The Anonymous Widower

An Extreme Day Out – Bedlington And Northumberland Park Stations

This OpenRailwayMap shows the Northumberland Line and the Eastern part of the Newcastle Metro.

Note.

  1. The yellow track is the Northumberland Line.
  2. It terminates in the North at Ashington in the top-left corner of the map.
  3. Bebington station is indicated by the blue arrow.
  4. It terminates in the South at Newcastle station.
  5. The green track is the Newcastle Metro.
  6. There is now an interchange between the two lines at Northumberland Park station.

In the following sections, I’ll describe my trip.

King’s Cross And Newcastle Return For £66.35

I bought my two long distance tickets on a walk-up basis at King’s Cross and Newcastle stations from the machines.

  • I traveled North on a Lumo service to Glasgow for £27.20.
  • I did indulge myself with a tea for £2.60.
  • I traveled South on an LNER service for £36.55.
  • One of the reasons, I buy tickets on a walk-up basis, is that with my uncomplicated pancolonic diverticular disease, I might decide to cancel at the last minute, so it avoids the hassle of getting refunds.

Both services were within a few minutes of the timetable, although LNER had said they would be late, due to signalling problems.

My Route In Northumberland For £2.60

I bought a return ticket at Newcastle station for Ashington, which is the current terminus of the Northumberland Line.

  • I actually didn’t go past Bedlington station, where I turned round and had a drink.
  • As there are two trains per hour on the Northumberland Line, waits are not generally not too long.
  • I only came back as far as Northumberland Park, where I swapped to the Metro for Newcastle station.

If I had had more time, I would have stopped at Seaton Delaval station to have a gluten-free dinner, which I wrote about in Seaton Delaval Station – 30th March 2025.

From Newcastle to Bedlington Station

I took these pictures going to Bedlington station.

I would have taken more pictures, but the train was rather full.

Bedlington Station And Bedlington

I took these pictures at and around Bedlington station.

Note.

  1. Although it is a completely rebuilt station, it has a level crossing.
  2. But is the signal box keeping a watchful eye over trains and the road?
  3. Bedlington station appears to be step-free using ramps and the level crossing.
  4. Just to the North of the station, the tracks split to Ashington and Morpeth.

In my forty minutes or so in Bedlington, I didn’t see a terrier.

Are Any Bedlington Terriers Still Bred At Or Near Bedlington?

I had to ask Google AI, this question and I received this reply.

Yes, Bedlington Terriers are still bred in and around their namesake town in Northumberland, UK. While they are a relatively rare breed overall, the historic North East region remains one of the primary strongholds for these distinct “lamb-like” dogs.

Northumberland Park Station

I took these pictures at Northumberland Park station.

 

Note.

  1. The Northumberland Line uses a single bi-directional platform on the North side of the station.
  2. The Newcastle Metro uses an island platform on the South side of the station.
  3. Both platforms have steps and lifts.
  4. There are around 400 parking spaces and a Sainsbury’s Superstore at the station.

At 78, after a stroke, I didn’t find the change between the two lines difficult. But I did use the lifts!

What Are The Future Plans For The Northumberland Line?

I couldn’t resist asking Google AI this question and I received this answer.

With the Bedlington and Northumberland Park stations fully operational, the core phase of the Northumberland Line connecting Ashington to Newcastle is complete. Future plans now focus on route extensions, additional stops, and increasing capacity to handle high passenger demand.

Key Future Plans

Extension to the Coast: The North East Combined Authority is actively funding the development of an extension to Newbiggin-by-the-Sea, utilizing existing freight tracks. Planning submissions for this expansion are targeted for 2028.

New Station Proposals: Proposals are being explored to build an additional stop serving the Wansbeck General Hospital and to replace the long-closed Choppington station.

Increased Capacity: Operator Northern Rail is in ongoing discussions with transport partners to lengthen train services (which are currently constrained to two to four coaches) to help accommodate massive patronage on the line.

Integrated Ticketing: The Northumberland County Council is exploring integrated ticketing with the Tyne and Wear Metro to allow for seamless travel between the two networks at stations like Northumberland Park.

From my observations on the line over the last few years, I would go along with Google AI’s recommendations.

These are some specific thoughts.

Extension To Newbiggin-by-the-Sea

This OpenRailwayMap shows the tracks that used to exist between Ashington and Newbiggin-by-the-Sea.

Note.

  1. Ashington station is in the South-West corner of the map.
  2. A freight line exists, which is shown in yellow, all the way to Lynemouth power station, which is a 420 MW biomass power station.
  3. Lynemouth powerstation was originally built to power an aluminium smelter.
  4. Running South-East from the Northumberland Line, is a disused railway alignment labelled NBN, which leads into Newbiggin-by-the-Sea.

This Wikipedia section describes the history of railway connection of the town.

