This from The Raver...
According to Railway-technology.com:
Swedish trains have been paralysed after the network was hit with delays and cancellations caused by heavy snow fall and low temperatures.
Sverige schadenfreude!
@thefactcompiler welcomes @captain_deltic to twitter!
Turn on, tune in, but do it in a 140 characters...
This from the BBC...
Sheriff Convery said"In my view this cases raises profoundly disturbing questions regarding the safety of the public and the arrangements for monitoring the fitness of train drivers."
Indeed!
Mind you, at least it was just the one bottle.
This from Driver Potter with a bowler tip to WNXX...
Who said train surfing was a bad thing?
Perhaps certain TOCs might care to take note - this could be the solution to knackered carriage washers.
UPDATE: This from a Mr Fenton...
Argentina has had to get much of its railway equipment secondhand, given the economic situation and need to provide trains.
Trouble is, they're having difficulty paying for them.
Meanwhile Guido offers his reflections on the deteriorating situation in the South Atlantic.
This from Stardotstar.com with a bowler tip to @technicalfault...
On a recent trip to the big smoke i managed to count 32 instructions for how to get into and out of, and use a Virgin Trains toilet.
Eye is uncertain who is pottiest, the designer who came up with the 32 instructions or stardotstar for bothering to count them all!
UPDATE: This from Leo Pink...
Does that include the 'mind the step' notice with a braille transcription?
This may say more about the behaviour that the Taiwanese expect from their own politicians than it does about Gordon Brown...
...but it's just too amusing not to post.
Enjoy!
In particular the noise made by the unseated typist.
This from Hangin' 10...
Hey, Compiler dude!
You seen this reply from Mr Mole?
Written Answers — Transport: Railways (22 Feb 2010)
Chris Mole: The Department for Transport has not issued any guidance to train operating companies on the carriage of surf boards on trains.
Man, that's just like so totally lost Labour the camper van vote.
EVIDENCE SESSION
Transport Questions with the Secretary of State
On Wednesday 24 February 2010 at 2.45pm in Committee Room 8, Palace of Westminster, the Committee will put transport questions to the Secretary of State for Transport, Rt Hon Lord Adonis.
Watch committees and parliamentary debates online: http://www.parliamentlive.tv
UPDATE: This from Billy Holliday...
I note that Lord Adonis will need to make his apologies and dash away from the 2010 UK Rail Stations Conference just along the road at the Grosvenor, Victoria.
This could see a few other participants taking a rather extended afternoon tea break as they hot foot it over to the Committee Room.
And lo, so it came to pass....
This from the BBC, way back on the 3rd of February 2010:
A group promoting rail travel on rural routes has criticised the withdrawal of £10,000 funding by Arriva Trains Wales (ATW) as "ridiculous".
Meanwhile this from Railway Eye, way, way back on the 5th of August 2009:
The (ACoRP) memo makes the point even clearer by saying:
It is (TOC's name REDACTED) opinion however, that some CRPs are turning into lobbying groups (which they are not prepared to support) whilst others have effectively run their course, having succeeded in their aim to secure a future for the line.
Well just fancy that!
With a bowler tip to the Moving People blog...
Of course Michael Palin's admission that he has only travelled on the service "once" may go someway to explaining why the service is 'under threat'...
UPDATE: This from The Archer...
Michael Palin's piece on the beeb was more interesting for what it didn't say, namely that open access operators are supposedly good for competition, than for what it did.
Which makes WSMR's claim that if Arriva start to run a similar service, the 'under threat' operator will be forced out of business, quite difficult to fathom.
With 98% customer satisfaction and £35 rather than £120 fares, surely WSMR would welcome a little healthy competition, especially from Arriva, where ATW customer satisfaction stands at just 86% and Cross Country a further point behind at 85%.
WSMR clearly have nothing to worry about, Arriva couldn't run a similar service if they tried.
Oh dear, oh dear!
Much whinging from the good burghers of Sherborne over John Farrow's decision not to stop one of his UK Railtours charter trains at the town on the 8th of May.
This from the Western Gazette...
SHERBORNE'S grand efforts to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the arrival of the railway in Sherborne have been snubbed by a steam operator's refusal to stop a vintage locomotive at the station.
But what's this?
All is not as it seems.
This from the uber-Charter Operator himself:
The itinerary, as you are aware, is London – Yeovil – Weymouth – London .
The tour’s attraction is that it covers both the LSWR ‘main lines’ and of course a chance to enjoy 35028 on a good long run without paying VSOE fares.
Given the need for water stops, turning at Yeovil and a break in Wemo, it’s quite a long day with precious little spare time in it, but it’s been done in the past and it works.
