The Derby Christmas lecture was held at the University of Derby’s Enterprise Centre.

In the midst of a candlelit room, Ian began his tale about a child’s (TOC) wish for a brand new train for Christmas, bigger, better and faster than all the other children’s trains. Ian took us on a journey to the abandoned North Pole Depot where Santa (the manufacturer) and his elves received the child’s letter (the specification). The Head Elf reviewed the letter referring to their contract full of Santa Clauses allowing Santa to make variations to the specification. This ultimately meant the child did not receive his innovative futuristic train but the same model as all the other children just with a different coat of paint and emblazoned with a new logo.

Ian then spoke at length about new train programmes; he described how the level of central control for train procurement via the Department for Transport was both a blessing and a source of some difficulty for the industry. He contrasted the more hands-off approach at the start of privatisation to the heavier control which is now more evident.

He went onto describe Porterbrook’s speculative builds of multiple units in the late 1990s - 2000s, it is however unlikely that such activities would be repeated in the near future.

Close central controls could potentially enable rolling programmes of procurement which could lead to cost and efficiency gains. The present system however appears not to be operated in this way as shown by CrossRail and the Intercity Express Progamme.

伊恩是娱乐性的同时提供观众with food for thought. The lecture was followed by a rush to secure copies of ‘Private Lines – The Collection of cartoons by 45726’.