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Broken & Late Ltd: Britain's Railways

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    Ah cheers.

    I don't know how important having a diversionary route is here. You hear it a lot as a justification for lines being reinstated. The Stroud Valley Line got upgraded because trains need to divert along it when work was being done on the Great Western Mainline. So it might be helpful, I don't know.

    Hilariously, Simon Jenkins, who I heard it suggested got put on the British Rail Board to keep Mrs Thatcher happy, has found a new "vanity project". Oxford to Cambridge. I mean, it's not like there's big population growth around there or anything.

    Comment


      Originally posted by Kevin S View Post
      Pulling us back to Fenland, and ignoring the Varsity line, the rebuilding of a station at Soham is the Reverse Beeching needed here. Still looks like another five years before we get anywhere with it though. Then if we are playing fantasy choose-your-own-services, I'd run a Cambridge-Stowmarket Bury St Edmunds via Ely service (Cambridge - Ely - Soham - Bury St Edmunds - Stowmarket)) which would provide a great variety of connections and serve lots and lots of students.

      Edit - actually, turning round at Bury would be fine - a GEML connection probably wouldn't be necessary as there are other services from Bury to Stowmarket.
      I've seen Soham mentioned a lot. I never get why more stations don't get reopened when there's a line already passing through. It seems like money for the station is the problem, rather than anything particularly complicated. I see it just had a bid rejected.

      Comment


        If you want a good laugh at how much Souter overbid for the East Coast Mainline, check out this map. It'll probably disappear soon.

        http://maps.dft.gov.uk/east-coast/

        Look how much was promised, and much of it is due to happen in later years. Souter's had to admit he can't afford the agreed premium payments even before he's forked out for all those extras.

        Comment


          Brian Souter in "dishonest" shocker.

          He was probably relying on borrowing cash from his equally horrible sister, and now that they've gone their separate ways he finds he's down a hole financially.

          http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotlan...iness-41746035

          Comment


            Originally posted by Walt Flanagans Dog View Post
            Hey ey, we're a city full stop, no need to caveat it, and we have plenty of direct connections to Edinburgh - the trains even go straight there these days instead of splitting at Carstairs [edit - beaten to it by Kev]. There's already a new Hadrian's Wall visitor centre but it's a long way from Carlisle and a right adventure on public transport.

            Unconnected to the supposed reverse-Beeching announcement, there was a fairly detailed thread about this on the Carlisle United message board last week. I can't remember all the details but there was a lot about how in theory it would be a useful alternative route for the network for when there are works on the main line but in practice the amount of single tracking on the line would make it impractical.

            It would have the dubious benefit of enhancing the mix of Saturday afternoon drinkers in Carlisle, we already get groups from west Cumbria, Dumfriesshire and Northumberland getting hammered on £2 pints and spending the resulting 'savings' on suggestively named cocktails in the posher bars before getting the last train home. I don't think there'd be an awful lot of traffic in the other direction, but it would open up a bit of the country that's a mystery to even those of us who live this close to it.

            Plus my kids' granddad owns a bit of land right up to the old track, so they could be quids in once the CPO's start flying around.

            The local reverse-Beeching wet dream of choice round these parts is of course the Penrith-Keswick-Cockermouth-Workington line, but that's never going to happen.
            Em, aye. The perils of posting at half past hammered. What’s missing is a borders connection to Carlisle, rather than a run to Embra. And aye, Kelso to Carlisle/Vice versa will probably be less than rammed.
            Last edited by Lang Spoon; 30-11-2017, 22:49.

            Comment


              In view of the East Coast fuck up, we think you should announce something, Minister.

              Richard Clinnick‏
              @Clinnick1
              The Secretary of State agrees the construction, operation and maintenance of a 660 metre extension to the existing Blackpool Tramway. The extension will be from the North Pier stop along Talbot Road to terminate at Blackpool North railway station.
              I shouldn't be flippant, sounds like something positive for a very deprived town.

