The Anonymous Widower

Govia Thameslink Railway Issues a Prior Information Notice For New Trains

This article on Railway Gazette is entitled UK Railway News Round-Up and contains this section.

Govia Thameslink Railway has issued a prior information notice seeking the provision of between 21 and 30 four-car 25 kV 50 Hz 160 km/h through-gangwayed EMUs with air-conditioning and toilets for use on existing and/or additional Great Northern services from May 2024. Maintenance would be undertaken in-house at Hornsey depot, supported by a Technical Support & Spares Supply Agreement.

I find this all a bit puzzling.

• The trains that need replacing are surely the eighteen Class 313 trains, that run on the West Coastway Line, as they are some of the oldest trains on the UK network.
• If Govia Thameslink Railway were serious about decarbonisation, they would also replace the Class 171 diesel trains, that work the Marshlink Line and the Uckfield branch, with electric trains with a range of thirty miles on batteries.

How many trains would be needed to replace the Class 313 and Class 171 trains?

• The eighteen three-car Class 313 trains could be replaced with an equal number of new four-car trains and this might result in a rise in passenger numbers.
• I would assume the eighteen trains includes allowances for trains in maintenance and spare trains for when a train fails.
• It may be possible to  replace the six four-car Class 171 trains used on the Marshfield Line with three new four-car trains, which have a range of thirty miles on batteries.
• The eleven two-car Class 171 trains used on the Uckfield branch could be replaced with three new four-car trains, which have a range of thirty miles on batteries and would run as four-car trains.
• If eight-car trains were needed on the Uckfield branch, there would be a need for six new four-car trains.
• If twelve-car trains were needed on the Uckfield branch, there would be a need for nine new four-car trains.

Note.

1. If four-car trains are needed on the Uckfield branch, this means a total of 18+3+3 or 24 trains.
2. If eight-car trains are needed on the Uckfield branch, this means a total of 18+3+6 or 27 trains.
3. If twelve-car trains are needed on the Uckfield branch, this means a total of 18+3+9 or 30 trains.

Trains on these Southern routes wouldn’t be stabled at Hornsey depot, but could be moved to Hornsey for maintenance  using Thameslink.

But the puzzling bit is that the prior information notice says that the trains will be.

Four-car 25 kV 50 Hz 160 km/h through-gangwayed EMUs with air-conditioning and toilets for use on existing and/or additional Great Northern services from May 2024.

Note.

1. There is no mention of the trains being able to run on 750 VDC third-rail infrastructure.
2. The trains will run on Great Northern services and the Class 313 and Class 171 trains run on Southern routes.
3. The only Great Northern services, that have not been moved to Thameslink are Kings Cross and Cambridge, Ely and King’s Lynn and services to Moorgate.
4. The Moorgate services have their own dual-voltage Class 717 trains.
5. Govia Thameslink Railway have ambitions to double the frequency of trains to King’s Lynn.
6. Two eight-car trains per hour (tph) between King’s Cross and King’s Lynn would need sixteen operational four-car trains.
7. Two twelve-car trains per hour (tph) between King’s Cross and King’s Lynn would need twenty-four operational four-car trains.

If Govia Thameslink Railway are thinking of thirty new trains, they must have other destinations in mind.

Could we be seeing a double swap?

• An appropriate number of new trains are procured to run Great Northern services between Kings Cross and Cambridge, Ely and King’s Lynn.
• The Class 387 trains released will be moved to the South to replace the Class 313 and Class 171 trains.
• Some or all of the transferred Class 387 trains will be fitted with batteries to give a range of thirty miles without electrification.

Note.

1. Could the new trains be Siemens Desiro City trains like the Class 700 and Class 717 trains, which are already maintained at Hornsey depot? It would surely be more efficient and save money.
2. Class 387 trains are dual voltage and would need little or no modification to replace the Class 313 trains.
3. Uckfield and Hurst Green junction is 24.7 miles.
4. Ashford International and Ore is 25.4 miles
5. Adding a battery to a Class 387 train has not been done, but Bombardier converted a near-identical Class 379 train to battery-electric operation over eight years ago.
6. Converting a Class 387 train gives a dual-voltage battery-electric train.
7. I suspect a charger would be needed at Uckfield. Could it be a short length of 25 KVAC overhead electrification?

Could all the Class 387 trains, that will replace the Class 313 and Class 171 trains be identical to ease the problems, when a train develops a fault?

Conclusion

It looks a good plan.

It also opens up the following possibilities.

• Deployment of 750 VDC battery-electric trains on other routes.
• Deployment of 25 KVAC overhead battery-electric trains on other routes.
• Deployment of tri-mode battery-electric trains on other routes.
• Charging of battery-electric trains using a short length of 25 KVAC overhead electrification.
• Fitting of batteries to Class 379 trains to create a 25 KVAC overhead battery-electric train.

It might be possible to convert other Electrostars to battery-electric operation.

Ignoring Class 387 trains on dedicated services like Heathrow and Gatwick Express, these trains are available for conversion.

• Class 379 trains – Stored – 30 trains
• Class 387 trains – Govia Thameslink Railway – 40 trains
• Class 387 trains – Great Western Railway – 33 trains

Note.

1. This gives 103 trains.
2. They all have good interiors.
3. They are all 100/110 mph trains.
4. All trains could be updated to 110 mph.
5. All trains can use 25 KVAC overhead electrification.
6. The Class 387 trains can also use 750 VDC third-rail electrification.
7. The Class 379 trains were built in 2010-2011.
8. The Class 387 trains were built from 2014.

I believe both classes will make excellent battery-electric trains.

Where will they be deployed?

These are a selection of routes starting in the South-East of England.

• Ashford International and Eastbourne.
• Gravesend and Hoo.
• London Bridge and Uckfield.
• London Paddington and Bedwyn.
• London Paddington and Oxford.
• Reading and Basingstoke.
• Reading and Gatwick.
• Reading and Redhill.
• Slough and Windsor & Eton Central.
• Twyford and Henley-on-Thames

I’ve only added routes which are less than thirty miles.

April 27, 2023 - Posted by AnonW | Transport/Travel | Battery-Electric Trains, Cambridge Station, Class 313 Train, Class 379 Train, Class 387 Train, Class 700 Train, Class 717 Train, Desiro City, Electrostar, Ely Station, Govia Thameslink Railway, Great Northern, King's Lynn Station, Marshlink Line, Uckfield Branch