§ 60. Mr. J. H. Osbornasked the Minister of Transport what proposals British Railways have submitted to him for developing the advanced passenger train in co-operation with Rolls Royce Limited; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MarshI have recently told the Railways Board that I am ready to contribute towards the development of the advanced passenger train project, on which interesting and successful experiments have been made by the British Railways Research Department at Derby.
My proposal, which is still under discussion with the Board, is intended to assist the construction of an actual train to test out its running characteristics and associated operating problems. A further statement will be made as soon as decisions are reached.
§ Mr. OsbornCan the Minister give some idea of the time scale? Will this advanced passenger train be on trial in a year or two and perhaps in service in five years? This is a very important opportunity for this country to take. I hope that the Minister is offering every encouragement and that there will be no delays, particulaly with the private sector and Rolls Royce.
§ Mr. MarshI agree that this is an important development. It is an extremely interesting one in which British Railways have done a great deal of advanced work. There will be no delay by the Government. The relationship between Rolls Royce and British Railways is a matter for the two bodies concerned.
Mr. Edward M. TaylorThe Minister will be aware that this statement will be 22 greeted with great pleasure by British Railways because there has been concern about the long delay. But can he give an assurance that this project will not come out of the meagre investment allocation for the current year?