It has a price of £100, a yield of 1.07, and matures either today or tomorrow.
You can get it from BetFair, I'm just a PR person.
I'm not FCA regulated though.
I would be interested, except that I have a BetFair English Cricket Bond, purchased yesterday at 10am for £50 . It also matures today or tomorrow, but at a rate of 3.20
Edit: There's a million quid just piled into BF down to 1.02
Out of curiosity, does anyone have any suggestions as to why the Australian selectors thought that Shaun Marsh was a better option than his brother? At least Mitchell Marsh hits a couple of boundaries before throwing away his wicket.
EDIT: Michael Vaughan channelling his inner Geoffrey Boycott and criticising the Aussie idea of a forward defensive!
As the election showed us, we should stop simply accepting polls as a substitute for political thought..
Actually, I thought the election showed us that polling on personalities WAS very reliable (since Cameron consistently led Miliband on personal ratings while trailing on voting intentions).
A man was driving along erratically and is stopped by the police. The officer asks for a breath sample. The man produces a card saying: 'Asthmatic. Do not breathalyse.'
The officer suggests a blood test.The man produces a card saying: 'Anaemic. Do not extract blood.'
The officer, exasperated, advises the man he will be taken to the station for a urine test. The man produces a card saying: 'This man plays cricket for Australia...'
As the election showed us, we should stop simply accepting polls as a substitute for political thought..
Actually, I thought the election showed us that polling on personalities WAS very reliable (since Cameron consistently led Miliband on personal ratings while trailing on voting intentions).
Right, but Cameron and Miliband were the two central figures that most of the public might reasonably have had a view on. The vast majority of the public couldn't put Yvette & Liz's names to their faces at present.
Apparently corbyn has suggested re-opening the coal mines.
Has he, in the words of the immortal Tropic Thunder, gone 'full re****?'
How can someone be pro-clean energy and also want to open the coal mines?
Two possible answers:
1) He is the brother of a climate change denier. He may agree with his brother.
2) He may believe, as I believe Scargill once memorably expressed, that if the coal is dug up, thereby providing employment, it doesn't actually matter if it isn't then used.
Looks like we're heading for re-crossover with Burnham and Corbyn.
I can't fathom why any Labour supporter would want Burnham to win. If you want someone completely bland, why not just go for Cooper, who at least isn't associated with a major hospital scandal?
The polls have consistently shown Burnham is more popular than Cooper with the general public.
I think that's a very foolish way to decide one's vote. As far as the general public are concerned, Cooper, Burnham & Kendall are all pretty equally blank canvasses. The question is - how will they be painted post-election? And do they have the nous to paint themselves?
I would agree if it was just one or two polls. But there's been a whole host of polls now which have consistently shown Burnham a fair bit ahead - that has to mean something.
You're right that both will be blank canvasses to most of the public, but even so, the people who are aware of them surely make up a decent sample size, and there's no reason to think that sample wouldn't be representative of what the whole public would think if/when they become more known.
I completely disagree with your final conclusion. Burnham will be painted into the continuity-Ed corner (only with added NHS deaths!) without much trouble at all. Not sure how Cooper will be painted - continuity Balls, perhaps, but at least that's a change of direction.
As the election showed us, we should stop simply accepting polls as a substitute for political thought.
Corbyn / Kendall = won't be able to hold the party together. Doesn't mean Corbyn can't win, of course.
Burnham / Cooper = will both be able to hold the party together. But Burnham has been busy (desperately?) offering hostages to fortune during this campaign and has shown poor judgment in the past (threatening to sue Hunt, for example). Whereas Cooper has been extremely noncommittal and dull - not exciting, but surely the most intelligent approach to leave herself some freedom of manoeuvre if she wins.
Burnham will be seen as in ransom to the left even more than Miliband. He started off his campaign very New Labour, and has now tacked hard left under threat with Corbyn. The man clearly has very few principles he will stick to.
Apparently corbyn has suggested re-opening the coal mines.
Has he, in the words of the immortal Tropic Thunder, gone 'full re****?'
How can someone be pro-clean energy and also want to open the coal mines?
The miner's sweat produces a unique chemical that, when emitted deep underground, captures thousands of tonnes of CO2 per man-hour and sequesters it underground.
It's why Miliband committed the government to CCS. He's a genius, you see ...
2) He may believe, as I believe Scargill once memorably expressed, that if the coal is dug up, thereby providing employment, it doesn't actually matter if it isn't then used.
This is the same rationale being used for HS2 so far as I can work out - but NOT for Heathrow...
2) He may believe, as I believe Scargill once memorably expressed, that if the coal is dug up, thereby providing employment, it doesn't actually matter if it isn't then used.
This is the same rationale being used for HS2 so far as I can work out - but NOT for Heathrow...
SK Baker has marked the preliminary route of HS2 (phases 1 and 2) in his new edition of the Rail Atlas of Great Britain and Ireland.
2) He may believe, as I believe Scargill once memorably expressed, that if the coal is dug up, thereby providing employment, it doesn't actually matter if it isn't then used.
This is the same rationale being used for HS2 so far as I can work out - but NOT for Heathrow...
2) He may believe, as I believe Scargill once memorably expressed, that if the coal is dug up, thereby providing employment, it doesn't actually matter if it isn't then used.
This is the same rationale being used for HS2 so far as I can work out - but NOT for Heathrow...
What does the Venn diagram of those for and against HS2, LHR2 and Boris Island look like ?
2) He may believe, as I believe Scargill once memorably expressed, that if the coal is dug up, thereby providing employment, it doesn't actually matter if it isn't then used.
