Has The Clacton Constituency Anything To Do With The Offshore Wind Industry?
I ask this question as Nigel Farage, who is the sitting MP has called a by-election.
Before I answer, the question in the title, I will ask Google AI if he supports wind farms.
I received this reply.
Nigel Farage does not support offshore wind farms. As the leader of Reform UK, he opposes them and has pledged to eliminate renewable energy subsidies, impose a windfall tax on wind developers, scrap net-zero targets, and prioritize the expansion of North Sea oil and gas extraction.
Put this alongside the answer to the question I put in the title of this post.
Yes, the Clacton constituency is directly connected to the offshore wind industry through both established infrastructure and future energy projects off its coastline.The constituency’s specific ties to the wind sector include:
Gunfleet Sands Offshore Wind Farm: Located just 7 kilometers (about 4 miles) off the coast of Clacton and Holland-on-Sea, this wind farm has been operating since 2010. It features 48 turbines and can be seen directly from the town’s beachfront.
Electrical Connection Points: The Gunfleet Sands Offshore Transmission Owner (OFTO) system connects this wind farm to the UK’s national grid via cables and onshore substations based in the local area.
Five Estuaries Offshore Wind Farm: The Clacton coastline falls within the proposed zone for this massive £1.5 billion project. Jointly developed by SSE Renewables and RWE, the project is projected to power over 400,000 homes, with onshore grid infrastructure and cabling proposed for the North Essex area.
If the right independent candidate stood againt Farage, this could be an interesting contest.
Meet The 6×6 Toyota Hilux Built To Tackle Electric Car Fires
The title of this post, is the same as that as this article on Select Car Leasing.
This is the sub-heading.
A car fire is never a good thing, and if the car is electric, the results could be even worse. If it all goes up in flames while the vehicle is in a multi-storey car park, then the consequences could be dire, with limited space available for fire services to control the situation.
This introductory paragraph adds some more details.
Such incidents happen — more than 1,000 cars were destroyed in a fire in Liverpool, while a multi-storey collapsed in Stavanger — so a UK company has converted a Toyota Hilux pickup into a six-wheel EV fire-fighting machine to keep us all safe.
A lot more details are given on the vehicle’s web site, which is called the 6 x 6 HILOAD.
I was alerted to the need for such a vehicle by this article in The Times, which is entitled How Scotland’s New £30k Fire Engines Left Crews Walking To Wildfires.
The pictures on the 6 x 6 HILOAD web site, show a vehicle with a Czechnia registration.
So, I typed “6 x 6 HILOAD Czechnia” into Google AI and received this answer.
The 6×6 Hiload (developed by Prospeed Motorsport) is a custom, six-wheeled conversion of the Toyota Hilux designed specifically for emergency response, particularly targeting electric vehicle (EV) battery fires.In Czechia, the 6×6 Hiload is undergoing trials with Czech Fire & Rescue Services (Hasiči) to test its capabilities in fast-response and confined environments. Key features of the vehicle in action include:
EV Firefighting: It utilizes specialized equipment like the Coldcut Cobra system, which pierces EV battery casings to extinguish fires directly with a minimal amount of water, reducing the risk of thermal runaway.
Low Profile: Standing at less than 1.9 metres tall, it can easily navigate low-clearance urban underground and multi-storey car parks that traditional, larger fire engines cannot access.
High Payload: The custom six-wheel chassis stretches the Hilux and increases its payload capacity to roughly 3,000kg, allowing it to carry heavy fire and rescue equipment without sacrificing off-road mobility.
This chassis will have more uses than a Swiss army knife.
I suspect the Ukrainians could find several uses.
How Is The Testing Of Babies In Italy For Coeliac Disease And Type 1 Diabetes Going?
I asked Google AI the question in the title of this post and received this reply.
Testing babies and children for coeliac disease and type 1 diabetes in Italy is progressing successfully, rooted in groundbreaking legislation. Italy is the first country to pass a national law (Law 130/2023) mandating mass screening for these conditions in children aged 1 to 17.
The pilot project, known as the D1Ce Screen, was rolled out in four key regions: Lombardia, Sardegna, Marche, and Campania. Testing is typically conducted at ages 2, 6, and 10.
Here is how the rollout is progressing based on interim data and reports:
Pilot Study Success: The screening involves a simple capillary (finger-prick) blood draw administered by primary care pediatricians. Participation in the initial phase was high, with over 75% of pediatricians and thousands of children successfully screened.
