The Anonymous Widower

Centrica Energy And Seneca Resources Company Sign First-of-Its-Kind Long-Term MiQ Methane Emissions Certificates Agreement

The title of this post, is the same as that of this press release from Centrica.

This is the sub-heading.

Centrica Energy and Seneca Resources Company are proud to announce a groundbreaking agreement, marking the first long-term deal of its kind to support independently verified methane emissions from an MiQ-certified US natural gas producer, helping to underpin reductions over time. This ten-year agreement underscores the commitment of Centrica and Seneca to support global efforts to reduce methane emissions.

This first paragraph added more detail.

Centrica Energy sources and delivers gas and LNG globally, including LNG shipped from the US to international markets. Under the terms of the agreement, Centrica will procure 250,000 MMBtu per day of MiQ-certified gas certificates over the next ten years, a strategic move that positions Centrica at the forefront of methane reduction initiatives, aligns with emerging regulatory requirements, and reinforces leadership in sustainable energy practices.

MiQ is new to me, so here is what the press release says about MiQ.

MiQ is a global leader in methane emissions certification and data. Our mission is to accelerate the transition to lower emissions gas by providing a credible and transparent certification system that drives regulatory compliance, incentivizes continuous improvement, and ensures methane accountability in the oil and gas sector throughout the entire supply chain.

It appears to me that MiQ-certified low-emissions gas is almost like an equivalent of FairTrade coffee.

If the UK buys its gas as MiQ-certified low-emissions gas, it could claim, that it has cut its gas emissions.

Google AI On Low-Emission Natural Gas

I asked its view and received this answer.

Low-emission natural gas refers to methane-based energy with significantly reduced greenhouse gas, methane leakage, and particulate emissions, often achieved through enhanced extraction, certification, or blending with cleaner gases. It offers up to 40% less (CO2) than coal and 20-30% less than oil, serving as a critical transition fuel to support renewable energy. 

low-emission natural gas would seem to be a sensible way to go.

February 3, 2026 Posted by | Artificial Intelligence, Energy, Environment | , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Is There A Plan To Increase The Capacity Of the Elizabeth Line?

On Sunday, when I came back from West Ealing station to Moorgate station on Sunday after taking the pictures, that I used in West Ealing Station – 1st February 2026, I was at the wrong end of the train for getting out at Moorgate.

So I had to walk from one end to the other of one of the most crowded Elizabeth Line trains, I’ve ever been on.

If it was as crowded as that on a Sunday morning, then it would appear, that the capacity of the line needs to be increased.

So I asked Google AI, the title of this post and received this reply.

Yes, there is a firm plan to increase the capacity of the Elizabeth line, driven by high demand and to support the future opening of the HS2 station at Old Oak Common. Transport for London is producing 10 new Class 345 trains to boost service, with expected delivery in 2026-2028.

But is 2026-2028 going to be early enough?

 

 

February 3, 2026 Posted by | Artificial Intelligence, Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Next Generation: LNER Reveals Exciting New Details Of Upcoming East Coast Main Line Trains

The title of this post, is the same as that of this press release from LNER.

This is the sub-heading.

A new generation of comfort and speed is coming for LNER customers on the East Coast Main Line with the introduction of 10 state-of-the-art intercity trains, delivering improved journey experiences.

These two paragraphs introduce the trains.

LNER has released a fleet name and the latest interior images of the trains, built by manufacturer CAF and financed by Porterbrook, to show customers what they can expect following their introduction to the UK rail network in the coming years.

The new fleet will help support and accommodate strong demand for rail travel on the East Coast Main Line. Since Covid, LNER has seen a year-on-year increase in customers, with more than 24 million customers in 2024-25. The introduction, in December 2025, of a new, transformative timetable has brought an extra 60,000 seats per week across the route, and new CAF-built trains will further grow capacity and reliability.

Note.

  1. The trains will be ten cars long.
  2. The trains will be tri-mode trains, which will be able to use 25 KVAC Overhead electricity, diesel and battery power.
  3. The trains will have a top speed of 125 mph.
  4. The trains will be named Serenza.

The trains will be numbered as Class 897 trains.

I have some further thoughts.

What Diesel Engines Will Be Used?

I asked Google AI this question and received this answer.

