It’s Only Cash Or Contactless Credit Card For Me!
I had a chat with a solicitor, I met on a train yesterday about credit card fraud. I said that I try to use my contactless card if possible and get mildly annoyed if a company expects me to enter my pin for a purchase of about a tenner.
She agreed and said she had been involved in formulating the legal basis of the payments policy of a large retailer. She made some interesting points.
- Fraud on contactless cards seems to be lower than predicted. We both added a caveat of Not Yet!
- Some retailers have reported a strong move from cash to contactless cards.
- Research has shown, that people keep contactless cards very safe, in a place like a deep pocket, to avoid accidental transactions.
I also said that a policeman had told me, that stolen contactless cards aren’t often used in a contactless manner. She said that thirty quid isn’t worth getting caught for, when there’s a bent shop where you can make thousands.
I said that, I once used my ordinary card in a branch of a well-known franchise to purchase an SD card. The lady, who served me, was a Muslim from her dress and when my card didn’t work in the machine, she told me that she’d used the wrong one. So she asked me to put my card in another. Which I did and the purchase was completed.
Within a few hours my card had been cloned and some expensive purchases were made. My companion confirmed it was a trick beloved of small shops and garages.
So I had been conned by a simple sleight-of-hand! Did the money end up with Islamic State? Probably not, but you do wonder!
I now only use cash or contactless credit card for my smaller purchases.
I also now rarely use small shops, unless I’ve known them for some time. And I certainly wouldn’t use a credit card without it being contactless.
Serial Cooking – Chicken, Leek And Bacon Shepherd’s Pie
This recipe is another from Lindsey Bareham in The Times.
The main ingredients are a Waitrose pack of roast chicken thighs, 75g of bacon lardons, 500g potatoes and 200g trimmed leeks.
It was a very simple and good shepherd’s pie.
Is Network Rail Only Part Of The Problem?
We like to have something simple to blame for our troubles!
I have just read this article in Rail Magazine entitled Carne opposes five-year funding cycle for big projects. This is an extract.
Network Rail Chief Executive Mark Carne told the Public Accounts Committee “there is no doubt at all in my view” that the Great Western Main Line electrification programme should have been managed in the same way as projects such as Crossrail and Thameslink.
“Personally, I think it [five-year funding cycles] is a really good way of funding ongoing operations, maintenance and renewals. But I am not sure it is a really good way of funding major investment projects,” he said.
We can look at various rail projects, that have been successfully completed without too much trouble, in the last few years.
Borders Railway
The Borders Railway seems to have been completed on time and on budget.
The only problem so far seems to be crowded trains and difficulty in finding more carriages.
So what’s new? This is only another manifestation of New Railway Syndrome.
Chords, Curves and Flyovers
Network Rail have also successfully built a few short railway lines to make the rail network and trains, easier to manage. This is a selection.
- The Allington Chord removed a bottleneck on the East Coast Main Line.
- The Hitchin Flyover removed another bottleneck on the East Coast Main Line.
- The Ipswich Chord allowed better access for freight trains to Felixstowe Docks and removed a lot of truck journeys from the roads.
- The Todmorden Curve allowed trains from Burnley to reach Manchester.
The only one with a problem was the Todmorden Curve, where Northern Rail had trouble finding trains for the new service.
Great Northern and Great Eastern Joint Railway Upgrade
The Great Northern and Great Eastern Joint Railway has been upgraded from Doncaster to Peterborough via Lincoln to act as a freight route away from the East Coast Main Line.
I talked about this upgrade in Project Managers Having Fun In The East.
This was no small project, as it involved resignalling, improving nearly a hundred miles of track and dealing with well over a hundred bridges and culverts.
It cost £330million and few people have heard of it.
But there doesn’t appear to have been any problems with the delivery of the project.
Rebuilding Birmingham New Street, Kings Cross, Manchester Victoria and Reading Stations
The rebuilding of these stations has not been trivial.
- The Birmingham New Stret rebuilding had its design and planning problems, but cost of around £500million
- The King’s Cross restoration cost £500million
- The Manchester Victroria renovation cost £55million.
- The Reading station redevelopment and some other works cost £850million
All were delivered on time, with the exception of Reading, which was delivered a year ahead of schedule.
You could add into this section, the substantial upgrades at Leeds, Newcastle and Peterborough.
Stafford Area Improvements Program
The Stafford Area Improvements Program is a £250million improvement to the West Coast Main Line.
It removes a bottleneck and allows extra trains on the line.
But few people have ever heard of it.