Situated on the west side of Front Street (now the B1334), the station opened on 1 March 1872 as a terminus of the Blyth and Tyne Railway (now known as the Northumberland Line). The station had a long island platform onto which the station building faced. There were sidings on both sides of the station which handled goods traffic, controlled by a signal box. The station closed to both passengers and goods traffic on 2 November 1964. With the reopening of the Northumberland Line, Provisions have been made, especially at Ashington so that the line could be extended to Newbiggin. As of the end of 2025, there were calls to extend the railway by 1.6km (1 mile) into the centre of Newbiggin-by-the-Sea. This will require new track and is all subject to a feasibility study.  A formal bid was launched in December 2025 for this.

In Formal Bid To Extend Railway Line, I wrote about the latest progress in January 2026, based on a BBC article.

The Northumberland Line Needs A Focus Other Than Commuting

Several of the stations have large car-parks, which is good for commuting, but the railway needs to serve more places for leisure and other activities.

  • Seaton Delaval Hall is Grade 1 Listed and is just 10 minutes in a bus from the station with the same name.
  • If the Northumberland Line is connected to Newbiggin-by-the-Sea, that could bring in those, wanting a day by the sea.
  • The extended Northumberland Line would also connect to Woodhorn, which is a museum, described in this Wikipedia entry.

QTS are also developing an AI data centre at Cambois, which surely will generate commuter traffic from all over the North East.

This OpenRailwayMap shows the location of the QTS AI Data Centre.

Note.

  1. Ashington station is indicated by a blue arrow.
  2. The yellow track is the Northumberland Line, which now terminates at Ashington station.
  3. Bedlington station is in the South-West corner of the map.
  4. The trapezoidal grey box to the East of Bedlington is labelled as Site for QTS AI Data Centre.
  5. As the site, was that of Blyth coal-fired power station, before QTS acquired it, there is a disused railway line that connects the site to the Northumberland Line.

I suspect there are powerful economic arguments about whether or not, the Northumberland Line is extended to the QTS AI Data Centre site.

How Much Power Will QTS Cambois Data Centre Need?

I couldn’t resist asking Google AI this question and I received this answer.

The proposed QTS Cambois data centre in Northumberland is expected to require between 620MW and 720MW of critical IT power capacity, with an initial proposal capacity of up to 1.1GW.

Details on the planned power infrastructure include:

Power Capacity: The facility will support up to 720MW of critical IT capacity across ten planned buildings, though some council estimates cite an expected total power capacity of 620MW.

Backup Power: To guarantee uptime and handle power outages, the campus will rely on nearly 600 diesel-powered generators, requiring up to 58 generators per data hall.

Site Details: Located on the former Blyth Power Station site in Cambois, the £10 billion development will span 540,000 square metres.

My views on this are.

  • There is the 1.4 GW North Sea Link from Blyth to Norway, that I wrote about in UK To Norway Sub-Sea Green Power Cable Operational.
  • The 4.1 GW Berwick Bank wind farm is planned to send 1.8 GW to Blyth.
  • To help if QTS need more power, there is the 1.4 GW Sofia wind farm.
  • So 1.1 GW should be manageable, as Blyth is blessed with more power than Niagra Falls.

I also believe that Centrica and Delta have a much better backup solution, that I described in Delta And Centrica Launch Scalable Off-Grid Fuel Cell Power Solution. Hydrogen could come by pipeline or rail.

How Would The Northumberland Line Connect To Wansbeck Hospital?

This Google Map, shows the location of Wansbeck General Hospital with respect to Ashington station.

Note.

  1. Ashington station in the South-West corner.
  2. Woodhorn museum is in the North-East corner.
  3. Wansbeck General Hospital is indicated by a red arrow.
  4. The Northumberland Line runs East-West to the South of the museum and then curves round to reach the station.

Perhaps the station could go between the museum and the hospital and an innovative shuttle would connect all three locations.

How Would The Northumberland Line Connect To Choppington?

This Google Map, shows the location of Choppington, with respect to Morpeth and Bedlington stations.

Note.

  1. The orange track on the West side of the map is the East Coast Main Line.
  2. Morpeth station is in the North-West corner of the map.
  3. Bedlington station is in the South-East corner of the map.

The Eastern end of the Bedlington and Morpeth Line can be seen in this picture to the left of Bedlington North signal box at the Northern ends of the the platforms.

 

Note.

  1. Bedlington North signal box has a communication mast behind it.
  2. The track to the left of the box goes to Morpeth.
  3. The track to the right of the box goes to Ashington.

This OpenRailwayMap shows Choppington Road, which crosses the Bedlington and Morpeth Line at the only level crossing between Bedlington station and Hepscott junction.

Note.

  1. Choppington Road, which runs North-South on the map.
  2. The yellow tracks are the Morpeth and Bedlington Line, which runs East-West across the map.
  3. Where they cross, a red cross indicates a level crossing.
  4. The Wikipedia entry of Choppington station shows a level crossing.

As the level crossing on the map is the only one shown, this must be the location of Choppington station.

