Who Have Bought Wrightbus Ultroliners With Cummins Engines?
In their web page, which describes the Wrightbus Ultroliner EU6, this paragraph describes the powering options.
The StreetDeck Ultroliner EU6 is available with two ultra low emission efficient diesel engine choices: the new Cummins 6.7 litre 6 cylinder and the current Mercedes 5.1 litre 4 cylinder engine. Our StreetDeck EU6 Ultroliner and its engine choices remains the UK’s favourite. All these buses can be repowered at mid-life to zero-emission BEV technology with NewPower.
But I believe that there is another repowering option – The Cummins engine can be converted to hydrogen to create a zero-emission bus, with an internal combustion engine.
Cummins Accelerates Work On Hydrogen-Fueled Internal Combustion Engines
Cummins Fuel-Agnostic X Series Platform shows a Cummins video about their fuel agnostic technology.
In Do Cummins And Stadler Have a Cunning Plan? I point out how Stadler could be making Class 99 locomotives with Cummins engines, that could be designed for conversion to hydrogen.
These engines are also probably made in Darlington
What Did Google AI Reply To The Question In The Title Of This Post?
Several transport operators have purchased Wrightbus StreetDeck Ultroliners equipped with Cummins engines. This highly efficient, ultra-low-emission diesel combination has been specifically chosen by operators where battery-electric vehicles are not viable for certain long-distance or high-mileage routes.
The known buyers include:
Bus Vannin: The first operator to order the next-generation Ultroliners with six-cylinder Cummins B6.7 engines. They placed an order for six vehicles which entered service on the Isle of Man, including two carrying special heritage liveries.
Nottingham City Transport (NCT): Ordered six StreetDeck Ultroliners. They are powered by the Cummins B6.7 engine paired with Voith gearboxes, specifically for their long-distance Pathfinder 26 route.
Go North East: Listed as an early operator to order the Wright StreetDeck featuring the Cummins engine.
Metroline Manchester: Acquired a large batch of 135 facelift StreetDeck Ultroliners (ordered via Transport for Greater Manchester) for rollout on the Bee Network.
Out of fairness, I asked Google AI,”Who have bought Wrightbus Ultroliners with Mercedes engines” and received this reply.
The vast majority of Wrightbus “Ultroliner” double-deckers feature Cummins engines.
Nottingham City Transport To Upgrade Pathfinder Route with Order For Brand New Wrightbus Double Decks
I found this press release on Nottingham City Transport’s web site, which is an interesting read.
These are the first two paragraphs.
UK Bus Operator of the Year, Nottingham City Transport has partnered with pioneering manufacturer Wrightbus to upgrade its long distance Pathfinder bus service between Nottingham, Burton Joyce, Lowdham and Southwell.
Six brand new ultra-low emission diesel powered double decks will soon start to be built by Wrightbus at their factory in Northern Ireland and will start carrying passengers in late autumn this year.
David Astill of NCT and Jean-Marc Gales of Wrightbus, then explain the industry-leading technology behind the buses. It results in an 80 % emission reduction compared to the previous 2014 buses.
Jean-Marc Gales finished with this.
Our blended approach to responsible technology, which includes battery electric, hydrogen fuel cell and the cleanest technologies, ensures our customers can continue to decarbonise while maintaining financially viable operations.
It appears to me, that this is the sensible way to go, as the operator can always choose what is best for their network.
Nottingham City Transport’s Ultroliners
These are some pictures I took of the buses on my trip to Nottingham.
Unfortunately, I didn’t have enough time for a ride.
Hydrogen And The Isle Of Man
I asked Google AI, the title of this section and received this answer.
On the Isle of Man, hydrogen is viewed as an unviable option for domestic heating due to high production costs and economies of scale.
However, the island’s government and local energy providers see potential for the fuel in heavy transport, maritime shipping, and achieving long-term energy independence.
Policy and Energy Strategy
Heating and Homes: Extensive energy analysis by the Isle of Man Government has concluded that hydrogen is not economically feasible for home heating. High costs and infrastructure limitations favor alternatives like heat pumps, which boast much higher efficiencies for everyday domestic use.
