Trainchat - The failure of privatisation in the British Railway

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ellspurs: Sep 12, 2007; Kappa :o

Drone_Fragger posted:

Don't worry, the fact that one day a week all the signals fail round new street and trains are unable to enter the station is NOTHING to worry about.

What you should be worrying about is that all the staff there are loving crooks who will hit you with penalty fares for the most trivial of reasons and frankly have got to be breaking the law somewhere given every time I walk past them giving a penalty fare to someone who bought an offpeak instead of a peak ticket, normally while repeatedly telling them that they have to pay right now or they'll get a criminal record or go to jail or "tell us where you really came from" so they can justify giving an even bigger penalty fare.

The third thing you should worry about is that the station is still standing and hasn't been demolished yet given it is a tremendous piece of godawful poo poo. BRUTALISM YEAAAH OOHRAH

They're in the middle of sticking a John Lewis on top of it. Every time I've driven around by there, they've changed the directions of the roads and which entrances you need to use. Not actually been in there for years, I always catch the train at Birmingham International when I need to.

# ? Apr 12, 2014 02:07

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# ? May 20, 2024 21:41

Chocolate Teapot: May 8, 2009

The John Lewis at B'ham won't be done until next May or something outlandishly long, so don't expect the roadworks to disappear anytime soon. I hate going to Birmingham, why can't it be open and spacious like Lime Street or Manchester Piccadilly?

# ? Apr 13, 2014 00:06

Goldskull: Feb 20, 2011

Cerv posted:

The barriers at tube and overground stations aren't always closed. You've just not been to the right stations at the right times.
Zone 1 they're (pretty much) always closed, but the further out you go and the later at night the more likely they are to be open.

And yes, it's because they have to be staffed. Otherwise someone with a faulty oyster card, creased papaer ticket or whatever would be trapped inside. Never mind what would happen in an actual emergency evacuation situation.

They had them closed at Southgate station at the top of the Piccadilly Line at ~12am on a Sunday night years back (circa 2001). I fell asleep after doing a 10hr stocktake and a few pints, missing my stop at Wood Green. No more trains heading southbound, the ticket machines were turned off, station was deserted and most of the shutters were across the entrance except a single file opening. I was quite willing to pay the extra money to get out of a Zone 4 station if there was any opportunity to do so, but I was left with no choice but to jump the barrier, at which point a station attendant appeared out of nowhere. Seriously, I have no idea where the gently caress this guy came from, I could see all of the station and all of a sudden he was just there, as he proceeded to start screaming at me, how 'people like me think they don't have to pay' and 'why do I think I'm better than him' etc etc. Dude had mad squabbles til I pointed out there was no way to pay, which calmed him down and he let me through.

Bumped into him at the Bus Stop 5 minutes later, where he apologised and explained 'loving suits giving him poo poo over tickets' were the bane of his life most mornings. Fair enough I suppose. The few other times I've done this I just explained I fell asleep and they shrugged and opened the barrier.

# ? Apr 13, 2014 12:32

Drone_Fragger: May 9, 2007

ellspurs posted:

They're in the middle of sticking a John Lewis on top of it. Every time I've driven around by there, they've changed the directions of the roads and which entrances you need to use. Not actually been in there for years, I always catch the train at Birmingham International when I need to.

Yep, they've been doing so for like the last 5 years and it is taking them forever because they have to clear out ungodly amounts of asbestos and unneeded concrete from the building. They recently changed the side of the station they're working on over and the "updated" and "new" side of the building still just looks like a brutalist nightmare straight from the 70s even after they tried to nicen it up.

# ? Apr 13, 2014 22:37

Doctor_Fruitbat: Jun 2, 2013

I've been to the new Birmingham New Street once and it looks like THX-1138; where the hell did all the shops go?

# ? Apr 14, 2014 23:33

nozz: Jan 27, 2007; proficient pringle eater

It's not finished.

