New DG Rail - Who should it be?

Time for an Exciting New Eye Poll!

With Bernadette Kelly elevated to role of Permanent Secretary the search is on for a new Director General, Rail at the DfT.

In the spirit of open-government Eye has offered to crowd source a suitable candidate!

Despite one of the candidates being somewhat busy with elections, editing the Standard, making huge amounts of money and stuff,  this is your chance to influence the future of our industry! (It really isn't. Ed).

Use your skill and judgement to select from our candidates on the righthand menu bar...

Remember, vote early - vote often!

Kelly appointed as new DfT Permanent Secretary

This from the DfT...

Bernadette Kelly has been appointed as the new Permanent Secretary at the Department for Transport. This follows Philip Rutnam’s recent move to the Home Office which was announced in February. The appointment has been made by the Cabinet Secretary with the approval of the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Transport.

A win for the continuity candidate...

Periodic Review 18 v Corporate Memory 0

This from Gilbert Ratchett...

Now that the Office of Rail Regulation has published the Initiation Notice for Periodic Review 2018, the phoney war of consultation documents is over and the Government has to say what it wants (the High Level Output Specification) and how much money it can scrape together to pay for what it wants (the Statement of Funds Available).

And there is now a firm deadline for delivery of these documents - better known as the HLOS and SoFA . And that date is 20 July.

Which, from past experience of Periodic Reviews, is when the infighting between the railway industry and its political and regulatory overlords gets serious. And talking of experience, Eye can't help but notice that not one member of the Network Rail Executive Board which over-saw the 2013 Periodic Review remains in post.

As the Periodic Review is all about Network Rail's funding, this total loss of corporate memory in five years means raw recruits are being thrown into the battle that will determine the railways' future.

Year Zero and trebles all round!

General Election 2017 and Purdah

Currently we are in Purdah for the 4th May local elections.

If the PM secures her two thirds majority tomorrow for a General Election then Parliament will be dissolved on the 3rd of May.

Purdah for the General Election will begin on the 4th May (same day as the local elections) and run through to the 8th of June.

A reminder about Purdah...

From the House of Commons Library:

"The term ‘purdah’ is in use across central and local government to describe the period of time immediately before elections or referendums when specific restrictions on the activity of civil servants are in place. The terms ‘pre-election period’ and ‘period of sensitivity’ are also used."

This means that we are unlikely to see the Gibb Report on Southern (or any other significant government announcements) until after the General Election.

This may suit one or two people in Marsham Street...

General Election - 8th June 2017

Subject to securing a two thirds majority in the Commons tomorrow, the PM proposes going to the country on the 8th June.

Some quick thoughts on implications for the railway.

1. The Franchising Process is presumably now stalled?

2. Fast tracking a bi-mode fleet for the Midland Main Line in advance of PRM compliance, ditto?

3. What happens to the PR18/CP6 preparations?

Interesting times!

Eye salutes Jeremy Corbyn!

The Labour Party leader visited Wabtec in Doncaster yesterday.

Wabtec in the UK, as any ful kno, is one of the key players in rolling stock re-engineering and refurbishment.

More importantly it takes very seriously growing skills; employing 30 graduate trainees and over 100 apprentices.

With the DfT keen to off-shore skills by encouraging new franchises to buy fleets from overseas, rather than refurbishing perfectly serviceable trains in the UK, this is precisely where the Leader of the Opposition should be.

Eye salutes the Rt Hon Jeremy Corbyn MP and hopes he puts government ministers on notice!

Here some pictures from the visit (some of which feature industry celeb Jodi Savage):

Eye hopes Jeremy will be citing an epistle from 'Chris W' at the next PMQs?

Small glasses being raised in the Shire

Lots of chatter about Siemens and Bombardier merging.

Eye recommends not holding your breath, it will be... complicated.

Meanwhile, half glasses are being raised across the Shire, and possibly further South?

You can't beat a home brew.

Tornado does the ton

Good news for fans of Kettles!

A couple of Eye co-respondents (sic) have sent through some images of last night's Tornado test run and PR coup.

Tornado clocked up speeds of 100mph on the ECML between Raskelf and Alne, north of York, as can be seen here...

From Newcastle back to York the loco carried the ‘Matey’ headboard, in memory of Ray Towell whom we sadly lost just over a year ago.

And here is a picture of the test run team (and guests) safely back at York, following the 100mph triumph.

Good effort!

Meanwhile, Eye is unsure what Northern passengers must make of this, as traction across their franchise is both older and slower.

No matter!

Rumours that Tornado is now on Thunderbird duties, to drag VTEC services through crappy OHLE at Retford, have been denied...

Shaken and stirred: Tonkin, Pitt and Rollin...

A quick round up of new appointments in today's glorious railway.

David Tonkin, fresh from being Acting General Manager of the Railway Industry Association, has now been appointed Chairman. David was previously CEO at Atkins. He replaces Gordon Wakeford (who remains Chair of the Rail Supply Group). In his new role David will continue to work alongside RIA CEO Darren Caplan. RIA press release, here.

Andy Pitt has become a NED at Porterbrook Leasing. Andy has had many a varied role in the railway industry, including MD of SWT and latterly Executive Chairman of Cross London Trains which is procuring and leasing new rolling stock for the operator of the Thameslink franchise. In addition Andy is also a Non Executive Director of Transport Systems Catapult. Porterbrook press release, here.

