Trainchat - The failure of privatisation in the British Railway

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Munin: Nov 14, 2004

coffeetable posted:

To contrast, here's the NY subway, which still runs on people flipping levers

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mjx3S3UjmnA

That first section is pretty mindblowing and cool old tech must see style stuff.

# ? Mar 6, 2016 00:51

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# ? Apr 28, 2024 14:25

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

Still got plenty of that stuff in the UK. Last thing I did before I left Western for Scotland was write the requirements for scrapping 10 mechanical boxes in Cornwall.

Most are rebuilt frames from the inter war eras but the buildings are often mid 19th Century.

# ? Mar 7, 2016 14:04

spamman: Jul 11, 2002; Chin up Tiger, There is always next season...

One of my current projects is replacing a hard control panel just like that.

# ? Mar 7, 2016 14:15

Cerv: Sep 14, 2004; This is a silly post with little news value.

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/2a113ae2-...t#axzz42boLUzBq

Even the FT are publishing scathing skeptical view of the governments move to chop up and sell off Network Rail

# ? Mar 11, 2016 16:40

goddamnedtwisto: Dec 31, 2004; If you ask me about the mole people in the London Underground, I WILL be forced to kill you; Fun Shoe

Cerv posted:

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/2a113ae2-...t#axzz42boLUzBq

Even the FT are publishing scathing skeptical view of the governments move to chop up and sell off Network Rail

Why are they all so fixated on getting the regions to compete with each other? The rail network already has competition, it's called "every other form of transport", and that's why - three times now in a century - the competing entities have had to be amalgamated, nationalised, or both. It it rose-tinted, Major-style hankering for LNER and the GWR competing to have the fastest trains, just plain Thatcherite markets-worship, or both? How do they justify repeating the same mistakes?

# ? Mar 13, 2016 16:49

OwlFancier: Aug 22, 2013

Because nobody who would be inclined to call them out on it has the ability to, and everyone with the ability to isn't inclined to.

# ? Mar 13, 2016 17:02

Blacknose: Jul 28, 2006; Meet frustration face to face
A point of view creates more waves
So lose some sleep and say you tried

goddamnedtwisto posted:

Why are they all so fixated on getting the regions to compete with each other? The rail network already has competition, it's called "every other form of transport", and that's why - three times now in a century - the competing entities have had to be amalgamated, nationalised, or both. It it rose-tinted, Major-style hankering for LNER and the GWR competing to have the fastest trains, just plain Thatcherite markets-worship, or both? How do they justify repeating the same mistakes?

It's a relatively simple case of More Money For Us, gently caress You.

# ? Mar 14, 2016 11:37

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

lol First are still the Worst http://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/mar/30/train-operators-adverts-banned-owned-by-public-gwr-great-western-railway also the level of sass in this article is incredible.

quote:

Train operator's adverts banned for suggesting service owned by public

The train operator Great Western Railway has been banned from running adverts that suggest its service is publicly owned.

A poster campaign introducing the company formerly known as First Great Western when it rebranded last September stated: �The railway belongs to the region it serves.�

Complainants to the Advertising Standards Authority pointed out that GWR belongs to its owner, FirstGroup, a multinational transport company listed on the London Stock Exchange, and not the people of south-west England.

The ASA ruled that the advert was misleading and �might encourage consumers to use or enquire about using the service, for example, out of regional loyalty or because they believed profits directly belonged to the local region�. It told GWR not to suggest in future that the railway franchise was publicly owned, if that was not the case.

Cat Hobbs, director of the campaign group We Own It, said: �Privatisation is now so unpopular that train companies can get good PR by pretending to be publicly owned. The GWR advert is misleading � it�s also a sign that it�s time for real public ownership.�

The RMT union said it was good news that the ASA had reprimanded GWR for an �outrageous stunt�. The union�s general secretary, Mick Cash, said: �The truth is that the private rail companies know that they are deeply unpopular for good reason ... RMT will continue to fight for real public ownership of the railways that sweeps away this whole rotten, profiteering system.�

A GWR spokesman said: �We are disappointed by the ASA�s decision. This campaign was designed to highlight the significant social and economic benefits the railway and our train services bring to the region we serve.

