Could Doncaster Sheffield Airport Become A Hydrogen Airport?
I asked Google AI, what is the current status of Doncaster Sheffield Airport and received this reply.
Doncaster Sheffield Airport (DSA) is currently in a state of active, public-funded redevelopment after closing in late 2022 due to financial issues, with plans to reopen for passenger flights by late 2027 or 2028, following significant funding (around £160m) secured by the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) for the City of Doncaster Council to take over operations and rebuild commercial viability, with freight and general aviation potentially returning sooner.
This Google Map shows the location of the airport.
Note.
The distinctive mouth of the River Humber can be picked out towards the North-East corner of the map.
Hull and Grimsby sit in the mouth of the Humber.
The red arrow indicates Doncaster Sheffield Airport.
Leeds is in the North-West corner of the map.
The towns and city of Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield can be picked out to the West of the airport.
This second Google Map shows a close-up of the airport.
On my visit to NASA in the 1980s, where an Artemis system was used to project manage the turnround of the Space Shuttle, I was asked questions by one of NASA’s support people about RAF Finningley. Nothing too technical, but things like what is Doncaster like.
When I asked why, they said there’s a high chance that a Space Shuttle could land at RAF Finningley, as it has one of the best runways for a very heavy aircraft in Europe.
Looking at the runway, it is a long and wide runway that was built for heavy RAF nuclear bombers like Valiants, Victors and Vulcans.
I believe that we will eventually see hydrogen- and/or nuclear-powered airliners flying very long routes across the globe, just as a nuclear-powered example, attempted to do in the first episode of the TV series Thunderbirds, which was called Trapped in the Sky and has this Wikipedia entry.
Just as the Space Shuttle did, these airliners and their air-cargo siblings will need a large runway.
Doncaster Sheffield Airport has such a runway.
These aircraft will make Airbus Airbus 380s look small and will need runways like the one at Finningley.
Other things in favour of making Doncaster Sheffield Airport, an airport for long range hydrogen aircraft include.
- The airport is close to the massive hydrogen production and storage facilities being developed on Humberside at AldBrough and Rough.
- The airport could be connected to the Sheffield Supertram.
- The airport could be connected to the trains at Doncaster station, which has 173 express trains per day to all over the country.
- The airport would fit well with my thoughts on hydrogen-powered coaches, that I wrote about inFirstGroup Adds Leeds-based J&B Travel To Growing Coach Portfolio
- The airport might even be able to accept the next generation of supersonic aircraft.
- The airport could certainly accept the largest hydrogen-powered cargo aircraft.
- The Airport isn’t far from Doncaster iPort railfreight terminal.
Did I read too much science fiction?
I have some further thoughts.
Do Electric Aircraft Have A Future?
I asked Google AI this question and received this answer.
Yes, electric aircraft absolutely have a future, especially for short-haul, regional, and urban air mobility (UAM), promising quieter, zero-emission flights, but battery limitations mean long-haul flights will rely more on hydrogen-electric or Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) for the foreseeable future. Expect to see battery-electric planes for shorter trips by the late 2020s, while hybrid or hydrogen solutions tackle longer distances, with a significant shift towards alternative propulsion by 2050.
That doesn’t seem very promising, so I asked Google AI what range can be elected from electric aircraft by 2035 and received this answer.
By 2035, fully electric aircraft ranges are expected to be around 200-400 km (125-250 miles) for small commuter planes, while hybrid-electric models could reach 800-1,000 km (500-620 miles), focusing on short-haul routes due to battery limitations; larger, long-range electric flight remains decades away, with hydrogen propulsion targeting 1,000-2,000 km ranges for that timeframe.
Note.
- I doubt that many prospective passengers would want to use small commuter planes for up to 250 miles from Doncaster Sheffield airport with hundred of express trains per day going all over the UK mainland from Doncaster station.
- But Belfast City (212 miles), Dublin (215 miles) and Ostend (227 miles), Ronaldsway on the Isle of Man (154 miles) and Rotterdam(251 miles) and Schipol 340 miles) may be another matter, as there is water to cross.
It looks like it will be after 2035 before zero-carbon aircraft will be travelling further than 620 miles.
Rail Operator Crosses Line For First Time In Years
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the BBC.
This is the sub-heading.
An operator’s first passenger train has crossed a historical and scenic route for the first time in more than a decade.
These three paragraphs give more details about the reason for the trip.
Avanti West Coast’s 07:54 GMT from Wigan was the first to run on the Settle to Carlisle route earlier.
