Train GraphicClick on the map to explore geographics
 
I need help
FAQ
Emergency
About .
Travel & transport from BBC stories as at 11:55 28 Mar 2024
* Manhunt after stabbing in front of train passengers
- How do I renew my UK passport and what is the 10-year rule?
- Easter travel warning as millions set to hit roads
Read about the forum [here].
Register [here] - it's free.
What do I gain from registering? [here]
 02/06/24 - Summer Timetable starts
17/08/24 - Bus to Imber
27/09/25 - 200 years of passenger trains

On this day
28th Mar (1988)
Woman found murdered on Orpington to London train (*)

Train RunningCancelled
10:15 London Paddington to Cardiff Central
10:30 London Paddington to Weston-Super-Mare
10:41 Cardiff Central to London Paddington
11:00 Bristol Temple Meads to London Paddington
11:16 London Paddington to Cardiff Central
11:23 Weston-Super-Mare to London Paddington
11:30 London Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads
11:50 Cardiff Central to London Paddington
12:15 London Paddington to Cardiff Central
12:17 Westbury to Swindon
12:30 London Paddington to Weston-Super-Mare
13:00 Bristol Temple Meads to London Paddington
13:15 Swindon to Westbury
14:19 Westbury to Swindon
15:14 Swindon to Westbury
Short Run
06:00 London Paddington to Penzance
08:03 London Paddington to Penzance
10:35 London Paddington to Exeter St Davids
10:45 Bristol Temple Meads to Salisbury
10:55 Paignton to London Paddington
11:12 Salisbury to Bristol Temple Meads
11:23 Portsmouth Harbour to Cardiff Central
12:03 London Paddington to Penzance
12:12 Salisbury to Bristol Temple Meads
Delayed
07:10 Penzance to London Paddington
08:23 Portsmouth Harbour to Cardiff Central
08:35 Plymouth to London Paddington
08:48 London Paddington to Swansea
09:04 London Paddington to Plymouth
09:30 Weymouth to Gloucester
09:37 London Paddington to Paignton
09:51 Warminster to Gloucester
10:04 London Paddington to Penzance
13:03 London Paddington to Plymouth
PollsOpen and recent polls
Closed 2024-03-25 Easter Escape - to where?
Abbreviation pageAcronymns and abbreviations
Stn ComparatorStation Comparator
Rail newsNews Now - live rail news feed
Site Style 1 2 3 4
Next departures • Bristol Temple MeadsBath SpaChippenhamSwindonDidcot ParkwayReadingLondon PaddingtonMelksham
Exeter St DavidsTauntonWestburyTrowbridgeBristol ParkwayCardiff CentralOxfordCheltenham SpaBirmingham New Street
March 28, 2024, 12:04:00 *
Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Forgotten your username or password? - get a reminder
Most recently liked subjects
[161] West Wiltshire Bus Changes April 2024
[91] would you like your own LIVE train station departure board?
[62] Return of the BRUTE?
[53] If not HS2 to Manchester, how will traffic be carried?
[49] Infrastructure problems in Thames Valley causing disruption el...
[38] Reversing Beeching - bring heritage and freight lines into the...
 
News: A forum for passengers ... with input from rail professionals welcomed too
 
   Home   Help Search Calendar Login Register  
Pages: 1 ... 48 49 [50] 51 52 ... 114
  Print  
Author Topic: HS2 - Government proposals, alternative routes and general discussion  (Read 393815 times)
Lee
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 7519


GBR - The Emperor's New Rail Network


View Profile WWW
« Reply #735 on: April 10, 2019, 08:38:57 »

Euston HS2 (The next High Speed line(s)) demolition in pictures - https://www.building.co.uk/news/in-pictures-hs2-makes-progress-on-euston-demolition/5098915.article

http://www.constructionenquirer.com/2019/04/10/hs2-euston-demolition-milestone-as-workforce-tops-1000/
Logged

Vous devez être impitoyable, parce que ces gens sont des salauds - https://looka.com/s/78722877
Lee
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 7519


GBR - The Emperor's New Rail Network


View Profile WWW
« Reply #736 on: April 13, 2019, 08:45:54 »

Mum and son team to walk HS2 (The next High Speed line(s)) route in bid to derail line - https://stratfordobserver.co.uk/news/mum-and-son-team-to-walk-hs2-route-in-bid-to-derail-line-12423/

EDIT to fix link.
« Last Edit: April 13, 2019, 09:05:19 by Lee » Logged

Vous devez être impitoyable, parce que ces gens sont des salauds - https://looka.com/s/78722877
Lee
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 7519


