Come back British Rail, all is forgiven (From Darlington and Stockton Times)

Come back British Rail, all is forgiven

10:03am Friday 3rd July 2009

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A COLLEAGUE of Spectator, due to travel to Edinburgh yesterday evening, woke up on Wednesday to discover that he would be catching a “British Rail”

train following the East Coast demise of National Express.

National Express took over from GNER in only 2007 – it has not even got round to painting all its trains in its own livery. Most carriages still boast GNER’s blue and red.

Spectator’s colleague also discovered the insanity of the pricing structure. He was travelling first-class because, when he booked online, it was cheaper than travelling standard class.

BR had many faults, but at least you knew where you stood with them. The current system is simply chaotic.

Please could somebody run the railways as a public service, with understandable fares.

BP stalwart

ONCE a Blue Peter presenter, always a Blue Peter presenter.

One of Spectator’s colleagues was sent to St Hild’s Primary School in Durham on Wednesday of last week, to file a video report on the visit of the delightful Zoe Salmon, who was opening the school’s new greenhouse.

Such new journalistic technology is beyond the ken of traditionalists such as Spectator and clearly had his colleague in a tizzy too when, at the key moment, the clips used to secure the microphone to the subject broke.

In stepped the former presenter, who carried out a running repair on the offending piece of equipment, which she discreetly secured beneath her rather revealing top and carried on with the interview regardless – a professional job, well done, and all without the aid of stickybacked plastic.

Missed chance

SURPRISINGLY, the 125th birthday of Saltburn’s famous cliff lift went unmarked by Redcar and Cleveland Council.

The landmark day came and went on Sunday with staff running it on a “business as usual” basis.

Sad for officials and councillors not to seize the opportunity to make a little fuss of such an iconic institution, which is popular with the growing number of visitors to the resort.

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