Big On The Inside And The Same Size On The Outside
This morning, I took a ride in one of London Overground’s Class 378 trains to Shoreditch High Street station, so that I could have Leon’s version of a Full English Breakfast and a real mug of tea, in their restaurant in Spitalfields. And all for £5.25!
Afterwards, I walked the short distance to Liverpool Street station and took one of Crossrail’s new Class 345 trains to Stratford station.
As the Class 345 train was more or less empty, I was able to take these pictures of the inside.
Several design features are noticeable.
- The wide flat floor
- The walk-through design of the train.
- The wide aisle in the centre.
- The seats cantilevered from the side of the train.
- The heating under the seats.
- The spacious lobbies.
- The large windows.
- The way the body sides bulge outwards to create more width at just below shoulder height.
The design seems to create more room for passengers and because of the wide aisle and large windows, the room might even look more spacious than it actually is.
It is certainly a more pleasing train to ride in, than the Class 378 train, I rode ealier, which is very much one of the better trains from the previous generation.
Later I rode on one of Thameslink’s Class 700 trains.
- The lobbies are wide.
- Seats obscure the view, as they are not aligned with the windows.
- The heating takes up space along the side of the train.
But as the sides of the train don’t seem to be so curved, the aisle between the seats seems to be narrower. A lady wheeling a case between the seats would have hit people, if anybody had been sitting in the seats.
I should ride in a full Aventra in the Peak and see if my everybody appears to have more space. I did later!
On the 19th of December, I rode from Romford to Liverpool Street in an Aventra during the morning Peak.
- The train was perhaps three-quarters full.
- For some parts of the journey, all seats were taken, but the standees didn’t seem to have too much trouble standing in the smooth-riding train.
- Only a few were strap-hanging and several were using the backs of seats for support.
It did seem to be a better experuience than other commuter trains.
Others ideas and consequences have emerged in recent months.
Aventras Have Underfloor Heating
The Greater Anglia Class 720 trains have underfloor heating as I detailed in Aventras Have Underfloor Heating.
Underfloor heating would appear to release space for passengers. Especially when it is coupled with seats cantilevered from the sides of the train.
Aventras Have No Doors Between Cars
Tthis article on Global Rail News, which is entitled First look around Greater Anglia’s Bombardier Aventra mock-up, says this.
There will be no doors separating vehicles.
There is just a wide lobby, where the cars are joined together.
This shows the join in a Class 345 train.
Regularly in busy times on London Overground’s Class 378 trains or London Underground’s S Stock, similar areas are full with people.hanging on to the vertical handles or wheelie cases.
It’s a design that seems to work well and again it makes more space available for passengers.
Aventras Can Have 2+3 Seating
This picture shows the inside of Greater Anglia’s Aventra mockup.
Could the 2+3 seating be wider and more comfortable, as Aventras seem to be wider inside at shoulder height, due to the innovative body design?
Note the power sockets in the front of the seats.
Aventra Car Length And Number of Cars Is Flexible
The first two fleets of Aventras ordered had different length cars and different number of cars.
Orders have now been placed for trains with twenty and twenty-two metre length cars and three, four, five, seven, nine and ten cars.
It also seems that it is very simple to change train length by adding and removing cars as required.
Greater Anglia
Greater Anglia have stated that they are ordering ten-car Aventras with similar train lengths to twelve-car sets of their current rolling stock.
Lengths and passenger capacity are given as follows in Wikipedia.
- Ten-car Class 720 – 243 metres – 1,145 seats
- Twelve-car Class 321 – 239.4 metres – 927 seats
- Twelve-car Class 360 – 244.08 metres – 840 seats
This looks like an over thirty percent increase in seats in a train around the same length, with the following advantages
- Little if any expensive platform extensions. Especially at Liverpool Street station.
- Trains will fit existing depots and sidings.
- Nearly all trains will be fixed formations.
The only disadvantage is that Greater Anglia won’t be providing any First Class seats. Judging by the lack of complaints, few seem to be bothered.
But being less complicated, it would probably be a more affordable train to run and maintain.
In this Greater Anglia example, another factor helps.
The Aventra will only have two cabs, whereas three Class 321 or Class 360 trains will have six.So the length released by four cabs is available for passengers.
c2c
It would appear that the c2c order, where ten-car Aventras replace twelve-car Electrostars, is another application of the same philosophy, that was used by Greater Anglia.
This is an extract from c2c’s Press Release.
The Aventra is one of the fastest-selling trains in the UK rail industry, and these new trains will be manufactured at Bombardier’s factory in Derby. Each new train, which will operate in a fixed set of 10-carriages, will include over 900 seats, plus air-conditioning, wifi, plug sockets and three toilets onboard. Each new carriage is larger and contains more seats than on c2c’s current trains, so each 10-carriage new train provides capacity for 15% more passengers onboard compared to a current 12-carriage c2c train.
So three x four-car trains working as a twelve-car train are replaced by one ten-car train, just as with Greater Anglia. Note the claimed fifteen percent capacity increase!
West Midlands Trains
West Midlands Trains have ordered three sets of Aventras.
- 16 x five-car 110 mph trains for long-distance services.
- 29 x five-car 110 mph trains for electrified suburban services.
- 36 x three car 90 mph trains for Redditch to Lichfield Trent Valley.
Consider.
- Fleet 1 will probably be used to augment the Class 350 trains in pairs on long distance services.
- Could these work in pairs that split and join en route to save paths into Euston?
