First Massive ‘Lego Block’ Beams Lifted For HS2’s Pioneering Thame Valley Viaduct
The title of this post, is the same as that of this press release from High Speed Two.
HS2 has begun lifting the first of 72 huge beams that will support the deck of the Thame Valley Viaduct – the first of its kind in the UK to have all major elements manufactured off site.
HS2 Bicester viaduct beam placement.
These paragraphs describe the building of the viaduct.
Engineers at the site near Aylesbury used two massive cranes to lift the beams – 25 metres long and weighing 90 tonnes each – into position on top of the viaduct piers, like giant Lego blocks.
Instead of using a more traditional approach, with multiple smaller beams for each span, the design team opted for a simple structural solution with just two larger hollow u-shaped beams per span, which allows for a lighter structure and simpler construction.
The lighter-weight design, inspired by viaducts on the Spanish high speed rail network, also reduces the amount of carbon-intensive concrete and steel in the structure – cutting its carbon footprint by around a third.
It doesn’t say, if they are using low-carbon concrete for the beams, but High Speed Two have used this material before.
Wabtec And Roy Hill Unveil The First FLXdrive Battery Locomotive
The title of this post, is the same as that of this press release from Wabtec.
This is the sub-heading.
World’s first 100% battery-powered, heavy-haul freight locomotive for mainline service
This is the first three paragraphs.
Wabtec and its launch customer, Roy Hill, a leading iron ore miner majority owned by Australia’s most successful private company, Hancock Prospecting, have celebrated the debut of the FLXdrive battery locomotive, the world’s first 100% battery-powered, heavy-haul locomotive for mainline service. The ceremony unveiled the unique, striking pink-colored locomotive at Wabtec’s design and development center in Pennsylvania in front of employees, customer executives, and government and community officials.
“This FLXdrive locomotive represents a major step in the journey to a low-to-zero-emission future in the rail industry,” said Rafael Santana, President & CEO of Wabtec. “The FLXdrive is driven from within by our battery technology and the innovative spirit of our employees. Roy Hill is an ideal customer to partner with given their leadership and excellent operational record.”
Roy Hill’s FLXdrive battery-electric locomotive will feature an energy capacity of 7 megawatt hours (MWh). Based on the route and company’s rail operations, the FLXdrive is anticipated to provide a double-digit percentage reduction in fuel costs and emissions per train. Once Wabtec completes the final battery installations and track testing, the locomotive will begin its 17,000-kilometer (10,500-mile) journey in 2024 for delivery to its new home in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, one of the world’s premier mining precincts.
These further two paragraphs outline the operation of the locomotive.
The FLXdrive locomotive represents not only a first for the Pilbara, but a first for the mining industry. The technological smarts that have gone into the development of the loco makes it well suited for our rail network. By using regenerative braking, it will charge its battery on the 344 kilometer (214 mile) downhill run from our mine to port facility and use that stored energy to return to the mine, starting the cycle all over again. This will not only enable us to realise energy efficiencies but also lower operating costs.”
Today, Roy Hill uses four Wabtec ES44ACi “Evolution Series” diesel-electric locomotives in a consist to pull trains that are typically 2,700 meters (1.6 miles) in length carrying more than 33,000 tonnes of iron ore. The addition of the FLXdrive will form a hybrid locomotive consist with Wabtec diesel-electric locomotives, and recharge during the trip through regenerative braking. The FLXdrive manages the overall train energy flow and distribution through its state-of-the-art energy management software. It is also designed with a unique battery thermal management system using liquid cooling to withstand the Pilbara heat, where temperatures can reach 55°C (130°F).
I have some thoughts.
Could Class 66 Locomotives Be Converted Into Battery-Electric Locomotives?
I answered this question fully in Could Class 66 Locomotives Be Converted Into Battery-Electric Locomotives? a couple of years ago and came to this conclusion.
I am not a lover of the smelly, noisy and polluting diesel Class 66 locomotives, but it does look it could be possible to convert some into battery-electric locomotives.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see Wabtec convert some Class 66 locomotives into battery-electric locomotives.
I also believe, that conversion of Class 66 locomotives to battery-electric operation could be the most affordable way to help decarbonise rail freight.
Note.
- Class 68 locomotives could probably also be converted.
- The battery-electric locomotives would either be used singly or in conjunction with diesel-electric locomotives as Roy Hill propose to do.
