Imagine getting on a train in Liverpool and then in less than 10 minutes arrive in Manchester.
Well that could soon be a reality as plans have been proposed to build a network of hover trains in the North capable of travelling at speeds of up to 350mph.
These revolutionary maglev trains would use powerful electromagnets to hover above the ground, allowing them to move much faster than conventional wheeled trains.
The plans have been proposed by Transport for the North and outline a network of these ultra-fast railways travelling underground between major northern cities like Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester and Hull.
If built it would become the world’s fastest underground system and would be the first time that the futuristic technology has been used outside of Japan, where maglev is already being adopted.
The cost is high of course (around £2-3bn) but as TfN points out, the benefits to passenger journey times would be staggering.
A trip from Liverpool to Manchester normally takes around 45mins, using the new maglev train it would take just 7.
Liverpool to Hull normally takes around 3 hours, this would be reduced down to just 29 minutes using the new underground system.
Maglev is a relatively new transportation technology. At low speeds the train will travel on normal wheels, however as the speed increases powerful electromagnets levitate the train and propel it forward at incredible speeds.
Because the train isn’t directly connected to the track there are none of the friction limitations that come with using wheels.
Trains can then travel at speeds of up to 350mph and higher.
The technology is still in its infancy, but if the plans get the go-ahead from the government the UK could become the first country outside of Japan to use it.