- Fleet 3 will be direct replacements for the Class 323 trains and will probably work in pairs.
- Would a five-car train have a similar capacity to two three-car trains working as a pair?
- Would some of the five-car trains in Fleet 2 be fitted with diesel powere-packs or batteries, so they could run services on lines without electrification?
West Midlands Trains must have a plan, or there will be a large number of trains sitting in sidings.
Conclusion
It looks to me like Bombardier have designed a train, where more passengers can be accommodated, without sacrificing passenger comfort.
An Unusual Set Of Steps
These steps currently exist at Moorgate station.
The steps have been closed and it looks like they will be replaced by a lift to the subway.
At least they’re roped off securely!
East West Rail To Be A ‘Diesel Commuter Railway’
The title of this post is the same as that of this article in Rail News. The article talks about the design of the East West Railway.
The East West Railway is important for three reasons.
- It creates a passenger rail link between the high-tech cities of Reading, Oxford, Milton Keynes and Cambridge.
- There are various sites on the route, where much-needed development of houses is proposed and these would benefit from the railway.
- Likewise the developments would provide passengers for the railway.
Rob Brighouse is chairman of the company setup to build the rail link and he indicates more details of the proposal to reopen the railway.
Purpose Of The Railway
Rob Brighouse says this about the purpose of the railway.
The route has changed from being an electrified corridor for freight – part of the ‘electric spine’ envisaged in 2012 – to become a diesel operated commuter railway, at least for the foreseeable future.
So it looks like the railway will be built without provision for long and heavy freight trains.
But I wouldn’t rule out fast parcels and light freight traffic using diesel or bi-mode multiple units, capable of 100 mph. Would these trains be something like a modern version of a Class 325 train?
In practice, this probably means that no provision is made for long freight loops and some of the connections to other lines can be simpler.
Single Or Double Track
Nothing is said about whether the design is for a single or double track railway.
I doubt there is much money to be saved by adding sections of single-track.
The Wikipedia entry for the East West Railway indicates that the Oxford to Bletchley section is proposed to have a 100 mph operating speed.
For these and other reasons, I feel that the engineers designing the line, will ensure that it is a double track 100 mph line.
The section along the Marston Vale Line would need to be upgraded if 100 mph double-track is the standard.
I also think that almost uniquely for a railway in the UK, that the line could be built virtually level with very gentle turns, so that little energy is wasted fighting the terrain.
Level Crossings
West of Bletchley, there are few if any level crossings, but those between Bletchley and Bedford would need to be removed, if the railway was to be built as a fast and smooth line.
Electrification
Rob Brighouse said this about electrification of the route.
I am not planning on making specific provision for electrification. If there are locations where it can be accommodated at a sensible price and it’s much more effective today than tomorrow then we will certainly look at that, yes.
I will review the work that has already been done to adjust structures on the Bicester-Bletchley section. If it creates many abortive costs by cancelling that work then obviously that will inform the decision, but if the work can be done later then that’s what I’ll be looking at. At the moment we are looking at a non-electrified route.
That is a pragmatic approach.
As I said previously, I believe that a well-designed almost-level 100 mph double track could mean that the amount of carbon dioxide produced by an energy- efficient diesel or bi-mode train would not be excessive.
The approach would also have these advantages.
- The route would be available to diesel or bi-mode trains immediately after it is built and certified.
- Electrification of the new railway at a later date with 25 KVAC overhead electrification would be relatively easy, if the building of the initial line is properly documented.
- Overbridges, station platforms and other structures could be built or rebuilt with the required clearance for electrification at a convenient time.
- In the next few years, more efficient battery, hydrogen-powered or whatever trains might be built, which could take advantage of the line.
Electrifying the line, only when needed would delay the time, when a lot of money is spent!
Proposed Services Along The Route
This document on the East West Railway web site, shows the following services.
Bedford to Oxford and Reading
- Due to open in 2022.
- Calling at Ridgmont, Woburn Sands, Bletchley, Winslow, Bicester Village, and Oxford Parkway
- 1 train per hour in each direction
- Approximate journey time: Bedford to Oxford 61 minutes
The current Bletchley to Bedford service will continue.
Milton Keynes to Oxford and Reading
- Due to open in 2022
- Calling at Bletchley, Winslow, Bicester Village and Oxford Parkway
- 1 train per hour in each direction
- Approximate journey time: Milton Keynes to Oxford 41 minutes
Combined with the Bedford service, Bletchley, Winslow, Bicester Village and Oxford Parkway will get two trains per hour (tph) to and from Oxford and Reading.
Milton Keynes to Aylesbury and London Marylebone
- Due to open in 2024
- Bletchley, Winslow, Aylesbury Vale Parkway, Aylesbury, Princes Risborough and High Wycombe
- 1 train per hour in each direction
- Approximate journey time: Milton Keynes to Aylesbury 33 minutes
Winslow will be getting three tph in both directions.
Nothing has been said about services to the East of Bedford.
There must be endless possibilities, as Ipswich and Norwich are mentioned in East West Railway articles.
Train Length
As to train length, I suspect that this is much on the lines of how long is a piece of string.
So will they just start with a four- or five-car train and see how it goes?
This approach was tried on the London Overground and the Borders Railway and in both cases, train capacity had to be increased.
At least most modern trains like Aventras from Bombardier and those from Hitachi are cut-and-shut trains, that can be easily extended, by adding cars in the middle.
The platforms are a bigger problem, if they need to be lengthened.
