HS2

[Ron Ron Ron]

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Work continues on the Chiltern Tunnels, despite the TBM's having completed their jobs and been taken away months ago.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[St Enodoc]

10 hours ago, jjb1970 said:

 

Istanbul airport and Turkish Airlines demonstrate a transformation in the European aviation industry that few people in Britain and the EU seem to have noticed.

 

Istanbul airport is vast, and extremely impressive, probably the most impressive airport in Europe now (it is on the North side of the straits).

 

Similarly Turkish has a staggering route network and excellent onboard service, an extremely good airline. I sometimes use them Singapore - Europe and their fares are usually very competitive and the flight experience as good as it gets (though for various personal preferences I tend to fly via China more).

 

The old European hubs look and feel increasingly tired and past it next to the new mega airports and Euro legacy carriers (BA, AF, LH, KLM, SAS etc) feel expensive and very average.

 

I see a similar evolution in high speed railways. Every person in the western world has an opinion of China but their high speed rail service really is worth trying. It makes my recent ICE and THALYS experiences feel very mediocre.

I love flying but hate airports. I therefore make all my long-haul trips with as few stops as possible - preferably just one and preferably at SIN (and also, preferably, by A380). I'm really looking forward to QF's Sydney/London non-stops when the A350-1000s finally arrive.

[adb968008]

5 hours ago, MidlandRed said:

And if you don’t believe people would travel with luggage on a tram just watch the number transferring to/from the tram at E Croydon for connecting rail services (some to Gatwick A). 

That would be me there..

A taxi from mine to Gatwick is now £75 for a 30 minute taxi, with people and luggage from Sutton.

So on a family trip the economics of a family ticket (I think thats about £15 too)  to ECY in 15 minutes and a £20 cab home, or a quick tram ride to WCY is a no brainer.

 

However would I consider doing that for a flight from BHX taking HS2 (or Avanti today even) .. no way ! i’d rather stay home and do as much domestic work as the wife can throw at me, than do that… i’ll do LHR, LGW or LCY but after that its faster to fly to Europe and connect than fly from elsewhere in the UK.

 

 

Edited Wednesday at 23:31 by adb968008

[jjb1970]

39 minutes ago, St Enodoc said:

I love flying but hate airports. I therefore make all my long-haul trips with as few stops as possible - preferably just one and preferably at SIN (and also, preferably, by A380). I'm really looking forward to QF's Sydney/London non-stops when the A350-1000s finally arrive.

 

I am a sad individual and enjoy plane spotting and taking snaps of aircraft, so I enjoy spending a couple of hours gawping through the windows at airports like Ho Chi Minh,  Shanghai,  Beijing and Istanbul (though unfortunately the terminal window design makes taking pics at Bangkok a pain). 

 

On the other hand, I do find small airports better from a strictly passenger perspective.  Less walking and usually less crowded and less queuing  (though that is not always the case). Ho Chi Minh international terminal is quite small and feels like a leftover from the 70's but I  like it as transferring there is pretty quick and painless.

[adb968008]

7 hours ago, jjb1970 said:

 

I am a sad individual and enjoy plane spotting and taking snaps of aircraft, so I enjoy spending a couple of hours gawping through the windows at airports like Ho Chi Minh,  Shanghai,  Beijing and Istanbul (though unfortunately the terminal window design makes taking pics at Bangkok a pain). 

 

On the other hand, I do find small airports better from a strictly passenger perspective.  Less walking and usually less crowded and less queuing  (though that is not always the case). Ho Chi Minh international terminal is quite small and feels like a leftover from the 70's but I  like it as transferring there is pretty quick and painless.

On my way back once at AMS, KLM wouldnt check me in, as they had no record of having flown out bound.. at which I said… “ooooooh.. yes I did”, the gate agent replies when you say it like now I know theres a story…..

 

I said let me tell you about this one..

 

 

I flew in from Alan Partridge International …

Its a Man and Wife run Airport.

I arrived early, it was closed.

I sat outside and waited for them to arrive and unlock the doors.

She turned up, unlocked the doors, turned on the lights, logged in opened the desk.

He plugged the scanner in.

She couldnt remember her password to login.

I and 6 others queued up.

We collected hand written boarding passes instead.

Then we queued up at the scanners whilst she closed the desk and the doors.

They then watched us through the scanners and checked our passports.

They then locked security up behind us.

They opened the cafe and the gate.

We waited for the 1 flight a day to arrive.

After a while a Transit van with wings landed

A few people got out, headed in.

Then they opened the gates and let us out.

Off we flew to Amsterdam.

They presumably locked up the airport and went home again.

Norwich Airport, the closest most of us will get to private jetting.

https://www.norwichairport.co.uk/terminal-map/

I noticed theyve spent a bit of money on the place since I was there.. its even got a sign now.

