Category Archives: Railway

Feb
29
2012

Trains and Cost – Part 5: Why Automatic Ticket Gates FAIL

by Skippy

One of those things that TOC’s seem to be fond of installing at Stations is ATGs (Automatic Ticket Gate see RIS-7701-INS – Rail Industry Standard for Automatic Ticket Gates at Stations). Obstensivly they claim that these are installed for revenue protection (reduction of ticket less travel), Reduce anti-social behaviour, and also seem to be a requirement of the franchise agreement [...]

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Jan
24
2012

Trains and Cost – Part 3: Public Investment v Wasteful Subsidy

by Skippy

In 2011 passengers contributed about £6.5bn and taxpayers £4bn a year to the running of the railways (ref). Now I will be the first to admit I don’t like how the Rail Network is set up at current [1, and 2]. However Let us quickly compare the cost and subsidy with the UK road network: Externalities: £48.7 [...]

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Jan
09
2012

Train and Cost – Part 2

by Skippy

I found this chart online at The Public Transport Marketing Blog’s Post, on the make up of the cost of a ticket (its originally here): I don’t know how accurate these numbers are; as despite the numbers being listed as coming from ATOC (Association of Train Operating Companies) but I can’t find the raw data. [...]

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Jan
03
2012

Train and Cost

by Skippy

Tomorrow I start a new job in Staverton (near Staverton Airport) its a small village between Cheltenham and Gloucester Swindon to Staverton by Car takes 56 minutes and is 37.1 miles (according to google) and according to fuel-economy.co.uk This journey would cost me £6, or by train will about an hour ten (not including the half [...]

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Jun
11
2011

Didcot Railway Centre

by Skippy

Today Helen and I went to the Didcot Railway Centre; home of the The Great Western Society; who were offered the use of the Didcot Motive Power Depot site, and they took over the site in 1967. The society has a comprehensive collection of ex Great Western Railway (GWR) locomotives and rolling stock. There are two short [...]

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