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Electric train
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« Reply #165 on: October 09, 2009, 16:37:24 » |
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Look, I am no fan of the Tories, but Labour hardly has a sparkling record on railways - going even further in cuts than Beeching proposed in the 1960s, eg closing Oxford-Cambridge.
I have just finished reading a book on the railways. The author says in it, quite reasonably I think, "John Major had a plan, it may have been a **** plan, but he had one. The following Labour Governments never had a plan". There was and still is a plan, the plan sold to the Labour Government by the Board of Network Rail on the crash of Railtrack was - phase 1 stop the rot, Phase 2 build a better railway, we are now entering into phase 2, phase 3 is run an affordable and sustainable railway. Anyone who works or has worked in the rail industry will know of the neglect due to lack of coherent investment over the last 40 years. There is a real risk no matter who wins the next General Election that funding in large public projects will be cut or reduced, I know which Party will invest the most in the railways and it not the Party who just appointed a General! |
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Starship just experienced what we call a rapid unscheduled disassembly, or a RUD, during ascent,”
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paul7575
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« Reply #166 on: October 09, 2009, 17:24:19 » |
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... I know which Party will invest the most in the railways and it not the Party who just appointed a General!
Yeah, what an own goal.  After all, the current lot elevated an Admiral to the Lords to deal with security didn't they... Paul |
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Btline
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« Reply #167 on: October 09, 2009, 17:34:41 » |
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To get a sense of the railways under the Tories, just look at the film "Old, Dirty and Late" on YouTube.
Poor rolling stock, falling apart signal boxes etc. Well, I'm not sure about Dartford signal box (perhaps a signalman on here may know), but the rolling stock in Kent/Sussex is A LOT better now!
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JayMac
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« Reply #168 on: October 09, 2009, 17:44:33 » |
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Let's just wait and see, shall we? Who knows how the Tories will run the railways if they win the next general election. If they do they may be a totally different party to previous Tory administrations. The current Labour Party bears little resemblence to previous Labour administrations.
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"Build a man a fire and he'll be warm for the rest of the day. Set a man on fire and he'll be warm for the rest of his life."
- Sir Terry Pratchett.
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devon_metro
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« Reply #169 on: October 09, 2009, 17:57:44 » |
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To get a sense of the railways under the Tories, just look at the film "Old, Dirty and Late" on YouTube.
Poor rolling stock, falling apart signal boxes etc. Well, I'm not sure about Dartford signal box (perhaps a signalman on here may know), but the rolling stock in Kent/Sussex is A LOT better now!
You mean under a nationalised system? The Tories support privatised systems and the current system is far better. |
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Btline
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« Reply #170 on: October 09, 2009, 19:15:40 » |
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That video doesn't criticise a nationalised railway, it's the lack of funding that is the problem!
If anything, the video shows how well BR▸ managed under the circumstances.
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moonrakerz
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« Reply #171 on: October 09, 2009, 22:24:46 » |
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I didn't know that a Labour state run monopoly built our railway system Always thought it was nasty, grasping, greedy capitalists - sort of like, ......well, ....... Tories ! |
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onthecushions
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« Reply #172 on: October 12, 2009, 16:20:16 » |
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My impression of the Tories' railway policy so far is they they are for high speed lines but possibly at the expense of the 'classic' railway. Selling the GW▸ electrification as HSGW might help.
Looking at big ticket items the GW electrification is significant at 1Bn but much less so than Crossrail at 16Bn. GW electrification also depends on Thameslink 2000 for cast-offs. It is also important electorally.
GW electrification is a long time ahead but its book value implies spending on new IC▸ trains. New technology (such as the French AGV) will be along by then so it makes no sense to develop a small obsolescent class of IC stock (the IEP▸ ) of greater cost and lower performance than other European (by then) proven products. The sensible option is to just plan refurbishment (again) of the Mk3's and provision of about 35 class 89/91 locos and DVT‡'s. This carves at lot off the Treasury book cost for the next c7 years, as required.
Then, nearer the time, a business case will find that AGV + HSGW makes more sense (like Mk4 did over Mk3 on the EC) and so we can have non-stoppers to Bristol and S Wales. Everyone is happy.
Just a thought,
OTC
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Electric train
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« Reply #173 on: October 12, 2009, 18:50:09 » |
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From the Corporate Infrastructure briefing that have been running over the last week or so in NR» the Board are extremely confidant that the future Government past the next general election will continue with the funding of the GWML▸ electrification. The Board have had many meetings with all the major political parties.
But as will things to do with the illustrious UK▸ government I am not counting my chickens until they hatch
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Starship just experienced what we call a rapid unscheduled disassembly, or a RUD, during ascent,”
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stebbo
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« Reply #175 on: October 20, 2009, 20:39:36 » |
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There has to be a case for some public spending (on really worthwhile projects) after the next election to sustain the economy and railway electrification seems a no brainer. The HSTs▸ , great though they have been, need replacing and I'm not sure the IEP▸ does it.
Perhaps that way too, we can let the spending on banks subside gently without causing an almighty crash. Divert money into other areas of the economy.
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onthecushions
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« Reply #177 on: October 21, 2009, 14:44:31 » |
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It has been reported in one of the mags (you can look it up) that the HST▸ 's are being considered for life-extension until 2030, as suggested a few posts above......
The wires, however, are certain as they reduce spending but maintain service in an electorally sensitive region.
OTC
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caliwag
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« Reply #178 on: October 21, 2009, 16:19:25 » |
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Excellent, they'll see me out.  |
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inspector_blakey
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« Reply #179 on: October 21, 2009, 17:28:34 » |
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No it hasn't! ATOC cocked up a map, that's all. See elsewhere. |
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