Should we build HS2 or Re-open old Railway lines?

[@pwhitewick]

Hey folks.... Thanks for watching something very different from our norm, back to exploring next week! We were keen to learn more about HS2 so had a natter to Gareth Dennis up in York. You can follow Gareth on Twitter @garethdennis and subscribe to his KZbin Channel here: kzbin.info

[@ColinH1973]

I hope you managed to get to Wharram Percy 😁

[@kernow..exp.]

Just get some second-hand track put it down job done

[@movesky6696]

the money to made hs2 work just cost alone over £106 bn money should to rail local north east/ north west best way use money in to local rail network

[@christinaburton9297]

When you were in York, did you see anything of the White Syke Cottages line? Are you going to trace this?

[@DavidShepheard]

@@movesky6696 The purpose of HS2 is to take high speed trains off of the mainlines (including those in the North) and get them out of the way of local services, so that local trains can run a more frequent service on the existing lines. There is also the Northern Powerhouse Rail on the books. The UK government held back Crossrail for FIFTY YEARS and held back the Thameslink 2000 program for TWENTY years, because of people faffing about over the cost and route. We could have already have had a TGV style network similar to what HS2 is offering last century. We need to get on and do it. That doesn't mean that other projects (like replacing Pacers) can't also get funding.

[@Dave5843-d9m]

We used to have two tracks each way on the mainline routes, but Beeching stripped out the second tracks. They were great for allowing faster trains to run straight through while stoppers and slow freight took the outer lines.

[@memofromessex]

Nobody has ever explained that by building HS2 it will allow for more frequent stoppers, but all we get told it'll take 15mins of some journey when nobody cares about the 15mins saving! I feel like I have genuinely learnt something new and I have an interest in rail infrastructure.

[@pwhitewick]

Thank you. Yup that's 100% the point of HS2. Not cutting the journey time.

[@andrewfanner2245]

I think that information needs to be made very clear to the press and politicians. Its not about a shoter jouney to Brimngham, but more journeys to Notthampton or what have you. But perhaps in the current political climate it needs to start with a better link across the North from Liverpool to Leeds and York.

[@BigAL0074]

Thats not true, I am no railway buff but I have heard it said that HS2 will increase capacity on the existing lines.

[@hairyairey]

@@pwhitewick depends of course which media you listen to. Some are fixated on the journey times (which as the network grows reduces the need for domestic flights - why fly when the train is faster?) but it's capacity that matters.

[@COIcultist]

@@pwhitewick Yes someone had explained the freeing of capacity to me 4 or 5 years ago. It is a pity this is so rarely mentioned. I was with you or rather your guest till around the 14minute mark where we got the alternative of growing gills. Please do consider Al Gore's major residence is a massive waterfront property and Barry O'Bama has just spent a little short of 15$M on a property at Martha's Vineyard on the seafront. So do they have a massive belief in mans' ability to correct things or have they just been talking shite? The first place to sink under the rising seas would be the Maldives. Cant remember if they are building thirteen or eighteen new resorts there, and Saudi Arabia is investing billions. Obviously people with money have no idea how bad things will get

[@stewartsamson835]

This guy should be on HS2’s PR team, explains the benefits oh so much better than their PR team ever has

[@RuleBritannia1987]

@@studio-flash HS2 development was started by Labour.

[@ClockworksOfGL]

Stewart Samson - HS2 is like buying three railroads for the price of five.

[@johnburns4017]

_"This guy should be on HS2’s PR team"_ I am sure he is in some way - to push it no matter what the negatives are, which are massive.

[@almostanengineer]

I’d say the opposite, the fact he’s not gives him some impartiality.

[@Yeti_SploofZ]

Hs2 shouldnt exist

[@catalinvoineag6344]

Why aren't more people like this on television explaining these things about HS2? :(

[@JeremyGreysmark]

because it wouldn't fit all that propaganda and scare tactic I think :)

[@tonycalder8937]

Because the media are not very good at explaining anything longer than a sound bite

[@glengraham9313]

Interesting to hear a different view on HS2 and thank goodness he didn't claim it will serve the North. It stops a long, long way short of the real North of England.

[@drewukdrew]

Because all of the information being spouted could be so easily dismantled.

[@nigeledward-few4846]

Because they are not affected and are hundreds of miles away from where it's under construction. This young man is only presenting one side

[@carlsturges7600]

We'll that made the most sense I've heard yet on HS2 benefits, why haven't we seen Gareth on TV yet.!

[@johnburns4017]

And that they whole railway is not fit for purpose.

[@AmauryJacquot]

because stupid politicians are more bankable for propaganda channels

[@leelo1972]

Absolutlety stocking brilliant SUPERB !!!!!!!!! Answered so many questions thank you for taking the time to put it together 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@GarethDennisTV]

This was so much fun (and hopefully informative for everyone watching)!!! Thanks for having me... Let's do it again soon!

[@hanskniezand2049]

Enjoyed your input, and myth busting, even if I don't agree with you.

[@johnkerby70]

You mentioned that there were no new stations built for HS1, what about Stratford and Ebbsfleet? A very interesting video and yes, please do some more!

[@GarethDennisTV]

@@johnkerby70 Yes, Stratford was a new-build... But weren't the costs met separately to HS1? The work at Ebbsfleet was pretty minor really. In both cases, these are quite diminutive stations compared to the colossal scale of the new HS2 stations!

[@GarethDennisTV]

@@AntonyUpward Try this: twitter.com/GarethDennis/status/1213924261041180672

[@AntonyUpward]

@@GarethDennisTV Thank-you for sharing all your knowledge and ideas. And, as you suggested went googling for Stephenson's original route... but clearly my Google skills are wanting... care to give us a clue? :-)

[@roysimmons3549]

Interesting. Have to agree ripping up track between York and Hull like much of Beeching makes no sense. But then the Transport Minister was Ernest Marples involved in Marples Ridgway a tarmac company. So to justify road building, shut the railway. Simples.....a short time later Middlesexshire wiped off the map..same thinking in the swinging sixties. We have managed to keep Marylebone and the GCR/GWR joint line alive and the chunk to Aylesbury later Milton's in Keynes.

