A home for Great British Railways

[whole diary]

[grahame]

Tweet from Grant Shapps

Great British Railways will need a home.

Today I'm announcing that we will be launching a competition to find the town or city that will become home to the new rail body and the future capital of our railway industry.

Don't know why they need a competition - it should be obvious.   There's a welcoming town just 100 miles to the west of London which has had one of the fastest growing stations in passenger use over the past decade. A major electric substation is ready in place to provide power to main lines a few miles to the south and the north, and the locals are very friendly and positive about rail improvements.

Bit unfair to put others through the mill of a competition when that place wins hands down.

[Red Squirrel]

Very confused... as far as I am able to ascertain, the once and future home of railway excellence is more like 111km west of London. I'm not an expert on the US Customary system, but I think that's less than 100 miles...

[johnneyw]

So does this mean that Redland is or isn't in the running? 

[grahame]

Very confused... as far as I am able to ascertain, the once and future home of railway excellence is more like 111km west of London. I'm not an expert on the US Customary system, but I think that's less than 100 miles...

Brunel, that excellent gentleman with enormous foresight, was looking to have his junction somewhat further to the west and in a location that would have avoided the need to bore through Box Hill. There is railway excellence in the town, including but not limited to braking systems and platform doors, as no doubt will be required on all stations within a few years, and the town is ready to step up to the mark.

[Lee]

Tweet from Grant Shapps

Great British Railways will need a home.

Today I'm announcing that we will be launching a competition to find the town or city that will become home to the new rail body and the future capital of our railway industry.

Don't know why they need a competition - it should be obvious.   There's a welcoming town just 100 miles to the west of London which has had one of the fastest growing stations in passenger use over the past decade. A major electric substation is ready in place to provide power to main lines a few miles to the south and the north, and the locals are very friendly and positive about rail improvements.

Bit unfair to put others through the mill of a competition when that place wins hands down.

120 miles from London - check

Fast passenger growth over past decade - check

Locals friendly and rail improvement-focused - check

Electric substation in place to provide power to main lines, and very close proximity to platform - check https://mobile.twitter.com/GlobalRailConst/status/903197047599374338

There can only be one candidate then...

 

[ChrisB]

Suspect it will be located ‘oop north’….

Darlington might be worth a punt

[JayMac]

Suspect it will be located ‘oop north’….

Darlington might be worth a punt

Or a few miles away at Teeside Airport station.

[Lee]

Suspect it will be located ‘oop north’….

Darlington might be worth a punt

Should the obvious choice not end up being selected, Derby has both the pedigree and a Conservative MP^▸ (Member of Parliament) in an ultra-marginal seat.

[broadgage]

I would favour anywhere reasonably central and with good rail connections, and minimal parking.
NOT London which is already crowded and therefore expensive.

[Bmblbzzz]

Suspect it will be located ‘oop north’….

Darlington might be worth a punt

Should the obvious choice not end up being selected, Derby has both the pedigree and a Conservative MP^▸ (Member of Parliament) in an ultra-marginal seat.

Derby was my first thought. Or possibly York.

[JayMac]

Wherever it goes it should use existing buildings. No need for an expensive new office block. The railways have plenty of under utilised real estate.

[PhilWakely]

As it is Great BRITISH Railways, Shapps should team up with Gove, who is charged with maintaining the Union and have three offices - one at Cilmeri; one at Kinbrace and the third at Settle. Should improve the local employment and economies.   

[broadgage]

Derby, York, Rugby, are sensible possibilities. All somewhat central and rail served. Maybe Milton Keynes ? Or Birmingham,  perhaps Swindon, but might be a bit too "Western" in both senses of the word.
Not London or near London, too expensive. Not Plymouth as too far West.

[Western Pathfinder]

Tweet from Grant Shapps

Great British Railways will need a home.

Today I'm announcing that we will be launching a competition to find the town or city that will become home to the new rail body and the future capital of our railway industry.

Don't know why they need a competition - it should be obvious.   There's a welcoming town just 100 miles to the west of London which has had one of the fastest growing stations in passenger use over the past decade. A major electric substation is ready in place to provide power to main lines a few miles to the south and the north, and the locals are very friendly and positive about rail improvements.

Bit unfair to put others through the mill of a competition when that place wins hands down.

120 miles from London - check

Fast passenger growth over past decade - check

Locals friendly and rail improvement-focused - check

Electric substation in place to provide power to main lines, and very close proximity to platform - check https://mobile.twitter.com/GlobalRailConst/status/903197047599374338

There can only be one candidate then...

 

Well done Lee beat me to it ....

[ellendune]

So all those people who moved to Milton Keynes not long ago because Network Rail wanted an HQ^▸ (Headquarters) would of course welcome the opportunity of disrupting their families again to move somewhere else!  Or might there be another exodus of skilled people from the railway industry?