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The Guardian
a day ago
- Business
- The Guardian
Sir Bob Reid obituary
In the spring of 1990, the chief executive's office at British Rail received an urgent telephone call from the area manager at Newcastle upon Tyne saying there was a one-armed Scotsman wandering around the main signal box claiming to be BR's new chairman and wanting to know how everything worked. Was it all right to tell him? The man was Bob Reid, who had recently moved from Shell, where he was the UK chairman, and was now on the brink of a difficult five-year stint at BR that would end in a privatisation about which he had serious misgivings. His foray into the signal box, matched by an excursion into the drivers' restroom at Waterloo, was typical of the man. Determined, impulsive and impatient to get things moving, he had a liking for human contact and an easy manner, regardless of rank. The offer to take over BR had come in 1990. Reid, who has died aged 91, was not the first choice; rumour had it that 20 people had already turned it down. But he saw it as an opportunity to apply his skills to an inward-looking public sector organisation that had long been a concern to government and which faced major challenges with the forthcoming Channel tunnel rail link. Reid could not wait to get started, but he dismayed some of his new colleagues with a bullish joke that he was used to much bigger projects than those he faced at BR. When he took over, the railways were improving, although the level of government subsidy remained controversial. Under his predecessor, a veteran railwayman confusingly also called Sir Robert Reid, steady improvements had been made, helped by a benign economic environment. The business had been reorganised into sectors, which proved a success, but the recession of the early 1990s now hit railway finances and Bob Reid failed to get government backing for BR's proposed investments. He left the running of the railway largely to his chief executive, John Welsby, and concentrated on projects such as the Channel tunnel, which the government had made a priority. BR favoured a route through south London that provided alternative options and would be linked to expensive new facilities. But the government, with Michael Heseltine promoting the regeneration of the Docklands area, opted for an east London route. Reid took the rebuff badly and some felt he might resign, but he remarked in an outburst that he immediately regretted: 'When you are in the middle of a pantomime, you want to stay with it.' When BR famously blamed 'leaves on the line' and 'the wrong kind of snow' for various delays, and when he failed to get his investment plans through, his lack of success began to invite questions about his competence in dealing with government. It was not helped when the transport minister, Malcolm Rifkind, described him as being 'on a learning curve'. Within the railways, Reid's lack of appetite for detailed knowledge grated, and managers were reluctant to discuss problems for fear of receiving a diktat. But they respected his strong emphasis on safety, including his insistence that track maintenance supervisors must brief their gangs on safety every morning. Reid's difficulties multiplied when John Major's new government decided to privatise the railways. That scenario had not been part of Reid's original brief, and he was publicly critical of the detail. He forecast accurately that the complex division of the system would multiply bureaucracy, that profits would not be sufficiently reinvested, and that safety could be compromised. Some in BR hoped he would challenge the plan by resigning. But he argued that 'managing large undertakings through the medium of government is a recipe for all sorts of problems. Even though I would have done it differently, getting BR into the private sector is the main thing.' By 1995, at the end of his term, Reid could point to better financial performance (with expectations of a £400m-a-year profit for BR), an improvement in industrial relations that had seen just two days lost to strikes over his whole period in office, and improved productivity. But he had lost the strategic battles. The son of Elizabeth (nee Paul), and William Reid, he was born in Cupar, Fife, where his life was transformed by a terrible accident when he was nine. Working in his father's butcher's shop one evening, he attempted to unstick a mincing machine and lost his right hand. He described the incident as 'catastrophic' but insisted it only sharpened his desire to be part of the action. He learned to write with his left hand within a fortnight and became a formidable golfer with a handicap of four. 'Making things happen is a state of mind,' he would say later. 'The joy of leadership lies as much in overcoming setbacks as enjoying the rewards of success.' Reid demonstrated his leadership during a career with Shell that he started in 1956 as a management trainee after studying politics, economics and history at St Andrews. He represented the university at golf and met his future wife, Joan Oram, there – they married in 1958. He also forged significant friendships with two aspiring politicians, Bob Horton, later chairman of BP and National Rail, and John MacGregor, who was appointed transport secretary while Reid was running BR. His Shell career, largely focused on the 'downstream' processing and marketing of oil, took him to Malaysia, Nigeria, Kenya and then back to Nigeria as managing director from 1970-74, before a similar job in Thailand and a posting in Australia as director of downstream oil. In 1983 he was brought back to London