In today's bumper post summer special episode we return to the HS2 project - infrastructure’s poster child for delay and cost overrun – as we discuss the content of a brand new book examining how this project went, as the title suggests, so badly Off the Rails.

Few infrastructure projects in British history have generated as much debate and scrutiny as HS2; becoming a lightning rod for wider conversations about the UK’s ability to deliver major infrastructure on time, on budget, and with public trust.

And as we heard in episode 122 with James Stewart, for many, the project was flawed from day 1, with questions hanging heavy over its value for money, environmental impact, and the opportunity costs of such vast investment.

Yet supporters hail it as a vital means to rebalance the UK’s economy, boosting connectivity and capacity and securing the nation’s greener transport future. 

My guest today is journalist and author Sally Gimson who has spent the last few years getting stuck into the history, politics and personalities of the project. She has delivered it all up as “Off the rails” a compelling and informing read that gets under the skin of the project and attempt to make sense of the madness that has surrounded the project.

From spiralling costs and shifting political priorities to the complex realities of engineering one of the most ambitious transport schemes in Europe, Sally has explored why HS2 has faced challenges at every stage. 

To be fair, few observers have had the time—or the courage—to dig into the full story, unpicking the web of decisions, ambitions, and compromises that have shaped HS2’s journey. Sally has done just that, revealing what the project says about the UK’s infrastructure machine. 

It’s a story that blends ambition and caution, engineering brilliance and political miscalculation, and one that goes far beyond a single railway line. In short, it's a fascinating and compelling read.

Resources

• Off the Rails by Sally Gimson
• The Stewart Review: The HS2 Experience
• Mark Wild's CEO first 100 days review of HS2
• HS2 website