New Rail Service From Newcastle To Edinburgh To Stop At These Northumberland Stations
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the Chronicle Live.
Details of the service are as follows.
- It will be run by TransPennine Express.
- It starts in December 2021.
- It will run five times per day (tpd)
- It will call at Cramlington, Morpeth, Widdrington, Alnmouth, Berwick-upon-Tweed, Reston and Dunbar.
It is planned to run at least until May 2023.
These are my thoughts.
What Trains Will TransPennine Express Use?
The service will probably need a single train, if it was run by a dedicated fleet of trains, that just shuttled between Edinburgh and Newcastle. TransPennine could use either an electric Class 802 train or a diesel Class 185 train.
The diesel train might not be a good idea for operational reasons as TransPennine’s current services to Newcastle and Edinburgh use Class 802 trains.
But this service wouldn’t need a Class 802 train, as the route is fully electrified, so TransPennine might use a Class 800 train, if one were available from another company in the First Group.
TransPennine could also extend selected Manchester Airport and Newcastle services to Edinburgh, which might be the most efficient ways of using both trains and platforms in Newcastle.
This would give those using the intermediate stations between Edinburgh and Newcastle a service to and from Manchester Airport and the intervening stations, with a change at Newcastle, which would involve staying on the same train.
I’d organise the service as five tpd between Manchester Airport and Edinburgh with calls at Manchester Piccadilly, Manchester Oxford Road, Manchester Victoria, Huddersfield, Dewsbury, Leeds, York, Northallerton, Darlington, Durham, Chester-le-Street, Newcastle, Cramlington, Morpeth, Widdrington, Alnmouth, Berwick-upon-Tweed, Reston and Dunbar.
The big advantage of this, is that TransPennine could use the existing Class 802 trains, although they may need one more.
Reston Station
It looks like it will be a much needed service, that will get the new Reston station up and running.
I suspect that, passenger numbers at Reston station will determine the calling pattern after May 2023.
Will Other Services Continue?
TransPennine Express only has one service that stops between Newcastle and Edinburgh and that is the hourly service between Liverpool Lime Street and Edinburgh stations and that only stops at Morpeth.
I doubt this service will be changed, although after May 2023, it may make some extra stops depending on passenger numbers on the new service.
It should be noted that CrossCountry and LNER call irregularly at Alnmouth, Berwick-upon-Tweed and Dunbar.
As LNER are in rather a mess over their new timetable, I suspect that after May 2023, there could be a bit of a sort out of services.
How Will The New Service Fit With The Reopened Northumberland Line?
Initially the Northumberland Line will run as far as Ashington and won’t open until 2023 at the earliest.
But plans exist to extend the Northumberland Line to Morpeth.
The new service would fit well with an extended Northumberland Line service.
How Will The New Service Fit With East Coast Trains New London And Edinburgh Service?
East Coast Trains will be running a new Open Access service between London and Edinburgh from this autumn.
- It will have a frequency of 5 tpd.
- It will stop at Newcastle, Morpeth and Stevenage.
- It will offer one way fares of £25.
East Coast Trains are another First Group company.
As both services are five tpd in both directions, will the two services co-ordinate stops, so that passengers between say London and Reston can take advantage?
Going North, the stopping train could follow the East Coast Trains express and going South the stopping train would be a few minutes in front of the express.
This would also help with maximising capacity between Edinburgh and Newcastle on the busy East Coast Main Line.
Conclusion
This new stopping service between Edinburgh and Newcastle looks to be a simple solution to improve passenger services for intermediate stations between the two important cities.
Through Barking To Barking Riverside
The excellent maps from carto metro now show full details of the route of the Barking Riverside Extension of the Gospel Oak to Barking Line.
This map shows the tracks going through Barking station.
Note.
- The District Line is shown in green.
- The Hammersmith & City Line is shown in mauve.
- The London Overground is shown in orange.
- Where lines are shared, they are shown dotted in both colours.
- The two tracks going North West are the Gospel Oak to Barking Line to the West.
- There is a flyover linking these two tracks to Platforms 7 and 8 on the South side of the station.
All Overground trains currently terminate in Platform 1, which is the Northernmost of the seven platforms.
After services to Barking Riverside start, some or all of the services will use the flyover and share Platforms 7 and 8 with c2c’s half-hourly service between Fenchurch Street and Grays.
- Platform 7 will handle c2c services to Grays and Overground services to Barking Riverside.
- Platform 8 will handle c2c services to Fenchurch Street and Overground services to Gospel Oak.
Passengers who need to reverse direction to perhaps go from Barking Riverside to Purfleet would just walk across the island platform shared by Platforms 7 and 8.
This second map shows the tracks to the East of Barking station.
Note.
- The Overground tracks sit between the existing lines.
- If Renwick Road station is added to the extension, will it have an island platform between the tracks?
