Nationalised rail is BACK

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

Not every train service has improved.

While the Southern trains are decent, the FCC ones to London are still vile.

Indeed they are, although sometimes they are "borrowing" the southern coaches for some journeys.

 

[The Large One]

Back to the wonderful days of British Rail is it? Filthy trains, cancellations, surly staff, appalling catering and strikes led by commie trade union leaders every few days.
The "people" owned everything in those wonderful countries in the Soviet bloc as well. Funny how the "people" kicked the reds out of Russia, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, East Germany, Poland, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Rumania, Yugoslavia etc etc.

Goodnight left side!

Um, no. We've moved on a bit since then.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

And I'm sure that the government would of course in no way have been castigated for not ensuring it got the most amount of money for these franchises...If these spivs wanted to overreach themselves, that's their problem: the twat's lost his job as a result and we ALL own a vital national asset again. Win/win, IMHO.

If by "the twat" you mean Richard Bowker, I think you're reading the situation wrong.

He certainly hasn't "lost his job" as a result of National Express overreaching themselves. He has left his job, because that is what he does regularly ... He moves on.

He has a reputation for being one of the few men in the higher echelons of the industry who "knows everything". He will always be OK. It might seem odd to move to Union Railway in the United Arab Emirates. But just wait a few months and this move will suddenly make sense.

 

[Milton Keynes Seagull]

Um, no. We've moved on a bit since then.

The nationalised rail network had suffered massively from under investment, which to be honest both Labour and Conservative governments were equally responsible. I have gripes with the cost of rail travel like most people, but I do think overall the service has improved, just look at the quality of the rolling stock provided by Virgin Trains. When I travelled to school in 1970 from Hassocks to brighton, some of the carriages dated back to the 1930s.

 

[crasher]

If by "the twat" you mean Richard Bowker, I think you're reading the situation wrong.

He certainly hasn't "lost his job" as a result of National Express overreaching themselves. He has left his job, because that is what he does regularly ... He moves on.

He has a reputation for being one of the few men in the higher echelons of the industry who "knows everything". He will always be OK. It might seem odd to move to Union Railway in the United Arab Emirates. But just wait a few months and this move will suddenly make sense.

But it looks suspiciously like he's walking away from a mess of his own creation.

The history of this (and I worked at DfT at the time) is that NE were desperate to get one of the big franchises at that time (having missed out on many others) so they bid large. Bowker's personal credibility seemed a big part of the issue to most rail observers.

I would suggest he's by no means blameless.

 

[The Large One]

The nationalised rail network had suffered massively from under investment, which to be honest both Labour and Conservative governments were equally responsible. I have gripes with the cost of rail travel like most people, but I do think overall the service has improved, just look at the quality of the rolling stock provided by Virgin Trains. When I travelled to school in 1970 from Hassocks to brighton, some of the carriages dated back to the 1930s.

Interesting you mention Virgin Trains. Their rolling stock must have improved very recently, because the train from Brighton to Oxford I got on a couple of years ago was appalling. Uncomfortable seats, stinky carriage, virtually empty buffet, noisy ride...

Southern, on the other hand, have some very comfy, if basic, trains.

 

[Ernest]

Back to the wonderful days of British Rail is it? Filthy trains, cancellations, surly staff, appalling catering and strikes led by commie trade union leaders every few days.
The "people" owned everything in those wonderful countries in the Soviet bloc as well. Funny how the "people" kicked the reds out of Russia, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, East Germany, Poland, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Rumania, Yugoslavia etc etc.

Goodnight left side!

Who you calling surly

 

[bigc]

Back to the wonderful days of British Rail is it? Filthy trains, cancellations, surly staff, appalling catering and strikes led by commie trade union leaders every few days.
The "people" owned everything in those wonderful countries in the Soviet bloc as well. Funny how the "people" kicked the reds out of Russia, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, East Germany, Poland, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Rumania, Yugoslavia etc etc.

Goodnight left side!

