HS2

So the government has recently announced their intention to go forward with plans to build High Speed 2, initially from London Euston to Birmingham Curzon Street.

I expect the Bill to be presented to Parliament in the November's opening of Parliament in the Queens Speech.

Of course the vociferous opposition will no doubt force a number of legal actions to prevent this from go ahead, but I say to those strongly against this proposal, you will not only loose this campaign, you will loose a significant amount of funds in court hearings.

Of course there will be amendments to the plans before final agreement is sought and the bill receiving the Royal Assent. By that time a significant amount of preparatory work will have been done in readiness for contracts to be signed, land compulsory purchased in readiness for construction to commence.

Now what indeed has all this got to do with my heritage blog?

The Nation needs HS2 now.

Until the late 1950's, our transport infrastructure was based on roads, largely developed from medieval and Roman lanes and tracks. These archaic arteries served communities for commerce and pleasure. Their routes, were constructed to directly serve the requirements from town to town and village to village. Construction methods were needless to say very basic, they had no modern materials or equipment. Due to large land owners and farmers, the roads were prevented from cutting across land and had to follow the perimeters, hence sharp bends etc.

The railways came in the Victorian era, and despite much opposition even in those days, these too served directly from town to town, city to city and villages via branch lines. Once again, the nature of construction, land negotiations and methods of construction led to the same principle for roads.

Then came the development of the internal combustion engine and the expansion of use for private and business purposes. The demise of the railways in the 1950's, especially after the 2nd World War resulted in the decision to create fast and wide highways without the constraints of urban bottle necks. Hence the existing motorway network. Indeed until motorways were built, all major truck roads had to negotiate these urban obstacles.

The same principle applies directly to the railways. There is only so much that can be done to Victorian infrastructure. Network Rail are indeed investing  a vast amount of money in the present network to maintain its functionality. A select number of routes are being upgraded for impending increase in freight and the new European container size stock.

This is not enough. High Speed Rail requires purpose built facilities in order to attain the speeds expected. The line has to be significantly straight, existing lines are quite beyond upgrading to this standard.

So in order to facilitate the future requirements of this Nation, High Speed 2 will be built!

Curzon Street Station, Birmingham. Owned by Network Rail, even this listed building from the originally station will be incorporated in the new station.

Curzon Street Station, Birmingham, as it was in the 1950's

Two Tunnels part 2

This is the 2nd part of my little feature in the reopening of tunnels, formerly used by the Somerset & Dorset Railway. A line that ran between Bath and Bournemouth, over the Mendip Hills. There was a branch line to Burnham on Sea.

These tunnels, sealed for many years after railway closure in 1966, are being opened, cleaned, resurfaced, lit and ready for use by cyclists and pedestrians.

Very tortuous tunnels indeed, with a steep gradient of 1.50 in many places, so the order of the day was double headers or banking engines employed to 'get up the hill'. Not very cost effective at all.

Slippage was common, so the crew, driver and fireman must have really suffered in those glorious days of steam motion.

No doubt they were glad to see the light at the end of the tunnel, fresh air, then light up a fag!

Combedown Tunnel is just over 1 mile in length and totally unventilated.

The southern portal, suitably decorated in graffiti. 

Tunnel opened up once again in readiness for rework.

The good old days. We cannot see from this photograph if a 'banker' was used.

Going north towards Bath, Green Park (now Sainsbury's) now this is a very interesting photograph. Look at the smoke residue in the mouth of the tunnel. Either this locomotive is following close behind the previous train, as stated no ventilation is the tunnel, so that is possible. Or is this a 'banker' running tender first, most unlikely I think. If it was a 'banker', it would be barking its nuts off, emitting clouds of black smoke, sparks and anything else it can chuck out. (no Green Party in those days thank you!)

Two Tunnels part 1

In 1966, services on the Somerset and Dorset Railway ceased, and over the next short period the line was lifted, cuttings back filled and tunnels sealed.

The Somerset and Dorset line will never come back, and it was always going to be top of Dr. Beeching's list of lines to close.

