Oh dear!
This twaddle from Beardie Rail on the East Coast.
This from a Mr T…
While at the Post Office in my local Co-op in Manningtree, I happened upon a few Network Rail A4 Lever Arch files dumped on a shelf amongst some boxes
Good news for fans of the bleedin' obvious!
This from the Grauniad:
Britain’s biggest rail franchise, which includes the strike-hit Southern service, is likely to be broken up when it expires in 2021, the government has said.
Passengers on Southern have experienced widespread disruption since it was incorporated into Britain’s biggest rail franchise, run by Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR), in 2015.
Why, yes. Yes indeed!
And what's more DfT have confirmed this is what will happen.
This from an Eye reader with a long memory…
As those who read RSSB reports may recall - there is a view that "on platform" cameras give a much better view of the Passenger Train Interface than "on train" cameras.
BUT there is a feeling in the industry that this was ahem... overlooked to ensure the cost and resposibility for maintaining DOO equipment didn't fall on Network Rail.
So - imagine my surprise at finding this letter from 24 years ago, which appeared in the September issue of Modern Railways.
The DfT has issued a consultation document on Community Rail.
This follows a passionate speech by Pete Wilkinson last month, in favour of community rail, at the ACoRP awards in Derby.
The consultation introduction sets the scene:
The Government believes community rail is well placed in ensuring the railway reflects the communities and customers it serves. Community rail policy was last reviewed in 2007 and in the decade since there has been considerable change, with community rail continuing to develop amid an evolving and growing rail network.
The purpose of this consultation is to provide those with an interest in community rail in England and Wales an opportunity to inform future policy
The consultation document can be found here.
Remember. Vote early, vote often.
Suffice to say it has not been universally welcomed...
🤔🤔🤔 caps? No caps? Someone couldn’t decide! pic.twitter.com/YiyeQBlRQC— Joanna Seabright (@JibberJabberJo) November 1, 2017
This is not a design, it is a printer malfunction. https://t.co/lzwmwcuNLj— The Fact Compiler (@TheFactCompiler) November 1, 2017
That has to be one of the worst fonts ever designed. Gives no confidence that the company can run a street food stall let alone a raileay— Martin Popplewell (@chrisswain132) November 1, 2017
That's just horrible. Why rebrand at this late stage of a long franchise with a well established image.— Chris Jackson (@cmajrail) November 1, 2017
*Railway rebrand alert*... and it's... it's... so dull I'm falling asleep. Swing and a miss Chiltern, sorry. pic.twitter.com/C4dkuxWSf8— Sam Jessup (@samjessupdesign) November 2, 2017
This from a Mr Euroland…
Spotted just outside the railway, outside Stirling.
Some interesting research by Ipsos MORI.
The research was undertaken across 28 countries in September.
Key findings for the UK railway and ahem… anyone planning a Budget!
Ipsos MORI found 46% of Britons choosing tracks and stations from a list as priorities for investment, ahead of new housing supply (43%) and flood defences (38%). These were last year’s top three, but rail was in third place a year ago.
Along with new housing supply, rail infrastructure is given higher priority in Britain relative to other G8 countries. In Britain, 38% rate the quality of rail as very/fairly good, compared to 51% in France and 60% in Japan (it is, though, 29% in Italy).
The higher priority given to investing in rail infrastructure compared to other countries does not reflect experience. Seven in ten (69%) rate the experience on their last journey positively, higher than the global average of six in ten (62%). However, British rail users are significantly more negative about the value for money of their last journey.
Details here.
More tracks a greater priority than new homes!
This ought to give one or two people pause for thought.
Meg Hillier taking no prisoners at Monday's Public Accounts Committee hearing into TramTrain…
Chair: I have to say that whatever you take from Mr Carne’s comments about the regulator—we as a Committee have been critical about the role of the regulator in the past—it is staggering that the Department did not challenge the costs more. We cannot quite believe that that happened.
Bernadette Kelly: Without question, we would provide much greater challenge and seek far greater assurance on these project costs now than we may have done back in 2012.
Chair: Can I make you an offer, Ms Kelly? The next time you are looking at a project, this Committee would love to look at it prior to the point at which it is agreed, just to have a good rummage through the numbers. I would be very happy to do that.
Bernadette Kelly: I hope that what you would see now is that there is a really rigorous process. If it would be helpful to the Committee to provide some further information on exactly the process that Mr Carne and I have outlined, we would be delighted to do so.
Chair: We would be interested to see that. As I said, the offer stands: if you have a future project that you would like us to look through in detail before it spends taxpayers’ money, we would be very happy to do that. Thank you very much.
Ouch!
Notwithstanding accusations about this MP's behaviour...
This is a good question and one that Eye suspects will be the first of many in similar vein:
MIDLAND MAIN RAILWAY LINE: CARBON EMISSIONS
Jared O’Mara (Sheffield Hallam): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate his Department has made of the level of carbon emissions that will be caused by diesel bi-mode trains compared to electric trains on the Midland Mainline.
