Pssst! We wrote this article especially for 1 April 2025.
HS2 will now only run between Euston and Old Oak Common.
The much-blighted high speed line — which was originally touted to link London, Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds, but has since been majorly scaled down — now faces further truncation, thanks to economic uncertainly and an apparent lack of confidence in its future.
Focus will now be made on the stretch of line spanning the 4.8 miles between Euston in central London, and Old Oak Common in north Acton, where a new HS2 rail hub is already under construction. The move forms part of the Government's 'Levelling Down' agenda, which sees money previously earmarked for national development funnelled back into infrastructure projects that benefit London.
Said HS2 spokesperson Michael Bluff, "There are many positives to take from today's announcement. The fact that Euston is now confirmed as an HS2 hub, when this was previously in question, will undoubtedly imbue commuters with confidence.
"The high speed line between Euston and Old Oak Common will also see the fastest trains that have ever run between central London and slightly-to-the-west of central London.
"Once the trains have been able to get up to full speed, there will be a whole mile-and-a-half where they're hitting 225mph. Anyone living in the Kensal Green area will seriously know about it."
There is, however, a caveat; HS2 will not run on Tuesdays. "For a number of reasons which I don't think need to be explained, it will be entirely impractical to run any kind of service on a Tuesday," says Michael Bluff, "However, we are in discussions with TfL about having a replacement bus drive really, really fast on Tuesdays instead.
"The revised HS2 Route will be a huge boon to London's commuters," adds Bluff, "Especially those who live in Acton and work in Euston. Or live in Euston and work in Acton. And work from home on Tuesdays."
The Northolt tunnel — an 8.4-mile-long twin bore tunnel that was, until now, under construction in west London — will be filled in with rubble from the soon-to-be-demolished HS2 stations at Birmingham and Solihull. Construction of the Small Dean Viaduct south of Wendover will be seen through to completion, but it will instead be used as a filming location for a new live action Wallace and Gromit movie.
HS2 has also confirmed that Old Oak Common will now be rebranded to 'Birmingham' in order to smooth over various contractual obligations.
The revised HS2 line is expected to be completed by January 2029, coinciding with the beginning of the third Trump term.
