AN INDEPENDENT VOICE FOR RAIL USERS No 134 £2 December 2012

Picture: CROSSRAIL Cutting edge of Crossrail: See Page 2 Railfuture launches first awards for rail user groups 50 years of progress LOCAL ACTION By Chris Hyomes the past 50 years and, even more [email protected] so, the past 30 years. Highlights Yorkshire include the reopening and suc- Next March marks the 50th anni- By Chris Hyomes [email protected] versary of the publication of The cess of many local stations, the Reshaping of British Railways. electrification of the East Coast n n E-campaign to reopen Malton-Pickering It was written by Richard Beech- main line, the forthcoming elec- ing who was appointed chairman trification programme, the suc- A campaign to reinstate the missing rail link between Malton of the by cess of the Kettering-Corby and Pickering is being supported by Whitby town councillor the Government whose Minister reopening and the phenomenal Phil Trumper. He launched a petition that he is hoping could of Transport was . success of the Ebbw valley line, draw the Department for Transport’s attention to the missing the Manchester Airport link, stretch of line which would allow Whitby residents a direct In his brief to Beeching, Prime Susan van de Ven Tony Smale David Shaw Peter Marshall Derek Potter Peter Wakefield Heathrow Express, cycle hubs rail link to , and further afield. It would also open up Minister had such as that recently opened at Whitby to more visitors and so provide a boost to the local Railfuture President Christian Wolmar awards being presented in categories Foxton Rail User Group and was called for the railway to be of a Leeds and not forgetting the suc- economy. Mr Trumper said: “Mouchel did a study of the line presented the first-ever awards to for best newsletter, best website, collected by member Peter Wakefield, size and pattern suited to mod- cessful battle to save the Settle- in 2000 and at the time it was going to cost £18 million. The local rail user groups for their various best campaign, best new group, best with silver going to the Bedwyn Trains ern conditions and prospects. Carlisle line proposed for closure line is still there and it would not be any problem, so it is contributions to rail campaigning. campaigner, and a Judges’ Special Passenger Group. The report was accepted by the in 1983. definitely feasible.” Award. Government and sparked an Mr Wolmar said: “These new awards The Promotion Group It is not just the successful The study by Mouchel said that although a number of recognise the special contribution rail The judging panel comprised Christian also took home the award for best outcry from communities that reopenings we will be celebrat- buildings and obstacles stand in the way of the route, these user groups and their volunteers make Wolmar and vice presidents Ian Brown, campaign, while the Meldreth-Shepreth- would lose their rail services, ing but how railways are once difficulties could “reasonably be overcome”. The route to campaigning for improvements to Barry Doe and Adrian Shooter. Foxton Rail User Group captured the many of which, especially rural again a key component in mobil- from Rillington Junction, on the York to Scarborough line, railway services and stations. Too The gold award for best newsletter award for best new group. communities, had no other pub- ity and commerce. through Pickering on to Whitby was closed to passenger often their efforts pass unremarked lic transport. The Government trains between Rillington and Grosmont on the Esk Valley went to the Cotswold Line Promotion The best campaigner was judged to As our orgainsation’s name sug- and unrewarded. As the national Group and was accepted by Derek be Susan van de Ven, Chair of the mistakenly argued that buses line in 1965. You can support the campaign by going to http:// independent champion of railway could provide many services gests, we will be looking to the epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/40539 Potter. The silver was collected by Peter Meldreth-Shepreth-Foxton Rail User future and how we can help development and rail users, Railfuture Marshall of the Huddersfield-Penistone- Group. The Judges’ Special Award went more cheaply. has commendably taken the initiative reshape our rail network over the n n Halifax battle over station staffing Sheffield Rail Users Association and a to Tony Smale, the Railfuture member Annual railway line closures, next 50 years. with these innovative awards.” which had been running at about commendation went to the Friends of who edits the Rail Users Express The McNulty report, which encouraged train companies to The presentations were made at Denton Station, which was collected by newsletter and compiles the Directory 150-300 miles per year between Key issues for passengers are cheaper and simpler fares, capac- close ticket offices to save money, has prompted a row at Railfuture’s annual conference for David Shaw. The gold award for best of 300 Rail User Groups nationwide. 1950 and 1961 peaked at 1,000 Halifax. Halifax & District Rail Action Group is calling for rail users in , with nine website went to the Meldreth-Shepreth- Pictures: JERRY ALDERSON miles in 1964. ity, customer service, modal integration, network connectiv- a proper level of staffing to be maintained in the evening. Labour was elected to office in Seven operators, named in the House of Commons in June ity, better and faster schedules, ISSN 0267-5943 www.railwatch.org.uk 1964, after campaigning strongly as wanting to cut back on ticket office hours: Chiltern investment to reduce costs, a against the report, but changed Railways, East Coast, East Midlands Trains, Midland, level playing field with other railwatch course and continued to imple- Northern Rail, Southeastern and South West Trains. Northern is edited by Robert Stevens, John Stanford and Ray King, 4 Christchurch Page one picture modes, and fewer interfaces and Rail was proposing to reduce booking office hours at three ment closures. Systematic clo- Square, London E9 7HU Tel 020 8985 8548 [email protected] improved team work. sures, however, came to a virtual stations in Yorkshire: Thorne North, Mexborough, and [email protected] [email protected] Another tunnelling operation will be taken to nearby Halifax. HADRAG was not consulted and the station hours has been launched as ships which will then deliver halt by 1970. Plans to mark 50 years of pro-rail Printed by Print-Out, High Street, Histon, Cambridge CB4 4JD Tel 01223 development are beginning to were indeed cut. The office now closes at 20.00 instead of London’s £15 billion Crossrail 1.2million tonnes of earth to One of the last major railway clo- 232709 take shape wihin Railfuture. My midnight. About 20 trains call at the station after the office, Railfuture members receive ­Railwatch free project makes progress. Wallasea Island where a new sures was the 98-mile Waverley waiting room and toilet have closed. route between Carlisle, Hawick own branch, Yorkshire, has plans Non-members can subscribe online at http://www.railfuture.org.uk/ Our page one picture shows bird and nature reserve is and Edinburgh in 1969. Work at an advanced stage of develop- books/subscription.php or by sending £8 (cheque payable to a 550 tonne tunnel boring being created. Eight TBMs ment, starting with our AGM in Now some women are saying they are reluctant to use the begins next year on reopening station at night if there are no staff present. HADRAG has Railfuture) to: Alan Cocker, 11 Franklin Road, Ipswich, Suffolk IP3 9DX machine, named Elizabeth, will eventually be used to Skipton on 23 March 2013. lowered down a 40 metre shaft excavate 13 miles of twin bore a 35-mile section of this line, contacted Northern’s managing director Ian Bevan and Copy deadlines: For the next issue, to be published in April, copy must tunnels for Crossrail. thanks to the Scottish Parliament. Skipton is closely associated with Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin calling for a rethink. be emailed to [email protected] by 21 January. Paper copy can be at Limmo Peninsula, east While many still view the Reshap- the celebrated battle to save the HADRAG said: “We are not saying the booking office must sent to 4 Christchurch Square, London E9 7HU but must be earlier. London, in October. The whole line will not open Settle-Carlisle, but it also has be staffed all evening. A better idea might be a person in a until 2018 but its significance ing report as the death knell of Advertising: Full page: £190. Half page: £95. Quarter page: £45. Elizabeth’s job is to cut a the most modern rolling stock high-vis jacket with a customer service-security role. They tunnel under the river Lea to is rapidly being recognised. our railway, many people woke could help people with the ticket machine, help people up Small ads are free to members. Otherwise: 30p per word. up to the value of the railway in Yorkshire, a strong reopening Canary Wharf where a new It is suggested that Heathrow campaign, Skipton-Colne, and the stairs, and help protect revenue. Yes, costs must be cut; Please report any problems with the delivery or condition of your copy of Crossrail station is being and Stansted airports could and have fought to retain what trains are a commercial operation – for which people pay was left and even expand it. may soon have a direct rail link Railwatch to [email protected] or to the E9 7HU address above. built. be linked to make them a dual to one of Yorkshire’s most popu- high fares – but also a public service supported from taxes. The Treasury, however, wanted Penny pinching on station staff ignores vast sums that go to Railfuture is independent and voluntary. It is the campaigning name Another TBM, named Victoria, hub, avoiding the need for a lar tourist destinations, Bolton new airport. more cuts than Beeching pre- the various intermediaries in the complex privatised structure of the Railway ­Development Society Ltd, a not-for-profit company limited will be boring the second Abbey. of ‘GB Rail’. It is also quite simply a retrograde step when by guarantee. Registered in England and Wales No 5011634. The idea comes from Ken scribed. In 1961 it recommended tunnel from Limmo to Canary the closure of 75% of the network We are putting together an exhi- rail use shows massive growth that will continue. The new ­Registered Office: 24 Chedworth Place, Tattingstone, Suffolk IP9 2ND. Wharf. From Canary Wharf, Shuttleworth, founder of the bition of the developments that generation of train passengers expects high quality service. architectural practice MAKE. by 1969. The Beeching report Media enquiries Bruce Williamson, 29 Granby Hill, the two machines will proceed reined in these radical proposals, have taken place in Yorkshire So yes, Halifax station should have staff in attendance until Clifton, BS8 4LT. Tel: 0117 9272954 Mobile: 07759 557389 via Whitechapel and Liverpool Apart from its obvious although we still lost approxi- over the past 50 years. the last train has gone.” Street to Farringdon. Email: [email protected] transport advantages, mately 30% of the rail network. I have been given the privilege n n Crossrail is expected to boost Stanley King – a grand chap Membership £21 per year. Family: £21 plus £2 for each extra person. Two other TBMs, Phyllis and From the 1960s to the 1980s, the of leading the new special proj- Pensioners, students and unemployed: £14. User groups, community and Ada, have been hard at work property values along its BRB was forced to go cap in hand ects group of Railfuture. My first Rail campaigners in Yorkshire were saddened by the death of parish councils: Please apply for rates. under London, heading in length by £5.5 billion. to the Government annually to major assignment is to shape the Stanley King, former chairman of West Yorkshire Passenger You can join or renew membership via www. the other direction, west to Rather than merely going into beg for money to maintain and way we celebrate the railways at Transport Authority, and mayor of Bradford. Veteran railfuture.org.uk or by post. If you would like east, from Paddington to estate agents’ pockets, Dave run the existing network. a national level, but also to assist campaigner Paul Salveson said: “Stanley was a Conservative please contact David Harby, 6 Carral Close, Lincoln LN5 9BD Farringdon. branches to formulate their own of the old school, representing the very best of that political to join, Wetzel, the former Greater The result of this short-termism Email: [email protected] local strategies. tradition which numbers Oastler, Disraeli and RAB Butler. They are expected to reach London Council leader who was massive reductions in pas- Renewals and other membership queries: Farringdon late next year. got the original Thameslink senger and freight capacity and I shall be contacting branches Railfuture Renewals, 24 Chedworth Place, “Stanley was a dedicated rail and tram crank and wrote Crossrail chief executive project going, believes a stagnation. This mood began to soon to begin this process, ­Tattingstone, Suffolk IP9 2ND. Email: [email protected] several important books and articles on transport. His officer Andrew Wolstenholme land value tax should be change only in the mid-1980s although I hope everyone is book on Keighley Corporation Transport (1964) is detailed, Elections Board elections held annually. Nomination forms can be said: “When Crossrail is introduced. At a conference with a more business-orientated already thinking about it. knowledgeable and well written. He had a well-honed obtained from: completed it will dramatically in London in November, he BR and a more pragmatic politi- High profile opportunities to Yorkshire sense of humour. I can remember him appearing Returning Officer, PO Box 7690, Hinckley LE10 9WJ. improve transport in east outlined how proceeds of the cal framework. This all changed celebrate and promote rail devel- at one of the early TR&IN conferences and filling in his You can also download a form from London and bring places like tax could be used to build once again with the privatisation opment do not come along very registration form in his usual punctilious manner. The section www.railfuture.org.uk/tiki-index.php?page=Elections Custom House and Abbey affordable housing. of the network in 1994. often, and I would urge everyone on any special dietary requirements led to the request for jam roly-poly with custard.” Who’s Who Many other useful contact details can be found on the Wood to within 20 minutes of More information: Next year gives Railfuture the to exploit this to its full potential. ­Railfuture website: www.railfuture.org.uk London’s major employment www.labourland.org opportunity to celebrate the n Chris Hyomes is chairman of areas.” The spoil from Limmo www.crossrail.co.uk ­success of our rail network over Railfuture Yorkshire. 