Wiring the Great Western : are electric trains worth the money?
They say time is money, so how much is a minute worth to you?
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If you had a vital meeting in London, or were heading up to see a show, what would you pay to get there a minute earlier?
I ask because Transport Ministers reckon a minute of our precious time is worth £83m. You read that right. Today's plan to electrify the Great Western Railway costs £1bn. It will shave 12 minutes off the Paddington to Temple Meads journey. Value for money?
"Unalloyed pleasure" was John Savage's reaction. The chief exec of Business West has been banging on about a fast train to London for decades. "Getting to and from the capital fast is one of the main reasons people move here, and move their companies here," he told me.
On the platforms, they're a little underwhelmed. "12 minutes?" say Max and Hannah, students travelling to London. "Not sure it makes a big difference really."
They, like many others, are more impressed by what electric trains will save the planet. Department for Transport figures suggest carbon emissions on electric trains are between 20 and 35% less than diesel locos. But there's a problem with these stats.
The electric line will come to Bristol, then on to Swansea. But for Weston-super-Mare, Taunton, and all points west the locos will be diesel. Which means the trains that run from London to Bristol and then on will be "hybrids". Electric power units AND a diesel engine will pull the same train.
"So," I ask the man from the ministry, "does this mean the electric engine will have to pull the diesel loco and all its heavy fuel?" Yes it will, I hear.
"So all the way along the super fast super clean super green electric route it will be lugging a great diesel loco and be much slower and heavier than it need be?"
That, I'm told, is an unduly cynical view. But yes, the facts are true.
How full is your glass? For optimists, today sees a revolution bringing faster, greener trains and boosting business. For cynics, a vast amount of money we can ill afford buys you another 12 minutes to wait for a tube.
What's it worth to you?
Hello, I’m Dave Harvey – the BBC’s Business Correspondent in the West. If you’re making hay in the markets or combine harvesting; scratting cider apples or crunching tricky numbers – this is your blog too. 
Comment number 1.
At 18:54 23rd Jul 2009, seasid wrote:Only 12 minutes from Bristol to London Paddington, First Group have added at least 15 minutes on to my journey from Chippenham to Paddington since I first started catching the train 10 years ago just to try and keep within targets. Yes it will be good for the West Country but I have some reservations, will the ticket prices be lower as the train costs are going to be 35% cheaper to run and will First Group still be running the trains or is the the 1st step to re-nationalisation. I hope it's more it's re-nationalisation.
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Comment number 2.
At 19:46 23rd Jul 2009, Dave Harvey wrote:Seasid: On the facts of your question, no the fares won't be cheaper. Transport Department people tell me that the lower running costs will allow Network Rail (who are funding this) to recoup their investment over the 40 year lifetime of the electric line. will First Group be running the trains in 2016? Ask Mystic Meg that one!
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Comment number 3.
At 13:01 3rd Aug 2009, alexandre wrote:I love the 125's currently in service; according to a First Great Western employee at Paddington 2 weeks ago, most comments about the 125's are very favourable ("people like them"), although admittedly they only make 7.5 miles per gallon.
It took me over 1 hour to get from near Archway to Paddington and just 2 hr 40 mins to get from Paddington to Totnes. I think the improvement needs to be at the London end, as the journey without electric overhead cabling is free from ghastly electricity pylons and the train makes good speed throughout. A new generation of diesel electric trains might be better and cheaper than electrification.
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Comment number 4.
At 15:13 8th Aug 2009, scott_bristol wrote:It's not worth the money!! I hope this doesn't mean fares increasing. For a train to London being 12 minutes faster that is stupid.
Hopefully, FirstGroup will not be operating services in Bristol by then, and hopefully the buses will be operated by a different company. The fares on Bristol's buses are a complete bump.
Thank You.
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Comment number 5.
At 03:21 16th Aug 2009, dennisjunior1 wrote:Dave:
I think it is a wonderful idea; to look at regarding the wiring the Great Western....But, in this economic situation, who has the money to invest in this project in theory...
=Dennis Junior=
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Comment number 6.
At 16:15 27th Aug 2009, jayacg wrote:12 minutes is all very well but now we hear of a fast train that gets you from Glasgow to London in two hours. Technically that means that we should be able to get from Bristol to London in an hour, surely, with the same level of investment? Both Manchester and Birmingham have been in on this high speed rail link deal... how do we get Bristol to have the same sort of treatment??
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