Electric Open-Top Bus In Oxford – 24th September 2026
I hadn’t intended to write about these buses from Wrightbus today, but Oxford is a lot easier to get to than Glasgow, which also has these buses.
I took these pictures.
Note.
- They seem to run about every fifteen minutes from the station.
- I am rather surprised that only Glasgow, London and Oxford have battery-electric open-top buses.
- I thought more mayors had big egos!
This article on the BBC is entitled Oxford Sightseeing Fleet Gets Eight New Electric Buses, gives more details.
Between Oxford And Reading Stations – 24th September 2026
Returning from Oxford to Reading, I took a nine-car Class 800 train, that was travelling between Oxford and Paddington stations.
- It was pathed at 125 mph.
- It only stopped at Reading.
- It was running on diesel
- I was sitting on the left side of the train in the sixth coach.
These are some pictures I took out of the window.
Note.
- There seems to be a lot of car parking at Oxford station.
- The Student Castle Oxford is student accommodation and has this Internet link.
- The Cowley Branch leads to BMW’s Mini factory and is being updated to a two-station branch for passenger trains as well.
- The Cowley branch appears to be double track, which should allow for two trains per hour, which is the initial desired frquency.
- There appears to be signs of more electrification.
- There is a solar-powered sewage farm as you approach Reading.
I am very puzzled about image of an electrification stanchion between Oxford station and the Cowley branch.
Consider.
- Between Oxford North junction, where the Chiltern Line joins the Cotswold Line and the Cowley branch is about 3.5 miles and takes about seven minutes, with a stop at Oxford station.
- The Cowley branch is only three miles long.
- There are also some electrification stanchions between the Cowley branch and the Great Western Main Line.
- There are no signs of electrification work in Oxford station.
This OpenRailwayMap shows the Cotswold Line through Oxford station.
Note.
- The Cotswold Line through Oxford is shown in orange.
- There is no current electrification and original plans have been dropped.
- At the North-East corner of the map, the Chiltern Line joins from Oxford Parkway station at Oxford Canal and Oxford North junctions.
- The blue arrow marks Kennington junction, where the Cowley branch joins the Cotswold Line.
- The BMW terminal is at the Eastern edge of the map.
Chiltern Railway’s trains will need to go between Oxford Canal junction and the two stations on the Cowley branch and return.
Are There Any Plans To Electrify The Chiltern Line?
I asked Google AI this question and received this answer.
There are no fully funded or confirmed plans for complete electrification of the Chiltern Main Line, but Chiltern Railways and Network Rail are developing a business case for discontinuous electrification combined with battery-electric trains to replace the ageing diesel fleet from the early 2030s.
Current Plans and Decarbonisation Strategy
Discontinuous Electrification:Instead of wiring the entire route from London Marylebone to the West Midlands, the proposal relies on wiring select sections (such as north of High Wycombe towards Oxford or Banbury) to charge battery-electric rolling stock while avoiding costly bridge modifications and clearance issues.
Business Case Progress: Chiltern Railways has completed a strategic business case and is working with Network Rail and the Department for Transport (DfT) on an outline business case.
Interim Fleet Upgrades: As part of its 2030 Vision, Chiltern is introducing newly leased Mark 5A carriages to boost capacity and reliability, while continuing long-term discussions regarding a power supply and infrastructure package for cleaner trains.
It would appear to me, that if the Southbound line between Oxford Canal junction and Kennington junction, that this would be enough electrification to allow Chiltern’s Oxford services to serve the Cowley branch and return.
Could GWR’s Cotswold Services Be Run On Batteries?
Consider.
- Didcot Parkway and London Paddington is fully electrified.
- Battery-electric Class 800, 801 and 802 trains have an off-wires range of around 120 miles.
- Between Oxford and Great Malvern is 75.9 miles.
- Between Oxford and Hereford is 86.3 miles.
- Between Oxford and Worcester Shrub Hill is 57 miles.
I believe with charging at the country end, these services could be run using battery-electric Hitachi trains.
Can The Hiiroc Process Be Used To Make Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF)?
After Writing Cemex To Install World-First Hydrogen Process At UK Cement Plant, I just had to ask this question of Google AI and I received this reply.
