The Anonymous Widower

Northern Launches New Yorkshire Flyer Fast Service Between Leeds And Sheffield

The title of this post is the same as that of this news item from Northern Trains.

This is the sub-heading.

Northern is running a new fast service which allows customers to travel between Leeds and Sheffield in 47 minutes.

These three introductory paragraphs add more detail.

Known as the Yorkshire Flyer, as it provides a quick and convenient connection between the White Rose county’s two biggest cities, the service was officially launched during an event at Leeds station earlier today.

Cutting journey times and providing more than 30,000 extra seats a week, the service will support economic growth by making it easier for people to get to work and reach new opportunities.

It used to take all Northern customers around an hour or longer to make the journey, with trains calling at various stops along the way.

These further details come from Real Time Trains.

  1. The trains used appear to be two-car Class 158 trains.
  2. The total distance is 38.7 miles.
  3. Between Leeds station and South Kirkby junction is electrified and a distance of 20.6 miles.
  4. Trains appear to leave Leeds station at xx45.
  5. CrossCountry services Leeds station for Sheffield at xx15 and make a similar intermediate stop at Wakefield Westgate.
  6. Leeds trains for Sheffield seem to leave from Platform 12 or 12A.
  7. Trains appear to leave  Sheffield station at xx52.
  8. CrossCountry services leave Sheffield station for Leeds at xx22 and make a similar intermediate stop at Wakefield Westgate.
  9. Sheffield trains for Leeds don’t seem to have such a regular platform, as those in the other direction. But I suppose that will be improved.

Effectively, Northern and CrossCountry have paired up two services to give a two trains per hour, fast service between Leeds and Sheffield with one stop at Wakefield Westgate.

I have some further thoughts.

The Route Could Be Run By Battery-Electric Trains

Consider.

  • The only part of the route that is not electrified is the 18.1 miles between South Kirkby junction and Sheffield station.
  • From talking to engineers, who are working on developing battery-electric trains, a three-car train with a battery range of fifty miles is already a possibility.
  • In 2015, I actually rode on a four-car battery-electric Class 379 train, that ran reliably on the Harwich branch for three months.
  • Merseyrail’s battery-electric Class 777 trains probably have the performance and are working reliably on Merseyside. But they are probably a bit slow.

I believe that any number of train manufacturers would be very pleased to provide new battery-electric trains for the route.

But Siemens must be in the prime position.

  • The German company has built a £200 million train factory at Goole in East Yorkshire, which is currently building London’s Piccadilly Line trains, which have batteries.
  • Siemens have already delivered trains in Germany using the technology, they would use in the UK.
  • The battery charging technology they would use for other routes in the UK, is described in Technology Behind Siemens Mobility’s British Battery Trains Hits The Tracks.
  • Sheffield and Leeds, would make a superb test and demonstration route for battery-electric trains, as 50% of the route is fully-electrified with 25 KVAC.
  • The Sheffield and Leeds route is just down the track from the Goole factory.
  • I wouldn’t be very surprised, if Siemens were very keen to get a few orders close to their factory, as they would surely be easy to support.

But the clincher must be Juergen Maier, who used to be CEO of Siemens UK, and is now Chair of Great British Energy. Maier holds both British and Austrian citizenship, and was educated in Leeds and Nottingham, so hopefully, he can give this clanger-prone government some excellent advice where they need it, from his position in Great British Energy.

Could A Stop Be Made At Meadowbank Station?

This would give access to other rail routes and the Sheffield Supertram, but most of this access could also be performed at Sheffield.

Looking at the timetable of the route, I feel that there is enough slack to fit in a stop at Meadowhall, but it would need for the route to be electrified, so that the trains had faster acceleration and deceleration.

However, battery-electric trains may have the required performance.

What Maximum Speed Would The Trains Need?

Consider.

  • The current Class 158 diesel trains used between Sheffield and Leeds and in many places in the UK are 90 mph trains.
  • There are also a large number of Class 170 trains in the UK, that will need to be replaced and these are 100 mph trains.
  • The Sheffield and Leeds route has some sections of 85 mph running.
  • Train speeds are all accurately computer-controlled.

As a Control Engineer for safety and route availability reasons, I believe the trains will have a 100 mph maximum speed, but train speed will be computer controlled.

Will The Trains Be Driver-Only Operated?

I asked Google AI if Hitachi IET trains are driver only operated (DOO) and received this reply.

