A Spaniard In The Works!
Whilst it was pantomime season at Westminster today, with the usual fights over, who would be best at ruining this country, something more important was happening close by.
This article on Rail Magazine is entitled Talgo Names Longannet As Site Of New Train Factory.
This is the first two paragraphs.
Spanish train manufacturer Talgo plans to build trains in Longannet, in Scotland, after confirming that its preferred location for its UK factory will be at the site of the closed power station.
The company made the announcement at Westminster today (November 14), following an 18-month search for a UK site. It also confirmed that a Research and Development site would be built at Chesterfield, although it would not be drawn on the relationship between the two sites.
The article also says.
- Up to a thousand will be employed at the Scottish site.
- Construction starts in 2020.
- Work on trains starts eighteen months later.
- The factory will cost £40million.
- The branch line to the power station could be developed and used by passenger trains.
- The site was chosen because of good access by road, rail and sea.
The article is very much worth reading.
These are a few of my thoughts.
Did Or Does Brexit Affect The Investment?
Talgo are on the short-list for the trains for High Speed Two and have always said, that they would build the trains in the UK.
I suspect that if they were to be dropped from the short-list for High Speed Two or High Speed Two were to be cancelled, these would have a bigger effect. than Brexit.
What Are Talgo’s Strengths?
The company is strong on innovation and their trains are a bit different.
The picture of two of Talgo’s high-speed trains was taken in Seville.
I think it could be an AVE Class 102 train. They are nicknames pato in Spanish, which means duck!
I wonder why?
Talgo also makes trains, that can run on both Spanish and standard gauge, which enables trains to go direct between Madrid and Paris. The company is also targeting export orders in Russia and India.
They are very much an international company.
Why Choose Longannet?
If Talgo should get the order for the classic-compatible trains for High Speed Two, they have said the trains will be manufactured in the UK.
This article on Railway Gazette is entitled Joint Venture To Bid For HS2 Rolling Stock Contract.
This is an extract.
In November 2017 project promoter HS2 Ltd shortlisted Alstom, Bombardier Transportation UK, Hitachi Rail Europe, Patentes Talgo and Siemens for the rolling stock design, manufacturing and maintenance contract worth an estimated £2·75bn.
This would cover the supply of at least 54 trainsets with a maximum speed of 360 km/h for Phase 1 of HS2 between London and the West Midlands. The ‘classic compatible’ units would be able to run through from the new line onto existing infrastructure to serve destinations including York, Newcastle, Liverpool, Glasgow and Edinburgh.
The formal tendering process is due to start later this year, with the contract expected to be awarded in late 2019 and entry into service planned for 2026.
54 trains for a total of £2.75billion is not a small order.
And that is only this first order, as dedicated trains will be needed as well.
Talgo’s AVE Class 102 train already runs at 330 kph and trains can automatically join and split to make four hundred metre long trains, so they can probably demonstrate a train that would be suitable for High Speed Two.
Having a factory in Scotland would surely be a plus point in the bidding process.
Longannet also will have good access to the ports at Rosyth and Grangemouth, which could be a great help in importing anything from components or complete trains and perhaps exporting carriages and trains to places like Russia, which are easier by sea from Scotland, than from Spain.
Will Talgo Bid For Other Train Contracts?
Talgo have built 125 mph bi-mode trains in the past and there are other franchises that might need such a train.
- Southeastern to add extra capacity to domestic services on High Speed One and serve Hastings.
- Cross Country to replace their HSTs.
- West Coast Main Line to replace Voyagers.
- Midland Main Line to replace HSTs and Voyagers.
There could be other franchises and routes that could use their trains.
Conclusion
There’s a lot more to this announcement than meets the eye!
Are Crossrail’s Turnback Sidings At Westbourne Park Without Electrification?
This Google Map shows Westbourne Park bus garage, nestled between the elevated M40 motorway and the rail lines out of Paddington station.
Note.
- All those white rectangles with red ends are buses.
- Running along the South side of the garage are the electrified Crossrail rail lines that go into the tunnel to Paddington and all points to the East.
- Below that are the electrified lines of the Great Western Main Line.
- The electrification gantries on both sets of lines are clearly visible.
There are also some lines which appear to go under the bus garage.
This Google Map shows those lines in more detail.
The new Westbourne Park Bus Garage was built so that Crossrail sidings for trains turning back at Paddington would be under the buses.