Yes, the HiiROC process is currently being developed and studied to produce Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF).
How the Process Works
Thermal Plasma Electrolysis (TPE): HiiROC’s core technology splits hydrocarbons (like biomethane, natural gas, or flare gas) into clean hydrogen and solid carbon without burning them or emitting carbon dioxide.
Thermal Plasma Reforming (TPR): Building on TPE, this adaptation is being evaluated to create synthetic e-SAF by combining the produced clean hydrogen with carbon dioxide at a lower electricity cost than traditional water electrolysis.
Current Developments
Feasibility Study: HiiROC received grant funding from Scottish Enterprise to study a negative-carbon SAF business in Scotland through its subsidiary Zeleno Ltd and partner Stratus Energy Partners.
Partnerships: The initiative has drawn interest from aviation and energy stakeholders like Airbus, World Kinect, and the Forth Green Freeport to make power-to-liquid SAF more scalable and affordable.
It certainly seems it could be a possible route to SAF.
I should say, that when I worked at ICI at Runcorn, for a period, I had the privilege of sharing an office, with an elderly scientist, who before the Second World War, was closely involved in the development of polythene.
That was a long process, but in the end they got there, mainly because radar needed a top-class insulator for which polythene was the only solution.
London Stansted Powers Up New Solar Farm
The title of this post, is the same as this press release from Stansted Airport.
These paragraphs are the text of the press release.
London Stansted’s new on-site solar farm is now fully operational, marking a major milestone on its net zero journey.
The solar farm, the first of its kind at a London airport, has more than 24,000 panels and has been constructed and will be operated by Onsite Power, EDF power solutions’ C&I solar division, on land already owned by Stansted immediately to the east of the airport.
The panels can produce up to 17.2 MW of direct current (DC) power. Once converted, the solar farm can produce up to 12.8 MW of usable alternating current (AC) power which is supplied directly into the airport’s network. This enables the solar farm, on the sunniest day, to produce power equivalent to the airport’s peak demand.
Over a year, the solar farm will generate enough electricity to meet the annual demand of 7,000 houses, similar in number to the town of Saffron Walden.
The development is an integral part of London Stansted’s £1.1 billion transformation programme and has been designed to help meet the airport’s current and increasing electricity demands, including those associated with the growing use of electric vehicles.
The project will also support London Stansted’s commitment to achieve net zero carbon emissions from its direct airport operations by no later than 2038.
It would appear that this installation meets these criteria.
- The solar farm, on the sunniest day, can produce power equivalent to the airport’s peak demand.
- The airport has a suitable, easily accessible field or roof, where the solar panels can be installed.
- There is no mention in the press release of a battery, so I would also expect, that the airport has a good two-way grid connection, so that any excess electricity can be exported.
- In SSE Energy Solutions Powers Ascot’s Shift To Electrification With One Of UK Sport’s Largest Rooftop Solar Projects, I describe a project to put a solar roof on the grandstand at Ascot racecourse, which required no upfront funding. Did EDF organise the funding of this project, which is thirty times larger than Ascot’s solar roof?
It also appears that the installation incorporates a degree of future proofing.
A Land Rover Defender Ambulance
This ambulance was parked outside the Red Cross in Moorfields, whilst I ate my breakfast in the LEON opposite.
Note.
- It was from the Lincolnshire Red Cross.
- It was a very professional conversion.
- Judging by the sign it appeared to be promoting the link between Jaguar Land Rover and the Red Cross.
As an occasional user of an ambulance, I have some views on the design of these vehicles.
Should Ambulances Be Hydrogen Powered?
I asked Google AI this question and received this answer.
Hydrogen power offers significant advantages for ambulances by combining long driving ranges with rapid refuelling times, making it a strong contender for emergency fleets.
The Case For Hydrogen Ambulances
Fast Refuelling: Hydrogen tanks can be refuelled in about five minutes, keeping vehicles ready for back-to-back emergency shifts without long charging downtimes.
Longer Range: Fuel cell and battery hybrid setups (like the ZERRO project) can travel up to 300 miles, which is vital for rural areas or long-distance hospital transfers.
Onboard Power: Hydrogen fuel cells can power heavy medical equipment without draining the main drive battery or requiring extra diesel generators.
