There has been, and is, disagreement in times between London and York. Years ago, I timed an HST non-stop to York in 97 minutes when the public timetable was 100 minutes and that was when there was recovery time added for Hitchin crossing, Newark crossing, Newark Trent Bridge and Doncaster crossings. A total of 5 1/2 minutes. I have yet to locate my log but it was either the 1600, 1700 or 1800 service from KX.
Going through a 2007 BR timetable that is the first to hand there are trains particularly the 1500 ex Kings Cross reaches York non-stop in 105 minutes with the 1400 taking 110 minutes with one stop at Doncaster.
Network Rail have proudly announced many times that the new Hitachi trains would shave 10 minutes off the journey time to York so even if I am wrong with my time of 100 minutes that would make it 90-95 minutes which would be the same as via HS2 which was my argument in the first place.
The usual people have jumped on the bandwagon braying for blood, saying it isn't possible as if it was a hanging offence. The difference between the times is just a few minutes, and not worth £50 billion in extending HS2 beyond Brum.
Will there be capacity on HS2 south of Brum for all the East Coast trains north of York, all West Yorkshire traffic, all South Yorkshire and East Midlands traffic, all West Coast traffic and West Midlands on just two tracks into London at 250mph at the frequency suggested? Very doubtful as the capacity at Euston is inadequate.
Going through a 2007 BR timetable that is the first to hand there are trains particularly the 1500 ex Kings Cross reaches York non-stop in 105 minutes with the 1400 taking 110 minutes with one stop at Doncaster.
Network Rail have proudly announced many times that the new Hitachi trains would shave 10 minutes off the journey time to York so even if I am wrong with my time of 100 minutes that would make it 90-95 minutes which would be the same as via HS2 which was my argument in the first place.
The usual people have jumped on the bandwagon braying for blood, saying it isn't possible as if it was a hanging offence. The difference between the times is just a few minutes, and not worth £50 billion in extending HS2 beyond Brum.
Will there be capacity on HS2 south of Brum for all the East Coast trains north of York, all West Yorkshire traffic, all South Yorkshire and East Midlands traffic, all West Coast traffic and West Midlands on just two tracks into London at 250mph at the frequency suggested? Very doubtful as the capacity at Euston is inadequate.