The image is dated 2018, but it clearly shows that the sidings don’t have electrification.
Could this be deliberate or does the image predate the installation of the overhead wires?
This Google Map is a few more metres close to the portal, where the trains enter the tunnel.
Note the footbridge going North-South over the area.
These pictures were taken from the footbridge of the tracks beneath the footbridge.
Looking at the pictures, the following can be ascertained.
- The bus garage is a concrete structure in the distance, highlighted by a topping of red buses.
- The sidings that go under the bus garage are not electrified.
- The Northernmost of the tracks, that go past the bus garage is not electrified. Perhaps, this track is used to allow diesel-hauled service trains to access the tunnel.
There would certainly be an advantage in not electrifying the sidings, as working in effectively the basement of a bus garage, if a fault developed with 25 KVAC all around you, would be a Health and Safety nightmare.
Passing The Bus Garage
Later I took a train past the bus garage and took these pictures.
It is certainly, an impressive use of limited space.
Buses are lined up on the first floor of the garage.
I would suspect that the concrete plant will be dismantled, as this would allow more sidings to be laid out underneath the bus garage.
The Turnback
But did I get the answer to the question I posed?
From my observations on the bridge and after looking in detail at the Google Maps of the area, the turnback sidings are to the South of the bus garage. Note the intricate track layout in the third Google Map in this post.
The turnback also appears to be electrified.
Auto-Reverse
Perhaps the most interesting thing about the turnback, is contained in this article on Rail Engineer, which is entitled Signalling Crossrail. This is an extract.
A new facility called ‘auto reverse’ is being provided at Westbourne Park (no station) for turning the 14 trains per hour in the reversing sidings. The driver selects ‘auto reverse’ on leaving Paddington station and walks back through the train, obviating the need for drivers to ‘step-up’. By the time the train gets back to Paddington (about a mile) the driver should be in the other cab ready to form the next eastbound departure.
The facility has the capability to turn round a full 30 tph service. There is just time for the driver to walk back through the train whilst in the reversing siding but doing so on departure at Paddington gives that extra time that will also help recover from perturbation.
The article also says that Auto Reverse will not be provided on Network Rail infrastructure, but as these tracks between the bus garage and the Great Western Main Line are Crossral infrastructure, that would be irrelevant.
The Auto Reverse would appear to be a clever use of automation, which I suspect the driver can stop at any time using some form of remote control.
Is It Ready For Use?
I have to ask this question.
It looked to me, that there was still some work to do.
If Crossrail were to open in early December, then it looks that it could be impossible.
So were these works at Westbourne Park, the reason for the postponement?
TfL Gives Go Ahead To Build Above Farringdon Station
The title of this post is the same as this article on New Civil Engineer.
These are the first two paragraphs.
Transport for London (TfL) has signed an agreement with developer HB Reavis to build an oversite development above the new Farringdon Elizabeth Line station.
TfL said the new seven-storey, mixed use building was part of a huge programme of Elizabeth Line property development which could raise £500M to be reinvested into improving transport in London.
The article then goes on to add more detail about this development and a dozen or so others under development or construction.
I took these pictures at Farringdon station this morning.
This Google Map shows the site.
The site is between the station and Farringdon Road.
I feel that the site will be a very well-connected one.
- There is a direct rail connection to Gatwick, Heathrow and Luton Airports.
- Eurostar is one stop away on Thameslink.
- There is a direct rail connection to Euston, Kings Cross, Liverpool Street, London Bridge, Paddington and St. Pancras stations.
- Many of London’s Central attractions are easy to access.
Could it become an up-market hotel?
Tottenham Hale Station Becomes Clearer
I went to Tottenham Hale station this morning and took these two series of pictures.
These were of the station itself.
Note.
- The new step-free footbridge.
- The giant box of the new station under the scaffolding.
- The angular roof of the bus station.
These pictures show the construction site of a new tower on the other site of the tracks.
Note.
- A 32-storey tower is going on the site, so the foundations will be deep.
- The third track and the new platform 3 at Tottenham Hale station.
- The concrete structure between the tracks and the tower could be demolished.
This Google Map shows the area.
The new tower is going into the green space in the bottom-right of the map.
West Anglia Four-Tracking
It is an ambition of Newtwork Rail, Greater Anglia and Stansted Airport to have four tracks on the West Anglia Main Line.