2 railwatch December 2012 www.railfuture.org.uk ◆◆◆◆ You can buy our book Britain’s Growing Railway online at www.railfuture.org.uk railwatch December 2012 3 Real economics and rail’s big contribution Not-for- LOCAL ACTION able to assume that the headline North West cost of all major projects should profit aim By Arthur Thomson Balancing the books be reduced by at least a third. [email protected] The amounts the rail industry contributed to the Exchequer in This obviously should be applied n n Leeds-Morecambe 2010-11 (millions of pounds) to the ailing business case for for Wales? HS2, even though, as readers By John Rogers may know, I have my reser- The Lancaster & Skipton Rail £m [email protected] User Group is pleased that the BIGLAND Picture: PAUL vations about that particular The three Welsh branches Government has designated the Employers National Insurance 121 scheme. of Railfuture are delighted by line a community rail service. Landfill tax 11 Yet none of this is taken into Community Rail Minister Norman news that the Government Local business rates 91 Baker said: “I want to encourage account. Quite the opposite: the in Cardiff hopes to establish communities to become more Fuel tax and other duties 12 Treasury insists on increasing the a not-for-profit rail company expected cost of projects with an closely involved with their Government loan guarantee 200 by the time the Arriva Trains railways to help create the “optimism bias” figure ranging Wales franchise ends in services and stations passengers Climate change levy/ aggregates tax 19 from 30 to 50% – to compensate 2018. deserve.” Richard Rollins, Income tax 267 for the tendency of project pro- Railfuture Wales proposed chairman of the Leeds, Lancaster Employees National Insurance 110 moters to give low estimates of just such a plan to the Welsh and Morecambe Community Rail the ultimate cost and to pay for Network Rail Total 831 Government two years ago. Partnership and co-chairman contingencies. of LASRUG said: “This is excellent news. Designation will Railfuture’s plans received enable the community rail partnership to work together with Worse, remember the way that good media coverage and the local community to make significant developments along Train operators the Treasury used to add tax were also sent to the rail the line.” Co-operation with train operator Northern Rail had Corporation tax 200 foregone as a cost when assess- unions and local government already secured a trial service of four trains a day on Sundays National Insurance (employer and employee) 280 ing schemes – in other words, if a transport consortia. throughout the year, enabling passengers from Yorkshire to rail scheme managed to get peo- Labour and Plaid Cymru enjoy a day out in the area. COUNTING THE COST: Christian Wolmar at St Pancras station Income tax collected 470 ple off the road, then the Trea- have adopted the general Train operators Total 950 sury scandalously, until Andrew By Christian Wolmar ous ways in which Network Rail principle as their official He added: “Inter-regional rail lines, such as the Leeds- Adonis stopped the practice, Lancaster-Morecambe are often the Cinderella of rail [email protected] contributes to the Exchequer. policy, and the Welsh used to put the non-payment services, compared with the lines to and from London. This A constant argument used The main ones relate to employ- Rolling stock companies Liberals may soon be of the fuel duty as a cost of the recognition that links between cities outside London, and against the railways is that they ment, but there is, significantly, Corporation Tax 20 coming on board. the towns along their path, require efficient rail services, is scheme? receive vast amounts of public the £200 million payment made Employers National Insurance 2 The Welsh Government important for regional development.” subsidy. Yet, the headline figures to the Government to pay for the Well, one way of looking at the plans were revealed by presented by politicians are mis- guarantee that Network Rail gets ROSCOs total 22 fact that the railways employ Transport Minister Carl n n Floral Friends of Hindley Station are the Best leading because they do not pro- on its borrowing. 159,000 would be to say that they Sergeant, at a Cardiff Friends of vide the full picture. There are a variety of odd ones Other (75,000 employees) are keeping that number off the conference in October. Hindley Norman Bradbury of Railfuture such as £4.2 million on the aggre- NI and Income Tax 600 dole and contributing to their Speakers discussed Station have and a number of colleagues have gates levy, £2.5 million on cli- pensions – which at a conserva- every possible option, won more tried to dig up figures to pro- mate change levy, £2.2 million tive estimate would surely be from retaining the present awards for vide a wider and more thorough on insurance premium tax and GRAND TOTAL 2403 worth say £10,000 each, so a cool franchise system to a their hard ­analysis of the real situation on even £600,000 on stamp duty and Subsidy in 2010/11 3960 £1.6 billion. vertically-integrated work in the railways. £83,000 on air passenger duty – What these crude calculations Rail Wales, but it was creating and So a possible alternative figure for net subsidy 1557 They talked to various rail- all those executives flying up to demonstrate is that this type of clear that the Minister’s maintaining Scotland, I presume! preferred option was for a an attractive way managers and while their analysis needs to be taken up findings are necessarily crude I have left out corporation tax, icant contribution to the Exche- tion scheme such as the rebuild- more widely by the industry Government-owned, not-for- station dividend company. platform. because the precise figures are which was only £3.5 million quer which is not recognised ing of stations like Reading or itself. They gained very difficult to get hold of – and in 2010-11 because of a rebate, in the subsidy figures bandied Birmingham New Street or the The industry should commission I was pleased by the second indeed what to include or not is although this could actually about by politicians and com- laying down of a new line such studies into the real economics of reception I had as a place in contentious – the lesson is very amount to much more in future mentators. as Crossrail. the railway in order to counter Railfuture representative October at and also by the general clear: the real subsidy to the rail- years. Outside of the three groups listed Typically, say, two thirds of the some of the crude analysis that the 2012 feeling among delegates ways is far lower than generally Nor has value added tax been in the table, there are something budget will go on manpower, featured in the McNulty report Community Rail Partnership Awards for the best kept station that a not-for-dividend realised. included because most VAT is like 75,000 people employed in a third on materials. Then, as and floral display. Later in the month at the North West in and has been used as a stick to company made sense. The Bloom Royal Horticultural Society event in Southport, they There was, in fact, a missed reclaimed, although there may the industry supplying Network an average, crudely, in a £1 bil- beat the industry. lion scheme, about 30% of the franchise system is well and achieved level five in the It’s Your Neighbourhood contest and opportunity when Sir Roy well be some net contribution. Rail and the operators. Railfuture has done a great job in total wages for tax and national truly discredited. also won the accolade of Best Railway Station. McNulty produced his report For the train operators, who I have estimated that they con- starting the ball rolling, but these insurance – say £220 million – One of the speakers was on the economics of the railways employ 47,000 people, there is tribute something like £8,000 each figures need filling out and, cru- n n Stalybridge to Huddersfield campaigners make their bid and 20% (VAT) of the materials the boss of Glas Cymru, the last year since he failed to con- corporation tax on their profits, in terms of tax and national insur- cially, should be used widely in sider the wider picture of the real cost – say another £65 million – profitable not-for-dividend as well as the employment taxes. ance, which is fairly conservative order to boost the industry’s case The Stalybridge to Huddersfield Rail User Group which has finances of the railway. goes back to the Exchequer. That Welsh water company which four stations in its area, Mossley, Greenfield, Marsden and There are also the rolling stock given the high level of skills of for investment. could be a model for our Figures available on the Office does not include the tax paid by Slaithwaite, met with Transport for Greater Manchester to set companies which do not directly many jobs in the industry. labour on supplies from Britain n A longer version of this article vision of a new Rail Wales. out their priorities for future improvements. Top of the list is of Rail Regulation website show employ many people but pay The insurance premium tax of and therefore it is quite reason- appeared in RAIL 710. Railfuture’s plan envisages two trains per hour, followed by through trains to Leeds from that government support for some corporation tax, though £2.2 million paid by Network the group’s four stations. SHRUG is worried by Department the railways reached a peak of both Network Rail Wales much of their tax burden is offset Rail is interesting because it and ATW being taken over for Transport proposals for services from Hull and Selby to £6.3 billion in 2006-7, although by capital allowances. suggests that the overall bill for What price these benefits? “skip-stop” at its four stations from 2016. McNulty says £6.8 billion. by the Government-owned The Roscos, though, face higher insurance is £44 million. That is Of course, Railfuture believes rail’s contribution to the real company, with London The ORR figures show support SHRUG campaigners are also worried that one result of taxes because of complex an extra cost resulting from pri- economy is even greater when non-user benefits are taken into services continuing to be implementing the Northern Hub proposals is that their trains has gone down to just under £4 changes in the way their assets vatisation because account. Rail is now recognised by most economists as a major run by whoever has those will be overcrowded from Manchester Piccadilly. SHRUG billion at the moment (all in real are treated. The tax take looks set was self-insured and therefore engine for regeneration and various attempts have been made franchises, although we is also keen for more action on its request for an extra money). to rise to as much as £120 million did not pay insurance premiums. over the years to quantify its financial contribution to tackling would not rule out joint service from Manchester Victoria and Ashton-under-Lyne As the work by Norman and his by the end of the decade. I recognise that this is largely the pollution, noise and health problems caused by road and services. (Charlestown) which has not been given anywhere near colleagues shows, the real pic- In fact, all these figures are back of the envelope stuff. But air transport. For every passenger or tonne of freight diverted the weight it deserves. TfGM has agreed to try to address We would also like to see ture is very different, as shown approximate and can be argued then so are many of the business from road or air to the railways, the nation as a whole – and the Welsh Government connection problems and morning peak gaps in its timetable in the table, right. every individual – benefits, both socially and financially. If more reviews and to examine fare anomalies. over, although in every case a cases used to analyse rail projects accepting our proposals Take Network Rail, which conservative estimate has been which would actually benefit people and freight forwarders use the railways, Britain can for vertical integration, employs around 36,000 people. made. The key point remains. from this type of wider analysis. avoid the cost of new roads and the high cost of repairing road emulating Ireland. As can be seen, there are vari- The railways are making a signif- Take, for example, a big construc- surfaces smashed apart by heavy lorries. 4 railwatch December 2012 www.railfuture.org.uk ◆◆◆◆ Spain plans to spend £2.6 billion on high speed rail in 2013 railwatch December 2012 5 Blame the politicians LOCAL ACTION LOCAL ACTION Wales for wasting millions London and SE By Rowland Pittard By Roger Blake [email protected] [email protected] It has been good seeing my Rail- chise, it is well run by Directly n n Freight traffic watch as a reader, rather than a Operated Railways and returns n n Fifty years of progress Railfuture welcomes the continued columnist, and I have been able money to the taxpayer at the expansion of freight traffic in Wales. to sit back and not worry about same time as Virgin continues to As rail passenger numbers soar, The Kronospan chipboard factory my own contribution. extract millions. we can now celebrate the opening at Chirk is now receiving logs from I have enjoyed watching the The whole process is a farce and or reopening of 50 stations and 100 Carlisle, Ribblehead, Teigngrace and way we are going and there is so the system of franchising flawed miles of railway in and near our Baglan Bay (Neath-Port Talbot). region since the bleak days of 1960s much for us to be proud about: whether we like it or not. closures, mostly prompted by the the electrification link-ups, the n n Signalling upgrades First and Virgin spent £15 mil- TRAINS COAST Picture: EAST Beeching report. Campaigners in battles albeit on-going against lion each on their bids to run the Railfuture and its predecessors are Railfuture is delighted to see further busway mania, and even being WCML. proud to have had a hand in most. progress on upgrading signalling. able to welcome pro-rail govern- We believe our Railfuture roots go Another phase of the Cardiff area ment action on High Speed Two. I could think of quite a few better uses for £30 million and so could back to 1954 and the Society for the resignalling was completed on 28 Reinvigoration of Unremunerative October when the section of line However, things are getting most Railfuture members. sticky again. I predict there wil be Branch Lines in the UK, which was between Severn Tunnel Junction and We could have improved junc- formed in reaction to the closure Awre Crossing transferred from Newport panel to the Cardiff massive ripples from the muddle over the West Coast franchise. tions, and better speeds over of the Kent and East Sussex Railway and was supported by signalling centre. Newport signal box and the crossing junctions. Poet Laureate and campaigner Sir John Betjeman. SRUBLUK boxes at Lydney and Caldicot closed. Resignalling work in In addition, the confusion gives We could have got rid of some of members wanted rail lines preserved so they could serve South Wales continues for the next three years and is seen the oil/road lobby the opportu- the old non-crashworthy trains their communities rather than be operated as heritage lines. as an essential foundation for the electrification of the Great nity to rubbish the railway with much sooner, particularly as we Western line from the London area to Swansea. the cry “The system is broke”. n n One campaign succeeds and another takes off have a number of trains over 30 n n £48m to replace viaduct and upgrade track Railway campaigners would dis- years old still running. London and the south east escaped the worst ravages of pute that the railway is broke but OUT OF THE SHADOWS: Is East Coast Trains an example of Work has I have little respect for either station and line closures which plagued other areas, in the would probably agree that the how the rail industry should be run? Unlike Virgin Trains on commenced on a WCML bidder. the , it has been making regular payments 1960s to 1980s. But the Uckfield-Lewes line did close and £48 million project to franchise system is broke and Railfuture is campaigning today to bring that line back to life. replace the 240 yard needs fixing. First walked away legally from to the Treasury. It has also been certified as one of Britain’s See the Railfuture website for the latest news on our Bridge the Great Western franchise and top employers for 2012 by the independent CRF Institute. long Loughor viaduct, Whilst we are fixing the franchise the gap: Link up Sussex campaign: saved itself £826 million. Put East Coast Trains is run by the Government-owned Directly pictured right, over system, we could also put right www.railfuture.org.uk/Uckfield+Lewes another way, the taxpayer paid Operated Railways and carries 18 million passengers annually the estuary between one or two other things. Swansea and Llanelli, up an extra £826 million. Other lines, such as the North London line, were threatened Let us acknowledge that the with a new double So why did the franchise selec- with complete closure but vigorous campaigners were so improved performance of the Greater Anglia did before. This introduction of more technology track bridge. The line tion process go wrong? One successful in their advocacy that services on the North West Coast service is thanks to means that the re-franchising in the shape of ticket vending between Swansea reason was the decision by the gets