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15 hours ago, Foulounoux said:

 

 

Which of of course they do on the French side as whilst the loops on the uk side are clock wise on the Calais side they are anti-clockwise 

 

presumably this is to accommodate the road layout either side 

 

 

 

and slightly unfair to question if boris understands about the gauge issue given the proposal is a road bridge 

The clockwise (UK) and anti-clockwise (Fr) orientation of the loops on the Channel Tunnel, are for two reasons:-

Equalisation of tyre/ wheel wear on locos and stock

It ensures that the road vehicles being loaded/ unloaded are facing the correct way.

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54 minutes ago, Colin_McLeod said:

Many of us modellers in Ireland have both Ireland and GB prototype models running on the same layout.

 

 

That possibly works as a model, but the advice is that at twelve inches to the foot scale, don't try 4' 8.5" vehicles on 5' 3" track and vice versa!

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Thank you,  to all the contributors, both positive and negative.

 

I see the BBC has been updating their bulletins on the project which is being officially invetigated by No. 10.

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-51443191

 

and more here:

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-south-scotland-49661019

 

As far as I can see the proposal for a fixed link ticks a lot of boxes.  There are no technical obstructions to construction, only the cost.  As to environmental factors, large chunks of the UK infrastructure has been struggling with the high winds and rain so nothing different for an Irish connection.  Cost benefit models can produce any outcome you want.  Most of the UK rail network probably never made a cash profit.  I have not checked my facts but I dare say the Humber Bridge runs at a loss.  But then how do you put a cost on employment benefits and people's well being?

 

I was trained as a Civil Egineer and had the privilege to work on major projects such as Drax and the New Selby Coalfield.  Most recently I undertook some of the intial studies for the WPR otherwise known as the Aberdeen Western ByPass.  It would be useful to have some more big projects to look up to.

 

Cheers Ray

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1 hour ago, Wickham Green said:

Well ...... IF a rail bridge/tunnel DID ever materialise, Irish Rail are ready to inter-operate with Europe as they've already adorned everything with UIC numbering !

( We Brits aren't quite there yet ! )

 

Other than classes 195 and 331, along with some of classes 66 and 92...

 

 

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1 hour ago, Silver Sidelines said:

There are no technical obstructions to construction, only the cost.

 

I very much doubt that is the case... unless you're just suggesting that if you're willing to throw enough money at it anything can be done...

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8 hours ago, Silver Sidelines said:

I see the BBC has been updating their bulletins on the project which is being officially invetigated by No. 10.

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-51443191

 

and more here:

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-south-scotland-49661019

 

I like the comment against the Mull of Kintyre - Torr Head crossing on the map - " cheaper option, but poor transport links". That is what is known as an understatement! From Glasgow, about 150 miles driving, mostly on two-lane roads. Or you could always get the ferry from Ardrossan to Campbeltown and drive to the crossing from there. ;)

 

As they say, the chances of this happening would appear to be slim to none, and Slim just left town!

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A bridge via Kintyre is fine for traffic from Ireland to/from Glasgow. But most traffic would surely be freight towards England and mainland Europe.

 

And, not wishing to be political, is it not odd that Boris of all people should propose this? It would have to be financed by the UK whereas until recently it would have been eligible for a lot of EU money.

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8 minutes ago, Wheatley said:

Surely if you can manage a bridge from Kintyre to Torr Head,  the other bridges needed to island hop across from Glasgow are easy ?

Instead of one big bridge it becomes about 5 smaller (but still really big) bridges. Larne is better connected to NI than Torr Head appears to be, though both routes would need substantial works on the mainlands if such a bridge is to be useful.

 

If they put a railway on there too, then it wouldn't be utterly crazy in the context of a project of this size to convert the Larne line to standard gauge and have dual gauge from Bleach Green to Great Victoria Street. It would need a Freightliner terminal somewhere on the NI side, and probably a substantial upgrade of the Ayr to Stranraer line. Since Mexico is paying then let's electrify it all too :)

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Comparisons have been made with the bridge between Denmark and Sweden. That has led to quite a swathe of Sweden becoming suburbs of Copenhagen and Copenhagen Airport expanding to deal with passengers to/from Sweden for whom it has now become their local airport.

 

All good stuff and helps justify the construction of the link. But Stranraer is just not on the same scale.

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2 hours ago, Joseph_Pestell said:

Comparisons have been made with the bridge between Denmark and Sweden. That has led to quite a swathe of Sweden becoming suburbs of Copenhagen and Copenhagen Airport expanding to deal with passengers to/from Sweden for whom it has now become their local airport.

 

All good stuff and helps justify the construction of the link. But Stranraer is just not on the same scale.

Why's that all good stuff?

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4 minutes ago, Joseph_Pestell said:

 

Most people think that economic growth and more job opportunities is a good thing.

 

We've had a constant pursuit of economic growth for decades that doesn't seem to have done much for most people, and a good chunk of the methods involved in getting it seem to involve trying to get rid of jobs - even where they don't look at what we've got now as a result of the pursuit of economic efficiency - job security is terrible for example. And when it brings a load of the sort of development that makes a place more unpleasant to actually be in, well, is it any wonder that I've completely lost faith in the mantra of economic growth? It all feels like a keeping up with the Jones's race rather than anything that's actually making life better these days.

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16 hours ago, Colin_McLeod said:

That, of course, poses a few problems for through rail communication  - necessitating stock capable of running on standard gauge over here, 5'3'' over there an' 3' in between ! - not to mention motive power, generally diesel over here, generally diesel over there and electric, horse an' steam in between ......................... but I'm sure the Irish Department of International Overland Transport can sort things out.

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