So I would build them long enough to handle two five-car trains working as a pair.
The pair of trains could also join and split en-route if required.
- Two trains start from Ipswich and Norwich.
- They join at Cambridge and proceed along the East West Railway.
- They split at Oxford, with one section going to Reading and the other going to Swindon or Bristol.
The trains would need end gangways, so passengers could get into the right part of the train.
Hitachi already have automatic joining and splitting with Class 385 trains, so that isn’t a problem.
Train Frequency
The line will be built with the following characteristics.
- Double track
- 100 mph operating speed.
- Level with gentle curves.
- No level crossings.
- No slow freight trains.
- 100 mph trains.
- Modern signalling as on Crossrail and Thameslink
I don’t think that a headway as low as six or even four minutes between trains will be unreasonable.
Headway could also be variable along the route.
Bi-Mode Trains
Going from East to West along the route, the following stations are or will be on electrified lines.
- Cambridge – Electrified
- Cambridge South – New station at Addenbrooke’s Hospital – Electrified
- Sandy – Crossing the electrified East Coast Main Line.
- Bedford – Crossing the electrified Midland Main Line.
- Bletchley – Crossing the electrified West Coast Main Line.
- Didcot – Electrified
- Reading – Electrified
So it would surely be prudent to run bi-mode trains on the line, so they may be able to take advantage of the electrification at the ends of the line.
Bi-mode trains will improve in the next few years with the following features.
- The ability to change between electric and diesel at line speed.
- Batteries could handle regenerative braking in both electric and diesel mode and help to asccelerate the train, when running on diesel.
- The ability to raise and lower the pantograph quickly and without driver intervention.
- Overhead or third-rail electrification could be used to fully charge the battery, if required.
I feel it would be very feasible to use bi-mode trains on the route and they would create less carbon-dioxide than a pure diesel.
I would also opt for bi-mode trains with a top speed of 125 mph on electrified lines, so extensions on the four connecting lines with this capability, would be possible and efficient.
Strategic short lengths of electrification would make the trains more energy-efficient.
Didcot
Didcot Parkway station sits on the junction where the East West Railway will join the Great Western Main Line.
This Google Map shows the junction.
Note the Great Western Main Line going across the map.
- Reading is to the East.
- Swindon is to the West.
- Lines give connection to the East West Railway in both directions.
At some point in the future, services on the East West Railway could go to and from the West to perhaps serve Wales and the West.
If East West Railway adopt the same policy as they have with the Marston Vale Line, I will assume that other services between Reading and Oxford will remain unchanged.
Oxford
Oxford station will be a key interchange on the East West Railway.
I very much suspect though that services will be arranged at Oxford, so that change between local and East West Railway services is just a hop-off one train and hop-on another, or perhaps a walk across the platform.
Bletchley
A flyover at Bletchley station takes the East West Railway over the West Coast Main Line, which I discussed the in The Bletchley Flyover.
Connectivity
At present trains can also use the flyover to go in both directions between the Northbound West Coast Main Line and the Westbound East West Railway.
I also think trains can connect on the flat between the Southbound West Coast Main Line and the Eastbound East West Railway.
Will the building of the East West Railway increase connectivity at Bletchley?
The Bletchley Flyover And The New Platforms
This picture shows the Bletchley flyover.
Note.
- It is a massive concrete structure.
- It is almost a mile long.
- It is not electrified.
- West Coast Main Line is electrified using 25 KVAC overhead wires.
- Two new platforms for the East West Railway will be built on the flyover to enable interchange with the West Coast Main Line.
- Services will use the flyover to access Milton Keynes Central station.
This is a visualisation of how the proposed Bletchley station with the extra platforms could look.
I think the architects and engineers have created a good design.
- A new entrance to the station on the other side of the West Coast Main Line has been created.
- Interchange between the West Coast Main Line and the East West Railway will be step-free.
- No electrification of the East West Railway is shown.
I also think it could be built for an affordable cost.
Electrification At Bletchley
As substantial work will have to be done on the viaduct, would it be prudent to at least prepare the viaduct for electrification, when the new platforms for the East West Railway are created?
If a short section of electrification was added here will be beneficial for train operation.
- Bi-mode trains could use it to reduce their diesel consumption and carbon footprint.
- In future, battery trains could use it to charge their batteries.
Electrification of the flyover is a decision for the accountants.
But as the company building the line, will also operate some of the trains, they can offset construction against running costs.
Bedford
In the next phase of the building of the East West Railway, which is projected to be completed in 2022, Bedford station will be the Eastern terminus.
The service would probably use the existing platform 1A.
Under Future Developments in the Wikipedia entry for Bedford station, this is said.
Plans were being promoted by Network Rail and Bedford Borough Council for the redevelopment of the station quarter.
Platform 1A will be extended through the existing building to accommodate 12-car trains; presently it is only long enough to handle four-car trains and is a terminating bay.
Such a platform would be able to terminate trains arriving from.
- Midland Main Line and Thameslink from the South.
- Midland Main Line from the North.
- The East West Railway.
The longer platform will need to be electrified to be able to handle Thameslink trains.
But it would enable services from the East West Railway to connect to the North at Bedford along the Midland Main Line.
Until more detail is published, I can’t say any more about Bedford.
Sandy
Sandy will be where the East West Railway crosses over the electrified East Coast Main Line.
I suspect that the design of this station will build on experience of Bletchley and hopefully it will be a convenient step-free interchange between services on both lines.