pushed into an even smaller machines. That will indeed save London and East London lines are now better than they the £8 billion plus engineering ever were. From December 2012, London’s orbital railway and Gowerton will Government to save £1 million time period (95% in three years). train companies money but will also be upgraded upgrade and not to the Virgin PR is completed with the opening of London Overground’s on consultants’ fees. It seems the not draw attention to the obvious with six miles of machine. The alternative is to delay the Clapham Junction-Surrey Quays link. Railfuture is fortunate process is so complicated and rest of the refranchising further. fact that the whole industry is a to have Ian Brown CBE who oversaw the establishment new double track, to provide extra capacity and flexibility I cannot knock Mr Branson’s PR. convoluted it cannot be done costly shambles. Franchising is at of London Overground as a vice-president and Railwatch for passenger services on the main line to and from West It is infinitely superior to anyone This would have the effect of also Wales. Gowerton’s eastbound platform will also be reopened. without the use of financial con- the centre of it. contributor. Those new services will help offset the loss else’s which is why he can per- delaying the provision of new Sections of the existing bridge which is a timber structure, sultants. To return again to the problems of the South London line service between London Bridge suade 170,000 people to sign an trains, with the obvious result will be preserved in the new structure. This is the first time no financial of accessibility, we need to criti- and Victoria, enforced by Thameslink Programme works at online petition to enable him to that older trains would have to consultants have been used. cise McNulty for his recommen- London Bridge. Railfuture campaigners were at the forefront n n Train upgrades improve services in Wales keep making money on the West run for even longer. dations on staff reduction and of the struggle to save and revive the line’s services and Coast main line operation. In the past apparently the Some of these older trains may stations. London Overground is now a fine example of what Refurbished mark 3 coaches, powered by a push-pull class 67 Department for Transport paid booking office closures. “A remarkable performance by then have to undergo expensive Railfuture advocates as the model for London’s suburban diesel, are now being used on the Holyhead-Cardiff premier millions to PwC, Ernst & Young We need to join with other pro- service which runs at 05.33 from Holyhead to Cardiff and our team,” Mr Branson calls it. modifications to comply with services. Despite the current refranchising hiatus we shall or KPMG. new regulations. test groups and make the point continue to campaign for Transport for London to have more 18.21 return, Mondays to Fridays. The class 158s and 142s But he conveniently forgets that operated by Arriva Trains Wales have all been refurbished The knock-on effect of what that people will not travel if they influence or even control over future franchises such as his trains’ performance is largely By 2020, all trains will have to feel threatened or unprotected, London services run by Greater Anglia, South Eastern and at either Crewe or Cardiff. Work has started on the class 150 is portrayed as a Branson PR comply with accessibility legisla- Sprinter units. dependent on the infrastructure machine success and a defeat for or cannot make the ticket vend- Great Northern. they operate over. tion. ing machines work, or have no n n First Group in fact has far reach- n n Railfuture Wales Development Plan When I ran the WCML we had ing effects well outside those two Current plans to implement the human assistance if they have Battle still to be won over London electrification scheme basically two lines down the works are based around the re- difficulty with boarding. The third revision of Railfuture Wales’ development plan is companies. An all-electric being prepared for consultation with adjoining Railfuture Trent from Rugby to Armitage. franchising process, but if the re- Unless campaigning organisa- Over the next five years, 95% franchising process is delayed, London Overground branches in England. The section on light rail proposals is No doubt purists will correct me of UK leased rolling stock is tions are strong, we shall lose the remains incomplete being expanded and there is a new section on electrification in the Brinklow/Nuneaton area, the ability to plan and carry out battle to improve the railways. expected to be re-leased during all the work required to achieve while the Gospel developments, plus an enhanced bibliography. but please accept the principle. Oak-Barking route a series of planned re-franchising compliance with accessibility If there had not been people chal- n n £5m station will boost Llandudno regeneration plans The biggest infrastructure procedures. lenging the Government, the remains diesel- legislation becomes harder to operated, as shown improvement we were allowed The West Coast re-franchising schedule. North line would Work started in was the installation of an extra have been shut in the 1960s and in the picture at October on the £5.1 process has now been paused Let us therefore not blame the Harringay Green signal inside Kilsby tunnel which and an initial franchise extension we would not now be talking million upgrade of allowed us to shorten the gap civil servants, let us blame Lanes, right. We will Llandudno station given to Virgin. about Stratford-upon-Avon to continue to argue between trains. the politicians who have been Honeybourne reopening. The which should be This will be followed by a short told time and again that the for electrification completed in 2014. But let us not complain about same can be said of the Settle and of the line to be reinstated and included in the programme two-year franchise before a long- arrangements are ridiculous and Carlisle struggle in the 1980s. The new station progress. I am proud today to term franchise is let. unworkable. in Network Rail’s Strategic Business Plan for 2014-19 which frontage, right, will ride the WCML when it is going And what about the Woodhead will be published in January. www.railfuture.org.uk/Barking- be in keeping with well. As the Greater Western and As Ian Brown said in Railwatch line now? Do we need more pro- Gospel+Oak Northern re-franchising pro- 131, Sir Roy McNulty was not the Victorian architecture of the town. Network Rail’s Mark Mr Branson has said it is running tests on the ground? Langman said: “The project will regenerate and revitalise this cess has now also been paused a modern-day Beeching. His An all-electric South East network also remains incomplete, so well that Virgin Trains will It may sound harsh but we need area of the town.” while we wait for the outcome of report was a careful analysis because of three other key gaps between Ashford soon be returning some money Richard Brown’s investigation, it which concluded that our rail- to campaign as well as lobby. International and Ore, Hurst Green and Uckfield, and west of www.railfuturewales.org.uk to the taxpayer! seems quite possible these two ways are too expensive. What The two are different. Reigate towards Guildford and on to Reading. We must not forget the East Coast will end up in a similar situa- McNulty focused on was staff n Peter Rayner is a former British main line. It is no longer a fran- tion to the West Coast, as indeed costs, station staffing and the Rail operations and safety manager 6 railwatch December 2012 www.railfuture.org.uk ◆◆◆◆ A new TRAX rail line linking Utah airport with Salt Lake City opens next year railwatch December 2012 7 Your letters

200 miles, it seems to be locomotives which can operate requires its own dedicated diesel necessary to have three major on both third-rail and overhead fleet, with all the operational depots in Belfast, all this for a electric lines. inconvenience and extra passenger-only railway. Bi-mode locomotives would be expense that that entails. R A Hunter, Barn Road, particularly useful for freight There is widespread agreement Carrickfergus BT38 7EO trains starting their journey across the industry on the case on third-rail territory, which for the line’s electrification, Electric priorities involves much of the former and fortunately it has an active Southern Region of British rail user group campaigning I was so thrilled that at long Rail and finishing up either at hard for it to be added to the last the Government has a non-electrified destination or Government’s programme. All it approved several railway routes one electrified on the overhead needs is for the Department for for electrification. We must system. Transport and the London Mayor ensure that this programme is to stop squabbling over who Euro links needed retrograde move and we need to implemented. Much of the Greater London campaign for the reinstatement region would benefit from having should foot the bill and agree to of valuable services such as this However, in my view, some of such locomotives which would share it between them. In principle I fully support high the schemes are more urgent Graham Larkbey, Carr Road, speed rail, in particular where and for them to be expanded. eliminate the use of diesel on David Bailey, North Lodge Close, than others. The top-priority London E17 5ER serious competition can be the many electrified routes in [email protected] Dawlish, EX7 9QD schemes should include the the region, and of course bi- applied to aviation, which is one to of the most serious contributions [email protected] mode locomotives would also

Bristol and Swansea, including Missing Chris McKenna, Joshua Brown and Mattbuck Pictures: Spsmiler, to climate change. help reduce carbon dioxide Irish lament the new Heathrow link, and the emissions, with fewer diesels I have always supported rail as The excellent map on the . operating under the wires or on the most environmentally benign front and back covers of your The references to Beeching in Furthermore, there are several third-rail lines. form of mass travel. High speed last edition makes clear the Railwatch 133 reminded me that routes that have not been Simon Barber, Fitzherbert House, rail could have huge benefits for stupendous new electrification in we had our approved for electrification which Kingsmead, Richmond, Surrey direct inter-continental rail travel plans. I look forward to seeing own Beeching, in the shape of I feel are more urgent than my TW10 6HT. from principal British points of them finished – with crossed Henry Benson. other “second priority” schemes [email protected] departure. fingers! Benson was a London which are already approved. However we appear to have However it also emphasises accountant who was hired by Most of these routes are in Electric option stagnated with direct services the gap between March and the Stormont government and the London and South East operating only between London Spalding in the would-be the Ulster Transport Authority to region where there is a higher With the announcement of and Paris/Brussels. Eurostar do a hatchet job on the UTA’s further electrification around the freight line (the GN/GE Joint population density. line) between East Anglia and services, or the equivalent, need railways and this he did very country, is it time for Railfuture NEW AND OLD: The interior of the S8 trains on They are: Doncaster. The line was a victim to be opened up to serve more successfully. to press the Department for London Underground’s Metropolitan line, above, European destinations directly. n The Uckfield line, if Uckfield- Transport to approve only future of past cuts. and the retired A trains, left, which gave good His report was issued in 1963, Lewes is reopened, will give middle and greater distance Would it perhaps make a lot service for 50 years and were much admired The proposed HS2 link is the same year as Beeching’s, much-needed extra capacity for diesel multiple units which have of things simpler if this line however, questionable. We and it appeared just four months the Brighton main line. electric traction motors and a could be reinstated, rather Are these new trains good already have ‘high speed’ rail after the British Railways one. services in excess of 100mph. n Ashford-Hastings could 25kV pantograph? than building that expensive Benson recommended the dive-under at Peterborough, Taking into consideration the closure of virtually all railways in provide improved connections This is a standard feature of enough for long journeys? relatively small size of the UK, even though I know that small Northern Ireland, except a few for Eurostar services for the latest generation of around do we really need to travel any sections of the trackbed have Belfast-based commuter lines. passengers coming from 300 French “diesel” multiple Transport for London be more frequent faster? Sussex, Hampshire and Dorset. units, allowing both optimum been built upon? has now withdrawn its trains. But that cannot Barely a year and a half after On another point, Simon Norton use of energy for powering, and With best wishes and much A stock trains which happen until the Met his report, major closures took n Gospel Oak-Barking would raised the issue of feeder through working where only stamina/patience to all of you at gave 50 years of good place early in 1965, when the complete electrification of the line is resignalled. services for HS2 in Railwatch part of the route is electrified. Railfuture! service because they Ooraghwood to Warrenpoint and London Overground network and This has been delayed 131. They can also operate in electric John Gilbert, Pixiefield, Cradley, were simple, well- Portadown-Londonderry lines would eliminate more diesels in until 2016, and Simon mentioned five possible the capital. mode with a substantial batch Herefordshire WR13 5ND designed, beautifully possibly as late as closed, the latter closure leaving of similar electric-only multiple [email protected] coach-built by routes, all serving the central the large counties of Tyrone and n Redhill–Wokingham would 2018. hub near Birmingham, and units. Time for some joined up Cravens and easy to Donegal rail-less. give improved and more reliable thinking inBritain? Geography lesson operate and maintain. The Metropolitan suggested five possible connections for Gatwick Airport main line is an outer destinations from Birmingham. The other route from Belfast to G P Brown, Fieldview, Norwich Farewell to the best Londonderry was saved, and is from Reading. NR5 8AQ When I phoned electric train I ever suburban railway. He did not mention two presently closed for renovations n The Chiltern lines. [email protected] Enquiries to find out how drove. Journey times on very relevant destinations: peak-hour Aldgate between Coleraine and I was also interested to learn to get from Winchester to Birmingham to Brighton and New S7 trains should trains are 54 minutes Londonderry. that all the electric trains being Victim of squabble Abergavenny, they told me to OLD: The A train NEW: The S8 train Birmingham to Dover. For be fine for passengers for Watford, 56 for Apart from the latter line and ordered from Hitachi will be fitted go via Stockport! My Canadian travellers living in Surrey, on the Circle and Uxbridge, 62 for the return of trains to Newry by with at least one diesel engine. The Government’s electrification relatives, lacking knowledge of Hammersmith and Sussex and Kent, there is the Chesham and 66 the opening of a station on the package is indeed very welcome British geography, nearly went City lines, but the need to cross London when These bi-mode trains will Welcome photographers for Amersham. The Belfast-Dublin line, the Benson (Railwatch 133), but regrettably that way until I put them right. new S8 trains are an travelling further afield in Britain. provide self-rescue capability in it omits some modest but Edgar Locke, Langton Court, resignalling will closures remain. Railwatch is always looking for good insult to passengers This can be quite a stressful the event of