Battery-Electric Trains On The Henley Branch
As I keep mentioning battery-electric trains on the Henley branch line and I was in the area today, I thought I’d pop in and take a trip to Henley-on-Thames station.
These are my thoughts about the Henley branch line.
The Branch Line Was Busy
The two-car Class 165 train coped with the traffic today, but I suspect that on some days more capacity is needed.
The Branch Line Is Only 4.6 Miles Long
Battery-electric trains of a length of three- or four-cars are typically showing battery ranges of upwards of fifty miles, so I am fairly certain, that several battery-electric trains could handle the route, with charging at Twyford station.
- Conversions of Class 321, Class 379 and Class 387 trains would probably be possibilities.
- The Class 379 and Class 387 have a very handy 110 mph operating speed.
- Alstom, CAF, Hitachi and Siemens could probably offer new trains.
- All are four-car trains.
Because of the length of the branch, I doubt there wouldn’t need to be any infrastructure changes at Henley-on-Thames station.
Charging A Train In Platform 5 At Twyford Station
These pictures show the Class 165 train, that worked the branch in Platform 5 at Twyford station.
Note.
- The two-car Class 165 train in the station is 46.50 metres long.
- I suspect that a three-car or even four-car train, that would be eighty metres long, could be accommodated in the platform.
- The last picture shows a Class 387 train in the adjoining electrified Platform 4 in Twyford station.
It looks to me, that installing a three-car length of overhead electrification in the bay platform would not be the most challenging of projects.
Longer Trains To Henley-on-Thames
The Wikipedia entry for the Henley branch line says this about services.
The current (2022) passenger train service pattern on the line provides trains at about 30 minute intervals off peak. The first train out from Henley is at 06:05 and the last train back at 00:18. The Saturday service is also half-hourly until around 20:15, after which a largely hourly service is operated. This is also the case with the Sunday service, with half-hourly services until 19:15.
Additional services are provided during Henley Regatta at the beginning of July, with longer trains. All services are operated by Great Western Railway (GWR), using Class 165 and 166 Turbo diesel multiple units. Upon completion of electrification, Class 387 trains will be used, while the Turbos will be displaced to other parts of the GWR network.
The map from OpenRailwayMap shows the platform and track layout at Henley-on-Thames station.
Note.
- The Henley branch line is shown in yellow.
- The scale in the bottom-left corner of the map.
- I would estimate that the platform is around 200 metres long, which means it will take an eight-car train.
The second map from OpenRailwayMap shows the track layout at Twyford station.
Note.
- Both maps are to the same scale.
- The Henley branch line is shown in yellow.
- The slow lines of the Great Western Main Line are shown in orange.
- The fast lines of the Great Western Main Line are shown in red.
There is a cross-over between the two slow lines to allow trains from London to access the branch line.
It looks to me, that the line will be fully-electrified or battery-electric trains could be used.
Ticketing
I can get to Twyford by using my Freedom Pass on the Elizabeth Line, like probably a large number of those over sixty, who live in London.
I had started my journey at the Moorgate end of Liverpool Street station, where there is no ticket office or machine capable of selling an extension ticket.
In the end, I bought my ticket for the branch in the ticket office, but you can buy tickets on the train.
Transport for London and Great Western Railway can do better.
The Anonymous Widower 
Reblogged this on By the Mighty Mumford and commented:
MODERN TECHNOLOGY—AHOY!
Comment by Jonathan Caswell | June 10, 2023 |
AND WHERE DOES THE ELECTRICITY COME FROM?
Comment by Jonathan Caswell | June 10, 2023 |
Both Hitachi and Furrer + Frey have power systems for short lengths of overhead electrification.
I also suspect, that there are solutions, where the short length of electrification could be connected to the electrification in Platform 4.
Comment by AnonW | June 10, 2023 |
MAKES SENSE!!
Comment by Jonathan Caswell | June 11, 2023
Well given GWR have bought vivarail they could easily deploy battery 230s
Comment by Nicholas Lewis | June 10, 2023 |
As there are or have been some direct trains in the Peak and during the Regatta, between London Paddington and Henley-on-Thames, I suspect that GWR might prefer a one train class solution, which allowed eight-car trains on the route to Paddington. The track layout allows it.
Comment by AnonW | June 10, 2023 |
At just 4.5 miles you wouldn’t need to install electrification at Henley. I would imagine that a Class 379 (just a 100mph 387) with batteries fitted would be an ideal interim solution. The Class 379 has already been successfully tested with batteries, with the testbed set able to operate for an hour on battery power alone. For Henley, they wouldn’t need to do so for anywhere near that long, meaning the slow.charging wouldn’t be an issue. Though in the 10 years since the tests were conducted, charging times have plummeted. This could also be an interim solution for the Windsor, Greenford, and Marlow branches. Class 379 means fleet commonality, simplifying driver assimilation and maintenance.
However, battery operation and bi-mode in general should not be seen as a long-term solution. Bi-modes are heavier, and much less efficient that full electric, and these branches could be electrified at minimal cost. The government was naive and short sighted not to electrify the Thames Valley branches.
Comment by Duncan Wilson | June 11, 2023 |
The Marlow branch is the problem, as I think that the track layout at Bourne End limits the train length to two cars.
Comment by AnonW | June 11, 2023 |