Energy Independence: While domestic heating is a poor fit, producing green hydrogen using the island’s future offshore wind or tidal renewable resources is occasionally discussed as a way to achieve total energy security and independence.
Network Readiness: The existing high-pressure pipeline network that transports natural gas to the island is not compatible with 100% hydrogen, though some smaller localized parts of the distribution grid could potentially be adapted.
Proposed Applications & Industry
The Steam Railway: The Isle of Man Steam Railway has faced proposals from private inventors to convert historic heritage locomotives to run on green hydrogen.
Maritime Shipping: Because the Isle of Man is a prominent maritime hub, green hydrogen production could theoretically serve as a valuable refueling point for future hydrogen-powered commercial shipping fleets.
Utility Diversification: Isle of Man Energy (formerly Manx Gas) has highlighted green hydrogen and biogas as part of their long-term corporate diversification plans away from natural gas.
My further thoughts on hydrogen and the Isle of Man
- There may also be some difficult-to-decarbonise businesses on the Island.
- The Isle of Man is also a holiday island and getting rid of diesel commercial vehicles could be advantageous.
- Will Centrica setup an electrolyser on the island and do a bit of bunkering?
It appears to be an island with great potential for hydrogen.
Conclusion
My final thoughts.
- I believe that Wrightbus have designed a diesel bus, that can replace existing diesel buses, without changing the buses to either battery or hydrogen operation.
- But once the operator has made provision for the electricity or hydrogen for the buses, then the buses can be converted to zero carbon.
- My project management knowledge would say, that there is an optimum rate at which new technology buses can be introduced.
It looks a good plan.
Can East Midlands Railway Reach Nottingham Without More Electrification?
I went to Nottingham for the day yesterday.
- My Super Off-Peak Return ticket cost me £55.30 with a Senior Railcard.
- The Class 810 train is without doubt the best Hitachi Intercity Express Train of a good bunch.
- St. Pancras and Nottingham is 126.4 miles.
- There is no electrification between South Wigston Junction and Nottingham, which is 31.1 miles, although the change seems to be said to take place at Kilby Bridge junction.
- It would appear that, when the Class 810 trains are fitted with batteries, they will need a range of at least 62.2 miles, to do a return trip to Nottingham.
- In The Data Sheet For Hitachi Battery Electric Trains, I state that the maximum range of a three-battery five-car train is 117 miles. This figure has been seen by Hitachi and they didn’t say it was too high.
- I look forward to doing the same trip in a few months, using batteries to the North of the section between Kilby Bridge and South Wigston junctions.
It could be the first battery-electric 125 mph express train.
Now that is what I call affordable electrification.
I have some further thoughts.
Kilby Bridge And Wigston Junctions
This Google Map shows the Midland Main Line between Kilby Bridge and Wigston junctions.
Note.
- Kilby Bridge junction is marked by the red arrow in the South-East corner.
- The Midland Main Line runs through Kilby Bridge junction.
- South-East it goes to London.
- North-West is leads to the large triangular Wigston junction, with South Wigston station at its Western point.
- The Northern point of Wigston junction leads to Leicester.
- There are three tracks between Wigston and Kilby Bridge junctions.
- All tracks to the South of South Wigston junction are electrified.
- The distance between Wigston and Kilby Bridge junctions is two miles.
- The maximum speed between Wigston and Kilby Bridge junctions appears to be at least 100 mph.
It looks to me, that this section of track has been designed, so that trains can reliably raise and lower pantographs at the highest speed possible.
The Electrification Problem At Leicester
Some years ago I came back to London from Leicester with a group of drivers. At one point, the conversation turned to electrification and they said that they had met a Network Rail engineer, who had told them, that the bridge over Leicester station was rather low for electrification and the track couldn’t be lowered because Leicester’s main sewer was underneath the railway.
In Leicester Station – 4th Jan 2022, I show a selection of pictures of Leicester station’s Grade II Listed frontage.
I doubt it would be possible to seriously alter Leicester station to electrify it, as the Heritage Taliban would have a field day.
But if I’m right that all services will be run North of Wigston on batteries, there will be no need to electrify through Leicester station.
