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Title: Alistair Darling (merged topics) Post by: tramway on February 15, 2008, 08:57:14 Reported in the Metro this morning, and on SKY News.
Quote One of the country's least popular rail companies has been warned to "get a grip" or risk putting its franchise in danger. http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30400-1305566,00.html?f=rss Title: Re: Alistair Darling - FGW not good enough Post by: Lee on February 15, 2008, 09:07:54 That's two senior government figures (Dawn Primarolo is quoted as well) being highly critical , and even the most balanced of observers would have to say that this doesnt bode well for FGW.
I am aware though, that it is highly ironic that such criticism should come from Alistair Darling. Title: Re: Alistair Darling - FGW not good enough Post by: 12hoursunday on February 15, 2008, 13:08:00 I am aware though, that it is highly ironic that such criticism should come from Alistair Darling. Isn't that the bloke that split up the SRA and put the person who had started to put the railway right (Richard Bowker) out of a job, and now keeps changing his mind on whether to tax some non-doms? and correct me if I'm wrong wasn't Dawn Primarolo in charge of the Tax Credits System that first of all paid hard up people too much money and then a couple of years later demanded it back. The one that a Treasury select committee member accused her of "losing control of her department. Now as an employee I know things haven't gone to plan within Great Western but for these two to be critical beggars belief. I just wondered though what would have happened if that train had left without Mr Darling? Title: Re: Alistair Darling - FGW not good enough Post by: vacman on February 15, 2008, 14:37:37 That's probably the most HYPOCRITICAL thing Mr Darling has ever said!!!! Mr Beeching reicarnated as I used to call him!
Title: Re: Alistair Darling - FGW not good enough Post by: Lee on February 15, 2008, 17:13:29 The view from the I Hate First Great Western blog (link below.)
http://ihatefirstgreatwestern.blogspot.com/2008/02/pants-on-fire.html Title: Re: Alistair Darling - FGW not good enough Post by: Lee on February 16, 2008, 11:19:34 Oxford Mail article link.
http://oxfordmail.net/display.var.2049987.0.chancellor_warns_rail_firm.php Title: Re: Alistair Darling - FGW not good enough Post by: vacman on February 16, 2008, 11:24:58 The view from the I Hate First Great Western blog (link below.) Never thought i'd agree with anything from that blog, but that I do! well said!!http://ihatefirstgreatwestern.blogspot.com/2008/02/pants-on-fire.html Title: Re: Alistair Darling - FGW not good enough Post by: Lee on February 17, 2008, 08:59:30 Charles Howeson enters the fray (link below.)
http://www.thisiscornwall.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=144125&command=displayContent&sourceNode=232450&contentPK=19892994&folderPk=108202&pNodeId=251466 Title: Re: Alistair Darling - FGW not good enough Post by: Btline on February 17, 2008, 12:33:14 Surely it is Network Rail's fault FGW are not operating the 300 Mk2s lying at Honeyboune?
Title: Re: Alistair Darling - FGW not good enough Post by: smokey on February 17, 2008, 12:39:37 Surely it is Network Rail's fault FGW are not operating the 300 Mk2s lying at Honeyboune? Don't see why NR are to blame that FGW don't hire in MKII's with spot hired loco's. Title: Re: Alistair Darling - FGW not good enough Post by: 12hoursunday on February 17, 2008, 14:02:47 As Mr Howeson says
Quote "The Government is responsible for the allocation of rolling stock these days and as prehaps that will stop all the why don't FGW hire this or that postings. Title: Re: Alistair Darling - FGW not good enough Post by: Andy W on February 17, 2008, 15:25:36 Hi 12hoursunday,
You are spot on about Mr Darling & Co. Following Mr Howeson's statement about the government's responsibility the article continued:- "A spokesman for FGW said that the company was "urgently seeking extra rolling stock to address our capacity needs". I presume that is the government's job and not FGWs in view of your quote. Is there rolling stock that FGW can use but is being prevented from using it by the government? Title: Re: Alistair Darling - FGW not good enough Post by: Shazz on February 17, 2008, 16:01:47 Surely it is Network Rail's fault FGW are not operating the 300 Mk2s lying at Honeyboune? Don't see why NR are to blame that FGW don't hire in MKII's with spot hired loco's. Because 95% of the time they do, NR have a hissy fit and don't allow them to run them. So NR are very much to blame. Title: Re: Alistair Darling - FGW not good enough Post by: Chris from Nailsea on February 17, 2008, 16:34:51 Yes, I think it's a bit rich, Alistair and Dawn laying into FGW to 'get a grip' or risk their franchise being reviewed: it's the terms of the franchise that are at the root of the problem. Good for Charles Howeson, pointing this out:
