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Some good photos from Twitter (Don't know the original source) of the north portal for the tunnel under Long Itchington Wood. Rich earthy soil excavated on what was a mono culture field to the profile of the tunnel portal with a lovely chalky stratum exposed. Really taking shape
Shows how the contractor has minimised tree/vegetation loss here by retaining the boundary hedges where they can.
Does anyone know what TBMs are used for this? Presumably the ones from the Chilterns tunnels will be knackered.
I have been very critical of HS2's public relations (including even the name HS2) but that is the sort of video they should have been producing since the start,
Regarding the people mover between the Interchange and the airport, is this going to be an extension of the existing ex-Maglev link from International Station or a new build line?
Regarding the people mover between the Interchange and the airport, is this going to be an extension of the existing ex-Maglev link from International Station or a new build line?
It’s not really clear if it extends or duplicates, but the Dft summary here says it will definitely be a through service: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/hs2-reveals-designs-for-automated-people-mover
The dotted line is on a different route to the existing one, but whether that’s accurate for construction or just a rough guide I don’t know.
It’s not really clear if it extends or duplicates, but the Dft summary here says it will definitely be a through service: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/hs2-reveals-designs-for-automated-people-mover
The dotted line is on a different route to the existing one, but whether that’s accurate for construction or just a rough guide I don’t know.
This includes modifying the alignment of the people mover as part of a major redevelopment at Birmingham International Station to create a new, multi-modal transport exchange.
I suspect it may end up being a replacement rather than an extension. It says the journey takes 6 minutes from HS2 to the Airport and there will be departures every 3 minutes. That implies at least 4 vehicles to me. The current cable-pulled system works fine for two vehicles shuttling back and forth, but I can't see how you'd extend it for multiple vehicles making multiple stops.
Original plan was for Phase 2b (East Mids, Sheffield, Leeds) to be completed 6 years after the main route. Phase 2b also includes the extension from Crewe to Manchester.
As I understand it, TBM's are like race cars - they're built "just good enough" to do the job required. Some bits of them are salvaged and reused, but substantially each TBM is built bespoke for the job in hand then thrown away (sometimes literally - cutters get buried for example.) Not to mention that they have to be customised for the ground conditions, diameter, etc.
Also, the Long Itchington TBM is presently programmed to start in June 2021 whereas the Chiltern TBM's are not expected to finish until 2023, so clearly there's programme overlap.
There's 10 TBM's on order for the main running lines - 2x for OOC-Euston, 4x for OOC-West Ruislip (dug from both ends and meet in the middle) 2X for Chilterns, 1x for Long Itchington (digs both bores) and 1X for Bromford (digs both bores) plus possibly a smaller one for a temporary "logistics tunnel" between the OOC station box and the Willesden "Eurotunnel" railhead. And some tiddlers for utility diversions (gas/water at Harvil Road for example.)
Culled from various documents in the public domain over the years, most recently the HS2 Ltd Corporate Plan (link below) my most up to date estimate of approximate TBM launch dates is 2023-Dec for OOC-Euston, 2022-Jun Northolt, 2021-Apr Chiltern, 2022-Mar Bromford, 2021-Jun Long Itchington.
I would suggest when a Bill is deposited in Parliament and said Bill has passed the "second reading" vote. Forgive me if I'm teaching Granny to suck eggs, but for the avoidance of doubt, second reading is the vote that "matters" in Parliamentary proceedings and technically Parliament could knock down a Bill in subsequent stages, but it rarely happens once a second reading vote has succeeded.
Of course, once such a Bill has passed through Parliament (and become an Act or Parliament) the Government could cancel or by de facto cancel it by not funding it, but if would be difficult politically to do so when Parliament has expressed it's will, not to mention the present Tory government needs to do everything it can to be seen to deliver on it's promises to new found chums in the North.
A few from memory:
(general locations)
Old Oak common (just west of station in Crossover box)
Calvert
Birmingham 2 feeds close together one near airport just south of interchange station and the other near the East - West split Junction
So probably 2 more in the gaps either side of Calvert
A few from memory:
(general locations)
Old Oak common (just west of station in Crossover box)
Calvert
Birmingham 2 feeds close together one near airport just south of interchange station and the other near the East - West split Junction
So probably 2 more in the gaps either side of Calvert
A few from memory:
(general locations)
Old Oak common (just west of station in Crossover box)
Calvert
Birmingham 2 feeds close together one near airport just south of interchange station and the other near the East - West split Junction
So probably 2 more in the gaps either side of Calvert
I think you’ve got them all so far, I remember a national grid document that I saw that definitely only had 3 grid supply point (GSP) locations on phase 1, (ie the two feeds you mention near Birmingham would come from just one location on the grid).
