let's look at the labour manifesto pledge on the railways; to take the operation of trains into public ownership and freeze fares. and once the trains are in the hands of de-facto government departments, then what? what exactly are labour intending for the railways, other than putting a red rose on the logo of every operating department?
are they going to make good on every previous political promise to withdraw the 30 year old "pacer" trains? well no they can't because in pledging to freeze fares, any cash for investment will slowly but surely dry up and it will suddenly be found that despite being non universally accessible, will be made to soldier on until 2030 (London Underground are already suffering under a similar policy introduced by the mayor - with no replacement on the horizon for the stock on the bakerloo line, the oldest rolling stock in daily public service in the uk).