Alstom

It will be one of the new trains that they've got on order, double deck trains.

Eurostar's first double deck train is going to be built by Alstom.

That probably, well, those are going to come into service from about 2030 onwards.

But I suspect it'll be a little bit longer before we see the train to Switzerland.

Something uplifting now.

Alstom's modern train care center has celebrated 100 years at the heart of the Northern Line.

The Northern Line's eight-mile extension from Clapham Common to Morden opened on September the 13th, 1926, alongside the depot at Morden.

Alstom welcomed family, friends, and guests to tour the depot and view a specially commissioned exhibition, Morden 100, portraits from the Northern Line, created by photographer Nick Robinson.

Morden is still a vital part of London's transport network, where Alstom has been maintaining the Northern Line fleet there since 1995.

And I'm delighted to say I had a small personal involvement in that Steve Purvis took his There and Back Light Railway, so my little engine Rose Ellen, named after me mum, was chuffing up and down, taking visitors for rides along the depot.

Bit of steam there.

After all, we're tactile, visual people, and so seeing new trains and stepping aboard to have a look around is exactly why we've come.

And then another six contracts came along, and I'm going from the list so I do it correctly.

In 2009, they commissioned Alstom to do CBTC and 39 trains, which is what they had at the time.

2011, another contract for another 21 trains to be fitted with CBTC cardboard controllers.

In 2012, they put tender out for more interlockings, CBI interlockings.

And in 2014, another contract for the final 10 trains making 80.

So all 80 rockets were fitted with CBTC.

The early trains came with no onboard equipment because the contracts were not aligned, but the later trains arrived with the Alstom Cobble controller and all the wiring, the tachometers and accelerometers and so on, the power supply already installed.

There was an eighth contract for the yard at Wilson, which was given to TALIS.

You know, for anyone that's listening, I'm sure they've seen different sizes of light rails.

It's a Bombardier, now Alstom vehicle called a Flexicity.

It's a standard used around the world, that particular vehicle.

But, you know, as I say, Toronto is unique in the sense that they are running in mixed traffic alongside cars.

Most of them produce locally.

I gave you the example of Alstom who is producing hundreds of trains, employ 3,000 employees.

They are all South Africans, all of them.

So they understand the country because they are French group, yes, but they are local in a sense because the team are local, the production is local.

[lip smacks] Okay.

I mean, I know you've set up a detailed investigation team now with, um, Alstom, who are the original manufacturers, weren't they? And Angel Trains, who are the owners.

I suppose some might say, particularly, you know, passengers in Cornwall at the moment, "Well, that's great.

We kind of understand why they didn't work to begin with, but why has it taken nine months to set up that level of detailed investigation? Could not that have-- Could that not have been done right at the beginning?"

Uh, thanks to Chris McKenna, Mart McDonald, and Stuart Whittingham for this story.

The Class 507 Preservation Society has achieved the significant milestone of completing the first conversion of a preserved electric multiple unit to battery operation in Britain.

507001 successfully ran under its own power without a third rail in tests at Alstom's Lich Church Lane works in Derby, paving the way for future operation on a heritage railway.

It's been made possible thanks to the fitment of batteries inside the train's driving cars.

Now,

another story that did draw a lot of attention this week was the idea that the federal government is going to be spending $4.7 billion for Via Rail to acquire and maintain 313 new passenger rail cars from Alstom, Canada.

And this project was announced as part of a Buy Canada policy to create jobs and spur investment into the economy in light of tariffs and the trade war with the United States.

Now, the headline from the Prime Minister and what the media mostly talked about was how these cars will be built entirely in Canada.

Now, with this, we know that the federal government will invest $4.7 billion into the project, but the main releases do not spell out where the money will go.

We know about $4 billion is marked for the manufacturing of the cars, which leaves about $700 million over 15 years of parts and support, which translates to $2.2 million per car over the 15 years, while each car themselves will sell to Via Rail for $12.7 million.

Now, the stories also do not mention who Alstom Canada is.

Alstom is a French multinational company that absorbed Bombardier transportation.

The headlines on Tuesday, September 1st.

French rail manufacturer Alstom will produce a new range of locomotives in the eastern city of Belfort, the birthplace of the TGV high-speed train.

The new generation of shunting locomotives vehicles will be designed to move and reposition wagons over short distances in freight stations, depots, ports or industrial sites, as reported by Le Figon.

Airbus is ready to sell its U.S. space business to strengthen its European alliance against SpaceX.

But my point is, Are other countries doing this? And the quick answer is no, they're not.

So this $4.7 billion is a massive announcement for Via Rail to get 313 new cars from this company Alstom, who's often built cars for Germany's rail service.

And you'd remember this.

I told you I took my son to Germany.

The Canadian government is obviously, you know, the arm of Via Rail.

It's a crown corporation.

It's not a private company.

But who owns the tracks? CN, CPKC, Canadian Pacific, Kansas City.