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So Bill Rodgers has made up his mind to sink
Page 81
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Freightliners without trace. Without a doubt, that is precisely what British Rail will do with the company that the NEC has rescued over the past few years.
Allowing a little time for the NFC men to be re-indoctrinated in railway philosophy, jargon and working methods, we can foresee Freightliners getting into the red inside 12 months. The reason is not hard to find. In my experience there is no commercial incentive at BR. There is ample evidence of uneconomic rates quoted for Freightliner traffic when it was last a BR company.
The road haulage industry gained confidence in the permanent way long haul concept only when NFC took it over and now, for some obscure reason, all the confidence, goodwill and profit is being handed back to a company which is constantly in debt, has never made a profit, and whose track record for freight delivery leaves a lot to be desired.
Anyway, here is a cautionary note to British Rail. You've been given a second chance to make good, you've been given a profitable company and you've been given unindoctrinated men. Don't mess it up again — there's more than one big brother watching you.
I must say, I liked Sir Dan's comment "It is not a commercial decision." Let us say it for you, Sir. It is a political decision and a bad one at that.