Thoughts On Very Light Rail
The article on Railway Gazette International, which is entitled Very Light Rail Research On Track, a list of thirty-five rail lines, that could use the technology are given.
These are some of my thoughts.
Multiple Working
These are some examples of branch lines, where very light rail my be used.
- Cromer to Sheringham – 226,000
- Liskeard to Looe – 118,000
- St Erth to St Ives – 750,000
- Twyford to Henley-on-Thames – 771,000
- Maidenhead to Marlow – 300,000
- Slough to Windsor & Eton Central – 2,024,000
- Watford to St Albans Abbey – 167,000
Note.
- The first station is on the main line and the second is the terminus of the branch line.
- The figure is the number of passengers, who used the terminal station in 2018-2019
The numbers have quite a range and I’m sure that a single eighteen metre vehicle carrying 56 seated and 60 standing passengers, will not be big enough, even if it runs at a frequency of four trains per hour (tph) on some routes.
So I am convinced that the vehicles must be able to work in multiple.
One picture on this page on the Transport Design International web site, shows the vehicle with a coupler.
Increasing Passenger Numbers, Festivals And Sporting Events
Forecasting passenger numbers on a new rail service, is a very inexact science. I talk about London Overground Syndrome, which seems to occur regularly.
There are also the problems of festivals and sporting events of various kinds, where perhaps for a week or so traffic is much higher.
Extra very light rail vehicles can be added to the trains as required or even drafted in at times of high demand.
Automatic Coupling And Uncoupling
They must also be able to couple and uncouple quickly and automatically, as needs vary throughout the day and to rescue a stranded unit.
Transit Mode
Suppose a large event, like say the Open Golf was taking place near a station with an inadequate train service and for the duration of the event, a dozen very light rail vehicles were to be running a shuttle to the nearest major rail hub.
A method must be developed to bring the vehicles to the event. I suspect Rail Operations Group, who are the experts in rolling stock movements would have a simple solution, perhaps by using a diesel locomotive to tow them to and from central warm storage.
It could probably be argued, that a capability to build temporary stations is needed.
Automation
These very light rail vehicles are prime candidates for automation.
I can envisage a lot of routes being run automatically, with the driver in a supervisory role, very much as the Victoria Line has been run since it opened in 1968.
- At each station, when they had ascertained that the passengers had all left and boarded the train safely, they would close the doors and activate a control to start the vehicle.
- It would then move to the next station and stop in the right place.
- The doors would then be opened automatically or by action of the crew.
Dear old Vicky has been doing this for over fifty years!
I also think, that with automation and CCTV, a system could be devised, where the driver stays in one cab all the time.
This would speed up operations.
Procedures For Running On Shared Tracks With Freight, Private And Heritage Railways
These suggested routes for very light rail are either freight, private or heritage railways.
- Bodmin Parkway to Bodmin General
- Kidderminster to Stourport
- Ashington to Blyth
- Sheffield to Stocksbridge
- Paignton to Brixham
- Totton to Hythe
I’m sure procedures can be devised, so that all traffic can run safely.
The Anonymous Widower 