Could The Wensleydale Railway Become A New TransPennine Route?
Yesterday, The Times had a nearly full page article with a title of The Village With Nowt Taken Out.
It describes how the small market town of Hawes has by its own efforts turned itself from a very much declining town into a thriving community.
The town’s latest project is to take over the only filling station in the town, to avoid a 36-mile round trip to fill up.
The Times was also very impressed, as the newspaper published a Leading Article, which was entitled Hawes for Thought. This is said.
Hawes is a phenomenon, a case study in self-sufficiency, community spirit, bloody-mindedness and the awesome power of bootstraps.
The Leading Article said that Hawes station closed in 1959, which would have been when I was just twelve.
The station buildings are now part of the Dales Countryside Museum.
I got to wondering as I do, where the railway used to run.
Hawes station used to be on the Wensleydale Railway, which connected the East Coast Main Line at Northallerton station to the Settle-Carlisle Line at Garsdale station.
The Wensleydale Railway is now a heritage railway running trains between Northallerton West and Redmire stations, with up to six intermediate stations.
This section from Wikipedia, details their future plans.
The company’s longer-term aim is to reopen the 18 miles (29 km) of line west from Redmire via Castle Bolton, Aysgarth, Askrigg, Bainbridge, Hawes and Mossdale to join up with the Settle-Carlisle Railway Route at Garsdale. A study commissioned by the railway indicated that an initial extension to Aysgarth from Redmire (3 miles (4.8 km)), would generate an extra income of £3.1 million into the local economy with an additional £500,000 in ticket sales for the railway.
There is also this in the Wikipedia entry for Northallerton West station in a section call Future.
The aim of the Wensleydale Railway in the long-term is to extend the line to Northallerton station and allow passengers to interchange with National Rail services. As this will require an agreement with Network Rail, the provision of the platform is an interim solution which will allow the track to be brought into more regular use whilst also bringing in extra income for the heritage railway.
I’ve have looked on at Ordnance Survey map at the track at the Western end and its original position is clearly visible.
Surely, this is the sort of project that rural areas with a high level of tourism need, if the sums add up in the right way!
Consider.
- The line will have a full length of about forty miles. So it could be a Grand Day Out?
- The line would connect to the iconic Settle-Carlisle Line at its Western end, with connections to Carlisle, Carnforth and Cumbria and Black and Lancashire.
- The Line would connect to the East Coast Main Line at its Eastern end, with connections to Darlington, Middlesbrough, Newcastle and York.
- Network Rail have spent a fortune on the Settle-Carlisle and this would feed in more passengers.
An extended Wensleydale Railway would greatly add to the tourism infrstructure in the area.
Conclusion
If the residents of the area, show the grit and determination, that has been shown by the residents of Hawes, this railway will get built!
There would be another slow-speed TransPennine route.
Updating The Central Line
The Central Line will breathe two huge sighs of relief in the next eighteen months.
- The Elizabeth Line will open between Abbey Wood and Paddington stations in December 2018.
- The Elizabeth Line will open between Shenfield and Paddington stations in May 2019.
Travellers, from London, other parts of the UK and abroad will then have the following.
- Five East-West interconnected routes across Central London; Metropolitan, Central, Elizabeth, District and Jubilee Lines.
- Massive transport interchanges at Canary Wharf, Stratford, Whitechapel, Liverpool Street, Farringdon, Tottenham Court Road, Bond Street and Paddington will tie it all together.
- Liverpool Street. Whitechapel and Stratford will allocate passengers in the East of Central London.
- Paddington will allocate passengers in the West of Central London.
And this is before the Elizabeth Line opens between Paddington and all stations to Heathrow and Reading in December 2019.
The Central Line After the Elizabeth Line Opens
So will the Central Line become a little-used backwater?
- Holborn is a major interchange with the Piccadilly Line, which is that line’s only access to the Central or Elizabeth Lines.
- Oxford Circus is a major interchange with the Victoria Line, which is that line’s only access to the Central or Elizabeth Lines.
- Holborn, Oxford Circus, Marble Arch and other stations are destinations in their own right.
- The overcrowding of the Central Line probably kept passengers away and after freeing up will they come back?
