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Hi there. I'm a lurker on this forum, and most definitely don't have any level of expertise when it comes to engineering or train operations. For that reason, I definitely favour the more blindly optimistic areas of speculative changes, although I think as long you acknowledge that you're operating in that space then that's OK?
Anyway, I've enjoyed the broader threads in this section (what are your general ideas for X etc), so I thought I'd kick one off.
The premise: a genie that specialises in very specific infrastructure wishes has granted you the chance to build three tunnels on the UK rail network. They have to be tunnels of relative substance (the genie frowns upon, but doesn't outright disallow, dive-unders) and be theoretically possible. The genie is also bored of London Underground designs, so those are out. It will also hear you out if you want to add a bonus international tunnel for the sheer thrill of it.
To start off, I decided to theme mine around getting across water (city centre crossrails are probably more useful, but they're also pretty heavily discussed on here). In no particular order...
Under the mouth of Portsmouth Habour
Distance coast to coast: 650m
Brings Gosport onto the network, and if you can find a route through could potentially offer a faster route to Southampton (that might be a challenge though).
Under the Humber
Distance bank to bank: 2km
Grimsby, Scunthorpe and Lincoln don't have direct access to Hull. That'd be nice.
Under the Dee
Distance coast to coast: 8.9km
A nice scheme for devolved government across the mouth of the Dee. Allows direct access from the north Wales coast into Liverpool without trundling into/changing at Chester. Could be a built to a specification that allowed for access to HS3 trains should a tunnel to Dublin ever be built in the far far future. Might require a second tunnel under the Mersey though.
I did consider proposing a tunnel from Weston-Super-Mare into Cardiff (13.8km) but that seems the most difficult/of least benefit. Plus the genie is very strict.
Anyway, have at it.
Anyway, I've enjoyed the broader threads in this section (what are your general ideas for X etc), so I thought I'd kick one off.
The premise: a genie that specialises in very specific infrastructure wishes has granted you the chance to build three tunnels on the UK rail network. They have to be tunnels of relative substance (the genie frowns upon, but doesn't outright disallow, dive-unders) and be theoretically possible. The genie is also bored of London Underground designs, so those are out. It will also hear you out if you want to add a bonus international tunnel for the sheer thrill of it.
To start off, I decided to theme mine around getting across water (city centre crossrails are probably more useful, but they're also pretty heavily discussed on here). In no particular order...
Under the mouth of Portsmouth Habour
Distance coast to coast: 650m
Brings Gosport onto the network, and if you can find a route through could potentially offer a faster route to Southampton (that might be a challenge though).
Under the Humber
Distance bank to bank: 2km
Grimsby, Scunthorpe and Lincoln don't have direct access to Hull. That'd be nice.
Under the Dee
Distance coast to coast: 8.9km
A nice scheme for devolved government across the mouth of the Dee. Allows direct access from the north Wales coast into Liverpool without trundling into/changing at Chester. Could be a built to a specification that allowed for access to HS3 trains should a tunnel to Dublin ever be built in the far far future. Might require a second tunnel under the Mersey though.
I did consider proposing a tunnel from Weston-Super-Mare into Cardiff (13.8km) but that seems the most difficult/of least benefit. Plus the genie is very strict.
Anyway, have at it.