The 73-mile line is renowned for its picturesque views across the Yorkshire Dales and the North Pennines via the Ribblehead viaduct.
The route is usually only used by Northern trains operating between Leeds and Carlisle, but Avanti is using it as a diversion while work to replace the Clifton Bridge take place over the M6 near Penrith.
I’ve only ridden the Route once and that was on a day in 2014, when the weather wasn’t at its best.
Afterwards I wrote Long Live The Settle And Carlisle, so the trip couldn’t have been that bad!
These paragraphs give the reason for and details of the diversion.
The Settle to Carlisle line does not have overhead power lines, meaning Avanti is using bi-mode Class 805 Evero trains which operate on diesel.
Several timetable changes have been made during the engineering works, with disruption expected until 15 January.
Until 5 January, the railway will also be blocked south of Preston, meaning on these days the diverted services are running between Wigan North Western and Carlisle.
But if Great British Railways could get their act together and convert a sufficient number of their Hitachi diesel bi-modes to battery-electric bi-modes and do some testing and a few calculations, the problem would be solved.
In 2021, I wrote Through Settle And Carlisle Service Under Consideration, after Modern Railways wrote an article of the same name.
Could Lumo Run A Lincoln And Glasgow Service Via Doncaster, Leeds And Settle?
In South Yorkshire Now Has Better North-South Connections, I calculated that Doncaster station now has 173 express trains per day, that stop at the station.
So why not add five or six express trains per day to Doncaster, Lincoln, Leeds, Settle, Carlisle and Glasgow?
And why not ask Lumo to run it, as they’d know how to run such a service?
Offshore Wind Turbines In 2025: China Continues Leading In Single-Unit Capacity, Vestas’s 15 MW Turbine Installed At Offshore Wind Farms
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on offshoreWIND.biz.
This is the sub-heading.
In offshoreWIND.biz‘s 2024 annual wind turbine overview, you could have read about the first 16 MW floating wind platform installed offshore and a 26 MW prototype under construction, both in China, and a 21 MW prototype being assembled in Europe. Wind turbine generator (WTG) technology did not stop progressing in 2025, with Chinese OEMs still leading capacity-wise, while in Europe, first offshore wind farms are now featuring 15 MW turbines and a 21+ MW model was installed onshore for testing.
The article is very much a must-read and there is a lot of innovation going on.
As a comparison, between 2020 and 2026 we commissioned or are building these offshore wind farms in the UK.
- East Anglia One – 2000 – 714 MW – 102 x 7 MW
- Hornsea One – 2020 – 1218 MW – 174 x 7 MW
- Kincardine – 2021 – 49.5 MW – 6 x floating
- Hornsea Two – 2022 – 1386 MW – 165 x 8 MW
- Moray East – 2022 – 950 MW – 100 x 9.5 MW
- Triton Knoll – 2022 – 857 MW – 90 x 9.5 MW
- Seagreen Phase 1 – 2023 – 1400 MW – 114 x 10 MW
- Dogger Bank A – 2025 – 1235 MW – 95 x 13 MW
- Moray West – 2025 – 882 MW – 60 x 14 MW
- Neart Na Gaoithe – 2025 – 450 MW – 54 x 8 MW
- Dogger Bank B – 2026 – 1235 MW – 95 x 13 MW
- East Anglia 3 – 2026 – 1372 – 95 x 14 MW
- Sofia – 2026 – 1400 MW – 100 x 14 MW
Average sizes for the various years are as follows.
- 2020 – 7 MW
- 2021 – floating
- 2022 – 8-9.5 MW
- 2023 – 10 MW
- 2025 – 8-14 MW
- 2026 – 13-14 MW
It can clearly be seen that in the last few years, turbines have been getting bigger.
I have some thoughts on the article.
2025 Saw Some Plans For And Installations Of Some Very Large Turbines
These four monsters were mentioned at the start of the article.
- 26 MW – Prototype installed for testing (China)
- 21.5 MW – Prototype installed for testing (Europe)
- 15 MW Installed at offshore wind farms (Europe)
- 50 MW Twin-turbine platform; Announced (China)
- MingYang Turbines to Spin on Hexicon’s Floating Offshore Wind Project
- World’s First Offshore Wind Farm Using 16 MW Turbines Enters Construction In China
- The Secret Of The TwinHub
- Hexicon Wins UK’s First Ever CfD Auction For Floating Offshore Wind
- The Chinese seem to be providing turbines for both manufacturers.
- The TwinHub is the Swedish design, being built for trial in Cornwall.
