Worcester – 11th June 2023
On Sunday, I took a train to Worcester Foregate Street station and then walked across the City Centre to the other station; Worcester Shrub Hill station.
I took these pictures of Worcester Foregate Street station.
Note.
- There are no lifts.
- It had one of the worst set of stairs, I’d seen in a station.
- Wikipedia doesn’t list any improvements to the station in the future.
The station is an utter disgrace.
I took these pictures, as I walked between the two stations.
Note.
- It was not a particularly long walk.
- The last section was up a steep hill.
- There was virtually no signage.
- The roads were dominated by private cars.
- I didn’t see a sign to the cathedral or the bus station.
- There was even a crude handrail on the pavement to help people up the hill.
- The only good thing I saw was a defibrillator half-way up the hill, which was where you might need it.
No-one in their right mind would spend a few days in Worcester, unless they drove a car. In which case, it would probably be better to stay in a friendlier nearby town.
I took these pictures of Worcester Shrub Hill station.
Note.
- There is no sign outside to indicate it’s a station.
- There are no lifts to get across the tracks.
- Both clocks are showing the wrong time.
- The station needs a deep clean.
- Wikipedia doesn’t list any improvements to the station in the future.
The only thing in good condition was the Victorian waiting room. But it was locked.
Conclusion
Worcester is not a town, I could recommend for anything.
It has two dreadful, disabled-unfriendly stations, no working signage or maps and is dominated by private cars.
I also would have liked some refreshment, as I walked across the City. I didn’t see anything I fancied, but that often happens when you’re coeliac.
A Fraught Journey Between Worcester Shrub Hill And Reading Stations
My train home from Worcester Shrub Hill station didn’t make the most impressive of starts to my journey back to Reading.
- The five-car train was supposed to leave at 15:15.
- It was also supposed to arrive in Reading at 16:58.
- But the relief driver was delayed.
Eventually, we left at 15:31.
The train didn’t appear to be running at full speed and around Moreton-in-Marsh, staff started distributing water, which in my view is always a sign that all is not well.
I measured the temperature and humidity at 26.7 °C and 40% respectively, so the water was welcome.
I asked one of the staff what was up and was informed, that two of the engines were overheating because of the heat, so were we effectively running on the remaining cool engine?
Eventually, we were informed that the train would terminate at Charlbury station, where we would all be picked up by the following train, which would have nine cars.
After Charlbury, things didn’t get much better.
- The rescue train eventually left Charlbury at 17:38, which was twenty-six minutes late.
- The train wasn’t full and I had a table to myself, but after Oxford, there wasn’t a seat anywhere.
- We missed out the stop at Didcot Parkway station because of flooding, caused because of a violent thunder storm.
- The rescue train didn’t even make Paddington and it was terminated short in the bi-directional Platform 7 at Reading, because of an unwell passenger.
Eventually, when I arrived in Reading station at 18:55, the rescue train was fifty-five minutes late.
As my original train, should have arrived at 16:58, I was actually, three minutes short of two hours late.
By the time, I got to Platform 14 for the 16:59 Elizabeth Line train to Central London, it had gone, so I had another thirty minute wait.
I finally arrived home at 21:00, after a nearly 5¾ hour journey.
I have a few thoughts.
Changing At Reading
Part of the reason, that I missed my Elizabeth Line train, was that the escalators to Platform 14 were out of action and I had to wait for the lift, as I don’t trust myself going down stairs.
I have said before that if you need a ticket in your change a Reading, there should be a ticket machine on the bridge.
As Reading station is managed by Network Rail, perhaps, they should examine the operation of the station with a good dose of old-fashioned time and motion in more detail.
The Elizabeth Line Frequency To London
The Elizabeth Line only runs two trains per hour (tph) between London and Reading.
This may be fine when everything is going well, but on days like Sunday, when trains aren’t performing well and the weather is not behaving itself, would four tph be better?
