IEP in UK developments- Hitachi Rail

[bikkuri bahn]

Bombardier/Siemens may take legal action regarding a tender change for the IEP program.  Excerpt from article:

 

Train groups at odds over tender change

The losing bidder in one of the UK’s biggest train tenders is considering legal action if Japan’s Hitachi wins orders to supply a heavily redesigned version.

People involved said the Express Rail Alliance, formed by Canada’s Bombardier and Germany’s Siemens, were angry Hitachi had been discussing with the Department for Transport a shorter, cheaper version of its design for InterCity Express (IEP) trains.

 

source (may be subscription only, if so, access through google search):

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/f8c78810-dfa4-11df-bed9-00144feabdc0.html

 

*******

Business and union leaders (working together, that's refreshing) are pressing the govt. to OK the building of the Hitachi train factory in the NE of the country:

 

http://www.nebusiness.co.uk/business-news/latest-business-news/2010/10/15/hitachi-petition-presented-to-downing-street-51140-27478177/

[to2leo]

Perhaps this will lead to a tri-partnerships into this project?

[bikkuri bahn]

Perhaps this will lead to a tri-partnerships into this project?

 

Partnerships? I doubt it- it's getting pretty cutthroat in the rolling stock industry, with a lot of new players.  The "big three" are starting to feel the heat, and are not above going to court when things don't go as they expected (see also the Eurostar affair).

 

http://www.thisisderbyshire.co.uk/news/Bombardier-consortium-looking-legal-action-deal-changes/article-2798377-detail/article.html

 

*this paper is sympathetic to Bombardier