Background of recent developments of passenger railways in China, the UK and other European countries

This paper, based on a lecture given during tour undertaken in May 2014 of key railway establishments in China, consists of a brief introduction to the history and comparisons of railways in the UK and China, a description of rail speed-up in the last few decades in the UK, and notes of current high speed trains. Similar brief details are given of high speed in Europe. Brief mention is made of comparative railway safety. The development of high speed rail in China is discussed and the UK High Speed development plan is briefly introduced. The paper concluded that high speed train system has tremendous advantages in increasing the efficiency and convenience of transport without adding to carbon generation.