Gongs

Announced in HM the Queen's New Year Honours List:

CBE
Robert David Holden. Chief executive Officer, London and Continental Railways Ltd. For services to the Rail Industry. (Hertfordshire)

OBE
Michael John Glover. Arup Fellow and Technical director and Deputy Project director, Channel Tunnel Rail Link. For services to Engineering. (Sevenoaks, Kent)

Wayne Spence. Service Delivery assistant, Temple Meads Station, Bristol. For services to Passenger Transport. (Bristol)

MBE
Bernard Godfrey Rainbow. Chief Locomotive Inspector, Severn Valley Railway. For voluntary service to the Rail Industry. (Birmingham, West Midlands)

Robin Kingsley Prince. Operations Standards manager, Victa Railfreight. For service to the Rail Industry. (Maidstone, Kent)

Missing resolution

The ATOC media machine cranked into life yesterday and issued a release headlined:

"TEN NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS FOR RAIL PASSENGERS IN 2009" (regrettably not yet posted on the ATOC comms website).

Aside from the fact that it's somewhat cheeky to impose resolutions on passengers (rather than making you own) there did appear to be something missing from the list.

Where is ATOC's New Year's resolution about allowing photos to be taken at stations without fear of harassment or intimidation?

Economic & Efficient

Network Rail continues to focus on Driving Down Cost as can be seen in the picture below.

Iain Coucher writes...

"Japan is an 11-hour flight... so, I did some reading on the plane... this seemed to amuse the DfT..."


Presumably the joke is funnier if your flight is paid for by the taxpayer?

Double Standards?

The Fact Compiler has been beseiged by emails from furious NR staff.

Whilst the Eye had it's bottom spanked by the NR press office for questioning whether Iain Coucher in the picture below was appropriately attired, NR's own staff remain to be convinced.

This from an internal NR S&T forum...

"An S&T Team was spotted from a moving train by Mr Coucher not wearing hard hats. Each member of the team have received a Form 1. Therefore A photo of Mr Coucher on Connect not wearing a hard hat came as a surprise, I hope a Form 1 is on it's way to him!"

The latest exciting Eye poll refers...

Value for money?

The RMT has returned to the Wolmar question:

"As monopoly rail operators prepare to implement another round of punishing inflation-busting fares hikes of between six and 11 per cent, RMT reveals the stark figures that show how the big five transport groups are converting fare hikes into bumper profits, fuelling dividend increases of at least ten and as high as 33 per cent."

So what are TOCs for?

Dancing Queen?

Surprising news from the world of Amazon.

A quick glance at the listing for Wolmar's latest tome reveals the eclectic purchasing habits of his readers.


Presumably the popularity of Mama Mia (2%) is unconnected to the continued scandal of the disused international terminal at Waterloo?

A quick flutter

Railway Eye's new tipster 'Depot Lad' reports the latest betting in the Adonis £300 million DMU stakes:

Tasty dog 5-2 (Fav)
Medina Sidonia's Revenge 4-1
Flag Wagger 5-1
Extra fried rice 10-1

Reverse forecasts not available

Movers and shakers

So it's all change at Network Rail London North Eastern

David Pape will relinquish the role of Route Director on Monday 19th January.

He will be replaced by Richard Lungmus currently Maintenance Director in Scotland.

Papey will continue to report to Robin Gisby, but will be undertaking project work "in the broad area of Control".

As Papey had a reputation for treating freighties with an even hand they are watching these developments with interest...

A brace of Harris

Bowler tip to Nigel Harris for this...

Chortle...

The Ghost Train

A seasonal tale to delight even the hardest heart.

It was Christmas Eve and nothing stirred not even a mouse.

And certainly not the 21:37 from Leeds to Manchester Victoria.

Which although advertised doesn't actually exist.

Which left over 70 disgruntled and stranded passengers at Leeds station besieging NR's reception demanding an explanation and a way home.

And they all didn't have a very merry Christmas. The End

UPDATE: This from Tim Scougall of West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive...

The 21.37 from Leeds to Manchester Victoria certainly does exist - look
in the timetable.

It didn't run on Christmas Eve, neither did the 22.37, but there was plenty of advance publicity concerning the fact.

Your piece is somewhat misleading to say the least- it wasn't NR's fault at all.

The Fact Compiler never said it was - he merely pointed out that NR took the brunt of stranded passengers anger.

UPDATE: An irate passenger writes...

"If it wasn't 'advertised' why was it up on the PIS, then shown as running late?

"And why were 70+ people waiting for it and platform staff expecting it?

"The train may have been a ghost but the pax weren't..."

UPDATE: Tim responds...

"I wasn't at Leeds Station on Christmas Eve so I cannot comment on the fact that the train was shown as running on the PIS and I am at a loss to understand why the platform staff were still apparently expecting it to appear.

"In common with the rest of the rail network several trains in West Yorkshire, after 20.00 on Christmas Eve, either stopped short of their usual destination or didn't run at all. The same will apply on New Year's Eve. This much was contained in Metro's publicity issued well in advance of the Christmas period.

"As far as the detail is concerned I knew that this particular train wasn't running on Christmas Eve (if it's any help to anyone it won't be running on New Years Eve either even though the National Rail Enquiries Journey Planner still says that it is!) and since my information came from Northern Trains you can appreciate my comments above.

"Sadly, this appears to be yet another breakdown in communications between National Rail Enquiries, Train Operating Companies, their staff, and their "Customers".

"I would be grateful if you could point out that I don't speak for the WYPTE and my comments are very much those of an individual to whom The Railway Eye has brought hours of entertainment."

Happy to do so and thanks for the update.

