HS2 and the SMJ

[John Cosford]

Without wishing to start a debate on the pros and cons of HS2, it occurred to me that the proposed route must cross the SMJ somewhere. I looked at the map on the following link:

www.thehs2.com/phase1/maps/showmap.php?type=Google

and it appears that HS2 will cross the old SMJ routes in two places:

i) just to the west of Aston le Walls village on the section between Byfield and Fenny Compton and ii) about halfway between Helmdon and Cockley Brake Jcn.

I don’t know how much of the old trackbed and infrastructure is still visible in these locations but the construction of HS2 is likely to obliterate whatever is there. I have no idea when, or if, work will start but I thought that it might be a good idea if someone photographed these particular areas for posterity before they change. If I was closer I would do it myself but it’s a bit far from where I live in France!

Any thoughts?

John

[John Evans]

Maybe a link to Helmdon station could be proposed. After all, the damsel only sleepeth!

[les gee]

[les gee]

The line of trees in the photo is the SMJ on a slight embankment, Running left from Helmdon to right at Cockley. The HS2 will slice right through it at right angles roughly inbetween the four tress in a square. I will get down there and take some more.

[John Cosford]

Thanks Les - lovely sylvan scene. It will be great if you can take more pictures of this quality.

If HS2 does go ahead, an awful lot of the beautiful heart of England, such as this, will be blighted. BR should have retained the Great Central trackbed and maintained the bridges etc so that it could now be used as a viable north-south route without having to spend mega-billions on HS2......

[NIGEL]

This is where the proposed HS2 route will cut the SMJR near Aston Le Walls.

[NIGEL]

This is where the proposed HS2 route will cut the SMJR near Greatworth.

[Dick Bodily]

One of the previously considered alternative routes that was eventually rejected was to pass between Blakesley and Woodend crossing the SMJ roughly near the site of the Hall.

[Richard Woods]

I thought that they were going to use a majority of the GCR trackbed? If not, they ought to, as the infrastructure such as cuttings, embankments, bridges ect is still all in place along the entire route between London and Leicester, seems logical anyway.

[John Cosford]

I don't think that logic plays much of a part in government thinking.......

Richard Woods said:

I thought that they were going to use a majority of the GCR trackbed? If not, they ought to, as the infrastructure such as cuttings, embankments, bridges ect is still all in place along the entire route between London and Leicester, seems logical anyway.