DfT pleads for responses to Future of Franchising

The Reforming Rail Franchising consultation document was originally published on the 22nd July 2010.

Eye understands that ministers have been "disappointed" by the number of responses to this consultation to date.

So the Saviour of the Jammy Dodger today launched this YouTube video to try and drum up some more responses.



As future franchising policy will effect the entire industry it is perhaps not a bad idea to think about responding.

The consultation document can be found here and the closing date is the 18th October.

Remember vote early - vote often!

UPDATE: This from Sinoda...

Despite the change of background logo, Ms Villiers appears to be speaking from Eurostar's famous broom cupboard from where Richard Brown made his very memorable broadcasts.

And what to make of the final salvo from Mr Voiceover: "If you are unable to access this video, please contact the 'digital engagement team' at the Department for Transport, so we can arrange an alternative format".

Surely you wouldn't know who to contact unless you had watched the video?

UPDATE: This from Herb Aceous...

The video clip lasts 2 minutes and 45 seconds but the clap board at the end refers to a running time of 3 minutes 40 seconds.

What sundry delights were edited out I wonder?

"They shall not pass" claims Frenchies

This, surprisingly, from Generals Helmuth von Moltke (senior) and Alfred von Schlieffen...

Unser liebe Fact Compiler

Can we through Railway Eye pass on our congratulations to Herr Doktor Professor Wolmar on the timeliness of his latest book, Engines of War, on sale yesterday.

Today as the French try to prevent German trains running through the tunnel can we commend pages 71 to 88 and 133 to 159 of his meisterwerk detailing our respective rail strategies in 1870 and 1914 to your readers.

It would appear that having lost the competition to supply new trains for Eurostar, technically and commercially, the French have resorted to rule bending in an attempt to protect their archaic railway industry.

Nach St Pancras!

UPDATE: This from Our International Correspondent...

In their understandable resentment at the traditional intransigence of French Railways to be cowed by Die Bahn, the German generals overlook the historic fact that while their attempts to come this way have a poor sustainability record during the last century, plucky old Britain’s one attempt to go east past the Calais Up Starter on her own was more successful.

As part of a larger coalition of English-speaking nations on tour in 1944, the Walmington-On-Sea platoon used a pretty ramshackle collection of British and American kettles to run trains as far as the Rhine.

They then went on to Berlin using German kettles whose ownership had become a little confused following the total surrender of the Thousand Year Reich at Luneberg Heath.

Somehow, all this was done without EU Interoperability Regulations.

Perhaps the British Army Railway Squadron, soon to be disinvented by the spending review, could have one Last Hurrah nach Berlin!

UPDATE: This from Ithuriel...

Eurostar's new trains - did a cunning plan backfire?

Eurostar has run its procurement of 10 new trains in unprecedented secrecy.

The news came as a surprise to the most experienced industry watchers.

Eurostar avoided issuing an OJEU, which would have given the game away, by using the Link-up qualification system.

Why?

Could it be that the aim was to use Siemens as a stalking horse to cover up an order destined to go, naturellement, to Alstom?

After all, everyone in France knows that German trains could not match the commercial offer from the French champion.

But les sales boche cheated and put in a more attractive offer. A knock-out offer, in fact, which could not be refused.

And now Johny Crapaud is trying to rectify this unfortunate error.

One question remains.

Was Bombardier invited to bid?

Look across the Channel and weep

Compare and contrast:

This from the FT:

The French authorities have been accused of trying to block the first-ever order by an affiliate of SNCF, France’s national train operator, for non-French high-speed trains, after Eurostar named Germany’s Siemens preferred bidder for a new train fleet.

With this from Rail Business Intelligence...

Bombardier insiders continue to express their frustration at the lack of progress in developing a bi-mode version of the Class 22X DEMU... According to Bombardier, the company has held numerous meetings over the past three years with DfT...

So in France you can have whatever you want, as long as it is built by Alstom. Whilst in the UK you just can't.

Tom Winsor returns to Whitehall!

This from the Home Office...

The independent study, announced by Home Secretary Theresa May, will help bring modern management practices into policing and increase operational flexibility for the country’s 43 territorial forces.

