Connecting Reading And The West To Gatwick Airport And Eurostar
I have just checked the electrification between Reading and Ashford International using OpenRailwayMap.
- Between Cardiff and Reading the electrification is 25 KVAC overhead.
- Between Reading and Wokingham the electrification is 750 VDC third-rail.
- Between Wokingham and Reigate is not electrified.
- Between Reigate and Gatwick Airport the electrification is 750 VDC third-rail.
- Between Gatwick Airport and Ashford International the electrification is 750 VDC third-rail.
Only 37.7 miles is not electrified.
Hitachi’s Intercity Battery Trains, have a range on battery power of seventy kilometres or forty-five miles, so these trains could go between Reading or any station to the West to any station on the North Downs Line, including Guildford, Redhill, Gatwick Airport, Tonbridge and Ashford International stations.
The trains would need to be dual voltage and I’m fairly sure, that no new infrastructure would be needed.
A Green No-Fly Route Between Europe And Ireland
Consider.
- The Great Western Main Line is electrified to Cardiff.
- There is no electrification to the West of Cardiff.
- Cardiff and Fishguard Hsrbour is 115.6 miles.
- There is a ferry between Fishguard and Rosslare.
I suspect Hitachi could configure one of their Intercity Battery Trains, that could connect Ashford International and Fishguard Harbour stations.
The Anonymous Widower 
Good thinking and I would say plenty of potential opportunities.
However which route would you expect it/they use and are we talking about:
Reclaiming the pre BREXIT.
Direct Goods services from the sea trade.
The HGV services via England
Or a new fast Passenger Service.
Comment by Martin | March 1, 2025 |
Mainly fast passenger services.
But it could also be a freight route.
CargoBeamer?
Comment by AnonW | March 1, 2025 |
Put simply, all the current unelectrified sections within the former southern region area should be electrified.
Comment by thelordbruton | March 1, 2025 |
But the Office of Road and Rail have said that no more third-rail should be installed.
Liverpool had to use batteries to Headbolt Lane.
If we wanted to send Channel Tunnel freight to and from South Wales we’d probably use one of the new Class 99 electro-diesels. But as these are Cummins diesels, I suspect they can be converted to hydrogen, so we have a “go everywhere freight loco.
They may even be acceptable in the Channel Tunnel on electric, if the hydrogen was in a plug in fuel tank, that was taken out in long tunnels.
Comment by AnonW | March 1, 2025 |
I agree. And also for Merseyrail add ons.
Comment by chilterntrev | March 4, 2025 |
[…] writing Connecting Reading And The West To Gatwick Airport And Eurostar, I decided to go and look at the reality of the North Downs Line between Reading and Gatwick […]
Pingback by From Reading To Gatwick Airport Along The North Downs Line « The Anonymous Widower | March 1, 2025 |
The line is electrified between Ash Jcn and Shalford Jcn at 750V DC.
The 769’s were an ideal train to run this line.
Comment by Nicholas Lewis | March 1, 2025 |
Are these trains step free access? No.
How about some Stadlers like in East Anglia – the three or 4 car units? Step free access and 25kv, also diesel. Maybe you can swap the diesel little unit for a big battery pack and add 3rd rail shoes.
Comment by chilterntrev | March 4, 2025 |
I was lucky enough to speak to a Greater Anglia driver, who spent time in Switzerland helping Stadler design the Class 755 and 745 trains.
He said the basic FLIRT running gear can handle 200 kph.
It has also been said, that the 745 trains will be fitted with batteries.
If he was right, then they must have pitched for some other trains, like LNER’s tri-modes.
Comment by AnonW | March 4, 2025 |