Christian Wolmar

My alter ego, Mystic Wolmar, sometimes gets predictions so wrong that I have contemplated smashing his crystal once and for all. But just occasionally he hits the mark as sweetly as a Gareth Bale piledriver. So allow him, for once, a little bit of glory. When the Department for Transport published its franchise plans, Mystic was quoted in The Sun (I know, but they did ask…) saying ‘I suspect they ...

The announcement restarting the franchise process - for the second time – after the West Coast omnishambles put the spotlight yet again on the system but readers will be relieved to know that I will refrain from rehearsing, yet again,  the arguments over the UK rail structure which I have discussed many times before. Instead, I will try to place the context in the debate currently raging fiercely in Europe ...

We are now in the middle of the complex process that will decide on the railway investment plans for the five year period from April next year. Network Rail’s business plan published at the beginning of the year is currently being scrutinised line by line by the Office of Rail Regulation which will then publish its ‘draft determination’ in June and its final decision, after the consultation period, in the ...

It’s Beeching bonanza time. This month sees the 50th anniversary of the publication of the report, called blandly The Reshaping of British Railways, with no mention of Richard Beeching’s name, which along with Beveridge is probably the most famous government report of the 20th century. Already countless newspaper articles and radio programmes are being prepared to mark the event and Beeching’s name will resume his starring role as bogeyman in ...

Franchising is like a one way cul de sac. It’s going nowhere but it seems to be impossible to find a way out. The latest announcement which jump started the franchising process with a pair of dodgy battery leads after the West Coast omnishambles, attracted remarkably little attention since the national media seems to have got bored with the story but demonstrated that there is still a massive intellectual flaw ...

Now it gets serious. The publication of the northern sections of HS2 provide, at last, a real insight into the extent of the scheme and the difficulties it faces. It is interesting how the emphasis of the scheme has changed. When HS2 was initially put forward, the focus was on its green credentials, the strong business case and the faster journey times. Now the watchword is regeneration and bridging the North ...