Blackadder star Tony Robinson has come up with a cunning plan to make the morning commute more bearable.
The actor and presenter has teamed up with Richard Preddy, who wrote the sitcom Green Wing, on a series of witty announcements to be played on trains between Birmingham and London and at Marylebone Station.
Preddy wrote the lines while Robinson, who played dim-witted Baldrick in Blackadder, spent a month with staff on Chiltern Railways helping them learn the lines.
Preddy said: “It was fascinating to meet the Chiltern staff and a wonderful, if challenging, project to work on.
“We have all waited for a train or a bus into work as the rain pours down and bustled our way to a seat, and I think comedy can help to alleviate that stress. Everyone we met was so enthusiastic and the feedback so far has been fantastic.
“It’s important to note that we aren’t trying to turn everyone into a comedian. Rather we are hoping to bring out a little more of the staff’s personality and humour via their day-to-day announcements and help cheer up the commuters along the way.”
Among the announcements passengers will hear are: “I’d like to welcome passengers boarding this 7.33 from Birmingham Moor Street to London Marylebone. If you’ve just bumped into someone who you barely know, you now have one hour and 30 minutes of awkward small talk. Good luck.”
How about: “For any passengers who’ve not visited London before, do please prepare yourselves for the capitals overwhelmingly calm and relaxing pace of life.”
And also: “We will shortly be passing through West Ruislip where we will be racing the Underground trains. Do please feel free to cheer for our driver.”
Or what about: “Will any passengers listening to noisy iPods please get a better taste in music. Thank you.”
The rail regulator is to review the compensation regime between train operators and Network Rail amid claims that firms are “pocketing” tens of millions of pounds due to passengers for delays and cancellations.
The Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) yesterday said it wants to make sure compensation issues function effectively and does not disadvantage passengers or freight customers.
The ORR is also studying passenger awareness of their own compensation rights on questions such as how long they need to be delayed on a journey before they can reclaim their fare.
The Transport Salaried Staffs Association welcomed the revelation, following its claim last month that less than 10 per cent of £184m paid to private firms by NR for delays last year found its way back to passengers.
General secretary Manuel Cortes said: “The present compensation scheme is little more than licensed larceny by the private train operators.”
A spokesman for the Association of Train Operating Companies claimed that the union had got its facts wrong.
He added: “…passenger compensation has become increasingly generous and easy to apply for.
“As a general principle, train companies will refund anyone who has bought a ticket for a journey that is cancelled. The vast majority of operators compensate passengers who have been delayed for an hour or more.”
The Potters Bar train crash has claimed the lives of seven people.
A seventh casualty died in hospital, seven hours after the passenger train travelling from London to Norfolk derailed at Potters Bar railway station in Hertfordshire.
Five people died at the scene with two more confirmed in hospital, down from three after police said there had been “confusion” over numbers. 11 casualties have serious or critical injuries while there were up to 60 walking wounded.
An investigation has been launched by British Transport Police and HM Rail Inspectorate.
The train became wedged under the station canopy
The train was the 1245 WAGN service from King’s Cross, London, to King’s Lynn in Norfolk. Three of the train’s four carriages derailed in the accident which happened just before 1300 BST.
The rear carriage flipped across two platforms and became wedged under the canopy of the station roof.
The train was not due to stop at Potters Bar and it is thought it was travelling at up to 100 mph.
Chief Superintendent Andy Wright, who is leading the rescue effort, compared the devastation at the scene with the Hatfield crash two years ago, in which four people died.
He said all the dead and most seriously injured had been in the rear carriage.
The driver of the West Anglia Great Northern train, Andy Gibson, from London, was uninjured and said he “felt the train give way from the rear”.
A spokesman for his union Aslef told the BBC he felt the train – which had 151 people on board – had passed over something.
Investigation
The Queen was said to be “shocked” to learn of the crash.
Transport secretary Stephen Byers has ordered an investigation by the Health and Safety Executive.
“All of our thoughts must be with the families and friends of those who have been killed or injured today in this tragic accident,” he said.
At a press conference on Friday evening, Railtrack chief executive John Armitt said the maintenance record of the track, and the last set of points prior to the crash, would be examined.
George Muir, of the Association of Train Operating Companies, said: “There’s been an extraordinary focus on safety in the last two years, which I hope passengers understand.
“The investment that’s gone into safety is very much more than ever before – £3bn last year on renewals and maintenance.”
Potters Bar station is only a few miles down the line from the site of the Hatfield train disaster in which four people were killed two years ago.