After the launch of Wabtec’s first production locomotive, I wouldn’t be surprised to find that some of the UK’s freight operators are talking to Wabtec.
Could A Battery-Electric Class 66 locomotive Work With An Electric Locomotive?
This picture shows, what could be an experiment by Freightliner at Shenfield.
Unfortunately, I didn’t have a chance to ask the driver, if the Class 66 locomotive was running dead-in-train or helping the Class 90 locomotive with a very heavy load.
The picture shows, that the electric and diesel locomotives can work together, at the front of a train.
Consider.
- The battery-electric locomotive would be used, where there is no electrification.
- The battery-electric locomotive could be charged by the electric locomotive or regenerative braking.
It could be an interesting way to handle some freight routes in the UK.
Global First For Formula 1: CEVA Logistics Transports Ferrari Equipment By Rail
The title of this post is the same as that of this article on Container News.
This is the sub-heading.
CEVA Logistics, CMA CGM-owned third-party logistics provider, recently designed an innovative rail transport solution for Scuderia Ferrari’s F1 racing team in North America
These paragraphs outline the transport.
In a global first for Formula 1, Ferrari equipment is being transported by rail between three North American F1 grand prix races as part of the two companies’ efforts to cut carbon emissions.
Since the start of their cooperation in 2022, CEVA has been altering the Scuderia Ferrari logistics programme. As CEVA guarantees that the equipment reaches each of the 23 Grand Prix racing venues on schedule, the flow of the six different 45-ton equipment kits that travel the world has shifted away from air freight and toward a primary combination of ocean and road freight.
Carbon savings were 90 % compared to flying and 32 % compared to an all-road route.
But as the containers appeared to have travelled 4,000 miles between Montreal to Las Vegas via Austin, probably hauled by a diesel locomotive, how much extra carbon savings could have been achieved if a hydrogen-powered locomotive had been used?
May The Maths Be With You!
It was a bit of a surprise, when in the November 2023 Edition of Modern Railways, in an article, which was entitled Extra Luggage Racks For Lumo, I read this closing paragraph.
Lumo celebrated its second birthday in late October and was also set to mark the carriage of its two-millionth passenger. It is understood Lumo is interested in augmenting its fleet, such has been the success of the service; while many operators favour bi-mode units, Lumo is proud of its all-electric credentials so straight EMUs are still preferred, although the possibilities of including batteries which could power the trains may be pursued (the ‘803s’ have on-board batteries, but only to provide power to on-board systems if the electricity supply fails).
I find this development very interesting.
Surely the obvious way to increase capacity would be to acquire some extra identical trains and run the busiest services as ten-car trains. I talked about Hull Trains running ten-car trains in Ten-Car Hull Trains. Both companies have five trains, so I suspect that this number would allow for occasional ten-car trains.
If not, then add a few identical trains to the fleet, so capacity can be matched to the demand.
- Some services would be ten-car instead of five-car.
- Platforms at Edinburgh, King’s Cross and Newcastle already handle nine and ten-car trains, so infrastructure costs would be minimal.
- No extra paths would be needed, as a ten-car train can run in a path, that normally has five-car trains, as Hull Trains have shown.
A simple spreadsheet should probably predict, when and how many extra trains need to be added to the fleet.
Lumo And Traction Batteries
But why does the Modern Railways’s article talk about traction batteries?
In the two years since Lumo started their service, there have been days, when the East Coast Main Line has been closed for engineering works, bad weather or an incident. I wrote about an incident in Azumas Everywhere!.
Some of these engineering works have been able to be by-passed by using diversions. But not all of these diversion routes are fully-electrified, so are not available for Lumo.
There would appear to be three viable diversions for the East Coast Main Line.
- Werrington Junction and Doncaster via Lincoln – Not Electrified – 85.4 miles
- Doncaster and York via Leeds – Being Electrified – 55.5 miles
- Northallerton and Newcastle – Not Electrified – 56.8 miles
If all or some of Lumo’s five-car trains had a battery-range of a hundred miles, they would be able to divert around some blockades.
Note.
- A traction battery could also provide power to on-board systems if the electricity supply fails.
- A traction battery would allow the train to skip past some catenary problems.
- I would be interested to know how much diversions, bad weather and incidents have cost Lumo in lost sales and refunds.
As an electrical engineer, I believe, that the emergency-only and the traction batteries could be the same design, but with different software and capacity.
The extra cost of the larger capacity traction battery, might deliver a better service and also pay for itself in the long term.