# ? Apr 14, 2014 23:50

General Lee Awesome: Nov 8, 2009

Even for an unfinished station its bloody awful. A tactical nuclear strike would be a quicker and more effective refurbishment option, and would also significantly enhance Birmingham's reputation.

# ? Apr 15, 2014 15:02

Rude Dude With Tude: Apr 19, 2007; Your President approves this text.

Good news, horrible unreliable bloated public sector waste of taxpayers money Network Rail are on schedule to finish the electrification of the Manchester - Liverpool route by December. Meanwhile the lean forward facing private sector efficiency of Northern Rail will have two (2) whole new* trains ready to run on the newly electrified line. Obviously the thusting young capitalists and railway experts at Northern can't be expected to have trains ready for when electrification "goes live" (ho ho ho) as it's only been planned for five (5) years.

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/manchester-liverpool-train-line-electrification-track-6987740

*26 year old Class 319s

# ? Apr 15, 2014 15:33

XMNN: Apr 26, 2008; I am incredibly stupid

All the other ones are going to be old trains, as well. Also, they were all built by British Rail. Another win for the private sector!

# ? Apr 15, 2014 16:17

Metrication: Dec 12, 2010; Raskin had one problem: Jobs regarded him as an insufferable theorist or, to use Jobs's own more precise terminology, "a shithead who sucks".

Where are they getting them from the new Thameslink trains aren't coming for two years.

# ? Apr 15, 2014 16:35

Rude Dude With Tude: Apr 19, 2007; Your President approves this text.

Metrication posted:

Where are they getting them from the new Thameslink trains aren't coming for two years.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s88r_q7oufE

I'm guessing when they stop sending Thameslink Brighton services through London Bridge for the redevelopment there (December 2014-2018) there'll be some spare trains as you can't fit everything through Herne Hill all the time.

# ? Apr 15, 2014 17:27

Bozza: Mar 5, 2004; "I'm a really useful engine!"

Metrication posted:

Where are they getting them from the new Thameslink trains aren't coming for two years.

319s are my Dad's favorite train, he says they're lovely to drive.

They're old school though, no computers, all electro-mechanical.

# ? Apr 15, 2014 21:08

Zephirus: May 18, 2004; BRRRR......CHK

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad posted:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s88r_q7oufE

I'm guessing when they stop sending Thameslink Brighton services through London Bridge for the redevelopment there (December 2014-2018) there'll be some spare trains as you can't fit everything through Herne Hill all the time.

Most of the brighton services are 377's now borrowed from southern so there's some spare stock I think. London bridge services are going to elephant and castle at the moment though how temporary that is I don't know.

319's on everything else though, ugh.

Zephirus fucked around with this message at 22:05 on Apr 15, 2014

# ? Apr 15, 2014 22:02

Metrication: Dec 12, 2010; Raskin had one problem: Jobs regarded him as an insufferable theorist or, to use Jobs's own more precise terminology, "a shithead who sucks".

quote:

Passengers covered almost 60 per cent of the UK rail network�s costs between 2012-13.

New figures from the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) show that between 2012-13 fare income rose by 3.6 per cent to �7.7 billion, while the government�s contribution fell by 4.2 per cent to �4 billion � just over 30 per cent of total income.

Despite a growth in both passenger and freight traffic, the cost of running Britain�s railways remained fairly static at �12.3 billion.

The figures did reveal a substantial disparity between the amount of government funding for services across the UK, which ranged from �2.19 per passenger journey in England, to �7.60 per journey in Scotland, and �9.33 per journey in Wales.

ORR chief executive Richard Price said: �Britain�s rail industry receives substantial income from passengers and taxpayers. People have a right to know where the money goes and what it helps deliver. ORR welcomes the industry�s support in compiling this report. It demonstrates a real step forward for the rail sector, which, with ORR�s help, is developing a stronger culture of openness and transparency, and providing more detailed data on costs, income and fares.

