HS2 has been so emasculated that it can no longer be regarded as a separate high-speed railway. The only sensible way forward is to redesign it to become what it should always have been: a by-pass of the southern part of the West Coast Main Line.
This would allow Class 390 ‘Pendolino’trains to operate via the new line (at their maximum speed of 140mph, 225kph) before rejoining the existing WCML at Handsacre, near Lichfield.
The HS2 new-build trains would then be used only on the London to Birmingham section. This would overcome the anomaly highlighted by ‘Industry Update’(RM November issue) where HS2 non-tilting trains would be limited to 110mph north of Handsacre.
To properly integrate HS2 into the WCML operation would then need: a Stafford by-pass line from south of Colwich to north of Norton Bridge to alleviate the Shugborough bottleneck; a link between HS2 and the WCML in the Washwood Heath area to allow HS2 trains to go into Birmingham New Street and beyond; a more sensible maximum HS2 linespeed of 186mph (300kph); a reduced fleet of HS2 trains; and HS2 to the surface at Queen’s Park to run over