Known as the 'slow and dirty', it is easy to understand why.

Although most of the line was double, the section between Bath Green Park and Midford was single. This created a severe bottle neck with no passing places. Although it was planned to double this section in reality it was never going to happen simply because of tunnel constraints.

Furthermore, on departure from Bath Green Park, the line entered a severe gradient and left curvature. This continued through two tunnels and slippage was a common factor in traction.

However, these two tunnels, The Devonshire, and Coombe Down Tunnel are scheduled to be reopened after many years. They are to be part of a cycle route and funds have been made to uncover the portals, clean off the years of soot, tarmac the surface and provide suitable lighting.

The Devonshire Tunnel, 447 yards long in its service days. This is the South portal. The tunnel bore was restrictive with less that 1ft to spare between funnel and tunnel roof at times.

The South Portal now uncovered. The wall will be removed in order to gain proper service access to tarmac the surface and install lighting.

The Coombe Down Tunnel, leading on to Tucking Mill and Midford was 1 mile and 69 yards long and unventilated!

Photographs to follow.

LAMMA part two

In this second part of the LAMMA 2012 event at the Newark show ground, I took a small selection of photographs whilst the event was open to the public. This is to try and get the flavour of the show. Needless to say with so many visitors, it was difficult at the best of times to get a reasonable picture.

The following three photographs are taken in the cattle sheds in which the vintage section was housed and displayed. My excuse is the light was poor and multiple flash would have been ideal.

This photo has the Nott's Group NVTEC on the right with the North Worcs. Group opposite next door to Pat and Phil Scarborough's display of vintage memorabilia.

Here we have the main display for Blue Force vintage tractor section.

And finally, looking towards Pond's Publishing on the left and opposite, is Phil Wing with Cleaver Models.

LAMMA part one

LAMMA. Lincolnshire Agricultural  Machinery Manufacturers Association.

This is the UK's leading farm machinery, equipment and services show.

Held annually every January at the Nottinghamshire Agricultural Society's show ground at Newark. It is a large and well visited show, with visitors from around the globe. There are £millions of pounds worth of stock on site, and business deals are done within  the two day event. A number of potential buyers are conveyed by helicopter. Needless to say traffic around Newark over these days is well congested.

As Chairman of the North Worcestershire Vintage Tractor and Engine Club, I am privileged to be invited by the Nott's Group Vintage Tractor Club to attend and put on a small display.

Here are a small number of photo's I took during set up day on Tuesday 17th January.

This photograph is the outside section of BlueForce, a preservation club formed for owners of Fordson and Ford Vintage and Classic Tractors. The rest of the display was inside the sheds as in the background.

North Yorkshire Moors Railway

Recently the North Yorshire Moors Railway spend a significant amount of money in replacing or restoring the roof at Pickering Station.

Here are two photographs of 'before and after'.

Christmas and New Year Road Runs

The first of the Christmas and New Year Road Run was held on 27th December and the route was round the highways and byways of rural Warwickshire. Starting at Bascote Crossroads, we travelled through some wonderful countryside, including 'green lanes'.

On the first photograph I am at the top of the hill by the church at Ufton, on the final leg.

Here we are travelling the 'green lanes' towards the old iron bridge over the disused Leamington the Rugby railway. This was Marton junction.

This is the old iron trellis bridge over the deep cutting at Marton junction. Max weight on the bridge is 3 tonnes.

The New Years Day run had some 57 tractors on the road. Here we have Ron Turner negotiating the ford at Coughton, almost at the end of the run.

And of course yours truly at the wheel negotiating the same ford.

Mark Jones at the wheel of the Douglas timber tractor owned by S.E. Davis and Son.

Neill Gough and Paul Davis crossing the ford at Coughton complete with passengers. 'Britannia' is the name of the Burrell Road Locomotive.

Chris Beale from Little Comberton in Worcestershire driving his dad's Fordson Major.

Its me again earlier in the run in Dogbutt Lane. Note the damaged exhaust!