Missed
n page 34 of the April issue of Rail Professional, Michael Roberts summarised some UK railway stats, laying claim to many
improvements since privatisation in 1994. But I am not sure that a number of his claims stand up to close examination of the facts. Mr Roberts emphasises that
‘investment that has been ploughed into improving services for passengers’. Large-scale improvement and
opportunities O
David Barraclough responds to some of the points made by the Association of Train Operating Companies’ CEO Michael Roberts in our April issue
investment in major new infrastructure projects – other then the West Coast Main Line (WCML) – has been very limited. A new Allington chord has eventually appeared, some former trackbeds have been re-laid for freight services, and a short length of track doubling around the north-west curve at Hexthorpe, provided after additional cross-country services were routed via Doncaster. The re-laying of the Leamside north
of Durham was tentatively commenced after lengthy delays, only for the work to be stopped and, before too long, vandals
removed the re-laid portion of the line. The Joint Line, Peterborough – Spalding – Lincoln – Doncaster, has had no ‘investment’ to attempt to transform this line into an effective diversionary route for some 80 miles of the East Coast Main Line (ECML). To cap everything, the cost of undertaking engineering work and civil maintenance in the UK constantly exceeds any comparable costs in Europe and the seven-day railway here is still as far off as ever. I have deliberately avoided comments
on the splendid progress that has been achieved in virtually every aspect of railway operation, development and investment in Scotland. I acknowledge that with admiration, and indeed, envy. Turning to the provision of new trains,
yes, there have been considerable changes, but only after an interregnum of more than 1,000 days, with no new rolling stock orders in the mid 1990s, and currently another break of 600-plus days since outstanding orders for Thameslink and Intercity rolling stock were initially due. Indeed, the Thameslink project, originally titled Thameslink 2000, is already 11 years overdue, with some elements not expected to be completed before 2016. There has been much dithering over
Restored LNER Pacific A4 60019. The A4 Pacifics took nine months from board room decision to full service in 1935. Rolling stock procurement is a little more drawn out these days
PAGE 26 JUNE 2011
the new designs for InterCity rolling stock to replace the redoubtable High Speed Trains (HSTs). Some very strange reasoning and not inconsiderable consultants fees of £70m, lie behind the thinking for the InterCity Express Programme (IEP) rolling stock replacement. How has the figure of nine minutes to attach/detach a diesel locomotive – to enable electric train services to be worked as through- trains beyond the wires – been arrived
Shutterstock
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