I suspect that in a few years time it will be as busy as it ever was!
Improving the Central Line
It is my view, and probably that of Transport for London, that improvements need to be made to the Central Line.
Three projects are underway.
The Central Line Train Upgrade
This article on Railway-news.com is untitled London Underground’s Central Line Trains Set For Upgrade.
Currently, the Central Line‘s 1992 Stock have DC motors, which will be replaced by more efficient AC motors and a sophisticated control system.
The cost of the upgrade will be £112.1 million or about £1.3 million per train.
Transport for London are only making a reliability claim for the upgrade. Hopefully, if the trains are more reliable, then more can be in service. so can a higher frequency be run?
I also think in addition, the trains could possibly accelerate faster from stops, thus reducing the dwell times at stations and ultimately the journey times.
- Epping to West Ruislip currently takes ninety minutes with 38 stops.
- Ealing Broadway to Newbury Park takes sixty minutes with 24 stops.
- Northolt to Loughton takes sixty-seven minutes with 28 stops.
Saving just ten seconds on each stop will reduce journey times by several minutes.
I suspect that Transport for London will rearrange the timetable to increase the service frequency from the current twenty-four trains per hour (tph).
It will be interesting to see what frequency of trains and journey times are achieved, when all the Central Line trains have been updated.
Bank Station Capacity Upgrade
This page on the Transport for London web site gives details of this important upgrade at Bank station, which is already underway. It starts with this paragraph.
Bank and Monument stations form the third busiest interchange on the London Underground network. Work we’re doing to substantially improve the capacity of Bank station should finish in 2022.
It lists these improvements.
- A new railway tunnel and platform for the Northern line that will reduce interchange times and create more space for passengers
- Step-free access to the Northern line and DLR platforms
- More direct routes within the station, with two new moving walkways
- Two new lifts and 12 new escalators
- A new station entrance in Cannon Street
There will also be a new entrance in Wallbrook Square under the Bloomberg Building, which is planned to open this year.
Comprehensive is a good word to describe the upgrade.
I avoid the Northern Line platforms at Bank because they are so narrow. After the upgrade, I will have no need.
Holborn Station Capacity Upgrade
This page on the Transport for London web site, gives details of this important upgrade at Holborn station. It starts with this paragraph.
We’re proposing changes at Holborn station that would make it substantially easier for customers to enter, exit and move around the station. Subject to funding and permissions, work on the station would start in the early 2020s.
I don’t think this upgrade can come too soon.
As with some parts of Bank station, I avoid Holborn station.
What Still Needs To Be Planned?
The major projects left must surely be upgrading the capacity and providing step-free access at the following Central London stations.
St. Paul’s And Chancery Lane
St. Paul’s and Chancery Lane stations both need step-free access, but the problems of installing lifts at the two stations would be surprisingly similar, as both stations have a similar layout.
- Both stations will need lift access to the ticket halls, which are below street level.
- At both stations, the two Central Line tracks are unusually arranged one on top of the other.
- Even more unusually, the Westbound tunnel is on top at St. Paul’s and the Eastbound tunnel at Chancery Lane.
- At both stations, escalators lead down to a spacious lobby, which has direct access to the top platform.
- St. Paul’s has two escalators and a staircase, whereas Chancery Lane has three escalators.
- From the low-level lobby, two short escalators and a staircase lead down to the bottom platform.
It may be possible to provide lifts that go from the ticket hall to both platforms as before rebuilding in the 1930s, this arrangement was used.
Both stations might also be suitable for the application of inclined lifts.
For instance, would two escalators and an inclined lift handle the lower transfer at both stations?
Oxford Circus
Oxford Circus is a busy interchange, where the Bakerloo, Central and Victoria Lines cross each other.
This map from carto.metro.free.fr shows the lines at Oxford Circus station.
Note.
- The Cemtral Line, shown in red, was built under Oxford Street to avoid disturbing the buildings.
- The Bakerloo Line, shown in brown, was built under Regent Street.
- The Victoria Line, shown in light blue was cleverly threaded through in the 1960s to give cross-platform interchange with the Bakerloo Line.
- The dotted purple lines are the Elizabeth Line.
- Between the two dotted lines, the Eastern End of the platforms at Bond Street station can be seen.
