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Aug 24th, 2023
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Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 26,759 Likes: 424
Member of the Inner Circle
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Member of the Inner Circle
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 26,759 Likes: 424 |
To me the HS2 is a vanity project based on the misguided political idiots. Other countries have them but few, if any, are a success. The construction/feasability industry will get paid £££££. Maybe their lobbying efforts are better than other groups against it.
That amount of money would be better used and more sensible if spent on long distance transport systems, road, rail perhaps combining with freight transport and local road deliveries, using overnight rail trains?
Major companies have centralised or regional distribution centres yet still send fleets onto roads. A decent example is Ford at Bridgend. Engines were transported by rail on a purpose built line linking the factory to the national network.
HS2 is going to be a premium cost option with companies paying employees fares, general public making very occasional journeys. No freight. The projections for benefits are great acts of fiction.
The last time I used a train was to go to pick up my 4/4 from Allon White. Train from Llanelli, changes at Bristol Parkway, Birmingham New St. Then picked up from Milton Keynes by car. When booking the ticket I discovered a £25 saving by buying a separate ticket for each leg rather than a single full journey ticket! A truly mad rail system.
Tell me about it the tunnel under Amersham comes out 2 miles across the valley from my house. Destroying an AONB. Whilst the Chiltern rail will still run old overcrowded trains into Marylebone.
JohnV6
2022 CX Plus Four
2025 MG ZS EV aka Trigger
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Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 1,615 Likes: 1
Talk Morgan Enthusiast
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Talk Morgan Enthusiast
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 1,615 Likes: 1 |
I have just driven 150 miles from Swindon to Saffron Walden in 2.5 hrs. Not bad and it would have taken best part of a day by train door to door. I am afraid personal freedom will always be demanded.
John
1992 plus4 connaught green
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Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 11,868 Likes: 138
Scruffy Oik Member of the Inner Circle
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Scruffy Oik Member of the Inner Circle
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 11,868 Likes: 138 |
I have just driven 150 miles from Swindon to Saffron Walden in 2.5 hrs. Not bad and it would have taken best part of a day by train door to door. I am afraid personal freedom will always be demanded. 2 hours 50 minutes by the fastest service actually, admittedly there's getting to and from the station at each end to add to that. I am sure our personal freedom to travel in a manner we wish will continue to be available as it always has been, and, just like it always has been, the scope of choice available will be largely defined by the size of one's wallet. In the 1950's it took someone on average wages around 15 minutes to earn enough to buy a litre of petrol. Nowadays it takes around 5 minutes. I would think that in the future we'll probably see a return to 1950's type levels of expense, but it'll still be available.
Tim H.
1986 4/4 VVTi Sport, 2002 LR Defender, 2022 Mini Cooper SE
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Joined: May 2010
Posts: 9,285 Likes: 69
Needs to Get Out More!
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Needs to Get Out More!
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 9,285 Likes: 69 |
Increase rail capacity?
Try adding one extra carriage per train.......ok some platforms may be a bit short but not an impossibility....indicate who will have to use which as often happens with split trains now.
Double decker style carriages where bridges and tunnels allow ( raise them if needed!).
Perhaps I am making a really stupid suggestion here?
Plus Four MY23 Furka Rouge
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Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 1,615 Likes: 1
Talk Morgan Enthusiast
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Talk Morgan Enthusiast
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 1,615 Likes: 1 |
I have just driven 150 miles from Swindon to Saffron Walden in 2.5 hrs. Not bad and it would have taken best part of a day by train door to door. I am afraid personal freedom will always be demanded. I failed to mention that my crv was full of Christmas stuff for grandchildren and daughter in law. Impossible to carry on train.
John
1992 plus4 connaught green
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Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 11,868 Likes: 138
Scruffy Oik Member of the Inner Circle
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Scruffy Oik Member of the Inner Circle
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 11,868 Likes: 138 |
Increase rail capacity?
Try adding one extra carriage per train.......ok some platforms may be a bit short but not an impossibility....indicate who will have to use which as often happens with split trains now.
Double decker style carriages where bridges and tunnels allow ( raise them if needed!).
Perhaps I am making a really stupid suggestion here?
I don't think they are stupid suggestions, far from it, but apparently there's a major shortage of rolling stock and the problem with double-decker coaches is that they'd be restricted in terms of which routes they could use. Stonehouse station manages fine, even though an 8-coach Intercity 125 can only fit the front two coaches on the platform. They restored the double track between Swindon and Kemble a few years ago, opening the way to much more frequent services on the Golden Valley line, but nothing's come of it yet because they haven't got enough stock. I think that there's probably scope for increasing train frequencies too, but as I understand it that would require a thorough overhaul of the signalling and train management technology. I'm sure Bob would know far more about this.
Tim H.
1986 4/4 VVTi Sport, 2002 LR Defender, 2022 Mini Cooper SE
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Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 21,871 Likes: 168
Roadster Guru Member of the Inner Circle
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Roadster Guru Member of the Inner Circle
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 21,871 Likes: 168 |
In the days of steam there would be spare carriages at most medium to large stations and a carriage or two
would be added if required by the station pilot. (A locomotive set aside for such work).
Most local platforms can handle four carriages and the current design of concrete uprights bridged with concrete means that extending is simple enough. Some platforms are still wood.
Double decker are very unlikely due to this country being the first with railways and Stephenson loading gauge and rail gauge being adopted. They should have listened to Brunel.
The fact remains that in my travels I see hundreds of miles of route where quadrupling of track could be done without much disruption to current services. In some case the abandoned track is still there.
HS2 is folly. Route pricing is more influential than saving 20 minutes unless your customers are paying.
DaveW
'05 Red Roadster S1
'16 Yellow (Not the only) Narrow AR GDI Plus 4
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Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 6,829 Likes: 59
Talk Morgan Sage
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Talk Morgan Sage
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 6,829 Likes: 59 |
I think that there's probably scope for increasing train frequencies too, but as I understand it that would require a thorough overhaul of the signalling and train management technology. I'm sure Bob would know far more about this. There are all sorts of things to take into the equation. Line speed, gradient, braking distance, length of train, frequencies of train required etc. We use a fixed block system - one train, one time, one block. The continent and other places use what is called moving block which I am not completely familiar with. This is not compatible with fixed block so would require a whole new signalling system. We use 4 aspect signals in crowded areas, Red, Yellow, Double Yellow and Green. There was a trial of Flashing Green but it was not continued.
Best Regards
Lang may yer lum reek
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Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 3,643
Talk Morgan Addict
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Talk Morgan Addict
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 3,643 |
Paying for one or two travellers by train can be cost effective, however if you are paying for three or four travellers travelling by car and paying parking charges is often more cost effective.
Ian
2011 Plus 4
Wild Mogs Reims 2019, Goodwood 2018, Isle of Man 2017, Carried on to Caramulo" 2016
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Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 11,868 Likes: 138
Scruffy Oik Member of the Inner Circle
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Scruffy Oik Member of the Inner Circle
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 11,868 Likes: 138 |
We use a fixed block system - one train, one time, one block. The continent and other places use what is called moving block which I am not completely familiar with. This is not compatible with fixed block so would require a whole new signalling system.
Yes, that's what I was referring to. When I worked in Switzerland the guys used to tell me how much more efficient the European system was, allowing much higher traffic densities, but I really didn't understand how it worked other than it would need major changes to the UK systems to enable it.
Tim H.
1986 4/4 VVTi Sport, 2002 LR Defender, 2022 Mini Cooper SE
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