Not only would using battery-electric trains probably be more affordable than electrification, but also because of the Leicester electrification problem, it would be less inconvenient for passengers.
Changing From Electric Going North
This OpenRailwayMap shows the electrification between Wigston Junction and Leicester station.
Note.
- Leicester station is marked by the blue arrow.
- The triangular Wigston junction is clearly visible.
- Kilby Bridge junction is South-East of Wigston junction.
- Leicester station and South Wigston junction is 3.6 miles and the tracks are shown as dashed black and red, which means future electrification.
I wonder, if in the future, if the battery-electric don’t have enough range, this is a simple section of electrification, that could be installed. Every extra mile of electrification between Leicester station and South Wigston junction would mean two miles could be chopped from the distance the trains had to travel on batteries.
But in the interim, going North, the driver would just make sure there was enough electricity in the batteries and momentum in the train, when passing South Wigston.
As trains arriving at South Wigston junction will typically have been running for over an hour, they should have full batteries to start theur explore of the North.
Changing To Electric Going South
The trains from the North, must have enough juice in the battery to reach South Wigston, so they can connect to the electrification for the run to London.
Could A Four-Battery Class 810 Train Reach Sheffield?
Consider.
- St. Pancras and Sheffield is 164.7 miles.
- There is no electrification between South Wigston Junction and Sheffield, which is 89.4 miles, although the change seems to be said to take place at Kilby Bridge junction.
- It would appear that, when the Class 810 trains are fitted with batteries, they will need a range of at least 178.8 miles to do a return trip to Sheffield.
- If a three-battery five-car Class 810 train has a battery range of 117 miles, on a pro-rata basis a four-battery five-car will only have a range of 156 miles.
That would be a big ask.
Could A Three-Battery Class 810 Train Reach Sheffield?
What would happen if one diesel engine was still installed?
These are my thoughts.
- As a Graduate Control Engineer, I wouldn’t be surprised that Hitachi have a strategy to do this with a tri-mode version of the Class 810 train.
- Hitachi have already announced the Class 820 train for Grand Central Trains and this is a tri-mode version of their InterCity Express, which is described in this Wikipedia entry.
- As Grand Central have said that the Class 820 trains, will be replacing the Class 180 trains, that run to Bradford Interchange and Sunderland, a tri-mode Class 810 would surely be able to run to Sheffield.
Could East Midlands Parkway Station Be Used For Opportunity Charging?
This Google Map shows East Midlands Parkway station with the massive derelict Radcliffe-on-Soar coal-powered power station alongside.
Note.
- The Midland Main Line running North-South across the map.
- East Midlands Parkway station on its Western side.
- The derelict Radcliffe-on-Soar coal-powered power station on its Eastern side.
A vast site like this must have uses.
I asked Google AI,”What Are The Plans For Radcliffe-on-Soar Power Station?” and received this reply.
The former Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station site is undergoing a multi-year decommissioning and demolition process, lasting until at least 2030 or 2031, to be transformed into a zero-carbon technology, energy, and advanced manufacturing hub.
Key details of the redevelopment include:
Site Vision: The 273-acre brownfield site has been earmarked to become a major business hub focused on advanced manufacturing (e.g., electric car batteries), low-carbon energy production, energy storage, and AI-driven data centres.
Economic Status: The site is a core component of the East Midlands Freeport, which offers significant financial incentives to attract business investment and create an estimated 7,000 to 8,000 jobs.
Demolition Timeline: The first demolition works are expected to begin in 2026, with the iconic cooling towers and main chimneys scheduled for controlled demolition between 2029 and 2030.
Planning Framework: A Local Development Order (LDO) granted by Rushcliffe Borough Council is in place to fast-track the planning process for these modern, green-focused industrial uses.
As the site will need to be supplied with a reliable energy supply for some of the proposed uses, I suspect power could be supplied to electrify the lines through East Midlands Parkway station, so that trains going to the North could take the opportunity to have a Formula One-style “Splash-and-Dash!”
Would Opportunity Charging At East Midlands Parkway Station Allow Extra Destinations?
Holders of the East Midlands Franchise have in the past, served other destinations in the past, either with regular services or engineering or seasonal diversions.
