Brand new loco dropped from crane...
Discussion
This loco was the last of several brand new class 70s being unloaded from a ship in Newport Docks. It was reportedly about 13ft in the air above the ship's hold when something went badly wrong and it fell back in again.
It is now somewhat banana shaped and rumoured to be beyond economical repair.
Ooops.
.A little O/T - I've just started Googling this loco out of interest, which led me onto a whole slew of new locomotives and rolling stock that have been ordered for the UK rail network.
Why are we now predominantly buying from abroad? The UK has a wonderful history of building locos and rolling stock, but as with the rest of our heavier industries, it seems to have disappeared. What is the reason for this? Did we just let the industry slip away?
Why are we now predominantly buying from abroad? The UK has a wonderful history of building locos and rolling stock, but as with the rest of our heavier industries, it seems to have disappeared. What is the reason for this? Did we just let the industry slip away?
bob1179 said:
A little O/T - I've just started Googling this loco out of interest, which led me onto a whole slew of new locomotives and rolling stock that have been ordered for the UK rail network.
Why are we now predominantly buying from abroad? The UK has a wonderful history of building locos and rolling stock, but as with the rest of our heavier industries, it seems to have disappeared. What is the reason for this? Did we just let the industry slip away?
Other countries buy from their own industries - the UK buys the cheapest?Why are we now predominantly buying from abroad? The UK has a wonderful history of building locos and rolling stock, but as with the rest of our heavier industries, it seems to have disappeared. What is the reason for this? Did we just let the industry slip away?
Glosphil said:
bob1179 said:
A little O/T - I've just started Googling this loco out of interest, which led me onto a whole slew of new locomotives and rolling stock that have been ordered for the UK rail network.
Why are we now predominantly buying from abroad? The UK has a wonderful history of building locos and rolling stock, but as with the rest of our heavier industries, it seems to have disappeared. What is the reason for this? Did we just let the industry slip away?
Other countries buy from their own industries - the UK buys the cheapest?Why are we now predominantly buying from abroad? The UK has a wonderful history of building locos and rolling stock, but as with the rest of our heavier industries, it seems to have disappeared. What is the reason for this? Did we just let the industry slip away?
Just about the only one left now is Brush, and they're a shadow of their former selves.
tog said:
Withdrawn before it was delivered!GrahamG said:
tog said:
Withdrawn before it was delivered!mrmaggit said:
Glosphil said:
bob1179 said:
A little O/T - I've just started Googling this loco out of interest, which led me onto a whole slew of new locomotives and rolling stock that have been ordered for the UK rail network.
Why are we now predominantly buying from abroad? The UK has a wonderful history of building locos and rolling stock, but as with the rest of our heavier industries, it seems to have disappeared. What is the reason for this? Did we just let the industry slip away?
Other countries buy from their own industries - the UK buys the cheapest?Why are we now predominantly buying from abroad? The UK has a wonderful history of building locos and rolling stock, but as with the rest of our heavier industries, it seems to have disappeared. What is the reason for this? Did we just let the industry slip away?
Just about the only one left now is Brush, and they're a shadow of their former selves.
Unfortunately the railways are just too big for politiians not to want to play with. If they'd content themselves with Hornby sets and leave the rest to people that actually knew what they were doing, we'd be a lot better off.
Rail investment is a huge burden, and one that the Government can and do switch funding on and off from.
Most of the technology that is currently being brought in is what Britain designed in the 70's and 80's, but there was a hostile press and a large road transport lobby that meant the investment went to roads (believe it or not!), and not rail.
However, there was insufficient investment by both Gummints in rail and heavy industry generally, so there is now only heavy industry abroad, that was supported by its own local governments (with the possible exception of the SE Asia ship industry.
That and increased Health and Safety and the removal of heavy industry from the planning process has left us in the state we are today.
Rail investment is a huge burden, and one that the Government can and do switch funding on and off from.
Most of the technology that is currently being brought in is what Britain designed in the 70's and 80's, but there was a hostile press and a large road transport lobby that meant the investment went to roads (believe it or not!), and not rail.
However, there was insufficient investment by both Gummints in rail and heavy industry generally, so there is now only heavy industry abroad, that was supported by its own local governments (with the possible exception of the SE Asia ship industry.
That and increased Health and Safety and the removal of heavy industry from the planning process has left us in the state we are today.
Glosphil said:
bob1179 said:
A little O/T - I've just started Googling this loco out of interest, which led me onto a whole slew of new locomotives and rolling stock that have been ordered for the UK rail network.
Why are we now predominantly buying from abroad? The UK has a wonderful history of building locos and rolling stock, but as with the rest of our heavier industries, it seems to have disappeared. What is the reason for this? Did we just let the industry slip away?
Other countries buy from their own industries - the UK buys the cheapest?Why are we now predominantly buying from abroad? The UK has a wonderful history of building locos and rolling stock, but as with the rest of our heavier industries, it seems to have disappeared. What is the reason for this? Did we just let the industry slip away?
My old man is always banging on about this, in fact I know he recently wrote to his MP saying if they do go ahead with the High Speed II route, it should be conditional on UK steel manufacture and the rolling stock and enines being manufactured in the UK.
Quite right, won't happen though
GrahamG said:
tog said:
Withdrawn before it was delivered!
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