A Trip To The Northumberland Line – 7th November 2025
On Friday, I went to Newcastle to have a look at the new Blyth Bebside station.
I took these pictures between Newcastle and Ashington stations.
Note.
- The impressive slim bridge over the railway at Newsham station. Other places could imitate this. See Bicester Village Station – 28th May 2025.
- The well-filled car park at Newsham station.
- The large amount of new housing.
- The recently-opened Blyth Bebside station.
- The crossing of the River Blyth.
- The under-construction Bedlington station.
- The crossing of the River Wansbeck.
- The single platform Ashington station.
- The train took 36 minutes for the 18 miles.
- According to staff, there is no hostelry close to the station at Ashington, but there is a good gluten-free pub at Seaton Delaval station, that I wrote about in Seaton Delaval Station – 30th March 2025.
I then returned to Blyth Bebside station and took these pictures.
Note.
- Blyth Bebside station is fully step-free.
- There is a sizable car park.
- The wind turbines of Blyth Harbour wind farm can be seen in the distance from the station bridge.
- I estimate the platforms at the station will take a five-car Hitachi Class 802 train or a pair of two-car Class 158 trains.
These are some further thoughts.
The Platforms On The Northumberland Line Are Long
Consider.
- As I said earlier the platforms in the stations appear to be long enough to handle a five-car Hitachi Class 802 train or a pair of two-car Class 158 trains.
- From what some have said about the line, I suspect four-car trains will be needed soon for Newcastle matches.
- But would this be enough, if a local hero like Sting decided to have a Summer concert on the beach?
- Lengthening platforms is often a pain, if you don’t make them long enough.
So were Network Rail just making sure that the track was fit for all eventualities?
Could The Northumberland Line Be Electrified?
These pictures show Platform 1 at Newcastle station, where Northumberland Line trains usually terminate at Newcastle.
Note.
UK Economy To Reap GBP 6.1 Billion From 3.6 GW Dogger Bank Offshore Wind Farm
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on offshoreWIND.biz.
This is the sub-heading.
The 3.6 GW Dogger Bank Wind Farm, which will become the world’s largest offshore wind farm once fully operational, will boost the UK economy by GBP 6.1 billion (approximately EUR 6.9 billion) during its lifetime and support thousands of UK jobs over the next decade, according to a report written by BVG Associates.
The first three phases of the Dogger Bank wind farm are scheduled to be delivered as follows.
- Dogger Bank A – 1235 MW – 2025
- Dogger Bank B – 1235 MW – 2026
- Dogger Bank C – 1218 MW – 2027
The planned dates in the North Sea are generally kept, because we’ve been building structures there since the days of World War Two.
These two paragraphs from the article add more detail.
The economic impact report was commissioned by Dogger Bank Wind Farm’s equity partners SSE, Equinor and Vårgrønn, who are currently constructing the offshore wind farm in three 1.2 GW phases at adjoining sites in the North Sea, more than 130 kilometres from the Yorkshire Coast.
Direct spend with companies in the Northeast of England and in the counties of North Yorkshire and the East Riding of Yorkshire is expected to total over GBP 3 billion, with hundreds of jobs supported in these regions.
But these three wind farms are just the hors d’oeuvre.
This article on offshoreWIND.biz is entitled SSE, Equinor Move Forward with 1.5 GW Dogger Bank D Project and it has this sub-heading.
SSE and Equinor have finalised a seabed lease with the Crown Estate to progress Dogger Bank D, the proposed fourth phase of the world’s largest offshore wind farm, the 3.6 GW Dogger Bank Wind Farm, currently under construction off the coast of England in the North Sea.
These two paragraphs from the article add more detail.
The lease allows Dogger Bank D shareholders to maximise renewable generation from the eastern part of the Dogger Bank C seabed area, located around 210 kilometres off the Yorkshire coast, with future potential to unlock an additional 1.5 GW.
SSE Renewables and Equinor previously established terms for the wind farm with the Crown Estate in July 2024. Implementation of these commercial terms was subject to the conclusion earlier this year of the plan-level Habitats Regulation Assessment (HRA) associated with the Crown Estate’s wider Capacity Increase Programme.
Note.
- The total capacity for the first four phases of the Dogger Bank Wind Farm are 5,188 MW.
