Re: BBC NEWS | England | London | Stranded passengers leave trains


"Jack Taylor" <Jack@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:wynZh.5033$en5.2655@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Aaron B wrote:
It would not be unreasonable, IMO, for a fleet of thunderbird locos
to be provided around the country rather like they are on West Coast
to clear any failed train that is stopping the job. The cost of
these locos can be split between all of the TOCs and FOCs operating
on that route as well as NR as everyone wins.

.. Then again, splitting it
between TOCs is not necessarily fair because of the different coupling
arrangements - some TOCs would just use another unit to rescue a fully
failed one and wouldn't be remotely interested in (part-)financing a fleet
of Thunderbirds. However, in the situation that we're discussing we are
talking about needing to move a large number of trains in a localised area
and the likelihood of more than one (or two) of such Thunderbirds being
within one hour of the stricken trains would be highly unlikely.

All of which goes to show how silly it was for the railway to order MUs with
different and non-compatible couplings. Not that it is a great issue, as a
WCML Thunderbird seem to be able to couple to most things.
The TOCs shouldn't have a choice about financing the fleet - it can be part
of their business model or franchise obligations.
Thunderbirds seem to work OK on West Cost, perhaps they should at lest be
investigated for other routes such as London suburban areas.

For there to be no way to rescue a failed train for 5hrs is just
silly. Maybe they should have dumped a freight in a siding and taken
it's loco? It's happened before.

Only in exceptional circumstances. Companies like EWS, GBRf and
Freightliner run a freight-conveying operation. Passenger services are
(and should not be) of any interest to them. They have customers to serve,
as well, and customers to serve within a given time frame - the same as
road hauliers. Why should they or their customers be inconvenienced? If a
cashier at Marks & Spencer breaks down on the way to work you don't get
one from WH Smiths next door to fill in for them - it's the responsibility
of M&S to sort out their problem.

It's not *that* uncommon for rival perators to help each other out when they
are in a tight spot. For example, Oxford Express have rescused punters from
a broekn down Oxford Tube in the past, despite being owned by rival firms.


.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Dr. Beeching
    ... everything on the railway cost double. ... But trains don't need to be TOC specific. ... Airlines do this all the time. ... Why should the taxpayer pick up the cost? ...
    (uk.railway)
  • Re: Do we really need a high speed railway?
    ... We've only just finished haemorraging cash trying to upgrate the WCML, ... Comparing the cost of the WCML upgrade ... faster, you will attract more people, but the trains are already ... The reason the UK has such good average speeds without flashy high ...
    (uk.railway)
  • Re: Dr. Beeching
    ... on the mere handful of units still with Virgin Trains. ... franchisee may have very different ideas about what trains are needed. ... Why should the taxpayer pick up the cost? ... The TOCs cannot get finance for new trains unless DfT Rail underwrites ...
    (uk.railway)
  • Re: Dr. Beeching
    ... But trains don't need to be TOC specific. ... Airlines do this all the time. ... By then you are a third of the way through the franchise. ... Why should the taxpayer pick up the cost? ...
    (uk.railway)
  • Re: More debating on tolls
    ... Cost estimates per mile put out ... >> for that commute is much lower. ... >> If you could get by without a car, or with one less car per household, ... > This is the reason I specifically talked about trains and not buses. ...
    (misc.transport.road)