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Nuke writes:

The construction of HS2, a high speed rail link between London and the north of England, has been approved [bbc.co.uk]. The announcement was made by Boris Johnson yesterday. Phase 1, due for completion in 2028 at the earliest, will be between London and Birmingham; Phase 2, due in 2035 at the earliest, will be two separate lines onwards to Manchester and Leeds.

The trains wil travel at up 225 mph. They will otherwise be conventional, and will take electrical power from overhead catenary. The line will have connections with existing ones, enabling some trains to continue at lower speeds to further destinations, such as Liverpool and Scotland.

The routes will be broadly parallel with existing ones, which are generally running at full capacity. Rail passenger travel in the UK has greatly increased in recent years and this, rather than the reduction in journey times, is the main driver for the project.

Note : It is called HS2 because it is the second high speed line in the UK, HS1 being the link from London to the Channel Tunnel.

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