Recent content by Crundles

This. Quite extraordinary how short some peoples' memories are.

We mustn't forget though the truly dreary state of the railways post-privatization. There was an enormous backlog of basic infrastructure work, a fact sadly made manifest in the accidents at Ladbroke Grove, Potter's Bar and Hatfield. The subsequent track renewal program and eventual bail-out of...

Don't have the exact figures to hand but I thought railway investment increased quite a lot after 1997? ...not that all of it might have been spent wisely, mind.

I think if you'd ever had to navigate the Hanger Lane gyratory you wouldn't be so cocky.

Yep, standard bilge. Never had much cause to complain about SWT myself.

I get that the World's not a perfect place and there will be fare increases, especially during times of relatively high inflation, but there's been above RPI increases for 20 years (under the DfT's auspices I know but the point still stands) on top of continuing high levels of subsidy. The whole...

The premise is not a million miles away from the Tracked Hovercraft/Aerotrain projects of the 60s/70s. The UK's RTV-31 prototype used air cushion technology with linear induction motors to propel vehicles along elevated concrete tracks: In fact, there was similar proposal in the same part...

Well, I suppose if you're really desperate you could try giving a driver the fingers; you might at least get a honk of anger. :evil:

Those poor Class 70s, so bullied, so unloved I've grown fond of them myself, projecting vents 'n all. As for through door stock, I suppose they gotta do what they gotta do so I try to be understanding. The class 460 on the other hand, I could never forgive. Every time I've seen one I've...

I think rail operators have always favoured 1st class services. Wasn't there something like three Acts of Parliament that forced companies to provide more affordable fares? As has been mentioned, even accounting for the extra costs associated with the provision of first class amenities, the...

Can the Spanish ASFA system warn of an approaching speed reduction, i.e., something like a permanent AWS magnet in the UK?

One interesting thing about temperate woodland is that it is remarkably difficult to burn, even when it is very dry. In the parts of the world where wildfires are common, ecosystems have evolved to be that way, not in spite of it* I guess it's a sort of catch-22 situation in regards line-side...