The Barbican Entrance To The Elizabeth Line – 10th June 2022
This series of pictures shows the route between the Westbound platform at Barbican station to the Elizabeth Line at Farringdon station.
Note.
- There is only a single lift between the Western end of the Westbound Platform 2/3 at Barbican station and the lobby between the two banks of escalators and inclined lifts, that give access to the Barbican end of Elizabeth Line platforms.
- Currently, there is no access between the Elizabeth Line and the Eastbound Platform 1 at Barbican station.
- If you lived in one of the towers of the Barbican estate, if might be a marginally shorter walk to walk along Platform 2/3 and up the stairs to the street.
When C and myself, lived in Cromwell Tower in the Barbican, in the 1970s, we must have walked that route with our three children hundreds of times. It really isn’t very different.
I have a few thoughts.
Is The Route Really For Passengers?
Consider.
- A journey, where you might need to use the route could be one like Barking and Heathrow.
- But you have a wide choice, as you could alight at Whitechapel, Liverpool Street, Moorgate, Farringdon and Ealing Broadway on the sub-surface lines and have step-free access to the Elizabeth Line.
- I suspect most customers will choose Whitechapel or Liverpool Street.
This picture shows the comprehensive control panel in the lift.
Could it be, that the main purpose of the lift is for staff access to hard to reach plant rooms?
Or perhaps it is designed to get a stretcher or wheelchair to the island platform at Barbican station?
Is The Connection Incomplete?
It could be that there is more work to do and the connection is incomplete.
There is a section, which is entitled Elizabeth Line, in the Wikipedia entry for Barbican station, where this is said.
Farringdon’s Barbican ticket hall for the Elizabeth line is just to the west of Barbican station along Long Lane. This construction involved significant changes at the western end of the station, including the demolition of the former signal box to construct a lift shaft from the Elizabeth line station to the westbound Underground platform only. The original plan of a new footbridge spanning the tracks to the eastbound platform was not proceeded with on the grounds of engineering difficulties. Work was anticipated to be completed in 2018, but was completed in May 2022.
It does look like, that the best that was possible was built.
Dalston Junction To Moorgate Via The Elizabeth Line
This morning to get my breakfast at Leon on Moorgate, I took the longer route via Dalston Junction and Whitechapel stations using the East London and Elizabeth Lines.
Note.
- I travelled in the last coach of the Overground train from Dalston Junction station.
- I travelled towards the front of the Elizabeth Line train from Whitechapel station.
- There are lifts between Overground and the Elizabeth Line at Whitechapel station.
- All the escalators have traffic lights.
- Using stairs and escalator, the change at Whitechapel station took around two minutes.
The total journey time was just over 25 minutes.
Monte To Purchase 100 FC Aircraft Drives From ZeroAvia
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on electrive.com.
This is the first paragraph.
ZeroAvia and Monte Aircraft Leasing will jointly market hydrogen-powered aircraft to regional operators. Under an agreement now signed between the companies, Monte will purchase up to 100 ZA600 hydrogen-electric powertrains from ZeroAvia to be installed on existing and new 5- to 20-seat aircraft.
Monte look to be an interesting company from their web site, which has this title.
Supporting The Transition Of The Regional Aviation Industry To Net Zero Carbon Emissions
The business model appears to be a well-proven and it is not that far removed from the one, colleagues and myself used to sell the project management system; Artemis.
In our case we took proven Hewlett-Packard computers and and other hardware, added our Artemis software and a custom-made desk and leased the systems to those who wanted to do project management, with as much support as our clients required. Customers just had to supply operators, printer paper and a thirteen amp socket.
Finance was obtained by various innovative methods, often through a bank manager, who was a bit of a rogue. But he was a rogue, who was on the side of the angels.
Later he became a firm friend of mine, before he sadly died within a few days of my wife.
Monte Aircraft Leasing’s model would appear to take a proven aircraft like a Cessna Caravan, Dornier 228 or Dash 8, replace the turboprop engines with a zero-carbon powerplant and then lease the aircraft. Often this will just be an additional lease to the existing operator.
The great advantage of this approach, is that the reengined aircraft does not need to be fully re-certified. It can fly under a Supplemental Type Certificate, which is described like this in Wikipedia.
A supplemental type certificate (STC) is a civil aviation authority-approved major modification or repair to an existing type certified aircraft, engine or propeller. As it adds to the existing type certificate, it is deemed “supplemental”. In the United States issuance of such certificates is under the purview of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
Monte seem to have found a good way to make money from going net-zero.