[@gaffysmenk]

Great video, very interesting. "Aberystwyth which is just about as far from HS2 as you can get" Lol.. Love from the north of Scotland. Xxx

[@pwhitewick]

Ah.... well yes, that is a tad further! I'll give you that!

[@johnr4459]

in the 1890's they built the great central, it was built to eureopean loading guages etc with a view to a channel tunnel. beaching closed it in the 60's, now we have a channel tunnel and no railway. maybe the victorians were more clever than we are

[@pwhitewick]

Hey John, have a listen to Gareth's point on that very subject in the video.

[@badguy1481]

We have "EX" railway lines all over our area (Wisconsin, USA)...that have since been converted to bike routes. They USED to carry one and two car light rail. I REALLY like to use these bike trails...BUT... Sometimes I wonder how nice it would be to be able to take these same routes aboard a light rail car and enjoy all the beautiful views while relaxing in a seat.

[@tedthesailor172]

And presumably you could still take your bike on board with you if they were so designed...

[@rockguitarist931]

That's what I never understood about rail-to-trail enthusiasts. There are perfectly good rail lines all over America that get turned into bike trails because people think it'd be really convenient to have a way to get between cities, so they tear out the rails and make it inconvenient to get between cities.

[@badguy1481]

@@rockguitarist931 It seems to me it would be fairly easy to just put an asphalt bike trail on one side of the tracks so BOTH "means of transportation" could use the same right-of-way. I agree, we should reconsider tearing up any more lines and attempt to use them like we did 100 years ago. There's got to be a way to run a low cost "light rail" system on those unused tracks, even if it costs the tax payers a bit more money in vehicle and track maintenance costs. And (but certainly a BIG maybe) If we could come up with a low cost way to reinstall tracks on those bike trails that have already been converted, I think that would eventually draw customers. The City of Milwaukee just installed a light rail system in the down town area. There was a BIG fight over whether it would be profitable enough to warrant its creation. But now that it's installed I think people are possibly warming up to it. The tracks are laid right in the street so there's no need for a special right of way.

[@badguy1481]

@@tedthesailor172 Absolutely! All the city buses in Milwaukee have a fixture mounted on the front that will hold several bikes. The passenger just secures it in place before entering the front entrance. A light rail car could be configured just as easily so that passengers have a faster means of getting around once they reach their destination.

[@rockguitarist931]

@@badguy1481 America used to have a great network of interurban trolleys and passenger trains. Watch the PBS documentary "Taken For A Ride" that aired in the 90's. It explains why modern transportation in America is almost non-existent. Our highways are from the 50's and passenger train service is basically dead. Many cities are anti-rail, too, so the chance of restoring the system to it's former glory is minimal. Nashville, TN has been dealing with traffic issues for decades and Amtrak has recently proposed an extension of service from Atlanta to Nashville, and possibly on to Memphis. I am an advocate for buses, light rail, interurban lines, and more because I think a wide variety of ways to get around is the best solution. That way there's more competition to be the best service provider out there. I personally hate the fact I have to drive my car anytime I want to go somewhere. Cars are fun, but daily driving them is a great way to wear them out and auto repair bills are expensive.

[@CallingAllStations]

Fantastically informed and well thought out documentary. Even persuaded me on a few points I wasn’t previously sure about. A real thought provoking piece. Thanks for making!

[@pwhitewick]

Thanks Andy. This was a tricky edit and a half.

[@patrickprice8799]

How wonderful to hear someone speak so eloquently about a subject with which he is fully conversant. Put him in charge of HS2 now. Thank you.

[@pwhitewick]

Thanks Patrick, yes quite refreshing and definitely someone that knows his beans.

[@johnturner4400]

Whitewick's Abandoned Railways. He needs to be able to count beans as well

[@gaugeonesteam]

That Gareth Dennis is right on it! Sorry, I missed this video when you first posted it. It's great to see an obviously very talented young engineer with the passion, skills, drive and knowledge to help develop this country's transport system. A couple of years ago I lived in Brussels for 1 year. I regularly took the Eurostar from St Pancras to Brussels Midi station. Amazing train trip. Better than going to Paris. Train goes at max speed of 298 kmph between Calais & Lille. The trams in Brussels are really interesting too. They still have rolling stock built in 1976 in daily service and the network is very extensive and very interesting.

[@julias-shed]

Really interesting to get a knowledgeable person talking about HS2.

[@pwhitewick]

Thanks Julia.

[@nigeledward-few4846]

Knowledgeable he is not, certainly not if the whole picture, a picture changing daily by the impact on working practices and journeying as a consequence of Covid, changes that are likely to be permanent and which will even further diminish the value of this already invalid project.

[@PrograError]

@@nigeledward-few4846 HSR in japan changed the flight market in japan, everything new transport related will cause change.

[@davedavis8556]

*1) The eastern leg of HS2 from Birmingham has been cancelled;* *2)* A 20 mile length of high speed line will be built from Leeds to the MML north of Doncaster; *3)* HS2 section from Birmingham to Nottingham will stay running onto the MML; *4)* ECML will be upgraded to take the London-Leeds & London-Newcastle services; *5)* MML is being upgraded - but not a part of this plan; *6)* London-Sheffield will run via HS2 to East Mids Parkway then MML. May run on MML after upgrade; *7)* Liverpool to Manchester will have new and upgraded line; *8)* Manchester to Leeds will have new and upgraded line; *9)* Eastern leg will be Birmingham-East Midlands Parkway-MML-New HS2/NPR line to Leeds. The MML between the two HS2 bits; *That is how it is right now.* But..... HS2 ph. 1 crosses the Chiltern Line at Aylesbury in the south and Southam in the Midlands. No work is being done between these two points. This section of the Chiltern is the least used. Many speculate that HS2 will be from London to Aylesbury, then on an upgraded Chiltern to Southam (near Leamington), then onto HS2 into Birmingham. The centre section of HS2 will be the Chiltern. The sections of Chiltern from London-Aylesbury and Southam-Birmingham will be 100% commuting. Ph. 2b, Crewe to Manchester leg the government's Infrastructure and Projects Authority gave *red 'unachievable'* rating. So expect that to be dropped as the years go by.

[@kernow..exp.]

We need to open old railway lines such as dawlish seawall they should reopen the okehampton branch

[@pwhitewick]

Yes!! Couldn't agree more. That would provide a vital alternative and relief to an already busy route.