 

 

June 10, 2026 Posted by | Artificial Intelligence, Energy, Food, Hydrogen, Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Could Paddington And Minehead Be Within Range Of Hitachi Battery-Electric Intercity Trains?

I am prompted to ask this question, by an article in today’s Telegraph, which is entitled The New British Rail Services Reversing The Damage Of Beeching’s Axe.

Line 8. is given as the West Somerset Railway between London and Minehead?

This paragraph describes the idea.

As with the Severn Valley Railway (SVR) to Bewdley, the West Somerset Railway (WSR) looks like it could one day host mainline trains and connect communities along the route with destinations such as Taunton and Bristol. Like the SVR, the WSR is a very long and well-staffed heritage line with a long history (50 years, in fact, and it was one of Britain’s first heritage lines following its Beeching closure). Running to Minehead and Dunster, you don’t need me to tell you that this is a beautiful part of the world with numerous castles and beaches, and Exmoor National Park next door.

Note.

  1. The author doesn’t mention London services in the text.
  2. Batteries are not mentioned either.
  3. Minehead will be only about twenty miles from Hinckley Point C nuclear power station.

Is it feasible?

What Is The Battery Range Of An Hitachi Intercity Tri-Mode Battery Train?

In The Data Sheet For Hitachi Battery Electric Trains, I came to these conclusions.

  • The battery pack has a capacity of 750 kWh.
  • A five-car train needs three battery-packs to travel 100 miles.
  • A nine-car train needs five battery-packs to travel 100 miles.
  • The maximum range of a five-car train with three batteries is 117 miles.
  • The maximum range of a nine-car train with five batteries is 121 miles.

As battery technology gets better, these distances will increase.

What Is The Distance Between Minehead And Taunton?

I shall be using 24.8 miles, which I have calculated from figures given in the Wikipedia entry for the West Somerset Railway.

What is The Distance Between Paddington And Taunton Via Newbury?

I shall be using 142.6 miles, which I have calculated from figures given in RealTimeTrains.

What Is The Maximum Range From Paddington Via Newbury Of An Hitachi Intercity Tri-Mode Battery Train?

Consider.

  • The electrification runs between Paddington and Newbury.
  • The distance between Paddington and Newbury is 53 miles, according to RealTimeTrains.
  • Paddington and Taunton is almost 30 miles shorter by Newbury, than via Bath.

This Google Map shows Taunton station.

Taunton station looks spacious with numerous platforms and a hotel.

I believe that a five-car Hitachi Intercity train leaving Newbury with three full batteries could travel as far as 53+117 or 170 miles from Paddington.

Could A Hitachi Intercity Five-Car Train Reach Taunton?

This would mean that Taunton would be in range as it is only 142.6 miles.

The train would need to be recharged before returning to London.

Could A Hitachi Intercity Five-Car Train Reach Minehead?

But it could also have enough power in the batteries to reach Minehead, which is only a further 24.8 miles or 167.4 miles in total.

As with Taunton, the train would need to be recharged before returning to London.

Options For Charging Trains That Are Returning To London

This OpenRailwayMap shows the tracks through Taunton.

Note.

  1. Taunton station is indicated by the blue arrow.
  2. Running East-West across the map and through Taunton station, is the Reading-Taunton Line.
  3. Running more North-South across the map and through Taunton station, is the ~Bristol-Exeter Line.
  4. The two lines split going East at Cogload junction.
  5. Taunton station and Cogload junction are about 4.5 miles apart.
  6. Trains typically take about six minutes between the two places.

I believe there are three options for charging the trains.

Option 1 – Charge In Minehead Station

This would be possible, but as not all trains go to Minehead station, it probably wouldn’t be very practical.

Option 2 – Charge In Taunton Station

This would be possible, especially as most trains seem to call in Taunton station.

Option 3 – Electrify Between West Of Taunton Station And East Of Cogload Junction

Consider.

  • The length of the electrification could be as long as is necessary.
  • Trains would charge their batteries at line speed.
  • Pantographs would be raised and lowered at line speed.
  • Trains would not have to call at Taunton station.
  • Trains could charge their batteries on both routes.
  • Trains could charge their batteries in both directions.

I believe this could be the most efficient way to charge trains through Taunton.

Onward From Taunton

If the electrification through Taunton could be made long enough, so trains left the station with a full battery, the following would be possible.

  • Going South trains should go past Plymouth.
  • Going towards Newbury, trains should have enough  in the batteries to reach Newbury and electrification for London.
  • Going towards Chippenham, which is 63 miles away, trains should have enough  in the batteries to reach Chippenham and electrification for London.
  • Going towards Bristol Temple Meads, which is 44.8 miles away, trains should have enough  in the batteries to reach Bristol Temple Meads.

 

 

 

June 8, 2026 Posted by | Energy, Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Train Journeys Increase 25% After Rail Upgrade

The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the BBC.

This is the sub-heading.

