Hydromax Sets US Speed Record
The title of this post, is the same as that of this of this press release from Ricardo.
This is the sub-heading.
The Ricardo supported vehicle achieves 368.347 mph record
These three paragraphs add some more detail.
JCB Hydromax has set a US Southern California Timing Association (SCTA) record Bonneville Speed Week. having achieved 368.347mph.
JCB Hydromax was developed by JCB with support from Ricardo and Prodrive, with Ricardo responsible for uprating JCB’s production hydrogen engines from 75 to 800 horsepower, while also reducing their weight by 100kg. And working closely with Prodrive, to ensure the engines could run laying on their sides to improve vehicle aerodynamics, and cope with the high altitude and temperatures of the Bonneville Salt Flats.
The Ricardo team have been on site in Utah throughout speed week to support with the preparation and running of the 32 foot streamliner car.
What I find amazing is the engineering, that must have gone into the project, to update a production hydrogen engine by eleven times and lose a 100 kg. of weight in the process.
Hopes Railway Station In Picturesque Village Could Become ‘Gateway’ To Northumberland Coast
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the Chronicle Live.
This is the sub-heading.
A rail company boss said there was a “real opportunity” for the station to have a bigger role
These three paragraphs add more details.
A key railway boss has provided hope that one of Northumberland’s quietest railway stations could finally see more trains pulling in. Chathill Station on the East Coast Mainline is close to two of the county’s most popular tourist destinations in Seahouses and Bamburgh.
Despite the excellent location it is one of the county’s least-used stations. Just 1,580 passengers were recorded between April 2024 and March 2025 – although this was up 25% on the previous 12 months.
Locals have been urging rail companies to make more stops in the village. Now, the boss of operator First Rail Open Access, which runs Lumo services, has visited the station and claimed there is a “real opportunity” to strengthen its role. Lumo provides services on the East Coast between King’s Cross and Edinburgh Waverly, passing through Chathill.
It seems that Lumo must think it is worthwhile stopping at Chathill.
Chathill: The Station That The Nation Forgot
This feature has the same title as this section.
It is well worth a read and gives a good background to the history of Chathill station and the other stations on the East Coast Main Line, and the former branch to Seahouses.
Could Modern Digital Signalling Be The Key For Lumo?
Lumo runs between London Kings Cross and Edinburgh Waverley and Glasgow Queen Street six time per day, calling at Stevenage, Newcastle, Morpeth, Edinburgh Waverley, Haymarket and Falkirk High.
Note.
- Stevenage calls only pick up Northbound and put down Southbound, so have Lumo developed procedures to get passengers on and off the train, as fast as possible?
- The East Coast Main Line is also under control of full digital signalling at Stevenage, so is that used to expedite the stop?
- Going North the trains seem to have a time where they leave Stevenage like 0606 and in reality they might arrive at 0604 and leave at 0606. So do they go as fast as traffic will allow between Kings Cross and Stevenage, using the digital signalling and the Mark 1 eyeball to keep tabs on the train in front?
- Going South a similar procedure seems to be used.
A typical stop at Stevenage seems to take between one and two minutes.
I have just checked Morpeth and all Lumo services seem to stop at Morpeth and they seem to take between one and two minutes.
It looks to me, as a Graduate Control Engineer, that full digital signalling on the East Coast Main Line might allow a couple extra stops to be added to Lumo’s timetable.
Will East Coast Main Line Digital Signalling Allow 140 mph Running?
I asked Google AI the question in the title of this section and received this reply.
Yes, the digital signalling being installed via the East Coast Digital Programme is a key technical enabler for future 140 mph (225 km/h) operation on parts of the East Coast Main Line.
This will surely, allow trains to pick up enough time on 140 mph sections of the line, to give enough time for the extra stops.
How Much Time Will 140 mph Running Save?
A quick calculation shows that if a train ran at 140 mph instead of 125 mph for a hundred miles, there would be approximate five minutes saved.
