Crossrail short one CEO

So. Farewell Rob Holden.

This from Crossrail...

Crossrail Limited, the organisation charged with delivering a new east-west Railway Project for London and the south-east, today announced that Chief Executive Rob Holden has decided to step down from his current role and will leave later this year.

Meanwhile this from the Pink 'Un...

But people involved said he had been frustrated at being far more closely controlled at Crossrail than in his previous job at London & Continental Railways, the builder of High Speed One.

Another victim of BoJo's tinkering?

TfL budget hit by revised listing

Good news for lovers of architectural gems!

This from The Architects Journal...

Charles Holden’s St James’s Park Underground Station and the London Underground Headquarters has had its listed status upgraded from Grade II to Grade I.

Not such good news for TfL though, who would dearly love to realise the value of this prime piece of SW1 real estate.

No doubt fare payers will be happy to make up the resulting budgetary shortfall.

DfT rolling stock procurement exposed

Compare and contrast.

This from Stagecoach...

The Perth-based transport group is investing £52million in 360 new buses and coaches for the coming financial year.

DfT could spend that amount on consultancy fees without a single new rail vehicle to show for it.

Cameron backs IEP as part of trade deal?

This from Sir Humphrey Beeching...

During my regular lunch at Rules with a former departmental colleague I was told, between mouthfuls of steak and oyster pie, that our very own Prime Minister has 'done an amazing trade deal with the Japanese PM which sees IEP going ahead in return for a fantastic quid pro quo which, sadly, I am unable to divulge even to you old boy.'

'But aren't you supposed to be evaluating that banker fella's so called credible alternatives to IEP?' I asked him.

'Oh that', he replied after a thoughtful sip of St Emillion, 'that's just to keep Sir Andrew sweet in case we need his services again. And anyway we all enjoy seeing our very own train-spotter-in-chief getting het-up over perceived threats to his pet project!'.

'Appropos of which', he added, 'did you enjoy Hammond's little tease when he said that civil servants shouldn't buy trains the other day?'.

We both agreed that young Hammond is quite the wag and will do well when he moves to the Treasury, before we were distracted by the arrival of the port and cheese.

UPDATE: This from Our Man at 222 Marylebone Road...

As one of the Railway Eye pioneer posters, I have always assumed that Sir Humphrey Beeching was not the pseudonym of a former DfT senior mandarin, but a figment of the Fact Compilers imagination.

It seems I was wrong.

I had booked a table for a late lunch at Rules yesterday and they sat me down next to two distinguished looking gentlemen who had obviously enjoyed an extremely good lunch and were now on the Port.

Keeping an ear open on their conversation, as one does, I picked up the elder one asking about 'McNulty'.

The younger of the two grimaced and said 'The man's running amok and wants to close all the rural lines as uneconomic. If our LibDem minister manages to get as far as page 26 of McNulty's interim submission the coalition is doomed'.

But he didn't seem overly concerned when he said it...

West Coast franchise - and they're off!

This from Billy Connections...

The West Coast franchise documentation is now available on the DfT website.

For students of such things there is an interesting paragraph in the Pre Qualification Process Document:

In addition, the Department will assess any past failure to deliver on contractual commitments, including those of price and quality, whether arising from over-optimistic bidding or from poor management. In the case of rail franchise contracts this will apply to those let since January 2001. Where the Department considers that a severe incidence of failure to deliver contractual commitments may have occurred it will review the circumstances against the following four indicators: the significance of the contractual breach; the time elapsed since the breach occurred; the relevance of the circumstances to UK passenger rail franchising; and the materiality of any estimated financial loss to the taxpayer or counterparty. The Department reserves the right to exclude an Applicant where it considers that a severe past failure to deliver contractual commitments has occurred.

With DB owned Arriva having singularly failed to deliver the promised WiFi to Cross Country passengers will this rule out the Hunish Hordes from the West Coast competition?

If not then how big a "failure to deliver on contractual commitments" does a potential bidder have to make before it is barred?

UPDATE: This from Ithuriel...