Rail journeys have jumped in the first week of upgraded train services between Newquay and Par.

These three paragraphs add more details to the story.

Figures from Great Western Railway show journeys climbed by almost 25%, with 726 more journeys between 17 and 23 May than over the same period in 2025.

It follows the launch of the £57m Mid Cornwall Metro scheme, funded by the UK government and Cornwall Council.

The first phase focuses on the Newquay to Par line, where services have been boosted to up to 15 trains a day during the week. Further plans will extend services to Truro, Penryn and Falmouth next year. Direct summer services between London Paddington and Newquay have also been reinstated, said GWR.

It does appear, that when you improve these branch lines, then people use them.

In recent years, this has happened on the Borders Railway, the London Overground, the Dartmoor Line, the Levenmouth rail Link and the Northumberland Line, to name just five.

I feel we need to reinstate more lines like this.

June 4, 2026 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Creating More Capacity At King’s Cross Station

I took these pictures as I walked through King’s Cross station today.

Note.

  1. Each of the eight platforms in the main train shed, has been formally divided into a and b sections.
  2. In the first picture, a sign to the right of the clock, showing 0a and 0b, indicates that Platform 0 has been similarly divided.
  3. I would assume, that any services run by 10-car trains would use both the a and b platforms.
  4. Services run by 5-car trains, can use any free ‘a’ or ‘b’ platform.

It would appear to me, that 18 x 5-car platforms must be able to handle more trains than 9 x 10-car platforms.

This information screen, which is one of several, explains what has been done.

This is the message on the screen, which is only visible about once every ten minutes.

  • There are now more trains to and from King’s Cross station.
  • To help you find your train we’ve added new signs dividing platforms into sections ‘a’ and ‘b’ for some services.
  • Please allow extra time to get to section ‘a’, as this is furthest away.

It’s not a good way to present information.

It is one of the worst examples of mushroom management, I’ve seen in a long time.

I suspect, that experienced travellers will understand it, but will the less experienced?

Will It Increase The Capacity?

I believe it is a well-known rule, that you get more  bricks in a box, if they are all the same size and they are a fraction of the size of the box.

So by having five- and ten-car trains and platforms, Network Rail are minimising wasted space in the station, which is increasing the capacity.

The new digital signaling gives precise control  of the trains and theoretically, would obtain the maximum number of trains in the station.

But all trains, that will use the station must follow these rules.

  • Five- or ten-cars long.
  • Trains must have a digital-signalling capability.
  • Be able to cruise at 125 mph, so they can keep up with other trains.

Terminal stations on the East Coast Main Line, like Aberdeen, Bradford Forster Square, Edinburgh, Harrogate, Hull, Inverness, Leeds and others must also  be capable of handling five- or ten-car trains.

 

June 4, 2026 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Who Have Bought Wrightbus Ultroliners With Cummins Engines?

In their web page, which describes the Wrightbus Ultroliner EU6, this paragraph describes the powering options.

The StreetDeck Ultroliner EU6 is available with two ultra low emission efficient diesel engine choices: the new Cummins 6.7 litre 6 cylinder and the current Mercedes 5.1 litre 4 cylinder engine. Our StreetDeck EU6 Ultroliner and its engine choices remains the UK’s favourite. All these buses can be repowered at mid-life to zero-emission BEV technology with NewPower.

But I believe that there is another repowering option – The Cummins engine can be converted to hydrogen to create a zero-emission bus, with an internal combustion engine.

Cummins Accelerates Work On Hydrogen-Fueled Internal Combustion Engines

Cummins Fuel-Agnostic X Series Platform shows a Cummins video about their fuel agnostic technology.

In Do Cummins And Stadler Have a Cunning Plan? I point out how Stadler could be making Class 99 locomotives with Cummins engines, that could be designed for conversion to hydrogen.

These engines are also probably made in Darlington

What Did Google AI Reply To The Question In The Title Of This Post?

Several transport operators have purchased Wrightbus StreetDeck Ultroliners equipped with Cummins engines. This highly efficient, ultra-low-emission diesel combination has been specifically chosen by operators where battery-electric vehicles are not viable for certain long-distance or high-mileage routes.

The known buyers include:

Bus Vannin: The first operator to order the next-generation Ultroliners with six-cylinder Cummins B6.7 engines. They placed an order for six vehicles which entered service on the Isle of Man, including two carrying special heritage liveries.

Nottingham City Transport (NCT): Ordered six StreetDeck Ultroliners. They are powered by the Cummins B6.7 engine paired with Voith gearboxes, specifically for their long-distance Pathfinder 26 route.

Go North East: Listed as an early operator to order the Wright StreetDeck featuring the Cummins engine.

Metroline Manchester: Acquired a large batch of 135 facelift StreetDeck Ultroliners (ordered via Transport for Greater Manchester) for rollout on the Bee Network.

Out of fairness, I asked Google AI,”Who have bought Wrightbus Ultroliners with Mercedes engines” and received this reply.

