New Rail Lines

[joxville]

It's reported Network Rail is to commission a study into possibly building five more rail lines.

http://news.uk.msn.com/Article.aspx?...mentid=8674723

Maybe they should upgrade what they already have before building new lines, especially the Far North Line which has been in need of a massive improvement for years.

[Rheghead]

I think we also have the answer as to why they can't upgrade the far north line. The boggy land is unsuitable in terms of vibration and sinkage etc, that was what I was told by the Forsinard ranger anyway.

[Tilter]

It's reported Network Rail is to commission a study into possibly building five more rail lines.
http://news.uk.msn.com/Article.aspx?...mentid=8674723

Bring it on. Some sense at last. Get the people off the roads and into TGV's. Even if it still takes 3 hrs 40 minutes from Thurso to Inverness because of boggy ground. It's not all boggy surely. You'd presumably more than make up for it from Inverness to London as the TGV from Paris to Marseille takes only 3 hrs. 20 minutes exactly!

I suppose the review will take years though, and everyone near the new lines would object to it getting planning permission, and that would take more years.

[Tilter]

You'd presumably more than make up for it from Inverness to London as the TGV from Paris to Marseille takes only 3 hrs. 20 minutes exactly!

And no 2 hour wait at an airport for check in.

[joxville]

As much as I'd love to see a high speed line from London to Inverness, it'll never happen. There isn't a high enough demand for the service according to the rail chiefs, nor is there the political kudos for it according to me.

From 1989 to 1991 I used to travel from Basingstoke to Thurso, via London. The journey time door to door was around 21 hrs. I've just checked the train times to see how much it's been improved on in 20 years and surprised to find it takes 5 hours longer. Check the link for various times:

http://ojp.nationalrail.co.uk/en/pj/tt

Actually I'm not surprised, I'm disappointed and angry that for the amount of bluster we get from the government about going green, make fewer car journeys, use public transport more etc. that the rail infrastructure in this country hasn't improved one iota in 20 years.

I shall be travelling to Thurso in July in my car-a 2 litre diesel automatic with air-con, leather and multi cd player. After an over-night stop at my brothers in Glasgow I can resume my journey feeling refreshed.

I won't have to wait around draughty rail stations for a connection, I won't be tired having spent so long travelling and I won't have to put up with crying/moaning children or drunks. However had I been able to do the journey in just a few hours I'd gladly give up the car.

[Tilter]

As much as I'd love to see a high speed line from London to Inverness, it'll never happen.

Agreed, though high speed to Edinburgh or Glasgow would help. You can bet your life though, they'd leave Ed or Glas in the mornings instead of 5 p.m., so you'd still have to stay overnight somewhere if travelling from Caithness, so it would still be unusable.

From 1989 to 1991 I used to travel from Basingstoke to Thurso, via London. The journey time door to door was around 21 hrs. I've just checked the train times to see how much it's been improved on in 20 years and surprised to find it takes 5 hours longer.

On a Monday in the 1970's it used to take 11 or 12 hours from Inverness to Thurso because they moved sheep on/off from all the fields.

Actually I'm not surprised, I'm disappointed and angry that for the amount of bluster we get from the government about going green, make fewer car journeys, use public transport more etc. that the rail infrastructure in this country hasn't improved one iota in 20 years.

No surprises there are there? I don't understand why other W. European governments can actually instigate changes and our government just makes stupid little changes that do no good (i.d. cards etc etc)

I shall be travelling to Thurso in July in my car-a 2 litre diesel automatic with air-con, leather and multi cd player. After an over-night stop at my brothers in Glasgow I can resume my journey feeling refreshed.

I just hate that 12 or 14 hour car drive. You have to concentrate all the time and worry about all the other drivers. To me it's better to sit on a train and space out or read a book.

I won't have to wait around draughty rail stations for a connection, I won't be tired having spent so long travelling and I won't have to put up with crying/moaning children or drunks. However had I been able to do the journey in just a few hours I'd gladly give up the car.

I usually get the sleeper because the train from here by day is exhausting, I'll admit. Sometimes, though, you do meet people that are interesting to talk to, just like on a plane, and the time flies by. You can't do that in a car.

[Kenn]

I would be more than happy to use the trains but like others have found that journeys now take longer and are much more expensive than alternarive modes of transport.
I used to be able to do the journey to my home county in 5 hrs at a cost of £65 return, now the same journey takes 8hrs and costs £135!
It does n't make sense as I can fly for £85 return and do the journey door to door in 4hrs.
Some thing is sadly wrong with our railways but I am not sure what the remedy is, it seems that unless you live in a large urban area and want to travel to another such then the service has been very depleted.

[joxville]

I usually get the sleeper because the train from here by day is exhausting, I'll admit. Sometimes, though, you do meet people that are interesting to talk to, just like on a plane, and the time flies by. You can't do that in a car.

I used the sleeper many times when I had to do the journey overnight and I actually enjoyed that service. As for meeting people-don't do what I did and go into wrong cabin and get into someone else's bunk.

[Tilter]

I used the sleeper many times when I had to do the journey overnight and I actually enjoyed that service. As for meeting people-don't do what I did and go into wrong cabin and get into someone else's bunk.

Tee hee. By chatting to people, I was thinking of the day train. Bunking up with someone for the night hadn't occurred to me. You're putting a whole new slant on rail travel along the lines of the Ski Train where they have a disco apparently. I only ever meet old ladies going to Plockton anyway.

[brokencross]

In the 1970's when I was at the Nautical College in Plymouth we used to get the occasional weekend leave, Friday noon to Sunday evening

One cadet came from Dunnet and so if he wanted to go home for a weekend we worked it out that if he left Plymouth at Friday noon, after 3 train changes he would get up to Thurso late on Saturday afternoon just in time to get the same train back down the line in order to get back to Plymouth for Sunday evening.

Needless to say he didn't bother.