Perhaps, the two extra trains would run between Reading and Abbey Wood, and only stop at say Twyford, Maidenhead, Slough, Hayes & Harlington, Southall, Ealing Broadway, Old Oak Common, Paddington, Bond Street, Tottenham Court Road, Farringdon, Liverpool Street, Whitechapel, Canary Wharf, Custom House and Woolwich.
Great Western Railway Trains Between Oxford, Reading and Didcot Parkway and London
The three terminals get the following services to and from London
- Didcot Parkway – 4 tph
- Oxford – 4 tph
- Reading – 11½ tph – 8½ fast and 3 slow
Consider these questions.
- How many travellers between Didcot Parkway, Oxford and Reading and Paddington, now use the Elizabeth Line for onward travel from Paddington?
- How many of the endless visitors to Oxford start their journey on the Elizabeth Line?
- How many visitors to Oxford combine a trip with one to Bicester Village?
- How many travelling by train between Oxford and Cambridge will use part of the Elizabeth Line for the journey?
- Is it fair, that Cambridge is connected to four London rail terminals; King’s Cross, Liverpool Street, London Bridge and St. Pancras and Oxford is connected to just two; Marylebone and Paddington?
I suspect there’s considerable scope to reorganise services between the three stations and London to provide a better service.
GWR’s Paddington and Didcot Parkway service, which has a frequency of two tph, could be moved to the Elizabeth Line and possibly extended to Oxford, once Didcot Parkway and Oxford is electrified.
This would give.
- Didcot Parkway would have two fast tph to Paddington and two stopping tph on the Elizabeth Line with all its connectivity and delights.
- Oxford would have two fast tph to Paddington and two stopping tph on the Elizabeth Line.
- Reading will have a much-needed Elizabeth Line frequency of four tph.
Note.
- Terminating the Elizabeth Line at Oxford, means that there are services connecting Oxford and Cambridge, with a single change at either Farringdon or Liverpool Street.
- Oxford would also get one change connectivity to Gatwick, Heathrow and Stansted Airports.
- The slow lines between Oxford and Maidenhead typically have operating speeds of 90-100 mph. So if the Class 345 trains on the Elizabeth Line and the track were upgraded to 100 mph, this might save a few minutes in the outer reaches of the Elizabeth Line.
- The Elizabeth Line could terminate in one or two South-facing bay platforms on the East side of the station. This position would reduce passenger traffic on the crowded footbridge.
- If all the bay platforms were on the same East side of the station, this would simplify and ease passenger flows.
- Chiltern and East West Railway services could be timed for an easy interchange.
- The proposed Cowley Branch could also use the South-facing bay platforms.
The more I look at it, the more I like the idea of running the Elizabeth Line to Oxford.
The Heat Problem On The Class 800 Trains
The Wikipedia entry for the Class 800 trains has this paragraph on the overheating of the engines or generator units (GUs) on the trains.
The GU is installed on vibration-isolating mountings, and fitted with side-mounted cowls to reduce external noise. Heat management measures include thermal insulation around key areas such as cable ducts. According to Modern Railways magazine, the limited space available for the GUs is responsible for them being prone to overheating. It claimed that, on one day in summer 2018, “half the diagrammed units were out of action as engines shut down through overheating”.
That was in 2018, which was five years ago. But it appears to be still happening.
Would Overheating Happen With Battery Units?
One of the reasons, I went to Worcester was to assess the feasibility of battery-electric trains on the route.
This article from EV-Lectron is entitled Electric Cars in Hot Weather – What You Need To Know, gives a detailed set of answers.
But it probably comes to the conclusion, that cold weather with the extra heating load might be more of the problem.
I suspect, that if you were running battery electric trains on a route of over fifty miles, the best thing would be to have electrification at both ends of the route.
If, as I have calculated in Reading And Oxford – 10th June 2023, that to run battery-electric trains to Hereford needs a length of electrification between Worcester Shrub Hill and Great Malvern stations, then when they leave the electrification, they should have the interiors at the right temperature for staff and passengers.
I also suspect that battery-electric trains need to be well insulated to cope better with cold weather.