failure and will also crucial “infill” schemes which Langton Road, Worthing, West photographs to publish in the magazine and on the Metropolitan reduce these times by experience. Benson advocated the ending be able to serve non-electrified could make a big difference if Sussex BN14 7BZ on the Railfuture website to illustrate the line. They have 30% only a few minutes. of rail freight and that has been destinations. they were included. A notable Until a few years ago there were exciting developments on Britain’s railways. fewer seats, far fewer Passengers deserve carried out. Bi-mode traction has apparently example is Barking-Gospel Oak, two Manchester-Brighton trains If you or your friends take pictures of the transverse seats, racks, coat hooks and Northern Ireland Railways is now been developed in several other 13 mostly unelectrified miles a day and a service from the Send your modern railway, please consider sending them no luggage racks as many transverse fully equipped with new trains European countries and should surrounded by electrified routes. North of England to Kent. This to Railwatch, preferably by email, to editor@ and no coat hooks. seats as they had on took pressure off the London made by CAF and many station also be developed more widely ­letters to: This means that the line’s The Editors, 4 Christchurch railwatch.org.uk Transport for London the old trains. terminusi as well as benefiting platforms have been extended in the , no increasing numbers of freight Square, London E9 7HU says passengers will Hugh Jaeger, Park Close, the traveller. to take six-car trains. Despite matter whether electric-diesel, If you are happy to be commissioned, without trains have to be diesel-hauled Email: [email protected] any financial reward, to take occasional have as many seats Oxford OX2 8NP CrossCountry decided to axe the sufficiency of rolling stock, or electric with both third rail and throughout – even if most of because there will [email protected] however, the Lisburn-Antrim line overhead equipment. Railwatch also welcomes pictures of rail developments in your area, these services presumably their journey is over electrified ­articles and pictures remains mothballed. please let us know. on the grounds they were The few bi-mode examples in tracks – and the line’s London Please use email if possible More letters: Page 18 unprofitable. This was a With a railway system of barely the UK include the class 92 Overground passenger service 8 railwatch December 2012 www.railfuture.org.uk ◆◆◆◆ Brazil plans to spend £27 billion on 6,000 miles of new railway railwatch December 2012 9 Why the electrification strategy needs to go further By Mike Crowhurst will be wired. Nor in the fore- at least to Bournemouth, as it Railfuture chairman until 2012 seeable future will the vital fifth is unlikely it will be willing to Now I am no longer chairman AN INDEPENDENT VOICE FOR RAIL USERS No 133 £2 October 2012 cross-country route, Felixstowe equip the whole fleet with DC Switched on at last Government decisions made in capability for this small part of nor a director I can indulge in 2012 transform the railway map to Nuneaton. of England and Wales. Existing electrified lines, marked in yellow, will be augmented by the red lines, which have now been approved for electrification. For years, Railfuture some “blue sky thinking” on has been campaigning for a rolling its system. programme of electrification. Now we have to ensure that this far-reaching No wonder the freight operators programme is implemented. Electrification details: Page 2 the Government’s electrification Scotland wavers: Pages 6-7 and 18 are sounding distinctly under- Third rail conversion scheme, as outlined in Railwatch whelmed by the whole idea! 133, right. Indeed just how realistic is Picture: NETWORK RAIL That is before taking on board talk of wholesale conversion The following critique is mine issues about availability of suit- of the Southern third rail net- only, and does not always rep- able electric locomotives. I fear work to overhead anyway? Is resent Railfuture policy. I apolo- they would want to see all the the expense really likely to be gise if I inadvertently tread on obvious parallel freight routes worthwhile, given that techni- any sensitive toes. like the Lincolnshire Joint line, cal solutions to problems of We do not have a good record Settle-Carlisle and Nithsdale icing points and autumn leaves of progress on electrification in under the wires before they give either already exist or are within this country. Since the Review it serious consideration. reach? It might just be worth of Mainline Electrification in Meanwhile , it would be better it on a smaller network like Scan this graphic with your smartphone 1981, which suggested wiring to go straight to Merseyrail. I would suggest that the Railwatch website GREENDAWN GRAPHICS to start by plugging obvious as much as possible of the rail gaps like the Felixstowe branch, on Southern there are two spe- network as fast as possible, Brit- trains currently continue to Bed- Gospel Oak, and access to the cific groups of routes where it ain has electrified only one main wyn. This is not a logical termi- upcoming “London Gateway” might merit consideration. line route, the East Coast. nus either and Westbury is too port at Thameshaven. One is those routes where the The 1981 report assumed that extra power availability would far beyond the commuter area, The choice of the reopened Manchester-Blackpool would assist the fastest services in par- but Pewsey is nearer to hand Oxford-Bletchley route as the be quickly added to the electric ticular, such as the main line and there are sidings suitable connection between the north network. It might at last be done from Waterloo as far as Basing- for reversal and stabling a little east and Southampton seems by 2016, 35 years later! further on at Woodborough, 80 stoke or the Hampshire coast, odd. Sure, it would be lovely and the Brighton main lines out In the corridors of power elec- miles from London. to have the restored east-west trification programmes have Basingstoke was not included of Victoria and London Bridge. passenger service electrified The other is those routes with regularly been chopped by the in the scheme originally pub- THE FUTURE IS ELECTRIC: Wires will soon be going up on rail lines throughout Britain but some important links have been left out from the outset (a Bristol- Treasury bean counters. lished, but it is part of the pro- significant elements of non-local Bedford-Northampton service traffic, such as CrossCountry to posed north-south spine. of course Scotland, and it is the eastern extensions. At pres- covered by the Midland and be the only non-electric main Hence progress was stopped could serve several reopened Bournemouth, freight to South- not yet clear which will run via ent, TransPennine services run TransPennine schemes. Once line out of London. Chiltern for years at places like Royston, I suggest that Basingstoke, stations on the GW main line), ampton and the North Downs Bolton and which via Wigan. to Hull, York, Scarborough, the South Yorkshire gap is done, chief Adrian Shooter has hinted Bishops Stortford, Ore and Rock Greenford and Pewsey should but should it really have prior- route to the , Logically the Scottish services Middlesbrough and Newcas- only Birmingham-Derby would that he would be interested in Ferry. Swansea has been on, off be included in the main GW ity over the more usual freight much of which is still unelectri- would use the shorter route via tle. The line to Newcastle is of remain, and including this principle in electrification, and and now on again. Stirling was scheme. The extra 40 miles or so route via Solihull and Burton- fied anyway. on and then off. Screamingly would be well worth while. Bolton. Wigan already has ser- course already wired, as will would open up the possibility the case for Chiltern would on-Trent? I cannot see the South London obvious infills like Ashford-Ore vices to most destinations. To be the western termini at Man- of a spur from High Speed Two clearly be strengthened by wir- The proposal to convert the and Barking-Gospel Oak still Midland get maximum benefit from the chester Airport and Liverpool, at Lichfield pending northward ing CrossCountry. Metro network being converted, Basingstoke-Southampton sec- and it would be crazy to install languish on the back burner. The basic route from Bedford newly wired routes, however, but present thinking seems to extensions. It would be stronger still if the tion from third rail to overhead anything but DC to Uckfield to Sheffield via Derby, plus branches to Barrow-in-Furness, be that only Newcastle or York But before any CrossCountry Moor Street and Snow Hill local So though we may criticise also seems to have been insuf- or Ashford Coastway. What is branches to Corby and Not- Windermere and ideally More- services will be electric, the rest, services can be fully electric, network in Birmingham were the details, we must welcome ficiently thought through. OK, more, as with gauge enlarge- tingham, are in the scheme, cambe and Heysham need to currently over half, remaining one or both routes south of also done, thereby completing the electrification programme it is only a “trial”. Really? Will ment, there might be a risk of but not the routes north out of be included, as many services diesel. That would fail to exploit Birmingham need to be wired. the West Midland suburban announced by the then Trans- the DC supply be kept in situ? unconverted lines atrophying. either Sheffield or Nottingham. to these places start from either fully the newly electrified route. The Department for Trans- ­system. Or will South West main line port Secretary Justine Greening Manchester or Manchester Air- this summer as excellent news. Fine for starters, but some addi- First priority ought to be the rel- port plans include the route to services have to change over at Scotland tions suggest themselves. Once port. Freight spine Let us hope it actually happens. atively short branch to Middles- Reading, with overhead as far Basingstoke (if calling) and back Finally in this geographical Sheffield station is wired, it is The DfT has evidently noticed There are also good cases for brough, giving a second hourly as Southampton but oddly not again at Southampton or vice review, what about Scotland? Great Western likely that South Yorkshire Pas- that there is also synergy extensions to the Merseyrail electric service to and from the ­Bournemouth (another over- versa? Have we not just gone to Here enthusiasm has sud- Now let us look at the details, senger Transport Executive will between certain cross-country network, especially to Wrex- airport. sight?) A Manchester-Reading some trouble to eliminate just denly turned to retrenchment, starting with Great Western. look seriously at wiring its spi- routes and the freight sector, ham and beyond Ormskirk and The prospects for Hull are also electric service would then be this practice on the North Lon- and the ambitious Edinburgh- The scheme is comprehensive, nal Sheffield-Doncaster-Moor- hence the “North-South spine” Kirkby, but these are held up reasonably good. Given wires an easy option. don Line? Glasgow scheme has been cut including both routes to Bristol, thorpe route, just as West York- proposal, but this plan shows by arguments about whether to from both Selby and Doncaster, The fourth arm, to Bristol and back to just the main line via and now that Swansea has been shire did the Leeds NW network clear signs of not having been From the freight point of view, use third rail or overhead and as there would be interest in elec- the SW, will on current plans be Falkirk High and the Cumber- reinstated the case for the whole once Leeds was wired. The issue thought through, and it appears given that the alternative route ever, who pays. tric services from Sheffield and wired only as far as Bromsgrove, nauld branch. Stirling, Alloa, South Wales valleys network of who pays no doubt explains there has been little consultation via Salisbury has just been London as well as Manchester, but the section from Broms- Dunblane, Falkirk, Grahamston was much easier to make. the omission of the Doncaster North TransPennine with the freight operators. cleared for freight gauge, would Liverpool and York. grove to Bristol Parkway should it not have been preferable to and Grangemouth have all been In the Thames Valley the Mar- link from the main scheme. The North TransPennine route The difficult one is Scarborough, be seriously considered once the The route to the put the overhead up on that deferred to after 2019 (officially low, Henley and Windsor from Manchester (again both Current service patterns would and it looks as if for the time main GW is completed, so that at Coventry and Nuneaton is route, including both the East- nothing is cancelled), along with branches are all included, but termini) to Leeds and York, is a not justify doing the Erewash being this will be covered by Manchester-Bristol services can fine, but the route to the North leigh and Redbridge routes into various curves and flying junc- curiously Greenford has been logical follow-on from the North valley route out of Nottingham, extending the Blackpool-York go electric. East is confused. Southampton (with dual supply tions. Nor is it clear if the Cow- omitted. but as traffic builds up the case West scheme, although no dates have yet been set. (via Calderdale) diesel service. The final section beyond Bris- For a start, freight on the Mid- on this short section), and leave lairs curve and the link to Coat- Either this is simply an over- for separating the Derby and I feel that all the eastern extremi- tol would need to wait until the land does not terminate in Shef- the DC on the Winchester route bridge are included. sight, or since it is entirely Sheffield services at least in There is a suggestion that the ties should be included in elec- route to the south western pen- field station, nor does it usually alone? Until recently Scotland has been within Greater London, pos- peak, begins to make sense, and Stalybridge-Manchester Victoria trification as soon as possible. insula from Newbury to Paign- run via Derby. In practice it uses From the passenger point of ahead of the game with both sibly like the Gospel Oak line, at that point wiring the Erewash section may be brought forward. ton, Plymouth and Penzance the Erewash Valley line, then route adds up. CrossCountry view, that would have the reopening and electrification, the Government is waiting for The extension to Selby, no doubt gets its turn, probably some bypasses Sheffield to the east advantage of getting electrics wiring the restored through Transport for London to pick up North West at the behest of West Yorkshire Of the four main CrossCountry years away. and continues to Normanton to Salisbury from both London route via Bathgate and latterly the tab. Both Manchester termini are in PTE, will enable the Leeds- routes radiating from Birming- Just as the north-east arm has and Leeds and York and beyond and Portsmouth, as a precur- the Paisley Canal branch. I feel Oxford makes sense as a com- the plan, and the route via St York-Selby local services to be ham, the one to Manchester and much shared route with the via Castleford and Pontefract. sor to wiring the two routes the whole scheme will be com- muter terminus, Newbury Helens, but only the branch to included, possibly to and from beyond is already electrified. Midland main line, CrossCoun- In the North East, routes to and further west. But it would not pleted in due course even if it rather less so. Its inclusion is Blackpool North. Electric trains Bradford Forster Square. A second, to Yorkshire and the try’s south-east arm has much via Teesside are mostly used. On help CrossCountry, which really takes longer than planned, so perhaps a surprise, as half the will serve only Blackpool and But there is no clarity yet about North East, would be partly shared with Chiltern, which will present plans none of these lines needs wires on the direct route we should not be pessimistic.

