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14 minutes ago, lmsforever said:

Well its going to happen they have announced it we tried to stop it but now lets see I it really is as good as they say.Wonder how long before our roads are clogged with lorries adding to the congestion already here.

 

Its not the extra lorries that will cause the congestion, its the hundreds of Chelsea Tractors already taking the kids to and from school that fill the roads....

 

Didn't see the news, but online there is a bit about the trainees/apprentices, now there is an angle on cost. How much is it costing to train these people, which is basically down to the lack of available skills out there?

Worth quite a bit in the long run IMO, and should have been done for Crossrail and GWML electrification, then this would have already been paid for, Crossrail might have been completed on time, and GWML done fully, with HS2 being their next project.

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25 minutes ago, Ian Hargrave said:

BBC announcement HS2 to be given go ahead tomorrow but further review .Not another ?

The news on BBC Midlands Today says that HS2 parts 1 & 2 are being built but there will be a review of the second part to see whether better connections could be made with the rest of the Network.

They are also expecting a go ahead of some of the projects from the "Midlands Engine" propsals for improving railways in the East & West Midlands.

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2 minutes ago, Davexoc said:

 

Its not the extra lorries that will cause the congestion, its the hundreds of Chelsea Tractors already taking the kids to and from school that fill the roads....

Just try driving down a road with a school at chucking out time.

The "Mum's taxis" are parked thoughtlessly all over the show without a consideration for other traffic and they are so aggressive and impatient.

I'm sure you can see the horns growing out the driver's heads if you look closely:jester:

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44 minutes ago, Davexoc said:

 

Its not the extra lorries that will cause the congestion, its the hundreds of Chelsea Tractors already taking the kids to and from school that fill the roads....

 

Didn't see the news, but online there is a bit about the trainees/apprentices, now there is an angle on cost. How much is it costing to train these people, which is basically down to the lack of available skills out there?

Worth quite a bit in the long run IMO, and should have been done for Crossrail and GWML electrification, then this would have already been paid for, Crossrail might have been completed on time, and GWML done fully, with HS2 being their next project.

They did train people on electrification work for the GWML scheme and the training school at Swindon still looked to e operational the last time I passed there.

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10 hours ago, royaloak said:

So thats even more cost (kerching) and delay (kerching) for zero benefit!

It'll probably end up like most of the projects started under BR and thinned down by reductions in government funding.

 

If I live long enough to see it finished, I fully expect what actually gets delivered to be half the job for three quarters of the money.

 

John

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Further news: a final decision on HS2 to be made at a Cabinet meeting this morning, but it is expected to get the green light in some form, with "revised governance", a commitment to progressing HS3 (stated as a "new railway between Leeds and Manchester") and a further plan for £1 billion a year to improve bus services outside London, and a titbit for cycle routes. 

 

Formal statement expected this afternoon, and further details in the budget statement.

 

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/feb/10/johnson-plans-5bn-boost-for-bus-services-and-cycle-routes

 

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/feb/11/government-to-give-hs2-go-ahead-despite-fierce-opposition-boris-johnson-high-speed-rail

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I have not followed much of the debate about HS2, as the chances of me ever using it are slim! but this video did I thought a good job of explaining what the primary benefits are Spolier they are not reduced journey times between major cities:

 

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1 hour ago, APOLLO said:

Good news - Start at Wigan and work south !!!!

 

Brit15

I think it's been mentioned elsewhere on this thread that the only reason the first phase of the WCML electrification was ever completed was because it was started from Manchester

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1 hour ago, 62613 said:

I think it's been mentioned elsewhere on this thread that the only reason the first phase of the WCML electrification was ever completed was because it was started from Manchester

 

But is that actually true - I have my doubts, because after the first phase the electrification was continued right through to Glasgow.

 

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25 minutes ago, caradoc said:

 

But is that actually true - I have my doubts, because after the first phase the electrification was continued right through to Glasgow.

