George Poole, from Folkestone-based BigJigs Toys, with a model train

by Sam Lennon

A civil servant has sent a tongue-in-cheek reply to a Kent toy train firm's bid to take over a rail franchise.

Folkestone-based Bigjigs Toys had written to the Department of Transport asking for the West Coast Main Line contract after it was bungled by government officials.

"your vibrant livery would certainly brighten up the railway. good luck in refining your proposal…” – civil servant mark reach

The official has now written back praising the firm's "expert craftsmanship" in its rolling stock, but saying its wooden carriages could be a safety issue.

Mark Reach, private secretary at the Department for Transport, said: "I am afraid there are some necessary bureaucratic hurdles you will need to overcome before you are able to run passenger services on the national rail network.

"Notwithstanding, your vibrant livery would certainly brighten up the railway. Good luck in refining your proposal."

Last October, the government scrapped its decision to award the 13-year WCML franchise to the company FirstGroup over Richard Branson’s Virgin Trains.

It was abandoned after civil servants made faulty calculations and provided ministers with incorrect information.

It was estimated it would cost £40million to reimburse the four firms involved for the cost of their bids.

Straight after this, George Poole, marketing co-ordinator at Bigjig at West Park Farm Industrial Estate, wrote to transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin (pictured left).

He said his firm's wooden trains had no delays, overcrowding or accidents, the lines were not affected by snow or leaves and that the service charged no fares.

Mr Poole also sent Mr McLoughlin a model train and section of track, and Mr Reach’s reply said: "Your model now adorns my desk."

Mr Poole said: "We were pleasantly surprised to get that letter from the DfT. The writer had a sense of humour.

"He mentioned that the maximum length of WCML trains are 260 metres. Ours are no more than 34 centimetres."