record £14 million fine and a knighthood all in 1 day

[jkat]

NETWORK Rail was today fined a record £14 million for serious overruns in engineering works – as the company's chairman Ian McAllister picked up his knighthood at Buckingham Palace.

Sir Ian stayed at home during the crisis, saying he would only get in the way if he went into work.

http://news.scotsman.com/uk/Network-...-as.3824928.jp

[Osem]

So he was knighted for NOT going to work ????

[jkat]

Originally Posted by Osem

So he was knighted for NOT going to work ????

yes!

[BBKing]

He was technically knighted over New Year, before the overrun became obvious. It's a bit unfair to criticise him for not turning up, what actually got it fixed was someone (Robin Gisby, actually, who also took the brunt of the press) deciding that it was an operational incident like an accident or severe weather which had happened to bring the overhead wires down, rather than an engineering job that just had to be finished to spec and to contract. Once they swung into that mode it actually got fixed quite fast, as everyone knew the key thing was getting the trains running and who was in charge (a Gold Command, like the police use for major incidents).

Obviously, the chairman doesn't turn up to fix operational incidents, he has professional people and processes he employs to do that. In the case of Liverpool Street, one of the cockups was not having enough gear to do the job, followed by the contractors decamping to fix Rugby (they weren't employed by NR, and the Rugby contractors were offering them large sums, so off they went). Eventually the regular NR maintenance teams turned up with their spares cupboard raided and pitched in. Once they were on site there wouldn't have been a lot of point doing anything else but feed them tea and bonuses.

One consequence of this is a suggestion that NR keep a tighter control on the country's small pool of professional overhead line people, which is where Sir Ian needs to earn his money.

[Osem]

Originally Posted by jkat

yes!

Blimey then half the Government will get gongs

[tweetypie/8]

Originally Posted by jkat

http://news.scotsman.com/uk/Network-...-as.3824928.jp

a toe in the a... would have been more appropiate.

[WHISTLED]

Blimey then half the Government will get gongs

Me too, ive been ill so worked from home today - Sir Whistled, has a nice ring dont you think?

[Osem]

Originally Posted by WHISTLED

Me too, ive been ill so worked from home today - Sir Whistled, has a nice ring dont you think?

Yep very nice! Actually I've been sat on my posterior most of the day not achieving anything much so I reckon I too should recieve due recognition in the form of a gong....

[Fingy]

Originally Posted by WHISTLED

Me too, ive been ill so worked from home today - Sir Whistled, has a nice ring dont you think?

Please tell me I don't now need to address you as Sir Whistled.

[WHISTLED]

I've been sat on my posterior most of the day not achieving anything much

you must work for me too then!?

Please tell me I don't now need to address you as Sir Whistled

You know my real name so you can call me Sir .........

Ive seen your status update on facebook so dont be thinking you will be trying for a title tomorrow

You have to laugh at this yet another brilliant set of timing from our better's lol.

[BBKing]

Actually, thinking about it - knighthoods are announced over New Year because it's a holiday, ditto engineering work takes place at the same time for the same reason, so they aren't independent events. 2 months or so seems about the right time to organise either a knighthood ceremony or a large fine, so the timing isn't totally unlikely.