Train Spotters Corner

[denphone]

Dozens die as Spanish train derails in Galicia.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-23442018

What a terrible tragedy.

[Ravenheart]

The footage from the trackside camera is terrible. My thoughts are with those who have lost loved ones in this horrific incident.

[thenry]

RIP

[Ravenheart]

Some signal boxes to be preserved

Twenty-six of the UK's "rarest" railway signal boxes have been granted Grade II listed status by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

Good to hear this, so much of our railway history has been lost

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-23451290

[denphone]

That's excellent news.

[Osem]

Originally Posted by Ravenheart

Some signal boxes to be preserved



Good to hear this, so much of our railway history has been lost

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-23451290

They'll probably be turned into 'affordable homes for local people'...

[Ravenheart]

Breaking news: Another terrible rail incident

More than 40 passengers have been injured after two trains collided head-on just outside a station in western Switzerland.

http://news.sky.com/story/1121900/sw...engers-injured

[thenry]

if this is true then Ryanair are reprehensible scumbags

Ryanair double flight costs in wake of the train crash in Spain

http://rsocial.elmundo.orbyt.es/epap...8DAC0D80F746D6

[denphone]

Its very sad when we have these terrible accidents and my thoughts and condolences go to the family's and loved ones.

[Ravenheart]

Rail Regulator rejects services from Blackpool and Shrewsbury to London again

THE OFFICE of Rail Regulation has rejected Virgin Trains' bid to run services to Blackpool North and Shrewsbury, at least for the time being.

http://www.railnews.co.uk/news/2013/...n-bid-for.html

Privatised rail so much more choice we have

Originally Posted by Ravenheart

Rail Regulator rejects services from Blackpool and Shrewsbury to London again



http://www.railnews.co.uk/news/2013/...n-bid-for.html

Privatised rail so much more choice we have

Eh? A private railway operator wants to run these services, is told by a government agency that it can't, and this is the fault of privatisation?

Bizarre.

[Ravenheart]

That's my point Chris, the operator wants it to run, there's demand for the service in both regions yet they're told they cant.

The now defunct Wrexham & Shopshire service wasn't able to call at stations the route to London passed through due to the way agreements were drawn up.

Because of a Moderation of Competition clause inserted into Virgin Trains' Track Access Contract with Network Rail by the government, Wrexham & Shropshire were not able to service a number of West Coast Main Line stations from London. Wrexham & Shropshire's Track Access Contract did not allow it to call at Birmingham New Street or Coventry, although the contract did allow it to could call at Wolverhampton and Birmingham International to pick up only on northbound services and set down only on southbound services, although Wrexham & Shropshire elected not to serve the latter.[8]

[denphone]

Railcare in crisis after takeover talks break down.

http://www.railnews.co.uk/news/2013/...called-in.html

l can't say l am surprised at this.

[denphone]

New order is signed for Derby-built trains.

http://www.railnews.co.uk/news/2013/...igned-for.html

Originally Posted by Ravenheart

That's my point Chris, the operator wants it to run, there's demand for the service in both regions yet they're told they cant.

The now defunct Wrexham & Shopshire service wasn't able to call at stations the route to London passed through due to the way agreements were drawn up.

Well yes, the public service routes and service levels were devised back in the day by OPRAF and companies have bid for franchises based on those. It would be unfair for those franchises, once agreed, to be undermined by open-access operators. Such operators are welcome to fill in any gaps they perceive in the franchised schedules but they can hardly expect to be allowed to steal business from the companies that won the franchises.

Aside from that, the reasons quoted for this particular refusal are not denial of access to lucrative stations, but denial of access to the tracks themselves for capacity reasons. It's worth pointing out that BR didn't face such capacity issues because BR was running the railways the way the civil service ran the empire, I.e. in a state of managed decline. I've not looked up the specifics but I'm willing to bet that Blackpool and Shrewsbury have in the past had direct connections to London, and I'm also willing to bet that it was the nationalised operator that shut those routes down. It is a private operator that wants to bring them back, and when the capacity issues are resolved I expect they will be allowed to do it.