is it better now? part 2

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2008/dec/15/trans port-railtravel

Further to my last post regarding today's train travel, I thought Gromit might want to read this?

Gromit was last seen going into Spec Savers to puchase a new pair of rose tinted spectacles.

[Gromit]

A question of my very own.

Well, it is unfortunate that a simple fuse marred the first morning of the line re-opening. However, it was quickly mended.

Are you really trying to say replacing 3 million yards of rail, replacing 800 points, extending platforms has all to be written off as a failure because of a fuse on the first morning.

It was similar shortsightedness that allowed the ATP tilting train that was developed in Britain to be abandoned. The APT was technically advanced, Millions of pounds went into it, but Thatcher hated trains and the project was scrapped after a few minor problems.

Which is now why our railway works are all shut and we import these expensive engines from France, Italy and Japan where once we exported them all over the world.

Yet again, you manage to take an achievement we should be proud of and moan about it.

[anotheoldgit]

'Because of a fuse failure'?

What about all the other problems in the report.

[Gromit]

My dear AOG,

Prior to Labour getting in, the railways were neglected for 18 years under the previous government. That is why so much work needs to be done, our railways were in a shocking state.
Fortunately, the network is now getting the investment that it needs, albeit slowly.

[rov1200]

This reminds me of the catastrophe that hit the opening of Terminal 4 at Heathrow last year and the Halogen collider in Berne. It seems to be more haste, less speed to get the thing up and running properly without the necessary checks.

[Gromit]

^ ^ ^ ^

Terminal 5 and Large Hadron Collider.

[Gromit]

CERN (near Geneva) not Berne.

[rov1200]

Quite! emphasises my point.

[123everton]

I'm with you on this Gromit ATP was a great solution just needed more development.
Imagine if Brunel built the Great Eastern nowadays?
He'd be a laughing stock.

[anotheoldgit]

Imagine if Brunel built the Great Eastern nowadays?
He'd be a laughing stock.

What a stupid analogy to make, of course he would't have been treated seriously given the sciences he knew in his time, compared with what is available to the modern day engineers.

[Quinlad]

Hang on, are you saying that some things weren't better in the olden days?

Wow.

[jno]

CERN is Conseil Europ�en pour la Recherche Nucl�aire. Near Geneva, as Gromit says, but not a place name.

However, the tragic fate of the Halogen collider in Berne should never be forgotten. It ended up completely osrammed.