GBR - The Emperor's New Rail Network


View Profile WWW
« Reply #737 on: April 16, 2019, 08:31:36 »

Notice to Proceed this year on HS2 (The next High Speed line(s)) Phase 1 work - https://www.railmagazine.com/news/network/notice-to-proceed-this-year-on-hs2-phase-1-work

Guardian opinion piece - https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/apr/16/scrap-hs2-north-hs3-rail-commuter-journeys
Logged

Vous devez être impitoyable, parce que ces gens sont des salauds - https://looka.com/s/78722877
Red Squirrel
Administrator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 5190


There are some who call me... Tim


View Profile
« Reply #738 on: April 16, 2019, 10:56:34 »

Simon Jenkins has been a consistent critic of this project, as I recall. However one of his points does rather resonate:

Quote
It is commuter railways, especially in the provinces, that are screaming for investment. The government’s obsession with another London-oriented mega-project is baffling.

Logged

Things take longer to happen than you think they will, and then they happen faster than you thought they could.
Lee
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 7519


GBR - The Emperor's New Rail Network


View Profile WWW
« Reply #739 on: April 18, 2019, 08:46:57 »

HS2 (The next High Speed line(s)) spends £600m on route properties - http://www.thebusinessdesk.com/yorkshire/news/2036961-hs2-spends-600m-on-route-properties

https://www.bbc.com/news/av/uk-england-south-yorkshire-47965920/what-s-it-like-to-be-in-the-way-of-the-hs2-route

Workers on HS2 are threatening to escalate a pay row which has broken-out on the Costain/Skanska joint venture (CSJV) enabling works site at Euston - http://www.constructionenquirer.com/2019/04/18/pay-row-set-to-escalate-on-hs2-enabling-works-site/
Logged

Vous devez être impitoyable, parce que ces gens sont des salauds - https://looka.com/s/78722877
Celestial
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 674


View Profile
« Reply #740 on: April 18, 2019, 10:26:37 »

Many of these properties will be those close to the line, but won't actually need to be demolished. But they are hard to sell because people don't want to live so close to a construction site, and they fear the noise once trains are running will be unbearable. So I suspect they will be rented out and once the line is up and running sold at a reasonable price.  Once trains are passing I expect the actual disturbance will be much less than feared and that will be reflected in the sale price.

So whilst it may be true to say that £600m has been spent buying properties, I expect the eventual cost of those properties will be mainly limited to those that need to be demolished. 
« Last Edit: April 18, 2019, 11:21:03 by Celestial » Logged
Lee
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 7519


GBR - The Emperor's New Rail Network


View Profile WWW
« Reply #741 on: April 23, 2019, 08:47:10 »

An irreverent look at one of HS2 (The next High Speed line(s))'s first planned buildings - a vent shaft - https://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2019/01/hs2s-first-london-building-is-a-mystery-cube/
Logged

Vous devez être impitoyable, parce que ces gens sont des salauds - https://looka.com/s/78722877
Lee
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 7519


GBR - The Emperor's New Rail Network


View Profile WWW
« Reply #742 on: April 24, 2019, 09:25:18 »

HS2 (The next High Speed line(s)) Ltd accused of accepting ‘abnormally low’ bid for station contract - https://www.newcivilengineer.com/latest/hs2-ltd-accused-of-accepting-abnormally-low-bid-for-station-contract/10042151.article
Logged

Vous devez être impitoyable, parce que ces gens sont des salauds - https://looka.com/s/78722877
Lee
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 7519


GBR - The Emperor's New Rail Network


View Profile WWW
« Reply #743 on: April 25, 2019, 08:50:40 »

https://www.building.co.uk/news/hs2-procurement-blunders-have-cost-us-100m-bechtel-says/5099129.article

Quote from: Building
HS2 (The next High Speed line(s)) procurement blunders have cost us £100m, Bechtel says

US giant goes to court after £1.1bn Old Oak station job awarded to Balfour Beatty team

Bechtel has said that its chance of winning the £1bn contract to build HS2’s Old Oak Common station was scuppered because of blunders the client made in its procurement process.

It has now gone to court to get the decision reversed and wants HS2 to award it the job instead – or stump up damages as an alternative.
Logged

Vous devez être impitoyable, parce que ces gens sont des salauds - https://looka.com/s/78722877
SandTEngineer
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 3485


View Profile
« Reply #744 on: April 28, 2019, 10:34:11 »

....and now more.  Looks like its going to cost us a lot....
https://www.bmmagazine.co.uk/news/french-rail-giant-sncf-threatens-to-sue-after-being-kicked-off-hs2-trains-bid/
Logged
Robin Summerhill
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 1145


View Profile Email
« Reply #745 on: April 28, 2019, 12:38:05 »


So it revolves around the issue of pensions again.

