Consultation Opens For Ferrybridge Next Generation Power Station
The title of this post, is the same as that of this press release from SSE.
These three bullet points act as sub-headings.
- Ferrybridge Next Generation sets out plans for continuing the legacy of power generation at the site, with the potential to bring significant investment to the region.
- Statutory consultation phase launched, inviting communities and stakeholders to have their say on project proposals.
- Hydrogen-enabled project could support the security of supply and offer a clear route to decarbonisation.
These three paragraphs add more detail.
Members of the public are being invited to have their say on plans for a proposed new power station in development, Ferrybridge Next Generation Power Station.
The station is being designed so that it can run on hydrogen, as a lower-carbon alternative to natural gas. It would also be able to operate using natural gas or a blend of hydrogen and natural gas until a technically and commercially viable hydrogen supply becomes available to the site.
With a proposed capacity of up to 1.2GW, Ferrybridge Next Generation Power Station could play an important role in supporting the UK’s energy system in the short term – providing reliable flexible back-up power during periods of peak demand and balancing the system when the wind doesn’t blow or the sun doesn’t shine, while delivering a route to decarbonised power generation in the longer term.
Note.
- A 150 MW/300 MWh Battery Electric Storage System is being developed on the site, which I wrote about in SSE Renewables Announces Construction Of Second Utility-Scale Battery Storage System.
- The last Ferrybridge power station; C had a capacity of just over 2 GW.
- This will be SSE Renewable’s second hydrogen-fired power station after Keadby, which I wrote about in Consultation On Plans For Keadby Hydrogen Power Station To Begin.
- As the press releases says, Ferrybridge Hydrogen-Fired Power Station will be West Yorkshire’s backup for when the wind doesn’t blow and the sun doesn’t shine.
How similar will the two hydrogen-fired power stations be?
Will SSE Be Building Any More In The First Wave Of Hydrogen-Fired Power Station?
This is a paragraph from SSE’s press release.
The station is being designed so that it can run on hydrogen, as a lower-carbon alternative to natural gas. It would also be able to operate using natural gas or a blend of hydrogen and natural gas until a technically and commercially viable hydrogen supply becomes available to the site.
It would appear that the availability of the hydrogen fuel may be a problem.
But places like Aberdeen, Bradford, Brighton, Humberside and Merseyside, do seem to be planning for hydrogen, so all is not lost.
Centrica And X-energy Agree To Deploy UK’s First Advanced Modular Reactors
The title of this post, is the same as that of this press release from Centrica.
This is the sub-heading.
Centrica and X-Energy, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of X-Energy Reactor Company, LLC, today announced their entry into a Joint Development Agreement (JDA) to deploy X-energy’s Xe-100 Advanced Modular Reactors (“AMR”) in the United Kingdom.
These three paragraphs add more details.
The companies have identified EDF and Centrica’s Hartlepool site as the preferred first site for a planned U.K. fleet of up to 6 gigawatts.
The agreement represents the first stage in a new trans-Atlantic alliance which could ultimately mobilise at least £40 billion in economic value to bring clean, safe and affordable power to thousands of homes and industries across the country and substantive work for the domestic and global supply chain.
A 12-unit Xe-100 deployment at Hartlepool could add up to 960 megawatts (“MW”) of new capacity, enough clean power for 1.5 million homes and over £12 billion in lifetime economic value. It would be developed at a site adjacent to Hartlepool’s existing nuclear power station which is currently scheduled to cease generating electricity in 2028. Following its decommissioning, new reactors would accelerate opportunities for the site and its skilled workforce. The site is already designated for new nuclear under the Government’s National Policy Statement and a new plant would also play a critical role in generating high-temperature heat that could support Teesside’s heavy industries.
This is no toe-in-the-water project, but a bold deployment of a fleet of small modular reactors to provide the power for the North-East of England for the foreseeable future.
These are my thoughts.
The Reactor Design
The Wikipedia entry for X-energy has a section called Reactor Design, where this is said.
