HS2

[lmsforever]

On 11/09/2021 at 14:17, Bernard Lamb said:

A good job he does not know the full story or he would be having a fit.

It is actually about 3000 bodies that have been recovered. mainly from the known church yard location.

I think we need to build a modern version of Grimms Ditch to stop him heading our way.

 

Do you know the location of the new cemetery where they will be re-interred?

Bernard

Not sure about that  dont think its round here but not a lot of info coming out.

[keefer]

6 hours ago, Ron Ron Ron said:

Old Oak Common from above.

 

The Heathrow Express depot closed a while back and is now being stripped out and decommissioned, ready for demolition.

You can see the HEX sidings are being removed.

 

A monster sized, portacabin office block is being erected to the left of the HEX depot, to house site offices.

 

The GWML track formation will be slewed and widened to accommodate the 8 GWML platforms and tracks.

It will extend to approximately where the tall green silos are located.

 

Work on the tunnel box site, to the left, alongside the Crossrail depot, involves piling work to allow the construction of the box retaining walls.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

. 

Sorry if I've missed it somewhere in this thread but is there any intention to reconnect the NNML once work is complete or will the route be under the new stations/lines?

I know a stop-block was put in just before the NLL overbridge (bottom centre of the pics) but it looks like the track from there to the former Old Oak Jcn has been lifted.

I know the line was singled years ago and latterly was only used by the Parley train (and stock-turning moves?) but wasn't sure if there's a long-term plan for the line?

Edited September 16, 2021 by keefer

[melmerby]

29 minutes ago, keefer said:

Sorry if I've missed it somewhere in this thread but is there any intention to reconnect the NNML once work is complete or will the route be under the new stations/lines?

I know a stop-block was put in just before the NLL overbridge (bottom centre of the pics) but it looks like the track from there to the former Old Oak Jcn has been lifted.

I know the line was singled years ago and latterly was only used by the Parley train (and stock-turning moves?) but wasn't sure if there's a long-term plan for the line?

IIRC much of the remaining track will be removed whilst the HS2 formation is built but will be re-instated back to the junction once HS2 has finished it's work.

[melmerby]

I notice in Tim Dunn's "Architecture The Railways Built" series, the last episode of the current series will feature Curzon St.*

Monday 15th November on Yesterday channel.

 

*I assume the original 1830s version!

Edited September 16, 2021 by melmerby
wrong month

[corneliuslundie]

A pity the HEX structures couldn't have been reused. It would have been more environmentally friendly. But I suspect it was not practicable. And I do wonder if all the construction sites need have been so large. They give too much ammunition to the "antis".

Jonathan  

[phil-b259]

3 hours ago, keefer said:

Sorry if I've missed it somewhere in this thread but is there any intention to reconnect the NNML once work is complete or will the route be under the new stations/lines?

I know a stop-block was put in just before the NLL overbridge (bottom centre of the pics) but it looks like the track from there to the former Old Oak Jcn has been lifted.

I know the line was singled years ago and latterly was only used by the Parley train (and stock-turning moves?) but wasn't sure if there's a long-term plan for the line?

No plans so far for the NNML to go back - however the alignment inwards from Greenford will be preserved in case it’s required in future.

 

In the past it’s been suggested that Chiltern might want to use it as Marlybone  cannot be expanded any further but Covid has put paid to that for a couple of decades.

Edited September 16, 2021 by phil-b259

[Ron Ron Ron]

3 hours ago, keefer said:

Sorry if I've missed it somewhere in this thread but is there any intention to reconnect the NNML once work is complete or will the route be under the new stations/lines?

I know a stop-block was put in just before the NLL overbridge (bottom centre of the pics) but it looks like the track from there to the former Old Oak Jcn has been lifted.

I know the line was singled years ago and latterly was only used by the Parley train (and stock-turning moves?) but wasn't sure if there's a long-term plan for the line?

 

3 hours ago, melmerby said:

IIRC much of the remaining track will be removed whilst the HS2 formation is built but will be re-instated back to the junction once HS2 has finished it's work.

 

As far as I know, there are no plans to reconnect this line with the GWML at OOC.

The curvature of the disused track bed meets the new GWML relief lines at wide acute angle, intersecting where the disused line crosses Old Oak Common Lane ......just to the right of the bright green barrier seen in the photograph. This would see the current road bridge being removed.

 

The widened GWML track formation will cover most of the area formally occupied by the HEX sidings and most of the "green triangle" of open land you can see between the houses in Wells house Road (the triangle of houses at the bottom centre of the photo) and the current GWML formation.

 

There was a plan to use part of the old line as a head shunt for the new OOC station, which entailed a flyover to be built, but I think that was scrapped some time ago.

 

There have also been (unofficial) proposals to reinstate the line, but only into a bay platform at OOC, to allow a Chiltern mainline service to OOC that will provide connections with HS2, Crossrail and the GWML. However, these are just ideas ATM.

 

 

 

.

Edited September 16, 2021 by Ron Ron Ron

[melmerby]

1 minute ago, phil-b259 said:

No plans so far for the NNML to go back - however the algebraic will be preserved in case it’s required in future.

 

In the past it’s been suggested that Chiltern might want to use it as Marlybone  cannot be expanded any further but Covid has put paid to that for a couple of decades.