This third map shows the route to Barking Riverside station.
Note.
- Barking Riverside station is a two-platform station.
- There is a crossover outside the station to allow both platforms to be used to terminate trains.
Strictly speaking to handle the four trains per hour (tph) that are likely to use the station, one platform could be enough, but it looks like the station has been designed for extension across the river to Abbey Wood and Thamesmead.
Heading North For Summer: Report Reveals £21bn Annual Visitor Spend Across The Region
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Transport for the North.
This is the opening paragraph.
Pan-regional figures reveal the full importance of the North of England visitor economy for the first time, with 25% of all England’s tourism spend taking place in the region.
The figures quoted are much larger than I would have expected.
Namibia Is Building A Reputation For The Cheapest Green Hydrogen
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Hydrogen Fuel News.
This paragraph explains the deal that Germany and Namibia have done.
Germany, the largest economy in Europe, has just closed a partnership with Namibia, for a supply of the cheapest green hydrogen. The Southern African country is aiming to produce its H2, made with renewable energy, for prices as low as $1.8/kg. The European nation intends to import massive volumes of what it believes will be the most affordable renewable H2 in the world. It has signed a deal with Namibia that steps up the worldwide scramble to secure the best options for H2 supply connected with substantial renewable installations.
Note.
- Namibia has the ability to produce large amounts of solar and wind energy.
- I suspect the hydrogen will be converted to liquid ammonia for shipment to Germany.
The Gremans are building a large hydrogen terminal at Wilhelmshaven, which I wrote about in Uniper To Make Wilhelmshaven German Hub For Green Hydrogen; Green Ammonia Import Terminal.
Although, Namibia has now been an independent country since 1990, from 1884 to 1915 it was the German colony of German South West Africa.
Hopefully, this deal will work out to the benefit of both Germany and Namibia.
Stadler FLIRT Akku Battery Train Demonstrates 185km Range
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Railway-News.
This is the first paragraph.
Stadler’s offering in the battery-powered rolling stock market, the FLIRT Akku has demonstrated a guaranteed range of 185km, even in energy-intensive conditions, it has been found following a three-year research period.
The range is very good and is over twice what Hitachi are claiming with the Hitachi Regional Battery Train.
I can’t find out many details of the size of a Flirt Akku train, but this article on the International Railway Journal has these details.
- A picture shows a three-car train.
- The trains have a 100 mph operating speed.
- Fifty-five two-car trains are on order for Schleswig-Holstein.
Stadler can also fit batteries into trains like Greater Anglia’s Class 755 trains.
There have been reports of these trains being fitted with batteries in a couple of years to reduce carbon emissions.
CAF Selected For Major Battery Train Order
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Railway Gazette International.
This is the first paragraph.
CAF has been named as preferred bidder for what it says is the largest order to date for battery trains. This covers the supply and maintenance of more than 60 electric multiple-units which will be able to operate on non-electrified sections of the Niederrhein-Münsterland network.
On reading the rest of the article, it sounds like the trains are to a high standard, with all the features one could expect.
As in Bolton-Wigan £78m Rail Electrification Project Announced, I predicted that CAF could sell a number of battery-electric trains to Northern in the UK, it looks like CAF could be building a substantial number of battery-electric trains.
There could even be the possibility of some of the German trains being assembled in the CAF factory in Newport, as the logistics might be easier.
Increased Risk Of Atrial Fibrillation In Patients With Coeliac Disease: A Nationwide Cohort Study
I was looking for something else and found this medical paper on the web site of Professor Joe West at Nottingham University.
As I am coeliac, have atrial fibrillation and had a severe stroke from which have made a good recovery. I thought I would post the link, so that others might read what is said.
If my GP or myself had known of the link, my life would probably have been very different.
Bolton-Wigan £78m Rail Electrification Project Announced
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the BBC.
This is a small electrification project compared to many, but it still includes.
- 13 miles of electrification.
- 450 new overhead line equipment stanchions.
- Modifications to 17 bridges and two level crossings.
- Platform extensions at Westhoughton, Hindley and Ince stations, so that they can handle six-car trains.
Completion is expected to be 2025.
The numbers indicate it could be be a small project with quite a bit of work.
I have a few specific thoughts.
How Far Will The Electrification Go?
This document on the Government web site is entitled Green Light Given For Wigan To Bolton Electrification.
These are two paragraphs.
The track between Wigan North Western station and Lostock Junction near Bolton will receive a £78 million upgrade, targeted to complete in 2024/2025.
Through electrifying almost 13 miles of infrastructure and lengthening platforms, this investment will ensure that CO2 emitting diesel trains are replaced by electric rolling stock. As longer trains with additional capacity, these will provide passengers with greener, more comfortable and more reliable journeys.
Note.