It very much looks as if, the building of this tower will enable a fourth track to be threaded through alongside the third track being constructed at the present time for the new service between Stratford to Meridian Water stations.
I think though, that the bridge could be a bigger problem, as this picture shows.
Could it be considered a bridge on crutches?
But a well-designed replacement bridge would probably allow a fourth track to be laid underneath!
Do Aventras Use Supercapacitors?
In this article in Global Rail News from 2011, which is entitled Bombardier’s AVENTRA – A new era in train performance, gives some details of the Aventra’s electrical systems. This is said.
AVENTRA can run on both 25kV AC and 750V DC power – the high-efficiency transformers being another area where a heavier component was chosen because, in the long term, it’s cheaper to run. Pairs of cars will run off a common power bus with a converter on one car powering both. The other car can be fitted with power storage devices such as super-capacitors or Lithium-ion batteries if required. The intention is that every car will be powered although trailer cars will be available.
Unlike today’s commuter trains, AVENTRA will also shut down fully at night. It will be ‘woken up’ by remote control before the driver arrives for the first shift
This was published over seven years ago, so I suspect Bombardier have refined the concept.
The extract makes three interesting points.
All Or Most Cars Will Be Powered
In A Detailed Layout Drawing For A Class 345 Train, I give the formation of a Crossrail Class 345 train.
DMS+PMS+MS1+MS3+TS(W)+MS3+MS2+PMS+DMS
Note.
- M signifies a motored car.
- Eight cars have motors and only one doesn’t.
- The train is composed of two identical half-trains, which are separated by the TS(W) car.
- There are four wheelchair spaces in the TS(W) car.
Are the MS!, MS2 and MS3 cars identical?
In addition, I have been told, that all cars in Class 720 trains are motored.
It does seem that Bombardier have fulfilled their statement from 2011.
Remote Wake-Up
This is mentioned in the extract, but there are few other references to it. I quoted a report from the Derby Telegraph, which has since been deleted, in Do Bombardier Aventras Have Remote Wake-Up?.
Supercapacitors And Lithium-Ion Batteries
According to the extract, the trains have been designed to accept supercapacitors or lithium-ion batteries if required.
As the other two statements in the extract appear to be likely, I will continue to believe that all Aventras can have some form of energy storage.
Crossrail
I’ll look first at Crossrail’s Class 345 train.
In How Much Energy Does A Crossrail Class 345 Train Use?, using the train’s data sheet, I came to the conclusion, that electricity usage of the trains is 2.67 KWh per car per kiometre or 3.29 KWh per car per mile.
In the linked post, I also calculate the kinetic energy of a fully-loaded nine-car Crossrail train.
I’ll repeat it.
- If I take a nine-car Class 345 train, this has a mass of less than 350 tonnes and a maximum speed of 145 kph.
- 1500 passengers at 80 kg each works out at another 120 tonnes.
- So for this crude estimate I’ll use 450 tonnes for the mass of a loaded train.
This gives the train a kinetic energy of 101 KWh.
As the Class 345 trains are effectively two half trains, with two PMS cars with pantographs, it is likely that they have at least two cars that are ready for supercapacitors or lithium-ion batteries.
The Design Of Crossrail
Crossrail could best be described as the Victoria Line on steroids.
- Both lines were designed to run in excess of twenty-four trains per hour (tph) across London.
- The Victoria Line was built to deep-level Underground standards, with one of the most advanced-for-its-time and successful train operating systems of all times.
- Crossrail is a modern rail line being built to National Rail standards, with world-leading advanced technology, that takes full account of modern environmental standards and aspirations.
Costs were saved on the Victoria Line by leaving out important parts of the original design..
- The route was cut back to Walthamstow Central, from the proposed terminus at Walthamstow Wood Street or possibly South Woodford or Woodford.
- Some stations like Highbury & Islington were built to a totally inadequate low-cost design.
- Third escalators at stations were changed into stairs.
- Step-free access was non-existent at the opening, but has been added to some stations since.
- Cross platform interchange with the Chingford Branch Line was left out at Walthamstow Central station.
Costs were saved on Crossrail, by using high-quality design.
- Crossrail and the Great Western Main Line electrification share a sub-station to connect to the National Grid.
- The number of ventilation and access shafts was reduced significantly, with one in a new office block; Moor House.
- Electrification uses a simple overhead rail, which is only fed with power at the ends.
I also believe that the Class 345 trains, which were designed specifically for the route, were designed to save energy and increase safety in the tunnels.
