I've always wondered why mag lev mono rail has never developed into use, surely it has to be better than a system that has been in use for over 200 years !!!
If the UK government had the kind of power some other foreign gov's enjoy, doubtless we'd have more and faster modern railway lines.
The mere thought of any UK Government having more power than they already have is frightening.
Maybe you've answered your question tigler. If a system had been in use for over 200 years (rather longer than that I believe, in the case of the wheel), perhaps we use it because it's proven. You won't see coal trains weighing 1000's of tonnes being moved on a mag-lev system either.
By the way, one reason why we have, in parts, a relatively poor railway system, is because it's old and curvy. There is lots of fancy track-laying and tamping equipment in the UK, but lots of track where it can't be used. Do remember we have a country which is flat in the East, but very hilly in the West and North, highly populated, and very owned.
The French TGV system is absolutely fantastic, but mostly built on flat land, in a country with a far lower population density, and a very different government-people-centric political system. Land ownership in France, and many other countries, does not have the importance we give it in the UK. A Frenchman's home is not his castle. If the UK government had the kind of power some other foreign gov's enjoy, doubtless we'd have more and faster modern railway lines.
Also, historically, the British railways have suffered from shocking under-investment since the 1930s, and were torn to pieces by Mr Major in the 1990s. They still suffer a stupid, complex and expensive ownership system which has the banks owning the rolling stock and making massive amounts of money, while the rest of the operating companies, track maintenance companies, track owners etc, are subsidised by the government, yet still ticket prices are high.
And all the UK rolling stock manufacturers (with some small exceptions) have gone out of business (blame Mr Major again), a mainline loco has not ben built in Britain for almost 20 years (excepting class 66 locos which are anyway mostly made in Canada). Freight is mostly operated by Deutschebahn, so now most new freight rolling stock is made in Germany.
If it's any consolation, Britain's railways are busier than they have ever been. Unfortunately it's on less track, and that's Beeching's fault.
And finally, if our railways are rubbish, and we want to blame governments, I personally can't really blame one in particular. They're all crap.
tornado passed our house 2 weeks agosorry Drains.
Its british and mainline certified
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LNER_Peppercorn_Class_A1_60163_Tornado
sorry Drains.
Its british and mainline certified
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LNER_Peppercorn_Class_A1_60163_Tornado
There is new track being laid.
http://www.networkrailmediacentre.c...TORY-BEGINS-WORK-14a7/SearchCategoryID-3.aspx
ffs they laid a mile a day by hand 50+ years ago& this is supposed to be "progress"
this country & its infrastructure is so badly run it defies belief