For an exclusion to stand up in law, DfT will have to demonstrate a clear process for evaluating the significance of the 'four indicators'.

They can't just do a Lord Adonis in Peggy Mitchell mode rant, as with National Express East Coast and say 'You're barred'

Will there be a numeric scale, with each indicator scored and a maximum total above with bids will be excluded?

Should be worth half a million in legal and accounting fees making the exclusion process water-tight.

And since the Department is determined to have its revenge on Virgin, why isn't there a fifth indicator covering past negotiation with threats (Virgin's use of the PUG2 nuclear option) and a sixth for ungentlemanly behaviour (exploiting DfT's poor negotiating skills)?

HS2 to be subject to autumn delays

Good news for fans of leaf fall timetables!

This from Carrentals.co.uk...

Residents that will be living near the high speed rail route going up between Birmingham and London will get some separation from the £17 billion project. The government has announced that they will plant 2 million trees along the rail line.

Doh!

UPDATE: This from a Mr Robert Wright, for it is he...

On the point about trees along HS2.

You can imagine that I immediately raised the potential for adhesion problems with the DfT press officer when he called the other day trying to get me to write about it.

It even crossed my mind that the problems might be especially severe given HS2's fairly steep gradients.

As a result, when they sent me their press release it had in capitals that the trees would be RAILWAY FRIENDLY.

Could Eye readers suggest any species which are especially 'railway friendly' as, alas, DfT were unable to suggest any.

UPDATE: This from Chionanthus Virginicus...

I think you've forgotten that HS2 will run through the Chilterns.

Which as any fule kno is Evergreen country!

Mediaballs - ASLEF to disrupt Royal Wedding?

Lots of chatter today claiming that ASLEF members on LUL will withdraw their labour on the day Kate and Wills get wed.

Absolutely disgraceful!

Because it isn't true.

This from ASLEF's website:

ASLEF’s General Secretary Keith Norman said today that the question of possible industrial action on the day of the Royal Wedding has not even been discussed by the union’s executive.

The union’s London officer Steve Grant stressed that no ballot had been held and the union and the management were due to resume negotiations about compensation for all Bank Holiday working by London Underground tube drivers.

‘The story is premature to say the least,’ Keith added

Remember - never let the facts get in the way of a good story.

Mediaballs - SWT an absolute shower?

This from The Times today...


With a bowler tip to our Independent Expert.

Fares Fair supporters part of the problem

So. The Campaign for Better Transport's 'Fares Fair' campaigners have been busy in Brighton today.


What jolly japes!

Over at the Fares Fair website is a statement of what the campaign hopes to achieve:

Fair Fares Now is calling for:

• Affordable prices, including peak times and turn-up-and-go tickets
• Reliable services that aren’t overcrowded
• Straightforward tickets that make train travel simple

Fair enough.

So who has Stephen Joseph and co managed to sign up as supporters of this exciting new campaign?

Why it's the usual rent a crowd of Rail Future, Friends of the Earth, Sustrans (sic), Transport for All, the TUC and the RMT.

Could this be the same RMT that managed to secure an inflation busting 5.2% pay increase for its SWT members in October and which has just rejected the same pay offer for its Network Rail members?

It surely is!

That's the way to drive down rail fares !

UPDATE:This from The Velopodist...

I'm not quite sure who the masked person picking the pocket in your picture from Brighton station is meant to be.

But it looks a little as if he's a stockbroker or other wealthy person from the south-east picking the pocket of an ordinary taxpayer.

Which, appropriately, is precisely the situation that will obtain as long as 50 per cent of the cost of every rail journey comes from public subsidy, rather than passengers paying for their own trips.

But maybe that wasn't the message Stephen Joseph and friends wanted to convey.

UPDATE: This from Bob (no not that one)...

I take exception with your point that the RMT secured a 5.2% increase for us in SWT at the end of last year, this pay increase was agreed 2 years ago as part of a 2 year deal with the second payment being 1%+RPI or 1.5% whichever was the greatest.