Hitachi Intercity Express Trains (IETs, Class 800/802) are designed for versatile operation, capable of Driver-Only Operation (DOO) using in-cab CCTV monitors for door safety checks. While they can operate without a guard, many services, particularly on GWR, still retain a guard on board for passenger service duties, even if the driver controls the doors.

So Hitachi trains can be driver-only operated and these will surely share the tracks with the trains that work the Northern Flyer.

I asked Google AI if Thameslink trains are driver only operated (DOO) and received this reply.

Yes, all Thameslink train services are Driver Only Operated (DOO). This means the driver is solely responsible for operating the doors and ensuring the safe dispatch of the train, without a guard or conductor on board to manage the doors. Through the central London core, these trains often use Automatic Train Operation (ATO).

As I believe that Siemens would be likely to win the battery-electric train order, because of proven technology, factory location and influence of Juergen Maier, Siemens certainly have the ability to produce trains, that are driver-only operated.

I believe that, whoever builds the trains, they will be capable of driver-only operation.

But if driver-only operation is to be used will be down to politics.

  • Because of the situation on East West Rail, Heidi Alexander will probably be in favour.
  • The Tories and Liberal Democrats will also be in favour.
  • The rail unions, the left wing of the Labour Party and the Greens will be strongly against.
  • Farage and Reform UK will take a very hard line to enforce driver-only operation everywhere.

The average citizen on the Northern Flyer and all the other trains in the UK, will just want a reliable train service.

Conclusion

  • This would make a superb route for a battery electric train.
  • No chargers or extra electrification would need to be installed.
  • There wouldn’t be much work needed to be done to the platforms or the signalling.
  • The trains would use standard 25 KVAC overhead electrification for charging.
  • The trains would be running close to where they were built.

I believe the new service will give a large boost to the Yorkshire economy. Even before the arrival of battery-electric trains.

 

 

 

February 10, 2026 Posted by | Design, Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Delays To Opening Makes Station A ‘Laughing Stock’

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

This is the sub-heading.

Residents of Winslow are frustrated a new railway station completed over a year ago has still not opened.

These three introductory paragraphs add detail to the article.

A local councillor said it had been due to open in the Buckinghamshire town in December 2025 but there had been a “comedy of errors”, including a row over who will control the opening and closing of carriage doors.

Diana Blamires, who sits on the town council, said the local community was “obviously furious” and “it makes Winslow station a laughing stock”.

In a statement, Chiltern Railways – responsible for operating services between Oxford and Milton Keynes – said no date for the opening had yet been confirmed.

My feeling is that this project has been badly affected by two many adverse factors.

The planning for East West Rail hasn’t been good

But another story on the BBC, which is entitled How The Elizabeth Line Has Changed Reading, has to my mind shown up the poor quality of the planning for the East West Rail.

This Is the sub-heading.

Since the Elizabeth Line opened in May 2022 it has become the UK’s busiest rail service with an estimated 750 million passenger journeys.

And this is the first paragraph.

The line provides a direct service from Reading into central London, but after years of planning and delays is the Berkshire town finally feeling the benefits of an additional connection to the capital?

Are Bicester, Bletchley, Milton Keynes, Bedford and other places going to feel a similar effect to Reading, because the railway track layouts say that if Reading gets a boost from the Elizabeth Line, then they will get one from East West Rail!

The Reading/Oxford area is where the East West and Elizabeth Lines make contact and I predict, that if in the future, you want a machine to test the strength of jelly, this will be the place, where you will go to get one invented.

February 9, 2026 Posted by | Transport/Travel, Design | , , , , , | 2 Comments

Could Electric Trains Run Between St. Pancras International and Sheffield Stations With No More Electrification?

A reader suggested, that I look at this, so here goes!

  • A couple of weeks ago, I took a Class 222 diesel train  back from Sheffield to St. Pancras International and it seemed a few minutes quicker.
  • Looking at the timetable today, at least one service on the route is now just under two hours and some others are just over.

So the new Class 810 trains may not be fully in service yet, but the trains have already had an effect on the timetable.

How Far North Is The Midland Main Line Being Electrified?

I asked Google AI this question and received this answer.

As of early 2026, the Midland Main Line (MML) is electrified as far north as Wigston, just south of Leicester.