�It was never our intention to suggest GWR is a publicly owned company, instead we are proud of the work we do as a private company to benefit the region, and we are sorry if this wasn�t clear.�

The ASA did not upheld a complaint about another GWR advert that described Isambard Kingdom Brunel as �our illustrious founder�, ruling that consumers were likely to understand founder in a broad sense, rather than the founder of the company itself.

FirstGroup rebranded as GWR in 2015 after receiving another extension to run trains on the west of England mainline, a network it has run since privatisation with varying degrees of success.

First Great Western was embroiled in controversy after declining to extend its franchise in 2013, avoiding paying large premiums to the government � but since continuing to run it anyway, on preferential terms.

# ? Mar 30, 2016 12:03

feedmegin: Jul 30, 2008

Good. I noticed that when they rebranded to GWR and assumed it was a 'please don't renationalise us' campaign just in case Labour does get in at the next election.

# ? Mar 30, 2016 13:13

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

THUNDERDOME LOSER 2022

Two days until I officially work for a new company under the franchise reshuffle and no one has a loving clue what is going on :allears:

Got assaulted on a train last month (at 7.30pm on a Saturday night, which struck me as rather early) which was as fun as it sounds but I've applied for a job as a Signaller which seems to be going well so far, so I'll take my chances with the boys in orange if it means I never have to suffer a drunken imbecile laying his hands upon me safe in the knowledge if I fought back I would be sacked :saddowns:

# ? Mar 30, 2016 15:11

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

I imagine Serco-Abelio are pretty much going to say to Arriva on Friday "hey dipshits, here's a temporarily closed intercity station, enjoy."

# ? Mar 30, 2016 15:18

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

THUNDERDOME LOSER 2022

I got a commemorative Abellio pen as an end of the franchise gift, see some are already on eBay.

# ? Mar 30, 2016 15:23

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

So how did that handover go eh? http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/launch-new-era-faster-more-11126537

MEN posted:

Launch of new era of faster more reliable trains delayed... after minister's train is 15 minutes late

A transport minister was 15 minutes late for the launch of �faster, more reliable trains� for the north - because his train was delayed. Andrew Jones, a junior minister at the Department for Transport, was due to herald a new dawn for both Northern and TransPennine services at an event at Manchester�s Piccadilly station .

But his journey from Harrogate, where he is MP, was delayed by a trespasser on the track further up the line. And the irony did not go unnoticed at the launch.

A First Transpennine Express spokesman told the M.E.N: �We were delighted to launch our new franchise this morning at Manchester Piccadilly and pleased that Andrew Jones MP was able to join us for this landmark day for the North.

�Unfortunately the event started a few minutes late as the minister was delayed on arrival. This was a result of a trespass incident in the North Yorkshire area, which impacted services into Manchester from Leeds by about 15 minutes. As always the safety of the railway and its customers is our number one priority and we are pleased that British Transport Police were able to attend the scene and remove the individual concerned. Delays were kept to a minimum and attendees at the launch were able to hear about the transformational changes and billion pound investment that will start to be delivered from today.�

However on arrival, Mr Jones finally got the event under way by hailing the changes to the services as a �plan for the north�, �formed in the north�. Promising 500 new carriages, Mr Jones said the old �no-growth� expectation of Northern was �unacceptable�, adding: �This will be a step change in the way we use rail services across the north. People want more capacity, more seats, more space at peak times and all this will be delivered, it�s a really exciting time. It fits into a much broader investment.�

And Alex Hynes, MD of Northern Rail, promised: �Within 44 months of today every single passenger will be travelling on new or refurbished trains - and Pacers will be a thing of the past. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to transform the lives of our passengers.�

He said the service would change �beyond recognition� in the next 44 months - with more seats, more services and faster trains. With 220 more carriages coming by 2020, Leo Goodwin said for TransPennine: �Today is a momentous day for railways in the north. They will be run here in the north for customers in the north. Customers will see a change in every stage of their journey.�

From today Arriva are taking over the Northern franchise which includes routes to Leeds, Sheffield, Nottingham, York, Manchester, Bradford, Preston and Blackpool. And FirstGroup will continue to run TransPennine services which connect Manchester with Newcastle, Leeds, Sheffield, Hull, Liverpool, Edinburgh and Glasgow, and Manchester Airport.

