经济学人:风险管控 伦敦的穿城铁路(2)

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　　For a project this complex, a lot of preparation ( "de-risking" in the jargon) is needed before private contractors¹ can be confident they won't encounter big obstacles, and can price a bid sensibly. 对于一个错综复杂的项目，在私人承包商确信他们不会遭遇大麻烦之前，并且可以合理定价，需要大量的准备工作（行话即“消除风险”）。

　　Once contracts were awarded, it was up to project managers to keep to the timetable. 一旦签署了合同，就由项目经理来确保工程与时间安排保持一致。

　　Unexpected delays, such as slow delivery of fittings, are managed in three ways, says Mujahid Khalid, who is in charge at Farringdon. 穆贾希德·哈里德是费灵顿片区的主管，他说诸如装置运送不及时等的意外延期有三种处理方式。

　　A “float” of unallocated time can be drawn² upon; other tasks can be brought forward; and, as a last resort, the number of shifts can be increased. 可以对未分配的时间进行浮动；其他任务可以提前进行；再者，作为最终手段的是，加班加点地赶工。

　　The ground has to be prepared for the six floors of offices and shops to be built over the new station. 地面必须为新车站上方的六层楼办公室与商铺做准备。

　　Such “over-site” developments are part of the project's financing. 像这样“站点上方”的发展也是项目融资的一部分。

　　Indeed London's businesses are stumping³ up ￡4.1bn in a variety of ways for Crossrail. 确实，伦敦各家企业正在通过不同方式为穿城铁路掏腰包共计四十一亿英镑。

　　With hindsight, the sponsors might have considered charging for tours of the Farringdon site by visitors from cities seeking lessons for their own metro⁴ systems. 事后来看，赞助人也许已经考虑为来费灵顿游玩的访客收取费用，这些来自各个城市的访客们为他们自己的地铁系统发展取取经。

　　It would not be the only unorthodox initiative. 这个项目将不会是唯一一个非传统的倡导。

　　The tunnels needed eight bespoke⁵ boring machines. 隧道需要八台定制的掘进机。

　　Four dug their way back to surface and were sold back to Herrenknecht, the German manufacturer. 四台挖向地面，并且被卖回给了德国制造商Herrenknecht。

　　Four (two running eastward⁶ and two westward) reached the ends of their lines beneath Farringdon. 另外四台(两台向西，两台向东)，在费灵顿下方到达了他们各自线路的终点。

　　Stripped of valuable kit⁷ for recycling, the remains⁸ were left there: strange skeletons for 28th-century archaeologists to pore over. 这些机器在被剥去可有价值的用于回收的装置后，剩下的部分被留在原地：这些奇特的残骸等待着28世纪的考古学家来挖掘。

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