Key details regarding the current status:
  • Northern Limit: The section from Kettering up to Wigston South Junction was energised in July 2024, representing the current northern limit of 25kV overhead line equipment (OLE).
  • Pause in Further Electrification: Following a UK government spending review, the further, planned northward extension of electrification to Leicester, Derby, Nottingham, and Sheffield was indefinitely paused in July 2025.
  • Current Operations: While electrification has stopped at Wigston, the line is served by new bi-mode (electro-diesel) trains, allowing for electric running from London St Pancras to Wigston before switching to diesel power.
  • Previous Work: The line is also fully electrified from London St Pancras to Bedford, including the route to Corby.

Note.

  1. South Wigston Junction and Sheffield are 69.4 miles apart.
  2. The Hitachi trains can raise and lower pantographs on the move.

Distances without wires from London St. Pancras International to various destinations are as follows.

  • Sheffield – 69.4 miles
  • Leicester – 3.7 miles
  • Derby – 36.4 miles
  • Nottingham – 31.1 miles

As trains will have to go out and back to these destinations distances travelled will be doubled.

  • Sheffield – 138.8 miles
  • Leicester – 7.4 miles
  • Derby – 72.8 miles
  • Nottingham – 62.2 miles

It looks to me, that if the new Class 810 trains, can travel 138.8 miles on batteries and diesel engines as a tri-mode train, then the Midland Main Line is electrified.

Could The Sheffield Services Turn Round At Doncaster And Charge Their Batteries There?

Note.

  1. South Wigston Junction and Doncaster are 79.5 miles apart.
  2. Doncaster is a fully-electrified station.
  3. Sheffield and Doncaster would get two extra connecting trains per hour.
  4. The two services could also call at Meadowhall and/or Rotherham Central.

The Class 810 trains could charge their batteries, whilst passengers to and from Doncaster left and entered the trains.

Could A Simple Cross-Platform Change Be Arranged Between East Coast And Midland Main Line Services?

Doncaster station has two long island platforms, one of which is generally used for Northbound services and one for Southbound services.

 

Note.

  1. All electrified tracks are shown in red.
  2. The two wide island platforms, with Northbound on the West side and Southbound on the East side.
  3. Each island platform has an electrified platform face on both sides.
  4. The four platforms faces on the island platforms can hold pairs of five-car Hitachi trains.
  5. There are two through tracks or avoiding lines between the two island platforms for trains that aren’t stopping.
  6. There are bay platforms at the ends of the station for local trains.
  7. The station is fully step-free with a wide pedestrian underpass.

I know the station well and it looks to me, that East Midland Railway’s five-car services for St. Pancras could charge up in the Southern ends of the four faces of the island platforms and the two South-facing bay platforms.

I also believe that a pair of five-car Class 810 trains could be handled and charged, should it become necessary.

It looks to me, that the engineers updating the East Coast Main Line, know that they were caught out badly by High Speed Two, so the redesign for the next fifty or a hundred years will be completely future-proofed.

Doncaster and London could almost be considered to be twin main lines, with two pairs of high speed lines taking different routes, that serve different towns and cities.

How Many Travellers Go Between East Scotland And The North-East of England And The English Midlands?

It must be quite a few, as in the new East Coast Main Line timetable, more Scottish services stop at places like Doncaster and Newark.

But surely, if you could go between say Perth or Aberdeen and Derby or Nottingham in two battery-electric trains, with a relaxed change at Doncaster, you’d take it?

I certainly would!

East Coast And Midland Main Lines Compared

These are times between London and Doncaster.

  • Current times between Doncaster and London are typically between 1 hour and 31-40 minutes going via the East Coast Main Line.
  • I estimate times between Doncaster and London will be typically 2 hours and 22-27 minutes going via the Midland Main Line.

Note.

  1. Doncaster and London King’s Cross is 156 miles
  2. Doncaster and London St. Pancras International is 183.3 miles
  3. So the Midland Main Line route would appear to to be about 45 minutes slower.
  4. I suspect, that for passengers between between London and North of York, it will always be quicker to use an East Coast Main Line service.

These are times between London and Sheffield.

  • Current times between Sheffield and London are typically between 2 hours and 4-9 minutes going via the Midland Main Line.
  • I estimate times between Sheffield and London will be typically between 2 hours and 2 minutes going via the East Coast Main Line.

Note.

  1. Sheffield and London King’s Cross is via Retford.
  2. Sheffield and London King’s Cross is 162.1 miles
  3. Sheffield and London St. Pancras International is 183.3 miles
  4. Sheffield and Retford is 23.5 miles
  5. So the Midland Main Line route would appear to to be a few minutes slower.

I would feel that there is scope that under Great British Railways to optimise services between London and Doncaster and Sheffield.

