Aces High Bulletin Board

General Forums => The O' Club => Topic started by: Krusher on January 25, 2005, 07:32:49 AM

Title: Travel from the UK to Africa Via spain
Post by: Krusher on January 25, 2005, 07:32:49 AM

How interesting is this, I think the very idea is bold.



A plan to build a tunnel between Spain and Morocco, establishing the first fixed link between Europe and Africa, has come a step closer after talks between the two countries.
The Spanish development minister, Magdalena Alvarez, met her Moroccan counterpart, Karim Chellab, in Tangier last week as part of a visit by King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia of Spain to push forward plans for a 24-mile rail tunnel running beneath the Strait of Gibraltar.

The idea was first mooted in the 1970s and an initial agreement was signed in 1980. But a combination of political, financial and technical obstacles has prevented it becoming a reality.

Title: Travel from the UK to Africa Via spain
Post by: Chortle on January 25, 2005, 07:51:31 AM

The Eurotunnel between UK and France is barely able to service it's huge loans its needed to stay 'afloat' this long.

If the Spain/Morocco link goes ahead it will be interesting to compare, I've a nagging suspicion that rail infrastructure in Morocco is probably 50 years ahead of ours in the UK.

Title: Travel from the UK to Africa Via spain
Post by: Saintaw on January 25, 2005, 08:20:26 AM

Great idea! They won't have to cross on little boats anymore... they'll be able to drive in all the way!

More illegals! YAY!!!!

*mumbles* what other 'great idea' are they going to come up with next? :rolleyes:

Title: Travel from the UK to Africa Via spain
Post by: Krusher on January 25, 2005, 09:51:14 AM

Quote

Originally posted by Saintaw
Great idea! They won't have to cross on little boats anymore... they'll be able to drive in all the way!

More illegals! YAY!!!!

*mumbles* what other 'great idea' are they going to come up with next? :rolleyes:

Well I was just thinking about the engineering and logistics of the project.  

Hey you could think of it this way, a tunnel saves on airfare when you send them back.

Title: Travel from the UK to Africa Via spain
Post by: Bodhi on January 25, 2005, 09:56:44 AM

Quote

Originally posted by Saintaw
Great idea! They won't have to cross on little boats anymore... they'll be able to drive in all the way!

More illegals! YAY!!!!

*mumbles* what other 'great idea' are they going to come up with next? :rolleyes:

lol

Title: Travel from the UK to Africa Via spain
Post by: Staga on January 25, 2005, 10:06:09 AM

Bodhi why did you removed your comment? Maybe you realized that same thing happens at the border between Mexico and US ?

Title: Travel from the UK to Africa Via spain
Post by: Staga on January 25, 2005, 10:10:07 AM

Anyways I think it's easier to control a tunnel than few hundred kilometers of sea shore.

Title: Travel from the UK to Africa Via spain
Post by: Furball on January 25, 2005, 01:53:19 PM

i saw a program on tv, was about the proposed plan to do a super high speed Maglev (that right?) train that runs on magnets, in a suspended undersea tunnel between New York and London.  Was pretty cool.

Apparently though the concrete required would take all of the worlds concrete plants working flat out for 2 years or something ridiculous to produce enough concrete for it.