Extending Lumo’s Route
Lumo will want to maximise revenue and profits, so would it be possible to extend the route North of Edinburgh?
Consider.
- Edinburgh and Aberdeen is 131.4 miles
- Ladybank is a station to the North of the Forth Bridge, which is under 40 miles from Edinburgh.
- The line between Edinburgh and Ladybank is being electrified.
- Ladybank is just 91.4 miles South of Aberdeen.
At some point in the next few years, I believe that one of Lumo’s trains fitted with a hundred mile traction battery could reach Aberdeen on electric power.
The train would need to be charged at Aberdeen before returning South.
How would Aberdonians like that?
Unfortunately, Inverness is 146.1 miles from the nearest electrification at Dunblane, so it is probably too far for a hundred mile traction battery.
It does appear to me that if Lumo’s trains were fitted with a hundred mile traction battery, this would enable them to take some non-electrified diversions and provide a service to Aberdeen.
How Useful Would A Hundred Mile Range Battery-Electric Train Be To Other Operators?
I take each operator in turn.
Hull Trains
Consider.
- It appears that Hull Trains change between diesel and electric power at Temple Hirst junction, which is between Doncaster and Selby, on their route between King’s Cross and Hull/Beverley.
- The distance between Temple Hirst junction and Beverley is 44.3 miles.
- It would appear that an out-and-return journey could be possible on a hundred mile traction battery.
- The hundred mile traction battery would also allow Hull Trains to use the Lincoln diversion, either when necessary or by design.
To ensure enough range, a short length of overhead electrification could be erected at Hull station to combat range anxiety.
The Modern Railways article also says this.
The co-operation between sister East Coast Main Line open access operators Lumo and Hull Trains continues, with one recent move being the use of Hull Trains ‘802’ on Lumo services to cover for a shortage of the dedicated ‘803s’ while one was out of action for repairs following a fatality. although the two types are similar, there are notable differences, most obviously that the Hull Trains units are bi-modes while the Lumo sets are straight EMUs, and a training conversion course is required for Lumo drivers on the ‘802s’. There are also challenges from a passenger-facing perspective – the Hull trains units have around 20 % fewer seats and a First Class area.
If Hull Trains used traction batteries rather than diesel engines could the trains be identical to Lumo’s trains from the driver’s perspective?
This would surely appeal to First Group, who are the owner of both Hull Trains and Lumo.
TransPennine Express
These are TransPennine Express services.
- Liverpool Lime Street and Newcastle – Fully Electrified
- Liverpool Lime Street and Hull – Part Electrified – Hull and Micklefield – 42 miles
- Manchester Airport and Saltburn – Part Electrified – Saltburn and Northallerton – 33.6 miles
- Manchester Piccadilly and Newcastle – Fully Electrified
- Manchester Piccadilly and Scarborough – Part Electrified – York and Scarborough – 42.1 miles
- York and Scarborough – Not Electrified – 42.1 miles
- Manchester Piccadilly and Huddersfield – Fully Electrified
- Huddersfield and Leeds – Fully Electrified
- Liverpool Lime Street and Cleethorpes – Part Electrified – Hazel Grove and Cleethorpes – 104.6 miles
Note.
- I am assuming that the TransPennine Upgrade has been completed and Manchester and Leeds is electrified.
- Liverpool Lime Street and Cleethorpes will need some form of charging at Cleethorpes and a slightly larger battery.
All of these TransPennine Rxpress routes would be possible with a battery-electric train with a hundred mile traction battery.
LNER
These are distances from the electrification of the East Coast Main Line.
- Aberdeen via Ladybank – 91.4 miles – Charge before return
- Bradford Forster Square – Electrified
- Carlisle via Skipton – 86.8 miles – Charge before return
- Cleethorpes via Newark and Lincoln – 63.9 miles – Charge before return
- Harrogate via Leeds – 18.3 miles
- Huddersfield via Leeds – 17.2 miles
- Hull via Temple Hirst junction – 36.1 miles
- Lincoln via Newark – 16.7 miles
- Middlesbrough via Northallerton – 22.2 miles
- Scarborough via York – 42.1 miles
- Skipton – Electrified
- Sunderland via Northallerton – 47.4 miles
Note.
- The first place after the ‘via’ is where the electrification ends.
- Carlisle could be a possibility during High Speed Two upgrading of the West Coast Main Line or for an enthusiasts’ special or tourist train.