As with the new platforms at Bletchley, it could be relatively easy to provide a short length of electrification at the station.
Cambridge, Ipswich And Norwich
Only Cambridge on the West Anglia Main Line is electrified on the route of the East West Railway.
Wires reach to Ely in the North and Stansted Airport and London in the South.
Consider.
- Greater Anglia are going to use Stadler Class 755 bi-mode trains on lines without electrification from Cambridge to Ipswich and Norwich.
- The Breckland Line to Norwich could be turned into an almost-level 100 mph-plus line with very little infrastructure to slow trains.
- The Breckland Line is lightly used, with a passenger service of two tph and very few freight trains.
- Cambridge to Ipswich is partially electrified.
- Cambridge and/or Peterborough to Ipswich has a passenger service of two tph and large numbers of heavy freight trains.
Bi-mode trains would probably be the preferred choice of train to the East of Cambridge.
Battery Trains
If you look at the lengths of the various sections of the East West Railway, they are as follows.
- Cambridge South – Sandy – 22 miles
- Sandy – Bedford – 9 miles
- Bedford – Bletchley – 24 miles
- Bletchley – Bicester – 20 miles
- Bicester – Oxford – 14 miles
- Oxford – Didcot – 14 miles
Consider.
- No section is very long and all would be within the capability of battery trains in a few years.
- Charging would be at both ends of the line in Cambridge and between Didcot and Reading.
- But this might not be enough, especially if the trains used battery power at the Cambridge end to reach Ipswich and Norwich.
- The solution would probably be to add enough electrification at Bletchley, Bedford and Sandy.
If battery trains do finally arrive, the East West Railway would be a very appropriate line to embrace the technology.
New Technology
If ever there was a railway, where new technology would be understood and welcomed by passengers, it must surely be the East West Railway between Cambridge in the East and Oxford and Reading in the West.
One big advantage this route has over others in the UK, is that I believe it could be built almost-level with perhaps the biggest gradient being climbing over the Bletchley flyover. The energy needs of a modern train could be low.
Hydrogen-Powered Trains
Hydrogen-powered trains are effectively bi-mode trains with batteries, that use a hydrogen-powered power-pack instead of a diesel one to generate electricity when needed.
In this Press Release, Alsthom give a lot of details of their hydrogen-powered Coradia iLint.
- Completely emission-free
- 1000 km range on a tank-full of hydrogen.
- 140 kph operating speed.
Alsthom have received their first order for fourteen trains from Germany.
I believe, that once they are fully developed, they could be ideal for the East West Railway.
Solar-Powered Trains
This may seem bizarre, but read Solar Power Could Make Up “Significant Share” Of Railway’s Energy Demand.
I believe that small solar-farms with batteries could be used to advantage on this line.
- The line could be designed almost level and could have very low traction power consumption.
- Much of the route goes through open countryside, where people don’t seem to object to solar farms.
- Third-rail electrification could be installed at stations and for perhaps a kilometre on either side, to charge batteries on trains.
- The electrification could also accelerate the trains on their way.
- Power to the track would only be switched on when a train is present, thus reducing consumption and increasing safety.
- The electricity generated could power the stations.
Why not?
Additional Services
The East West Railway will have created extra capacity in a loop round London, that Rob Brighouse will be free of slow, heavy freight.
I believe that train operating companies will make use of the new route.
- It will be a 100 mph double-track railway with plenty of capacity.
- If built as an almost level track, it could offer substantial energy savings.
- It will have connections to four electrified main lines radiating from London.
- It will be free of slow, heavy freight trains.
However, it would need suitable diesel, bi-mode or hydrogen trains capable of 100 mph running.
But it could be a very efficient and lower-cost route across England!
Parcels And Light Freight
As I said earlier, I feel the route will also be used by fast parcels and light freight trains based on diesel or bi-mode multiple units.
As an example, plans exist to create a major freight airport at Doncaster-Sheffield Airport, which I wrote about in A Station At Doncaster Sheffield Airport. Part of the plan involves, diverting the East Coast Main Line to serve the Airport directly.
Amazon already flies parcels into the Airport and these could be loaded onto bi-mode express parcel trains, which could go down the electrified East Coast Main Line before taking the East West Railway to travel to Wales and the West of England.
Birmingham To Stansted Airport
Thjis one tph service is run by CrossCountry and goes via Cambridge, Ely, Peterborough, Leicester and Nuneaton. If CrossCountry were to switch to 125 mph bi-mode trains, might it be an alternative to use the East West Railway and perhaps the West Coast Main Line, where paths will be released once, HS2 is opened.
It would certainly be a faster and more economical journey
New Or Rerouted CrossCountry Services
Many of CrossCountry’s services take forever and visit some unsuspected stations. But obviously, it’s what their customers want.
I suspect though with 125 mph bi-mode trains, CrossCountry would look seriously about the possibility of using the East West Railway with its connections to four electrified main lines.
Marston Vale Services
This document on the East West Railway web site, says that current hourly services between Bletchley and Bedford along the Marston Vale Line will continue.
- On that section, the long distance trains are planned to stop at just Ridgmont and Woburn Sands stations.
- Low-performance Class 230 trains planned for the line could slow fast traffic.
- Especially if they stick to the current journey time of forty-three minutes.
- Would an express want to get stuck behind a a slow local train?
I wonder how fast a 100 mph diesel multiple unit like a Class 172 train could go between Bedford and Bletchley?
I think it won’t be fast enough to avoid delaying East West Railway services.