There’s National Grid info online that refers to Quainton rather than Calvert - but that’s not necessarily significant, they could be two names for the same supply, ie the GSP and associated ATFS compounds don’t have to be co-located.
AIUI there’s another supply for phase 2A, the ATFS will be Newlands, near Rugely; but there’s been some changes to the power source, I think it’s now a 5 mile cable route (maybe underground) from a GSP on the 400kV grid at Parkgate.
For an autotransformer feeder (ATF) system, having only 3 Grid supplies on the length of phase 1, is comparable to the GWML only having 3 grid supplies in England.
I can’t imagine that the construction power demand is anywhere near that needed to keep 36tph going at 400km/h. A TBM heads a couple of MW. There must be getting on for 100MW at each traction feeder.
I can’t imagine that the construction power demand is anywhere near that needed to keep 36tph going at 400km/h. A TBM heads a couple of MW. There must be getting on for 100MW at each traction feeder.
I can’t imagine that the construction power demand is anywhere near that needed to keep 36tph going at 400km/h. A TBM heads a couple of MW. There must be getting on for 100MW at each traction feeder.
I think you’ve got them all so far, I remember a national grid document that I saw that definitely only had 3 grid supply point (GSP) locations on phase 1, (ie the two feeds you mention near Birmingham would come from just one location on the grid).
There’s National Grid info online that refers to Quainton rather than Calvert - but that’s not necessarily significant, they could be two names for the same supply, ie the GSP and associated ATFS compounds don’t have to be co-located.
AIUI there’s another supply for phase 2A, the ATFS will be Newlands, near Rugely; but there’s been some changes to the power source, I think it’s now a 5 mile cable route (maybe underground) from a GSP on the 400kV grid at Parkgate.
For an autotransformer feeder (ATF) system, having only 3 Grid supplies on the length of phase 1, is comparable to the GWML only having 3 grid supplies in England.
"Calvert"/ Quainton
Former Met Granborough Road Station good yards with a cable down the former line to Quainton. Not sure where the actual connection will be to the OHLE.
"Calvert"/ Quainton
Former Met Granborough Road Station good yards with a cable down the former line to Quainton. Not sure where the actual connection will be to the OHLE.
And pretty much the same spot for feeding EWR and part of the Chiltern, should the money ever be forthcoming. They keep all the electric at East Claydon, you see...
I think the northbound trains will be going flat out, if that's the right term to use, on the climb to the Chilterns. When I ran a little spreadsheet a few years back it showed that they can't actually reach maximum speed on the climb.
I think the northbound trains will be going flat out, if that's the right term to use, on the climb to the Chilterns. When I ran a little spreadsheet a few years back it showed that they can't actually reach maximum speed on the climb.
At a time when the rising costs, environmental impact, deliverability and long-term objectives of HS2 are under scrutiny, two independent expert reports show that construction of a short 4.2km tunnel through the section of the HS2 Phase One route at Wendover would be simpler, cheaper and quicker than the current proposed scheme. It would also mitigate damaging environmental impact.
By simplifying the scheme to just one method of construction with hugely reduced surface impact, the risks associated with creating exit and re-entry points such as subsidence and its effect on adjacent properties and utilities will be minimised.
The Wendover tunnel would provide savings of £322 million to £325 million in construction costs and £750 million in maintenance costs.
It has local and Parliamentary support and contractors are now calling for an independent engineering assessment of the cost and practicality of the tunnel proposal. It would be similar to the North Downs tunnel at Bluebell Hill that was constructed to mitigate the environmental impact of HS1 as it passed through Kent and the High Weald AONB.
And pretty much the same spot for feeding EWR and part of the Chiltern, should the money ever be forthcoming. They keep all the electric at East Claydon, you see...
Looking at East Claydon substation ( big innit!) on google maps there are obvious routes where new utilities have been laid, one of which goes to a site on HS2 route. Are they related to supply or just diversions?
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HS 2 Wendover Tunnel simplification proposal