Chancellor's Budget statement - Rail

This from the Chancellor's Budget statement today...

I confirm today that Network Rail will extend the Northern Hub, adding to the electrification of the transpennine rail route, by upgrading the Hope Valley line between Manchester and Sheffield – and improving the Manchester to Preston and Blackpool, and Manchester to Bradford lines.

NR's Northern Hub twitter account, @NetworkRailNH, said:

#NorthernHub has been given £130m in today's Budget for three parts of the project - improving journey times and increasing capacity

And confirmed that the Hope Valley line will be:

Upgraded - extra track and platform at Dore, loop at Dore/Grindleford, capacity at Chinley, also line speeds.

Despite the Chancellor's ambiguous words no mention of electrification.

And, alas, no announcement of wires for the Midland Main Line either.

UPDATE: This from Captain Deltic...

So, @NetworkRailNH, said: #NorthernHub has been given £130m in today's Budget for three parts of the project - improving journey times and increasing capacity

Good grief, if Network Rail doesn't understand how the privatised railway works we really are in trouble.

The Government doesn't 'give' money for NR investment. It authorises NR to borrow the money to pay for the upgrade the value of which is then added to the Regulatory Asset Base where it then earns a return which is added to NR's agreed income determined by the Regulator much of which comes from the Direct Grant paid to NR by DfT.

In other words the Budget committed to paying the interest on the borrowing to fund the extra Northern Hub work on the 'never-never'.

(Shakes head in disbelief and goes back to writing about the last days of Railtrack where there was similar naivete).

UPDATE: This from NR's Internet Rapid(ish) Rebuttal Unit...

Of course we understand how RAB funding of projects works at Network Rail.

What we wanted to do yesterday is amplify the great news about the Northern Hub via Twitter.

Here's a challenge for you (and indeed other Railway Eye readers):

Using 140 characters or fewer, explain RAB funded-projects and permitted rate of return funded by network grant as agreed by the regulator.

Le TGV est arrivé

This from Sue La Manche

The first TGV to visit St Pancras carried not passengers but parcels, as a demonstration of the potential for high speed freight on high speed rail.


Next stop, Birmingham in errr... 2026?!?

So much for just in time delivery.

UPDATE: This from a Mr Rabid Burns...

I note with some surprise that the usual tests for electromagnetic interference, turning cows inside out, boiling brains and scaring pigeons have not taken place.

In fact, bold as brass, it flew through Kent in broad daylight.

Does this mean that we will now be inundated with TGV's, Thalys and the like, just so that the DfT can prove how the virtual IEP is a better train? (Shurely shome mishtake! Ed).

I think we should be told.

UPDATE: This from Dreadnought...

The reason that the usual tests for "electromagnetic interference, turning cows inside out, boiling brains and scaring pigeons" did not take place is that the unit was hauled up HS1 at a "steady" pace (somewhat lower than line speed) by 2 of Eurotunnel's diesels.

A nifty bit of shunting at SPI in the small hours saw the diesels retreat, leaving the TGV on its own in the platform.

Pointless signs - Abroad

This from Globetrotter...

A gem from the bay platform at Queensland Rail's Bundaberg station.


Other forms of motive power may presumably enter the carpark at their discretion?

Network Rail eats, shoots and leaves - Official

Eye is indebted to Mr Rand for this photo and also salutes Network Rail!

This sign points unequivocally to the entrance of a station that was built on the site of a cross, which was erected to the memory of King George IV.


So no more of your 'Kings Cross' nonsense if you please!

Tories claim Northern transport budget too big!

This telling tale from the Newcastle Journal...

But speaking to The Journal, the Transport Secretary said the North was getting a fairer deal on cash for transport schemes - so much so that South East MPs had complained.

"I think it probably shows we are really starting to get that balance of investment. What's most important to me is to understand local priorities," she said.

Meanwhile Met-Cam and his NSE MPs still can't understand why they fail to capture seats in Northern metropoleis.

Pointless signs - Redhill

This from @cnsqpr...


Southeastern last ran there in '08 and FGW Link haven't existed since '06.