�Passengers are increasingly the main funder of the railways, and must be central to developing its plans for the future. ORR is working to put passengers at the heart of the railways � working with the industry to ensure passenger groups have a greater say in plans and delivery of new enhancements to the rail network; to review the quality of information provided to passengers during the recent disruptions; and to establish a code of practice on rail ticket selling.�

# ? Apr 17, 2014 14:49

Hezzy: Dec 4, 2004; Pillbug

Seaside Loafer posted:

I give up, you guys sound like the jobsworth nazis who while having their union rights caned for a business that shouldnt be in private ownership in the first place are still happy to loving enforce the letter of the law as opposed to the spirit of the law.

Enjoy your 18 grand a year i guess, sell outs.

Hahah what even

# ? Apr 18, 2014 20:23

TinTower: Apr 21, 2010; You don't have to 8e a good person to 8e a hero.

History's greatest monster!

Russell Brand Admits Dodging London To Chelmsford Train Fare posted:

Comedian Russell Brand has admitted that he recently dodged a train fare because he "couldn't be bothered with the rigmarole of getting one", it has been reported.

The comic, who is estimated to be worth around �15million, told a podcast recording in London on Thursday that he jumped the barrier for a train from London to Chelmsford, Essex, skipping the �14.90 rail fare, The Daily Mirror reported.

The paper reported Brand told the recording: �From someone that�s gone from no wealth to wealth, I know that money doesn�t make me happier. Like I jumped the train yesterday when I had to go to Chelmsford.

"I could have got a ticket but I couldn�t be bothered with the rigmarole of getting one. I realised all I had to do was get over a barrier so I did that and then slid out the other end behind someone.�

A spokesman for Greater Anglia, which runs the train route, declined to comment to The Mirror on Russell�s admission but told the paper: �We take fare evasion very seriously as it is in the interest of everyone that travels.�

Brand is not the only wealthy person to dodge train fares.

Earlier this week, a high-flying city executive was revealed as the UK's biggest train fare dodger after being made to pay back nearly �43,000 in unpaid fares and legal costs.

The man, who has not been named, spent five years exploiting a loophole which allowed him to pass through exit barriers at London Cannon Street by �tapping out� with an Oyster card � paying only a third of the actual cost of his journey.

# ? Apr 20, 2014 07:53

kingturnip: Apr 18, 2008

I'm not going to claim that fare evasion is the preserve of those who can afford the penalty fare - just watch the people who quickly jump back on a train when they see Revenue Protection Officers at their station - but it does continue to lend credence to Pratchett's joke about 'the rich being rich because they can afford to not spend any money'.

# ? Apr 21, 2014 12:04

x1o: Aug 5, 2005; My focus is UNPARALLELED!

kingturnip posted:

I'm not going to claim that fare evasion is the preserve of those who can afford the penalty fare - just watch the people who quickly jump back on a train when they see Revenue Protection Officers at their station - but it does continue to lend credence to Pratchett's joke about 'the rich being rich because they can afford to not spend any money'.

If the RPO's in the UK are anything like the ones down here in Australia, then they might jumping back on the train to avoid getting their teeth kicked in for looking at them the wrong way.

# ? Apr 21, 2014 17:31

TinTower: Apr 21, 2010; You don't have to 8e a good person to 8e a hero.

HS2 bill second reading is today and tomorrow.

# ? Apr 28, 2014 21:48

Rude Dude With Tude: Apr 19, 2007; Your President approves this text.

Good news, everyone! http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukn...er-project.html

Telegraph posted:

HS2 vote: Government survives Commons rebellion as minister threatens to resign over project
^{By Peter Dominiczak, Assistant Political Editor | 12:20AM BST 29 Apr 2014}

David Cameron�s HS2 project has survived a rebellion by 26 of his own MPs. Despite dozens of Conservatives voting against high-speed rail, the bill was passed in the Commons thanks to support from the Labour Party. However, Mr Cameron is now facing the prospect of a ministerial resignation over the controversial railway.

