Inside A Class 99 – The UK’s Most Powerful Locomotive
The title of this post, is the same as the title of this YouTube video.
This locomotive and its siblings, which can run on both electrification and diesel is the future of rail freight in the UK and GB Railfreight have ordered thirty of them.
Hopefully, by the end of the year, I’ll see one of these locomotives running along the North London Line, through Highbury & Islington and Dalston Kingsland stations.
At the present time, there are 480 Class 66 diesel freight locomotives in the UK. A substantial amount of carbon emissions would be saved, if as many as possible of Class 66 locomotives as possible were replaced by Class 99 locomotives.
These Class 99 locomotives will literally turn the rail freight business upside down.
Can These Locomotives Be Converted from Diesel To Hydrogen Power?
Stadler or Cummins have not said, but Cummins are decarbonising the company.
Already, large American trucks fitted with the latest Cummins engines can be converted to hydrogen. I write about this in Cummins Debuts Integrated HELM Drivetrain At IAA.
Cummins are also supplying Wrightbus with engines for the next generation of low-emission bus, as I wrote about in Wrightbus StreetDeck Ultroliner Next-Gen To Get Cummins Power.
Did Stadler fit a Cummins diesel engine in a Class 99 locomotive, as they know that every Class 99 locomotive or similar locomotives for other markets can be converted to hydrogen?
It is strange but very heartening, that when we have an American President, who thinks that climate change is fake news, one of the United States, largest and most iconic companies is leading the charge to decarbonisation.
National Grid Pioneers UK-First Trial Of 3D Printed Technology For Low-Carbon Substations
The title of this post, is the same as that of this press release from National Grid.
These three bullet points act as sub-headings.
- Collaboration with Hyperion Robotics and the University of Sheffield will trial low-carbon 3D-printed concrete foundations including at National Grid’s Deeside Centre for Innovation in North Wales
- Innovation could reduce waste, carbon emissions and costs to consumers of network construction
- If rolled out across National Grid substations the technology could save up to 705 tons of concrete and 323 tons of CO2 and deliver £1.7 million in consumer savings versus traditional methods over a 10-year period
These two paragraphs give more details.
National Grid is working with Hyperion Robotics and the University of Sheffield on a UK-first trial to manufacture, install and test 3D-printed substation foundations, which have the potential to reduce construction-driven carbon emissions and reduce costs to consumers of network construction. This is part of National Grid’s commitment to leverage innovation to future-proof the network.
If the project is successful and the technology is rolled out across all National Grid substations, it is estimated it could save up to 705 tons of concrete and 323 tons of CO2 over a 10-year period, and deliver £1.7 million in consumer savings versus traditional methods.
The foundation design will deliver significant savings across the entire value chain.
- 70% reduction in concrete usage
- 80% less soil displacement
- 65% decrease in embodied carbon emissions
- 70% weight reduction compared to typical foundations
- 50% reduction in site operative hours, streamlining production
The foundations will be designed and produced in Finland by Hyperion Robotics, and tested at full-scale by the University of Sheffield. Further field testing will then be carried out at National Grid’s state-of-the-art testing facility, the Deeside Centre for Innovation in North Wales, later in 2025.
Conclusion
I like this technology and I suspect there are many other applications of 3D Concrete Printing.
Project To Demonstrate 15+ MW Turbine On Ocergy’s Floating Platform Kicks Off
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on offshoreWIND.biz.
This is the sub-heading.
The Reduced Commercial Risks with Demo of 15+ MW (RECORD15) joint industry project, which aims to install a latest generation turbine with a rated power over 15 MW on Ocergy’s floating platform in 2028, has been launched
The visualisation of the 15 MW turbine on its float in the article is impressive.
These two paragraphs add more details.
The Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) contract for this pilot project was recently signed between Ocergy and three offshore wind developers: EnBW Energie Baden-Württemberg AG, Kyuden Mirai Energy, and TEPCO Renewable Power.
Ocergy’s platform, the turbine agnostic OCG-Wind, is a modular design supporting an optimised assembly process from pre-fabricated steel sub-assemblies, allowing serial production using today’s existing supply chain and infrastructure, said the company.
Note.