The Challenges
Infrastructure Costs: Public hydrogen refuelling stations remain scarce, limiting where vehicles can operate and refuel.
Vehicle Costs: Building and buying hydrogen fuel cell systems is currently more expensive than standard battery-electric or diesel setups.
Electric Competitiveness: Standard battery-electric ambulances are already performing well in urban areas where depots allow for overnight recharging and shorter daily shifts.
Note.
- I have been a passenger in about four or five hydrogen fuel cell-powered buses. All were mouse-quiet with no vibration. This is surely important in an ambulance!
- I used to live next to a London paramedic sixty years ago and he said it was a stressful job. Would a calm environment help to relieve that stress?
- The onboard power capability is surely important and will get more important in the future.
- As more hydrogen-powered vehicles appear on the roads, hydrogen fuelling stations will be less scarce.
The long-range of a hydrogen-powered ambulance might mean that patients were taken to an appropriate hospital immediately.
How Does The Performance Of Electric-Powered And Hydrogen-Powered Ambulances Compare?
I asked Google AI this question and received this answer.
Electric-powered and hydrogen-powered ambulances compare across range, refueling time, energy efficiency, and onboard power capabilities:
Range and Operational Capacity
Electric Ambulances (BEV): Typically offer a range of around 70 to 120 miles on a single charge, which suits local response cars, patient transport, or shorter urban shifts.
Hydrogen-Electric Fuel Cell Ambulances (FCEV): Use hydrogen fuel cells as a range extender to charge onboard batteries, providing a significantly higher extended range of up to 300 miles, which is closer to traditional diesel vehicles for demanding shifts.
Refueling and Downtime
Electric Ambulances: Require time plugged into charging infrastructure to replenish batteries, which can take anywhere from tens of minutes on rapid chargers to hours depending on power limits, creating potential downtime during fleet rotations.
Hydrogen Ambulances: Can be refueled with compressed hydrogen in roughly 5 minutes, allowing for immediate back-to-back operational shifts without prolonged downtime.
Energy Efficiency and Onboard Power
Electric Ambulances: Feature high overall powertrain efficiency (converting over 85% of battery energy into motion) and lower moving-part maintenance costs, but heavy medical equipment loads draw heavily on the primary battery and can restrict operational range.
Hydrogen Ambulances: Offer onboard power off-take capabilities directly from the fuel cell system, enabling high-draw medical equipment to run continuously without draining the main drive energy or requiring a separate noisy generator. However, hydrogen systems have lower overall well-to-wheel thermodynamic efficiency and higher complexity.
Infrastructure and Deployment
Electric Ambulances: Benefit from a rapidly expanding public and depot charging grid, with several NHS trusts already successfully deploying electric response and transport vehicles.
Hydrogen Ambulances: Remain in early trial and prototype phases (such as projects via ULEMCo and HVS) because specialized hydrogen refueling stations are scarce and expensive to build.
I suspect that the nature of the terrain in an area, will also affect the type of power selected.
My Sister’s Burst Aorta
This is a personal observation.
- My sister lives near Colchester General Hospital.
- After her aorta burst, she dialled 999 and an ambulance was dispatched.
- The paramedics corrected assessed her problem and didn’t muck around.
- They decided to take her immediately to Papworth Hospital on the other side of East Anglia.
- The road between the two hospitals is dual-carriageway all the way and possibly with a Police escort, they made the trip in time.
- After several months in hospital, she returned home.
- My sister has now fully recovered.
I believe journeys like this, would be faster and more comfortable in a custom-designed high-performance hydrogen fuel-cell ambulance.
It should be noted that the East Anglian Ambulance Service has been known to station ambulances on the bridges over the dual-carriageways to shorten response times to road accidents.
Are Toyota HiLux Pickups Used As Ambulances?
I asked Google AI this question and received this answer.
Yes, Toyota Hilux pickups are used as ambulances, especially in remote, rural, or off-road environments where standard van-based ambulances cannot travel.
Common Configurations
Canopy / Rapid Response Style: The pickup bed is fitted with a secure, weatherproof canopy or Truckman top to carry a single stretcher and essential emergency gear.
Box-Type Modular Body: A fully enclosed, purpose-built medical compartment is mounted directly onto the Hilux chassis, offering a climate-controlled environment and space for advanced life support (ALS) equipment.
