Great leap forward syndrome

Telegrammed by our man at 222 Marylebone Road
There is a timely article by John Kay, in today's Financial Times, nominally about what he terms Great Leap Forward Syndrome in Government.

The following extract may remind readers of a current railway project:

Great Leap Forward syndrome begins with an aspiration to remedy serious past failure with unprecedented future success.

The plan is not to imitate those who have managed things better, but to implement what they have not yet been able to accomplish.

The goal is never achieved, or is partly reached after extended delays and far more expenditure than initially envisaged.

The problems are aggravated by falsely optimistic reports of progress until, and perhaps even after, the scale of the disaster is evident.

There is much more in the same vein and all disturbingly applicable to the Frankenstein/Zombie/Camel Class train.