Scottish Infrastructure

[GordonS]

5 hours ago, RiG said:

They were meant to have made some improvements to the line between Inverness and Perth to allow for hourly services to the central belt. Think it mostly consisted of signalling upgrades or something but the service is still incredibly unreliable, prone to delays and with some services having been scrapped due to COVID and still not reinstated there is a lot of pressure on the capacity of trains running just now. A quick look at Twitter shows Scotrail having to continuously fend off criticism of their shite service north of Perth. Whatever upgrades were performed on the line feels like they barely scratched the surface of what could be done there to get significantly more services on that part of the network.

I have a suspicion that the money they've spent on nice things that weren't really necessary, like rebuilding Queen Street station, could have been better used on points and signals. It doesn't matter how nice the stations and trains are if you can't rely on the train to arrive on time.

[vikingTON]

Taking one of the more scenic half hours off of a journey that is going to be long regardless will change nothing; and by removing/reducing sevices via Lairg reduces the very limited connectivity that exists to the far NW. If they want to make it quicker then they can electrify the line, remove the shan diesels and race through the flow country at 100mph instead.

 

[TheScarf]

15 hours ago, Sergeant Wilson said:

Who cares. Beyond Inverness is all hill billy country (if not before). They've done nothing bu greet since 19oatcake. First there wasn't enough tourists to fleece, now there's too many.

19canteen.

[Sergeant Wilson]

2 minutes ago, TheScarf said:

19canteen.

19oatcake was before that.

[Hedgecutter]

On 27/07/2021 at 20:02, RiG said:

They're charging folk £6.50 to walk up the stairs

 

On 27/07/2021 at 20:24, Theroadlesstravelled said:

They put chain link fence at the top so you can’t throw yourself over.

"experience of the great outdoors" 

[Sergeant Wilson]

2 hours ago, Hedgecutter said:

 

"experience of the great outdoors" 

Hyde Park is right behind it, that's outdoors the last time I was there.

[Mark Connolly]

4 minutes ago, Sergeant Wilson said:

Hyde Park is right behind it, that's outdoors the last time I was there.

It's a magnificent idea tbh. Don't bother looking at the magnificent Marble Arch or notice the trees in the park, go and look at the fake garden on this shite modern "landmark".

[Sergeant Wilson]

Just now, Mark Connolly said:

It's a magnificent idea tbh. Don't bother looking at the magnificent Marble Arch or notice the trees in the park, go and look at the fake garden on this shite modern "landmark".

I'm not far from it now (just checked, 2 miles). I can't be arsed though. If you all send me money for the fee and to break the walk up a wee bit I might go tomorrow.

[Newbornbairn]

https://www.mylondon.news/news/zone-1-news/marble-arch-mound-faces-cost-21207206

Quote

The attraction has now become free to visit in August after plants began to die and drop off the Mound while its grass began to turn brown.

Quote

Organisers hoped the mound would attract 200,000 ticket holders with “millions expected to pass through the area to take a glimpse of the attraction" before it is taken down in January 2022.

What planet are these people on?

 

[Have some faith in Magic]

46 minutes ago, Newbornbairn said:

https://www.mylondon.news/news/zone-1-news/marble-arch-mound-faces-cost-21207206

What planet are these people on?

 

I am going to London in a few months will be sure to take a visit.... to point and laugh. 

You can just imagine the types that came up with this idea. 

[Caledonian1]

15 hours ago, virginton said:

Taking one of the more scenic half hours off of a journey that is going to be long regardless will change nothing; and by removing/reducing sevices via Lairg reduces the very limited connectivity that exists to the far NW. If they want to make it quicker then they can electrify the line, remove the shan diesels and race through the flow country at 100mph instead.

 

The cost to electrify that line would be astronomical.  I fully believe that trains north of Aberdeen will be fuelled by Hydrogen within 5-6 years.  All relatively simple all you need do is replace the tractor unit and ensure there is hydrogen supply in key stations. 

They are already building a hydrogen tractor unit at Bo'ness and it will be ready for passengers in time for COP 26

Green Hydrogen from offshore wind is the answer

[Melanius Mullarkey]

On 03/08/2021 at 11:06, Newbornbairn said:

https://www.mylondon.news/news/zone-1-news/marble-arch-mound-faces-cost-21207206

What planet are these people on?

 

It’s London. Full of half wits. They lap that shit up down there.

[welshbairn]

On 03/08/2021 at 11:06, Newbornbairn said:

https://www.mylondon.news/news/zone-1-news/marble-arch-mound-faces-cost-21207206

What planet are these people on?

 

 

The architects look like they know what they're about, sounds like the Council forced them to do a rush job on the cheap.

https://www.mvrdv.nl/projects

[RiG]

George Street in Edinburgh is set to be pedestrianised (https://www.edinburghlive.co.uk/news/edinburgh-news/edinburgh-george-street-car-ban-21325520) but don't expect to see any of the Just Eat Bikes zipping along as Serco have pulled out of the cycle hire scheme (https://www.edinburghlive.co.uk/news/edinburgh-news/edinburgh-just-eat-bikes-scheme-21348621).