- Cleethorpes is a possible new service for LNER. I wrote about this in LNER To Serve Cleethorpes.
- Scarborough must be a possible new service for LNER.
- ‘Charge before return’ means the train must be charged before return. Carlisle is electrified, but Cleethorpes is not.
- The only new infrastructure would be the charging at Cleethorpes.
All of these LNER routes would be possible with a battery-electric train with a hundred mile traction battery.
The hundred mile traction battery would also allow LNER to use the Lincoln diversion.
Grand Central
These are distances from the electrification of the East Coast Main Line for Grand Central’s services.
- Bradford Interchange via Shaftholme junction – 47.8 miles
- Cleethorpes via Doncaster – 52.1 miles – Charge before return
- Sunderland via Northallerton – 47.4 miles
Note.
- The first place after the ‘via’ is where the electrification ends.
- Cleethorpes is a possible new service for Grand Central.
- ‘Charge before return’ means the train must be charged before return.
All of these routes would be possible with a battery-electric train with a hundred mile traction battery.
The hundred mile traction battery would also allow Grand Central to use the Lincoln diversion.
Avanti West Coast
These are distances from the electrification of the West Coast Main Line for Avanti West Coast’s services.
- Chester via Crewe – 21.1 miles
- Gobowen via Wolverhampton – 47.7 miles
- Holyhead via Crewe – 105.5 miles – Charge before return
- Shrewsbury via Wolverhampton – 29.7 miles
- Wrexham via Crewe – 33.3 miles
Note.
- The first place after the ‘via’ is where the electrification ends.
- Gobowen is a possible new service for Avanti West Coast.
- ‘Charge before return’ means the train must be charged before return.
All of these routes would be possible with a battery-electric train with a hundred mile traction battery.
Great Western Railway
These are distances from the electrification of the Great Western Main Line for Great Western Railway’s services.
- Bristol Temple Meads via Chippenham – 24.4 miles
- Carmarthen via Cardiff Central – 77.4 miles – Charge before return
- Cheltenham Spa via Swindon – 43.2 miles
- Exeter St. Davids via Newbury – 120.4 miles – Charge before return
- Great Malvern via Didcot East junction – 76.1 miles – Charge before return
- Hereford via Didcot East junction – 96.9 miles – Charge before return
- Oxford via Didcot Parkway – 10.3 miles
- Paignton via Newbury – 148.7 miles – Charge before return
- Pembroke Dock via Cardiff Central – 121.6 miles – Charge before return
- Penzance via Newbury – 172.6 miles – Charge before return
- Plymouth via Newbury – 120.4 miles – Charge before return
- Swansea via Cardiff Central – 53 miles – Charge before return
- Weston-super-Mare via Chippenham – 43.8 miles
- Worcester Foregate Street via Didcot East junction – 68.2 miles – Charge before return
- Worcester Shrub Hill via Didcot East junction – 67.6 miles – Charge before return
Note.
- The first place after the ‘via’ is where the electrification ends.
- ‘Charge before return’ means the train must be charged before return.
- Partial electrification through Hereford, Great Malvern, Worcester Foregate Street and Worcester Shrub Hill, could possibly be used to charge services from Hereford and Worcester.
- Partial electrification through Penzance, Plymouth and Exeter St. Davids, could possibly be used to charge services from the South West.
- Partial electrification West of Swansea, could possibly be used to charge services from West Wales.
All routes, except for Hereford and Worcester, the South-West and West Wales, would be possible with a battery-electric train with a hundred mile traction battery.
I’ll now look at the three groups of services in more detail.
Services To Hereford And Worcester
These are distances from the electrification of the Great Western Main Line for Great Western Railway’s Hereford and Worcester services.
- Great Malvern via Didcot East junction – 76.1 miles
- Hereford via Didcot East junction – 96.9 miles
- Worcester Foregate Street via Didcot East junction – 68.2 miles
- Worcester Shrub Hill via Didcot East junction – 67.6 miles
Note.
- All services join the Great Western Main Line at Didcot East junction.
- Some services will be probably need to have, their batteries charged at the Hereford and Worcester end.
At the present time, the electrification finishes at Didcot East junction, but if it were to be extended to Charlbury station, these would be the distances without electrification.
- Great Malvern via Charlbury – 52.3 miles
- Hereford via Charlbury – 73.1 miles
- Worcester Foregate Street via Charlbury – 44.4 miles
- Worcester Shrub Hill via Charlbury – 43.8 miles
Note.