Reading And Oxford – 10th June 2023
Yesterday, after breakfast on Moorgate, I went for an explore at the Western end of the Elizabeth Line.
My aim was to change at Reading for Oxford and then have a bit of an explore in the University City.
These are my observations and thoughts.
Changing Trains At Reading
There are two trains per hour between Liverpool Street and Reading station, but at the Moorgate end of Liverpool Street station, there is no way of buying a ticket, that would get me between Reading and Oxford. To make things more complicated, I needed to be quick with my change at Reading, as I only had a few minutes before the next Oxford train left Reading.
In the end I had to leave Reading station and walk across the concourse in front of the station.
O then bought a ticket in a machine and then re-entered the station.
Great Western Railway can do better.
In Germany, there would be a ticket machine inside the barriers for those changing trains. But we never do that!
In the end, I missed my train and had to wait thirty minutes for a very crowded London Paddington to Oxford train.
Electrification At Oxford
This map from OpenRailwayMap shows the planned electrification at Oxford station.
Note.
- The four through lines are shown in dotted red-and-black, which indicates, that they will be electrified with 25 KVAC overhead electrification.
- The proposed electrification continues all the way to Didcot Parkway station on the map.
- The two black tracks are the unelectrified platforms for Chiltern and East West Railway services.
But the proposed electrification stops just outside the station. Why?
Great Western Railway Services Beyond Oxford
Great Western Railway run an hourly service to Great Malvern, which according to Wikipedia terminates as follows.
- 4 trains per day continue to Hereford calling at Colwall and Ledbury.
- 1 train per day terminates at Worcester Shrub Hill.
- 4 trains per day terminate at Worcester Foregate Street.
So what are the distances of these stations from Oxford?
- Great Malvern – 65.6 miles
- Hereford – 86.3 miles
- Worcester Foregate Street – 57.6 miles
- Worcester Shrub Hill – 57.2 miles
I suspect that one version of the Hitachi Intercity Tri-Mode Battery Train, which is shown in the infographic below
could handle all these distances.
After the Oxford and Didcot Parkway electrification is complete, trains will arrive at Oxford station with a full battery.
But how would the batteries be recharged for the journey back to Oxford?
This map from OpenRailwayMap shows the tracks at Worcester.
Note.
- Trains to and from Oxford, use the tracks in the South-East corner of the map.
- Trains to and from Birmingham, use the tracks in the North -East corner of the map.
- Trains to and from Great Malvern and Hereford, use the tracks in the South-West corner of the map.
I suspect that some selective electrification would be able to charge the trains.
Trains take around twenty minutes to go between Great Malvern and Worcester Shrub Hill via Worcester Foregate Street.
Electrifying this 8.5 mile section would surely enable the following.
- Trains to leave Worcester Shrub Hill for Oxford with a full battery.
- Trains to leave Great Malvern for Hereford with a full battery.
- As Hereford and Great Malvern are only 20.7 miles apart, I suspect a return trip without a recharge is possible.
- Trains terminating at Worcester Shrub Hill and Worcester Foregate Street to be fully recharged before travelling back to Oxford.
Other services to and from the Worcester stations could also be run by battery-electric trains.
As Worcester Shrub Hill and Oxford stations are only 57.2 miles and well within the capabilities of most battery-electric trains, there would be no need to electrify the route.
I may of course, be wrong about the length and position of the electrification at Worcester, but this could be just one of many solutions using partial electrification.
Does this explain the stopping of the proposed electrification at Oxford?
In addition, there must be marketing opportunities in running a battery-electric service to Hereford and Worcester.
The Bay Platforms At Oxford Station
These pictures show the two North facing bay platforms 1 and 2 at Oxford station.
Note.
- The platforms are not electrified.
- They appear to be easily updated with electrification to be able to charge Chiltern and East West Railway trains.
- Marylebone is only 66.7 miles from Oxford.
- Milton Keynes Central is just over 40 miles from Oxford.
- Bedford is just under 60 miles from Oxford.