Higher-Than-Average Positivity Rates: Preliminary data revealed that approximately 2.8% to 2.9% of children tested positive for coeliac-specific antibodies—more than double the global average of 1% to 1.4%. Additionally, around 0.8% of children displayed markers for type 1 diabetes.
Early Detection: The pilot has proven highly effective at identifying asymptomatic or “silent” cases of both conditions early, which is vital for preventing acute complications like Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA) and avoiding the long-term impacts of undiagnosed coeliac disease.
High Public Acceptance: Surveys from the pilot regions indicate that more than 90% of parents are highly willing to have their children screened, though general public awareness of the national program is still being scaled up.
Following these successful pilot rollouts, the government continues to expand the screening program to ensure full, nationwide coverage to protect at-risk children before severe symptoms develop.
An Avenue Of Trees, Cheered Me Up Today
I was feeling a bit down, after the loss of my phone on a train yesterday, as I cam back from Cambridge South station.
After reporting its loss at Liverpool Street station this morning, I thought I might be able to get something I needed at Sainsbury’s in Walthamstow.
To get from Walthamstow Central station to Sainsbury’s I walked along this avenue of trees.
Note.
- It was lovely and cool on a hot day.
- There was a gentle breeze through the trees.
- Halfway along, I chatted to a guy with Indian heritage. He said he liked the trees at Chistmas, when the Council put lights on them.Now surely, that is multiculturalism.
I asked Google AI about the trees and got this reply.
The avenue of mature trees leading from Walthamstow Central Station towards the High Street consists of lime trees. Also locally referred to as Lime Tree Walk, these established trees are well known for soaking up pollution from the adjoining bus and transit areas.
Google AI estimates that the trees are at least a hundred years old.
I believe we should do things like this more often, as it is surely a scientifically-correct way to deal with the pollution of only a few vehicles emitting it.
Out of curiosity, I asked Google AI,”Are we doing research to increase the effectiveness of trees clearing pollution?” and received this reply.
Yes, there is extensive, ongoing scientific research dedicated to increasing the effectiveness of trees at clearing pollution. Studies focus on optimizing urban canopy cover, vegetative barrier design, and microbiome/soil enhancements to maximize both particulate matter (PM) capture and carbon sequestration.
Current research initiatives and findings include:
Vegetative Barriers & Species Traits: Research from the University of Surrey’s Global Centre for Clean Air Research (GCARE) has developed a plant selection framework. By evaluating traits like leaf hairs, canopy density, and seasonal leaf retention, they identify highly effective species (such as silver birch, elder, and yew) to act as physical green barriers that trap particulate matter and filter exhaust.
Tree Spacing & Dispersion: Studies on urban street canyons show that sparse or dense tree spacing can sometimes trap pollutants if the canopy blocks wind flow. However, “medium spacing” (where the gap between trees is roughly equal to the crown diameter) has been proven to optimize both airflow and particle reduction for pedestrians and cyclists.
Soil & Growth Interventions: Studies like the Glandwr Forest Carbon Study by Imperial College London and The Carbon Community are testing methods to boost young tree growth and carbon sequestration using enhanced rock weathering and microbial enrichment.
Cooling & Air Purification Pathways: Recent findings published in Landscape and Urban Planning highlight that trees reduce particulate pollution (PM10) not just by trapping it on leaves, but also through localized cooling. By mitigating extreme heat, trees promote the natural deposition of suspended particles.
It seems that the good citizens of Walthamstow and the nearby forest, probably achieved a result, that was very much in line with modern research.
One Of The Jobs I Did, That I’m Most Proud Of
In the early 1970s, I developed and attempted to market a simultaneous differential equation solving program called SPEED, which stood for Simple Program for the Efficient Evaluations of Differentials or something like that.
It wasn’t very successful, but two companies asked me to write some for them.
- For Time Sharing, I put the central algorithm into their simultaneous differential equation solver to move the program up to the next level.
- WS Atkins, asked me to install it on their computer.
SPEED had a few advantages over typical simultaneous differential equation solvers of the time like IBM/CSMP.
- IBM/CSMP needed at least an IBM 360/50 computer, which I ran it on at ICI in Welwyn Garden City, where I was a general mathematical dogsbody. But SPEED could run on a dial-up line to a time-shared computer like a PDP-10.
- The time-shared computers as used by Time Sharing and WS Atkins, gave the big advantage, that as the size of the computer increased, the size of the problem, that could be tackled in proportion.
- IBM/CSMP and SPEED both had a simple column-oriented report writer, which unsurprisingly ended up in Artemis, which I wrote a few years later.
