Guest 690- Registered: 10 Oct 2009
- Posts: 4,150
13 December 2010
21:4284484#1
Up on the Oxford-Worcester mainline, Network Rail have just spent £69 million pounds rewidening it, and replacing a single track bridge with a new wider one. Why am I telling you this? Because NR is putting right a very serious and costly mistake from the early 70s when our nationalised British Rail were slashing the railways to pieces, continuing on from what Beeching the butcher had already started 10 years earlier.
The above is yet another example, but since the railways have been privatised once again, much new track relaying has taken place, along with many station`s reopened and routes relayed, with some in the pipeline for reopening and relaying at great expense. So who do we blame for all this expensive incompetence from years gone by? British Rail, or whatever political party was in power at the time? As BR were told how to spend their own money, it`s not hard to find who to blame.
My concern is that this multi-billion pound incompetence never happens again. As far as we`re concerned here in Dover, thank goodness there wasn`t another massive chalk fall between Dover and Folkestone in BR days, as it would surely have been long closed. Now, the Folkestone Harbour branch..................................
Tell them that I came, and no one answered.
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
14 December 2010
08:3984518#2
Colin have added some paragraphs to your piece above.
I would recommend to all, as Ive said recently on the frontpage, the liberal use of paragraphs with white spaces. It always helps the guy the other end read it all...it helps get the your message read..which is the general idea in the first place.
Thumbzzzzup
Yes Ive seen a report recently about a new line opening in Scotland too. I think it was Scotland. So investment in the railway is coming back. Ideally it would have been best if it was nationally owned but politicians used British Rail as a political football and spoiled what could have been a national asset owned by the people for the people. Its now owned by big business.
However fair do's, the investment is now being made again and thats great. The downside is the cost of tickets to train travel. Once upon a time airtravel was so expensive, now the price of that has come way down and the cost of rail travel has gone through the roof...its a pity. Trains were responsible for the rise in the British seaside holiday, because the masses could afford to travel, what went wrong?
Terry Nunn
- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 4,321
14 December 2010
12:1784531#3
Gosh Paul, you'll be suggesting people use capitalization next!
Terry
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
Guest 671- Registered: 4 May 2008
- Posts: 2,095
14 December 2010
13:1584536#4
Colin, I have a couple of questions if I may?
Gangs of self employed and employed railway worker's (track).
Travel to areas, from this area, to areas as far away as Southampton, Wales and Norfolk. These areas have their own gangs who could do the same jobs themselves, why does this occur?
Over Xmas, a typical gang will be earning on average, £48 per hour (triple time) with a £350 per day Bonus, if they complete their schedule, without missing a shift. That's about £8000 each, times that by the amount of gangs working over Xmas, then times it by the firms that employ them and so on. The amount of cost for repairs over Xmas must be staggering, is that a residue of Nationalization or a product of privatization?
Throughout the year these gang's are often sent home or even don't leave home but get paid in full for a shift where no work is carried out because of office paperwork cock-ups, quite often once or twice a week.
Although trains are operated by private companies, the industry receives more than £5 billion a year in subsidies from the taxpayers. Under the new fare rules, just introduced by this Coalition, companies can increase ticket prices by as much as 5 per cent above the standard inflationary rise.
Should they not be told to get their house in order, instead of being allowed to increase fares to the public?
"My New Year's Resolution, is to try and emulate Marek's level of chilled out, thoughtfulness and humour towards other forumites and not lose my decorum"
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
14 December 2010
13:1984537#5
lol!
no Terry capitals wont be needed..unless there is a marked fall off in collective eyesight!
But some good stuff falls by the wayside a bit and gets lost because it cant be easily read. Had a classic example last week on the frontpage, I put paragraphs in it and it took flight.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
14 December 2010
13:2384538#6
very good points there gary, the taxpayer still underpins the railway whilst the train operating companies can raise fares above the level of inflation without being require to provide a better service.
a lot of our local people that work in the metropolis are being hit by a 12% hike in fares in january.
Guest 690- Registered: 10 Oct 2009
- Posts: 4,150
14 December 2010
16:5084554#7
Thanks Paul, does look better paragraphed up. Not used to doing such long pieces. Gary, good and interesting points you make there mate, and it looks absolutely disgusting the way wages for trackworker`s seems to be thrown about like confetti. I thought this trackwork business was all in house now which the RMT union had fought for? I worked for DBS supplying the infrastructure trains and working with them, but our lot never saw the likes of those sky high wages you mention, despite the fact that we too travelled about the country where staff already existed to cover work. On the other hand, there were places where a big job was on and other staff were draughted in to cover a shortfall in manpower. I still can`t understand the high wages though.
Tell them that I came, and no one answered.
Keith Sansum1
- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,948
14 December 2010
18:2484574#8
sadly colin thats what privatisation allows to happen
but thanks gary some very good points you made
ALL POSTS ARE MY OWN PERSONAL VIEWS
Guest 671- Registered: 4 May 2008
- Posts: 2,095
15 December 2010
10:0984720#9
Thanks Colin.
I do not blame the track workers in any way; in fact I wish I could join them. Their work is hard and sometimes dangerous.
I do however, feel very angry about the comparison with their wages and work ethics compared to nurse's, firemen, ambulance and teachers etc. No such big bonus's for them. Nurses having to pay to park their cars whilst at work is deplorable. Firemen, risking their lives at every shout for less money than a track worker. Just does not seem fair to me.
"My New Year's Resolution, is to try and emulate Marek's level of chilled out, thoughtfulness and humour towards other forumites and not lose my decorum"
Guest 690- Registered: 10 Oct 2009
- Posts: 4,150
15 December 2010
22:0784867#10
Two years ago Gary, I was working on Christmas Day between London Bridge and Charing Cross. There was the talk going around that certain contractor`s were on a large bonus, but we didn`t see any of that. I got the impression on numerous occasions that certain groups had Network Rail over a barrel. ie, these big jobs were essential, and this time of year with no commuter`s about was the best time to do them.
Tell them that I came, and no one answered.
Guest 671- Registered: 4 May 2008
- Posts: 2,095
16 December 2010
10:1584917#11
Colin.
We know what the track workers earn. On average £16.00 per hour
How much do the subcontractors earn?
I have been told that there are sometimes 2 subcontractors that means one is getting paid for nothing more than passing on that contract.
That's an awful lot of money being paid out.
"My New Year's Resolution, is to try and emulate Marek's level of chilled out, thoughtfulness and humour towards other forumites and not lose my decorum"
Keith Sansum1- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,948
16 December 2010
10:4984924#12
privatisation at it's worst
review and early action required
ALL POSTS ARE MY OWN PERSONAL VIEWS