It would be a useful link for those just up the Birmingham line to get to OOC

[Ron Ron Ron]

3 minutes ago, melmerby said:

It would be a useful link for those just up the Birmingham line to get to OOC

 

We crossed posting there.

See the post above.

 

 

.

[Ron Ron Ron]

More.....

 

A view of Euston Station, with the tower office block and other buildings along the front now demolished ...and the side streets on the west side of the station also now cleared of buildings.

You can also see the partial demolition work taking place on the west side of the station itself.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

.

[corneliuslundie]

Can we have the Doric Arch back please now there is room?

J

[Grovenor]

I see now that the Nimbys who forced tunnelling under the Chilterns are now complaining that the tunnelling may damage the aquifer as the contractor has apparently lost a lot of bentonite.

[Mark Saunders]

48 minutes ago, Grovenor said:

I see now that the Nimbys who forced tunnelling under the Chilterns are now complaining that the tunnelling may damage the aquifer as the contractor has apparently lost a lot of bentonite.

From what I read on this material there are far worse things to loose !

[corneliuslundie]

From Wikipedia:

As a swelling clay, bentonite has the ability to absorb large quantities of water, which increases its volume by up to a factor of eight.[4] This makes bentonite beds unsuitable for building and road construction. However, the swelling property is used to advantage in drilling mud and groundwater sealants

Jonathan

[Fat Controller]

"Are they on this earth, or Fuller's?"

 

[APOLLO]

4 hours ago, Grovenor said:

I see now that the Nimbys who forced tunnelling under the Chilterns are now complaining that the tunnelling may damage the aquifer as the contractor has apparently lost a lot of bentonite.

 

Let's hope they find Ben tomorrow !!!

 

Brit15

[woodenhead]

On 16/09/2021 at 21:37, corneliuslundie said:

Can we have the Doric Arch back please now there is room?

J

No, but there will be a Dora (the Explorer) statue to encourage more train usage

[Mike Storey]

On 16/09/2021 at 21:36, Ron Ron Ron said:

More.....

 

A view of Euston Station, with the tower office block and other buildings along the front now demolished ...and the side streets on the west side of the station also now cleared of buildings.

You can also see the partial demolition work taking place on the west side of the station itself.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

.

 

Quite eerie to see it like this - lots of memories gone, including yet another building in which I used to work.

 

[Ron Ron Ron]

On 16/09/2021 at 21:37, corneliuslundie said:

Can we have the Doric Arch back please now there is room?

 

At first glance, I thought you said “ Can we have Doris Archer back please…..”

 

That takes me back quite a bit……..

…

[lmsforever]

Today I traveled by coach to Bourton on the Water to get there we went on the A41 out of Aylesbury and sat in a long traffic jam past  the HS2 works.  The roundabout enabling HS2 works traffic to access the site is complete but not connected to the main road yet.The track route is now obvious were it goes onto Quainton and a fence is taking shape on the perimiter of the site as is a pond for excess rain water.My other half commented about the width of the development I suppose this is because it will be on an embankment from behind Aylesbury and onwards to Calvert .The site around the A41 is one of constant work even today I could see graders ,diggers, etc going about thier business.  Coming home we came by the road from Stone towards Aylesbury and I was able to see over the wall and note that the track route is well marked out will probably be started on by next year . Going out we came to the turn off for Quainton that takes you right up to Quainton Rd station,in the layby HS2 have set up  a group of cabind for perssonel I saw a van with welfare unit on the side.There a great many roadworks at this location causing tailbacks but it will get better. The site near Stone has many buildings in use and is probably  a control centre for works,The site outside of Stoke Manderville is another very busy place the church excervations  are finding more bodies and an older church .Again you can see the route well marked out and the top surface cleared off and ready for the next stage, Also noted a ballast train on theBicester to Haddenham line  near Bicester were the line crosses the A41 .The line is really starting to make a prescence on the area but       I think that the real  work ie forming the route proper will start after xmas.

[melmerby]

3 hours ago, Mike Storey said:

 

Quite eerie to see it like this - lots of memories gone, including yet another building in which I used to work.

 

Do I see a pattern there?

You work in it and it gets demolished?

 

(Most of the GPO/PO/BT buildings I worked in have been demolished as well as the GEC factories in Coventry

[corneliuslundie]

I have that effect on youth hostels - at least I did when I could art least be described as youthful.

Jonathan

[Arun Sharma]

9 hours ago, corneliuslundie said:

I have that effect on youth hostels - at least I did when I could art least be described as youthful.

Jonathan

Sadly I have the same effect on YHs as well

[Dava]

On 16/09/2021 at 20:36, Ron Ron Ron said:

“Daddy can we go to Collectors Corner?”

 

”Not now, son!”

More.....

 

A view of Euston Station, with the tower office block and other buildings along the front now demolished ...and the side streets on the west side of the station also now cleared of buildings.

You can also see the partial demolition work taking place on the west side of the station itself.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

.

 

[Pandora]

Here is a link to the Public Accounts Committee report of 22nd September 2021 for  Project Groundnuts HS2:

https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/127/public-accounts-committee/news/157649/no-clear-end-in-sight-to-hs2-cost-or-delays-with-many-difficulties-ahead/

Edited September 24, 2021 by Pandora