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It struck me the other day that Network Rail and the various funding bodies are finally getting to grips with station conditions albeit with much prompting from Adonis et al. There have been a few lists over the last few years of the worst stations on the network and the same candidates have...

My only real contact with the railways in the Uk nowdays comes from forums such as this and the trade press. I do get back every year or so and try and do some rail travel includign an ALR in 2008. As a periodic visitor i do get a better idea of the changes affecting the railways than someone...

There has been much discussion recently about revenue protection and the benefits of gating stations. I was wondering if anyone had any anecdotal evidence on how much fare evasion really goes on. I am also wondering what type of evasion is the core problem. it seems to me that gates will only...

Lord Adonis has made a big deal of his disappointment with the state of the network's stations and has ensured CP4 includes a chunk of cash for addressing the problem as well as appointing station Czars. I was wondering if there is any concrete signs of this problem beign addressed and are...

A recent editorial in RAIL commented on the state of the cess on the railways and it got me thinking about the state of the permanent way on the network in general and to whether it mattered that things can be a bit of a mess. Maybe someone can enlighten me if there is a NR policy to clean up...

Whilst pondering the current investment scenario and the state of the network I did wonder whether we were falling into the trap that seems tio afflict our Gallic brothers across the Channel. In France there seems to be a determination to push through glamorous mega projects, mainly TGV...

It has struck me over the last year or so that there is an overriding sense of negativity pervading the public's attitude towards the UK's railway network. I havent lived in the Uk for a few years but went back last year and did an ALR and was very impressed with the system overall. Obviously...

It appears that everything we thought we knew about the railways has been changed for good over the last ten years. No longer is the talk about decline and closure. Expansion and additional capcity is now the cry as more and more people try and cram onto the trains. Rush hour is now two hours...

Can anybody give me an update on the work at Halifax and is it looking any better. I see also that Adonis is planning a trip to Wakefield to see Kirkgate station - have plans been drawn up for the station as it is a dump of note. On a slightly different note has work at Birmingham New St...

With the demise of NXEC (not yet but inevitable by all accounts) many people are now calling for re nationalistion of the network and they are using NXEC as an example of all that is wrong with the present system. I disagree wholeheartedly. I actually see NXEC as an example of why the system...

I keep reading projections forecasting the doubling of railfreight in the next twenty years and for the life of me I cant see how this can be achieved especially as coal will face severed decline at some stage as coal-fired power stations come off line. How can new traffic flows be found and...

With the current predelction for all things electric on our railways it strikes me that we may soon be reminiscing about the days when the diesel ruled the roost similar to the way steam was eulogised about after 1967. The vast majority of new trains on order are electric (350,378,379,380)...

Has any work started at Crewe yet. I know the new station has been abandoned and I was wondering if any work is now being done to bring the old place up to datc and could. It could do with some tlc and is not unredeemable if the original features are retained and the 60's additions took away.

It is a fact of life that we all like a good moan from time to time. It is also indisputable that we tend to have different ideas on how things should be done. if we didn't this forum would be a little pointless! My question then is there any facet of todays railways which we all agree is a...

So Adonis has put Chris Green in charge of getting the UK's stations up to scratch. It is about time someone took the TOC's and Network Rail to hand for the way our stations are looked after and for the services provided on them. My questions are varied and comments are welcomed. Firstly...

With the massive investments taking place in CP4 over the next five years i was was wondering what will happen in CP5 when the major projects destined to be completed in CP4 are done and dusted what will the be the objectives for the period immediately after. CP4 has some jumbo projects such...

It seems to me that Northern may be missing a slight opportunity to run a long distance Notts-Glasgow service via Leeds and the S+C. I know that there was an open access operators looking at the route previously. They currently have services on most of the route broken into segments so linking...

I , like many i assume, am a little perplexed at how ORTIS works and how fares revenue is divided amongst TOC's on the same routes. can anyone point me to a detailed explanation of the system as it might explain some of the anomalies in timetabling which occur as I am sure 'revenue grabbing' can...

Following on from Lord Adonis' comments about Southampton Central I have tried to find some pictures of the station and it does appear very run down - totally out of all proportion to its important status. Can anybody confirm if it really is as bleak as it appears. Also whilst we are on the...

Following on from Lord Adonis' comments about Southampton Central I have tried to find some pictures of the station and it does appear very run down - totally out of all proportion to its important status. Can anybody confirm if it really is as bleak as it appears. Also whilst we are on the...