RAIL News

World’s biggest investor goes for railfreight! – November 11 2009

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:09:17 GMT

Where-ever you look in the world, railways are an idea whose time has come again. Rail investment news from around the world is adding momentum to Lord Adonis’ stupendous effort to make sure that there’s cross-party consensus in the UK on the value and benefits of High Speed Rail UK.

The iron road…?! – October 30 2009

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 11:03:16 GMT

Am on a southbound NXEC train, at Newcastle, idly gazing out at a lovely bit of railway history – the massive former locomotive water tank sitting atop a stone base, at the south and of the station, on the river side.

Network Rail must stop, look and REALLY listen….

Sat, 17 Oct 2009 08:52:56 GMT

I was shocked - and alarmed - by Phil Haigh's level crossings investigation in RAIL 629 (in the shops on Wednesday October 21) but which should be with subscribers today, providing Royal Mail does its job!

Joined up DfT (not)

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 15:43:37 GMT

I’m updating some of my addresbook records and so my PA Lynne has just rung the Department fro Transport for details about Directly Operated Railways, based at Marsham Street, to check job titles and postal address.

An afternoon ‘quickie‘

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 14:53:00 GMT

It’s a RAIL press day and so Phil, Richard and I are up top our ears in page proofs, so this won’t be a long blog!

The Summer Silly Season 2009

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 10:47:31 GMT

Hello again! Now, where was I…..?!

Unbelievable stupidity - Monday August 3 2009

Mon, 3 Aug 2009 15:19:49 GMT

Other than 'unbelievable stupidity' I think no more needs be said.

Weedwatch : the original and the best! - Wednesday July 29 2009

Wed, 29 Jul 2009 11:29:59 GMT

I was very interested to see a week or three ago that a certain well known railway gossip website has appropriated the long standing RAIL ‘Weedwatch’ idea. And some jolly good pictures it has featured, too. Good luck to the Fact Compiler’s ‘Railway Garden’….because imitation, is, after all, the sincerest form of flattery!

Stay out of the ‘four foot’! – Monday July 27, 2009

Mon, 27 Jul 2009 09:46:42 GMT

Here’s a shocking piece of video, showing the aftermath of a rail crash in Croatia, just last week, on July 24.

Employment and electrification – Thursday July 23 2009

Fri, 24 Jul 2009 10:04:19 GMT

I'll get on to electrification in a moment. Meanwhile, are you the next writer destined to work with the RAIL team at Peterborough? Fairly recent recruit, Desk Editor Andy Brown had an opportunity he couldn’t refuse and has therefore departed for pastures new. Which means an empty desk in the RAIL office…. could you fill it?

The devil is in the detail – Wednesday July 22 2009

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 17:42:40 GMT

I’m a huge admirer of the TV drama ‘Taggart’ which uses Glasgow as its context – I’ve always loved ‘whodunnits’ and these scripts in particular are usually really good with more than a few challenging plot twists along the way. Sometimes I figure it…sometimes I don’t.

Beep, beep…here comes the paybus! – Tuesday July 21 2009

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 09:32:37 GMT

One of the victims of the modernisation and increased efficiencies we all want to see on the railway is character as defined by the operational quirks which railway-minded folk often love to see. I know I do.

The wrong kind of wind! – Monday July 20 2009.

Mon, 20 Jul 2009 12:05:19 GMT

On the off-chance you haven’t seen this yet (I’ve noticed it on a blog and have had it emailed a couple of times) I thought I’d share this video with you all here. It certainly has a 'Wow factor' towards the top of the scale!

What if 40 people a year were killed on trains? - Sunday July 19 2009

Sun, 19 Jul 2009 20:19:17 GMT

There would be media mayhem, without a doubt, if 40 passengers a year were killed on trains. And if that figure had increased by two-thirds compared with the year before then the story would be immense. Quite right, too.

Driving cattle? Treated like cattle! - Friday July 17 2009

Sun, 19 Jul 2009 08:11:52 GMT

Drifting into King’s Cross this morning, from Peterborough, I was on the eastern side of the NXEC train and so, as we passed the station throat, checked progress on the preparations for the new ‘Platform 0’ which is being built. It looks like track laying is not far away.

Photographer arrested for being too tall! – Thursday July 16 2009.

