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Just for an alternative viewpoint, I took my 9yo to Brick Fest on the Sunday (£20 each, non-VIP). We arrived around 11.30am and left when it closed at 4pm. I don’t know what some people, such as people not taking any children and buying VIP tickets (to gain access an hour early), might have been expecting. Sure, there were certainly things that could have been better (the shop was poor – so we went to the Lego shop in Birmingham after – and there was a distinct lack of stalls/other traders like there were at Bricklive back in 2019), but nevertheless we had a great time playing with the glow in the dark Lego, the architecture Lego (some very impressive creations there), helping build the floor mosaic, racing Lego cars, and quite a lot of time in the obstacle bouncy castle (whilst I read a book, win win). I've put our photos at https://www.flickr.com/photos/matthewsomerville/albums/72177720317403893

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It's well worth following the Black Country Brick Show if you don't already. I've always had a fantastic time there!

I missed this one but I'm glad you had a good time.

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Thanks, that looks great (more like the Model Railway show we went to, lots of fan built dioramas, traders, etc – sounds like what the people here were expecting this one to have been). Sorry to have missed it, will note for next year!

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am i the only one who thinks why was hs2 ever started? Given hs1 never makes money. !! But as it was built is it fiscal prudence or incompetence to stop it now such that it still doesnt run to Euston?... err why did it ever run to euston?Why didnt it avoid london altogether and join hs1 and onto the continent, Is this just another example of london ripping off the rest of the country? Good luck to the new bloke what a cock up!! meanwhile our MP visioneries that supported it walk off and leave us all paying the debt for their ego project... ps i am a rail fan and user.

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(HS1 made a profit after tax of £36.8m in 2022/23 according to its annual report.)

HS2 did originally have a link up with HS1 – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_High_Speed_2#Link_to_High_Speed_1 – but it was dropped. One main reason for HS2 was/is to increase capacity on a pretty full up line/stations – https://cdn.prgloo.com/media/8fe13d47978b480fa45d63fd7f39e2aa.jpg – and that congestion is not going anywhere. Not running to central London, cancelling north of Birmingham, is all short-term thinking with no vision for a working future.

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Anyone else less then whelmed with Thompson’s quote that “It is a mark of the scale and ambition of HS2 that we can attract a leader of his calibre” - surely the country’s flagship infrastructure project should be the destination for the very best talent. I suppose it is a mark of how far HS2’s stock has fallen.

I remain a committed HS2 zealot - build the thing in full as quickly as possible so we can start reaping the benefits

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you are quite correct my error re "doesnt make money" ......i miss read the accounts.

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