              Comment


                Originally posted by blameless View Post
                Brian Souter in "dishonest" shocker.

                He was probably relying on borrowing cash from his equally horrible sister, and now that they've gone their separate ways he finds he's down a hole financially.

                http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotlan...iness-41746035
                Pair of bastards. Wasn’t fucking Gloag trying to close off her Perthshire estate to walkers a few years back? The right to roam law doesn’t allow for a private residence to stretch for miles around.

                Is that Stagecoach out of the UK train franchises then, or do they have a similar deal with the Bastard Branson on the West Coast Line? Still haven’t forgiven the bastards for ruining Scottish bus services, let alone that phoney bigoted referendum.
                Last edited by Lang Spoon; 30-11-2017, 22:02.

                Comment


                  They've still got bids on the table for three future franchises.

                  Even with this renegotiation and the resulting share price bounce, they've properly fucked up by this overbidding. I think their share price is still under half what it was a couple of years ago. So likely on their way out.

                  As I understand the EU Rail Package, there'll be much more rail being open to bids from 2023. I think Stagecoach might have fancied a bit of that action.

                  It would take a heart of stone to laugh.

                  Comment


                    I mean not to laugh.

                    Comment


                      Originally posted by Tubby Isaacs View Post
                      They've still got bids on the table for three future franchises.

                      Even with this renegotiation and the resulting share price bounce, they've properly fucked up by this overbidding. I think their share price is still under half what it was a couple of years ago. So likely on their way out.

                      As I understand the EU Rail Package, there'll be much more rail being open to bids from 2023. I think Stagecoach might have fancied a bit of that action.

                      It would take a heart of stone to laugh.
                      Why in Hades name is the EU furthering the opening of rail routes to tender? Is it really true UK is looked at as a model? It might well be cheaper with some kind of season ticket, but as an occasional user, Glasgow suburban rail and subway is cheap as chips, Edinburgh tramline is a gouge from the airport (5.50 fucking punds to go three stops to the interchange rail station to Fife (which will also cost a bomb). And can only buy an all in one tram+train ticket from the way back, not at the fuckin airport.

                      Pretty much any journey north of the leccy Central belt is pretty expensive for cramped and old stock. God please deliver the cascading effect. And reopen the spur to Levenmouth, god forgive them.

                      Integrated multimodal transport being a Mad European (or Londoner’s) dream.
                      Last edited by Lang Spoon; 30-11-2017, 23:07.

                      Comment


                        Britain's had very good rail growth, without spending as much on rail as other places. Lots of places will want some of that.

                        They can keep it integrated easily enough. London's buses and Overground are franchised, but integrated with the publicly owned and run Underground.

                        Comment


                          I have nothing useful to contribute on Britain's railways this century, but for history and general lip-smacking appreciation I would really recommend Simon Bradley's book "The Railways: Nation, Network and People". It's been captivating me for weeks. Take it to bed, cuddle it, love it.

                          Comment


                            Hislop's excellent "Ian Hislop Goes off the Rails" was repeated on BBC4 last night (or was it on Wednesday evening?), anyway it's watchable on here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episod...-off-the-rails or youtube for non UK-based OFTers if the Beeb's iplayer is geo-restricted: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4cGRpOspkk.

                            Ian Hislop brings his customary humour, analysis and wit to the notorious Beeching Report of 1963, which led to the closure of a third of the nation's railway lines and stations and forced tens of thousands of people into the car and onto the road.

                            Was author Dr Richard Beeching little more than Genghis Khan with a slide rule, ruthlessly hacking away at Britain's rail network in a misguided quest for profitability, or was he the fall guy for short-sighted government policies that favoured the car over the train?

                            Ian also investigates the fallout of Beeching's plan, discovering what was lost to the British landscape, communities and ways of life when the railway map shrank, and recalls the halcyon days of train travel, celebrated by John Betjeman.