Regenerative braking normally saves energy by returning braking energy through the electrification, so it can be used to power other nearby trains.
Batteries For Regenerative Braking
However, in recent years, there has been increasing interest in diverting the braking energy to onboard energy storage devices on the train, so that it can be used when the train accelerates or to power systems on the train.
The system has these advantages.
- Less energy is needed to power the trains.
- Simpler and less costly transformers can be used for the electrification.
- The onboard energy storage can be used to power the train after an electrification failure.
- In tunnels, there is less heat-producing electricity flowing in all the cables.
Obviously, keeping the heat down in the tunnels is a good thing.
A Station Stop On Crossrail Using Regenerative Braking And Energy Storage
Imagine a fully-loaded train approaching a station, at the maximum speed on 145 kph.
- The train will have a kinetic energy of 101 kWh.
- As it approaches the station, the brakes will be applied and the regenerative brakes will turn the train’s energy into electricity.
- This energy will be stored in the onboard energy storage.
- As the train accelerates away from the station, the electricity in the onboard energy storage can be used.
The only problem, is that regenerative braking is unlikely to recover all of the train’s kinetic energy. But this is not a big problem, as the train draws any extra power needed from the electrification.
To make the system as efficient as possible, the following must be fitted.
- The most efficient traction motor.
- Onboard energy storage capable of handling the maximum kinetic energy of the train.
- Onboard energy storage with a fast response time.
The train will probably be controlled by a sophisticated computer system.
What Size Of Onboard Energy Storage Should Be Fitted?
Obviously, this is only speculation and a best guess, but the following conditions must be met.
- The onboard energy storage must be able to capture the maximum amount of energy generated by braking.
- The physical size of the energy storage system must be practical and easily fitted under or on the train.
- The energy storage system should be able to store enough energy to be able to move a stalled train to safety in the event of complete power failure.
Note that an energy storage system with a 100 kWh capacity would probably take the train somewhere around four to five kilometres.
Obviously, a series of computer simulations based on the route, passengers and various other conditions, would indicate the capacity, but I feel a capacity of around 120 kWh might be the place to start.
Where Would The Energy Storage Be Placed?
With nine cars, and with eight of them motored, there are a several choices.
- One energy storage unit in all motored cars.
- One energy storage unit in the three MS cars.
- One energy storage unit in each half train.
I’ve always liked the concept of an energy storage unit in each powered car, as it creates a nice tight unit, with energy stored near to where it is generated and used.
But there is another big advantage in splitting up the energy storage – the individual units are smaller.
Could this mean that supercapacitors could be used?
- The main need for onboard energy storage is to handle regenerative braking.
- The secondary need for onboard energy storage is for emergency power.
- There is no needon Crossrail as yet,to run the trains for long distances on stored power.
- Supercapacitors are smaller.
- Supercapacitors can handle more operating cycles.
- Supercapacitors run cooler.
- Supercapacitors have a fast response.
If running for longer distances were to be required in the future, which might require lithium-ion or some other form of batteries, I’m sure there will be space for them, under all those cars.
I wouldn’t be surprised to find out that Crossrail’s Class 345 trains are fitted with supercapacitors.
Note, that a Bombardier driver-trainer, talked of an emergency power supply, when I asked what happens if the Russians hacked the electrification.
Class 710 Trains
London Overground’s Class 710 trains are a bit of a mystery at the moment as except for a capacity of seven hundred passengers disclosed in this article on the International Railway Journal little has been published.
Here are my best guesses.
Formation
Based on the formation of the Class 345 trains, I think it will be.
DMS+PMS+MS+DMS
Effectively, this is a half-train of a seven-car Class 345 train, with a DMS car on the other end.
Dimensions
I have a Bombardier press release, which says that the car length is twenty metres, which is the same as Class 315, Class 317 and Class 378 trains and a whole load of other trains, as twenty metre cars, were a British Rail standard.
I doubt there will be much platform lengthening for these trains in the next few years.
Weight
The Wikipedia entry for Aventra gives car weight at between thirty and thirty-five tonnes, so the train weight can be anything between 120-140 tonnes.
Passenger Capacity
I wrote about this in The Capacity Of London Overground’s New Class 710 Trains.
This was my conclusion.
It appears that seven hundred is the only published figure and if it is, these new Class 710 trains are going to substantially increase public transport capacity across North London.
