The Greening Of The Valleys
This document on the KeolisAmey web site details their plans for the new Wales and Borders Franchise.
The documents gives these two definitions.
- South Wales Metro – Includes the full set of local services around South East Wales. This includes what is currently known as the ‘Valley Lines’, plus services between Cardiff and Ebbw Vale, Maesteg and extending to Severn Tunnel Junction and beyond.
- Central Metro -Refers to the sub-set of the South Wales Metro train services which run from Treherbert, Aberdare, Merthyr Tydfil, Radyr, Rhymney and Coryton, through Queen Street to Cardiff Bay, Cardiff Central, Penarth, Barry Island and Bridgend.
For these services around Cardiff and on the Cardiff Valley Lines, KeolisAmey Wales intend to acquire the following fleet.
- 11 x four-car Stadler Flirt DEMU
- 7 x three-car Stadler Flirt Tri-mode MU
- 17 x four-car Stadler Flirt Tri-mode MU
- 36 x three-car Stadler Citylink Metro Vehicles
This diagram from the document shows the routes and the frequencies.
They also say the following surrounding the map in the document.
- Maintains all existing connections to Cardiff Queen Street and Cardiff Central stations.
- Service pattern easy to understand
- Most frequencies even in the hour ‘clockface’ (e.g. 00-15-30-45 past)
- Vale of Glamorgan, Barry, Penarth and City Lines integrated into Central Metro solution.
- 2tph from Pontypridd station ‘divert’ via City Line but don’t terminate at Central i.e. Aberdare – City Line – Central – Merthyr
Note that Aberdare, Merthyr Tydfil, Rhymney and Treherbert stations all get a total of four trains per hour (tph)
The Trains In More Detail
Stadler Rail are building the three fleets of rail vehicles.
Stadler Flirt DEMUs
Over a thousand Stadler Flirts have been sold to operators around the world. Most have been or will be built in Switzerland.
From the pictures, the trains, that will be delivered to Wales, look very much like the Class 755 trains, that have been ordered by Greater Anglia. These trains will enter service next year.
Stadler Flirt DEMUs gives more details of these trains and the closely-related fleets.
The trains will operate services between Cardiff and Ebbw Vale, Maesteg and extending to Severn Tunnel Junction and beyond.
Tri-Mode Stadler Flirts
I would expect that these trains are very similar to the bi-mode Flirt DEMUs, but that the power-pack would also contain a battery.
Tri-Mode Stadler Flirts gives more details of these trains and how I think they will operate.
The Tri-Mode Stadler Flirts are intended for Rhymney/Coryton <> Penarth/Barry Island/Bridgend via the Vale of Glamorgan Line.
There will be a lot of commonality between the two types of Flirts and I suspect driver and other staff training for the two variants will be the same.
Stadler Citylink Metro Vehicles
The Stadler Citylink Metro Vehicles in the KeolisAmey document. look very similar to Sheffield Supertram‘s Class 399 tram-trains, that are providing a tram service in Sheffield and will soon be running on the heavy rail network to Rotherham.
Stadler Citylink Metro Vehicles gives more details of these trains and how I think they will operate.
From Cardiff Queen Street To The Flourish
It looks like the Metro vehicles will use the batteries for power on the extension to the new terminal station at The Flourish.
I describe the proposal for the extension to the Flourish in The Flourish Station Is The Focus Of The South Wales Metro.
Electrically-Efficient Operation Of The Metro
I have a feeling that Stadler are bringing some of their mountaineering experience from Switzerland to the valleys of South Wales.
It is interesting that both the Tri-mode Stadler Flirts and the Stadler Citylink Metro Vehicles will have batteries.
Climbing The Hills
The main purpose of the batteries is to make the climb and descent to the terminals at the heads of the valleys as energy efficient as possible.
Efficient climbing of the hills will need all uphill tracks to be electrified.
The KeolisAmey document states this about the electrification.
Discontinuous overhead line electrification to 25 KVAC with permanently earthed sections around restricted structures, saving 55 interventions e.g. rebuilding bridges/no need for wire in Caerphilly tunnel.
Battery power would be invaluable for jumping the gaps in the electrification.
Coming down, I believe that the trains and tram-trains will use the batteries to handle the energy generated by regenerative braking.
This means.
- The electrification can be simpler.
- There might be no need to electrify the downhill track in double-track sections.
- Trains can use the battery power to cross sections without wires or restarting from stations, when going downhill.
- Tram-trains going to The Flourish will arrive at Cardiff Queen Street station with enough energy in the batteries for the return trip to The Flourish.
- The Cardiff Bay Line doesn’t need to be electrified, which saves money and possibly increases safety and reduces visual intrusion.
It is not only energy efficient, but it saves construction costs and time.
Why Aren’t Citylink Metro Vehicles Used On The Rhymney Line?
There are several possible reasons.
- Calculations have shown, that the battery capacity of the smaller Citylink vehicle might not be enough to go uphill through the Caerrphilly tunnel.
- The route may need more powerful vehicles.
- More capacity may be needed on this line, so the larger Tri-mode Stadler Flirts will be used.
- The Flirts could use their diesel engines to rescue a train stuck in the tunnel.
But whatever the reason, I’m sure it’s a good one!
Could Downhill Tracks Not Be Electrified?
I think this may be possible, as vehicles coming down the hills could use gravity and small amounts of battery power.
Regenerative braking would also be continuously charging the batteries.
It would certainly be simpler, than having to constantly swap between overhead and battery power on the descent, where the electrification was discontinuous.
As the lines are going to have a more intensive service, there will be additions of a second track in places to allow trains to pass.
Any electrification that could be removed from the project would be beneficial in terms of building and operational costs.
