IEP has gone from 'Exceptionally High' BCR category to the borderline between 'Moderate' and 'High' BCR categories as spec alterations have changed, but the fall is mostly due to the cost of capital having increased, least its still positive :P
Report suggests that issues about having to change trains if IEP isnt adopted could be solved by hiring more platform Porters...uh huh
Upgrading 125's is feasible, if a couple of bodges required however it will do nothing to increase capacity.
Suggests that these intercity trains are now shorter than some suburbans (though not many outside London!) and longer trains should be run less often rather than having more shorter units to run offpeak.
Other options
new interurban electric trains based on existing European designs for
newly electrified routes on the GWML;
re-engineered IC125s for long-distance services that are mostly off-wire;
re-engineered/cascaded electric commuter trains for services such as
London to Oxford and Cambridge;
some destinations that are a short distance off-wire served either by
diesel locomotives pulling interurban electric trains, or by extending the
wires;
long-distance routes to Inverness and Aberdeen being served by highquality
connecting trains rather than through services.
Depending on the exact mixture of newly acquired, re-engineered and
cascaded rolling stock, and the technical approach to the provision of services beyond the present electrified network, it seems likely that more than half of the benefit on the East Coast route, and probably around three quarters of it on the Great Western routes, could be captured for between 40% and 60% of the cost.
Can this person do maths????
'If the costs of life extending 125's were incorporated into the base BCR of IEP it looks more unatractive' Well no, who would have thought including the cost of life extending trains into the base price of IEP would make it more unappealing?
'The independant advice recieved from consultants was of a good standard.'
'I was impressed by talks with Hitachi' (he keeps saying this)
'The innovative form of contract offers great rewards'
'A number of experts have doubts about the bi-modes likely performance, particularly in the hillier off-wire regions where they will be called upon the most. Surprisingly, I found that there would even be increases in some journey times.'
'I suggest therefore that a pause for further reflection and analysis is needed, including a serious comparative analysis that reassesses the current IEP
proposition in an absolutely up-to-date VfM analysis which includes the range of credible alternatives. This should take no longer than six months.' (Or until the budget reviews have been completed perchance where if its cancelled a report can be produced that its a waste of money and if it was funded a report into its great value for money perchance?)
And in the appendix: 'Practical measures are available for where a refurbishment couldnt achieve full legislative compliance' Either that means getting an opt-out of legislation or it cant, how can something being unable to be made compliant have a practical soloution?