- The average size of onshore wind turbine in the UK is 1.6 MW.
- Whitelee wind farm in Scotland, which is the largest onshore wind farm in the UK, uses 215 x 2.5 MW turbines.
- The Dogger Bank wind farm used 13 and 14 MW turbines on fixed foundations.
A 15+ MW turbine on a floating foundation will surely give Ocergy’s technology a very good test.
But it will be needed.
This is the overview of the Bowdun wind farm in Scotland, taken from the project’s web site.
The Bowdun Offshore Wind Farm will be located in the E3 leasing zone, which lies 44km off the coast of Aberdeenshire.
The zone, awarded to TWP under the ScotWind leasing round in January 2022, covers an area of 187km.
With water depths below 70m, it is highly suitable for fixed-foundation turbines, which will most likely sit on jacket foundations.
TWP plans to develop a 1GW offshore wind farm at the site. The base case is that the farm will number between 40-60 turbines, using ‘next-generation’ models with a capacity
between 18 MW and 25 MW. Construction is anticipated to commence in 2029 with commissioning planned for 2032-2033.This project base case will evolve as we gain knowledge from our site investigations and conduct technology research.
If turbines between 18 MW and 25 MW are to be used on fixed foundations, I can see a need to develop floats that will handle them.
SNP Ban On ‘Munitions’ Funds Puts Scottish Shipbuilding On The Line
The title of this post is the same as that of this article on The Times.
This is the sub-heading.
The president of Rolls-Royce submarines says plans for a world-class welding centre on the Clyde are at risk of being cancelled within days
These three paragraphs add more details to the story.
Ambitious plans to reverse a historic decline in Scottish shipbuilding are at risk after a £2.5 million taxpayer grant was axed due to an SNP ban on “munitions” funding.
A plan to build a specialist welding centre on the banks of the Clyde is now in grave doubt after Scottish Enterprise, the national economic development agency, was accused of reneging on a pledge to fund a building for the world-class facility.
Rolls-Royce, which is ready to support the project by providing £11 million worth of specialist equipment, expressed “dismay” at the news, saying the project had been classified as a “munitions” scheme solely on the basis that it would “support the construction of naval vessels”.
Given the experience of the Scottish Government in building ferries is documented in this Wikipedia entry, which is entitled Scottish Ferry Fiasco, the SNP must know something about how not to build ships.
The comments from readers of the Times Article are scathing, with many coming from those with Scottish names.
Welding And Nuclear Power
It doesn’t mention the other big use for welding in this article and that is in the manufacture of nuclear reactors. In fact one of the members of the Rolls-Royce consortium, that will build their small modular nuclear reactors is The Welding Institute – No prizes for guessing what they do!
Does that mean that Scotland won’t have anything to do with small modular nuclear reactors? Either in their manufacture or use.
This article in New Civil Engineer is entitled UK Plans New Nuclear Plant In Scotland Despite Scottish Government Opposition.
So if the Scottish Government wants nothing to do with making expensive, quality vessels for the nuclear industry, Rolls-Royce would surely be better building the welding centre in an area of the UK that would appreciate it.
Scots In High Positions Of Power
I like Scotland and the Scots and possibly, at one time, with all the North Sea Oil and Gas, I could have thought about relocating North of the Border. But I’m very glad I didn’t!
It does seem to me though, that when some Scots get to high positions of power, that they lose all sense of reason.
I would nominate.
- Fred the Shred
- The SNP
- That half-Scot, who was lucky enough to be elected US President twice.
There must be a few others.
Bicester Village Station – 28th May 2025
I went to Bicester Village station today and took these pictures.
Note.
- The station is fully step-free, with lifts.
- There is a reasonable coffee-shop.
- There is a very large car-park.
There are two trains per hour (tph) in both directions between Marylebone and Oxford stations.
This Google Map shows the station.
Note.
- London is to the North.
- Oxford is to the South.
- The footbridge dates from October 2021 and is not shown on the map.
- The London Road level crossing is in the North-East corner of the map.
- The London Road level crossing is a problem, as I indicated in Bicester MP Calls On Chancellor To Fund London Road Crossing.
