UK high speed trains - NOT amateur radio

What a shambles!!  

In the UK we started a new infrastructure rail project (HS2) to connect the capital London with Manchester and Leeds. Over time, this project costing billions of pounds was way over budget. 

Officially, the UK government has still to make a final decision, but, after cancelling the extension to Leeds from Birmingham, it now looks like the line from Birmingham to Manchester will also be cancelled or shelved. 

The high speed line from Birmingham to London terminates on the edge of the city and it will actually take longer to get from Birmingham to central London using the high speed line costing billions than on existing trains!! What a cock up!!

Several questions are begged. Why did they not start in the north where the need was greatest? If they knew it was going to be over budget why do it at all? Why stop the Birmingham to London leg where it does at the London end?

For a very long time the current government has refused to say it is going to cancel the northern extension. I guess they are trying to think of some good words to say.

In my view, this has done serious, long-term, damage to the UK and the ruling Conservative party.

Crowded train - NOT amateur radio

We came back home by train from Liverpool. EMR run a direct train via Ely. After Nottingham they take 2 coaches off so it is just 2 carriages! As we got on in Liverpool we had good seats all the way.

These are my moans:

• On a Friday, keep on extra coaches.
• Ensure everyone has a seat especially at the start of school holidays.
• The full journey takes over 5 hours yet there was a trolley service just once at the start of the journey.
• It was late as there were too many on the train. I shall claim a refund.
• Announcements were made. Yet again, they were inaudible.

Norwich train - NOT amateur radio

Last week, we went to Norwich by train from Ely.  Ely station is always busy. I guess this is because many lines converge here.

Steam trains - NOT amateur radio

Back in the late 1950s these were a common sight in my trainspotting days in Devon. 

This photo was on 365project yesterday. 

Trains - NOT amateur radio

 

Way back in Christmas 2012 we went on a "Christmas special" steam train in Kent as the photo shows.

The English love their steam trains! There are quite a few preserved steam railways in the UK.

Coming back from York on the train - NOT amateur radio

On Saturday we returned from York by train. It was cheaper to come back first class than second! On LNER we had nice seats, free food and free drinks.

Javelin trains - NOT amateur radio

The journeys to and from Canterbury were fast due in part to non-stop trains to and from Cambridge to London and the fast Javelin trains from St Pancras deep into Kent. These are fast, clean and spacious. The staff are always very helpful in Kent. Javelins are a bit like Eurostar eating up the miles. You board the train and reach your destination in no time!

We went to Kent to see our son and family and to see one of our grandsons in his school musical, "Mary Poppins", which was very good.

Dart Valley Railway - NOT amateur radio

I love steam engines. The photo shows my brother last week watching a train on the Dart Valley Railway in Devon.

Freight train - NOT amateur radio

On our way to the garden centre to buy a Christmas tree, we had to stop for this freight train. Having to stop here at this level crossing is very rare.

South Hams trains again - NOT amateur radio

Once again, after many years, Kingsbridge in Devon has trains again. The light railway is again running along the side of the water delighting children and adults alike. I wish them all the best.

See https://www.facebook.com/kdlr.co.uk/ .

Railway Talk - NOT amateur radio

Just been to an excellent talk at Burwell Museum on "Railways in Burwell" by Steve Crane. It was well attended.

More talks - see the Museum's website at http://www.burwellmuseum.org.uk/ .

Non-radio day

For the first time since my stroke last September I ventured out of the county (Newmarket and Bury-St-Edmunds, Suffolk excepted), with my wife, to visit my son and family who live near Canterbury, Kent.

So today was a non-radio day:  no WSPR,  no 2m or 70cm beacon monitoring, no 472kHz. Yesterday the antennas were taking quite a battering from the wind.  I shall be on-air again Monday AM.

With the grandchildren in Kent today

As I cannot drive (currently, as a result of the stroke) we did a day return by train. It was seamless and travel in both directions was fast. We had from 12-4pm with our son and family and about the same time in travel on fast trains, especially in Kent.  It was a lovely day out.

Now we have done it once we may well do it again. Being a Sunday, parking at Cambridge station was easy and cheap. Our son picked us up at Canterbury West station. There were no delays because of engineering works.

Booking in advance, via http://www.thetrainline.com/, and using our Seniour Railcards, the fares were reasonable too.