A sad, sad day at Castle Yutani

[Weyland]

The "Market" strikes again.

The Wrexham & Shropshire Railway Company is no more.

"The last train will be the 1830 from London Marylebone."

That company was, for me, as close as could be imagined to the acceptable face of rail privatisation, which I otherwise detest as an abomination.

It's easy to see why it went down. The insane franchising system meant that the entrenched companies such as Virgin would not allow the W&S to stop at major stations such as Birmingham New Street and Coventry, even though the trains ran through there. I can remember being stopped at New Street once for ten minutes or so with the doors firmly closed, though people would happily have got off, and some would have got on. Madness. Obviously not a market at all.

Virgin, the famous free-market private rail company, gets a vast public subsidy, more than British Rail could ever have dreamed of, and the W&S got not a penny. QED.

This can be pinned squarely on Thatcher and her vile spawn. Yet another example of the irreparable damage she did to this country, and which continues to eat away at the vitals (including, of course, the banking obscenities).

[jean]

That is very sad news.

Thatcher of course, for all her vileness, stopped short of privatising the railways.

It may be that Major was too stupid to see that his little-boy fantasy of resurrected regional rail companies all with their own liveries was just that - a fantasy.

[Weyland]

This seems strangely relevant in a sort of vaguely irrelevant way . . .

[Weyland]

Jan 26, 2011 11:10:29 GMT jean said:

That is very sad news.

Thatcher of course, for all her vileness, stopped short of privatising the railways.

It may be that Major was too stupid to see that his little-boy fantasy of resurrected regional rail companies all with their own liveries was just that - a fantasy.

Thatcher would've got round to it, given the chance. I've a nagging feeling that she might've made a better job of it. That just shows you what a fair-minded bloke I am.

British Railways did have some regional liveries, though I don't think they survived the name-change to British Rail. It would have been easy to reinstate them, given the will.

For example, I saw the Mallard a few times in Newcastle in the 50s, in at least two liveries: bright blue and green. The Flying Scotsman was always green, if I remember correctly, if not the apple green of the LNER. Shame.



Mallard still holds the world steam speed record set in 1938, 126mph. Ex-BR Intercity 125 diesels still run on the East Coast main line. I doubt they ever reach 125mph.

[Weyland]

[Spoke too soon -- it's back, intact.]

I just posted more or less the same text as post #1 on this site, minus the Thatcher rant.

It was there for less than a minute and has now disappeared. No explanation, nothing. The other companies' PR machines at work? Will we ever know?

[jean]

Jan 26, 2011 11:57:20 GMT Weyland said:

British Railways did have some regional liveries, though I don't think they survived the name-change to British Rail. It would have been easy to reinstate them, given the will.

London Midland was cream and maroon, and Southern Electric was green, when it was already British Railways, but perhaps the change to British Rail caused more reorganising.

(I can't tell you how I hate train station.)

[Patrick]

Quite sad. I read a very favourable review of the service a few years ago. Even for the fact that they were relegated to every slow line along the route (a deliberate ploy by operating companies bigger and bossier dating back to the last Private Company activities) It was a very friendly and enjoyable service - not to mention using delightful Intercity 125s.

Serious questions need to be asked what the hell is the point of it all when a: It just gets carved up by the same companies and b: That Start ups don't last.

A new firm is making big noises about Introducing new rolling stock in a dedicated service from Barrow in Furness to London soon. Doing battle with Virgin I don't see that lasting either.

[Patrick]

Owing to Elf and Safety and other rules - I don't think the 125's have gone much above 100 for 15 years or more (I'd heard). This is about the same time scale in which journey times across the land have become longer, by half an hour on some routes.

[Patrick]

Here was the article - from April 2009 Quite a sweet tribute really.

Commuters I spoke to by the ancient walls of Shrewsbury were ecstatic at the return of the direct London trains at bargain prices. "With my age card, it's just cost me six quid to come back from London," says Graham Watley from Bishop's Castle. "Love it. Long may it continue."

The fares are astonishing: £40 return from London to Shrewsbury - half that if booked even a day in advance. An open standard London-Wrexham direct return is £53, when Virgin charges £201 for the equivalent, with connections.

[Weyland]

Jan 26, 2011 15:16:19 GMT Patrick said:

Here was the article - from April 2009 Quite a sweet tribute really.

Commuters I spoke to by the ancient walls of Shrewsbury were ecstatic at the return of the direct London trains at bargain prices. "With my age card, it's just cost me six quid to come back from London," says Graham Watley from Bishop's Castle. "Love it. Long may it continue."

The fares are astonishing: £40 return from London to Shrewsbury - half that if booked even a day in advance. An open standard London-Wrexham direct return is £53, when Virgin charges £201 for the equivalent, with connections.

How about this? "In the most recent National Passenger Survey by Passenger Focus, the independent rail watchdog, Wrexham & Shropshire has come top in the country, with a 99% satisfaction rating - the highest rating in the survey's history."

