RMweb Gold Darius43 Posted February 14, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 14, 2021 Rail bosses plan to build tunnel from Scotland to Northern Ireland “while the width of railway track in Ireland may need to be altered, the proposal said.” You think!!!! Sounds like a money making opportunity for consultants and a sop to the Democratic Unionists (who are currently even more angry and upset than their default angry and upset condition) than a serious proposition. Cheers Darius 4 11 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fenman Posted February 14, 2021 Share Posted February 14, 2021 It is at least probably more feasible (less unfeasible?) than Boris's mad bridge proposal, though. I wonder what the business case would look like... Paul 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gibbo675 Posted February 14, 2021 Share Posted February 14, 2021 Hi Folks, I'm rather amused that the land corridor used railway line that was shut by Beeching's cuts is now being touted as a new route ! The re-gauging of Ulster's lines won't be of so much of a problem as it might have been in the past for they will be able to use all of the surplus redundant stock here in mainland Britain that are currently subject to massive timetable cuts. Gibbo. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MR Chuffer Posted February 14, 2021 Share Posted February 14, 2021 This is a joke isn't it? Is someone at the Guardian having a laugh? Or they've misread their calendar as April 1st... 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pH Posted February 14, 2021 Share Posted February 14, 2021 “Return of the Port Road!” 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Jeremy Cumberland Posted February 14, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 14, 2021 It's doubtless for when Scotland votes for Independance and Northern Ireland votes for a united Ireland. Scotland's route to Europe will be via Rosslare and Cherbourg. 3 7 1 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium petethemole Posted February 14, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 14, 2021 Beaufort's Dyke might be a problem, the tunnel will have to go under it deep enough to prevent vibrations disturbing the huge dump of WW2 explosives that lies above. I don't see the Republic wanting to change gauge. 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
KeithMacdonald Posted February 14, 2021 Share Posted February 14, 2021 4 minutes ago, petethemole said: Beaufort's Dyke might be a problem, the tunnel will have to go under it deep enough to prevent vibrations disturbing the huge dump of WW2 explosives that lies above. I don't see the Republic wanting to change gauge. It might, if they went that way, but: Quote a preferred route for the tunnel, based on 120-year-old research by the Victoria engineer James Barton, would be diverted to avoid Beaufort’s Dyke, a 1,000ft deep trench in the Irish Sea. https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/feb/14/rail-bosses-revive-plan-to-build-tunnel-from-scotland-to-northern-ireland 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Darius43 Posted February 14, 2021 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted February 14, 2021 4 minutes ago, petethemole said: Beaufort's Dyke might be a problem, the tunnel will have to go under it deep enough to prevent vibrations disturbing the huge dump of WW2 explosives that lies above. I don't see the Republic wanting to change gauge. “a preferred route for the tunnel, based on 120-year-old research by the Victoria engineer James Barton, would be diverted to avoid Beaufort’s Dyke, a 1,000ft deep trench in the Irish Sea.” Looks like they have thought about that using the most up-to-date information they could find. Cheers Darius 1 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bernard Lamb Posted February 14, 2021 Share Posted February 14, 2021 If a Scottish native Haggis manages to get through the tunnel to Ireland will it be regarded as a native or an invasive species? Bernard 2 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold franciswilliamwebb Posted February 14, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 14, 2021 5 minutes ago, Bernard Lamb said: If a Scottish native Haggis manages to get through the tunnel to Ireland will it be regarded as a native or an invasive species? Bernard or an asylum seeker? 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdvle Posted February 14, 2021 Share Posted February 14, 2021 1 hour ago, Darius43 said: Sounds like a money making opportunity for consultants and a sop to the Democratic Unionists (who are currently even more angry and upset than their default angry and upset condition) than a serious proposition. Going to the HSRG website and looking at the membership, it is funded by rolling stock makers and rail infrastructure construction companies - so all who benefit from new build railway infrastructure. So this is merely taking Boris' crazy idea of the Boris Bridge and moving to a slightly more practical solution, and wrapping it in the current Northern Ireland/DUP anger over the Brexit Border down the Irish Sea - and despite the claims in the media article it won't solve that border issue. But what it does sort of have going for it would be the ego of Boris, who could have a grand infrastructure project to his name, and way to pretend to deal with the issues that have angered the DUP and their supporters without actually dealing with it (albeit by spending a lot of money). 