Christian Wolmar

It is easy but mistaken to pin all the blame for the forthcoming rail strike on Bob Crow and his frequent call of ‘everybody out’, so reminiscent of Miriam Karlin in the 1960s sitcom the Rag Trade. The management of Network Rail also have a lot to answer for in ensuring that Crow’s cavalier attitude to the people’s transport needs is allowed to prevail. Remember, thanks to Mrs Thatcher’s legislation on ...

According to a summary of the draft rail review leaked to CHRISTIAN WOLMAR, the Government proposes a patch-up, with all the disadvantages of renationalisation with none of the benefits. The leaked summary of the draft rail review sent to me is revealing in many ways, not least the fact it uses language that would never see the light of day in the properly spun version, which will eventually be made public ...

Widespread cuts in the rail network and services, sharp fare rises and the possible renationalisation of Network Rail are being considered by the Government in the most far-reaching shake-up of the railways since privatisation. The proposals are set out in a draft of the official review of the rail industry, obtained by this newspaper. The proposals from the review, set up in January by Alistair Darling, the Secretary of State for ...

As Tom Winsor prepares to return to a highly-paid job in the City, CHRISTIAN WOLMAR wonders whether the last true believer in the existing rail structure will show a little humility in his forthcoming book, by recognising the world has changed. The world according to Tom Winsor is a rather different one from that inhabited by the rest of us. As Winsor gives speeches and issues documents in a Stakhanovite effort ...

The second year of my self-imposed cricket challenge has already begun. Older readers may remember that I set myself the task of scoring a century before my 55th birthday which is on 3rd August. I have no illusions about this. The only way to achieve this goal is through hard work, training and coaching all winter. Indeed, in the 2003 season, the cricket lessons, the first I had ever taken in ...

There has been a surprisingly muted response to the changes in planning laws suggested recently by the Deputy Prime Ministers, John Prescott. Taken together with the huge 'New Communities' plan announced last year and the consequences of the Kate Barker housing report, Prescott's ambitions could result in the concreting over of much of the remainder of South East England and the recommencement of the development of out of town superstores ...