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HS2 progress 2020 and beyond
- Thread starter mikejee
- Start date
Richard Dye
master brummie
I would say that the biggest problem HS2 has is how poorly the idea was marketed. The promise of shaving 20 minutes off a train journey to London was never going to excite many.
That alone caused confusion over what HS2 is actually for. We have an outdated railway system that has seen remarkable growth in passengers. In 1997, passenger journeys totalled 800 million. By 2019, that figure had doubled to 1.75 billion on the same-sized railway network. The network had not seen these sorts of numbers since the 1920s. Before that, we had the Beeching cuts that decimated the rail network.
The West Coast Main Line must be one of the busiest in Europe, yet so many trains compete for track space. Lots of these trains all travel at different speeds i.e., you have the 125mph express trains running with 60mph freight and local services running in between. It must be a logistical nightmare.
The key idea of HS2 was to get all of the 125mph trains off the existing lines and on to a dedicated track so they can all run at the same speed. This would then free up capacity to run more local trains.
Just saying '20 mins off the London to Birmingham route' does not simply cut it
That alone caused confusion over what HS2 is actually for. We have an outdated railway system that has seen remarkable growth in passengers. In 1997, passenger journeys totalled 800 million. By 2019, that figure had doubled to 1.75 billion on the same-sized railway network. The network had not seen these sorts of numbers since the 1920s. Before that, we had the Beeching cuts that decimated the rail network.
The West Coast Main Line must be one of the busiest in Europe, yet so many trains compete for track space. Lots of these trains all travel at different speeds i.e., you have the 125mph express trains running with 60mph freight and local services running in between. It must be a logistical nightmare.
The key idea of HS2 was to get all of the 125mph trains off the existing lines and on to a dedicated track so they can all run at the same speed. This would then free up capacity to run more local trains.
Just saying '20 mins off the London to Birmingham route' does not simply cut it
Completely agree that that was/ should have been the aim of it. But directly the thing was cut to being just London -Birmingham, and even more when some bean counter thought , for a time, that passengers should change trains on the edge of London, then it became a bit of a joke, The only hope is thta at sometime the scheme is expanded to other routes, else it will end up like the A303, with a fast bit ending in lomg queues at the end
Lloyd
master brummie
It is almost as if they wanted it to fail.
Richard Dye
master brummie
Absolutely agree! There are a couple of things going, the increase in travelers (and what is the future looking like) and time. From a distance it looks like you have a lot of traffic at rush hours and then quiet, unutilized assets, very in efficient. As many progressive producers do, manage their shift patterns. It’s a change but it is fast and cost effective. This is not 1970, or 90 or 2010, workplace hours can and are different. If you reduce (spread out) train density on time service and traveler capacity will improve for very little expenditure.
Billions and billions are being spent and you are not done yet by a long shot. What is the believable finish date and cost? For 20 mins on London to Birmingham, don’t think so! What about Manchester, Liverpool, Edinburgh etc al?
MWS
from Bham
Don't think it's going to be finished before 2035 and with the amount of money already spent it has to be finished no matter what the cost.
Not defending anyone but it isn't easy building projects like this in Britain. Everyone wants the benefits but no one wants the inconvenience.
The same people who moan, form committees and take constructors/government to court about a new road, a new stadium or even new telephone mast being built near them will happily jump on a plane without a thought for the people that plane and the airport it takes off from effects.
Not defending anyone but it isn't easy building projects like this in Britain. Everyone wants the benefits but no one wants the inconvenience.
The same people who moan, form committees and take constructors/government to court about a new road, a new stadium or even new telephone mast being built near them will happily jump on a plane without a thought for the people that plane and the airport it takes off from effects.
Good point Richard. Extending it to Manchester, Liverpool, York and Edinburgh in my opinion would have had a significant positive impact upon the West Coast Mainline, The Midlands Main Line and the East Coast Maine line, increasing capacity significantly.
Richard Dye
master brummie
I think you/they need to put the brutal facts on the table and cast opinions aside. Look at the Chunnel, 30 years on and it’s still not meeting expectations (or where they pipe dreams). HS2 is 5 or 6 times the Chunnel if you are lucky.
Something has to be finished but certainly not with the current costs and deliverables or lack thereof!