The Anonymous Widower

Belmont Station – 20th January 2023

These pictures show Belmont station.

Note.

  1. The first four pictures show the remaining double track between Sutton and Belmont stations. The double track finishes shortly before the station.
  2. All trains use the only platform, which is numbered One.
  3. The remains of the second platform.
  4. There is sufficient space to put in a second track and restore the second platform.
  5. The steel stairs up to the bridge over the railway.
  6. The bus station outside the station.
  7. The S4 bus takes everybody to and from the Royal Marsden Hospital.
  8. There was no signage on the station about which bus to take to the hospital.

There is a large amount of traffic outside the station, which very much seems in a hurry.

January 20, 2023 Posted by | Health, Transport/Travel | , , | 1 Comment

Balham – Gateway To The Royal Marsden

With apologies to the late great Peter Sellers and his iconic Balham – Gateway To The South.

After breakfast this morning at Leon on Moorgate, I decided to go and look at Belmont station, which is the nearest station to the Royal Marsden Hospital in Sutton.

Currently, Belmont has a two train per hour (tph) service from Victoria which goes via Clapham Junction, Balham and West Croydon.

From Moorgate the easiest route was to go via the iconic Balham station, where I took these pictures.

Note.

  1. There are two fast and two slow tracks through Balham station.
  2. There is a cafe on the two slow platforms.

I transferred here to an Epsom Downs train for Belmont.

The only problem was that I just missed one train and had to wait half-an-hour for the next.

The service between Victoria and Belmont needs to be increased in frequency.

January 20, 2023 Posted by | Transport/Travel, Health, Food | , , , , | Leave a comment

Rolls-Royce Successfully Tests mtu Engines With Pure Hydrogen

The title of this post, is the same as that of this press release from Rolls-Royce.

These are the two bullet points.

  • mtu gensets and cogeneration units to be further developed for 100% hydrogen use
  • First use in the new CO2-neutral container terminal in the German inland port of Duisburg

This is the first paragraph.

Rolls-Royce (LSE: RR., ADR: RYCEY) today announces that it has conducted successful tests of a 12-cylinder gas variant of the mtu Series 4000 L64 engine running on 100% hydrogen fuel. The tests, carried out by the Power Systems business unit, showed very good characteristics in terms of efficiency, performance, emissions and combustion. These tests mark another important step towards the commercial introduction of hydrogen solutions to meet the demand of customers for more sustainable energy.

Note.

  1. Rolls-Royce mtu have converted and tested a natural gas version of the Series 4000 L64 engine.
  2. The Class 43 power cars used in the iconic InterCity 125 train and powered by mtu V16 4000 R41R engines.

Are the two engines related? If so, can Rolls-Royce mtu build a hydrogen engine that could power an InterCity 125?

It was a rapid development.

Andrea Prospero, an engineer at Rolls-Royce responsible for the development of the hydrogen engine, is quoted as saying.

We are very pleased with the rapid progress. The very low engine emissions are well below the strict EU limits, no exhaust gas aftertreatment is required.

Due to the different combustion behaviour of hydrogen compared to natural gas, some engine components including fuel injection, turbocharging, piston design and control, were modified in the test engine. However, by using proven technologies within the Power Systems’ portfolio, such as mtu turbochargers, injection valves, and engine electronics and control, the development of the engine to use hydrogen was advanced quickly and efficiently.

Diesel and natural gas internal combustion engine manufacturers like Cummins, Rolls-Royce mtu and several other companies, have a long history of research, that they have the knowledge to convert diesel or natural gas engines to hydrogen.

So far only Cummins, JCB and Rolls-Royce mtu have disclosed a multi-fuel line of engines.

First Deployment For CO2-Neutral Power Supply At Duisport

There is a section in the press release called First Deployment For CO2-Neutral Power Supply At Duisport, where this is said.

Duisport, one of the world’s largest inland ports, is working with several partners to build a hydrogen-based supply network for its new terminal, ready for operation in 2024. In the future, most of the electricity required by the port itself will be generated directly on site from hydrogen in a CO2-neutral manner. This will be achieved by two combined heat and power plants with mtu Series 4000 hydrogen engines (with a total installed capacity of 2MW) as well as three mtu fuel cell systems (with a total installed capacity 1.5MW).

As part of its sustainability program, Rolls-Royce is realigning the product portfolio of Power Systems towards more sustainable fuels and new technologies that can further reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

There is also this Rolls-Royce graphic, which shows the energy sources.

It would appear batteries,  combined heap and power (CHP), grid electricity, hydrogen electrolyser, hydrogen storage and renewable electricity are being brought together to create a climate-neutral energy system.

Is this a world-first, where hydrogen engines and fuel cell systems will be working together?

January 20, 2023 Posted by | Energy, Hydrogen | , , , , , , , | Leave a comment