Elon Musk’s Starlink Lined Up To Solve Train Wi-Fi Rage
The title of this post, is the same as that, as this article on the Telegraph.
This is the sub-heading.
Using the billionaire’s network of satellites could help rail passengers make reliable phone calls
These two paragraphs give more details.
Elon Musk’s Starlink satellites are being looked at as a potential solution to solving the issue of patchy Wi-Fi on Britain’s trains.
Train operators in England and Wales are examining whether the satellite-based internet provider could be used to boost connectivity after a six-month trial of the technology began in Scotland last month.
I don’t see any obvious technical reason, why not the technology wouldn’t work.
This Wikipedia entry describes the 2024 Talerddig Train Collision, when two trains collided on the Cambrian Line.
Better communications might have helped in avoiding or sorting out the incident.
Mind The Step At Warren Street Station
This warning message is at Warren Street station.
I sometimes miss these single steps due to my poor eyesight from my stroke, but the message alerted me, as I was coming out of the station.
I find it funny, that I will more usually trip going down stairs, rather than up.
But then rabbits and hares are more likely to take a tumble going downhill.
They also tend to run uphill, when they sense danger.
Keely Hodgkinson On The Underground
These pictures of Keely Hodkinson are on a Northern Line platform at Moorgate station on the Underground.
Keely obviously did well out of the deal, but will Nike get a return on the money, they spent?
I’ve seen a lot of top-class athletes in my time, both on television and in the stadium, and Keely is certainly one of the best.
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Bicester Village Station – 28th May 2025
I went to Bicester Village station today and took these pictures.
Note.
- The station is fully step-free, with lifts.
- There is a reasonable coffee-shop.
- There is a very large car-park.
There are two trains per hour (tph) in both directions between Marylebone and Oxford stations.
This Google Map shows the station.
Note.
- London is to the North.
- Oxford is to the South.
- The footbridge dates from October 2021 and is not shown on the map.
- The London Road level crossing is in the North-East corner of the map.
- The London Road level crossing is a problem, as I indicated in Bicester MP Calls On Chancellor To Fund London Road Crossing.
- To take the pictures of the level crossing, I crossed the footbridge to the North-West side of the station and walked through the car park to the station entrance on Station Approach. I then walked past the Bicester Bodyshop and Edmundson Electrical to the level crossing.
- The Shell garage can be clearly seen behind the level crossing.
During my walk of about thirty-five minutes three trains passed over the level crossing.
These are my thoughts.
The Long Platforms
The platforms are long.
- The Oxford-bound platform, which is Platform 1, is 240 metres long.
- The London-bound platform, which is Platform 2, is 230 metres long.
Both platforms will take a pair of five-car Hitachi Express Trains.
It looks to me, that East-West Rail are expecting a large number of passengers.
East-West Rail Plans For Powering Trains
I detailed these in Plans For Powering Trains And Details Of Our Upcoming Consultation.This post was based on an East-West Rail news item with the same title.
Distances include.
- London Marylebone and Oxford – 66.8 miles.
- Bletchley and Oxford – 47.2 miles.
Both distances are within range of five-car Hitachi Express Trains, that have been fitted with batteries.
I also suspect other manufacturers could supply suitable trains.
Thoughts On The London Road Level Crossing
This article on the BBC is entitled Level Crossing Petition Supported By Thousands.
This is the sub-heading.
A petition calling for a fully accessible underpass at a town’s level crossing has received more than 3,000 signatures.
These three paragraphs add more detail.
Launched by MP for Bicester and Woodstock Calum Miller, the petition calls on the government to ensure any replacement of the level crossing at London Road in Bicester includes access for cars, not just cyclists and pedestrians.
It is set to be closed on safety grounds when the East West Rail (EWR) line becomes fully operational, which many fear would cut off crucial access to thousands of residents.
Mr Miller will present the petition, which can only be signed in person, in Parliament on 3 June.
The argument is certainly hotting up.
But I believe, that a bridge that meets everybody’s requirements might be possible to be built.
- Suppose that all trains and locomotives passing through the level crossing had to be self-powered. Passenger trains could be battery-electric and freight locomotives could be either hydrogen or battery powered through the location of the level crossing.
- The track could also be lowered through the crossing.
