RENFE Ticket Offices Go Cashless
The title of this post is the same as that of this article on Railway Gazette.
This is the introductory paragraph.
National operator RENFE stopped accepting cash payments for tickets at booking offices with effect from March 27, citing hygiene reasons. The measure will last as long as the duration of coronavirus lockdown, now prolonged at least until mid-April.
Should we have done the same thing as Spain?
Passing Loop Hope For Windermere
The title of this post is the same as that of a small story in Issue 903 of Rail Magazine.
This is the opening sentence.
The local priority for the Windermere branch is for a passing loop to enable two trains an hour to operate.
These are the distances from Oxenholme Lake District station of the stations on the Windermere branch line.
- Kendal – 2.05
- Burneside – 4.02
- Staveley – 6.52
- Windermere – 10.15
Note.
- Distances are in miles.chains.
- The return distance of 20.30 miles should be within the capability of a battery-electric train, that left Oxenholme Lake District station with full batteries.
Halfway would surely be a convenient place for a passing loop, which would be a mile towards Windermere from Burneside.
This Google Map shows Burneside and Staveley stations and the countryside in between.
Note.
- Burneside station is in the South-East corner
- Staveley station is in the North-West corner.
- The North-East side of the route is mainly agricultural land.
It looks like a passing loop could be built in the region of Bowston.
- It would be approximately halfway.
- It would be on the North-East side of the existing track.
- It would need to be long enough to take the longest train likely to use the route.
- ,It would allow a doubling in frequency.
I don’t think it would be the most expensive of projects.
Operational Considerations
A half-hourly service could be run as follows.
- It seems likely that the trains will be four-car Class 331 trains, as I wrote about in Northern’s Battery Plans.
- Two trains would probably be timed to leave Oxenholme Lake District and Windermere stations at the same time.
- Trains currently take twenty minutes to travel along the branch and do the round trip in an hour.
- ,This twenty minute timing would give ten minutes to turn back the train at Oxenholme Lake District and Windermere.
- Ten minutes at each terminal station, should be enough time to fully charge the batteries for the next trip.
It should be noted that trains going to and from Manchester Airport would be able to charge their batteries on the electrified route between Oxenholme Lake District and Manchester Airport stations.
I think it would be likely, that there would be two services
- An hourly service between Windermere and Manchester Airport stations, which is the current service on the branch.
- An hourly shuttle service between Windermere and Oxenholme Lake District, which would be run by a single train.
The two services would alternate to provide the half-hourly service.
One of the advantages of a half-hourly service run by two trains, is that it may open the possibility of one train rescuing the other train if it fails.
If a train arrives at Windermere station with flat batteries, I suspect that as Windermere and Oxenholme have similar altitudes, that the second train could drag it back to Oxenholme station. Possibly without passengers.
Air Pollution May Be ‘Key Contributor’ To Covid-19 Deaths – Study
The title of this post is the same as that of this article in the Guardian.
This is the first two paragraphs.
High levels of air pollution may be “one of the most important contributors” to deaths from Covid-19, according to research.
The analysis shows that of the coronavirus deaths across 66 administrative regions in Italy, Spain, France and Germany, 78% of them occurred in just five regions, and these were the most polluted.
I think that this report could prove significant. But I have no idea why!
I grew up in a very polluted London, where regularly at Primary School we would be sent home early as the smog was so bad. In those days of the 1950s, there were few immigrants and I only remember one black person at school. She was the Deputy Head Girl! The few immigrants at school, were generally Poles, although I do remember one Spanish boy.
Southeastern Signs Deal To Lease Unwanted Class 707s
The title of this post is the same as that of this article on Rail Magazine.
This is the introductory paragraph.
New trains made redundant before they even entered traffic are set for a new home, with Southeastern signing a deal to lease the 30 five-car Class 707s.
These pictures show Class 707 trains.
Having ridden in the trains many times, the trains don’t seem to have a major problem, except for the high step, which isn’t very wheel-chair friendly.
I can summarise the Class 707 fleet as follows.
- Thirty trains of five cars.
- 100 mph operating speed.
- Metro interior with lots of space, as I wrote about in The Space In A Class 707 Train.
- Air-conditioing
- 275 seats
- Built in 2014.
- Wi-fi
Looking at Southeastern fleet, they have a fleet of Class 376 trains.
- Thirty-six trains of five cars.
- 75 mph operating speed.
- Metro interior.
- 228 seats
- Built in 2004
Could it be that the Class 707 trains will replace these?
- They are ten years younger
- They have more seats.
- They are 25 mph faster and probably have better acceleration.
The Class 707 have better passenger features like air-conditioning, power sockets and wi-fi. They may also have shorter dwell times in stations, just because they are newer trains.
On the other hand, the fleet is six trains smaller.
I do wonder though, if the Class 707 trains are faster over a metro route, than the Class 376 trains, because of better performance, does this mean that fewer trains can work Southeastern’s metro routes?
