Articles
What went wrong with HS2?
The Prime Minister’s decision to cancel the HS2 leg to Manchester, and the reported mess the whole project has become, brings shame, or implied shame, upon our proud profession; one whose founders built our original railways.
I call on the IMechE president to join with the presidents of the Institution of Civil Engineers and the Institution of Engineering and Technology to convene a joint committee and determine from their members involved in HS2 why this project has failed so badly, thereby damaging our reputation worldwide.
We and the country need a truthful, unbiased report from the heart of the profession, warts and all, free from any government publicity spin.
Robert Barnes, Southsea, Hampshire
Steaming back to the future
I was very taken by the item describing a home-made motorcycle dragster powered by a steam rocket motor.
Whilst some might question the point of such an esoteric exercise, I would join those admiring the many skills needed to complete such a project (let alone drive the beast!).
By way of contrast, I hope you may like this photo of the 109-year-old Stanley steam car of Peter Turvey as it leaves the line at the annual Kop Hill charity hill-climb event held recently in Buckinghamshire. Whilst most steam cars can be quite brisk away from the start line, the Stanley wouldn’t have been approaching the 3.5G of the rocket, but it surely was a great deal quieter!
Don Sandom, Reading
You call this progress?
Perhaps we should pay attention to Daron Acemoglu, a well-respected economist at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, in his book Power and Progress (co-authored with Simon Johnson) that showcases a series of major inventions over the course of the past 1,000 years which, contrary to what we’ve been told, did nothing to improve, and sometimes even worsened, the lives of most people.
I believe that we need to carry out a careful risk/benefit analysis of artificial intelligence to ensure that it benefits the many and not the few.
James Love
Want the best engineering stories delivered straight to your inbox? The Professional Engineering newsletter gives you vital updates on the most cutting-edge engineering and exciting new job opportunities. To sign up, click here.
Content published by Professional Engineering does not necessarily represent the views of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.