Summing Up Well-Managed Projects
So it would appear that Network Rail can manage some projects well and deliver them on time and on budget.
In my experience, they do seem particularly good at stations and always keep the trains running as much as possible.
If these projects have one thing in common, it is that they could all be well-defined before the project was started.
The Projects That Didn’t Go So Well
The following projects didn’t go as well as the previous ones.
Edinburgh to Glasgow Improvement Program
The Edinburgh to Glasgow Improvement Program is a £1billion program to upgrade and electrify the lines between the two largest Scottish cities.
It has had a rather chequered history and the original program has been reduced in scope.
Wikipedia says this in its entry about the project
It was reported that the project was delayed for up to three years due to the need to negotiate for the demolition of the west wing of the Millennium Hotel and works on Winchburgh Tunnel.
It has not been an easy project.
Great Western Main Line Upgrade
The Great Western Main Line Upgrade involved resignalling, electrification and a lot of track and station work on the Great Western Main Line.
To say it has been the project that keeps on wanting more time and money would not be an understatement.
This article in Rail Magazine says that the project could be two years late and cost three times as much as original estimates.
I have no insight into what has gone wrong, but there are several factors that have conspired against the project.
- Most electrification in the UK has been done in a series of phases, but on this project, they went for a faster approach, using a special train, which hasn’t worked very well.
- There have been planning problems in places like Bath, Goring and Oxford.
- The scale of the project is very large, with over a hundred bridges and tunnels to be modified.
- Politicians have changed the project several times.
It has been an unmitigated disaster.
However, I do feel that the engineers have got out the fag packets and envelopes and that they will find a way of getting this railway running under electric power. Or at least partially!
Politics is the science of spin and illusion, whereas engineering is the science of the possible.
North Western Electrification
The electrification in the North West, should have been a simple project, as the country is flat and the engineers must know the busy lines between Blackpool, Bolton, Liverpool, Manchester, Preston and Wigan like the back of their hands. It’s also a join the dots exercise with the electrification, so this should just be connected to the main line electrification at Liverpool, Manchester, Preston and Wigan.
But the benign flat lands have bitten hard, just like they bit George Stephenson.
My generation grew up with boyhood stories of George Stephenson’s problems as he crossed Chat Moss and where did his twenty-first Century successors have trouble, whilst electrifying Liverpool to Manchester? Chat Moss!
They’ve also suffered the well-publicised problems of the reconstruction of the Farnworth Tunnel and several other issues on the Manchester to Preston Line.
I think Network Rail appreciated the problems before they started and made the North West Electrification, more of a series of smaller projecs, than one large one.
The project is now on course for a two year delay, but the project now looks to be more likely to be completed.
Ordsall Chord
The Ordsall Chord is on the face of it, a simple project that should have been built years ago, to connect Manchester Victoria and Piccadilly stations and allow a large increase in number and quality of TransPennine services.
If anybody doubts the value of the Ordsall Chord, then read this article in the Manchester Evening News.
But sadly, the project has been delayed for many years, firstly by politicians and then by a veracious litigant.
I suspect that any Mayor of Manchester, would have built this important piece of railway many years ago.
Thameslink
Network Rail would probably say that the Thameslink upgrade is going well. Looking at the massive bridges and embankments, I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt.
I have added it to the list of failing projects, as there is no denying that they had their problems last Christmas, when they changed all of the routing. Network Rail received a £2million fine for their part in the chaos.
The Thameslink upgrade has been contentious and a long time coming, as it was originally approved in 2006.
I know there has been a major recession and effectively two changes of government since then, but the outcome when the project is delivered in 2018(Hopefully?), will be the same now, as was proposed a dozen years ago.
I think some major mistakes have been made.
- Network Rail were bullied by politicians to abandon their plan to terminate Wimbledon Loop services at Blackfriars, which would have taken pressure off the central tunnel.
- A protracted tendering process for mew trains, resulted in an interim fleet of Class 387 trains being delivered to fill in before the new Class 700 trains. Any sensible person would say, that Thameslink and Crossrail should have very similar trains.
- Before the major timetable change at Christmas 2014, the East London Line should have been running five-car trains and possibly more services, so make up for the reduced London Bridge services.
I would also have seen if by increasing other services, they could take the pressure off the overcrowded routes through London Bridge and on Thameslink.
In my view the project management of Thameslink has not been good. But then it is a London project managed nationally and responsible to Central Government. Crossrail on the other hand is a separate project, which is more under the control of Transport for London.
