Northumberland Line ‘Phased Reopening’ By Summer
The title of this post, is the same as that as this article on the BBC.
These are the first three paragraphs.
The Northumberland Line will partially reopen this summer days after it was announced it would not be in service until the end of 2024.
Conservative county council leader Glen Sanderson said there had been “challenges” with the project, but when fully reopened the rail line would be a “game changer” for travellers.
The stations due to be open in the summer are Seaton Delaval, Ashington and Newsham.
In my lifetime, the Victoria, Jubilee and Elizabeth Lines in London, have opened on a phased manner.
So why shouldn’t the Northumberland Line?
In fact given the route, it could be opened with a shuttle between Ashington and Newcastle stations, to train drivers and test the concept.
- The intermediate stations could be added over a couple of years.
- I would add a station with lots of parking early.
- If the views live up to the pictures, a lot of passengers will have a day out for the views.
- I’m sure enthusiasts and locals, especially with their kids will be exploring this short railway in droves.
To me, this is definitely a line, that will suffer from London Overground Syndrome.
This OpenRailwayMap shows the railways to the North of Newcastle.
Note.
- The red track is the electrified East Coast Main Line.
- Ashington station is at the top of the map and is marked by a blue arrow.
- The blue track is the Tyne and Wear Metro.
- Newcastle station is where the Metro crosses the East Coast Main Line at the bottom of the map.
- The black trackrunning North-South to the East of the East Coast Main Line is the Northumberland Line.
This OpenRailwayMap shows the railways to the North of Ashington.
Note.
- The red track is the electrifed East Coast Main Line.
- Ashington station is at the bottom of the map and is marked by a blue arrow.
- There are a few disused colliery lines to the North of Ashington.
I believe that these railways to the North of Newcastle could and should be developed.
The East Coast Main Line Is Congested
Consider.
- The East Coast Main Line has only two tracks.
- It is one of only two rail routes between England and Scotland.
- It carries local services as well as long distance express services.
- In recent years more services have been added by Lumo and TransPennine Express.
It is my belief that applying digital signalling between Newcastle and Edinburgh via Berwick, should be a high priority project to increase the capacity of the East Coast Main Line.
Local Services Can Be Extended
The Northumberland Line opens up possibilities for extension, where track already exists..
- From Ashington to Newbiggin-on-Sea and Lynemouth.
- From Bedlington to Morpeth and the East Coast Main Line.
- From Bedlington to North Blyth.
It would appear that it might be possible to run a new line North from Ashington to connect with the East Coast Main Line.
Distances Are Short
Consider.
- Ashington and Newcastle is 20.6 miles
- Newcastle and Morpeth is 16.6 miles
- Newcastle and Berwick is electrified.
- In The Data Sheet For Hitachi Battery Electric Trains, I stated that Hitachi’s battery-electric express trains have a range of 43.5 miles on one battery. A slower commuter train would certainly achieve this distance.
I have a feeling that a passenger-friendly network of battery-electric trains can be developed along and around the Northumberland Line and the East Coast Main Line.
Hull Trains Sees Biggest Timetable Transformation In Its 23 Year History
The title of this post, is the same as that of this press release from Hull Trains.
These are the first two paragraphs.
Hull Trains has announced it is now running extended 10 carriage trains on a number of its services from Wednesday to Sunday due to growing passenger numbers, bringing an extra 4,000 available seats per week for customers.
Introducing this extra capacity, especially on a Sunday, has been an aspiration of the operator for some time now and it is delighted to finally be able to launch these longer train services. The change will bring additional seats and offers to Hull Trains’ services for customers.
These two paragraphs talks about their performance.
A report released in late 2023 by the Office of Road and Rail (ORR), showed that Hull Trains have led the way for long-distance train operators, reporting a 34% growth in journeys compared to the previous year.
This provided further evidence of Hull Trains’ stability and strength with the local open-access operator now delivering 28% more journeys than it was before the pandemic.
So why have they outperformed other operators?
A Local Presence And Name Must Help
So if you’re going to London, you’re probably more likely to use a local train company. It’s also easy to market.