- I can’t remember, who at ICI gave me the tip, but I used a sophisticated version of the Runga-Kutta algorithm, that everybody used and some probably still do today. The version, I used was called Runga-Kutta-England, where like me England, was a graduate of Liverpool University.
This summary by Google AI described the algorithm.
The England version of the Runge-Kutta method (developed by R. England) is a highly efficient 4th/5th order embedded numerical integration formula. By reusing intermediate slopes across two methods of differing orders, it provides a highly reliable built-in error estimate for adaptive step-size control.
Does anybody still use Runga-Kutta methods? I suspect not!
A breakthrough of sorts came, when WS Atkins asked me to produce a larger system of the SPEED software, that could handle several tens of thousands of equations.
- Atkin’s client was the Water Resources Board and they were modelling the water distribution system for a large part of the UK.
- Prominent in the project was a Dr. David A, Dimeloe and we became friends and had dinner with our wives a couple of times.
- But I never received a copy of the report, that was written or heard any more since about 1975.
- But judging by the fact, that we seem to have adequate supply of water in the UK and problems seem to be all about sewage, politics, management and finance, I feel that David and his team, must have done a good job.
- I was also never asked to fix any bugs in the software.
I did have some trouble getting the money I was owed from the intermediary in the deal, but I eventually retrieved it through the County Court without a solicitor.
Crown Estate’s Revenue From Existing Offshore Wind Farms 20 Pct Higher, Operating Profit Dips As Round 4 Projects Enter Construction Phase
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on offshoreWIND.biz.
This is the sub-heading.
The Crown Estate reported a decline in annual operating profit to GBP 1.2 billion (approximately EUR 1.4 billion) from GBP 1.4 billion (approx. EUR 1.6 billion) in the previous year due to lower offshore wind Round 4 option fee income, as the Round 4 projects started entering the construction phase. Excluding the Round 4 option fees, operating profit rose 5 per cent to GBP 370 million (approx. EUR 435 million), while revenue from existing offshore wind farms increased 20 per cent to GBP 117 million (approx. EUR 138 million)
These four paragraphs add more details.
Over the year, the Crown Estate returned GBP 487 million (approx. EUR 573 million) to HM Treasury, bringing total contributions to GBP 5.1 billion (approx. EUR 6 billion) over the past decade, according to its financial report released on 25 June.
Alongside the financial results, the UK seabed manager highlighted that offshore wind capacity in its waters has reached 13 GW, up from 12 GW, with 36 wind farms now operating in its marine portfolio.
The pipeline of offshore wind capacity has increased to 56 GW, with an expanding offshore leasing and development programme as early Round 4 projects enter construction.
In the Offshore Wind Seabed Leasing Round 4, held in 2021, the Crown Estate selected six projects, which signed their Agreements for Lease in 2023, kicking off the three-year period during which the developers were paying annual option fees.
In Offshore Wind In 2030 – Calculated June 2026, I showed that the offshore wind capacity will have increased to 56 GW, sometime in 2031-2032.
How Much Income Will There Be In 2027-2032 from UK Wind Farms?
I asked Google AI the question in the title of this section and received this answer.
UK wind farm industry revenues are forecast to surpass £6 billion annually heading into 2027, driven by expanding capacity and inflation-adjusted contracts. Between 2027 and 2032, overall sector income will scale rapidly as capacity aims to double and up to £5 billion is pumped into the supply chain.
The economic landscape for UK wind generation features the following financial projections and parameters:
Industry Revenue & Growth: The UK wind power generation market is projected to expand at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of over 15% through 2031. The rapid expansion of both onshore and offshore capacity will push total market revenues well into the double-digit billions by 2032.
Contract for Difference (CfD) Revenues: Wind farms are heavily shielded from market volatility by index-linked strike prices. For instance, recent offshore projects have secured delivery rates as low as $37.35 per megawatt-hour (MWh). Conversely, older assets are transitioning out of initial subsidy schemes, moving into merchant wholesale pricing or new contracts by 2027.
Macroeconomic Contribution: Every additional gigawatt (GW) of offshore wind capacity adds an estimated £2 billion to £3 billion to the wider UK economy.
The Crown Estate Earnings: Acting as the UK seabed manager, The Crown Estate generates significant income from offshore wind leasing, having reported operating profits of over £1.2 billion and planning to retain up to 60% of its revenue to reinvest in the energy sector.