They are certainly future-proofed for an outbreak of London Overground Syndrome, where passenger numbers greatly exceed forecasts.
As some of the trains are being delivered as five-car units, there is always the option of adding an extra car. Especially, as the platforms on the line, seem to have been built for five or even six car trains.
London Overground have not made the platform length miscalculations of the North and East London Lines.
For the near future they’ll hold around 700 passengers at 80 Kg. each, which means a passenger weight of fifty-six tonnes.
Full Train Weight
For various train weights, the fully-loaded trains will be.
- 120 tonnes – 176 tonnes
- 130 tonnes – 186 tonnes
- 140 tonnes – 196 tonnes
Until I get a better weight for the train, I think I’ll use 130 tonnes or 186 tonnes, when fully-loaded.
Speed
I wrote about this in What Is The Operating Speed Of Class 710 Trains?.
This was my conclusion.
But what will be the operating speed of the Class 710 trains?
I said it will be somewhere between 145 kph (90 mph) and 160 kph (100 mph)
Consider.
- I think that 145 kph, will be able to handle the two planned increased frequencies of four tph.
- 145 kph is identical to the Crossrail trains.
- 160 kph is identical to the Greater Anglia trains.
- 160 kph seems to be the speed of suburban Aventras.
It’s a difficult one to call!
I do think though, that trundling around the Overground, they’ll be running at the same 121 kph of all the other trains.
Kinetic Energy
The kinetic energy of a 186 tonnes train at 121 kph is 29 kWh.
Could Supercapacitors Handle This Amount Of Energy?
I’m pretty certain they could.
Conclusion
Supercapacitors are a possibility for both trains!
I’ll review these calculations, as more information is published.
Thoughts On A Battery/Electric Train With Batteries And Capacitors
I’m going to use a Class 350/2 train as the example.
In Porterbrook Makes Case For Battery/Electric Bi-Mode Conversion, I calculated the kinetic energy of one of these trains at various speeds.
Wikipedia gives this information.
- Maximum Speed – 100 mph
- Train Weight – 175.5 tonnes
- Capacity – Around 380 passengers
If I assume each passenger weighs 90 Kg with baggage, bikes and buggies, the train weight is 209.7 tonnes.
This weight could be a bit high, bnut then the train must perform even when crush-loaded.
Using Omni’s Kinetic Energy Calculator, I get the following kinetic energies at various speeds.
- 80 mph – 37.2 kWh
- 90 mph – 47.1 kWh
- 100 mph – 58.2 kWh
- 110 mph – 70.4 kWh
In the video shown in A Must-Watch Video About Skeleton Technologies And Ultracapacitors., Taavi Madiberk of Skeleton Technologies likens a capacitor/battery energy store with Usain Bolt paired with a marathon runner. Usain would handle the fast energy transfer of braking and acceleration, with the marathon runner doing the cruising.
This would seem to be a good plan, as the capacitors could probably quickly store the regenerative braking energy and release it at a high rate to accelerate the train.
Once, up to operating speed, the lithium-ion batteries would take over and keep the train at the required speed.
Obviously, it would be more complicated than that and the sophisticated control system would move electricity about to keep the train running efficiently and to maximum range.
The capacitors should probably be sized to handle all the regenerative braking energy, so for a 100 mph train, which would have a kinetic energy of 58.2 kWh, a 100 kWh capacitor would probably be large enough.
In some ways the lithium-ion batteries can be considered to be a backup to the capacitors.
- They provide extra power where needed.
- If during deceleration, the capacitors become full, energy could be transferred to the lithium-ion batteries.
- If after acceleration, the capacitors have got more energy than they need, it could be transferred to the lithium-ion batteries.
- The lithium-ion batteries would probably power all the hotel services, like air-con, lights doors etc. of the train.
Note that the energy transfer between the capacitors and the lithium-ion batteries should be very fast.
A good Control Engineer could have a lot of fun with sorting the trains control system.
New Piazzas And Public Space Next To Historic Stephenson’s Bridge And Beneath Ordsall Chord Could Open ‘This Winter’
The title of this post is the same as that of this article in the Manchester Evening News.
This is the first paragraph.
It had been feared the space would remain closed for years – but Salford Council say they will make sure it opens as soon as they take ownership.
It is good news for those like me, who like interesting city walks.
It is also time for Network Rail and Lewisham and Southwark Councils to sort out what is to happen around London’s new rail structure; the Bermondsey Dive-Under.
