The Empire strikes back, sort of!

This from Ithuriel...

In an article in the Sunday Express, Stagecoach CEO, Martin Griffiths, launched his Chairmanship of the RDG (What that? Ed) with a fighting article headed: 'Railways are still on track'.

No, it wasn't a  riposte to busway conversions, but a paen to the newly nationalised railway (Shurely 'triumph of Privatisation'? Ed)

Martin showed his Finance Director background with this statistical claim:

"Train companies last year switched from being net recipients of Government support to net contributors. Overall industry subsidy per journey is lower than or the same as in six of the 12 years leading up to privatisation."

Good news indeed!

But what's this?

Note that Mr Griffiths is comparing 'now' (after 20 years of privatisation) with 12 years then, conveniently ignoring the post Railtrack years when subsidy was indeed four to five times BR at its best (Where is this going? Ed).  

Griffith's comparison is also based on passenger journeys not passenger kilometers. 

Since Clapham Junction to Waterloo and Kings Cross to Aberdeen are both 'journeys', the average cost measure is meaningless (Got you! Ed). 

So what about comparing cost per passenger kilometre?

In 1982, before the revival of BR's fortunes under Sir Bob Reid, the subsidy per passenger kilometre at today's prices was 8.1p. 

In 2006-07, when subsidy peaked at £6.3 billion - three times BR's 1982 subsidy, this equated to 15.8 p per passenger km!

Nice try.  But sadly, no cigar!

Update: This from The Horn of Plenty...

Shurely it was Sir Robert Reid who revived BR's fortunes, paving the way for Shell's Sir Bob later?

On a more serious point, do we honestly think that we were at a sustainable level of spend in 1982, the era before Clapham, Hidden, Hatfield, DDA, Interoperability, Climate Change Levy, Pension Protection Levy, TPWS, GSMR, etc...?

Hopefully we are now where Sir Robert may have wished us to be, with the Government treating:

"... the network according to its importance to the nation rather than its financial value..."

Where "...safety must be 'top of the agenda': the only answer [is] high standards, efficient systems and constant vigilance."

Does anyone on today's railway really believe that our old nationalised industry could have delivered this?

Lookalike - Wind in the Wimbledon edition

This from the Graun...

Stephen Hammond, the minister for buses and rail, who lives six miles from Westminster, used the government's "top up" cars 138 times in a year. These cars are at the call of ministers if an official departmental vehicle is unavailable. On 19 occasions Hammond used the service to move his red boxes unaccompanied from one place to another.

Where have we heard that before?

What is it with the internal combustion engine and Tory Transport ministers? 

Pointless signs - Wetherspoons

This from a Mr Whitley...

Spotted in a Wetherspoons' loo..

Has Mr Bowker been reminiscing over a few beers?

UPDATE: This from Deep Stoat's Brother...

Reminiscing or predicting?

I give unto you the Office of Passenger Rail Services!

SRA for short, obviously.

Pointless signs - Slough

Pointless sign - Northern 153

This from Northern Spirit...

This "Emergency Door Release" sticker on a Northern Rail Class 153 says the emergency handle is to the right (if looking at the arrow). 

It is actually to the left.

LUL has a Lady Bracknell moment?

This from Underground Ernie...

I see that TfL slipped this out on New Years Eve...

London Underground (LU) and Bombardier Transportation today announced that the signalling contract for the Circle, District, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan lines (Sub Surface lines) will be re-let by LU following discussions between the two companies

To lose one signalling supplier, Mr. Brown, may be regarded as a misfortune; to lose two looks like carelessness.

Manchester Victoria - 9 days of work in 2 minutes

This via Network Rail...



Very good. Tick.

Pointless signs - First Hull Trains

This from a Ms High Society...

I find myself feeling a bit sorry for any elderly or disabled men who, presumably, have to fend for themselves.

First for inclusion?

Railway Carol Service - 12:30 Thursday 19th December

If you are in London at lunchtime...

All welcome.

All that needs to be said about Biggs

This from Peter Rayner...