I suspect that services from Oxford to Bedford, Marylebone and Milton Keynes can all be run by battery-electric trains.
Battery-Electric Trains On The Henley Branch
As I keep mentioning battery-electric trains on the Henley branch line and I was in the area today, I thought I’d pop in and take a trip to Henley-on-Thames station.
These are my thoughts about the Henley branch line.
The Branch Line Was Busy
The two-car Class 165 train coped with the traffic today, but I suspect that on some days more capacity is needed.
The Branch Line Is Only 4.6 Miles Long
Battery-electric trains of a length of three- or four-cars are typically showing battery ranges of upwards of fifty miles, so I am fairly certain, that several battery-electric trains could handle the route, with charging at Twyford station.
- Conversions of Class 321, Class 379 and Class 387 trains would probably be possibilities.
- The Class 379 and Class 387 have a very handy 110 mph operating speed.
- Alstom, CAF, Hitachi and Siemens could probably offer new trains.
- All are four-car trains.
Because of the length of the branch, I doubt there wouldn’t need to be any infrastructure changes at Henley-on-Thames station.
Charging A Train In Platform 5 At Twyford Station
These pictures show the Class 165 train, that worked the branch in Platform 5 at Twyford station.
Note.
- The two-car Class 165 train in the station is 46.50 metres long.
- I suspect that a three-car or even four-car train, that would be eighty metres long, could be accommodated in the platform.
- The last picture shows a Class 387 train in the adjoining electrified Platform 4 in Twyford station.
It looks to me, that installing a three-car length of overhead electrification in the bay platform would not be the most challenging of projects.
Longer Trains To Henley-on-Thames
The Wikipedia entry for the Henley branch line says this about services.
The current (2022) passenger train service pattern on the line provides trains at about 30 minute intervals off peak. The first train out from Henley is at 06:05 and the last train back at 00:18. The Saturday service is also half-hourly until around 20:15, after which a largely hourly service is operated. This is also the case with the Sunday service, with half-hourly services until 19:15.
Additional services are provided during Henley Regatta at the beginning of July, with longer trains. All services are operated by Great Western Railway (GWR), using Class 165 and 166 Turbo diesel multiple units. Upon completion of electrification, Class 387 trains will be used, while the Turbos will be displaced to other parts of the GWR network.
The map from OpenRailwayMap shows the platform and track layout at Henley-on-Thames station.
Note.
- The Henley branch line is shown in yellow.
- The scale in the bottom-left corner of the map.
- I would estimate that the platform is around 200 metres long, which means it will take an eight-car train.
The second map from OpenRailwayMap shows the track layout at Twyford station.
Note.
- Both maps are to the same scale.
- The Henley branch line is shown in yellow.
- The slow lines of the Great Western Main Line are shown in orange.
- The fast lines of the Great Western Main Line are shown in red.
There is a cross-over between the two slow lines to allow trains from London to access the branch line.
It looks to me, that the line will be fully-electrified or battery-electric trains could be used.
Ticketing
I can get to Twyford by using my Freedom Pass on the Elizabeth Line, like probably a large number of those over sixty, who live in London.
I had started my journey at the Moorgate end of Liverpool Street station, where there is no ticket office or machine capable of selling an extension ticket.
In the end, I bought my ticket for the branch in the ticket office, but you can buy tickets on the train.
Transport for London and Great Western Railway can do better.
Polish Hydrogen Locomotive Becomes First In World To Get Approval
The title of this post is the same as that of this article on TVP World.
This is the sub-heading.
The Polish company PESA has received approval to operate its first hydrogen locomotive. As the company boasts, this is the first such approval in the world.
These three paragraphs describe the design and performance of the locomotive.
The approved locomotive is equipped with a zero-emission hydrogen drive. PESA Bydgoszcz SA has been working on such a vehicle for a few recent years.
It is powered by four engines with a power of 180 kW each. Energy for them is provided by two hydrogen cells, with a power of 85 kW, manufactured by Ballard.This is a system that generates electrical voltage through a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen from the atmosphere.