- To take the pictures of the level crossing, I crossed the footbridge to the North-West side of the station and walked through the car park to the station entrance on Station Approach. I then walked past the Bicester Bodyshop and Edmundson Electrical to the level crossing.
- The Shell garage can be clearly seen behind the level crossing.
During my walk of about thirty-five minutes three trains passed over the level crossing.
These are my thoughts.
The Long Platforms
The platforms are long.
- The Oxford-bound platform, which is Platform 1, is 240 metres long.
- The London-bound platform, which is Platform 2, is 230 metres long.
Both platforms will take a pair of five-car Hitachi Express Trains.
It looks to me, that East-West Rail are expecting a large number of passengers.
East-West Rail Plans For Powering Trains
I detailed these in Plans For Powering Trains And Details Of Our Upcoming Consultation.This post was based on an East-West Rail news item with the same title.
Distances include.
- London Marylebone and Oxford – 66.8 miles.
- Bletchley and Oxford – 47.2 miles.
Both distances are within range of five-car Hitachi Express Trains, that have been fitted with batteries.
I also suspect other manufacturers could supply suitable trains.
Thoughts On The London Road Level Crossing
This article on the BBC is entitled Level Crossing Petition Supported By Thousands.
This is the sub-heading.
A petition calling for a fully accessible underpass at a town’s level crossing has received more than 3,000 signatures.
These three paragraphs add more detail.
Launched by MP for Bicester and Woodstock Calum Miller, the petition calls on the government to ensure any replacement of the level crossing at London Road in Bicester includes access for cars, not just cyclists and pedestrians.
It is set to be closed on safety grounds when the East West Rail (EWR) line becomes fully operational, which many fear would cut off crucial access to thousands of residents.
Mr Miller will present the petition, which can only be signed in person, in Parliament on 3 June.
The argument is certainly hotting up.
But I believe, that a bridge that meets everybody’s requirements might be possible to be built.
- Suppose that all trains and locomotives passing through the level crossing had to be self-powered. Passenger trains could be battery-electric and freight locomotives could be either hydrogen or battery powered through the location of the level crossing.
- The track could also be lowered through the crossing.
- These actions would reduce the height of any bridge taking the road over the railway.
It looks to me that on the Northumberland Railway, which has recently opened, they had a similar problem, but they were able to squeeze a bridge into the space, as this 3D Google Map shows.
Note.
- The bridge looks like it carries a two-lane road and a pedestrian/cycle way.
- There is no electrification.
- I believe that the Northumberland Line could be run by battery-electric trains.
- The road bridge has been built to accept all traffic using the railway.
In Newsham Station – 30th March 2025, there are several pictures of the bridge. This one shows the bridge with a train.
In Trains: £34m For Revival Of 50-Year-Old North-East Railway Line, I said this about battery-electric trains for the Northumberland Line.
I’m drawn inextricably to the conclusion, that the trains should be 100 mph battery-electric trains.
Hitachi, who have a factory in the North-East, have announced their Regional Battery Train in July 2020, which is described in this Hitachi infographic.
These trains can be based on Class 385 trains.
- They are 100 mph trains.
- They come in three- and four-cars lengths.
- The three-car trains have 206 seats.
- They can work in pairs.
- They can use 25 KVAC overhead electrification.
- They have a range of 90 kilometres or 56 miles on battery power.
- The batteries would be charged on the ECML between Benton North junction and Newcastle station.
- The battery packs will be designed and manufactured by Hyperdrive Innovation in Sunderland.
- They have big windows for the views.
I’m sure Hitachi and Hyperdrive would like a fleet in service, just up the road from their factories.
Could a similar or even thinner bridge be squeezed in at Bicester Village station to take London Road over the railway?
I think it can, if they use some of the latest 3D modelling.
Could A Cross-City Underground Railway Be Run Using Battery-Electric Trains?
Consider.
- Cross-city underground railways like London’s Bakerloo, Central, Jubilee,Northern, Piccadilly and Victoria Lines are usually powered by third-rail technology, which can be dangerous, if someone falls on the track.
- Siemens new London Underground 2024 Stock, which is fully-described in this Wikipedia entry, has the following characteristics.
- A train width of 2.648 metres.
- A train height of 2.844 metres.
