Before getting onto this month’s Informed Sources, can I flag up a feature article in the main body of the May Modern Railways?
Shortly after privatisation got under way I scandalised some readers by arguing that separation of track and trains would favour diesel over electric traction. Quite simply, the diesel’s go-anywhere capability would enhance residual value, keeping lease rates down. Train operators would also struggle to cope with the drawn-out acceptance process for new electric trains when traction return earth currents and signalling interference were involved. In computer parlance, diesels were ‘plug and play’.
And so it turned out, with GNER, at one time, proposing an all-diesel service on the ECML and the SRA declaring that electrification was off the agenda. But there is a limit to how long traction and rolling stock policy can be based on short termism. The issue of HST2 is already concentrating minds and over the past six to nine months readers have been asking ‘when are you going to say something about privatisation?’
In this month’s Modern Railways I have a major feature article up-dating the joint Department of Transport/British Rail 1981 Review of main line electrification’. I think you will find the results of my hard work with Excel interesting and even encouraging. Your views, will be particularly welcome on this subject.
GNER’s reaction to ORR’s decision to award the remaining paths on the East coast Main line to open access operators did seem a bit OTT. Chris Garnett’s presentation to the Fourth Friday Club, which included some trenchant remarks on open access, is also featured in the May magazine.
In Informed Sources I go into the background to the row in some detail and all is not so simple as it seems. For example, bidders for the franchise were told by SRA/DfT that the risk from open access operators was down to them. Two bidders accepted the risk, two qualified their bids and came third and fourth in a field of four.
I also analyse the other factors affecting the financial performance of InterCity operators, including GNER, where energy costs and Schedule 8 compensation are going the wrong way. Add in the problems at GNER’s parent Sea Containers – also discussed, and you can see why the threat from Grand Central’s three services a day is much more serious than it might seem.
Meanwhile, updating the state of play since Informed Sources went to press, GNER’s solicitors have now written to ORR confirming that their client is considering seeking a Judicial Review. The letter seeks clarification on a number of points and requests a reply by May 2. The next stage will be for GNER and its solicitors to consider the ORR’s response and see whether a JR is justified.
After 10 years of gloom and doom, the signalling contractors have some good news at last. The preferred bidders for all but one of the big Type ‘A’ contracts have been appointed and Informed Sources has all the details.
This should form the definitive reference for who is doing what and where. There is also an up-date on the remaining West Coast Route Modernisation resignalling schemes, which continue to slip.
One of those specialist subjects that no one else seems to write about, is the Government’s national smart card ticketing scheme, known as ITSO for short. This has suddenly taken centre stage with DfT inserting the requirement in the new South Western franchise Stakeholder Document for bidders ‘to price the introduction of ITSO-compliant ticketing throughout the franchise area from January 2009, with an expectation that ITSO compliant ticketing products will be available for use in London zones 1-6 from that date’.
I reckon this goes way beyond the column’s usual code for unlikely timescales – ‘heroic’. Currently, there are three ITSO schemes - for
Given that the successful bidder is being asked to implement an ITSO scheme on a main line railway in just two years from taking over the franchise, pricing the risk is going to be a real challenge. I also outline some of the practical difficulties of a main line smart card.
To wrap up the smart card item I could not resist including some weapons grade criticism of the National Rail train operators from Transport for
Finally, on 11 May I am due to give a paper to a conference on disabled access. In this month’s Informed Sources I rehearse what could be a lively session with a run through of Exhibit A in my presentation.
As you will remember, the Class 458 Juniper EMUs, designed before the Rail Vehicle Accessibility Regulations (RVAR) were published, have passenger information system displays with 32mm high lettering. The RVAR specifies 35mm.
An exemption was granted to allow the Class 458s to enter service, but subsequently, SWT decided on an all-Desiro Mk 1 stock replacement fleet. SWT made a successful application for an extension to the exemption so that the Junipers could remain in service until the Desiros were delivered. That extension runs out on 31 July.
But then, Desiro availability and reliability was less than advertised and SWT has been using half a dozen or so 458s to cover for shortages of Desiros on the
Roger’s Ramblings
The March Fourth Friday Club lunch could not have been more topical. On the Thursday the ORR announced its decision on Grand Central’s open access application and the next day we got Christopher Garnett responding at full throttle. Not surprisingly there was a large turnout with over 130 Club members attending. You can find out details of future meetings at www.4thfriday.co.uk and register to receive Club news by e-mail.
Then Network Rail published its 2006 Business Plan on 4 April. I tend to leave the headline figures to the News Editor and go hunting for the gems hiding within obscure tables which will fuel future items in the column.
Also in early April there was a press briefing with Metronet’s Managing Director and his senior team. This is likely to lead to a visit to Derby to see the initial tests with the new trains and signalling system for the Victoria Line.
On the Alycidon Rail (www.alycidon.com ) front, I have finally got round to writing down the Informed Sources Laws which are listed in the Informed Sources primer pages for the first time. More seriously, I thought readers might like to have the South Western stakeholder briefing note, referred to in the ITSO smart card piece, in full and you can find it in Professional Stuff.
We now have over 500 subscribers to e-Preview. I know that some readers circulate their copies to work colleagues, but anyone reading this at second hand, as it were, is invited to register for their own copy. You can find the simple form at Alycidon Rail.
As ever, feedback to Roger@alycidon.com.