David Lidington, the Europe minister, has threatened to resign if a tunnel is not built under the Chiltern Hills. The Government has proposed a 13.5 kilometre tunnel that will pass under a section of the Chilterns. However, Mr Lidington wants the tunnel to be extended significantly, a move which could add more than �1 billion to the cost of the project.

The HS2 bill passed its second reading in the Commons on Monday night with a majority of 411 in favour of the project. However, there were more than 25 Conservative rebels opposed to the scheme. MPs who voted against the scheme included John Redwood and Andrew Tyrie, the head of the Treasury select committee. A wrecking amendment proposed by former Cheryl Gillan, a former Cabinet minister, was also defeated by 451 to 50 votes, a majority of 401. Around 30 Tories are thought to have rebelled.

Mr Cameron also faced criticism for failing to attend the Commons vote. A number of ministers including Mr Lidington, Andrea Leadsom, a Treasury minister, and Dominic Grieve, the Attorney General, also abstained from the vote. Despite the bill passing, the vote will intensify pressure on the Government over the �50 billion project.

Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London, on Monday prompted controversy when he said that opponents of HS2 on environmental grounds are talking �b******s� and that they are simply concerned about property prices falling along the route. A host of MPs used spoke out against HS2 in the Commons.

Michael Fabricant, a former vice chairman of the Conservative Party, attacked Mr Cameron�s "extraordinary" change of position on the High Speed 2 project as he pledged to vote against one of his own Government's Bills for the first time. Mr Fabricant said that five years ago he and the Prime Minister had been in full agreement over the fatal flaws of the project as proposed by then Labour Transport Secretary Lord Andrew Adonis. Mr Fabricant said: "This for me is a first. Five years ago, the Prime Minister, then the leader of the Conservative Party, supported HS2 in principle and so did I. Five years ago, the Prime Minister, leader of the Conservative Party, said the Adonis route is profoundly wrong, that its whole implementation would be damaging to the environment, be damaging to local areas which could otherwise enjoy peace and quiet and would be damaging to the nation as a whole. And yet here we are five years on with the Government supporting the original Adonis plan. I find that quite extraordinary."

Mr Fabricant said he agreed with the principle of HS2 and acknowledged the capacity problems causing thousands of people to arrive at London Euston without seats. But he added: "I believe the implementation of HS2 is deeply, deeply flawed. All the promises of breakfast in Brum and lunch in Paris with a through route have all gone. There will be no connection between the midlands and the north, and HS1 and the Channel Tunnel."

Sir John Randall, the former Tory deputy chief whip, said he would vote against the Bill, telling MPs the issue of HS2 was as important to him as the invasion of Iraq in 2003. Sir John resigned as an opposition whip in March 2003 over Britain's involvement in the invasion. The MP for Uxbridge and South Ruislip said: "I was told when I first came in here that the thing we should always think is put your country first, your constituency second and your party third, and I agree with that. I'm not putting my constituency first. I am putting my country first because I think at the moment this plan is not suitable for our country because it's going to ruin too much of it. I think we're getting on the right lines with it but we have got to do something. I've only voted once previously against my party and that was over Iraq. This is as important to me that we get this right. I vote against tonight with a heavy but resolute heart."

The article comments are so deliciously butthurt.

# ? Apr 29, 2014 12:02

Bacon Terrorist: May 7, 2010; to ride eternal, shiny and chrome

THUNDERDOME LOSER 2022

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad posted:

Good news, horrible unreliable bloated public sector waste of taxpayers money Network Rail are on schedule to finish the electrification of the Manchester - Liverpool route by December. Meanwhile the lean forward facing private sector efficiency of Northern Rail will have two (2) whole new* trains ready to run on the newly electrified line. Obviously the thusting young capitalists and railway experts at Northern can't be expected to have trains ready for when electrification "goes live" (ho ho ho) as it's only been planned for five (5) years.

