The Anonymous Widower

Along The Hope Valley Line – 13th July 2020

These pictures show my return trip between Manchester Piccadilly and Dore & Totley stations.

There are an assorted set of stations.

• Some stations appear to have new platforms.
• Marple station has a impressive step-free bridge.
• Some stations may be Listed or should be.
• There are walking routes from some stations.
• Some stations need improvements to the access.

I also have some thoughts on the service.

The Class 150 Trains

The Class 150 trains have these characteristics.

• Installed Power – 426 kW
• Weight – 35.8 tonnes
• Operating Speed – 75 mph.

This compares with these for a Class 195 train.

• Installed Power – 780 kW
• Weight – 40 tonnes
• Operating Speed – 100 mph.
• Acceleration – 0.83 m/sec/sec

Unfortunately, I can’t find the acceleration for a Class 150 train, but I suspect that it’s not as good as the Class 195 train.

• I was in a Class 150 train, for both journeys.
• IThe train was on time both ways.
• The engine under my carriage wasn’t working that hard.
• The train was trundling around at around 60 mph.
• The operating speed of the line is 90 mph.

So I suspect, that a well-driven Class 195 train will shave a few minutes from the journey time.

Transport For The North’s Plan For Manchester And Sheffield

Transportbfor the North objective for Manchester Piccadilly and Sheffield stations can be summed up as follows.

Four tph in forty minutes.

As current trains take over anhour, it could be a tough ask!

The Timetable

The timetable isn’t very passenger-friendly with no easy-to-remember clock-face timetable.

This must be sorted.

Hopefully, it will increase the number of passengers riding on the route.

Battery Electric Trains

Consider.

• Sheffield station will be electrified for High Speed Two.
• It is likely that the route between Dore & Totley and Sheffield station will be electrified.
• There is electrification at the Manchester end of the route.
• The distance without electrification in the middle is probably about thirty-six miles.
• Fifty-sixty miles seems a typical range quoted for a battery electric train by train manufacturers.

As electric trains generally accelerate faster than their diesel equivalent, these could run the route reliably and save time on the journey.

Conclusion

I’m coming round to the opinion, that Transport for the North’s objectives for the route can be met without electrification.

July 14, 2020 - Posted by AnonW | Transport/Travel | Battery-Electric Trains, Class 150 Train, Class 195 Train, Dore and Totley Station, Electrification, High Speed Two, Hope Valley Line, Manchester Piccadilly Station, Sheffield Station, Transport for the North