- Some of the track between Oxford and Charlbury is only single track, which may give advantages, when it is electrified.
- It might be possible with a hundred mile traction battery for all Worcester services to charge their batteries between Charlbury and London Paddington and not need a charge at Worcester to return.
- A larger traction battery or extending the electrification to perhaps Morton-in-Marsh could see Great Malvern in range of battery-electric trains from London Paddington without a charge.
- Hereford would probably be too far to get away without charging at Hereford.
This OpenRailwayMap shows the layout of Hereford station.
I’m certain that a platform can be found, where there is space for a charger, which could also be used for other trains serving the station.
Services To The South West
In the August 2023 Edition of Modern Railways, there is an article, which is entitled GWR Seeks Opportunities To Grow.
This is the sub-heading.
Managing Director Mark Hopwood tells Philip Sherratt there is plenty of potential to increase rail’s economic contribution.
This is two paragraphs.
The desire to provide electrification to support aggregates traffic from the Mendip quarries could also benefit GWR , says Mr. Hopwood. ‘Having an electric loco would massively help with pathing heavy freight trains through the Thames Valley. If you could electrify from Newbury to East Somerset Junction, a big chunk of the Berks and Hants route would be wired.
Then you can ask how much further you could get on battery power on an IET without running out of juice.’
Newbury to East Somerset Junction would be 53.5 miles of electrification, so I can build this table of services to the South-West
- Exeter St. Davids via Newbury – 120.4 miles – 66.9 miles
- Paignton via Newbury – 148.7 miles – 95.2 miles
- Penzance via Newbury – 251.9 miles – 198.5 miles
- Plymouth via Newbury – 172.6 miles – 119 miles
Note.
- The distance between Penzance and Plymouth is 79.5 miles.
- The first figure in the table is the distance to Newbury.
- The second figure in the table is the distance to East Somerset junction.
A possible way of running these four services to London on battery power is emerging.
- Exeter St. Davids via Newbury – Charge before return – Run on battery for 66.9 miles to East Somerset junction.
- Paignton via Newbury – Charge before return – Run on battery for 95.2 miles to East Somerset junction.
- Penzance via Newbury- Charge before return – Run on battery for 79.5 miles to Plymouth – Charge at Plymouth – Run on battery for 119 miles to East Somerset junction.
- Plymouth via Newbury – Charge before return – Run on battery for 119 miles to East Somerset junction.
Once at East Somerset junction, it’s electrification all the way to Paddington.
This is the corresponding way to run services from London.
- Exeter St. Davids via Newbury – Run on electrification to East Somerset junction, charging the battery on the way – Run on battery for 66.9 miles to Exeter St. Davids.
- Paignton via Newbury – Run on electrification to East Somerset junction, charging the battery on the way – Run on battery for 95.2 miles to Paignton.
- Penzance via Newbury – Run on electrification to East Somerset junction, charging the battery on the way – Run on battery for 119 miles to Plymouth – Charge at Plymouth – Run on battery for 79.5 miles to Penzance.
- Plymouth via Newbury – Run on electrification to East Somerset junction, charging the battery on the way – Run on battery for 119 miles to Plymouth.
More electrification or a larger than a hundred mile traction battery would be needed, as Plymouth and East Somerset junction is 119 miles.
But if a Stadler Akku can do 139 miles on a charge, why shouldn’t a Hitachi battery-electric train?
Services To West Wales
It seems that the current timetable is already setup for battery-electric trains to run to and beyond Swansea.
- Carmarthen and Swansea is almost exactly 32 miles.
- Pembroke Dock and Swansea is 73.4 miles.
- Swansea and Cardiff Central is 45.7 miles.
Note
- All these sections could be run by a battery-electric train, with a fully-charged hundred mile traction battery.
- All trains going to or from Carmarthen or Pembroke Dock reverse at Swansea, where a generous time of more than eleven minutes is allowed for the manoeuvre.
- During the reverse at Swansea, there is sufficient time to charge the batteries, if overhead wires were present.
Battery-electric services could serve Wales Wales with overhead electrification at Carmarthen, Pembroke Dock and Swansea.
Conclusion
We will go a long way, if we embrace battery-electric trains.
Most routes can be handled with a train with a traction battery range of 100 miles.
Exceptions are.