Alan Francis Pegler OBE - RIP

This via the Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railway website...

Alan Francis Pegler OBE

It is with great sadness that we report that Alan Francis Pegler passed away on Sunday 18th March 2012 after a short illness. He was 91.

As well as being the President of both the Ffestiniog Railway Society and the Ffestiniog Railway Company, Alan was also responsible for preserving Flying Scotsman after she was withdrawn from service by British Railways.

Alan Francis Pegler OBE: 16th April 1920 - 18th March 2012

Rest in Peace.

Railway Garden Competition - Basingstoke

This from the Mad Hatter...

The picture below came with a press release from South West Trains announcing the new look Basingstoke station.


Surely an early winner of this year's Railway Garden Competition?

UPDATE: This from The Man By The Photocopier...

As Eye readers will see from this wider angle picture of the wizard new front end at Basingstoke, the SWT snapper must have crouched very awkwardly behind the hedge -- and one does wonder why.


After some years of press pics taken at silly angles, is the new craze going to be vegetation in every shot?

Can't wait.

Banbury 'La-de-da' Mess room sign

This from @drew2611...

Was amused by FCC Drivers' mess sign however I think ours at Banbury gives a touch of class:


Eye bets they don't use whistles at Banbury either...

Eye Enterprises presents The Olympic Scotsman!

YOU could own a part of 2012!

Eye Enterprises is offering a unique opportunity to acquire a 1.76th representation of national icon Flying Scotsman carrying the Olympic Torch!

THIS is your opportunity to relive the role played by Flying Scotsman in Her Majesty's Diamond Jubilee, the Olympics, the Para-Olympics and Railfest!


PRICED at just £2.6m and lovingly reconstructed from the finest military-hubris, etc... etc... etc... (details here from Railway Herald and Railway Magazine).

Eye would just like to point out that the A3s were introduced into traffic in 1927.

Her Majesty was born in 1926.

Eye wonders which is more reliable and provides best value for money?

God save the Queen!

That is all.

Crossrail Handicap runners and riders

This from our Racing Correspondent...

With the Invitation to Negotiate for the Crossrail fleet issued, bookmakers Paddy Hill have published the odds for the runners in the Crossrail Rolling Stock Stakes which come under starter's order on 29 August.

Kaiser Bill's Batman 5/2 (Fav)
Canuck's Folly 4/1
Tora Tora Tora 5/1
Medina Sidonia's Revenge 10/1

Cuisse de Grenouille - scratched

Network Rail statement on Elsenham

Network Rail was today fined £1m after the company pleaded guilty to Health and Safety breaches at Chelmsford Crown Court.

Network Rail issued the following statement...

NETWORK RAIL STATEMENT FOLLOWING ELSENHAM HEARING

Thursday 15 Mar 2012 15:00

Following today's hearing at Chelmsford Crown Court, David Higgins, chief executive, Network Rail, said:

“On behalf of Network Rail I apologise for the mistakes made by us in this tragic case that contributed to the deaths of Olivia and Charlotte.

“Nothing we can say or do will lessen the pain felt by Olivia and Charlotte’s families but I have promised the families that we will make level crossings safer, and we will deliver on that promise.

“Fundamental changes to the way we manage and look after the country’s 6,500 level crossings have, and are being made. In recent years we have reassessed all of our crossings and closed over 500. There is still much to do and we are committed to doing what is necessary to improve our level crossings.”

ENDS

Peterborough mess room sign

Nice!

Villiers vignettes - rewriting history

This from Ithuriel...

From a written answer by Theresa Villiers on 6 March.

DfT asked the rail industry to look into the possibility of improving the existing fleet of diesel Cross Country Voyager trains by adding an additional carriage with a pantograph and upgrading the rest of the train.

DfT asked the industry?!?

Do they take us for fools?

Bombardier and HSBC Rail were pushing Project Thor for months, with zero interest, or rather, active opposition, from DfT which saw it as a threat to IEP.

Now they claim it is their own idea!