The Xe-100 is a proposed pebble bed high-temperature gas-cooled nuclear reactor design that is planned to be smaller, simpler and safer when compared to conventional nuclear designs. Pebble bed high temperature gas-cooled reactors were first proposed in 1944. Each reactor is planned to generate 200 MWt and approximately 76 MWe. The fuel for the Xe-100 is a spherical fuel element, or pebble, that utilizes the tristructural isotropic (TRISO) particle nuclear fuel design, with high-assay LEU (HALEU) uranium fuel enriched to 20%, to allow for longer periods between refueling. X-energy claims that TRISO fuel will make nuclear meltdowns virtually impossible.
Note.
- It is not a conventional design.
- Each reactor is only about 76 MW.
- This fits with “12-unit Xe-100 deployment at Hartlepool could add up to 960 megawatts (“MW”) of new capacity” in the Centrica press release.
- The 960 MW proposed for Hartlepool is roughly twice the size of the Rolls-Rpoyce SMR, which is 470 MW .
- Safety seems to be at the forefront of the design.
- I would assume, that the modular nature of the design, makes expansion easier.
I have no reason to believe that it is not a well-designed reactor.
Will Hartlepool Be The First Site?
No!
This page on the X-energy web site, describes their site in Texas, which appears will be a 320 MW power station providing power for Dow’s large site.
There appear to be similarities between the Texas and Hartlepool sites.
- Both are supporting industry clustered close to the power station.
- Both power stations appear to be supplying heat as well as electricity, which is common practice on large industrial sites.
- Both use a fleet of small modular reactors.
But Hartlepool will use twelve reactors, as opposed to the four in Texas.
How Will The New Power Station Compare With The Current Hartlepool Nuclear Power Station?
Consider.
- The current Hartlepool nuclear power station has two units with a total capacity of 1,185 MW.
- The proposed Hartlepool nuclear power station will have twelve units with a total capacity of 960 MW.
- My instinct as a Control Engineer gives me the feeling, that more units means higher reliability.
- I suspect that offshore wind will make up the difference between the power output of the current and proposed power stations.
As the current Hartlepool nuclear power station is effectively being replaced with a slightly smaller station new station, if they get the project management right, it could be a painless exercise.
Will This Be The First Of Several Projects?
The press release has this paragraph.
Centrica will provide initial project capital for development with the goal of initiating full-scale activities in 2026. Subject to regulatory approval, the first electricity generation would be expected in the mid-2030s. Centrica and X-energy are already in discussions with additional potential equity partners, as well as leading global engineering and construction companies, with the goal of establishing a UK-based development company to develop this first and subsequent projects.
This approach is very similar to the approach being taken by Rolls-Royce for their small modular reactors.
Will Centrica Use An X-energy Fleet Of Advanced Modular Reactors At The Grain LNG Terminal?
This press release from Centrica is entitled Investment In Grain LNG Terminal.
This is one of the key highlights of the press release.
Opportunities for efficiencies to create additional near-term value, and future development options including a combined heat and power plant, bunkering, hydrogen and ammonia.
Note.
- Bunkering would be provided for ships powered by LNG, hydrogen or ammonia.
- Heat would be needed from the combined heat and power plant to gasify the LNG.
- Power would be needed from the combined heat and power plant to generate the hydrogen and ammonia and compress and/or liquify gases.
Currently, the heat and power is provided by the 1,275 MW Grain CHP gas-fired power station, but a new nuclear power station would help to decarbonise the terminal.
Replacement Of Heysham 1 Nuclear Power Station
Heysham 1 nuclear power station is part-owned by Centrica and EdF, as is Hartlepool nuclear power station.
Heysham 1 nuclear power station is a 3,000 MW nuclear power station, which is due to be decommissioned in 2028.
I don’t see why this power station can’t be replaced in the same manner as Hartlepool nuclear power station.
Replacement Of Heysham 2 Nuclear Power Station
Heysham 2 nuclear power station is part-owned by Centrica and EdF, as is Hartlepool nuclear power station.
Heysham 2 nuclear power station is a 3,100 MW nuclear power station, which is due to be decommissioned in 2030.
