Author Topic: Railways  (Read 60680 times)

0 Members and 2 Guests are viewing this topic.

Offline hollins

  • Management board member
  • *
  • Posts: 3411
Re: Railways
« Reply #30 on: January 30, 2013, 07:50:39 am »
Excellent models! There is a good series of programmes on BBC2 at the moment about the building of the Welsh Highland Railway, on at 7pm, the first two programmes have been shown last night and tonight, I expect it is on I player though.

Yes, thanks ME, we have been watching that programme and found it very interesting.
Just checked back on the forum and saw that we did the trip in August 2011. I hadn't realised that it had only fairly recently been opened then until I saw the programme.
I also hadn't appreciated the amount of voluntary work that had gone in to making it and about the disapproval of the project from some.

Fester, Yes I think you must be right about leaving the bare wood.

Offline Merddin Emrys

  • Ad Free Member
  • *
  • Posts: 4426
Re: Railways
« Reply #31 on: January 30, 2013, 08:32:56 am »
HS2, I have not done any research on the subject, but gut instinct tells me that it is a total waste of money just to reduce journey times to and from London for business people. I believe that the money would be better spent on lots of local projects over the whole of the UK to help many more people. Any thoughts?
A pigeon is for life not just Christmas


Offline Ian

  • Administrator
  • Posts: 8949
Re: Railways
« Reply #32 on: January 30, 2013, 08:53:21 am »
HS2 is one of those 'great' projects, that would never be undertaken by private enterprise.  The costs are eye-watering, that's for sure, and I suppose the great debate is about whether it's a good use of billions of pounds. What did surprise me, slightly, was the relatively small savings over current travelling times. If it could do Manchester to London in 30 minutes, then - yes - probably a good idea. However, I'm guessing that the  thinking behind the scheme is to enable the Scots to travel to places like Paris and Berlin with significantly shorter journey times than at present. And I suppose that'll be good for the economy.
Nothing is so firmly believed as that which we least know.  ― Michel de Montaigne

Si hoc legere scis, nimis eruditionis habes.

Offline DaveR

  • Administrator
  • Posts: 13712
Re: Railways
« Reply #33 on: January 30, 2013, 08:56:02 am »
Back in the 19th Century, almost the entire UK railway network was built in little over one decade. Now, it will take twice that time to build one railway line.

One railway line costing £34,500,000,000 does seem ridiculous!

Offline Yorkie

  • Member
  • Posts: 5255
Re: Railways
« Reply #34 on: January 30, 2013, 09:14:05 am »
The whole spending ethos of Government is a complete mystery! :rage:

I cannot see the benefit of saving an hour on a 200 mile journey.   Is time THAT important?    ?{}?
Wise men have something to say.
Fools have to say something.
Cicero

Offline Merddin Emrys

  • Ad Free Member
  • *
  • Posts: 4426
Re: Railways
« Reply #35 on: January 30, 2013, 10:38:00 am »
Why do all these business people need to keep travelling so much anyway? Surely a lot of it can be done over the Internet?
A pigeon is for life not just Christmas

Offline Ian

  • Administrator
  • Posts: 8949
Re: Railways
« Reply #36 on: January 30, 2013, 10:41:39 am »
Quote
One railway line costing £34,500,000,000 does seem ridiculous!

Roughly the same as the entire NASA budget for the 1960s.
Nothing is so firmly believed as that which we least know.  ― Michel de Montaigne

Si hoc legere scis, nimis eruditionis habes.

Offline mull

  • Management board member
  • *
  • Posts: 742
Re: Railways
« Reply #37 on: January 30, 2013, 10:50:06 am »
HS2 is needed .
Both East and West Coast Main lines are reaching capacity NOW. Before twenty years and they will not be able to cope with the increase in traffic.
Why does it always take so long for this country to get on and build things ?

Offline Ian

  • Administrator
  • Posts: 8949
Re: Railways
« Reply #38 on: January 30, 2013, 10:56:05 am »
Quote
Why does it always take so long for this country to get on and build things ?

Because we're a democracy?
Nothing is so firmly believed as that which we least know.  ― Michel de Montaigne

Si hoc legere scis, nimis eruditionis habes.

Offline Fester

  • Ad Free Member.
  • *
  • Posts: 6660
  • El Baldito
Re: Railways
« Reply #39 on: January 30, 2013, 11:35:52 am »
Why do all these business people need to keep travelling so much anyway? Surely a lot of it can be done over the Internet?

A very good point Merddin.
For example, I used to attend the Spring Fair (A Trade Fair for Buyers) in Birmingham twice a year.
However, someone decided to put the whole shebang on a website, where you could browse the exhibits online, and see all the wholesale information.
Since the inception of that idea, I have not attended for the last three years.
So, they plead with me every year to attend... as 'numbers are very low these days'
The very scheme they developed has caused that to be the case.
Fester...
- Semper in Excretum, Sole Profundum Variat -

Offline mull

  • Management board member
  • *
  • Posts: 742
Re: Railways
« Reply #40 on: January 30, 2013, 12:06:16 pm »
Freight trains can not travel over the internet .
Believe me the system is reaching breaking point now and something has to be done now, not in 20 years time.
How is it that France,Germany Spain etc get on and build transport inferstructure and in this country we just talk about it.