10 railwatch December 2012 www.railfuture.org.uk ◆◆◆◆ Pedestrian deaths on British roads increased by 12% from 2010 to 2011 railwatch December 2012 11 The way ahead for Railfuture Wind power

LOCAL ACTION By David Berman also been formed, research and LOCAL ACTION [email protected] intelligence led by Howard is just one TfGM Picture: Severnside North East As the tightrope walker once Thomas, special projects led by By Peter Kenyon [email protected] said: “So far, so good.” Since I Chris Hyomes, and media, mar- By Nigel Bray became chairman in May a lot keting and communications led way to give [email protected] n n Tynemouth station restoration gets an Angel Award has needed to be done in a very by Chris Page. n n Through trains pledge short time. The new demand responsive stations a Through trains between London Railfuture is a great organisation budgets mean that branches will and Weston-super-Mare will and it is a privilege to be leading no longer have to make do with continue after electrification it, but it also needs to change, the set subventions allocated power boost reaches Bristol, local MPs have modernise and adapt. each year, but will be able to bid been assured by Transport In the past six months we have for resources they need for cam- By John Stanford Secretary Patrick McLoughlin. had a plethora of franchise con- paigning work and to expand [email protected] Concerns arose because the sultations and bid processes, their activities, including more The resolution adopted at the direct trains were not specified only to be left with the franchise members’ meetings and better Railfuture AGM calling for the in the Department for Transport’s programme dead in the water. newsletters. maintenance of frontline staff at invitation to tender for the stations (Railwatch 133) recog- new Great Western franchise. We have had the Government’s The corporate governance review This wind turbine is supplying Railfuture has argued that plan for the next five years, the is looking at ways to update and nised that the duties of staff may sustainable energy to Horwich Pictures: NORTH TYNESIDE COUNCIL Pictures: NORTH need to change to reflect wider withdrawal of through trains high level output specification. implement the society’s business Parkway rail station as to Weston would damage the developments. We now await the publication of plan with a more organised and part of the Ticket to Kyoto resort’s economy and remove Network Rail’s strategic business dynamic annual work plan. How could the management and programme. It was officially seating capacity during the Tynemouth station after restoration and, below, before plan in January, explaining how Our articles of association, our functions of stations, and the rail- switched on in September Bristol commuter peak. Our response to the GW franchise it will convert the Government’s legal framework and constitu- ways more widely, be adapted to by the Mayor of Bolton consultation suggested that electrification should be The successful restoration of achieve improvements? Councillor Guy Harkin who extended to Weston and that a new Cardiff-Exeter semi- Tynemouth station was selected in requirements into reality. tion are being reviewed. First consideration is the overall is pictured with David Hytch fast service would provide faster trains to Highbridge and October from over 200 applications Then there is the localism agenda We are increasing the number of TfGM, left, and Councillor Bridgwater. to receive the award for the best and the continuing saga of High of books on sale and revamping ownership and management of craftsmanship employed on a individual stations. Southend Andrew Fender, chair of the n n Demand for rail travel underestimated in report Speed Two. the society’s four websites. An TfGM committee, centre heritage rescue. The station was online system for booking places Airport station, which opened built in 1882 but by the time Tyne When I became Railfuture chair- about a year ago, was built and Railfuture members George Bailey and Daniel Casey had at conferences, membership a meeting on 30 August with Councillor Roger Symonds, and Wear Metro was inaugurated man I undertook to realign and is operated by the Stobart Group delivery of the purchases, partic- applications and renewals is now transport cabinet member for Bath & North East Somerset the canopies and ironwork were in modernise the way we work as which also operates the airport. ularly for families who commute a sorry state and a long campaign an organisation. up and running. to work. There are ways round Council, to discuss the Halcrow report which the council The rail station is staffed on a 24 had commissioned into possible reopening of the Radstock- for restoration began. A partnership In addition, we are starting to The corporate governance hour basis and the ticket office is this, but for some commuters Frome line. The report has produced detailed estimates of between the council and private review is well under way and exploit social media in a more the station is the one place in developers gained an English open from early in the morning operating losses for a service from Radstock to Bristol via the first outward signs of that systematic way, making full use until late evening, seven days a the neighbourhood outside their Westbury and Bath while completely ignoring the obvious Heritage grant in 2010 and the of Twitter, Facebook, YouTube home that they use on weekdays. difficult work of restoration was completed within three years. work are the revamping of the week. potential of the line to connect Radstock with London, the far committee structure and the new and LinkedIn. The savings on the purchase South West and the South Coast. The report has also greatly Two central platforms are used by Metro trains, while other This might be seen as further “demand responsive” budgets would outweigh the cost of a underestimated the catchment area for a reopened Radstock areas will be developed for markets and community events. We are in the process of revamp- fragmentation of the system, but for branches. ing and re-launching Rail Activ- pound or so to pick up the par- station on the assumption that very little car parking space n n it seems to be working well here. would be provided. Railfuture and Radstock Action Group will Volunteer award for Hartlepool station ambassadors From January, groups will replace ists Briefing as Rail Action, and cel from the station. It might be A volunteer group inaugurated in 2012 by the late Tom Clift of The circumstances in which this continue to challenge these misconceptions. all existing committees. This is launched our new Rail User worth a pilot. Grand Central Trains, informs passengers about train running particular model could be fol- more than just a name change, as Group Awards in November. There is also the matter of energy n n ‘Funding agreed’ for new station at Ashton Gate on Sundays when the booking office is closed. For keeping lowed would be rare but could the station user-friendly, Station Ambassadors gained second groups will be required to adopt We need to improve the trans- generation. Accrington and there be situations where, say, a King’s Cross are both said to The massive place in the passenger matters class at the Association of new ways of working that are parency of our decision-making, attendance at the town centre management com- have been equipped with solar Community Rail Partnerships awards ceremony in Swindon. more responsive to the needs of improve the way we work with pany could enter a partnership Ashton Court Balloon panels to provide electricity. A similar group has extended the service to Eaglescliffe. the society and its members. other organisations, attract new with a train operator to manage Festival in August n n Coastliners welcome improved services They will also be required to members and widen our influ- the station? There must be considerable created enormous potential for this to be spread road congestion, demonstrate that the resources ence. There is a lot to do and, as The second consideration is the Coastliners, the user group for the Newcastle-Sunderland- they use represent value for always, so little spare time to do more widely around the net- particularly on Hartlepool-Middlesbrough line, report that Grand Central is skill of station staff, particularly money. Three new groups have it! work. the Saturday. This now running five services a day Monday to Saturday to the those in ticket offices. prompted David North East. The group also liaises with First TransPennine. Railways are not the only area Not only would this reduce the Wood, Railfuture electricity bills attributable to sta- n n Campaign to reopen Hadrian’s Wall station Team work way to progress in which jobs are being lost or member and Bristol reduced for short-term financial tions, enable platform canopies Site of former Ashton Gate station Post columnist, to Tyne Valley Users Group is supporting a campaign to Picture: Greater Bristol Metro Rail reopen long-closed Gilsland station which is at the point The Railfuture board has approved the replacement of the existing reasons to the detriment of ser- to be maintained or re-installed take up a suggestion where Hadrian’s Wall crosses the Newcastle-Carlisle line. A committee structure with new, more dynamic groups. Full members vice and in which the staff have and lighting around stations to from Nigel Bray for new station would attract both local and tourist patronage. of committees will continue in their membership of the succes- a public service ethos. be improved. a temporary station at Ashton Gate, pending the reopening of a permanent one when passenger services are restored to Funding is being sought from local sources. Both Northern sor groups, and corresponding members will become consulting Would it be possible for some Solar power is not the only Rail and the Hadrian’s Wall Heritage Trust support the idea. members. the Portishead line. David Wood wrote to Councillor Tim Kent, ticket offices also to be sub post possibility. A few months ago Bristol City Council’s transport cabinet member, pointing TVRUG increased its membership with a recent recruitment The heads of the two new groups have already started their work Transport for Greater Manches- drive with leaflets aimed at regular passengers. offices or tourist information out that one of the original platforms alongside the existing and will be seeking new members in due course. If you are inter- offices? Training would be essen- ter brought a wind turbine into Portbury freight line could be made fit for trains during the n n ‘Could do better’ verdict on Morpeth improvements ested in working in or with these new groups, please get in touch tial but the skills required might operation at Horwich Parkway. annual four-day festival. Although the suggestion does not A public meeting in Morpeth organised by South East with the appropriate head of group via the website. not be that different Arrangements could be made seem to have been adopted, Councillor Kent later advised him for any income from the sale of Northumberland Rail Users Group heard Councillor Stephen We are particularly interested in finding volunteers to serve as sec- The third question is what scope that the council had secured funding for a new Ashton Gate Reed outline the council position on rail. Morpeth station has retary to the following groups: research and intelligence (headed energy to the National Grid to station to open in 2016. is there for additional services at gained lifts, information screens and a bigger car park but by Howard Thomas), special projects (Chris Hyomes), policy be ringfenced to pay for station stations? The McNulty Report n n West leads scheme for cheaper fares complaints were made about other facilities, outdated rolling (Norman Bradbury), media, marketing and communications (Chris staff. stock and patchy train services. The council is supportive Page), international (Andrew MacFarlane). The other groups are approach to increasing efficiency was to cut costs. There is no “silver bullet” to be Since September, a one-year pilot scheme sponsored by of the plans to reopen the Ashington line and has sent a finance and corporate governance (Jerry Alderson), networks (Ian the Department for Transport in conjunction with First Great feasibility study to the Department for Transport. It will call for McDonald), freight (Peter Wakefield), passenger (Chris Fribbins), An alternative is to increase rev- applied in all circumstances but a variety of options could be devel- Western has allowed concessionary bus pass holders (mainly an hourly Ashington service in the next franchise. and Railwatch. enue without further financial pensioners and disabled people) to buy off peak rail tickets squeezing of passengers. One, oped. So far, the need for them at 34% discount on the Swindon-Worcester and Westbury- n n How to develop freight traffic for the future The new research group will monitor key websites, compiling and the funding to pay for front- The closure of the Alcan foundry has released capacity for summaries and suggested content for consultations, conducting idea would be for stations to act Weymouth routes between 09.30 and 23.00. These tickets specialist research, advise other groups on national responses and as parcel collection points. Inter- line staff do not appear to have are valid on all trains within the geographical limits of the other freight traffic. Railfuture North East’s December meeting been adequately considered. heard from the commercial director of the Port of Tyne how initiatives, support branches for local consultations and provide net shopping can have very real scheme. The outcome of the experiment will be important rail freight traffic will be developed in future. data for local and national campaigning. The special projects group advantages for consumers in Making cuts seems to be the because many people who need to secure cheaper tickets are will conduct national campaigns, support branches in local cam- terms of lower prices, but there default position for people who deterred from using trains by the cost of buying a railcard. paigns and run national programmes. can be problems in accepting cannot see the bigger picture. 