The Anonymous Widower

Is FirstGroup’s Order For Fourteen Trains For Lumo And Hull Trains More Identical Than Is Generally Assumed?

Currently, Hull Trains operate Class 802 trains and Lumo operate Class 803 trains.

Both trains are five-car Hitachi A-Trains and appear to be similar in size, although there are other differences.

• Hull Trains have a two-class layout, whereas on Lumo everybody sits in the same class.
• Hull Trains are a true bi-mode with the 700 kW Rolls-Royce mtu diesel generators.
• Lumo only have a battery for emergency hotel power.
• Hull Trains currently operate a route, where up to a hundred miles in each round trip can be on diesel.
• Lumo’s current route is all electric.

However, the differences in train specification doesn’t stop the two operators using each other’s trains.

This is from an article in the November 2023 Edition of Modern Railways, that is entitled Extra Luggage Racks For Lumo.

The co-operation between sister East Coast mail line open access operators Lumo and Hull Trains continues, with one recent move,  being the use of a Hull Trains ‘802’ on Lumo services to cover  for a shortage of the dedicated ‘803s’ while one unit was out of action for repairs following a fatality. Although the two types are similar, there are notable differences, most obviously that the Hull Trains units are bi-modes while the Lumo sets are straight EMUs and a training conversion course is required for Lumo drivers on the ‘802s’. There are also challenges from a passenger-facing perspective – The Hull Trains units have around 20 % fewer seats and a First Class area.

A future Chief Executive of FirstGroup  might at some future date decide to convert all trains to the same specification.

Drive Systems Of The Five-Car Class 80x Trains

I’m writing them down for all the five-car Class 80x trains to make it easier to understand.

• Class 800 train – DPTS–MS-MS-MC–DPTF – (LNER) 3 x 560 kW or (GWR) 3 x 700 kW diesel generators.
• Class 801 train – DPTS–MS-MS-MC–DPTF –  1 x 560 kW diesel generators
• Class 802 train – DPTS–MS-MS-MC–DPTF – (LNER) 3 x 700 kW diesel generators.
• Class 803 train – DPTS–MS-MS-MS–DPTF
• Class 805 train – DPTS–MS-MS-MC–DPTF –  3 x 700 kW diesel generators.
• Class 810 train – DPTS–MS-MS-MC–DPTF –  4 x 735 kW diesel generators.

Note.

1. All these five-car trains have the same drive configuration.
2. Traction motors are on cars 2 and 4.
3. Trains with one diesel generators have them under car 3.
4. Trains with three diesel generators have them under cars 2/3/4.
5. Trains with four diesel generators have them under cars 1/2/4/5.
6. The traction battery in the Class 802 battery-electric test train was 750 kW, according to The Data Sheet For Hitachi Battery Electric Trains.

It is all a very balanced design.

A Standard Basic Train For Hull Trains And Lumo

This may be possible and could be the following.

• A Class 802 or Class 803 train to the latest specification.
• Five cars.
• Interior to the customers specification.
• Ability to work in pairs.
• A standard size traction battery in car 3.

The battery could be changed according to route.

• Carmarthen – 75.3 miles – See Thoughts On Lumo’s Proposed Paddington And Carmarthen Service.
• Edinburgh – 100 miles – To cover the Lincolnshire Diversion.
• Hull – 100 miles – To cover the Lincolnshire Diversion.
• Paignton – 128.2 miles – See Thoughts On Lumo’s Proposed Paddington And Paignton Service.
• Rochdale – 100 miles to cover reverse at Rochdale.
• Sheffield – 100 miles – To cover Retford and Sheffield both ways.
• Stirling – Possibly no batteries required.

I can see a battery range of 100 miles covering most routes.

There could be two or three batteries close together in cars 2, 3 and 4, driving the traction motors in cars 2 and 4 and being charged by them.

These are my thoughts on individual Hull Trains and Lumo routes.

Beverley And Hull

In Could Hull Station Be Electrified?, I put forward my view that if Hull station were to be electrified, it opens up various possibilities of running battery-electric trains to Hull and Beverley.

Hull Trains services would charge the battery, every time they went through Hull station.

Distances needed on battery power to electrification would be.

• Beverley – 16.7 miles for return trip.
• Bridlington – 31.1 miles
• Doncaster – 40.8 miles
• Scarborough – 53.8 miles
• Temple Hirst – 36.1 miles

Except for Scarborough, a single battery would probably suffice.

Beverley and Hull are handled without a battery at present, but Hull Trains might like to carry sufficient power in batteries to be able to handle the Lincoln Diversion.

Carmarthen

Cardiff and Carmarthen via Gowerton is 75.3 miles, which probably means two batteries would be needed.

See Thoughts On Lumo’s Proposed Paddington And Carmarthen Service, for more details.

Edinburgh

Edinburgh is handled without a battery at present, but Lumo might like to carry sufficient power in batteries to be able to handle the Lincoln Diversion.

Paignton

Paignton is the longest route at 128.2 miles and I doubt, it would be talked about if it wasn’t technically possibly.

See Thoughts On Lumo’s Proposed Paddington And Paignton Service, for more details.

Rochdale

Sheffield

Stirling

Stirling could be handled without a battery, but Lumo might like to carry sufficient power in batteries to be able to handle a small diversion.

 

January 11, 2025 - Posted by AnonW | Design, Transport/Travel | Beverley Station, Carmarthen Station, Class 802 Train, Class 803 Trains, Edinburgh Station, Hull Station, Hull Trains, Lumo, Paignton Station, Rochdale Station, Sheffield Station, Stirling Station