I suspect this would allow two extra stops.
Could An Extra Stop Be Made At Reston?
This OpenRailwayMap shows Chathill and South-East Scotland.
Note.
- The orange track going up the coast is the East Coast Main Line between London Kings Cross and Edinburgh.
- Chathill station is marked by the blue arrow in the South-East corner of the map on the East Coast Main Line.
- The East Coast Main Line crosses the Firth of Forth on the Forth Bridge to the West of Edinburgh.
- The yellow track coming down from the Edinburgh area is the Borders Railway to Galashiels and Tweedbank.
- Two former railways lead between Tweedbank and Berwick-upon-Tweed and Reston stations on the East Coast Main Line.
- Important stations, that are North of Chathill, are Berwick-upon-Tweed, Reston, Dunbar and East Linton.
- Berwick-on-Tweed and Dunbar are well-served by LNER, with Reston getting one train per day.
I could see Lumo stopping at Reston, just as they share business at Morpeth with LNER.
Are There Any Plans To Connect The Borders Railway To Berwick-On-Tweed?
Looking at the map, I just had to ask Google AI the question in the title of this section.
I received this reply.
Official feasibility and business case studies are instead focused on extending the current Tweedbank terminus south toward Hawick and Carlisle along the old Waverley Route.
Grassroots Proposals
Tweed Valley Campaign: A volunteer group called the Tweed Valley Railway Campaign has lobbied to restore a link running east from St Boswells toward Berwick-upon-Tweed.
Local Benefits: Proponents argue an east-west connection would link the Borders directly to the East Coast Main Line, helping tourism and commuters.
Official Status: Despite local campaigns, transport authorities and councils have not adopted the Berwick route as part of official funded transport strategies.
Official Extension Plans
Carlisle Route: Government backing and funding are directed toward an extension study heading toward Hawick and Carlisle.
Timeline: Consultants are advancing a strategic business case for the Carlisle alignment, expected to report by late 2027.
I wonder if there might be a simpler interim plan.
Consider.
- Galashiels has a vert smart rail and bus interchange.
- Google AI says that Galashiels interchange can handle coaches.
- Wrightbus are launching hydrogen coaches in the next year or so.
- Hydrogen coaches will be powerful and silent.
- Hydrogen coaches will have a working range of 1,000 km.
I could see that hydrogen coaches running from Galashiels to Carlisle and Berwick-on-Tweed could be a winner.
Refurbished Routemasters Return To Service In London
The title of this post, is the same as that of this news item from Wrightbus.
This is the sub-heading.
A fleet of iconic Routemaster buses is returning to London’s streets following a comprehensive mid-life refurbishment programme delivered by Wrightbus’s repair and refurbishment division.
These three paragraphs add more detail.
The latest vehicle to complete the programme – LT706 – has emerged from a full refit at RGI Bus & Coach Refurbishment Limited, which was acquired by Wrightbus two years ago, before returning to service from Transport UK London’s Walworth Garage.
It is the ninth of 40 Routemasters allocated to Walworth-based Routes 3 and 68 to complete the programme, with the remaining vehicles due to be refurbished over the next 12 months. Among those already refurbished is the LT1000 – the last ever production New Routemaster – which is now back at the theTransport UK Twickenham Depot.
Designed to extend the operational life of the fleet, the programme sees each vehicle undergo a comprehensive survey before key components are repaired or replaced, returning the buses to an ‘as new’ condition for the next phase of their service.
This afternoon, I went to Euston and took a 68 bus halfway across London.
These are some of the pictures I took of LT703.
Note.
- An image of LT703 after refurbishment appears in the Wrightbus news item.
- I was unable to take pictures inside the bus, as it was too crowded.
- To my untrained eyes, it looked to be a thorough refurbishment.
- From what I heard, it sounded like the bus still had the same diesel power unit from Cummins.
I’d picked up the 68 bus from stop E at Euston, which is at the Eastern end of the Euston bus station.
