Thanks for the update. Amazing to see Mother nature taking over as the twin-track railway formation merges back into the countryside and the scar fades... As a side request; would it be possible to survey and record(for posterity) the current diverted Kenilworth Greenway where it runs south of the old line, out in open country parallel to "The Cut" during the construction phase - please? Unlikely to find a crane, just the odd horse!
another good piece _ definitely see changes along the section _ look forward to the next installment _ any chance of a flight over Ballsall Common towards Hampton in Arden?
@@mikekwarner It's become a Mon-Fri, 9 to 5 operation, with quarterly build targets that have to be met before more £££s are released. It's stuff like viaducts over motorways, etc, that see weekend work. The tunnel construction is the only 24/7 operation. If you happen to venture to the North of the county in the not so distant future, there will be a railhead built at the Kingsbury compound to ferry concrete sleepers to the track laying phase. At present, it's producing bespoke bridge sections for the Birmingham area but will switch when these are complete.
What a huge waste of money just to get somebody to Birmingham 35mins earlier. Tearing up thousands of acres of our countryside just to fill some unknowns back pocket.
Getting to Birmingham faster is a benefit of HS2 but, even in its curtailed form it will also reduce journey times from London to Manchester, Liverpool and Glasgow plus intermediate destinations. However, its main purpose is to increase capacity on the existing network for both freight and passenger traffic. That will allow goods traffic to be removed from roads onto a far less carbon intensive form of transport. As for the thousands of acres of countryside being torn up, HS2 is no wider than the smallest dual two lane motorway. Much of the earthworks you can see are temporary and will become new grassland, woodland and aquatic habitat. HS2 is by far the most environmentally aware major infrastructure project ever constructed in the UK - hence its high price.
@@martinsloman6905.. sadly, you're incorrect .. HS2 is NOT "by far the most environmentally aware major infrastructure project ever constructed in the UK". It's actually an environmental disaster of epic proportions & Britain's biggest infrastructure mistake in half a century. Are you aware that HS2 Ltd have already incurred numerous fines for multiple breaches of environmental issues? Thousands of trees planted along the route in Warwickshire where the vast majority perished due to lack of aftercare. The pollution of streams, rivers & other waterways with toxic chemicals. The bulldozing of mile upon mile of hedgerows containing nesting birds when they specifically promised to wait until the nesting season was over .. the list goes goes on. The videos they intermittently publish on UA-cam pertaining to their "environmentally friendly " approach are nothing but blatant propaganda .. they literally couldn't give a toss about the environment .. they've destroyed the heart of middle England for pure greed.
@@CRIMSONANT1 James, you have to ask why such an environmentally damaging project is planting 'thousands of trees'. As with a lot of the claims made by the anti-HS2 lobby, there is sometimes an element of truth. Yes, some trees did die during the hot summer of 2020. However, it certainly wasn't the 'vast majority' and those that did die were quickly replanted. As for the fines - I don't know how you define 'numerous' but when you have 140 miles of new railway you have to accept that some incidents will occur. Just as you constantly tell us of the environmental destruction caused by HS2, I constantly remind people that HS2 will be narrower than a dual two lane motorway (parts of the M40 through the Chilterns are dual four lane) and without the sprawling junctions and service areas). Also, as you obviously know, much of the footprint of the HS2 works consists of environmental mitigation - new grasslands, woodlands and aquatic habitats - of which the 'thousands of trees' you mention are just the beginning. Given that railways historically have minimal environmental impact, there can be no doubt that HS2 is the most environmentally aware major infrastructure project ever undertaken in the UK.
Thanks for the update. Amazing to see Mother nature taking over as the twin-track railway formation merges back into the countryside and the scar fades... As a side request; would it be possible to survey and record(for posterity) the current diverted Kenilworth Greenway where it runs south of the old line, out in open country parallel to "The Cut" during the construction phase - please? Unlikely to find a crane, just the odd horse!