A First Ride In Avanti West Coast’s Refurbished Class 390 Train – 23rd May 2022
I took these pictures on a very fraught trip back from Liverpool, that was caused by someone being hit by a train.
Note.
- It was much more comfortable, than the standard Class 390 train seats.
- The setup for charging phones was comprehensive and included induction charging.
- I do wonder, if there was more space in the seat.
It’s a great improvement on the original interior.
Garmisch-Partenkirchen Train Derailment
The Garmisch-Partenkirchen train derailment, which took place a few days ago, seems a strange one to me.
A push-pull train of five Bombardier double-deck carriages being pushed by a Class 111 locomotive derailed on a single-track line.
This map from OpenRailwayMap shows the are of the derailment.
Note.
- The derailment took place between Garmisch-Partenkirchen and Farchant.
- The train was heading North.
- The accident happened close to the junction of the B2 and B23 roads.
- The speed limit through the area would appear to be between 100 and 110 kph.
This Google Map shows the area in detail.
Note the railway curving to the left.
As an engineer, I used to be worried, where a heavy powerful locomotive pushed a rake of coaches at a high speed.
But then I had a long talk with a British Rail engineer, with whom I was working on the analysis of signal failures. He put my worries to rest.
In recent years in the UK, we have had four services, where a heavy, powerful locomotive runs a service in a push-pull mode, with a driving van trailer (DVT) at the other end of the train.
- Chiltern Railways – Marylebone and Birmingham.
- East Coast Main Line – London and Leeds and Edinburgh.
- Great Eastern – London and Norwich.
- TransPennine – Across the Pennines.
There has only been two serious accidents on these services.
- The Hatfield train crash, where poor track maintenance was the blame.
- The Selby train crash, where a train hit a Land Rover on the track.
Strangely, the same locomotive was involved in both crashes. It was pulling at Hatfield, but pushing at Selby.
It should also be noted that prior to the introduction of the driving van trailer, a less sophisticated control car calla a Driving Brake Standard Open (DBSO) was used.
- They were converted from Mark 2 coaches.
- Some are still in services with Network Rail.
One was destroyed in the Polmont rail accident, where an Edinburgh to Glasgow train struck a cow.
In a section entitled Background in its entry for the Polmont rail accident, Wikipedia says this.
Glasgow Queen Street and Edinburgh Waverley were operated by the push-pull technique with a single British Rail Class 47 locomotive located at one end of the train at all times (the locomotive usually pulled the carriages from Glasgow to Edinburgh and pushed them on the return journey). At the other end of the train was a Driving Brake Standard Open (DBSO). DBSO carriages were introduced on the line in 1980 and consisted of a passenger carriage with a control cab at the front for the driver; a DBSO would be situated at the front of the train allowing the driver to control the locomotive with a set of remote controls from which control signals were sent through the lighting circuits of the train to the locomotive pushing from behind. This system meant that the train could continuously run between the two cities without having to allow time to switch the locomotive to the front of the train between departures. However, it left the front of the train vulnerable when being pushed from behind because the front end was lighter than the rear and had the risk of being pushed over an obstruction, leading to derailment.
To summarise in the UK, of the three major accidents involving push-pull trains, two were caused by substantial objects getting on the line, that was hit by the DVT or DBSO.
- All three accidents have been fully explained.
- Recommendations have been made to ensure better track security.
- I notice that now, where push-pull trains are used for replacement services, they seem to be run using two locomotives.
- Hitachi and Stadler both build quality bi-mode trains, which can replace push-pull operation using diesel locomotives.
I doubt that we’ll see many more new push-pull services in the UK, except where there is a shortage of suitable new rolling stock or on heritage services.
No reports from Germany have indicated that anything was on the line.
Perry Barr Station – 6th June 2022
I visited Perry Bar station in May last year and wrote about it in Perry Barr Station – 7th May 2021.
What a difference thirteen months makes!
I have a few thoughts.
Platform Lengths
As some of the pictures show a four-car Class 350 train, which fills the platform, I suspect the station can only accept a four-car train.
Will this be enough for the Commonwealth Games?
Train Frequency
Currently, there are two trains per hour (tph) through the station.
The four-car trains, I took between Perry Bar and Birmingham New Street stations were about half-full and I suspect four tph will be needed for the Games.
Toilets
There is only a single disabled toilet in the station.
Lifts
There is a large lift to each platform.
Ramps
The ramps for the old station have been left.
Will these be used on busy days to expand the capacity.