- But if the Crown Estate’s wider Capacity Increase Programme is carried out, the total capacity will be 6,688 MW.
- Hinckley Point C is planned to be only 3,260 MW and is likely to be fully delivered between 2029 and 2031.
So if the Crown Estate, Equinor and SSE go for the full Dogger Bank D, I believe it is likely that we’ll get a wind farm with a capacity of two Hinckley Point Cs delivered before the nuclear power station.
.
Danish CIP To Pour USD 3 Billion Into Philippines’ Offshore Wind Push
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on offshoreWIND.biz.
This is the sub-heading.
Denmark’s Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) will commit USD 3 billion (approximately EUR 2.6 billion) to build its first offshore wind farm in the Philippines.
This opening paragraph gives a few more details.
In a press briefing, Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said that the company is committed to investing in the Philippines through its partner, ACEN – Renewable Energy Solutions.
It does seem that the Philippines are putting out the red carpet for Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners and no wonder if you look at the first paragraph of the Danish firm’s Wikipedia entry.
Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners P/S (“CIP”) is a Danish investment firm specializing in infrastructure investments, particularly wind power.[1][2] CIP is one of the world’s largest dedicated renewables investment firms with €32 billion raised and a project pipeline of 120 GW.
But, are these two articles on offshoreWind.biz hinting at delay in the approval of UK projects?
- UK Delays Permit Decision for CIP’s Morecambe Offshore Wind Farm
- Permit Decision Delayed for 1.5 GW UK Offshore Wind Farm
Although the second project, which is the Outer Dowsing Wind Farm, is not a Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners project delaying decisions surely doesn’t give confidence to investors.
So have Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners decided to test the new virgin waters of the Philippines?
First Bus To Launch 1MW BESS Unit In Hampshire, Aberdeen To Follow
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Solar Power Portal.
This is the sub-heading.
Bus operator First Bus has launched its largest energy storage facility yet in Hampshire.
These four paragraphs add more detail.
Located at the company’s Hoeford bus depot, the 1MW battery storage unit, with a 2-hour duration, will begin operations next month.
This will be followed by a bigger battery storage unit with 2MW/4MWh capacity at its depot in Aberdeen, which will begin work by the end of the year.
The FirstGroup division said that it will explore opportunities to build more battery sites across the UK in the future.
The new battery storage facilities will be used to store surplus electricity that will be distributed back to the grid during peak demand and help maintain power supplies. It will also be used to power the company’s more than 1,200 electric bus fleet.
Note.
- Hoeford’s 1MW/2MWh and Aberdeen’s 2MW/4MWh are big batteries.
- They will be installed, where there is a predictable need.
- Google AI says that the First Bus UK News “About Us” page lists 65 depots and outstations.
- I suspect some clever data analysis is being used to optimise the size of a battery to the route structure and number of buses at a depot.
The batteries appear to come from a company called Palmer Energy Technology, who are backed by Barclays, First Bus and the University of Oxford.
This is the Palmer Energy Technology web site, which has these two paragraphs.
Palmer Energy designs and manufactures Battery Energy Storage Systems that apply automotive‑grade principles to stationary applications. PETL specifies premium cells, uses liquid cooling as standard and focuses on intelligent control to drive down operating costs for customers in transport, industry and the grid.
Through our 100% ownership of Brill Power, a University of Oxford spin out, we incorporate Brill Power’s patented active loading BMS technology in all our BESS to increase the lifetime of systems, improve safety and remove geopolitical risks by storing all data on UK servers.
These are my further thoughts.
Electric Bus Charging Puts A Strain On The Grid
A couple of years ago, I had a drink with three bus depot managers in London. They said that some depots were having difficulty getting sufficient power from the grid.
This Google Map shows Hoeford Depot where the first battery has been installed.
Note.
- Hoeford Depot is by the water at Fareham.
- The depot is indicated by the red arrow.
- The depot is surrounded by houses and other businesses.
As an electrical engineer, I would expect that a battery of the right size could sort out any charging problems.
Bus Garage Batteries Could Mop Up Surplus Electricity
Consider.
- I would expect bus garages have a predictable pattern for energy use.
- Buses will often be charged at night, when solar power is low.
- Do bus garages get a cheaper electricity rate at night?
- There will be times, when bus garages can accept excess energy from the grid and store it until they need it.
- This will mean that wind turbines won’t have to be turned off so often.