12 railwatch December 2012 www.railfuture.org.uk ◆◆◆◆ Railfuture conference at Albemarle Centre, Taunton: Saturday 22 June 2013 railwatch December 2012 13 Double green for new route to Oxford and East West rail Eye on Europe Chiltern Railways has been Eaton and will be a multi-modal Rail project which has been given options east of Bedford is still con- given the green light to cre- interchange, linking trains, the go-ahead by the Government. tinuing. It is possible that at the LOCAL ACTION n n Railfuture’s airport report identifies problems ate a £130 million new rail link buses, cars and bikes, allowing Chiltern Railways will work in Cambridge end, a route could be Thames Valley The aim of Railfuture’s International and European Union between Oxford and London passengers to avoid the conges- partnership with the East West Rail found through a new develop- committee is to ensure that people can travel between Marylebone. tion of central Oxford. team and East West services could ment if the planning authorities By Chris Wright [email protected] countries on public transport, preferably rail, with minimum Bicester Town station will also be start in 2017. could be persuaded. n n inconvenience, writes Damian Bell. International ticketing The two trains per hour service, East West Rail linked to Oxford go-ahead which has been supported at two redeveloped providing a gateway Transport Secretary Patrick Railfuture is considering the and problems crossing borders are key issues for us. East West Rail was the subject of the October branch public enquiries by Railfuture, to the town next to the popular McLoughlin approved a Transport options. One alternative route We recognise that for some journeys, there is no realistic meeting in Bletchley. The East West Rail Consortium reported alternative to air travel and we have produced a report on rail should start operating in 2015. Bicester Village fashion outlet and Works Act order allowing the could be via the Midland main ­centre. line and Luton which has been that on 12 October, the new delivery board had met at the and bus links to airports, which raises several concerns. The link will be built and funded project to proceed after accept- the subjects of previous studies. Buckinghamshire Railway Centre at Quainton Road and ran “The Oxford to London link is the ing proposals to protect bats in a special train to view the accessible parts of the route. Iain It should be made easy for air travellers to Britain to continue by Chiltern Railways, the opera- A new line could run from Luton their journeys by public transport. At some airport stations, tor of Marylebone-to-Birming- latest in a long line of innovative Wolvercote Tunnel in Oxford. Stewart, MP for Milton Keynes South and chair of the East the range of destinations to which tickets can be purchased Chiltern-led projects to upgrade A public inquiry into the project Airport to a point just south of West Rail Link All Party Parliamentary Group, attended. ham services, under a 20-year Hitchin. is very restricted. Amazingly at Heathrow, for example, rail franchise. the rail infrastructure, fuelled by was held in Oxford in 2010-11. The Department for Transport emphasised the strategic tickets are available only to London! our understanding of rail’s poten- It was reopened earlier this year At Bedford, Railfuture will resist importance of the route and Network Rail its commitment to As part of the Evergreen 3 proj- Fares to airports are not always attractive. Train operators tial to make a significant contri- to hear further evidence on mea- any attempt to undermine the maximise the benefits of the scheme and to show how rail ect, Chiltern Railways will build bution to economic growth and sures to protect the bats and other scheme’s connectivity by build- can drive economic growth. The meeting firmed up the roles should ensure there are good value tickets available for new stations in Bicester and in air travellers. Some rolling stock has only minimal luggage prosperity,” said Graham Cross of wildlife near the line. Eventually ing an out-of-town station. Prob- of the organisations and aims to have services running by space. In the refranchising process, would-be operators must north Oxford. Chiltern Railways. in October, consent was granted lems with the original route east 2017. It is hoped that work on the EWRL can be aligned with be urged to take more serious account of the needs of air The new parkway station in The line from Bicester to Oxford with 19 pages of conditions, with of Bedford include housing and work on the proposed Oxford-Bicester upgrade. First Great travellers. All train operators and airports should strive to give north Oxford will be at Water will also be used by the East West many relating to noise. Work on land designation. Western noted the potential to develop services to Reading good and reliable public transport information. and Bristol. Further research on an airport-by-airport basis into the access n n needs of airport workers and meeters/greeters would be Backing for reopening to Bourne End valuable. We are not aware of any such surveys but would be High Wycombe to Bourne End reopening is back in the news interested to learn of any that have been undertaken in recent with further developer proposals to breach the track bed. years. The Wycombe Local Plan and Buckinghamshire Transport Our report was compiled from information gathered by the Plan support the protection of the route for future transport committee and by Bus Users UK. Nearly 200 replies were use but an earlier public inquiry ruled this was inadequate received covering 24 airports, ranging from Stornoway and as no firm proposals or indication of use had been indicated. Inverness to Exeter. The report lists each airport which was Railfuture Thames Valley should have been more proactive

investigated and includes a summary of findings. A copy Picture: SIMON CLARKE although excellent work has been done by the Wycombe will be sent to the manager of each airport surveyed, to train Society and the Marlow and Maidenhead Passenger operators who serve airports and to relevant politicians. You Fine examples to follow Association to promote the potential. Buckinghamshire County Council suggests the EWRL will improve links to can download it at www.railfuture.org.uk/dl445 The annual Community has achieved through working You can also obtain a copy by sending a self addressed Wycombe and the Thames Valley. An option ignored is that Rail awards held at STEAM with the Acorn Centre, which Crossrail could be linked to Wycombe by the route. envelope with a large letter stamp to Trevor Garrod, 15 museum at Swindon at the provides vocational training for Clapham Road South, Lowestoft, Suffolk NR32 1RQ people with learning difficul- end of September, provided a n n New station on Windsor-Slough line backed by council n n European Passengers Federation in Parliament great opportunity to showcase ties, helping them to gain quali- EPF is planning to give a breakfast presentation at the some of the ideas that are help- fications and experience. They Chalvey, on the Windsor-Slough line, is being suggested as a European Parliament in Brussels in December on the topic ing to transform local railways won first prize for Best Station PRIZE PHOTOGRAPH: Simon Clarke’s winning picture in the possible new station site. Slough Borough Council has run a What passengers expect. This will be available to read on the around the country. Adoption Group. public consultation on the proposal. EPF website www.epf.eu Community Rail Awards, entitled Tomorrow’s passengers, n n So many good ideas were Five years ago, Dronfield was showing children at Mill Hill station near Blackburn Conference in city where three countries meet rewarded that it is hard to in a sorry state with few trains n n Stratford reopening viable, says new report EPF will hold its annual conference in the UNION cultural and fewer passengers. Now their journey along this spec- ing, while FGW staff served centre, Basle, Switzerland, on 15-16 March 2013. One of the choose which ones to highlight, Oxfordshire County Council helped fund the study into it enjoys both an hourly train themes will be Mobility without Borders, and there will be but here are a few. tacular piece of railway as well! an excellent buffet lunch and reopening the Stratford-Honeybourne line. The possibility of a speakers from France, Switzerland and Germany dealing If you want to see the others, service and many more passen- Personal awards are impor- hot drinks, a rare but welcome service to/from Oxford was examined and found to be viable, with successes and challenges. Basle can be reached from visit the Association of Com- gers as a result of the work of tant too, recognising the spe- example of train catering on the although capital funding and subsidy need to be secured. London now in about six hours by train from London via Paris munity Rail Partnerships’ web- the Friends of Dronfield station cial contribution from people Severn Beach line! who have made it more wel- thanks to the opening of the French high speed line between site at www.acorp.uk.org. like Councillor June Player, the Four trips were run, and were n n Franchise wrangle could halt improvements coming and used derelict land Dijon and Mulhouse (LGV Rhin-Rhone). Full details of the driving force behind improve- so popular that the last round Train operator Northern to create a stunning station gar- Milton Keynes Rail User Group may be disappointed that conference will be on the EPF website or in paper form from ments at Oldfield Park station trip of the day was strength- Trevor Garrod, 15 Clapham Road South, Lowestoft NR32 1RQ embraces the greatest number den, rightly recognised as the the West Coast main line franchise problem has delayed rail of community rail partnerships in Bath, or Jason Townsend ened to five cars. FGW’s gener- n n EPF is coming to London best in this year’s awards. service improvements, as First had promised extra stops (18), and it was good to see who works for Northern Rail at ous provision of the train and which Virgin Trains have resisted. The EPF Council will meet in London on 19 January 2013. The The Bodmin & Wenford heri- them as overall winners. Blackburn. The Mid Cheshire catering was much appreciated council rotates its meetings between various European cities tage railway received an award Line Partnership won the team- by those who travelled. and the last time it met in London was in 2008. Many members Top of my list was the trans- n n New bid to get Bedford-Northampton part of Thameslink for the Signal Box café at Bod- work award for the work of from other countries are keen to see how public transport in formation of Northern’s Glos- Avocet takes off min Parkway. What better volunteers in decorating all 12 The reopening of Olney staion is suggested by a new group London has improved. sop station, which the Friends introduction to as of their stations for the North The Department for Transport that is calling for restoration of the Bedford-Northampton group had planned with Net- you step off the train from Pad- West in Bloom competition. played its part too, with the line. The London and South Midlands Multi Modal Study in work Rail and the train opera- dington or Manchester than designation of the Avocet line 2003 suggested the line could be an extension of Thameslink tor as well as the Railway Heri- this traditional railway build- Hearts and minds as a community rail service services, was viable and would justify the capital costs. Railfuture AGM notice tage Trust. ing with the smell of fresh cof- Following the awards, a com- being announced the same day Notice is hereby given that the annual general meeting of the Railway Improvements included refur- fee and a warm welcome? munity rail festival sponsored as the awards. n n New station may be axed thanks to McNulty ‘reforms’ Development Society Ltd will be held at County Hall, Durham DH1 5UL by First Great Western took on 11 May 2013. There will be a morning session with one or more guest bishing and repainting the Youngsters are the railway’s The line joins six other local Wolverton’s new £2 million station, which opened only this speakers followed by a break for lunch. The formal AGM will commence glazed station canopy, and future, so it was good to see place the following day at branch lines which are pro- year, was the subject of a protest in October, as the new at 13.30. Nominations for election for chairman and to the board of bringing back into use many of this recognised in the awards. ­Bristol. moted as part of the successful booking office was closed due to staffing problems. There directors must be sent to Railfuture Returning Officer, PO Box 7690, the empty rooms in the station Cambrian Railways partner- Highlight of this was the rare Devon & Cornwall Rail Part- are fears the new building may be de-staffed and closed if Hinckley, Leicester LE10 9WJ to arrive by 31 January 2013. Nomination that were last opened 50 years ship has focused on safety for opportunity to ride on the nership. An early win for the tries to follow the recommendations of the forms can be obtained from the same address or from the Railfuture ago. The result now makes the schoolchildren who use the Portishead branch, returning user group and the partnership McNulty report to close station ticket offices. website at www.railfuture.org.uk station an impressive gateway railway’s line in great numbers, via Temple Meads for a circu- is that Sunday services will be Motions for discussion at the AGM must be sent to: David Berman, BM to the town. particularly to Harlech. lar tour via Henbury to Avon- doubled to half hourly for the n n Heritage rail in bid to link with National Rail Box 7659, London WC1N 3XX to arrive by 28 April 2013. They should Southern launched its station The DVD the partnership pro- mouth and back via Clifton six weekends running up to Princes Risborough continues to be the subject of ongoing be posted in typed format or emailed to [email protected] partnership scheme just six Down. User groups, local coun- Christmas. This could be made Further details and a booking form for the buffet lunch will be sent to duced provides sensible advice discussions between the Chinnor and Princes Risborough members later. By order of the board, L Butler, Company Secretary. years ago with three adopted on using the train safely, and cillors and rail staff were able to permanent when the success Railway Association Line, Network Rail and Chiltern Railways Railfuture is the campaigning name of the Railway Development Society stations. Already this number also guidance on conduct so see the lines at first hand and of the Christmas trial has been on how the preservation group can gain access to the station. Ltd. More info: www.railfuture.org.uk/AGM+2013 has grown to 26 which Southern that other passengers can enjoy discuss steps towards reopen- measured.