[@syncrosimon]

It’s so obvious, only the cycle route would suffer.

[@christinaburton9297]

There is a heritage line down to nest Meldin Quarry. Bring back Gunnislake extension from Bete Alston. Bring back Tavistock line. There is also a freight line near Buildwas which until 2015 served a power station. Why was it not put immediately to public use? Start by opening closed stations on used lines, then put freight lines to public use e.g Leicester to Burton on Trent, then bring back rails. Much better use of resources than spending billions on a service only a few rich people will be able to use.

[@christinaburton9297]

There is a heritage line down to nest Meldin Quarry. Bring back Gunnislake extension from Bete Alston. Bring back Tavistock line. There is also a freight line near Buildwas which until 2015 served a power station. Why was it not put immediately to public use? Start by opening closed stations on used lines, then put freight lines to public use e.g Leicester to Burton on Trent, then bring back rails. Much better use of resources than spending billions on a service only a few rich people will be able to use.

[@tomgruitt6563]

A shame Brunels first idea didn’t go ahead. Starcross, bend right and through tunnels slightly inland through Dawlish.

[@neilhawkins1212]

Best video in ages. I've learnt more in less than 30 minutes than all the time that HS2 has been going. This guy needs to take this to all the nimby's out there, it makes so much sense. Well done. 👍

[@johnturner4400]

Neil Hawkins. I bet no one on this video will be blighted by hs2. The cost will be £400m per mile

[@poodle559]

And don't forget that there's a conflict of interest here!

[@Zenmelin]

@@poodle559 Possibly. Seems genuine to me. Perhaps I'm naive. How good a judge of character are you?

[@poodle559]

@@Zenmelin It's not that much of a "character" judgement, but more what he does for a living! Plus lets not forget that since this vid was made the price for HS2 has risen to £106 billion.

[@Zenmelin]

@@poodle559 Are you saying that the (rather obvious) potential conflict of interest means he can not be trusted? If not then who? Who hasn't got some interest in the outcome, one way or the other? Property values, commute to work, pollution, The Economy, political reputation, etc. etc.. As for the huge cost: I'd like to know the costs of all alternatives, including doing nothing before having an opinion.

[@Drivershell53]

how refreshing to hear some one talk about what HS2 will do, how and why, rather than the biased media reports. Huge thanks to all for an excellent vid. Not your usual fare but well worth watching. Many thanks, Bob.

[@jbeanmailbox]

Surely there is a much smarter/cheaper way to remove the Birmingham bottleneck from Aberystwyth than spending £100+ billion?! The problem with HS2 is it sharted with the assumption that the answer was to build a completely new high speed line from souuth northwards, rather than looking across the network and focusing investment where it is needed most.

[@stewartellinson8846]

In a hundred years ago, when we have grassed over the motorways and banned internal flights, we will wonder why it took the UK so very, very long to build the HS lines. We need not just HS2 but also HS3, 4, 5, 6 and 7

[@juanescobar8123]

Hs3 is in the planning stage, Hs4 is yet to get approved, Hs5 could happen with the Scotland/Northern Ireland rail link.

[@stewartellinson8846]

@@juanescobar8123 let's be clear. HS3 needs to go to scotland, HS4 to south wales, HS5 to the south west and HS6 to east anglia. Ultimatley, the HS lines will allow us to ban internal flights and grass over the motorways as long distance personal vehicle use disappears forever.

[@juanescobar8123]

@@stewartellinson8846 HS3 will go in the North of England (Liverpool, Manchester, Bradford, Leeds, Hull), HS4 will connect Gatwick and Heathrow Airports, and HS5 will connect Northern Ireland to Scotland via a tunnel similar to the Channel tunnel. There are possibilities for a HS line from London to Cardiff via Bristol

[@stewartellinson8846]

@@juanescobar8123 there will never be a tunnel to northern Ireland. The idea of a tunnel under at George's channel is just fantasy. Other areas of the UK are much more in need of high speed connectivity than the ones you mention. The role of high speed rail is to do away with internal flights and personal vehicles, hence the west, south west and Edinburgh / Glasgow

[@juanescobar8123]

@@stewartellinson8846 if Hs3 is built it won't go to Scotland, it will go to the places I mentioned. The project is called the northern powerhouse rail. Ashley Rabot has done a video on it

[@jaundicedoutlook7247]

That was a bit good. Learnt more in this video than I have on the news since HS2's inception. Nice.

[@bradfordzone5187]

Pretty difficult to lay new track on the old railway lines when in most cases houses have been built on them

[@CountScarlioni]

Small obstacles like a handful of houses can be purchased up and demolished. In many cases though the lines lost in the 60s are doomed to stay that way. Sadly it's the more remote lines that would return to service the easiest. And being remote, they have limited usefulness.

[@bradfordzone5187]

@@CountScarlioni Planning regulations at the moment would mean a Public Inquiry would be needed if the authorities wanted to pursue Compulsory Purchasing - Local people wont buy it - It's a non starter and the reason nothing gets built in this country

[@grahvis]

There have been those who would like the Aberystwyth - Carmarthen line reopened, At the Aberystwyth end, not only would they have to demolish houses but re-dig a cutting and rebuild a bridge. Somehow I think the bus will still keep doing the job.

[@andymiller4971]

Top chap, nicely concisely succinctly put.

[@TheGaff]

Gareth is my lecturer for my university course. nice to see him getting the exposure he deserves

[@Lennon6412]

Not enough people know about the increased service frequency on the existing network through HS2. This needs to be talked about more by the official channels as it only seems to be Gareth making this point. Very insightful, thanks to you all!

[@rcurtisfl02hsv]

This is brilliant, the explanation of why we need HS2 is so clear. This should be broadcast on primetime TV.

[@noeldunford4955]

Yes to true the problem is the news media don't like the real truth

[@noeldunford4955]

Plus railways use 76percent less energy

[@stevenbennett6315]

@@noeldunford4955 hs2 works out about £4 million per person who will use it on a regular basis . Criminal waste of money

[@richardarmstrong3094]

I have learnt more about the benefits of HS2 from this video than all the other information put together.