Palmer’s batteries installed in a bus garage seem to be a simple way to increase renewable energy efficiency and possibly reduce the cost of battery charging.
Would A Bank Finance The Batteries?
I am not a banker or an accountant, but I have worked with some of the very best. One banker, who sadly has now passed on, would have surely backed this company if the technology and the forecasts stacked up, just as he backed the company, that I helped to start.
It does look as if Barclays are backing the company.
Managing Earthworks In A Changing Environment
This image shows the train derailment at Shap at 06:10 on Monday.
The BBC and others were talking about the cause of the derailment being a landslide.
So it was perhaps appropriate that the latest edition of Rail Engineer had a sponsorsed feature with a title of Managing Earthworks In A Changing Environment.
It is well-worth a full read.
Operational UK Utility-Scale Ground Mount Solar Capacity Tips Over 14GWp, 2025 On Track For 2.5GWp
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Solar Power Portal.
This is the sub-heading.
Josh Cornes gives an overview of the UK’s operational solar capacity, which continues to rise at a healthy rate.
As I write this at five o’clock on a dark November evening.
- The UK is using 29.33 GW in total.
- 3.036 GW is coming from solar power.
- 8.939 GW is coming from wind power.
But as the graph shows the amount of solar is increasing year-on-year.
What Happened To The Toyota Hydrogen-Powered HiLux?
I wrote about this vehicle in Toyota Unveils Prototype Hydrogen Fuel Cell Hilux, but I’ve not heard any more.
So I asked Google AI, the question in the title of this post and received this reply.
The Toyota hydrogen-powered Hilux is currently in the demonstration and evaluation phase and has not been officially confirmed for mass production. Ten prototypes were built in the UK and are undergoing testing, with some being used for customer and media demonstrations at events like the Paris Olympics. Toyota is using this project to gather data, refine its hydrogen technology, and prepare for a future European market that could see the vehicle go on sale around 2028.
A simple Google search produced this YouTube video and this article in the Toyota UK magazine.
I don’t want to drive one, as that would be illegal, but I have just added riding in one of these beasts to my bucket list.
Toyota Have Gone To The Advanced Propulsion Centre For Their Latest Project
In Toyota Leads Multi-Million-Pound Micromobility Research Project, I write about another project, where Toyota have approached the Advanced Propulsion Centre for funding and technical help. So the Advanced Propulsion Centre must be doing something right, to attract another project from Toyota.
In CoacH2 – The Next Generation Coach, I write about how the Advanced Propulsion Centre are helping to develop the powertrain for Wrightbus’s upcoming hydrogen-powered coach.
It certainly looks like the Advanced Propulsion Centre are in the middle of the net-zero transport revolution.
Is It OK To Eat Chocolate Rice Cakes With Uncomplicated Pancolonic Dulverticular Disease?
Since I have been diagnosed with uncomplicated pancolonic dulverticular disease, I have eating at least half a packet of Kallo chocolate rice cake thins most days.
Perhaps, the small amount of dark chocolate soothes my gut?
What does Google AI think about the title of this post?
Yes, it is generally considered OK to eat chocolate rice cakes with uncomplicated pancolonic diverticular disease (diverticulosis), especially if you are not experiencing a flare-up.
Diverticular disease guidelines for symptom-free individuals recommend a healthy, balanced, high-fiber diet, and there is no evidence that specific foods like nuts, seeds, or plain rice cakes cause harm or trigger flare-ups.
Whilst they don’t seem to cause harm or flare up, I shall continue to eat them.
I did ask Google AI “Do small amounts of dark chocolate soothe uncomplicated pancolonic dulverticular disease?” and I received this answer.
Small amounts of dark chocolate are not a treatment to “soothe” Uncomplicated Pancolonic Diverticular Disease; however, it can generally be included in the diet as part of a high-fiber approach for managing the condition. There is no evidence that it, or any specific food, causes or soothes the condition.
It doesn’t appear it will do any harm though!
HiiROC And Agile Energy Unite To Advance Hydrogen Production In Scotland
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Offshore Energy.
This is sub-heading.
HiiROC, a UK hydrogen production company, and Agile Energy Recovery Limited, a compatriot developer of low-carbon energy parks, have partnered to evaluate the deployment of HiiROC’s proprietary process to produce low-carbon hydrogen at Agile’s Thainstone Energy Park in Inverurie, Scotland.
