Eurostar and beyond

The connection between wealth creation and design cannot be closer than that within the railway industry. The example of the very high speed train capable of speed records in excess of 500 kph and over 300 kph in regular service shows how a particular technology cannot only create inherent advantage to business and hence wealth creation, but also as in the case of the French TGV a national identity as well. The author describes how the Channel Tunnel Eurostar train is another example where the latest technology in numerous areas of specialist expertise had to be integrated into a product with many new areas to be taken into consideration. The trains had to be capable of running in three countries, across three voltage supply systems and hence the technology within the train was complex; but also the environmental issues such as safety in the tunnel, signalling interfaces and aerodynamic aspects played an important part in the final design. Whilst no single aspect in itself was unique, the system approach to the design of the train had to be holistic in nature and managed such as to optimise the whole system rather than sub-systems. The author concludes that there are few limits to what is possible from good design and in all but a few examples, can be directly linked to improvement in income generation or wealth. The greatest impediment is perhaps in the wide public acceptance that the two are linked