Summing Up The Bad Projects
These projects have various themes running through them.
- You could argue that the recession of 2008 and three changes of government have not done these projects any good.
- Public protest has caused delays and in the case of Thameslink unwelcome changes.
- Some of the projects don’t seem to have an independent structure that makes it easier to get things done and for the public to relate to the project. Thameslink for instance doesn’t have Crossrail’s openness.
- The time and budget constraints put on the projects by politicians have probably been a tad unrealistic.
It is my view, that the project management of these projects could have been a lot better.
I also feel, that Network Rail didn’t seem to have the strength to say No to politicians.
Is Mark Carne Right?
His first point is this.
There is no doubt at all in my view, that the Great Western Main Line electrification programme should have been managed in the same way as projects such as Crossrail and Thameslink
He is generally right on this, although I think Thameslink could learn from some of the actions of Crossrail, in the way they deal with passengers and public who are inconvenienced.
Thameslink is an information desert. If you tell people nothing and just give them hassle, you’ll reap your just rewards.
Mark Carne’s second point is this.
Personally, I think it [five-year funding cycles] is a really good way of funding ongoing operations, maintenance and renewals. But I am not sure it is a really good way of funding major investment projects.
In the 1960s and 1970s, it was a cardinal sin with large projects to mix them in with ongoing maintenance and general operation. Or it certainly was in ICI. One accountant told me that the separation , means you don’t get complicated lines of management and it controls costs better.
So it is my view that larger projects should be managed on an independent basis.
Network Rail Must Say No!
I think Network Rail can be accused of not fighting its corner against politicians and local vexatious litigants.
Hopefully Sir Peter Hendy’s Arrival at the top will help.
Projects Should Be More Like Crossrail
In some ways Crossrail is a project, that is broken in quite a few distinct smaller projects, which can be delivered in sequence.
Perhaps because of its size, it seems to have more sub-projects than say Thameslink or the Great Western Electrification.
But although some of the sub-projects are large on Crossrail, they do seem to be much smaller in scope than some of the sub-projects on the other projects.
If I look at some of the troubled projects, their structure and order is often more complicated than the much bigger Crossrail.
Both Thameslink and much of the electrification involve bring in new trains. Crossrail has the luxury of being able to introduce its new trains on the almost separate lines of the Shenfield Metro. So if the new Class 345 trains have some teething troubles, they will hopefully be very little collateral disruption to other routes.
Conclusions
Looking at this, I feel that the biggest problem is when Network Rail tries to manage large projects, especially when they are in a political or protester-rich environment.
They seem to manage better with smaller projects or one that are less politically important. But surely smaller projects are easier to give to a contractor to do the complete job.
The Crossrail structure of an independent project, seems to give a better result for large projects. In this independent structure, I suspect that the politicians and protesters still have influence, but this is direct to top management of the project, in hopefully a controlled manner.
Perhaps, all projects should be independent?
Years ago, when I worked for ICI, they used to like everyone working on a particularly project to be located closely together, if that was possible. They had found it got a better design, that was delivered faster and for less money. Communication between everybody on the project was also very good.
Is More Tram Fun On The Way In Edinburgh?
This article on the BBC web site is entitled Edinburgh trams: Plans to extend the line to Newhaven.
This is said.
Edinburgh’s tram network should be extended to Newhaven, a report to councillors has recommended.
It is estimated the three mile extension would cost £144.7m to build. The line currently stops at York Place in the city centre.
Edinburgh city council is looking into extending the tram network to Newhaven, Ocean Terminal or the foot of Leith Walk.
Councillors will vote next week.
As there are elections in Scotland in May, this could restart the saga of the building of the current Edinburgh trams, which kept Glaswegians and Sassenachs so amused.
I doubt they’ll start the extension of the tram system before the end of this decade!
Crossrail 2’s Roadshow At Dalston
Today was a Roadshow Day for Crossrail 2 at Dalston.
You do get a chance for a chat, but most of the information presented is on their web site.
Boxing Day Trains On Merseyside
The title of this post is the title of an article in Rail Magazine.
Running trains on Boxing Day for one of the busiest shopping and sporting days of the year, is a logical thing to do.
But where are my trains to Ipswich on that day?
Two Ticketing Stories
This story on Rail News is entitled Metrolink offers Get me there app and this story on Rail News is entitled Contactless payment to Gatwick Airport.
The stories illustrate the difference in philosophy between Manchester and London.
I don’t use financial apps, as they are a security risk to my bank and credit card details, so in Manchester I’ll still have to buy a ticket, as they haven’t embraced the modern technology of contactless cards.