 

I showed him my outward boarding pass and he agreed thats the first time he’d seen that.. so at least one part of my story was true.

Edited Thursday at 07:47 by adb968008

[96701]

LBC are reporting that the line to Crewe is back on, even asked Andy Street about it.

[62613]

16 minutes ago, 96701 said:

LBC are reporting that the line to Crewe is back on, even asked Andy Street about it.

Hope so! In full, to the bill with the Royal assent?

[martin_wynne]

17 minutes ago, 96701 said:

LBC are reporting that the line to Crewe is back on, even asked Andy Street about it.

 

https://www.lbc.co.uk/news/hs2-london-euston-to-crewe-labour/

 

[phil-b259]

17 minutes ago, 96701 said:

LBC are reporting that the line to Crewe is back on, even asked Andy Street about it.

 

Aye - its being billed as a 'scoup' by Global broadcasting (who own LBC, Classic FM, etc)

 

Hopefuly common sense has prevailed at last....

[martin_wynne]

"It is also understood that HS2 Ltd will not be overseeing Phase 2a, instead it will be handed to a private sector consortium."

[phil-b259]

1 minute ago, 62613 said:

Hope so! In full, to the bill with the Royal assent?

 

The bill to construct HS2 does not detail the exact fit out - its concerned with the alignment and ability to construct the civils.

 

Things like the type of track system or even tunnel diameters could, as far as I know still be changed (though the later is unlikely given the volume of redesign necessary)

[62613]

Just now, phil-b259 said:

 

The bill to construct HS2 does not detail the exact fit out - its concerned with the alignment and ability to construct the civils.

 

Things like the type of track system or even tunnel diameters could, as far as I know still be changed (though the later is unlikely given the volume of redesign necessary)

The point is that this section gave, or gives, the most benefit in terms of congestion relief; there are major junctions at Norton Bridge, Stafford and Colwich which would be bypassed, and something which I hadn't realised until I looked at Google Maps the other day, the two - track section through Shugborough Tunnel. What the track type, etc. is, doesn't really matter. On the Article; the lunatic Taxpayers' Alliance once again doesn't know what it's talking about!

[phil-b259]

I note the proxy Tory party (aka " The taxpayers Alliance") are beetling on about the extra spending on a 'White elephant' completely ignoring the fact that HS2 is only a 'white elephant' precisely because of their mate Rishi's cutting of phase 2 that leaves the bottlenecks of Colwich Junction, Stafford not to mention a deeply flawed connection at Handsacre in place.

 

That said moving delivery of phase 2A away from the current HS2 management is probably a sound move though one wonders if thats more driven by a desire to draw a line under things and separate phase 2A from the toxicity which HS2 has become than a real expectation of significantly cheaper delivery of the line to Crewe

[adb968008]

24 minutes ago, martin_wynne said:

"It is also understood that HS2 Ltd will not be overseeing Phase 2a, instead it will be handed to a private sector consortium."

Here we go…

 

Fresh pigs at the old trough.

Edited Thursday at 11:14 by adb968008

[adb968008]

Here comes those premium fares ive been saying for 4 years..

 

Quote

HS2 from London Euston to Crewe could save the government money by allowing them to lease the line out for much more.

The High Speed Rail Group estimated selling the rights to run the line could be worth up to £20bn.

Selling the rights means the cost has to be recovered somehow…and theres only 1 source of revenue.. muggins with an e-ticket.

 

Like any sale, a buyer only buys it if theres profit to be made. In which case the seller has to be giving up enough profit, for immediate cash now, to be worthwhile the buyer buying it.

 

So why the firesale ?.. I thought we were creating a new sovereign wealth fund ? If this is an attractive business wouldnt they be better owning it ?
 

Or is this an admission that it isnt, and a firesale of cash coming in distracts from the black hole behind ?

Gordon browns gold giveaway comes to mind now.

Edited Thursday at 11:12 by adb968008

[phil-b259]

Just now, 62613 said:

On the Article; the lunatic Taxpayers' Alliance once again doesn't know what it's talking about!

 

Thats probably because its really a closet group of Tory / Reform party supporters who hate anything Government driven (plus paying taxes) and lobby for as much to be left to the unregulated private sector as possible.

 

The sad thing is many get taken in by their shortermist and selfish outlook - such is the power of personal greed and self interest amongst the population.

 

And assuming the LBC story is true I suspect we will see many of the other 'usual suspects' piling in to rubbish the plan.

[phil-b259]

2 minutes ago, adb968008 said:

Here comes those premium fares ive been saying for 4 years..

 

Selling the rights means the cost has to be recovered somehow…and theres only 1 source of revenue.. muggins with an e-ticket.

