Transportinfo.org.uk - today's transport news in the uk, hand picked for you each morning

Thursday, 28 December 2023

Cogitamus

• The Chris Stokes Column - July 2023 - Quick wins would put rail on a stronger financial footingOver three years on from the start of the pandemic, it’s perhaps an appropriate time to take stock.
• Question 16 - Which of the following is not a car made by Ford?A. Zephyr B. Prefect C. Cresta D. Vedette
• Question 17 - What was the fastest time ever recorded by Concorde between New York/JFK and Heathrow?A. 3 hours 15 minutes and 39 seconds B. 2 hours 59 minutes and 3 seconds C. 2 hours 52 minutes and 59 seconds D. 2 hours 46 minutes and 12 seconds
• Question 18 - Who is regarded as the father of the British cycling industry?A. John Dunlop B. Eugène Meyer C. Denis Johnson D. James Starley
• Cracker Joke - Why do trains take so long to arrive on Halloween? They’re running with a skeleton service.
• Answers to today's questionsQuestion 16. C Question 17. C Question 18. D

Calling All Stations - The Transport Podcast

• Calling All Stations - The First YearOver the holiday week we will be re-posting episodes from Season 1 and Season 2 of the Calling All Stations podcast with Christian and Mark. We hope that you enjoy re-listening to them.
• 21 May 2023 - Calling All Stations with Christian WolmarSCOOP! Calling All Stations brings news that the UK Department for Transport is trying to switch off passenger wifi on the train services it controls in Great Britain. Christian Wolmar has the exclusive as our top story. In a special edition focused on rail in Great Britain, Christian and co-presenter Mark Walker discuss the status of the reform programme [10:00], positive developments on post-pandemic usage recovery along with particular marketing initiatives in Scotland [18:50] and how not every European rail initiative is as successful as we might imagine [21:10].
• 31 May 2023 - Calling All Stations with Christian Wolmar, What a week! Christian and co-presenter Mark Walker review the extraordinary impact of this podcast's revelation of UK Department for Transport plans to cut passenger wifi provision on franchised rail services in England, including an extensive debate in the House of Lords of the UK Parliament (to whom we are very grateful for the audio clips). Christian also reflects on what recent troubles with UK Border Force e-gates at airports may tell us about our vulnerability to hackers.
• 11 June 2023 - Calling All Stations with Christian WolmarChristian and co-presenter Mark Walker discuss how the tragic and very serious accident in Odisha should not be used to reinforce obsolete tropes about safety on Indian Railways [00:00]; Christian then returns to the subject of calls for graduated driving licences for young people in the UK by interviewing two trustees of the Under 17 Car Club which strives to enhance the skills and competences of young drivers from the outset [07:42] before reflecting on the transport infrastructure legacy of former Prime Minister (and now former MP) Boris Johnson [35:39].