Thursday's Letters: Simpler solution is better value for new trains

Everything I have heard and read suggests the exact opposite – the IEP was an unproven design, aiming to do too many impossible things and is up to twice the price of alternative solutions, while providing considerably less flexibility.

The specification for the train, written not by rail engineers but Department for Transport civil servants assisted by several million pounds' worth of consultants, was generally considered to be impossible to meet and, indeed, the winning Hitachi bid is non-compliant in some significant areas (but believed to be cheaper than the rival Anglo-European bid, the strength of the euro at the time possibly being a factor).

The average cost per carriage of new trains today is just over the 1m mark for self-propelled electric trains and a little more (1.5m?) for diesel trains. As with most contracts these days, due to the inclusion of maintenance, the cost per carriage of the IEP is not immediately obvious (nor, of course, finalised), but appears to be in excess of 2m per carriage.

For some months, the industry has been increasingly concerned about the IEP. Ian Walmsley, a train leasing company executive, has written twice in specialist journals demolishing the IEP on a number of grounds, not least "value for money", and proposing the much more flexible solution of unpowered carriages (of variable number depending on traffic requirements) and diesel or electric locomotives as required.

This proposal would be much cheaper, provide flexibility and would be readily manufactured in a significant part in the UK (the carriages could easily be built here in full and major work on the locomotives could still be handled by one or two existing manufacturers).

Such solutions have been used in Belgian and most recently Austria, and the productions in question give an excellent travel experience to passengers, whereas the IEP has as a major aim simply of cramming in more seats to be able to boast of "increased capacity".

It is worth pointing out inability to fund the new trains is a major reason the IEP is being postponed.

From: Steven Hogg, Brompton Road, Northallerton, North Yorkshire.

Seeking truth amid leaks and gossip

From: JW Smith, Sutton-on-Sea.

Alan Ogden (Yorkshire Post, February 25) asks: "Do they take us for idiots? We know what Gordon is like behind closed doors." I wonder what

medium he has consulted to arrive at the conclusion that "we" know. He is entitled to his opinion, but it is sheer effrontery to claim to

speak for everyone else.

By their very nature, the only people who know what goes on behind closed doors are those present at the time. Only if they choose to divulge what happens does it then become public knowledge, no matter how much gossip or innuendo leaks out.

In the latest edition of his weekly diatribe against the Prime

Minister, Bernard Ingham (Yorkshire Post, February 24) says he is inclined to believe Andrew Rawnsley's account as his claims look to be well-sourced.

This is the same Andrew Rawnsley who in a previous book described a meeting between Ed Balls and Gordon Brown, followed by a walk in the garden just before the "election that never took place". In this case, his 24 carat source forget to tell him that at the time Ed Balls was 200 miles away in Yorkshire.

In that same book, he revealed details of a private conversation

between Gordon Brown and Peter Mandelson. They were the only ones

present and no details were issued. Lord Mandelson on the Andrew Marr show made it very clear that what was in the book was totally untrue.

On a general note on the question of bullying, anyone can make an anonymous allegation to the helpline which has to be taken seriously. I understand, however, there is an established procedure for complaints in all Government departments, so why not use it?

And the real culprit is...

From: David W Wright, Easingwold, North Yorkshire.

THE frustration of the electors is mirrored in the letters to this newspaper and also reinforced by your columnists, Bernard Ingham, Bill Carmichael and latterly Lucy Lyon (Yorkshire Post, February 24).

Everyone is concerned at the political impasse and the apparent stalemate of the three main political parties to reach out to the country by offering us some hope to get UK back from the doldrums.

Lucy Lyon's column spelt out clearly what is wrong with the country, but she fails to point out the real culprit which is the EU and our continued membership of this totalitarian federal european state which virtually rules the UK, hence the inability of our own MPs and

Parliament to enact our own laws.

This situation is further compounded by our membership and signing-up to the numerous UN and EU commissions for human rights, civil

liberties, immigration, etc – hence the complete uselessness of our political class to make any real contribution to our real needs.

Nothing will change until the country is given the opportunity to withdraw from the EU and then perhaps we just might get some real MPs who can contribute towards our long-needed recovery.

Spare farms on lettings

From: Peter Bullock, Southgate, Hutton Cranswick, East Yorkshire.

I DEPLORE the buying up of large numbers of cottages for holiday and second homes, depriving local people of the opportunity of buying a property and frequently leading to the death of the village itself due to the loss of schools, shops and pubs (Yorkshire Post, February 27).

However, there must be an exception made when hard hit farmers are enterprising enough to turn unwanted outbuildings into holiday lets, sometimes in order to survive.

