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[email protected] · April 26th 17, 01:36 AM posted to uk.transport.london

In article , () wrote:

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

No it isn't! Either go and look at how the guideway is constructed or stop
spouting nonsense here. The rails are purely made of concrete castings. I
visited the concrete track factory while they were being made.

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.

More than that, as Roland has been reminding us. But you have the general
case right despite that.

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.

I'd be interested in your definition of "white elephant". The busway is well
used, despite its drawbacks.

--
Colin Rosenstiel