- Hazel Grove and Cleethorpes – 104.6 miles
- Plymouth and East Somerset junction – 119 miles
But if a Stadler Akku can do 139 miles on a charge, why shouldn’t a Hitachi battery-electric train?
UK Rail Operations Group Gets The Keys To Their Tri-Mode Locomotive
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on RailFreight.com.
This is the sub-heading.
A Green Milestone, in every sense. Delivered in an eye-catching livery reminiscent of British Racing Green, Rail Operations Group may well have called the delivery of their first Class 93 tri-mode locomotive, a leap forward in reshaping the future of operations. It is certainly an environmental first strike on behalf of the rail industry in the race to a net-zero carbon economy.
Note.
- There are thirty on order.
- It can haul both freight and passenger trains.
- It has a maximum speed of 110 mph.
- The development history in the Wikipedia entry is a good read.
It certainly looks an impressive locomotive and the livery will get it noticed. But then you don’t hide your best light under a bushel!
Operations
This section in the Wiki9pedia entry is entitled Proposed Use, where this is said.
ROG intends to pair the locomotive with a new generation of freight wagons that would run at a maximum speed of 100 mph (160 km/h), comparable to that of contemporary passenger trains. Trains formed of such wagons would be easier to insert into timetables around and between existing passenger trains, increasing flexibility and potentially creating capacity for more freight trains on the national network.
In addition to freight, the Class 93 has also been designed to accommodate the haulage of passenger stock, including a variable-height Dellner coupling and a three-step Westcode brake in addition to its conventional two-pipe air brake.
The Class 93 locomotives will surely be very impressive hauling freight heavy trains to and from Felixstowe, on the electrified Great Eastern Main Line sandwiched between the 100 mph express passenger trains.
- What weight and length of train, these locomotives can haul in and out of Felixstowe?
- What destinations will they be able to reach using the electrification from Ipswich?
- Will they be able to take shorter trains to the Midlands via Ely and Leicester?
It will be interesting to see where these locomotives operate.
Hydrogen Bus Fleet Project Gains Momentum
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article from Energy Live News.
This is the sub-heading.
Luxfer Gas Cylinders and Ricardo have formed a partnership to advance a project that aims to deploy 150 hydrogen-powered buses on UK routes by 2024
I first came across this project in June 2022 and wrote Ricardo Repowers Double Decker Diesel Bus With Hydrogen Fuel Cells, where I said this.
The title of this post, is the same as that of this press release from Ricardo.
Ricardo, a global strategic, environmental, and engineering consulting company, in partnership with Stagecoach North East, has repowered a diesel, double decker bus with a hydrogen fuel cell propulsion system. Delivering zero tailpipe emissions, Ricardo is now seeking to secure customers to invest in the production of a fleet of passenger vehicles fit for the future of sustainable shared mobility.
The project, part funded by the Department of Transport, through its Hydrogen Transport Hub Demonstration competition, saw Ricardo, working with Stagecoach North East to retro-fitted hydrogen fuel cell technology into an existing double decker bus. It created a zero emissions demonstrator that is now undergoing a ten-week test and demonstration programme around the Tees Valley and Brighton and Hove. Feedback and data from the trials will support the team to explore future market opportunities and applications with bus operators and other partners across the UK and beyond.
Given that there are around 38,000 existing buses in the UK, many of which still have a few years of life left, this surely must be an affordable way of creating more zero-carbon hydrogen buses.
It appears that Ricardo are aiming to have an initial batch of 150 buses in service from late 2024.
It looks to me, that this project is certainly gaining momentum.
Extra Luggage Racks For Lumo
The title of this post, is the same as a small article in the November 2023 Edition of Modern Railways.
Thiese are the first two paragraphs.
Lumo is to remove eight seats from each of its five Class 803 EMUs to make way for additional luggage racks.
Two seats will be removed from four of the five vehicles in each unit to make space for the luggage racks. The move has required a variation of Lumo’s track access agreement, with the Office of Road and Rail, which as originally approved specified that each train must have 400 seats.
The article also states that Lumo has stopped carrying bikes and the bike areas are now used for luggage.
Batteries For Lumo?
The article finishes with this paragraph.
Lumo celebrated its second birthday in late October and was also set to mark the carriage of its two-millionth passenger. It is understood Lumo is interested in augmenting its fleet, such has been the success of the service; while many operators favour bi-mode units, Lumo is proud of its all-electric credentials so straight EMUs are still preferred, although the possibilities of including batteries which could power the trains may be pursued (the ‘803s’ have on-board batteries, but only to provide power to on-board systems if the electricity supply fails).
