Dear Reader

TO JUDGE a country by the efficiency of its railways might seem harsh — but let’s do it anyway. We all know that in Japan the system is flawless, with investigations launched if a train is just a few minutes late arriving or departing.

And anyone who’s boarded a train in Geneva or Zurich knows what a treat it is. My experience of German trains is not bad either — and in Holland, Austria and Belgium for that matter.

It can be a chaotic in India but not nearly as big a shambles as here in Britain. We’ve all got our stories to tell and some lines are worse than others.

My train from London Paddington to Hungerford gets cancelled on a regular basis, often only ten minutes before its scheduled departure, meaning I miss the connecting bus at the other end and face a five-mile walk or twohour wait for a taxi.

No one wants to take responsibility, obviously. ‘We’re sorry for any inconvenience caused,’ is the limit of it. More than 1,000 trains were cancelled every day in the 12 weeks between November 12, 2023, and February 3, 2024, according to Office of Rail and Road (ORR) figures.

The unions blame under-funding, even though huge subsidies pour into the network and fares have risen by just on 5 per cent. And the Mail reported this week that the average Avanti train driver’s salary could rise to almost £100,000 a year once overtime is factored in.

But that’s small beer compared with Andrew Haines, the chief executive of Network Rail who, according to its annual report, earned £589,000 last year.

The reward for failure in Britain is endemic, whether it be football managers, CEOs of banks or civil servants. More rail strikes start next week. I suppose that’s better than an all-out strike this weekend.

Sorry for the grumble — and a Happy Easter to one and all.