The hydrogen itself is drawn from tanks with a total capacity of 175kg. One refueling is sufficient for 24 hours of continuous operation.
It sounds a very useful locomotive.
Trains Back On Track After Repairs To Unsafe Nuneham Viaduct
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the BBC.
This is the sub-heading.
Rail services between Didcot and Oxford have resumed after a two-month line closure caused by an unsafe viaduct.
These are the first two paragraphs.
Services had been expected to resume on Saturday but the first passenger train ran on the line earlier.
Nuneham Viaduct, which crosses the River Thames near Abingdon, was declared unsafe on 3 April.
It looks like it was a job well done.
More Trains To Carmarthen
The last time, I looked at the number of GWR trains to Carmarthen its Wikipedia entry, it was just a couple.
Today, one train per hour (tph) is shown between London Paddington and Swansea, with this supplementary information.
- 7 trains per day continue to Carmarthen, calling at Gowerton (limited), Llanelli, Pembrey & Burry Port, Kidwelly (limited) and Ferryside (limited)
- On Summer Saturdays, 2 trains per day run to Pembroke Dock, calling at all stations between Carmarthen and Pembroke Dock
In Regulator Approves New Grand Union Train Service From Carmarthen To London Paddington, I talked about the plans of Grand Union Trains to run five trains per day (tpd) between London Paddington and Carmarthen.
This would appear to give a total of twelve tpd between London Paddington and Carmarthen.
This page on the Crown Estate web site is entitled Celtic Sea Floating Offshore Wind, where this is said.
The Government has set an ambition to deliver up to 5GW of floating wind by 2030, with rapid expansion anticipated thereafter.
At The Crown Estate, we are committed to helping the UK achieve its net zero ambitions. To support this, we are excited to deliver a new leasing opportunity in the Celtic Sea for the first generation of commercial-scale floating offshore windfarms – unlocking up to 4GW of new clean energy capacity by 2035, kick-starting industry in the region, and providing power to almost four million homes.
We will be inviting full commercial scale projects up to 1GW, which may be developed in a phased or ‘stepping stone’ approach. Recognising the need to develop the UK supply chain and supporting infrastructure for this nascent technology, this approach is deliberately intended to provide opportunities for growth and investment. This will also facilitate the co-ordination of the necessary infrastructure, such as ports and grid connections, all of which are key to the sustainable development of the UK floating wind sector over the long term.
This leasing opportunity will provide the foundation for greater capacity in the future and help establish an exciting new industrial sector for the UK, creating opportunities for significant new investment in jobs, skills and infrastructure for the communities onshore.
It appears to me, that Great Western Railway and Grand Union Trains both believe that there will be large increase in demand for rail travel between London Paddington and Carmarthen and also along the South Wales Coast.
Grand Union Trains are also proposing the building of a new parkway station at Parc Felindre North of Swansea.
But then this area of South Wales and the Celtic Sea, has the four things needed for the development of up to 5 GW of offshore wind; a lot of wind, a large area of empty sea, steel and deep water ports to assemble all the floating wind turbines.
A Zero-Carbon High Speed Railway Between London Paddington And Carmarthen
Consider.
- The Great Western Railway between London Paddington and Carmarthen is 222.5 miles and trains take around three hours and fifty minutes, which is an average speed of 58 mph.
- Between Bristol Parkway and Reading stations, the operating speed is 125 mph.
- In South Wales, the operating speed is generally between 70 and 100 mph.
- Only the 77.4 miles between Cardiff Central and Carmarthen via Swansea is not electrified.
There is probably scope to increase the operating speed using digital signalling and by improving the track.
I would suspect that a time between London Paddington and Carmarthen of under three-and-a-half hours is possible.
The Range Of Battery-Electric Trains
Hitachi have not been specific about the zero-carbon range of their Intercity Tri-Mode Battery Train, which is described in this Hitachi infographic.