- These actions would reduce the height of any bridge taking the road over the railway.
It looks to me that on the Northumberland Railway, which has recently opened, they had a similar problem, but they were able to squeeze a bridge into the space, as this 3D Google Map shows.
Note.
- The bridge looks like it carries a two-lane road and a pedestrian/cycle way.
- There is no electrification.
- I believe that the Northumberland Line could be run by battery-electric trains.
- The road bridge has been built to accept all traffic using the railway.
In Newsham Station – 30th March 2025, there are several pictures of the bridge. This one shows the bridge with a train.
In Trains: £34m For Revival Of 50-Year-Old North-East Railway Line, I said this about battery-electric trains for the Northumberland Line.
I’m drawn inextricably to the conclusion, that the trains should be 100 mph battery-electric trains.
Hitachi, who have a factory in the North-East, have announced their Regional Battery Train in July 2020, which is described in this Hitachi infographic.
These trains can be based on Class 385 trains.
- They are 100 mph trains.
- They come in three- and four-cars lengths.
- The three-car trains have 206 seats.
- They can work in pairs.
- They can use 25 KVAC overhead electrification.
- They have a range of 90 kilometres or 56 miles on battery power.
- The batteries would be charged on the ECML between Benton North junction and Newcastle station.
- The battery packs will be designed and manufactured by Hyperdrive Innovation in Sunderland.
- They have big windows for the views.
I’m sure Hitachi and Hyperdrive would like a fleet in service, just up the road from their factories.
Could a similar or even thinner bridge be squeezed in at Bicester Village station to take London Road over the railway?
I think it can, if they use some of the latest 3D modelling.
Congestion Charge Set To Rise By 20% To £18
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the BBC.
This is the sub-heading.
The Congestion Charge should rise by a fifth to £18, Transport for London (TfL) has proposed.
These three introductory paragraphs add more details.
On 2 January, the daily £15 fee for drivers of vehicles in central London will increase, the first such rise since June 2020 when the charge jumped 30% from £11.50.
If the charge is not paid within 48 hours, drivers face a penalty of £180, reduced to £90 if paid within 14 days. It operates between 07:00 and 18:00 on weekdays and 12:00 and 18:00 on weekends.
Drivers of electric cars, who currently travel free in the zone, were expecting to start paying the full charge from December but will now receive a 25% discount provided they are registered for auto pay. HGVs and vans will get a 50% discount.
I won’t be surprised to find, that there are a lot of quality cars going cheap.
This though is surely the most odious part of the new plans in the last paragraph.
Applications for new residents’ discounts from petrol and diesel car owners are set to be abolished altogether in March 2027. A public consultation, external will run until 4 August.
As I read that, it means if you had to move into London because of your job, you will have to buy an electric car.
It doesn’t bother me, as I don’t drive or own a car.
A New Era For Train Travel – FlixTrain Has Ordered 65 New European High-Speed Trains
The title of this post, is the same as that of this press release from Flix.
These four bullet points act as sub-headings.
- FlixTrain has ordered 65 new European high-speed trains, produced by Spanish train manufacturer Talgo, with locomotives supplied by Siemens
- The contract volume amounts up to EUR 2.4 bn, including certain maintenance services
- Flix sees enormous market potential for FlixTrain in Germany and Europe
- CEO André Schwämmlein: “We will start a new era of train travel”
These three paragraphs add more details.
FlixTrain, a subsidiary of the global travel–tech company Flix SE, today announced that it has ordered 65 new European high-speed trains. Talgo will provide the respective trainsets and certain maintenance services, while Siemens will provide the locomotives. The contract volume amounts up to EUR 2.4 bn, of which more than EUR 1 bn is already firmly committed.
With this strategic move, FlixTrain is responding to the growing demand for fast and affordable rail travel. The company intends to use the new high-speed trains to leverage the enormous market potential in Germany and Europe. The high-speed rail market in Germany is expected to grow by 45% by 2030, compared to 2021 volume. Across Europe, the market potential is even greater – around EUR 27 bn in 2023 with an expected annual growth of 4 – 5%.¹ In 2024 alone, FlixTrain expanded its offering by 40%, and recorded significant passenger growth, building on the strong results of 2023.
