start from scratch...

[krus_aragon]

The Aberystwyth bit was to give Wales a North-south link and make certain Welsh people on the board happier :P

:P

The problem is you've left Chester-Holyhead off the planning board for now, so there's not much benefit for the people of Bangor, Llandudno, Rhyl...

The number of mountains and valleys that lie throughout Wales also make it difficult to eye up a lot of straight, level high-speed track. Did you have a specific route to/from Aberystwyth in mind?

 

[jopsuk]

pfft, just above sea level, straight through, mainly tunnel.

Or to be honest: more sensible would be a 200km/h line, going further along the south then up the west to meet a 400km/h North Wales line to link to the trans-irish sea mega tunnel.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
The other option I had in mind was ignoring most of Wales apart from Cardiff- they don't actually need anything more advanced than donkey carts really, do they?

 

[Greenback]

I refuse to rise to the bait!

 

[YesToHS2]

Where are people getting these maps?

Print screen from google maps into paint and then imported into flash to add network

Version 3

 

[YorkshireBear]

Print screen from google maps into paint and then imported into flash to add network

Version 3

i like this one

however i am presuming that smaller lines that arnt as fast lie eg sheffield barnsley which are just 60-75mph DMU stopper jobs are to be added but not put on map cos it would get ridiculous?

 

[YesToHS2]

i like this one

however i am presuming that smaller lines that arnt as fast lie eg sheffield barnsley which are just 60-75mph DMU stopper jobs are to be added but not put on map cos it would get ridiculous?

This is what I had in mind, obviously there would be more stops and other branch lines but the ones I set out would be main lines and stops.

Red = HSR 250mph+
Blue = TASS up to 140mph (Long distance)
Green = up to 125mph (medium/long distance)
Brown = up to 100mph (medium/local commuter)
Yellow = full London/southern area Crossrail

 

[YorkshireBear]

This is what I had in mind, obviously there would be more stops and other branch lines but the ones I set out would be main lines and stops.

Red = HSR 250mph+
Blue = TASS up to 140mph (Long distance)
Green = up to 125mph (medium/long distance)
Brown = up to 100mph (medium/local commuter)
Yellow = full London/southern area Crossrail

in that case i like it

 

[Fred26]

...Love the line from Beccles/Lowestoft up to Blyth. I assume you wouldn't run that as a full service.

 

[YesToHS2]

...Love the line from Beccles/Lowestoft up to Blyth. I assume you wouldn't run that as a full service.

Could use a reduced winter service perhaps. Or a restricted local service without running the entire line. With good connections and timings I think that even lines serving smaller towns could be better utilised. Some times I often wonder if rail planners actually look at what time other trains arrive and where they are going/come from in order for people to make connections.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Map showing connections in London.

Black = Direct station connections using people mover type systems.

Obviously the bulk of the current underground and overground would remain.

 

[Fred26]

Dartford to Basildon... nice.

 

[LE Greys]

The western bypass looks like a good idea. I'd run it a bit further east, to pass through Watford and Heathrow. Looks like it's going to Gatwick eventually. I'd add an extension to this, going all the way round to Sevenoaks, Dartford, sharing the same Thames Tunnel as the Basildon line, then Brentwoood, Epping, Potter's Bar, Radlett. This would allow freight to bypass London, and hopefully serve any freight transfer points around there (not sure if there are any, but it's a thought).

As for the Tube (which would be standard gauge and circular cross-section to save costs - seven foot gauge underground would be overdoing it) I would run a series of radial lines, Epping-Sutton, Romford-Heathrow, Denham-Grays, Swanley-Watford, Barnet-Bromley and Enfield-Croydon. This abandons the "lattice" structure in central London in favour of a Moscow-style "wheel" structure. If there is a London Central, that would be the hub of the wheel. There would be a Circle Line, roughly following the path of the current one, but shortcutting from Baker Street to Westminster. I'd also think about a Middle Circle, running Stratford-Highbury-Kentish Town-Willesden-Kensington-Clapham-Brixton-Lewisham-Greenwich-Stratford.

 

[Invincibles]

It is interesting to see Crewe still exists on that map, surely there is no reason at all to have Crewe if we are starting again, same as Rugby really?