It is difficult to know where to strike the balance with the young couple running a small business by holiday letting six farm cottages near Beverley – in the present climate, would they be better let on a permanent basis?

The collective Government "brain", as usual, ceases to function on

matters northern, where after the demise of so many traditional industries, including farming, alternative livelihoods need to be found.

Doubtless all improvements to rail, road and regeneration of deprived areas will be cancelled, whoever gets into Parliament after the next election.

Thank you in triplicate

From: Christine Priestley, Lindley Moor Road, Ainley Top, Huddersfield.

RECENTLY, I won the Yorkshire Post competition to see La Boheme. I was so surprised and excited, not only because La Boheme is my favourite opera but it was the first live opera I saw when I was 19 at the Grand Theatre in Leeds.

What a wonderful day my husband and I enjoyed. I want to thank the

Grand, the Yorkshire Post and the Yorkshire Bank for the most fascinating, enjoyable and complete musical experience.

We take the Yorkshire Post daily. It is a fair and informative newspaper, a credit to the North. The Grand is a wonderful showcase of culture for the North. Thank you again from two delighted and happy music lovers.

Make gold the standard to bring back real money

From: Michael Swaby, Hainton Avenue, Grimsby.

THERE has been a change in the very nature of money, the consequences of which cause Edwin Hirst to pose some very reasonable questions (Yorkshire Post, February 25).

In 1910, the pound was legally defined as slightly less than a quarter of an ounce of gold. It was also used as a unit of account. There was a clear distinction between the two; by definition a ledger entry could only be a record of a money transaction that had already taken place.

In 2010, we have a process euphemistically described as quantitative easing, whereby electronic money is created by a Bank of England

officer using a computer keyboard. I would argue that a complete reversal has taken place, and that our present-day pound is a unit

of account that can also take the form of physical notes and coins.

This is just one aspect of an increasingly chaotic and unstable global situation, of which the remuneration issue is a symptom.

We know that the Royal Bank of Scotland has been recapitalised by taxpayers, and that the money created by quantitative easing has been used to buy government bonds, many of which are held by banks. If Mr Hirst fears that we have been had, I would suspect that he is correct.

Regarding "who is losing?", Mr Hirst will have noticed that banks are quite capable of reporting big losses. They just don't allow such

things to inconvenience them.

However, not all are willing to allow this funny money to run on and on. At the recent annual Conservative Political Action Conference held in Washington DC, a presidential straw poll was won easily by

Congressman Ron Paul (Republican, Texas).

His stated position is that gold and silver should be restored as

monies. That really would halt the runaway gravy train.

Memories of miners at hall

From: Eric Matthews, Laurel Croft, Main Street, Embsay, Skipton.

I WAS interested in JW Slack's letter (Yorkshire Post, February 6) relating to his trips to Firbeck Hall, with his parents' choir, to entertain the injured miners.

Yes, I had been informed the hall had been used as a rehabilitation centre for men injured in the mines; my father was a miner for 52 years.

It has come to my notice that the hall is in a dilapidated state these days and that a group of locals have now formed a committee called the Friends of Firbeck Hall. They are trying to encourage the present owner of the hall to return it to its former glory and not let it continue being in the derelict state it is at present.

Hopefully, one day I may return to find that the Friends of Firbeck

Hall have been successful in their achievements.

Absent sealing

From: Tony Morris, Lee Lane East, Horsforth, Leeds.

DEREK Cheshire is to be congratulated on his comments (Yorkshire Post, February 24) on North Yorkshire County Council's approach to road joint repairs. It has confirmed my suspicions that all councils are wasting our taxes in this particular area.

For years, councils and utility companies trench and hole, and cut and cover repairs were always dressed with a sealer to ensure integrity of the road surface. This was observable as a black margin to the

reinstated surface. Sadly, it is now seldom done – if at all.

As a consequence, virtually 95 per cent of pothole repairs are

destroyed at the first frost.

Time to fall in

From: Aled Jones, Mount Crescent, Bridlington, East Yorkshire.

THE most obvious way of reducing teenage crime is by bringing back the two-year National Service compulsion. Unquestionably, this would instil a sense of duty, discipline and personal respect in today's youth.

What is more, young people would no longer have to cope with the threat of living on the dole or on the street. It would lead to model

citizenship, which is what most people want to see.

Winning ways

From: C Horsman, Coppergate, Nafferton, East Yorkshire.

BERNARD Dineen wrote an excellent column (Yorkshire Post, March 1). If he formed a political party, he would win the next election.