I don’t see why this power station can’t be replaced in the same manner as Hartlepool nuclear power station.
Replacement Of Torness Nuclear Power Station
Torness nuclear power station is part-owned by Centrica and EdF, as is Hartlepool nuclear power station.
Torness nuclear power station is a 1,290 MW nuclear power station, which is due to be decommissioned in 2030.
I don’t see why this power station can’t be replaced in the same manner as Hartlepool nuclear power station.
But the Scottish Nationalist Party may have other ideas?
What Would Be The Size Of Centrica’s And X-energy’s Fleet Of Advanced Modular Reactors?
Suppose.
- Hartlepool, Grain CHP and Torness power stations were to be replaced by identical 960 MW ADRs.
- Heysham 1 and Heysham 2 power stations were to be replaced by identical 1,500 MW ADRs.
This would give a total fleet size of 5,880 MW.
A paragraph in Centrica’s press release says this.
The companies have identified EDF and Centrica’s Hartlepool site as the preferred first site for a planned U.K. fleet of up to 6 gigawatts.
This fleet is only 120 MW short.
Rolls-Royce mtu Series 4000 engines To Power New Catalina Express Ferry In California
The title of this post, is the same as that of this press release from Rolls-Royce.
These two bullet points act as sub-headings.
High-capacity ferry to feature four EPA Tier 4-certified engines, delivering over 7463 kW (10,000 bhp)
Cutting-edge propulsion system will integrate SCR and DPF once certified by the EPA, USCG, and CARB to meet commercial harbour craft regulations
These three paragraphs from the press release, describe the ferry and its operation.
Rolls-Royce has been selected by Catalina Express of San Pedro, CA (USA) to supply the marine propulsion system for its new high-capacity ferry. The 500-passenger vessel, which will be the largest in the Catalina Express fleet upon completion, will be powered by four mtu 12V4000 M65L engines, delivering a combined output of over 7463 kW (10,000 bhp).
The new ferry is part of the Port of Los Angeles’ $31 million LA MER project, which is funded by the California Air Resources Board (CARB). Via the project, Catalina Express received a $15 million grant, matching it with $15 million of its own investment. The goal of the LA MER project is to test ways to reduce emissions as the Port works toward becoming a zero-emission port.
The new 42-meter ferry, which will be able to reach speeds up to 37 knots, will replace three older Catalina Express vessels maintaining capacity and increasing environmental performance. The vessel will serve as a next-generation leader of the fleet, showcasing the company’s commitment to sustainable operations.
The Wikipedia entry for Catalina Express has this first paragraph.
Catalina Express is an American passenger ferry service that operates scheduled trips between Santa Catalina Island and mainland California. The company began service in 1981 with a single sixty-passenger vessel. As of 2016, the Catalina Express fleet includes eight high-speed vessels that can make the roughly 30-mile (48 km) crossing in about an hour.
There appears to be strong commitment of the California Air Resources Board and Catalina Express to air quality and zero emissions.
In Liberty Lines Commissions First High-Speed Ferry With mtu Hybrid System From Rolls-Royce, I wrote about another high-speed ferry, that will be powered by a Rolls-Royce mtu hybrid system.
The European ferry will be able take 281 passengers at 34.5 mph, and also use battery-power in port.
I can see larger, faster and more advanced ferries being developed, with lower-emission power systems, that will take over some of the shorter sea routes.
Busiest UK Airports Raise Kiss-and-Fly Fees, Says RAC
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the BBC.
This is the sub-heading.
More than half of Britain’s busiest airports have raised “kiss-and-fly” fees for cars dropping off passengers close to terminals, according to research from the RAC.
These two paragraphs add details.
The motoring group found 11 out of 20 UK airports had put up prices since last July, with Gatwick, Bristol, Leeds Bradford and Southampton joining Stansted in charging the top rate of £7 to park for a matter of minutes.
In contrast, at nine of the 10 busiest airports in the European Union there are no drop-off fees.
I don’t drive and these days I can’t walk very far, but I travel around the UK and Europe without any difficulty.
Here are a few tips.