# ? Apr 2, 2016 10:16

Cerv: Sep 14, 2004; This is a silly post with little news value.

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad posted:

lol First are still the Worst http://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/mar/30/train-operators-adverts-banned-owned-by-public-gwr-great-western-railway also the level of sass in this article is incredible.

not normally a fan of mitchell but this line did amuse

quote:

The adoption of the name of Isambard Kingdom Brunel�s famous company, which actually built the railway, by one which merely profits from it is an act of breathtaking cheek. It�s up there with Mussolini appropriating the trappings of the Roman Empire.

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/apr/03/firstgroup-great-western-railway-advertising-standards-poster

# ? Apr 3, 2016 11:56

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

There appears to have been a crash in Plymouth.

Will place £5 on driver error based on the details available so far.

# ? Apr 3, 2016 19:03

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

Bozza posted:

There appears to have been a crash in Plymouth.

Will place £5 on driver error based on the details available so far.

Seems odd that an HST would be platformed on top of a Sprinter - are the platforms at Plymouth really that long? Might be a bit of signaller error in there as well. Although I suppose the driver shouldn't have proceeded on a permissive aspect if that was the case.

Anyway, at least for once a rail accident is getting what would be a reasonable amount of coverage for a similar car crash.

# ? Apr 4, 2016 19:21

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

Yeah, the platforms at Plymouth are really long.

Might be the signaller hosed it by platforming too long a train on top of another but I doubt it. Worth noting that on a Western panel on an E10k interlocking, there's no separate exit button for the permissive move, it's all in the aspect level controls via berth track occupation at the exit signal.

Driver has the responsibility to drive as far as the line is clear if they get the permissive... Though no doubt some secondary factors will come into play.

# ? Apr 10, 2016 14:21

Thanks Ants: May 21, 2004; #essereFerrari

Another level crossing incident

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-36010389

# ? Apr 10, 2016 15:10

distortion park: Apr 25, 2011

It's amazing how much more dangerous anything becomes once you introduce road vehicles to the mix.

# ? Apr 10, 2016 15:34

Cerv: Sep 14, 2004; This is a silly post with little news value.

Thanks Ants posted:

Another level crossing incident

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-36010389

train's a bit of a mess

# ? Apr 10, 2016 17:08

Hezzy: Dec 4, 2004; Pillbug

Didn't see this posted here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=da-qcji2na0

# ? Apr 11, 2016 13:04

Ofaloaf: Feb 15, 2013

Hezzy posted:

Didn't see this posted here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=da-qcji2na0

http://media.btp.police.uk/r/12532/man_who_drove_car_onto_tracks_which_was_hit_by_pa

Why did that guy drive his car down the tracks and just leave it there in the first place?

# ? Apr 11, 2016 13:16

Hezzy: Dec 4, 2004; Pillbug

Ofaloaf posted:

http://media.btp.police.uk/r/12532/man_who_drove_car_onto_tracks_which_was_hit_by_pa

Why did that guy drive his car down the tracks and just leave it there in the first place?

�When officers and other emergency service colleagues arrived at the scene the area was searched and Mather was discovered hiding in a bush nearby."

:whoptc:

http://imgur.com/a/hwleu

Hezzy fucked around with this message at 14:08 on Apr 11, 2016

# ? Apr 11, 2016 14:06

distortion park: Apr 25, 2011

I saw an elderly couple trying to drive the wrong way on a French motorway once

# ? Apr 11, 2016 22:03

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

THUNDERDOME LOSER 2022

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-36025951

I'd have thought they had a mobile phone policy? I don't know about Network Rail but train crew wise ASLEF have a 'use it and lose it' policy for drivers in the wake of the California rail crash and conductors cannot use their phones whisky carrying out safety critical duties.

# ? Apr 13, 2016 10:03

OwlFancier: Aug 22, 2013

Maybe he was just going for a new high score in angry birds.

# ? Apr 13, 2016 13:10

Venmoch: Jan 7, 2007; Either you pay me or I flay you alive... With my mind!

In Rail related "2016 can suck a bag of dicks" news

Phil Sayer died. Who you may not know by name, but you will know his voice.