as coordinator for supply and marketing, becoming chairman and chief executive of Shell UK in 1985. Reid, nicknamed 'the one-armed bandit', was admired for his energy and enthusiasm but never reached the committee of managing directors, as board level was known at Shell. His skills in dealing with people were deployed in what was largely a representational role, although it included responsibility for UK refining and the important North Sea operations. His experience of determinedly camping in the outer offices of Nigerian ministers when they refused to see him was judged to have helped him with the UK government. Reid's five years as chairman reinforced his reputation for energy, unstuffiness and charisma. He crusaded for proper management training (in the absence then of business schools), establishing the Foundation for Management Education and chairing the British Institute of Management (1988-90). With his sympathy for the arts (particularly music and opera) and a keen eye for public relations, he took Shell's sponsorship in a new direction with backing for Bafta. At a time when Shell's continuing activity in South Africa was under attack, Reid argued that the company could be part of change, and provided liberally managed employment that helped it to be seen in a different light. He was knighted in 1990. On leaving BR he became chairman of the retail giant Sears Holdings, and later deputy governor of the Bank of Scotland. He was the first chancellor of Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen. Other chairmanships included London Electricity, Avis Europe and the International Petroleum Exchange. Joan died in 2017. Reid is survived by their sons, Douglas, Patrick and Michael. Robert Paul Reid, business executive, born 1 May 1934; died 28 May 2025
BBC News
5 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Uber set to reopen Ebbsfleet International by 2029
Trains to and from Europe via the Channel Tunnel will stop in Kent up to 10 times each day under new plans by Gemini Trains and services stopped calling at Ebbsfleet and Ashford international stations at the beginning of the pandemic, and have so far not rail operator Gemini Trains and transport app Uber recently announced they were teaming up and planned to rival Eurostar by operating trains between London St Pancras and the Quine, CEO of Gemini, said the new service could be introduced by 2029 and would stop at Ebbsfleet, although Ashford is not in the plans for now. Mr Quine told BBC Radio Kent: "It's very important because Eurostar no longer stop in Kent and there's eight million people who live in the south-east of England, outside the M25, for whom having a direct service to the continent is extremely important."Ebbsfleet is a perfect station. It's designed for international traffic, it's got a massive car park, it's very well connected via the road network and it's connected to the rest of Kent via the HS1 service."We're proposing every train stops there."The deal, similar to that between Uber and the London Thames Clipper boats, would see tickets offered through the app but operations remaining the responsibility of Quine said he was between 60 and 70% sure that the project between Gemini and Uber would be green lit by the rail regulator.
The Independent
21-05-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Could Stratford replace St Pancras as the gateway to Europe?
The transport tech giant Uber is to take on Eurostar through the Channel Tunnel – but you may need an Uber to reach the departure station in east London. Uber has teamed up with a start-up operator, Gemini Trains, to promote a planned rival service linking London with Paris and Brussels. If the partners are permitted to launch trains to Continental Europe, they will not start from the terminal at St Pancras – but six miles down the track at Stratford International. 'Stratford is actually a bit of a blank canvas,' said Adrian Quine, chief executive of Gemini Trains. 'It's a bit like London City airport as opposed to Heathrow or Gatwick: it's very quick and easy to get through. It's going to be far less crowded, so we think it's a bit of a jewel in the crown.' When the High Speed 1 (HS1) line from London St Pancras International to the Channel was constructed, the suburban station at Stratford was fitted out to handle passengers heading for France and beyond. But it has only ever been used for domestic Southeastern trains using the high-speed track to stations in Kent, with the international facilities lying idle. Mr Quine said: 'Stratford might not be so central as St Pancras, but I think door to door from central London, it's going to be as quick, if not quicker.' Stratford is served by the Elizabeth Line from central London, Heathrow airport and Reading. Two Underground lines – the Central and Jubilee – provide other connections. The London Overground and Greater Anglia operate many trains to and from Stratford. An Uber from central London to the east London station currently costs around £24. Gemini Trains says it will also serve Ebbsfleet in north Kent en route to the Continent. Ebbsfleet, along with Ashford International, was mothballed after a combination of Covid and Brexit led to Eurostar abandoning the Kent stations. Mr Quine said that services from Stratford to Paris Nord and Brussels Midi could begin by 2030. Gemini Trains is one of several contenders aiming to compete with Eurostar, which has had the cross-Channel passenger market to itself since the tunnel opened in 1994. The start-up plans to purchase 10 new trains for the service and promises 'competitive fares on comfortable high-quality and frequent