 

 

It should be noted that HS1 has been similarly let out to a private sector consortium* for a long duration** and that hasn't resulted in exorbitant fares for either South Eastern commuters nor international travellers on Eurostar

 

*Although on the surface HS1 is operated and maintained by Network Rail the truth is thats only because the owners have decided to give Network Rail the contract to do so. HS1 is not owned by Network Rail in any shape or form!

 

** Like the M6 toll motorway or indeed the Channel tunnel, there will come a time when the infrastructure will return to Governmental ownership so its not perpetually the plaything of private enterprise

[adb968008]

3 minutes ago, phil-b259 said:

 

It should be noted that HS1 has been similarly let out to a private sector consortium* for a long duration** and that hasn't resulted in exorbitant fares for either South Eastern commuters nor international travellers on Eurostar

 

*Although on the surface HS1 is operated and maintained by Network Rail the truth is thats only because the owners have decided to give Network Rail the contract to do so. HS1 is not owned by Network Rail in any shape or form!

 

SE High Speed has been a premium fare from day 1.

 

3 minutes ago, phil-b259 said:

 

** Like the M6 toll motorway or indeed the Channel tunnel, there will come a time when the infrastructure will return to Governmental ownership so its not perpetually the plaything of private enterprise

 

if its like the Water companies and the Buses.. it will revert to government ownership once bled dry of profit and bereft of maintenance, in dire need of investment.

 

Ive full confidence future Politicians will line up to point fingers, deep root the taxpayer and flog it off again at a massive loss no doubt.

 

 

 

Edited Thursday at 11:20 by adb968008

[phil-b259]

14 minutes ago, adb968008 said:

Here we go…

 

And?

 

Given the less than stellar performance of HS2 ltd - a Government organisation then handing things over to the private sector might be a good move.

 

And if you want a reminder that Government led rail projects don't have a brillant record go back and study the debacle which was the IET procurement process - a process which not only cost way more than it would have done if led by the private sector train leasing companies but also saddled the taxpayer with a 25 year lease & maintain contract which is far in excess of anything else in the industry.

[phil-b259]

4 minutes ago, adb968008 said:

 

SE High Speed has been a premium fare from day 1.

 

 

 

But not ruinously premium!

 

And you should take note that in spite of said 'premium fare' ridership levels continued to increase at a healthy rate since HS1 openedwith most SE services into St Pancras well used, particularly in the peaks!

Edited Thursday at 11:20 by phil-b259

[woodenhead]

5 minutes ago, adb968008 said:

 

SE High Speed has been a premium fare from day 1.

 

 

It costs me the same to get to Maidstone from London whether I go via St Pancras or Victoria when coming from Manchester.

[adb968008]

10 minutes ago, phil-b259 said:

 

And?

 

Given the less than stellar performance of HS2 ltd - a Government organisation then handing things over to the private sector might be a good move.

 

And if you want a reminder that Government led rail projects don't have a brillant record go back and study the debacle which was the IET procurement process - a process which not only cost way more than it would have done if led by the private sector train leasing companies but also saddled the taxpayer with a 25 year lease & maintain contract which is far in excess of anything else in the industry.

Theres only so many civvies in the industry.

 

Crossrail fell apart as soon the money well ran dry and as HS2 rocked up with a pile of cash.

 

linkedin is full of Crossrail to HS2 migrants, before Crossrail was completed.

it goes without saying if “HS2 North” or whatever it ends up being rocks up with a bag of cash those same migrants will fly from HS2 no doubt seeing that dry well fall into its political fate.

 

The lesson here is finish the job you start before handing out new cash… anyone doing a house renovation will tell you putting the roof on before the walls is foolish. I would have thought they learned that when they started building walls before the foundations were complete.

Edited Thursday at 11:29 by adb968008

[woodenhead]

So it's announced by proxy that HS2A will be built and we're here arguing over it?

 

I thought we were pro rail and pro WCML improvement.

 

To me it sounds the most sensible proposal - build what already has approval rather than start all over.  And if it is being built as approved it will still be the high speed solution with concrete slab etc.

[62613]

16 minutes ago, phil-b259 said:

 

Thats probably because its really a closet group of Tory / Reform party supporters who hate anything Government driven (plus paying taxes) and lobby for as much to be left to the unregulated private sector as possible.

 

The sad thing is many get taken in by their shortermist and selfish outlook - such is the power of personal greed and self interest amongst the population.

 

And assuming the LBC story is true I suspect we will see many of the other 'usual suspects' piling in to rubbish the plan.

The source of their funding is mired in mystery; they operate from the same group of offices as a couple of other fundamentalist free - market climate - denying lobby groups

[62613]

4 minutes ago, woodenhead said:

So it's announced by proxy that HS2A will be built and we're here arguing over it?

 

I thought we were pro rail and pro WCML improvement.

 

To me it sounds the most sensible proposal - build what already has approval rather than start all over.  And if it is being built as approved it will still be the high speed solution with concrete slab etc.

Good post!