List Of 34 New Train Stations And Wish List Schemes Leading The UK Railway Upgrade
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Business Live.
On the list are.
- Liverpool Baltic – In Planning
- Headbolt Lane – Under Construction
- Cheadle – In Planning
- Ashington – In Planning
- Bedlington – In Planning
- Blyth Bebside – In Planning
- Newsham – In Planning
- Seaton Delaval – In Planning
- Northumberland Park – In Planning
- Aldridge – In Planning
- Darlaston – In Planning
- Willenhall – In Planning
- Hazelwell – In Planning
- Kings Heath – In Planning
- Moseley – Under Construction
- Birmingham Moor Street – Upgrade
- Birmingham Snow Hill – Upgrade
- University of Birmingham – Upgrade
- Cardiff Parkway – In Planning
- Deeside Parkway – In Planning
- Edginswell – In Planning
- Portway Park and Ride – Under Construction
- Winslow – Under Construction
- Bletchley – Upgrade
This is a fairly comprehensive list.
London Underground Gets Approval For Walthamstow Central Tube Station Upgrade
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Ian Visits.
It is from over a year ago and I’m only including it, as it includes a cutaway of the upgrade.
I go regularly to Walthamstow Central station and hopefully, this will make my journeys easier in busy times.
This paragraph from Wikipedia describes some of cost-cutting design features of the current station.
The underground station, like many stations on the Victoria line, was built to a low budget. White ceiling panels were never fixed to the ceilings above the platforms; instead the steel tunnel segments were painted black and used to support the fixtures and fittings, cutting lighting levels. A concrete stairway sits between two escalators instead of a third; this economy caused a disruptive station closure for several weeks in 2004 when both escalators went out of service.
Hopefully, these short comings will be addressed in the upgrade.
But it doesn’t appear there will be step-free interchange between Underground and Overground.
Even A Relic Of The True Cross Couldn’t Keep The 12,500-ton Moskva Afloat
The title of this post is the same as that of this article on The Times.
The relic and what happened to it, is described in this extract.
More unusually, it was also carrying a purported splinter from the cross on which Jesus Christ was said to have been crucified. The holy relic was purchased from a Catholic church in Europe by Russian Orthodox Christian businessmen and handed over to the cruiser in 2020. Just a few millimeters across, it was stored inside a 19th-century cross that was kept in the cruiser’s on-board chapel, the Tass news agency reported.
The article also claimed that an unnamed Russian businessman paid $40 million for the relic and that Putin’s admirals believed the thin sliver of wood deflected missiles and torpedoes.
This is comedy gold of the highest class.
It is time to unleash the dogs of comedy!
Will Twiggy Save The World?
This article on the Sydney Morning Herald is entitled ‘No One’s Married To Coal’: How Forrest Is Taking On The World To Save The Climate.
The article is the story of Andrew ‘Twiggy’ Forrest’s Damascene conversion to hydrogen.
These three paragraphs sums up Andrew Forrest‘s vision and ambitions.
Forrest’s companies, including its mining arm, Fortescue, and its green energy arm, Fortescue Future Industries, would be net zero by 2030. This would necessitate inventing and then developing hydrogen-powered trucks, trains and ships. This way the mining operation would avoid burning up to a billion litres in diesel a year.
The project would include the construction of vast solar and wind power stations in the Pilbara that would create green hydrogen to first fuel the trains, trucks and ships of the iron ore empire and then for export to a clean-energy starved world. The electrolysers needed to make the hydrogen for the early phases of the plan would be built by a vast new factory in Queensland, that itself would double the global supply of the machines.
Hydrogen would soon become the world’s largest shipborne trade. The Fortescue revolution would occur at a blistering pace set by the demands of addressing global warming, and it would be done for profit, to remove the excuses of governments and businesses that objected to ambitious climate action.
Note.
- How many other companies are intending to be net-zero by 2030?
- Certainly not many Chinese, German or Russian companies.
- And how many companies have planned to achieve net-zero at a profit?
If Forrest achieves his ambitions, the world will be a much better place.
Cycle Paths To Run Alongside HS2 For 200 Miles
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on The Times.
This is the first paragraph.
The route of HS2, the high-speed railway line from London to Manchester, is to become an unlikely tourist and leisure destination, with a trail for cyclists and walkers that will eventually run for 200 miles.
The article says this about the design of the proposed trail.
- The cycle path is expected to be 3m wide.
- The walkers path is expected to be 2.5m wide.
- The two paths would be separated by a grass verge.
I am pleased that the combined path will be set at some distance from the High Speed Two track, as I don’t like to be near speeding trains.
I have some thoughts.
Rest Areas
In some places, there should be rest areas. Some of these could be close to towns or villages, where there is a convenient cafe or pub.
