Re: News on HST2

In message <1141643309.840653.213270@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, at 03:08:29 on Mon, 6 Mar 2006, John B <spam@xxxxxxxxxxxx> remarked:
Pete_uk wrote:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/newspaper/0,,176-2070299,00.html

Intercity 125s to be replaced by greener machines
Dipesh Gadher, Transport Correspondent
<snip>
The replacement trains, which could come into service in time for the London
Olympics in 2012, will have a more upmarket feel, with scope for
airline-style seat-back entertainment systems and broadband internet access.

The former would be a bit of a waste of money, given that affordable
high-capacity handheld video players will undoubtedly have made fixed
airline and railway entertainment systems obsolete by 2010.

Nah, will never happen in that timescale. Just as the last five years of 3G hype hasn't, in fact, delivered something I can watch movies on, on the way home on the train (one of the applications the then SoS for DTI, Patricia Hewitt, said was the reason for giving 3G such a glowing future). I wonder if 3G actually works on most modern trains?

But you were talking more about "Video iPODs", perhaps. Still somewhat optimistic, after all the Thermos flask was invented in the 1890's and people still buy cups of tea off the trolley.

Another piece of selective use of facts in the article:
"A return ticket [for the first HST service from London to Bristol in
1976) cost £5 - a quarter the cost of the cheapest available fare
today."

...except that even just using inflation rates, £5 in 1976 is £23.90
in 2005. An Apex return is £20.50 (as the Times grudgingly admits),
representing a saving even ignoring earnings growth. Including earnings
growth, £5 in 1976 is £45 now - which is more than the £39 cost of a
walk-on Supersaver. Alternatively for £44, you could get a first-class
Apex return.

Whatever. It's always highly misleading to compare fares unless you use the same basis, which change all the time. You can't get Supersavers and APEX on MML any more, for example. They probably won't last much longer on FGW.
--
Roland Perry
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