- Lostock junction is on the Manchester and Preston Line which was electrified in 2019.
- As is typical, the electrification continues for a short distance from Lostock junction towards the Wigan stations.
- Wigan North Western station is a fully-electrified station on the West Coast Main Line.
- Wigan Wallgate station is not electrified.
- The distance between Lostock junction and Wigan Wallgate station is 6.9 miles.
- Lostock junction and Wigan Wallgate station is double-track all the way.
- My Track Atlas shows crossovers that allow trains to and from Lostock junction to access some platforms at Wigan North Western.
These facts lead me to these conclusions.
- As thirteen files of electrification would be 6.5 miles of double-track electrification, the new electrification would create a fully-electrified line between Lostock junction and Wigan Wallgate station.
- By electrifying the crossovers at Wigan Station junction, electric trains would to able to access both Wigan stations.
But this does mean, that electric trains can’t run past Wigan Wallgate station, as the wires seem to stop there.
Electrification At Wigan Wallgate Station
Mark Clayton has made this comment to this post.
Yes there is a single track connecting from the track through Hindley to the WCML and vice versa, however at Wallgate there are buildings straddling the line and the station itself. Maybe the track could be lowered, but it could well be a major engineering project to get the wires under Wallgate.
The best picture, that I can get of the tracks under Wallgate is this 3D image from Google Maps.
It does seem a bit tight in terms of height.
I have also looked at several videos of trains going trough the station and I suspect that the tracks may need lowering to get the wires through.
Or they could use some of the discontinuous tricks being used on the South Wales Metro.
It could be difficult, but I don’t think it will be impossible.
I do suspect though for operational reasons, Network Rail and the train operators would want the wires to extend to the station.
- Train operators probably prefer to raise and lower the pantograph in a station, in case anything goes wrong.
- If battery-electric trains should be used on the line, then if necessary, they could wait in the station to charge the batteries.
- If the station is wired, then the West-facing bay-platform can also be wired, so that it could be used for a battery-electric shuttle train to Kirkby or Southport.
It looks to me, that for lots of reasons, the engineers will have to find a way of getting the wires under the low bridge under Wallgate.
Services That Use All Or Part Of The Route Between Lostock Junction And Wigan
These services use all or part of the route.
- 1 tph – Southport and Alderley Edge via Ince (irregular), Hindley, Westhoughton and Bolton
- 1 tph – Southport and Stalybridge via Hindley, Westhoughton and Bolton
- 1 tph – Kirkby and Manchester Victoria via Ince (irregular), Hindley, Daisy Hill, Hag Fold, Atherton, Walkden, Moorside, Swinton and Salford Crescent.
- 1 tph – Wigan Wallgate and Blackburn via Hindley, Daisy Hill, Atherton, Walkden, Swinton and Salford Crescent.
- 1 tph – Wigan Wallgate and Leeds via Daisy Hill, Atherton, Walkden and Salford Crescent.
Note.
- tph is trains per hour.
- The two services that terminate at Wigan Wallgate sometimes terminate in Wigan North Western station.
- Wigan Wallgate station would appear to get up to five tph to Manchester, via a variety of routes.
I wonder how many of these services could be run by a battery-electric train, with a performance like the Hitachi Regional Battery Train, which is described in this Hitachi infographic.
Note 90 kilometres is 56 miles.
I will look at each route in detail.
Southport And Alderley Edge
The only section without electrification will be between Wigan Wallgate and Southport stations, which is a distance of 17.4 miles.
With a battery range of 56 miles, a battery-electric train should be able to run a return trip between Wigan Wallgate and Southport stations on battery power and have time for a leisurely turnround in Southport.
The batteries would be charged on the fully electrified section of the line between Wigan Wallgate and Alderley Edge stations.
Southport And Stalybridge
There are two sections without electrification.
- Wigan Wallgate and Southport stations – 17.4 miles
- Manchester Victoria and Stalybridge stations – 7.6 miles
With a battery range of 56 miles, a battery-electric train should be able to run a return trip on both sections without electrification.
The batteries would be charged on the fully electrified section of the line between Wigan Wallgate and Manchester Victoria stations.
Kirkby And Manchester Victoria
There are two sections without electrification.
- Wigan Wallgate and Kirkby stations – 12.1 miles
- Hindley and Salford Crescent stations – 13.4 miles
With a battery range of 56 miles, a battery-electric train should be able to run services on both sections without electrification.
The batteries would be charged on the two fully electrified sections of the line between Wigan Wallgate and Manchester Victoria stations.
Wigan Wallgate And Blackburn
There are two sections without electrification.
- Hindley and Salford Crescent stations – 13.4 miles
- Manchester Victoria and Blackburn stations – 39.4 miles
The first section could be easily run by a battery electric train, but the second section would need a charger at Blackburn station to return to Manchester Victoria station.