Use James Cameron’s Packing Method
James Cameron was one of BBC’s most famous and much-travelled journalists and his life is documented in this Wikipedia entry.
The Wikipedia entry says nothing about his packing method, which my late wife and myself used after hearing him describe it in one of his excellent documentaries.
Sort everything you think you’ll need into two piles. Each pile contains half the shirts, trousers, swimwear, underwear etc. that you think you’ll need.
Pack each pile in a separate case and leave one case behind.
As to money he said, work out the most you’ll need and double it. These days with credit cards, that is probably not so relevant.
Choose An Airport With Good Step-Free Public Transport
I’m lucky in London, in that I can get a bus within a hundred metres of my house, that takes me to Moorgate, Bank or London Bridge stations, which give me direct access to City, Gatwick, Heathrow, Luton, Southend or Stansted Airports.
Step-free access to some airports in the UK is abysmal.
Use A Train From A Station With a Properly Designed Drop-Off Area
These pictures show the taxi rank and drop off area at Leicester station.
The building would appear to have a Grade II Listed taxi rank and free twenty-minute car park.
How many other stations have well-designed facilities like these?
According to this article on the BBC, Preston station has an innovative solution.
If you spot any others, let me know!
Service Your Car Near The Airport
For three or so years, we had a car, where there was a main dealer a couple of stops on the Piccadilly Line from Heathrow.
So we dropped the car in, walked a short distance to the Underground and started our holiday with a tube ride.
It just needs a bit of research.
I don’t drive anymore after a stroke, but if I did, my car would be serviced by a garage, I could get to on public transport.
UK Among Tri-Axle Zero-Emission Wrightbus StreetDeck Prospects
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on routeone.
This is the sub-heading.
Orders for new product ‘already lined up’ in Europe and the Far East, the manufacturer has said
These are the first two paragraphs.
Wrightbus sees UK sales opportunity for its new tri-axle zero-emission StreetDeck double-deck bus platform in addition to core Far Eastern markets for that class of vehicle, it says.
That was noted by CEO Jean-Marc Gales (pictured) when debuting prototype examples of the 6×2 bus that it says are “simultaneously” coming off production lines in Northern Ireland and Malaysia. The manufacturer adds that orders are “already lined up” for the product in Europe and the Far East.
I seem to remember that London’s electric trolleybuses used to have three axles.
So I asked Google AI if London’s trolleybuses did have three axles and got this reply.
Yes, London’s trolleybuses were predominantly three-axle vehicles. To accommodate their length and the power of their electric motors, most London trolleybuses, designed to replace trams, were built with three axles. This design allowed them to be larger and carry more passengers, similar to the trams they replaced.
So my memory was correct.
Where I live in De Beauvoir Town, the main North-South bus route is the 141 between London Bridge and Palmers Green.
- They are ten-year-old diesel hybrid buses.
- The route is busy and the buses are far too small.
- During my childhood, the route was the 641 trolleybus, which I used regularly.
- Southgate Road, where the trolleybuses ran is wider than most roads in London.
It would be ironic, if our inadequate 141 buses were to be replaced by new three-axle buses following some of the design rules of trolleybuses.
Is A Three-Axle Bus Better At Climbing Hills Than A Two-Axle?
In the UK, Bradford, Brighton and Sheffield are cities with hills.
If a three-axle bus is better at climbing hills, then this could be a big selling point.
The Chinese Won’t Be Pleased
This is said in the article.
The manufacturer adds that orders are “already lined up” for the product in Europe and the Far East
The Chinese won’t like Wrightbus stealing their markets.
RWE Opens ‘Grimsby Hub’ For Offshore Wind Operations And Maintenance
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on offshoreWIND.biz.
This is the sub-heading.
RWE officially opened its ‘Grimsby Hub’ offshore wind operations and maintenance (O&M) facility in the UK on 9 July. From the new O&M base, located at Associated British Ports’ (ABP) Port of Grimsby, RWE’s teams will maintain and operate the Triton Knoll and Sofia offshore wind farms.
These are the first two paragraphs.