These pictures show the buildings at the four corners of Oxford Circus.
Wikipedia says this about these buildings.
Oxford Circus was designed as part of the development of Regent Street by the architect John Nash in 1810. The four quadrants of the circus were designed by Sir Henry Tanner and constructed between 1913 and 1928.
Note.
- The building on the North-East corner used to be Peter Robinson and is Grade II Listed.
- The other three corner buildings are also Listed.
- The shops in the two Southern corners are being refurbished.
I believe that the following is needed at Oxford Circus station.
- Measures to alleviate the overcrowding.
- Full step-free access to all platforms.
- Improved access to the Central Line platforms.
- Better interchange between the Bakerloo/Victoria platforms and the Central Line.
In some ways, the biggest problem in the next few years will be passengers changing between the Victoria and Elizabeth Lines. Passengers between say Walthamstow and Heathrow will probably want to change between Oxford Circus station and the new Hanover Square entrance to Bond Street station.
- The planned pedestrianisation of Oxford Street will obviously help, especially if the roads around Hanover Square, like Harewood Place and Princes Street are similarly treated.
- Joining the Victoria Line at Oxford Circus is not a problem, as there are four entrances to the ticket hall under Oxford Circus, a large number of entrance gates and four escalators down to the trains.
- But on arrival at the station, you are forced to exit from the station about fifty metres East of the station, which means you’re going the wrong way for the Elizabeth Line.
It strikes me what is needed is a new entrance to the station on the South Western corner of Oxford Circus.
But would this alone satisfy the needs of this station?
More Station Entrances On Oxford Street
For Crossrail, Bond Street station is being given two new entrances in Davies Street and Hanover Square.
But it is also being given another entrance on the North side of Oxford Street, to give better access to the Central and Jubilee Lines.
The picture shows the new entrance tucked away in what will probably become a new development.
So could this technique be used on Oxford Street to improve station access?
Look at the map of the lines at Oxford Circus station earlier in the post and you will notice that the Central Line platforms extend to the East. I took these pictures around where the platforms could end.
Could there be space to squeeze in another entrance to the Eastern end of the Central Line platforms?
It probably won’t be possible whilst traffic is running up and down Oxford Street. But after the road is pedestrianised, it would surely be much easier to dig down to the Central Line , which is not very deep below the surface of Oxford Street.
Marble Arch
Marble Arch station is at the Western end of Oxford Street. Wikipedia says this about the station.
The station was modernised (2010) resulting in new finishes in all areas of the station, apart from the retention of various of the decorative enamel panels at platform level.
But has it got the capacity needed?
It is also not step-free and needs lifts.
New Trains In The Mid 2020s
Under Future and Cancelled Plans in the Wikipedia entry for the Central Line, this is said.
The Central line was the first Underground line to receive a complete refurbishment in the early 1990s, including the introduction of new rolling stock. A new generation of deep-level tube trains, as well as signaling upgrades, is planned for the mid-2020s, starting with the Piccadilly line, followed by the Bakerloo Line and the Central Line.
The new trains would fit well to replace the current trains and give an increase of capacity to the line.
Possible Developments
These are possible developments.
Shoreditch High Street Station
There is a possibility of connecting Shoreditch High Street station to the Central Line.
This is said under Plans in the Wikipedia entry for the station.
There have also been discussions of creating an interchange with the Central line between Liverpool Street and Bethnal Green which runs almost underneath the station. However, this would not be able to happen until after the Crossrail 1 project is complete, due to extreme crowding on the Central line during peak hours.
Given that in a few years time, the following will have happened.
- There will have been a lot of development in Shoreditch.
- The East London Line will have a frequency of twenty-four trains per hour.
The connection may be worth creating.
On the other hand, the Elizabeth Line may make the connection unnecessary, as travellers can use the two connections at Stratford and Whitechapel stations.
Mile End Station
If ever there was a station, where step-free access would surely be worthwhile it must be Mile End station.
Consider.
- It is a busy station.
- It has cross-platform access between District/Metropolitan and the Central Lines.
- It has a cab rank.
Knowing the station fairly well, I suspect fitting the probably three lifts required would not be the most challenging of tasks.