- Walk-through carriages
- Air-conditioning
They will also have batteries to support regenerative braking.
But say you were building a new underground line across a city like Birmingham, Leeds or Manchester.
Would the following be possible?
- The tunnel would be built as small as possible, which would probably mean that it was built faster and more economically.
- There would be no electrified rails or overhead wires to power the trains in the tunnel.
- The trains would be powered by batteries.
- Batteries would be charged by a pantograph, that erected to contact with an overhead line outside the tunnel.
- The central tunnel would be bored straight.
- When the train doors opened, passengers would be able to walk on a level surface into and out of the train.
- I believe it would be possible to align the train doors with openings in the tunnel wall at stations to eliminate the need for platform edge doors.
I believe that to design a train and tunnel to literally fit like a glove, could save a lot of money on building a cross-city underground line.
The New Southbound Northern Line Platform At Bank Station
These pictures show the new Southbound Northern Line Platform at Bank Station.
Note.
- This is probably London Underground’s newest platform.
- The step into and out of the train is fairly level.
- This improvement has been achieved with new track and thirty-year-old rolling stock.
Have Siemens redesigned the platform/train interface in the London Underground 2024 Stock, so that the train/platform interface is even better?
- Who’s to know what you can do with modern computer-aided design techniques?
- If the train were to be battery-powered, so that conductor rails were not needed, would the extra space help fit everything in?
- If there were no live rails under the train, would this increase safety, both real and perceived?
I believe it might be possible to design a train/platform interface, that would work with simpler and more affordable platform edge doors.
We probably find out what is possible until the London Underground 2024 Stock enter service later this year.
South Korea Aims To Lead The Global Market With Hydrogen Train
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Railly News.
These are the first two introductory paragraphs.
South Korea is taking an ambitious step with a vision of becoming a major player in the rapidly growing global hydrogen rail market. To 26,4 billion dollars The country that wants to gain a competitive advantage in this market that is expected to reach A self-developed Hydrogen Train by 2028 announced plans to introduce.
This strategic project is the national railway operator of South Korea korail will be managed by Korail, Building a two-car hydrogen train prototype by 2027 and creating the necessary legal and operational infrastructure for the dissemination of this technology. $23 million will make an investment. South Korean officials also clearly state that they aim to set international standards in the field of hydrogen-based mobility with this project.
I’ve thought for some time, that the Koreans have been serious about hydrogen-powered transport, as Hyundai keeps popping up with hydrogen transport and other ideas.
British company; Centrica owns a big share with Hyundai, Kia and others of a British start-up company from Hull, called HiiROC.
This is the HiiROC web site.
HiiROC can take any hydocarbon gas and split it into green hydrogen and carbon black.
Green hydrogen is obviously useful and the carbon black can be used for making tyres for vehicles, anodes for lithium-ion batteries and in agriculture for soil improvement.
Waste off-gas from a chemical plant can be split into green hydrogen and carbon black.
Biomethane from a sewage plant can be split into hydrogen and carbon black. Could a sewage plant on an estate be used to create biomethane for cooking and feeding to the HiiROC plant? Yes!
Could green hydrogen produced on the estate be used to drive vehicles like cars, vans and ride-on-mowers. Yes! If the manufacturer of the vehicle allows it!
How convenient would it be to have Hydrogen-at-Home?
The Korean investment in HiiROC by Hyundai and Kia clearly fits with the philosophy expressed in the second paragraph of the article of creating the hydrogen infrastructure.
I believe that at some point in the future, you will be able to buy a HiiROC device, that gives you as much hydrogen as you need to power your car, truck, bus, tram or train. The Koreans have a track record of turning ideas like this into reality.
Haventus, Sarens PSG Unveil ‘On-Land to Launch’ Floating Wind Solution
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on offshoreWIND.biz.
This is the sub-heading.
UK companies Haventus and Sarens PSG have developed a low-cost solution for the integration and launch of floating offshore wind turbines.
These two introductory paragraphs add more details.
Haventus said that it is working to enable offshore wind project developers to acquire fully assembled floating bases and turbines at Ardersier, Scotland, as well as providing dry storage which does not require complex licensing.
A heavy-lift solution will enable safe on-land integration and launch to the harbour of fully integrated floating offshore wind turbines.