Possible destinations could be.
Cleethorpes
Distance to South Wigston – 112.4 miles
Doncaster
Distance to South Wigston – 108.1 miles – But could top up at Doncaster.
Rotherham Central
Distance to South Wigston – 102.2 miles
Scunthorpe
Distance to South Wigston – 112.4 miles
Is This The Problem At Bedford With The East West Railway?
The East West Railway certainly has problems at Bedford.
These two posts seem to be creating an impasse on getting the railway built and/or operational.
So I took a quick look at the rail lines in the rail around and trough Bedford, as shown in this OpenRailwayMap.
Note.
- The Midland Main Line runs down the left hand side of the map.
- Bedford station is marked by the blue arrow,
- The East Coast Main Line runs down the right hand side of the map.
- Stations on the East Coast Main Line from North to South are St. Neots, Sandy, Biggleswade and Arlesey.
- The East West Railway is planned to connect to the East Coast Main Line at a new station at Tempsford , which will be South of St. Neots.
- The original connection was to be at Sandy.
- There used to be a railway between Bedford and Sandy.
- This railway between Bedford and Sandy, was the Varsity Line and I write about its current status in Is The Varsity Line Trackbed Between Bedford And Sandy Still There? – No, is the only answer.
- In Did Beeching Recommend Closure Of The Varsity Line?, I find out that he didn’t and it was totally the fault of Labour Politicians; Barbara Castle and Tom Fraser, with perhaps some help from Harold Wilson. Were they jealous that Oxford and Cambridge had a better link than the non-existent one across the North?
Did Beeching Recommend Closure Of The Varsity Line?
I asked Google AI, the question in the title of this post, and received this answer.
No, Dr. Richard Beeching did not recommend the closure of the Varsity Line in his 1963 report The Reshaping of British Railways.
In fact, the report recommended retaining the line with only minor curtailments.However, despite surviving the initial “Beeching cuts,” the line was ultimately closed a few years later following separate reviews by the government.
Key Details of the Line’s Demise
The First Hit (1966): Local freight facilities and minor sections were withdrawn.
Total Passenger Closure (1967): The passenger service between Bedford and Cambridge was officially withdrawn by then-Minister of Transport Tom Fraser.
The Oxford-Bletchley Segment: The passenger services between Oxford and Bletchley avoided complete closure at that time but were eventually heavily scaled back.
The closure of the Bedford to Cambridge section is largely attributed to Transport Minister Barbara Castle’s decision, as she authorized the withdrawal of services due to the route’s heavy operating losses.
Is The Varsity Line Trackbed Between Bedford And Sandy Still There?
I asked Google AI, the question in the title of this post, and received this answer.
The trackbed between Bedford and Sandy largely survives as an open, walkable alignment, but the original tracks themselves were removed decades ago.
Today, much of this section of the old Varsity Line (often referred to as the Bedford-Cambridge route) operates as National Cycle Route 51, though a few specific areas have seen modern development.
The status of the trackbed varies depending on the specific location:
:Bedford to Sandy (General): The rails and sleepers are long gone, but the formation is still clearly visible.
A large section of the trackbed between Bedford and Sandy has been repurposed as a traffic-free path for cyclists and walkers (National Cycle Route 51).
Sandy Station Area: The former Varsity Line platforms at Sandy were cleared after the line closed in 1968.
New housing has been built over parts of the route through the town, altering the original alignment.Because the original alignment was interrupted by modern housing and other developments in certain areas, the upcoming East West Rail project—which aims to re-establish a direct railway between Oxford and Cambridge—will bypass the original trackbed for the central section (Bedford to Cambridge).
The new railway is slated to follow a slightly different route.
Conclusion
Does Scotland Have A Plan To Build A Railway With Invisible Electrification?
There is an article in Rail Technology Magazine, which is entitled £20m Upgrade Secures Future Of Scotland’s First Electrified Railway.
This is the sub-heading.
A £20 million investment is underway to renew overhead power infrastructure on Scotland’s original electrified railway, safeguarding one of the country’s most operationally critical commuter networks for decades to come.
These two paragraphs give more details.