Thu, 16 Jul 2009 09:42:11 GMT

I kid you not. This beggars belief. We are now not only through the looking glass but across the field, through the woods, past the second star from the right and straight on till morning. And there, lying in wait for us, are the plods of the Kent Police……

Wicked humour at NX – Friday July 10 2009

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 09:34:09 GMT

The dust settled fairly quickly after the furore of the National Express Group announcement on July 1 that it wouldn’t support NXEC beyond the remaining £40m in its accounts.

A special ‘plug’ for Ruddington – Wednesday July 8 2009

Wed, 8 Jul 2009 22:53:33 GMT

A late posting tonight, after a long and busy RAIL press day in which the team have covered the East Coast Main Line/National Express story in a lot of detail. It’ll be with subscribers on Saturday morning (Royal Mail permitting) and then in the shops next Wednesday. I hope that our coverage ‘hits the spot’ for you and illuminates this hideously complex story more than somewhat.

Heritage charters pushing their luck? – Monday July 6 2009

Mon, 6 Jul 2009 13:31:01 GMT

As a former editor of Steam Railway magazine (although blimey, it was a long time ago now….) and having had lifelong, hands-on and active involvement in steam railways (37 years this year…ouch), my heritage credentials are proven, I believe.

So, it was with a heavy heart that I found myself being critical of heritage specials on the main line earlier this year when new steam locomotive Tornado’s first jaunt to King’s Cross caused the worst trespass I’ve ever seen, in February.

Reflections on a hot day in all senses - Friday July 3 2009

Fri, 3 Jul 2009 07:39:29 GMT

I actually wrote this posting yesterday, but never got near a ‘hotspot’ to upload it, so here it is a day late, but hopefully still of some interest as a personal reflection from the cdentre of the media maelstrom at a pivotal point in history of the franchising system in particular:

Blimey, what a day yesterday. If ever there was a day NOT to be running back and forth like the proverbial ‘BA fly’ between camera crews, TV and radio studios then it was yesterday in London, with heatwave temperatures peaking at over 30 degrees C in blazing sun.

“…Where this franchise will terminate….” Wednesday July 1 2009

Wed, 1 Jul 2009 10:05:48 GMT

Well, there’s a first. National Rail Awards Director Clive Nicholls and I were en route to London, on the NXEC 0700 from Peterborough when Phil Haigh rang from RAIL’s York outstation with the not unexpected news that NXEC will shortly be no more.

Wake up and smell the petrol! – June 30 2009

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 09:14:36 GMT

On Saturday I was tipped off by text to make sure I read that day’s column by motoring correspondent James May, in the Daily Telegraph. “It’s about railways,” I was told “and it’s really rather good.”

It’s now Tuesday morning and after a busy few days, I’ve finally caught up with May’s piece, online, courtesy of NXEC’s wifi service. And my tipster was quite right – it is rather good.

ATOC loses its head! – Monday June 29 2009

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 16:00:49 GMT

In the midst of interviews today for the Outstanding Personal Contribution Award at this year’s National Rail Awards, my phone discreetly buzzed with a missive from the Association of Train Operating Companies.

ATOC has, we are told “accepted the resignation” of its chairman Mike Alexander who was appointed as recently as March 2008 - he has hardly been the most successful of chairmen.

Steamy satire! –Tuesday June 23 2009

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 10:52:40 GMT

It’s not often the railway crosses the path of mainstream satire, but exactly that seems to have happened, spurred on by recent political shenanigans. This rather good joke popped into my inbox, and so I thought I’d share it with you. It certainly made me chuckle.

A 140mph commuter train! – Friday June 18 2009

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 11:53:33 GMT

I’ve just stepped off a really thrilling trip from London to Ashford and back. I know it hardly sounds earth-stopping - but it was from St Pancras International aboard one of South Eastern’s brand new, sleek, Hitachi ‘Javelin’ class 395s, on a trial trip from St Pancras.

A thin blue line, but a tough one – June 18 2009

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 06:16:25 GMT

At the British Transport Police, Chief Constable Ian Johnston (knighted in the latest Queen’s honours list for services to policing) is retiring, to be succeeded by Andy Trotter, an internal appointment – and a really good one for the railway.

West Coast woes: again… - June 17 2009

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 09:21:33 GMT

I was involved last week in an interesting online discussion on the scurrilous, but always interesting Railway Eye, involving The Fact Compiler himself (they seek him here, they seek him there….), ‘Sir William Porritt’ and the fabled Captain Deltic.