The vast majority of Wrightbus “Ultroliner” double-deckers feature Cummins engines.

Nottingham City Transport To Upgrade Pathfinder Route with Order For Brand New Wrightbus Double Decks

I found this press release on Nottingham City Transport’s web site, which is an interesting read.

These are the first two paragraphs.

UK Bus Operator of the Year, Nottingham City Transport has partnered with pioneering manufacturer Wrightbus to upgrade its long distance Pathfinder bus service between Nottingham, Burton Joyce, Lowdham and Southwell.

Six brand new ultra-low emission diesel powered double decks will soon start to be built by Wrightbus at their factory in Northern Ireland and will start carrying passengers in late autumn this year.

David Astill of NCT and Jean-Marc Gales of Wrightbus, then explain the industry-leading technology behind the buses. It results in an 80 % emission reduction compared to the previous 2014 buses.

Jean-Marc Gales finished with this.

Our blended approach to responsible technology, which includes battery electric, hydrogen fuel cell and the cleanest technologies, ensures our customers can continue to decarbonise while maintaining financially viable operations.

It appears to me, that this is the sensible way to go, as the operator can always choose what is best for their network.

Nottingham City Transport’s Ultroliners

These are some pictures I took of the buses on my trip to Nottingham.

Unfortunately,  I didn’t have enough time for a ride.

Hydrogen And The Isle Of Man

I asked Google AI, the title of this section and received this answer.

On the Isle of Man, hydrogen is viewed as an unviable option for domestic heating due to high production costs and economies of scale.

However, the island’s government and local energy providers see potential for the fuel in heavy transport, maritime shipping, and achieving long-term energy independence.

Policy and Energy Strategy

Heating and Homes: Extensive energy analysis by the Isle of Man Government has concluded that hydrogen is not economically feasible for home heating. High costs and infrastructure limitations favor alternatives like heat pumps, which boast much higher efficiencies for everyday domestic use.

Energy Independence: While domestic heating is a poor fit, producing green hydrogen using the island’s future offshore wind or tidal renewable resources is occasionally discussed as a way to achieve total energy security and independence.

Network Readiness: The existing high-pressure pipeline network that transports natural gas to the island is not compatible with 100% hydrogen, though some smaller localized parts of the distribution grid could potentially be adapted.

Proposed Applications & Industry

The Steam Railway: The Isle of Man Steam Railway has faced proposals from private inventors to convert historic heritage locomotives to run on green hydrogen.

Maritime Shipping: Because the Isle of Man is a prominent maritime hub, green hydrogen production could theoretically serve as a valuable refueling point for future hydrogen-powered commercial shipping fleets.

Utility Diversification: Isle of Man Energy (formerly Manx Gas) has highlighted green hydrogen and biogas as part of their long-term corporate diversification plans away from natural gas.

My further thoughts on hydrogen and the Isle of Man

  • There may also be some difficult-to-decarbonise businesses on the Island.
  • The Isle of Man is also a holiday island and getting rid of diesel commercial vehicles could be advantageous.
  • Will Centrica setup an electrolyser on the island and do a bit of bunkering?

It appears to be an island with great potential for hydrogen.

Conclusion

My final thoughts.

  • I believe that Wrightbus have designed a diesel bus, that can replace existing diesel buses, without changing the buses to either battery or hydrogen operation.
  • But once the operator has made provision for the electricity or hydrogen for the buses, then the buses can be converted to zero carbon.
  • My project management knowledge would say, that there is an optimum rate at which new technology buses can be introduced.

It looks a good plan.

 

June 1, 2026 Posted by | Artificial Intelligence, Hydrogen, Transport/Travel | , , , | Leave a comment

Can East Midlands Railway Reach Nottingham Without More Electrification?

I went to Nottingham for the day yesterday.

  1. My Super Off-Peak Return ticket cost me £55.30 with a Senior Railcard.
  2. The Class 810 train is without doubt the best Hitachi Intercity Express Train of a good bunch.
  3. St. Pancras and Nottingham is 126.4 miles.
  4. There is no electrification between South Wigston Junction and Nottingham, which is 31.1 miles, although the change seems to be said to take place at Kilby Bridge junction.
  5. It would appear that, when the Class 810 trains are fitted with batteries, they will need a range of at least 62.2 miles, to do a return trip to Nottingham.
  6. In The Data Sheet For Hitachi Battery Electric Trains, I state that the maximum range of a three-battery five-car train is 117 miles. This figure has been seen by Hitachi and they didn’t say it was too high.
  7. I look forward to doing the same trip in a few months, using batteries to the North of the section between Kilby Bridge and South Wigston junctions.

It could be the first battery-electric 125 mph express train.

Now that is what I call affordable electrification.

I have some further thoughts.

Kilby Bridge And Wigston Junctions

This Google Map shows the Midland Main Line between Kilby Bridge and Wigston junctions.

Note.