Where They Are Used
Off-Road & Disaster Zones: Mountain rescue teams, humanitarian groups, and military field operations rely on the Hilux’s 4×4 capability and high ground clearance.
Specialized Services: Organizations like wildlife hospitals use adapted Hilux trucks as animal ambulances to reach stranded or injured wildlife in rough terrain. International agencies like the UN and WHO also deploy them in regions lacking paved infrastructure.
I would expect that in designing the next generation Toyota HiLux, Toyota have improved on the design for ambulances.
Will A Hydrogen-Powered toyota HiLux Pickup Make A Useful Ambulance?
I asked Google AI this question and received this answer.
A hydrogen-powered Toyota HiLux pickup can make a useful off-road or specialized utility ambulance, but its practical application as a standard emergency vehicle faces major limits.
Advantages for Ambulance Use
Off-road access: The rugged ladder-frame chassis of the HiLux allows access to remote, rugged, or off-road terrain where standard vans or traditional ambulances cannot go.
Quick refueling: Hydrogen fuel cells refuel in about 3 to 5 minutes, offering much faster turnaround times than battery-electric vehicles.
Clean operation: The fuel cell produces zero tailpipe emissions, creating a quiet, exhaust-free environment suitable for patient transport.
Good payload and towing: It targets a towing capacity of around 5,500 pounds (2,500 kg), handling heavy medical gear better than lighter electric alternatives.
Limitations for Ambulance Use
Cabin space: A pickup truck bed and cab offer less enclosed, climate-controlled volume for patients and attending medical staff compared to standard box ambulances or large vans (like the Toyota Hiace).
Infrastructure gaps: Hydrogen fueling stations remain very rare outside select urban or regional pockets, restricting emergency range and operational zones.
Availability: Toyota is targeting production for the hydrogen HiLux by 2028, meaning the vehicle is not yet available for immediate fleet purchase.
I do think though, that it would be very suitable for some specialist operations.
Have Alstom Given Up On Their Euston And Wrexham Open Access Service?
I last wrote about this planned service in Direct London Trains ‘Could Start In 2026’.
But, as I wrote in Network Rail Objects To Wrexham To London Service, Network Rail had objected.
I asked Google AI, the question in the title of this post and received this reply.
No, Alstom has not given up on the Wrexham, Shropshire and Midlands Railway (WSMR) open-access project.
After the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) rejected their initial application in July 2025 due to capacity and congestion concerns on the network, WSMR resubmitted a revised bid in late November / December 2025.
Key Updates on the Resubmitted Bid
Reduced Services: The revised plan trimmed the proposed frequency from five daily return trips down to three guaranteed daily returns (with an option for a fourth).
Route Adjustments: The new application added a stop at Wellington (Shropshire) and sought to utilize newly available or spare capacity paths.
Timeline: A decision from the rail regulator (ORR) was anticipated in Spring 2026, with hopes for the service to launch towards the end of 2026.
The Route
The map downloaded from a BBC article, which is entitled Direct London trains ‘Could Start In 2026’ shows the route.
Note.
- There are now ten intermediate stops.
- Wellington and Darlaston have been added between Wolverhampton and Shrewsbury.
- Euston and Wolverhampton is 124.9 miles and fully electrified.
- Wolverhampton and Wrexham General is 59.9 miles and is not electrified.
- The section of the route without electrification is 120 miles return, which could be too far for battery-electric trains.
But I believe that the battery-electric trains, that TransPennine Express have ordered from Alstom could handle the route with charging at Wrexham General station.
I have some further thoughts.
Hydrogen Is Now Not Proposed
In Direct London Trains ‘Could Start In 2026’, I felt that Alstom might use hydrogen trains.
But now that TransPennine Express have ordered Alstom battery-electric trains and the route could be ideal for them, it would seem sensible to use them.
Providing charging at Wrexham General station would probably be easier than providing hydrogen refuelling.
Could Euston and Wrexham General Be A Test Route For The Adessia Battery-Electric Train In The UK?
I asked Google AI and received this reply.
Yes, London Euston and Wrexham General could serve as an ideal test route for Alstom’s Adessia battery-electric train platform.