Eastern Improvements
Crossrail has a step-free cross-platform interchange with the Central Line at Stratford, which will have the following effects.
Changing at Stratford will give better access to and from Oxford Street, Paddington and Heathrow.
Crossrail trains will be larger, more comfortable, better equipped and probably less crowded.
Journey time savings will be six minutes to Bond Street and nineteen minutes to Ealing Broadway stations.
Taken with the improved Central Line trains, it all must result in increased patronage in the East.
But there are twenty stations East of Stratford, of which only four are step-free.
So I suspect that Transport for London will make strenuous efforts to improve the Eastern end of the Central Line.
- More step-free access.
- Better bus services.
- More small retail outlets at stations.
I believe that in ten years time, the Eastern station will be very different.
Western Improvements
West of Marble Arch, there are seventeen stations, of which by 2020 only two will be step-free.; Ealing Broadway and Greenford.
Improvements will probably a similar pattern to the East, although there are rumours of rebuilding some stations.
Conclusion
There’s a lot of scope for improvement in the Central Line.
We Just Get Leaves On The Line
But the Norwegians have just suffered a bigger problem!
See this article on Global Riail News, which is entitled Tank Removed From Railway Line In Norway.
It reportedly fell of the back of a train.
Do A Lot Of Other Cities Need An Overground?
This article on the MayprWatch web site is entitled London Overground Celebrates Ten Years Of Transforming Rail Travel In The Capital.
The principles behind the Overground are simple.
- Bring run-down suburban railways under local control.
- Clean everything like crazy.
- Run four trains per hour on all routes.
- Introduce contactless ticketing with Oyster and bank cards.
- Have lots of visible well-trained staff.
- Upgrade stations and step-free access, when money allows.
- Increase train length to match passenger numbers.
- Allow disabled passengers to just turn up and get the assistance they need.
- Add lots of passenger information.
The principles certainly appear to have worked. This is from the MayorWatch article.
This investment, which started under Mr Livingstone and was continued by his successor Boris Johnson, has helped the London Overground become one of the UK’s most successful rail services, with independently measured passenger satisfaction scores routinely above 80%.
Since launch, more than a billion passenger journeys have been made on the network which now serves 23 of the Capital’s boroughs as well as southern Hertfordshire.
The investment is continuing.
- In 2018, new Class 710 trains will replace the thirty-year-old Class 315 trains on West Anglia routes to Cheshunt, Chingford and Enfield Town.
- In 2018, the newly-electrified Gospel Oak to Barking Line will change over to four-car Class 710 trains to double capacity.
- In 2018, Friday and Saturday night services will start on the East London Line.
- By 2020, service frequencies on the circular North, East, South and West London Lines will have increased to decrease the overcrowding.
- In 2021, the Gospel Oak to Barking Line Extension to Barking Riverside will open to serve ten thousand new homes.
- In 2026, the North London Line will join the big party at Old Oak Common station, when HS2 opens.
- Could the West London Orbital be the next project?
- Transport for London would love to get their hands on the Northern City Line. This proposal is supported by many Londoners, polticians and rail professionals like Chris Gibb.
So long as passengers turn up, we will see increasing amounts of orange on London’s Rail and Tube Map.
Celebrating Ten Years
To celebrate ten years, London Overground have released a map showing attractions that are accessible from the Overground.
The Overground could become a tourist attraction in its own right.
- No special ticket required – Just touch in and out!
- Many of the attractions served by the Overground are affordable or free.
- Trains have a frequency of at least four trains per hour.
- Stations generally have good directions to local attractions.
In addition, Overground trains have better views from the windows than Underground trains.
The Overground Has Certainly Been A Success
When I moved to Dalston in 2010, the Overground had just opened to four station within walking distance; Canonbury, Dalston Junction, Dalston Kingsland and Haggerston.
New three-car Class 378 trains ran to Clapham Junction, Crystal Palace, New Cross, Richmond, Stratford and West Croydon, every fifteen or so minutes.
Now the trains have grown to five-cars and there is an extra route across South London to Clapham Junction to complete the circlke around Central London.
Passenger numbers have grown with the capacity and the railways have transformed Hackney and Dalston in particular.