[@willsgetoff1157]

What an interesting and informed guest Gareth was, and some old railways in there too. thanks for a really riveting vlog guys

[@juliebrooke6099]

A really interesting video. I don’t know why this bloke hasn’t been on tv programmes about HS2 because he obviously knows his stuff. I wonder how the pandemic may have changed things if people are travelling to work fewer times a week (if at all) and doing meetings via internet. Will demand for railways reduce permanently?

[@stephenmysliwy5349]

Engineering, heritage rail, environment and economic ...Gareth was across it all. Learnt a lot

[@nigelmattravers5913]

What a great presentation, I am sure there are arguments against but clear and sensible arguments for. Super.

[@harveysmith100]

Such a joy to listen to someone who actually knows what he is talking about rather than the normal PR person who is reading from a script.

[@peterpowis4145]

I'd love old railway lines to reopen! And old stations too! Especially in the countryside where I live. Several small stations were closed in the 60's, like Wooferton between Ludlow and Leominster. I'd love that to become a functioning station again! Even it were to only be a request stop....

[@johncas1]

Re-open lines that are freight only where track is still there like Leicester to Burton line and re-open closed station s

[@jerrygale1736]

Like i explained last week heading from old to new videos. All ive heard about HS2 up to this was all negative stuff. It is soooooo refreshing to hear explainations from someone who is involved and excited about railways. Not someone from the media who are just trying to rile people up well done to the two of you and thank you Gareth.

[@alanandrews4179]

At last! I have waited 7 years for someone to get it out there that the principal benefit is to capacity, both on the new line and, just as importantly, the existing lines. As Gareth said, the key constraint on existing lines is that capacity is a function of the relative speeds of the services supported. Running expresses on the same lines as stopping services and freight means, say, 6 trains per hour in each direction whereas running trains of similar speed on the same lines gives the capability of, say, 18 trains per hour. Remember, that's potential 18 tph on HS2, 18 tph on ECML, 18 tph on MML and 18 tph on WCML ( as each of the existing lines would be running commuter/ semi-fasts/freights of similar speed profiles). So, instead of a current total capacity of 18 tph on the 3 lines out of London you would have a future potential capacity of circa 72 tph on 4 lines - that's 400% - in each direction ( and that's without allowance for the longer trains that will be running on HS2)!! Show me another project that can achieve anything like that! Furthermore this would be achieved without years of misery undertaking improvements to existing lines: remember the disruption to WCML services during the improvements programme back in the early years of this century? The economic and environmental benefits are enormous. Let's get it all done, ASAP!

[@pwhitewick]

Thanks Alan, yes we didn't really touch on tph, but yes, when regards the main objective the capacity on other routes is key.

[@pdarley58]

Alan Andrews pith Was all going OK until he started talking bollocks on CO2 and the Climate Change nonsense

[@chairmakerPete]

Is there actually the demand for that level of service?

[@sim6699]

Add more carriages is by far the cheapest solution to increasing capacity

[@PrograError]

@@sim6699 not really... how long can you keep increasing the carriages before you hit the limits for both platform length and signal issues. to extend the platforms means additional funds used; to reach the signal limit edge means the safety margin is much tougher and also limiting throughput. not to mention the weight and engineering needed to make it compatible (not all sets are slamdoors you know). everything is a balance.

[@Mids1970]

I work on HS2 and this has explained more to me than any official HS2 video has. Well done. You guys do an amazing job. P.S. Please do Swad Loop while there is still a bit left or the burton to Ashby light railway.

[@MrMoggyman]

Gareth, hats off to you. I have family ancestry on the railways that would even astonish you. Two grandfathers with over 45 years each as veteran steam locomotive enginemen (GCR/LNER/BR); one uncle from oily rag (cleaner) to senior instructor at BR (steam/diesel/electric - including 4000 Kestrel, the most powerful diesel on BR at that time - LNER/BR); one uncle as top link steam locomotive engineman (LNWR/LMS/BR); three uncles as steam locomotive firemen (LNER/BR). I do not work on the railways, but I can tell you something that both my grandfathers said on the advent of the Beeching cuts which were orchestrated by Marples. They said that in time there would be a renaissance of the railways. That when the roads became choked up with traffic almost to a standstill, that the railways would return with a vengeance. It is now slowly happening. Don't you know that there are senior engineers, like me, with no work, whose ancestors worked on the railways for decades, who would love to re-constitute what the fools Marples and Beeching destroyed in our lifetimes. To bring back a rail network to the UK that it deserves and can be proud of, not one that it must put up with. Might have been better if the Great Central Mainline rail infrastructure to London had not been ripped up. I agree too.....the greatest exhibition of wanton vandalism for Britain of the 20th Century. That railway had heavy duty track beds that could have done the job. All that hard work, all that investment, wasted. Still, in time it might be re-constituted in some form anyway. The Robin Hood line has. How do you make the work carbon neutral? Take a leaf out of the Victorians book.......get a load of unemployed people (there are plenty), give them picks, shovels, and wheelbarrows. That's how they did it carbon neutral.

[@kellyparkstone3520]

Why has Garreth never been interviewed on tv in the news. In gives the impression that as usual the media only want you to hear one side of a story because it makes it more heated up. I was sort of against HS2 but after listening to this guy it all makes a lot of sence. Investment should still be made reinstalling some of the old routes. Always banging on about the environment best way is trains

[@DavidShepheard]

There are some clips of him being intereviewed on his KZbin channel: kzbin.info/www/bejne/oWSZk2hvqr2gq6c (As well as a video of him walking around in the innards of a dead Eurostar train.)

[@seisix6]

@@studio-flash championing a labour project....but don't let facts get in your way now.

[@reinerjung1613]

Short answer to the question: Both. You need frequently served local railway to provide mobility to rural and urban areas. And you need high speed lines to bridge greater distances between hubs.

[@folksinger2100]

Great Central re opening as an alternative, the route linked Manchester to Sheffield with a spur to London. Reopen with a southern end linked to HS1, direct route from the north to Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam.

[@GarethDennisTV]

Nope. Watch the video!

[@folksinger2100]

@@GarethDennisTV Asking a man who works in the sector and notes a job opportunity is not going to give you a correct unbiased answer

[@gilles111]

With the UK as a non-Schengen-member; a direct link of HS2 towards the continent isn't an option. Or, you have to build a lot of custom-area's across the country (at every station of the Eurostar) and run dedicated trains. Might be a lot easier (and cheaper) to build a efficient link between HS2 and HS1 (Euston and St.Pancras Intl.). Might have been a great option if the UK 1) was a member of the Schengen-convention and 2) would remain in the EU.