Former Rail Regulator Tom Winsor will head the review, supported by professional advice from former West Midlands Chief Constable Sir Edward Crew and leading labour market economist Professor Richard Disney.

Eye hopes Tom has bought lots of batteries for that famous tape recorder...

Dark days at Delta Rail

This from Delta Rail...

In recent years we have continued to offer consultancy services in track and train engineering to meet customer demand, although the market for these services has been in decline.

We will now discontinue consultancy services in engineering design, trains electrical engineering, trains mechanical engineering, trains certification, track consultancy and on-call accident investigation. The impact of discontinuing these consultancy services will potentially be around 50 redundancies.

In line with our strategy we will now focus on the key areas that currently form 95% of group revenues and where we are looking forward to working with our customers on a number of exciting projects.

Presumably one of these exciting projects will be outplacement services?

DB expands Open Access offering

This little gem from the latest edition of Rail Professional...

Yeowart was reluctant to name the company that is funding Alliance, which, he explained, was happy to remain in the background for now. But a look at the Companies House website reveals all. The mystery backer is Arriva, which, of course, has just been bought out by Deutsche Bahn.

Eye wonders whether DB will bundle Alliance Rail into its other open access undertaking WSMR, or vice versa?

Perhaps WSMR will remain stand alone?

No doubt by Christmas all will be clear.

Baker solves rolling stock shortage - Shocker!

This from Eastbourne Today...

The December 2010 timetable changes confirm the 6.47pm service from London Victoria to Ore will increase the number of carriages continuing on to Eastbourne from four to eight once it splits at Haywards Heath after Norman Baker MP drew Southern Railway's attention to the problem.

Just fancy that!

Clearly we are all in this together - unless your MP is a junior transport minister.

Sadiq says... at #Lab10

Eye salutes Shadow Transport Secretary Sadiq Khan!

His barnstorming speech today at the Labour Party conference had the Fact Compiler splitting his sides!

Take this for instance:

But talking shop with my family made sure that I never forgot the shambles of a transport system we inherited from the Tories in 1997.

That would be the shambles of a transport system that Labour promised to undo in its 1997 manifesto and then didn't?

The shambles that saw a unified railway industry disaggregated with a resulting explosion in cost most of which occurred during Labour's watch?

Or this for instance:

And in London, we saw what Labour leadership can mean – upgrades to the tube, electronic ticketing, bus services transformed, the congestion charge, and a deal for Crossrail, a scheme which will contribute billions to Britain's economy.

Who can forget the triumph of Gordon and Shriti's PPP? The splendid benefits of which Londoners continue to enjoy to this very day.

No doubt the meaning of Labour's leadership will be evident on London Underground for years to come.

Or what about this:

The value of investment in new trains.

So where, Sadi' baby, are those long promised 1,300 vehicles. We are still waiting... mostly in overcrowded carriages or on platforms due to short formed trains!

Or perhaps even this:

Passengers will not pay more for less.

So pray tell who was it that set the policy that said passengers should pay above inflationary increases to travel by train after years of RPI-1% under the evil Conservatives? That's right, your predecessor at the Department for Transport, Alastair Darling. And in return Passengers got less carriage space, less catering and train travel became a whole lot less pleasant.

No matter.

Sadiq signed off his oration with the following:

We'll win the next General Election if we show people a vision of a better fairer Britain that they can believe in.

Possibly, but don't expect that we'll believe any of those promises for one second! Once bitten, twice shy.

First for stealth opening of stations

Exciting news from First Great Western!

A new station has joined the network - welcome to Penzanze!


Either that or the designer has been on the zider!

ODA invites tenders for Javelettes

Is David Higgins attempting to ingratiate himself with the railway before he moves to Network Rail?

This from an Invitation to Tender released by his current employer the Olympic Delivery Authority:

The ODA is seeking expressions of interest for the supply, management and operation of a number of sets of locomotives and coaches for use during the 2012 Olympic Games. The trains will provide late night additional capacity (as required) from any or all of the following London terminals: Euston, Kings Cross, Paddington and St. Pancras.

Perhaps he'll even consider waiving track access charges for these Javelettes in his new role?

UKPG offers insiders guide to transport

Telegrammed by Our International Correspondent
The UK Press Gazette is the monthly trade journal of choice for phone hackers, paparazzi and those who spend a lot of time badgering the BA press office for free tickets.