The British Rail Class 897 Civity, designed by CAF for London North Eastern Railway, are tri-mode electro-diesel multiple units. While they are built for electric, battery, and diesel operation, specific details regarding the engine manufacturer for the Class 897’s diesel power units have not been officially announced or detailed in public documentation.

Information on the specific model of the diesel engines (e.g., Cummins, MAN) is not available in the provided search results.

CAF’s other diesel-multiple units built in the UK,  as eight of these Class 897 trains will be, have German-made Rolls-Royce mtu diesel engines.

Consider.

  • American diesel-engine manufacturer; Cummins is specifically-mentioned by Google AI.
  • Cummins have a large diesel engine factory in Darlington, just round the corner from Darlington station.
  • Cummins are known to be decarbonising the company and are producing a range of diesel-engines, that can be converted to run in a carbon-zero mode on hydrogen.
  • Wrightbus now produce the Streetdeck Ultroliner EU6 with a Cummins engine. They also say on their web site, that the bus can be decarbonised, by converting to electric power.
  • Stadler produce the Class 99 locomotive with a Cummins engine.

An alternative and possibly simpler way to decarbonise the Streetdeck Ultroliner EU6s, the Class 99 locomotives and the Class 897 trains might be to convert the diesel engines to zero-carbon hydrogen?

I asked Google AI how many railway locomotives use Cummins diesel engines and received this reply.

More than 13,000 Cummins rail engines are in operation globally, powering various locomotives and railcars. They are heavily utilized in both passenger and freight applications, with over 10,000 underfloor engines in service for diesel railcars. They are commonly found in locomotives built by companies like Siemens and Stadler.

Replacing that number of diesel engines will be a large amount of work. And what better place to base the European side of that business, than in the historic railway town of Darlington?

Will The Class 897 Trains Be Able To Take The Great Northern and Great Eastern Joint Line?

As I write this post,  some trains will be replaced by coaches at the weekend, so there is not much point in my mind for tri-mode trains not to be able to take the Diversion using the onboard diesel and battery power.

Google AI gave this answer.

Yes, the Class 897 “Serenza” trains, designed for LNER, are expected to be capable of using the Great Northern and Great Eastern Joint Line (GNGE). As tri-mode electro-diesel multiple units, they are designed for flexibility and can utilize battery power to navigate routes like the GNGE through Lincoln during engineering works or overhead wire issues.

I suspect it could also allow combining services like Lincoln and Middlesbrough if required.

Will The Class 897 Trains Be Able To Take Services To The North Of Scotland?

Google AI gave this answer.

Yes, LNER’s new Class 897 tri-mode trains are designed to operate across their entire network, including routes to Scotland, utilizing electric, diesel, or battery power. These 10-car units will replace older fleets, supporting, as noted by The Anonymous Widower, services from London to the North of England and Scotland, with deployment scheduled to begin from 2027.

Thanks, for the link, Google!

Will LNER Take On The Airlines To Scotland?

Consider.

  • The Class 897 trains running as diesel tri-modes will probably emit less carbon dioxide, than the current Class 800/802 diesel bi-modes.
  • If the Class 897 trains could run as hydrogen tri-modes, they could probably be zero-carbon trains.
  • Hydrogen would not be needed South of Stirling or Edinburgh.

Think of the advertising possibilities to change travellers from the airlines to the trains.

Hydrogen-tri-mode trains make sense

Will The Class 897 Trains Be Able To Take Services To The New Destinations In South Yorkshire?

By reading a map, I feel that this route will be possible.

  1. Retford, where the train would leave the East Coast Main Line
  2. Worksop, where there is a good cafe with excellent cakes.
  3. Woodhouse for Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre.
  4. Sheffield with a reverse.
  5. Meadowhall for the shopping.
  6. Barnsley Interchange
  7. Wakefield Kirkdale.
  8. Leeds

Note.

The route I mapped out is not much different to Hull Trains’s route to Sheffield, that I wrote about in FirstGroup Applies To Run New London To Sheffield Rail Service.

  1. Trains could go on from Leeds to York, Darlington, Newcastle and Edinburgh on the East Coast Main Line.
  2. Trains could go on from Leeds to Settle, Carlisle, Lockerby, Motherwell and Glasgow Central on the Settle and Carlisle Line and the West Coast Main Line.
  3. I do like the idea of a King’s Cross and Glasgow service on the Settle and Carlisle.