14 railwatch December 2012 www.railfuture.org.uk ◆◆◆◆ Raifuture AGM at County Hall, Durham on Saturday 11 May 2013 railwatch December 2012 15 LM boasts 25% growth despite cancellations and ticket office cutbacks LOCAL ACTION By John Stanford counter problems of cancella- Brown of the report on rail access local services as well as better East Midlands [email protected] tions over parts of their network to airports by the Railfuture inter- services between Birmingham Nicola Moss, London Midland’s was raised and was, along with national committee. This is avail- and London. By Anthony Kay [email protected] head of franchise management, London Midland’s planned able on the Railfuture website. He too reported continuing rail and Roger Bacon [email protected] was upbeat when she spoke at reduction in ticket office hours, www.railfuture.org.uk/dl445 growth – more people now travel Railfuture’s Birmingham confer- the subject of critical questions CrossCountry Trains head of Richard Harper, head of net- n n Derby line-up marks train upgrade milestone After the lunch break, the Railfu- to work in Birmingham by train ence on 3 November. from the floor. communications also referred work development for Chiltern ture draw was made, followed by than by bus – and considered to changes carried out in the Railways. He followed the other Around 100 Railfuture mem- presentation of the first Rail User that there were many reasons, She outlined LM’s achieve- first five years of the franchise speakers in reporting continuing ments including new trains on bers gathered at the Carrs Lane Group Awards. including cost and congestion, including the re-engineering and passenger growth: 86% up over why this would continue. the leading to Church Centre in central Bir- design of most of CrossCoun- 15 years with a notable break in The next speaker was Mick Miller, mingham for the 2012 Rail Users Picture: EMT greater customer satisfaction and try’s trains. the previous link with GDP dur- Network Rail’s senior sponsor for He emphasised the value of useage, and a 25% growth in use Conference. the Birmingham Gateway Project working with local authorities He outlined the twin pressures ing the past four years. The final on the . The theme of the day was Rail- approval had just come through which is rebuilding New Street and local enterprise partnerships of increased passenger use for Station both for the benefit of the to influence Government, and She also spoke of the develop- ways in the Heart of England — both short and longer journeys, for the next phase of their Ever- how well are we doing?. green 3 programme so that a ser- rail industry and passengers, and the potential for regional devolu- ment of London Midland’s Proj- where there had been significant as a major source of regeneration tion of transport policy. ect 110 which will increase the Opening remarks came from modal shift from motorways, vice from Oxford to Marylebone in Birmingham. Finally Phil Bennion MEP gave East Midlands Trains put its fleet on show for a unique speed and frequency of services John Baimforth, chair of West and the capacity limitations in should be open in 2015. When completed there should a European perspective on the photocall in September. The diesel trains, one from each on the main line from Euston. Midlands branch and Christian the absence of additional trains. He concluded by arguing that class, were lined up at the company’s Etches Park depot be more space, better access, West Midlands rail scene. He Wolmar, Railfuture President, the achievements of Chiltern in in Derby. The photocall was to mark the completion of a The first effects will be seen in As the company has no station improved waiting areas, the lat- pointed out that European Union who chaired the conference. improving services and widen- £30 million refurbishment programme which started in 2008 this month’s off-peak timetable responsibilities, it has prioritised est information systems and infrastructure funding was avail- with its class 158 trains. Now 93 trains have been upgraded, changes and will be fully intro- The morning session included the training of onboard staff and ing passenger choice made a case more light. This is being carried able for major routes, several of including the company’s InterCity 125s (also known as HSTs), duced in 2013. The measures presentations from three of the introduced innovative booking for long-term franchises. out with the commitment not to which crossed the region and Meridians, class 153 and class 156 trains. Etches Park is being taken to increase driver train operating companies serv- and reservation services. The The morning ended with a brief cause any train cancellations. The could be available for some of the the main depot for the class 222 Meridian and 156 fleets. recruitment and training to ing the region. Richard Gibson, third of the operator trio was outline by Railfuture’s Chris first major stage of this project freight line improvements that The other trains are “regular visitors”. East Midlands Trains will come into operation in April were planned. runs frequent trains on the Midland main line to London St next year. Pancras International as well as key destinations throughout He also considered that both the East Midlands, including Leicester, Derby, Sheffield and Toby Rackliff is the railway these and loans from the Euro- Nottingham, as well as Manchester and Liverpool. By 2019, National strategy needed on missing links developmant manager for Cen- pean Investment Bank could be the diesel trains at Derby will be joined by electrics, following tro and also works with the West available for HS2. Despite some the Government announcement in July that the Midland main Some heritage lines thrive Plans to extend to Exeter, or Midlands Regional Rail Forum personal concerns over the pro- line is to be electrified. Railfuture has been campaigning for as tourist attractions, but even just to Yeoford to connect representing a wider area includ- posed connectivity of HS2 with the line to be electrified for more than 20 years. At franchise no longer serve a transport into Tarka Line trains, have ing neighbouring shire counties. the rest of the network in Bir- award in 2007, EMT received a motley collection of diesel demand, while others have the not progressed, although as Among the topics being consid- mingham and with HS1 in Lon- trains in various stages of repair. Railfuture East Midlands don, he considered that HS2 branch will campaign to ensure that the effort, time and potential to become important recently as April this year, ered were connectivity, improv- links in the national rail plans for a park-and-ride ing journey times, filling in gaps would be good for the West Mid- money spent by EMT will continue to benefit the region in the lands and the country. years ahead. Also in July, EMT carried out 125 mph test runs network again. station on the A30 near and simpler ticketing. He consid- to see if it could raise the current top speed of 110 mph on the One such is the Dartmoor Okehampton were announced. ered that High Speed Two could Special thanks were given to MML line. The aim is to cut the London-Sheffield journey time Railway, once part of the Ownership of track is as be a game changer, enabling bet- William Whiting, the conference to under two hours in December next year. double track Southern main complex as is the history of ter services on intra-regional and organiser. line from Exeter to Plymouth. train operations. n n New package of upgrades for Wellingborough station It illustrates the truism that if The line forms part of an Railfuture 2012 draw winners East Midlands Trains plans further station improvements the branches are pruned, the alternative route which The winners of the 2012 Railfu- ough Street, York YO30 7AS; Peter at Wellingborough. The station will be repainted, given new trunk will die. could again link Exeter and ture draw, made at Birmingham Wilson, Stoney Croft, Leeds LS18 4RB; Joan Davies, Plas Helyg Ave- cycle and waiting shelters and a new low-counter ticket Lines to Bude and Padstow Plymouth, providing a back-up on 3 November were: window. It is a year since a new footbridge and lifts were route to that via the coast at nue, Penharcan, SY23 1QR. installed, providing step-free access between station and closed in 1966, with the £500 Roger Blake, Dynevor Road, Plymouth line north of Bere Dawlish, although it would London N16 0DX. £10 J Rice, Summerwood Lane, Hal- platforms for the first time. The extra work will be completed have the disadvantage of sall, Ormskirk, Lancashire L39 8RJ; G by the end of the year and is part of a £10 million programme Alston closing two years later, £200 A Hindley, Commonside, missing out Torbay and Totnes. Forse, Marshall Street, Leicester LE3 of station improvements across the network. but the residual service from Crowle, Lincolnshire DN17 4EX. 5FB; Ann Edes, Baronsfield Road, Okehampton (not included With plans by developers £100 Twickenham TW1 2QT; Eric Smith, n n Mrs J C Adams, Lockington Passengers to get better mobile phone reception in the Beeching Report) could Kilbride to extend the National Crescent, Stowmarket, Suffolk IP14 Dalton Avenue, Leeds LS11 7NN; not survive on its own and Rail Tamar Valley line north to D M Pearson, Windermere Avenue, Passengers in class 222 Meridian trains have long suffered 1DA. passenger services ended in Tavistock, just 15 miles would Wembley HA9 8RY; J Lewis, Long- poor mobile phone reception but are set to benefit from 1972. £50 Mark Collins, Woodmancote, den Road, Shrewsbury, SY3 7EY; Mr improvements, following a partnership with Vodafone where separate the two ends of the Dursley, Gloucestershire GL11 4AJ. Now Meldon Quarry, which line. Asssociation Picture: Dartmoor Railway Supporters Paul, St Peters Street, Lowestoft, Suf- special equipment will boost the mobile phone signal for £20 Mrs A Chaffey, The Village, Ham- folk NR32 2LU; Leonard Humphries, passengers using the trains to and from London St Pancras closed last year, has been However, the land ownerships SELLING THE FAMILY SILVER: A quarry company has put stead Marshall, Newbury, Berkshire Greenwood Avenue, Acocks Green, International, Sheffield, Chesterfield, Derby, Nottingham, put up for sale by its owners on the whole route are RG20 0HN; Dale Edwards, Newbor- Birmingham B27 7QH. Loughborough, Leicester, Market Harborough, Corby, Aggregate Industries, along fragmented between Network up for sale the 18-mile branch line which is used by heritage Kettering and Wellingborough. The programme is scheduled with the 18-mile branch line to Rail, Aggregate Industries, and special trains, like this Dartmoor Sunday Explorer train Railfuture monthly lottery winners to be completed by early 2013. Coleford Junction “to test the the Meldon Viaduct company, near Coleford Junction in Devon in July 2011. market.” Devon County Council, West A Lottery win can be most welcome. Two recent winners wrote to n n MP backs campaign to speed up train service express their delight at receiving their prize, with one adding "a most The quarry had kept the line Devon District Council and after the macabre story by Operators is a trade association private owners. Thomas Hardy. The busy not a planning agency and welcome supplement to my pension"! You too can enter our lottery. The average speed of trains from Northampton to London open for British Rail ballast Tickets are just £1 per month each and there is a top prize of £40 with is just 67 mph, compared to 98 mph from Rugby and heritage railways nearby (West Devon County Council has trains and in 1993 it was sold To complicate matters further, five further chances to win. Half of the money raised, after expenses, 83 mph from Milton Keynes, according to a survey by Somerset and South Devon) gone the extra mile to support to Camas Aggregates, together between Okehampton and goes back in prizes with the remainder supplementing Railfuture's Northamptonshire County Council. Brian Binley, MP for give an idea of the potential of the existing lines. with the railway. Lydford the route is used funds. Northampton South and chairman of Northampton Rail Users’ by national cycle route 27, the Okehampton line. But this is a route of national Group, has responded to this news by demanding a better Dartmoor Railway started To join, visit www.railfuture.org.uk/lottery/ or you can email developed by Sustrans. strategic significance commuter service from the town. He also pointed out the operating passenger trains The sale notice reveals an ­[email protected] or write to Railfuture Lottery, 24 Ched- in 1997, along with summer and requires action from important role of the proposed High Speed Two in providing The success of the Tarka Line, amazing lack of strategic worth Place, Tattingstone, Suffolk IP9 2ND. more capacity on the West Coast main line. Northampton’s Sunday trains from Exeter to where passenger numbers thinking about the need to Government. Okehampton and connecting RECENT WINNERS - June: Colin Palmer, Roger Goring, William Emmer- annual passenger count has increased from 1.7 million a have increased by 157% over safeguard railways or to The Department for Transport son, P D R & J Gardiner, Tony Foottit, H R F Mills. July: David Miller, David decade ago to nearly 2.5 million now. Preparatory work has bus links over Dartmoor. the past 10 years has given promote reopenings as rail is not geared up to manage Stocks, Graham Smith, Peter Clark, Mike Kneen, David Barr. August: Robert begun on the construction of a new station building, to be Dartmoor Railway was taken the lie to the nickname “the continues to grow. This goes such a task, so the need for a Burrows, John Ward (two prizes), John Fancourt, Philip Bisatt, Mike Kneen. completed in 2014, double the size of the existing station. over by British American Rail withered arm” for the Southern beyond the remit of Network proper rail planning agency September: Roger Lucas, David Townsend, Jane Vokins, Roger Blake, Walter Services in 2008. lines west of Exeter, so called Rail. The Association of Train becomes ever more important. Richardson, Kenneth Lovell. October: Susan Demont, David Brady, Andrew Marsh, Brian Houghton, William Morton, Peter Wilson. 