The Scottish Curse - Adonis beware!

Telegrammed by our International Correspondent
A little light relief, after today's IEP excitement...

State-owned national icon No 4472 - Flying Scotsman - continues to cause heartache as engineering problems worsen.

This from the Northern Echo...

'Chris Beet, engineering and rail operations manager, said:

“Essentially, it’s a very big job and very time consuming....

"It should have been scrapped 46 years ago by British Railways”.'

Ain't that the truth!

As avowed by the bank managers of Messrs Alan Pegler, Sir William McAlpine BART, Pete Waterman, Dr Tony Marchington, the creditors of Flying Scotsman plc... (cont P94).

IEP announcement delayed until after election?

This from @cbuchanancubed, via Twitter...

delays on HST replacement announced till after general election

More to follow...

UPDATE: This from PA...

Plans to replace the ageing fleet of intercity trains have been postponed, Transport Secretary Lord Adonis announced.

He said the multi-billion pound, 30-year intercity express procurement programme had run into difficulties.

No shit Sherlock!

UPDATE: This morning's DfT statement in full...

In order to replace Britain's ageing fleet of Intercity 125 Trains and to invest in capacity and passenger journey improvements on the East Coast and Great Western Main Lines, the Government began the Intercity Express Programme procurement in 2007. The Programme's key objective has been to achieve value for money across the lifetime of the trains, taking account of costs right across the rail industry.

Good progress has been made, including the announcement of Agility Trains as preferred bidder in February 2009. Over the course of the procurement, however, there has been a reduction in the capacity of the debt market to support the transaction as originally envisaged, and passenger growth has also slowed. In addition the Government and Network Rail have committed to electrify the Great Western Main Line from 2016. The Government has identified appropriate adjustments to the original programme to take account of these developments. This has inevitably extended the contractual negotiations, which are not yet complete and would not be so until mid-March at the earliest.

The negotiations are for a contract of nearly 30 years, a multi-billion pound spend over the course of many Parliaments. In all the circumstances, the Government does not believe it would be appropriate to enter into this particular contract in the immediate run up to a general election. To ensure that a decision is taken at the beginning of the next Parliament on the basis of the fullest evaluation, I have today asked Sir Andrew Foster, former controller of the Audit Commission, to provide an independent assessment of the value for money of the Programme and the credibility and the value for money of any alternatives which meet the Programme's objectives. It is critical for rail passengers that the right long-term decision is made about the next generation of inter-city trains, which will have a life of 30 years or more.

The existing rolling stock dates back to the 1970s and needs to be replaced. If Sir Andrew Foster reaffirms that the Intercity Express Programme is better than the alternatives, my intention would be to proceed with the project in the next Parliament, subject to satisfactory resolution of all the contractual issues.

Sir Andrew Foster will consult Agility Trains, the Department, the relevant Train Operating Companies, the Office of Rail Regulation, Network Rail, passenger groups and the devolved Scottish and Welsh administrations.

Sir Andrew Foster will report within three months. The report and the Government's response will be published and reported to Parliament.

Andrew Adonis, Transport Secretary

UPDATE:This from Sir Humphrey Beeching...

The appointment of Sir Andrew Foster to consider value for money suggests a classic attempt to head off expensive post cancellation claims for compensation.

UPDATE: This from Reginald Slicker...

Can I be the first to congratulate the Department for standing up to the train builders and the banks over IEP.

If the train builders can't even meet DfT's quite modest targets for lighter weight trains in the IEP specification, by which I mean the 'essential' maximum weight, not the wholly reasonable 'desirable' aspiration, and the banks are unwilling to fund the project then a pause for re-consideration is richly justified.

I must congratulate Lord Adonis on this wise decision which is a rebuff to those critics of DfT's new train procurement activities.

Yours etc.

R. Slicker

UPDATE: This just in from Captain Deltic...

According to this morning's statement from Lord Adonis: "The existing rolling stock dates back to the 1970s and needs to be replaced".

As an Informed Sources Extra in the March Modern Railways points out, life extension of IC125 to 2025 and beyond is the best value for money way forward.

The March Modern Railways goes on sale today priced at a very reasonab... (Eye reserves the right to shorten reader comments due to pressures of space. Ed)

General Election update

***Twitter abuzz with rumours that Gordon might go to the country as early as next week.***

Sadiq says...

This via Twitter...

Just back in London from Beds and Herts where I experienced rural buses. Used buses in Luton, Hitchin, Shefford and Flitwick. And then FCC..

What could that ellipsis mean?

"Additional trains" for the North in weeks?

This from the BBC...

A DfT spokesperson said: "We are currently involved in detailed commercial negotiations to deliver additional trains for the busiest services in the north of England. We hope to make an announcement about this in due course."

Meanwhile Greater Manchester Integrated Transport Authority (GMITA) "has invited Lord Adonis to come to Manchester in the next few weeks, when they hope to make a further announcement."