These three paragraphs add more detail.
It is understood that Agile is building a Swedish-style Integrated Resource Facility (IRF), which is expected to process up to 200,000 tonnes of municipal and industrial residual waste per year and produce power and heat for the surrounding area.
As for HiiROC, its Thermal Plasma Electrolysis (TPE) process reportedly requires less electricity than conventional water electrolysis and does not generate CO2 emissions, aligning with the UK’s Low Carbon Hydrogen Standard (LCHS). By leveraging the existing gas network and locating hydrogen production at the point of use, the company said it can avoid costly new infrastructure or waiting for new hydrogen pipelines or CCS clusters to come online. HiiROC’s first commercial units are planned for 2026.
The partners noted they will aim to maximize integration of their two plants, with the option to combine CO2 emissions from the IRF with HiiROC’s hydrogen to produce low-carbon e-methanol, an emerging alternative to diesel in maritime applications.
This plant would appear too be built around some impressive chemistry to process 200,000 tonnes of municipal and industrial waste per year.
Out of curiosity, I asked Google AI how much waste the London Borough of Hackney, where I live, collects per year and received this answer.
The London Borough of Hackney processed approximately 113,554 tonnes of total local authority collected waste in the 2021/22 financial year.
More recent, unaudited data for the 2023/24 financial year indicates that the total amount of household waste collected was around 313.6 kg per person. With an estimated population of nearly 280,000 people, this suggests roughly 87,800 tonnes of household waste were collected in 2023/24.
It looks to me, that a lot of councils could explore the HiiROC route to dispose of their waste.
Great Yarmouth Terminal Set For Redevelopment Under Port Of East Anglia Name
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on offshoreWIND.biz.
This is the sub-heading.
The UK’s Peel Ports Group has decided to invest a further GBP 10 million (approximately EUR 11.3 million) into its Great Yarmouth site, which is being rebranded as the Port of East Anglia.
These four paragraphs add details to the story.
The newly announced GBP 10 million brings this year’s total investment to GBP 70 million across the site and will be used to redevelop the port’s Northern Terminal, helping to accommodate the next generation of offshore wind projects across the region, according to Peel Ports.
Earlier this year, a substantial investment into its Southern Terminal was announced by the port, which has earmarked GBP 60 million to transform capacity and improve efficiencies.
This involves ensuring the port can support multiple hydrogen, carbon capture, offshore wind, and nuclear projects for decades to come.
Its existing terminals service a variety of construction customers, including infrastructure projects such as Sizewell C and offshore energy projects based in the southern North Sea.
Note.
- In Yarmouth Harbour To Be ‘Completed’ In £60m Project, I talk about the work to be done on the Southern Terminal.
- The work on the Southern Terminal includes a roll-on roll-off (RORO) lift ramp and a large storage area.
- Start on the work on the Southern Terminal will start in 2026.
With all the construction work mentioned in the last two paragraphs, I suspect that the Port of Great Yarmouth will be busy?
These are some further thoughts.
Why Is The Port Of Great Yarmouth Being Renamed?
The article says this.
The new name, which will come into effect in early 2026, also aligns with the creation of a new combined authority for Suffolk and Norfolk, according to Peel Ports.
Peel Ports name change is fairly sensible, but as I was conceived in Suffolk and I’m an Ipswich Town supporter, I don’t feel that the two counties should be merged.
Does The Mention Of Hydrogen Mean That The Port Of Great Yarmouth Will Be Hosting A Hydrogen Electrolyser, To Fuel Trucks And Ships?
I asked Google AI, “If A Hydrogen Electrolyser is To Be Built In The Port Of Great Yarmouth?”, and received this answer.
While there are no current public plans for an immediate construction of a large-scale hydrogen electrolyser within the Port of Great Yarmouth, significant port expansion and infrastructure upgrades are underway to ensure it can support future hydrogen projects and related clean energy initiatives.
Note.
- If technology to handle hydrogen, is copied from North Sea gas, there is certainly a lot of proven technology that can be used again.
- There may even be depleted gas fields, where captured carbon dioxide, hydrogen or North Sea gas can be stored.
I find the most exciting thing, would be to send hydrogen to Germany.
Why Would Anybody Export Hydrogen To Germany?
