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INFORMED SOURCES July 2000

Who runs the railway – 2000?

Oh dear, old BR in exile is still running the majority of TOCs

Time again for one of Informed Sources' most popular features, the annual review of Train Operating Company managing directors. By tradition, the titles of the various categories reflect a theme and this year the theme is Vietnam .

First, we have the veterans of the struggle for freedom, who battered the French to defeat at Dien Bien Phu . Following the sad death of Richard Parkins, these hard men who have run a TOC continuously since TOCs were invented are now down to just three.

At Chiltern Adrian Shooter, not just ‘old BR', but an ‘old BR' engineer' has just topped the latest customer satisfaction survey with a score of 91percent yet is fighting to retain the franchise. At Great Eastern Bob Breakwell (who was mortified by a suggestion in this column that the man once known as ‘Bolshy Bob' had gone PC) represents another of the late, great Sir Robert Reid's betes noirs an operator runs a railwayman's railway and came equal second with Thames Trains in the commuter category with an 82percent score.

Ken Bird, who has been grievously let down by his new trains is suffering, but c2c will happen eventually.

Next, we come to the Viet Cong, former BR managers surviving in the guerrilla warfare of the privatised railway'

There are some changes here. Andy Cooper left Great Western for that holding pattern known as a job at Railtrack before landing at Central Trains to replace Nick Brown who left to run National Express's buses, a job from which he has now stood down.

High flyer Euan Cameron now runs my local railway WAGN in addition to a wider role at franchise owner Prism. He was succeeded at Thames Trains by Terry Worrall – yet another old BR operator with a high customer satisfaction score.

Promotions from the ranks saw Roger Cobbe take over at MerseyRail and Mike Caroll at First Great Western – a company name which my signalman great grandfather would have seen as tautologous.

Next comes the revolutionary new blood, with Nigel Patterson at Northern Spirit joining three established ‘new railwaymen', including Mr customer Service himself Christopher Garnett. All three have earned respect.

Finally, there are the rehabilitated refugees, former BR men who left the passenger railway for one reason or another during or after privatisation and have returned. This year, we welcome back Mark Causebrook who left Central Trains, reportedly over a business plan he could not support. Given that only incumbent National Express and FNB (A Vietnam War TLA) Group 4 are interested in his former franchise, which could also be balkanised under replacement, that could have been a good move. Thameslink certainly won't be boring.

Last but not least, comes Chris Green. Over the years debate has raged between those who thought he was a great railway manager and those who viewed his high personal profile as an example of style over substance.

As the latest SSRA Report shows, the performance of the two Virgin franchises has increased significantly over the past year. And while Virgin is still la lanterne rouge of inter-city customer satisfaction, they are now within a percentage point or two for Midland Main Line and First Great Western. It looks like the man really has made a difference.

All of which brings us to the summary. Of the 25 Train Operating Companies only four are run by new railwaymen. Bob Reid lives!

Next come

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