  1. Kilby Bridge junction is marked by the red arrow in the South-East corner.
  2. The Midland Main Line runs through Kilby Bridge junction.
  3. South-East it goes to London.
  4. North-West is leads to the large triangular Wigston junction, with South Wigston station at its Western point.
  5. The Northern point of Wigston junction leads to Leicester.
  6. There are three tracks between Wigston and Kilby Bridge junctions.
  7. All tracks to the South of South Wigston junction are electrified.
  8. The distance between Wigston and Kilby Bridge junctions is two miles.
  9. The maximum speed between Wigston and Kilby Bridge junctions appears to be at least 100 mph.

It looks to me, that this section of track has been designed, so that trains can reliably raise and lower pantographs at the highest speed possible.

The Electrification Problem At Leicester

Some years ago I came back to London from Leicester with a group of drivers. At one point, the conversation turned to electrification and they said that they had met a Network Rail engineer, who had told them, that the bridge over Leicester station  was rather low for electrification and the track couldn’t be lowered because Leicester’s main sewer was underneath the railway.

In Leicester Station – 4th Jan 2022, I show a selection of pictures of Leicester station’s Grade II Listed frontage.

I doubt it would be possible to seriously alter Leicester station to electrify it, as the Heritage Taliban would have a field day.

But if I’m right that all services will be run North of Wigston on batteries, there will be no need to electrify through Leicester station.

Not only would using battery-electric trains probably be more affordable than electrification, but also because of the Leicester electrification problem, it would be less inconvenient for passengers.

Changing From Electric Going North

This OpenRailwayMap shows the electrification between Wigston Junction and Leicester station.

Note.

  1. Leicester station is marked by the blue arrow.
  2. The triangular Wigston junction is clearly visible.
  3. Kilby Bridge junction is South-East of Wigston junction.
  4. Leicester station and South Wigston junction is 3.6 miles and the tracks are shown as dashed black and red, which means future electrification.

I wonder, if in the future, if the battery-electric don’t have enough range, this is a simple section of electrification, that could be installed. Every extra mile of electrification between Leicester station and South Wigston junction would mean two miles could be chopped from the distance the trains had to travel on batteries.

But in the interim, going North, the driver would just make sure there was enough electricity in the batteries and momentum in the train, when passing South Wigston.

As trains arriving at South Wigston junction will typically have been running for over an hour, they should have full batteries to start theur explore of the North.

Changing To Electric Going South

The trains from the North, must have enough juice in the battery to reach South Wigston, so they can connect to the electrification for the run to London.

Could A Four-Battery Class 810 Train Reach Sheffield?

Consider.

  • St. Pancras and Sheffield is 164.7 miles.
  • There is no electrification between South Wigston Junction and Sheffield, which is 89.4 miles, although the change seems to be said to take place at Kilby Bridge junction.
  • It would appear that, when the Class 810 trains are fitted with batteries, they will need a range of at least 178.8 miles to do a return trip to Sheffield.
  • If a three-battery five-car Class 810 train has a battery range of 117 miles, on a pro-rata basis a four-battery five-car will only have a range of 156 miles.

That would be a big ask.

Could A Three-Battery Class 810 Train Reach Sheffield?

What would happen if one diesel engine was still installed?

These are my thoughts.

  • As a Graduate Control Engineer, I wouldn’t be surprised that Hitachi have a strategy to do this with a tri-mode version of the Class 810 train.
  • Hitachi have already announced the Class 820 train for Grand Central Trains and this is a tri-mode version of their InterCity Express, which is described in this Wikipedia entry.
  • As Grand Central have said that the Class 820 trains, will be replacing the Class 180 trains, that run to Bradford Interchange and Sunderland, a tri-mode Class 810 would surely be able to run to Sheffield.

Could East Midlands Parkway Station Be Used For Opportunity Charging?

This Google Map shows East Midlands Parkway station with the massive derelict Radcliffe-on-Soar coal-powered power station alongside.

Note.

  1. The Midland Main Line running North-South across the map.
  2. East Midlands Parkway station on its Western side.
  3. The derelict Radcliffe-on-Soar coal-powered power station on its Eastern side.

A vast site like this must have uses.

I asked Google AI,”What Are The Plans For Radcliffe-on-Soar Power Station?” and received this reply.

The former Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station site is undergoing a multi-year decommissioning and demolition process, lasting until at least 2030 or 2031, to be transformed into a zero-carbon technology, energy, and advanced manufacturing hub.

Key details of the redevelopment include:

Site Vision: The 273-acre brownfield site has been earmarked to become a major business hub focused on advanced manufacturing (e.g., electric car batteries), low-carbon energy production, energy storage, and AI-driven data centres.

Economic Status: The site is a core component of the East Midlands Freeport, which offers significant financial incentives to attract business investment and create an estimated 7,000 to 8,000 jobs.

Demolition Timeline: The first demolition works are expected to begin in 2026, with the iconic cooling towers and main chimneys scheduled for controlled demolition between 2029 and 2030.

