A question about when HSTs were introduced

[whole diary]

[eightf48544]

Very Interesting Table posted by stuviing.

Although it doesn't give the cost of a hauled coach one can reasonably assumme that a Clss 87 and hauled coaches is the cheapest option for sub 125 running. At 0.543 for an 87 and say 0.120 per coach (based on DMU^▸ (Diesel Multiple Unit) firgures). You get a loco and  10 coaches all for 1.743 for more seats, even if they align with the windows, than an HST^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units)) at 1.818.

[ChrisB]

Don't forget that those figures are *over* 30 years old.....(1981 vintage)

[stuving]

If you want to convert those 1978 figures to more recent ones, there would be a choice of indices depending on how you word the question to be answered. The first choice would be a GDP deflator (what used to be called the implied index of total home costs). This is the index that converts to a notional inflation-proof money, using which the GDP increase in volume terms matches the increase in money terms.

This does not tell you what today's price would be - no index can, and anyway the same items could not be made or bought now. It should take out inflation in the sense of how money changes its value, averaged over the whole economy, not just over retail spending. Subject, of course, to the difficulties of estimating GDP in volume terms.

Anyway, the factor from 1978-9 to 2012-13 is 24.279. (Source www.gov.uk/statistics.)

[eightf48544]

I would suggest that the ratio of costs for the different types of roilling stock will be much the same. A hauled coach should always be cheaper than a MU^▸ (Multiple Unit), not having to add motors  (electric or diesel) and control gear. Electric locos with solid state control gear and AC^▸ (Alternating Current, or can mean Air Conditioning, depending on context. The second meaning is often used in a railway context and more generally) motors may even be cheaper in comparison to modern diesels due to the need to meet emmission standards.