Thankyou Old Timer! So they do have some modification on their signals and some with a differing approach to what should and shouldn't be allowed?! At least now I have an answer! I should've posted the question here ages ago!
I thought they must have some sort of modification via the lighting system/safety systems that we don't; now I don't feel quite so annoyed as it's not a level playing field in that respect - not that it helps them though like I said!........
Even with 125mph running, our average speeds are faster on our classic WCML & ECML lines to most destinations than anywhere else in the world on non-modified lines AND faster than some modified lines in Germany which is worth noting! It seems that on the continent the junction layouts around stations are slower, there are many 100mph or slower sections in-between the high speed sections bringing average speeds down. We are being overtaken obviously, but until I did a few calcualtions, not as quickly as the press would have us all believe. It seems a case of hair and the tortoise! Continuous 125mph over longer stretches seem to still be quicker (marginally) than 137mph classic lines (and I concur there are few) and SOME 155mph lines in Germany between 2 major city destinations (which is the closest urban geographic model to the UK) because of slower sections of track in-between.
Gordonthemoron - I stand corrected!
By the way Nedchester and Stuart, you may be interested to know of a 125 I took in 1991 which took 1hr 41mins to York - 188.5 miles!! Most impressive and must have been going like hell. I even remember a random memory of seeing 2 faded blue mail vans sat in a siding at Woodwalton that's all but disappeared (and it was in a derelict siding state then). I still think our golden era since world war 2 was 1978/9 - 1994/5 in terms of speeds. Edinburgh was timetabled at 4hr 03 mins but we had a lot less traffic then as mentioned; I'm sure freight loops/new lower grade track for freight would remove a bit of this issue - people seem to forget that the freight flows have disappeared a hell of a lot since the Merry-go-round coal workings and industrial sunset era of the 80's too. So something's wrong.
One thing is for sure - the ECML will be the backbone of the east coast for at least the next 20 years as HS1 won't benefit that side of the country at all. I only wish they would finish electricfication of the ECML/extend to the new map of the ECML but I'm sure that if there's a chance of faster running than 125mph it will be left to an HSL and we have reached the peak in speed for that side of country until any such plan.
If you can be bothered to read anymore!...............
Straight line distances from point to point Britain isn't doing badly!.......
I note particularly when competing with air which takes a much straighter path, German railways are interesting as 3 major centres - Berlin to Frankfurt, Cologne or Munich takes 4 hours and to Munich some high speed is going to be used for 4 hours I think but feel free to correct me! ....
That means over a straight line distance from A-B the Berlin - Munich by train holds an average speed over the 311miles (in a straight line) of 78mph if the time is divided by the straight line distance. Berlin - Frankfurt is 263miles and 65mph, Cologne is 296 miles in 4 hours at 74mph average. London to Edinburgh is 331miles at 4hrs 20 mins and is 77mph with no high speed trains as such, to Manchester and Leeds averages 78mph using straight line mileage and division between time. Newcastle is 248miles at 2hrs 50mins giving 87mph. Geography and track alignment plays a huge part but point to point in a straight line, with comparison to the 3 largest populated regions in Germany compared to the British destinations point to point that's not bad going!
We know Germany could use other destinations of less population point to point times and smash our speeds on specific high speed sections but I have used point to point major city to major city start and termination points. In France the only non-connected TGV city of any importance is Toulouse and that currently takes 5hours for a straight line distance of 366miles (73mph) and with the TGV route chosen for the future it'll take 3hours (122mph straight line average)
Even if we take track mileage and not straight lines in Britain outside HS1 it's interesting that timetabled Pendolinos at 125mph make the 184miles to Warrington in 1 hr 43mins averaging 107.6mph all day but this has a couple of mins built in. Stafford to watford junction averages 110mph!! This is the actual time and not the timetabled time it takes the driver. With runs like that we might get back to the 1980's
