This from the RMT, in scraping the barrel mode...
RAIL UNION RMT warned today that the continuing franchise chaos on the West Coast main line could force the Government to run trains over the busy Christmas and New Year period blown over in grey primer with no livery as they continue to drag their heels over the renationalisation of the service under East Coast operator, Directly Operated Railways
Forgive me if I don't get excited.
UPDATE: This from a Mr Tony Miles...
Indeed - scraping the barrel - because obviously state owned East Coast repainted all their trains the day they took over from NXEC, didn't they? Well actually no they didn't as some are still in GNER livery…
Franchise handover rules just require the departing operator to remove their logos from trains.
Remember how long it took Arriva CrossCountry to remove the Virgin colours from the Voyagers when they took over?
Perhaps Bob should have gone to Specsavers?
Seen on twitter earlier this afternoon...
This from Virginia Water...
According to the Pink-un yesterday:
The £1bn order for new trains for the Crossrail east-west London rail line will be among the first recipients of a government guarantee designed to revive investment in essential infrastructure, Danny Alexander will announce on Tuesday.
Your exam questions for today are therefore;
1. This guarantee is
being offered to reduce the lease payments and hence long term rail
subsidy bill. On that basis, why doesn't the Treasury and DfT offer this finance to all future
rolling stock deals?
2. If Treasury/DfT is guaranteeing all rolling stock, why not just RAB finance the lot?
3. What are the implications for the as yet unsigned Thameslink order? and
4. What does this mean for the future of the ROSCOs?
Privitisation is dead. Long live state intervention!
UPDATE: This from Steve Strong...
Surely the deeply unpopular LibDems don't propose using this finance method to pay for the Thameslink fleet which will be built entirely in Germany?
Or the Crossrail fleet which will no doubt be manufactured in Japan and ahem... 'assembled' by three men and a dog at Newton Aycliffe.
Good to see taxpayers money being used to export skilled jobs overseas!
According to @JimBethal of Westbourne the new DfT SpAds are:
Julian Glover (who) has been released from Downing Street where he was
crafting speeches for the Prime Minister. A former Guardian journalist,
he is an enthusiast for HS2 (he weekends in Derbyshire near GO and
PMcL).
Ben Mascall (who) has become one of the Coalition’s most trusted press
operators. He worked previously at heavy-weight brands like Coca-Cola
and Tesco, and high-profile politicos like Gove and Bozza.
On the plus side they can't be any worse than the last lot.
UPDATE: This from Our Man at 222 Marylebone Road...
Once upon a time Special Advisers were there to guard a minister's back against the devious civil servants who can obviously run rings round here today/gone tomorrow politicians on the detail of their Departments.
In this they are, or should be, a sub-set of Policy Wonks. By and large the SpAds at DfT have been singularly useless in this role.
Andrew Adonis was of course a hybrid - half minister/half wonk, a rare combination feared by Permanent Secretaries who can generally see off wonks. An exception was the wonkocracy which emerged under the Blair Government - the wonk-driven demise of Railtrack is the classic example.
These latest guys sound more like Political Advisers than Policy Wonks or SpAds.
Political Advicors (PADs?) are concerned not with the practicality of policy but with how it will be presented and perceived. So expect more nonsensical written answers.
Old railway hands who remember Permanent Secretary Philip Rutnam in his youthful Treasury days expect him to eat these new SpAds for breakfast.
This from the York Press...
A RETIRED museum worker had a special message for a police community support officer – thank you for saving my life.
Ray Towell, 66, had a heart attack and stopped breathing as he went to catch a bus home from Blossom Street, in York.
But PCSO Lee Johnson was passing on patrol and immediately started
emergency first aid, as did paramedic Craig Barley, who also happened to
be passing.
“It is just amazing to me I am still here,” said Mr Towell, of Moor
Lane, York, a former curator at the National Railway Museum. “How lucky
can you be? I am extremely lucky that the right people
were there at the right time. “What they did –it means my life to me.”
After being rushed to the cardiac unit at Leeds General Infirmary by
ambulance, he made a full recovery...
Matey!
This from ITV News...
The company behind the new high speed rail link through Buckinghamshire
and Oxfordshire is at the centre of a major new row after it emerged it
is up for a top award for its consultation on the scheme, despite
failing to consider hundreds of responses due to technical errors.
No doubt the DfT team behind the Incredibly Expensive Procurement are already counting their plaudits from the Public Accounts Committee?
This from the National Railway Museum...
National Railway Museum Director steps down
Steve Davies is to step down as Director of the National
Railway Museum to pursue a new venture in the private sector. He will be
leaving his post as of the end of October 2012.
Steve has been the Director of the National Railway
Museum since February 2010. He has presided over some high-profile projects
which include the ongoing restoration of Britain’s best known steam locomotive,
Flying Scotsman, the launch of a purpose built art gallery and Railfest - the
biggest ever gathering of rail record holders.
Steve said: “The National Railway Museum is a very
special place in the hearts of many people in this country, with an enviable
reputation internationally. I have been
proud and privileged to lead a highly motivated team over the last three years,
and hope that I have played my part in further promoting the Museum’s
fortunes. I have, however, decided to
accept a firm offer of employment in the private sector as Managing Director of
a company in the leisure and tourism industry.
The job I am moving to will provide me with an exciting and enjoyable
set of new challenges, which I look forward to immensely. I am sure the National Railway Museum will
move from strength to strength in the years ahead.
His position will be taken by an acting Director, Paul Kirkman,
from 5th November 2012. Paul joins on secondment from the Department for
Culture, Media & Sport.
Ian Blatchford, Director of the Science Museum Group
said: “Steve’s passion for trains and the railway industry has been evident in
everything that he has done at the National Railway Museum over the past two
years. We thank him for his contribution and look forward to working with his
successor to ensure that the National Railway Museum maintains its position as
the leading railway museum in the world”.
Paul Kirkman says: “I am delighted to have been invited
by Ian Blatchford to take up this position as acting Director of the National
Railway Museum. I am sure that my wide-ranging experience working with the
cultural sector at DCMS and elsewhere will help in the continued success of one
of Britain’s greatest museums.”
Ends
This from Sir Nel Ting...
There
are still, supposedly, well over 100 Olympic and Para' signs still plastered all
over Stratford station...
This from Central User...
Further to Crewe's entry of 30th July, a supplementary submission is needed
in order to clarify the wide ranging skills of the horticulturists of
Crewe.
Behold the Secret Garden!
This from Scotch Corner...
I thought Eye readers might be interested in the attached photo which is doing the rounds.
It purports to show the view that drivers have of the Shard, in certain weather conditions.
Happy news for the franchising zealots of Great Minster House (Sid and Dorris Bonkers)!
With the 'risk transfer' model of franchising subject to increasing ridicule for failing both fare and taxpayers, the mandarins of Marsham Street must have been looking forward to yesterday's Business Traveller magazine awards.
At a glitzy lunchtime event at Kensington's Royal Garden hotel, hosted by no less a figure than the polymath Sir Trevor McDonald, the
keenly competed for 'Best UK Domestic Train Service' award went to errr... Beardie Rail.
Alas, and for the sixth year running!
As this doesn't quite fit the DfT's narrative on the West Coast franchise expect this accolade to go unremarked upon by either officials or ministers.
And to compound Marsham Street's joy, the award itself was sponsored by First Great Western!
UPDATE: This from Mrs AP Tis...
I understand that First Group are applying
for a judicial review of the decision to award the prize to Virgin Trains.
This from a Mr Banks...
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