I can't remember the last time I saw a Just Eat docking station around that city that wasn't smashed up. Just like a similar scheme in Newcastle (where bikes were frequently dumped into the Tyne) it seems the minority ruin it for the majority.

[scottsdad]

For someone like me who doesn't live in Edinburgh, the idea of going for a shopping trip with the wife there is just  hassle. Do we take the train, or park and ride?  Parking is enormously expensive and the city is increasingly pedestrianised. I can be in Glasgow in about the same amount of time, and park in Buchanan Galleries. Much easier, cheaper and more comfortable to get there. 

[Melanius Mullarkey]

11 minutes ago, scottsdad said:

For someone like me who doesn't live in Edinburgh, the idea of going for a shopping trip with the wife there is just  hassle. Do we take the train, or park and ride?  Parking is enormously expensive and the city is increasingly pedestrianised. I can be in Glasgow in about the same amount of time, and park in Buchanan Galleries. Much easier, cheaper and more comfortable to get there. 

Full o weegies but, by ra way but. But.

[TxRover]

I must say it’s worth a right chuckle to see the whining about the buses and rail. I’m sitting here not 5 miles from the largest city in the United States without mass transit (population circa 400k), which is located in the middle of an urban area of roughly 7.6M people, and where it’s practically impossible to live without a car.

Yea, they have some neat urban light rail and a couple of links from the two main downtowns to the big airport, but I can drive 15-20 miles from a suburban town to right next to the airport and see zero bus stops or train stations. We’d also kill for more charging stations or points.

Anyone from damn near anywhere in Europe who moves to the southern U.S. is generally shocked at the insane lack of any viable transportation system except private vehicles. I fondly recall the ease of hopping a bus from Links Street to the Burntisland Links for a fair. No the bus wasn’t new or especially shiny, but it worked.

[welshbairn]

48 minutes ago, TxRover said:

I must say it’s worth a right chuckle to see the whining about the buses and rail. I’m sitting here not 5 miles from the largest city in the United States without mass transit (population circa 400k), which is located in the middle of an urban area of roughly 7.6M people, and where it’s practically impossible to live without a car.

Yea, they have some neat urban light rail and a couple of links from the two main downtowns to the big airport, but I can drive 15-20 miles from a suburban town to right next to the airport and see zero bus stops or train stations. We’d also kill for more charging stations or points.

Anyone from damn near anywhere in Europe who moves to the southern U.S. is generally shocked at the insane lack of any viable transportation system except private vehicles. I fondly recall the ease of hopping a bus from Links Street to the Burntisland Links for a fair. No the bus wasn’t new or especially shiny, but it worked.

I don't get it. Visited Savannah a few years ago and wanted to go 15 miles to the coast to a slightly down at heel tourist resort called Tybee Island. Only way was to walk or by taxi. You'd think at least the business community in Tybee Island would think a shuttle a few times a day might bring a bit of money in? Never mind transporting low paid workers who can't afford a car. It just seems daft, like some kind of ideological hatred for public transport.

[TxRover]

3 minutes ago, welshbairn said:

I don't get it. Visited Savannah a few years ago and wanted to go 15 miles to the coast to a slightly down at heel tourist resort called Tybee Island. Only way was to walk or by taxi. You'd think at least the business community in Tybee Island would think a shuttle a few times a day might bring a bit of money in? Never mind transporting low paid workers who can't afford a car. It just seems daft, like some kind of ideological hatred for public transport.

In the end the biggest handicap to effective public transit is distance. The majority of the United States was developed post-transit, for instance:

The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex had, from 1902 until the 1930’s, an extremely effective and extensive inter urban train/tram system. Unfortunately, this system was effectively destroyed by an antitrust action brought by the U.S. Government, reputedly at the behest of bus companies. For a short one, some bus service replaced this rail network, but the private automobile became the defacto transport option.

Similar things happened across the U.S., with only the names and parties varying. There are interesting studies that show how cities developed based upon the speed people could travel, and cars made the suburbs (and later exurbs) possible.

In the U.S., zoning laws often handicap local businesses, for instance I struggle to think of one bar within reasonable walking distance of any subdivisions around here, and grocery stores near homes are equally like hens teeth. This place is simply too spread out for mass transit because of the lack of a sufficient mass of riders in most areas. Even the large, warehouse style employers north of here that run shuttles, do so from the Fort Worth Bus Transfer station rather than picking up from several locations. The whole area was built around roads and cars, excepting a few recent, and high priced, townhome (semi-detached or row home) developments on the perimeter of upscale shopping areas.

[Torpar]

28 minutes ago, welshbairn said:

I don't get it. Visited Savannah a few years ago and wanted to go 15 miles to the coast to a slightly down at heel tourist resort called Tybee Island. Only way was to walk or by taxi. You'd think at least the business community in Tybee Island would think a shuttle a few times a day might bring a bit of money in? Never mind transporting low paid workers who can't afford a car. It just seems daft, like some kind of ideological hatred for public transport.

If you can't afford a car in North America, outside of a select few cities, then you can just f**k right off it seems. 

I've never appreciated it before but the Jamestown Viaduct between North Queensferry and Inverkeithing is a beautiful piece of work - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jamestown_Viaduct