Grand Central: 2,660MPH Train

[OMGitsDAVE]

Received this email today:

Dear David

Experience the fastest rail travel ever with Grand Central's 2,660 mph train - travel from Sunderland to London and London to Bradford from the driver's point of view, in under 6 minutes each way!




If you’d like to give Grand Central a go for as little as £19, visit www.grandcentralrail.com for times and tickets.
Travel with Grand Central for

Great value fares from £19 single
Friendly service, elegant trains and more legroom
Free Wi-Fi for all
The journeys
Sunderland to London in five minutes: The 06.51 train departs Sunderland, calling at Hartlepool, Eaglescliffe, Northallerton, Thirsk and York before arriving into London Kings Cross at 10.25 having travelled 266 miles (428km).
Filmed in the cab of a High Speed Train (Intercity 125) built in the late 1970s.

London to Bradford Interchange in five minutes:The 14.48 departs London Kings Cross, calling at Doncaster, Pontefract Monkhill, Wakefield Kirkgate, Brighouse and Halifax before arriving into Bradford Interchange at 17.55 having travelled 221 miles (355.7km).
Filmed in the cab of an Alstom Class 180 High Speed Diesel Multiple Unit, built in 2001.
Credits
Filming and post production by Mojofuel: www.mojofuel.com


LINKS TO VIDEOS:
Sunderland: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-7YRqOEWbU&feature=youtu.be
Bradford: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iAYOP1Dd67U&feature=youtu.be

 

[Yew]

That was fun. the only bit i recognised was the bridge near newark northgate (i was looking for tuxford bridge but thats close enough

 

[Crossover]

Just watched the Sunderland one - really good

Anyone any idea why they cross over lines at Hartlepool?

 

[es373]

Its not impossible!

Magnetic Levitation!

 

[Crossover]

Seen the other one too

Loving the flying Pacer at Doncaster!

Also, Kirkgate looks no better from the cab than anything else :P

 

[bb21]

Its not impossible!

Magnetic Levitation!

I don't believe that even Maglev could achieve such a speed.

The top speed of the only commercial Maglev line in the world has a top speed of 431kph, ie. 270mph.

 

[Cherry_Picker]

Rocket sled!

 

[Liam]

Anyone any idea why they cross over lines at Hartlepool?

Because there is only one platform in use.

 

[cdonnigan]

Because there is only one platform in use.

its totally out of public use and is not linked in any way to the main building. As far as aware can only be accessed by crossing the tracks would be good to see it in use and bring it up to three platform station.

 

[es373]

Do some research. Bigger the voltage faster the speed.
I think there was a program called extreme engineering and they coveted maglevs!

 

[sheffters]

Do some research. Bigger the voltage faster the speed.
I think there was a program called extreme engineering and they coveted maglevs!

There's a few minor problems like air resistance, stopping distance, train seperation, signalling systems (even if they were ATO, the positional uncertanty would be immense) etc ...

 

[es373]

Please don't undermine me. I fully know the problems involved - I am saying just a mag-lev on its own.
There have been designs and the worlds engineers have drawn up plans for a London to New York mag-lev. I see it highly unlikely that it will happen but I wouldn't rule it out.

Try to look up the program and watch it, its pretty interesting.

 

[Adam_Harrison]

Because there is only one platform in use.

Incorrect ! There is 2 platforms but only one through platform

its totally out of public use and is not linked in any way to the main building. As far as aware can only be accessed by crossing the tracks would be good to see it in use and bring it up to three platform station.

It can be accessed from the Cinema side through some gates from what I remember.

 

[cdonnigan]

Incorrect ! There is 2 platforms but only one through platform


It can be accessed from the Cinema side through some gates from what I remember.

not sure only been to Hartlepool itsself a few times and used to drive most of the time. Have to see if i can see anything next time on a train that way

 

[michael769]

So that why all the lights went out yesterday!

Seriously though I doubt there is enough generating capacity in the UK to provide the energy to accelerate something the size of a train at such a rate.

And boy Imagine what it would be like for the track side workers being passed by such a thing!

 

[AlterEgo]

Please don't undermine me. I fully know the problems involved - I am saying just a mag-lev on its own.
There have been designs and the worlds engineers have drawn up plans for a London to New York mag-lev. I see it highly unlikely that it will happen but I wouldn't rule it out.

Try to look up the program and watch it, its pretty interesting.

I think you're thinking of the Mach 5 "vac-train", which is an utterly insane idea, and only slightly less feasible than a stepladder to the moon.

 

[londonbridge]

Wish they could get me home from the match that quick!

 

[ChrisCooper]

I think you're thinking of the Mach 5 "vac-train", which is an utterly insane idea, and only slightly less feasible than a stepladder to the moon.

I don't think it's that insane, other than the massive cost of constructing a tunnel under the atlantic. The idea of running a maglev in a vacume (or near enough) is reasonable and I think could replace long and medium haul air travel in the future.

Trying to do that sort of speed at ground level though would take massive energy. It's been done, and a lot faster, by rocket sleds, but that's a small, lightweight payload over a short distance.

Of cource a big problem with very high speeds is acceleration and deceleration. To reach 2660mph a train would need about 10mins, plus another 10mins to brake, and even that would be around 2g. At top speed though the train is doing about 44miles per minute. Fine for long distance services, but for London to Sunderland I don't even know it it would reach top speed before having to brake again. Another problem, to achieve that sort of acceleration would require a lot of power over a long period of time, and also a lot of power would need to be absorbed or dissipated when braking.

 

[jon0844]

And boy Imagine what it would be like for the track side workers being passed by such a thing!

And the look out having to be in another time zone.

 

[AlterEgo]

I don't think it's that insane, other than the massive cost of constructing a tunnel under the atlantic.

Exactly!

 

[Strat-tastic]

Who's first to hang out the window???

 

[es373]

Nope, that's a separate thing.