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Tom Clift, Managing director, Grand Central Railway Company Ltd.

MANY industry observers believe Tom Clift has the most unenviable job on the railway at this time.

The rail industry veteran agrees the past seven months have been tough but insists there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Since last October he has been managing director of open access operator Grand Central, which fought its way into being as an East Coast company up against the former giant GNER.

Since it launched its much-vaunted direct services in December 2007 Grand Central has gone through a veritable baptism of fire.

The company promised passengers from the North East a direct link with London, with competitive fares, carriages with improved leg and luggage room, buffet and restaurant facilities and, later, wi-fi for internet connections. Cyclists were also welcome.

First class passengers were promised “a welcome haven for those working on the move or wanting to enjoy a more relaxed and spacious atmosphere.”

Tables offered passengers imprinted Monopoly, Cluedo and chess boards to while away the time.

But for more than six months technical and mechanical problems with its well-used HST power cars and Mark 3 coaches, purchased direct for more than £8 million, have left the company with a headache.

Grand Central, now owned by a private equity company, was forced to bring in a contingency timetable which, while retaining an HST on the principal trains, has seen loco-hauled shuttle trains running between Sunderland and York, and passengers continuing their journeys on National Express East Coast trains.

But observers of the problems had probably not reckoned on the tenacity and loyalty of the 39 frontline staff and North East communities who are willing the enterprise to succeed.

Tom, who has turned his hand to just about every operating job on the railway during his 35-year career, knows that with that sort of support and the rolling stock issues resolved, the service offered can only improve.

“There is no doubt at all that these communities welcomed Grand Central, and fought tooth and nail for us to get access rights. But I think it’s fair to say that some elements of the rail industry didn’t like the entrepreneurial David to their Goliath.”

Tom joined Grand Central just two months before the company launched its services with just one HST available rather than the two needed to fulfil the three services a day between Sunderland and King’s Cross.

He says: “Having spent very large sums of money, more than £8 million, on purchasing and refurbishing these vehicles it is very disappointing, putting it mildly, to have to suffer the annoyance and frustrations of them not performing adequately.”

Many of the issues which have led to train breakdowns and other problems can be explained by the length of time they were outdoors, out of use before they were purchased. The trains, primarily ex-CrossCountry and West Coast stock, had been stored in former MoD depots and suffered from Britain’s climate.

“I know from experience that vehicles which have been in storage any length of time require patience plus a lot of loving and cherishing. Electrics and dampness don’t mix,” says Tom.

Separate contracts were let for refurbishment work on the power cars and coaches last year but, since the work was completed, three of the six power cars have had to have major power unit reconstruction work due to fractured piston rings.

“It’s a big job which means taking the complete head off the power unit,” says Tom.

Alternators on the power cars also caused problems. “We have had a serious problem with engine governors and low power, culminating in the decision by Neil Heaton, our fleet engineer, to send them away to Brush at Loughborough for major work.

“The engines were generating power but the power was not being converted into electrical energy to drive the traction motors.”

Tom started his career with British Rail as a traffic student in 1972 and, after a number of moves, became managing director of Valley Lines which ran trains out of Cardiff into the South Wales valleys network. He still lives in the Cardiff area and has a very ‘heavy’ connection with the railways in Wales. He is also the owner of a Class 26 diesel locomotive which is being restored at Canton depot. “Ironically, the problems associated with the restoration of the Class 26 mirror many of the issues with the HSTs,” he says ruefully.

But availability of trains is improving for Grand Central. Five power cars are now working, and the sixth is at Brush works for an alternator rebuild and will be completed in mid August.

Tom is quick to praise the work of maintenance staff and riding inspectors at Northern Rail’s Heaton depot in Newcastle, where the trains are maintained.
Regular oil checks there revealed mechanical issues which could be addressed before things became more serious.

Network Rail staff based at York have always been even-handed too. And he is fulsome in his praise of his own frontline staff based in Sunderland and York, plus the contracted-in catering staff.

“They are a fantastic team. They are all flexible characters anyway, well motivated, and have aligned with the communities we serve, which is immensely pleasing.”

Drivers – including identical female twins who came from Nexus, the Tyne and Wear Metro – were from other companies and had to be retrained on HSTs.

When the original service went pear-shaped Tom and his team had to revert to a major contingency plan involving loco-hauled trains working shuttles between Sunderland and York. This involved at least three changes of loco type.

“We have been affected by regulatory foibles. Because our track access agreement is only for 125mph, we are not allowed to run other kit. We have been allowed to run other locos through a General Approval Process which means you can run hired-in locos for only 28 days and then you have to change to a different type.”

The company ran Class 67s, Class 47s and, more recently, Class 57s.

“I want to make it clear that this has nothing to do with our safety case but is about regulatory approval.”

With five power cars now repaired and running – providing two HST trains – Tom is now keenly looking ahead to how his daily, and weekend services can get back on an even keel. But until the availability of a fifth power car is regularly achieved the company will continue to run some shuttles into York from Sunderland, now using one of the repaired HSTs.

GC staff have to issue revised tickets to GC ticket holders – at Grand Central’s expense – for onward journeys with National Express East Coast services to London.
 
Tom is optimistic that a full six trains a day – three each way – can be introduced before mid August. Although revenue and passenger growth has suffered, he is confident passengers will return because reaction to the spacious layout of carriages, friendliness of the on-board staff and value-for-money ‘walk up’ fares has been “extremely positive”.

“This will be a very competitive link from the North East and there has been, and will be, significant growth from the new stations we serve – Sunderland, Hartlepool, Eaglescliffe, Northallerton, Thirsk and York.”

Tom adds: “I have been dealing with the consequences of trains that don’t work since 1977. Whole fleets have sometimes had to be grounded.  This is not the first time and won’t be the last that a train operating company has problems with trains that don’t work, new or refurbished trains that are late, or new trains that have to go back to be made to work properly.

“It has been a very difficult time for us but I am confident we have turned the corner and will soon be offering our full service, which has been our aim all along.”

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