Other Overgrounds In The UK
Several cities in the UK have their own local rail networks that are heavily used for commuting, leisure, shopping and tourism.
I’ve rode on systems in Birm,ingham, Glasgow and Liverpool, but none of these railways is as easy to use and as travel information-rich as the London Overground.
Not one of the UK’s local networks for instance, allow ticketing by using a contactless bank or credit card.
But then, with only a couple of exceptions, European networks are no better than the abysmal norm!
Contactless Ticketing
I believe that every local rail or Metro network, should support ticketing using contactless bank or credit cards.
- There is no need to buy a ticket or a special electronic travel card.
- A maximum daily, weekly or monthly cap can be applied.
- \Entry and exit at stations is quick and easy.
I also feel that cities that don’t go this route will lose out, as tourists will go elsewhere.
Network Maps
New Metros in Europe and the rest of the world, shameslessly copy the features of London’s iconic Tube map for one of their networks. But often for various reasons, they position them high-up and make it that you need to be over six foot tall to read them.
Every network, should have a large map, that is at least the size of London’s with the stations laid out in an easy-to-read format, that can be read by anybody from an eleven-year-old child to an eighty-yrear-old with failing eyesight, sitting in a wheelchair.
London’s maps aren’t perfect, but they are a good start!
Merseyrail
I know the Merseyrail network well and it probably comes closest to the London Overground in terms of operation.
But, in terms of Marketing, I don’t think it does is best to sell itself to visitors.
Birmingham
Is a big change about to happen in Birmingham?
This article in the Railway Gazette is entitled West Midlands Trains Announces London Northwestern Brand.
This is also said about services in Birmingham.
Services operating around Birmingham are to use the West Midlands Combined Authority’s West Midlands Railway branding, with a view to facilitating the possible future devolution of responsibility for these services from the national Department for Transport to the authority.
So will Birmingham improve its local rail offering?
It’s certainly going to have new trains and an expanded service, so will they add the following.
- Contasctless bank card ticketing.
- A route pattern and map, that is understandable to non-Brummies.
- Dedicated local platforms at New Street station.
- More visible staff on the platforms.
- More information.
The bare bones are there, but they need a lot more flesh!
Conclusion
The world needs to develop more Overground networks as London has done!
First Steps To Faster Trains Is Delivered
This is the title of an article in the Hastings and St. Leonards Observer, that has been signed by Amber Rudd.
About Amber Rudd
Amber Rudd is the Home Secretary and in this year’s General Election, she retained the Hastings and Rye constituency with a majority of just 346 votes.
As I doubt she wants to commit political suicide, I therefor consider that what is said in the article is very close to what is intended to happen about the delivery of faster trains between London and Hastings.
London To Hastings In 66 Minutes
This is the first two paragraphs of her article.
Last week I invited Transport Secretary Chris Grayling to visit Ashford International to hear an update on my campaign to secure a high speed rail link between our communities and London St Pancras.
Specifically, I want to see journey times, which are currently around 100 minutes between Hastings and London, reduced to 66 minutes.
The sixty-six minutes is mentioned again later in the article.
Would a politician be so definite about her aims, unless she knew that it was deliverable?
Or is it lucky to say sixty-six in Hastings?
So how feasible is London to Hastings in 66 minutes?
Consider.
- Southeastern’s Highspeed services between St. Pancras and Ashford, generally take between 37-38 minutes for the journey, with some trains a few minutes faster.
- The Marshlink Line between Ashford and Hastings is about 26¼ miles in length
- The operating speed is quoted in Wikipedia as 60 mph.
- There are some serious level crossings.
So could a train go from Ashford to Hastings in twenty-eight minutes to meet Amber Rudd’s quoted target of 66 minutes?
26¼ miles in 28 minutes works out a an average speed of 56.25 mph.
I would give that time a 9/10 for feasibility.
The problem would be the level crossings on the line, so if Network Rail were to remove these and improve the track a bit, I feel that this could even score highly for reliability.
Currently, there doesn’t appear to be many trains passing through and even if the service was doubled to two trains per hour in both directions, I don’t think they would trouble the timetable compiler.
Track Changes At Ashford
Amber Rudd’s article then says this about track changes at Ashford.
