Chinese To Run Major Parts Of London Rail And Tube Network

[Guest Charlie The Tramp]

Chinese train firm is to take over key parts of London's rail and Tube network.

It is to help operate Mayor Ken Livingstone's London Overground system, which will join together the North London rail line and the East London Tube line.

Hong Kong-based MTR and British firm Laing will take control of the North London line, currently called Silverlink Metro, in November.

MTR Laing will run the extended East London line, which will shut for a £1billion upgrade in December, when it reopens in 2010.

I hope they bring back the steam trains.

It gets better and better doesn`t it, you couldn`t make it up. Well London is ruled by that P**t Red Ken known as the Tsar of London.

Chinese to run major parts of London rail and Tube network

[Guest casaloco]

Lets face it they can't make it any worse!

[jonpo]

It is the worst line in London IMHO

[Ash4781]

Is that the line with the 1970's style carriages ?

[Goldfinger]

Lets face it they can't make it any worse!

Fact is, the Western civilization gets owned by Asia. It's necessary. Because of the piling debt, these are the choices (dramatized):

(1) (Trade-)war

(2) almost everything of value is going to be owned by Asia

(3) Asia will get all the gold.

We've got the choice.

Edited June 19, 2007 by Goldfinger

[@contradevian]

Fact is, the Western civilization gets owned by Asia. It's necessary. Because of the piling debt, these are the choices (dramatized):

(1) (Trade-)war

(2) almost everything of value is going to be owned by Asia

(3) Asia will get all the gold.

We've got the choice.

I agree with this and the fact is Asian/Arab money is likely to be pouring in to pick off our plum assets. Also the ruling family of Qatar now owns a great chunk of Sainsbury's.

The good news is that they will be looking for good long term sound investments and steady growth, and not the quick flip that the City guys like. "Long term" in the City is about 18 months, who can't be bothered with all that boring stuff like R&D and selling things.

As the Evening Standard pointed out yesterday our fund managers might be left with just the crumbs in a few years time. And I suppose us Brits might be allowed to play Monopoly money with our houses if we are really lucky.

Sad fact of life. We are a debtor economy.

[kagiso]

Lets face it they can't make it any worse!

Having worked for American run Tubelines; who are dreadful, and seen the workings of British run Metronet; who are an order of magnitude worse, I am obliged to agree.

Describing the NLL and ELL as essential parts of the network is pushing it a bit though. Even when revamped and connected together to make an outer circle, the train frequencies will be very low.

[bdon]

Fact is, the Western civilization gets owned by Asia. It's necessary. Because of the piling debt, these are the choices (dramatized):

(1) (Trade-)war

(2) almost everything of value is going to be owned by Asia

(3) Asia will get all the gold.

We've got the choice.

QE2 now a hotel in Dubai

[greengreen]

Lets face it they can't make it any worse!

If its run anything like the MTR in HK it will be fantastic. The HK MTR is extremely well run - prompt and reliable.

[laurejon]

I understand that a recent survey in China to estalish what people thought of the railways they recieved a 100% feedback in favour with most candidates ticking the box "I think the government have done a superb job".

Incidently they also got the very same feedback with regard to executions of the public for minor offences, even the prisoners on death row voted with the feedback "The Government are doing a great job in executing the people".

It can only be a good thing for London, China is the best country in the world, renowned for their business skills, and the superb way they treat their workers.

[Guest Charlie The Tramp]

Going OT I was watching the BBC news at 10.

A guy claimed after some investigation that the Chinese are now commissioning 2 coal fired power stations a week, burning poor quality dirty coal as they can`t keep up with the production of cheap goods demanded by the West and other rich Nations.

So forget carbon emissions the joke is on us.

You want your cheap clothes from Primark, your cheap electrical goods, so now your children and grandchildren will pay dearly for it in the future.

The I want it, as I am worth it, at the price I am willing to pay, will come to bite you on the a**e as you deserted your own Manufacturers for goods produced by cheap labour with child labour thrown in. Enjoy.

