New Mobile Rail Charging Facility For Long Marston
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article from Rail Technology Magazine.
This is the sub-heading.
Porterbrook has signed a £1.7 million deal with Siemens Mobility to purchase an innovative Rail Charging Converter (RCC) for its Long Marston Rail Innovation Centre. The cutting-edge technology will make battery charging and 25kV power supply possible in areas of the UK railway where overhead line equipment is not currently available.
This first paragraph describes the system.
The RCC is a modular and containerised system that uses power electronics to provide a fully compliant, standard connection between the modern three-wire electricity grid and the single-wire railway. It essentially reduces the electrification infrastructure needed by being able to plug into existing power cables and deliver the ideal power supply for trains.
These two paragraphs describe how the RCC was designed and funded, and how it will be used in the future.
The original development of the RCC was supported by the Department for Transport through Innovate UK’s First of a Kind programme. The team will install the novel charging solution at Long Marston, enabling the charging of trains with batteries, fed from existing standard local power supply cables.
Compatible with all overhead line equipment powered trains, the small, low-cost design of the RCC enables the removal of diesel passenger train operation on routes without continuous electrification.
I suspect we’ll see other manufacturers like Hitachi ABB Power Grids and Furrer+Frey launch similar products.
This page gives full details of the award to Siemens Mobility.
Project Title: 25kV Battery Train Charging Station Demonstration
Lead Organisation: Siemens Mobility Ltd.
Project Grant: £59,910
Public Description:
The UK rail industry is committed to decarbonisation, including the removal of diesel trains by 2040.
Replacing diesel trains with electric, hydrogen or battery bi-mode rolling stock provides faster, smoother and more reliable journeys, as well as eliminating local pollution and greatly reducing carbon dioxide.
To enable clean, green electric bi-mode operation without continuous electrification requires enhancement of the power supply to existing electrification and novel charging facilities to support bi-mode trains.
No small, low-cost solution is currently available for charging facilities that are compatible with standard UK trains and locally available power supplies and space.
Siemens Mobility, working with ROSCO, TOCs and Network Rail, will deliver a novel AC charging solution enabling simple installation of small, low-cost rapid charging facilities fed from existing standard local power supply cables.
Compatible with all OLE-powered trains, the novel design enables the removal of diesel passenger train operation on non-electrified routes across the UK, while minimising land requirements and modifications required to existing station structures.
£59,910 seems to be good value for the helping with the design of a universal charging system for 25 KVAC battery-electric trains in the UK.
I have a few thoughts.
Will The Rail Charging Converter (RCC) Charge Third Rail Trains?
As new third-rail systems are effectively systems non grata, I suspect that third-rail trains will be charged by fitting a pantograph and the appropriate electrical gubbins.
Most modern third-rail electrical multiple units have a roof that is ready for a pantograph and can be converted into dual-voltage trains.
What Trains Will Be Able To Be Charged Using An RCC?
I suspect it will be any train with a battery, a pantograph and the appropriate electrical gubbins.
Battery-electric trains that could have a pantograph include.
- Alstom Electrostar and Aventra
- CAF Civity
- Hitachi Class 385 train
- Hitachi Class 800 train
- Siemens Desiro and Mireo
- Stadler Class 777 train
- Stadler Flirt and Akku
- Vivarail Class 230 train
I suspect it could charge all trains in the UK, where batteries have been proposed to be added.
What Is Meant By Mobile?
I suspect transportable and temporary would be a better description.
This gallery show Felixstowe station and a Class 755 train, which can be fitted with batteries.
Suppose that testing was to be done at Felixstowe of a battery-electric Class 755 train.
- The containerised electrical system would be placed somewhere convenient.
- A short length of overhead wire would be erected in the platform.
- The system would then be connected together and to the electrical supply.
- After testing, it could be used to charge a train.
It would be very convenient for operation of the railway, if it could be installed and taken out overnight.
Conclusion
It looks a well-designed system.
The Anonymous Widower 
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