• Our booking engine at tickets.railforums.co.uk (powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!

Balsall Common Viaduct

Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R

RailUK Forums

W

work-traveller

Member
Joined
18 May 2012
Messages
411
The barriers are indeed quite high, higher than those currently being installed on the approach to Curzon Street. Given that the majority of electric train noise comes from the wheel/rails, I'd be interested to understand the mechanics of the need for such a high parapet.
 
T

The Planner

Veteran Member
Joined
15 Apr 2008
Messages
15,973
Fazaar1889 said:
Just saw this tweet from HS2 Ltd,


It shows images of the latest design. How high are those sound barriers?? You won't be able to see out of the train with that..
Click to expand...
You aren't going to see an awful lot regardless on the route. They will be that high as Balsall Common and Berkswell were likely very vocal in the hybrid bill process
 
Z

zwk500

Veteran Member
Joined
20 Jan 2020
Messages
13,407
Location
Bristol
work-traveller said:
The barriers are indeed quite high, higher than those currently being installed on the approach to Curzon Street. Given that the majority of electric train noise comes from the wheel/rails, I'd be interested to understand the mechanics of the need for such a high parapet.
Click to expand...
I suspect politics may give you a better answer!
 
HSTEd

HSTEd

Veteran Member
Joined
14 Jul 2011
Messages
16,743
Fazaar1889 said:
It shows images of the latest design. How high are those sound barriers?? You won't be able to see out of the train with that..
Click to expand...
Ultimately, the view out of the train was hardly a design priority.

Fitting taller barriers will cost very little in the scheme of things and will likely meaningfully reduce noise and visual disruption.

work-traveller said:
The barriers are indeed quite high, higher than those currently being installed on the approach to Curzon Street. Given that the majority of electric train noise comes from the wheel/rails, I'd be interested to understand the mechanics of the need for such a high parapet.
Click to expand...
Shinkansen studies have indicated that a major source of noise is the pantograph interface, especially if only one pantograph is raised (sparking from brief and partial interruptions of contact).
This is why some higher-speed Shinkansen sets have the fins abreast the pantograph, despite causing additional atmospheric noise they result in a net reduction in noise production.
 
Last edited:
G

Geogregor

Member
Joined
16 Sep 2016
Messages
206
Location
London
HSTEd said:
Fitting taller barriers will cost very little in the scheme of things and will likely meaningfully reduce noise and visual disruption.
Click to expand...

Actually taller barriers will increase visual disruption by making structure optically bulkier and heavier.
 
HSTEd

HSTEd

Veteran Member
Joined
14 Jul 2011
Messages
16,743
Geogregor said:
Actually taller barriers will increase visual disruption by making structure optically bulkier and heavier.
Click to expand...
It will make the structure bulkier and heavier but it will also convert it into a static structure with no movement visible. This can make it easier for it to blend into various terrain types.

This is especially true as it replaces a visually complex structure (overhead wiring) with a simple block.
 
Last edited:
T

trebor79

Established Member
Joined
8 Mar 2018
Messages
4,452
It's going to a terribly boring journey for passengers. Loads of needless tunnels, the majority of the rest of the route in cuttings and even the raised sections with these barriers.
 
S

SCDR_WMR

Established Member
Joined
17 Dec 2017
Messages
1,578
trebor79 said:
It's going to a terribly boring journey for passengers. Loads of needless tunnels, the majority of the rest of the route in cuttings and even the raised sections with these barriers.
Click to expand...
Boring but quick. This isn't a train that tours around looking for beautiful scenery!

And the tunnels and cuttings are only needless to those who are inboard the trains. Those living in the proximity of the railway would argue they are very much needed. As someone who until recently lived about 50m from the WCML in Cheshire, noise from trains (particularly pendolinos) can be very loud. Not that it bothered me given I also work on that route.
 
V

vic-rijrode

Member
Joined
31 Aug 2016
Messages
288
trebor79 said:
It's going to a terribly boring journey for passengers. Loads of needless tunnels, the majority of the rest of the route in cuttings and even the raised sections with these barriers.
Click to expand...
Judging by my experience of recent rail journeys, I would suggest that the vast majority of travellers will be glued to their mobile phones or laptops for most of their journey and completely oblivious to the rolling scenery (or absence thereof) outside their window...
 
H

Hophead

Established Member
Joined
5 Apr 2013
Messages
1,193
Perhaps this is all to mitigate complaints that seats don't line up with the windows? If there's nothing to see, it won't matter quite so much :D
 
M

Meerkat

Established Member
Joined
14 Jul 2018
Messages
7,546
Its a bit sad to see how we are gradually hiding trains from view with high parapets and sound barriers. Kids are missing out, and hiding the railway isnt great PR
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Top