Landowner & Community Economics: For utility-scale farms, participating landowners generally earn between 5% and 6% of the annual turnover from wind farms, equating to around £40,000 per year for a single large turbine. Domestic turbines can earn up to £702 annually under the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG), depending on the specific supplier tariff.
I believe that with a similar growth of solar energy, the renewable energy produced in the UK in 2032 will be beyond our wildest dreams.
SSE Energy Solutions Powers Ascot’s Shift To Electrification With One Of UK Sport’s Largest Rooftop Solar Projects
The title of this post, is the same as that of this press release from SSE.
The press release starts with these three bullet points.
- System expected to generate approx. 569,000 kWh of renewable electricity annually, reducing reliance on fossil fuel power
- Installation to supply around 9% of Ascot’s annual electricity needs
- Helps improve energy resilience and cost predictability through on-site generation
These first two paragraphs add more details.
Ascot Racecourse has taken a major step in electrifying its operations with the completion of a large rooftop solar installation, delivered in partnership with SSE Energy Solutions and Ortus Energy. The system, installed across the 480-metre Grandstand roof, includes more than 1,200 solar panels and has a total capacity of 608.04 kWp.
Once fully energised, the project is expected to generate approximately 569,000 kWh of renewable electricity each year. The electricity will be used on site to help power race days, including Royal Ascot, as well as more than 180 non-racing events hosted at the venue annually. By generating electricity at source, Ascot can reduce its reliance on grid electricity generated from fossil fuels and strengthen the resilience of its operations.
The installation will meet around 9% of Ascot’s total annual electricity demand.
I have a few thoughts.
The Scheme Is Delivered Via A Long-Term Power Purchase Agreement
This is the last paragraph of the press release.
Delivered via a long-term power purchase agreement (PPA), the project requires no upfront capital investment from Ascot. SSE Energy Solutions funds the installation, while Ortus Energy designs, installs and operates the system — enabling Ascot to access renewable electricity with long-term price visibility and reduced exposure to volatile fossil fuel markets.
It looks like King Charles III, who owns Ascot racecourse, hasn’t had to put any cash up front.
What Is The Capacity Of Ascot Racecourse?
Google AI said this.
Ascot Racecourse has a maximum race-day capacity of 70,000 guests, which was reduced from 80,000 to manage crowd density and improve the overall customer experience. The venue is divided into several enclosures, each with its own limit to maintain a comfortable environment during premier events like Royal Ascot.
It may be only the third largest horse racing venue in the UK, but it is probably larger than most sports stadiums.
Which Other Stadiums Have Or Plan To Have Solar Panels In The UK?
A quick use of Google AI found these.
- Hampshire Cricket Stadium
- London Stadium
- Principality Stadium
- Queen’s
I suspect this list could grow fairly quickly.
Could SSE Be Using Ascot Racecourse To Sell Solar Roofs?
Consider.
- Ascot racecourse is one of the most prestigious venues in the UK.
- Ascot racecourse has its own dedicated railway station.
- There are twenty-six race days per year.
- Both codes of horse-racing are featured.
- Some meetings are followed by live music.
- I suspect flying drones about the stands to show off the solar panels could be arranged.
- Catering should be top notch.
- Everything for a high-class sales-presentation should be available.
Ascot racecourse could be an ideal venue to sell large solar roofs to owners of sports stadia or other large buildings.
TerraLithium, BHE Renewables Announce Key Milestones For Geothermal Lithium Project In California
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on ThinkGeoEnergy.
This is the sub-heading.
TerraLithium and BHE Renewables have announced key milestones towards advancing technology for lithium extraction from geothermal brines in Imperial Valley, California.
This is the important paragraph in the article.
The business model of coupling lithium and critical minerals extraction with geothermal energy production is gaining increasing attention, both in the United States and in countries like Germany, France, and the UK. As demonstrated in the United Downs geothermal power project in Cornwall, lithium extraction provides additional revenue generation that can significantly improve the economics of deep geothermal projects.
So here we have little Cornwall showing Big California how to get power and lithium out of hot rocks.
In Cornish Plant Produces Geothermal Power, I described the progress at the Cornish plant in March.
Has Andy Burnham Ever Said Anything On Geothermal Energy?
Given that there is an election or coronation under way, I just had to ask Google AI, the question in the title of this section.
This is the answer I received.
Yes, Andy Burnham has occasionally engaged with topics involving geothermal energy, particularly in the context of tapping natural underground heat and mine water for green energy
His notable references to the technology include:
Supporting Manchester’s Geothermal Potential: He has voiced support for localized renewable heat projects, such as exploratory borehole plans in Manchester city centre intended to tap into thermal springs for community heating.