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/manchester-liverpool-train-line-electrification-track-6987740

*26 year old Class 319s

Given that when the new timetable changes come in on May 18th my depot will be running a 142 permanently, you get no sympathy from me.

# ? Apr 29, 2014 13:02

MyFaceBeHi: Apr 9, 2008; I was popular, once.

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad posted:

Good news, everyone! http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukn...er-project.html

The article comments are so deliciously butthurt.

I still don't think that HS2 is a good idea, but that has more to do with the fact that I won't see any benefit from it because I don't live in either Birmingham or London. Obviously I understand that it can't connect to every town and city in England because then you lose the benefits of zooming around at 180mph or whatever but still, doesn't stop me from moaning in a very British way (I won't benefit from it therefore no one should).

# ? May 3, 2014 16:44

coffeetable: Feb 5, 2006; TELL ME AGAIN HOW GREAT BRITAIN WOULD BE IF IT WAS RULED BY THE MERCILESS JACKBOOT OF PRINCE CHARLES

YES I DO TALK TO PLANTS ACTUALLY

MyFaceBeHi posted:

I still don't think that HS2 is a good idea, but that has more to do with the fact that I won't see any benefit from it because I don't live in either Birmingham or London. Obviously I understand that it can't connect to every town and city in England because then you lose the benefits of zooming around at 180mph or whatever but still, doesn't stop me from moaning in a very British way (I won't benefit from it therefore no one should).

I saw some news stories a while back about political pressure to bring forward HS2 Phase 2, which would link Manchester/Leeds/Sheffield to Birmingham, but I don't know if it actually went anywhere. Wikipedia says construction is currently planned to start in 2022 for completion in 2032.

# ? May 3, 2014 16:59

Bacon Terrorist: May 7, 2010; to ride eternal, shiny and chrome

THUNDERDOME LOSER 2022

Is it true that they want HS2 to go into Euston despite it being a logistical nightmare? It would make more sense to go to St Pancras, surely?

Also heard they want it to go direct to Manchester Airport as opposed to Picadilly.

# ? May 3, 2014 17:01

MyFaceBeHi: Apr 9, 2008; I was popular, once.

Yeah, it's going to get its own platforms and everything at Euston, even though they will have to demolish half of Camden to do that! There was original plans to link it with HS1 so you can go directly from Birmingham/Manchester/Leeds to Paris without changing in London but they seem to have shelved that idea, which is stupid because getting off at Euston then walking a few hundred yards to St Pancras is dumb and they should feel dumb for not providing a good enough link that doesn't involve the Victoria line!

Not sure about Manchester Picadilly though, but I think it will do what they are planning for Birmingham Airport and just have it run past there with some sort of metrolink link to it. Personally I think, with the amount of country folk around the Chilterns and Warwickshire moaning about this, we may end up with another Twyford Down situation, only less hippie students and more angry land owners and NIMBYs!

# ? May 3, 2014 17:14

Jonnty: Aug 2, 2007; The enemy has become a flaming star!

MyFaceBeHi posted:

I still don't think that HS2 is a good idea, but that has more to do with the fact that I won't see any benefit from it because I don't live in either Birmingham or London. Obviously I understand that it can't connect to every town and city in England because then you lose the benefits of zooming around at 180mph or whatever but still, doesn't stop me from moaning in a very British way (I won't benefit from it therefore no one should).

Where do you live? The capacity released from classic lines will enhance local services in the vicinity of the line, and it'll also cut journey times to London from anywhere further north up the West Coast. Anti-HS2 types desperately try to frame the benefits as limited to the area of the station and that's just not the case.

# ? May 3, 2014 18:09

TinTower: Apr 21, 2010; You don't have to 8e a good person to 8e a hero.