Steps
Uniquely, the number of steps on each set of steps is displayed.
Is this a good idea, as many passengers with reduced mobility, will know their Limitations?
Conclusion
I am fairly sure, it will handle the Commonwealth Games
Piling Work To Get Underway To Electrify Line To Fife
The title of this post, is the same as that of this press release from Network Rail.
These four paragraphs outline the project.
Work to lay foundations that will pave the way for the electrification of the Fife Circle is about to get underway.
The £55million Scottish Government investment in the line between Haymarket and Dalmeny will see the railway transformed to accommodate quieter, more environmentally friendly electric trains.
The first phase of work between Haymarket and Dalmeny will see Network Rail pile the foundations for masts that will carry overhead wires up to the Forth Bridge. In total it will see 25 single track kilometres (STKs) of railway electrified by December 2024.
Subsequent phases of work will see ‘partial’ electrification of lines in Fife – totalling a further 104 STKs, to enable the introduction of Battery Electric Multiple Units (BEMUs) to replace life-expired diesel units which will be phased out.
This map from Wikipedia shows the stations on the Fife Circle Line.
Note.
- The route is double-track.
- The route is not electrified.
- The train service is generally two trains per hour (tph) in both directions.
- The distance from Dalmeny to Glenrothes with Thornton via Cowdenbeath is 22.3 miles
- The distance from Dalmeny to Glenrothes with Thornton via Kirkcaldy is 21.4 miles
- Trains appear to wait between three and seven minutes at Glenrothes with Thornton before returning to Edinburgh by the alternate route.
I have a few thoughts.
Partial Electrification And Battery-Electric Trains
In the Notes To Editors, this is said about what Network Rail means by partial electrification.
The ‘partial’ electrification approach to the decarbonisation of the railway – beyond delivering a reduction in carbon emissions, will also reduce the ongoing net cost to the taxpayer of operating the railway at an earlier point.
Reduced upfront infrastructure and associated capital expenditure makes projects more affordable and enables electrification of key trunk routes to start as a priority so the benefits of electrified railways will be realised earlier. Additionally, it does not preclude full electrification occurring at a future date.
The Fife electrification scheme has been approved for partial electrification, using battery electric multiple units, and further development work is to be undertaken to support this. The project is part of the plan to decarbonise the passenger railway network by 2035.
This map has been downloaded from the Network Rail web site.
The electrification is split into four phases.
- Haymarket and Dalmeny – 25 km
- Kirkcaldy and Thornton North – 25 km.
- Lochgelly and Thornton North – 20 km.
- Thornton North and Ladybank – 34 km.
Note that the last three phases of electrification connect to Thornton North.
Thornton North is Thornton North Junction, which is shown in this map from OpenRailwayMap.
Note.
- The orange line is the main Edinburgh and Aberdeen Line. South from here, it forms part of the Fife Circle Line and goes over the Forth Bridge.
- The yellow lines going West via Glenrothes with Thornton station are the Fife Circle Line via Dunfermline.
- The lines form a triangle which is Thornton Junction.
- North Thornton Junction is the Northern point of the triangle marked by a blue arrow.
- The black hashed line going to the North-East is the Levenmouth Rail Link, which is under construction.
As the Levenmouth Rail Link will be electrified, there will be four electrified lines fanning out from Thornton North Junction.
This must make construction easier.
- Power supply can be established at Thornton North Junction.
- The Levenmouth Rail Link can be built and electrified.
- Phase 1 of the Fife Electrification between Haymarket and Dalmeny can be installed, as an extension of the electrification at Haymarket station.
- These two sections of electrification could also allow battery-electric trains to run between Edinburgh and Leven stations, as the gap is less than thirty miles.
- Phase 2, 3 and 4 of the Fife Electrification can then be installed in the preferred order.
It would appear, that someone has designed the electrification to a high standard.
The Forth Bridge
The Forth Bridge will be a nightmare to electrify.
I suspect the engineering problems can be solved, but the Heritage Taliban would probably protest about the desecration of a World Heritage Site.
Electrification Gaps And The Hitachi Regional Battery Train
The gaps in the electrification after all phases of the electrification have been completed, will be as follows.
- Dalmeny and Lochgelly – 15.2 miles
- Dalmeny and Kirkaldy – 16.4 miles
- Ladybank and Perth – 17.8 miles
- Ladybank and Dundee – 20.1 miles
The performance of the Hitachi Regional Battery Train is shown in this Hitachi infographic.
