The Polar Express is a Christmas film about a boy who takes a magical train ride to the North Pole.
The old fashioned steam train comes through a residential area to pick the boy up right outside his house, but the journey isn’t easy: The train speeds through pine forests, up and down winding mountains, through tunnels and across mile high bridges. The train performs an emergency stop before it hits wild Caribou on the tracks and when they are moved on the train continues its journey at full speed, but it is going too fast when it hits a narrow, steep ravine and derails, eventually coming to stop on an ice field which begins to crack. The train is safely guided back on to the tracks before the journey ends at the North Pole.
The film cost $165 million to make which was a record breaking sum for an animated film in 2004.
Does it sound familiar?
In the next few weeks the Government plans to announce the exact route of the phase one HS2 line from London to Birmingham. Phase two will link Birmingham to Leeds and Manchester with costs projected to rise from £50 billion to £70 billion [1].
The railway tracks will carve through English countryside. The lines must be built with the fewest possible curves in order for the trains to maintain their top speeds of 225mph. If curves in the lines are unavoidable then larger turning circles will have to be used in order to change direction.
This means that residential areas, woodland and wildlife and historic landmarks along the proposed route aren’t safe. There are also a number of burial grounds set to be dug up.
HS2 spokesman Mr Ruse said great care had been taken such as almost half of the line between London and Birmingham being “put into a tunnel or a cutting to reduce any impact” [2].
The proposed HS2 line is no magical journey. The route will blight residential homes along the way.
If your client is looking to purchase a property in the area Conveyancing Data Services offers a HS2 and Crossrail search which details the proximity of the HS2 network, how many trains could potentially use the line and the speed the train will be operating at within the vicinity of their proposed home.
The search will also detail information on compensation schemes available for householders affected.
Contact us now.
References
1. http://www.railnews.co.uk/news/2015/11/16-construction-costs-of-hs2-are.html
2. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-34765616
This article was submitted to be published by Conveyancing Data Services as part of their advertising agreement with Today’s Conveyancer. The views expressed in this article are those of the submitter and not those of Today’s Conveyancer.