I was first approached by the people of Sherborne about a month ago, by which time our plans had been finalized and bookings were open.
Although the 150th anniversary of the completion of the line from Wloo to Exeter isn’t until July, the route opened in stages - Sherborne and Templecombe both opened in May 1860, and Sherborne Town Council want to mark the event.
That’s good of course - we should all be proud of our railway heritage.
In response to repeated requests for the train to stop, I have carefully looked at all the options and have reluctantly concluded it’s a non-starter.
We cannot offer Sherborne as an alternative destination, as obviously we don’t come back that way.
The best (?) we could possibly do is to insert a very brief stop of maybe 10 minutes (15 absolute maximum) – but just think about that…
The station is far from spacious. It would already be packed with ‘locals’, possibly several hundred. We would be turning up with around 450 people who could do nothing but get off (if there is room on the platform) and get back on again. The rear four carriages would be out of the platform, back over the level crossing. Crowd management would be a huge issue, the situation would be inherently unsafe and I still maintain that the benefit to our customers would be absolutely nil. They will see nothing of the town at all, nor of any ceremony, nor will there be any photographic opportunities.
I have tried to put this message over, but all I get is abuse from people who really need to take a more responsible and less selfish attitude. Perhaps they should THINK before they start being abusive in their local press.
As it happens, I really like Sherborne as a place.
I have put it to one member of the council, in writing, that it would be a good idea for us to run a train specifically to Sherborne later in the year, maybe for Christmas carols in Sherborne Abbey as Steam Dreams have done in the past.
I have not even had the common courtesy of a reply, which says it all really!
Indeed!
Eye salutes Sherborne Town Council for negotiating with Charter Operators via megaphone.
UPDATE: This just in from John Farrow...
To be fair, I have this morning received a much more helpful and sympathetic response, from the Deputy Mayor, giving contacts for future visits etc...
UPDATE: This just in from Steam Dreams...
Disappointing to read about the issues in Sherborne.
Might I clarify a comment made above?
As was stated The Cathedrals Express has provided a special train in the past to take our passengers to the famous Carol service in Sherborne Abbey.
But not just in the past!
We will of course be running a similar train this December and hope to do so long into the future!
With a bowler tip to Jason's Bike...
News of the latest campaign on Facebook.
Carlisle station was recently 'done up' for a Homebase advert with wallpaper, hanging lights and a stripey footbridge.
Now a Facebook campaign has been started to Keep Carlisle train station like this!
As at 16:00 on Friday it had 5,310 members!
Perhaps not quite what Messrs Hall and Green, Stationers to Lord DafT Vader, had in mind?
Telegrammed by the Major
Scribblers and industry commentators may be sad to hear that Network Rail's Midland Press Office will cease to exist from Monday 22nd February.
According to NR:
The York press office will cover the North East, East Midlands and Lincolnshire.
The Manchester press office will cover the North West, West Midlands and Staffordshire.
The soon to be defunct NR Midland Press Office is of course the vestigial tail of the erstwhile BR London Midland Region Public Affairs empire, which was also based in Birmingham, and included amongst its luminaries such legends as the great Phallex Murray and The Vice Marshall himself (deep doff of the bowler. Ed).
No matter - tempus fugit.
But what is confusing Brum hacks is the timing of the closure decision.
Which has been announced just as NR prepares to spend vast sums of taxpayers' money in putting a brand new roof on New Street station.
Surely not evidence of NR's lack of joined up thinking?
UPDATE: This from NR's Chief Spinmeister, Kevin Groves, for it is he...
It is indeed sad to see the Midlands office close.
It is particularly sad to lose a popular and effective member of the media team but CP4 efficiencies have to be made in all departments and resources reallocated as best we can.
We’re all joined up too as the £650m rebuild of Birmingham New Street will have its own dedicated communications professional looking after all its needs, including media.
This from Tweetminster, via Twitter...
Cabinet Members on Twitter: 14.
Shadow Cabinet Members on Twitter: 4.
There are 15 Liberal Democrat Shadow Cabinet Members on Twitter.
Just thought you'd like to know.
So the Tories have killed the consensus on High Speed 2.
Shadow Transport Secretary Theresa Villiers has declined to "give a political blank cheque to Labour" by refusing an advance view of the Noble Lord's HS2 White Paper.
Villiers also made clear that the Tories reserved the right to look at alternative routes.
Whilst this will raise a collective groan from the railway industry it makes sound political sense.
With sources suggesting Adonis' plan for HS2 will show the proposed route with a margin of error of as little as 25 yards there would have been howls of anguish from Tory constituencies in the Chilterns; None of which would actually gain any benefit from the new line whilst suffering all the pain of planning blight and construction works.