I find this development very interesting.
As an electrical engineer, I’ve always believed that the emergency batteries in the Class 803 trains are very similar to the traction batteries that Hitachi are developing for the Class 802 trains.
- One design of battery must surely save time and costs in design and testing.
- The difference between the two batteries might be only software and the total capacity of the lithium-ion cells.
- In service testing under real operating conditions can be carried out in Lumo’s Class 803 trains.
- Traction and emergency batteries would be interchangeable, so some operators, who didn’t always need traction but wanted emergency on-board power could be setup as required for the route.
If traction batteries gave the train a range of perhaps 15-20 miles, this might well be enough range, for the train to get through or to the next station, if there was to be an incident like catenary failure or a derailed freight train blocking the line. Obviously, Lumo will have records of all external failures that have affected them.
Consider.
- I have calculated that Peterborough and Doncaster via Lincoln is 88.5 miles.
- I also believe it is likely that in the future, there may be some electrification at Lincoln to charge battery-electric trains.
- Lincolnshire is flat.
Would it be possible for Lumo trains to use a single traction battery to take the Great Northern and Great Eastern Joint Line to get round engineering works on the East Coast Main Line?
What Length Of Trains Could Lumo Run?
In Ten-Car Hull Trains, I talked about Hull Trains running ten-car trains to Hull.
I would expect that all Lumo’s stops are possible with ten-car trains.
As the trains are all Plug-and-Play, Lumo could either run pairs of trains or perhaps lengthen all trains to any size between six and nine cars.
Could Lumo Piggy-Back An Aberdeen Service On An Edinburgh Train?
The line between Edinburgh and Ladybank is being electrified and Ladybank is just 91.4 miles South of Aberdeen.
- A pair of Class 803 trains could leave King’s Cross running as a ten-car formation.
- The leading train would be a Class 803 train equipped with a traction battery.
- The trailing train would be a Class 803 train equipped with the normal emergency battery.
- Aberdeen passengers would get in the leading train.
- The train would run as normal to Edinburgh.
- At Edinburgh the two trains would split with the leading train going on to Aberdeen and the trailing train getting ready to return to London.
The train going to Aberdeen would need sufficient battery range to cover the 91.4 miles to Aberdeen, where it would recharge to make the journey back to Ladybank, Edinburgh and the South.
What About Inverness?
Dunblane is the nearest electrified station to Inverness, but it is 146.2 miles away over a route with lots of steep climbs.
I doubt that a battery-electric train could handle that route.
Conclusions
Luggage seems to be getting more of a problem on trains and buses.
It does appear that a very innovative battery philosophy from Hitachi is emerging.
A Community Engagement App For The Hope Valley Line Upgrade
The Hope Valley Line Upgrade has its own web site.
This is the sub-heading.
We’re upgrading the railway between Manchester and Sheffield to provide more reliable and faster journeys for passengers
The first paragraph gives the project timeline.
The project started in Spring 2021 and is due to be completed in Spring 2024.
There is also a section, that is entitled Community Engagement, where this is said.
Communication is very important to us and we will be writing to local residents with plenty of notice before work starts, as well as holding public engagement events throughout the project to keep the local community informed on its progress.
For regular updates on the main improvement work, you can also download the Hope Valley Railway Upgrade community engagement app, which will contain details of upcoming work activities, news, and initiatives and events for the local community.
That is new territory for Network Rail or at least the first time, I’ve seen one.
Until proven otherwise, it looks like it could be a good idea.
Trucks On Moorgate
I took these pictures of trucks on Moorgate this morning in one twenty minute period.
Note.
- All of the large trucks were diesel-powered.
- Some smaller vans might have been electric.
- Six of the trucks were concrete mixer trucks.
- One of the concrete mixer trucks was advertising ECOPact The Green Concrete.
Surely, if large heavy good vehicles, like these were hydrogen-powered, it would cut carbon footprints and reduce pollution.
I doubt we’ll see many hydrogen trucks in London, until we have a Mayor, who has a hydrogen policy that isn’t to ignore hydrogen and hope it goes away.
Old Street Station – 25th October 2023
I took these pictures this morning, as my bus passed Old Street roundabout.
It does seem that it is at last approaching completion.
The Anonymous Widower 