The Master Cutler

The Master Cutler is a named train, that is described in this Wikipedia entry, that was introduced in 1947.

  • Over its life it has run into both King’s Cross and St. Pancras.
  • I can remember the train in the 1950s, running into King’s Cross.
  • It has also been run to and from Leeds.
  • It has been run as a Pullman service.
  • There are reports of overcrowding in recent years.

It strikes me that the Master Cutler could do with a revamp.

  • As St. Pancras can accept pairs of five-car Class 810 trains, ten-car trains could be run into King’s Cross or St. Pancras.
  • An alternative would be to use a nine-car Hitachi Class 800/801 train.
  • All trains would be battery electric.
  • All trains would use the East Coast Main Line for a faster service.
  • Services could terminate in the North at Leeds.
  • The service could be run as a Pullman service.
  • This article on Ian Visits, writes about East Coast Main Line trains using St. Pancras.

I would create a train service, that would attract passengers from all over the world.

Who knows?

If it was conceived in the right way, it might warrant a second service or similar service on other lines like these possibilities.

London and Blackpool via Crewe, Wigan and Preston.

  • London and Aberystwyth via Birmingham and Shrewsbury.
  • London and Bristol via Bath
  • London and Fishguard via Cardiff and Swansea
  • London and Holyhead via Birmingham and Chester
  • London and Liverpool
  • London and Manchester
  • London and Newcastle via York and Durham
  • London and Norwich via Colchester and Ipswich
  • London and Plymouth via Exeter

Note.

  1. All routes could be run using electric or battery-electric trains.
  2. The Fishguard and Holyhead services would be zero-carbon routes to Ireland, connecting to appropriate zero-carbon ferries.
  3. Could services be arranged so that all parts of the country have at least one service in both directions every day?
  4. In the days of British Rail, London and Norwich had a very high-class service, that could serve a full English breakfast between Colchester and London, which certainly wasn’t like the regular joke.

Get the offering right and it could level-up the UK.

 

 

February 7, 2026 Posted by | Artificial Intelligence, Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Cummins To Cease New Electrolyser Activity Amid Worsening Market

The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Renewables Now.

These are the first three paragraphs.

Cummins Inc has decided to stop new commercial activity in the electrolysers space following a strategic review of the segment launched last year, citing deteriorating market conditions and weakening customer demand.

The decision is linked to USD 458 million (EUR 388.4m) of charges for the full-year 2025 related to the electrolyser business within the company’s zero-emission technologies arm, Accelera, of which USD 415 million were non-cash charges.

The company noted that it will continue to fulfil existing customer commitments before winding down new commercial activity in the segment.

Although, I am in favour of using hydrogen as a fuel, I recognise, that traditional electrolysis is not the most efficient process.

These methods are more efficient.

HiiROC

  • HiiROC use a process, that they call Thermal Plasma Electrolysis to split any hydrocarbon gas into hydrogen and carbon black.
  • HiiROC originated in the University of Hull.
  • Typical gases that can be used are chemical plant off-gas, biomethane and methane.
  • I like the ability to use chemical plant off-gas, as some of this is particularly nasty and HiiROC may offer safe disposal.

But the big advantage is that the HiiROC process is five times more energy efficient than traditional electrolysis.

The carbon black is no useless by-product, but has several valuable uses in its own right, which are detailed in its Wikipedia entry.

These two paragraphs from Wikipedia, give a summary of the more common uses of carbon black.

The most common use (70%) of carbon black is as a reinforcing phase in automobile tires. Carbon black also helps conduct heat away from the tread and belt area of the tire, reducing thermal damage and increasing tire life. Its low cost makes it a common addition to cathodes and anodes and is considered a safe replacement to lithium metal in lithium-ion batteries. About 20% of world production goes into belts, hoses, and other non-tire rubber goods. The remaining 10% use of carbon black comes from pigment in inks, coatings, and plastics, as well as being used as a conductive additive in lithium-ion batteries.

Carbon black is added to polypropylene because it absorbs ultraviolet radiation, which otherwise causes the material to degrade. Carbon black particles are also employed in some radar absorbent materials, in photocopier and laser printer toner, and in other inks and paints. The high tinting strength and stability of carbon black has also provided use in coloring of resins and films. Carbon black has been used in various applications for electronics. A good conductor of electricity, carbon black is used as a filler mixed in plastics, elastomer, films, adhesives, and paints. It is used as an antistatic additive agent in automobile fuel caps and pipes.

