Ipswich underground

[robertclark125]

Not so sure of the right place for this thread. But anyways, how many of you knew that Ipswich had an underground railway at one time? I did'nt, but searching for something else on flickr led me to discovering it. Search ipswich underground on flickr, and see what comes up!

 

[Nick Wood WR]

Tee hee, a three year old April fools trick still going strong

 

[Z12XE]

What was amusing was that One Railway fell for it and did a piece featuring it in onelife - their customer rag!

 

[fairlie]

That's fantastic - very funny.

 

[Ticket Man]

I guess you've heard of the Sahara aqueduct and the Notting hill cable car as well

 

[DaveNewcastle]

To be fair to Ipswich, it isn't "famous" for many things, as far as the general public is concerned (no, I'm not having a go at Ipswich - its just a matter of fact, the same as many other places), so this story has aquired quite a ledgendary status for the town.

I realise that the traditional industries which fuelled the prosperity of many UK towns and cities have declined or even collapsed entirely, but I do find it surprising that even the sea-facing towns and port-based industries have failed so spectacularly too; while they're still on the sea. Steel making and coal may have fared better overseas, but we're still an island. We still need ports and fish. We still need to connect to the rest of the world over the seas. (And its not as if we import much through the channel tunnel!)
I am dissapointed at the decline of our ports, many of which could so easily have been transformed into viable 21st century ports, with all the ancilliary economy and cultural developments that follow from prosperity.

But as that hasn't happened, why not make the most of the underground ledgend?

 

[ChrisCooper]

It's especially true in terms that the only other thing Ipswich is famous for in recent times is something I'm sure it would rarther forget. Oh well, at least their team can claim to be "Pride of Anglia" for this year, even if their year as been pretty pathetic compared to a certain other team 40miles up the GEML.

 

[DaveNewcastle]

It's especially true in terms that the only other thing Ipswich is famous for in recent times is something I'm sure it would rarther forget. . . . .

I hope you notice, that having "Newcastle" in my username, I was far too polite to even hint any incident that you might be referring to.

Must be depressing to live in a sea-town which didn't receive lots of unjustified, unsubstantiated and unsustainable public investment in "landmark" and "flagship" culural projects which sustained local businesses for for 5 seconds longer before they ultimately fail as a consequence of simple business arithmetic.

What I really want to know is, where will our port-towns be in 30 years time? Southampton, Plymouth, Bristol, Cardiff, Liverpool, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Newcastle, Harltepool, Hull, Grimsby, Ipswich, Folkestone?
They'll all still be our physical connections to the rest of the world. But will we have sustained thir infrastucture? (imaginary underground included?)

 

[CarterUSM]

I hope you notice, that having "Newcastle" in my username, I was far too polite to even hint any incident that you might be referring to.

Must be depressing to live in a sea-town which didn't receive lots of unjustified, unsubstantiated and unsustainable public investment in "landmark" and "flagship" culural projects which sustained local businesses for for 5 seconds longer before they ultimately fail as a consequence of simple business arithmetic.

What I really want to know is, where will very our port-towns be in 30 years time? Southampton, Plymouth, Bristol, Cardiff, Liverpool, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Newcastle, Harltepool, Hull, Grimsby, Ipswich, Folkestone?
They'll all still be our physical connections to the rest of the world. But will we have sustained thir infrastucture? (imaginary underground included?)

To be honest, Aberdeen is an unfair additiona to that list. I cannot think of many busier working ports in the UK. I do however agree with your hypothesis .This IS an island nation. And a very proud one, nobody could match us in our day, and they still should n't be able to.

 

[Bellwater]

If they want to put Ipswich Underground, i won't say no.

 

[jopsuk]

Ipswich though isn't properly "seaside"- it's quite a way up an estuary, limiting ship that can reach it- which is why Harwich and Felixstowe, a the mouth of the estuary, are such active ports. The main reason for the decline of so many harbours is the ever increasing size of cargo ships. Look at the advance of the main London port facilities over the years for a good illustration.

 

[Greenback]

Milford Haven is a deep water port that can accommodate the largest of modern vessels. The other South Wales ports, designed and built in the 19th or early 20th centuries simply can't handle large ships.