Thanks for the input so far.
Just to illustrate what happens when Network Rail pursues its obsession with trying to get late-running trains back on time, described below is the actual event that caused me to formally complain to Network Rail.
On 22/06/2013, I was the driver of 2A29, the 13.19 all-stopper service from Wolverhampton to Walsall. My train was held for 10 mins at Wolverhampton to allow the late-running Cross Country service to Paignton to proceed ahead of me. One late-running train becomes two.
Because my train is running late, the next service behind me, 1L93 - the Liverpool to Birmingham Service also runs late. So now we have three trains running late.
Because IL93 doesn't arrive into New St until 13.56, instead of 13.47, there isn't now enough turn around time, so this train - now 1F46 - doesn't leave New St. on its journey back to Liverpool until 14.05 instead of 14.01. That's now four late-running trains.
Following behind 1L93 was 1G33, the Shrewsbury to Birmingham service. 1G33 arrives into New Street at 14.02 instead of 13.55 and is supposed to depart back to Shrewsbury at 14.05. This doesn't happen. So now we have five late-running trains.
One late-running Cross Country train has effectively delayed 4 other trains. The ironic aspect about all this is that, with the Cross Country service to Paignton running 10 mins late, if my train had been allowed to depart on time, it would have arrived into New St before the Cross Country service had caught up with it there being only 8 mins difference in the journey time!
Unfortunately, events similar to this happen on a regular basis in my neck of the woods.
Is it not time Network Rail carried out some sort of feasibility study into the most efficient way of dealing with delayed trains? Surely in this day and age, it must be possible to carry out a computer simulation of such situations and work out the optimum solution for efficient train workings?
Having just returned from a rail trip through France, Switzerland, Germany and Austria, I have seen how much better they do it!