[@folksinger2100]

@@gilles111 You build a station called London International and run a shuttle into St Pan or just have a couple of stops on the way to HS1 or make all customs at Ashford which has EU services.

[@gilles111]

@@folksinger2100 People still have to change trains. Why not keep the planned terminalstations? HS2 ends at London Euston, HS1 at St. Pancras Intl.. Those stations are literally just 550 meter away from each other. Just 1 stop by underground. Or 10 minutes walk. Or a few extra miles of track for at least 200.000.000,-/mile...

[@davidcarty6679]

Enjoyed the video very much. Very informative and some excellent points made by Gareth.

[@TheFoxUK]

Gareth Dennis has made more sense explaining about HS2 in the 10 -15 mins he had, than any articles and broadcasts I’ve seen since the announcement of HS2. Real facts and real explanations.

[@pwhitewick]

Simple stuff when you think about it.

[@ghostengineer]

Greetings from America. Love your videos. They are fun to watch and a source of good info.

[@robmoss3501]

Simple explaining of the benefits of hs2 that the British public needs to know. Excellent vlog.

[@gerardburton1081]

Do both projects there are enough people living in this country to do it.

[@stephendeakin2714]

Fascinating wonderful. Thanks so much for publishing such an informative video.

[@sr6424]

Well done. The bit towards thew end about reopening disused lines impossible due to capacity issues at major stations said it all.

[@pwhitewick]

Nail on the head Simon.

[@hullhistorynerd]

You guys are in my neck of the woods here, I've already got a video planned about the history of the York to Beverley line! Stamford Bridge is awesome. Hugely informative video, this guy knows his stuff. Really explained a lot about HS2 that I didn't know.

[@pwhitewick]

Thanks Nerd, let us know when the video is out.

[@hullhistorynerd]

@@pwhitewick Will do, and if you're ever headed up this way again give me a shout, there are a whole bunch of disused stations in East Yorkshire that I can show you!

[@mistywolf312]

If we start from the ethos that the intercity125 project was the testing bed of wether we needed high speed rail no-one will argue now we didn't need it, but they did back then, this is the problem with HS2, what the rail system needs as he said essentially is room to breathe, once HS2 gives us that space we can have not only high speed lines but also more useful and better managed lower speed lines and from there maybe reinstating some other lines that never made any sense to close. The carbon costs and costs per mile comparisons he made were jaw dropping, I realised that rail was allways going to be cheaper on the environment but how much was a shock. As for the costs to ancient woodlands and special sites, putting a roughly 15 foot swathe through the countryside that doesn't emit petrol and diesel fumes into the air along with continuous noise pollution could never be worse than building a 6 lane motorway with all its ascociated connector roads.

[@redrb26dett]

Misty Wolf no dr beeching said Britain could not sustain a 3 rd northern main line and closed it so why should we pay for short sighted thinking of to government if it is approved then Labour Party and the conservatives should pay for it since they closed the last one

[@mistywolf312]

@@redrb26dett Basing public transport requirements on a report that's 50 years old for a population that's near doubled in size in some areas since it was written would certainly be classed as an interesting plan, or was there some sarcasm infered there ?

[@HYUKLDER1]

Since Dr Beeching ruined the rail network with his cuts in the 1960s, growing communities have been without local train access, forcing a massive increase in road vehicle movements. The multi billion-pound HS2 project money could be well spent relaying rail tracks and re-establishing stations all around the country particularly the northern regions to link to main lines.

[@djc8541]

Superb video, this makes the justification of building HS2 much clearer, why have we not seen Gareth on main stream TV giving this explanation before now? I think there would be less objection if we had. Well done.

[@pwhitewick]

Thank you. Yup Gareth is a gent and an intelligent chap who knows his beans. He has been interviewed nonna few occasions now on the BBC

[@highdownmartin]

The media are largely lazy and it doesn't fit their controversy/conflict script

[@DavidShepheard]

@J A What Gareth makes clearer is that the purpose of HS2 is NOT to "get people to Birmingham faster" but to get people who want to go to Birmingham and the other places to get off of the existing mainlines, so that the mainlines have more slots to run slower services that can bunch up closer together. :-)

[@hairyairey]

Gareth is very sensible which would explain why we don't see him on the TV! Why have him when you can have fear, uncertainty and doubt to sell newspapers? The worst thing I find is the different agendas that have been attached to it. The Woodland Trust exaggerating the impact in order to get publicity for example. We need a high speed rail network across the whole of the UK to kill off domestic air travel. It's the only way that CO2 emission targets can ever be met.

[@nx4117]

@@DavidShepheard Oh well when you say it like that, then thats ok then... 🙄 . That justifies everything.

[@richardfenngriffin2406]

Thanks for posting this video, it had answered quite a few of my questions about HS2. Whilst I'm nominally in favour (being a train lover) I still have huge reservations about the environmental costs. Your guest discussed the impact on ancient woodland. These woodlands are by definition established before 1600, that's over 400 years ago, how do you compensate for this loss?!?! He mentioned source transference but these invertebrates are often reliant on trees of considerable age to complete their life cycles. In addition, where do all the creatures such as birds that use mature trees live in the meantime. Furthermore, he failed to mention anything to do with compensating for other important habitats. In Derbyshire alone it's estimated that at least 550 acres of wildlife rich sites will be lost or severely reduced. These include meadows, swamps, ponds, reedbeds, wet woodland, hedgerows and single veteran trees. Theses habitats also capture and store carbon which once destroyed will further contribute to the greenhouse effect (I bet they didn't stick that in their carbon budget). Very little is planned to compensate these losses and in an age where the government wants to eliminate biodiversity decline HS2 appears to be detrimental to this ambition. As I already said, the engineering reasons make absolute sense, but I think HS2 needs to be much more ambitious in its environmental compensation if it is too get my vote. I know it might not be your usual video style but I would recommend getting in contact with Kieron Huston at Derbyshire Wildlife Trust and putting forward this side of the argument.

