Dunno myself. I am never in a rush to get anywhere so don't see the point in spending zillions to shave a couple of minutes off a train journey. But Andy Street (Tory Mayor of West Midlands) and Andy Burnham (Labour Mayor of Greater Manchester ) both reckon that it is the dog's bollocks. How about you guys?
Well I don't like the idea of getting on a train full of fat people sweating and farting, so that has definitely put me off.
Apparently it is. We had a briefing a while ago from some banks who intimated that by increasing the designed speed capacity of the tracks the cost is dramatically increased. Irrespective of the type of train or the actual speed they ultimately attain whilst in operation, it is the track operating specification that is the deciding cost factor. Lower the speed by a even small increment and you dramatically reduce the cost of construction and infrastructure.
I’m not sure if that alters the costing dynamics significantly. The actual price of the rolling stock is marginal compared to the construction costs. Based on the Eurostar speeds compared to the designed track speeds and signalling the actual operating speeds hardly ever match the design speeds - I think from experience it’s only up to max when it’s in open country in France well after Lille and some place a few miles outside Paris? I guess the same environmental issues will curtail HS2 speeds as well?
Funnily enough, I was today. I came up on the train from Rainham and had to wonder what had happened to all those svelte Kentish maidens that I knew as a lad. All we have now are carriages full of lardy pears that look as though they are auditioning for parts in a production of Moby Dick.