So, something radical will need to be done.
It might be the solution would be to build that section of the route with three tracks; two for the East West Railway and a bi-directional one for the Marston Vale services.
- This would separate the fast and local services.
- There’s certainly plenty of space alongside the current tracks.
At least there don’t seem to have been many protests about building the East West Railway.
Conclusion
I think we could see the East West Rasilway built in a totally-different way.
- Track designed for low energy use and fast, frequent trains.
- Innovative trains.
- Reduced carbon emissions, by the application of new technologies.
It could truly be a railway for the twenty-first century!
Hydrogen-Powered Railway Electrification
This may seem rather bizarre, but I’m not talking about electrifying whole lines.
There appears to me to be a need for small power sources to power railway electrification and other rail-related equipment and facilities, that are not connected to the electricity grid.
Opportunities could be.
- Electrifying tunnels.
- Boosting supply on third-rail systems, which need a connection every two or three miles.
- Electrifying short branch lines.
- Powering level crossings.
- Powering drainage pumps.
- Powering isolated stations.
But anywhere close to a railway that needed a reliable electricity source would be a possibility.
Hydrogen As A Source Of Electricity
If hydrogen is used in a fuel cell to generate electricity, the only by-product is water.
Hydrogen is already used to power buses in London
It obviously works, but I’ve always been puzzled about why it isn’t used in more road vehicles. It could be that the logistics problems of refuelling are too complicated and expensive.
Could it be less complicated with trains?
Alsthom have recently launched a hydrogen-powered train, which I talked about in Is Hydrogen A Viable Fuel For Rail Applications?. So they must think it is a viable fuel for trains.
According to the Alsthom video in my related post, the Alsthom Coradia iLint train uses a combination of a hydrogen-powered electricity generator and batteries to provide continuous power and handle regenerative braking.
So why not use hydrogen-power to generate electricity at locations alongside the railway?
Suppose the small power station was providing power to a 750 VDC third-rail electrified railway. In a remote area, the small power station could be using solar panels or wind turbines coupled with batteries to provide a continuous electricity supply.
Intelligent Control System
The power station would be controlled so that it was efficient.
Ensuring Safety
People worry about the safety of hydrogen, as we’ve all seen film of the Hindenburg.
I would design a hydrogen-powered electricity generator for rail use to be buried at the side of the track, with only necessary connections above the surface.
The hydrogen-powered generators would also be contained within the railway security fencing.
What Trains Could Be Powered?
Using hydrogen at track-side means that any unmodified electric or bi-mode train can benefit from zero-carbon hydrogen-power.
Distributing The Hydrogen
The obvious way to distribute the hydrogen would be by train. It would surely be possible to design a hydrogen-powered locomotive and tanker, which could deliver the hydrogen between the production source and the various generators.
Hydrogen Availability
Hydrogen is variable around the UK, but in certain areas there are large amounts of the gas created in chemical plants with rail access.
Conclusion
I won’t be consigning this idea to the bin.
Improving The Train Service Between Rose Grove And Colne Stations
The East Lancashire Line is the line that runs across the town of Burnley on the spectacular Bank Top Viaduct.
- One train per hour in each direction runs between Blackpool South station on the coast and Colne station in the hills.
- The five stations on the route; Burnley Barracks, Burnley Central, Brierfield, Nelson and Colne, are all single-platform stations.
- Only Burnley Central station is more than rudimentary.
- All station have platforms long enough for two Class 150 trains working as a four-car unit.
- The line joins the cross-Pennine Calder Valley Line at Gannow Junction to the East of Rose Grove station.
In the Wikipedia entry for Colne station, this is said.
The remainder of the branch from Gannow Junction (near Rose Grove) to Nelson was also reduced to single track in December 1986 and so the entire line from there is now operated as a 6 1⁄2 miles (10.5 km) “long siding” with no intermediate passing loops (this restricts the service frequency that can operate along the branch, as only one train can be on the branch at a time).
It would thus appear that without track and/or signalling works, the service along the line will be restricted to an hourly train.
Track Improvements
To make improvement of the line more difficult, the line crosses Burnley town centre on the High Bank Top Viaduct.
This second picture was taken from a train crossing the viaduct.
North of Burnley Central station, the terrain gets more rural and if needed the installation of a passing loop would be easier, than on the Bank Top Viaduct.
Station Improvements
I have been in a four-car train on the line, so I feel it could be theoretically easy to double the capacity by running four-car trains instead of the current two-car Class 150 trains.
This picture was taken of a pair of two-car diesel units, that took me between Colne and Blackpool South stations.
- Most platforms seem to be long enough, but more shelters and ticket machines are needed.
- Only Burnley Central station has booking office and a warm waiting room.
- By hint of the simplicity of the stations, several are step-free.
Improvements to the stations are needed, but no station needs substantial rebuilding.
Signalling Improvements
The signalling of the line between Rose Grove and Colne stations would appear to rely on only one train being on the line at any one time.
In order to have more than one train on the branch a more sophisticated signalling system is needed.
Service Improvements
The November 2017 Edition of Modern Railways indicates that the Sunday service on this line will increase from two-hourly to hourly.
I was on the line on a sunny Sunday a few years ago and the four-car train was packed with families going to Blackpool for the day.
If anything this Sunday improvement will hasten the need for the doubling of service frequency between Blackpool South and Colne.
Could Two Trains Per Hour Work Between Rose Grove And Colne Stations?
The signalling would have to be improved for safety reasons, as the current safety system of one train on the branch would be inadequate.