16 railwatch December 2012 www.railfuture.org.uk ◆◆◆◆ Please remember Railfuture in your will: http://tinyurl.com/3qtdzj7 railwatch December 2012 17 LOCAL ACTION Your letters extra LOCAL ACTION Scotland East Anglia n n Back to the Borders Sheffield, Bedford via Oxford Taking the Felixstowe branch as mostly I watched the real-time By Nick Dibben [email protected] and Trevor Garrod [email protected] Railfuture is delighted to see and from Manchester to one small example, the financial map. Somewhere around that work will start next year Liverpool/Blackpool just happen loss to industry of having no rail Slough, I noticed that in the top n n Station counters check on bus links to be in or near constituencies of access to the port would have corners were altitude and speed, on rebuilding the Waverley rail Railfuture members carried out a passenger count at route, following an agreement the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime been enormous compared with which was 109 mph at the time. Minister and Chancellor. the cheese-paring savings of Halesworth station on the Ipswich-Lowestoft line, with help signed at Newtongrange Changing times Between there and the first from members of the East Suffolk Travellers Association. between Network Rail and the closing the passenger service. John Barfield’s article In Oh that we could all have one stop at Reading it went steadiy The count took place before the introduction of a full Scottish Government. The of them as our constituency MP. Then there are the costs borne down. I think it was under 100 hourly service in the December timetable change, and the Borders Railway project will Railwatch 133 about Railfuture’s early history evoked memories Obviously Richmond MP William by all the small towns and by Maidenhead and in the 60s branch plans to carry out another survey next year to see be complete by 2015, with a villages which would have what impact the improved service has made on passenger of my time as a member of Hague is not in this select group by Twyford. I did not notice any 30-mile railway and seven new suffered from the equivalent numbers. The number transferring between trains and the the London area committee as I have been unable to engage deliberate speed changes, so stations, in addition to three lorry traffic, spreading over a 520 Southwold bus was also noted. existing stations between of the Railway Development him in reinstatement of the my guess is that there were no large part of the country, not to Edinburgh and Tweedbank. The Association. I was recruited by Northallerton-Ripon-(Harrogate)- temporary speed restrictions, While at the station members checked the station facilities Wetherby-Leeds/Church Fenton mention the cost of additional and we were not held up behind and drew up a list of suggested improvements for train capital cost will be £294 million, Owen Prosser on a rail tour lines as part of the national rail road building. a stopping train. operator, Greater Anglia, and local authorities. Following a a reduction of £60 million on to the Welshpool and Llanfair system. He only supports one Richard Townend, St Julians, previous station count at Newmarket, our comments resulted the original estimate. Scottish Railway. On one occasion at That suggests the timing was campaign and that is the 20mph Sevenoaks TN15 0RX in local media coverage, and a meeting of local stakeholders, Transport Minister Keith Brown said the Borders Railway will , I had very slack and that the driver support 400 jobs during the construction phase and act as Wensleydale railway. [email protected] including Railfuture, was held at the station to agree to convince the booking clerk did not want to arrive too improvements. Part of the disused platform length has now a catalyst for increased business development and housing Funds are being raised for an early at Reading. In terms of opportunities within easy commuting distance of Edinburgh. that I wanted to travel to North Green roads? been cleared allowing longer three-car trains to be used on Woolwich, with a change of updated study into the costs and fuel economy and passenger race days. The seven new stations will be at Shawfair, Eskbank, benefits of the Ripon reopening, I support Peggy Gledhill who psychology, that was the right Newtongrange, Gorebridge, Stow, Galashiels and Tweedbank. trains at Stratford. With the North London line now so busy, although this proposal has despairs in Railwatch 132 thing to do. It uses less fuel n n Discussions over next Greater Anglia franchise Journey times from Tweedbank to Edinburgh are expected to at seeing the Government’s it seems incredible that the not been widely publicised. than thrashing to Reading Three Railfuture members attended a Suffolk County Council be less than an hour at peak times. Network Rail has already capitulation to pressure from Beeching report proposed to It will be in summer 2013 if and then sitting either at the conference on 26 October to consider what stakeholders been involved with extensive advance works, like clearing the road haulage lobby and close the line between Camden the study is favourable. North platform or outside the station, should expect in the the new Greater Anglia rail franchise, vegetation and demolition of buildings and bridges. The European Union to allow yet Road and Richmond. Yorkshire County Council, West and passengers are happy which is scheduled to start in the summer of 2014. Borders Railway project Yorkshire Integrated Transport bigger lorries on our roads. when moving at a reasonable received a loan of £100 It is tragic that the growth of So much for encouraging the Authority and all local councils speed, but fret when the train n n Revived branch line welcomes main line train million from the European towns like Bedford, Milton transfer of freight from road to Investment Bank in 2011. in the corridor except Harrogate stands still. My train was timed Keynes, Luton and Dunstable support the idea in principle rail, the “greener” alternative. to take 27 minutes, whereas I East Midlands Trains operated a service between Norwich Scottish Borders Council was never considered. At last, but are unable to contribute In April this year, David Cameron remember it taking around 20 and Dereham, over the volunteer-run Mid Norfolk Railway, leader David Parker said: “I would like to thank the after years of campaigning by financially due to Government minutes in the 1980s. I assume on 20 October. The line closed to passengers in 1969. Campaign for Borders Rail and the many Borderers who claimed he led the “greenest Railfuture, approval has been cuts. government ever”. How does this is just another example of Between 1978 and 1988, as part of its reopening campaign, have campaigned to make today’s announcement a reality. the Railway Development Society ran 17 charter services on given for reopening Bletchley- Dr Adrian Morgan, chairman, that square with what is “defensive timetabling’’. It is not The efforts of CBR and other community representatives Oxford. But of course we also the line, in co-operation with predecessor bodies of the MNR. have been critical in achieving the return of rail services to Leeds Northern Rail Reinstate- happening now? very impressive when a 125mph have the Luton-Dunstable ment Group, Ripon Since the MNR began operating, it has welcomed excursions the Borders. This is a project that has spanned five council It is also interesting to note train is planned to take nearly from National Rail as well as some freight trains. administrations and three council leaders; it has required misguided busway. [email protected] half an hour to do 36 miles. Martin Smith, Bath Street, where we long-term pro-rail numerous studies, an Act of Parliament and a significant John Harrison, Wokingham, Berks Abingdon OX14 1EA campaigners are now receiving n n East Anglia celebrates anniversary amount of work by Scottish Borders Council, Midlothian Costs and benefits support from. Two recent RG40 2DA Council, City of Edinburgh Council, the Scottish Government, Oh for a champion John Barfield’s article In examples I have noted are in [email protected] Railfuture East Anglia celebrated its Transport Scotland and Network Rail.” Railwatch 133 set me thinking. a CPRE (Campaign to Protect 40th anniversary in 2012. To mark the A 2012 book The : the Life, Death and Rebirth I have just discovered Can we hazard an estimate Rural England) newsletter Costly choice occasion a special leaflet was produced which looks back at what we have of the Borders Railway by David Spaven is available for Railwatch online. Surely it of the money that Railfuture, concerning the design of new An item in Railwatch 133 £14.99 from www.railfuture.org.uk/books/ is no coincidence that rail its predecessor organisations, housing developments which achieved over the years and what we refers to a survey carried out hope to see in the future. Copies have improvements announced and its constituent members noted the need for “access to n n Campaign to speed up electrification of Crossrail route by a Railfuture member which gone to all the region’s MPs, key local such as Oxford-Bedford (such as rail user groups) have good public transport, rail-based estimates the cost of reopening councillors and local media contacts. Railfuture Scotland is contacting a cross-party group of reinstatement, electrification to saved the nation over the years? where possible”. 6000 miles of the national Glasgow MSPs, as part of its campaign to get the city’s Crossrail project implemented quickly. Railfuture’s Ken More surprisingly, but railway network as £20 billion. Sutherland said: “Although referred to as a Glasgow Crossrail pleasing! The air travel and A speaker at the recent project, it really constitututes completion of Scotland’s the environment section of Railfuture Birmingham ‘missing link’. The main thrust of the current Crossrail case the direct.gov.uk website Conference quoted the likely is based on the logic of electrifying this very short route of suggestsrail as an alternative cost of High Speed Two as £32 an existing railway, as a direct follow-on from the current to flying. It says: “On average, billion. One would not expect Network Rail electrification of the 4.5 miles of the adjacent travelling by rail results in around either of these figures to be Join Railfuture Paisley Canal Line.” Plans for a Glasgow Cross Station, on one third the carbon dioxide penny-accurate, but assuming You get four copies of Railwatch magazine a year and the the Crossrail route, is now included in the recently approved emissions of the equivalent they are of the right order of chance to help make Britain’s railways great again Calton Area Development Framework Planning document. domestic or European short-haul magnitude this means that the n Crossrail would also have new stations at Gorbals and West flight. Travelling by train is often Membership is £21 per year for an individual Family: £21 plus £2 former project could be realised n Street. as convenient.” for each extra person Pensioners, students and unemployed £14 at two-thirds of the cost of the ­n User groups, community and parish councils: Please use this form to John Davis, Fairmead Avenue, latter. n n Plea to extend concessionary fares from bus to rail Harpenden, Herts AL5 5UD ask for group rates Railfuture is concerned that in Scotland, and probably [email protected] Given the extent to which possible rail reopenings are in England and Wales, the Government’s “user free” Name ...... concessionary bus travel has the effect of creating unfair Train speeds subjected to cost-benefit competition for rail routes. Railfuture Scotland has renewed analysis, I would venture its call for the concessionary fares scheme to be extended to On a recent weekend trip back to suggest that reopening Address ...... rail. As a compromise, Railfuture believes the concessionary from York, I found myself sitting appropriate large swathes of pass could give pensioners and disabled passengers a ticket, in front of a seatback TV on the the conventional network would ...... Postcode ...... discounted to 66% of the ordinary single fare. This makes First Great Western service from be of greater benefit to far more Paddington to Reading, and economic sense as many rail routes are already subsidised of the ordinary travelling public Email ...... by taxpayers’ money. See also Severnside: Page 13. spent the time playing with it. of this country than a white Railfuture Scotland: [email protected] News and sport were of no elephant covering only a fraction Send to Railfuture, 6 Carral Close, Lincoln LN5 9BD interest and I did not have time of the mileage, Please make cheques payable to Railfuture Tel: 01522 874513 Email: [email protected] www.railfuturescotland.org.uk to watch a film, so I looked at Philip Shelton, Yelland, the information pages. The rail Barnstaple, Devon EX31 3EQ OR join online using PayPal at www.railfuture.org.uk network map was useful, but [email protected] 18 railwatch December 2012 www.railfuture.org.uk ◆◆◆◆ Opinions do not necessarily reflect Railfuture policies. Letters may be edited railwatch December 2012 19 missing station: The site for Surrey Canal station, with Millwall football stadium nearby and the city skyline beyond. Delays to a major development has meant that the station cannot be opened in time for the start of train services on London Overground’s newest line. The developer of the Surrey Canal Triangle, Renewal, has pledged £10 million for the station but the development has been delayed. It is now hoped work could start in 2013 and London’s latest station might open in 2015 London’s ringrail completed at last London’s newest railway will begin operating this month after OVERGROUND ‘BLUEPRINT’ FOR NATIONAL RAIL a short stretch of track near Mill- wall stadium was rebuilt to link The creation of an orbital route has not allowed Mr Brown to franchising at all? It is costly existing lines. is a major achievement for investigate renationalisation managing the bidding process London Overground which, of the rail network, which they and it still needs careful Overground trains will run every along with Merseyrail, is now say would be cheaper and management and supervision 15 minutes in both directions, being seen as an example of more efficient than “casino once the franchise is let. from Surrey Quays to Clapham how the National Rail network franchising”. “And, crucially, the successful Junction. could be run, following the “Opinion polls and online franchisee is not doing it for The service is scheduled to start collapse of confidence in the surveys now show that nowt. They expect to make a on 9 December and will provide current franchising system. between 70 and 90% of profit and that goes back to the the final link to the Overground, Passengers have been quicker the British people support shareholders. In the case of making it an orbital network than the Government to notice full renationalisation of the Merseyrail, for example, that’s around London. that the Overground service is railways,” said Bob Crow of Serco and Dutch (state-owned) RMT. Railways. From Clapham Junction, trains excellent and its stations are better than nearby stations run call at Wandsworth Road, Caroline Lucas of the Green “So why not cut out the by franchised train operators. Clapham High Street, Denmark party warns that the cost of rail franchising process and Hill, Peckham Rye, Queens Road London Overground not only travel has risen by 17% in real set up arm’s length not-for- Peckham, Surrey Quays, and all specifies the train services but terms since privatisation, while dividend companies, where the cost of running the railways the public sector body (be stations to Highbury & Islington. demands high standards of the operator. The operator pays has increased by two to three it Merseytravel, Transport With its existing service from penalties if it does not maintain times. She said Greens want Scotland, Transport for London, Clapham Junction to Highbury those standards. an end to private ownership or Welsh Government) has a and Islington, it will mean that The London Overground of the railways, which would controlling interest? And all the Railfuture’s long campaign for a franchisee is a consortium of save over £1 billion a year of profit (surplus) goes back into main line orbital railway to com- companies and does not have taxpayers’ money. the railway.” plement London Underground’s to guess future revenues. It Labour’s Maria Eagle has He added: “Taking Merseyrail Circle line will be realised. is in effect paid a fixed fee for welcomed a thinktank report as an example, or Northern, More than 12 million passengers running the railway. this summer that advocated a you could run the entire are expected to use the new route The inherent weaknesses in return to public ownership. She operation from tomorrow as a each year. It will increase the the National Rail franchising believes the railway operating not-for-dividend company with the same management team – frequency of trains between Sur- system have been obvious for a subsidy is about four times and get better results.” rey Quays and Dalston Junction long time and it has also been higher since privatisation than under BR. from 12 trains an hour to 16. criticised as a licence for private Taxpayers and staff are not companies to print money. Rail campaigner Paul Salveson even mentioned in the current Now the system is in meltdown, hopes Ms Eagle will call for an franchise bid process. prompted by the West Coast end to franchising. Of course further delays will main line dispute involving He says the InterCity network cause big problems for train Virgin and First. should gradually be recreated builders. Railfuture president It exposes the dangers of and brought back into direct Christian Wolmar has entrusting a rail franchise to public ownership. repeatedly asked: “What is private companies for 15 years. He believes even the London franchising for?” Eurostar chairman Richard Overground and Merseyrail Brown is conducting an inquiry “concession” 1 into franchising and is expected system is not ideal for running to report to Transport Secretary railways. He says: “If the public Patrick McLoughlin by the body is taking all the risk and Scan this graphic with your end of December. Rail unions putting all the investment in to smartphone to go straight to complain that the Government the network, why bother with the Railfuture website