Compare and contrast.
This from the Daily Telegraph on the 28th February 2012:
Boris Johnson pledges to introduce driverless tube trains within two years
This from the BBC today:
Boris Johnson promises driverless Tube trains within 10 years
Better stick to the wiff-waff BoJo!
Compare and contrast...
This in today's Glasgow Herald...
New FirstGroup chief executive Tim O’Toole has dismissed Stagecoach founder Brian Souter’s call to have trains and tracks run by the same people as unrealistic.
With this from a certain Tim O'Toole when MD of London Underground...
"If you had complete vertical integration, one person would be responsible for everything, whereas with the PPP an awful lot of time and energy is spent just keeping score."
Just fancy that!
Surely nothing to do with one particular "thinly capitalised equity profiteer of the worst kind" being saddled with a mountain of debt?
Much excitement in the land of crappy corporate branding!
Babcock has a recruitment ad in today's Sunday Telegraph which appears to lay claim to the expression "Trusted to deliver".
Eye is sure that this will come as news to: Prontaprint, Logica, and no less an organisation than the Government Mail which is part of the Department for Transport (prop Lord Adonis).
Meanwhile...
Trusted to deliver, trusted to deliver, trusted to deliver, trusted to deliver, trusted to deliver, trusted to deliver, trusted to deliver, trusted to deliver, trusted to deliver, trusted to deliver, trusted to deliver, trusted to deliver, trusted to deliver, trusted to deliver, trusted to deliver, trusted to deliver, and finally, trusted to deliver.
Eye, trusted to deliver!
What on earth is going on over at London Midland?
Industry jungle drums suggest that Captain Permatan's second worst performing TOC (No1 South Eastern) is busy shedding staff.
Meanwhile, beleagured passengers actually trying to find out how the doomed franchise is operating its piss-poor train services have to negotiate a list of impertinent questions; including a request that they divulge their age and 'gender'.
Quite what that has to do with how trains are running is anyones guess.
Alas - the overactive web-monkey who designed the form has dropped a clanger.
In the Age of Change the options male and female are only appropriate to a question demanding details of a person's 'sex' - as any fule kno.
But a question on Gender must include at least the following options: Straight, Gay, Bi, Harperson or Permatan (below the rank of Captain).
Hopefully at least one p45 will be winging its way to the originator of this distasteful example of politically incorrect passenger profiling.
Good to see that despite the cold weather the RMT still can't resist jumping on a bandwagon.
Especially one that's been derailed.
This just in from the brothers:
Yesterday a freight train derailed in Carrbridge in Scotland leading to diversions and disruption and two trains collided at Exeter Saint David’s. RMT will be closely monitoring investigations into the two incidents which have both reinforced the priority that has to be given to safety and the essential role of the maintenance crews.
But what's this?
Why only yesterday Network Rail issued NIR 3350/187 containing Urgent Operating Advice, which reminded all TOC/FOC drivers of the instructions contained within Rule Book Module TW1 S18:
18.1. You must carry out the following instructions when snow is falling, or fallen snow is being disturbed by the passage of trains.
18.2. You must make a full service application of the automatic brake every 3-5 minutes and make sure that the speed of your train is reduced by at least 10mph as a result of the application. If driving a locomotive – hauled train, you can extend this interval when:
Earth to Aslef, come in Aslef...
This surreal bollocks just issued by the brothers...
Further strike action will take place on Eurostar on 26 – 27 December.
We hope that we can resolve this dispute with Eurostar so that they can provide full cover to deal with further disruption caused by technical failures.
Telegrammed by Golden Connection
Exciting news from the latest splendid edition of New Transit magazine.
In an insightful piece Permatan Rail supremo, Keith Ludeman, reflects on London Midland's Sunday and Rest Day working problems:
"What I find disappointing is it was not sorted out by the time we took the business over. In Southern and Southeastern we dealt with the issue of Sunday working and rest day working years ago, and I don’t know why [previous franchise holder] National Express did not.
"It beggars belief but there you go."
Indeed it does Keith, indeed it does.
But what's this?
Wasn't it London Midland that did a deal which meant all new guards no longer had to work Sundays?
And didn't London Midland also rescinded the long standing arrangements whereby drivers could also work as guards?
And wasn't it London Midland that offered crews double time to work Sundays, then removed the bung and had to promptly reinstate it as Sunday working evaporated?
Nor was Central Trains or Silverlink ever issued with a Remedial Improvement Notice as happened to London Midland only today.
Keith finishes off his puff piece with the self evident truth that "Chief Executives make or break... groups".
Indeed they do Keith. As Richard "call me a villain forevermore" Bowker learnt to his cost.
This from the National Rail website:
| Start date | 19/10/2009 |
|---|---|
| End date | 23/10/2009 |
| Route Affected | |
| TOC Affected | Arriva Trains Wales |
| Description | The following changes will apply: Monday only
|
This from Dreaming Spires...
