Shortest lived train fleet in history to be announced tomorrow?

Exciting IEP news.

Eye understands that Gordon Brown, Lord Adonis and (by pure co-incidence) the president of Hitachi are all in Durham tomorrow.

Could this herald a purdah-beating, pre-election announcement on IEPs for the East Coast franchise?

Shame the Tory's are likely to cancel the project just weeks after the election.

UPDATE: This nonchalant observation from Captain Deltic...

Might I point out that subscribers to the electronic version of RAIL BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE will already know that tomorrow's Anglo Japanese conclave at Durham will announce that commercial close has been reached on the InterCity Express Programme.

RBI readers will also have read details of the planned initial deployment on the East Coast Main Line, plus a note on the evolving design of the train which seems to have put on weight over the last year.

What a coup to mark the 15th anniversary of the Orange Peril which emerged blinking into the daylight on my Birthday in 1995.

Although a doff of the chapeau to the inimitable Eye for being first with the news of the announcement.

UPDATE: This from Ithuriel....

Commercial close means only that DfT and Agility Trains have agreed what is to be supplied and at how much.

Does the Orange Oxymoron say when financial close is expected?

That's when the real money is likely to change hands... or not!