UPDATE: It emerges that a data entry error saw the Ghost Train being left in TRUST so it was advertised on NRES (and the PIS).

Oops!

Screw the passenger

This just in from Gareth Marston, Chairman of SARPA

"Passengers hoping to catch the 16:24 Arriva Trains Wales service from Birmingham New St to Aberystwyth on Tuesday 23rd December discovered the truth of Tim Bells admission to the Welsh Select Committee that his franchise doesn't have enough trains

"Despite being a four car class 158 passengers struggled to board the train resulting in a departure 23 minutes late.

"NRES helpfully explained the cause of the late running as "an unusually large passenger flow"."

This obviously came as something of a surprise - what with Christmas coming round annually and all.

No matter.

Whilst the chaos at New Street unfolded a half empty Wrexham and Shropshire service from Marylebone to Wrexham meandered its way via Tame Bridge Parkway.

Of course to protect Beardie Rail profits WSMR services are barred from Birmingham New Street and so were unable to assist with the pre-Christmas "unusually large passsenger flow" to Shropshire & mid-Wales."

Thank goodness for moderation of competition which protects profits rather than the interests of pesky passengers.

String 'em up!

It's time for the annual round of recriminations over who is responsible for the Christmas shutdown.

This from the Independent:

"Train operating companies said yesterday that they would be ready to introduce services from next year but blamed the Association of Train Operating Companies (Atoc) for not co-ordinating an agreement.

"Atoc, however, said it was prepared to take part in meetings with Network Rail and the Government to discuss a new Christmas timetable, but it blamed the Government for failing to co-ordinate talks.

"Meanwhile, the Government has laid the blame at the door of individual operators, which it says are the only ones who can act to introduce the services."

What a complete and utter shower.

Proof positive that the structure of the industry remains deeply dysfunctional (Tories please note).

ATOC & NR directors please get a grip and sort this - now.

It's not as if resolving this is above your over generous pay grades!

McMaglev

The Fact Compiler missed this story in the Sunday Times.

Fortunately it was picked up by Tom Harris.

On this issue Tom is spot on...

Write your own cheque

Wishing all readers a blessed and festive Christmas.



From the Railway Eye team: Barry Spotter, Brochet, Eboracum (50a), Jack Ketch, King Coal, Our International Correspondent, Our man at 222 Marylebone Road, The Archer, The Fact Compiler, The General Manager, The Independent Expert, The late Sir William Pollitt, The Major, The Master, The Raver and The RSM

Officially doomed

This just in from Gallery News, the parliamentary news service...

"The UK economy contracted between July and September faster than had previously been thought, according to the Office for National Statistics.

"ONS said it had contracted by 0.6% in the quarter - its previous estimate had been a contraction of 0.5%. The previous quarter was left unrevised at a figure of zero growth.

"The service sector was among those hit in the third quarter, shrinking by 0.5%, having grown by 0.2% in the previous three months.

"In the manufacturing sector, output shrank by 1.4% in the period."

Doomed but with knobs on.

Christmas Conundrum

Telegrammed by Tom over at Boriswatch...
How long before we see Transport Minister Lord Ford of Deltic announcing Government support for keeping the Derby production lines rolling whilst the electrification teams march out across the land?

Nice - fingers crossed for the New Years Honours List

Tips on how to score

Time for some festive cheer from the latest exciting Eye survey.

Readers were asked to answer a simple question by Tom Harris MP.

The results are truly shocking!

45% of you are "miserable now".

Whilst a massive 50% of you believe it is all "too much".

Fortunately, there is some good news.

Only 4% of Railway Eye readers say that there is "not enough".

Railway Eye - faster, longer, deeper.

Bombardier Stock Up !

Good news for UK train manufacturing!

DafT today published the list of prequalified bidders for the additional vehicles announced in the November Pre-Budget Report.

They are...

1. Bombardier Transportation UK Ltd

2. CAF - Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles, S.A.

3. CSRE LTD - Chinese Sourced Railway Equipment on behalf of CSR Nanjing Puzhen Rolling Stock Co., Ltd

4. Hyundai Rotem Company

Ever willing to provide a hostage to fortune DafT have also given an indication of when they expect to announce the preferred bidder: "Closing date for bids is 16th February and it is anticipated that an announcement on the preferred bidder will be made in April."

Better still My Lord Adonis has now gone hard on the numbers. Previously DafT said there would be "up to 200" new vehicles. My Lord Adonis now talks of the: "...delivery of these 200 new rail carriages."

In Notes to Editors DafT reminds us that "the 200 new DMUs (...are part of...) the £700m fiscal stimulus announced in last month's Pre-Budget Report".

Putting aside the fact that DafT's Buffoonettes have managed to convert 200 vehicles into 200 DMUs, this is extremely good news for Bombardier.

Of the four short listed bidders only one has previously built a train for the mainland British railways. And with the Class 172 currently in production for Loo-Roll and London Midland, either run-ons or parallel construction are an option - reducing delivery times.

But best of all for these new vehicles to deliver Darling's "fiscal stimulus" they'll need to be built in the UK.

Fill your boots Bombardier!

Quick spin in a Routemaster

Telegrammed by our Independent Expert
Lot's of press plaudits over the weekend for BoJo's new Routemaster designs.

In Saturday's Independent Michael Williams wrote that the retro vehicles dreamt up by Aston Martin and Lord Foster were 'just the ticket' for these troubled times.

Funny how BoJo's PR people failed to mention that the mayor has simultaneously canned two major rail-based schemes - the Camden - Brixton tram and the DLR extension to Dagenham.

It's the train wot takes the pain!

Chestnuts burning...

This just in from Driver Potter



Surprisingly no connection with a certain charter operator...