St Alice (place)

### Description

St Alice used to be a small town south east of Sandcaster and east of Nashville that specialised in spa-related products from a hot spring. It is now the site of St Alice Hospital, an enormous hospital complex that houses up to a maximum of 11,200 patients on-site and has over 23,000 staff employed. The area has patient, staff and storage facilities.

The area has its own railway line, the St Alice line, which consists of two tracks that serve two platforms at each station. The railway goes from Sandcaster to Bevildon, a storage stop and then eventually to St Alice North, a Facilities only stop, St Alice South, Staff zones C through to A and then loops back onto itself with a track select mechanism. The area also has a national underground station which goes from St Alice North, through Underhill South and links to Sandcaster Underground.

The hot water spring, refereed to by some as "Poeth Cyson" (welsh for "steady hot"), constantly brings up steam that is around 147°C and boiling water. Currently the steam is used for power generation via three turbines and heating the entire complex, after geothermal pipes were placed in the spring to both increase its output, reliability and close its loop.

"St Alice" describes the area where St Alice Hospital and the staff campus are located but not the hospital itself.

### History

St Alice started out as a small logging village. Mysteriously, there are two common legends about where the name "St Alice" originated from. Some think that there was a ruined church-like building which had an engraving of "STR AELISEA" which was discovered by the early loggers; the origin and fate of this building is unknown if this is true. Others believe that a spirit of Poeth Cyson once appeared to a grief-struck boy after he learned his mother was dying. This spirit woman comforted the boy and asked him to find a bottle, into which the spirit poured some spring water and told him to give it to his mother. The spring water cured the mother and the boy was happy. He then asked the spirit for her name and she replied "Alice". The boy then believed that the spirit must have been a saint. Regardless, the name of the area became St Alice. Poeth Cyson had practically changed the small number of lumberers and they became fascinated with the spring's effects and healing, investing their time to study what would eventually become the medical field. This could also have been where the spring water spirit legend originates from. It is unknown who gave the hot spring the name of Poeth Cyson.

The first hospital in St Alice was established shortly thereafter. Soon, the surrounding towns referred the sick and injured towards St Alice to be cured and healed. This, aided with newer technology, eventually came rise to one of the biggest hospital complexes in the UK. Now it is the 5th largest "hospital complex" in the UK as of its most recent development.

Recently, one of the steam turbines, the turbine called "peter", managed to crack its bearings as it suddenly made a high-pitch whining noise. An inspection was conducted which found that several components needed replacing, including the turbine itself. It was removed and a newer, improved turbine (named "peter 2") was put in its place. The old turbine, which had helped provide power for the area for over 100 t, was placed in a local museum.

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