 

There was a pause of a decade or so between the Manchester/Liverpool to London being completed, and the route beyond (Preston, Carlisle, Glasgow) coming into service.

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I was amazed at the time when it was announced  that the wires would go north of Preston as I was sure that government would stop it.HS2 will probably not go north of Crewe due to lack of money meantime I will happily join the wcml at MK for my trips to Scotland.

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42 minutes ago, caradoc said:

 

But is that actually true - I have my doubts, because after the first phase the electrification was continued right through to Glasgow.

 

I think the first section was the Styal loop in 1959, almost as a test bed, and work then went south from there. Records of the time show that for a while the south end of the wires was Nuneaton, with a switch to diesel, or even steam, at that point. I do remember as a child being in our car coming along the M1 near Watford Gap services and chasing a Britannia where the railway runs parallel, this would have been the summer of 1964. When complete to Euston (1966?), there was then a break until 1973 for the section north from Weaver Junction to Preston, thence onwards north. It was in the 1970 - 74 period that the Glasgows had pairs of 50's north of Crewe.

 

Coming back to HS2, as a sceptic I can only hope that the analyses of those on here and the previous thread prove correct, and moreover that the politicians don't conspire to cock the whole thing up by bending to vested interests and generally interfering. Now the decision has been taken we do need to get behind this wholeheartedly, and reap the benefits that have been promised. If Johnson thinks he can get away by stopping at Birmingham I feel his tenure in no.10 will be one term only.

 

John.

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28 minutes ago, John Tomlinson said:

If Johnson thinks he can get away by stopping at Birmingham I feel his tenure in no.10 will be one term only.

 

 

He is likely to be long gone before the line is anywhere near completion. That is a part of the problem. Such a long project spans several governments, all able to cock things up by trying to look as if they are trying to look as if they are trying to save money in order to win votes.

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In fairness, it's not that easy to see the benefits to the most populous part of Wales. But then the problems that it's designed to solve are not those of South Wales. Maybe at some future point HS4 will relieve the GWML...

 

The potential benefit to North Wales should be pretty obvious.

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1 hour ago, Dunsignalling said:

There's a report on the BBC website about somebody griping that HS2 offers absolutely no benefit to Wales.

 

Primary school level geography lessons not a complete waste of money, then. :jester:

 

John

 

Gareth Dennis, the young PW engineer in the YouTube video linked above, says that Wales will benefit, citing Aberystwyth as an example. The wider benefits of HS2 have been largely ignored by critics, but only time will prove them wrong.

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I watched the announcement and questions earlier today on Parliament TV.  It seemed to be that both labour & conservative (etc) MP's whose constituencies lay on or near the proposed routes were very much in favour - and those who did not (Wales, Scotland etc) very much against. The Dundee MP was quite agitated. Human nature I suppose.

 

Talk was also about the Trans Pennine upgrades though just fancy words at the moment - no concrete proposals. Liverpool & Hull seem to be "out of it" as its the Manchester - Leeds line got all the talk. A Sheffield MP wanted re-assurances too ----- RE-OPEN WOODHEAD to connect the two legs (my comment !!).

 

The Golborne spur was mentioned (That's the bit off the Manchester leg through Lowton / Golborne that connects to the WCML just south of Wigan). The locals are against this as it passes directly through a large and newish housing estate. Warrington is very much against this also as it means HS trains will by pass Warrington. A "North West" hub station at Wigan is talked about. Not ideal either as there are 80mph curves at either end of Wigan North Western, then two already very busy tracks for a few miles to Euxton Jcn where 4 tracks north commence - This has been talked about a few times before. It is a problem though. Perhaps savings will be made by HS2 just going to Manchester directly from Crewe and the existing WCML north from Crewe upgraded - we will see.

 

At least it's now officially on. Good news.

 

Brit15

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52 minutes ago, 2mmMark said:

Having failed miserably with a garden bridge, perhaps Boris is hoping he might have better luck with a garden railway.

 

He certainly likes spending large amounts of other peoples' money. 

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