The Wider Picture

[whole diary]

[Lee]

The ICE has launched its State of the Nation report on transport, calling for a 30-year plan to reduce national congestion (links below.)
http://www.nce.co.uk/news/2008/10/ice_calls_for_the_government_to_get_back_on_track_with_its_10_year_transport_plan.html;jsessionid=73CCB811F56C0E2C83049B697F3714EA

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_yorkshire/7668519.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7668759.stm

http://www.thepress.co.uk/news/3754165.New_body_would____improve_railway_line___/

http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/3754421.Keep_docks_traffic_moving__urges_ICE/

Thameslink plans would mean thousands of passengers who board at stations including Streatham, Tooting, Mitcham, Wimbledon, South Merton and Sutton would no longer have a direct link to City Thameslink, Farringdon, St Pancras and stations beyond (link below.)
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23572365-details/Commuters+face+losing+their+direct+Thameslink+route+to+City/article.do

Plans for the much-anticipated Todmorden Curve are going in the right direction, said Burnley MP^▸ (Member of Parliament) Kitty Ussher after a meeting with Lord Adonis (link below.)
http://www.burnleyexpress.net/burnleynews/MP-39positive39-on-Manchester-link.4584506.jp

Virgin Trains will extend its E-ticketing print-your-own-ticket scheme to all advance purchase tickets by the end of October (link below.)
http://www.businesstravelworld.com/page.cfm/action=Archive/ArchiveID=6/EntryID=1197
 
Blog post on Platinum Trains, who lodged an application with the ORR^» (Office of Rail and Road formerly Office of Rail Regulation - about) last month to operate non-stop Anglo-Scottish trains using the East Coast Main Line (link below.)
http://leytr.blogspot.com/2008/10/platinum-trains.html

Train operators are working hard to push rail ticketing into the 21st century says a leading rail ticketing expert (link below.)
http://www.atoc-comms.org/dynamic/atocpress-story.php?atoc=997871

About 500 rail passengers were trapped in a tunnel in south London after their train split in two. The 1745 BST Victoria to Rochester train left the platform at Sydenham Hill station at 1830 BST when the connection between carriages broke (link below.)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7672721.stm

[Lee]

A series of concessions have been announced as part of controversial plans to install ticket barriers on Sheffield train station's footbridge (link below.)
http://www.sheffieldtelegraph.co.uk/news2/Station-footbridge-row-concessions.4600223.jp

Four people were killed and another three were in a critical condition after a train crash 30km southeast of Budapest (link below.)
http://www.rmtbristol.org.uk/2008/10/rail_disaster_kills_four_in_hu.html#more

New Zealand Railways Corporation acting CEO^▸ (Chief Executive Officer), William Peet, has laid out his roadmap (link below.)
http://www.rmtbristol.org.uk/2008/10/nz_rail_boss_outlines_1_billio.html#more

A music venue will be demolished and a Tube station refurbished as part of the Crossrail scheme (link below.)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7675922.stm

[Lee]

"The Man in Seat 61" recommends six of his favourite winter rail journeys (link below.)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2008/oct/18/railtravel-shortbreaks

National Express East Coast is removing teacups and saucers from its carriages after complaints about the noise made by spoons rattling against them, replacing them with "quiet mugs" (link below.)
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/3216895/End-of-the-line-for-cups-and-saucers-on-trains.html

First ScotRail sees an opportunity to capitalise over the ending of the 6.05am flight from Glasgow to Heathrow (link below.)
http://www.theherald.co.uk/business/news/display.var.2461382.0.sleeper_all_set_to_take_over_from_the_early_riser_as_shuteye_trumps_redeye.php

A film of the entire Liverpool dock complex is to be beamed on to the city^s historic waterfront. Terminus takes viewers on a journey as witnessed from the famous Liverpool Overhead Railway line which stretched from Dingle to Seaforth (link below.)
http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/local-news/2008/10/17/overhead-railway-returns-in-film-spectacular-100252-22054287/

FirstGroup has put its support behind the efforts of volunteers to reopen a section of railway between Milton of Crathes and Banchory in Aberdeenshire (link below.)
http://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/Article.aspx/894121?UserKey=

Most of the proposed Borders rail link should be axed and the rest replaced with a tram line, Edinburgh's tram developers have urged ministers (link below.)
http://news.scotsman.com/scotland/Edinburgh-tram-backers-want-to.4605682.jp

Bombardier Transportation has received an order from the leasing company Railpool for the delivery of 45 double-deck coaches valued at approximately ^75m (^58m). The trains, capable of service speeds up to 160km/h, are intended for service on lines operated by Danish State Railways (link below.)
http://www.theengineer.co.uk/Articles/Article.aspx?liArticleID=308438

Save The Woodhead Tunnel campaign updates (links below.)
http://savethewoodheadtunnel.blogspot.com/2008/10/yes-minister.html

http://savethewoodheadtunnel.blogspot.com/2008/10/save-woodhead-tunnel-october-2008.html