The other political benefit is that it hangs the Noble Lord out to dry. Non consensus allows the plans for HS2 to be kicked into the long grass for at least another Parliament, which with the current parlous state of the country's finances makes fiscal as well as political sense.
That said the Tories will need to come up with something else chunky if they are not to enter the election 'transport lite'.
UPDATE: This from Lobby Fodder...
I wonder if the decision by the Tories to pour cold water on Lord Adonis HS2 White Paper is in anyway connected with this story in today's FT?
The transport secretary has told London’s mayor that it is “not acceptable” for the capital to seek extra money to fund improvements on three underground lines, in a sharply worded reply to the mayor’s request.
Just asking that's all.
UPDATE: This, surprisingly enough, from Niccolo Machiavelli...
Labour would seem to have the Tories in a fianchetto if they publish the route of HS2 between London and the West Midlands before the election.
If the Tories support the route they alienate their own voters in home counties constituencies where Labour cannot prevail whilst merely sharing the credit in West Midlands constituencies where Labour is likely to win.
If the Tories criticise the route they can be portrayed as home counties toffs prepared to put their golf clubs ahead of the transport needs of the West Midlands
But with Adrian Shooter allegedly advising Theresa Villiers, the vision of Evergreen 5 could provide an effective counter.
And the Tories also have IEP up their sleeve (shome mishtake, shurely? Ed).
As I say in my book 'The Prince' (available as a Penguin Classic for only £2.99 from Amazon):
"The wise ruler does not overlook the cunning of ex British Rail engineers risen to high office".
UPDATE: This from Sun Tzu...
Can I support Signor Niccolo's comments on IEP being a Tory asset?
As I say in my book 'The art of war' (available from Amazon in paperback price £3.00):
"A highly expensive chariot fails to terrorise fleet footed infantry fighting in a swamp'.
That's enough dead psuedo management philosophy gurus. Ed
UPDATE: This just in from Will' Shakespeare...
I'faith, i know not what these men from foreign parts know about a railway of Puck like speed cutting through this realm of kings.
But as I say in my play Hamlet "for tis the sport to have the gricer Lord hoist by his own petard".
And the same goes for dead bards. Ed
UPDATE: This from Alfred Lord Tennyson...
Might I perchance inject a note of practicality into this discussion and ask what the Whig view is on noise issuing forth from this new rail way?
It was indeed I who conjured the phrase "The ringing grooves of change" and at the promised speed of 400 of those radical kilometres in the hour the ringing would indeed be loud.
UPDATE This from Mr Walt Whitman...
Might I...(Absolutely not. Literary Ed)
No more dead poets, bards and management gurus - please! Ed.
This from Scotch Corner...
Here is the Welsh Deputy First Minister talking about mistrust in politics.....
Little wonder that there is mistrust when he has spent public money on an expensive loco hauled train from his home town to Cardiff, which has a fabulous first class dining offer on board, but alas is only used by half a dozen people or so each day.
And the subsidy is over a £1m!
Even if ten people used it each way everyday, that's £200 subsidy a journey!!
Not so much mistrust as seeing pork barrel politics for what it is!
This from the late Nye Bevan...
According to Wales Online...
THOUSANDS of rugby fans could find themselves stranded in Cardiff after Wales’ Friday-night clash with France, after one rail boss warned there will be no extra trains.
Now, a fair cop guv at first sight but as always there is more...
The stadium didn't tell people about the travel plan issues because they were worried about ticket sales, and there is no money in the pot for more trains so the best you can do is make them four coach sets on the Valleys.
But note how nobody takes the blame and the railway is put to the sword because the stadium has to play to the broadcasters (TV) tune and doesn't have the guts to be public about it.
And good to see the civil servants (sic) of WAG showing excellent form in line with their DaFT counterparts!
You quoted Fiennes earlier in the week, and indeed it is no way to run a railway, especially when your supposed friends leave you to face the music alone.
Evidently not!
Still, there is always tomorrow....
UPDATE: This from Steve Strong...
Don't be too hard on yourself.
Judging by today's announcement on the public finances anything costing more than 2/6 has moved miles to the right.
UPDATE: This from Al Fresco...
Yeah, I agree, don’t do a downer.
After all, you haven’t posted about the 3-Musketeers all together on BBC’s Newsnight on Wednesday.
Did you miss it?
Adonis, 2-Jags & Tarzan – all together on HS1 talking up the prospects of cross- party consensus on HS2 – amongst other buffoonery.
Watch it here – starts at 13:50
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