I have a few questions about the refurbishment.
Will All Thousand Buses Be Brought Up To This Standard?
Coming home this morning, I rode in LT833 on route 38, which had also been refurbished.
The refurbishment seems to have added extra internal signs.
Could New Routemasters Still Be Running In The 2050s?
When you look at the trains on UK railways, there are a few InterCity 225 trains still running in regular service between London Kings Cross and Leeds.
- They were built between 1988 and 1991.
- So some could be only a couple of years short of their fortieth birthdays.
- The New Routemasters were built between 2011 and 2017.
If the New Routemasters can last as long of the trains with the right tender loving care, then they could still be running in the 2050s.
Could New Routemasters Be Converted To Battery-Electric Operation?
Consider.
- The current refurbishment program could give London and its bus passengers, a thousand as-new buses.
- These buses would give a breathing space before new buses need to be delivered.
- Bus passengers I speak to prefer New Routemasters to some of the Chinese electric buses coming into service.
- Hitachi have told me, that batteries will deliver more power for the kilogram in future years.
- Metroline are testing LT11, which has been converted to battery-electric power.
This section in the Wikipedia entry for the New Routemaster is entitled Mid-Life Developments, where this is said about LT11.
At the Euro Bus Expo in November 2022, Norfolk-based electric vehicle manufacturer Equipmake unveiled the first electric vehicle conversion for the New Routemaster, with Metroline-operated vehicle LT11 on display at the event with its hybrid propulsion system having been removed and replaced by Equipmake fully-electric motors and a 400 kWh battery.[106] The Equipmake New Routemaster electrification programme may allow the New Routemaster fleet to have a longer service life in London, as conversion of these vehicles to fully-electric will provide a cheaper alternative to purchasing replacement brand new electric buses.
There is a YouTube video of the bus in Equipmake Hybrid To Battery Powered LT11.
The interior looked very much like the interiors of LT703 and LT833.
Could New Routemasters Be Converted To Hydrogen-Electric Operation?
New Routemasters are powered by an Cummins diesel engine, from the same family as those that power the Dodge RAM Pickup.
In Could London’s New Routemaster Buses Be Converted To Hydrogen Power?, I looked at converting New Routemasters to hydrogen power.
This was my conclusion.
I believe from my knowledge of Cummins and the way they work, that they will come up with a hydrogen-based solution, that will replace the Cummins diesel in these buses with a zero-carbon engine.
If Cummins don’t then someone else will.
Whoever solves the problem of converting London’s new Routemasters to hydrogen will have one of the best adverts for their product, there has ever been.
After converting London’s thousand Routemasters, the engineers could move on to anything powered by a Cummins engine.
That conclusion would also apply to an electric conversion.
Chance For Rail To Distribute Hydrogen And Use It As Alternative Power Supply
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Rail Magazine.
These are the first three paragraphs.
Hydrogen can have a future in logistics as well as being an alternative power source for traction.
Speaking at RAIL Live, Mark Downing, Head of Industrial Energy at Heavy Haul Rail, argued that rail was best suited for the transport of hydrogen.
“Energy has always moved by rail. You’ve got coal, you’ve got fuel, this is the next energy process that can be put onto rail at scale,” he said.
Mark Downing talks a lot of sense.
The article has a heading picture of a HydroFlex or Class 799 train,which is a hydrogen-hybrid train that can be powered by electrification or an onboard hydrogen fuel cell.
I’d certainly like to see a Class 799 train running services on an appropriate branch line. The article suggests the West of Wales, or the North of Scotland.
Charles Calvert, Chief Innovation Officer at Vanguard Sustainable Transport Solutions, gives this view. “I would love to see at least one of those routes get decarbonised by any other measure in the next five years.”
Google AI says this about the range of a HydroFlex train.
The HydroFLEX train, developed by Porterbrook and the University of Birmingham, has a potential range of over 300 miles on a single fill of hydrogen.