“We are pursuing a long-term strategy with FlixTrain and we will significantly expand our services in the coming years,” says André Schwämmlein, CEO and co-founder of Flix. “With the tremendous expansion of our train fleet, we will start a new era of train travel in Germany and Europe.” FlixTrain’s overall goal is to bring more people to sustainable travel by train: “We plan not only to increase our market share, but also to significantly grow the market itself”.
It looks like they’re creating a Lumo in Germany.
I have some thoughts.
The Politics
The press release says this about the German government’s view.
On the political side, the newly formed German government has acknowledged the immense potential of long-distance rail by committing to long-term investments in rail infrastructure and a reform of the track access system in Germany. These plans could unlock more private investment in Germany’s rail sector, fostering innovation for a broader range of services. Ultimately, this would lead to more competition and a better offer for customers.
I don’t think, they would be allowed to set up in the UK, as they take revenue from Great British Railways.
I can also see FlixTrain appealing to a future Reform UK government.
Passenger Service
The press release says this.
At the same time, FlixTrain works closely with the European Commission to foster European train travel and to provide a better overall offer for passengers.
I can see FlixTrain providing a better value service in Europe, than that provided in the UK by Great British Railways.
FlixTrain Is A European Product
The press release says this.
Currently, thanks to a comprehensive cooperation with regional transport, around 650 destinations are bookable via FlixTrain; 50 cities are directly connected to the vast FlixTrain network. Together with around 300 FlixBus stops in Germany alone, Flix provides a unique intermodal long-distance travel offer of international bus services and high-speed train connections. The new trains are intended to drive expansion in Germany and other European countries. “We see FlixTrain as a European product. Starting from our home market, we also want to make the service available in other countries” adds Schwämmlein.
I regularly see Flixbuses in London on their way to where?
Conclusion
If FlixTrain is allowed to setup in the UK, Great British Railways is finished for long distance services.
So of course, it won’t be allowed to setup in the UK or even come through the Channel Tunnel.
Liverpool Lime Street Station – 23rd May 2025
I took these pictures as I passed through Liverpool Lime Street station on Friday.
Note.
- The neo-classical building opposite the station is St. George’s Hall, which is Grade I Listed.
- Nikolaus Pevsner expressed his opinion that St. George’s Hall is one of the finest neo-Grecian buildings in the world.
- Lime Street station is Grade II Listed.
- The building with the two towers on the front of the station is the four-star Radisson RED Liverpool hotel.
- The statue in the last picture is of Ken Dodd and Bessie Braddock.
The large plaza between Liverpool Lime Street station and St. George’s Hall gives a big welcome to visitors to Liverpool.
Preston Station – 23rd May 2025
I finally got to Preston station today, after my failure that I wrote about in An Annoying Day.
I took these pictures.
I shall deal with the features of the station in separate sub-sections.
The Original High Speed Two Schedule Through Preston Station
This diagram shows High Speed Two services, as they were originally envisaged before Phase 2 was discontinued.
Note.
- Trains to the left of the vertical black line are Phase 1 and those to the right are Phase 2.
- Full-Size trains are shown in blue.
- Classic-Compatible trains are shown in yellow.
- Blue circles are shown, where trains stop.
- The dotted circles are where trains split and join.
- In the red boxes routes alternate every hour.
Click on the diagram to enlarge it.
If I look at the trains counting from the left of the diagram, I see the following trains passing Preston station.
- Train 4 is a pair of classic-compatible trains, that split and join at Crewe, with one train going to Lancaster and the other to Liverpool Lime Street.
- Trains 10 and 11 are pairs of classic-compatible trains going between London and Scotland.
- Train 12 is a single classic-compatible train going between Birmingham and Scotland.
All four trains stop in Preston station.
The Track Layout
This OpenRailwayMap shows the track layout through the station.
Note.
- Tracks shown in red are electrified and tracks in black or not.
- Platforms 3 and 4 form a large island platform in the middle of the station.
- The platform is 373 metres long so it will almost take a pairs of classic-compatible trains going between London and Scotland.
- There are platforms either side of the island platform.
Click on the diagram to enlarge it.
How Will High Speed Two Operate At Preston Station?