There are certainly interesting possibilities for trains to take a number of routes through South Yorkshire.

 

 

February 2, 2026 Posted by | Hydrogen, Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

University Of Alberta Partners With City of Edmonton And Diesel Tech Industries To Pilot Hydrogen-Diesel Bus Retrofits

The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Pulse 2.0.

These two paragraphs introduce what is a comprehensive practical approach to decarbonising a fleet of diesel buses.

The University of Alberta is partnering with the City of Edmonton and Diesel Tech Industries to cut carbon emissions from Edmonton’s fleet of diesel-powered buses by integrating hydrogen fuel into existing combustion engines.

The initiative focuses on developing a practical retrofit approach to help transit agencies and other vehicle operators reduce emissions quickly without waiting for full fleet replacement. Project leaders say that if the pilot succeeds, the work could translate into a deployable solution for operators across Canada seeking near-term carbon reductions while maintaining current diesel assets.

Note.

  1. The City of Edmonton has around a thousand buses.
  2. Many of Edmonton’s buses have Cummins engines.
  3. Cummins are decarbonising the company and have developed hydrogen-conversions for some of their diesel engines.
  4. I am sure that this technique could be used to convert London’s thousand new Routemaster buses, with their Cummins engines.

This project seems to have a lot of possibilities to get very much larger.

February 2, 2026 Posted by | Hydrogen, Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

West Ealing Station – 1st February 2026

Because of the confusion of WordPress yesterday, I had to go back to West Ealing station to take more pictures today.

These are the pictures that I took.

These are some of my thoughts.

The High-Density Transport-Hub Cluster

This seems to be coming on with several blocks now visible and the Waitrose site to be developed.

There also seems to be some useful shops, which include a pleasant Italian cafe on the North side of the rail lines.

The Fast-Charge System Contacts

Note.

  1. These are shown in Pictures 16-17!
  2. There are two contacts, which are in yellow for safety reasons.
  3. I wonder how many can be installed?
  4. Is it one per battery and one battery per car?

I suspect by duplicating cables and putting them underneath and between the tracks, the Fast-Charge system could handle a train like a Class 800 train.

Will Other High-Density Transport-Hub Clusters Be Developed Along The Elizabeth Line?

This is one for the nimbys, planners, politicians and residents, but I don’t see why some councils will try.

 

February 1, 2026 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

I Have Just Been WordPressed

My method of using WordPress is to use the Classic editor because, that was how I started and many of the original posts were created with it.

I also do some actions with galleries, which now the program seems to have banned.

Rule one of writing software is never to go back on your original design and change things that they habitually do.

Some big software manufacturers do it all the time and I’m sure it does them harm.

As an example, who remembers the company; Wordstar, but loads of people remember and use Control-C, Control-V, Control-X, Control-Z etc.

The solution is to get the design right first time.

WordPress are driving me nuts, by my not being able to edit my post ; The Ultimate Recycled Electric Local Train.

I particularly want to get the gallery in the post into order. If I try to move the last picture into position zero, I can do it and it even stays there when I update the gallery. But if I go back to do another move, the picture is back to the old place.

That looks like a Grade A Bug to me! Fix It!

January 31, 2026 Posted by | Computing, Design | | Leave a comment

The Ultimate Recycled Electric Local Train

This morning, I took a ride across London to ride in the first Class 230 train in public service in London.

I took these pictures of the new block of flats going up at West Ealing station, the charging system for the train and the train.

 

Note.

  1. The train is three-cars with a toilet to suit everybody, except possibly Donald Trump, who’d want it in gold.
  2. The single train is shuttling between West Ealing and Greenford stations.
  3. Each journey 2.5 mile journey takes eleven minutes.

I was surprised at the number of tables and the quality of the seats.

 

These are some extra thoughts.

The Blocks Of Flats

Google AI gave me this.

Several new developments around West Ealing station feature tall blocks, with major proposals ranging from 4 to 26 storeys. Key projects include a 26-storey tower, proposed 19–22 storey towers on Manor Road/Waitrose site, and 7–21 storey student accommodation blocks. These, along with other 9-storey developments, are transforming the area into a high-density “transport hub” cluster.

