

"This has opened up a huge opportunity for technological innovation. It is a once-in-a-generation opportunity" claimed the PM.


Since the same argument applies to rail, can we finally expect the PM to support our very own "Apostle of the Pantograph" (pictured above) and commit to a rolling programme of electritication?

Cost control

From today's Standard.

"It could cost £50 million to convert the mothballed Waterloo Eurostar station into a commuter terminal".

Why?

For the record it cost a mere £135m to build. Read the Evening Standard article here

Simon Dean RIP

***Simon Dean, flamboyant former member of the team that delivered Royal Assent to Crossrail, has died.***

XC blockade

Telegrammed by our man in ICOBS
Arriva Cross Country has decided to dispense with the ludicrously named "Shops" aboard the former 'Virgin' Voyager fleet.

Arriva says "customer research" indicates that passengers would prefer an at seat trolley service.


The Fact Compiler suspects that the researchers may have faired better than the trolley service in getting through this train.

Railway Garden Competition #6

Leamington SpaWhat a splendid piece of partnership.

Notice how the flower baskets, paid for by local citizens, are beautifully framed by the thrusting NR buddleia which at the same time is busy undermining the masonry of the bridge abutments.

It's good to see Network Rail's complimentary approach to vegetation management.

Overheads

Good news from Network Rail.

The following request has been circulated to members of the Best Practice Club

Budget Control, Network Rail
We are looking for ways to reduce the bureaucratic overhead of budget approval and control. We need to maintain the same level of control but with a ‘lead’ process. We are very interested to hear from companies who have remodelled their budget control processes.

The Fact Compiler suggests removing very expensive Directors from the approvals process, or indeed payroll, may achieve the desired results.

Do the math

Telegrammed from our man in 222 Marylebone Road
According to the press this weekend the Ministry of Defence has a £2bn hole in its budget.

This may lead the MoD to cancel or defer the improved Lynx helicopter so desperately needed by our gallant troops in Afghanistan.

Meanwhile, in Modern Railways, Captain Deltic says the difference between the amount which Network Rail says it needs for the next five years and that which the ORR says it is going to get is now £2.58 billion.

So, a matter of life and death versus the high-life and bonuses.

Rugger buggered

Network Rail appear to have surpassed themselves again this morning with a spectacular engineering over-run at Rugby.

This, coupled with their little signalling faux pas at Doncaster the other week, means that things are not looking good for Coucher and his other well renumerated Directors.

A number of TOC voices are asking whether NR's porky 'top team' should volunteer to subsidise delay minutes from their gargantuan bonuses?

Railway Garden Competition #5

Primrose Hill tunnels on the WCML


Engineered in 1837 by Robert Stephenson and the first tunnels in London.

What marvellous custodians Network Rail are of our national heritage!

Careless talk costs...

PPPs are not exactly flavour of the month in London following the high profile collapse of Metronet .

Recent failures of TfL's Oyster Card ticketing system may see PFIs going the same way.

Twice in the last two weeks London Underground has had to open the 'gateline' owing to large numbers of valid Oyster cards being rejected by the system.

The expensive glitches have driven TfL to distraction, so in true "Partnership" style they have named and shamed the PFI contractors responsible for the system.

"We believe that (the latest) problem, resulted from incorrect data being sent out by our contractor, Transys," TfL said.

Voice of London and TfL mouth-piece Tony Travers was more forthright in the Guardian: "Transys just need to get a grip, sort it out and make sure that it doesn't happen again" he said.

However, TfL's continued insistence on publically shafting its contractors at every opportunity is likely to cost London dear. Private sector bids for Infracos BCV & SSL, the soon to be disaggregated former Metronet companies, will no doubt reflect the reputational risks of working for TfL.

Doh!

It wouldn't have happened under the chairmanship of the laser eyed St Gwynneth of Crewe.

Throughout the recently published TSC report into the Sustainable Railways White Paper reference is made to something called the High Level Output Statement.

Any damn fool can make a statement! What the HLOS actually requires is Daft to "Specify" what it wants to buy.

Mea Culpa

Telegrammed from our man in 222 Marylebone Road
All the transport hacks were out in force last Wednesday at Ruth Kelly's much postponed 'get to know you' party.

As it is over a year since she was appointed Secretary of State (in June '07) many attended in error, believing it to be her leaving do.

With Rail Minister Tom Harris (unsuccessfully) pounding the Glasgow East pavements, Saint Ruth-of-Sparks had to get down and dirty with the trainspotting fraternity.

Congratulated on her rejection of the Lambirth Heresy (aka Railways White Paper) our very own "Apostle of the Pantograph" was heard to remark ruefully 'It was published three weeks after I arrived.'

Nothing like passing the buck downward, especially when your rail deputy is not present to defend himself.

Cock and bull

The Fact Compiler has been deluged by emails from confused readers of the latest edition of Modern Railways.

Published on Friday the Blood & Custard section compares splendid GB Railfreight boss, John Smith, to eponymous English hero John Bull.

However, readers are worried that the 'Blood & Custard' image suggests more cock than bull...

Ministerial wisdom

Railway Eye in Harris' top ten!

View Top Ten here.

The Fact Compiler is pleased the Railway Garden Competition finds favour. Network Rail perhaps might take note.

Railway Garden Competition #4

Shrewsbury

Shrubsbury!

Caught short

Good news for Community Rail lines.

According to the Yorkshire Post plans to introduce Britain's first "tram-train"appear to have stalled.

Network Rail is nervous about granting the light weight vehicles access to routes used by heavier passenger and freight trains. At the same time Stagecoach, operator of the Sheffield Supertram, is proving distinctly lukewarm to suggestions that abstractive Northern tram-trains should run through city streets on their network.

Less ACoRP accuse the Fact Compiler of being unusually Κασσάνδρα-like he feels compelled to point out that the introduction of new rolling stock generally results in a dramatic increase in passenger loadings

Therefore he is at a loss to understand why the proposed tram-trains have a third less seats than the Pacers they are due to replace and will also have no WCs aboard..

The muesli-munchers continue to keep fingers and other parts of their anatomies crossed that these obstacles can be overcome.

Intending passengers will need similar skills as the journey between Huddersfield and Sheffield takes a prostate challenging 70 minutes!