It can also be used as a soil improver in agriculture.

HiiROC  would appear to be five times more energy efficient than traditional electrolysis.

I would also rate the range of their investors as a particular strength.

Google AI lists these companies as investors.

HiiROC, a UK-based developer of plasma torch technology for “turquoise” hydrogen production, is backed by a consortium of industrial and strategic investors. Key investors include Centrica, Melrose Industries, Hyundai Motor Company, Kia, HydrogenOne Capital, CEMEX Ventures, Wintershall Dea, and VNG.

Note.

  1. CEMEX must be going to decarbonise cement making.
  2. Melrose describe themselves as an industry-leading aerospace technology provider.
  3. Will we be seeing hydrogen cars from Korean manufacturers?
  4. Wintershall Dea is Europe’s leading independent gas and oil company.

HiiROC has an impressive list of investors.

Bloom Energy

I wrote about Bloom Energy’s process in Westinghouse And Bloom Energy To Team Up For Pink Hydrogen.

This method also looks promising.

It uses electrolysis at a higher temperature, which speeds it up.

Desert Bloom

This is an Australian process, that I wrote about in 10GW Green Hydrogen Project Aims To Electrolyze Water Drawn From Desert Air.

Conclusion

You can understand, why Cummins are getting jumpy!

But you have to remember that when I worked in a hydrogen plant in the 1960s, the hydrogen was an unwanted by-product and it was mixed with coal gas and sent down the power station to raise steam, so that it could be used to do something useful.

 

February 6, 2026 Posted by | Artificial Intelligence, Energy, Hydrogen | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

FEV And Daimler Buses Create Hydrogen Coach Demonstrator

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

This is the sub-heading.

Daimler Buses and engineering firm FEV have developed a hydrogen fuel cell-powered Setra coach, marking the first hydrogen demonstrator vehicle in the coach segment for the Daimler Truck subsidiary. The H₂ Coach technology demonstrator, which was handed over to Daimler Buses in summer 2025 following approximately two years of development and approval by German technical inspection authority TÜV, offers a range of at least 800 kilometres per tank filling and is intended for testing purposes.

The article also has a picture, which shows.

  • A typical modern coach design with three axles.
  • Setra H2 Coach branding.
  • A Slogan of “Travelling Towards a Sustainable Future”

It looks very similar to images of Wrightbus’s three-axle Contour design. But that would mean, they could fit similar infrastructure.

But when I asked Google AI, when the Wrightbus three-axle hydrogen coach would enter passenger service, I received this answer.

Wrightbus’s three-axle hydrogen fuel cell electric coach is planned for launch in 2026. The company, which is developing the vehicle in Ballymena, Northern Ireland, has confirmed the project is aimed at decarbonising long-distance travel, with a projected range of up to 1,000 km.

It would appear that Wrightbus are ahead on range and timescale.

 

February 5, 2026 Posted by | Artificial Intelligence, Hydrogen, Transport/Travel | , , , | Leave a comment

All Five Halted US Offshore Wind Farms Resume Construction

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

This is the sub-heading.

All five US offshore wind farms under construction that received stop-work orders from the US government have been cleared to continue building, with Ørsted’s Sunrise Wind project the fifth project to be granted a preliminary injunction as part of a lawsuit challenging the order issued by the Director of the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) on 22 December 2025.

I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall of the Oval Office in the White House, as what words could the dumbest United States President of my lifetime possibly use to put any positive spin on such an overwhelming five-round defeat, where he was screwed, glued and tattooed to borrow an expression from Brian, who was one of my favourite accountants.

This table summarises the five wind farms.

  • Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind-Commercial – 2600 MW – Operation in 2027.
  • Empire Wind 1 – 816 MW – Operation in 2026.
  • Revolution Wind – 704 MW – Operation in 2026.
  • Sunrise Wind – 924 MW – Operation in 2027.
  • Vineyard Wind 1 – 804 MW – Operation in late 2026.

The five farms total nearly 6 GW.

This is what Google AI says about the usefulness of 6 GW to power typical United States houses.

6 gigawatts (GW) of power can supply approximately 5 million US homes, based on recent large-scale energy capacity deals. Depending on energy efficiency and regional usage, this capacity typically translates to around 750,000 homes per 1 GW, meaning 6 GW can cover a range of roughly 4.5 million to 5 million households.

I doubt Trump will give up gracefully.

February 4, 2026 Posted by | Artificial Intelligence, Energy | , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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