howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
you can be so defeatist at times paul, i have been thinking this one through and can see how this would work.
bearing in mind the sea traffic situation it would only work if an expert at running ports and airports stepped into the fray which can only mean one thing - step forward sir bob goldfield!!
if he succeeds in his privatisation bid then he could add the airport to his portfolio which would look impressive put together with truck park and recently renovated dredger.
Guest 664- Registered: 23 Mar 2008
- Posts: 1,039
Would create a lo of jobs but is, er, pie in the sky. Maybe we could dam the North Sea, drain it and build one on the Dogger Bank.
Paul Watkins- Location: Dover
- Registered: 9 Nov 2011
- Posts: 2,226
Make a big marina Andrew.
Watty
Guest 697- Registered: 13 Apr 2010
- Posts: 622
Agree the Goodwin Sands is probably not the best place for an airport given Channel shipping. However, I do think KCC are missing a trick in not backing proposals for a Thames Estuary airport. Could provide a huge economic boost and tens of thousands of jobs for Kent.
Guest 710- Registered: 28 Feb 2011
- Posts: 6,950
A small amount of tax applied to aviation fuel would clarify matters for the future.
Ignorance is bliss, bliss is happiness, I am happy...to draw your attention to the possible connectivity in the foregoing.
Guest 745- Registered: 27 Mar 2012
- Posts: 3,370
If the airport was 2 miles wide ,would still give 10 miles ether side for shipping
Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
if it wasnt there they would have 12 miles to play around in.
Paul Watkins- Location: Dover
- Registered: 9 Nov 2011
- Posts: 2,226
Depends on flight paths & whether you are crossing the channel or passing thru. Keith.
Personally I'm a fan of Kevin's solution if Manston no go [which I believe will be the outcome].
Watty
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
Some ships take over two miles to turn if the need be and more then that to stop.Manston is the best out of all of them.
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
Expanding Manston would certainly regenerate East Kent and be good for all of us. It would also upset fewer people.
It's not just a convenience for people flying from here, it's also about flying to here and why - making East Kent (and Dover) a destination for business and tourism.
Roger
Guest 697- Registered: 13 Apr 2010
- Posts: 622
A 747 presumably bound for Manston has just flown over Dover. Agree with Paul that Manston is the most obvious solution, provided the Government get their act together on this one. Having said that, successive governments have shown little imagination when it comes to realising the potential of East Kent in economic terms. In my view, yesterday's decision on the port was another example of that. We know one thing for sure, there will be no money for trust ports from central government. So we're back to square one. Meanwhile, the rest of the world moves on......
Guest 671- Registered: 4 May 2008
- Posts: 2,095
Our channel is the busiest in the world through necessity but even cruise ships avoid Dover in the winter because of adverse conditions. The weather would kill off any attempts for an airport on the Goodwin Sands.
Manston is the only solution, why can't Bungling Boris see that?
"My New Year's Resolution, is to try and emulate Marek's level of chilled out, thoughtfulness and humour towards other forumites and not lose my decorum"
Karlos- Location: Dover
- Registered: 1 Oct 2012
- Posts: 2,560
How would the 40 minute rail link to London work? It's already 38 minutes between Ashford and St Pancras.
Has Manston only got 1 runway? Is there room for another 3?
The Goodwin Sands plan won't happen, it's too far from London (as also is Manston really).
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
Guest 745- Registered: 27 Mar 2012
- Posts: 3,370
Not as fanciful as you may think
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Guest 698- Registered: 28 May 2010
- Posts: 8,664
If they had bought trains that were capable of doing the track limit speed of 186 mph, and cut out stops at Stratford and ebbsfleet, St P to Ashford could be under 20 mins.
I'm an optimist. But I'm an optimist who takes my raincoat - Harold Wilson
Ross Miller
- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 17 Sep 2008
- Posts: 3,707
Peter on their test runs they managed to do do Ashford to St P non stop in a smidge over 22 minutes.
Train running times have more to do with available track slots and stopping patterns as opposed to top speeds, but you know that Peter
"Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today." - James Dean
"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength,
While loving someone deeply gives you courage" - Laozi
Guest 698- Registered: 28 May 2010
- Posts: 8,664
The versions of the Javelin we have are geared for a lower top speed but faster acceleration (to cope with stopping and starting). If there were to be a new service with a hi-speed line from Ashford to the Goodwins airport, the entire distance could be covered by a 186-mph geared train (even allowing for the 220km/h tunnel speed limits) in not much more than half an hour. Theoretically of course.
I'm an optimist. But I'm an optimist who takes my raincoat - Harold Wilson