- This new design is a 50 MW design, whereas these two are 32 MW.
FirstGroup Adds Leeds-based J&B Travel To Growing Coach Portfolio
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Route One.
These two paragraphs add more detail.
J&B Travel of Leeds is the latest coach business to be acquired by FirstGroup.
The operator, which has been established for more than 40 years, has a fleet of 15 vehicles, with work including home-to-school, private hire and FlixBus contracts.
But in some ways, the most significant thing not mentioned is that FirstGroup have now acquired seven coach firms.
- AndersonTravel in London
- EnsignBus in London
- J & B Travel in Leeds
- Matthews Coaches in County Monaghan, Ireland
- Tetley’s Coaches in Leeds
- York Pullman in Harrogate, Hull, Leeds and York
Note.
- MatthewsCoaches are about halfway between Dublin and Belfast.
- Three of the English acquisitions are in Yorkshire and two are in London.
- Leeds isn’t far off being halfway between London and Central Scotland.
This looks like the first part of a master plan.
- Leeds and County Monaghan could be ideal refuelling points for zero-carbon coaches.
- Ferrybridge, just South of Leeds is getting a hydrogen-fired power station.
- Ferrybridge is a big site with a motorway service station on the M1.
- Wrightbus are building an electrolyser at Ballymena, which is 81 miles from Matthews Coaches.
- Wrightbus have said that Dublin and Cork would be an ideal route for a hydrogen coach.
- Wrightbus have said that Heathrow and Gatwick would be an ideal route for a hydrogen coach.
This plan could be built-on with routes to various cities and attractions.
I have some further sorts and questions.
Could The First Obvious Routes Be Run By Hydrogen Coaches?
From what Wrightbus have indicated, I would rate the obvious routes as.
- Dublin and Belfast – 103 miles or 206 miles round trip
- Dublin and Cork – 107 miles or 340 miles round trip
- Leeds and Glasgow – 224 miles or 448 miles round trip
- Leeds and Edinburgh – 222 miles or 444 miles round trip
- Leeds and London – 197 miles or 396 miles round trip
- Heathrow and Gatwick – 40 miles or 80 miles round trip
Note.
The longest route is 714.5 km.
It would appear that, if the hydrogen-powered coach had a range of 1,000 km. all routes would be possible.
How Far Would A Hydrogen Coach Get On A Tankful From London?
A thousand kilometres is 621.4 miles.
These are the distances from Scottish cities to London.
- Aberdeen – 537 miles
- Dundee – 472 miles
- Dunfermline – 430 miles
- Edinburgh – 410 miles
- Glasgow – 404 miles
- Inverness – 561 miles
- John O ‘Groats – 678 miles
- Perth – 451 miles
- Stirling – 418 miles
I’ve added John O’Groats for completeness, but all cities would be reached.
How Far Would A Hydrogen Coach Get On A Tankful Going West From London?
These are the distances from Western towns and cities to London.
- Aberystwyth – 236 miles
- Fishguard – 255 miles
- Holyhead – 289 miles
- Lands End – 310 miles
- Penzance – 307 miles
I’ve added Lands End for completeness, but all towns and cities would be reached.
John O’Groats And Lands End In A Hydrogen Coach
I asked Google AI how far the journey was and received this answer.
The distance from Land’s End to John o’ Groats varies by transport: about 837-874 miles (1347-1407 km) by road, roughly 600 miles (970 km) as the crow flies, and around 1,200 miles (1900 km) for an off-road walking route, with cyclists typically taking 10-14 days and walkers 2-3 months.
So it looks, like there will be a need for a refuel, but that would give 2,000 kilometres, which is more than the 1,347-1,407 kilometres needed.
Ferrybridge Could Be An Ideal Refuelling Point
I suspect, even in fifty years you could name the places in the UK, where you will be certain of refuelling any hydrogen vehicle on the fingers of one hand.
The list would include.
- Ferrybridge in Yorkshire, where SSE are building a hydrogen-fired power station.
- Felixstowe Docks in Suffolk, where there will be a need to fuel hydrogen trucks.
- Keadby in Lincolnshire, where SSE are building a hydrogen-fired power station.
- Kintore in Aberdeenshire, where an electrolyser is being built.
- Runcorn in Cheshire, where there was an electrolyser in 1968, when I worked there.
This web site lists all the UK hydrogen projects.
This Google Map shows the location of the Ferrybridge hydrogen-powered power station site in relation to Barnsley, Doncaster, Leeds and other towns and cities of Yorkshire.
Note.