Ten Years On
An open memorial service to remember those killed and injured in the tragedy will be held later today.
The service will begin at 12.50pm at the Memorial Garden outside the front of Potters Bar rail station, where prayers will be said for those who died and were injured.
At 12.56pm, the time of the crash, a minute’s silence will be observed.
A service will then be held at the Roman Catholic Church of Our Lady and St Vincent on Mutton Lane led by the Rev John Sherrington, starting at 1.15pm.
All are welcome and light refreshments will be supplied afterwards.
Direct Rail Services Class 37 Diesel Locomotives 37605 & 37603 power through Enfield Lock Station whilst working 1Q18 Derby RTC – Norwich Jubilee Sidings Network Rail Test Train.
The nine million passengers expected to travel by train over the May bank holiday weekend will have to contend with a series of engineering works.
Travellers hit by disruption will include thousands of Liverpool fans heading to Wembley for their team’s FA Cup final with Chelsea at Wembley on Saturday May 5.
The rail industry said there were would be 17 per cent fewer replacement bus services than there were in the 2011 May bank holiday weekend.
But nearly every passenger train company will be operating some replacement bus services over this year’s May bank holiday weekend, with the West Coast Main Line and Great Western routes through Reading being particularly affected.
The West Coast engineering work is the project that particularly affects the Liverpool fans, especially as the final is starting at 5.15pm.
All but three of Virgin’s Liverpool to London trains have been cancelled that day with the last return service leaving just after 8pm – meaning fans face being stranded in the capital.
The West Coast disruption will affect passengers travelling on London Midland services as well.
Some London Midland trains between London and Crewe/Birmingham New Street will start and finish at Northampton, with buses replacing trains between London and Milton Keynes Central/Northampton.
Virgin Trains is replacing trains with buses on some services between Crewe and Liverpool Lime Street, Carlisle and Glasgow Central/Edinburgh, and Crewe and Preston.
First Great Western passengers will have to put up with engineering work between Reading West and Newbury in Berkshire with some Reading-Newbury services being replaced by buses.
Services to and from two main London stations – Liverpool Street and King’s Cross – will also be among those affected by the engineering work over the bank holiday weekend.
Some East Coast trains travelling towards King’s Cross will have journey times extended by up to 60 minutes, while on Sunday May 6 and bank holiday Monday May 7 there will be no trains running on Greater Anglia services between Liverpool Street and Shenfield in Essex.
While saying that there would be around 17 per cent fewer replacement bus services, the Association of Train Operating Companies and Network Rail (NR) added that there would be around 4 per cent more trains running this year.
The two companies said: “The rail industry has cut its use of rail replacement buses by a third over the last three years.
“NR engineers will be working round the clock to lay new track, improve stations and repair bridges to help deliver a better railway for passengers.”
The Association of Train Operating Companies said: “The vast majority of the nine million passengers expected to travel by rail over the bank holiday weekend will be unaffected by the improvement work.”
The Government is to publish a pipeline of potential new rolling stock contracts to help support British manufacturers after the £1.5bn Thameslink controversy.
The Department for Transport (DfT) said the rolling stock plan will offer an “enhanced visibility of future investments” and provide UK suppliers with “the confidence to invest in their capability and be well placed to compete effectively for future orders”.
The comments came in response to a highly critical report by the Transport Select Committee on the award last summer of a contract to build new trains for the Thameslink network to German company Siemens. Bombardier, the last British-based trainmaker, announced 1,400 job cuts at its Derby plant after losing the contract.
The pipeline of work is likely to include contracts for Crossrail and High Speed 2, as well as the modernisation of trains on Britain’s existing rail networks as the Government introduces new 15-year franchises. The pipeline will be drawn up alongside the Association of Train Operating Companies and bidders will be asked to provide details on how they will support local jobs and suppliers.
Louise Ellman, chairman of the cross-party transport committee, said: “Our train manufacturing industry needs a steady flow of work opportunities, to support employment in the sector, not occasional major orders. Following our recommendations, the Government is taking steps in this direction, but it remains to be seen how this will affect firms like Bombardier and the long-term security of UK supply chains.”
Ms Ellman also reiterated her call for the Government to provide more information on why it chose the Siemens’ Thameslink bid, claiming: “This is essential to restore public confidence in the DfT’s procurement process and we urge the Secretary of State to act.”
The DfT said it would give “further consideration” to the matter, but that it must “give due regard to the commercial sensitivities of all bidders”.
To complement the previous photographic post, here are the videos I captured of the Great Britain V railtour leaving London.