Four hourly High Speed Two classic-compatible trains on the original plan would have called at Preston.
- London and Lancaster – Single 200 metre train.
- London and Scotland – Pair of 200 metre trains, splitting at Carlisle with one going to Edinburgh and one to Glasgow.
- London and Scotland – Pair of 200 metre trains, splitting at Carlisle with one going to Edinburgh and one to Glasgow.
- Birmingham and Scotland – Single 200 metre train, going alternately to Edinburgh and Glasgow.
With 27 metres of lengthening, all trains would fit the island platform 3 and 4.
I could see the platforms at Preston station fitted with travelators.
The picture shows the length of the Northbound Platform 3. The camera is looking South.
Footbridges And Subways
I would envisage that a lot of passengers would connect to High Speed Two at Preston station and the crossing from the outside platforms to the central island platform needs to be improved.
As the main trains will be 400 metres long, there will need to be fully step-free access with lifts at both ends of the station.
Judging from my pictures, the current footbridges need refurbishing.
Should Pairs Of High-Speed Trains Split and Join At Preston?
The pairs of High Speed Two classic-compatible trains running between London and Scotland are planned to split and join at Carlisle.
It could be better, if they split and joined at Preston, as it might avoid costly lengthening of the platforms at Carlisle.
Could A Cross-City Underground Railway Be Run Using Battery-Electric Trains?
Consider.
- Cross-city underground railways like London’s Bakerloo, Central, Jubilee,Northern, Piccadilly and Victoria Lines are usually powered by third-rail technology, which can be dangerous, if someone falls on the track.
- Siemens new London Underground 2024 Stock, which is fully-described in this Wikipedia entry, has the following characteristics.
- A train width of 2.648 metres.
- A train height of 2.844 metres.
- Walk-through carriages
- Air-conditioning
They will also have batteries to support regenerative braking.
But say you were building a new underground line across a city like Birmingham, Leeds or Manchester.
Would the following be possible?
- The tunnel would be built as small as possible, which would probably mean that it was built faster and more economically.
- There would be no electrified rails or overhead wires to power the trains in the tunnel.
- The trains would be powered by batteries.
- Batteries would be charged by a pantograph, that erected to contact with an overhead line outside the tunnel.
- The central tunnel would be bored straight.
- When the train doors opened, passengers would be able to walk on a level surface into and out of the train.
- I believe it would be possible to align the train doors with openings in the tunnel wall at stations to eliminate the need for platform edge doors.
I believe that to design a train and tunnel to literally fit like a glove, could save a lot of money on building a cross-city underground line.
The New Southbound Northern Line Platform At Bank Station
These pictures show the new Southbound Northern Line Platform at Bank Station.
Note.
- This is probably London Underground’s newest platform.
- The step into and out of the train is fairly level.
- This improvement has been achieved with new track and thirty-year-old rolling stock.
Have Siemens redesigned the platform/train interface in the London Underground 2024 Stock, so that the train/platform interface is even better?
- Who’s to know what you can do with modern computer-aided design techniques?
- If the train were to be battery-powered, so that conductor rails were not needed, would the extra space help fit everything in?
- If there were no live rails under the train, would this increase safety, both real and perceived?
I believe it might be possible to design a train/platform interface, that would work with simpler and more affordable platform edge doors.
We probably find out what is possible until the London Underground 2024 Stock enter service later this year.
Lancaster Station – 23rd May 2025
I finally got to Lancaster station today, after my failure that I wrote about in An Annoying Day.
I took these pictures.
I shall deal with the features of the station in separate sub-sections.
The Original High Speed Two Schedule Through Lancaster Station
This diagram shows High Speed Two services, as they were originally envisaged before Phase 2 was discontinued.
Note.
- Trains to the left of the vertical black line are Phase 1 and those to the right are Phase 2.
- Full-Size trains are shown in blue.
- Classic-Compatible trains are shown in yellow.
- Blue circles are shown, where trains stop.
- The dotted circles are where trains split and join.
- In the red boxes routes alternate every hour.
Click on the diagram to enlarge it.
If I look at the trains counting from the left of the diagram, I see the following trains passing or terminating at Lancaster station.
- Train 4 is a pair of classic-compatible trains, that split and join at Crewe, with one train going to Lancaster and the other to Liverpool Lime Street.