Being unwilling to take newspaper reports (or government statements for that matter...) at face value, have we any "insiders" around here who can explain/ amplify what the issue with pensions actually is, and how it has change since previous franchise awards?
Logged
stuving
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 7155


View Profile
« Reply #746 on: April 28, 2019, 13:19:10 »


I can't see that getting anywhere. If you don't like the terms of an ITT (Invitation to Tender), don't bid - that's how it works. Making a bid that doesn't comply with the ITT is no way to get it changed; that would have to be done by a public argument beforehand. If DfT» (Department for Transport - about) have done something that could be proved (e.g. by judicial review) not in the public interest, or not allowed by some obscure bit of legislation, it's us the public that need compensating (with our own money, of course), not any of the bidders.

And if their bid had been left in the competition, and the award had gone to them - or, even worse, to a compliant bid - the compliant bidders would have a very strong legal case against DfT.
Logged
Lee
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 7519


GBR - The Emperor's New Rail Network


View Profile WWW
« Reply #747 on: April 29, 2019, 03:39:40 »


So it revolves around the issue of pensions again.

Being unwilling to take newspaper reports (or government statements for that matter...) at face value, have we any "insiders" around here who can explain/ amplify what the issue with pensions actually is, and how it has change since previous franchise awards?

Lots of discussion including some explanation from long-time rail industry workers in this seperate topic.
Logged

Vous devez être impitoyable, parce que ces gens sont des salauds - https://looka.com/s/78722877
TaplowGreen
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 7743



View Profile
« Reply #748 on: April 29, 2019, 06:08:22 »


So it revolves around the issue of pensions again.

Being unwilling to take newspaper reports (or government statements for that matter...) at face value, have we any "insiders" around here who can explain/ amplify what the issue with pensions actually is, and how it has change since previous franchise awards?

It'll most likely be a (completely understandable) reluctance to take on very expensive final salary pension commitments. These pretty much only now exist in the public sector and for those with preserved rights in privatised industries (thank you Gordon Brown), and in many cases are massively underfunded with huge deficits. Taking them on involves similarly huge risk.

My Business has declined to bid for contracts in the past due to this being part of the deal as it's potentially financially crippling.

Most of these schemes are now closed to new entrants so it's not a problem that will last forever.
« Last Edit: April 29, 2019, 06:35:08 by TaplowGreen » Logged
Chris125
Full Member
***
Posts: 48


View Profile
« Reply #749 on: April 30, 2019, 23:02:05 »

Simon Jenkins has been a consistent critic of this project, as I recall. However one of his points does rather resonate:

Quote
It is commuter railways, especially in the provinces, that are screaming for investment. The government’s obsession with another London-oriented mega-project is baffling.

HS2 (The next High Speed line(s)) *is* an investment in commuter lines - by putting long distance passengers on new, separate tracks there is significantly more capacity and timetabling possibilities for commuter and regional services that previously had to share. The potential is huge.
« Last Edit: April 30, 2019, 23:07:15 by Chris125 » Logged
Do you have something you would like to add to this thread, or would you like to raise a new question at the Coffee Shop? Please [register] (it is free) if you have not done so before, or login (at the top of this page) if you already have an account - we would love to read what you have to say!

You can find out more about how this forum works [here] - that will link you to a copy of the forum agreement that you can read before you join, and tell you very much more about how we operate. We are an independent forum, provided and run by customers of Great Western Railway, for customers of Great Western Railway and we welcome railway professionals as members too, in either a personal or official capacity. Views expressed in posts are not necessarily the views of the operators of the forum.

As well as posting messages onto existing threads, and starting new subjects, members can communicate with each other through personal messages if they wish. And once members have made a certain number of posts, they will automatically be admitted to the "frequent posters club", where subjects not-for-public-domain are discussed; anything from the occasional rant to meetups we may be having ...

 
Pages: 1 ... 48 49 [50] 51 52 ... 114
  Print  
 
Jump to:  

Powered by MySQL Powered by PHP Powered by SMF 1.1.2 | SMF © 2006-2007, Simple Machines LLC Valid XHTML 1.0! Valid CSS!
This forum is provided by customers of Great Western Railway (formerly First Great Western), and the views expressed are those of the individual posters concerned. Visit www.gwr.com for the official Great Western Railway website. Please contact the administrators of this site if you feel that the content provided by one of our posters contravenes our posting rules (email link to report). Forum hosted by Well House Consultants

Jump to top of pageJump to Forum Home Page