train services between the UK and continental Europe'. The Independent calculates that this relatively small fleet might operate 10 round-trips per day to Paris and a further five to Brussels and back. Mr Quine said it would have two classes; Eurostar has three. Under the marketing agreement, Uber would co-brand the Gemini Trains service and sell tickets through its app. It already sells Eurostar tickets along with domestic rail, and co-brands the Thames Clipper ferry service through London. Andrew Brem, general manager of Uber UK said: 'This collaboration with Gemini Trains is our latest step in how we're helping people get where they want to go. We're excited about the opportunity to bring our brand to the iconic Channel Tunnel journey.' Mr Quine said: 'Innovation and value are at the very heart of what we do so it's really exciting to be teaming up with Uber, an instantly recognisable global brand which has revolutionised the travel industry. Now passengers will be able to enjoy the same value and comfort on brand new 'cutting edge' trains at the touch of a button.' Rob Burgess, founder of the frequent-flyer website Head for Points, said: 'This is arguably a logical step for Uber. It has had success selling Eurostar tickets via its app, because of the 5 per cent cashback it offers, and the Uber Boat branding on the River Thames boat shuttles appears to be successful. 'It seems a win for both sides. Eurostar's brand is strong, the Gemini brand is not. Uber will be a great help here. 'However, there is a long, long way to go before Gemini can get the necessary permissions and get its hands on rolling stock. Uber can pick up some free publicity now without having to worry about delivering anything in the short or even medium term." As well as Gemini Trains, Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Group and Italy's state railway operator FS Italiane Group are hoping to start services from London to Paris. The High Speed 1 line and the Channel Tunnel are both running at about half their capacity. London St Pancras Highspeed, which runs both the terminal station and HS1, says there is the potential for passenger numbers to triple from 11 million to 35 million by 2040. The infrastructure operator's chief executive, Robert Sinclair, told The Independent 's daily travel podcast: 'With competition comes more choice, more destinations, lower fares and lower emissions, so we can see the market really opening up.' His organisation plans to turn much of the St Pancras international arrivals complex into a departure area. Eurostar's general secretary, Gareth Williams, said: 'We support competition and growth through international rail.' But the incumbent has raised concerns about a lack of train depot capacity at Temple Mills, near Stratford.
BBC News
21-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Uber agrees to 'co-brand' Channel Tunnel trains through Ebbsfleet
Transport app Uber will "co-brand" trains running through Kent and the Channel Tunnel, it has company said it had formed a partnership with Gemini Trains, which is developing plans to launch international rail services from London St Pancras which would stop in stopping in Ebbsfleet would see a return of international train travel to Kent for the first time since the beginning of the coronavirus deal, similar to that between Uber and the London Thames Clipper boats, would see tickets offered through the app but operations remaining the responsibility of Gemini. Andrew Brem, Uber's UK general manager, said: "We've seen amazing momentum since we began launching new modes of transport in the UK, and this collaboration with Gemini Trains is our latest step in how we're helping people get where they want to go."Gemini is planning to buy 10 new trains for its services, one of several planned competitors to company announced in March that it had been developing its plans for two years and had submitted an application to regulator the Office of Rail and Road for access to Eurostar's Temple Mills maintenance depot in north-east organisations developing proposals to launch rival services include billionaire entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Group and Italy's state-owned railway company FS Italiane stopped calling at Ebbsfleet and Ashford in March 2020 during the coronavirus local pressure for services to resume, the company has said it is focusing on its core Trains chief executive Adrian Quine said it was "really exciting" to be teaming up with Uber.
Reuters
19-05-2025
- Business
- Reuters
France-UK electrical interconnector suspended until June 2, Channel tunnel operator says
May 19 (Reuters) - The electrical interconnector between France and Britain, ElecLink, will be suspended for two weeks until June 2 due to a slight misalignment of the cable, Channel tunnel operator Getlink ( opens new tab said on Monday. The issue was detected in a limited area outside the tunnel in Britain, Getlink said in a statement, estimating the commercial impact of the suspension would be around 20 million euros ($22.4 million). Operations at ElecLink, an underwater cable ensuring 1 gigawatt of electric capacity through the tunnel since 2022, had already been shut down last year after a fault was found in September. The interconnector was brought back into service in February. The current suspension has been implemented as a "precautionary measure" to carry out all necessary inspections and tests, Getlink said. It had signalled a 69% year-on-year drop in quarterly revenue for ElecLink in April, owing to the five-month suspension of activity and the normalisation of energy markets. ($1 = 0.8945 euros)
