Inspire the least

Telegrammed by Ithuriel
The credit crunch may soon squeeze the rejoicing Samurai Warriors.

The IEP delivery dates quoted yesterday by Hoon are markedly different to the three phases and an option approach to procurement and funding being touted round the city by DfT.

Phase 1 could be for as little as an affordable 350 vehicles for the ECML !

Not a lot of work for a new IKEA-style assembly plant - sorry major manufacturing complex.

All aboard Hitachi's gravy train

Telegrammed by our Independent Expert
Either the media have succumbed entirely to the Hitachi PR machine or British journalists are even dumber than we think.

Yesterday, most BBC daytime news reports gave the impression that 12,000 jobs were being created in British factories to build the new "Super Express" trains, instead of what the unions reckon is a couple of thousand to build them in parts from kits.

Today Radio 4's You and Yours gave a big chunk of airtime to Times's correspondent Leo Lewis, who sang Hitachi's praises saying the new vehicles will run as fast and as comfortably as Japanese Shinkansen trains (Shome Shinkansen mishtake, shurely! Ed).

What's the betting Fleet Street's finest will soon be smacking their lips over all those geisha-filled freebies to Tokyo.

Mind you, it beats a fish and chip supper in Derby everytime.

UPDATE: A source close to the BBC advises...

You and Yours were not planning such a big chunk on IEP but had to extend when Anthony Worrall Thompson failed to show for his slot on bankrupt restaurants!

How the credit crunches, unless you're Japanese of course!