Inbox

AC conversion

09.08.13: The cost of converting the southern electric network to AC is wishful thinking, and likely to get squeezed out. As I put in my earlier post, the aluminium composite rail makes DC much more efficient; isolated islands of 25kv does not produce a v...

East Coast rolling stock

02.08.13: An open letter to Patrick McLoughlin: I was delighted with your announcement of a further order of IEP trains for East Coast especially as it will reduce York-Kings Cross journey times to around 90 minutes non-stop. All trains will be unifo...

Uckfield-Lewes

26.07.13: The electrification of Oxsted-Uckfield/Lewes will almost certainly be OHLE AC; all of Southern's stock that would be used on these services and all of their recent orders are either dual voltage capable already or just need minor modifications...

WCML investment

19.07.13: Whilst supporting HS2 as a long-term development, I have to partly agree with the CBI Director General. The West Coast Main Line does need further investment, particularly north of Crewe which should have four tracks between Winsford and Hartfor...

Bustitution

12.07.13: I for one am all in favour of ending this farce. The service I travel to work on in a morning (0545 Cleethorpes – Newark Northgate), is bustituted on a regular basis (approx. every six weeks). This is annoying at best as it means a mu...

Virgin worries on infrastructure reliability

05.07.13: I was very interested to read Chris Gibbs comments and observations in regard to the infrastructure on the West Coast Mainline. However, I do not think that Virgin Trains are not being very consistent in their argumentation. Please let me explai...

Level crossing safety

28.06.13: There are people who only think of themselves for whatever reason. Their situation may be very bleak and are probably beyond caring. We may never know. However, I can remember the crossing keeper and the substantial gates across roads. Perhaps w...

Stratford station opening

21.06.13: Had Beeching had his wicked way the direct route to Birmingham via Henley in Arden would have closed in the 60s. This amply demonstrated the crass stupidity of Government policy towards rail in the past. Now there will be three trains per hour t...

Whifflet route electrification

14.06.13: This is the RIGHT priority for electrification, as it is wiring up sections which should have been wired up ages ago. It means a very simple wiring up project means another service using the underutilised Glasgow Central Low line to provide a be...

Crossrail 2

07.06.13: In my view these regional cross-London schemes are a mistake. Conventional tube lines would provide relief on the busiest sections at a fraction of the cost. Crossrail, for instance, could have run over the Hammersmith branch of the Metropolitan...

Lewes – Uckfield

31.05.13: Myopia rules, and is alive in central planning offices. Both routes – via Uckfield and via Dorking need implementing without pfaffing about for ten years. Yes there is a need for track/junction re-alignment near Lewes, but trains through D...

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...