If trains left Rose Grove and Colne stations on the half hour, then trains would call at Burnley Barracks station at the following times.
- xx:03 – Service U1 going up
- xx:17 – Service D1 going down
- xx:33 – Service U2 going up
- xx:47 – Service D2 going down
Time for Burnley Central would be as follows.
- xx:06 – Service U1 going up
- xx:14 – Service D1 going down
- xx:36 – Service U2 going up
- xx:44 – Service D2 going down
Times for Brierfield would be as follows.
- xx:09 – Service D1 going down
- xx:11 – Service U1 going up
- xx:39 – Service D2 going down
- xx:41 – Service U2 going up
Times for Nelson would be as follows.
- xx:06 – Service D1 going down
- xx:14 – Service U1 going up
- xx:56 – Service D2 going down
- xx:44 – Service U2 going up
Times for Colne would be as follows
- xx:00 – Service D1 starts to go down
- xx:20 – Service U1 arrives
- xx:30 – Service D2 starts to go down
- xx:50 – Service U2 arrives
Note.
- The trains take twenty minutes for the trip.
- U1, U2 are two services going up to Colne.
- D1, D2 are two services going down from Colne.
It would appear that a passing loop would be needed between Burnley Central and Brierfield stations. Looking from my helicopter at this section of line, a lot is in open country and there would appear to be space for a long passing loop.
Rolling Stock Improvements
The current rolling stock is inadequate and staff and passengers on the line have told me, that the route between Blackpool South and Colne stations, needs four-car services at times.
Because the Western end of the route will be electrified between Preston and Blackpool and Liverpool, there is a strong case for bi-mode trains, be they refurbished ones like Class 769 trains or new trains. Northern has new Class 195 trains on order, but they are pure diesels.
Given that the route may get extra electrification between Preston and Blackburn, if the Calder Valley Line is improved, Class 195 trains are probably not an ideal solution.
Class 769 Trains Between Blackpool South And Colne Stations
Current plans will see electrification of the route between Preston and Kirkham and Westham stations.
This would mean that nearly ten miles of the Blackpool South to Colne route will be electrified.
So would it be sensible to call for Bedpan Specials or Class 769 trains, which could make use of the electrification?
Consider.
- According to a technical specification that I’ve seen, the trains have been designed to handle the Buxton Line, which is stiffer than the hill up to Colne.
- The trains are four cars.
- I believe, that three Class 769 trains would replace the current trains, which could then be appropriately scrapped or refurbished.
- If more electrification is added between Blackburn and Blackpool South, the trains will take advantage.
I also believe that with a passing loop and modern signalling, that the extra performance of the Class 769 trains might make it possible to run two trains on the route with careful planning and precise driving.
But above all, the Class 769 trains are affordable and are probably available within a year.
An interesting observation, is that Northern have increased their order by three trains recently. So have they decided to use them on the Blackpool South to Colne service?
How Would A Re-Opened Skipton To Colne Rail Link Affect The East Lancashire Line Services?
There has started to be increased speculation lately, that the rail link between Skipton and Colne will be reopened. Chris Graying even mentioned this line in the House of Commons.
If the rail link were to be reopened, it would create another route across the Pennines between Lancashire and Yorkshire.
- It would be unlikely to be a high-capacity or high-speed link.
- There is electrification at both ends.
- The line would be ideal for bi-mode trains like a refurbished Class 769 train or a new Class 755 train.
- Colne could be upgraded to a single-platform through station.
Two trains per hour between Leeds and Preston through a scenic part of the Pennines would be a major development and tourism asset.
It could actually improve services on the Lancashire side of the border,, as services would no longer have to be turned back at Colne, but would do this at either Skipton or Leeds.
A Walk Between Burnley Manchester Road And Burnley Central Stations
This is another walk in Burnley to go with A Walk Between Burnley Barracks And Burnley Manchester Road Stations.
Burnley Manchester Road and Burnley Central stations are not that far apart.
This Google Map shows Burnley’s three stations in relation to the Town Centre and Turf Moor.
The various locations are as follows.
- Turf Moor is indicated by the red arrow in the East.
- Burnley Barracks station is in the North-West corner.
- Bunley Central is at the North.
- Burnley Manchester Road is at the South.
- The Leeds and Liverpool canal weaves its way through the town passing close to Burnley Barracks station.
What the map doesn’t show is the terrain. The main station at Manchester Road is on one stretch of high ground and Central station and Turf Moor are on another.
So I walked down the hill from Manchester Road station, through the Shopping Centre and up the hill the other side to Central stion.
It was an easy walk down the hill followed by a stiffer one up to Central station.
Improvements to the East Lancashire Line.
In A Walk Between Burnley Barracks And Burnley Manchester Road Stations, I concluded the post with the following.
If new four-car Class 769 trains replace the current two-car scrapyard specials on the East Lancashire Line, the following will happen.
- Capacity on the route will be doubled.
- The service will be faster, due to the increased speed and power.
- No expensive platform lengthening will be required.
- An hourly service between Blackpool South and Colne will have no problems operating seven days a week.
- Some stations, like Burnley Barracks, will need improvements to handle the extra passengers.
Two trains per hour will need track work to add passing loops and modern signalling, and a few more trains.
The big question has to be asked, if stations like the single-platform Burnley Central can handle two trains per hour in both directions.
I discussed this in Improving The Train Service Between Rose Grove And Colne Stations and came to the conclusion, it was possible with a passing loop between Burnley and Brierfield stations, modern signalling and Class 769 trains.