Its most recent edition furnishes readers with an eight page Insider’s Briefing to transport and how to cover it.

There-in the alumni of great communicators are all arrayed; including BBC transport men Tom Edwards (London) and Paul Clifton (South and from time to time Rail Professional), Julian Rush, who dabbles in transport for Channel 4, and John Ingham who covers the beat for the Daily Express and has done so for many years.

Interesting omissions include Robert Wright of the pink 'un and Philip Pank of The Thunderer. Perhaps, lurking behind paywalls, they are a bit harder to get hold of.

Part of the briefing lists Key Publications – recommended serious reading for those writing of wheel on rail.

Featured are Transport Times, Local Transport Today, and surprisingly, plucky little Railway Magazine. The listing helpfully gives editors email and phone numbers so they can be contacted for a swift vox pop should incident or other service perturbation occur.

Surprisingly neither RAIL nor Modern Railways gets a mention.

Meanwhile Mystic Wolmar was asked by UKPG to explain the dearth of ladies covering transport. He limply explained that “trains, planes and cars are quite male subjects of interest”.

With such searing insights a golden future for Wolmar's mellifluous tones remains assured at the nation's breakfast tables.

Cheesy grins - #Lab10 edition

Time for an exciting new Eye feature!

During party conference season the great and the good rush to have their photos taken with the leaders of the politico world.

Over excited industry press officers have been rushing these images out to show just how well connected their masters are.

So Eye is delighted to give space to a selection of these Cheesy Grins.

First this of Centro chief executive, Geoff Inskip, with newly-elected Labour leader Ed Miliband.


And here Grand Central MD, Tom Clift, with the same...


Sadly the soi disant 'veteran observer' has rather missed the point!

Wrong Miliband Mr BB!


Doh!

More Cheesy Grins welcome.

Race to replace Coucher - latest

Exciting news from the Grauniad!

Olympic infrastructure chief is front runner for Network Rail job

David Higgins's name expected to be presented to board today, with a senior Corus executive also on shortlist

The Gruan then lists some powerful blue chip organisations with which Higgins has been involved over the years.

Strangely it omits to mention one company where the experience he gained might actually be relevant.

Fortunately Eye can help fill in this particular gap...

Since April this year David Higgins has been a non-executive director of little known company... Network Rail!

Just fancy that.

UPDATE: This from Capt John Yossarian...

Surely Mr Higgins is covered by the Network Rail variation of Catch 22.

If you haven't any connection with the railways and want the CEO job you don't know what you are letting yourself in for and you need to be protected from yourself.

If you do have a connection with the railways, you do know what you are letting yourself in for and you need to be protected from yourself.

UPDATE: This from everyone...

David Higgins it is!

UPDATE: This, surprisingly, from Zola Budd...

Will we now see some new Olympic sports at Network Rail?

Wrestling (control of the track back from ATOC), Skating (on thin ice), (In for the) High Jump, Shooting (oneself in the foot), fencing (platform ends), curling (up with embarrassment), (political) football?

UPDATE: This from Steve Strong...

As David Higgins has no experience of the railways Network Rail needs to give very serious consideration to the appointment of a Chief Operating Officer to support the new CEO in his role.

And if the infrastructure controller is serious about focusing on the needs of the customer perhaps it should look for a senior operator within the TOCs or FOCs to fill this role.

UPDATE: This from Network Rail...

New chief executive for Network Rail

Network Rail has announced the appointment of David Higgins as chief executive.

He succeeds Iain Coucher, who is stepping down at the end of October. David, currently chief executive of the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA), will take up his new position on 1 February 2011. David Higgins is currently a non-executive director of Network Rail, a role he will continue until he starts as chief executive.

Before joining the ODA, he was the chief executive of Lend Lease, an international property and construction company from 1995 to 2002 before joining English Partnerships as chief executive (2003-05).

Network Rail’s chairman Rick Haythornthwaite said: “We recruited David to the board earlier this year because of his track record in leading large organisations, delivering demanding projects and managing a complex range of commercial interests and wider stakeholder sensitivities.

“With Iain Coucher deciding it is the right time to leave Network Rail, David emerged as the outstanding candidate to lead Network Rail into a challenging new era following an extensive search process.