Hull Has One Of The Best Bus/Train Interchanges In The Country
Recently, I went to an SSE presentation about their Hydrogen Pathfinder Project at Aldbrough. This was given at Horden about twenty miles from Hull and the buses to and from the station were just a hundred metres from the platform at Hull station.
They were also reasonable frequent.
At some stations like Leeds, Manchester Piccadilly and Newcastle the bus/train interchange is bad and require a walk halfway across the City Centre.
Money is Tight At The Moment
I suspect that bus and train is cheaper than going by car to the station.
As in many households there are at often two cars, I wouldn’t be surprised that if one partner can manage without a car, a lot of families have reduced the number of cars they have.
This would be difficult in some places as public transport, isn’t good enough to rely on.
So Hull’s excellent bus/train interchange would benefit train operators.
Interestingly, Doncaster has a co-located bus station.
Sheffield Also Is A Good Bus/Train Interchange
Hull Trains proposed new route is London and Sheffield, which I wrote about in FirstGroup Applies To Run New London To Sheffield Rail Service.
Conclusion
Hull trains are certainly getting it right, but I do think the buses in Hull help.
Centrica Business Solutions Delivers Significant Energy Savings For The Pirbright Institute
The title of this post, is the same as that of this press release from Centrica.
These three paragraphs outline the project.
Centrica Business Solutions has partnered with The Pirbright Institute to deliver sustainable on-site technology that will help reduce its net energy use by more than 10 per cent by 2026.
Centrica installed a new Combined Heat and Power Plant (CHP), which will provide around 75 per cent of Pirbright’s future power needs. The CHP uses natural gas to generate electricity and hot water at the site, with its exhaust gases also used to feed into a heat recovery generator to provide steam. It means CHP technology is over twice as efficient as conventional power sources and can lower organisational reliance on the Grid.
The Institute, which is dedicated to the study of infectious diseases of farm animals, has already devised an energy plan which has introduced energy-saving upgrades across the Surrey campus, including the closure of energy-inefficient buildings, the introduction of efficient lighting and a programme to raise staff awareness of energy consumption.
The system is still powered by natural gas.
Liverpool University
I was an undergraduate at Liverpool University and according to this page on their web site, which is entitled Sustainability, they seem to be following a similar route to the Pirbright Institute.
With a heading of Energy And Carbon, this is the mission statement.
The University’s ambition is to be a climate-resilient campus, that has minimal negative and maximum positive environmental impact, achieving net zero carbon by 2035. We monitor energy and carbon across the entire University as part of the Climate plan and in support of the Sustainability Strategy and Strategy2026 net zero carbon targets.
One section of the page has a title of The Green Recovery with Clarke Energy at the University’s Energy Centre, where this is said.
The University of Liverpool generates up to 90% of its campuses electricity needs on site in the Energy Centre, through CHP. Clarke Energy help the University operate CHP in the most efficient way, keeping us on track with technological developments, such as how the CHP can be adapted to take different fuel blends.
Although there is a nod to different fuel blends, I suspect that the system, like that at Pirbright, is currently powered by natural gas.
Clarke Energy, is headquartered in Liverpool and is a division of Kohler.
Centrica And HiiROC
CHP systems are becoming more common and like these two systems, they are generally powered by natural gas.
In Plans Submitted For Hydrogen Pilot Plant At Humber Power Station, I describe how Hull-based start-up; HiiROC are going to help fuel a gas-fired power station with a hydrogen blend.
This is a paragraph from this article on Business Live, which describes Centrica’s relationship with HiiROC.
It comes as the owner of British Gas has also increased its shareholding in the three-year-old business to five per cent. Last November it was one of several investors to pump £28 million into HiiRoc alongside Melrose Industries, HydrogenOne, Cemex, Hyundai and Kia, who joined existing strategic investors Wintershall Dea and VNG.
HiiROC’s system can take any hydrocarbon gas from biomethane, through chemical plant waste gas to natural gas and convert it to hydrogen and carbon black.
Carbon black has a large number of manufacturing uses and can also be used in agriculture to improve soil.
It looks to me, that HiiROC’s systems will be a simple way to convert natural gas-powered CHPs to zero carbon.
The Anonymous Widower 