The programme focuses on key sections of the North Clyde lines, which operate from Helensburgh, Balloch and Milngavie through Glasgow’s west end and low‑level stations. As the busiest suburban railway outside London, the corridor plays a pivotal role in keeping Scotland’s wider rail network moving.
First electrified in 1960, the North Clyde routes marked the beginning of modern rail travel in Scotland. More than six decades on, that early investment continues to influence today’s network, underpinning electric services on routes including East Kilbride and Barrhead, with further electrification projects progressing across Fife and the Scottish Borders.
Surely at over 65-years-old, the electrification needs pensioning off and replacing with the best that the mid-2020s can provide.
This OpenRailwayMap shows the 1960s electrification.
Note.
- The red tracks are electrified with 25 KVAC overhead electrification.
- The black tracks are not electrified.
- Helensburgh Central station is in the North-West corner of the map and marked with a blue arrow.
- The City of Glasgow is in the South-East corner of the map.
- The branch going North in the middle of the map terminated at Balloch station.
- Milngavie station is the terminus of the branch going North from the Glasgow area.
- The circular pink track is the Glasgow Underground.
I wonder if this is the start of a cunning Scottish electrification extension , that has been designed by Baldrick’s Scottish cousin?
Onward From Helensburgh
This OpenRailwayMap shows the tracks North of Helensburgh.
Note.
- The red tracks are electrified with 25 KVAC overhead electrification.
- The black tracks are not electrified.
- Helensburgh Upper station is in the South-East corner of the map and marked with a blue arrow.
- The two electrified lines from Glasgow to Helensburgh Central and Balloch stations are just visible in red.
- Oban station is at the Western end of the first branch line going North.
- Mallaig station is at the Western end of the first branch line going North.
- Helensburgh Upper and Oban stations are 76.1 miles apart.
- Mallaig station is at the Western end of the second branch line going North.
- Helensburgh Upper and Mallaig stations are 137.5 miles apart.
- The Mallaig branch also goes through Fort William station.
- Helensburgh Upper and Fort William stations are 97.4 miles apart.
- There is a Caledonian Sleeper that runs both ways between Helensburgh Upper and Fort William stations, which is hauled by a Class 66 diesel locomotive.
- There also appear to be paths for MOD trains hauled by GB RailFreight.
I feel that at some point in the next ten years, battery-electric trains or hydrogen locomotives, will be taking passengers and/or cargo to Cruachan, Fort William, Mallaig and Oban.
- Battery-electric trains and battery locomotives will charge their batteries between Helensburgh Upper and Glasgow at the Southern end of the route.
- Battery-electric trains and battery locomotives will charge their batteries at terminal stations at the Northern end of the route, using offshore wind power.
- Hydrogen trains and locomotives would probably fill up in the Glasgow area.
It could be a zero-carbon line. What would be the effect of a zero-carbon line on tourism?
Could Class 99 Locomotives Be Used On The Caledonian Sleeper?
Ever since the Class 99 locomotive was announced, there has been speculation, that these powerful bi-mode locomotives could handle the routes without an engine change.
I asked Google AI the question in the title of this section and received this reply.
Yes, Class 99 locomotives could eventually be used on the Caledonian Sleeper, as the bi-mode locomotives were designed with potential passenger use in mind. However, the standard Class 99 models cannot currently pull the sleeper trains off-the-shelf and would require specific modifications to do so.
The main factors influencing their deployment on the route include:
Equipment Needs: To haul sleeper carriages, the locomotives must be fitted with Electric Train Supply (ETS/ETH) to power lighting, heating, and air conditioning, as well as specific Dellner couplers to mate with the modern Mk5 carriages.
Sub-Class Fleet Order: While GB Railfreight (GBRf) ordered 30 Class 99s, the standard versions have a top speed of 75 mph (intended strictly for freight).
A specific sub-class (the 99/4) has been proposed to include passenger-standard acceleration, higher speeds of 100 mph to fit into existing timetable paths, and the required ETS equipment.
Bi-Mode Flexibility: Because they operate as bi-mode (using 25kV overhead electric wires and an onboard diesel engine), Class 99s could potentially run the entire route—from London to the Scottish Highlands—without requiring a locomotive change at electrified/non-electrified boundaries.
