HS2 eat your heart out!

[Varche]

Disclaimer! There are differences between Spain and the UK.

On the " high speed line" between Antequera and Granada , A few years ago , it was necessary to enlarge the tunnel before Loja station. Unfortunately this breached the aquifer that serves the town on that side of the river. Repairs were effected. Trains travel through at walking pace.

A solution was needed.  A five mile bypass of the town. A new station, access from the nearby motorway. Tunnels and viaducts, a motorway crossing and a river crossing . The terrain is very 3D . Work is now progressing at an amazing rate.

Cost 445 million euros for five miles. A fraction of HS2 rate and I dare say trains will be able to travel faster ( assuming not stopping at the station).  You could argue that it would have been cheaper just to leave alone and have a slow journey on the old line oh and it will be open much sooner.

[YZ250]

Indeed, but in around fourteen years and for a mere £90'ish billion, we get a train that goes from Birmingham to somewhere near London. You have to make your own way for the remaining six miles I believe. 
Oh, and although no actual track has been laid yet, we do have some lovely car parks and around five million new trees around our way. Strangely the trees are where no trees originally existed and are not near the proposed track line or any properties. 
So, six years in and it's looking good.    Lots of trees and car parks, it'll be around £60'ish billion over the original tender and they've still got fourteen years to play with. 

[TheBoy]

And 5 years since they started work on the new bridges over the 3 main roads its crossing around here, not one of them is complete.

[Doctor Gollum]

Is it actually using Euro money and labour or is it Chinesium in exchange for fuel vouchers🤔

[Sir Tigger KC]

Latest estimates suggest that HS2 won't open until at least 2039.....   So make that 2050! 

Apparently Andy Burnham has said he'd like to resurrect the northern stretches as well.   

[Doctor Gollum]

Latest estimates suggest that HS2 won't open until at least 2039.....   So make that 2050! 

Apparently Andy Burnham has said he'd like to resurrect the northern stretches as well.   

He can say what he wants. It won't happen.

[Migv6 le Frog Fan]

He is saying anything that he thinks people voting in the by election want to hear.
Most of it is the complete opposite of the things he said last time he was telling people what he thought they wanted to hear.
It looks like Rupert Lowes ego may put him in number 10, and given how far left he has always been, he will be more dangerous than Starmer.

[YZ250]

.........
He can say what he wants. It won't happen.

We have quite a few Geoglyph's (motifs or designs cut in to the chalk hills) around here. The white chalk cross at Whiteleaf and Bledlow Bucks, the white chalk horse in Oxfordshire and the white chalk lion at Whipsnade to name a few.
I thought this big white elephant would be appropriate to add to the chalky hillsides along the HS2 route. 

[TheBoy]

The train spotters get all grumpy when you call it a white elephant or vanity project.  They spout the usual, long disproven shite, about capacity/freight/speed, until you ask them how it will improve any of those, then they move on to wishy washy wankword bingo like transformative.

Obviously, I would never bait them on my gaytube channel covering construction "progress" in this area....   

[YZ250]

............
Obviously, I would never bait them on my gaytube channel covering construction "progress" in this area....   

I would imagine that you are your normal charming self, and tactful and diplomatic towards their obvious excitement at the aforementioned white elephant. 

[TheBoy]

............
Obviously, I would never bait them on my gaytube channel covering construction "progress" in this area....   

I would imagine that you are your normal charming self, and tactful and diplomatic towards their obvious excitement at the aforementioned white elephant. 

Well obviously.  I wouldn't possibly let them argue themselves into a corner before putting the boot in....