                            Ian travels from Cornwall to the Scottish borders, meeting those responsible and those affected and questioning whether such brutal measures could be justified. Knowing what we know now, with trains far more energy efficient and environmentally sound than cars, perhaps Beeching's plan was the biggest folly of the 1960s?

                            Comment


                              I have to watch at least one of these, as I still confuse Ian with his namesake Shaka.

                              Comment


                                Stagecoach still have East Midlands Trains.

                                Comment


                                  Originally posted by tee rex View Post
                                  I have nothing useful to contribute on Britain's railways this century, but for history and general lip-smacking appreciation I would really recommend Simon Bradley's book "The Railways: Nation, Network and People". It's been captivating me for weeks. Take it to bed, cuddle it, love it.
                                  With my brilliant business brain, I bought that hardback (albeit reduced). It's still unread and long in paperback. I'm glad you reminded me. Bradley is a very good writer on architecture too.

                                  Re Beeching, this is supposed to be a good book on the times. I've got this and not read it either.

                                  https://www.amazon.co.uk/Last-Trains...sap_bc?ie=UTF8

                                  The top rail history man, with tons and tons of detail, is Terry Gourvish- not cheap. He supports renationalization, I think, which lots of rail writers don't.

                                  I read his one on 1948-74, which covered the fairly expensive pre-Beeching investment plan. Given that 1/3 of the network then closed any, I supposed it had mixed success. There wasn't even a system of investment appraisal. We've certainly got that now, though it seems a bit conservative, especially outside areas with not much rail to begin with.

                                  The next volume of Gourvish is, er, unread in my house.

                                  Comment


                                    Lang Spoon will be delighted to hear Network Rail are doing a fair bit of work in Scotland over Christmas. What could possibly go wrong?

                                    Comment


                                      They are installing a new (much needed) pedestrian crossing, and widening the island for (and hopefully removing the walker cage that narrows the present staggered crossing points) another, around Christchurch in Dublin. Which is great, but they are working during rush hour, in December, where almost every fucker is in some kind of vehicle on their commute or shop. Why the fuck pick December as the time for works?

                                      Should have the new Luas trams for peak Christmas i think, finally the two lines will be joined at Stephens Green by a link/third route.
                                      Last edited by Lang Spoon; 01-12-2017, 21:48.

                                      Comment


                                        Originally posted by Tubby Isaacs View Post
                                        Lang Spoon will be delighted to hear Network Rail are doing a fair bit of work in Scotland over Christmas. What could possibly go wrong?
                                        When/if things break it will be the fault of Hamza Yousaf, obviously.

                                        Comment


                                          Devolution of Network Rail could be on the cards. Grayling/ the DfT want to chip away at the state monolith in their midst.

                                          Comment


                                            Interested to see Abellio lost money on the first year of the Scotrail contract. Only £3.5m headline figure, but I think they did £28m of work as well, plus they got a £10m loan from the Dutch government. Quite a good bit of negotiating by the Scottish Government.

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                                              Wouldn’t think that but. See also snagging scandal outrage on road Queensferry Crossing.

                                              Comment


                                                I like this picture. But it doesn't exactly dispel the impression of excessive Londoncentricity.

                                                Comment


                                                  Well there you go, only Brum getting on there. To be fair Glasgow Central wasn’t far off the top ten, and Manchester Piccadilly and Waverley are both over 20 million. Still, you’d never guess the lop sided demographics and economy of Britain from the network.
                                                  Last edited by Lang Spoon; 02-12-2017, 14:34.

                                                  Comment


                                                    Crossrail will boost a few of those London stations further. Birmingham's just had a tram extension to Brierly Hill funded, but it probably won't have the same effect.

                                                    Is there any chance of Manchester and Edinburgh bringing in congestion charges now? Aside from the money, it gets the cities in DfT's good books and make it easier to get more government investment.

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