In Cummins Fuel-Agnostic X Series Platform, there is a Cummins video, which explains their philosophy of building engines that can run on diesel, hydrogen or natural gas.
With those engines, Class 99 locomotives could take the Caledonian Sleeper, or any other luxury or heavy freight train for that matter, anywhere.
FlixBus Launches New Coach Services For Luton DART Parkway
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Luton Today.
These paragraphs describe the service.
Coach brand FlixBus is announcing the launch of a new service between Norwich and Luton DART Parkway from 25 May.
Tickets between Norwich and Luton DART Parkway start at £8.99, while tickets between Thetford and Luton DART Parkway start at £8.49, and tickets between Cambridge and Luton DART Parkway start at £6.99.
Six daily departures each way will offer travellers a convenient, affordable link between East Anglia, Cambridgeshire and Luton airport, ahead of the busy summer season.
Could This Service Be Run By A Hydrogen-Powered Coach?
Luton and Norwich is around 160 km.
So six round trips would be under 2,000 km, which could be run, by two coaches having one fill-up per day.
The Coach Calls At The University Of East Anglia
This will be very convenient for some.
Should The Coach Stop At Newmarket?
Because of the horse racing industry, there are a lot of people travelling between Newmarket and the Dublin area, and the most convenient route is to fly between Luton and Dublin.
Conclusion
This service will be a winner.
Wrightbus To Supply 20 Electroliner Buses To Hong Kong
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on bus-news.
These are the first two paragraphs, which give more details.
Wrightbus has received a major order for a set of 20 of its 6×2 StreetDeck Electroliner double-deck buses.
The vehicles have been ordered by Hong Kong’s Citybus, marking the first global order for the new triple-axle vehicles.
I feel very strongly after a very terrible Bank Holiday weekend, that these are the buses we need on the 141 route in London, that I use most days.
Currently, we have BYD’s Chinese Junks and the batteries are too small.
- On Saturday, I had a doctor’s appointment and had to wait 45 minutes for a bus.
- On Sunday, I had to take a taxi.
- On Monday, it was a twenty minute wait and in the end I took a 76, which are Routemasters and walked.
- On Tuesday, I was rescued by an elderly Wrightbus, after twenty minutes wait.
The article on bus-news says this about the three-axle buses.
Measuring 12-metres in length; the StreetDeck Electroliners are capable of carrying up to 82 seated passengers (130 total), and possess an operating range of up to 300km.
That would do us fine in De Beauvoir Town, so we could travel reliably to London Bridge and Palmers Green.
As an engineer, I suspect the longer buses with an extra axle can carry a larger battery. I also suspect that BYD’s batteries don’t perform well in hot weather.
Instead, we get Chinese Junks and Hong Kong will be getting quality British buses built in Malaysia.
Heathrow Expansion Could Open The Door To Five Additional UK Routes, According To New Research
The title of this post, is the same as that of this press release from the Heathrow Media Centre.
These three bullet-points act as sub-headings.
- New research identifies Belfast International, Cornwall Airport Newquay, Leeds Bradford Airport, Liverpool John Lennon and Teesside International Airport as most likely to gain Heathrow connections through expansion
- New links could unlock £335m in additional gross tourism spend, boosting trade, investment and jobs. This builds on the estimated £1.2bn in gross tourism spending across the UK from travellers supported by current Heathrow domestic routes
- Regional airports and businesses support this Government’s backing of Heathrow expansion and urge the project to be progressed as fast as possible
This is the first paragraph.
New research by Frontier Economics has identified the UK airports most likely to benefit from new or restored connections to Heathrow, when additional airport capacity is delivered by a third runway.
Surprise surprise! Research paid for by an airport shows more flights to the airport are a good idea after a new runway has been added.
I will look at each airport mentioned in the report in detail.
Belfast International
Belfast International Airport handles nearly seven million passengers a year, as opposed to the 2.5 million passengers that use the smaller Belfast City Airport.
Consider.
- Belfast International has flights to Gatwick, Luton and Stansted.
- I’ve only flown into Belfast twice and it was once to each airport.
