[Symbiote]

Roughly translating the Japanese "Shinkansen" as "New trunk line" or "New main line" would have worked fine. Or "West coast relief line".

Birmingham is the second largest city in the UK. I think people know that, even if they make fun of it.

[lores]

It's a surprising black hole on the map, seen from London. In 20 years in the country, it has never come into any conversation I've had except for "have you ever been to Birmingham? No, me neither." For a major city so accessible from London, it's very odd.