Much raising of Oxford mortar boards when Lord Adonis announced in July that his alma mater should join the electrified network.
Indeed the Noble Lord rushed back from cabinet in Cardiff to confirm the good news in person!
However, judging by this ATOC faux pas, at least one Oxon alumnus needs to try harder.
Produced by ATOC's press office to promote additional electrification schemes, it suggests that Didcot to Oxford is now relegated to a 'proposed route'.
Let's hope that St Benets Hall is suitably forgiving of M Roberts MA.
Cameron's speech at the Tory Party conference appears not to have played well with the brothers.
Unite joint general secretary, Derek Simpson said, "At the height of the worst recession in decades Cameron said nothing about job creation, nothing about supporting our industries and nothing about reigning in his friends in the city who caused economic meltdown. "
But what's this.
Is this the same Unite who donated almost £4m to the Labour Party last year?
Or indeed the same Unite whose Deputy General Secretary is one Jack Dromey, husband of Cabinet Minister Harriet Harperson, and who is being lined up for the safe Labour parliamentary seat of Leyton and Wanstead.
Indeed it is.
Telegrammed by our man at 222 Marylebone Road
Unbelievable!
You'd think that after all this time running a heavily subsidised, not for profit, (but definitely for bonus), how the hell can we get the costs down, oops here comes another investment bow-wave from the past, let's have an old-fashioned maintenance holiday type-quango, that Iain Coucher would know better than to spout this sort of nonsense in public:
'I take issue with the people who say railways are inherently not profitable and unsuitable for private enterprise,' says Coucher. 'The railway was privatised after decades of decline and low passenger numbers. Since privatisation, passenger numbers have sky-rocketed, as have satisfaction, punctuality and all the other indicators'.
This year Network Rail's government grant, that's SUBSIDY Mr Coucher, will be £3.4bn out of your total income of £5.3bn.
In other words, you are 'taking issue with people who say railways are inherently not profitable and unsuitable for private enterprise' on the basis that your bit of railway alone is costing the taxpayer over three times what the integrated railway cost 20 years ago.
Does Iain really believe that?
Scary if he does!
UPDATE: This from the Velopodist...
Eye's man at 222 Marylebone Road makes some reasonable points in his criticism of Iain Coucher. But he forgets how Network Rail's finances no longer say much useful about the overall finances of the railway.
Tom Winsor allowed the DfT to start making direct grants to Network Rail at the start of CP3 because it came out better in public accounting terms.
Track access charges consequently didn't go up as much as they should have for franchised operators to reflect the true cost of providing the infrastructure.
But lots of franchises started paying fat premia to the DfT which fund some of the DfT's payments to Network Rail.
So not all the subsidy is subsidy - if TOCs paid the full track access charge and the DfT subsidised their payment of those they couldn't cover, its finances would like a lot more sustainable.
Eye suspects that were TOCs to pay "full track access charges" they would also demand the opportunity to maintain their own infrastructure so that NR costs could be properly benchmarked.
Perhaps Graham Eccles would then get his integrated railway back...
Telegrammed by the Globetrotter
Shadow Transport Secretary, Theresa Villiers wastes no time in jumping onto the bandwagon following the Transport Select Committee’s report which “found massive failings in the way our railways are run”.
Into the in-box thunders an indignant statement which underlines that the report is “scathing about the way Labour has run the rail franchising system. The Government has failed to tackle the problems on our railways, creating a franchise system which resorts to pricing passengers off the railway to deal with overcrowding. Labour's approach has been so flawed as to contribute to not just one but two failures on the same line.”
Maybe someone should have a quiet word to remind the fragrant lady just who it was that introduced passenger franchising to the UK rail sector in the first place.
Or maybe sending out a press release at mid-day on a warm sunny Saturday just as the Parliamentary recess begins is all part of her cunning plan to ensure that no-one who remembers the facts will actually notice!
No matter..
All will be well, and all will be well and all manner of things shall be well, prophesied the saintly Lady Julian of Norwich.
Theresa obviously shares this view: "A future Conservative Government would prioritise value for money on our railways. We would put the interests of passengers first, lengthen rail franchises and reform Network Rail to ensure taxpayers and fare-payers alike get the most from our railways."
Eye just can’t wait…
Telegrammed by the Master
Boris launched the first of the London Overground class 378s at Willesden this morning.
Alas, the supporting press release contains a real howler.
It would appear that in TfL-world, adding a 4th car to the 3 car trains will add "50% extra capacity"!
Perhaps unsurprising, therefore, to hear that TfL are having real problems balancing this year's budget.
UPDATE: This, arithmetically, from a Beancounter (Ret'd)...
Obviously numbers are not The Master's strong point.
Old Trains carry 460 passengers (approx).
New Trains (3 car) carry 500 passengers +40 an 8% increase.
New Trains (4 car) carry 700 passengers + 240 on Old Trains - a 50%+ increase (on OLD trains).