Note.
- Haventus introduce themselves on their web site, as an energy transition facilities provider, offering pivotal infrastructure for the offshore wind industry. The first facility, they are developing is the Port of Ardesier in the North of Scotland, to the North-East of Inverness.
- Sarens PSG introduce themselves on their web site, as specialists in turnkey heavy lifting and transportation solutions for offshore wind component load-in, marshalling, assembly, deployment, and integration.
It looks to me that the two companies are ideal partners to put together flotillas of large floating wind turbines.
These two paragraphs seem to describe the objectives of the partnership.
This should shorten supply chains through single-site sourcing of key components and remove the operational, safety, logistical, and engineering complexity that comes with storage and integration activities in the marine environment.
The companies also said that the solution can also drive down the costs and accelerate floating offshore wind deployment by simplifying transport and installation requirements and remove the obstacles of weather and design life variables that must be considered with ‘wet’ storage and integration.
I was always told as a young engineer to define your objectives first, as you might find this helps with the design and costs of the project.
I do wonder sometimes, if the objectives of High Speed Two smelt too much of a project designed by lots of parties, who all had different objectives.
The Location Of The Port Of Ardesier
This Google Map shows the location of the Port of Ardesier in relation to Inverness, the Orkneys and Shetlands, and Norway.
The Port of Ardesier would appear to be ideally placed to bring in business for the partnership.
Surgeon Invents Plastic-Reducing Urine Collection Pot
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the BBC.
This is the sub-heading.
A hospital specialist has invented a new product that manages to reduce plastic and simplify the process of testing urine.
These three introductory paragraphs, add more detail.
Consultant urologist Dr Nick Burns-Cox has been working on his own innovation, the Pee-In-Pot (PiP) for 10 years.
Made from bamboo and sugar cane, it removes four items from the current urine collection process, three of them plastic.
Mr Burns-Cox, who works at Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton, said he hoped it would cut down the use of single-use plastic in the NHS and reduce the chance of errors.
I like the design of this simple device.
But, personally, I hope it becomes universal, as I have trouble giving urine samples.
I had my stroke in Hong Kong and the Chinese nurses, were so aggressive, when it came to taking urine samples, they have given me an aversion to them.
In my view the device could help the patient psychologically, at what could be a difficult time.
Wigan Wallgate To Headbolt Lane – 10th May 2025
I was now running late and decided to go back to Liverpool via the Kirkby Branch Line, with a change of train at Headbolt Lane.
I took these pictures along the route.
Note.
- Wigan Wallgate station could be refurbished into a quality station.
- Manchester to Wigan Wallgate is likely to be electrified, as I wrote in Bolton-Wigan £78m Rail Electrification Project Announced.
- Headbolt Lane station is a new station.
- The other stations on the line are fairly rudimentary affairs.
- Only Headbolt Lane station is step-free, as all platforms are on the same level.
The Kirkby Branch Line runs across the flat Lancashire countryside.
This Google Map shows the unusual layout of Headbolt Lane station.
Note.
- Liverpool is to the South-West.
- Wigan and Manchester are to the North-East.
- The station buildings and the car parks are on the North side of the tracks.
- There are two platforms pointing towards Liverpool.
- There is a single platform pointing towards Wigan.
- There is a second track pointing towards Wigan, that has no platform.
- None of the tracks are electrified.
- Three red buffer stops can be picked out.
- Trains to Liverpool are run by battery-electric Class 777 multiple units.
- Trains to Wigan and Manchester are run by diesel multiple units.
All platforms are the same level and you can walk from one side of the station to the other between the buffer stops.
It is effectively a step-free three-platform station without lifts or escalators.
I have never seen another station like it!
Modernising The Route Between Wigan Wallgate And Headbolt Lane
Consider.
- With the exception of Headbolt Lane station, there is no step-free access on this line and that needs to be addressed.
- Wigan Wallgate station has an island platform, with steps to the street.
- With the exception of Headbolt Lane station, there is very little parking.
- The Class 150 diesel multiple units are forty years old.
The distance between Wigan Wallgate and Headbolt Lane stations is about 15 miles.
The Anonymous Widower 