[laurejon]

Are you seriously suggesting Charlie that a country that cannot make a decent tent in Grenwich cannot prosper from piling money into a wheel barrow, wheeling it up north, emptying it, then filling it up with the same money and wheeling it back down south.

You obviously did not study modern economics, money today is made from spending it, work is very yesterday.

[Guest Charlie The Tramp]

work is very yesterday.

After the last crash from 1992 onwards once again they had to work for the next 10 years before they could use the funny money again.

[Goldfinger]

It can only be a good thing for London, China is the best country in the world, renowned for their business skills, and the superb way they treat their workers.

Some people in this country and elsewhere think it is good that the Chinese buy all our valuables. But these people hopefully also like

Chinese-style capitalism with work hours, holiday etc.

I think many people have no clue what all this will mean for us.

[MRMX9]

Well Hong Kong used to be British 10 years ago - so its probably no worse than the French running our railways (remember Con -nex!)

[Gwailo]

It is not really fair to call the MTR Corporation a 'Chinese Company' - it is really a Hong Kong company.

Many of the directors are actually British and New Zealanders.

I used to work for the MTR in Hong Kong and they are very good indeed at running a metro system.

This is actually good news for London - not a sign of the Chinese buying up British assests at all as this is a joint venture with a British company.

[expatowner]

It is not really fair to call the MTR Corporation a 'Chinese Company' - it is really a Hong Kong company.

Many of the directors are actually British and New Zealanders.

I used to work for the MTR in Hong Kong and they are very good indeed at running a metro system.

This is actually good news for London - not a sign of the Chinese buying up British assests at all as this is a joint venture with a British company.

Largely agree.

Its a company with a western ethos NOT Chinese.

The main difference is that they had the benefit of building their own lines from scratch with up to date methods and materials. Whereas in London they will be trying to renew parts of the line some of which are over 100 years old while maintaining a service every day.

Also, in Hong Kong they were able to cut through a lot of red tape which will be much more difficult for them to do in London.

[Gwailo]

You are of course - correct.

The other things the MTR won't be able to do in London is get the land along the line granted to them by the government so they can off-set the costs to the railway with property development.

This has been the MTR's very successful 'Rail + Property' model in Hong Kong & now Mainland China - but it certainly won't work in London.

The MTR is also very good at opening existing & redundant areas of metro stations into 'retail space' which increases rental income significantly - again good news for commuters. These are nice shops too - not the crap you find in Euston Station.

Having said all that the MTR will face serious challenges operating in London.

Regards.

[desertorchid]

You are of course - correct.

The other things the MTR won't be able to do in London is get the land along the line granted to them by the government so they can off-set the costs to the railway with property development.

This has been the MTR's very successful 'Rail + Property' model in Hong Kong & now Mainland China - but it certainly won't work in London.

The MTR is also very good at opening existing & redundant areas of metro stations into 'retail space' which increases rental income significantly - again good news for commuters. These are nice shops too - not the crap you find in Euston Station.

Having said all that the MTR will face serious challenges operating in London.

Regards.

MTR's track record for involvement in other areas is under scrutiny though:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6744353.stm

The underground may well be clean and efficient but I hope they take safetly concerns seriously elsewhere.

[expatowner]

You are of course - correct.

The other things the MTR won't be able to do in London is get the land along the line granted to them by the government so they can off-set the costs to the railway with property development.

This has been the MTR's very successful 'Rail + Property' model in Hong Kong & now Mainland China - but it certainly won't work in London.

The MTR is also very good at opening existing & redundant areas of metro stations into 'retail space' which increases rental income significantly - again good news for commuters. These are nice shops too - not the crap you find in Euston Station.

Having said all that the MTR will face serious challenges operating in London.

Regards.

Didnt I read somewhere that one of the MTR guys was in charge of the Jubilee line extension a few years back?

I think he was a kiwi.

Edited June 20, 2007 by expatowner