On Mar 24, 1:43*pm, wrote:
On Mar 24, 8:40*am, wrote:
[snip]
Unless HS2 is run by idiots, the trains will
still go on to Euston.

You are making a LOT of sense. *Thanks for posting.

Thank you.

I did a bit more thinking about this, and while I think the trains
_should_ go on to Euston, I'm now of the opinion that David Rowlands
might be serious in terminating them short at Old Oak. The reason is
simple: gauge clearances. It's going to cost a pretty penny to get the
Camden tunnels cleared for LGV gauge.

There is a solution though, and it's staring us in the face. You need
to build the short connecting tunnel between Old Oak and Kensal Green
anyway so that you can link HS1 to HS2 effectively, but don't, for the
time being, run double-deck trains through it. Instead, divert a bunch
of 'regular' trains that would have terminated at Paddington into it
(say, whichever lines have finally landed up electrified by then), and
use the space freed up at Paddington for your new supertrains. There
are far fewer gauge issues between Old Oak and Paddington than there
are between Kensal Green and Euston.

But personally, I'd just go through the pain of enlarging the Camden
tunnels.

(Just don't expect any of this to actually happen. *We are talking
about the UK DfT!)

True, but given that all major parties are in favour, it's actually
got a decent shot.