- I did fly myself into Belfast City, when I was taking a friend to see Shorts, as he might have bought a Skyvan.
- If I wanted to go, I’d probably go from London City to Belfast City unless say, I was being picked up from Belfast International and perhaps going some distance from Belfast, in which case it would be Gatwick Airport.
- Note that I only travel with a small amount of hand baggage. As an an aside, what do travellers put in their mammoth suitcases?
- The press release talks of Belfast’s growing screen and cultural industries.
I wonder, if Belfast International needs flights from Heathrow, because there is increasing amounts of connecting travellers for Belfast and the aircraft to Belfast City aren’t large enough to carry all the cases.
Cornwall Airport Newquay
Newquay has flights to Gatwick and Stansted.
I’ve only been to Newquay once and I went by train, which I wrote about in Newquay Station – 9/10th February 2024.
- I changed once at Par.
- But soon, if not already, there will be direct trains from Paddington.
- Details on the summer-only Atlantic Coast Express are given on its Wikipedia entry.
- Will there be Pullman Dining, as I experienced on On The 10:45 From Paddington? That journey was the best train breakfast I’ve ever had!
Paddington and Heathrow isn’t a difficult journey to get the train for Newquay.
Leeds Bradford Airport
I used to fly light aircraft and I have friends in aviation. One phrase you regularly hear from pilots is “Time to spare, go by air!”
- Basically, unless you’re flying in a business jet, leave plenty of time.
- Leeds Bradford is a good airport and they did a good job, when I presented them with a problem, that I wrote about in Incident At Leeds.
- If I came into Heathrow, I would probably use Heathrow Express to Paddington and then get the Metropolitan Line to King’s Cross to get to Yorkshire.
- Leeds is also getting a Metro.
- LNER and other train companies are developing their services to the Leeds-Bradford area and there are now services to Bradford, Doncaster, Harrogate, Hull, Leeds, Shipley, Skipton and York.
- Leeds station has two trains per hour to and from London.
- Leeds station has lots of taxis.
Google AI gives this AI Overview of parking at Leeds-Bradford airport.
Parking at Leeds Bradford Airport (LBA) is highly streamlined, offering a range of on-site and off-site options. It features a popular Free 1-Hour Zone for drop-offs, premium options right outside the terminal, and competitive long-stay parking. Pre-booking online is heavily recommended to secure spaces and get the best
I doubt that flying between Heathrow and Leeds Airport will be popular, unless you’re parking at the airport
Liverpool John Lennon Airport
A lot of the things said about Leeds Bradford Airport can be said about Liverpool airport.
But Liverpool already has a comprehensive Metro.
Google AI gives this AI Overview of parking at Liverpool airport.
Parking at Liverpool John Lennon Airport is extremely convenient because all official car parks are located directly on-site within a 1 to 5-minute walk of the terminal building—meaning no shuttle buses are required.
As with Leeds-Bradford Airport, I doubt that flying to Heathrow will be popular, unless you’re parking at the airport
Teesside International Airport
Reading the Wikipedia entry for Teesside International Airport doesn’t give the impression, the airport is not in the best of health.
But this is said about parking on the Teesside International Airport web site.
Teesside Airport parking is situated directly opposite the terminal building.
Wherever you’re coming from for your flight, be it Middlesbrough, Hartlepool or down the road in Darlington, our parking is closer and safer than parking anywhere else to access the airport. It is monitored 24/7 and has been awarded safe parking status by Park Mark.
Dropping off or picking up? There’s free parking for up to two hours when you spend minimum of £5 in our Landside Café or landside terminal shops. Receipt must be shown for validation.
I suspect if you’re going to one of its eight destinations and you want to take your car, then you might use Teesside International Airport.
Although several local stations seem to have good train services to King’s Cross, it does appear that Teesside International Airport could be using parking to attract business with customer-friendly parking.
I have some thoughts.
Do Many Passengers Take A Coach To Heathrow?
Google AI gave this answer, when I asked the question in the title of this section.
Yes, absolutely. Over 5 million passengers take coaches to Heathrow every year.