Route Characteristics and Viability
Electrified Section: The journey from London Euston to Wolverhampton covers roughly 124.9 miles on fully electrified lines.
Uncertified / Non-Electrified Section: The remaining 59.9 miles from Wolverhampton to Wrexham General lacks overhead electrification (via Shrewsbury).
Battery Range Demands: Operating this run requires a battery-electric range capability of roughly 60 miles in each direction beyond the wires, or a charging strategy implemented at Wrexham General station.
Proposed Operations: Wrexham Shropshire and Midlands Railway (WSMR) announced plans to work with Alstom to introduce a bi-mode battery-electric fleet from the Adessia family if their open-access operations are approved.
This is the first time, that I’ve seen linkage between Alstom’s open access operation and development of a bi-mode battery-electric fleet.
Will Wrexham Shropshire and Midlands Railway’s Adessia Trains Be 110 mph Trains?
This would make them compatible with the TransPennine Express trains.
But they will be sharing the West Coast Main Line with 125 mph Class 390, Class 805 and Class 807 trains.
I wonder, if for ease of operation, that the trains will be 125 mph units.
A Quick Visit To Hartlepool – 19th September 2026
I went to Hartlepool today from King’s Cross station.
These were my objectives.
- Assess Grand Central Trains current offering.
- See how Hartlepool station has improved since my last visit.
- Take some pictures of Hartlepool Nuclear Power Station.
These are some pictures I took.
Note.
Here are my thoughts on my objectives.
Grand Central Trains And Their Class 180 Trains
This is a summary of my journey from King’s Cross and Hartlepool.
- The journey took eight minutes under three hours and we arrived thirteen minutes late.
- The train was four minutes early at the Newark Crossing, one minute early at Doncaster and on-time at York. Was this good driving or was the driver having assistance from the digital signalling?
- Delays seemed to build up after York.
There was no trolley, so I didn’t have any refreshment.
This is a summary of my journey from Hartlepool and King’s Cross.
- The journey took seven minutes over three hours and we arrived one minute late.
- The train was two minutes late at York and Doncaster and a minute late at the Newark Crossing.
- As the train ran smoothly into King’s Cross, was it using the digital signalling, as I observed in Did My InterCity225 From Leeds Arrive Like An Airliner In King’s Cross?
- At King’s Cross we shared Platform 4, with a five-car Azuma, which shows the advantage of splitting the platforms into a and b.
There was again no trolley, but the buffet was in the next car.
Six Hours In A Class 180 Train Was Not Good For Me
I have not felt well today and I blame six hours in Class 180 trains yesterday.
I used to feel like this, after a ride in a Class 390 train, but since they have been fitted with better air-conditioning, I have not had a problem.
Hopefully, the Class 820 trains will be better.
Toyota Confirms Hydrogen Hilux For 2028 With 248 Mile Range
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Motor1.
This is the sub-heading.
Hilux FCEV production starts in 2028 for European fleets, with 248 miles of range, strong towing, and five-minute refueling pitches
These two paragraphs give more details.
Toyota just put a number on the hydrogen Hilux, and it is bigger than anything the electric version can manage. At IAA Transportation 2026 in Hannover the automaker outlined plans for a Hilux fuel cell model targeting a 2028 launch for European professional customers.
The target is 248 miles of WLTP range and 5,512 pounds of towing, plus roughly a five-minute refuel when a station is operating normally. That is a work truck pitch built to beat the battery-electric Hilux on the two numbers that matter most to fleets.
It looks to me, that Toyota have done their research on the specification.
I can verify, that a lot of horsey folk and farmers will find it fits their needs well.
Will Battery-Powered Trains Change The Future Of UK Rail Travel?
The title of this post, is the same as this article on the BBC.
This is the sub-heading.
A near £1bn investment will see the UK’s first battery-electric trains for long-distance main line services built in Derby, which Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said will “bring faster, more reliable journeys to the north”
These are the first two paragraphs.
The new trains will replace diesel power with electricity, and seek to cut journey times by up to 10 minutes between Manchester and Leeds, and up to 14 minutes between Manchester and York.
So are batteries set to drive forward a new electric future of train travel in the UK?
Alstom’s press release and other sources on the order, add more details.