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Enterprisingwestern Posted February 14, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 14, 2021 In the spirit of the seriousness of the newspaper article, wouldn't it be easier to go via The Island of Sodor and The Isle of Man, it would make the tunnel shorter and avoid the trench? Mike. 4 4 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wheatley Posted February 14, 2021 Share Posted February 14, 2021 (edited) This is part of the Hendry Union Connectivity Review which is also considering the Boris Bridge. There's no guarantee either will be built, he could decide to subsidise air links or upgrade the A55 to motorway instead. Or not. Edited February 14, 2021 by Wheatley Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hando Posted February 14, 2021 Share Posted February 14, 2021 (edited) Besides all the discussion of the routes and the avoidance of Beaufort's Trench, wouldn't the tunnel be digging through loads of very hard rock?! Please enlighten me... Thanks, Alex Edited February 14, 2021 by Hando Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rivercider Posted February 14, 2021 Share Posted February 14, 2021 My view is that the political importance of this link outweighs the economic importance. At the current time the idea to bind Northern Ireland closer to Great Britain has a greater political importance for some, though I could see that changing quite rapidly in the coming months and years, cheers 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodenhead Posted February 14, 2021 Share Posted February 14, 2021 As mentioned above, given timelines to design and build a 31 mile tunnel under the Irish sea, the only benefit would be to allow the Scots to by-pass England to get to Europe - Northern Ireland being either part of the Free Trade zone bordering the EU or actually part of the EU because it has re-unified with the Republic. It's a good idea for Europe leaving England and Wales as an island within an Island surrounded by the EU. Given the shakiness of the union at present I am not sure if this strengthens or further erodes it. 5 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
APOLLO Posted February 14, 2021 Share Posted February 14, 2021 Isambard Kingdom Johnson !!!!!!!!!!!!!! Brit15 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium nick_bastable Posted February 14, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 14, 2021 Mocking the idea he said: “The trains could be pulled by an inexhaustible herd of Unicorns overseen by stern, officious dodos. https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/boris-johnsons-unicorn-plan-build-23499131 whose making the first rtr unicorn train ? Nick B 1 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Storey Posted February 14, 2021 Share Posted February 14, 2021 The Guardian report is strange, in that the proposal was first made in a paper to Hendy's Connectivity Review (as requested by HMG) on 4th January 2021 (publicised on 5th January), as just one of seven recommendations. All of the others, it seems, are uncontroversial, and this one is worth reporting some six weeks later...... go figure! Although I would guess that some further detail has been released more recently. A 31 mile tunnel does not sound outrageous to me, compared for example to the Channel Tunnel, although the geology is somewhat more difficult. but the Japanese have successfully tunnelled through granite over considerable distances, and did not seek a financial return on the capital, as have the Swiss, although they do seek some kind of ROC. The article also goes on to make quite clear that this proposal is for after HS2 is largely complete (although four of their other recommendations extend that period by quite a lot). So its relevance to the current woes affecting the Union are largely irrelevant. Personally, as an effort to reduce air and road traffic, I believe it has merits, dependent on the costs. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Andy Hayter Posted February 14, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 14, 2021 (edited) 1980s Margret Thatcher championed the Channel Tunnel to ensure a firm link between the UK and Europe. 30 odd years later that link is severed. 2020s BJ champions a Scotland - NI tunnel to secure links within the UK. I think we can guess when the UK breaks up. Edited February 14, 2021 by Andy Hayter typo 5 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Dagworth Posted February 14, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 14, 2021 (edited) 6 minutes ago, Steamport Southport said: Worth looking at which are the only two "newspapers" to run this story. Even the BBC hasn't ran it. Fake news and just a diversion from the fact the government met their vaccination targets early. Buy better 'papers.... Those papers including the Telegraph, Daily Mail... all have run it. Edited February 14, 2021 by Dagworth Add screenshot 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pH Posted February 14, 2021 Share Posted February 14, 2021 (edited) 3 hours ago, Jeremy C said: Scotland's route to Europe will be via Rosslare and Cherbourg. 2 hours ago, woodenhead said: .. allow the Scots to by-pass England to get to Europe - Northern Ireland being either part of the Free Trade zone bordering the EU or actually part of the EU because it has re-unified with the Republic. It wouldn’t be needed. Traffic from Scotland to Europe could sail directly from ports on the east coast such as Leith or Aberdeen across the North Sea. Fishermen are already doing this, sailing to Denmark to land catches, rather than facing the congestion around the southern English ports. Edited February 14, 2021 by pH 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steamport Southport Posted February 14, 2021 Share Posted February 14, 2021 6 minutes ago, Dagworth said: Those papers including the Telegraph, Daily Mail... all have run it. Sorry. My mistake. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Legroom Posted February 14, 2021 Share Posted February 14, 2021 And to think that a lot of people think that HS2 is a white elephant! 9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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