“There are significant challenges and opportunities ahead for both Network Rail and the industry such as the comprehensive spending review, the McNulty value for money review and the planning of HS2. Public, passengers, politicians and the industry are demanding a better, safer railway delivered at a lower cost where success will depend on pervasive collaboration. David is well-placed to lead both Network Rail and the industry forward to meet these challenges.”

Commenting on his appointment, David Higgins said: “It has been a privilege to lead the ODA over the last five years, and I am leaving with the Olympic Park on time, within budget and with the finish line in sight.

“Looking forward, Network Rail is one of the most important companies in Britain – an efficient railway underpins a modern economy – and therefore a challenge I could not turn down.

“Network Rail and the rail industry have transformed the train service in Britain in the last eight years: trains run on time and the railway is safer than ever. My priority is to bring Network Rail and the industry closer so that together we can continue to improve service, efficiency and safety and add much needed capacity to a railway network that is nearly full.”

In the interim period prior to David Higgins’ start date and following the departure of Iain Coucher, Peter Henderson (director, Asset Management) will take on the role of acting chief executive.

Hitachi - not waving but drowning

Telegrammed by Ithuriel
Hitachi is offering a masterclass in political lobbying as it fights to keep the IEP alive

It can only help that Bombardier and Siemens have their hands tied since they are DfT's reserve bidder.

But the County Durham Development Company seems to have let a small cat out of the bag.

A study it has sponsored says that the proposed £40million Newton Aycliffe factory would bring £660m benefit to the region, or £48 for every £1 spent by government.

So, with Britain's remaining train factory facing an empty order book if it fails to win Thameslink, the Government is being asked to cough up £13.75 million towards the start-up cost of yet another train factory?

Talk about contributing to the cost of the hangman's rope!

Railway shows off the Big Society in action

This from Eye follower the Master Draper...

Last Friday I temporarily abandoned my City duties to travel out to the Cliffs Pavilion, Westcliff-on-Sea, Southend for the sixth annual Community Rail Awards held by the Association of Community and Rail Partnerships.

It now follows on from the National Rail Awards of the previous week but they could not be more different in style.

The National Rail Awards, rightly, focuses on big business and is a glitzy celebration of the industry as its best.

The Community Rail Awards recognises a deeper, more umbilical, relationship between the people and their railways.

The awards recognise those unsung thousands who voluntarily give their time to care for, promote and enhance their local railways - railways which act as a life line to the communities they serve.

Alongside these unsung heroes were elected representatives, local businesses and those within the industry who go out of their way to nurture these growing relationships so that rail can continue to remain at the heart of local communities.

Compared with the production values of a Park Lane event this was a lot less lavish but it was, in the true spirit of community rail, a fun evening staged by an enthusiastic and able team who put on a professional show with a Value For Money budget.

Your correspondent was delighted to see that Network Rail had kindly sponsored the 'Best Station Garden or Floral Display' award category. Sadly none of those shortlisted would have been suitable for Eye's Railway Garden Competition so clearly the message is getting through!

Overall a wonderful evening with Neil Buxton and his willing band of helpers making the evening a huge success. Showing yet again that ACoRP can shine a light on how railways and the community can cost-effectively work together.

I know that the Secretary of State is very busy at present but had he been able to spare the time I think he would have found it an educative and heart-warming evening.

He could then have boasted to his cabinet colleagues that he had seen the 'Big Society’ in action!

Vulture spikes... unstuck!

This from The Cynic...

You may be interested to learn that the Vulture Spikes on the York station clock, which Eye featured earlier this month, have now mysteriously disappeared!



As you can see, they haven't touched up the paintwork where the glue has been pulled off!


You may also be interested to know that the Starbucks kiosk is currently still in situ in the foyer, this despite York City Council winning an appeal to have it removed from the entrance hall.


Will we be seeing an elite hit squad from the City Council coming to banish it in the near future?

UPDATE: This from King Henry...

Nice to see our clock featured again in (nearly) all its glory.

Following the original pictures revealed on Eye I asked the City Council if permission had been sought for the spikes.

Evidently not, since they soon despatched their 'Enforcement' heavies.