I think the 26-storey West 55 Tower is shown in the first two pictures.

Google AI also says some of the natives are not happy about all the towers.

But I like the “high density” transport hub.

Integrating The Railway And The Housing

Note.

  1. This would appear to be a good example of integrating the railway and the housing.
  2. The second picture appears to show a walkway between the station and Tower 55.
  3. I met a property developer on a train once and he told me, that housing on top of stations without car parking, had better numbers all round, with more flats, less cost and good profit.
  4. I wonder, if Tower 55, is one of his? He was certainly enthusiastic about the concept.
  5. Would a Fast-Charge system be easier and very much safer to squeeze in than traditional overhead wiring?

If the flats all don’t have garages, there must be space for other uses.

The Charger At Work

Note.

  1. The third to the sixth pictures, show the train coming into the station and charging ready for a trip to Greenford.
  2. The train acts as a heavy safety guard during the process.
  3. Anything electrical or dangerous is underneath the train.

I would expect that a health and safety expert, would rate the train no more dangerous than a normal train.

There Seems To Have Been A Lot Of Innovative Recycling On The Train

This certainly seems to apply to the seats, which in some cases are the originals remodeled.

A Stylish And Well-Built Train

This phrase would sum up my overall view of the train.

I have a Korean son-in-law and I know a bit, how Koreans think about design.

I would think, that he would like this as it is a stylish and practical train, so it wouldn’t embarrass you or your Korean boss, if you told him to use this train in the UK, to get to your offices.

Using my Korean example, I suspect, that this train could be one that endears itself to its passengers, with its quirky and practical feel, just like the original Mini did.

Adrian Shooter Would Be Pleased

Most Certainly!

I wish all the team well, as I believe this technology and a few trains like 230001 will make their mark on the world.

A Practical Hundred Mile Battery-Electric Route

The Sheffield and Scunthorpe Line is a Parliamentary Service.

  1. It is 71.6 miles over 1 hour and 48 minutes, through seven stations of the Lincolnshire countryside, at an average speed of 40 mph.
  2. Currently, it runs once per day, which is not very ideal for a job, education, training, shopping or visiting grandchildren.
  3. A two-car version of 230001 could be ideal to perhaps do four round or five trips a day and level-up some of the poorer parts of the UK, that don’t even have a decent bus service.
  4. A similar two-car train could also serve the 45-mile round-trip Cleethorpes and Barton-on-Humber service.

I am sure that this train could start the right sort of rural or urban revolution.

January 31, 2026 Posted by | Artificial Intelligence, Design, Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Treasures Found On HS2 Route Stored In Secret Warehouse

The title of this post is the same as that of this article on the BBC.

This is the sub-heading.

Treasures unearthed by hundreds of archaeologists during the ongoing construction of the controversial HS2 train line have been shown exclusively to the BBC.

These three paragraphs add detail to the story.

The 450,000 objects, which are being held in a secret warehouse, include a possible Roman gladiator’s tag, a hand axe that may be more than 40,000 years old and 19th Century gold dentures.

It is an “unprecedented” amount and array of items, which will yield new insights into Britain’s past, says the Centre for British Archaeology.

Major building developments in the UK need land to be assessed by archaeologists as part of the planning process, to protect heritage sites.

Crossrail also collected a lot of artefacts in an archaeology programme, that I wrote about in Bison to Bedlam or How To Make Friends.

Typing “TransPennine Route Archaeology” into Google AI gave this answer.

AI Overview

Archaeological investigations for the Trans-Pennine upgrades are split into two major, parallel projects: the A66 Northern Trans-Pennine road project and the Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) rail project. Both have revealed significant historical, archaeological, and industrial remains.

A66 Northern Trans-Pennine Upgrade (Road)

As part of the A66 upgrade between Penrith and Scotch Corner, Oxford Cotswold Archaeology (OCA) is conducting extensive excavations.
Key Finds: Archaeologists have identified prehistoric settlements, Neolithic stone axes, and evidence of a 60-meter-wide posthole structure.
Roman Discovery: A major Roman vicus (settlement) and the original Roman road have been uncovered, revealing a “grid of Roman field systems and ditches” near Brough.
Locations: Key sites include Brougham, Brough, Kirkby Thore, and Crackenthorpe.
Significance: These findings illustrate the area’s long-distance connection, trade, and culture from prehistoric through Roman times.

