NSW government has ordered 10 new ferries which are to be used on the Parramatta River. Apart from asbestos being found in the new ferries they have another "little" problem.
Due to the design flaw further technological innovation will be needed. The ferries will not fit safety under the low bridges & passengers will have to duck. The other option is the top deck we have to be cleared of passengers.
The NSW government in their wisdom bought the ferries from another country to save money.
What happened to OH&S procedures regarding Hazard Identification and Risk Management? Compensation Insurance providers will make the use of these vessels on that river too expensive for them to be operated. Rather silly for the politician responsible to go on TV and say that passengers can just change seats when the ferry passes under the bridges.
Iza
erad said
07:38 PM Aug 24, 2020
I am not supporting the politician in this case, but the heads of department in charge of this fiasco certainly do not deserve a cent more pay from now on. There is a perfectly good factory just North from Hobart which produces large catamaran ferries, and another in Fremantle. Why go overseas to buy these vessels. Sure - the locals were probably dearer, and probably a longer delivery time, but what price do you place on buying Australian for Australians? And even then, they manage to stuff it up. The minister's leering grin when it was pointed out to him - it was sickening...
Tony LEE said
08:35 PM Aug 24, 2020
Not a big deal. Just 10 seats on the top deck.
River has always caused problems and at low tide you have to catch a bus for the last section
Slow news day and an opportunity for the carping opposition pollies to be able to whinge on prime time TV
Whenarewethere said
08:43 PM Aug 24, 2020
The product may be a bit dearer locally, up front, but cheaper in the long run. In a previous life for two decades in the aluminium industry it was a constant issue with imported aluminium not made to ISO standards.
A boat made locally & from local aluminium will be made properly. A boat built offshore, welding will more than likely be third rate & plate used in the hull will have the wrong alloying elements & not meet ISO standards leading to higher corrosion & or strength issues.
I would hope at least welding will be x-rayed & samples from the hull will be analysed for chemical composition. Easy stuff I was having done 30 years ago.
Whenarewethere said
08:52 PM Aug 24, 2020
Tony LEE wrote:
Not a big deal. Just 10 seats on the top deck. River has always caused problems and at low tide you have to catch a bus for the last section Slow news day and an opportunity for the carping opposition pollies to be able to whinge on prime time TV
Quite a few Manly Ferries have hit wharfs, run aground etc. One hitting rocks off the point at Little Manly. I think that was a few million dollars in repairs.
Let's hope not a single captain has a lapse in memory for low bridges!
Cupie said
11:49 PM Aug 24, 2020
A minor problem when compared to the trains that we in SE Qld (eventually) got from India. Wouldn't fit through the tunnel into the main Central CBD station.
Who would have thought.
Whenarewethere said
01:05 AM Aug 25, 2020
Cupie wrote:
A minor problem when compared to the trains that we in SE Qld (eventually) got from India. Wouldn't fit through the tunnel into the main Central CBD station.
Who would have thought.
Who would have thought NSW & QLD were using the same tape measure.
Our $2.3b new trains didn't fit through the Blue Mountains tunnels & the platforms had to cut down to size so the trains could pull into the stations for the purpose of picking up passengers!
Canberra got hold of that same tape measure as well & bought buses too long & street intersections had to be made wider. Sydney had a bus length issue as well.
Montreal bought new trains that were too wide. Apparently every department new about the problem but no one was prepared to say anything.
jade46 said
06:17 AM Aug 25, 2020
Cupie wrote:
A minor problem when compared to the trains that we in SE Qld (eventually) got from India. Wouldn't fit through the tunnel into the main Central CBD station.
Who would have thought.
Yes I live in Hervey Bay and that little exercise prvides lot of work for the locals in Maryborough rebuilding the cheap trains. The whole train roof has to be cut off and re welded 150mm lower. How could this possibly happen?
Whenarewethere said
07:30 AM Aug 25, 2020
Tony LEE wrote:
Not a big deal. Just 10 seats on the top deck. River has always caused problems and at low tide you have to catch a bus for the last section Slow news day and an opportunity for the carping opposition pollies to be able to whinge on prime time TV
Bus drivers seem to have an issue with low bridges.
I believe if you have the opportunity to build safety into a new purchase, do it as mistakes happen.
NSW government has ordered 10 new ferries which are to be used on the Parramatta River. Apart from asbestos being found in the new ferries they have another "little" problem.
Due to the design flaw further technological innovation will be needed. The ferries will not fit safety under the low bridges & passengers will have to duck. The other option is the top deck we have to be cleared of passengers.
The NSW government in their wisdom bought the ferries from another country to save money.
Iza
The product may be a bit dearer locally, up front, but cheaper in the long run. In a previous life for two decades in the aluminium industry it was a constant issue with imported aluminium not made to ISO standards.
A boat made locally & from local aluminium will be made properly. A boat built offshore, welding will more than likely be third rate & plate used in the hull will have the wrong alloying elements & not meet ISO standards leading to higher corrosion & or strength issues.
I would hope at least welding will be x-rayed & samples from the hull will be analysed for chemical composition. Easy stuff I was having done 30 years ago.
Quite a few Manly Ferries have hit wharfs, run aground etc. One hitting rocks off the point at Little Manly. I think that was a few million dollars in repairs.
Let's hope not a single captain has a lapse in memory for low bridges!
A minor problem when compared to the trains that we in SE Qld (eventually) got from India. Wouldn't fit through the tunnel into the main Central CBD station.
Who would have thought.
Who would have thought NSW & QLD were using the same tape measure.
Our $2.3b new trains didn't fit through the Blue Mountains tunnels & the platforms had to cut down to size so the trains could pull into the stations for the purpose of picking up passengers!
Canberra got hold of that same tape measure as well & bought buses too long & street intersections had to be made wider. Sydney had a bus length issue as well.
Montreal bought new trains that were too wide. Apparently every department new about the problem but no one was prepared to say anything.
Yes I live in Hervey Bay and that little exercise prvides lot of work for the locals in Maryborough rebuilding the cheap trains. The whole train roof has to be cut off and re welded 150mm lower. How could this possibly happen?
Bus drivers seem to have an issue with low bridges.
I believe if you have the opportunity to build safety into a new purchase, do it as mistakes happen.
I like that bit of sarcassm. But its might be taken on board by a govt department.
Yep, it sounds just like the sort of solution that a desk jockey might go for.