This is the same rationale being used for HS2 so far as I can work out - but NOT for Heathrow...
Then we should build Death Stars
Infographic of the Day: What does it cost to build the Death Star?
Tim_B said "The clear consensus winner, going away, was Carly Fiorina. Afterwards she went on lefty MsNBC with lefty Chris Matthews and took him apart when he attempted to tangle with her over Hillary."
Wow. From what I can see she is formidable. Trump may be richer than she, but only in money.
She is also a breast cancer survivor.
My concern is that after Trump's misogynistic comments, and him going after Megyn Kelly last night, it doesn't help the GOP's efforts to appeal to women.
2) He may believe, as I believe Scargill once memorably expressed, that if the coal is dug up, thereby providing employment, it doesn't actually matter if it isn't then used.
This is the same rationale being used for HS2 so far as I can work out - but NOT for Heathrow...
What does the Venn diagram of those for and against HS2, LHR2 and Boris Island look like ?
Well, I'm for HS2 (shocked you there!), Boris Island, and reluctantly for LHR2 (although I believe BI to be a more futureproof solution, it looks as though that is a dead duck, therefore we must go with a less-optimal solution that might actually get built).
2) He may believe, as I believe Scargill once memorably expressed, that if the coal is dug up, thereby providing employment, it doesn't actually matter if it isn't then used.
This is the same rationale being used for HS2 so far as I can work out - but NOT for Heathrow...
That is indeed one of the sillier arguments put forward. But I don't feel they're comparable.
HS2 would provide us with valuable extra rail capacity, whether used as HS or not (speaking for myself, I'd rather see the old Great Central line put back as far as possible and just used as a normal main rail line). That would be a good thing, and there is both room and demand for an extra N-S line.
Digging up a lot of black anthracite and dumping it all over the countryside would candidly not be a good thing. It would be dirty, damaging and cause a great deal of unnecessary damage to a great many people, starting with the poor people who had to dig it up.
I'd be willing to listen to a radical socialist with genuine, practical ideas to bring new jobs to depressed ex-coal-mining areas, e.g. the Welsh Valleys. I just haven't heard any put them forward yet.
2) He may believe, as I believe Scargill once memorably expressed, that if the coal is dug up, thereby providing employment, it doesn't actually matter if it isn't then used.
This is the same rationale being used for HS2 so far as I can work out - but NOT for Heathrow...
That is indeed one of the sillier arguments put forward. But I don't feel they're comparable.
HS2 would provide us with valuable extra rail capacity, whether used as HS or not (speaking for myself, I'd rather see the old Great Central line put back as far as possible and just used as a normal main rail line). That would be a good thing, and there is both room and demand for an extra N-S line.
Digging up a lot of black anthracite and dumping it all over the countryside would candidly not be a good thing. It would be dirty, damaging and cause a great deal of unnecessary damage to a great many people, starting with the poor people who had to dig it up.
I'd be willing to listen to a radical socialist with genuine, practical ideas to bring new jobs to depressed ex-coal-mining areas, e.g. the Welsh Valleys. I just haven't heard any put them forward yet.
The old Great Central line would be great reopened. But you have rather a problem with capacity on the last fifty miles or so into London, and problems with everything north of Rugby ...
2) He may believe, as I believe Scargill once memorably expressed, that if the coal is dug up, thereby providing employment, it doesn't actually matter if it isn't then used.
This is the same rationale being used for HS2 so far as I can work out - but NOT for Heathrow...
I'd be willing to listen to a radical socialist with genuine, practical ideas to bring new jobs to depressed ex-coal-mining areas, e.g. the Welsh Valleys. I just haven't heard any put them forward yet.
A real radical socialist idea would be to move all of the population from ex-mining areas to places of available work - a small sacrifice for the greater good.
Apparently corbyn has suggested re-opening the coal mines.
Has he, in the words of the immortal Tropic Thunder, gone 'full re****?'
How can someone be pro-clean energy and also want to open the coal mines?
The miner's sweat produces a unique chemical that, when emitted deep underground, captures thousands of tonnes of CO2 per man-hour and sequesters it underground.
It's why Miliband committed the government to CCS. He's a genius, you see ...
2) He may believe, as I believe Scargill once memorably expressed, that if the coal is dug up, thereby providing employment, it doesn't actually matter if it isn't then used.
This is the same rationale being used for HS2 so far as I can work out - but NOT for Heathrow...
I'd be willing to listen to a radical socialist with genuine, practical ideas to bring new jobs to depressed ex-coal-mining areas, e.g. the Welsh Valleys. I just haven't heard any put them forward yet.
A real radical socialist idea would be to move all of the population from ex-mining areas to places of available work - a small sacrifice for the greater good.
It has a price of £100, a yield of 1.07, and matures either today or tomorrow.
You can get it from BetFair, I'm just a PR person.
I'm not FCA regulated though.
I would be interested, except that I have a BetFair English Cricket Bond, purchased yesterday at 10am for £50 . It also matures today or tomorrow, but at a rate of 3.20
Edit: There's a million quid just piled into BF down to 1.02
You deserve your reward for for casting the win.
But it is far more extraordinary that overnight you could get 1/10 and 1/6 this morning on a world record not in 138 attempts run chase.
2) He may believe, as I believe Scargill once memorably expressed, that if the coal is dug up, thereby providing employment, it doesn't actually matter if it isn't then used.
This is the same rationale being used for HS2 so far as I can work out - but NOT for Heathrow...
That is indeed one of the sillier arguments put forward. But I don't feel they're comparable.