Kent On The Cusp Of Change
The Kent On The Cusp Of Change article in the July 2017 Edition of Modern Railways discusses the improvements that may be made by the new franchisee of the Southeastern franchise.
In Kent On The Cusp Of Change – Elimination Of Slow Trains, I outlined the reasons for replacing the 75 mph trains in Southeastern’s fleet.
There are three sub-fleets of 75 mph trains.
- 36 x Class 376 trains
- 147 x Class 465 trains
- 43 x Class 466 trains
Note.
- The Class 465 and 466 trains generally work in ten-car formations of 2 x Class 465 and 1 x Class 466 trains.
- The Class 465 and 466 trains have toilets, but the Class 376 trains don’t.
- The Class 465 and 466 trains work both Main Line and Metro services.
- Surely, 75 mph trains will slow up Main Line services.
- I doubt that Class 707 trains can run Main Line services, unless they were updated with toilets.
It should also be noted that the trailer cars of Class 465 trains may be needed to lengthen Class 165 and 166 trains, as I wrote about in Shuffling The Class 165 Trains, where I estimated that sixty trailer cars would be needed from the Class 465 fleet.
I can see an intricate strategy being developed with the following objectives.
- Introduce the Class 707 trains on Southeastern’s Metro services.
- Withdraw sixty Class 465 trains so they can donate trailer cars to lengthen Class 165/166 trains.
- Reorganise some services, so Main Line services can be all 100 mph trains.
Southeastern may need to acquire some additional rolling stock.
- South Western Railway‘s thirty-six Class 458 trains, which are soon to be replaced with new Class 701 trains are a long-term possibility.
- South Western Railway’s ninety-one Class 455 trains, which are soon to be replaced with new Class 701 trains could be a stop-gap. Built in 1982, they still look good as I wrote in It’s Not A New Train.
- Greater Anglia will be withdrawing thirty Class 379 trains, which could be converted to third-rail operation and at the moment are homeless.
The first two fleets are 75 mph trains, but the Class 379 trains are 100 mph units, that could be ideal to support Southeastern’s Main Line services.
Conclusion
The Class 707 trains look like a good replacement for the Class 376 trains.
But because there appears to be a need for trailer cars to strengthen GWR’s Class 165 and Cass 166 trains, there also appears to be a need to withdraw some Class 465 trains, which creates the need for some detailed planning.
Coronavirus: New York Couples Can Now Tie The Knot Over Zoom
The title of this post is the same as that of this article on the BBC.
This is the introductory paragraph.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has signed an order allowing online marriages, as many weddings are cancelled under lockdown restrictions.
It sounds like a sensible idea to me.
When I first heard this story, I wondered if Zoom will be allowed for Quickie divorces?
Will Innovative Engineering Solve The PPE Gown Problem?
In the early 1970s, I worked as a programmer for various consultancies, who were doing innovative engineering. In one, which could have been Cambridge Consultants, where I worked for perhaps three months. One guy told me about a project he was working on, that was the automatic assembly of clothing.
I know more than a bit about making clothes, as my mother taught me how to knit, crochet, sew and use a sewing machine. In the early years of our marriage, I used to make dresses for C and in one instance, I made her a long heavy-weight winter coat.
So I am surprised, that innovative engineering has not come together to make hospital gowns automatically!
Let’s hope that some engineers have seen the gap in the market, and as I write, are putting together a machine, where you put material in one end and get gowns out the other. Neatly folded of course!
Will COVID-19 Create A Boom In Sleeper Train Services?
I have regularly used the Caledonian Sleeper to go to Scotland, as it gets you there at an early hour in the morning and if you book the train, at the right time, the cost of a single First Class cabin can be about the same cost as a day First Class ticket and a night in a Premier Inn.
Look at this picture, that taken a few months ago, as I was leaving Euston on a Caledonian Sleeper to Edinburgh. It would be very easy to board the train without breaking the two-metre rule.
I believe sleeper trains will see an increase in passengers.
We may also see in increase in services. These posts detail various planned or possible services.
- Caledonian Sleeper Considers Seven-Day Running
- Rail Sleeper Plan Between Caithness And Edinburgh
- Lying Not Flying, As Nightjet Sleeper Train Reaches Brussels
- SJ Invests In Thriving Sleeper Trains
- Austrian Railways To Run More Sleeper Trains
Note that the Caledonian Sleeper, the Swedes and the Austrians are investing in new rolling stock, so that won’t be a problem.
But perhaps the most interesting story, is described in Nightjet Plans Mini-Capsules For Private Travellers.
I can see a series of sleeper trains criss-crossing Europe, where everybody has their own mini-capsule. Perhaps, it will be called Ryantrain or easyTrain.
Coronavirus Lockdown In Sweden: a New Take On Safe Shopping — No Assistants
The title of this post is the same as that of this article on The Sunday Times.
It could be the way, that convenience stores will be going! Even my local Marks and Spencer in Dalston, allows you to scan using an app, put the goods in your bag and just walk out!