Indeed, look at the business case, where released capacity could lead to the return of the Blackpool and Shrewsbury London services, better connectivity for East Anglia to the ECML and the South West to the North East (for example, cutting an hour off Leeds�Wales).

# ? May 3, 2014 19:09

MyFaceBeHi: Apr 9, 2008; I was popular, once.

I live in Wolverhampton so whilst I do accept that it will likely open up capacity for the WCML at the same time if I want to use it there will still be the small hurdle of how will I get to it from Birmingham New Street.

Also I'll only use HS2 if Virgin aren't running it. :colbert:

# ? May 3, 2014 19:54

ellspurs: Sep 12, 2007; Kappa :o

MyFaceBeHi posted:

I live in Wolverhampton so whilst I do accept that it will likely open up capacity for the WCML at the same time if I want to use it there will still be the small hurdle of how will I get to it from Birmingham New Street.

Also I'll only use HS2 if Virgin aren't running it.

You get the wonderful Midland Metro which they're extending through Birmingham City Centre to New Street station...

# ? May 3, 2014 19:59

jammyozzy: Dec 7, 2006; Is that a challenge?

MyFaceBeHi posted:

Yeah, it's going to get its own platforms and everything at Euston, even though they will have to demolish half of Camden to do that! There was original plans to link it with HS1 so you can go directly from Birmingham/Manchester/Leeds to Paris without changing in London but they seem to have shelved that idea, which is stupid because getting off at Euston then walking a few hundred yards to St Pancras is dumb and they should feel dumb for not providing a good enough link that doesn't involve the Victoria line!

This is the dumbest thing I've read today (so far), is there a good reason for that or are the various committees involved not talking to each other?

# ? May 3, 2014 20:09

Rude Dude With Tude: Apr 19, 2007; Your President approves this text.

TfL want a fat bunch of zone one - zone one fares from lazy fucks and people too stupid to realise the stations are 100 metres apart?

# ? May 3, 2014 22:31

Bacon Terrorist: May 7, 2010; to ride eternal, shiny and chrome

THUNDERDOME LOSER 2022

Jonnty posted:

Where do you live? The capacity released from classic lines will enhance local services in the vicinity of the line, and it'll also cut journey times to London from anywhere further north up the West Coast. Anti-HS2 types desperately try to frame the benefits as limited to the area of the station and that's just not the case.

The capacity thing is good, but what are the exact figures regarding journey times? Manchester Pic to Euston can be done in 2h21 at this point in time. I'm not sure the difference will be that significant in that respect.

# ? May 3, 2014 23:03

nozz: Jan 27, 2007; proficient pringle eater

Manchester to Euston would go down to around 1 hour 45 minutes.

# ? May 3, 2014 23:06

Rude Dude With Tude: Apr 19, 2007; Your President approves this text.

Oh hello! http://gu.com/p/3pv9y

The Observer posted:

Ed Miliband has come under pressure to bring the rail network back into national ownership if Labour wins the next election, as more than 30 of his party's parliamentary candidates call for a bold new policy to improve services and control train fares.

In a joint letter to the Observer, the prospective MPs – many of whom will fight in marginal seats where they say the commuter vote could be crucial – argue that a policy of gradual renationalisation would allow fares to be kept under control and profits to be reinvested in services.

Their intervention comes as radical options for the future of the rail network are being considered by Labour's lengthy policy review, which is nearing completion. It also coincides with a pledge in the Observer by two key figures in the Labour election team to present the most radical manifesto in a generation.

While Miliband has said he is interested in "innovative solutions" for the railways and is open to considering a greater degree of state control, shadow chancellor Ed Balls is said to be resistant to anything that would be portrayed by Labour's opponents as anti-business or a lurch back to the pre-Thatcher era of nationalised industries.

In their letter, the candidates say a big move on rail ownership and fares could prove a vote-winner on doorsteps, particularly in marginal seats in the south, which Labour must seize if it is to win an overall majority. They argue that under the present franchising system, private companies can charge high fares and "walk away with hundreds of millions of pounds every year, despite running monopoly services and benefiting from £4bn of public investment in the rail network every year".