HS2 would provide us with valuable extra rail capacity, whether used as HS or not (speaking for myself, I'd rather see the old Great Central line put back as far as possible and just used as a normal main rail line). That would be a good thing, and there is both room and demand for an extra N-S line.
Digging up a lot of black anthracite and dumping it all over the countryside would candidly not be a good thing. It would be dirty, damaging and cause a great deal of unnecessary damage to a great many people, starting with the poor people who had to dig it up.
I'd be willing to listen to a radical socialist with genuine, practical ideas to bring new jobs to depressed ex-coal-mining areas, e.g. the Welsh Valleys. I just haven't heard any put them forward yet.
The old Great Central line would be great reopened. But you have rather a problem with capacity on the last fifty miles or so into London, and problems with everything north of Rugby ...
Aylesbury to Leicester a little tricky on the post-Beeching network...
Mr. Eagles, if the right party had won the election we would now have a Death Star in orbit, the laser focused (at very low power, of course) on Calais.
The report suggests that the huge public subsidy to HS2, an estimated net £31.5 billion
Wow, but didn't it cost something like 10bn to half upgrade the WCML a few years back?
Given that the current network is over capacity and they need to open up more lines from London, does anyone know what would it cost for a non-HS line to be built instead?
Right - on topic - these are diabolical local election results for Labour. Yes there's no leader in Scotland or UK right now, but still real cause for concern. Could any of the Westminster leadership candidates help turn it around? I was struck by this interview by Angus McNeill from last month where he turns his attention to the plight of the Labour Party before all this Corbynmania business.
'“They got done over on austerity, done over on immigration and they got done over by the SNP,” he says.
But which of Labour’s crop of potential leadership candidates are giving the SNP sleepless nights over potentially regaining disgruntled Scottish voters?
“The one guy we’d feel has the most to sort that, who has got the courage and the vision is… Jeremy Corbyn. But he’s never going to get it, so we don’t fear any of them, as a result of that,” he says.
“You know, not for the SNP, for people of England to have a genuine choice, I’d like to see Jeremy Corbyn win it.”
MacNeil says a “media friendly” choice of leader would be Andy Burnham, who may lead Labour to a lesser defeat in 2020. However, the SNP MP is resolute in his conclusion that all candidates bar Corbyn will repeat the failure of the previous Labour leadership.'
Obviously since this interview was taken Corbyn's chances have sky-rocketed. Could he provide the challenge to the SNP or would the media friendly Andy Burnham be better suited?
It seems to me that the leadership candidates have largely ignored Scotland for most of this election but tackling the SNP is a bit of a 'six-pointer'. The stronger they are north of the border, the greater the threat they are to English voters who fear they'll make or break a Labour government. Is Jeremy Corbyn and English phenomenon or can he cause the SNP some difficulties as McNeill hints he could?
The report suggests that the huge public subsidy to HS2, an estimated net £31.5 billion
Wow, but didn't it cost something like 10bn to half upgrade the WCML a few years back?
Given that the current network is over capacity and they need to open up more lines from London, does anyone know what would it cost for a non-HS line to be built instead?
The old Great Central line would be great reopened. But you have rather a problem with capacity on the last fifty miles or so into London, and problems with everything north of Rugby ...
I think it's only actually cut in a couple of places at Leicester and Nottingham, plus one viaduct missing. That would be a lot cheaper and more efficient to bypass than building a whole new line. Of course, someone would need to buy out the Great Central preserved line, but that's hardly the end of the world - they'd probably accept the rebuilding of another closed line nearby in exchange.
I wouldn't have said the line south from Aylesbury was that well used - I'm sure you could convert one of the half-hourly off-peak trains into a through express from the north. After all, if the Wrexham and Shropshire could run over the busier line from Banbury in the early morning, why not another company via Aylesbury?
Not easy, not cheap. But much easier and cheaper than HS2, so I think it would be an attractive option and I am genuinely surprised it's not mentioned more.
I'm covering Diane Abbott for the candidacy. Albeit at the nice cheap price of 25/1 (the 36/1 available on the mayoralty is deeply unattractive by comparison).
Mr. Eagles, if the right party had won the election we would now have a Death Star in orbit, the laser focused (at very low power, of course) on Calais.
Death Stars are rubbish.
Plus the Nats would declare UDI if we built a Death Star.
I mean they get upset about Trident, just imagine what they'd be like if we had a planet destroyer.
Scotland is going to remain a wasteland for the Labour party for some time to come if this weeks' locals are anything to go by.Labour needs to show some sort of recovery by 2020 in Scotland.Next year could be the doldrums for Labour in Scotland.After that,I would rely on Mr Micawber.
The report suggests that the huge public subsidy to HS2, an estimated net £31.5 billion
Wow, but didn't it cost something like 10bn to half upgrade the WCML a few years back?
Given that the current network is over capacity and they need to open up more lines from London, does anyone know what would it cost for a non-HS line to be built instead?
Wouldn't it be cheaper to build roads?
Depends on the size of the road and the quality of the build, surely? I would have thought that it would be more expensive to build a six-lane motorway than a twin-track main railway line (although if somebody has the figures to show different I'm happy to be corrected).
Tim_B said "The clear consensus winner, going away, was Carly Fiorina. Afterwards she went on lefty MsNBC with lefty Chris Matthews and took him apart when he attempted to tangle with her over Hillary."
Wow. From what I can see she is formidable. Trump may be richer than she, but only in money.
She is also a breast cancer survivor.
