The Anonymous Widower

Twyford Station And The Henley Branch

I went for lunch in Henley-on-Thames today taking the Great Western Railway to Twyford station for the Henley Branch Line to Henley-on-Thames station.

These pictures document the journey between my two train changes at Twyford station.

The branch is a typical single-track rural branch line that trundles its way through the countryside, over the River Thames to a single platform, that can take eight car trains.

It is currently served by a single two car Class 165 train, that goes up and down every fifty minutes or so all day, which is augmented by a couple of direct trains in the peak.

I feel that the Henley Branch Line could easily by worked by an IPEMU train. This could be either one of Class 387 trains ordered by Great Western Railway and converted to the technology or a new Aventra train.

Consider the following about the Henley Branch.

• It is only four and a half miles long.
• The speed limit of the line is fifty miles per hour.
• The bridge over the Thames has a lower speed limit and would probably be challenging to electrify.
• The two intermediate stations of Shiplake and Wargrave are built for eight car trains.
• There is at least one level crossing on the branch.
• The bay platform at Twyford station looks like it could take a five car train.

The Class 379 IPEMU test train with its sixty mile range could probably do six up-and-downs without a recharge. When an IPEMU train needed a recharge it would just pull into Platform 4 at Twyford station instead of the normal bay Platform 5, raise the pantograph and charge the batteries. Alternatively, Plstform 5 could have a short length of overhead wiring for recharging the battery.

This Google Map shows Twyford station.

Twyford Station

Note the two car train in Platform 5 and the Henley Branch Line leading away to the north from the Great Western Main Line..

If Class 387 trains modified with IPEMU technology were to be used, Henley could receive four car electric trains as soon as the power was switched on as far as Twyford, with no major works on the Branch.

Two Class 387 trains could be coupled together to make an eight car train, that could also be run to and from Paddington during the peak and the Henley Regatta.

December 10, 2015 - Posted by AnonW | Transport/Travel | Battery-Electric Trains On The Henley Branch, Class 387 Train, Crossrail, Electrification, Great Western Railway, IPEMU, Reading Station