I asked Google AI, the question in the title of this section and received this answer.
Countries would export hydrogen to Germany because Germany has a large, growing demand for hydrogen to power its heavily industrialised economy and achieve its decarbonisation goals, but lacks sufficient domestic renewable energy capacity to produce the required amounts.
Germany also, uses a lot of bloodstained Russian gas and indigenous polluting coal.
How Could Anybody Export Hydrogen To Germany?
- Wilhelmshaven is one of the main import ports for hydrogen in North West Germany.
- Great Yarmouth is probably the closest larger port to Germany.
- Great Yarmouth and Wilhelmshaven are probably about 300 miles apart, by the shortest route.
- Great Yarmouth would need to build infrastructure to export hydrogen.
The easiest way to transport the hydrogen from Great Yarmouth to Wilhelmshaven, is probably to use a gas tanker built especially for the route.
This Google Map shows the route between Great Yarmouth and Wilhelmshaven.
Note.
- The North-East corner of East Anglia with Great Yarmouth to the North of Lowestoft, is in the bottom-left corner of the map.
- Wilhelmshaven is a few miles inland in the top-right corner of the map.
- Could a coastal tanker go along the Dutch and German coasts to Wilhelmshaven?
I have no skills in boats, but would Great Yarmouth to Wilhelmshaven to take hydrogen to Germany?
RWE Are Developing Three Wind Farms To The North-East of Great Yarmouth
RWE are a large German Electricity company and the UK’s largest generator of electricity.
The company is developing three wind farms to the North-East of Great Yarmouth.
- Norfolk Boreas – 1.2 GW – 45 miles offshore
- Norfolk Vanguard West – 1.2 GW – 29 miles offshore
- Norfolk Vanguard East – 1.2 GW – 28 miles offshore
Note.
- The electricity for all three wind farms is to be brought ashore at Happisburgh South, which is about 22 miles North of Great Yarmouth.
- The original plan was to take the electricity halfway across Norfolk to the Necton substation to connect to the grid.
- The natives will not be happy about a 4.2 GW overhead line between Happisburgh and Necton.
- RWE have built offshore electrolysers before in German waters.
- Could an electrical cable or a hydrogen pipe be laid in the sea between Happisburgh South and the Port of Great Yarmouth?
- The electrolyser could either be offshore at Happisburgh or onshore in the Port of Great Yarmouth.
As I don’t suspect these three wind farms will be the last connected to the Port of Great Yarmouth, I would expect that RWE will put the electrolyser offshore at Happisburgh and connect it by a hydrogen pipeline to the Port of Great Yarmouth.
Could There Be A Connection To The Bacton Gas Terminal?
Consider.
The Bacton Gas Terminal, which feeds gas into the UK Gas Network, is only 4.2 miles up the coast from Happisburgh South.
Some climate scientists advocate blending hydrogen into the gas supply to reduce carbon emissions.
In Better Than A Kick In The Teeth – As C Would Say!, I disclosed that I now have a new hydrogen-ready boiler, so I’m not bothered, if I get changed to a hydrogen blend.
So could hydrogen from the Norfolk wind farms be fed into the grid to reduce carbon emissions?
Could The Port Of Great Yarmouth Become A Hydrogen Distribution Centre?
Thinking about it, the port could also become a distribution centre for green hydrogen.
Consider.
- Hydrogen-powered ships, tugs and workboats could be refuelled.
- Hydrogen-powered trucks could also be refuelled.
- Tanker-trucks could distribute hydrogen, to truck and bus operators, farms and factories, that need it for their transport and operations.
- I believe, that construction equipment will be increasingly hydrogen-powered.
In my life, I have lived at times in two country houses, that were heated by propane and there are about 200,000 off-grid houses in the UK, that are heated this way.
The two houses, where I lived would have been a nightmare to convert to heat pumps, but it would have been very easy to convert them to a hydrogen boiler and power it from a tank in the garden.
It should be noted, that the new boiler in my house in London is hydrogen-ready.
So the Port of Great Yarmouth could be the major centre for hydrogen distribution in Norfolk.
In the 1960s, I used to work in ICI’s hydrogen plant at Runcorn. If you ride in a hydrogen bus in England, it is likely that the hydrogen came from the same plant. Handled correctly, hydrogen is no less safe and reliable than natural gas or propane.
The Anonymous Widower 