- Trains 10 and 11 are pairs of classic-compatible trains going between London and Scotland.
- Train 12 is a single classic-compatible train going between Birmingham and Scotland.
Only the Lancaster portion of Train 4 stops in Lancaster station.
The Track Layout
This OpenRailwayMap shows the track layout through the station.
Note.
- Tracks shown in red are electrified and tracks in black or not.
- In the North-West corner of the map the two bay platforms 1 and 2, that are used for local services can be seen.
- Platform 3 is a long platform on the Western side of the station, which is generally for Northbound through stopping trains, that can take 265 metre long eleven-car Class 390 trains.
- Paired with the track through Platform 3, there is a Northbound avoiding line, that allows faster trains to overtake trains stopped in the station.
- Platform 4 is a long platform on the Western side of the island platform on the Eastern side of the station, which is generally for Southbound through stopping trains, that can take 265 metre long eleven-car Class 390 trains.
- Paired with the track through Platform 4, there is a Southbound avoiding line, that allows faster trains to overtake trains stopped in the station.
- Platform 5 is a long platform on the Eastern side of the island platform on the Eastern side of the station, that is over two hundred metres long.
- All through tracks have a 75 mph maximum speed, except for Platform 5, which is just 30 mph.
Click on the diagram to enlarge it.
How Will High Speed Two Operate At Lancaster Station?
I would expect that the three High Speed Two services to and from Scotland will go through Lancaster station on the avoiding lines, which will mean that each avoiding line will handle one High Speed Two classic-compatible train every twenty minutes.
The train, that terminates at Lancaster has a few options.
- It could terminate from London in any of platforms 3, 4 or 5.
- It could leave for London from any of the platforms 3, 4 or 5.
Note.
- All three platforms are long enough to accept a single High Speed Two classic-compatible train, which is only 200 metres long.
- There would probably need to be some works to the tracks so that trains could terminate in platforms 4 or 5.
- There might need to be some works to the tracks so that trains could leave from London from platform 3.
The logical way to terminate the train would probably for the train to arrive and leave in Platform 5, but then this would need improvements to the tracks and also to the passenger footbridge across the tracks.
Eden Project Morecambe And The Morecambe Branch
In a few years time, both the Eden Project Morecambe and High Speed Two will be open and I suspect, a day out could be to take High Speed Two to Lancaster and the local train to Morecambe for a day at the Eden Project Morecambe.
This paragraph from the Eden Project Morecambe web site, describes the current status of the project.
Eden Project Morecambe, previously known as Eden Project North, has been awarded £50m in the second round of the UK Government’s Levelling Up Fund. The funding allows the project to move into its next phase and begin the process of finalising the remaining funds required from private and philanthropic sources identified as part of the bidding process.
I had intended to take a train to Morecambe to have a look round, but the train, that I would have needed to catch to get back to London at a reasonable hour, didn’t run due to lack of train crew.
As High Speed Two will provide connections at Lancaster to Birmingham, Carlisle, Crewe, Edinburgh, Glasgow, London, Preston, Warrington and Wigan and other trains will provide connections to Leeds, Liverpool and Manchester, the Eden Project Morecambe will be well connected to those who might like to visit by rail.
A day out with the kids, could involve a trip on High Speed One to Lancaster, a trip on a battery-electric shuttle train to Morecambe and a day out at the Eden Project Morecambe.
The Eden Project Morecambe could be a big money earner for High Speed Two and other rail companies.
I would envisage, that you would be able to buy an All-in-One ticket to the Eden Project Morecambe, which included your rail tickets.
The Passenger Footbridge
There is a lift on the Southbound side, but on the Northbound and bay platform side, there are only steps.
If substantial numbers of passengers visit the station and need to cross the tracks on the footbridge, as you would from arriving in Platforms 4 or 5 and wanting to go to Eden Project Morecambe, the footbridge is totally inadequate.
Lancaster Station Architecture
Lancaster station is Grade II Listed and you can see why from the pictures.
Work appears to be ongoing to refurbish the station.
The stonework appeared immaculate and very much High Speed Two-ready.
These picture shows part of the Costa coffee shop.
It was not what I expected.
The Anonymous Widower 