Unluckily for SWT the RPI in August was 4.2% but it could easily have gone the other way.

There was then a ballot as to whether we should take a reduction in hours instead of the full amount, but this was rejected, (we still work 42 hours in the guard grade) as most of us had already realised that the cost of living was going to be dearer, and with the rise in prices, transport (yes some of us have to pay to get to work), and VAT (and don't get me started on that subject - some shops have increased prices by 20% instead of 2.5%), we have been proved right.

And finally NO I am not an activist just a normal elderly person trying to manage for his last year of working in the railway industry.

Pointless signs - LUL misses the point

This from @AMonkster, via Twitter...

A year ago this poster would have qualified as a "Pointless Sign"


Alas no more.

70012 - Crash, bang, wallop....

Good news from Freightliner!

Apparently when unloading Ugly Sister number 12 the lifting equipment failed and the locomotive dropped back into the ship's hold.


Perhaps this one should be named Freightliner Banana?

UPDATE: This from The Cynic...

I notice Eye's suggestion that 70012 should be named ‘Freightliner Banana’.

However, I would suggest that in order to keep with the naming convention of the only named class member so far (70001 ‘PowerHaul’) perhaps ‘PowerFall’ would be more suitable?

FOI - Sauce for the goose but not for the gander!

This from the Press Gazette...

The Campaign for Freedom of Information has asked why Network Rail and nationalised bank Northern Rock aren’t among the new bodies set to be covered by an extended Freedom of Information Act.

An excellent idea and one that apparently finds favour with the Department.

Making Network Rail subject to FOI requests would not only make the infrastructure controller more transparent but would also deliver significant benefits to passengers.

Not least by breaking ATOC's monopoly on the provision of real time information, allowing independent re-publishers to provide rail users with free updates on how their trains are running.

ATOC currently charges developers for access to real time running information (the data for which is freely supplied by Network Rail) ensuring that disrupted passengers have to pay to be told that their train is not running the advertised service!

Whilst ATOC is busy 'monetising' its members failures a different approach has been adopted by Transport for London.

TfL offers Tube running data to the developer community at no charge, resulting in a range of free passenger information applications being made available across both handheld devices & the web.

Of course whilst the Government makes soothing noises about public scrutiny of Network Rail our very own Petrol-head Hammond appears to consider himself above such tedious legal requirements.

Eye understands that Control-freak Phil has been sitting on a number of FOI requests well beyond the statutory 20 working days.

How embarressing to have the Information Commissioner knocking on your door as you lambast others for a lack of transparency and accountability.

UPDATE: This from A Retired IT Person...

Why would the independent re-publishers provide anyone with free updates?

They might if they could monetarise the service another way.

Surely you're not confusing Freedom of Information with Free Information?

NR freely supply the data to ATOC, but ATOC and/or the TOCs pay for NR's train systems as part of the Computer Service Agreement.

Within that bundle, certain bits may even be branded as supplied free, but it's in the context of a large payment.

TANSTAAFL!

First saves a fortune in uniform costs!

Good news from First Great Western!

Ever conscious of the need for Value for Money procurement the TOC is apparently trialing a new uniform for its Senior Conductors...



Sharp eyed readers will note that the 'mankini' is in the new O'Toole tartan unveiled by Scotrail only last month.

A reminder of how cold it was!

This from a Mr Drayne...

Willersley Tunnel (Northern portal), near Matlock Bath, Christmas Day 2010:


According to the Met Office the temperature was officially recorded as 'brass monkeys'.

Mediaballs - Evening Standard

Good news from Dick Murray on the Standard!


But what's this?


Oh Dick - flay those subs alive!

Reading revealed...

This from Network Rail's Internet Rapid Rebuttal Unit...

Eye readers may be interested in some video of the work completed at Reading over the Christmas period.

Some great time lapse of a 1,000 tonne bridge deck replaced over Caversham Road.



I always think that time lapse video should be accompanied by the Benny Hill music…

Network Rail's wish is of course Eye's command. With a very deep doff of the bowler to @Twitdan

UPDATE: This also from the Internet Rapid Rebuttal Unit...