My concern is that after Trump's misogynistic comments, and him going after Megyn Kelly last night, it doesn't help the GOP's efforts to appeal to women.
I was speaking to some Americans recently, and I was surprised at how much women's health issues pushed even fairly conservative women towards the Democrats. When Republicans put up people who oppose abortion even in cases of rape for president, that's the inevitable effect, I guess.
It has a price of £100, a yield of 1.07, and matures either today or tomorrow.
You can get it from BetFair, I'm just a PR person.
I'm not FCA regulated though.
I would be interested, except that I have a BetFair English Cricket Bond, purchased yesterday at 10am for £50 . It also matures today or tomorrow, but at a rate of 3.20
Edit: There's a million quid just piled into BF down to 1.02
You deserve your reward for for casting the win.
But it is far more extraordinary that overnight you could get 1/10 and 1/6 this morning on a world record not in 138 attempts run chase.
My betting strategy on cricket is that the odds will usually over compensate for what is happening as the match progresses. Luckily this match I got it right first time - there was no way that that Australia deserved to be odds on before the game started, so I backed England and laid the draw intending to get on Aus at longer odds later. And boy, were those longer odds there this morning!!!
The long and the short of it is Jowell is still out in front, and Khan has seemingly missed an opportunity to reel her in with six weeks to go.
That might not be the right conclusion. Jowell may well be out in front on first preferences, but the latest move towards Diane Abbott (assuming it's real and is representative of the wider electorate in this contest) could mean that Khan will win this on second prefs.
I think Rabbit is right - the main story is that Jowell is retaining a solid lead. The Mayor selection is not sufficiently ideological for there to be a solid bloc switch of votes from Abbott to Khan.
It's also a mistake to think that the Labour leadership voters are neatly-transferable blocs. My impression is that lots of people are deciding latter preferences on a basis of personal liking.
Apparently corbyn has suggested re-opening the coal mines.
Has he, in the words of the immortal Tropic Thunder, gone 'full re****?'
How can someone be pro-clean energy and also want to open the coal mines?
Well indeed.
I can also really see the hugely dangerous, life shortening jobs down the pit being really popular...
Well, unless we get migrants to do it all...which is what will happen.
Is Corbyn offering to work a few shifts every week? Otherwise it's silly, patronising nonsense.
"C'mon poor working class types, get yourselves underground to keep the Islington Lefties happy".
Would any of the old miners want to go back down the pits? I doubt it. They'd be much happier to see jobs created above ground, in clean and safe conditions.
The report suggests that the huge public subsidy to HS2, an estimated net £31.5 billion
Wow, but didn't it cost something like 10bn to half upgrade the WCML a few years back?
Given that the current network is over capacity and they need to open up more lines from London, does anyone know what would it cost for a non-HS line to be built instead?
Wouldn't it be cheaper to build roads?
Depends on the size of the road and the quality of the build, surely? I would have thought that it would be more expensive to build a six-lane motorway than a twin-track main railway line (although if somebody has the figures to show different I'm happy to be corrected).
The report suggests that the huge public subsidy to HS2, an estimated net £31.5 billion
Wow, but didn't it cost something like 10bn to half upgrade the WCML a few years back?
Given that the current network is over capacity and they need to open up more lines from London, does anyone know what would it cost for a non-HS line to be built instead?
Wouldn't it be cheaper to build roads?
Depends on the size of the road and the quality of the build, surely? I would have thought that it would be more expensive to build a six-lane motorway than a twin-track main railway line (although if somebody has the figures to show different I'm happy to be corrected).
Make it a toll road?
M6 Toll is far less used than the older M6 in the West Midlands
I'm covering Diane Abbott for the candidacy. Albeit at the nice cheap price of 25/1 (the 36/1 available on the mayoralty is deeply unattractive by comparison).
I tell you what, Australia really know how to do a spectacular collapse. Back in the day an England batting collapse was just a bit of a monotonous chore. the Aussies seem to have a bit of panache about their amazing throwing away of wickets.
The report suggests that the huge public subsidy to HS2, an estimated net £31.5 billion
Wow, but didn't it cost something like 10bn to half upgrade the WCML a few years back?
Given that the current network is over capacity and they need to open up more lines from London, does anyone know what would it cost for a non-HS line to be built instead?
Wouldn't it be cheaper to build roads?
Depends on the size of the road and the quality of the build, surely? I would have thought that it would be more expensive to build a six-lane motorway than a twin-track main railway line (although if somebody has the figures to show different I'm happy to be corrected).
Make it a toll road?
No! No more toll roads! Not if they are as ineptly run as the M6 Toll, which has managed to nearly bankrupt itself despite competing against what feels like the world's longest traffic jam.
If the M6 Toll ceased to charge a toll tonight, almost all the traffic problems in the West Midlands would disappear tomorrow. If they cut it to £2 per car, they would make a fortune by Christmas. As it is, there is more than a suspicion that if the M6 Toll/M54 link goes ahead - which they would have to fund 50% of - they will call in the receivers.
When you think of all the trouble, time, money and controversy that went into building it - well, 'disaster' doesn't do it justice.
The report suggests that the huge public subsidy to HS2, an estimated net £31.5 billion
Wow, but didn't it cost something like 10bn to half upgrade the WCML a few years back?
Given that the current network is over capacity and they need to open up more lines from London, does anyone know what would it cost for a non-HS line to be built instead?
Wouldn't it be cheaper to build roads?
Depends on the size of the road and the quality of the build, surely? I would have thought that it would be more expensive to build a six-lane motorway than a twin-track main railway line (although if somebody has the figures to show different I'm happy to be corrected).
