Tardis Trains

The upgraded West Coast rail link between Glasgow Central and London Euston was launched today. London's Evening Standard seems to be a bit confused about the significance of this however.

It reports that Transport Secretary Alistair Darling said that, "the serivce is now 50 minutes faster than it was a year ago."

Hugh Wark of Network rail claims that times have been reduced, "roughly by 40 to 45 minutes from what they were a year ago"

That's a 20% variance, so which is it?

Numerically challenged Transport Editor Dick Murray also claims Virgin trains will now be doing the 401-mile route in, "under four-and-a-half hours." Quite true - but according to National Rail Enquiries only two trains a day (9:49 and 12:49) will manage this feat - the others could take up to five-and-a-half hours.

I've spent so long on train web sites that I've now forgotten why I started writing this piece. I think it was pointless pedantry in the face of poor journalism but it's pretty obvious I'm just being sad - sorry!