Note that a battery range of 90 km. is 56 miles.
A battery train of this performance, should be able to handle these routes.
- Edinburgh and Dundee
- Edinburgh and Glenrothes with Thornton via Kirkcaldy
- Edinburgh and Glenrothes with Thornton via Lochgelly
- Edinburgh and Leven
- Edinburgh and Perth
With one of more further stretches of electrification North of Dundee, a train with this performance should be able to reach Aberdeen.
But to handle the Fife Circle and Levenmouth Rail Link, would probably need a train with a battery range of about forty miles, to allow for a round trip, if say there were problems like lifestock on the line.
Rolling Stock Procurement
The Network Rail press release also says this about Rolling Stock Procurement.
Approval has also been given hold a procurement competition to identify a preferred manufacturer and financier for new suburban trains to operate decarbonised rail passenger services on the routes covered by East Kilbride, Fife and Borders routes, replacing 42 Class 156 trains and to replace the 55 Class 318 and 320 trains operating in the Strathclyde area.
Note.
- It would appear that the East Kilbride, Fife and Borders routes would be worked by battery-electric trains, as they are all routes without electrification.
- I wrote about the East Kilbride and Kilmarnock services in East Kilbride Electrification Underway. The largest gap is about 16.8 miles.
- I wrote about electrification of the Borders Railway in Scottish Government Is Considering Plans To Electrify The Borders Railway. The largest gap is just under 31 miles.
It looks to me that a Hitachi Regional Battery Train with a battery range of over 40 miles would be suitable for the East Kilbride, Fife and Borders routes’
Rail Baltica Electrification Procurement Begins
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Railway Gazette.
These two paragraphs define the project.
Rail Baltica project promoter RB Rail has begun procurement of the electrification systems for the future standard gauge line between Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, saying it will be the largest railway electrification scheme in Europe to be implemented as a single project.
The energy subsystem contract covers 870 km of double track line from the Polish border to Tallinn including the line from Kaunas to Vilnius, and includes design and construction of substations, connections to the public high voltage grids, control systems and more than 2 000 track-km of overhead equipment.
It looks like the procurement process will be finished by 2023.
Hopefully, Vlad the Mad won’t object to this standard gauge line going too close to lines with his beloved Russian gauge.
The Mayor Of London Is Pruning The North London Bus Network Again
Sadiq Khan is proposing to cut these bus routes.
- 4 – Archway and Blackfriars – North London
- 11 – Fulham Town Hall and Appold Street – North London
- 12 – Oxford Circus Stn / Margaret Street and Dulwich Library – Cross-River
- 14 – Putney Heath and Russell Square – North London
- 16 – Mora Road and Victoria Bus Station – North London
- 24 – Grosvenor Road and Royal Free Hospital – North London
- 31 – White City Bus Station and Baynham Street – North London
- 45 – Newington Causeway and Atkins Road / New Park Road – South London
- 72 – Brunel Road and Hammersmith Bridge Road – North London
- 74 – Putney Exchange and Baker Street – North London
- 78 -Shoreditch High Street Station and St Mary’s Road – Cross-River
- 242 – Aldgate Station and Homerton Hospital – North London
- 349 – Glyn Road and Rookwood Road – North London
- 521 – Waterloo Station and London Bridge Station – North London
- C3 – Clapham Junction Station / Falcon Road Warwick Road Tesco – Cross-River
- D7 – All Saints Church and Mile End Station – North London
Note.
- The 74 is one of the recommended ways to get to Zoo.
- The 242 is my preferred method to get between Dalston and the excellent Homerton Hospital.
- The 349 is probably important to the Jewish Community in Stamford Hill.
- 521 appears to be a very good link between the two terminal stations. Especially, if you have a heavy case or a baby in a buggy.
- I have judged whether a bus is North London, South London or Cross-River from TfL’s maps of each route.
I suspect others will have their own objections.
These are my totals.
- North London – 12
- South London – 1
- Cross-River – 3
These are definitely the cuts that would be imposed by someone with their roots firmly in the South, who feels that there is no valid reason to cross the Thames.
But then with these cuts, he won’t get complaints from South Londoners.
First Order In For Revolutionary Modular Railway Footbridge
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on New Civil Engineer.
Greater Anglia seem to have ordered the footbridge for Stowmarket station, without seeing a real one.
A prototype is also being installed at the former Widmerspool station on the Old Dalby Test Track.
I wrote about the proposed footbridge at Stowmarket in Stowmarket Station To Go Step-Free.
The Anonymous Widower 