[@pwhitewick]

Thanks for the considered comment Richard. Best thing to do is follow Gareth on Twitter and interact with him there, he will be keen to answer I'm sure. 👍

[@MianCowell]

What I'd like to see (hs2 OR reopening local routes) is more freight on the railways taken off the roads. That's what will help the planet.

[@2H80vids]

..... and that brings us right back to Beeching and, more importantly, Marples. The road transport tycoons were strong lobbyists.... and still are. Also, in many cases, rail cannot compete with road transport on price. If there were more subsidies and the infrastructure was improved, railfreight *might* stand a chance. The problem is, as always, cost. What governments still fail to realise is that they must *PAY* for environmentally benificial things; they can't expect them all to be self-financing. Instead of ****ing about saving a few trees or notr using a plastic bag, build some railways. Make them *good* railways and people will use them, commuters and freight movers alike.

[@DavidShepheard]

Rail freight operators support HS2: kzbin.info/www/bejne/oWSZk2hvqr2gq6c

[@Debbiebabe69]

Rail freight is a lost cause. 100 years ago when we had small numbers of massive mines, massive factories, massive plants and massive docks, it was simple to build a railhead at each one. Nowadays, we have tens of thousands of smaller factories, tens of thousands of smaller plants, and tend of thousands of distribution centers that need those goods. It is completely uneconomical to build railheads at each one, let alone to schedule trains between them. Where hard rail still works is the few large-scale goods using plants to cargo docks. A good example is Drax coal power station.

[@MrMansun95]

Really informative explanation on HST and the beneficial impact it will have on other lines that will be able to take more trains

[@michaelbattman2971]

We should do both. HS2 is essential, but many old railways should not have been closed and reopening should be considered.

[@pwhitewick]

100% agree Michael.

[@TIMMEH19991]

Why do you think HS2 is essential? There was a very good program on this morning that showed from various high speed lines built around Europe , instead of regenerating the towns and cities they went to, they had the opposite effect and drained them, feeding the investment into the capital. On the other hand they were saying studies had shown that building HS3 from Liverpool to Hull would bring far more benefits and would be way more vital for the North.

[@neilmchardy9061]

My opinion is that HS2 will simply push up house prices further away from London.

[@michaelbattman2971]

@@TIMMEH19991 HS3 is needed too; build them both. But, I live in Manchester, the railways are gridlocked. My local line has one train an hour, we've been promised two an hour but there is no capacity between Stockport and Manchester, HS2 creates that capacity. If as you say everything gets drained to the capital when we provide good transport links. Then perhaps we should close the M^ and the existing railway lines to London, then Manchester, Leeds, etc will prosper ... I think not.

[@michaelbattman2971]

@@neilmchardy9061 That means economic growth. Maybe it will, I don't know.

[@A1DJPaul]

The Whole Railway Network needs a major overhaul. All The Old lines Need to be reopened that are still available. To connect all the small towns in the North to the big cities. We Need a 2nd M62 across the North & Lots of Dual carriageways & Bypasses. Ring Roads & Bypasses with NO RETAIL PARKS on them. Town center is for Retail, Bypasses are to keep traffic flowing Past the town. Not to be Choked up with local retail traffic. Traffic Passing through a town Do NOT want Retail Parks. BAN all Retail parks from Main roads & Bypasses.

[@RichardFelstead1949]

When the video started I thought I'd be bored but I wasn't as I watched it through to the end.

[@grahamwickens7049]

Well done Gareth, my own viewpoint very elegantly put

[@jprholloway]

An unbiased, no, I mean a balanced and informed perspective for once on a provocative topice. Well done for oranising that interview. Enjoyed it very much.

[@pwhitewick]

Thank you. JPR

[@DavidShepheard]

@J A The benefits of HS2 are to unlock capacity on railways OTHER THAN HS2. HS2 will take the high speed trains off of three existing mainlines and allow more stopping services to run on those existing mainlines. And if you don't trust qualified railway engineers to explain the benefits of railway projects who do you expect is competent to provide "accurate, recent, estimates of the project costs"?

[@clangerbasher]

@J A I find it amusing that they have to sell a 19th century solution to a 21st question nobody is asking via a technology that will do away with the need to move a body from one to place another.........we call it the internet. And it was never explained who wants all these extra stopping services?

[@colinburton113]

Hi all, great video Gareth explained HS2 in a different light, I can now see benefits I was unsure before thanks Paul Rebecca and Gareth xx

[@TheDaf95xf]

What a fantastic interview with a great sensible talking Gareth 👍🏻 Love the model of the channel tunnel route. I worked for Lyntons of Manchester as an exhibition driver and stored those models in exhibition trails that we built in a secret warehouse in Swanley in Kent waiting for the announcement of the project from parliament so we could exhibit all over the route in Kent for the locals to look at 👍🏻 Stevie

[@Bender24k]

All around good job - very interesting!

[@forbiddenyoungones]

Unfortunately most of the infrastructure in the UK dates from Victorian times and projects like the HS2 cost lots of money because we are playing catch up.

[@pwhitewick]

This is very true.

[@big23man]

Cracking video, well put together, nice to see a change of routine by discussing future rail development, I could listen to this for hours. Will sub to Gareth’s channel.

[@pwhitewick]

Thanks Nick. Intelligent, articulate and a nice chap too.

[@douglasfleetney5031]

That was brilliant! I could have listened to that for much longer. Thanks both of you for a great video.

[@joerotchell4882]

Congratulations guys...without doubt the best video I’ve ever seen on KZbin. Yes I’m biased about the subject ie railway infrastructure but delivered with unquestionable authority, in-depth knowledge and rare honesty. Brilliant.

[@pwhitewick]

Thank you Grandpa very kind.

[@robertbaglin3973]

Very clever bloke should be made minister for transport as talks more sense in this video than all politicians put together and explains HS2 in layman’s terms not gobbledygook.Certainly changed my mind about spending billions on this project.

[@clwydian1]

A great video. Good to hear from Gareth who clearly knows what he's talking about.

[@ninjahamster1551]

We need a North-East high speed link, liverpool to hull through preston etc not Birmingham to London

[@paullangford8179]

Need Edinburgh to Berlin high-speed.

[@Alto53]

We need both.

[@Reddsoldier]

@@Alto53 Exactly, it isn't an "either or", it's "We need HS rail". The extra capacity on the current mainlines caused by HS2 will also enable more of these old lines to be reopened.

