China's push into UK railways

[upnorth71]

So far just hearsay and PR, but perhaps precursors to some major developments.

Selected quotes:

"China is willing to export the high-speed rails technology to any country that wants to buy," Wang Yongping, spokesperson of the ministry of railways, told the Global Times. "We own the most advanced technology of high-speed rails ."

The statement came after British daily The Sunday Times reported that Chinese-made bullet trains would hit the rails in Britain by 2025.

The report said China's ambassador to Britain, Liu Xiaoming, met with British ministers to discuss a deal and convinced them that China could supply the advanced trains at a much lower cost.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com...llet-train-technology/articleshow/7411131.cms

Sorry, can't get the original Sunday Times article as that is behind subscription firewall.

Another one, mentioning a supposed $800 million order for rolling stock:

The South China Morning Post said on Jan 19 that CSR and CNR, China's second-largest train maker, are in the final negotiations for four deals worth $800 million with UK companies.

http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90001/90778/90860/7278434.html

*once again, original article behind subscription firewall

 

[LexyBoy]

Given that China have only just started building their own HS trains rather than importing Japanese or German technology, I'd like to see a bit more of a proven track record before any contracts are even considered. Then again, since any HS2 procurement is likely to be in 40-50 years, China may well have that by then :roll:

The cynical person might say that the Chinese could have lifted the best bits from the Velaro and Shinkansen designs for their own train... The CRH380 certainly looks like it has Japanese heritage (which is to say, it's pig-ugly)

 

[DarloRich]

It will be before HS2 that Chinese built rolling stock turns up in this country - i expect it very soon if only on cost grounds

I read an article in Rail I think it was with the CEO of the Chinese Railway European based company. He said basically they were desperate to break into Europe and the UK in particular. They would even consider buying a European based train builder to get market access/goodwill

 

[route:oxford]

Just subcontract the whole of HS2 (HS1 in Scotland) to the Chinese.

Fixed price, repayable over 50 years.

 

[Nym]

and then we'll be paying for it for 40 years after it's fallen appart...

 

[185]

The DfT should leave them to do the lot.

Better engineered than anything this country's railway businesses & authorities could come up with.

Besides, I want to see HS2 built in this lifetime.

 

[DarloRich]

However, they dont have to work with HSE and planning permission and compensation or pay any sort of wage or have any sort of environmental considerations do they?

 

[LexyBoy]

However, they dont have to work with HSE and planning permission and compensation or pay any sort of wage or have any sort of environmental considerations do they?

And they save on concrete by using the crushed up bones of all those who oppose the new lines... :roll:

China is getting much tougher on environmental issues - working in the chemical industry I know that a lot of factories are very careful, since the local government can shut them down at the drop of a hat if they're caught polluting. Safety is likewise improving (though still lagging a long way behind the West).

A lot of the new HS lines in China have long sections on viaducts, partly to save on land aquisition charges.

Certainly, having a single-party government means that planning is rather simpler (ahem!), but things aren't quite as different as all that.

 

[313103]

And pay the staff (sorry Monkeys) the same in the uk as in Beijing. Therefore getting something really cheap and paying the Monkeys peanuts. At least most people who dont like trade unions on here will be happy railway monkeys will then be paid less then someone who works withing the Golden arches.

 

[WatcherZero]

Someone who works for the company thats licensed to sell Chinese trains to the UK even hangs around on this forum.

 

[swt_passenger]

One of the recent articles I saw in the Times seemed to be completely confused and unable to differentiate between IEP requirements and HS2.

There is no competitive tender for IEP running at the moment, AFAICS, and it'll be some years before rolling stock for HS2 needs to be specified and ordered - so just what are these Chinese 'bullet trains' actually for, that they are talking about?

 

[tbtc]

"China is willing to export the high-speed rails technology to any country that wants to buy"

China is willing to export anything that any country wants to buy. Which is why they are on the way to being number one.

 

[Invincibles]

I think we would do well to import from China, their system does work very well when I use it.

However it is true that building costs are much lower in China than the UK, and that there are fewer pieces of legislation to prohibit the development of new lines.

The question is really one of where to draw the line. I think many in the UK would say the answer is closer to the UK method but certainly not think that ours is perfect. I think there will be a lot of criticism amongst the general public at the way consulation reports and the like cause costs to be so high. If you want to further apply that the wage is too high I think it is, artificially supported, but the market maybe disagrees and as such I would rather not have that discussion.

What I do believe is that we need new trains and new lines and that the Chinese do build a lot of them.