Nice one, Mr. Wandering 👍 This is what happens when a project has a bottomless pit of taxpayer money - they come up with unnecessary ways in which to spend it. The same thing has happened with the Copthall 'green' tunnel to the west of Ruislip. It was originally supposed to be a simple cutting but then morphed into some massively overblown concrete monstrosity with a mountain of spoil heaped on top. As with Greatworth there is no obvious reason for doing this. The more we see of Phase 1 the more obvious it becomes as to why Leeds and Manchester were cancelled.
From what I understand, the problem lies with the kind of contracts that were let - "cost-plus" or something such, which gurantees a contractor their profit over and above anything they spend. The 'unintended' consequence of that ought to have been obvious. That is not the same thing as questioning the need for the project - but another example of the naive arrogance of this country's approach to doing things where more humility might have helped it learn from experience in other countries.
@@ijstock Actually, the problem lies with all the anti-HS2 protestors who complained endlessly about the original simpler plans in the hope that it would not go forward and that the money would be spent on more unnecessary roads.
Hello, I think it to do with soil stability, Whilst embankments are great there is a depth where cut and cover becomes more cost effective, this depth is dependent on the soil conditions. The current trench which appears to be an embankment would prove to be unstable for operations longer than a few years.
I’m glad it’s not just me. Why is quite so much of HS2 being constructed in the most expensive way possible? As a passenger I would rather be able to look out of the windows.
I never did understand the reason for that tunnel, but I do understand why HS2 has extended the north-west portal out to Thorpe Mandeville. That is to disguise a problem with their setting out of the levels where the route crosses a watercourse. The contractors like to let everyone know how smart they think of themselves achieving this or that milestone whenever it suits them, but the problems they don't want the public to know about will plainly reveal themselves in due course
I went past this 2 weeks ago and the disturbance is huge when the old GCR is a couple of miles away to the east and could have been used instead. Caroline
What an incredibly ignorant statement. The route of the GCR would in no way handle a high speed line whereas after the tunnel is covered and landscaping finished you won't even know this HS2 line is there. 'Cos its a TUNNEL!
Hi there. not being ignorant. As you stated its a waste a money to build a tunnel where a cutting would do. GCR was built to European standards and would save all the digging hs2 have done. As they are using slab tracks then they would be cheaper to install. So not being ignorant but with 68 years of experience this is my thought out judgement. As i remember Brackley station that is not practical to use. As you know some bits of the Gcr are being used. Chipping Warden is the same. Over engineered again. We therefore beg to differ on this point. Caroline
@@carolinecleaveley-q1r The route of the GCR may have had the gauge for HS2 trains but apart from being severed all over the place (lets blame Barbara Castle for that shall we as we are both of a certain age) it has too many curves to be a viable option. Speed = straight Whether we like it or not HS2 was forced by the planning authorities all along the route to use tunnels (bored and cut / cover) because of the pressure by the eco mobs. So to blame HS2 as you did shows an ignorance of WHY they did what they did. THAT was my point. I am damn sure they would have preferred a surface railway to even a cutting. Oh and all the GCR alignment would have had to be dug up and replaced with the later materials used. So no saving there. As for slab that is always used in tunnels but not used in open country.
Imagine it had been a labour government with mps who were not swayed by luvvies in the home counties, the whole phase would have been on embankments and in cuttings…
I thought the idea of the “ green tunnel” was to allow wildlife to wander from one side to the other, does the flora and fauna vary from one side to the opposite side on say, the ECML ? Railway builders in the past gave absolutely no thought whatsoever to wildlife, animals are not stupid, they will adapt and cheerfully carry on.
Entirely agree, the nice net cutting that has been formed would have sufficed.
Might as well have built HS2 in a bored tunnel for most of it's route! The amount of earth moving, screening, and bridge building is incredible!
thanks caroline.
Nice one, Mr. Wandering 👍 This is what happens when a project has a bottomless pit of taxpayer money - they come up with unnecessary ways in which to spend it. The same thing has happened with the Copthall 'green' tunnel to the west of Ruislip. It was originally supposed to be a simple cutting but then morphed into some massively overblown concrete monstrosity with a mountain of spoil heaped on top. As with Greatworth there is no obvious reason for doing this.
The more we see of Phase 1 the more obvious it becomes as to why Leeds and Manchester were cancelled.
From what I understand, the problem lies with the kind of contracts that were let - "cost-plus" or something such, which gurantees a contractor their profit over and above anything they spend. The 'unintended' consequence of that ought to have been obvious. That is not the same thing as questioning the need for the project - but another example of the naive arrogance of this country's approach to doing things where more humility might have helped it learn from experience in other countries.
@@ijstock Actually, the problem lies with all the anti-HS2 protestors who complained endlessly about the original simpler plans in the hope that it would not go forward and that the money would be spent on more unnecessary roads.
@@djtwo2 Yes, that too!
Rubbish. This is the outcome of public consultation
Hello, I think it to do with soil stability, Whilst embankments are great there is a depth where cut and cover becomes more cost effective, this depth is dependent on the soil conditions. The current trench which appears to be an embankment would prove to be unstable for operations longer than a few years.
I’m glad it’s not just me. Why is quite so much of HS2 being constructed in the most expensive way possible? As a passenger I would rather be able to look out of the windows.
I never did understand the reason for that tunnel, but I do understand why HS2 has extended the north-west portal out to Thorpe Mandeville. That is to disguise a problem with their setting out of the levels where the route crosses a watercourse. The contractors like to let everyone know how smart they think of themselves achieving this or that milestone whenever it suits them, but the problems they don't want the public to know about will plainly reveal themselves in due course
Is it just me or are they simply tunnelling through a field?
I went past this 2 weeks ago and the disturbance is huge when the old GCR is a couple of miles away to the east and could have been used instead. Caroline
What an incredibly ignorant statement. The route of the GCR would in no way handle a high speed line whereas after the tunnel is covered and landscaping finished you won't even know this HS2 line is there. 'Cos its a TUNNEL!
Hi there. not being ignorant. As you stated its a waste a money to build a tunnel where a cutting would do. GCR was built to European standards and would save all the digging hs2 have done. As they are using slab tracks then they would be cheaper to install. So not being ignorant but with 68 years of experience this is my thought out judgement. As i remember Brackley station that is not practical to use. As you know some bits of the Gcr are being used. Chipping Warden is the same. Over engineered again. We therefore beg to differ on this point. Caroline
@@carolinecleaveley-q1r The route of the GCR may have had the gauge for HS2 trains but apart from being severed all over the place (lets blame Barbara Castle for that shall we as we are both of a certain age) it has too many curves to be a viable option. Speed = straight
Whether we like it or not HS2 was forced by the planning authorities all along the route to use tunnels (bored and cut / cover) because of the pressure by the eco mobs. So to blame HS2 as you did shows an ignorance of WHY they did what they did. THAT was my point. I am damn sure they would have preferred a surface railway to even a cutting.
Oh and all the GCR alignment would have had to be dug up and replaced with the later materials used. So no saving there.
As for slab that is always used in tunnels but not used in open country.
Imagine it had been a labour government with mps who were not swayed by luvvies in the home counties, the whole phase would have been on embankments and in cuttings…
I thought the idea of the “ green tunnel” was to allow wildlife to wander from one side to the other, does the flora and fauna vary from one side to the opposite side on say, the ECML ? Railway builders in the past gave absolutely no thought whatsoever to wildlife, animals are not stupid, they will adapt and cheerfully carry on.
We want to keep as much green space as possible so not a waste of money really
Even better, don’t build it.