Wow, that's looking pretty complete along most of the section. Some nice greening up going on as well..
another good piece _ definitely see changes along the section _ look forward to the next installment _ any chance of a flight over Ballsall Common towards Hampton in Arden?
@@Michael-61-n3l it's a little tricky for me to survey prior to the flight to ensure there are no tall cranes en-route.
00:00 Looking northwest along the Crackley Road Cutting
00:15 Bridleway W164 Overbridge (site)
00:37 Crackley Wood Embankment & Culvert
00:57 Roughknowles Wood Cutting
01:30 Crackley Lane Overbridge
02:30 Broadwells Wood Embankment
03:50 Footpath W168 Underpass
04:53 Bockenden Cutting
05:27 Burton Green Tunnel
@@isaac.raskin impressive - thanks!
Not complete but no activity?
@@RalphFreeman-ok5of it was filmed on Sunday. I try to film on a Sunday to avoid interfering with any ongoing work.
@@mikekwarner It's become a Mon-Fri, 9 to 5 operation, with quarterly build targets that have to be met before more £££s are released. It's stuff like viaducts over motorways, etc, that see weekend work. The tunnel construction is the only 24/7 operation. If you happen to venture to the North of the county in the not so distant future, there will be a railhead built at the Kingsbury compound to ferry concrete sleepers to the track laying phase. At present, it's producing bespoke bridge sections for the Birmingham area but will switch when these are complete.
What a huge waste of money just to get somebody to Birmingham 35mins earlier. Tearing up thousands of acres of our countryside just to fill some unknowns back pocket.
Getting to Birmingham faster is a benefit of HS2 but, even in its curtailed form it will also reduce journey times from London to Manchester, Liverpool and Glasgow plus intermediate destinations. However, its main purpose is to increase capacity on the existing network for both freight and passenger traffic. That will allow goods traffic to be removed from roads onto a far less carbon intensive form of transport.
As for the thousands of acres of countryside being torn up, HS2 is no wider than the smallest dual two lane motorway. Much of the earthworks you can see are temporary and will become new grassland, woodland and aquatic habitat. HS2 is by far the most environmentally aware major infrastructure project ever constructed in the UK - hence its high price.
@@martinsloman6905.. sadly, you're incorrect .. HS2 is NOT "by far the most environmentally aware major infrastructure project ever constructed in the UK". It's actually an environmental disaster of epic proportions & Britain's biggest infrastructure mistake in half a century.
Are you aware that HS2 Ltd have already incurred numerous fines for multiple breaches of environmental issues?
Thousands of trees planted along the route in Warwickshire where the vast majority perished due to lack of aftercare.
The pollution of streams, rivers & other waterways with toxic chemicals.
The bulldozing of mile upon mile of hedgerows containing nesting birds when they specifically promised to wait until the nesting season was over .. the list goes goes on.
The videos they intermittently publish on UA-cam pertaining to their "environmentally friendly " approach are nothing but blatant propaganda .. they literally couldn't give a toss about the environment .. they've destroyed the heart of middle England for pure greed.
@@CRIMSONANT1 James, you have to ask why such an environmentally damaging project is planting 'thousands of trees'. As with a lot of the claims made by the anti-HS2 lobby, there is sometimes an element of truth. Yes, some trees did die during the hot summer of 2020. However, it certainly wasn't the 'vast majority' and those that did die were quickly replanted.
As for the fines - I don't know how you define 'numerous' but when you have 140 miles of new railway you have to accept that some incidents will occur.
Just as you constantly tell us of the environmental destruction caused by HS2, I constantly remind people that HS2 will be narrower than a dual two lane motorway (parts of the M40 through the Chilterns are dual four lane) and without the sprawling junctions and service areas). Also, as you obviously know, much of the footprint of the HS2 works consists of environmental mitigation - new grasslands, woodlands and aquatic habitats - of which the 'thousands of trees' you mention are just the beginning.
Given that railways historically have minimal environmental impact, there can be no doubt that HS2 is the most environmentally aware major infrastructure project ever undertaken in the UK.