The Grimsby Hub also houses RWE’s new UK Centralised Control Room (CCR), which has been set up to provide 24/7 monitoring of the company’s UK offshore wind farms and can provide services such as marine coordination, turbine operations, alarm management, high voltage monitoring and Emergency Response services with a team of twelve operatives, the developer says.
The O&M facility is already employing over 90 Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs), according to RWE, and is expected to employ around 140 RWE staff by 2027, as well as create approximately 60 new locally sourced jobs through the development of the CCR and ongoing offshore operations.
Note.
- Does RWE’s new UK Centralised Control Room control all their UK offshore wind farms?
- I have added them all up and there are almost 12 GW around our shores.
- I’ve read somewhere, that RWE are the UK’s largest power generator. From these figures, that would not surprise me.
This Google Map shows the location of RWE’s facilities in Grimsby.
Note.
- The bright red arrow at the top of the map indicates RWE Generation UK in Grimsby Docks.
- There is another RWE location to the right of the bright red arrow.
- There is a line of stations along the coast, which from left-to-right are Stallingborough, Healing, Great Coates, Grimsby Town, Grimsby Docks, New Clee and Cleethorpes.
- Cleethorpes is not shown on the map.
- Doncaster and Cleethorpes are 52.1 mile apart, which is within the range of a battery-electric Hitachi and other trains.
- Charging would be at Doncaster, which is fully electrified and at Cleethorpes, by a short length of electrification.
This OpenRailwayMap shows the layout of and the railways around Grimsby Dock.
Note.
- Cleethorpes station is indicated by the blue arrow, in the South-East corner of the map.
- Cleethorpes station has four platforms, but no electrification.
- Grimsby Docks are to the North of the railway to Cleethorpes.
- This Wikipedia entry for Cleethorpes station, shows other railways and light railways served the area. Some were even electric.
These are a few of my thoughts on the development of railways between Sheffield and Cleethorpes.
RWE Will Be A Large Driver Of Employment In Grimsby
Earlier I wrote.
- Does RWE’s new UK Centralised Control Room control all their UK offshore wind farms?
- I have added them all up and there are almost 12 GW around our shores.
- I’ve read somewhere, that RWE are the UK’s largest power generator. From these figures, that would not surprise me.
It’s a long time, since I’ve added resources to a large project, so I asked Google AI, “How many people are needed to support a 1 GW offshore wind farm in the UK?”, and received this answer.
Direct & Indirect Support: For a large-scale project, this often breaks down into approximately 100–150 direct, permanent, high-skilled roles (technicians, engineers, management) and hundreds more in indirect, contracted, or supply chain roles (vessel crews, port operations, logistics).
Industry Average: Studies suggest that for operations and maintenance (O&M), around 50–100 full-time equivalent (FTE) jobs are generated per GW of installed capacity in terms of direct, permanent staff.
Key Takeaways for a 1 GW Farm:
- Direct Technicians/Operators: ~100–200+ (working on-site, turbines, or in control rooms).
- O&M Support Services: ~300–400+ (vessel operators, port logistics, supply chain).
- Total Operations Personnel: 300–600+ people.
Google AI appeared to have borrowed the figure from Ørsted and Hornsea 1 and 2.
So if it’s correct, there will be a total of 7,200 personnel supporting RWE’s wind farms in the UK. Even if only a third were employed in Grimsby, that is still a lot of people to accommodate and who will need to travel to work.
I also think a lot of personnel will come in by train, as the station is close to RWE’s locations.
Will Grimsby Have An Aberdeen-Sized Office-Shortage Problem?
One of the biggest problems, I was always hearing in the 1970s, was the shortage of offices in Aberdeen for the use of the oilmen.
In RWE Goes For An Additional 10 GW Of Offshore Wind In UK Waters In 2030, I talked about RWE’s plans for the future and published this table of new wind farms.
- Sofia – 1,400 MW
- Norfolk Boreas – 1380 MW
- Norfolk Vanguard East – 1380 MW
- Norfolk Vanguard West – 1380 MW
- Dogger Bank South – 3000 MW
- Awel y Môr – 500 MW
- Five Estuaries – 353 MW
- North Falls – 504 MW
Note.
