Recent content by AndrewNewens

My partner loves a bargain, so when Interail were offering half price tickets to celebrate their birthday, she suggested we buy one. I didn't need to be asked twice, so now we have bought 1st class passes for 2 months (£738 for the two of us) but are spoilt for choice as to where to go. We...

Sorry it's SNC Lavalin....... where's the spell checker when you need it?

True. But let's not slip into thinking that LNER is in any way 'state run'. The mystery operator of last resport is a private company, (as discussed earlier on this thread) so LNER is exactly the same as any other TOC in that respect. The financial arrangements are more of a mystery...

I'm not so sure about easy to find. I found a link to a FOI request about the issue and the contract that was released was only a couple of pages long and included no figures whatsoever.

You are dripping us fascinating snippits of information here Jorge. How are their fees negotiated and do we now how much more (or less) do they get than if the service was run as a concession?

Thanks. So is it effectively still being run by a 'private' company. SNC-Lavalin are a private company as are the rest of the companies mentioned. How are they paid for running the trains?

My understanding is that LNER is run by an 'operator of last resort' so, unlike when East Coast was run by a government company (Directy Operated Railways Ltd I think), it is still technically run by a private company. Can anyone confirm this and name the mystery company that runs LNER on a day...

The 'must be built in the USA' rule has applied to all public procurement contracts in the US for quite some time and pre-dates the current POTUS. Bit of an inconvenient truth for anyone placing much hope is a super-duper UK/US trade deal post Brexit.

This UK government you appear so fond of Sad Sprinter, would this be the same government which, in various forms, over many years, has decimated and destroyed local government in the UK? Long gone are the days of municipal control over anything meaningful. 75% of local government spending is now...

For heavens sake, Wikipedia is not a reliable source of information. Correction, Wikipedia may be a relaible source for some things, but it is not a reliable source for anything related to the debate about Brexit. That includes arguments for both sides. Apologies if this question has already...

Far from pointless. The protests had huge coverage on US TV and on social media. Let's not forget, more of the popular vote in the last presidential election went to Hillary Clinton than to Donald Trump and the 'bad press' the Donald gets all helps towards either a) his eventual empeachment or...

I was told by the guide when on a Japan Railways holiday that I ought to know more about Hello Kitty as she was born in London. Time for a UK TOC to take up the challenge?

Just have to say, I love KLM. They are just about the only airline still flying scheduled services out of Durham Tees Valley plus they serve almost every other UK regional airport which has a terminal bigger than a bus shelter. I'd sooner fly via Amsterdam anyday rather than face the horror...

Apologies if this posted twice (also in Nova thread). This from the Northern Echo today regarding the build of Hitachi trains for TPE. Much fuss about this having nothing to do with Brexit, but they would say that wouldn't they. The same week that Nissan up the road in Sunderland announce...

Apologies if this isn't strictly the right thread. This from the Northern Echo today regarding the build of Hitachi trains for TPE. Much fuss about this having nothing to do with Brexit, but they would say that wouldn't they. The same week that Nissan up the road in Sunderland announce...