This article on the Landscape Institute web site from 2017, is entitled New Railway Junction Gets Top Marks For Biodiversity., describes how the work at Bermondsey has won an award. This is said.
The project involved removal of 21,900 tonnes of contaminated material and eradicated the Japanese knotweed. To increase biodiversity, wildflower planting and green walls were installed to offset vegetation lost in the process of removing the contaminated soils. The project includes 765m2 of green walls under arches and access ramps, and the planting of wildflowers on the railway embankments to create green corridors and stepping stones to the wider area. The team also carried out extensive community engagement, including upgrading the garden in the Lewisham Community Centre.
I think there should be a public walking route through this area.
A Must-Watch Video About Skeleton Technologies And Ultracapacitors
This video is embedded in this page on the Skeleton Technologies web site.
Watch it!
A few points,
- Batteries have typically a life of between 3,000 to 5,000 cycles.
- Capacitors can achieve up to a million cycles.
- Used together batteries and capacitors complement each other.
- Used together can double battery life.
Taavi Madiberk of Skeleton Technologies likens a capacitor/battery energy store with Usain Bolt paired with a marathon runner. Usain would handle the fast energy transfer of braking and acceleration, with the marathon runner doing the cruising.
Ultracapacitors For The Rail Industry
The title of this sub-section is the same as this page on the Skeleton Technologies web site.
Noted applications include.
- Engine starting for diesel trains.
- Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS) for diesel trains.
- Onboard application for electric trains
- Stationary application for rail industry
- Independent power for level crossings.
I suspect these applications are just the start.
Conclusion
It appears to me, that the development of these large supercapacitors, is going to open up opportunities to develop energy storage systems for transport applications, that will give longer range and aincreased energy efficiency.
Werrington Dive-Under – 8th November 2018
In Issue 865 of Rail Magazine, there is an article, which is entitled NR Primed To Start Work On £200m ECML Dive-Under.
This is said about construction of the dive-under.
Devegetation has already commenced in the area, while work compounds and access roads are due to be constructed before the end of the year (when the main construction sequence is expected to begin).
The dive-under is expected to enter service in 2021.
The article also says that the Cock Lane footbridge will be replaced with a longer truss bridge to span the widened alignment.
These pictures show the current Cock Lane footbridge.
Whilst I took the pictures there was a lot of noise from chain saws and other machinery, as the vegetation was cleared.
The Track Layout
Note how the tracks are divided into a set of two on the Western side and three on the Eastern.
The Western pair are the so-called Stamford lines, which go off to the West through Stamford station.
A diagram in Rail Magazine shows how they will be moved apart and twenty-five metres to the West. This will enable the two new tracks to be laid between them, which will then dive under the East Coast Main Line and connect to the Great Northern Great Eastern Joint Line towards Spalding, Sleaford and Doncaster.
This Google Map shows the Cock Lane Bridge as it crosses the tracks.
The Cock Lane Bridge is at the bottom of the map.
Doing The Work
It looks a simple plan, that NR believes could be executed with a nine-day closure of the East Coast Main Line. This would be needed to tunnel under the three tracks of the main line.
But I suspect that Network Rail could have a series of cunning plans to keep a limited service going.
- There will probably be a number of bi-mode Class 800 trains available.
- Some of the sixteen InterCity 125 trains could be retained.
The diesels and bi-modes could be able to use the Great Northern Great Eastern Joint Line and other routes without electrification to sneak through.
They might also use an interim layout of lines at Werrington to keep the service going.
Extra Electrification
It appears to me that not all tracks are electrified.
The Northbound Stamford Line certainly has electrification, but it appears that the Southbound doesn’t.
Given that in the next decade, it is likely that battery/electric or electro-diesel trains or locomotives will use the route throughStamford station to Leicester and Nuneaton, would it be worthwhile to fully electrify the Stamford Lines.
This image captured from a Network Rail video, clearly shows the new Cock Lane footbridge and that the following lines are electrified.
- The Northbound Stamford Line on the left.
- The three tracks of the East Coast Main Line on the right.
The actual dive-under and the Southbound Stamford Line appear not to have electrification.
Retention Of Diesel Trains
But surely, if there are a few extra diesel trains around for a couple of years or at least until the end of 2019, would it help to sort out some of the other problems on the East Coast Main Line.
The Anonymous Widower 