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I remember the local newspapers covering this well. At the time the MP for Woolwich (I think) was John Austin Walker (known as JAWS to the media) and because the buses were ex-Strathclyde Atlanteans the headline went "51 bus route Scotched, JAWS sees red". It was a controversial tender at the...

Actually further to that, I just hope that any tendering scheme is inspired by how the system works now and not as it was when it began in 1986, back then, I have not-so-fond memories as a kid of seeing, for example, route 51 (a longish standard frequency route serving some major towns in South...

Traditionally TfL (and previously, LRT) tendered routes in tranches, not individually. TfL still do that, it's just the tranches are smaller and may just be one route rather than the whole town area or whole LB garage operation as was done back in the late 80s/early 90s (still shudders...

The class 799 prototype was however featured on BBC Breakfast this morning though.

Nice. However I'm sure Northern apologies profusely for that and assures all customers that they're actively working to return these trains to the normal poor state of repair and cleanliness that its customers have come to know and expect for so long...

Have to agree with the comments above about Northern's 150s. Am an occasional user of trains up here and yesterday did a return trip from Bolton to Manchester. Got on a 150 on the way down, absolutely awful. Didn't note the number but it had pink/purple coloured handrails I think and was dark...

I'd hope not, I'm half expecting him to come out with a reassurance to stop folk in NI worrying about Brexit by telling them it will be great for the shipbuilding industry "yes, once we're free of the EU we can build great ships again, we'll build our own Titanic II, it will be fantastic!"...

Is this another crackpot idea from failing Grayling? Built cheaply in the mid 80s, with a design life of 15 years, the only thing that should happen to them is to be turned into thousands of commemorative tankards and given to long suffering commuters in recognition of successive government...

Very nice! I'm left wondering why most of the good stuff is over on the east side of "the hills" while over in Manchester etc. we're still having to put up with 15xs which just do not compare with these comfortable air conditioned trains, you folk in Yorkshire etc. you're spoilt, it's luxury! ;)

Much nicer, still the same rubbish lighting though, wish they would change that, exposed tube lighting, so very 1970s! Are the refurbs supposed to include CCTV as well? Can't recall any having it so far, was it meant to be done?

Yeah I know that feeling. I grew up and lived for 30 years in Greenwich so 15 years or so were spoilt by the likes of class 465s (which I now realise are awesome, though at least the north has the 323s which look and sound similar) and the DLR. I was truly taken aback when I realised the kind of...

BTW, I thought initially your post was asking what is the best place for them to go when they are replaced this year. I think I speak for most non-rail buffs when I say that only place they should go after replacement is to the scrap yard to be crushed with extreme prejudice!

If you come to Manchester you'll see no end of the bloody things. Specifically class 142s which you'll see on many services from Manchester Piccadilly and Victoria alike. I live in Wigan and can tell you that if you get a train from either Piccadilly or Victoria to Wigan you're likely to get...

A fan of the "JACK" stations as I am, it's going to have to be Paul Darrow for me, his dry but friendly sarcastic tone I think would work well. But I was, quite by chance, stumbling onto this topic with a friend last night. For regional services, I thought that for Merseyrail Ringo Star would...

5 years? I think you're being quite optimistic! I guess this is the usual standard of maintenance though eh, do you think it's worse under Arriva than with the previous TOC? Can't say I've ever been impressed with Arriva's standards wrt buses, haven't got much experience of their train...

Yup indeed, the 155s were fitted with diffused lighting from the start, but the 150s were not. Compare the overall look and feel of that 155 with a similarly refurbished 150, the 155 instantly looks a lot less old and cheap due solely to the lighting IMHO:

Looks quite nice to me, but am I alone here in thinking of all the things that should be changed during a refurb (but are not, least not so far) one of the most important is the lighting? Nothing says "old tarted-up 1980s train on a budget" more than leaving exposed, harsh fluorescent tubes in...

Would be particularly ironic given Arriva's previous (and short lived) operation in Malta, where the new bus component for the new concession was nearly 100% Chinese made single deck diesel buses (King Longs). Arriva had initially hoped that these substantially cheaper buses might then also be...

One train? As many as that? Luxury! Saturdays in Wigan there's sod all here...

I'm trying to guess which local station this would be (I live in Greater Manchester), sounds interesting! Any chance of a hint please?