The airport’s Central Bus Station is one of the busiest coach hubs in the UK, and coaches provide an incredibly popular, cost-effective alternative to trains and taxis.
The main reasons so many travelers choose to take the coach include:
Direct Terminal Access: Coaches drop you off directly at the Heathrow Central Bus Station (for Terminals 2 and 3) or right outside Terminals 4 and 5.
This saves you from dragging heavy luggage through the London Underground or navigating complex rail changes.
Cost-Effective: Advance tickets often start as low as \(£10.50\), making it substantially cheaper than black cabs, airport parking, or premium rail lines like the Heathrow Express.National Connectivity: Coaches connect Heathrow to over 500 locations across the country.
Major hubs like Bristol, Oxford, Cambridge, and Southampton have direct, frequent services without requiring a change in Central London.
Early Morning Travel: Because the airport is a 24-hour operation, many coaches run throughout the night, offering crucial connections before local trains even begin operating.
An alternative at some of these smaller airports could be better coach travel.
Is Anybody Proposing A Small Airliner Powered By Hydrogen Fuel Cells?
I believe a smaller airliner powered by hydrogen fuel cells could suit feeder flights from smaller airports.
Google AI gave this answer, when I asked the question in the title of this section.
Yes, several aerospace companies are actively developing and testing hydrogen fuel cell airliners, ranging from retrofitted commuter planes to clean-sheet regional aircraft.
The leading proposals and active development programs include:
Airbus ZEROe: Airbus is designing a 100-seat regional airliner powered by four 2.4-megawatt hydrogen fuel cell engines.
After verifying the concept’s feasibility, Airbus is currently assembling a 1.2MW powertrain demonstrator for testing, with the aircraft targeted for entry into service in the late 2030s.
ZeroAvia: ZeroAvia is focused on retrofitting existing regional airframes (such as the Dornier 228) with hydrogen-electric engines.
They are currently testing their ZA600 powertrain for 19-seat aircraft and are actively developing larger systems (up to 80 seats) to enter commercial service in the coming years.
.H2Fly: This company focuses on small regional aircraft and has test flights slated for their 4-seat air taxis and larger regional prototypes.
They advocate for starting with smaller planes to avoid the complex infrastructure challenges of larger models.
Beyond Aero: They are developing “ONE,” a hydrogen-electric business aircraft designed specifically for executive travel, aiming to reduce both costs and carbon emissions compared to traditional jet fuel.
Hopefully, hydrogen fuel cell powered aircraft will be quiet.
Labour To Adopt Some Of World’s Most Ambitious Climate Targets
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on The Times.
This is the sub-heading.
No 10 moves to lock in sweeping emissions cuts, seeking to outflank the Greens on net zero while setting up a clash with Reform UK and the Tories
What I find strange is that there is no mention of hydrogen in the Times article.
I believe there are certain applications, where hydrogen is essential.
I asked Google AI,”Is Hydrogen An Essential Route To Decarbonise Some Industries?” and received this reply.
Yes, hydrogen is widely considered an essential route to decarbonise “hard-to-abate” sectors where direct electrification is inefficient or impossible.
It acts both as a clean-burning fuel for high-temperature heat and as a vital chemical feedstock.
Why Hydrogen Is Essential
High-Temperature Heat: Certain industries (e.g., steel, cement, glass) require intense heat that standard electric furnaces cannot practically achieve.
Hydrogen can replace natural gas in these combustion processes.
Chemical Feedstock: Hydrogen is required for chemical transformations rather than just energy.
For instance, it is indispensable in the manufacture of ammonia (fertilizers) and methanol.Material Reduction: In steelmaking, hydrogen can strip oxygen from iron ore, producing water vapor as a byproduct instead of carbon dioxide.
Key “Hard-to-Abate” Industries
Iron & Steel: Using hydrogen as a reducing agent replaces coal and coke, potentially cutting up to 95% of the emissions from traditional blast furnaces.
Chemicals & Refining: Clean hydrogen can replace “grey” hydrogen (which is currently produced using fossil fuels) in oil refining and fertilizer creation.
Long-Haul Transport: For heavy-duty vehicles, maritime shipping, and aviation.
The Anonymous Widower 