The long range would probably allow the refuelling point to be developed at a safe point on the route, where hydrogen could be delivered by rail.
The Birmingham International and Aberystwyth route could be a possible hydrogen route.
- It has a total length of 132.3 miles
- There is no electrification between Aberystwyth and Shrewsbury, which is a distance of 111.2 miles.
- As Aberystwyth station has the Vale of Rheidol steam railway, I suspect that Aberystwyth station would not be an ideal refuelling point.
- But Machynlleth Maintenance Depot could be, although it is 20.7 miles and 35 minutes from Aberystwyth.
- The Aberystwyth and Pwllheli services split and join at Machynlleth station, so could refuelling be combined with the split and join?
- Pwllheli and Machynlleth are 57.8 miles and 150 minutes apart.
The most promising of the English stations would be Birmingham International station, which is shown in this Google Map.
Note.
- Birmingham International station is in the North-West corner of the map.
- The electrified Rugby, Birmingham and Stafford Line runs diagonally through the map.
- In addition to their Aberystwyth/Pwllheli service, there is also a Llandudno Junction service that terminates at Birmingham International.
- I wonder, if there is space South of Coventry Road, to build a combined charging and hydrogen refuelling station, that could refuel all trains terminating at Birmingham International.
As the section without electrification is 111.2 miles on the Aberystwyth service, 148.3 miles on the Pwllheli service and 116.5 miles on the Llandudno Junction service , I suspect that these services could be too far for battery-electric trains, without charging at the Western end.
Toyota Shock Admission: Electric HiLux And 4WDs Won’t Suit Mainstream Buyers Until Battery Tech Leaps Forward
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on EVCentral.
These are the three introductory paragraphs.
Toyota says electric utes and 4WDs are still years away from suiting mainstream, consumer-facing applications like touring and towing.
The admission came from Toyota Australia’s engineering team, speaking at the recent HiLux BEV and LandCruiser 300 Performance Hybrid briefing.
Toyota Australia’s product planning chief Ray Munday said battery energy density remains the single biggest obstacle standing between today’s electric utes and something capable of doing what a diesel HiLux or LandCruiser can do.
EVCentral also has an article entitled Toyota boss exults in Australian launch of new HiLux EV in 2026, hydrogen HiLux coming in 2028.
I hope, I’m still here in 2028, so I can have a ride in a hydrogen HiLux.
Wrightbus Launches In Australia With Battery And Hydrogen Buses On Show
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Fuel Cell Works.
These two bullet points, act as sub-headings.
- Wrightbus has officially launched its Australian expansion, introducing a range of battery-electric and hydrogen fuel cell buses backed by local sales, service and long-term support
- The move strengthens the company’s international growth strategy as Australia increases investment in zero-emission public transport and heavy-duty decarbonization
This first paragraph adds more details.
Wrightbus has officially entered the Australian market, marking a significant milestone in the Northern Ireland manufacturer’s international growth strategy. The company unveiled its expansion during the Australasia Bus & Coach Expo in Sydney, where it presented its battery-electric and hydrogen fuel cell bus portfolio to operators, government agencies and transport stakeholders. The launch will be led locally by a dedicated Australian team and is supported by a long-term commitment to aftersales service, technical support and partnerships with Australian industry.
I believe that this is the start of something big.
- Wrightbus know how to sell large numbers of buses to conurbations like London, Manchester and Leeds.
- An operator can decarbonise their network in a way that suits them.
- In the Ultroliner, Wrightbus have a bus that can be introduced as a diesel and then converted to hydrogen or electric, when the operator has sorted the fuel.
- Australia must surely be a big market for Wrightbus’s hydrogen-powered coach, with a 1,000 km range on one fill-up.
- It should be born in mind, that the average Wrightbus zero-carbon bus, makes the competition from China look like junks.
Will Wrightbus manufacture the buses and coaches in Ballymena, Malaysia or Australia?
