LETTERS
under the heading of “going to hell in a basket” – but this ludicrous decision to award the contract to Siemens goes beyond the sensible.
Could you see the Germans award- ing this to, say, the French? Or, heavens forbid, the French award- ing this to anyone but France? It is a complete nonsense! The Brit- ish should have been given a last chance to change their quotation, if not then fair enough, although the thousands unemployed would probably lynch them...
If it turns out that the manage- ment did have the opportunity of renegotiating the contract but then failed, that begs another question.
Totally dismayed by the whole situation.
From: Nigel Spate Subject: Adrian Shooter
One of the great railwaymen of our time and a bright light in the very often muddy waters of rail privati- sation; he will be missed.
I am happy to offer him the post of Honorary Chairman of my Croxley Wiggenhall Road Depot Exhibi- tion layout if he needs a job in the future!
From: Robert Stephens Subject: Rural lines’ increasing popularity
It is of no surprise that the few remaining rural branch lines, es- pecially those serving coastal re- sorts, are enjoying a revival com- mercially.
It’s the old story: if you make them attractive and value for money to the travelling public, they will use them! McNulty falls into the same old accounting trap.
He says that they ‘suck up too many resources’. You have to
remember that, like all of our rail routes, investment has been starved from them because the plan was, make them unpopular, so we can make the case for clo- sure.
Convert them into busways? Non- sense! That would require billions which can be spent upgrading and providing even half-decent trains instead of the clapped-out “Sprint- er” and “Pacer” (ugh!) DMUs and we can run direct trains from ad- ditional destinations elsewhere. It’s called marketing!
From: James F Watson Subject: Rail strikes
As a former rail employee (24 years on the railways), I am not surprised at the call for strikes. Companies demand loyalty, but don’t want to pay for it. If you’re mid to high management, 2.2% looks good; but to the guys on the shop floor, it’s not a lot of good.
Just take a look at how much everything has gone and will con- tinue to rise and the pay rise does not look so strong. Companies must start to view their staff dif- ferently, and see pay as a form of investment to maintain continu- ity of skills, which the companies demand from their staff. This is a person’s livelihood they are mess- ing with.
It’s childish for companies to point the finger at their workers, and for the unions to shout ‘cheats’, when in truth a strike is an admission of failure on both sides to resolve a dispute, especially when rail com- muters are faced with increased fares and failing services.
From: Richard Pout Subject: Rural lines’ increasing popularity
This is good news, as it proves that where a decent service is of-
fered, passengers will use the train. It’s not rural, but most will be aware of the remarkable growth in passenger numbers on London Overground: even the tree-lined Gospel Oak - Barking Line, is used so much more than before.
The one to watch is the Cambridge Busway. Lots of criticisms in the local paper’s blog, and so far there is little perceived benefit. What if they had restored the railway? Lower capital cost, more journey opportunities.
From: Cllr Tony Williams, Shard- eloes Farm, Amersham Subject: HS2
The issue isn’t whether there is a need for a high speed rail link and this is part of progress and eventu- ally, as with motorways, it will link member states and some far-flung countries.
The argument must be centred on the business case and why haven’t alternative routes been more fully researched. Most high-speed links in Europe run along the motor- ways where the damage to envi- ronment is limited and access is easier both for construction and maintenance.
From: Iain Frew Subject: 32 extra carriages an- nounced by DfT
22 coaches [on Northern Rail] is much too few. If overcrowding is to be banished and space cre- ated for additional traffic 72 would have been more like it.
From: Dr Peter Jarvis Subject: 32 extra carriages an- nounced by DfT
Is there any reason why railway companies should not build or buy their own rolling stock? It used to be the general practice and there are still some railways which do so.
From: Richard Porter Subject: 32 extra carriages an- nounced by DfT
Yes, I saw the government’s re- lease too. You’ll notice that the notes for editors state that North- ern is getting 14 Class 142 carriag- es from FGW while FGW is getting four Class 150 and two Class 153 carriages from LM. That leaves FGW with a deficit of eight car- riages.
In fact all the government is do- ing is sponsoring the use of some cascaded vehicles displaced by the new Class 172s on LM. I don’t know how the 142s fit into this story.
From: Tim Bealby Subject: Overcrowding
One mind-bogglingly simple way to make more seats available is to ban passengers bringing aboard full-size bikes onto trains during rush hours.
Certainly on South West Trains into London, it is common to see one or two bikes clamped in the allotted bike area in each coach; however, each bike can take up three folding seats.
You have a situation where one cyclist has paid for one seat and taken up four, with stacks of poor old commuters standing having paid and not received a single seat!
This situation is ludicrous and some cyclists’ lack of thought for others is a real shame. Let’s man- date ‘folding bikes only’ and get a few more commuters getting what they have paid for.
rail technology magazine Aug/Sep 11 | 17
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