Recent content by SimonS

Known in the Blair years as Tony Zoffis or ABA (Andrew Bloody Adonis). Patronage at its best.

Caught the 06.21 Burgess Hill to Bedford and there was an extra stop at Redhill which caused a delay into Blackfriars. It was announced several times though. I don't know if FC was declassified but it was quickly filled. However I haven't seen a revenue protection officer since November.

We used to get those announcements down south as well. These days if you are stood on the platform the "this is Burgess Hill" bit has gone and when they say "the train now at platform 2 is for Brighton" the train is usually halfway to Hassocks.

True, but if you buy a ST you pay in advance and the rail companies have use of your money. It sits in a bank account and helps them to avoid borrowing more money which would cost them several percent, even at current interest rates. So it's a win/win really.

Maybe the same person at the DfT gave him a high viz vest and suggested it might be good PR in the next interview to actually be seen near the railway

What a difference a day makes. Yesterday it was for the RemCom to decide and his interviews were on the phone. Today he has made the decision himself and he is seen looking busy at Reading in a hi-viz jacket. Nothing like a good u turn.

Dear old Tim O'Toole. Probably best sticking to the day job for now. With the rate First Group are losing franchises he will soon be an ex-railwayman anyway. Still he is probably surviving on his own mega pay increase in the middle of 2014. Or at least surviving better than the...

Having already decided to leave he was yesterday's man the obvious fall guy and dispensable. Poor media performances as you say - bearing in mind the frequency of these situations media training should be a priority to avoid more of Gisby's I this and I that performances which showed him to...

Indeed he didn't do himself any favours. Especially the 'pause' I would have expected him to be a bit more combative. Came across as rather feeble. Bit like NR's performance this week really.

I fear you are mistaken.

You have lost me there pal. It's the railway station. Complaining like that is a bit like writing to Southern saying that your flight is late.

Maybe but I doubt most paying customers are interested in the "arrangements for dealing with a failure post possession". All they see is that in two places (Balcombe and London Bridge) services slowed to a standstill as the the job done wasn't done on time.

Either way the congratulatory comments about "planned meticulously" and "an excellent command and control structure" were a tad premature then?

Sorry about that, just highlighting that according to City AM they are about to be fined £70m as they have FAILED to deliver an acceptable level of service to the rail companies. It does get a bit boring when this happens with monotonous regularity - barely a week goes by without the...

Oh dear. Obviously a different Network Fail command centre to the one who oversaw today's overrunning engineering works near Three Bridges. Whilst sat at a standstill I read the piece in the paper explaining Network Fail were about to be fined £70m for poor network availability over the last...