That's the Market for you, working like a well-oiled banker.

I was paying £26 return, online, S'bury to Marylebone, with a Senior Rail Card, which I just renewed last week specifically for that route. I'm inconsolable.

I'm not sure I've ever seen an Intercity-125 on the W&S. I think they're called Type 67s. But I don't know much about locomotives.

[everso]

Jan 26, 2011 14:29:08 GMT jean said:

Jan 26, 2011 11:57:20 GMT Weyland said:

British Railways did have some regional liveries, though I don't think they survived the name-change to British Rail. It would have been easy to reinstate them, given the will.

London Midland was cream and maroon, and Southern Electric was green, when it was already British Railways, but perhaps the change to British Rail caused more reorganising.

(I can't tell you how I hate train station.)

There was an article in the Daily Mail a few days ago by some chap who said the same thing. I have to say I agree but, thinking on it, 'station' - 'stationary' - train standing still?

[Weyland]

I just emailed my MP about this scandal. I know -- fond hope. Plus he's a Tory.

Ennnnywaayyyyyyyy, I came across some statistics about MPs and email, and it turns out that I'm the ONLY constituent who has emailed him ever, and this is the first even I've sent. I dare say he'll be either deliriously happy or scared shitless.

[Patrick]

My Bugbear of the last few years was Anglia Railways. Top marks for punctuality, top marks for customer service, top marks for cleanliness and they get the franchise taken off them 'cos National Express bid more. Result? within two more years NatEx get it taken off them for running it into the ground.

[Weyland]

Jan 26, 2011 15:55:34 GMT Weyland said:

I dare say he'll be either deliriously happy or scared shitless.

I forgot the other possibility -- upstairs discussing Uganda with his teenage researchers, Alex and Hillary.

The auto-reply I just got says "Out of Office". If only.

[everso]

Jan 26, 2011 15:55:34 GMT Weyland said:

I just emailed my MP about this scandal. I know -- fond hope. Plus he's a Tory.

Ennnnywaayyyyyyyy, I came across some statistics about MPs and email, and it turns out that I'm the ONLY constituent who has emailed him ever, and this is the first even I've sent. I dare say he'll be either deliriously happy or scared shitless.

If he has any sense, he'll be scared shitless.

[Weyland]

Jan 26, 2011 16:57:11 GMT everso said:

If he has any sense, he'll be scared shitless.

Put my mind at rest, Ev. Should I take that as a compliment?

[everso]

Jan 26, 2011 17:03:36 GMT Weyland said:

Jan 26, 2011 16:57:11 GMT everso said:

If he has any sense, he'll be scared shitless.

Put my mind at rest, Ev. Should I take that as a compliment?

Without a doubt.

[Weyland]

Wonder of wonders, I got a reply from the MP already!

Empty piffle, naturally.

Extract: "I too am very disappointed about the loss of this service. It seems that not enough people have been using it, in part because it takes rather too much time."

See Patrick's comment -- "they were relegated to every slow line along the route".

Still, it was less than three hours, Shrewsbury to London. Any other choice involves at least one change, sometimes two, and I can't find any that take less time. Mental wizards, these MPs.

[Weyland]

Crikey, I'm fully engaged now . . .

Reply to MP:

"Thanks for your prompt reply.

"It seems that not enough people have been using it, in part because it takes rather too much time."

Interesting you should say that. I can't find any other rail choice from Shrewsbury to London anything quicker than a few minutes less, and all involving at least one change.

Consider this: "In the most recent National Passenger Survey by Passenger Focus, the independent rail watchdog, Wrexham & Shropshire has come top in the country, with a 99% satisfaction rating - the highest rating in the survey's history."

Simple solution, costing the taxpayer nothing: transfer enough of Virgin's public subsidy to W&S in order to make it a viable proposition. And/or any other company's subsidy. I'm CERTAIN that taxpayers throughout the United Kingdom would agree.

What objection could there possibly be? There already is no market operating, so why continue the pretence?

I repeat: "99% satisfaction rating - the highest rating in the survey's history".

~ ~ ~

Please help me if you can and/or care to. All suggestions considered.

[Weyland]

The MP has replied to my reply:

I don’t disagree with you. But I have spoken with some colleagues who travel from Chester, which they tell me is so much quicker. I have arranged to speak with Shrewsbury’s MP on Tuesday about this issue to see whether we can do something. We will discuss the contents of your email. Best wishes, Marmaduke

[Note that by Tuesday the W&S will have already been closed down for four days.]

~ ~ ~

Thank you.

They tell you? Shouldn't you know? You'd be better off talking to Google.

Chester to London takes about 40 minutes less than Shrewsbury to London. Chester is 50 miles from where I live. No bus service. And half the trains from Chester need a change.

I'd bet the MP for Shrewsbury knows all that.

~ ~ ~

I think the phrase is "out of touch". And he doesn't even know it. The Shrewsbury MP is another Tory, but I'm sure he has more brain cells. (He's also the tallest MP.)