PS You can learn also more about the UK's newest - or most recently re-instated - passenger railway, between Airdrie and Bathgate, here.

This one with sound!

NR turns on the charm in 2011

With ATOC floundering over fare rises Network Rail appears to be inveigling itself into the Tory party's good books.

The new, improved, cuddly, Coucher-lite Network Rail has begun a discreet charm offensive designed to win industry, stakeholder and political support for reform to the company's corporate governance and accountability as mandated by Petrol-head.

So a big Eye welcome to Sara Rajeswaran who joined NR yesterday as Ricky Haystack's new 'strategic adviser', tasked with consulting on governance change.


Sara's remit will see her working with NR's Chairman to "facilitate the emergence of a widely accepted framework of governance and accountability that:

• Defines recommended and mandated practices of Network Rail within a systemic context;
• Is consistent with the objectives of the Coalition Government and The McNulty Review, thus serving as a route map for Network Rail’s collaborative involvement in delivering broader objectives;
• Is based on deep consultation and dialogue with all key internal and external stakeholders, including Members;
• Is founded on robust principles and empirical research where required;
• Draws on all experience and data gathered to date;
• Balances appropriateness, effectiveness, deliverability and execution pace;
• Clarifies the authority, role, requirements and necessary composition of the Network Rail Board;
• Will underpin the rebuilding of public trust in Network Rail"

Chunky no?

Previously at Portland, Sara also served time as a policy wonk for the two Theresas (May and Villiers) and is extremely well connected in the Tory party where sources lavished praise on her for being articulate, personable, ambitious, outgoing, able and highly intelligent.

Possessed of a 'throaty vibrato' Eye understands that Ms Rajeswaran has recently announced her betrothal.

Hopefully the resulting broken hearts amongst young Tory beaux won't do irreperable damage to her standing in the party.

UPDATE: This from Captain Deltic...

Can I alert Eye watchers that 2011 has been officially declared as 'Lego block language year' by the Coalition.

This is the new inclusive[*] big society[#] version of what used to be called 'boiler plate' prose beloved of industrialists, civil servants and politicians who want to be considered important and thoughtful without actually saying anything meaningful to real people.

Lego-block statements are made up of buzzwods (the little blocks with four studs that are excruciating to step on) and management consultancy stock phrases which always go together such as 'challenging but achievable' (the long single and double row multi-stud blocks which save you so much time in putting a Lego structure together).


It is good to see that NR is supporting the government's new policy.

Here is a short worked example taken from Ms Rajeswaran's remit:

• Is based on deep[*] consultation and dialogue[#] with all key[*] internal and external stakeholders[#], including Members[*]

Key
[*] Four stud block
[#] Multi-stud block

Eye followers are invited to test their ability to spot Lego Brick Language in action with this real life example from Sir Roy McNulty's interim submission!

"Leadership for cost reduction; making the changes required to realise potential savings will present major challenges, which can be met only if there is strong and aligned leadership from Government and the Industry" (are you sure we're not playing Bullsh1t Bingo? Ed)

Beautiful... but meaningless.

2010 Railway Eye stat porn

In 2010 Railway Eye was visited 372,966 times by 73,836 unique visitors.


Eye thanks all readers and contributors for their continued support throughout 2010.

UPDATE: This from The Archer...

That’s a 62% increase in visits since 2009 and 39% more unique visitors.

By my reckoning you’ll achieve your passenger journey equivalent of 1 billion hits in 2027 if you keep this up.

Hull Trains has falling out with local MP

This from Guido...

It seems Labour’s replacement for Prezza in Hull, the uninspiring Karl Turner, is as ham-fisted and polite as his predecessor. On the morning train out-of-town on the Wednesday before Christmas Karl was in standard class, but thought he would help himself to a complimentary first class newspaper. Problems ensued when he was politely reminded not to steal by one of the train staff.

More here.

Pointless signs - Beaconsfield station car park