The Anonymous Widower

WSMR Plans Alstom-Built Bi-Mode Sets If Open Access Bid Approved

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

This is the sub-heading.

Wrexham, Shropshire & Midlands Railway (WSMR) has said it will invest in new Alstom battery-electric bi-mode trains if its open access application is successful.

These three paragraphs add some more details.

In December the Alstom-backed operation resubmitted its application to run between the North Wales city and London Euston via Shrewsbury and Walsall after its initial bid was rejected by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) last year.

In a letter to the regulator and Network Rail, Mobilisation Director Darren Horley said: “Should our application be successful, WSMR will work alongside its parent company, Alstom, and will commit to invest in a new bi-mode battery-electric fleet based on the Adessia platform – Alstom’s new generation passenger train designed specifically for the UK market.

“Initial discussions regarding the procurement of a small new fleet have already commenced with Alstom and a financier.”

The Adessia will be a high speed version, with a maximum speed of 125 mph or 200 kph.

I have some thoughts.

How Much Of The Route Is Without Electrification?

In Alstom Plans To Operate Its Own Passenger Train Service In The UK For The First Time, I gave these distances of the sections of the route.

• Euston and Nuneaton – 96.7 miles – electrified
• Nuneaton and Walsall – 26.7 miles – electrified
• Walsall and Wolverhampton – 6.7 miles – electrified
• Wolverhampton and Shrewsbury – 29.7 miles
• Shrewsbury and Wrexham General – 30.3 miles

That looks like there are sixty miles in each direction without electrification.

Either the trains would have a battery range of 120 miles or a battery range of over 60 miles with charging at Wrexham General station, which is shown in these pictures.

Note.

1. Wrexham General station has four platforms. Two are a pair of long through platforms and there are also a separate long and a short through platform.
2. The station is step-free.
3. The last four pictures are Platform 4.

This OpenRailwayMap shows the platform layout at Wrexham General station.

Note.

1. The blue arrow is between the two through Platforms 1 and 2.
2. Platform 3 is the platform in the middle.
3. Platform 4 is the platform on the left.

An overhead charging rail could be used on Platforms 3 and/or 4, as has been used at Caerphilly station.

The overhead charging rail could also charge other Wrexham General services.

Prospective Routes

I would expect that there would be a need for such a train on the following UK routes.

• CrossCountry – Class 221 train replacement.
• East-West Rail – New fleet.
• Southeastern – London and Hastings.
• ScotRail – Inter7City replacement.
• South Western Railway – Class 158 and Class 159 train replacement.
• Transport for Wales – Some diesel services.

March 27, 2026 - Posted by AnonW | Transport/Travel | Adessia, Battery-Electric Trains, Class 158 Train, Class 159 Train, CrossCountry Trains, East-West Rail, Inter7City, Open Access Operators, ScotRail, South Western Railway, Southeastern, Transport for Wales, Wrexham General Station, Wrexham Shropshire and Midlands Railway (WSMR)