Make it a toll road?
M6 Toll is far less used than the older M6 in the West Midlands
I tell you what, Australia really know how to do a spectacular collapse. Back in the day an England batting collapse was just a bit of a monotonous chore. the Aussies seem to have a bit of panache about their amazing throwing away of wickets.
You were warned not to invst in the seemingly high yield 'Australia bond' !
The report suggests that the huge public subsidy to HS2, an estimated net £31.5 billion
Wow, but didn't it cost something like 10bn to half upgrade the WCML a few years back?
Given that the current network is over capacity and they need to open up more lines from London, does anyone know what would it cost for a non-HS line to be built instead?
Wouldn't it be cheaper to build roads?
Depends on the size of the road and the quality of the build, surely? I would have thought that it would be more expensive to build a six-lane motorway than a twin-track main railway line (although if somebody has the figures to show different I'm happy to be corrected).
Make it a toll road?
M6 Toll is far less used than the older M6 in the West Midlands
Then the toll is too high.
We have been saying that for years, Tim. In fact, everyone with a brain has been saying that for years. Unfortunately, the company behind it are so bad at business that they don't understand when you have a free alternative, you shouldn't charge £5.40 for people to make a longer journey.
I suspect, if an enquiry was held, it would be found to be run by an accountant or a banker who only understood the headline number, not the question of elasticity of demand, quality or product or pricing of the competition.
Miss Plato, you couldn't be surprised. Comrade Corbyn needs somewhere for the bourgeois consigned to the gulags to labour in penitence for their classist elitism.
The report suggests that the huge public subsidy to HS2, an estimated net £31.5 billion
Wow, but didn't it cost something like 10bn to half upgrade the WCML a few years back?
Given that the current network is over capacity and they need to open up more lines from London, does anyone know what would it cost for a non-HS line to be built instead?
Wouldn't it be cheaper to build roads?
Depends on the size of the road and the quality of the build, surely? I would have thought that it would be more expensive to build a six-lane motorway than a twin-track main railway line (although if somebody has the figures to show different I'm happy to be corrected).
Make it a toll road?
M6 Toll is far less used than the older M6 in the West Midlands
M6 Toll was great when it first opened - 2 quid a car, no lorries and no coppers - effective speed was about 100 and no queue through the roadworks, as they rebuilt that 1960s viaduct on the old road through the city.
I think it was a fiver the last time I went on it, and the local camera van was hiding round a corner ready to get you for speeding on the empty road. Cut the price for cars (but not lorries) and up the speed limit to make it popular again.
The old Great Central line would be great reopened. But you have rather a problem with capacity on the last fifty miles or so into London, and problems with everything north of Rugby ...
I think it's only actually cut in a couple of places at Leicester and Nottingham, plus one viaduct missing. That would be a lot cheaper and more efficient to bypass than building a whole new line. Of course, someone would need to buy out the Great Central preserved line, but that's hardly the end of the world - they'd probably accept the rebuilding of another closed line nearby in exchange.
I wouldn't have said the line south from Aylesbury was that well used - I'm sure you could convert one of the half-hourly off-peak trains into a through express from the north. After all, if the Wrexham and Shropshire could run over the busier line from Banbury in the early morning, why not another company via Aylesbury?
Not easy, not cheap. But much easier and cheaper than HS2, so I think it would be an attractive option and I am genuinely surprised it's not mentioned more.
It's something I'd like to see, but it's not going to happen. Going north:
*) The line in Leicester is totally built over - there are few pieces of the original line available. *) The line between Leicester and Ruddington (south of Nottingham) is now a preserved line *) The route through Nottingham is now very built over, including recent developments. *) The line between Nottingham and Sheffield is not particularly clear. *) Where do you go from Sheffield? The Woodhead route to Manchester? How do you get to Leeds?
You could do it, perhaps by tunnelling under Leicester and Nottingham, at great cost.
As for the line into Mareylebone: it's fairly busy atm. Sunil could probably tell us more.
So you would not get much more capacity at great cost and disruption.
I tell you what, Australia really know how to do a spectacular collapse. Back in the day an England batting collapse was just a bit of a monotonous chore. the Aussies seem to have a bit of panache about their amazing throwing away of wickets.
You were warned not to invst in the seemingly high yield 'Australia bond' !
Sorry, failed to italicise my earlier post - I have not even so much as wafted a 1 pence peice at the Aussies. Their price was beyond ludicrously low and shows that the idea that markets are 'rational' to be complete bollocks.
Also I can't bet at work as gambling websites are blocked which is a complete arse when people post red hot tips mid day.
The report suggests that the huge public subsidy to HS2, an estimated net £31.5 billion
Wow, but didn't it cost something like 10bn to half upgrade the WCML a few years back?
Given that the current network is over capacity and they need to open up more lines from London, does anyone know what would it cost for a non-HS line to be built instead?
Wouldn't it be cheaper to build roads?
Depends on the size of the road and the quality of the build, surely? I would have thought that it would be more expensive to build a six-lane motorway than a twin-track main railway line (although if somebody has the figures to show different I'm happy to be corrected).
Make it a toll road?
M6 Toll is far less used than the older M6 in the West Midlands
Then the toll is too high.
We have been saying that for years, Tim. In fact, everyone with a brain has been saying that for years. Unfortunately, the company behind it are so bad at business that they don't understand when you have a free alternative, you shouldn't charge £5.40 for people to make a longer journey.
I suspect, if an enquiry was held, it would be found to be run by an accountant or a banker who only understood the headline number, not the question of elasticity of demand, quality or product or pricing of the competition.