This was a very encouraging meeting. I am pleased to announce that the commitment has been made to supporting the development of a proposed track layout at Ashford International which would allow trains from Hastings, Rye, Bexhill and Eastbourne to travel direct to London St Pancras
Work will now begin towards the necessary track connections to join-up the Marshlink and the High Speed 1 line to London.
This change would help make possible the direct service to St Pancras with a journey time of 81 minutes from Hastings.
That seems to be a plan. But where does the 81 minutes come from?
The current Class 171 trains take around 42 minutes between Hastings and Ashford, so 38+42 would say that 81 minutes is a reasonable claim.
This document on the Network Rail web site, is the Technical Appendix of the South East Route: Kent Area Route Study.
This map was extracted from the document.
This shows the changes needed to connect HS1 to the Marshlink Line.
Diesel-Electric Or Battery-Electric Trains?
Amber Rudd’s article says this about the trains.
Accompanying the track changes at Ashford, hybrid rolling stock – trains running on diesel-electric or battery-electric power – would make these quick journey times a reality.
This fits in with what is said in the Technical Appendix to the Kent Area Route Study.
The diesel electric train mentioned in the Technical Appendix is a Class 802 train. Production and delivery of these is underway for Great Western Railway, so we’re not talking about an untried class of train.
But there may be problems running trains carrying diesel fuel in the HS1 tunnels.
The battery-electric train mentioned in the Technical Appendix is the IPEMU based on a Class 379 train.
This train is not in production yet and the picture shows the test train, that ran in Essex nearly two years ago.
The Technical Appendix says this about the IPEMU.
In 2015, industry partners worked together to investigate
battery-electric traction and this culminated with a
practical demonstration of the Independently Powered
Electric Multiple Unit IPEMU concept on the Harwich
Branch line in Anglia Route. At the industry launch event,
the train manufacturers explained that battery
technology is being developed to enable trains to run
further, at line speeds, on battery power, indeed, some
tram lines use this technology in the city centres and many
London buses are completely electric powered.The IPEMU project looked at the feasibility of battery power
on the Marshlink service and found that battery was
sufficient for the train to run from Brighton to Ashford
International and back but there was insufficient charge to
return to Ashford International on a second round trip. A
solution to this could be that the unit arrives from Ashford
International at Brighton and forms a service to Seaford and
back before returning to Ashford International with a
charged battery.The IPEMU demonstration train was a Class 379, a similar
type to the Class 377 units currently operated by Southern, it
was found that the best use of the battery power was to
restrict the acceleration rate to that of a modern diesel
multiple unit, such as a Class 171 (the current unit type
operating the line) when in battery mode and normal
acceleration on electrified lines.
Note the following from Network Rail’s text.
- Brighton to Ashford is about 60-70 miles.
- Acceleration should be limited.
- The Class 377 train would not be suitable for HS1, as it is only a 100 mph train.
It is my opinion, that a battery-electric train with the following characteristics could be designed.
- Five to eight cars.
- 140 mph on HS1 using 25 KVAC overhead electrification.
- 100 mph on the East Coastway Line between Brighton and Hastings using 750 VDC third-rail electrification.
- Class 171 train performance using batteries on the Marshlink Line.
- A battery range of sixty miles to allow a fully charged train to go from Ashford to Hastings and back.
Effectively, it’s a dual-voltage high speed train, that can also run on battery power.
How Would A Battery Train Operate?
A train working from St. Pancras to Hastings would go through the following operations.
- Run from St. Pancras to Ashford along HS1, as the current Class 395 trains do using the 25KVAC overhead power.
- Stop in Platform 2 at Ashford station and switch to battery power.
- Run to Hastings on battery power.
- Run to Aahford on battery power.
- Stop in Platform 2 at Ashford station and switch to 25 KVAC overhead power.
- Run from Ashford to St. Pancras along HS1 using the 25 KVAC overhead power
The battery would be charged on HS1 and using the third-rail electrification at Hastings.
How Big Would The Battery Need To Be?
The test IPEMU had a battery capacity of 500 kWh and based on what is said in the Technical Appendix was capable of perhaps 150 miles on battery power.
This works out as a consumption of under one kWh per car per mile.