In all those countries bar Russia, "reds" were installed by Stalin between 1944-47, so the revulsion to leftism was more linked to seeing it as a move towards Russian hegemony.

The left got back in relatively quick in Poland and Hungary in the 1990s mind you...

 

[bigc]

The nationalised rail network had suffered massively from under investment, which to be honest both Labour and Conservative governments were equally responsible. I have gripes with the cost of rail travel like most people, but I do think overall the service has improved, just look at the quality of the rolling stock provided by Virgin Trains. When I travelled to school in 1970 from Hassocks to brighton, some of the carriages dated back to the 1930s.

But do Virgin actually provide it? I agree it is good there has been massive rolling stock upgrade, but isn't this actually the DfT's doing?

Equally, wasn't it the DfT that put the breaks on any new rolling stock in the mid'90s, therefore leaving us with the Slam Doors until 2005 and helping to close the York works in the process?

 

[clapham_gull]

Back to the wonderful days of British Rail is it? Filthy trains, cancellations, surly staff, appalling catering and strikes led by commie trade union leaders every few days.
The "people" owned everything in those wonderful countries in the Soviet bloc as well. Funny how the "people" kicked the reds out of Russia, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, East Germany, Poland, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Rumania, Yugoslavia etc etc.

Goodnight left side!

Although the BNP want to renationalise them...

Funny old world isn't it

 

[Spider]

I would be pleased about this were it not for the fact that National Express East Coast was the cheapest line to get to football - will probably be a rip off now!

 

[Albion Dan]

Interesting you mention Virgin Trains. Their rolling stock must have improved very recently, because the train from Brighton to Oxford I got on a couple of years ago was appalling. Uncomfortable seats, stinky carriage, virtually empty buffet, noisy ride...

Southern, on the other hand, have some very comfy, if basic, trains.

Virgin dont run that route anymore and it could have been a Voyager (modern train but not the best) or one of the now replaced older trains. The Pendolinos that make up 70% of Virgins trains are regarded the best on the network.

 

[Beach Hut]

Virgin dont run that route anymore and it could have been a Voyager (modern train but not the best) or one of the now replaced older trains. The Pendolinos that make up 70% of Virgins trains are regarded the best on the network.

Precisely, Arriva Cross Country run that route which is another one in dire trouble financially.

 

[Trigger]

I would be pleased about this were it not for the fact that National Express East Coast was the cheapest line to get to football - will probably be a rip off now!

Dirt cheap when I go up to Yorkshire for the Rugger too.

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

I would be pleased about this were it not for the fact that National Express East Coast was the cheapest line to get to football - will probably be a rip off now!

I thought something was up last week when checking for cheap advance tickets on their website and they didn't have any.

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

Back to the wonderful days of British Rail is it? Filthy trains, cancellations, surly staff, appalling catering.

Transpennine Express have been getting away with this for the last 15 years.

 

[User removed 4]

I think it has with better trains, but it is still expensive and with the huge subsidies the private firms got and still get from us the taxpayer, could it still have been as good if not better if it was left nationalised?

IMHO I think that it would have been better off nationalised, with increased subsidies, strict targets on punctuality and some decent management who were paid a good rate of pay to get the best managers in.
I can never understand the dogma that only in privatised businesses you can pay better rates of pay so that you can supposedly get the best staff in?

good post, even the yanks admit that you cannot run a good rail service at a profit.

 

[Dandyman]

good post, even the yanks admit that you cannot run a good rail service at a profit.

Very true, In 1970, Amtrak — a federal, quasi-public corporation — was created by the federal government.

IMO there is a strong arguement for seeing railways as part of the strategic infrastructure of a country and hence as deserving of EU subsidy as farming or industry.

 

[User removed 4]

Very true, In 1970, Amtrak — a federal, quasi-public corporation — was created by the federal government.

IMO there is a strong arguement for seeing railways as part of the strategic infrastructure of a country and hence as deserving of EU subsidy as farming or industry.

have to agree there , i personally dont agree with any of the utilities being sold off, the management needed shaking up for sure , but would rather we owned our utilities, not the french.