I remember some years ago crossing the Severn Bridge on the M4 and being charged a ludicrous amount, 5 pounds if I remember correctly.
By contrast here we had a toll road - Highway 400 - which had a toll booth. The toll was $0.50. Now the road is paid for the toll booth is gone.
I remember the M6 traffic - people will pay a pound or two for convenience or to save time.
The report suggests that the huge public subsidy to HS2, an estimated net £31.5 billion
Wow, but didn't it cost something like 10bn to half upgrade the WCML a few years back?
Given that the current network is over capacity and they need to open up more lines from London, does anyone know what would it cost for a non-HS line to be built instead?
Wouldn't it be cheaper to build roads?
Depends on the size of the road and the quality of the build, surely? I would have thought that it would be more expensive to build a six-lane motorway than a twin-track main railway line (although if somebody has the figures to show different I'm happy to be corrected).
Make it a toll road?
M6 Toll is far less used than the older M6 in the West Midlands
M6 Toll was great when it first opened - 2 quid a car, no lorries and no coppers - effective speed was about 100 and no queue through the roadworks, as they rebuilt that 1960s viaduct on the old road through the city.
I think it was a fiver the last time I went on it, and the local camera van was hiding round a corner ready to get you for speeding on the empty road. Cut the price for cars and up the speed limit to make it popular again.
The only time I used the M6 toll was when it was snowing and the idea of going the free way in the snow with frikin lunatics doing 70 on whited-out lanes was too terrifying.
It was an eerie experience as traffic density and visibility was low enough that we seemed to be the only vehicle on the road.
I'm covering Diane Abbott for the candidacy. Albeit at the nice cheap price of 25/1 (the 36/1 available on the mayoralty is deeply unattractive by comparison).
I'm covering Diane Abbott for the candidacy. Albeit at the nice cheap price of 25/1 (the 36/1 available on the mayoralty is deeply unattractive by comparison).
Hmm - snap... sort of...
Back (Bet For) Odds Stake Profit
Diane Abbott 64.98 £6.00
That's on the mayoralty?
Yep - not quite as good as the 68pence I have no Lammy to win it returning over 600 quid, just odds and sods covers for Jowell and Khan cover tbh which are my main bets (And Zac ofc)
I think Rabbit is right - the main story is that Jowell is retaining a solid lead. The Mayor selection is not sufficiently ideological for there to be a solid bloc switch of votes from Abbott to Khan.
It's also a mistake to think that the Labour leadership voters are neatly-transferable blocs. My impression is that lots of people are deciding latter preferences on a basis of personal liking.
I take both points, but I was mainly commenting on the apparent movement in the LabourList poll, compared with the previous one. Of course these are voodoo polls and don't even pretend to be representative of the actual electorate, so I'm not suggesting we should take them too literally.
More generally, many new members, and more importantly £3 supporters, are joining the party, and that phenomenon seems to be tied to Jeremy Corbyn. Those are not traditional-style party members, so you might not have much contact with them. Nor do we have any real polling data on them as regards the mayoral selection. My hunch is that they are less likely, on average, to be Jowell supporters than the more established Labour party members.
In betting terms, I'd be cautious, therefore, of going too deep on Jowell.
The report suggests that the huge public subsidy to HS2, an estimated net £31.5 billion
Wow, but didn't it cost something like 10bn to half upgrade the WCML a few years back?
Given that the current network is over capacity and they need to open up more lines from London, does anyone know what would it cost for a non-HS line to be built instead?
Wouldn't it be cheaper to build roads?
Depends on the size of the road and the quality of the build, surely? I would have thought that it would be more expensive to build a six-lane motorway than a twin-track main railway line (although if somebody has the figures to show different I'm happy to be corrected).
Make it a toll road?
M6 Toll is far less used than the older M6 in the West Midlands
Then the toll is too high.
We have been saying that for years, Tim. In fact, everyone with a brain has been saying that for years. Unfortunately, the company behind it are so bad at business that they don't understand when you have a free alternative, you shouldn't charge £5.40 for people to make a longer journey.
I suspect, if an enquiry was held, it would be found to be run by an accountant or a banker who only understood the headline number, not the question of elasticity of demand, quality or product or pricing of the competition.
Worse, they try to price lorries off the toll road and onto the M6, as per vehicle lorries cause much more damage to the road. This increases maintenance on the M6.
I think Rabbit is right - the main story is that Jowell is retaining a solid lead. The Mayor selection is not sufficiently ideological for there to be a solid bloc switch of votes from Abbott to Khan.
It's also a mistake to think that the Labour leadership voters are neatly-transferable blocs. My impression is that lots of people are deciding latter preferences on a basis of personal liking.
I take both points, but I was mainly commenting on the apparent movement in the LabourList poll, compared with the previous one. Of course these are voodoo polls and don't even pretend to be representative of the actual electorate, so I'm not suggesting we should take them too literally.
More generally, many new members, and more importantly £3 supporters, are joining the party, and that phenomenon seems to be tied to Jeremy Corbyn. Those are not traditional-style party members, so you might not have much contact with them. Nor do we have any real polling data on them as regards the mayoral selection. My hunch is that they are less likely, on average, to be Jowell supporters than the more established Labour party members.
In betting terms, I'd be cautious, therefore, of going too deep on Jowell.
I'm happy stick with my current Jowell/Khan equal win.
I remember some years ago crossing the Severn Bridge on the M4 and being charged a ludicrous amount, 5 pounds if I remember correctly.
