The Anonymous Widower

All Quiet On The IPEMU Front

Type IPEMU into Google News and you don’t get many recent stories about Bombardier’s Independently Powered Electric Multiple Unit.

The newest story is this article from the Derby Telegraph, which is dated the 7th December 2015 and is entitled Battery-powered trains win award for Bombardier.

Most of the others relate to the trial of the technology using a Class 379 train in early 2015. I rode this train and I have a feeling that a lot of serious rail journalists and commentators didn’t!

Before I rode the train, I thought the technology could be a bit naff and gimmicky, pandering to the green lobby.

But after riding through the Essex countryside and reading about the physics of steel wheel and steel rail, I realise that Bombardier, Network Rail and their partners are serious about the development and have produced a train with the following characteristics.

• To a passenger, it looks, feels and rides like a standard electrical multiple unit.
• The IPEMU can run for over fifty miles using the on-board energy storage charged when running under power from overhead lines or third-rail.
• The train has a limited diversion capability, if say the wires are down.
• The performance is similar on energy storage to when running from external power.
• Drivers can be easily converted to the IPEMU variant.

The document on the Bombardier web site, which is entitled Battery-Driven Bombardier Electrostar gives more insight into the developers’ thinking.

Rumours In Modern Railways

Two articles in Modern Railways have linked IPEMU capability to two train purchases.

• In September 2015, it is stated that some Class 387 trains for the Great Western Railway could be battery-powered.
• In October 2015, it is stated the Merseytravel is seriously considering IPEMU technology in a new train order, to reduce energy use and the overall cost of train ownership.

Nothing further has been published about these possible orders.

Aventras And Energy Storage

When Transport for London ordered new Class 710 trains for the London Overground, I took a look a detailed look at the trains and posted Will The London Overground Aventras Have Energy Storage?

According to this article in Global Rail News, which is entitled Bombardier’s AVENTRA – A new era in train performance, the Aventra has the capacity to fit onboard energy storage. This is said.

AVENTRA can run on both 25kV AC and 750V DC power – the high-efficiency transformers being another area where a heavier component was chosen because, in the long term, it’s cheaper to run. Pairs of cars will run off a common power bus with a converter on one car powering both. The other car can be fitted with power storage devices such as super-capacitors or Lithium-Iron batteries if required.

Bombardier have confirmed this to me.

Bombardier’s Plans

So what are Bombardier doing now?

This article in Rail Technology Magazine is entitled Bombardier enters key analysis phase of IPEMU and is a detailed article on everything Bombardier are doing to convert the prototype into a real train, that can be sold to demanding customers.

• Four different types of battery are being evaluated in Mannheim.
• A simulated five-year test is being performed.
• Bombardier are taking a serious look at the branch-line market.
• Bombardier are evaluating the retrofit market with particular reference to the Class 387 and Class 378 trains.

This is all very sound stuff and in some ways it makes a change to fully-develop the product before launch rather than expect train operators and passengers to find the problems.

One thing that is surprising, is that Class 378 trains are being looked at for the retrofit of onboard energy storage.  I cover this in detail in Will London Overground Fit On-Board Energy Storage To Class 378 Trains?

I came to the conclusion, that Class 378 retrofit is a decision for the accountants.

But it does seem to have gone exceedingly quiet.

March 7, 2016 - Posted by AnonW | Transport/Travel | Barking Riverside, Gospel Oak And Barking Line, IPEMU, Trains