So a six-car train would need perhaps 200 kWh to do a single trip on the 26¼ mile Marshlink Line. Providing of course it was fully charged before starting the journey.
Could Hitachi Modify a Class 395 Train To Have A Battery Option?
Hitachi have been developing battery trains for several years.
I believe that if Bombardier can create and test a battery-electric version of a Class 379 train, in under a year, then Hitachi could do the same with any of their A train family, which includes Class 800/801/802/395 trains.
This page on the Hitachi web site is entitled AT300 – INTERCITY HIGH SPEED.
The page has a picture of a Class 395 train and it has this caption.
The Class 395 is the first High Speed commuter train in the UK and part of Hitachi’s family of AT300 units. Its introduction to HS1 in 2009 continues to be a success story and it has set new standards for performance in High Speed trains in the UK.
Underneath the picture, it gives a Technical Outline for the trains, where this is said.
Power Supply: (25kVAC / 750 Vdc / Battery)
This may only be for train hotel power, but certainly the trains can use batteries.
Conclusion On The Type Of Train
I have no reason to believe that St. Pancras to Hastings copuldn’t be run by either type of train.
Although there is the problem of whether trains carrying diesel can go throyugh the HS1 tunnels.
The new operator for the Southeastern Franchise will chose the deal they liked.
Destination Stations
The Technical Appendix to the Kent Area Route Study proposes three possible destination stations.
Hastings
Hastings station has some advantages.
- It may be easier for operational reasons.
- Using Platform 1 would allow cross-platform interchange with trains going West.
- Only minimal signalling and track changes are needed.
- A 25-30 minute dwell time at the station is good for recovery after a late arrival.
The big disadvantage is that Bexhill will not be served.
Bexhill
Stakeholders would like the service to go to Bexhill station.
Train operation doesn’t appear to be as simple as at Hastings.
Eastbourne
Eastbourne station also offers advantages.
- There could be a 20-25 minute dwell time at Eastbourne, which would help in service recovery.
- Sic-car trains would offer signification extra capacity between Hastings and Eastbourne, where it is needed.
- The line between Bexhill and Eastbourne was resignalled in 2015.
- Eastbourne to St. Pancras would be a good alternative route in times of perturbation.
- With extra work at Hampden Park station, it could provide a faster route to Brighton and Gatwick Airport.
The only disadvantage is that an extra train would be needed to run the service.
Conclusion On The Destination
All three stations could be a suitable destination.
I feel that if the choice of trains favours battery-electric, that Eastbourne might have a useful advantage in recharging the batteries.
Track Improvements
The Technical Appendix to the Kent Area Route Study proposes various track improvements in various places from Ashford to Brighton.
It looks like Network Rail are preparing the infrastructure for faster services all along the South Coast.
Conclusion
Amber Rudd has put her name to a well-worked article.
Could Class 800/801 Trains Work Southeastern Highspeed Services?
Southeastern Highspeed services are run by Class 395 trains.
These trains are capable of the following.
- 140 mph running on HS1.
- Running on third-rail lines.
- Joining and separating in under a couple of minutes.
As the electric Class 801 trains are also members of Hitachi’s A-train family, I’m sure that they could built to a similar specification.
- The trains are capable of 140 mph on suitable lines.
- Rhird-rail gear can probably be easily added.
- The joining and separating is in the specification.
So I think the answer to my question must be in the afformative.
Could London Introduce Lifts With Inbuilt Ticketing?
Use the Underground or the trains in London and you have to have to touch in and out with your contactless ticket, Oyster card, smart phone or Freedom Pass.
Suppose you want to put lifts into a station, where putting the lift inside the ticket barriers would be difficult, but perhaps putting it outside on the street would be easy.
This technique has been used at Bank station to provide step-free access to the Docklands Light Railway.
When I called the lift to enter the station, the lift was sent by an operator in the Control Room.
So why not combine an outside lift with the ticketing?
Perhaps to call the lift, you need to touch in or out?
Authorities Plan Joint Tram-Train Procurement
The title of this post is the same as that of this article in Global Rail News.
This is the first paragraph.
Several European transport authorities are planning to work in partnership to procure new tram-trains in order to bring down the cost enough to make the transport mode more commercially viable.