I must try it, as it would mean that I would have to touch less equipment and won’t have to stand there like a wally, whilst the assistant verifies my age, after I have purchased low alcohol beer.
There could also be little robots like Daleks or R2-D2 wandering around, who you could ask questions, like “Where is the Adnams 0.5% low-alcohol beer?”. They would reply “Follow me!” and lead you to your next purchase.
Climate Change: ‘Bath Sponge’ Breakthrough Could Boost Cleaner Cars
The title of this post is the same as that of this article on the BBC.
This is the introductory paragraph.
A new material developed, by scientists could give a significant boost to a new generation of hydrogen-powered cars.
The article is a must read and the development could make it a lot easy to store hydrogen in vehicles.
The problem is that hydrogen is extremely light and the article says this about storage.
In normal atmospheric pressure, to carry 1kg of hydrogen which might power your car for over 100km, you’d need a tank capable of holding around 11,000 litres.
That is rather large. This extract from the article describes the solution.
To get around this problem, the gas is stored at high pressure, around 700 bar, so cars can carry 4-5kg of the gas and travel up to 500km before refilling.
That level of pressure is around 300 times greater than in a car’s tyres, and necessitates specially made tanks, all of which add to the cost of the vehicles.
Now researchers believe they have developed an alternative method that would allow the storage of high volumes of hydrogen under much lower pressure.
The team have designed a highly porous new material, described as a metal-organic framework.
As ITM Power’s hydrogen filling stations can provide hydrogen at up to 350-700 bar, I’m sure that there could be a useful coming together, that will make hydrogen-powered vehicles more common.
Could for instance, the new material mean, that hydrogen becomes the fuel of choice for heavy trucks and railway locomotives?
Surviving Lockdown
People ask if I am surviving lockdown.
I am lucky in several ways.
Housing
I live in a spacious house, which is comfortable.
Although, it does have problems.
- It was built by a Turkish Jerrybuilder, who bought fixtures and fittings at the cheapest price possible.
- It gets too hot.
- The plumbing is suspect.
- The air-conditioner is broken and the service company, have had my money to fix it, but won’t come.
- The smoke detector above my bed is just hanging there, as I wrote in A Design Crime – The Average Smoke Detector
Hopefully, when we beat COVID-19, I’ll be able to move.
Finances
My investments give me enough to live comfortably. If you call, living in two rooms, never talking face-to-face with anybody living comfortably.
Exercise
I am still fit and can exercise as much as I need and is recommended.
I have a workout that I do twice a day, which includes movements like press-ups, stretches and single-leg stands.
I can do two dozen press-ups straight off or walk three miles, if I need to.
Health
My health is good, despite being a coeliac and suffering a serious stroke ten years ago.
- I test my own INR.
- I seem to have survived my fall of a month ago.
- I only go to the surgery for B12 injections, drug reviews and the odd problem.
Other than that I just suffer from the problems of a healthy man of 72, like arthritis and hay fever.
I do have a strange skin, that leaks a lot of water and doesn’t bleed, when I have an injection or a doctor or nurse takes blood. I never have a plaster after either procedure.
Food
I am a reasonable and very practical cook, or so my son and various friends tell me. These are some meals, I’ve been cooking under lockdown.
Pasta With Yogurt Sauce For One
Goat’s Cheese, Strawberry And Basil Salad
Smoked Haddock And Curried Rice
I shall add more here.
I won’t starve!
Shopping
A Marks and Spencer food store is fifteen minutes walk away, so I can get all the food I need.
I also got plenty of Adnams 0.5% alcohol Ghost Ship beers direct from the brewers delivered last week.
Their beers have been a lifeline, as they are gluten-free, thirst-quenching and don’t get me drunk. Even in quantity!
I also have safe delivery without any contact, as the couriers just ring my bell, we chat through the window about three metres away and they leave the goods on the step.
I didn’t think about lockdown, when I bought this house, but it is ideal for safe COVID-19-free deliveries.
Lockdown Practice
There can’t be many people, now going through the COVID-19 lockdown, wo have locked themselves away so many times in their life as I have.
- At the age of about six, I spent three months or more, in isolation because I caught scarlet fever.
- For the summer before A-Levels, my parents went to their house in Felixstowe. For part of the time, I locked myself in my bedroom and read up on my A level Physics.
- A couple of times at ICI, I self-isolated with a computer to get important jobs done. How many have used an IBM-360 as a PC?
- I self-isolated to write Speed, my first piece of independent software.
- Pert7 and other software for Time Sharing Ltd was written overnight sitting in the window of their offices on Great Portland Street.
- Artemis was written in an attic in Suffolk, with no-one else around for most of the time.
- The special PC version of Artemis, that was a combined project management, database and spreadsheet program, was also written under lockdown.
- After Celia died, I wrote Travels With My Celia(c) under lockdown. You can download the pdf file here.
Lockdown has almost been a way of life for me.
But on past form, I certainly have the mental strength to get through lockdown unscathed.
Conclusion
There must be a lot of others in much worse situations than myself.
The Anonymous Widower 