- The trains will be based on the Adessia platform.
- There will be 29 five-car trains.
- It looks like they will replace the 51 three-car Class 185 trains.
- Wikipedia says they are 110 mph trains.
- The trains will be British-designed and built.
The trains will have level boarding at every door, of which the BBC article has a visualisation.
The BBC article has a long section about battery trains and is well-worth a full read.
The BBC explains how the trains will charge their batteries.
- On electrified sections the batteries will be charged from the overhead wires.
- According to Alstom, when the train brakes, the electric motors “work in reverse as generators, which captures braking energy”, which would normally be lost as heat energy.
- This will also be fed back into the on-board battery.
- The manufacturer added rapid charging facilities would also be installed as part of the contract at stations in Hull, Scarborough and Saltburn.
This is all proven technology, which is used all round the world and on Merseyrail in the UK.
Did My InterCity225 From Leeds Arrive Like An Airliner In King’s Cross?
Consider.
- I took the 18:40 from Leeds to London King’s Cross today.
- The train was an British Rail-era InterCity 225 in superb condition.
- The train consisted of a Class 91 electric locomotive and seven Mark 4 coaches.
- The train was scheduled to stop at Wakefield Westgate, Doncaster, Grantham and Peterborough.
- The Southern section of the East Coast Main Line is fully digitally-signalled at least as far as Welwyn.
- I assume that means Welwyn North station, which is to the North of the Digswell Viaduct.
- According to Real Time Trains my train was on time, one minute fast, four minutes fast and two minutes fast at the four stops.
- South of Welwyn North station, the train is shown as either one or two minutes ahead of schedule.
- The train arrived in London King’s Cross a minute ahead of schedule at 20:52.
As a Graduate Control Engineer, I believe that from Welwyn North station, the signalling was being used to instruct the driver, what speed he needed to arrive in King’s Cross on time.
This resulted in the slight oscillations in the scheduled time, between Welwyn North station and London King’s Cross.
These are my further thoughts.
Just Like An Airliner
I have well over a thousand hours in command of light aircraft and I held an IMC rating, which is a UK-only qualification, so you can do limited flying on instruments.
As an example, I have done full instrument approaches at major airports like
Belfast Harbour, Dublin, Edinburgh, Hamburg, Leeds, Liverpool, Naples, Prestwick and Stansted, where you guide the plane in so that it is a certain height, at a particular distance from the runway.
Your instruments tell you the height to be at and the direction to fly using a device called an instrument landing system or ILS.
With trains, I suspect, digital signals just give the train or driver, a speed at which to travel.
I believe that if the train is instructed by the digital signals a higher percentage of trains will more likely arrive on time or perhaps up to a couple of minutes early.
The Newark Flat Crossing
I wrote about this notorious piece of track in The Newark Crossing.
My train today crossed the Newark Crossing, exactly on time.
- So was it being digitally-controlled through the crossing?
- Many trains on the East Coast Main Line cross the Newark Crossing within a couple of minutes of their scheduled time.
- For the system to work well trains crossing the East Coast Main Line must also be under control of the digital signalling or the drivers must adhere closely to their schedules.
I believe that full digital signalling will improve safety, where trains cross, join or leave a main line.
Crossing The Digswell Viaduct
This is a two-track section between Welwyn Garden City and Welwyn North stations.
- Various plans to make it four-track have been abandoned over the years, as it would cost billions of pounds.
- My train ran through the section two minutes ahead of schedule.
- Looking at trains on the section between Welwyn Garden City and Welwyn North stations, they seem to maintain the same difference from their scheduled time.
I believe that the digital signalling could be instructing the trains, so that scheduled times are maintained.
Conclusion
I believe as a Graduate Control Engineer, that applying full digital signalling to the UK’s railways, will have the following effects.
- Improved timekeeping.
- Increased safety.
- More capacity.
- It could save on the cost of new infrastructure, by avoiding the building of new track, bridges and flyovers.
- From my experience of installing control systems on industrial plant at Enfield Rolling Mills and ICI, many trains and locomotives can be fitted with add-on control systems. In fact, full digital signalling has already been applied to steam locomotives.
We should complete digital-signalling for the East Coast Main Line and then roll it out for other lines, in order of importance.