Planning Framework: A Local Development Order (LDO) granted by Rushcliffe Borough Council is in place to fast-track the planning process for these modern, green-focused industrial uses.

As the site will need to be supplied with a reliable energy supply for some of the proposed uses, I suspect power could be supplied to electrify the lines through East Midlands Parkway station, so that trains going to the North could take the opportunity to have a Formula One-style “Splash-and-Dash!”

Would Opportunity Charging At East Midlands Parkway Station Allow Extra Destinations?

Holders of the East Midlands Franchise have in the past, served other destinations in the past, either with regular services or engineering or seasonal diversions.

Possible destinations could be.

Cleethorpes

Distance to South Wigston – 112.4 miles

Doncaster

Distance to South Wigston – 108.1 miles – But could top up at Doncaster.

Rotherham Central

Distance to South Wigston – 102.2 miles

Scunthorpe

Distance to South Wigston – 112.4 miles

May 31, 2026 Posted by | Artificial Intelligence, Energy, Energy Storage, Manufacturing, Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Is This The Problem At Bedford With The East West Railway?

The East West Railway certainly has problems at Bedford.

These two posts  seem to be creating an impasse on getting the railway built and/or operational.

So I took a quick look at the rail lines in the rail around and trough Bedford, as shown in this OpenRailwayMap.

Note.

  1. The Midland Main Line runs down the left hand side of the map.
  2. Bedford station is marked by the blue arrow,
  3. The East Coast Main Line runs down the right hand side of the map.
  4. Stations on the East Coast Main Line from North to South are St. Neots, Sandy, Biggleswade and Arlesey.
  5. The East West Railway is planned to connect to the East Coast Main Line at a new station at Tempsford , which will be South of St. Neots.
  6. The original connection was to be at Sandy.
  7. There used to be a railway between Bedford and Sandy.
  8. This railway between Bedford and Sandy, was the Varsity Line and I write about its current status in Is The Varsity Line Trackbed Between Bedford And Sandy Still There?  – No, is the only answer.
  • In Did Beeching Recommend Closure Of The Varsity Line?, I find out that he didn’t and it was totally the fault of Labour Politicians; Barbara Castle and Tom Fraser, with perhaps some help from Harold Wilson. Were they jealous that Oxford and Cambridge had a better link than the non-existent one across the North?

 

 

May 29, 2026 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Did Beeching Recommend Closure Of The Varsity Line?

I asked Google AI, the question in the title of this post, and received this answer.

No, Dr. Richard Beeching did not recommend the closure of the Varsity Line in his 1963 report The Reshaping of British Railways.

In fact, the report recommended retaining the line with only minor curtailments.However, despite surviving the initial “Beeching cuts,” the line was ultimately closed a few years later following separate reviews by the government.

Key Details of the Line’s Demise

The First Hit (1966): Local freight facilities and minor sections were withdrawn.

Total Passenger Closure (1967): The passenger service between Bedford and Cambridge was officially withdrawn by then-Minister of Transport Tom Fraser.

The Oxford-Bletchley Segment: The passenger services between Oxford and Bletchley avoided complete closure at that time but were eventually heavily scaled back.

The closure of the Bedford to Cambridge section is largely attributed to Transport Minister Barbara Castle’s decision, as she authorized the withdrawal of services due to the route’s heavy operating losses.

 

May 29, 2026 Posted by | Artificial Intelligence, Transport/Travel | , , , , | 3 Comments

Is The Varsity Line Trackbed Between Bedford And Sandy Still There?

I asked Google AI, the question in the title of this post, and received this answer.

The trackbed between Bedford and Sandy largely survives as an open, walkable alignment, but the original tracks themselves were removed decades ago.

Today, much of this section of the old Varsity Line (often referred to as the Bedford-Cambridge route) operates as National Cycle Route 51, though a few specific areas have seen modern development.

The status of the trackbed varies depending on the specific location:

:Bedford to Sandy (General): The rails and sleepers are long gone, but the formation is still clearly visible.

A large section of the trackbed between Bedford and Sandy has been repurposed as a traffic-free path for cyclists and walkers (National Cycle Route 51).

Sandy Station Area: The former Varsity Line platforms at Sandy were cleared after the line closed in 1968.

New housing has been built over parts of the route through the town, altering the original alignment.Because the original alignment was interrupted by modern housing and other developments in certain areas, the upcoming East West Rail project—which aims to re-establish a direct railway between Oxford and Cambridge—will bypass the original trackbed for the central section (Bedford to Cambridge).

The new railway is slated to follow a slightly different route.

Conclusion

May 29, 2026 Posted by | Artificial Intelligence, Transport/Travel | , , , , , | 1 Comment

Does Scotland Have A Plan To Build A Railway With Invisible Electrification?

There is an article in Rail Technology Magazine, which is entitled £20m Upgrade Secures Future Of Scotland’s First Electrified Railway.

