Sunday Variety

New Trains : New Strategy

Beattie, you may remember, was impressed that her grandson, Anthony, had an "ology".

We are asked to be equally enthusiastic that Great British Railways has a "strategy"! 

It is 28 pages long, each page with three columns of reasonably small text, enhanced with pretty pictures. There are happy passengers ...

... happy disabled passengers ...

... happy drivers...

(although we cannot actually discern his mood)

... happy cleaners ...

...  happy maintenance staff ...

... all thrilled to bits with the strategy.

Sadly, the report failed to include pictures of happy senior management ...

... but fbb can oblige.

Thankfully one periodical has compiled a summary of the full 28 pages to which fbb has added pertinent comments.

• passengers will be put at the centre of train design, to shape ‘more accessible, consistent and attractive trains’;
• So no more ironing boards?
• train fleets will be managed as a national portfolio, structured around a smaller number of ‘fleet families’ aligned with the main usage cases and the broad product platforms already available from manufacturers: train procurement, refurbishment, replacement and redeployment will be aligned with infrastructure and operational needs, while retaining the flexibility to reflect different markets and communities;
• So we'll buy suitable trains, not like the Thameslink 700 stock.
• there will be a progressive move away from diesel towards electric traction, principally through battery-electric trains with targeted electrification, while recognising ‘diesel fleets will remain necessary during the transition’;
• Dear National Grid, please note and respond with lots more electric!
• trains and infrastructure will be planned as a single integrated system, aligning decisions on rolling stock, electrification, traction power, digital signalling, depots and maintenance to improve value, reduce delivery risk and accelerate benefits for passengers;
• So we will try to make new trains fit the stations or build new stations to fit the trains.
• there will be more condition-based and predictive maintenance, and greater use of passenger trains for infrastructure monitoring;
• Isn't that what you are supposed to do now?
• GBR will act as a stronger and more co-ordinated national customer, bringing greater consistency to train procurement with the aim of securing better whole-life and whole-system value;
• Hasn't DaFT (Department for Transport) been foisting centralised decisions on train companies for years. That's why we have ironing board seats and inadequate luggage space.
• ‘to secure the strongest overall outcomes for passengers and taxpayers’, options for direct ownership, leasing and other financing arrangements will be assessed on a case-by-case basis rather than relying on a single financing model, which is currently leasing;
• Keeping all options open then? Good positive strategy!
• GBR will establish a national train fleet management function to provide strategic oversight;
• A strategy to deliver the strategy!
• long-term maintenance by the train manufacturer will not be the default option;
• Keeping all options open then? Good positive strategy!
• GBR will plan depot capability around the fleet families and services, and move towards arrangements that preserve or increase its control over depots, avoiding a presumption that it would enter into exclusivity or long-term lock-in to particular manufacturers or financiers;
• So we will try to make new trains fit the stations depots or build new stations depots to fit the trains.
• a Fleet & Infrastructure Plan will create a long-term pipeline of rolling stock orders to provide confidence for suppliers and funders.
• Does that mean that trains will be replaced at the right time, rather than keeping the old tat going to save money. If it does that will be a novelty never seen before since nationalisation in 1947/8.

OccasIonally, fbb has been called a cynic by some of his readers, (surely not?) but in this case much of the 28 pages of 'strategy' seem either undefined OR simply normal good management. There is nothing in the way of costings or practical planning for the immediate future.

Is that a real " strategy?

Some would say it was 28 pages of management woffle, probably drawn up by overpaid 'consultants'

But that could never be true, surely?

Another Strategy : Dorset's Desires

For the record, the hourly train would be a significant enhancement of the present service on that line.

The GREEN times are Summer only - finishing way back on 12th September.

Here is what a summary of the plans reveal.

53 projects seems a lot! But there is more about the proposed rail upgrade.

Which, being interpreted, means that everybody thinks it is a great idea, but nobody has the bags of money needed to implement it.

Don't hold your breath, Dorset, and learn from the Bristol to Portishead line.

As Promised : Buses At Shepton Mallet

Now you are excited!

The Councillors want improved frequencies, new links and a through service to Bristol; this is not asking for much in these straitened times.

Heres's what they have now.

174 : First Bus - Mendip Explorer

Wells - Shepton Mallet - Bath

The branding with smart blue livery may have been banished by First's "Make all our buses boringly the same" corporate policy. 

Buses run every two hours.

The Council wants a link to Bristol, but a change from the 174 at Bath provides a good connection. How many might use a direct bus?

1 : South West Coaches

Shepton Mallet - Yeovil

SWC vehicles always look smart, but there are only THREE journeys on a Saturday.

An improvement may be desirable on Sat?

162 : Frome Bus

Shepton Mallet - Frome

Another small bus operation ...

.. with a timetable that hardly encourages passenger growth.

689 : Frome Bus

Shepton Mallet - Street

This must be one of the worst timetable presentations on-line that fbb has ever experienced. As first glance the timetable page was empty (!), but if you scrolled right, there, at the edge of a large blank space was this:-

To add to your omnibological delight there are a couple of Shepton Mallet local services.

Here is another helpful page from Frome Bus ...

... and yes, that is the whole page!

Here is the map extract from yesterday's blog.

Needless to say, there is no official Somerset county network bus map or timetable library and the only source of information is a version of traveline.

Yesterday evening this on-line "service" told fbb that a stop was cancelled, whatever that might mean, on an evening journey on the 174.

What it should have told us is that the whole journey was cancelled.

There is simply no bus information from the County.

Perhaps the councillors of Shepton Mallet would help potential bus passengers by producing a small bus timetable booklet and map. fbb would provide one free but would suggest a donation to one of his Christian charities.

fbb@xephos.com

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The intended item on GREEN public transport is postponed.

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 Next Timetable Book blog : Mon 5 Oct