# ? Apr 15, 2016 16:05

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

THUNDERDOME LOSER 2022

Southern playing serious hardball with their conductors over DOO saying that they will deduct striking staff a week's wage for every 24 hour strike action they participate in (the period is staggered across two days) and anyone striking has to hand in their travel and car park passes :captainpop:

# ? Apr 24, 2016 17:24

distortion park: Apr 25, 2011

Bacon Terrorist posted:

Southern playing serious hardball with their conductors over DOO saying that they will deduct striking staff a week's wage for every 24 hour strike action they participate in (the period is staggered across two days) and anyone striking has to hand in their travel and car park passes

The weeks wages thing sounds kinda illegal but I'm no expert

# ? Apr 24, 2016 22:23

Hezzy: Dec 4, 2004; Pillbug

Bacon Terrorist posted:

Southern playing serious hardball with their conductors over DOO saying that they will deduct striking staff a week's wage for every 24 hour strike action they participate in (the period is staggered across two days) and anyone striking has to hand in their travel and car park passes

When in doubt, double down

# ? Apr 26, 2016 09:23

MikeCrotch: Nov 5, 2011; I AM UNJUSTIFIABLY PROUD OF MY SPAGHETTI BOLOGNESE RECIPE

YES, IT IS AN INCREDIBLY SIMPLE DISH

NO, IT IS NOT NORMAL TO USE A PEPPERAMI INSTEAD OF MINCED MEAT

YES, THERE IS TOO MUCH SALT IN MY RECIPE

NO, I WON'T STOP SHARING IT

more like BOLLOCKnese

Hezzy posted:

When in doubt, double down

Hey, it's working for Jeremy Hunt :v:

# ? Apr 26, 2016 11:12

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

There's no way that weeks wage thing is legal. RMT have got some bigboy lawyers too, so absolutely no chance.

# ? Apr 28, 2016 17:16

kingturnip: Apr 18, 2008

Apparently, my commute to work is going to get a couple of minutes longer, now that Lea Bridge Station is due to reopen.
I'm a bit confused about how many passengers they're expecting to use it, though. I go through there at peak hours and you're not squeezing many more people on the train at that time.

# ? May 2, 2016 19:47

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

I wouldn't be surprised if there wasn't some slack added in at the last comprehensive timetabling. Bradford-Huddersfield had slack added in 2000 for a station that won't be even given planning permission until 2020.

# ? May 2, 2016 19:52

Brovine: Dec 24, 2011; Mooooo?

The travel time and speed between Stratford and Tottenham Hale has been pretty loose for years - having travelled that way every workday for a year, I'm pretty sure that throwing a tad more acceleration on out of Stratford and Lea Bridge will be enough to keep to time.

Worst case, the train dwells at Stratford with no conflicts for a fair while. Set the departure a couple minutes early and the arrival a couple minutes late, and nothing anywhere else is affected - unless they were already close to limits on driver's hours I guess.

# ? May 3, 2016 11:20

twoot: Oct 29, 2012

Network Rail put out a cool timelapse of the work they're doing at Glasgow Queen Street

https://vimeo.com/168967790

# ? Jun 15, 2016 22:24

Thanks Ants: May 21, 2004; #essereFerrari

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/uk-england-london-36555082

:stare:

# ? Jun 18, 2016 00:44

josh04: Oct 19, 2008; "THE FLASH IS THE REASON
TO RACE TO THE THEATRES"
_{This title contains sponsored content.}

"activating an automatic derailment"?

# ? Jun 18, 2016 00:55

Hexyflexy: Sep 2, 2011; asymptotically approaching one

josh04 posted:

"activating an automatic derailment"?

They are a thing.

Only slightly more strange than the cross country trains service I was on once where the drive shaft fell out the bottom. "Why have we stopped at this station?", "Drive shaft fell off sir", "where is it.. Hang on wait what?"

A sad conductor pointed down the track to the horizon.

We all knew we'd be getting a coach home that night.

# ? Jun 18, 2016 01:25

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# ? Apr 28, 2024 14:25

ShaneMacGowansTeeth: May 22, 2007; I think this is it... I think this is how it ends

"some idiot on twitter" posted:

"@GWRHelp stuck on the train into #londonpaddington going to miss an event I've paid for, really annoyed!"

a train may have derailed, people may have been hurt or injured or worse, but I have a thing to go to and my needs are more important than theirs

# ? Jun 18, 2016 20:56

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