Reversing Beeching – June 16 2009.

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 11:15:21 GMT

Plans by the Association of Train Operating Companies to reopen stations lost in the Beeching closures of the 1960s have attracted lots of column inches in the national newspapers.

As others see us - June 10 ‘09

Wed, 10 Jun 2009 09:39:26 GMT

It's press day and so time is short, but I just wanted to share this. Iain Dale's political blog is always worth a read (which is why it's on my blogroll) but today, as Londoners struggle with an RMT strike led by 'Crowbar' Bob, it is especially relevant to rail.

Tuesday June 9 2009 – supplemental

Tue, 9 Jun 2009 22:55:55 GMT

Just talked to my old mucker Steve Knight at Virgin, whose fizzog is currently as red as Reubens Barrichelo’s one-time scarlet Ferrari, of a few years ago. It’s a great story and Steve doesn’t mind sharing it, so here goes. It certainly made me chuckle.

Tuesday June 9 2009

Tue, 9 Jun 2009 10:40:13 GMT

When, exactly, did the linguistic aberrations ‘train stations’ and ‘train lines’ take root in common usage?

I first started noticing these horrors a few years ago, usually in the mouths of what the meeja used to call ‘youths’. But I’ve now started hearing these awful expressions on the BBC for pity’s sake, which, when I was training as a journalist (from 1979, and not as some have claimed, the early part of the 12^th century…) was also held up as a paragon of linguistic virtue. Not any more.

Thursday June 4 2009

Thu, 4 Jun 2009 09:37:36 GMT

It was glorious summer morning as I set off for the office today, shortly after 0715, and at the end of the lane, the village hall was bedecked in ‘POLLING STATION’ posters in the same font (Helvetica?) that they’ve used on those posters for decade after decade. Photographs at election time in the 1920s, for example, show the same typeface used on those posters. A curious piece of historical continuity in a world which has otherwise changed – changed utterly.

Friday May 22 2009.

Tue, 26 May 2009 17:19:19 GMT

I’m sitting in a café near King’s Cross, which is a lovely little spot to grab a coffee between appointments and take advantage of the free ‘hotspot’ to check some page proofs and whiz them back to the office. Ain't technology great!?

Thursday May 21 2009

Tue, 26 May 2009 17:18:57 GMT

About……oh, ten years ago it must be, now….I was lucky to attend a dinner at Warwick Castle. It was a splendid occasion. The castle itself is sensational and there was a knight in armour, on horseback, at the door to welcome us. Marvellous. You don’t get that at Pizza Express.

Tuesday May 19 2009

Tue, 19 May 2009 14:28:25 GMT

Blimey. Let’s hear it for the Association of Train Operating Companies, who have been on the sharp end of my pen recently – but for today, at least, we should all ‘rejoice’! Why? Because ATOC has joined the party and decided that electrification IS a good idea after all.

Regular readers will recall that when Chiltern Railways Chairman Adrian ‘Mine’s a 20-year one you know’ Shooter retired,

Thursday May 14 2009

Thu, 14 May 2009 07:44:08 GMT

I’m tapping this out en route to London, courtesy of NXEC’s on-time 0700 from Peterborough and have just read a press release from Network Rail in which Chief Executive Iain Coucher has announced that he is to forgo his bonus this year.

Thursday May 7 2009

Thu, 7 May 2009 09:40:15 GMT

I know things are bad at National Express East Coast at the moment (today’s Times describes it as ‘on the brink of failure’) but it seems that some NXEC staff believe that we’re all in equal need of a stiff one!

Wednesday May 6 2009

Wed, 6 May 2009 08:25:24 GMT

I understand that my ‘PS’ aimed at the Railway Children, at the end of my Bank Holiday blog about the Liverpool Street T-Mobile dance TV ad, and the New York station ‘freeze’ has caught the charity’s eye.

Monday May 4 2009

Mon, 4 May 2009 13:58:52 GMT

A bit of feelgood fun for the Bank Holiday. Not to mention a nod of thanks to Iain Dale’s excellent blog a couple of weeks ago for posting this truly excellent ‘feelgood’ video shot at Antwerp Central railway station. I make no apology for re-posting it here - for I defy you to watch it without smiling and feeling better. Which is a lot more than can be said about watching Gordon Brown's truly weird recent youtube performance! Take a look:

Monday April 20 2009

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 09:56:36 GMT

I’m sure there can’t be many railway-minded folk who are by now unaware of Minister of State for Transport Lord Andrew Adonis’ recently-completed 2,000-mile five-day Great Rail Trek around the UK, which took in England Scotland and Wales and included stations as far apart as Norwich, Penzance and Aberdeen.