India’s First Hydrogen-Powered Train Notified: Know Route, Launch Date & What Makes It Special
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Times of India.
These two paragraphs add some detail.
India’s first hydrogen train has been notified by Indian Railways. The new hydrogen-powered train is expected to be flagged off by PM Narendra Modi on July 17. He will also unveil a series of other infrastructure projectsacross Haryana, state minister Krishan Kumar Bedi said on Thursday.
The government says that project underscores Indian Railways’ wider focus on technological innovation, improved energy efficiency, and environmentally sustainable transportation, while supporting India’s national objectives on clean energy and achieving net-zero carbon emissions.
The route will be between Jind and Sonipat, which are both shown on this OpenRailwayMap.
Note.
- Jind, which has two stations Jind City and Jind Junction is in the North-West corner of the map.
- The blue arrow indicates Jind City station.
- Jind Junction station has a Wikipedia entry, which indicates that Jind Junction station has a hydrogen refilling station.
- Sonipat Junction station is in the South-East corner of the map.
- Jind and Sonipat are about fifty miles apart by train.
- OpenRailwayMap shows that most, if not all of the rail lines shown in this map are electrified using 25 KVAC overhead.
It looks to me, that Indian Railways are following similar rules to Network Rail, when they tested the battery-electric Class 379 train on the Mayflower Line.
- Test new technology on a line with spare capacity.
- Test new technology with a train, that can still run using current electrification.
- Test new technology on an electrified line.
From talking to some of those, who used the Harwich train every day, there were no problems during the test.
Visiting The Hydrogen Train
I feel that if you were passing through New Delhi, it would be feasible, if you had time to spare to visit the hydrogen train.
Google AI says this about the New Delhi and Sonipat service.
Trains to Sonipat Station run directly from New Delhi Railway Station (NDLS). Several long-distance, express, and local EMU/MEMU trains connect the two stations daily, making the journey in approximately 30 to 50 minutes.
Toyota To Enter Hydrogen-Powered Car In 2027 Dakar Rally
The title of this post, is the same as that of an article on autosport.
This is the sub-heading.
Toyota will field a fuel cell-powered prototype alongside its regular petrol-engined Hilux in the Dakar.
These two paragraphs add more details.
Toyota’s Gazoo Racing arm has announced plans to field a hydrogen-powered prototype in the 2027 Dakar Rally.
Christened the DKR GR FC Hilux, the car incorporates fuel cell technology into the pick-up that has become the benchmark in the World Rally-Raid Championship.
As someone, who worked in a hydrogen factory in the 1960s, I find this a very positive development for the use of hydrogen.
New Study Shows How North Sea Offshore Wind Can Yield More While Costing Less
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on offshoreWIND.biz.
This is the sub-heading.
A less dense development of offshore wind in the German Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of the North Sea, and a relocation of capacities to neighboring countries can both increase the yield from offshore wind and reduce costs, a new study by the Fraunhofer Institute for Wind Energy Systems (Fraunhofer IWES) has shown.
These two paragraphs add more detail.
With Germany’s current expansion target of 70 gigawatts (GW) by 2045 and the planned land use to date, the utilization of offshore wind power will fall far short of its technical potential, the study has shown.
While the North Sea is among the windiest regions worldwide, shading effects would significantly reduce the achievable yield of up to 5,000 full-load hours. Furthermore, the close proximity of wind farms reduces each other’s wind output.
It appears from the text in this must read report, that the Germans might develop as much as 20 GW in neighbouring countries.
In Will A Large Green German Elephant Get Involved In The Clacton By-Election?, I talked about a 2 GW cluster of wind farms being developed by RWE and their partners.
- 1.1 GW – Five Estuaries
- 504 MW – North Falls
- 353 MW – Galloper
Note:
- In total they are around 2 GW.
- The wind farms are around 30 km. offshore.
- RWE are a respected German company, who are one of the UK’s largest electricity generators.
