From: Graeme Phillips (personal capacity)
Subject: Bombardier and Siemens

Bombardier seems to want to have its cake and eat it. Bombardier enjoyed the exclusivity when it came to London Underground's 2009 Tube Stock and S Stock upgrades (the tenders for these rolling stock types were not put out to competitive tender because of Bombardier holding shares in Metronet). It is happy to enjoy such exclusivity, but moans when it doesn't receive a contract that was put out to competitive tender.

Also, you may be aware of how London's Evening Standard branded the Victoria Line the "Misery Line" because of all sorts of delays that resulted from Bombardier's incompetence regarding the 2009 Tube Stock. If the rolling stock manufacturing market were more competitive than it is, a railway operator enduring such incompetence would refuse to allow Bombardier to bid in future. As far as I'm concerned, it is great that Thameslink engineers will not have to endure Bombardier's incompetence for years to come. Also, I don't see why Bombardier should be rewarded for being second best.

People like Bob Crow should quit protesting against the government's lack of willingness to purchase an inferior product to secure the jobs of incompetent British workers. Bob Crow should instead be storming Bombardier's offices and demanding that they produce a top-quality product that outdoes anything Siemens or anyone else can offer.

Given that Bombardier is a Canadian company, I am lethargic about moves to safeguard the company's interests anyway.

This complaining is part of a wider “It's only a fair, open and competitive tendering process if I win” culture. I remember Alstom challenging Eurostar's decision to award the rolling stock contract to Siemens: its grumblings were pretty much groundless.

As far as I'm concerned, if Bombardier's train-building business goes under because Bombardier is an incompetent train builder, it is not the response of the British government to prop it up. Older readers may recall that Metro Cammell had a virtual monopoly for many years on London Underground's rolling stock until it really was completely bankrupt. There is no reason why the British government should prop up incompetent foreign train builders.

Having said all this, being a rolling stock engineer, I am keen to see the UK's rolling stock expertise base developed. Ultimately, I would like to see a British-owned company produce world class rolling stock in future and generate wealth and intellectual property for the country. However, rewarding mediocrity by reversing the Thameslink decision is not the way to do it.