Chris J Dixon <chris@cdixon.me.uk> wrote:
> Marland wrote:
>
>> Great British or Great English just doesn’t sound right unless it is
>> describing a fried Breakfast,
>> If they want to use the term Great then it should be followed by Britain so
>> you end up with
>> Great Britain Railways or what to me sounds a little more natural Great
>> Britain Rail.
>
> It is obviously a back-formation from the popular TV programme
> Great British Railway Journeys. ;-)
>
> Chris

By, gosh I think you have discovered the ruse.
All this time we thought Mr Portillo had eschewed politics but really he
was part of a secret grand plan all along for the Conservatives to roll
back from privatisation without making it too obvious and in fact has been
travelling around the network secretly reporting back on passenger numbers
,where investment is needed and on the performance of TOCs . Like a spy
that leads an apparently normal life waiting for the call to duty is a
sleeper,in this case he is a railway sleeper.
Back in the cabinet next year as Minister for Railways.

GH