And at every opportunity in that five days, to anyone in earshot, the Minister talked over the heads of his travelling companions and media interviewers to the Association of Train Operating Companies

Friday April 17 2009

Fri, 17 Apr 2009 11:16:17 GMT

So, Farewell then Sir Clement Freud, who has died at the age of 84. Amongst other things, he was a broadcaster, journalist, chef, MP and raconteur – and he was always utterly brilliant on Radio 4’s ‘Just a Minute’ where the only thing funnier than his barbs aimed at the chairman Nicholas Parsons was that they seemed to fly un-noticed over their target’s head!

Thursday April 16 2009

Thu, 16 Apr 2009 12:02:26 GMT

It’s 0957 and I’m aboard a Virgin ‘Pendolino’ at Birmingham New Street and it’s bang on time leaving the Hell Hole that is New Street and we’re just rolling into Birmingham International. The ‘390s’ seem to be running very well now, notwithstanding some occasional lingering loo complaints.

Wednesday April 15 2009

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 17:06:40 GMT

Lord Andrew Adonis is currently mid-way through his five-day Great Rail Trek. The last time I saw him at the DfT, he showed me his hand-written plan with great enthusiasm. He had clearly spent a considerable time buried in a timetable, drawing up a detailed schedule. I’m sure I’m not alone in recalling pleasurable evenings at this time of year in my teens, spent doing exactly the same thing, planning a week’s summer touring by train, using a runabout ticket.

Monday April 13 2009

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 17:02:15 GMT

Network Rail has been on its back foot a time or two recently on everything from Governance and executive bonuses to bullying hobby photographers and demolishing the allegedly historic Primrose Hill station, in North London.

Tuesday April 7 2009

Tue, 7 Apr 2009 13:42:05 GMT

Good morning. Blimey, what sort of blogger am I? Apologies for my over-long absence, to those who have been kind enough to tune-in here to share my online ramblings. A frantically busy schedule just squeezed everything else out, including blogging time, which I shall henceforth endeavour to fit in more

Thursday March 19 2009

Thu, 19 Mar 2009 22:21:24 GMT

One of the blogs I look at most days is that by Iain Dale MP. Try it. It’s really good. It’s always perceptive, witty and sharp and is completely open in its choice of targets! On checking Iain’s blog a few minutes ago, I found him lampooning a ministerial interview on Radio 4’s Today by RAIL’s old friend John Humphrys.

I listened, in a mixture of disbelief, laughter and anger

Sunday March 15 2009

Sun, 15 Mar 2009 15:11:51 GMT

It’s a glorious Sunday afternoon and having walked the dog along the river bank and done a few chores I’m just catching up on a few bits and pieces at my Mac, in the course of which, I came across this.

Talk about a very close shave – I was going to he was lucky, but being caught up in that incident was far from lucky. Shows how potentially lethal all railways can be, even at slow speed, in sidings.

Saturday March 14 2009

Sat, 14 Mar 2009 07:48:59 GMT

Ah, bliss…..the weekend. I love my job but some weeks bring more than their fair share of activity and this last one has been one of those.

We’re giving RAIL a fresh look at the moment, including some amendments to regular contents, a new editorial approach here and there and an overall new look to the magazine. We’re really pleased with it and subscribers will see the results of our efforts precisely one week today. I hope you like it.

Saturday March 7 2009

Sat, 7 Mar 2009 16:30:48 GMT

Greetings - and I hope you’re having a great weekend. So, here we go – it’s another Saturday, so let’s have a further dip into the archive of memorable British Rail TV ads of bygone years. And they were, generally, memorable – BR did get its approach to TV ads right. I shall reveal my all-time favourite BR TV ad of yesteryear a Saturday or three hence (which was your favourite, by the way, for those of you old enough to remember them?!) – but meanwhile, here’s another of my shortlisted classics.

FRIDAY MARCH 6 2009

Fri, 6 Mar 2009 09:18:34 GMT

Britain’s railway’s greatest strength is its army of top-notch people who make sure that the network works as well as it can, whatever the weather, economy – and especially politicians – throw at it!