I really think that electrification would ruin the route. If electrification must go ahead then third rail would be my preference, the same goes for the liverpool and manchester.

This would mean that the HSTs might be cascaded, and they would indeed be welcome in the north.

Hi SFE,

What makes you think that you can have our HST's? You can take back your 142's first!

Do you think you could run trains at 125+ mph using third rail?
What do you mean by spoil the route,?
Are you saying that you don't like overhead wires?

I was wondering about that.

What is the maximum speed for third rail collectors ?

But the favoured system for railway electrification is using overhead wires except on the southern.

I hate overhaed wires! They are disgusting and wasteful. It would be cheaper, easier and more aesthetically pleasing to keep the line diesel operated.
I don't know the top speed for third rail, but I would have thought that electrostars can do 100.

All the "eurostars" now use overhead wires since the opening of the high speed route.

I did mean electrostars. They are third rail units similar in appearance to the 170s.

Well,like it or not,it's going to happen. One piece of good news seems to be that we're going to get 8 coach trains as well as 5 coach ones.
Seems like they're planning to do Paddington - Cardiff via Bristol Parkway first,with a "branch" to Temple Meads. Swindon - Chippenham - Bath - Bristol seems to be last in the queue for some reason.
Wires at Box Tunnel and Sydney Gardens !! What would old I.K. make of it all ?

Better get Yer photties now guys whilst you can see the tunnel mouths