In Stadler FLIRT Akku Battery Train Demonstrates 185km Range, I talk about Stadler’s record-braking Battery-electric; Akku, which covered 185 km or 115 miles.
I suspect that Hitachi’s engineers and those at their battery suppliers; Turntide Technology will be ultra-competitive, so I wouldn’t be surprised that the zero-carbon range of the Hitachi train is very competitive to the Stadler FLIRT Akku.
A hundred mile range would allow electric services to be run on these routes.
- Cardiff and Carmarthen – 77.4 miles
- Chippenham and Bristol Temple Meads and return – 48.8 miles
- Chippenham and Bristol Western-super-Mare and return – 86.9 miles
- Swindon and Cheltenham Spa and return – 86.5 miles
- East Coast Main Line and Hull and return – 72.2 miles
- Plymouth and Penzance – 79.5 miles
- Taunton and Newbury – 89.6 miles
- York and Scarborough and return – 84.1 miles
I am fairly sure that Hitachi will aim for at least a hundred mile battery range for their Intercity Tri-Mode Battery Train.
- This would be competitive with other train manufacturers like Stadler and Siemens.
- They would handle a lot of important routes.
- With development they could probably handle Edinburgh and Inverness.
I can’t wait to have a ride.
Fast Train Washer Is Client For Centre Of Rail Excellence
The title of this post, is the same as that of a small article in Rail Magazine.
This is the first paragraph.
The Orange Train Wash (OTW), which aims to clean a train carriage every 22 seconds while using just 1 % of the water of conventional equipment is one of the first commercial clients at the new £400 million Global Centre Of Rail Excellence in South Wales.
Note.
- This is the home page of the company’s web site.
- It has impeccable environmental credentials.
I also think, it has other applications.
Key Mainline Testing Undertaken In Bi Modal Hydrogen Train Project
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Rail Technology Magazine.
This is a key paragraph.
In the test, lithium-titanate batteries and the hydrogen fuel cells have been retro-fitted to a CAF Civia Class 463 commuter electric unit train. This then has the ability to create a hybrid powertrain which can run on electrified lines alongside standard lines.
This paragraph describes some of the testing.
The new power system has been integrated into the existing vehicle’s traction system and the current tests on the mainline follow closed track testing and static testing at CAF’s plant in Zaragoza. The mainline testing has taken place across lines in Zaragoza, Madrid and Galicia but the crucial test run for the new unit was on the Zaragoza-Canfranc line where it ran in both electric mode on the electrified line before switching to hybrid mode, combining the fuel from hydrogen fuel cells and batteries where needed.
It sounds like this is a better specified hydrogen-powered train than Alstom’s iLint.
Could Hull Station Be Electrified?
I took these pictures, as I passed through Hull station yesterday.
It appears that Hull station has a similar Victorian roof to Liverpool Lime Street and London Paddington, so I suspect the answer is yes.
These pictures show the platforms and overhead electrification at Liverpool Lime Street station, since the recent remodelling.
The electrification seems to be very traditional, with lots of steel gantries over the tracks.
These pictures show the platforms and overhead electrification at London Paddington station.
Note.
- The roof seems to have extra tie-bars reaching across.
- The wires seem to be hung from the roof.
- At the end of the platform they are fixed to large arch supports.
- Because Liverpool Lime Street’s electrification is newer than Paddington’s, it seems to have much more professional look.
After looking at the electrification in Liverpool Lime Street and Paddington, I believe that Hull station could be successfully electrified.
This map from OpenRailwayMap shows the platform layout at Hull station.
Note.
- Yesterday, my trains arrived in and left from Platform 7, which is the Northern-most platform.
- Other pictures in this blog show Hull Trains’s London service in Platform 7.
- Yesterday all Class 802 trains to and from London run by Hull Trains and LNER used Platform 7.
- I have been told by station staff, that Platform 7 can take a nine-car LNER Azuma.
- In Ten-Car Hull Trains, I talk about ten-car Class 802 trains running to and from Hull.