I think we can put that down as a favourable view.
This excellent article on the BBC is entitled Plan To Heat Manchester Homes With A Geothermal Spring, is worth a full read.
Andy Burnham and Highview Power
Highview Power are building their first commercial-scale liquid-air battery at Carrington in Greater Manchester.
I typed the title of this post into Google AI, to see if anything enlightening turned up.
This is what I found.
Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham has strongly championed the development of Highview Power’s pioneering £300m liquid air energy storage (LAES) facility in Carrington, Manchester. Burnham officially broke ground on the project, praising it as a massive boost for local green jobs and grid resilience.
The Carrington Project at a Glance
Location: Trafford Low Carbon Energy Park, Carrington, Greater Manchester
Capacity: 300MWh of storage and 50MW of output. The plant can supply clean power to roughly 480,000 homes.
Jobs: Created over 700 jobs in construction and the supply chain.
Technology: Stores excess energy from renewable sources (like wind and solar) as liquid air. It can hold energy for several weeks to release back into the grid when demand is high.
Andy Burnham’s Stance
Burnham views the Highview Power plant as a cornerstone of his plan to reindustrialize Greater Manchester and establish it as a global center of excellence for clean energy.
Hosting such advanced demonstration technology aligns perfectly with his Good Growth Fund and regional net-zero strategies.
Broader Significance
Backed by Centrica and the National Wealth Fund, the Carrington site is the first in a planned global rollout of large-scale, long-duration energy storage plants. Mayor Burnham officially broke ground on the facility, which remains on track to be fully operational in 2026.
Calls Grow For Direct Trains To New Universal Park
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the BBC.
This is the sub-heading
There are growing calls for more train services to run directly to Universal’s planned UK theme park.
These two paragraphs add more details.
West Northamptonshire Council said it had written to the secretary of state for transport to ask that Northampton be included in passenger service plans for East West Rail.
It comes after Northampton South’s Labour MP Mike Reader raised the issue in the House of Commons, warning the current plans meant the town could “miss out on the opportunities” the park brings.
How Will Universal United Kingdom Resort Connect To The Rail System?
I asked Google AI the question above and received this answer.
The proposed Universal United Kingdom Resort near Bedford will connect to the rail system via two primary railway stations:
Wixams Station (Midland Main Line): A two-platform station currently under construction to the east of the site. Universal plans to expand this to four platforms to accommodate high visitor volume, connecting passengers directly to Thameslink services in about 45 minutes from Central London. A dedicated fleet of resort shuttle buses will run between Wixams and the park entrance.
East West Rail Station (Stewartby): A dedicated, purpose-built station is planned directly adjacent to the resort on the western side of the park. This will replace the older Kempston Hardwick station, providing high-capacity, five-carriage trains running between Oxford and Cambridge.
Together, these stations and surrounding road networks—such as the upcoming dedicated slip roads off the A421—will form the East and West Gateway Zones for the resort.
This OpenRailwayMap shows the railways in the are of the Universal United Kingdom Resort.
Note.
- The red track is the Midland Main Line between St. Pancras and Leicester, Derby, Nottingham and Sheffield.
- The black track is the East-West Rail between Bedford and Oxford when it opens.
- This section of the East-West Rail is shown dashed as it is not finalised yet
- The East-West Rail should eventually connect Oxford and Cambridge.
- The blue arrow indicates Stewartby station.
- The village of Wixams is at the right edge of the map.
If you read the Wikipedia entry for the new Wixams station, you get the impression, that a lot of groups and organisations don’t agree on lots of things about the railway, the theme park and Wixams station.
This second OpenRailwayMap shows the railways between Northampton and Bedford.
Note.
- The red tracks at the left are the West Coast Main Line between Euston and the North.
- The blue arrow indicates Northampton station.
- The red tracks at the right are the Midland Main Line between St. Pancras and the Midlands
- The black tracks connecting the two main lines are East-West Rail.
- The Western end of this section is at Bletchley, where the East-West Rail crosses the West Coast Main Line and also connects to it.
- The Eastern end of this section is at Bedford, where the East-West Rail joins the Midland Main Line through Bedford.
- Milton Keynes station is on the West Coast Main Line, just a few miles North of Bletchley station.
It looks to me, that a train could run between Northampton and Bedford stations, which could stop at Stewartby.
Are Universal United Kingdom Resort Going To Encourage Visitors To Use Rail?