Firstly we have LNER A4 Class 4-6-2 Steam Locomotive 4464 Bittern making a spirited climb through New Barnet Station with 1Z20 Kings Cross – Edinburgh.
Secondly we have West Coast Railway Company Class 47 Diesel Locomotive 47760 running approx. 5 minutes behind the main tour through New Barnet on 0Z20 Kings Cross – York.
Yesterday saw the start of a mammoth 9 day tour of the UK by various steam traction. Day 1 saw the train leave Kings Cross bound for Edinburgh behind LNER A4 Class 4-6-2 Steam Locomotive 4464 Bittern which hauled the train between London & York where BR Standard Class 7 Steam Locomotive 70013 Oliver Cromwell took over for the run to Edinburgh.
LNER A4 Class 4464 Bittern on the Great Britain V tour at New Barnet
Following approx. 5 minutes behind the main tour was another example of classic British traction. West Coast Railway Company Class 47 Diesel Locomotive 47760 which was acting as a backup/rescue locomotive to the tour. As things transpired, the 47 actually ended up running in front of the main tour due to some bizarre decisions by the signallers.
West Coast Railway Company Class 47 Diesel 47760 passing New Barnet
The tour returns to the Capital on Sunday 29 April with GWR Castle Class 4-6-0 Steam Locomotive 5043 Earl of Mount Edgcumbe hauling the final leg from Bristol to London Paddington.
A 17-year-old who stabbed a ticket inspector on a train in Essex has been jailed for four years.
Brothers Robert Culley (17) and Charles Culley (19), both of Darwin Road, Tilbury, were sentenced at Basildon Crown Court on Monday, 16 April.
Following an investigation by British Transport Police (BTP), Robert Culley, who had earlier pleaded guilty to wounding and possession of a bladed article, received four-year and two-year detention orders, set to run concurrently.
Charles Culley, who had pleaded guilty to common assault, received a four-month detention and training order.
The court heard how the brothers boarded the 8.20pm Southend Central to Fenchurch Street c2c service on Friday, 16 December without tickets and were approached by uniformed revenue protection staff.
As they were travelling without tickets, inspectors told the pair to leave the service at East Tilbury, the next stop.
Upon the train’s arrival at East Tilbury, an altercation ensued, with one inspector being punched in the face and Robert Culley stabbing the other under one of his arms using a four inch knife.
The Culley brothers immediately fled the scene and the wounded inspector was taken to Basildon University Hospital, where he received stitches before later being discharged.
BTP detectives immediately seized CCTV from the station and circulated images of the brothers in the media the next day, leading to their swift naming and arresting on Sunday, 18 December.
Both brothers responded no comment when interviewed and were charged and remanded in custody. On pleading guilty in March at Basildon Crown Court, Charles was released on conditional bail until sentencing, whilst Robert was remanded.
Detective Constable David Bishop, BTP’s investigating officer, said: “Attacks of this nature on rail staff are rare, but we take them all extremely seriously.
“This was an appalling and disgraceful attack on two men who was simply doing their job and who had quite rightly asked the brothers to leave the train.”
c2c Managing Director Julian Drury said: “This was an isolated and unprovoked attack on our staff, who were doing their duty making sure the railway is safe for customers, and we are pleased to see those responsible brought to justice.
“These convictions were made possible by the high standard of security at our stations including full CCTV, and by the outstanding professionalism of the British Transport Police, for which we are very grateful.
“Since the incident we have introduced a range of extra measures to make the railway even safer for our customers and staff including new teams of enforcement officers travelling on daytime and late night trains along the c2c route. We are absolutely determined to make sure the railway is welcoming and safe for all.”
Punctuality on the railways reached 93.4% during Period 13, according to monthly performance data released today by Network Rail. The data for Britain’s train services covers the period from 04 March 2012 – 31 March 2012. This compares to 92.9% for the same period last year. The moving annual average is now at 91.6%.
Government owned East Coast once again prop up the table with 90.5%
The top performers in the period were: Merseyrail (97.2%), London Overground (96.5%), C2C (96.1%) and East Midlands Trains/First Transpennine Express (96.0%).
Lowest performers for the period were: East Coast (90.5%), Southern (91.2%), First Capital Connect (91.5%) and Greater Anglia (91.8%).
This blog has been designed to allow me to post news & stories from the Railways, both real and model. I also intend to share a few stories from my work as a Revenue Protection Officer along the way.
The opinions expressed on this blog are exclusively mine and in no way, shape or form reflect the opinions of my employer.
Posted by AllTicketsPlease 