By contrast here we had a toll road - Highway 400 - which had a toll booth. The toll was $0.50. Now the road is paid for the toll booth is gone.
I remember the M6 traffic - people will pay a pound or two for convenience or to save time.
The toll is currently £6.50 for cars, charged only one way (going into Wales) on both bridges. THere are constant campaigns to get it abolished.
On the other hand, the only realistic ways to avoid it are (1) up the A48 via Gloucester, round Walham Causeway and back down the M5, which is not really suitable for heavy traffic and is in any case about a 40 mile detour; (2) the A449, M50, M5, which is considerably longer (when the M50 was narrowed for roadworks, traffic from Tewkesbury to Ross was officially diverted via the Severn Bridge - I would be interested to know how busy the A40 was)!
So £6.50 is explicable, if it's not cheap it's cheaper than the alternatives. The M6 Toll is most certainly not.
Miss Plato, you couldn't be surprised. Comrade Corbyn needs somewhere for the bourgeois consigned to the gulags to labour in penitence for their classist elitism.
I remember some years ago crossing the Severn Bridge on the M4 and being charged a ludicrous amount, 5 pounds if I remember correctly.
By contrast here we had a toll road - Highway 400 - which had a toll booth. The toll was $0.50. Now the road is paid for the toll booth is gone.
I remember the M6 traffic - people will pay a pound or two for convenience or to save time.
The toll is currently £6.50 for cars, charged only one way (going into Wales) on both bridges. THere are constant campaigns to get it abolished.
On the other hand, the only realistic ways to avoid it are (1) up the A48 via Gloucester, round Walham Causeway and back down the M5, which is not really suitable for heavy traffic and is in any case about a 40 mile detour; (2) the A449, M50, M5, which is considerably longer (when the M50 was narrowed for roadworks, traffic from Tewkesbury to Ross was officially diverted via the Severn Bridge - I would be interested to know how busy the A40 was)!
So £6.50 is explicable, if it's not cheap it's cheaper than the alternatives. The M6 Toll is most certainly not.
One of the first acts of the SNP Government was the abolition of all bridge tolls in Scotland. Very popular then and now.
First act of the SNP was the abolition of all bridge tolls in Scotland. Very popular then and now.
As I recall, the real boil that needed lancing was the exorbitant toll on the new Skye road bridge - which was the only way somebody could get off the island short of taking an enormous (and very expensive) detour via either Mallaig or Stornoway and Ullapool. It was always stupid to charge a toll on that one.
Comments
Edit: There's a million quid just piled into BF down to 1.02
EDIT: Michael Vaughan channelling his inner Geoffrey Boycott and criticising the Aussie idea of a forward defensive!
Has he, in the words of the immortal Tropic Thunder, gone 'full re****?'
(Maybe it was down to that message?)
The officer suggests a blood test.The man produces a card saying: 'Anaemic. Do not extract blood.'
The officer, exasperated, advises the man he will be taken to the station for a urine test. The man produces a card saying: 'This man plays cricket for Australia...'
1) He is the brother of a climate change denier. He may agree with his brother.
2) He may believe, as I believe Scargill once memorably expressed, that if the coal is dug up, thereby providing employment, it doesn't actually matter if it isn't then used.
"Time for Yvette to get her Balls out"
I can also really see the hugely dangerous, life shortening jobs down the pit being really popular...
Well, unless we get migrants to do it all...which is what will happen.
Cooper will just be seen as dull.
It's why Miliband committed the government to CCS. He's a genius, you see ...
Infographic of the Day: What does it cost to build the Death Star?
http://www.blastr.com/2015-8-6/infographic-day-what-does-it-cost-build-death-star
My concern is that after Trump's misogynistic comments, and him going after Megyn Kelly last night, it doesn't help the GOP's efforts to appeal to women.
Now most of them are now headed my way - oh joy.
http://politics.blog.ajc.com/2015/08/06/everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-atlanta-redstate-gathering/
Fit that into a Venn diagram.
HS2 would provide us with valuable extra rail capacity, whether used as HS or not (speaking for myself, I'd rather see the old Great Central line put back as far as possible and just used as a normal main rail line). That would be a good thing, and there is both room and demand for an extra N-S line.
Digging up a lot of black anthracite and dumping it all over the countryside would candidly not be a good thing. It would be dirty, damaging and cause a great deal of unnecessary damage to a great many people, starting with the poor people who had to dig it up.
I'd be willing to listen to a radical socialist with genuine, practical ideas to bring new jobs to depressed ex-coal-mining areas, e.g. the Welsh Valleys. I just haven't heard any put them forward yet.
The report suggests that the huge public subsidy to HS2, an estimated net £31.5 billion
But it is far more extraordinary that overnight you could get 1/10 and 1/6 this morning on a world record not in 138 attempts run chase.
Mr. Eagles, if the right party had won the election we would now have a Death Star in orbit, the laser focused (at very low power, of course) on Calais.
Given that the current network is over capacity and they need to open up more lines from London, does anyone know what would it cost for a non-HS line to be built instead?
'“They got done over on austerity, done over on immigration and they got done over by the SNP,” he says.
But which of Labour’s crop of potential leadership candidates are giving the SNP sleepless nights over potentially regaining disgruntled Scottish voters?
“The one guy we’d feel has the most to sort that, who has got the courage and the vision is… Jeremy Corbyn. But he’s never going to get it, so we don’t fear any of them, as a result of that,” he says.
“You know, not for the SNP, for people of England to have a genuine choice, I’d like to see Jeremy Corbyn win it.”
