16th March 2022 - Where should the GBR HQ be?

[whole diary]

[TonyK]

I can understand the images of an HST^▸ (High Speed Train) and an Alstom/Bombardier Aventra, both rail products developed and/or built in Derby. But why the Rolls Royce background? Yes, RR is associated with Derby but they've never, to my knowledge, developed or built passenger rail transport products in Derby.

Wait until they unveil the new nuclear EMU^▸ (Electric Multiple Unit).

[Electric train]

I can understand the images of an HST^▸ (High Speed Train) and an Alstom/Bombardier Aventra, both rail products developed and/or built in Derby. But why the Rolls Royce background? Yes, RR is associated with Derby but they've never, to my knowledge, developed or built passenger rail transport products in Derby.

Wait until they unveil the new nuclear EMU^▸ (Electric Multiple Unit).

Rolls Royce diesel engines were used in Class 127 DMU^▸ (Diesel Multiple Unit)'s (Bed-Pan), also used in a number of shunting locomotive.   MTU^▸ (Motor Traction Unit) is a Rolls Royce company, MTU engines replace the Paxmans in the HST's and currently used in a number of modern DMUs

[eightonedee]

MTU^▸ (Motor Traction Unit)▸ (Motor Traction Unit) is a Rolls Royce company, MTU engines replace the Paxmans in the HST^▸ (High Speed Train)'s and currently used in a number of modern DMUs^▸ (Diesel Multiple Unit)

There's a certain ironic symmetry here. Paxmans ended up owned by a German company (MAN), while MTU is a German company that has ended up as part of a UK^▸ (United Kingdom) company. Sadly, MAN have run down the Paxman operation in Colchester - I think you will only find the name on an angling club set up among their staff nowadays.

[Bmblbzzz]

I can understand the images of an HST^▸ (High Speed Train) and an Alstom/Bombardier Aventra, both rail products developed and/or built in Derby. But why the Rolls Royce background? Yes, RR is associated with Derby but they've never, to my knowledge, developed or built passenger rail transport products in Derby.

Wait until they unveil the new nuclear EMU^▸ (Electric Multiple Unit).

With glow-in-the-dark Rod Hull.

[grahame]

Wait until they unveil the new nuclear EMU^▸ (Electric Multiple Unit).

With glow-in-the-dark Rod Hull.

It strikes me that the forward-looking choice of Derby means that they've put the HQ^▸ (Headquarters) at the only shortlisted location that doesn't even have electric trains yet

Doncaster, York, Birmingham, Crewe and Newcastle-upon-Tyne were also on the final shortlist of possible locations.
Transport Secretary Mark Harper said the move would make Derby "the heart of Great Britain's rail industry".

[Electric train]

Wait until they unveil the new nuclear EMU^▸ (Electric Multiple Unit).

With glow-in-the-dark Rod Hull.

It strikes me that the forward-looking choice of Derby means that they've put the HQ^▸ (Headquarters) at the only shortlisted location that doesn't even have electric trains yet

Doncaster, York, Birmingham, Crewe and Newcastle-upon-Tyne were also on the final shortlist of possible locations.
Transport Secretary Mark Harper said the move would make Derby "the heart of Great Britain's rail industry".

Also potentially there is railway owned land / buildings to establish a new HQ

[TonyK]

Also potentially there is railway owned land / buildings to establish a new HQ^▸ (Headquarters)

That may well have been the clincher. Nothing worse than setting up a new Quango, only to have have it blow the first 5 years' time and 10 years' budget on a modern new non-colonial carbon- and gender-neutral award winning carbuncle in the countryside for a HQ. Move into an existing place with all the IT set up, and they can hopefully start work on improving railways by Wednesday of the first week. Maybe even achieve something railway related within a decade or two.

[Western Pathfinder]

This from The Times Newspaper today
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/44392766-f592-11ed-bbd9-d67390476214?shareToken=0836adee569f835a8f5f5944502d56d3.

[Timmer]

Is anyone really surprised by this? I’m not.