Transpennine Route Upgrade (Rail)

This project, involving Network Rail and ASWYAS (Archaeological Services WYAS), is upgrading the railway between Manchester, Huddersfield, Leeds, and York.
172-Year-Old Railway Siding: A mid-19th-century railway siding was uncovered at Hillhouse Sidings in Huddersfield, revealing two turntables and brick-built engine sheds.
Roman Settlement (Ravensthorpe): Excavations at Ravensthorpe (for a new station) uncovered a large, hexagonal-shaped feature thought to be an Iron Age or Roman-British enclosure, featuring ceramics, glass, and animal bones.
Mirfield Viaduct: An investigation of the Grade II-listed Mirfield Viaduct (built 1836-1839) was conducted to record its structure before upgrade works.

It could be a very large exhibition in the North, if High Speed Two and the two Transpennine Route Upgrades were combined in a single exhibition.

I asked Google AI, what is the largest exhibition centre in Yorkshire and received this answer.

The largest exhibition sites in Yorkshire are concentrated in Harrogate, anchored by the Great Yorkshire Event Centre and the Harrogate Convention Centre. These venues offer a combined total of over 10,000 square meters of exhibition space, accommodating major national events, conferences, and large-scale outdoor exhibitions.

I suspect Leeds, Manchester and Sheffield could have other ideas.

 

January 30, 2026 Posted by | Artificial Intelligence, Environment, Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Offshore Wind Farms Owned By CIP, JERA Nex BP Enter Lease With Crown Estate

The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on offshoreWIND.biz.

This is the sub-heading.

The 1.5 GW Mona offshore wind farm, owned by JERA Nex BP, and the 480 MW Morecambe, owned by Copehnagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP), have entered into lease with the Crown Estate.

It looks like the 1.5 GW Mona and the 480 MW Morecambe wind farms, which were both given development consent in 2025, will be going ahead, but the 1.5 GW Morgan wind farm is to be discontinued, despite having development consent.

Mona and Morecambe would appear to be planned to be commissioned around 2030.

So if all goes well, that would appear to be 2 GW in the oven.

In CIP’s UK Offshore Wind Project Granted Development Consent, there is a comprehensive map of all the wind farms in Morecambe Bay.

 

 

January 30, 2026 Posted by | Energy | , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Observations On A Trip To Doncaster And Sheffield

My objectives were.

  • Buy a walk-up ticket from a machine at King’s Cross for Doncaster station and then use it.
  • Use local trains, tram-trains and trams to get to as quick as possible to Sheffield station.
  • Buy a walk-up ticket from a machine at Sheffield station for St. Pancras and then use it.

This is the story of my day.

A Ticket From King’s Cross for Doncaster

This happened at King’s Cross

  • I got charged £38.65, but I didn’t get any tickets.
  • So I complained in the Booking Office.
  • But they didn’t believe me.
  • Then I showed them the debit on my credit card account.
  • Then a lady came and checked the machine, but couldn’t find any tickets.
  • They then issued me with a new ticket for Doncaster.
  • But they were these design crimes of flimsy tickets.
  • I now have two debits on my  credit card account.

They said one will be refunded.

King’s Cross To Doncaster

I took these pictures of the trucks along the nearby A1 to the North of Newark.

This map shows how the A1 curves round the town.

Note.

  1. The A1 Road curving around the right of the town.
  2. The red arrow marking Newark Northgate station.
  3. There is a notorious flat crossing, that needs to be replaced to the North of the station.

I believe as a Control Engineer, that digital signalling might solve the problem of the crossing and I wrote about it in Could ERTMS And ETCS Solve The Newark Crossing Problem?.

But there was no problems on the journey

  • The train was ten coaches.
  • It was going to Edinburgh.
  • It left on time.
  • It didn’t appear to be very full.
  • It was four minutes late at Doncaster and arrived at 14:47.

These pictures show Doncaster station.

 

Note.

There are nine platforms and eleven tracks.

The nine platforms are arranged in three island platforms.

 

January 28, 2026 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment