And another thing…

TRAIN enthusiasts might find this video from the BBC of some interest. It was produced to mark the completion of the West Coast Main Line upgrade and condenses the whole journey from Euston to Glasgow into five minutes.

Two things to note here:

• The £13 billion figure quoted by the Beeb in the accompanying story is inaccurate. That was the figure Network Rail inherited when Railtrack costs skyrocketed. The final cost was actually just over £8 billion. A snip.

• The actual journey from Euston to Glasgow takes a bit longer than five minutes, even when there are no delays.

NEW timetable, new menus, new tableware… yes, the upgrade of the West Coast Mainline has been completed and I am, as I write, aboard the 0940 to Euston.

I heard a report this morning about problems in north London which are affecting north-south services, and undoubtedly the media will want to focus on any problems experienced by passengers today, rather than on on Network Rail’s tremendous achievement. Mind you, I might not be quite so philosophical if my own train is significantly delayed, but so far, so good.

There are fresh, redesigned menus on the table, new cups and glasses – even the reservation system seems to have changed (coach G, previously entirely unreserved, only had one table with no reservations when I boarded, but I’ll get the hang of it after the winter Christmas break).

Even the coffee tastes nicer.

UPDATE at 1030: I take back what I said about the coffee – subsequent cup not at all up to scratch (if you can see light through it as it’s being poured, then it’s not strong enough, and I will tell them this next time they come round).

But the most exciting innovation to the service so far this morning: tomato and parsley with my roll and sausage! I really am living the dream…

UPDATE at 1515: Out of fairness I should point out that (a) the next cup of coffee was much better; and (b) the train arrived at Euston five minutes ahead of schedule.

MY TRAIN hasn’t moved for ages. I’ll give the railways minister a piece of my mind when I see him…

SPENDING a last couple of hours with the family before I head to London on the Virgin West Coast service to Euston.

And do you know why I’m catching the train instead of the plane? Because it’s more environmentally friendly? No. Because, as a former rail minster, I should? No. Because it’s quicker? Obviously not (not usually, and not yet).

I catch the train for the same reasons that millions of others do: because it suits me. I get the chance to read, to write, to watch DVDs, to relax. That’s how I like to travel. There is absolutely no altruistic motive involved.

And that’s the key to encouraging more modal shift. There’s no point in appealing to people’s concern for the environment – far too few people will change their behaviour on that basis to make a significant difference. More people will switch from air to rail if, and only if, their quality of life will improve as a result. If it makes financial sense, if it gives them more time to be productive, if it suits them – that’s the basis on which people make most major lifestyle choices.

As it happens, I’ll be returning to Glasgow by air, because the train won’t be a viable option by the time I set out on Wednesday evening. No doubt that will be criticised by readers of this blog who think I should be putting concern for the environment before the desire to spend the night in my own home with my family. So be it.

Back in June, I happened to mention in a post that I was driving home from London. Almost immediately, Roger Ford (writing as his pseudonym, Captain Deltic), editor of Modern Railways, and the Fact Compiler (of the Railway Eye blog, posted comments to the effect that, as railways minister, I shouldn’t be driving, I should be using the train.

Defensively, I pointed out in reply that I was also the minister responsible for the Highways Agency. In hindsight, what I should have said was, that like millions of other Britons I own a car and I enjoy driving, so why on earth shouldn’t I drive when I feel like it?

Preaching to car owners about the evils of driving isn’t going to make people change the way they travel; making the alternatives more attractive and convenient will.

PS: I just noticed that this is my 500th post. Hurrah for me…