- The red arrow indicates the former coal-fired power station site.
- Leeds is in the North-West corner of the map.
- Barnsley and Stocksbridge are in the South-West corner of the map.
- The city of Sheffield is to the South-West of Stocksbridge.
- Doncaster is in the South-East corner of the map.
Last September I wrote Visiting The Consultation For Ferrybridge Next Generation Power Station At Knottingley.
In that post, I wrote about supplying both the power station and the motorway services with hydrogen and felt that it could use one of two methods.
- A pipeline from the hydrogen storage in East Yorkshire.
- Some form of train from a hydrogen production site.
Recently, Network Rail have been conducting tests on the movement of hydrogen by train, which I wrote about in Network Rail’s Test Track Take Centre Stage As Hydrogen Is Delivered By Rail For The First Time.
The Ferrybridge Site Has most things needed.
This map shows the site.
Note.
- The impressive motorway junction, where the North-South M1 crosses the East-West M62.
- Liverpool and Manchester are to the West.
- Leeds, Newcastle and Scotland is to the North.
- Hull is to the East.
- London is to the South.
- There is a Moto Services.
- There is a Premier Inn.
There is even two railway stations on the map.
This reply from Google AI gives the details of the distance between Ferrybridge and the South-West.
The driving distance from Ferrybridge, Yorkshire, to Land’s End is roughly 470 to 500 miles, taking about 8-9 hours, primarily via motorways like the M1, M5, and A30, though exact times and routes vary by real-time traffic and specific starting/ending points.
I am absolutely certain, that if you have a vehicle like a hydrogen coach and you want to go anywhere between A to B on the UK mainland, then if there is hydrogen-refuelling at Ferrybridge, you will be able too do the journey with a refuel at Ferrybridge.
US Offshore Wind Developer Sues Gov’t Over Stop-Work Order
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on offshoreWIND.biz.
This is the sub-heading
Dominion Energy has filed a federal lawsuit challenging the Trump administration’s stop-work order issued on 22 December that directed all major US offshore wind projects under construction to pause while federal agencies review alleged national security risks, AP and US media report.
This paragraph adds more detail.
In its complaint filed in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia on 23 December, Dominion argues the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) order is “arbitrary and capricious” and violates constitutional and statutory limits on executive action.
I’m no lawyer, but I did have some excellent executive active with my late lawyer wife, so I get the gist of what is hinted.
I would not be happy, if I was an American citizen, who had to pick u[ the costs of Trump’s misdemeanours.
The BYD Buses On Route 141 Appear To Be Dehydrating Me
I took these pictures on one of the new BYD electric buses on route 141 these morning, as it ran between the Moorfields Hospital and the Balls Pond Road stops.
Note.
- There appears to be something wrong with the display, which says “Bus Terminates Here. Please Take Your Belongings With You”
- But it didn’t terminate.
- I’ve noticed these displays have got stuck like this before on BYD buses.
- The display didn’t move during the whole journey.
- Although, the clock seemed to keep almost accurate time.
- I just wonder if the bus is running out of electricity, so the driver or the computer has switched off things like the air-conditioning and the display.
And then after I’d been home for about ten-fifteen minutes, I started to get terrible pins and needles in my right arm.
It was so bad, that I called 111. Luckily it looked like it was nothing serious.
I do have a very leaky skin and I felt I might be dehydrated.
So I asked Google AI if “dehydration causes pins and needles” and received this answer.
Yes, dehydration can cause pins and needles (tingling sensations) because it disrupts the body’s electrolyte balance (like sodium, potassium, calcium), which are crucial for proper nerve and muscle function, leading to impaired nerve signals and tingling, often in hands and feet, especially after weating or intense activity.
As a precaution, I drunk three bottles of low-alcohol Ghost Ship beer and felt a lot better.
I am certain in future, I will only go in a Chinese electric bus, if I’m sure is been fully charged.
South Yorkshire Now Has Better North-South Connections
The December 14th 2025 timetable change was a big day for South Yorkshire.
Three big changes will transform, public transport in South Yorkshire.
The Opening Of A New Tram-Stop At Magna Science Adventure Centre On The Tram-Train Route Between Sheffield And Rotherham
The Magna Science Adventure Centre is described like this in the first paragraph of its Wikipedia entry.
Magna Science Adventure Centre is an educational visitor attraction in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, England.
This map shows the site and the tram-train track between Sheffield and Rotherham.
Note.
- The tram-train track runs East-West across the top of the map.
- Sheffield is to the West and Rotherham is to the East.