- Platform 7 or another platform at Hull station must be able to handle a ten-car train, which means that Hull station can handle a train, that is 260 metres long.
Looking at the station map, I believe that Hull station’s capacity for long express trains, is on a par with that of Liverpool Lime Street station.
I could see both stations handling two trains per hour (tph) across the Pennines and to and from London, with if necessary trains being formed of a pair of five-car trains.
How Many Services From Hull Station Can Be Run With Battery Trains?
Hull Trains service between London and Beverley travels for 44.5 miles on unelectrified track between Temple Hirst junction and Beverley.
Typically Hull Trains services wait in Hull station for the following times.
- Going between London King’s Cross and Beverley – Between ten and fifteen minutes.
- Returning to London King’s Cross – Upwards of twenty-five minutes.
I believe these waits in Hull station would mean that.
- A train going North to Beverley will have a battery containing enough electricity to get the train to Beverley and back, which is a distance of 16.7 miles.
- A train going South from Hull will have a battery containing enough electricity to get the train to Temple Hirst junction, which is a distance of 36.1 miles.
I believe that Hull Trains are currently working a timetable, that has been designed for operation by trains with a range on batteries of around fifty miles, provided there is electrification in at least one platform at Hull station to charge the trains.
It is also interesting to look at LNER’s two services that serve Hull.
- The 0700 to London, is scheduled to arrive at Hull station at 0635 from stabling at Doncaster and waits up to twenty-five minutes before leaving for London.
- The 2004 from London, is scheduled to arrive at Hull station at 2004 and waits up to twenty-five minutes before going South to overnight stabling in Doncaster.
It looks like LNER’s two trains follow Hull Trains rules.
- They use Platform 7 in Hull station.
- Trains going South have up to twenty-five minutes in the station.
It appears to me, that both Hull Trains and LNER are running a timetable, that would allow their services to be run using trains with a battery that had a range of around fifty miles, that could be fully-charged at Hull station before going South.
TransPennine Express run an hourly service to Liverpool Lime Street via Leeds and Manchester Victoria.
According to OpenRailwayMap’s map of electrification, when the TransPennine Upgrade is complete, the only section of the route without electrification will be the 42.1 miles between Hull and Micklefield.
As TransPennineExpress have some of the same Class 802 trains as Hull Trains, if there were at least two electrified platforms in Hull station, then Hull and Liverpool services could be run by battery-electric trains, with a similar specification to those of Hull Trains.
Northern Trains run an hourly service to Halifax via Leeds.
According to OpenRailwayMap’s map of electrification, , the only sections of the route without electrification will be the 42.1 miles between Hull and Micklefield and the 17.5 miles between Leeds and Halifax.
As Leeds and Micklefield is timetabled for seventeen minutes, I suspect this would be enough time to fully charge a battery-electric version of CAF’s Class 331 train and with charging in Hull station, then this route could be electrified.
Northern Trains also run other services, but because the Goole swing bridge is closed, I can’t get all the distances without electrification from Hull.
Ones I can find are.
- Beverley – 16.7 miles for return trip.
- Bridlington – 31.1 miles
- Doncaster – 40.8 miles
- Micklefield – 42.1 miles
- Scarborough – 53.8 miles
- Sheffield – 59.4 miles
- Temple Hirst – 36.1 miles
- York – 41.1 miles – Hull and Church Fenton
Note.
- York and Doncaster are electrified.
- Bridlington and Scarborough have suitable platforms where 25 KVAC overhead electrification could be installed to charge trains.
- Sheffield and Doncaster is only 18.6 miles and this may be the way to electrify between Sheffield and Hull.
- In The Data Sheet For Hitachi Battery Electric Trains, I state that Hitachi’s battery-electric trains have a range of 43.5 miles
It looks if enough platforms are electrified at Hull, all current services from the city could be run by battery-electric trains.
Conclusion
I believe that by electrifying Hull station, that Hull could have a station consistent with the HumberZero philosophy, with battery-electric trains running hither and thither, handling all rail traffic to and from the City.
The Anonymous Widower 