Noel Dolphin

So bad. And this chopping and changing is why electrification costs so much.

🚨Manufacturing is what we do in the East Midlands🚨 🚆I visited Furrer & Frey rail this afternoon, and even got to practice installing some of the electrification equipment they’re sending up to the North East! @FurrerFreyGB @NoelDolphin

I'm often reminded, when we first built railways we had a plan for where trees should be & how far they were from the railway. What they did/didn't do for embankments. Feels like the current do nothing for 10yrs, then go nuclear might not have been what was originally in mind

Just a typical Thursday teaching @MayorEastMids how to electrify a railway. With support from @SimonJWSkinner. Also dive into passenger benefits from electrification & the super midlands supply chain.

HS2 : pour apaiser les riverains il est décidé de passer en tunnel à condition de faire une station de contrôle des nappes phréatiques dans un champs à côté. -> Les riverains font sauter le permis de construire parce qu'ils ne veulent pas des camions🤪

Never too early to bosh out a tram trip.

I was at the @LondonStadium over the weekend for the Athletics. I was really impressed with how it's possible to manage 60,000 people leaving a stadium simultaneously and safely get them on trains at Stratford station, which is busy at the best of times.

Am I wrong to assume most press-releases are written by ChatGPT? "An open invitation to a more purposeful conversation and engagement on strategic innovation — to advance breakthroughs in the adoption of technologies that improve how the system works." "news.railbusinessdaily.com/gbrx-2025-pion….

Delivering projects to budgets that run out at year end, drives odd behaviours. Station refurb (detailed design & refurb) delivered this financial year. Tender due back September. It's a small station, but still, surely the contractor can name their price find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/041778-…

As we move to 'make do and mend' on everything, but our busy mainline - dealing with heatwaves will become more & more of an issue, as many lines will lose the ability to cope (if they ever had it). inews.co.uk/news/buckling-…

Some depressing reading from ORR: 'Reduced renewals delivery plans risks additional deterioration of railway assets which may lead to more asset failures and therefore disruption to train' orr.gov.uk/annual-assessm…

Now I am looking forward to seeing the output of this RSSB study. Potentially a game changer in some areas. find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/041327-…

Thanks so much for doing the interview with us Noel - it was insightful and compelling stuff! Really appreciate your engagement.

All things spending review and Mainline Electrification in this week's @greensignallers, including my conversation with @SRichardBowker. Another great episode. youtube.com/watch?v=R98_4V…

This evening - I am mainly thinking about Transport for Wales's champagne tender. 🍾🥂 find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/039997-…

the case was made before. How can a major city as a starting point as Sheffield not be connected to the Midlands and London not under the wires wires?

Discussed Midland Mainline funding with @SRichardBowker for @greensignallers earlier. Perhaps coming out soon. I think Gov is still open for a case to be made to fund the rest of the electrification.

Normally it is hard to spot “stagger” (where the wire zig-zags slightly from side to side to create even wear on the pantograph). but here on the Nottingham tram, the curve in the road gives you a perfect view. Anyway... this was why I was late back from lunch.

Well done to @railforum_uk & @railindustry for banging the Midland Mainline drum - we are not giving up. Full letter here: railforum.uk/wp-content/upl…

Today I will be mainly thinking about.... some lines in Switzerland are still installing wooden masts and I quite like it.