As for Starbucks, I am told that "the Inspector did not rule out the possibility of a smaller bespoke unit provided it was sympathetic to the character of the outer concourse. It is up to [East Coast] to come forward with a solution in a 'reasonable' time period. We [the Council] have our eyes on the matter."

Achilles well heeled whilst supply chain unshod

This from Hero of Troy...

Whilst the government demands ever greater efficiencies from the industry one particular supplier is making hay whilst the sun shines.

Welcome to Achilles Link-up, the monopoly that suppliers to Network Rail have to register with to supply goods and services into the company.

Plainly imbued with the spirit of the age Achilles have just announced a whopping 16% increase in fees that suppliers must pay to register their products or services on the Link-up system from October.

Achilles service director Andy Harrison claimed the price increase would help simplify the system!

After all, says Harrison, “it was not increased last year and Industry should recognise that fully implementing Link-up as a supplier selection tool will generate savings”.

With Achilles exhibiting such bare faced cheek most suppliers now know exactly how Deidamia felt.

UPDATE: This from The Archer...

With RISAS slowly but surely gaining Industry momentum I wonder if it's time for Achilles to come to heel?

Poetry Corner - Changes at First

Clarence Spad writes disconsolately...

Among my close friends on Reading Station friends there is unalloyed sadness that Sir Moir Lockhead, great helmsman of First Group's rise from Grampia, I think it is called, is standing down after twenty-one years of unequalled leadership.

Sonia Alarp, that, of course, is not her real name but one she has assumed for her new life of freedom on Reading Station says his love of animals is particularly heartwarming especially towards badgers and greyhounds.

We were particularly upset when we heard of a report by Arbuthnot, who we think are private bankers in London, saying it was time he should go and that First Group needing sorting out.

Anyone who observes First Group today could not possibly want to believe this. We are sure Tim O'Toole will not find this to be the case

TWO STANZAS ON CHANGES IN FIRST GROUP

Stanza the First (Group)

So farewell then Sir Moir
You are still so young, so craggy yet debonair
On your 65th birthday (Refer to I June posting) we hoped you would stay for ever
Just like Kim Jong Il of North Korea
But now you are both going
I suppose you (but not Kim Jong Il)
Will now retire to your farm near Aberdeen
And every time you look at your herd of cattle
You might be reminded of your former passengers.

STANZA THE SECOND

Lines re-welcoming Tim O'Toole to First Group (see my previous Opus)

A re-welcome then Tim O'Toole
It is rumoured that in the past few days
You have been humming Roy Clark's catchy
'Thank God and Greyhound You're Gone'
But I cannot believe this is true.

Will this do?

UPDATE: This from a Mr Burns...

Looking at Rail-News.com this morning, it looks like Sir Moir has already stepped down.


Does the stock market know?

Railway Gazette offers free iPhone app

This from @Railwaygazette, via Twitter...

Posted at 18:47ish:

We've reached a 1000 followers... Thanks everyone! Anyone with an iPhone can download our new app on iTunes free for the next 24 hours!

Cool!

Downloaded, let's see how it works...

CSR - It ain't over till the fat lady sings

On Friday Wolmar delivered a powerful scoop.

He claimed that Petrol-head had signed off the DfT's reduced budget and would be joining Star Chamber, pronouncing on the departmental budgets of fellow ministers.

Interestingly the Treasury today confirmed that five Whitehall departments have reached agreement on spending cuts: Treasury, Cabinet Office, Foreign Office, Environment and Communities.

Now transport isn't on the list.

Which means one of two things.

Either the Treasury is trickling out the information - saving the 'good' transport news for later...

Or there are still some in DafT fighting a rear-guard action to preserve some semblance of a transport budget post 20th October.

Eye hopes it's the latter and encourages those fighting to preserve the shape of today's railway to redouble their efforts!

UPDATE: This just in from Wolmar...

I'd just like to make the following comment on the above:

My new book, Engines of War, will be launched with a lecture at the German Gymnasium, Pancras Road next to St Pancras, on the evening of Tuesday September 28th at a charity event in aid of the Railway Children.

Just turn up on the day at 18:00 for 18:30 or for advance tickets visit the Railway Children website or just call 01270 757596.

Frankly the Eye will be glad when he's delivered this. Please sign up, it's for a very worthy cause.