Also why can’t I buy a Plus Tram ticket when I book a Virgin for Manchester?
For Gatwick now, I won’t have to buy a ticket, as I’ll use a contactless card between East Croydon and Gatwick.
North Yorkshire Proposes Rail Expansion
It surprised me when I read that North Yorkshire was the largest county in England. But thinking about it, there can’t be many others of a similar size.
This document on the coumty’s web site is entitled North Yorkshire County Council Local Transport Plan 2016 – 2045 and it lays out, what it says on the fitrst page.
It has these two sections about rail.
Rail Line Re-openings
The County Council supports, in principle, proposals for rail reopening in the County, on identified routes such as Skipton to Colne and Harrogate to Ripon / Northallerton.
In the past many of the line re-openings were considered to be “local schemes” and therefore required local funding. The Council will only actively support opportunities for line re-openings where these are demonstrated as of National or pan North of England importance. National or pan North strategic importance will be assessed on the basis of the contribution to network resilience, improved strategic connectivity, the delivery of greater capacity or improved rail freight opportunities.
In all cases North Yorkshire County Council will only work with railway industry and local stakeholders where there is common agreement to develop a proposal.
Future of Rail
On the East Coast Main Line, over £240m is being spent by Network Rail on infrastructure, increasing capacity, reducing journey times and improving reliability. With investment in new InterCity Express trains and the franchise holder’s commitment to further investment, including a new timetable with 6 direct services between Harrogate and London, the route is set to be transformed by 2020.
The re-franchising for both the Northern and TransPennine services has produced invitations to tender that are transformational. In North Yorkshire this will result in many routes having increased frequencies, additional Sunday services, new or modernised trains and better customer focus. With greater local input into the management and development of the franchises through Rail North it is felt that we can achieve the rail services that are needed for the North.
High Speed connectivity with proposals for HS2 network linking London –Midlands– Sheffield-Leeds–York and the North East in the early 2030s and the work of Transport for the North on HS3, providing fast frequent and reliable links between Northern Cities provides opportunities now for the Council to develop its plans for good connectivity for North Yorkshire to and within these networks.
Private investment such as the Potash Mine near Whitby (improvements planned for the rail service on the Esk Valley) along with other planned housing and economic growth in North Yorkshire all combine to facilitate growth in rail.
The County Council remains committed to ensuring North Yorkshire benefits from the growth and investment in our railways and will continue to influence decisions to achieve the best outcome for the County
The Council is recommending re-opening these two lines.
Skipton to Colne
Skipton station is a station at the western end of the electrified lines to and through Leeds. There are several plans for the future, involving direct trains to London and more frequent services to and from Leeds. There is also an aspiration of the Embsay and Bolton Abbey Railway to extend into Skipton.
Colne station is at the eastern end of the partly single-track East Lancashire Line, with services all the way to Blackpool South station via Burnley, Blackburn and Preston.
The two stations used to be connected until 1970, when it was closed, despite not being recommended for such by Beeching.
An organisation called Skipton-East Lancashire Rail Action Partnership is pressing for the line to be reopened. This map shows the rail lines in the area.
Skipton To Colne
Reopening this just under twelve miles length of track could bring a lot of benefits.
Most of the trackbed hasn’t been built on, but look at this Google Map of Colne station.
Colne Station
Note how the dual-carriageway, A6068 and a football pitch have been built, where any link from Colne would probably go.
So there would be a need for an expensive bridge. But as the line to Colne is only single-track, I suspect that the bridge could get away with one track, providing there was a passing loop at Colne station.
Having seen tram-trains in Germany, I know what the Germans would do and that is run tram-trains from the Blackpool tramway across Lancashire as trains and then over a tramway to Skipton. The advantage would be simpler infrastructure and lower costs.
But we have our own solution in the shape of the IPEMU, which could charge its batteries at Skipton and Preston and use bateries on any unelectrified line in between. The advantage would be no wires and possibly only a single track across the Pennines.
But if it is decided to create a link between Skipton and Colne, the railway technology developments of the last few years, could make the link more affordable.
Harrogate to Northallerton
Harrogate station has local services on the Harrogate Line to Leeds and York and some long-distance services to London and the South. The lines through the station are not electrified.
Northallerton station is on the East Coast Main Line
The plans would reopen the section north of Harrogate of the Leeds and Northallerton Railway. This would reconnect the cathedral city of Ripon to the rail network.