Exciting news indeed.

But what's this?

As any fule kno there is no suitable spare rolling stock anywhere in the country, and short of robbing trains from routes serving evil Tory constituencies to provide them to Labour heartlands in the North West these is little that Adonis or DafT can do.

So where will these magical "additional trains" be conjured up from and at such short notice?

Eye understands that the Noble Lord was recently shocked to discover that there are oudles of Mk2s and Mk3s sitting in sidings doing nothing.

In particular some 30 Mk3s that are currently doing nothing whilst under the control of nationalised East Coast (prop. A Adonis).

With little room for manoeuvre and the need for good headlines in the North can we expect an immanent return of loco hauled trains on "the busiest services in the north of England"?

Eye looks forward to travelling aboard a "Pork Barrel Express".

Wanted - industry teams for Three Peaks Challenge

This from the Railway Children...

The search is on for people in the rail industry to take part in a unique challenge.

Railway Children, a charity helping children living on the streets, is looking to recruit 50 teams of four people to take part in a mountain expedition.

It involves climbing the three highest peaks in England, Wales and Scotland – travelling between the mountains on a special train.


The aim is for each team to raise a total of £3,500 for the charity – to fund outreach projects with street children in the UK, India and Africa.

To enter a team of four in the June Three Peaks Challenge in aid of Railway Children, please call Katie on 01270 757 596 or email Katie.mason@railwaychildren.org.uk

Take a look at the website for more information – www.railwaychildren.org.uk/events

Ministers force officials to flip - Shocker!

It's amazing what you can find on You Tube.

The following two videos have been produced to help DafT press officers show their ministers in the best possible light when using a Flip Camera.

Eye is uncertain whether to be outraged at public money being spent on this agitprop training or grateful for the helpful pointers it includes.





Meanwhile Eye commends both videos to Eurostar's PR team - as nowhere do they advise filming in a broom cupboard. Ever!

UPDATE: This from StephenRees, via Twitter...

It looks like DafT have ruined our fun, they've removed both of those YouTube videos now...

Nice! Surely not through embarrassment?

UPDATE: Whilst the videos have now been removed here is a screen grab of the originals...


Mrs Interweb has a long memory!

UPDATE: This from RADA Luvvie...

This is priceless!

Trevor John - who did that flip camera training video - presents a psychic radio show as well as apparently being a ministerial speechwriter.

Parliamentary language explained

This from the Noble Lord yesterday...

Lord Bradshaw (Liberal Democrat)
To ask Her Majesty's Government how much subsidy, if any, has been paid to the operator of the West Coast Main Line franchise since 2005.

Lord Adonis (Secretary of State, Department for Transport; Labour)
The Department for Transport routinely publishes details of contracted base franchise payments and receipts for individual franchise when they are let. Details for the west coast main line franchise is set out on our website and can be found at http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/rail/passenger/franchiseswestcoastfranchiseagreement.

Is this Parliamentary language for "My officials can't be arsed to answer your question"?

UPDATE: This from Sir Herbert Gussett (Rtd)...

Lord B asks Lord A for the subsidy paid to Virgin West Coast & Lord A refers him to an old press release.

Clearly Lord A is such a master of his brief that he forgets that since then track access charges nationally were re-based & a significant element of the high charge for using the WCML is now paid directly to Network Rail.

Virgin is now paying "a small premium" to the DfT (Source Tony Collins as quoted in Modern Railways).

Perhaps Lord B should now ask the following:

a) How much extra is the DfT now paying NR for the use of the WCML, despite the fact that it is so unreliable that Virgin is now the worst performing TOC!

and

b) Why Lord A is talking out of his ars... (Eye reserves the right to shorten reader comments due to pressures of space. Ed)

Franchising policy explained...

UPDATE: This from Leo Pink...

Surely this explains why the commercial close on IEP has been delayed?

The glorious victory of Jamie's 'Not a Blog'

Regular Eye readers may recall this piece of music:



Original post here.

Meanwhile there is an update to Jamie's sad story here.

Result!

Alas.

And here is the denouement :-(

No matter.

To all Eye's industry friends, a message:

Turn on, tune in, get social!

(Can you also mention that Orange have no idea either? Ed)

Snow stops trains - this time in Sweden

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!

Captain Deltic gets all new fangled!

@thefactcompiler welcomes @captain_deltic to twitter!

Turn on, tune in, but do it in a 140 characters...

First for failing to monitor the fitness of its drivers

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.

Argentinian solution to dirty trains

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.

Virgin give 32 instructions on how to take a leak

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?

How others view us... Taiwanese TV

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.

Eye gets down with the kidz

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.

Transport Select Committee news

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.

Mystic Eye predicts cuts to Welsh CRPs funding

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!

WSMR recruits a Python to spread the word

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.