Elizabeth Line (Crossrail) opens
 

After over a decade Crossrail has finally opened: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-e...ondon-61507125

Rode it this morning. Really modern stations and trains. Connects together some parts of London, like Canary Wharf, that were not that well connected really well.

Re: Elizabeth Line (Crossrail) opens
 

Hurray for London. The residents of Leeds and Manchester are really happy for you and your new trains.

Re: Elizabeth Line (Crossrail) opens
 

The people of this great northern city duly doff their caps and gasp at the latest technological marvel to be unveiled in our great capital. I’m truly chuffed that Londoners can now traverse their city 10 minutes quicker, or get to Canary Wharf without changing at Mornington Crescent.

It’s just a pity it went a teensy wee say bit over-budget isn’t it. I’m pretty sure we could have replaced every single ferry serving the Western Isles twice over with that money.

Re: Elizabeth Line (Crossrail) opens
 

Not if wee nippy got involved in it :spin:

Re: Elizabeth Line (Crossrail) opens
 

Note ‘could have,’ as in ‘theoretically possible’ :D

In reality, the SNP would have spent the money propping up any engineering firm with a Nat-voting boss, thrown several millions at them, then when they failed to deliver, throw some more millions at them and nationalise the mess into the bargain.

Re: Elizabeth Line (Crossrail) opens
 

I take it as a sign that we can do infrastructure projects in this country - albeit expensive and late - and that the Government should be doing more of it instead of pandering to NIMBYism and treating the U.K as a project of managed decline.

Besides Crossrail is one of the more complicated projects that could be taken on. Tunnelling through an already widely developed London isn't cheap or easy. Landmarks and homes had to come down.

Re: Elizabeth Line (Crossrail) opens
 

Nah, these things only happen in London mate.

Re: Elizabeth Line (Crossrail) opens
 

Then make the politicians accountable for it. What happened to the Northern Powerhouse? Why is HS2 being scaled back?

There is too much pandering to NIMBYs in this country and not enough ambition.

Re: Elizabeth Line (Crossrail) opens
 

It's an unfortunate fact about large transport infrastructure that it tends to be over budget and over time. Not inevitable but Berlin Airport (9 year-delay), Edinburgh trams and HS2 suggest it's more common than not.

---------- Post added at 18:56 ---------- Previous post was at 18:43 ----------

We would all be enjoying cheaper energy bills except that our recent governments have pandered to NIMBYs and effectively banned onshore wind power, the cheapest form of electricity.

Northern Powerhouse has been defunded by the government; presumably because there's insufficient votes for them in it.

Re: Elizabeth Line (Crossrail) opens
 

HS2 is coming, and it’s a lot quicker than the London Underground!

Re: Elizabeth Line (Crossrail) opens
 

Not anywhere near here it's not.

Re: Elizabeth Line (Crossrail) opens
 

Not much good if the staff are on strike. Still I'm sure it'll look lovely.
https://news.sky.com/story/national-...ction-12620515

Re: Elizabeth Line (Crossrail) opens
 

WOW! So, you expect a totally new service to use old trains and stations.

Re: Elizabeth Line (Crossrail) opens
 

I didn't expect it because I knew already but it's not uncommon for 'new' services on TFL to use existing stations or already used trains. When TFL took over the overground sections it used a lot of the same stations, the Highbury and Islington to Rotherhithe overground used existing track, when TFL took over Greater Anglia lines we got the old trains and then eventually recycled Overground Trains some years later.

The Elizabeth Line is also doing some of this. Today’s the day the totally new core London route opened but between Stratford and Shenfield it's using an existing, but rebranded, line.

Re: Elizabeth Line (Crossrail) opens
 

That’s what passes for “new” up north. :D

Hand me down trains from TOCs in the south and one new station a decade.