The Anonymous Widower

Azuma Test Train Takes To The Tracks As LNER Trials Possible New Route

The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Rail Technology Magazine.

This is the first paragraph.

London North Eastern Railway (LNER) completed a test run from Cleethorpes in Lincolnshire and London King’s Cross, with the view to operating a direct service in the future.

These two paragraphs describe how the tests were carried out.

A first test train travelled from Doncaster on 26 June which called at Grimsby Town, Cleethorpes, Barnetby and Market Rasen. At each station, a series of platform and train validations were performed to ensure that a service could be compatible in the future.

On the journey itself, a specialist team travelled onboard, carried out a number of checks and assessments which is required for any potential new route or extension. A detailed assessment was undertaken. The findings will now be reviewed by the stakeholders.

The test run was in four sections.

• 5Q80 – Departed Doncaster Carr Lane Depot at 0817 and arrived Cleethorpes Platform 4 at 1000.
• 5Q81 – Departed Cleethorpes Platform 3 at 1054 and arrived Lincoln Central Platform 5 at 1219.
• 5Q82 – Departed Lincoln Central Platform 5 at 1226 and arrived Cleethorpes Platform 2 at 1355.
• 5Q83 – Departed Cleethorpes Platform 2 at 1528 and arrived Doncaster Carr Lane Depot at 1654.

Note.

1. These details came from Real Time Trains.
2. It looks like three platforms 2, 3 and 4 at Cleethorpes station were checked.
3. The route between Cleethorpes and Lincoln Central was checked both ways.
4. The route between Doncaster Carr Lane Depot and Cleethorpes was checked both ways.
5. Typically, each station stop took around 10-12 minutes, which probably gave adequate time for the specialist team to make their checks and assessments.
6. Class 800 trains run six times a day between Lincoln Central and King’s Cross, so I must assume that section is well-checked and has the correct clearances.
7. Lincoln Central station is 16.7 miles from the electrified East Coast Main Line at Newark Northgate station.
8. Cleethorpes station is 52.1 miles from the electrified East Coast Main Line at Doncaster station.
9. The distance between Lincoln Central and Cleethorpes stations is 47.2 miles.
10. The timing between Lincoln Central and Cleethorpes appears to be just under one hour and thirty minutes.

It looks like a thorough test has been performed.

I have a few thoughts.

Platforms At Cleethorpes Station

According to the Wikipedia entry for Cleethorpes station, the station has three platforms, which are numbered 1, 2 and 3.

These three pictures show Cleethorpes station in 2020.

 

Note.

1. The two trains are Class 185 trains of TransPennine Express.
2. The train in the left is in Platform 1.
3. Platform 2 appears to be empty.
4. The train on the right is Platform 3.

I would assume Platform 4 could be the derelict platform shown in the third picture at the right. Or it might be a typo!

But if it is felt that LNER  will need their own platform, it would surely be a good idea to do all testing at the same time.

Initial Service Pattern

I would expect that the initial service pattern would follow that used for many new services.

• There will be an early morning train up to London.
• There will be a late afternoon or early evening return train.

Journey time could be around three hours and twenty minutes.

Once the demand is proven, extra trains to and from London might be added in the middle of the day.

Could This Service Be Served By Battery-Electric Class 800 Trains?

From a picture on this article on the BBC, the test run appears to have been carried out by a bi-mode Class 800 train.

The full route from Doncaster to King’s Cross has four sections.

• Doncaster and Cleethorpes – 52.1 miles – Unelectrified
• Cleethorpes and Lincoln Central – 47.2 miles – Unelectrified
• Lincoln Central and Newark Northgate – 16.7 miles – Unelectrified
• Newark Northgate and King’s Cross – 120.1 – Electrified

To go between King’s Cross and Doncaster via Cleethorpes would need a battery-electric train with a range of 116 miles.

In What Will Be The Range Of A Hitachi Class 800 Battery Train?, I came to this conclusion about the battery range of a Class 800 train.

The first version of the battery-electric train will have a range of around a hundred miles, so that they can handle the Great Northern and Great Eastern Joint Line diversion on battery power.

But fairly soon after introduction into service, I will be very surprised if they don’t claim the Guinness world record by running farther than the Stadler FLIRT Akku’s 139 miles.

Note.

1. Trains would be charged using the existing electrification of the East Coast Main Line.
2. No new infrastructure would be required.

But for service recovery reasons, it could be prudent to add electrification to Platform 4 at Cleethorpes station.

Could TransPennine’s Service Between Doncaster and Cleethorpes Be Served By Battery-Electric Class 802 Trains?

As it is only a round trip of 104.2 miles, I don’t see why this couldn’t be done by say 2028.

Could LNER’s Service Between King’s Cross and Lincoln Be Served By Battery-Electric Class 800 Trains?

As it is only a round trip of only 33.4 miles, this is the easy trip to decarbonise.

 

June 27, 2023 - Posted by AnonW | Transport/Travel | Class 800 Train, Cleethorpes Station, King's Cross Station, Lincoln Station, LNER, TransPennine Express