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Completely agree. It's one reason why I'm pleased that SWR is the first TOC to come under public ownership under this government. The government going to want to go all out to demonstrate that passengers have got demonstrable improvements as a result (even though we all know mere change of...

And that does indicate a more pragmatic approach from the DfT now. I can't see it would have happened under the previous government.

As drivers at Avanti West Coast and Cross Country will vouch having worked that method for the past couple of decades.

DfT Operator Ltd actually. That's the new name for Operator of Last Resort.

Great video from Jago Hazard in which he very deftly and amusingly puts down the various common moans about the names:

Waterloo still has separate driver and guard messrooms I'm told. Barmy indeed. In fact the militaristic term "messroom" seems a bit of an anachronism.

So SWR only now doing what Southern did almost a quarter of a century ago when it first introduced its Electrostars! But as you say, if it means quicker introduction that's a good thing, plus it gives metro guards something to do.

Eh?

Yes, but that's not the point.

It's a wonder then that other TOCs are managing to increase service levels then. Wonder how they do it... Easy to blame the DfT for the recruitment freeze, but it takes two to tango as the saying goes. Let's hope more positive times for SWR lie ahead. I say hope, because there has to be hope.

Yes. I recommend reading the Network SouthEast story by Chris Green. There was far more autonomy, flexibility and enthusiasm back then. Talking of Chris Green, with one or two exceptions the senior managers back in the Bob Reid Mk 1 era were titans compared with the lamentable quality nowadays.

Yes, I don't think the line names have anything to do with it.

And there are plenty of London bus routes which are now busier on Sundays than any other day.

The early replacement of slam door stock of which some was less than 30 years old was more a safety requirement than anything else. Nothing wrong with private investment in the public sector. I'm not a dogmatist. Which works both ways of course - I'm sure some people would privatise their...

Yes, a business model that encompassed multiple businesses. Intercity was making a healthy profit and NSE was on the verge of doing so. Imagine what could have been done if same level of subsidy that needed pumping into the privatised railway was instead pumped into BR at that time The only...

You are surely aware that there's another rail bill pending which will address all that by enabling GBR and the future structure? Just because it hasn't been made public yet doesn't mean that no one is working on it! There's going to be a public consultation on it early in the New Year. The...

Well, the 378s do resemble "tube" trains internally, so if they weren't aware what the Overground was I can see that they'd be confused.

That'll be sectorisation. The business model whereby BR was growing into a successful and highly efficient business, before dogmatic privatisation dismantled it all.

There's bonuses and bonuses. Middle and senior management staff at TfL get annual bonuses (or "lump sum" if you prefer) but haven't had an annual cost of living salary rise for getting on for a decade now.

OK, what's everyone's solution then everyone? If taking into public ownership so that the separation between track and train can be removed and a multitude of unnecessary complex contractual relationships removed isn't the answer, what's your proposal for running the railways? You can't just...