Would a tram made in Sheffield be better than one made in Germany?

http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/business/germans_win_tram_contract_1_3591449

A GERMAN firm has been selected as the lead bidder to construct new tram trains set to run between Sheffield and Rotherham.

 

Transport minister Norman Baker revealed during an event organised by the House of Commons All Party Parliamentary Light Rail Group that Vossloh Locomotives provided the best value for the project.

Would a Sheffield tram be better than a German tram, or would it be a bit naff and overpriced?

First off (and I don't care who gets the contract) it should be at a fixed price with punitive over-run clauses.

If it costs 50 Brazillion pounds, that's it. Fixed cost. Contract cost (and that should apply to everything ...It applies to all contracts I accept. why can't the government negotiate a deal at least as good as I can get?

If the Germans build the most reliable (and cost-effective) trams, buy German. If the Koreans build the best (allowing for shipping charges) buy Korean.

Remember:

Caesar adsum jam forte.

Pompeii adorat.

Caesar sic in omnibus

Pompeii sic in tram.

Life isn't always as straightforward as it seems.

Who's gonna walk behind the horse picking up the ....

Why not build trams here, bet your life that if a German city wanted trams they'd be German built. I know we shouldn't be play the protectionism game but its looking a bit one sided to me and its time we started giving the protectionism game the kind of lip service as our competitors are.

Why not build trams here, bet your life that if a German city wanted trams they'd be German built. I know we shouldn't be play the protectionism game but its looking a bit one sided to me and its time we started giving the protectionism game the kind of lip service as our competitors are.

How many tram builders are there in Sheffield? or even the UK?

Why should we pay more for lower quality, just because our firms aren't competitive in some areas against some foreign companies? How is that supposed to help them to compete globally?

If other countries want to be protectionist, then it hurts them economically. They pay more for worse goods & their government supports the firms that overcharge for poor quality, which gives them no incentive to improve so that they're able to compete globally & sell their goods abroad. It'll also hurt foreign investment, as foreigners would rather invest in a country where they aren't likely to be pushed out by subsidised local firms.

It's better to just buy the best value, no matter where it comes from.

Why not build trams here...

Because we don't have a tram manufacturing business anywhere in the UK, and therefore the cost of getting the expertise in place will be much higher than going to an existing supplier, who, most importantly, already know how to avoid inherent issues, something a new builder won't.

Furthermore, our existing trams are German, so why not more?

why would anyone want to go to rotherham anyway

Why not build trams here, bet your life that if a German city wanted trams they'd be German built. I know we shouldn't be play the protectionism game but its looking a bit one sided to me and its time we started giving the protectionism game the kind of lip service as our competitors are.

Which world do you live in?

I don't know who makes German trams (but there are tram manufacturers.)

Are there many British tram manufacturers? are they well-known? are their products widely in demand? Aretheir products (1) cheaper than those of their competitors (2) more reliable and (3) available on time?

If the answers to (1) (2) and (3) above are 'YES' why on earth would anybody want to buy a German product in preference to a British product?

If any of the answers are 'No' why can't British industry compete?

Too lazy?

Too busy doing other things... that's the beauty of globalisation, specialisation. We all get better goods, cheaper.

Which world do you live in?

 

I don't know who makes German trams (but there are tram manufacturers.)

 

Are there many British tram manufacturers? are they well-known? are their products widely in demand? Aretheir products (1) cheaper than those of their competitors (2) more reliable and (3) available on time?

 

If the answers to (1) (2) and (3) above are 'YES' why on earth would anybody want to buy a German product in preference to a British product?

 

If any of the answers are 'No' why can't British industry compete?

 

Too lazy?

Don't know about the lazy bit but perhaps paid too much.