The world of high-speed rail has seen significant advancements over the years and now it’s promising even more. Based on discussions from seven years ago, we could see a high-speed rail line spanning 8,077 miles (13,000 km) from China to America.
Whilst things have been ticking along in the background for HS2, there haven’t been too many headlines recently – until now. After 3 years of work, the HS2 project received Royal Assent on February 23rd.
What exactly does this mean for HS2? Put simply, it means that work can start. Construction schedules can be drawn up, suppliers can begin to prepare their bid documents and also gear up their own supply chain requirements in preparation.
The project will not be without problems though. At every step of the way to date there have been objections to overcome. Issues around compulsory purchase of property, the environment and potential job losses in some areas have been, and will continue to be contentious issues. Those objections are counter balanced by the many that believe improved connections between the major cities will bring increased investment, business and jobs.
Having undertaken work for the rail industry for many years, we at PRV Engineering like to keep an eye on the future of high speed rail travel www.prv-engineering.co.uk
We also marvel at the developments in Japan that, as we speak, are about to take another significant turn in the right direction.
When it comes to building high speed rail systems, Japan continues to embarrass the rest of the world.
First, they introduced the Bullet train, capable of travelling at approximately 200 mph.
Now, the government has approved plans to bring in a new high speed rail system that will enable passengers to travel the 178 miles from Tokyo to Nagoya in just 40 minutes. That’s less than half the time it currently takes the celebrated Shinkansen bullet train to travel the route.
It’s said that trains on the Chūō Shinkansen line will reach speeds of 300 mph thanks to their maglev (magnetic levitation) technology.
From the moment HS2 was born, the high speed rail project has rarely been out of the headlines. Plans, proposals and the overall effect it will have on the transport industry has dominated the business news. In many circles, the innovative idea to speed up rail links has been met with genuine approval.
There has been plenty of opposition too. Many a local community has voiced it’s concern over the effect it will have on them. I suppose it goes without saying that radical change will divide opinion!
However, if the high profile project was yearning an autumnal lift, it came this week in the shape of plans to make available, government grants to communities and businesses.
The rail industry has been a constant topic of conversation over the past 12 months. From HS2 to the 10-year life extension of the current rolling stock and from Bombardier’s £1billion contract to the terrible damage caused by the recent inclement weather; trains and tracks have rarely been out of the news.
The early weeks of the New Year were dominated by the desperate news from the south west of England, in particular, where many sections of track were either submerged or damaged beyond repair.
With the storms having given way to a spell of brighter weather and rebuilding work ongoing, the attention now has turned to other matters, like HS2. This week HS2 chairman Sir David Higgins claimed that building work on the northern section of the £50bn high-speed project, should be accelerated.
Britain, like many other countries, is investing large sums of money in high speed rail (HS2). The aim is to create space on overcrowded networks and enable large numbers of people to move more efficiently.
It means a new line that doesn’t physically overlap or affect existing regional services, but one that takes long-distance travellers onto new high speed trains with fewer stops, thus completing their journeys in less time than ever before.
PRV Engineering is one of the UK’s leading high precision engineering machining contractors and has a long association with the country’s railway network. Any news stories or topics involving the rail industry are, of course, of close interest.
Quicker trains, shorter journeys. It sounds ideal. Or does it? Plans to introduce 225mph trains to Birmingham from 2026 is in danger of resulting in drastic cuts elsewhere according to Virgin Trains.
Government plans for high speed rail means that high speed trains come off the new line north of Birmingham and use the existing track to continue their journey to north west England and Scotland.
However, the fear is every bit as genuine as the plans are ambitious. Virgin Trains believe the plan will not only worsen congestion on an already crowded line, but will lead to existing services in the area being withdrawn to create room for the new high speed trains in the HS2 network.
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