HS2 Old Oak Common

In today's video I'll be giving some background information about Old Oak Common and we'll be taking a look at some of the progress so far.
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[@Rail_Focus]

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[@nemo6686]

_Why_ will this "*undoubtedly* have a positive impact on the surrounding area"? It may well do so, but it's far from unknown for major developments to succeed with limited benefit - if not outright detriment - to its immediate environs. Examples of this might be the ring of under-developed areas abutting the City of London, or Heathrow's impact on surrounding villages. "Undoubtedly" really needs some justification here.

[@Rail_Focus]

@@nemo6686 perhaps in isolation the impact could be limited, but if the public realm improvement are delivered and further improved connectivity with Central and Overground lines I can't see how it won't have a positive impact. With the connectivity provided it'll certainly be a desirable place to live.

[@ManicXD]

The sheer scale of these new pieces of infrastructure is surprising, as you'd think that it'd just be some simple stations, cuttings, and small tunnels, but not this project it seems. Fascinating to see it all develop!

[@Rail_Focus]

Every part of the project seems colossal. Only had a chance to look at the footage properly during editing and was surprised by how much activity was going on on this one site.

[@jermainetrainallen6416]

Great vid. Old Oak Common will certainly be a substantial hub for intercity services. I can't wait for the day the huge roof superstructure starts to be built. It will be fascinating to see but until then, let's hope for more progress on the station box and also the GWML station.

[@Rail_Focus]

Thanks, it'll certainly be interesting to see how they build the GWML station, trying to build on an active railway brings its own challenges.

[@beecee2205]

take you 30 mins to get from Old Oak Nowhere to anywhere useful. and it you think thats what passangers want you are a total idiot.

[@liveevil6386]

The depot at old oak has been waste of space for decades. This is amazing use of what is already here

[@justice4da97]

I live next to the station, when l was 15, me and my friends use to break into the eurostars just to chill inside the train.

[@philwoodward5069]

The link between Old Oak Common and the Overground Willesden-Clapham Junction line is being misunderstood by the government if they think it's a local project principally for the benefit of Londoners that should be funded by TfL. Southern already run trains on that route and there's no reason why they couldn't run some of their semi-fast Brighton-Gatwick-London services into Willesden Junction instead of Victoria if it would have a connection to HS2 (as well as the Elizabeth Line and GWR). Clapham Junction is one of the busiest stations in Europe any way you measure it - by passenger numbers, number of trains calling or number of destinations served directly. Linking it to Old Oak Common would benefit regional and long-distance travellers much more than people making local trips. The connection should be funded centrally as part of the project.

[@Rail_Focus]

Indeed, as always the DfT is being short sighted. OOC could become the Stratford of the West if further connections were added.

[@DavidKnowles0]

@@Rail_Focus But rather than do a job properly the first time, they rather do a bodge job and then spend more money into the future fixing it.

[@kwlkid85]

If a HS2/HS1 link ever gets built I wonder if this will ever become Old Oak Common International.

[@Rail_Focus]

It's probably unlikely unfortunately, however I think that was one of the original ideas for passport control to be done at OOC.

[@kwlkid85]

@@Rail_Focus If HS2 actually gets fully built the pressure to build the link will probably be enough to get it built. Using OOC and Stratford as west and east international hubs makes a lot of sense to me as even many places not directly on the high speed lines would have easy 1 change connections onto international trains.

[@lordgemini2376]

@@kwlkid85 I've always thought a specific tunnel linking OOC and Stratford International should be the way to create a HS2-HS1 link. So journeys from let's say Manchester could go: Manc Piccadilly - Birmingham Interchange - OOC - Stratford Interntaional - Ebbsfleet - Ashford - onto Europe. Idk how feasible it is but it's very interesting!

[@kwlkid85]

@@lordgemini2376 That's pretty much what was planned before it got cancelled. A tunnel would have linked the 2 lines bypassing Euston and St Pancras.