It could all come together very nwell for the residents of East Lancashire.
Between Hebden Bridge And Burnley Manchester Road Stations In The Snow
I took these pictures from a train between Hebden Bridge and Burnley Manchester Road stations on the Calder Valley Line.
I believe that the area has some of the most scenic rail lines in the UK.
Electrification
It runs between the hills with lots of bridges and viaducts.
There are four tunnels; Weasel Hall , Castle Hill , Horsfall and Millwood on this section of the route.
It would not be an easy line to electrify with 25 KVAC overhead wires, from an engineering, political or environmental point of view.
This is a route though that needs to be improved.
I travelled on a Class 158 train, which are a 90 mph diesel multiple unit. But it was struggling to do 40 mph in the conditions.
Conclusion
Electrification may be an ideal, but Network Rail should first improve the line, so that the current trains and the future 100 mph Class 195 trains can realise their full potential.
Hebden Bridge Station
Hebden Bridge Station is Grade II Listed and is a busy station in West Yorkshire on the Calder Valley Line.
The service through the station is being improved.
The Wikipedia entry for the station has a section called Future Improvements. This is said.
The station will see a variety of improvements to facilities and train services from March 2017 onwards, as part of an investment package for the Calder Valley line as a whole. New lifts are finally to be installed to make both platforms fully accessible, whilst track and signalling upgrades will help reduce journey times in both directions and allow more trains to run to/from Bradford. This will result in the closure of the listed signal box here by October 2018, with control passing over to the Rail Operating Centre at York. New rolling stock and timetable improvements will then follow, with regular through trains to Liverpool Lime Street, Manchester Airport and Chester by late 2019.
Note the parcel lifts in the pictures, which will be converted for passenger use.
Turnback Facility
The pictures also show the turnback facility at the station, which allows trains to arrive from the West in the Westbound platform and then changeover to the Eastbound platform to go back to Manchester or Preston or perhaps other destinations in the future.
Electrification
When I first saw this Victorian station, I came to the conclusion, that it would be difficult to electrify in a sympathetic manner with 25 KVAC overhead wires, without upsetting English Heritage.
Now the Government has decided that there will only be selective electrification, I suspect Network Rail will file Hebden Bridge station in the tray marked Too Difficult.
But I also think that the station could be electrified using innovative methods to improve the passenger service in terms of frequency and times.
Consider.
- Modern bi-mode trains can switch between power sources automatically.
- Modern electric trains can raise and lower the pantograph quickly and automatically.
- Most modern electric trains made for the UK, can be fitted with third-rail contact shoes.
- To the West of the station, there are a succession of tunnels, that might be possible to electrify using overhead rails.
- Zero-carbon power sources for short lengths of electrification exist, as I wrote about in Solar Power Could Make Up “Significant Share” Of Railway’s Energy Demand.
- Although solar power might not be appropriate here, short lengths of third-rail electrification may be suitable.
- The turnback facility could also be electrified with third-rail to charge trains fitted with batteries.
Somewhere in my ramblings, I’m sure a solution exists to make Hebden Bridge an environmentally-friendly power station in the heart of the Pennines.
The Ordsall Effects
There is now a large brown steel elephant in the North, in the shape of the Ordsall Chord in Manchester, that connects most of Central Manchester’s stations together and to the Airport.
- Hebden Bridge is between thirty and forty-five minutes from Manchester Victoria station, depending on if you get a semi-fast or stopping train.
- Northern have plans to extend these Manchester Victoria to Leeds services all the way to the Airport.
- In fact from Monday, some of these services now terminate at Manchester Oxford Road station.
- When I mentioned to the lady in the cafe, that services would go to Manchester Airport within months, she was surprised and very pleased.
I suspect that Hebden Bridge will be one of the tourism centres of the North that will substantially benefit from a direct link to Manchester Airport created by the Ordsall Chord.
But this could only be the start.
To maximise the benefits of the Ordsall Chord, Northern and Network Rail will want to connect services that go North and South of Manchester, back-to-back across the City.
Northern have already said, that they’ll be trains going from Hebden Bridge to Chester and Liverpool by late 2019.
But I suspect these two cities won’t be the only ones getting a quality service from Hebden Bridge.
If the service ran directly over the Ordsall Chord, then historic Buxton and well-connected Crewe must be possibilities.
That turnback facility is starting to look important, as not all services will be needed to cross the Pennines.
Westwards To Preston, Blackpool and Liverpool
Currently, the only Westbound service is an hourly train to Preston and Blackpool North.
It is not enough.
The proposed Liverpool service from Hebden Bridge, that starts in late 2019, can either go via Manchester or Preston.
If it were to be the latter, a second fast train every hour, connecting Burnley, Blackburn and Preston would certainly be welcomed on what can be a very overcrowded line.
As all Calder Valley Line services stop at Hebden Bridge, the Ordsall Chord and Northern’s plans seem to be giving the town, a more than worthwhile economic boost.
A Double Crossing Of The Ordsall Chord
I caught the first morning train from Manchester Victoria station across the Ordsall Chord to Manchester Oxford station, where after buying hot chocolate, I took the same diesel multiple unit back to Hebden Bridge station.
A few points about the Ordsall Cord and its effects.
Mancunians Have Been Quick To Use The Chord To Their Advantage
It was only the second weekday of this Ordsall Chord service, but what surprised me was that quite a few of the early travellers went to the extra two added stations on the service.
