Tube* firm turns to eBay for train parts

[Kellanved]

* The London Underground ;-)



Engineers are scouring eBay in search of vital components to keep signals and information boards working on the London underground, it emerged yesterday.
Tube Lines, the consortium responsible for maintenance of three tube lines, admitted it turns to the virtual market place to search for parts no longer in production.

The consortium defended its policy, claiming it was being forced to "think laterally" to source components needed to keep the creaking system operating.

But union leaders expressed dismay, pointing out that the private company, which has a 30-year lease on the running of the tube's infrastructure under one of the government's controversial public-private partnership schemes, was making huge profits while maintaining the tube with the help of cut-price items.

Jim Haynes, the director of projects at Tube Lines, said: "If something goes wrong with the signalling system, some of it is so old you have to go on eBay to look for materials that are out of stock."


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http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,3604,1369558,00.html

[Fenris]

1. Hooray for the private sector!

:eyes:

[Menshevik]

2. ahh

so that's who outbid me on that signalling system

[Kellanved]

5. ohh

I am still slightly unsettled by the knowledge that there is a market on ebay for such things. Who supplies, who buys (except the tube)?

:shrug:

[Menshevik]

6. lol

was wondering that myself, actually

[Zero Gravitas]

3. Privatization of the rail system in theUK

has turned out to be a complete and utter disaster. Bring back British Rail!

[billyskank]

4. Oh for crying out loud

Aaaargh!