Let's post some receipts, for the benefit of anyone attempting to...
Gareth Dennis@GarethDennis
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Aug 30, 2024
~5 min read
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Let's post some receipts, for the benefit of anyone attempting to defend @LordPeterHendy, @SYSTRA_UKIRL and @NetworkRail's actions in some way. Because I have a folder of this stuff.
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Off the bat, I am going to make an apology and say that I won't do alt text for this thread as it is too onerous - however if you require alt text for accessibility reasons, please just DM me and I can send you the whole lot directly.
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So, a few highlights. First up, back in June when I was sorting out my employment with @SYSTRA_UKIRL, I had already made clear statements that I would be continuing my advocacy for rail and my role as a writer and public expert on transport.
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To this end, I challenged a clause in my contract that could have been used to limit this. The response from @SYSTRA_UKIRL broadly sums up their overall attitude to my work, which was supportive and indeed encouraging. I maintained regular contact with their comms and PR team.
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That's June 2023, I should say.
Now, what might that ORR improvement notice from September 2023 have said? Nothing has been published since explaining what has been resolved - the notice has simply been closed. @NetworkRail have refused to respond to FOI requests.
Now, what might that ORR improvement notice from September 2023 have said? Nothing has been published since explaining what has been resolved - the notice has simply been closed. @NetworkRail have refused to respond to FOI requests.
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Something a bit different... I've already said that @SYSTRA_UKIRL were actively supportive of my advocacy and other bits and bobs, backed up by a very good new comms lead and their business development director (both of whom I expect had limited input into the later chaos).
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So here's a couple of interesting stories that @SYSTRA_UKIRL either wrote themselves or pre-checked and were very happy with. A @RailDaily Rail Director piece, and their own internal comms on my YRP award:
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@SYSTRA_UKIRL @RailDaily Now for something completely different. Here's @LordPeterHendy's email to the NR comms team the day after the Independent piece on Euston that I had been quoted in went out.
Some people have suggested this wasn't a personally targeted attack. They are wrong.
Some people have suggested this wasn't a personally targeted attack. They are wrong.
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A day later (and a bit outside of working hours), @LordPeterHendy was pushing on with this, having chased up my employer with the NR comms team...
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Now, by the middle of the week, things hadn't cooled down. @LordPeterHendy again requested his team contact the CEO of @SYSTRA_UKIRL and apply pressure:
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Now here's the clincher. A week later (the 24th April, the Indy piece landed on the 14th), @LordPeterHendy sent this email, the tone of which speaks volumes.
"Subject: Gareth Dennis
How did we deal with him?
P"
"Subject: Gareth Dennis
How did we deal with him?
P"
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@LordPeterHendy Now, all of this is before he contacted @SYSTRA_UKIRL. This is just to give you a flavour of the intent of the contact he did then make.
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@LordPeterHendy @SYSTRA_UKIRL Now, you've all seen The Letter, I'm sure. Just in case though, here it is again, fully unredacted.
Funny tidbit: We received this letter via both SAR and FOI and it was redacted differently in both. But between them, we got the lot. NR data officer: you are a legend.
Funny tidbit: We received this letter via both SAR and FOI and it was redacted differently in both. But between them, we got the lot. NR data officer: you are a legend.
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@LordPeterHendy @SYSTRA_UKIRL Now, note that this letter got sent after a month had passed. I've been led to believe that the comms team did quite a bit of pleading to stop it being sent, hence the delay. They failed, the letter was sent.
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@LordPeterHendy @SYSTRA_UKIRL Incidentally, on the day the letter went out, @LordPeterHendy had time to let the comms team know his feelings on a twitter digest including one of my tweets.
It's not personal though, remember!
It's not personal though, remember!
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@LordPeterHendy @SYSTRA_UKIRL (I'd love to see behind that redaction, I can tell you.)
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So, how did the @SYSTRA_UKIRL CEO respond? Here's his first email:
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There was then a follow up email where @SYSTRA_UKIRL's CEO responded in more detail, albeit he somewhat garbles my evidence:
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@SYSTRA_UKIRL This was not good enough for Hendy, who decided to double down with his threats.
If you want to see the bit where he threatens to go to @SYSTRA_UKIRL's "head office and shareholders", this is where he says it:
If you want to see the bit where he threatens to go to @SYSTRA_UKIRL's "head office and shareholders", this is where he says it:
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@SYSTRA_UKIRL A day later, @SYSTRA_UKIRL suspended me.
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There's a lot more to say about this ridiculous (and hugely personally damaging) story, but I think that will do for tonight.
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Actually there is something I want to add, because some corners are perhaps thinking this was me finally overstepping the mark and facing consequences for it... Let me reassure you, this has all stemmed from the most SOFTBALL series of quotes possible.
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Here's a link to the original @Independent piece: independent.co.uk/life-style/eus…
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I pop up about half way through, talking about the Modernisation-era rebuild of Euston station:
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I go on to explain why a terrific station became a dreadful one: it hasn't got any bigger since the 1960s despite so many more trains running!
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Let's pull out the specific quote that has caused all this ire:
“All of a sudden, that station that once felt large and airy feels like a small shed,” Dennis adds.
“All of a sudden, that station that once felt large and airy feels like a small shed,” Dennis adds.
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And when multiple trains are delayed or cancelled, “you’re talking about thousands of people squished into that space. It’s not just uncomfortable, it’s not just unpleasant, it’s unsafe.”
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This isn't whistleblowing. It isn't contingent on the @railandroad improvement notice, though I referred the Indy on to it. It is a statement of a condition in the station inherent to a lack of strategic investment in our railways over the last half century and more.
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@railandroad I get to close out the piece a wee bit further on.
First, I suggest some short term improvements:
First, I suggest some short term improvements:
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@railandroad Then I called out the claustrophobic lack of vision for those deciding what the future of Euston station should be. And that's it. It is extremely tame. I don't call out individuals, I don't call out Network Rail. I point out issues that everyone who uses Euston regularly knows.
