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All across the Great Western territory / The Wider Picture - related rail and other transport issues / Re: Farewell East Coast. Hello Virgin Trains East Coast.
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on: March 01, 2015, 09:21:15
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Grahame, I don't see East Coast Trains applying for certification for this scheme as a problem, even if they are using public funds to apply. Any company is only as good as the employees who run it, and as I'm sure any psychologist would agree, happy, contented, secure, well-catered for and properly trained staff with good promotion prospects will provide a better service and be more loyal to their employer. This in turn costs the company less in terms of the amount of sick leave they have to fund, attracts even more motivated people to join the company, again, reducing costs through smaller staff turn-over. I could go on....
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21
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All across the Great Western territory / Media about railways, and other means of transport / Re: Great British Railway Journeys - Michael Portillo's television series
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on: February 15, 2015, 08:42:22
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Week three of the series (w/c 19th Jan) takes him from Derby to Lindisfarne - via Grantham, birthplace of his former boss Margaret Thatcher.
Much to my surprise, Mr. P. didn't get down on his knees to pay homage to Mrs T whilst in Grantham. Probably didn't want to spoil his snazzy slacks. Certainly, he was an ardent fan of the "Iron Lady", and was said by some to have some traits that were more Thatcherite than Thatcher. He coined the phrase "clear blue water", and was tipped for the Tory leadership until unexpectedly losing his seat in the 1997 election. There may indeed have been a bit of quasi-papal dirt kissing, therefore, but off-camera to preserve the BBC» 's stance of neutrality (during licence fee negotiations at least). His love of railways can be traced to his early ministerial career, when he claimed to have rescued the Settle and Carlisle route whilst in charge at transport. It is by no means his first foray in the heady world of professional television. In 1961, the star of a Ribena advert was none other than an 8-year-old Michael Portillo Blyth. TV pays better than politics. It is much easier, and if people don't like what you are doing, you don't have to worry about them voting you out. The bonus of getting to ride around Britain, stay in fine hotels, and eat the best food available locally, then charging the tab to expenses, is common to both professions. If there was a 'Like Very Much' button I would have pressed that!
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22
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All across the Great Western territory / Who's who on Western railways / Re: Mark Carne(y)
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on: February 15, 2015, 08:36:55
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I wonder whether Carne without the Y will miraculously be in a position to find funds with which to keep the share holders happy, whilst flatlining employees' pay? Whoops, little bit of politics there. Well, there is an election coming up
Network Rail it is a company limited by guarantee and has no shareholders. All profits are returned to the business. Its members (who guarantee a small sum in the event that the company goes bankrupt) do not receive any benefit and a principally representatives of industry stakeholders such as TOCs▸ . So finding funds to keep them happy would be finding funds to make the railway run better! Oh, I sit corrected, ellendune, forgot NR» doesn't have shareholders. Thanks! (she says, dismounting from hobbyhorse)
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24
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All across the Great Western territory / Buses and other ways to travel / Re: Beautiful Roads
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on: February 09, 2015, 09:01:15
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Poetry is, a bit like beauty, in the ear of the beholder.
But back to the main thread - Beautiful roads? I can't help but think of modern routes, (however well they're landscaped) perhaps like the Newbury by-pass, as being great, suppurating wounds. Along these travel toxic 'metal box' bugs, causing septicaemia of, and in the environment, driven by selfish people like me who are too lazy to work out how to get from A to B via a more sustainable form of transport.
In its way, your post is poetic, Cynthia: some strong images within an extended metaphor. Thank you, trainer, I hope one of the images includes one of me hanging my head in shame, as I do at frequent intervals. I should be prepared to set a better example to my growing grandchildren. Edit note: Quote marks fixed, for clarity. CfN.
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All across the Great Western territory / Active travel: Cyclists and walkers, including how the railways deal with them / Re: Disused tube tunnels as cycle lanes?
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on: February 09, 2015, 08:54:21
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I imagine the tunnels would be similar to the Woolwich foot tunnel and Greenwich foot tunnel. Neither are something I would now considering using alone. I did start descending the stairs at the northern Woolwich entrance last year, but two things made me turn round: 1. the smell of urine, and 2. a very strange man started pestering me on the stairs about halfway down. Immediately turned round and waited for the free ferry as I didn't want to be alone in the tunnel with some weirdo(s). Personally, I wouldn't suggest anything else like this be built. Yes, Brucey, I would share your diffidence re personal safety, especially considering that there is probably no mobile signal in these tunnels? All in all I think this idea's a bit of a non-runner. (Or even a non-biker...) Edit note: Quote marks fixed, for clarity. CfN.
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28
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All across the Great Western territory / Buses and other ways to travel / Re: Beautiful Roads
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on: February 08, 2015, 13:27:45
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Poetry is, a bit like beauty, in the ear of the beholder.
But back to the main thread - Beautiful roads? I can't help but think of modern routes, (however well they're landscaped) perhaps like the Newbury by-pass, as being great, suppurating wounds. Along these travel toxic 'metal box' bugs, causing septicaemia of, and in the environment, driven by selfish people like me who are too lazy to work out how to get from A to B via a more sustainable form of transport.
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