There is another story I heard about the IEP that was a consequence of design by Government committee. Existing HST coaches are 23 metres long. Some smart arse at the DfT design committee noted that bogies (that assembly under the coaches that encompass suspension and wheel sets/axles etc) are the most costly thing to maintain on the coach. If we lengthen the coaches of the IEP to 26 metres we get fewer bogies per seat and reduce maintenance costs. Neat huh?!
Cue Network Rail having to spend millions adjusting platforms across the network as the longer coaches were now foul of platform edges that were on any kind of curve.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
