We're sadly fucked for the meantime in that regard, as many key parts of the network are severely overloaded due to our old friends underinvestment and rationalisation. Crossrail is proving to be contensous amongst the rail industry, not as to if it's needed, but that when it's trains come out the tunnels onto the existing network they are going to gobble up the few remaining freight paths on several lines.
Relatedly the 'unspoken' truth about HS2 (part1) which explains the questionable focus on shortening Brum's 1hr15 connection to London by 30mins is that the WCML is chockablock and it's so important for freight even the government is too fearful to steal it's freight paths for passenger traffic. So long distance and express passenger traffic jumps to HS2 (with lots of room spare) freeing up the WCML for more freight and local trains.
If we applied a progressive approach to things, even given the fecking self-fulfilling prophecy, sorry, recession, we'd be breaking ground on HSLs all over the place as relief lines, albeit ones rated at 140 mph or more.
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timeasmymeasure
Re: "What was life like when we still flew?"
Date: 2010-04-18 02:07 am (UTC)We're sadly fucked for the meantime in that regard, as many key parts of the network are severely overloaded due to our old friends underinvestment and rationalisation. Crossrail is proving to be contensous amongst the rail industry, not as to if it's needed, but that when it's trains come out the tunnels onto the existing network they are going to gobble up the few remaining freight paths on several lines.
Relatedly the 'unspoken' truth about HS2 (part1) which explains the questionable focus on shortening Brum's 1hr15 connection to London by 30mins is that the WCML is chockablock and it's so important for freight even the government is too fearful to steal it's freight paths for passenger traffic. So long distance and express passenger traffic jumps to HS2 (with lots of room spare) freeing up the WCML for more freight and local trains.
If we applied a progressive approach to things, even given the fecking self-fulfilling prophecy, sorry, recession, we'd be breaking ground on HSLs all over the place as relief lines, albeit ones rated at 140 mph or more.