- At the Western end of the site, a label indicates the position of the Magna Platform.
- The position of the tram-train stop is already marked.
- There will be 29 extra Park-and-Ride spaces.
- The Magna Science Adventure Centre is indicated by the purple arrow in the middle of the map.
- Magna Way runs East-West through the site.
- There are four pavilions: Earth, Air, Fire, and Water.
This article on the BBC is entitled Lifts And Bridge Added As Tram Stop Takes Shape.
This picture from the article shows the bridge with lifts.
Note.
It will be an impressive tram stop.
It doesn’t look like it will be long before it opens.
But as yet no information is available.
Google AI gave this answer.
The new Magna Tram Train stop is scheduled to open in early 2026.
Construction of the new £10 million station and Park & Ride facility in Rotherham, part of a wider investment in the South Yorkshire Supertram network, is currently on track.
The new stop will improve access to the Magna Science Adventure Centre, local businesses, and link up with existing walking and cycling routes, aiming to ease congestion in the Lower Don Valley.
I shall be going next week to take photographs of the tram stop.
The Increase In Frequency Of Express Trains Serving Doncaster On The East Coast Main Line
Since the December 14th 2025 timetable change, the Monday to Friday express trains, that stop at Doncaster on the East Coast Main Line have included.
- CrossCountry – 8 trains per day (tpd) in both directions.
- Grand Central – 4 tpd in both directions.
- Hull Trains – 7 tpd in both directions.
- LNER- 3.5 trains per hour (tph) in both directions.
- TransPennineExpress – 1 tph in both directions.
Note.
- This totals to 173 express trains per day stopping at Doncaster
- Or about 7 tph in both directions or a train every 8.5 minutes.
- This is about a thirty percent increase in frequency.
- Doncaster has become the Crewe of South Yorkshire.
I can see this large number of express trains to Doncaster bringing large numbers of visitors to go to the Magna Science Adventure Centre or its tram stop for onward connection to other destinations on the Sheffield Supertram network.
The trouble is, that at present the Magna tram stop is not connected to Doncaster station.
This OpenRailwayMap shows the rail lines between Doncaster and Sheffield stations.
Note.
- The short length of red track in the North-East corner of the map is the East Coast Main Line.
- Doncaster station can be picked out.
- The short length of red track in the South-West corner of the map is the Midland Main Line, which connects Sheffield to London.
- Sheffield station is at the Northern end of the electrification, which will be installed soon.
- The pink tracks are the 750 VDC electrified tracks of the Sheffield Supertram.
- The blue arrow marks Rotherham Parkgate station, which is the limit of the current tram-train route.
The tram-train route needs to be extended so that the tram-trains can go between Rotherham Parkgate tram stop and Doncaster station.
The route seems to have these characteristics.
- It is about 11.8 miles long.
- Stops are Rotherham Central, Swinton (South Yorkshire), Mexborough and Conisborough.
- Diesel trains take about thirty minutes between Rotherham Central and Doncaster.
- All platforms at Doncaster are electrified with 25 KVAC.
- Platform 5 is a convenient bay platform at Doncaster, that could be used by the tram-trains.
- Sheffield’s Class 399 tram-trains can use 25 KVAC for traction.
- South Wales have similar Stadler tram-trains, that are to be fitted with batteries.
I am fairly sure, that a solution can be found so that Sheffield’s tram-trains can be extended to Doncaster station.
This OpenRailwayMap shows the route between Rotherham Parkgate tram stop and Doncaster station.
Note.
- The short length of red track in the North-East corner of the map is the East Coast Main Line.
- Doncaster station can be picked out.
- The short length of pink tracks are the 750 VDC electrified tracks of the Sheffield Supertram.
- The blue arrow marks Rotherham Parkgate station, which is the limit of the current tram-train route.
- Most of the route is not electrified.
As there is electrification at both ends, I suspect the easiest way of powering the trams would be to use batteries, as has been done in South Wales.
The New Class 810 trains between London St. Pancras And Sheffield On The Midland Main Line
These new Class 810 trains have started running this month and I suspect soe travellers will use these trains to go to Magna or its tram stop.
his OpenRailwayMap shows the tram routes in Sheffield city centre.
Note.
- The pink tracks are tram-tracks.
- The black tracks are unelectrified train tracks.
- The short lengths of red-and-black tracks are tracks to be electrified with 25 KVAC overhead, for the Class 810 trains.
- The blue error indicated the Cathedral tram-stop, where tram-trains will be caught to Magna.