MacNeil says a “media friendly” choice of leader would be Andy Burnham, who may lead Labour to a lesser defeat in 2020. However, the SNP MP is resolute in his conclusion that all candidates bar Corbyn will repeat the failure of the previous Labour leadership.'
http://www.totalpolitics.com/features/450491/angus-macneil-and39theres-no-chance-of-groupthink-in-the-snpand39.thtml
Obviously since this interview was taken Corbyn's chances have sky-rocketed. Could he provide the challenge to the SNP or would the media friendly Andy Burnham be better suited?
It seems to me that the leadership candidates have largely ignored Scotland for most of this election but tackling the SNP is a bit of a 'six-pointer'. The stronger they are north of the border, the greater the threat they are to English voters who fear they'll make or break a Labour government. Is Jeremy Corbyn and English phenomenon or can he cause the SNP some difficulties as McNeill hints he could?
I wouldn't have said the line south from Aylesbury was that well used - I'm sure you could convert one of the half-hourly off-peak trains into a through express from the north. After all, if the Wrexham and Shropshire could run over the busier line from Banbury in the early morning, why not another company via Aylesbury?
Not easy, not cheap. But much easier and cheaper than HS2, so I think it would be an attractive option and I am genuinely surprised it's not mentioned more.
I'm covering Diane Abbott for the candidacy. Albeit at the nice cheap price of 25/1 (the 36/1 available on the mayoralty is deeply unattractive by comparison).
Plus the Nats would declare UDI if we built a Death Star.
I mean they get upset about Trident, just imagine what they'd be like if we had a planet destroyer.
It's also a mistake to think that the Labour leadership voters are neatly-transferable blocs. My impression is that lots of people are deciding latter preferences on a basis of personal liking.
"C'mon poor working class types, get yourselves underground to keep the Islington Lefties happy".
Would any of the old miners want to go back down the pits? I doubt it. They'd be much happier to see jobs created above ground, in clean and safe conditions.
Back (Bet For)
Odds
Stake
Profit
Diane Abbott 64.98 £6.00
If the M6 Toll ceased to charge a toll tonight, almost all the traffic problems in the West Midlands would disappear tomorrow. If they cut it to £2 per car, they would make a fortune by Christmas. As it is, there is more than a suspicion that if the M6 Toll/M54 link goes ahead - which they would have to fund 50% of - they will call in the receivers.
When you think of all the trouble, time, money and controversy that went into building it - well, 'disaster' doesn't do it justice.
I suspect, if an enquiry was held, it would be found to be run by an accountant or a banker who only understood the headline number, not the question of elasticity of demand, quality or product or pricing of the competition.
I think it was a fiver the last time I went on it, and the local camera van was hiding round a corner ready to get you for speeding on the empty road. Cut the price for cars (but not lorries) and up the speed limit to make it popular again.
*) The line in Leicester is totally built over - there are few pieces of the original line available.
*) The line between Leicester and Ruddington (south of Nottingham) is now a preserved line
*) The route through Nottingham is now very built over, including recent developments.
*) The line between Nottingham and Sheffield is not particularly clear.
*) Where do you go from Sheffield? The Woodhead route to Manchester? How do you get to Leeds?
You could do it, perhaps by tunnelling under Leicester and Nottingham, at great cost.
As for the line into Mareylebone: it's fairly busy atm. Sunil could probably tell us more.
So you would not get much more capacity at great cost and disruption.
I've set up a Political Betting league on the free fantasy league game from the premier league.
http://fantasy.premierleague.com/
The code to join this private league is 1336513-316355
You can join up anonymously if you wish by choosing first and second names as I did - scrap and heap...
Also I can't bet at work as gambling websites are blocked which is a complete arse when people post red hot tips mid day.
By contrast here we had a toll road - Highway 400 - which had a toll booth. The toll was $0.50. Now the road is paid for the toll booth is gone.
I remember the M6 traffic - people will pay a pound or two for convenience or to save time.
It was an eerie experience as traffic density and visibility was low enough that we seemed to be the only vehicle on the road.
More generally, many new members, and more importantly £3 supporters, are joining the party, and that phenomenon seems to be tied to Jeremy Corbyn. Those are not traditional-style party members, so you might not have much contact with them. Nor do we have any real polling data on them as regards the mayoral selection. My hunch is that they are less likely, on average, to be Jowell supporters than the more established Labour party members.
In betting terms, I'd be cautious, therefore, of going too deep on Jowell.
On the other hand, the only realistic ways to avoid it are (1) up the A48 via Gloucester, round Walham Causeway and back down the M5, which is not really suitable for heavy traffic and is in any case about a 40 mile detour; (2) the A449, M50, M5, which is considerably longer (when the M50 was narrowed for roadworks, traffic from Tewkesbury to Ross was officially diverted via the Severn Bridge - I would be interested to know how busy the A40 was)!
So £6.50 is explicable, if it's not cheap it's cheaper than the alternatives. The M6 Toll is most certainly not.
[I didn't know the Comrade had said that].
If a candidate is 3 for the candidacy and 2 their party wins the contest, then they should be 6 for the contest personally right?
So if Abbott is 65 for the race, and 25 for the candidacy, then are there implied odds of 2.6 on her to win the race given the candidacy?
She still has the "Labour" tag was my calculation. Plus might be able to lay her properly on Betfair which you can't do with a traditional bookies.
More proof people need to think before pressing 'send'.
A bit like Michael Clarke's batting/captaincy in this series...
Ashes stats: London tube drivers currently have a greater strike rate than Michael Clarke...