- Sofia is nearly complete.
- Only the three Norfolk and the Dogger Bank South wind farms are on the East side of England and suitable to be serviced from Grimsby., but they still total 7,140 MW.
Has Grimsby got the office-space for all the people needed?
Could The Cleethorpes And Liverpool Lime Street Service Be Run By Battery-Electric Rolling Stock?
The various sections of this route are as follows.
- Cleethorpes and Doncaster – No Electrification – 52.1 miles
- Doncaster and Meadowhall – No Electrification – 15.2 miles
- Meadowhall and Sheffield – No Electrification – 3.4 miles
- Sheffield and Dore & Totley – No Electrification – 4.2 miles
- Dore & Totley and Hazel Grove – No Electrification – 29.2 miles
- Hazel Grove and Stockport – Electrification – 3.3 miles
- Stockport and Manchester Piccadilly – Electrification – 5.9 miles
- Manchester Piccadilly and Deansgate – Electrification – 0.8 miles
- Deansgate and Liverpool South Parkway -Not Electrified – 28.2 miles
- Liverpool South Parkway and Liverpool Lime Street – Electrified – 5.7 miles
Adding the sections together gives.
- Cleethorpes and Hazel Grove – No Electrification – 104.1 miles
- Hazel Grove and Deansgate – Electrification – 10 miles
- Deansgate and Liverpool South Parkway -Not Electrified – 28.2 miles
- Liverpool South Parkway and Liverpool Lime Street – Electrified – 5.7 miles
Note.
- To cover the 104.1 miles to Hazel Grove battery-electric trains would probably need to leave Cleethorpes with full batteries.
- Doncaster is a fully-electrified station and passing trains may be able to have a quick top-up.
- In South Yorkshire Now Has Better North-South Connections, I calculated that Doncaster is a very busy station with 173 express trains per day calling at the station or one every 8.5 minutes.
- Will trains be able to stop for a long period to charge batteries?
- It may be prudent to electrify between Meadowhall and Sheffield, under the Midland Mainline Electrification.
- Sheffield and Dore & Totley is shown that it will be electrified, under the Midland Mainline Electrification.
- Do we really want to have electrification marching along the Hope Valley Line?
- I believe that hydrogen-hybrid locomotives will be a better solution for freight trains on scenic lines like the Hope Valley, as they are zero-carbon, powerful and with a range comparable to diesel.
I believe CAF, Hitachi and Siemens have off the shelf rolling stock and factories in this country, who could build trains for the Cleethorpes and Liverpool Lime Street route.
How Would You Charge Battery-Electric Trains At Cleethorpes?
This picture shows Cleethorpes station
Note.
- The four long platforms without electrification.
- The platforms have recently been refurbished.
- The train in Platform 2 is a TransPennine Express Class 185 Siemens Desiro diesel train.
The simplest way to electrify the station would be to put up enough 25 KVAC overhead wires, so that battery-electric trains needing a charge could put up a pantograph and have a refreshing drink.
In Technology Behind Siemens Mobility’s British Battery Trains Hits The Tracks, I wrote about Siemens Rail Charging Converter.
This is a visualisation of a Siemens Rail Charging Converter in action.
Note.
- The track is electrified with standard 25 KVAC overhead electrification.
- The train is a standard Siemens electric or battery-electric train.
- Siemens Rail Charging Converter, which is the shed in the compound on the left is providing the electricity to energise the catenary.
- I suspect, it could power third rail electrification, if the Office of Rail and Road ever allowed it to be still installed.
- The Siemens Rail Charging Converter does have one piece of magic in the shed. I suspect it uses a battery or a large capacitor to help power the electrification, as it can be powered from any typical domestic grid supply.
- I also wonder, if it has safety devices that cut the power outside the shed if track workers or intruders are detected, where they shouldn’t be?
- It could even cut the power, when trains are not running to save power and increase safety.
This looks to me, that a Siemens Rail Charging Converter could be a superb example of out-of-the-box thinking.
