On Wed, 9 Aug 2017 14:46:06 +0100, Roland Perry
wrote:

In message , at 13:39:42 on
Wed, 9 Aug 2017, Recliner remarked:

I take it you don't read any railway magazines?

I don't read magazines yet to be printed. MML electrification was
only cancelled ten days ago.

RAIL dated yesterday (Wednesday) has the story on its front cover.

What does LIAR say about the fleet post-HST?

It quotes Grayling as saying that bi-modes will be used.

Ask again in three weeks, and you'll probably get a different answer.
He's just regurgitating a somewhat tired figleaf.

Serious question: does Grayling have a reputation for regularly changing
his mind?

He'll be long gone as Transport Minister before the next round of frog
boiling.

In other words, you admit he doesn't have that reputation? If so, why
say it?

He may not be around for very long, but will be there long enough to
get the MML IEPs ordered. In any case, it will be the DfT's civil
servants' idea, not his, and so will continue even after he's moved
on.

But the Brexit "weakness and instability" is kicking in fast, and this
whole thing is about money (throw enough and even NR will be able to
electrify to Sheffield). I'm not suggesting Grayling is particularly
prone to u-turns, but neither can he stave off external pressures
indefinitely.

Anyway, how's this project of his going, at the moment:

http://www.cityam.com/254895/chris-g...work-rail-its-
dominance-over

He still seems to be keen on some version of that idea in new
franchises, but it's probably too hard to retrofit it to old ones.
That desired higher level of TOC/NR integration was one of the reasons
he cited for not passing on more metro lines to TfL.