In Burnley, there is even a Premier Inn on the banks of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal and the manager told me, that in the summer, they get cyclists staying the night, as it’s the mid-point between Leeds and Liverpool.
Mobility Scooters
Will rules for these to use the trail be developed?
Health And Safety
In Edinburgh to Inverness in the Cab of an HST, I talked about a memorable trip, that I made to Inverness.
The route to Inverness is for a long way alongside the A90 and driver told me how on one trip, there was a serious multiple car crash in heavy snow.
So he stopped the train, alerted the emergency services and even asked the passengers, if there were any medical staff on board.
Obviously, stopping a High Speed Two train from 225 mph is not as practical as stopping an InterCity 125 from perhaps 90 mph.
But the drivers’ eyes or the CCTV systems on the train would probably spot a minor accident on the path, so the appropriate assistance can be called.
Conclusion
I like this idea.
It should be fully developed.
Torvex Energy
Hydrogen And Chlorine Production At ICI Mond Division in The 1960s.
In my time in the late 1960s, when I worked For ICI Mond Division, I spent time in the Castner-Kellner works trying fairly unsuccessfully to develop an analyser to detect mercury-in-air in the Castner-Kellner process, that created chlorine and hydrogen from brine.
The process is not a nice one as it uses a mercury cathode and Wikipedia says this about safety.
The mercury cell process continues in use to this day. Current-day mercury cell plant operations are criticized for environmental release of mercury leading in some cases to severe mercury poisoning (as occurred in Japan). Due to these concerns, mercury cell plants are being phased out, and a sustained effort is being made to reduce mercury emissions from existing plants.
ICI felt that a mercury-in-air analyser would help to make the plant safer.
But ICI did have an alternative way to produce the chlorine they needed for selling as a gas or liquid or using as a base chemical for products like disinfectants, bleaches and dry cleaning fluids, without the use of mercury.
It was only a small plant and I was taken there once.
As with the Castner-Kellner process, it used a series of electrolyser cells.
- These were smaller and had a tub, with a concrete lid.
- The anode and cathode and the pipes collecting the hydrogen and the chlorine went through the lid.
- They were rebuilt regularly.
- As with the Castner-Kellner process, brine is electrolysed.
- The process was old and probably dated from before the Castner-Kellner process.
But of course as there was no mercury, the hydrogen and chlorine were pure and could be used for certain types of manufacture like pharmaceuticals.
Torvex Energy
This article on Hydrogen Fuel News is entitled Stockton R&D Firm Unveils New Hydrogen From Seawater Production Process.
These are some points from the article.
- Torvex Energy, a Stockton research and development company, recently unveiled a new technique for producing hydrogen from seawater.
- This unique method of producing hydrogen from seawater does not result in oxygen gas emissions.
- As such, it is clearly quite different from more traditional water electrolysis methods used for producing green H2.
- The team behind the production method call it an environmentally friendly technique.
- There is no desalination process.
- The firm has patents pending on this unique form of electrochemical process.
- It worked with the Material Processing Institute to establish proof of concept for this purpose.
I originally felt that Torvex Energy may have updated the ancient ICI process, that I saw over forty years ago, but when I asked the company, they said it was different.
It now appears that they haven’t, which means they must have found a totally new process.
There is certainly an ongoing patent application with a number of gb1900680.8.
How Efficient Is The Torvex Energy Process?
This will be key and there is nothing on their web site or on the Internet to indicate, if the Torvex Energy process is more or less efficient than traditional electrolysis.
Offshore Hydrogen Production
The main application for the Torvex Energy process must surely be in the production of hydrogen offshore.
- A fleet of floating wind turbines could surround a mother platform with a Torvex Energy process.
- The hydrogen could then be sent ashore in a pipeline.
- If there to be a handy depleted gas field, this possibly could be used to store the gas.
Depending on the efficiency of the Torvex Energy process, this could be a more cost-effective way to bring energy ashore, as gas pipelines can be more affordable, than HVDC electrical links. Especially, if the pipeline already exists.
Conclusion
Torvex Energy would have appeared to have made a major breakthrough in the production of hydrogen.
Crossrail is Over Budget And Very Late – But The End Is Nearly In Sight
The title of this post is a quote from this article on the BBC, which is entitled Elizabeth line: The Ambient Detailing Behind Crossrail’s New Stations.
There have been little signs appearing in the last few days.
- In Is The Paddington Bakerloo Line Link Opening Soon?, it looked like the new tunnel, that will form the Bakerloo Line Link to Crossrail could be opening soon.
- In The Covers Are Off At Tottenham Court Road Station, it looked like the builders were finishing off Tottenham Court Road station.
- I go through Moorgate station about six times a week.This morning, as I normally do, I took the rat-up-the-drainpipe route to the surface, that I described in Up From The Depths At Moorgate Station. The escalators have been reversed and there were a lot of staff around.