"My view is that whilst I was - and am - critical of the Great Train Robbers and the heroes' welcome they got, especially in light of the death of Jack Mills, my sympathies go out to his family and I would not wish to speak further on the subject."

That is all.

Silver Stump Watch - Edinburgh Waverley

This from Strawbrick...
 
There must be something about Scotland!

This is from the approach ramp to Edinburgh Waverley from the South Bridge, between 1/3rd and half-way down.

To get to these bollards you need to mount the kerb, which is about a foot high, then smash through the cast iron bollards and railings. 

If  your angle of attack is 90 degrees then your vehicle will have to be less than 6ft long so that you can turn right through exactly 90 degrees and then approach the silver bollards. If you attack the existing fence at less than 90 degrees you will impale yourself on the ends of the broken railings.

Perhaps taking belt and braces a little too far?

Pointless signs - Peterborough

This from Percy Kilometer...

Platform 2 (London end) yesterday.

What came to an end at 23.59 on November 13 2009?

4 years, 1 month and 5 days ago.... and counting.

Seems a long time to get the ladders out?

NR and ONS - Eye salutes the DfT!

What is this?

It is the sound of today's broadcast media coverage of the ONS decision on NR debt.

A deep doff of the bowler to Our Ma Sheriff's (and the Davies Commission)!

RDG on ONS and Network Rail

This from the Rail Delivery Group...

“The railway is undergoing one of the biggest programmes of improvement in its history delivering more trains, better stations and faster journeys and this will not change.
 
“With help from Government, the rail industry will remain focused on delivering its massive investment programme. This is encouraging more passengers and businesses to use the railway, helping pay for further improvements. The effective partnership between public and private sectors is a winning formula for the railway that is delivering for passengers, businesses and taxpayers."

Funny... something is missing!

Where is the obligatory reference to the triumph of privatisation?

Network Rail, ONS and the future!

This from The Man by the Photocopier...

I note that Network Rail is to become a public sector body.

I have it on the very best authority that this is the new NR logo that will be used from next September.

John Major, read it and weep.

Pointless signs - East Croydon

This from Pedantic of Purley... 

Southern is to be commended for its helpful and up-to-date signage at the bottom of the the steps of the overbridge.

Unfortunately the clear helpful signage is contradicted by another sign halfway up the steps.

Not so much pointless as incorrect and potentially dangerous causing people to stop suddenly on the staircase or, worse still, suddenly turn around.

Silver Stump Watch - Kelvinhall

This from D9015...
 
The address for Kelvinhall Subway station, in Dalcross Passage, built into the ground floor of a tenement building and at the rear for good measure, doesn't stop the formulaic specification of these silver soldiers defending the cash-desk against a speeding vehicle attack. 

To achieve this would require some impressive driving!

From one end the approach is along an alleyway barely 8 feet wide.

From the main street it's through an archway and squeezing past the bike racks, with a 90 degree turn at the last minute.

Still, one must have one's bollards.

A brolly poor show at Nottingham!

This from the Wicked Weaver...

Progress?

 
In less than an hour this afternoon, trains to Matlock, Leeds, Norwich, Skegness and Lincoln, all departed from unsheltered platform space.

Silly Victorians! 

Why on earth would passengers want canopies?

All change at NR?

The Fact Compiler's latest encomium published in Passenger Transport on the 6th December...

The next edition of Passenger Transport is published on the 20th December.

UPDATE: This from a Pedant just North of Purley...

Just before you start crowing over Eye's mystic powers to determine what the ONS would actually say...

I am sure I cannot be the first to draw attention to the homophonic error in para 3 of your reproduced item from Passenger Transport.

 

If only anyone associated with government were of principle. 

 

I am sure he is only a principal accounting officer.

Number crunching - Beardie Rail

Compare and contrast...
 
80% - the decline in Virgin Rail profits due to the ICWC shambles

90% - the Stagecoach share in the new joint venture with Virgin bidding for ICEC

Fancy.