The batteries would be charged on the two fully electrified sections of the line between Wigan Wallgate and Manchester Victoria stations.
Wigan Wallgate And Leeds
There are two sections without electrification.
- Hindley and Salford Crescent stations – 13.4 miles
- Manchester Victoria and Leeds stations – 50.2 miles
The first section could be easily run by a battery electric train.
But the second section would be very much touch-and-go with a battery-electric train with a range of 56 miles, despite the fact that both Manchester Victoria and Leeds stations are electrified.
It should also be noted that Network Rail has plans in the TransPennine Upgrade to electrify the route between Leeds and Heaton Lodge junction between Mirfield and Brighouse stations. This would reduce the second section without electrification to a more manageable 37.1 miles.
I suspect that by the time the TransPennine Upgrade is complete, battery range would have improved to allow Manchester Victoria and Leeds stations to handle the route.
Battery-Electric Trains That Could Run The Services Through Wigan Wallgate Station
I have used the Hitachi Regional Battery Train as an example of a train that might run the services through Wigan Wallgate station.
- It has an operating speed of 100 mph.
- It could be based on a Class 385 train, which have three or four cars.
- It would have a battery range of 56 miles.
I suspect a demonstration train will run by 2025, which is the expected date of completion of the Lostock and Wigan electrification project.
But other manufacturers and rolling stock companies could also supply trains, with this specification.
- Alstom could create a battery-electric train based on an Electrostar, like a Class 379 or Class 387 train.
- CAF are developing a battery-electric train based on a Class 331 train.
- Porterbrook are developing a battery-electric train, based on a Class 350 train.
- Stadler could probably deliver a battery-electric Flirt based on a Class 755 train.
Competition would hopefully result in an excellent train, that would be suitable for many routes in the UK.
Northern’s Battery Plans And CAF
I suspect though that CAF could be the front runner as Northern already have forty-three Class 331 trains in service.
In Northern’s Battery Plans, I describe how CAF and Northern are planning to convert a number of three-car Class 331 trains into four-car battery-electric trains.
- The fourth car would contain batteries.
- Batteries would also be added to the PTS (pantograph) car.
I suspect that the battery range could be arranged so that all routes suitable for battery-electric operation could be handled.
In this article on Rail Magazine, which is entitled Northern Plans More New Trains After CAF Milestone, this is a paragraph.
A CAF source confirmed that a lot of work was ongoing with Northern, including the continued development of a battery EMU that is planned to be tested on the Oxenholme-Windermere route.
As the article dates from January 2021, things should be progressing.
Possible routes for battery-electric operation could be.
- Northumberland Line – Under construction
- Csrlisle and Newcastle – 61.5 miles between electrification at both ends
- Wigan Wallgate and Leeds via Dewsbury – 50.2 miles between electrification at both ends
- Manchester Victoria and Leeds via Hebden Bridge – 49.8 miles between electrification at both ends
- Leeds And Carlisle via Settle – 86.8 miles between electrification at both ends.
- Leeds and Morecambe – 37.8 miles between electrification.
- Manchester Airport and Barrow-in-Furness – 28.7 miles from electrification
- Manchester Airport and Windermere – 10.9 miles from electrification
Note.
- The distance is the longest section without electrification.
- Some routes have electrification at both ends.
- Some need an out-and-back journey at one end of the route.
I was surprised that the Settle and Carlisle Line could be included and as battery technology improves it certainly will be possible.
What a tourist attraction that line would be if worked by battery-electric trains.
Conclusion
This electrification of just 6.5 miles of double-track between Lostock junction and Wigan Wallgate station seems to be one of the smaller electrification projects.
But on closer examination, when linked to a fleet of battery-electric trains with a range of perhaps forty miles, the electrification enables battery-electric trains to run these services.
- Southport And Alderley Edge
- Southport And Stalybridge
- Kirkby And Manchester Victoria
With a charging station in Blackburn station, then the Wigan Wallgate And Blackburn service can be added.
It also looks that with the completion of the TransPennine Upgrade between Huddersfield and Leeds, that it might even be possible to run Wigan Wallgate and Leeds using battery-electric trains.
There will be a long list of stations, previously served by diesel trains, that will now only be served by electric or battery-electric trains.
- Appley Bridge
- Atherton
- Bescar Lane
- Burscough Bridge
- Daisy Hill
- Gathurst
- Hag Fold
- Hindley
- Hoscar
- Ince
- Kirkby
- Meols Cop
- Moorside
- New Lane
- Orrell
- Parbold
- Pemberton
- Rainford
- Southport
- Swinton
- Upholland
- Walkden
- Wigan Wallgate
- Westhoughton
That is a total of twenty-four stations.
Never in the field of railway engineering, has one small section of electrification delivered electric trains to so many stations.
The Anonymous Widower 