This later paragraph gives the members.
The new association includes Karlsruhe’s transport authorities, Albtal-Verkehrs-Gesellschaft (AVG) and Verkehrsbetriebe Karlsruhe (VBK), Saarland tram-train operator Saarbahn Netz, Kassel operator Kasseler Verkehrs-Gesellschaft, Upper Austria’s Schiene Oberösterreich, Erms-Neckar-Bahn and Regionaltangente West in Germany’s Rhine-Main area.
I hope Network Rail keeping a watching brief!
After all, the Class 399 tram-train being trialled in Sheffield is a 25 KVAC version of the tram-trains used in Karlruhe, where the main line voltage is 15 KVAC.
This picture shows a Class 399 tram-train in Sheffield.
This is one of Karlsruhe’s similar tram-trains.
There are some cosmetic differences and the German tram-trains have a coupler for multiple working.
Surely, any initiative for a standard European tram-train, that could work all over the Continent would bring benefits.
- Prices would probably be more reasonable.
- Solutions and problems could be shared.
- \setting up a new tram-train line should become easier and more affordable.
Having travelled extensively on Karlsruhe’s tram-train network, it would appear that they are using not only the tram-trains, but several other ideas in Sheffield.
Different Voltages
Overhead line voltages vary across Europe.
- 15 KVAC is used in Germany
- 1,500 VDC is used in The Netherlands and for some local networks.
- 25 KVAC has become an international standard and is generally used for high speed lines.
Surprisingly, all our overhead electrification used on railways is 25 KVAC. All other systems have been either replaced or closed.
All these different voltages can be handled by a good electrical system on the tram.
This will handle the problem ehere a route runs between two areas or countries with different voltages.
Changing From Tram To Train Mode And Vice-Versa
In Karlsruhe this is performed by connecting the two systems together with a cermaic rod in the catenary to separate the voltages.
Tram-trains just drive across, with perhaps some battery assistance.
I suspect Sheffield are using a similar method to Karlsruhe.
Platform Height
If the tram-trains are to have level access, as most low floor trams do these days, then platform height can be a problem.
Trams generally have low platforms as this picture from Tramlink shows.
On the Continent, the main line platform heights are often simiar, so level access can be easy.
But in the UK, platform heights are generally higher. The problem appears to be being solved at Rotherham Central station by means of dual height platforms. This technique is used in Karlsruhe.
The article says this about platform height.
VDV has said the tram-trains will be available as two or four-door vehicles and will be able to meet different platform heights and maximum axle loads.
So hopefully, it will be one size fits all!
Karlruhe
This is a paragraph from the article.
AVG and VBK would receive more than half of the new vehicles under the arrangement. AVG said it had already been approached by other transport companies interested in adopting the so-called Karlsruhe model tram-train system.
Karlsruhe certainly seem to be leading this project, in more ways than one.
The Sheffield tram-train trial could be said to use the Karlsruhe model.
Conclusion
I believe that nothing I have seen on the various tram-train systems, I have visited, would stop a common tram-train that worked being developed.
This must lead to the development of a lot more tram-train systems.
Talgo Explores Options For Building UK Test Track
The title of this post is the same as that of this article in Rail Magazine.
This is the first paragraph.
A new UK test track, available to all companies, is being proposed by Spanish manufacturer Talgo as it looks to develop its standing in this country.
It is interesting that the ttrack will be available to all companies, but probably a sensible decision.
- Hitachi have been testing some of their new Class 385 trains in Germany.
- Porterbrook have been testing the new Class 769 train on the Grand Central, which is a herotage line.
So perhaps we do need another convenient test track!
As Talgo are bidding to make trains for HS2, the test track will probably need to be a bit longer than the thirteen miles of the cuirrent Old Dalby Test Track.
The First Hydrogen Trains Have Been Ordered
This article on Global Rail News is entitled Alstom Confirms Orders For Its Hydrogen-Powered Coradia iLint.
There is also this Press Release on the Alstom web site, which gives a lot more details.
Given that this is a real order worth millions of euros, I think we can assume that another practical motive power source for trains has arrived.
One interesting point is that the deal involves the Linde Group, who are the world’s largest industrial gas company.
The Anonymous Widower 