- The mass of black tracks in the middle of the map is Sheffield station.
- There is a tram stop on the East side of the train station for the trams.
- Trams going South go to Halfway and Herdings Park.
- Trams going North-East go to Rotherham Parkgate and Meadowhall Interchange, and will go to Magna, when it opens.
- Trams going North-West go to Malin Bridge and Middlewood.
It is a difficult interchange between Cathedral and Sheffield station, if you are catching the tram-train, as it is a hard walk up hill, so it might be better if you are goinging between Sheffield station and the tram-train to change trams at Meadowhall South.
Are Sprouts Good For Uncomplicated Pancolonic Diverticular Disease?
I asked Google AI the question in the title of this post and got this answer.
Yes, sprouts are considered beneficial for managing uncomplicated pancolonic diverticular disease as part of a high-fiber diet. They are a good source of dietary fiber, which is recommended to help prevent constipation and reduce pressure in the colon, thereby lowering the risk of symptom flare-ups.
That sounds that they are.
This lunchtime, I seemed to avoid the dreaded fartrigen, despite eating a lot of brussels sprouts.
Electric Freight: A Solution To The WCML Capacity Conundrum
The title of this post is the same as that of this article on Rail Engineer.
These two paragraphs introduce the article.
Network Rail considers the West Coast Main Line (WCML) to be the busiest mixed traffic railway in Europe. It carries 125mph passenger trains from London to the West Midlands, North West, and Scotland and is used by 90% of intermodal UK rail freight which has a maximum speed of 75mph. Traffic on the line has been steadily increasing. In 1994 there were seven daily passenger trains from Glasgow to London. Now there are 26.
In 2006 Network Rail commissioned an in-depth study to find the best way of providing additional capacity as, with increasing traffic, the WCML between London and the North West was forecast to be full by 2020. The study found that the provision of a new high-speed line was the best solution and was the basis for the development of the HS2 project. The 2006 study correctly forecast that the WCML will by now be at full capacity south of Crewe, yet following the curtailment of HS2 two years ago there are no proposals to address the capacity issue between Rugby and Crewe that was identified 20 years ago.
David Shirres, puts forward a solution that involves electric freight locomotives and faster freight wagons.
I can add some knowledge of what British Rail were doing in the 1970s to solve the problem of freight on the West Coast Main Line all those years ago.
This picture shows a PACE 231R.
In the early 1970s, I was lucky enough to work with one of these amazing machines. They were probably one of the most powerful analogue computers ever built, that could solve a hundred simultaneous differential equations at once using thermionic valve circuitry. Their most famous application was at NASA, where two of these machines formed the analogue half of the moon-landing simulator.
There were a handful of these powerful beasts in the UK at ICI Plastics, where I worked, British Motor Corporation, Cambridge University and British Rail Research at Derby.
At the time, British Rail were trying to run freight trains faster and the four-wheel freight wagons of the time were derailing with an unwanted regularity. So the problem was given to British Rail Research and the problem was put on the PACE 231R. The problem was solved and the lessons learned were applied to the Mark 3 Coach and the InterCity 125.
After privatisation, the research went to the National Railway Museum and out of curiosity a few years ago, I tried to look at it, but was told it was commercially sensitive to Bombardier. It is my belief, that if this research were to be continued at one of our best universities, that faster freight bogies could be developed, that would help to create the extra freight paths needed on the WCML.
Google AI Is Using This Blog
This is a screen-shot from Google.
I had asked Google AI this question “Are Centrica going to provide bunkering services for low carbon shipping?”
Google AI gave me this answer.
Yes, Centrica is actively exploring and planning to provide bunkering services for low-carbon fuels, particularly LNG, with future potential for hydrogen and ammonia at its Isle of Grain terminal, positioning itself as a key player in the energy transition for shipping.
Key Developments & Plans:
- Isle of Grain Terminal: Centrica’s acquisition and development of the Grain LNG terminal is central to this strategy, with plans to expand its capabilities for bunkering various low-carbon fuels.
- Low-Carbon Fuels Focus: While currently handling LNG, Centrica sees future opportunities for hydrogen and ammonia bunkering at the terminal, aligning with the maritime sector’s shift away from heavy fuel oil.
- Strategic Investment: Centrica views LNG as a crucial transition fuel and is investing in infrastructure to support its role in energy security and decarbonization, including for shipping.
- Bio-LNG Involvement: Through its stake in Gasrec, Centrica is also supporting renewable LNG for road transport, indicating broader interest in sustainable gas fuels.
The Anonymous Widower 