I would send London to Liverpool and London to Preston via Stoke to be honest...

 

[YesToHS2]

If anyone wants a go, I've copy and pasted a full uk map from google which is zoom-able.

Click here to download

 

[MCR247]

Thank you so much

 

[ushawk]

Just noticed that the majority of the south coast has no link to London except from Southampton and Brighton. Most of Kent and Wales wouldnt have much either.

 

[MCR247]

Well I don't think all commuter lines were shown, as most of kent would be coloured

With Valley lines, you can only make lines so thin...

 

[ushawk]

A direct line straight along the South Coast i like though, and extending that through Kent - good idea.

 

[YesToHS2]

I'll be on version 4 soon, now I have a full map. I enjoy playing around with ideas.

 

[MCR247]

Same here

 

[The Decapod]

1) Get a map, mark all the major cities and draw the network that joins them all up.
2) Add in other big towns and cities and tweak map to take them in too.
3) Add in market towns, major industrial sites, airports etc. and tweak network again to take in as many as possible.
4) Add new lines to link in places that can't fit comfortably onto the lines you've already drawn.
5) Modify the routes to accommodate geographical obstructions
6) Get busy on Railworks !!

Actually, I just tried the map thing and basically what I ended up with is main lines that roughly follow the motorway and trunk dual carriageway network!!!

 

[YesToHS2]

V4
Red = HSR 250mph
Blue = up to 150mph
Green = up to 125mph
Brown = up to 100mph
Yellow = Crossrail
Pink (stations) = Network hubs

[edit] removed picture, was far too big

for full size images click here and zoom in

 

[MCR247]

What program did you use?

http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/2569/mymap2.jpg

^Mine.

Please note-

- The reason the lines go 250 down to 186 so often, is I've decided that 250mph requires special signalling, that 186 doesn't, meaning where the track is share with other trains the maximum speed is 186. So basically, 250mph lines don't have signals and use in-cab signalling, whereas 186mph lines have signalling, but 125 -186mph trains use the in-cab one, but it is still there for <125 trains LOL

 

[YesToHS2]

I use old copy of flash MX when it used to be macromedia flash, it's the only one I know, not really a drawing program but produces nice curves as it uses vector.

I've had another little play with it, this time I have added freight bypasses for none passenger rail movements and major freight yards in black.

here

 

[will1337]

I've had a go, it takes a different approach with a focus on quick journeys between major population centres and coverage of the country where feasable. Freight would only be allowed on secondary routes and there would be a few major freight only lines linking ports and major cities. Express trains are grade separated wherever possible. Some commuter lines around cities, esp London are missing. The aim would be to have loops out to connect with long distance services. They'd all run through the centre.

There's a 250+ mph 4 track trunk route up the country with room for expansion. There's a spur to Birmingham and nothing stops before Leicester. After the Manchester branch the next stop is Bradford. This serves as a hub for much of the Pennines and Leeds trains will leave here. The line will become double track and it's down to Carlisle where a branch goes off through a tunnel to Belfast from Stranraer. The aim is for London - Dublin in under 4 hours, bringing us a lot closer to Ireland. The line splits around where the M8 is to serve Glasgow and Edinburgh.

There's another very fast trunk serving the West Country from London. First stop Heathrow, second Westbury where the line splits to serve Devon/Cornwall and South Wales. There's also a very similar line to High Speed One but it'd be faster.

Black lines are 250mph+, Blue 186mph, Green 125-150mph and Brown lines are regional/commuter services under 100mph.

http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/6097/railmap.jpg

 

[YesToHS2]

I've had yet another go

http://members.multimania.co.uk/yestohs2/networkv5.jpg

 

[imagination]

I've had a go, it takes a different approach with a focus on quick journeys between major population centres and coverage of the country where feasable. Freight would only be allowed on secondary routes and there would be a few major freight only lines linking ports and major cities. Express trains are grade separated wherever possible. Some commuter lines around cities, esp London are missing. The aim would be to have loops out to connect with long distance services. They'd all run through the centre.