This bodes well for the future in that when Piccadilly and the Airport are added, the passengers will surely travel.
Manchester Victoria Is An Inadequate Station For The Number Of Passengers
The station may have improved in recent years, since the new roof, better tram access and more retail facilities have been added, but it is still a rather poor station for passengers to walk around, compared to others with similar amounts of trains.
I took this picture as the train before mine unloaded passengers at Victoria station.
It is the typical scrum that you get at busy stations in the North.
The Ordsall Chord will affect Victoria in the following ways.
- There will be more trains passing through. This will increase the number of passengers entering and leaving the station.
- Passengers will change trains but not platforms at Victoria. This will mean that passengers will regularly wait for 15-30 minutes on the platform.
- Ideally services like Liverpool to Leeds and Newcastle, should have same or cross platform interchange with local services using the Ordsall Chord.
So what needs to be addressed?
Platforms
The Ordsall Chord is currently served by Plstforms 5 and 6.
These platforms are totally inadequate for the extra numbers of passengers and especially the extra passengers, who will wait on the platform, whilst changing trains.
- A coffee kiosk is needed on both Ordsall platforms.
- The platforms are not wide enough.
- There are not enough seats.
Both platforms are used to terminate services, which is totally against the philosophy of the Ordsall Chord. This must and hopefully will stop.
Ideally, Ordsall Chord services and important cross-Manchester services should have a platform layout, that means as many changes as possible are level.
Take the case of the elderly passenger with their presents in a bulky case going from say Liverpool to perhaps Rochdale for Christmas. They will not want to negotiate the bridge at Victoria, even by lift to change trains. And neither will staff.
But a cross or same platform interchange would be ideal for everyone.
The layout would all depend on how many services are going through the station..
Currently, the station has the following services.
- Five tph terminating at the station going West
- Six tph terminating at the station going East
- Three tph cross-Manchester services stopping at the station.
If these services could be simplified by joining East and West services back-to-back, we are looking at perhaps ten tph.
As there are many stations in London that handle fourteen to sixteen tph on two platforms, the following would surely be possible.
- Use one platform for all Westbound cross-Manchester and Ordsall Chord services.
- Use one platform for all Eastbound cross-Manchester and Ordsall Chord services.
Platform 5 and 6 would not be ideal for this, as the services should be on either side of a wide island platform, to allow passengers to reverse direction without changing level.
Lighting
I know it was early in the morning, but the picture shows how dark and dingy the station still is. Surely, just on the grounds of Health and Safety, the lighting levels must be improved.
The Overbridge
Surely, if the rebuilt Reading and Leeds stations can have escalators for their overbridges, then the equally important. but smaller Manchester Victoria, should have some on the busy overbridge.
The Interchange Between Tram And Train At Deansgate
Did people get off the train at Deansgate station to use the Metrolink?
Changing from train to tram at Victoria, involves a fight through crowds to get up the stairs to the bridge and then another another set of stairs to get to the Metrolink.
But at Deansgate station coming from Victoria, it is just a level walk across to the major Deansgate-Castlefield Metrolink interchange.
It would appear that 2015 redevelopment of the tram stop and its link to the station were designed for the extra passengers, that the Ordsall Chord will surely bring.
Deansgate-Castlefield with its three platforms, also has a comprehensive list of services.
- 5 trams per hour to Altrincham
- 5 trams per hour to Ashton-under-Lyne
- 5 trams per hour to East Didsbury
- 5 trams per hour to Eccles via MediaCityUK
- 5 trams per hour to Etihad Campus
- 5 trams per hour to Manchester Airport
- 5 trams per hour to Rochdale Town Centre
Avoiding Piccadilly
Manchester Piccadilly station is one of my least favourite stations in the UK for using the trains.
- I always travel to and from Manchester in Standard Class, to avoid the crowded walk up and down the platform at Piccadilly.
- I know there’s a bridge at the London end of the train, but it is not directly connected to the Metrolink underneath.
- Buying a ticket for the Metrolink is a tiresome business, when I should just be able to touch in and out with my bank card.
- The forecourt of the station is always crowded.
- Only the above average food offerings for a coeliac give me any cheer.
Hopefully, when the services across the Ordsall Chord are fully developed, a lot of places I want to go will be available by changing trains at Crewe or Stockport.
Manchester’s Third City Crossing
In some ways the nearest London has to the Ordsall Chord is the railway across the South Bank connecting London Bridge, Blackfriars, Waterloo East and Charing Cross stations, which carries in excess of twelve tph. It appears to me and staff I have talked to, that passengers are using this route between Westminster and London Bridge, instead of the Jubilee Line. Especially, if they have bicycles!
Will Mancunians use the frequent service on the Ordsall Chord across the city, as a Third City Crossing?
Platforms At Salford Central Station
I hope the planned extra platforms at Salford Central station are built in the near future, as this would surely increase the use of the Ordsall Chord
Tickets To Manchester Stations
My ticket to Manchester from Euston was to Manchester Stns, which means i can get out at Deansgate, Oxford Road, Piccadilly or Victoria.
Surely, it should include Salford Central station.
Platforms At
There’s Still A Few Snags
In my trip, I went across the Orsall Chord four times.
Each time, the train waited a minute or so before proceeding over the bridge. Were there signalling issues, the trains were not quite to time or were the drivers just being cautious.
Conclusion
Now that the difficult phase is complete, it will be interesting to see how the swervices build up.
The Anonymous Widower 