I asked Google AI the question above and received this answer.
Yes, the Universal United Kingdom resort is making extensive plans to encourage and accommodate visitor travel by rail. The upcoming destination near Bedford is heavily integrating public transit into its infrastructure to manage the expected 8.5 million annual visitors.
The resort’s focus on railway accessibility includes several key features:
Dedicated Resort Station: Land has been explicitly reserved for a dedicated railway station directly at the resort on the East West Rail line, which connects Oxford and Cambridge.
Increased Train Frequency: To ensure seamless transportation, the East West Rail service plans to run up to five trains per hour during peak times specifically to cater to theme park visitors once it is fully operational.
Wixams Station Upgrades: A significant portion of a £1.3 billion government investment package is being utilized to construct and expand the nearby Wixams Railway Station, creating robust links along the Midland Mainline.
Initial Bus & Marston Vale Services: For the opening window of the park, Universal is setting up dedicated bus connections (such as from Milton Keynes) alongside existing local Marston Vale line options as full East West Rail expansions are completed.
Note how this question got slightly different answers to my original question, but they don’t conflict with each other.
I do find though with AI, that the more questions you ask and the more you refine those questions, the better answers you obtain.
But surely that is to be expected. Or at least hoped for!
Will Universal United Kingdom Resort Be Attracting Overseas Visitors?
I asked Google AI the question above and received this answer.
Yes, the Universal United Kingdom Resort will be a major draw for international tourists. Projections estimate that the park will attract well over one million overseas visitors annually, serving as a catalyst to boost Britain’s global visitor economy.
The resort’s target demographic is explicitly designed to tap into international travel markets:
International Forecasts: Tourism officials and developers project that up to one-third (30%) of all visitors in its opening year will be from overseas, with projections shifting toward a 40% to 50% international mix as the resort matures.
Global Location: As the only Universal-branded theme park in Europe, it will be highly accessible to travelers arriving through London’s major international airports and rail hubs.
Economic Boost: Because of this anticipated influx, the UK Government is backing the Universal United Kingdom Resort with £1.3 billion for strategic road and rail upgrades. This includes enhancing connectivity on the A421 and at Wixams train station to seamlessly transport international visitors directly to the Bedfordshire site.
Will Universal United Kingdom Resort Be Attracting Visitors From Scotland?
I asked Google AI the question above and received this answer.
Yes, the Universal United Kingdom Resort in Bedfordshire is expected to be a major draw for visitors from Scotland. As the first Universal-branded theme park in Europe, it is designed as a destination resort meant to attract millions of tourists annually from across the UK and the wider continent.
The projected 8.5 million annual visitors will be drawn from all over, driven by several key factors:
High-Speed Connectivity: Situated in Kempston, Bedfordshire, the resort is roughly 50 miles north of London. Scottish travelers can easily access it by taking direct train routes (e.g., LNER or Avanti West Coast) from Edinburgh and Glasgow to London Kings Cross or St Pancras, then catching connecting trains to Bedford in under an hour. Alternatively, direct flights into London Luton Airport place visitors within a very short distance of the park.
National Draw: Because it is the only destination of its kind in the UK, it is being positioned as a “must-visit” national tourist attraction, capturing a large domestic market extending well beyond the southeast of England.
I believe that travelling between Universal United Kingdom Resort and Scotland by rail could be improved significantly, if the following were to be done.
- Fit batteries to the Class 810 trains run by East Midlands Railway, so they could run between St. Pancras and Sheffield stations without using diesel. This in itself, would probably attract more passengers.
- I believe that little or no electrification would need to be added, so that Sheffield could be an all electric and probably faster, trip from London or Universal United Kingdom Resort.
- The battery-electric trains would need to be charged at Sheffield, but why not do this at Doncaster station, which is a station with copious electrification.
- Extending the Sheffield services to Doncaster would also allow LNER passengers between Aberdeen, Edinburgh or Newcastle and Derby or Universal United Kingdom Resort, to do the trip with a single cross-platform change at Doncaster between two almost identical Hitachi trains.
- Sadly, the Midland Main Line has suffered a tragic accident this week. Were passengers going between Scotland and say Luton Airport inconvenienced? I believe that linking the two London services together at Doncaster, would have advantages for passengers, operators and Network Rail. Especially, when engineering works are scheduled!
I talk about using battery-electric trains to fully electrify the Midland Main Line in Could Electric Trains Run Between St. Pancras International and Sheffield Stations With No More Electrification?
The Anonymous Widower 