Noel Dolphin
@noeldolphin
Electrify - everything today.... oh yes and public transportify it all. Was @noeldolphin on X.
Popped out yesterday evening to look a new timber frame office building being built locally. The use of modern timber tech is really quite fascinating... though I must say my kids just found it embarrassing me taking photos of a building site.
Visit to Kelvedon former nuclear bunker... feels like not much has changed at the DfT from this desk.
It pleases me immensely when looking at old drawings and find someone had super nice handwriting.
I won the lottery going out and lost coming back.... had to leave work early just to make sure I could get home at a sensible hour after my train was cancelled (I did at least get advanced warning).
The wreck lies in shallow water, with three masts standing proud of the waterline. Over time, the wreck has degraded and the mud/sand it rests on has also moved. It is a dynamic area with a corroding ship. (3/14)
Athletics today at the Olympic Park. 60k people, over 90% of whom use public transport, is as always an astounding achievement.
Visit to Newcastle requires an early morning tour to look at the new Stadler 555s on the QEII bridge.
Had a Swiss team over in Nottingham last week... showing Swiss people rail electrification equipment, always feels like teaching your grandmother to suck eggs, when Swiss railways are 99% electrified.
Yes you delayed me by 3 hours yesterday..... but EMR you may have just made up for it.
All trains to Nottingham are cancelled - the one critical piece of information passengers need to know is.... this station operates a penalty fare scheme. This must be unusual for a UK station... to make this the priority when massive disruption occurs. 🤷♂️
My fact of the week from last week's Light Rail Conference in a Nottingham - Coventry tram was the UKs first tram system electrified with span wires (wires between two masts that support the tram wire - which is now fairly bog standard in trams).
Recording this afternoon for Green Signals with @crisortunity.bsky.social, interviewed by Richard Bowker - on what I am now dubbing #RailDieselGate and the new CEBR report. Will be on next week's show. www.electrification-campaign.org/diesel-report/
The Sheffield Unit team - had another great year at the IMechE railway challenge on the weekend coming 2nd (...or reframe the No.1 UK team). The auto-stop challenge looked really impressive. Another great event from all the IMechE volunteers.
First trip on Midland Mainline in 2 weeks. A lot of people have done a lot of work in the heat to get this running again - well done to everyone who was out on track last week
Can't beat a good green roof. This one at Nottingham Uni's conference centre looking lovely.
What a day to be in Parliament. Yesterday, @crisortunity.bsky.social & I met Ruth Cadbury MP, Chair of the Transport Select Committee, to discuss how we can turn the findings of the committee’s enquiry into Rail investment pipelines: Ending Boom and Bust into action (1/2)
Last minute frantic prep for Rail Live.... heading off early tomorrow.
Gearing up for Rail Live next week - Lego display stand platform has gauge clearance issues.
Heading home from Manchester and the launch of @railindustry's electrification cost challenge 2.0 report. As they say electric railways reduce journey time, increase capacity & improve performance www.riagb.org.uk/RIA/Newsroom...
Heading up to Manchester for @railindustry's power conference. It rained last night so of course signalling is screwed.... but it is sunny and I have a seat
Still feels like GBR is about net-subsidy reduction... despite all the grandstanding. www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/05...
I feel Network Rail was utterly unable to articulate the benefits of midland mainline electrification during the project, but has been waxing lyrical since the project was cancelled. news.railbusinessdaily.com/midland-main...