[@kwlkid85]

@@peterwilliamallen1063 Because we should be reducing plane travel as much as possible. A link would enable international services from places like Manchester, Birmingham etc. HS2 and HS1 terminate very close to each other and a link was always planned but has been temporarily killed due to nimbys.

[@Andrewjg_89]

Old Oak Common HS2 station will be massive and with National Rail and Elizabeth Line to serve the new station once it’s completed. And 2 new London Overground stations to be built near to the new HS2 station.

[@Rail_Focus]

Let's just hope the Overground stations are built, as currently there's no funding for them.

[@Andrewjg_89]

@@Rail_Focus Indeed

[@joshuablyth1138]

I have the great privilege of working on this site as an apprentice engineer, our package of work is to expand and lower old oak common lane as well as demolish and expand the mainline bridges that will lead into the station, videos don't do justice of how vast this site is.

[@Rail_Focus]

It's definitely difficult to show the true scale of the project from the ground. Best shot was the one on the Elizabeth line, which shows just how big the station site is.

[@SirKenchalot]

It seems so odd to have a stop so soon after leaving Euston or Paddington. Why didn't they just make this the terminus or terminate at Paddington where all the same connections could be made?

[@Rail_Focus]

If they terminated at Paddington they'd still have to build a new station as there's nowhere near enough space to terminate 17tph at Paddington. OOC provides good connectivity, but passengers still expect to be able to travel to central London and Euston provides connections to places not served by the Elizabeth line. Also Euston is a short walk from St Pancras for service to the Continent.

[@elfyn2005]

Wish there was more rail connections in mid wales :(

[@Rail_Focus]

There should be, we need both 🙃

[@elfyn2005]

@@Rail_Focus I love the idea of HS2 tho, even tho I won't be able to use that often

[@marksinthehouse1968]

What gets on my nerves now is people still saying cancel it it too far gone ,imagine all these construction sites left ,let’s get it done and were possible extend it to Scotland etc

[@Rail_Focus]

Absolutely, we're definitely passed the point of no return now. Cancelling it now would be a monumental waste and wouldn't save any money now.

[@DavidKnowles0]

HS2 is now apparently under another government review, which will probably mean more chopping an changing of plans, which will probably mean more wasted money.

[@Rail_Focus]

@@DavidKnowles0 let's hope the section to Manchester survives. The arm to East Midlands is still on the map for now, but it's probably years off a plan being presented to Parliament.

[@FlorianHWave]

There should be a bypass of London via Heathrow, just like in Paris. Or at least some non-stop connection between HS1 and HS2. Because the Eurostar doesn't really connect England with mainland Europe, it only connects London with mainland Europe.

[@Rail_Focus]

I'm not sure there's the demand to justify the infrastructure to connect HS2 to HS1 A covered walkway or pedestrian tunnel with travelator between Euston and St Pancras would probably be adequate. Euston and St Pancras really aren't that far apart. A new station at Old Oak Common on the London Overground line could be beneficial for reaching South London though.

[@FlorianHWave]

@@Rail_Focus Example: Try going from Paris to Birmingham. You have to take the Eurostar to London and then change there. The Eurostar is delayed, you miss your connection and since they are two different operators, no one has to give you a refund or rebook your journey. More time lost, more money lost and next time you decide to just fly instead, to avoid all of this hassle and save time and money. Classic example.

[@Rail_Focus]

@@FlorianHWave there will be 3 HS2 trains per hour and at least 2 classic services per hour to Birmingham, so missing a connection isn't the end of the world. But ticketing should be sorted out, you should be able to book a single ticket from the North to the continent.

[@FlorianHWave]

@@Rail_Focus Missing a connection is a problem if reservation is mandatory, which is usually the case for high-speed trains, and only if re-booking your ticket is free. And since HS2 and Eurostar are two different operators, there is no need for either of them to refund you or rebook you.

[@FlorianHWave]

@@peterwilliamallen1063 I know.

[@slimchris113]

I heard network rail and chiltern wants to make an extension to terminate at OOC I wonder how that will happen

[@Rail_Focus]

Interesting, definitely seems as if OOC could become the Stratford of West London.