There's a 250+ mph 4 track trunk route up the country with room for expansion. There's a spur to Birmingham and nothing stops before Leicester. After the Manchester branch the next stop is Bradford. This serves as a hub for much of the Pennines and Leeds trains will leave here. The line will become double track and it's down to Carlisle where a branch goes off through a tunnel to Belfast from Stranraer. The aim is for London - Dublin in under 4 hours, bringing us a lot closer to Ireland. The line splits around where the M8 is to serve Glasgow and Edinburgh.

There's another very fast trunk serving the West Country from London. First stop Heathrow, second Westbury where the line splits to serve Devon/Cornwall and South Wales. There's also a very similar line to High Speed One but it'd be faster.

Black lines are 250mph+, Blue 186mph, Green 125-150mph and Brown lines are regional/commuter services under 100mph.

http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/6097/railmap.jpg

Interesting.

A few questions
1. Where is the line on Skye going beyond Portree, and why?
2. How on earth are you planning on putting a line between Ambleside and Keswick? One long viaduct all the way up the length of Thirlmere?
3. Any reason why no line to Peterhead? You seem to be throwing around lines which wouldn't get used by anyone quite happily in NW Scotland, but yet missing out towns of reasonable size in the NE...

 

[will1337]

1. The line goes up to the end of Skye to connect with ferries to Harris. Possibly a PPM type service.
2. I'm not sure of the geography of that part of the lakes but the intention is to better connect the north and south lakes.
3. There should be a line to Peterhead, perhaps the Inverness line from Aberdeen should go along the coast.

The Darlington - Middlesbrough line is missing as well.

 

[imagination]

Here's my map. Haven't colour coded the lines by speed, though there are several stretches of dedicated high speed line (should be fairly obvious from looking at the map which these are).

Grey means I'm not sure for one reason or another, but that the line should probably be built.

http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/7569/railmap.png
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

2. I'm not sure of the geography of that part of the lakes but the intention is to better connect the north and south lakes.

Your options would be:
a) use the route you described and close the main road, making road traffic use the tiny little road on the West shore of Thirlmere. Even then, Dunmail Raise could be problematic
b) Tunnel under Kirkstone Pass and take the line up Patterdale. Would be extremely unpopular (Patterdale is often described as the most beautiful valley in England, and with some justification) and would take you rather further east of where you would want to be
c) Tunnel under Ullscarf. Extremely expensive - you would need a very long tunnel as the upper end of Borrowdale is steep.
d) drain Thirlmere back to its natural level and tunnel under Dunmail Raise. Deprives Manchester of its main source of water.
e) don't bother. There are good enough bus connections between Ambleside and Keswick anyway...

 

[YorkshireBear]

some very interesting maps from all, I'd be interested to see your ideas on a more local scale so does anyone want to pick a country or region? still including everything....

just out of itnerest if we could start again, how much of transport in this country could we make on electrified railways? (presuming someone allows nuclear to power railways therefore makings compltetly green....)
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Here's my map. Haven't colour coded the lines by speed, though there are several stretches of dedicated high speed line (should be fairly obvious from looking at the map which these are).

Grey means I'm not sure for one reason or another, but that the line should probably be built.

http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/7569/railmap.png
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---


Your options would be:
a) use the route you described and close the main road, making road traffic use the tiny little road on the West shore of Thirlmere. Even then, Dunmail Raise could be problematic
b) Tunnel under Kirkstone Pass and take the line up Patterdale. Would be extremely unpopular (Patterdale is often described as the most beautiful valley in England, and with some justification) and would take you rather further east of where you would want to be
c) Tunnel under Ullscarf. Extremely expensive - you would need a very long tunnel as the upper end of Borrowdale is steep.
d) drain Thirlmere back to its natural level and tunnel under Dunmail Raise. Deprives Manchester of its main source of water.
e) don't bother. There are good enough bus connections between Ambleside and Keswick anyway...

i think id stick with e) but you could have a better route out and round lake district i dont think goign through it would be sensilbe or needed for the damage it would cause

 

[YesToHS2]

some very interesting maps from all, I'd be interested to see your ideas on a more local scale so does anyone want to pick a country or region? still including everything....

I've had a go of the area I know best.

http://members.multimania.co.uk/yestohs2/localnw.jpg