Electrification is needed
Whatever action is taken on the HS2 should not be used as an excuse to delay or inhibit the electrification of British railways
- Published in Transport.
"Why not make use of what is left of the Great Central line"
The President makes an important point about HS2 in the article in the January issue of Professional Engineer.
As he says, we need to stop thinking about it merely as a railway between London and Birmingham an absurdly short distance for a high speed line. The project from its commencement should cover a high speed line from London to Glasgow with work starting simultaneously at each end to discourage the usual ministerial backsliding during its construction.
Regarding the much debated route, why not make use of what is left of the Great Central line, the most recent of the routes into London from the north built to generous operating standards (and one of two other competitive routes to Manchester, currently only served by the overcrowded WCML).
Whatever action is taken on the HS2 should not be used as an excuse to delay or inhibit the electrification of the entire British railway system, urgently needed before the inevitable future scarcity and cost of oil products renders diesel traction unviable, and which would benefit all rail travellers in our country rather than just the political and other expense account customers likely to be the main patrons of HS2.
Lewis Orchard, Woking, Surrey