CardiffWalesMap

In my opinion - as a project construction manager - it is because they try and do it themselves. Old style. What they should do is appoint a specialist Project Manager - someone like Bechtel - to take overall control - and split the work into manageable packages and go to competetive tender - to companies like amey - to do the construction. It is not rocket science - but network rail still working to Stephensons Rocket...

Nit dure what you mean by the "they do it themselves. Old style". The works is contracted and sub-contracted to buggery, and this is possibly more likely part of the problem. There was nothing really wrong with "Old style" where things actually got done, and costs didn't spiral. These days it's like whenever anything is related to rail, there's a few extra zeros on the cost.

Quite right. In fact that South Wales mainline work is being undertaken by Balfour Beatty. Elsewhere electrification work is being undertaken by (value for money specialists) Carrillion.

But the overall project management is done by the grey men...

All very quiet on this front. Shouldn't it be pretty much complete now? Looking at the travel times to Paddington they do seem to have gone down (although generally with fewer stops) there are more trains going and apparently there'll be a new timetable. Is the demand there to fill the trains though? And at £100 is it worth it if you can get a £10 bus in 3 1/2 hours?

Relatively few now stopping at Didcot so the change to Oxford isn't quite so good.

All done I saw a ticket for £45 return on the site for a journey time of 1 hr 47 mins.

The first electric train from Cardiff was Sunday morning, times are generally quicker now by up to 15 mins. There are also peak time trains which miss out Reading & Swindon (1 extra train per hour).

Just the Severn Tunnel remains diesel until March.

How much more expensive is a bi-mode engine?

Frank wrote:How much more expensive is a bi-mode engine?

Still need bi-mode to reach Swansea...

I just want the rail assets transferred to wales, so that Cardiff gets fully electrified.