Eye understands that James Rollin has moved into the consultancy world. He was previously Head of PR and Marketing at Bombardier UK.

The Shaken and Stirred section of Eye is always interested in hearing about new appointments, at the usual address.

A little something for Easter Week

Those of you looking to round-off the Easter week may be interested in the below.

The Epping Ongar Railway is running a real ale train on the 22nd April.

Apparently it features all the following goodness:

• £10 fare from 5pm, includes heritage bus connection from Epping Underground.
• 5 cask ales from New River Brewery + bottled selection from Redemption
• 1 draught cider (producer TBC) supplemented with bottles of London Glider
• Souvenir beer festival glasses for sale for at £3
• Classic diesel traction – locos TBA
• Pint Prices: £3.20 (ale), £3.50 (cider).

Bookings can be made, here.

Bi-modes not necessarily the answer...

Good news for fans of electrification!

This from the Sunday Times, yesterday....

"The Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) and Health and Safety Executive (HSE) have issued the warnings because diesel fumes have been reclassified as a “grade 1 carcinogen”, meaning they are a “definite cause of cancer”. As many as 500,000 UK jobs are affected."

No doubt ORR and RSSB will soon be issuing appropriate guidance?

Local Government elections and Purdah

Purdah for the May local government elections starts on the 13th April.

From the House of Commons Library:

"The term ‘purdah’ is in use across central and local government to describe the period of time immediately before elections or referendums when specific restrictions on the activity of civil servants are in place. The terms ‘pre-election period’ and ‘period of sensitivity’ are also used."

Therefore expect the 'Gibb Report' on Southern to be slipped out at the back-end of this week, or held over until after the 4th May.

May a thousand plandampfs bloom!

This from Lella Lombardi...

Great news for petrolheads as Transport Minister Andrew Jones announces plans to allow motor racing on urban streets.

Imagine the delight as every High Steet, Acacia Avenue, and Station Road hosts its own Formula One race, filling the air with the joyous sounds of roaring engines, screeching tyres and whoops of delight from residents. Not to mention the fumes.

But why stop there?  

Shouldn't we also allow every community it's own Railway Steam Gala and Diesel Haulage Weekend?  

One for DfT's summer Rail Strategy perhaps?

Power PR to new First/MTR LSWR franchise

Apparently Southern have misplaced Jane Lee, the PR of choice for third-rail networks!

No matter.

Eye understands that First/MTR have snapped up Jane to handle mobilisation comms for the new London and South Western Railway.

Good appoint!

To give you an idea of how good Jane is - just try searching for an image of her on Google.

The very best PRs are always behind the camera.

That is all.

TfL getting a bit tetchy on Twitter...

Good point and well made...

Leave him bruv, he ain't wurff it!

Her Majesty's Chief Railway Inspector invites DOO comments!

This from Ian Prosser, Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Railways; and director, railway safety.

ORR has published the Principles for Driver Controlled Operation.

Meanwhile...

Any questions about the them please contact me https://t.co/kOPQ7dko6L

— Ian Prosser (@IanProsser7) April 5, 2017

Eye is impressed.

Play nicely.

First/MTR brand for South Western emerges?

After 94 years of lobbying... pre-grouping companies are back!

Back in the day of course, the livery was Dark Brown and Salmon Pink.

UPDATE: @Commuter29 suggests that this may be a spoof from someone on RailUK. A good one if it is!

Railway investment strategies explained...

This from Kaizen...

Featured as the Daily Telegraph’s Fund of the Week in last Saturday's investment feature was John Laing Infrastructure.  

Its manager explained: 'The key idea is focusing on assets where we get paid regardless of how much they are used. This means it doesn't matter how many patients are at the hospital or how many people drive on the motorway'.

Listed at Number 8 in the Trust's Top 10 holdings is, a 27.5 year deal that meets all these criteria - our very own Intercity Express Programme.

Inspire the next, indeed!

Maynard on DfT 'effective governance' of Network Rail

This written answer given by Paul Maynard yesterday:

John Redwood (Wokingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the cost overruns on major projects at Network Rail have been in the last five years.

Paul Maynard (Blackpool North and Cleveleys): The rail regulator, Office of Rail and Road, publishes annual efficiency and finance assessments of Network Rail. These includes their assessments of Network Rail’s performance in relation to both major enhancement projects and other areas of spend. In their assessment of 2015/16 the ORR noted an ‘enhancements underperformance of £115m’.

These annual assessments can be found here:- http://orr.gov.uk/rail/economic-regulation/regulation-of-network-rail/monitoring-performance/efficiency-and-finance-assessment

This Government has been clear about the affordability and deliverability challenges faced in the current investment programme (Control Period 5 2014-2019). This is why in 2015 Sir Peter Hendy was asked to replan the programme to put it on a more sustainable footing.

Following Sir Peter's review we have revised our approach to major projects. The effective governance the Department has put in place is helping to manage the programme within the fixed funding available.

Thank goodness the "effective governance" put in place will ensure there are no more nasty surprises in CP5...

Lookalike - 'Time on their hands' edition...

This from the Yorkshire Post...

"Engineering services group Renew Holdings said the chief executive of transport group Go-Ahead has joined the group.

"David Brown has join​ed Leeds-based Renew as a non-executive director with immediate effect."

Remind you of anyone?