Could The Cleethorpes And Barton-on-Humber Service Be Run By Battery-Electric Rolling Stock?
This OpenRailwayMap shows the railways of North-East Lincolnshire.
Note.
- Cleethorpes is in the South-East Corner of the map.
- Barton-on-Humber is in the North-West corner of the map and marked by a blue-arrow.
- Stations from South to North would be New Clee, Grimsby Docks, Grimsby Town, Great Coates, Healing, Stallingborough, Habrough, Ulceby, Thornton Abbey, Goxhill, New Holland and Barrow Haven.
- The line is double track.
- Cleethorpes and Barton-on-Humber is just 22.8 miles.
- A round trip would be under fifty miles, which would be well within range of a full-charge at one end.
- Service is one train per two hours (tp2h), which would only need a single train, shuttling between Cleethorpes and Barton-on-Humber.
- Two trains could provide an hourly service.
I would expect, that well-designed, solid and reliable German engineering could build a Siemens’ Rail Charging Connector that could charge four trains per hour (tph) at Cleethorpes station.
At present services are.
- TransPennineExpress – 1 tph to Liverpool Lime Street.
- East Midlands Railway – 1 tp2h to Barton-on-Humber
- East Midlands Railway – 1 tp2h to Matlock via Lincoln and Nottingham
- Northern Trains – 1 train per day (tpd) Sheffield via Brigg.
That is probably only about two tph.
Could The Cleethorpes And Sheffield Service Be Run By Battery-Electric Rolling Stock?
This is a description of the current Cleethorpes and Sheffield service.
- It is run by Northern Trains.
- The morning train leaves Sheffield at 09:54 and arrives in Cleethorpes at 11:40.
- The afternoon train leaves Cleethorpes at 13:20 and arrives in Sheffield at 15:10.
- The train is a Class 150 diesel train, which is a bit of a Joan Collins of a train – Of a certain age, but still scrubs up extremely well!
- Intermediate stations are Worksop, Retford, Gainsborough Central, Kirton Lindsey, Brigg, Barnetby and Grimsby Town
- The route length is 71.6 miles
- Trains take about 45-50 minutes.
It is also a parliamentary train.
The Wikipedia entry for parliamentary train gives this description of the Cleethorpes and Sheffield service.
Via Kirton Lindsey & Brigg. Became a parliamentary service when weekday services were withdrawn in 1993. Regular trains have operated between Gainsborough and Sheffield for most timetable periods since. Suspended January 2022 by Northern, who cited COVID-19 and staffing issues , but the service was reinstated in December 2022. Changed in May 2023 to be one return journey on weekdays only.
In the 1950s and 1960s I lived in Felixstowe part of the time and in the 1970s and 1980s I lived near Woodbridge and I observed first hand the development of the Port of Felixstowe and the effects it had on the surrounding countryside.
The development of the Port of Felixstowe, has brought the following.
- Improved roads and railways.
- Ipswich is now an hour from London by train.
- Ipswich is now a University town.
- New housing and other developments, both in Ipswich and Felixstowe and the surrounding countryside.
- Employment also has increased considerably, both in the Port and in surrounding towns.
- Ipswich’s football team is very much respected all over Europe and has won the English top division, the FA Cup and the UEFA Cup.
When you consider the jobs that RWE could create in the Port of Grimsby, I believe that this could have similar effects in Grimsby and Cleethorpes, as the Port of Felixstowe had in East Suffolk.
Already, the following are being talked about.
- A direct rail link between Cleethorpes and Grimsby to London.
- Battery-electric trains between Cleethorpes and Grimsby and Doncaster, Manchester and Liverpool Lime Street.
I believe that an improved rail link between Cleethorpes and Sheffield could be the catalyst for much needed housing along the route, which would be to the benefit of Cleethorpres, Grimsby, Sheffield and all the intermediate towns and villages on the route.
and the affects this will have on the countryside around the town, I believe that a strong case can be made out for a more frequent service between Cleethorpes and Sheffield.
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.
The Anonymous Widower 