[@michaelblackburn5013]

But we are now doing what he argues against, just what all these money people wanted high speed line to Birmingham.

[@gazzaman28]

I'm so glad he mentioned the cycle route which has now been cancelled. It was a drop in the ocean compared to the overall cost but would have encouraged so many more people to get on their bikes and explore away from busy main roads. The only advantage of abandoned railway lines these days is that some of them have been turned into cycle routes which contribute to the health & wellbeing of so many people for a tiny initial outlay.

[@donsharpe5786]

A very different program but very interesting. Obviously he is an enthusiast and very pro HS2, but no-one else has pointed out the increased capacity and the additional stations. Thank you for this video it was highly informative.

[@andywhite40]

Thanks so much for this video. Up to this point I've questioned the justification of this project however now I completely understand why it would benefit the country and the network as a whole. There's a lot of disinformation in the mainstream media about HS2 and there needs to be better communication from government explaining the benefits, particularly freeing up space on the existing network to allow even greater capacity. Thought provoking stuff.

[@pwhitewick]

Thank You Andy. 👍👍

[@wetdogFBK]

Thanks for that, answered a lot of questions. Do yourselves a favour this year. Have a weekend break in York. A day for York and a day in the NRM

[@jamesbradford4550]

Should reopen the entire S and D line, and the yealmpton line down plymouth.

[@robburrows2737]

This guy needs to go on LBC and explain these points to Nick Fiarrha (spelling guessed).

[@alanhindmarch657]

Reopen closed lines to more communities to be able to use the railway. In the North East where the railway started there is virtually no local branch lines left.

[@pwhitewick]

Yup the north east was hit hard by breeching and before.

[@georgeknowles5327]

Don't forget that many abandoned railways are now recreational trails. They're regularly used by more people than were using them when they were railways, me included. We will resist any attempt to revert them to railways.

[@discomikeyboy2012]

At least the North East has the Tyne and Wear Metro. It's an amazing system and there's nothing like it down south outside of London.

[@idot3331]

@@georgeknowles5327 Good job admitting that you willingly stand in the way of progress. Rail went "out of fashion" in the 60s, but it's clearer more than ever now that it was a huge mistake to ever choose cars over trains as a primary form of transport. Simply implementing a new recreational trail elsewhere is far more economical than building rail lines in a brand new location. Rails lines must be built, people cannot continue to rely on just cars across most of the country.

[@chriszanf]

In principle, Im for HS2 but its been started wrong: it should have started up north to bolster the northern powerhouse and then will lay the foundation for diversifying away form London. With latest news reports that the costs are now spiralling up to £106billion are absolutely untenable. Its the typical thing that it was undersold and costs have spiralled because poor project management.

[@Clivestravelandtrains]

I've been havering for a while over my view of HS2 - but your engineer guy convinced me we need it - AND all the other things. One thing that puzzles me though, as someone who got laughed at in the 70's if I went anywhere by train - is why are so many more people now happy to use trains when I can remember so much decline? Where is everyone going?

[@discomikeyboy2012]

Many more people in the country, and plenty of people commute long distances, I would guess. Also, trains are far more comfortable than they used to be (although I do miss the old days!) - quieter, better seats, better food and drink.

[@SteveMorton]

Excellent video guys, thank you for taking the time and energy to put this one together.

[@triodehexode]

I love this channel I have learned more from this from an engineer in a few minutes than all the dogmatic, marketing led spin doctored politicians and journalists since the Start of HS2 . The permanent ways were vandalised in the 60s & 70s for short term private gain. It they were kept alternative routes would be available also.

[@junkbucket50]

This was a great chat! I wish they got people like Gavin explaining stuff like this on the BBC. But thank you so much for posting

[@trainshistory7562]

Okay, I've watched it and am in agreement with it for the most part. I have some concerns over the potential for costs to spiral further or countryside issues. I have to say that in some places I'd be in favour of re-opening a lot of the old beeching cuts where possible particularly in rural communities or areas which have grown since the 60s in their population. It'd be massive investment as a lot of the old infrastructure has been built over since then. But a lot of the times I'd be happy to get the train/walk than get the bus/drive. edit: that guy knows his stuff - good of him to come along and speak to you guys, perhaps he'll have the chance to come back when or if HS2 is further underway.

[@DavidShepheard]

The main problem with reopening the lines that Beeching shut down is that they need to run into busy mainline stations. HS2 is going to unlock the capacity of some of the mainline stations, which means that HS2 could be followed up by the reopening of lines or constructions of new lines in the same region. I think we also need some sort of modern day Pacer replacement and a boot-up program, where dead lines can be given single-track one-car trains to get the service off of the ground ASAP, with the basic kit being swapped out for double-tracked lines, and longer and longer trains.

[@johnburns4017]

As regards the Gt Central Line. The southern section is still used. Some bits are sill used further north. Only 14 miles is obliterated, in the centres of Nottingham & Leicester - some tunnelling and underground stations would put that right. The prime point is that the trackbed land is owned by Network Rail, making it *cheap* to recommission. It can take vital freight (rail freight groups campaign to reuse the line) and surprisingly passengers as well pretty fast. It is a very straight north-south line for most of its run.

[@SMILEVIDEOTRAINS]

now that was really interesting. great conversation and information.... will it ever happen.....well not yet . you bet. Cheers

[@MianCowell]

Lots of people (like lawyers for example) make lots of money by it being delayed

[@edwinbentley2469]

One question I've like to ask is how many homes will be lost owing to the compulsory purchase order on building hs2 ?

[@Jules_Diplopia]

Tremendous. Ansered questions that I hadn't even thought of.

[@pwhitewick]

Thanks Julie. Hopefully we covered quite a bit.

[@krystlewhite7897]

Really interesting video, Gareth put forward some very clear and logical arguments. I could listen to him talking about railways all day! PS, you can see me in the background in your final shot!

[@johnnywalker7961]

let work on Re-open old Railway lines and scrap hs2

[@pwhitewick]

Yeah, you didn't watch the video did you Johnny?

[@johnnywalker7961]

@@pwhitewick yes

[@pwhitewick]

@@johnnywalker7961 then you'll have seen that it's possible that HS2 will enable this. How do you propose more traffic through say... Birmingham New Street when it's at max capacity already. You can't open any new line that connects to it without express relief.

