Informed Sources

With Roger Ford

Table-toppers improving

ROGER FORD

​Reliability growth in New Train TIN-watch is slow, but there are more graduates on the horizon

ROGER FORD

Process delays £4m fleet sanding pilot

ROGER FORD

■ Salisbury highlights lack of urgency
■ Dual Variable Rate Sander offers adhesion-agnostic braking
■ Four months spent haggling over Class 323 fitment contract
■ Earlier ScotRail bid rejected

ROGER FORD

ECML upgrade: DfT jumps the shark

ROGER FORD

◾ IRP forecasts imply London to Edinburgh 3hr 35min timing
◾ Other timings equally improbable
◾ Benefits of 140mph overstated
◾ Final infrastructure upgrades completed by 2037

ROGER FORD

Signalling – competition review hits market reality

ROGER FORD

◾ ETCS focused
◾ Siemens the dominant player
◾ Limited new entrants available to challenge incumbents
◾ Hitachi sweeps up alternative potential ETCS suppliers

ROGER FORD

DfT outlines future role for operators

ROGER FORD

■ First PSC tendered next year – let in 2024
■ Includes responsibility for train procurement

ROGER FORD

Siemens challenges HS2 train contract award

ROGER FORD

▄ Preferred Joint Venture bid failed on technical assessment
▄ Injunction sought to halt ministerial approval
▄ Third legal challenge after CAF and Talgo

ROGER FORD

ELECTRIFICATION U-TURN - Taken to task on central direction

ROGER FORD

■ Centralisation deprecated all round
■ Industry proposes turnkey contracts
■ Informed sources put me straight

ROGER FORD

WIGAN – BOLTON ELECTRIFICATION - Business case trumps high cost

ROGER FORD

■ Six route miles tops GWEP unit costs 
■ 17 bridges highlights civils cost challenge 
■ National Electrification Efficiency Panel in challenge mode

ROGER FORD

GOVERNMENT RAISES TRAIN AIR QUALITY CONCERNS

ROGER FORD

■ RSSB research highlights complex problem
■ Hitachi bi-modes and Voyagers the worst offenders
■ More trains to be monitored
■ Swift action promised

ROGER FORD

SIGNS OF IMPROVEMENT

ROGER FORD

Five-car ‘710s’ still on top in New Train TIN-watch

ROGER FORD