Paul Maynard (Blackpool and North Cleveleys): Passengers expect high quality rail services and we are committed to electrification where it delivers passenger benefits and good value for money for taxpayers, but we will also take advantage of state of the art new technology to improve journeys.
In line with the Department for Transport’s processes for appraising transport investments, an economic appraisal including the environmental impacts has been carried out using the DfT’s Transport Analysis Guidance, incorporating DEFRA guidance on transport related environmental impacts.
Using this methodology, benefits from reduced greenhouse gas emissions are assessed over a 60 year appraisal period. We expect the new bi-mode trains to deliver an overall better environmental performance than the existing diesel trains on this route and so contribute to further improving this record.
With air quality of increasing concern, particularly in urban areas, many passenger and freight operators will need to be ready to answer similar questions.
This from the twitter feed of Ken Skates…
This leaves the following in the running:Statement from Transport for Wales on the Wales and Borders Franchise pic.twitter.com/57T0zEglCT— Ken Skates (@wgcs_economy) October 30, 2017
The latest organisation trying, belatedly, to get inside the digital railway bubble are civil engineers Balfour Beatty.
What, Eye ponders, do a bunch of chaps in rigger safety boots and hard hats know about the digital railway?
Eager to find out we followed the instruction at the foot of the press release (below).
Mark Bullock, Managing Director, Balfour Beatty’s rail business said, “The Digital Railway will be transformative, bringing the UK’s railways into the 21st century. Making the Digital Railway a reality calls for a shake-up of the way the rail industry does business by better connecting the constituent parts, aligning the objectives of multiple stakeholders and bringing track and trains closer together. This will require robust planning and coordination, funding and a concerted effort to address the skills shortage.
Above all, the new approach will have to be more collaborative and more inclusive. Although the challenges are significant, the potential prize is great. The industry must come together to unlock the benefits of the Digital Railway and Balfour Beatty is committed to making this happen.”
ENDS
To read the paper in full, please click here and get involved in the conversation using #ExpertEngineers
Alas, link was there none!
Perhaps a good old fashioned analogue fax address would have been more reliable?
This from Benjamin Disraeli...
According to the Rail Delivery Group Notes to Editors on today's launch of the 'Landmark coming together':
"The plan details the progress that the industry has made since it was restructured in the 1990s, when Britain’s railway ran a £2bn a year operating deficit (1997-98) compared to generating a £200m surplus today, benefiting taxpayers. The plan says that improved finances have helped to sustain improvements in the railway that see Britain’s network now ranked by passengers as the best major railway in Europe".
In 1997-98 all Government subsidy to the railway went to the train operators who then provided all Railtrack's income through track access charges. In other words, they met their full operating costs.
Today Network Rail's income comes from a combinatioon of track access charges and a direct grant from DfT.
Good news for fans of Railway Pride and Hampton Court station.
Regular Eye readers may recall this sorry image of the buffer stops at Platform 2 from a post on the 14th October?
This from the Lady Mallet…
So, today the rail industry launched its ‘In Partnership for Britain’s Prosperity’ plan.
Backed by all passenger train operating companies and Network Rail, as well as rail freight companies and the supply chain acting in partnership as one railway for Britain the plan contains the following commitments:
Much wailing and gnashing of teeth in the Supply Chain tonight!
Lord Prior, the BEIS minister championing the rail Sector Strategy, resigned from the government today.
Lord Prior brought insight, energy and enthusiasm to his role, most recently displayed when he addressed the Rail Forum conference in Derby last Thursday.
This announcement from the Department for Transport, via a number of chums…
Director General, Rail Group
Polly Payne and Ruth Hannant have been appointed as Directors General for Rail Group, joining DfT from the Department for Education where they currently lead the Government’s work on Higher Education reform.
Polly and Ruth are a very well established job-share team who together bring extensive commercial, financial and strategic policy experience to DfT, having worked in a range of roles in HM Treasury, Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and UK Government Investments.
(Having had first-hand experience of colleagues undertaking a job-share role, this can work really well. And impressive that the DfT is prepared to create our first ever Directors General.
More importantly the connection with the Department for Education will be especially valuable as the industry collectively seeks to improve skills and diversity, which will need the active support of the DfE.
This is beginning to look inspired! Ed).
Director General, Resources and Strategy
After 6 months as Acting DG for Rail - Nick Joyce will be taking up the role as Director General, Resources and Strategy. He will succeed Jonathan Moor who is leaving DfT in December to go on secondment to the Canadian Government as Chief Financial Officer for the Canadian Border Services Agency.
Building on his experience both as Director of Corporate Finance and as Acting DG for Rail, Nick has been asked to strengthen and lead DfT's shareholding function for Network Rail, High Speed 2 Limited and Highways England.
Precise timings of handover will be determined shortly, but we expect that Ruth, Polly and Nick will be in post before the end of the year.
Director General, High Speed Rail and Major Projects
Exciting news from Great Minster House!
This important announcement seen today…
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