Offline Merddin Emrys

  • Ad Free Member
  • *
  • Posts: 4426
Re: Railways
« Reply #41 on: January 30, 2013, 12:07:19 pm »
More here, nice to have your home valued at zero!

http://stophs2.org/news/7567-its-official-hs2-homes-completely-worthless



It’s official – HS2 makes homes completely worthless.
Posted by Joe on Jan 30, 2013Add comments
Jan
30
2013
 
The full extent of blight caused by HS2 has been officially rated at 100% by a building society, as the Woolwich Building society officially valued a house near the proposed line at £0. The former post office is around 450 metres from the proposed HS2 line in Turweston, Bucks, near Brackley, which is well outside the 120 metres within which the Government is proposing homes would receive automatic compensation. Given that a home 450 metres from the line has been valued at nothing, it is likely the mortgage lender sees the entire village of Turweston as completely worthless.

Former postmistress Elfrida Harper-Tarr, 97, had the home on the market for £275,000 and had received an offer for the property last year, but the buyer failed to get a mortgage after The Woolwich valued the property at zero pounds and zero pence.

In a statement, The Woolwich said;

“In the future there will be disruption during the construction of the rail link and there will be ongoing impact affecting the quiet enjoyment of the property. The [HS2 proposal has] had a significant prejudicial affect on property in the village and none have been recently sold on the open market. This property is therefore not considered a suitable security for normal lending purposes.”

Ms Harper-Tarr, who is blind, left the property for residential care in August, which is costing £3,500 a month, with her family saying the money is going to run out in three months. Her 76-year-old son, Mike, said:

“It’s going to be a bit late in the day for a lady who is blind and totally relying on carers to keep her alive. You’re faced with needing someone who is willing to pay cash and does not require a mortgage. This is going to be repeated up and down the country because people aren’t going to rush to buy a house near the HS2 route.”

The house was due to be bought by Lizzie and David Babister who live on the same street, and have had a remortgage application on their current house turned down, also because of the drop in value caused by the HS2 plans. The Harper-Tarr family will now apply for compensation under the Exceptional Hardship Scheme, which in two and a half years has only paid out to 16% of applicants.

Stop HS2 Campaign Coordinator Joe Rukin said;

“Last week Patrick McLoughlin said the ‘upset’ of HS2 was worth it. Well he should get himself down to Turweston, or indeed anywhere near the route and tell them that and we’ll see if he gets out alive. We have heard of many estate agents telling people their houses are worthless and demanding their fees up front before marketing properties, but this is the first time we have seen an official zero valuation from a lender, and the situation is only going to get worse.”

“The Government keep talking about the supposed benefits of HS2, but they have made no effort to calculate the disbenefits construction or of lost businesses, amenities or home values, and without those calculations their entire case for HS2 is simply fraudulent. We estimate there are 172,000 properties effected by Stage 1 on HS2 alone, with a monetary value of £5bn. The Government spin is that they will be ‘generous’ with compensation, but the truth is only 16% of applicants have been paid up in two and a half years so far. They have turned a blind eye to how property blight effects the lives of real people and how it will effect the economy, because they don’t want to hear anything bad about HS2. They have to take steps to compensate anyone experiencing loss fully, and it they can’t afford to do that, they can’t afford HS2.

A consultation on Phase One compensation ends at Midnight on 31st January.
A pigeon is for life not just Christmas

Offline Ian

  • Administrator
  • Posts: 8949
Re: Railways
« Reply #42 on: January 30, 2013, 12:49:54 pm »
It's true that anyone living in close proximity to the proposed route Will find their property devalued to an unacceptable extent once any solicitors do searches.
Nothing is so firmly believed as that which we least know.  ― Michel de Montaigne

Si hoc legere scis, nimis eruditionis habes.

Offline Yorkie

  • Member
  • Posts: 5255
Re: Railways
« Reply #43 on: January 30, 2013, 01:35:17 pm »

Why does it always take so long for this country to get on and build things ?

And by the time the've done it, we don't flipping (good word) need it!     WWW
Wise men have something to say.
Fools have to say something.
Cicero

Offline hollins

  • Management board member
  • *
  • Posts: 3411
Re: Railways
« Reply #44 on: February 15, 2013, 04:04:31 pm »
This is an interesting article and super photos about the story of an old underground railway carriage which was found being used as a garden shed and has been restored in North Wales. What a lovely job they have done as well.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2278578/Worlds-oldest-Underground-carriage-used-GARDEN-SHED-restored-glory-108-years-retired-Circle-Line.html