Recent content by RT4038

Would those 'little conditions they have left' be the good pay, good pension and rostering conditions those working in the Road Transport industry can only dream of?

i.e. what the vast majority of residents want.

Nor is the geography, size and population distribution remotely like Benelux or Switzerland. Not that SNCF are paragons of virtue, but 'terrible service' is a bit strong.

In the 85/86 timetable there were 3 trains per hour, leaving Newcastle at 20 minute intervals. '15 past was Heworth and fast to Sunderland then all stations (except Greatham) to Middlesbrough. The '35 and '55 were all Stations to Sunderland. In the evening, the last trains beyond Sunderland...

As explained above already, why would they spend money on the platform area? In North American practice, generally passengers wait in the nice part of the station and only start boarding when the train has arrived. The platform is functionally the same as a corridor, as an airbridge at the...

I don't suppose Virgin European rail will stay a British company for long - start it up and make a pile selling it on to foreign investors / company; the usual way nowadays for British companies.

Are there any companies, anywhere, who have a monopoly who welcome competition and don’t try and protect their position? 'Offering a terrible service' is your opinion - I don't suppose they see it in quite the same way.

Peak surcharges / cheap off peak fares were the closest that were got to what we now call 'dynamic pricing', and as you point out, not very close! Technology was not available for such a thing as today's 'dynamic pricing'. It took computerisation and internet booking to get to that.

Alder Valley applied a peak surcharge to fares at some point in the 1970s (1p if I remember correctly). London Transport/London Country rover tickets (and I think at one time return tickets on Green Line coaches) were only available after 09h30 on Monday to Friday. Other companies have had...

Maybe I am just not a typical passenger, but I've never ever ridden a train , in the UK or abroad, thinking and complaining about the procurement model used. How bizarre! (I never liked riding behind a class 50 because they were leased.......???). As for the trains themselves - they...

I can't imagine any business that wants its raw materials or products moved around the country would welcome that.

Consequences for whom? XC to DfT - we need to spend £1m on improved Business Continuity Plan/infrastructure. Dft to XC - Er, no. .....

I doubt there are many but there will be a lot of longer distance fares where the fare cap applies to both adult and child fares, meaning that they are the same.

Not forgetting that all the Electric buses (and possibly others) are leased already.....

The control can be just as easily got through a franchising system, which is probably more transparent than direct municipal control. The Municipal will have to raise and pay for the capital (or go through leasing companies) which may be more or less than the equivalent of the share and bond...