Gautrain: Why a UK loading gauge?

Letter to the Editor

Sir - The Electrostar EMUs which Bombardier is producing for Gautrain are an adoption of a design produced for tight UK clearances, with a body width of 2 800 mm.

This is barely believable! Why build a complete new standard gauge line to antique British clearances when exploiting the full UIC profile of 3 150 mm (or even more, see the København S-bane as an example) would have been possible?

Given the choice of a restricted body width, South Africa’s Cape gauge (1 067 mm) would have done just as well.

Or was it that that someone wanted to sell a proven British design to South Africa?

Dieter Hettler
Waldesch, Koblenz, Germany