[@2112theoden]

Opening some old lines is needed for places that attract tourism and also now that more freight is going back to being transported by rail. Avoidance lines need to be re opened. Also some lines need to be re opened so that certain journies can be routed more efficiently both in time and fuel.

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Maybe we should be asking why people are making the journeys and are they really necessary? Why no double Decker trains, "yes" they will fit within the enhanced loading gauge of the West Coast main line, Vietnam runs them with no problems in a smaller loading gauge, stand a double decker bus next to a train, the train is higher, a modern monocoque construction allows the lower deck to be much closer to rail height. West coast freight trains are short when compared with many around the world. Track rationalisation over the years removed a lot of flexibility. The problem with stopping trains is reduced on the Chinese High-speed network by having 4 tracks at stations so that the train stopping is not occupying as many potential train paths, the centre fast tracks all over this country, have been removed at far too many stations. Refuge sidings have been removed, cross overs that allow trains to continue running at times of disruption have been removed. There is not enough bi-directional signalling. HS2 is not the answer, because like it or not it will make London even more central than it is now to the detriment of the North. Spending money wisely on reopening closed lines, investing in city tram networks and trams capable of running on both streets and regular railways is the way forward. Hampshire really screwed up by allowing busses to use to old Fareham to Gosport line instead of building a tunnel to Portsmouth and running trams from Fareham to Portsmouth - gross stupidity. Get the Swiss to maintain our railways because network rail are next to useless. The problem is not the lack of track, it is the lack of willingness to tackle the real problems with the first question being "is your journey necessary"? should the guy who lives within walking distance of work subsidise people who choose to live 50 to 100 miles away from their work place? The West Coast mainline never strikes me as being that busy when I compare it with railways elsewhere in the world. HS2 will benefit London, not the North. Make the North a better place to live to help relieve pressure on the South Coast where roads are at a standstill most mornings and trains are beyond the pockets of ordinary folk. Invest in the existing network, reopen lines to Brighton. Put back some of the routes Beeching closed over the Pennines. Build places of work closer to peoples homes. Britain's real problem is the lack of an overall plan for the country as a whole, travelling long distances too work is at best stupid at worst down right selfish. Move all the institutions that don't really need to be in London out to the North where there is more room and the extra money will help make Northern towns more attractive places to live. Remember Motorways didn't solve traffic problems, they simply encouraged freight to leave the rails in favour of roads and more people opted to drive even further to work moving traffic jams from one place to another. Accountants are the real enemy of common sense, because they never see more than one year ahead. Common sense is the answer to transport in the UK, not HS2, people simply have to live closer to their place of work and no out of town shopping centers should ever have been built without good rail access. We are paying a very high price for the politically short sighted stupidity of the 60's and 70's. Re-opening the Great Central Railway makes good sense, because surprisingly not everyone is going to Birmingham, but more importantly a lot of freight can be diverted away from the Birmingham route, freeing up space for more passenger trains.

[@paulprentice]

Great to hear from Gareth who is doing a public service here and gives such well-informed answers - and unlike a lot of the media you give him time to speak! I'm an avowed supporter of HS2 as well as reversing some of the worst Beeching closures, but I appreciate how other people don't understand it might be hostile to it, and I think the comments below attest to how videos like this can help shift opinion. Keep up the good work!

[@eastpavilion-er6081]

Well I have something against him. My hometown Wuhan (yes the origin of the coronavirus outbreak) is the starting point of China's first long-distance high-speed line, the Wuhan to Guangzhou Highspeed Line. This line runs parallel to Jingguang Line which is an old railway built before WW2 and has been saturated for years. In 2009, the line opened, and the railway department hoped that it would free up a lot of extra freight capacities on the old line. However, not much passenger trains on the old lines were withdrawn because there were so much demand that before the opening of the highspeed line, there were actually people who couldn't buy the tickets. Now, with the highspeed line, everyone who wanted a trip could buy a ticket, but all the trains - highspeed and regular - are still full. And no room for freight were released. So, if there are extra demand that can't be fulfilled on the old lines, HS2 will only improve the availability of train travel, not freeing up any space on existing railways. So congestion between Birmingham and Wolverhampton will persist, and the train to Wales will not be more punctual.

[@discomikeyboy2012]

This was explained in the video. The new line will allow more high speed trains than currently (if needed), and more trains on the existing lines. That ought to free up extra capacity for bulk freight trains.

[@victormccoy1671]

A few years ago now a summit meeting was held at the international convention center in Birmingham talking about using the canals for commercial carrying again. And a report was released from that saying that if they were to move fraught from road to the canals that it would reduce emissions by 80 percent. And if it's done right it's just as fast as road and rail

[@davie941]

hey paul and rebecca , great video , this was interesting and that guy really knows his stuff , yea we need to open the old lines back up :)

[@pwhitewick]

Thanks Davie

[@georgeknowles5327]

Don't forget that many abandoned railways are now recreational trails. They're regularly used by more people than were using them when they were railways, me included. We will resist any attempt to revert them to railways.

[@jennifermillardX]

Excellent Video and it has explained so much more to me than I have ever read up on. I now understand a lot more about the need for HS2 even with all the environmental issues. The Lower Thames Crossing is shirting our village (Chadwell-St-Mary) so have first hand experience of the Chaos and mess that it is leaving. We need both Rail and Road connections especially is our area. I was born into a Railway family in a Railway Cottage so have it ingrained in my blood to try to save as much of our Railways as possible X Fantastic interviewing from you both X Thank you X

[@clivegeary4587]

I did enjoy this video and your experts views. On one of your maps I saw Oswestry in Nth Shropshire. This area along with the Welsh Borders has been in railway isolation since the Beeching cuts in the 1960's. What is missing with HS2 is actual access to the network, all well and good increasing speeds but in my area we will remain in railway isolation. Speed, speed, speed but..... access, access, access to the network. With regards to the Great Central, this still needs further thought, it even reached Wrexham in Nth Wales. Interesting to here mention of Curzon Street station the original terminus of the London & Birmingham railway.

[@richardrobinson9930]

Very interesting and informative video. Certainly made me think more about HS2 and reasons for going ahead.