No doubt the next claim will be that Marsham Street had to lean on Alstom, Angel, East Coast and Virgin to run Tuesday's Pendolino trial.

Pointless signs - Derby

This one perhaps misses the point...


Sadly.

Thoughts on King's Cross western ticket hall

A brief reflection on the truly magnificent new western ticket hall at King's Cross.


At Broad Street we lost a station to development.

At Liverpool Street we gained retail and office space with platforms.

At King's Cross we actually get a station first and foremost, offering some retail opportunities.

Good effort.

Meanwhile, this picture from last night's gala opening.


Eye is tempted to caption it 'Partnership'...

Pointless signs - Diss

This from Gricerbritannia...

Two new “Help points” were installed at Diss station during the dying days of NXEA.

At the same time the PIS-poor TV style departure screen was switched off.

So, what do we have now?

The “Help point” on the Norwich bound platform has been taped over with brown sticky tape as “Out of use” while the one on the London bound platform is as shown here.


Not only does it have water ingress but careful examination will show that there is no information shown in any case (except computer-speak nonsense).


So, with the TV screen turned off and the new Help Point showing not much but water droplets Diss passengers have gone from PIS-poor information to no information.

Conference news - tail lamp slot

Good to see that the railfreight community retains its sense of humour!

The UK Rail Development and Investment conference (18-19 April) offers delegates two full days of railway fun.

But who has the worst slot of all, the last half hour on the second day, when many delegates will already be heading home?

Step forward Lindsay Durham, Head of Rail Strategy at the Freightliner Group.

And the title of Lindsay's presentation...'Freight, the forgotten service'.

EC Pendolino - There is more joy in heaven...

A perfect run last night from Edinburgh Waverley to King's Cross!


Operated by Virgin Trains...

Controlled by East Coast...

Burying IEP!

UPDATE: This from, a somewhat twitchy, East Coast...

To be clear, East Coast’s fleet of High Speed Trains (HSTs) are already earmarked for replacement by new trains procured via IEP from 2018.

The Pendolino test runs have no consequence for the IEP programme – they are not relevant to IEP.

UPDATE: This from Mr Tony...

According to Railway Herald an East Coast spokesman also said:

That the company was "now concluding the desktop study to test our findings in practice, in line with the wider strategic aims of the industry going forward.

Doomed?

UPDATE: This from Captain Deltic...

Clearly a very carefully worded statement from the Industry's fifth column at York.

Note the reference to IEP replacing HST, while Pendolino is a potential replacement for electric IEP.

So it is strictly true that The Pendolino test runs have no consequence for the IEP programme – they are not relevant to IEP - but only in an East Coast context. Great Western is a different matter

All that was missing from the trial run were bodyside stickers saying 'You can have this proven train for £20,000 per vehicle per month less than IEP'!

NR public or private - PAC weighs in

This from today's Public Accounts Committee report into Reducing costs in the Department for Transport...

It is unacceptable that Network Rail is not directly accountable to Parliament and not subject to National Audit Office scrutiny.

Network Rail spends billions of pounds of public money each year, , its debt of over £25 billion is underwritten by the taxpayer and international accounting conventions show that it should be considered as part of the public sector.

Yet the Department continues to hide behind the Office for National Statistics classification of Network Rail as a private company which keeps Network Rail's debt off the public balance sheet and its spending from direct NAO scrutiny. We also note that an additional £950 million borrowing through Network Rail formed part of the Government's plans in the Autumn Statement, further undermining the Department's argument that it is an "essentially private sector" company.

As we have previously recommended the Department should provide the Comptroller and Auditor General with full access to Network Rail so that Parliament can scrutinise Network Rail's value for money.

No doubt last month's decision by the Captain of Netball to over-rule NR's Management Incentive Plan will allow the ONS to resolve this particular anomaly...

UPDATE: This from Captain Deltic...

Given that DfT can't or won't provide me with a simple spread sheet of current franchise/premium profiles in existing franchise agreements I think the PAC is barking up the wrong tree.

A quick call to ORR should provide more financial data than the geekiest of NAO wonks can handle.