[@slimchris113]

@@Rail_Focus Most definitely

[@Rail_Focus]

Intro Music by Steve ▶️ kzbin.info/www/bejne/f6mkm5l6q92Embc ◀️

[@richardr7434]

Birminghan ??? Where’s that then ?

[@Rail_Focus]

Not sure ? ? ? 🤷

[@richardr7434]

@@Rail_Focus 44 seconds in:" Birminghan and the North"

[@Rail_Focus]

@@richardr7434 okay, would just been easier to say there's a typo to begin with. Sometimes things slip in. 🙃

[@richardr7434]

@@Rail_Focus it's a joke mate, no need to be touchy about it, I'm not your proof reader 🤪

[@Rail_Focus]

@@richardr7434 sorry, just used to getting sarcastic comments when I make genuine mistakes. And I hate mistakes creeping in 😅

[@Tez_Thorn1405]

So progress,not an awful lot then 🤣

[@Rail_Focus]

They built a conveyor and a temporary office 😛

[@mikehindson-evans159]

Seven metres down, eight metres to go before reaching HS2 track level; that is actually a LOT of progress.

[@beecee2205]

The New Terminus. Nowhere. Absolutely nowhere. Which is great, cus Curzon Street is nowhere in Brum as well. What a con job

[@Rail_Focus]

Lol, it's not the new terminus, that "story" was rubbished early on this afternoon. Curzon St is also in Birmingham City centre, a very short walk from New St and right next door to Moor St.

[@beecee2205]

@@Rail_Focus all sorts of stories are rubbish. I remember when hs2 was going to leeds. I bet that was rubbished. I remember when hs2 was gonna cost 49 billion. thats been rubbished. its all rubbish hs2. curzon street is 20 mins from new street btw. about the time saved from London to Brum. Mind you thats been rubbished as well.

[@Rail_Focus]

@@beecee2205 the "story" was broken by the S*n and quickly and strongly denied, but if you'd rather believe bs from the S*n you crack on. Curzon St is not 20 minutes away, that's a made-up nonsense figure which I've no idea where you got it from, probably reading The S*n 🤣

[@ds1868]

@@Rail_Focus It is an interesting issue though. The section between Old Oak Common and Euston will cost at least £15 billion, but that may well rise due to inflation. Also with the cancellation of crossrail 2 there is going to be major problems dealing with passenger flow at Euston. It's doubtful the current underground network will cope. Finally passengers can use the Elizabeth line to central London from OOC. There is a logical argument to it, based mainly on cost. It was rejected by the Chancellor but it doesn't mean there may be revisions if the economy continues to stagnate.

[@Rail_Focus]

@@ds1868 it may be an interesting debate, but it's not straightforward as just saying cancel Euston and terminate at at OOC. The station box at Old Oak is already nearing completion, so to change it at this point would be extremely costly. 6 platforms simply wouldn't be enough to serve beyond Birmingham in the long run. Also there's a lot riding on Euston in terms of redevelopment, the OSD will in part fund the new station, without which it's unlikely the area around Euston wouldn't be redeveloped. So yes it's costly, but it's too late in the game to cancel.

[@lukepollard2202]

What, a high-speed train not designed for high-speed. No wonder the Chinese turned it down.. what a waste of money...typical. tories...

[@Rail_Focus]

Eh 🤷

[@lukepollard2202]

Which it don't you understand ? The narrator clearly said its been designed for capacity not high speeds

[@Rail_Focus]

The bit where you don't seem to understand what HS stands for. The new railway is primarily for capacity, but trains will be able to travel at between 200-225mph.

[@lukepollard2202]

Uour error mate not mine...

[@Rail_Focus]

@@lukepollard2202 if you say so 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@madontherun]

maybe you want to remake this video?

[@Rail_Focus]

Why?

[@lukepollard2202]

What, a high-speed train not designed for high-speed. No wonder the Chinese turned it down.. what a waste of money...typical. tories...

[@Rail_Focus]

Why not both 🤷. 225mph 400km/h not fast enough for you?