With 175 in each car (mainly standing) let's hope the Air Con will be "up to the muster"!
Apologies for the lack of posts.
Been resting after yesterday's exertions.
Normal service will be resumed Friday.
Meanwhile enjoy poor deluded John Prescott pretend he has travelled on a nationalised train.
John of course was New Labour's first Secretary of State for Transport.
So what did you do to deliver the supposed nationalised utopia John?
That's right. Bugger all.
Eye hopes the mock Tudor Beams we paid for have blended in well at Prescott Towers!
Good news from 'Crow Bar' Bob and the RMT:
RMT GENERAL secretary Bob Crow will be joined by Alabama 3, Aleida Guevara (Che Guevara’s daughter), Labour movement legend Tony Benn and a host of other... (windbags? Ed) this Wednesday evening for the 7th Annual RMT Cuba Garden Party which this year will mark the 50th anniversary of the Cuban revolution.
And what a celebration it will be.
Just look at what 50 years of communist dictatorship have achieved on Cuba's railways.
Note the high level of crashworthiness and train crew protection afforded to RMT's brothers and sisters in Fidel's island paradise.
Presumably Bob and co will take the opportunity to speak out about this scandal at Wednesday's do?
Nah, thought not.
UPDATE: This from the Velopodist...
The RMT of course won't be raising any issues about Cuba's problems because, like so many of my less imaginative fellows on the left of the political spectrum, they attribute them all to the US economic embargo.
It's kind of a back-handed compliment to the robust health of capitalism when you think about it, isn't it?
But the thing that really stinks about their event is the presence of a real-life Cuban citizen who has, presumably, travelled to London specially for the event.
You can tell she's a member of the country's elite because they let her leave.
Her less fortunate counterparts are so desperate that they'll use any leaky raft to try to get to the United States, whose supposedly inferior system Ms Guevara will presumably be roundly criticising.
UPDATE: This from Graveshafter...
Sorry!
Crashworthiness and traincrew protection?
At least that Cuban rustbucket doesn't carry passengers.
Unlike Pacers.
Where are RMT with these a mere ten years after the event?
As the downturn bites owner groups are coming up with ever more Ludicrous reasons for cutting back on catering
This from UK Railway...
Travelling today on a 350/2 from Liverpool, the Trolly Dolly informed me that hot drinks cannot be served to standard class passengers for safety reasons.
Will Permatan Rail be the first to abandon on-train catering for 'elf'n'safety' reasons?
Even the Mail is frothing at the mouth over HS2.
This from highly respected transport correspondent Ray Massay...
Plans for a new high speed train service between London and the North - with double-decker trains travelling at 225 mph - are set to get a boost from the Government and the Conservative opposition.
Double decker trains! Where did those suddenly emerge from?
Transport Minister Lord Adonis will voice Government support for the idea of the new line to link the capital to the North of England and Scotland when he speaks tomorrow at a conference promoting the scheme.
Hold on... voice Government support... that's not exactly a ringing endorsement.
Sir David, a former Permanent Secretary at the Department for Transport, said that the line would allow tens of thousands of homes for long-distance commuters to be built between London and Birmingham.
Ah ha! Hypothocation floated as a means of funding the project as the Government won't.
On the vexed issue of financing the scheme in the depths of a recession, Sir David said: 'It’s a huge challenge but I believe it will eventually happen because the railway is full.'
Still no Government commitment to fund and not even an indication when the line may open, but there's no rush because it will "eventually happen".
No commitments, no numbers, not even a firm route!
So it's pure spin!
Ray - shame on you for swallowing this tosh.
Telegrammed by Ithuriel
Lord Adonis may know more about railways than the average transport minister - and we have had some outstandingly average transport ministers in recent years, but not enough to spot when his officials are embroidering the truth.
In a letter to an MP whose constituent had asked the Walmsley Question (why not loco haulage for IEP?) the noble Lord rehearses all the old canards and as a clincher concludes:
"The French railways have recognised these arguments and so the next generation of the TGV, the AGV, will operate as distributed traction with all vehicles carrying passengers."
So there!
Except that French Railways have nothing to do with AGV, which is an Alstom private venture.
And French Railways are still ordering TGV Duplex with power cars at each end.
They have noted the AGV development, but really want double deck trains for capacity. Fitting traction packages underneath double deck coaches would be un peu difficile
When anyone tries to drag in the French to support a technical argument, it's a sure sign they know they've met their Waterloo.
Lord Adonis received a dressing down from the Transport Select Committee yesterday for having leaked his evidence beforehand.
"There's extreme concern in the committee that today there was extensive coverage in the media of what it's alleged you are going to say," Louise Ellman said.
"This is really out of order".
He claimed he thought that, since he was merely restating government policy, it wouldn't be a problem.
He's frankly lucky Gwynneth Dunwoody is no longer around to rip him limb from limb.
UPDATE: Meanwhile Nigel Harris excoriates the TSC for piss-poor performance...
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