Quote "FGW chairman Charles Howeson said Mr Darling should remember that as Transport Secretary he was responsible for many of the restrictions placed on the firm ... He told the WMN: "As the Chancellor of the Exchequer will recall from when he was Minister for Transport, this franchise involved private sector investment of ^200 million on the complete refurbishment of all of the train fleet and payment of a premium of ^1.3 billion to the Government over the full life of the franchise ... The Government is responsible for the allocation of rolling stock these days and as deep as any company's chequebook might be, it is not frankly possible to obtain the rolling stock and locomotives that we need and would wish to put into service as soon as possible." AND Charles Howeson did acknowledge that some problems are within FGW's control: Quote "However, he is right in that we have been undeniably under-performing because despite the best will in the world and along with a huge amount of resources and energy, we still don't have enough train crews or enough of the right sort of train sets to deliver the service that we certainly aspire to and that our customers would want." A very well balanced article, I think. The only pity is that it appeared in the Western Morning News, which I suspect is not Alistair or Dawn's usual breakfast table reading. Hopefully the Times will pick up the story? ;) Title: Re: Alistair Darling - FGW not good enough Post by: Lee on February 17, 2008, 16:50:35 As Mr Howeson says Quote "The Government is responsible for the allocation of rolling stock these days and as prehaps that will stop all the why don't FGW hire this or that postings. Howeson's view is not far off, but (in my opinion) slightly too simplistic. The Department for Transport does not set the required number of trains or carriages in any given franchise, but the ROSCOs generally wont enter into long-term train leasing agreements unless they are underwritten by the DfT. There is nothing to stop FGW taking note of suggestions from the likes of us and trying to make them happen, or indeed to make short-term deals off their own back. Title: Re: Alistair Darling - FGW not good enough Post by: Timmer on February 17, 2008, 18:14:31 As much as I agree with Mr Darling and Ms Primarolo that FGW need to 'get a grip' pots and kettles spring to mind. I wonder who will lose their portfolio so to speak first, Mr Darling or FGW?
Title: Re: Alistair Darling - FGW not good enough Post by: vacman on February 17, 2008, 20:38:49 At last!!! someone senior in FGW hitting back at the DFT!!!! He'll probably get the boot now!!
Title: Re: Alistair Darling - FGW not good enough Post by: Lee on February 17, 2008, 22:52:34 I wonder who will lose their portfolio so to speak first, Mr Darling or FGW? A good question (link below.) http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7249920.stm Title: Re: Alistair Darling - FGW not good enough Post by: Chris from Nailsea on February 17, 2008, 23:12:41 Thanks, Lee!
As the BBC report says, "So what of Alistair Darling's reputation?" Hmmm ... :-X Title: Re: Alistair Darling - FGW not good enough Post by: Lee on February 18, 2008, 12:32:46 Quote from Peter Andrews, MTLS spokesman, regarding Alistair Darling's comments (link below) :
http://thisisbath.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=180730&command=displayContent&sourceNode=232315&home=yes&more_nodeId1=163047&contentPK=19906633 Quote "Fine words butter no parsnips. It's all crocodile tears and hand-wringing. We want action." Title: Re: Alistair Darling - FGW not good enough Post by: Lee on February 18, 2008, 23:22:51 The view from Ivybridge Rail Users Group (link below.)
http://www.irug.ik.com/news/6367100991.ikml Title: Alistair Darling - Muffin the Mule Post by: tramway on February 19, 2008, 14:38:04 Cracked me up this one from Richard Littlejohn, sorry but it's from the Mail.
Quote So here we are again, back to the future with a Labour nationalisation straight out of Life On Mars. Bring on Red Robbo. It's pointless piling it all on Darling. He's about as capable of independent thought and movement as Muffin the Mule. It's like blaming Emu, not Rod Hull, for attacking Parky. Shooting the glove puppet won't help. Full text here. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/columnists/columnists.html?in_article_id=515888&in_page_id=1772&in_author_id=322 Title: Re: Alistair Darling (merged topics) Post by: grahame on November 30, 2023, 13:06:42 from the BBC (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-67578993)
Quote Alistair Darling, the Labour chancellor who steered the UK through the 2008 financial crisis, has died aged 70, a family spokesperson has said. Alastair Darling was Secretary of State for Transport from 29 May 2002 to 5 May 2006 - and was at the helm of at the awful time (for many, including us in Melksham) when services were slashed to useless. Title: Re: Alistair Darling (merged topics) Post by: TaplowGreen on December 02, 2023, 17:15:59 A thoroughly decent man of unquestioned integrity, taken too soon.
Irrespective of his politics he deserves respect for those qualities which are sadly rare in public life today. RIP. This page is printed from the "Coffee Shop" forum at http://gwr.passenger.chat which is provided by a customer of Great Western Railway. Views expressed are those of the individual posters concerned. Visit www.gwr.com for the official Great Western Railway website. Please contact the administrators of this site if you feel that content provided contravenes our posting rules ( see http://railcustomer.info/1761 ). The forum is hosted by Well House Consultants - http://www.wellho.net |