Who would be the ideal person to be put in charge of the railways?

[whole diary]

[Chris from Nailsea]

This can actually be answered using a simple mathematical calculation.

Choose a number between 1 and 9

Multiply that number by 3

Add 3

Multiply by 3

You will now have a two digit number: add those numbers together.

Using that one digit answer, select the appropriate name from the following list:





1  William Huskisson, MP^▸ (Member of Parliament, or Mile Post (a method of measuring the railway in miles and chains from a starting point - usually London), depending on context)

2  Geoff Hoon

3  Ruth Kelly

4  Boris Johnson

5  Alistair Darling

6  Sir Moir Lockhead

7  Sir Peter Parker

8  Dr Richard Beeching

9  chris from nailsea

10  Lord Adonis


_{NB  This is in the spirit of ^the lighter side^, and no offence is intended to any person, living or dead, mentioned in this post!}

[John R]

Well 9 is Chris from Nailsea. I look forward to the Temple Meads to Paddington services all being extended to/from Nailsea & Backwell, XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) services stopping too, and electrification extended too.

Seriously, it would be really good if Andrew Adonis were to stay on as Transport Secretary in the unlikely (for the benefit of Btline) event that there is a change of administration next spring.

[JayMac]

Should've made the first part "Choose a whole number between 1 and 9.

I was left with three digits to add up after picking 4.5, making 18.

18th on the list? Sir Topham Hatt?

 

[moonrakerz]

Who ?

Actually, although I hate to say something complimentary about this present Government, Andrew Adonis does come across as a man who really is interested and cares about his area of responsibility - and I haven't YET heard him say that he is "passionate" about it !

[Henry]

[TerminalJunkie]

Should've made the first part "Choose a whole number between 1 and 9.

Try starting with √(-1)

[inspector_blakey]

Adonis is the first transport secretary who is genuinely interested in and enthusiastic about the railways. Seeing as it does rather look like the Labour government's days are numbered and he's said publicly that he wouldn't be part of a Conservative administration (although a hung parliament could be interesting) I really hope that he can get projects like high-speed rail and electrification beyond the point of no return before he leaves office, since Mr Cameron seems to be promising a period of austerity* if he becomes PM.

*_{come to think of it, does that mean he plans to build lots of 0-6-0, 2-8-0 and 2-10-0 steamers on a tight budget that will actually still be soldiering on years after their design life?}  

[inspector_blakey]

Try starting with √(-1)

It was never entirely clear to me in all the various lectures on maths and quantum mechanics I've sat through whether or not i is between 0 and 1 or not, since it's entirely imaginary.

[devon_metro]

Should've made the first part "Choose a whole number between 1 and 9.

Try starting with √(-1)

i think you are trying to be clever again TJ...!

[TerminalJunkie]

It was never entirely clear to me in all the various lectures on maths and quantum mechanics I've sat through whether or not i is between 0 and 1 or not, since it's entirely imaginary.

Nah. It's more complex than that...

[TerminalJunkie]

i think you are trying to be clever again TJ...!

Whaddya mean, "trying"? 

[Btline]

From railways to imaginary numbers. Whatever next?

[grahame]

From railways to imaginary numbers. Whatever next?

Railways have been working with imaginary numbers for a few years now ...

I was shocked to learn the other day that carefully calculated costings for new facilities now have a 66% contingency / over-run added to them, known as an optimism factor, before they're used in Benefit Cost ratio calculations. "Oh - didn't you know THAT" asked a good friend when I told him during a phone conversation.

Is there a similar pessimism factor applied to traffic forecasts - an expectation that even if growth has been running at 10% for years, it should be estimated at 66% off that (i.e. 3.4% growth) for the purpose of future infrastructure provision?

Sorry - Btline - I know this is 'the lighter side' and it's now gone on from imaginary numbers to a serious subject of - err - creative accounting!

[devon_metro]

From railways to imaginary numbers. Whatever next?

Railways have been working with imaginary numbers for a few years now ...

Timetables...? 

[inspector_blakey]

Nah. It's more complex than that...

Hang your head in shame!