London Banter - View Single Post

[email protected] · April 25th 17, 05:47 PM posted to uk.transport.london

On Sun, 23 Apr 2017 01:41:40 -0500
wrote:
In article , d ()
wrote:

On Fri, 21 Apr 2017 19:51:45 -0500
wrote:
In article , d () wrote:
What nonsense? Are you saying guideway rails are made of some special
type of highly expensive Unobtainium and the steel from recycled rails
just isn't up to the job? Its a ****ing busway, not a railgun launch
platform! Its primitive construction personified - it doesn't even
require points FFS.

They're not rails. And there is no guideway at junctions either. I'm
afraid

No ****. Perhaps thats why I said it doesn't require points.

you are talking out of your posterior. They aren't rails for starters.

They're guiderails.

They are concrete structures providing channels for wheels. Have a good look
at them. I have!

Huh? Its basically a concrete road with steel guiderails either side and with
the occasional hole in the concrete to stop chavs driving their Halfords
enhanced Fiestas along it.

I do wonder if some brown envelopes changed hands to get this busway
built. I can't see any other good reason for a perfectly servicable
railway to be ripped up and replaced with an inferior alternative.

You obviously didn't look at the state the railway was in after the sand
trains ceased. It would have been costly to get a proper railway line
reinstated.

Some replacement track and ballast and a bit of tlc on the stations. No route
engineering required and far less effort than the miles of heavy concrete
guideway (not to mention the immense CO2 footprint of its construction) just
for the occasional 10 ton bus to trundle down at moderate speeds carrying
1 train carriage worth of passengers.

The government decided they could get "high quality public transport" on the
cheap and gave the County Council no realistic rail option. The government
was paying. He who pays the piper picks the tune.

The government wouldn't have done the cost benefit analysis - that would have
been the local council and I find it hard to believe that a light rail link
would have cost more than the cost of the white elephant cambridge ended up
with.

--
Spud