Inbox

HS2 criticisms

24.05.13: Of course the NAO figures are out of date because whenever a responsible body points out the weakness of HS2, its proponents conjure up a revised case to muddy the water. The fact is that HS2 is not the right plan for Britain. We should not...

Lewes-Uckfield

17.05.13: Lewes-Uckfield reopening has been studied to death; why waste more resources on another study that will have the same result as before? [Network Rail] should be concentrating on finding ways to increase capacity into central London. We need...

Bombardier wins order for 57 more Class 378s

10.05.13: Boris Johnson comments that the order “will also support jobs and growth at their birthplace in Derby”. Perhaps Boris is not aware that the majority of components for these new trains will be either imported from Bombardier's own fac...

Euston Cross alternative HS2 proposal

03.05.13: Good that influential rail people are questioning the wisdom of the current HS2 plan. Unfortunately, they forget that train flows from Euston/St P/KX are uni-directionally northwards. Few of the HS passengers arriving from the north will wa...

‘Euston Cross’ alternative HS2 plan

26.04.13: I am very pleased with the proposal for the Euston Cross option. The only thing I think is a bit short-sighted is the wording in the proposal that suggests that only one of the platforms would be suitable for GC gauge trains (I’m not...

Sentencing after level crossing crash

19.04.13: I am very pleased at the humane sentence given to Mr Maund, granted that sometimes (and I noticed it in the sentencing of a bus driver who was 'hung out to dry') those at the sharp end of transport operations can be severely punished despite bei...

Alternative HS2 plan from Lords

12.04.13: Services being limited on account of HS1’s capacity limitations? I think that is a good situation to be in, given that HS1 is falling short of its potential. Besides, there are plenty of other solutions if people are imaginative. For insta...

Alternative HS2 plan from Lords

05.04.13: The Euston Cross idea has significant merit. The current HS1-HS2 link plans via Primrose Hill is a major threat to London Overground and freight ambitions. That scheme, as it stands is constrained, very poor fudge which requires a better solutio...

Train announcements

22.03.13: The response from ATOC is typical of railway complacency; they should shut up and listen for a change. Yes, there are some announcements that are simply not needed. Many others are uneducated and ungrammatical: trains arrive AT stations, for exa...

IEP supply chain

15.03.13: Over the last few years, there has been a great deal of talk in the media, and plenty of Government hype, about the proposed UK supply chain for the Hitachi IEP. Recently however, all has gone quiet and we still do not know whether any Brit...

Rail line re-openings

08.03.13: The glowing piece of news I read about re-opening certain railways after the Beeching lacklustre and amateur sledgehammer approach was a stimulating breath of fresh air. It is good that railways are being studied by those who are in th...

Preventing delays

01.03.13: Living on the main London - Brighton line, I often visit the city on business and have been delayed because a train has broken down, cables have been removed or weather has caused a problem. The new rolling stock does not have a locomotive...

IEP train specifications

22.02.13: In accordance with the current trend, the train has systems for everything. But which of them are really cost-effective? And which could be dispensed with and which are in the nice-to-have category? Or is this an example of gold-plating the...

London-Shropshire services

15.02.13: Had the late and much-lamented Wrexham and Shropshire service been allowed to run through to Chester perhaps it might have avoided withdrawal, so it is a bit rich for Virgin now to be attempting to cream off traffic from Shrewsbury and calling i...

‘High Speed Rail from a Scottish Perspective’

08.02.13: I read with interest the contribution in the Dec/Jan issue, ‘High Speed Rail from a Scottish Perspective’ from a member of Railfuture Scotland. I need to emphasise that this was the personal view of the author, and not...