Instead, they want to extend the system of national ownership that has operated successfully on the East Coast main line since 2009, when the franchise run by National Express failed, and bring all franchises under state control as they come free. "A commitment to extend this successful model to the rest of the rail network, as existing contracts come to an end, would mean that hundreds of millions currently lost in private profit would be available to fully fund a bold offer on rail fares," they say.

The letter, which shows the pressure Miliband is under to deliver more eye-catching policies in areas ranging from health to childcare, goes on: "Labour's response to this should be to offer a fairer deal to commuters as a part of Ed Miliband's response to the cost of living crisis.

"Just as Labour has pledged to freeze energy bills and reset the market to secure a better deal for customers, so it will be necessary to reform the rail industry to secure a better deal for passengers."

On Saturday night one of the signatories, Nancy Platts, who is seeking to overturn a 1,300 Tory majority in Brighton Kemptown, said: "If I can have some concrete policies to sell on the doorsteps, that will make a big difference. Rail fares are a huge issue here and in other commuter areas. For many people who have to buy a season ticket, they are like a second mortgage. Changing the way we run the rail system is an issue of fairness."

An Opinium/Observer poll on the future of rail shows that more than three times as many people back some form of renationalisation of rail services (55%) as oppose it (18%).

When the idea of bringing franchises back under national control as they fall free was put to voters, three times as many Tory voters (60%) backed the idea as opposed it (20%). Among Labour voters 71% were in favour and 8% against.

Near sensibility at last, maybe.

# ? May 3, 2014 23:42

TinTower: Apr 21, 2010; You don't have to 8e a good person to 8e a hero.

nozz posted:

Manchester to Euston would go down to around 1 hour 45 minutes.

1:48 after Phase 1, 1:08 after Phase 2.

# ? May 3, 2014 23:54

Peanut President: Nov 5, 2008; by Athanatos

"shadow chancellor Ed Balls"

# ? May 3, 2014 23:56

Bacon Terrorist: May 7, 2010; to ride eternal, shiny and chrome

THUNDERDOME LOSER 2022

Ok 1:08 is extremely significant, thanks for the swift replies.

Wouldn't putting all us pesky Rail staff into a nationalised railway increase the union power significantly though?

*cue sinister music*

# ? May 4, 2014 00:14

Metrication: Dec 12, 2010; Raskin had one problem: Jobs regarded him as an insufferable theorist or, to use Jobs's own more precise terminology, "a shithead who sucks".

The benefits of nationalisation can only be fully felt if the railways are vertically integrated !

# ? May 4, 2014 00:48

Jonnty: Aug 2, 2007; The enemy has become a flaming star!

Lofty132 posted:

Ok 1:08 is extremely significant, thanks for the swift replies.

Wouldn't putting all us pesky Rail staff into a nationalised railway increase the union power significantly though?

*cue sinister music*

Not if you structured it (well) as a workers' cooperative!

e:but yeah this story comes up every few months and nothing ever actually happens policy-wise. i think it's just to keep the transport unions and commuters vaguely on-side or something

Jonnty fucked around with this message at 01:00 on May 4, 2014

# ? May 4, 2014 00:57

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# ? May 20, 2024 21:41

Vincent Van Goatse: Nov 8, 2006; Enjoy every sandwich.; Smellrose

Lofty132 posted:

Also heard they want it to go direct to Manchester Airport as opposed to Picadilly.

For God's sake why? Capacity/enlargement issues at Piccadilly (couldn't they rebuild the closed station across from Piccadilly or something)? Airport accessibility? Sheer perversity?

Vincent Van Goatse fucked around with this message at 02:52 on May 4, 2014

# ? May 4, 2014 02:48

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Debate & Discussion > Trainchat - The failure of privatisation in the British Railway

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