How Would Discountinuous Electrification Be Handled?
I discus this in How Can Discontinuous Electrification Be Handled?
The Lines In More Detail
Click these links to find out more about the individual lines.
Conclusion
The two types of compatible vehicles, allows the plans for the South Wales Metro to be a cost-effective and very green solution for Cardiff’s transport needs.
It is a model, that can be used elsewhere.
Will railway engineers in future talk of the Cardiff Model, just as they talk of the Karlsruhe Model?
A Reason Why The UK Is Fertile Territory For Tram Trains
The UK has several modern tram systems. If you look at the cross section of trams you get the following figures.
- Blackpool Tramway – Width 2.65 metres – Height 3.42 metres
- Edinburgh Trams – Width 2.65 metres – Height 3.4 metres
- Manchester Metrolink – Width 2.65 metres – Height 3.67 metres
- Midland Metro – Width 2.65 metres – Height 3.4 metres
- Nottingham Express Transit – Width 2.40 metres – Height N/A
- Sheffield Supertram – Width 2.65 metres – Height 3.65 metres
- Tramlink – Width 2.65 metres – Height 3.67 metres
I wonder why Nottingham is twenty-five centimetres narrower!
If you look at the Class 399 tram-train, it has a width of 2.65 metres and a height of 3.67 metres.
So no wonder, there has been no problems with Class 399 tram-trains running on the Sheffield Supertram as trams!
Various trains that run local rail networks include.
- Class 142 – Width 2..8 metres – Height 3.86 metres
- Class 150 – Width 2.8 metres – Height 3.8 metres
- Class 222 – Width 2.73 metres
- Class 319 – Width 2.82 metres – Height – 3.58 metres
- Class 345 – Width 2.78 metres – Height N/A
- Class 378 – Width 2.80 metres – Height 3.78 metres
- Class 700 – Width 2.80 metres – Height N/A
- Class 769 – Width 2.82 metres – Height 3.58 metres
- Mark 4 Coach – Width 2.73 metres – Height 2.79 metres
These are some figures from German trains.
- DBAG 641 – Width 2.90 metres – Height 3.7 metres
- BD Class 420 – With 3.08 metres
- ICE 3 – Width 2.95 metres – Height 3.89 metres
I’ll look at various issues.
Tram And Train Height
I think this is not a big issue.
If a tram or electric train can run on a particular track, then there should be no height problems running a tram-train over the route, providing overhead wires can be erected.
UK Tram And Train Width
It would appear that the maximum width of UK trains is 2.82 metres. In some stations, where there is only one class of train, level access is possible.
The picture shows a Class 378 train on the London Overground.
This is not one of the best I’ve seen, but there is no reason, why someone in a wheelchair shouldn’t be able to wheel themselves into every train at every station.
This is in the train operating company’s interest, as one of the things that delays trains, is getting someone in a wheelchair on and off the train with a portable ramp.
If we take the UK train width of 2.82 metres and compare that to the width of a Class 399 tram-train, which is 2.65 metres, that means that there is seventeen centimetres difference or eight and a half centimetres on each side of the train.
If the platform can be arranged to be level, that is not a large gap. It’s probably about the same size as this gap in this picture.
Shown is a Class 399 tram-train at a tram stop on the Sheffield Supertram.
Continental Tram And Train Width
But on the Continent, where the trains are wider and the loading gauge is bigger, the gap will be larger.
Trains on the Continent also often have a significant step up as this picture shows.
Shown is an Italian High Speed train.
If the EU wanted to improve train travel for the disabled, those in wheelchairs, those with buggies and the elderly, they should make it compulsory for all trains to have level access from the platform.
It’s very rare to find level access on the Continent and not that easy in parts of the UK.
Gap Fillers
But things are getting better, as this picture shows.
Shown is a Stadler Flirt with a rather nifty automatic gap filler.
Merseyrail’s New Class 777 Trains
Gap fillers will be fitted to Merseyrail‘s new Class 777 trains, which are being built by Stadler.
The Class 777 trains and the current Class 507 trains have the same width of 2.82 metres, but the new Stadler trains have an eighteen centimetre lower floor.
The picture shows a Class 507 train at one of Liverpool’s underground stations.
Eighteen centimetres wouldn’t be far away from the height of the step in the picture.
The design must also allow both classes of trains to be in service at the same time, to ease introduction of the new Class 777 trains.
Talk about Swiss precision!
South Wales Metro
This document on the KeolisAmey web site details their plans for the new Wales and Borders Franchise.
For services around Cardiff and on the Cardiff Valley Lines, KeolisAmey Wales intend to acquire the following fleet.
- 11 – four-car Stadler Flirt DEMU
- 7 – three-car Stadler Flirt Tri-mode MU
- 17 – four-car Stadler Flirt Tri-mode MU
- 36 – three-car Stadler Citylink Metro Vehicles
Note.
- The Stadler Flirts look very similar to Greater Anglia‘s Class 755 trains, that by the time of delivery of these trains for Wales, will have proven themselves on the mountains of East Anglia.
- The tri-mode multiple units will be able to run on electric, diesel or battery power.
- The Stadler Citylink Metro Vehicles look very similar to Sheffield Supertram‘s Class 399 tram-trains, that are providing a tram service in Sheffield and will soon be running on the rail network to Rotherham.
- It is an all-Stadler fleet.
This is a clip from the KeolisAmey document.
This looks like a visualisation of one of the Flirts, as the Citylink tram-trains have flat sides.
I will be very surprised if Stadler don’t provide the Cardiff area, with one of the best step-free networks in the world.
Conclusion
The UK’s standard tram width of 2.65 metres and our small loading gauge must make it easier to design tram-train systems for the UK.
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The Anonymous Widower 