This is the sub-heading.

A £20 million investment is underway to renew overhead power infrastructure on Scotland’s original electrified railway, safeguarding one of the country’s most operationally critical commuter networks for decades to come.

These two paragraphs give more details.

The programme focuses on key sections of the North Clyde lines, which operate from Helensburgh, Balloch and Milngavie through Glasgow’s west end and low‑level stations. As the busiest suburban railway outside London, the corridor plays a pivotal role in keeping Scotland’s wider rail network moving.

First electrified in 1960, the North Clyde routes marked the beginning of modern rail travel in Scotland. More than six decades on, that early investment continues to influence today’s network, underpinning electric services on routes including East Kilbride and Barrhead, with further electrification projects progressing across Fife and the Scottish Borders.

Surely at over 65-years-old, the electrification needs pensioning off and replacing with the best that the mid-2020s can provide.

This OpenRailwayMap shows the 1960s electrification.

Note.

  1. The red tracks are electrified with 25 KVAC overhead electrification.
  2. The black tracks are not electrified.
  3. Helensburgh Central station is in the North-West corner of the map and marked with a blue arrow.
  4. The City of Glasgow is in the South-East corner of the map.
  5. The branch going North in the middle of the map terminated at Balloch station.
  6. Milngavie station is the terminus of the branch going North from the Glasgow area.
  7. The circular pink track is the Glasgow Underground.

I wonder if this is the start of a cunning Scottish electrification extension , that has been designed by Baldrick’s Scottish cousin?

Onward From Helensburgh

This OpenRailwayMap shows the tracks North of Helensburgh.

Note.

  1. The red tracks are electrified with 25 KVAC overhead electrification.
  2. The black tracks are not electrified.
  3. Helensburgh Upper station is in the South-East corner of the map and marked with a blue arrow.
  4. The two electrified lines from Glasgow to Helensburgh Central and Balloch stations are just visible in red.
  5. Oban station is at the Western end of the first branch line going North.
  6. Mallaig station is at the Western end of the first branch line going North.
  7. Helensburgh Upper and Oban stations are 76.1 miles apart.
  8. Mallaig station is at the Western end of the second branch line going North.
  9. Helensburgh Upper and Mallaig stations are 137.5 miles apart.
  10. The Mallaig branch also goes through Fort William station.
  11. Helensburgh Upper and Fort William stations are 97.4 miles apart.
  12. There is a Caledonian Sleeper that runs both ways between Helensburgh Upper and Fort William stations, which is hauled by a Class 66 diesel locomotive.
  13. There also appear to be paths for MOD trains hauled by GB RailFreight.

I feel that at some point in the next ten years, battery-electric trains or hydrogen locomotives, will be taking passengers and/or cargo to Cruachan, Fort William, Mallaig and Oban.

  • Battery-electric trains and battery locomotives  will charge their batteries between Helensburgh Upper and Glasgow at the Southern end of the route.
  • Battery-electric trains and battery locomotives  will charge their batteries at terminal stations at the Northern end of the route, using offshore wind power.
  • Hydrogen trains and locomotives would probably fill up in the Glasgow area.

It could be a zero-carbon line. What would be the effect of a zero-carbon line on tourism?

Could Class 99 Locomotives Be Used On The Caledonian Sleeper?

Ever since the Class 99 locomotive was announced, there has been speculation, that these powerful bi-mode locomotives could handle the routes without an engine change.

I asked Google AI the question in the title of this section and received this reply.

Yes, Class 99 locomotives could eventually be used on the Caledonian Sleeper, as the bi-mode locomotives were designed with potential passenger use in mind. However, the standard Class 99 models cannot currently pull the sleeper trains off-the-shelf and would require specific modifications to do so.

The main factors influencing their deployment on the route include:

Equipment Needs: To haul sleeper carriages, the locomotives must be fitted with Electric Train Supply (ETS/ETH) to power lighting, heating, and air conditioning, as well as specific Dellner couplers to mate with the modern Mk5 carriages.

Sub-Class Fleet Order: While GB Railfreight (GBRf) ordered 30 Class 99s, the standard versions have a top speed of 75 mph (intended strictly for freight).

A specific sub-class (the 99/4) has been proposed to include passenger-standard acceleration, higher speeds of 100 mph to fit into existing timetable paths, and the required ETS equipment.

Bi-Mode Flexibility: Because they operate as bi-mode (using 25kV overhead electric wires and an onboard diesel engine), Class 99s could potentially run the entire route—from London to the Scottish Highlands—without requiring a locomotive change at electrified/non-electrified boundaries.

In Cummins Fuel-Agnostic X Series Platform, there is a Cummins video, which explains their philosophy of building engines that can run on diesel, hydrogen or natural gas.

With those engines, Class 99 locomotives could take the Caledonian Sleeper, or any other luxury or heavy freight train for that matter, anywhere.

 

 

May 29, 2026 Posted by | Hydrogen, Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

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