Under the Wikipedia entry for the former Ripon station, this is said.
Today much of the route of the line through the city is now a relief road and although the former station still stands, it is now surrounded by a new housing development. The issue remains a significant one in local politics and there are movements wanting to restore the line. Reports suggest the reopening of a line between Ripon and Harrogate railway station would be economically viable, costing £40 million and could initially attract 1,200 passengers a day, rising to 2,700. Campaigners call on MPs to restore Ripon railway link.
On the face of it, it might appear a good plan, but there are still questions to be answered.
- Ripon would need a new route and probably a parkway station.
- Leeds to Northallerton is under sixty miles and is electrified at both ends, so a passenger service could be run by IPEMUs.
- Would the line be double-track and electrified?
- Would the line be capable of being used as a diversion route for the East Coast Main Line?
- Would freight trains be encouraged to use the line to relieve pressure on the busy East Coast Main Line?
I’ll repeat what the report says about the East Coast Main Line..
On the East Coast Main Line, over £240m is being spent by Network Rail on infrastructure, increasing capacity, reducing journey times and improving reliability. With investment in new InterCity Express trains and the franchise holder’s commitment to further investment, including a new timetable with 6 direct services between Harrogate and London, the route is set to be transformed by 2020.
It is probably true to say, that what happens on the East Coast Main Line is going to determine, whether the Harrogate to Northallerton Line gets reopened.
This article in the Northern Echo is entitled £230m plan to reinstate key North railway line receives major boost details a lot more about the project and the Council’s enthusiasm.
Improved Connectivity
This is always an aim of Councils and reports like that commissioned by North Yorkshire County Council. These come to mind.
Esk Valley Line
The only specific mentioned is that York Potash might be funding improvements to the Esk Valley Line.
In An Alternative Approach To Provide A Local Metro Network, I put forward the concept of using IPEMU trains with minimal electrification to dvelop a Tees Valley Metro.
I believe with some small amount of electrification at Middlesbrough, the Tees Valley would get its Metro and Whitby an improved service of new electric trains.
Leeds to Sunderland
Reopening an electrified Harrogate to Northallerton line, with additional electrification from Leeds to York on the Harrogate Line and Northallerton to Middlesborough on the Northallerton to Eaglescliffe Line, would open up the possibility of extending services between London and Leeds to Harrogate, Ripon, Northallerton, Middlesbrough and Sunderland without using the East Coast Main Line north of Doncaster.
Again with minimal electrification, the service could be run by 110 mph IPEMUs.
Sorting Northallerton
Northallerton station is in a nest of level crossings. Removing these is probably high up Network Rail’s list of must-do projects, but it strokes me that in the future, if all plans for the East Coast Main Line, the Northallerton to Harrogate Line and the various electrification schemes in the area come to pass, then Northallerton station and the tracks leading away from it, need a very strong sorting out.
Conclusion
To me, the most important thing about this report from North Yorkshire is that the council is looking seriously at transport options for the future.
The LaMiLo Project
Few have heard of the LaMiLo Project, which is an EU funded project to reduce truck traffic and the consequent air pollution in cities.
I hadn’t until half-an-hour ago, although I knew there were experiments going on at Euston.
This page on the London Councils web site, gives more details about the pilot project in London.
In this pilot a freight train was brought into Euston station in the middle of the night and pallets of goods were unloaded on to smaller trucks for onward delivery in Central London.
This is said on the London Councils web site about the pilot.
The pilot has provided outstanding results; it has seen 50,000 items delivered to over 250 councils building, leading to a 46% reduction in the number of vehicle trips and a 45% reduction in kilometres travelled.
It sounds like an idea worth pursuing. Although Nigel Farage would object to the EU involvement.
How Long Will We Wait For A Tram At Birmingham New Street Station?
The Midland Metro extension to Birmingham City Centre and New Street station was supposed to be completed by March 2015.
It is still not connected at Birmingham Snow Hill station to allow access across the city to Birmingham New Street station.
It had been previously announced that trams would reach New Street station, this year, so I was surprised to red this article on Global Rail News entitled Birmingham New Street tram extension delayed until 2016. The article says this.
Trams won’t reach Birmingham New Street until the New Year after Centro announced that work would be scaled back to support traders ahead of the Christmas period.
It’s probably the most valid reason, I’ve heard for a delay, but it does strike me that if the trams had reached New Street in March, they would have brought more visitors to Birmingham City Centre for Christmas.
If I was the Mayor of Birmingham, I’d be kicking a few backsides.
The Anonymous Widower 