Are Grand Central Going To Order Some Hitachi Intercity Battery Hybrid Trains?
I ask this question because I’ve just looked at the Hitachi infographic for the Hitachi Intercity Battery Hybrid Train, that I wrote about in Hitachi Rail And Angel Trains To Create Intercity Battery Hybrid Train On TransPennine Express
Note that in the background of the image Hitachi Grand Central can be seen.
Looking at Grand Central‘s routes I can say the following.
- The Sunderland service uses the fully-electrified East Coast Main Line to the South of Northallerton.
- The Bradford service uses the East Coast Main Line to the South of Shaftholme Junction.
- The Sunderland service runs for 47.4 miles on lines without electrification.
- The Bradford service runs for 47.8 miles on lines without electrification.
- The trains run at 125 mph on East Coast Main Line.
- Each service has around half-a-dozen stops, most of which are on lines without electrification.
Grand Central run the services using Class 180 diesel trains.
I think there are two possibilities for new trains.
Hitachi Intercity Battery Hybrid Train
This train would be similar to the Hitachi Intercity Battery Hybrid Train shown in the infographic.
- It would be designed to run efficiently on diesel.
- The train could run at 140 mph on electricity and with a signalling update.
- The claimed extra performance could speed up the services.
- Batteries would be used in stations.
There would be a worthwhile saving in fuel and less carbon emissions.
Hitachi Intercity Battery Hybrid Train With A Larger Battery
This would be similar to the standard train, but with a larger battery.
- Battery range would be sufficient to cover the lines without electrification.
- Charging would need to be installed at Bradford Interchange and Sunderland stations.
- The other two diesel engines might be replaced with batteries.
- No diesel would be used.
- The train could run at 140 mph on electricity and with a signalling update.
- The claimed extra performance could speed up the services.
- Batteries would be used in stations.
There would be no fuel costs and zero emissions.
In Grand Central Opts For Split And Join, I wrote about Grand Central’s application to run more services that had been reported in the April 2018 Edition of Modern Railways in an article that is entitled Grand Central Applies For Extra Services.
If Grand Central are still interested in expanding and splitting and joining, then the Hitachi trains, which have a proven ability in this area would fit the requirement.
In
The Anonymous Widower 
No info on sizing of battery means its difficult to tell what can be achieved. I fear though this could be limited to reducing noise and fumes from station areas only bit like many Londons early hybrid buses that give you about 10-15secs of battery running before the diesel kicks back in.
Comment by Nicholas Lewis | November 10, 2021 |
My feeling as an engineer would be that if you were to replace a diesel engine in a train with a battery pack, the two would be very similar in weight, as that wouldn’t affect the dynamics of the train. I can remember stories from the sixties, when people were shoehorning large V8s into cars like Cortinas and Anglias and the handling was always the problem.
Comment by AnonW | November 10, 2021 |
As always I bow to your greater knowledge, but perhaps you are reading more into this, as from what I can see it says – Hitachi ‘Brand’ Central.
Comment by Dave | November 11, 2021 |
Well spotted! It is a B!
But there’s no reason to deny that Grand Central has a need to decarbonise!
I believe that a Class 802 train or similar could be tailored for the route and if they use split and join could reduce costs.
On the other hand LNER have indicated that they would like to serve Cleethorpes by extending some Lincoln services.
Comment by AnonW | November 11, 2021 |