I believe that RWE and their partners could receive a lot of opposition to an overhead power line across Essex to connect these wind farms to the National Grid, and 2 GW would not be a small set of pylons.
Would it be a better value project to bring this energy to Germany, either as green electricity or green hydrogen, than connect it to the UK’s National Grid?
Consider.
- A cable between the three wind farms and the nearest part of Germany would be about 300 miles.
- The longest undersea interconnect is the Viking Line between England and Denmark, which is 475 miles long.
- RWE have been building a big offshore electrolyser in The Netherlands called H2OpZee and I believe that similar technology could be used at Clacton.
- 2 GW of energy would be ten percent of the energy, that Germany needs.
- I’m sure Rachel from Accounts would be happy for any payments for the energy.
It looks to me that energy links between the UK and Germany will only get more numerous and stronger as the years roll by.
North Sea Exclusive Economic Zones
Out of curiosity, I searched for a map and found this on Wikipedia.
Note.
- Yellow is France.
- Mauve is Belgium, who drew the short straw.
- Light Blue is The Netherlands.
- Black is Germany, who despite their large land area, don’t have as much sea as the UK.
- Red is Denmark.
- Dark Blue is Norway.
- Green is The UK.
Didn’t we do well!
But Belgium and Germany miss out badly, when it comes for virgin sea to fill with wind farms.
Energy Links To Belgium
The UK has developed or is developing two grid links to Belgium.
- Nemo Link – a 1.0 GW interconnector.
- Nautilus – A 1.7 GW offshore hybrid asset.
National Grid is a partner with their Belgian equivalent ; Elia in both.
Energy Links To Germany
Germany is developing.
- NeuConnect – a 1.4 GW interconnector.
- GriffinLink – a hybrid offshore link.
- AquaVentus – In AquaVentus, I outlined this massive German project to bring Hydrogen to Germany from the North Sea.
I believe there will be more links.
Will A Large Green German Elephant Get Involved In The Clacton By-Election?
Before I start I’ll ask a question.
What Does Farage Think Of Offshore Wind Farms?
Google AI gave me this reply.
Nigel Farage opposes offshore wind farms, viewing them as an unreliable energy source and arguing that they cause industrial decline and impose “intolerable costs” on households.
His specific stances include:
Taxation & Subsidies: He has pledged that his Reform UK party would eliminate subsidies for wind projects and impose a windfall levy on existing wind farms that have received subsidies.
Energy Alternatives: Farage advocates for abandoning “net zero dogma” and pushes instead for increased oil and gas drilling in the North Sea, along with the expansion of nuclear energy.
Environmental Impact: He has criticized both onshore and offshore wind infrastructure for “despoiling our landscapes and seascapes”. His opposition aligns with previously documented discussions with US President Donald Trump, who has lobbied him against wind turbines.
RWE Development In The Clacton Constituency
RWE or RWE-led consortia are developing three wind farms in the waters off the constiuency.
- 1.1 GW – Five Estuaries
- 504 MW – North Falls
- 353 MW – Galloper
Note:
- In total they are around 2 GW.
- The wind farms are around 30 km. offshore.
- RWE are a respected German company, who are one of our largest electricity generators.
I believe that RWE and their partners could receive a lot of opposition to an overhead power line across Essex to connect these wind farms to the National Grid, and 2 GW would not be a small set of pylons.
But although RWE are German, they may have a Plan B.
RWE have been building a big offshore electrolyser in The Netherlands called H2OpZee and I believe that similar technology could be used at Clacton.
- The electrolyser would be about 30 km from the shore and look like a typical wind farm substation.
- There would be connections to both the UK and Germany, and green hydrogen would be able to be sent either way.
- As Germany is decarbonising industry using hydrogen, I suspect that most green hydrogen would initially be exported.
- But it could attract businesses that needed a lot of green energy to the Clacton area.
- And Clacton certainly needs jobs.
How would Farage deal with something that would bring prosperity to his constituency, but was against his principles?
The Anonymous Widower 