- I’ve also seen guys and gals walking around with clipboards.
This all indicates to me that D-Day is not far-off, when passengers will be allowed to set foot on Crossrail’s platforms and trains.
Shell To Develop Blue Hydrogen Plant
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article in The Times.
The article is based on this press release from Shell, which is entitled Shell And Uniper To Work Together On Blue Hydrogen Production Facility In The UK.
These are the three bullet points of the press release.
- Shell and Uniper sign co-operation agreement to progress plans for low-carbon hydrogen production at Uniper’s Killingholme site in North Lincolnshire
- Hydrogen produced could be used to decarbonise heavy industry, transport, heating and power across Humber and beyond.
- Project recently passed eligibility phase for UK Government’s Phase-2 carbon capture, usage and storage Cluster Sequencing Process.
Note.
- The Killingholme site is currently occupied by the 900 MW gas-fired Killingholme power station.
- Heavy industry on Humberside includes chemicals and oil refineries and the Scunthorpe steelworks.
This Google Map shows the location of Killingholme power station.
Note.
- Killingholme power station is marked by the red arrow.
- The river is the Humber.
- The Port of Immingham is on the power station side of the river.
- Cleethorpes Beach is marked by the green dot in the bottom-right hand corner.
- Grimsby is to the North of Cleethorpes.
- Between Grimsby and Killingworth power station is a mass of chemical works.
This second Google Map shows the area to the South-East of the power station.
Note.
- Killingholme power station is marked by the red arrow.
- The Hornsea 02 substation to the North of the power station.
- The large Uniper site to the South of the power station.
- The large number of tanks inland from the port and the chemical works.
I have some thoughts.
A Full Description Of The Project
This paragraph from the press release described the project.
Uniper has signed an agreement with Shell to progress plans to produce blue hydrogen at Uniper’s Killingholme power station site in the East of England. The hydrogen produced could be used to decarbonise industry, transport and power throughout the Humber region.
The Humber Hub Blue project includes plans for a blue hydrogen production facility with a capacity of up to 720 megawatts, using gas reformation technology with carbon capture and storage (CCS).
The captured carbon would be fed through the proposed Zero Carbon Humber onshore pipeline, part of the East Coast Cluster, recently selected as one of two CCS clusters to receive initial government support under the government’s cluster sequencing process.
I suspect that a lot of the plant from the existing Killingholme power station will be repurposed.
This is the specification of the power station.
The Uniper (Formerly E.ON UK) plant consists of two 450 MW Siemens V94.2 gas turbine modules each connected to a heat recovery steam generator using only a single steam turbine in a 2 into 1 configuration. Gas is supplied from a 26-mile pipeline from Theddlethorpe.
When it was built by Powergen (now called Uniper) and opened in April 1993 it was only the second gas-fired power station built in the UK. It was taken out of service in 2002 due to the lower price of electricity and was then restored to full service in August 2005, with one of the 450 MW units returning to service in April 2005.
It was announced that the power station will be closed in 2015.
Will The Project Use The Shell Blue Hydrogen Process?
Will the plant use the Shell Blue Hydrogen Process, that I described in Shell Process To Make Blue Hydrogen Production Affordable?
It appears the Shell Blue Hydrogen Process offers advantages.
- Shell are claiming, that with carbon dioxide costing $25-35/tonne, that their process is more economic than grey or green hydrogen.
- Steam reforming also needs steam, but this new process actually generates steam as a by-product, which further improves the economics, as integrated chemical plants use a lot of steam. Killingholme’s neighbours would probably welcome the steam.
- Shell are reporting capturing 99% of the carbon.
- It looks like savings of between 10 and 25 % are possible.
The most-fervent greens, may claim blue hydrogen is totally wrong.
But if it is more affordable than both grey and green hydrogen and all but one percent of the carbon dioxide is captured, I believe that this should be an option, that is fully investigated.
This appears to be a victory for top-class chemical engineering.
Northern Endurance Partnership
The Northern Endurance Partnership is described on this page of the Equinor web site, where this is said.
BP, Eni, Equinor, National Grid, Shell and Total today confirmed they have formed a new partnership, the Northern Endurance Partnership (NEP), to develop offshore carbon dioxide (CO2) transport and storage infrastructure in the UK North Sea, with bp as operator.
This infrastructure will serve the proposed Net Zero Teesside (NZT) and Zero Carbon Humber (ZCH) projects that aim to establish decarbonised industrial clusters in Teesside and Humberside.
There is also a map.
Note.
- One facility would appear to serve the Tees and the Humber.
It looks like the depleted gas fields could hold a lot of carbon dioxide.
Carbon Capture
Some points from the Equinor press release about carbon capture.
- Blue hydrogen production at Killingholme could see the capture of around 1.6 million metric tonnes (Mt) of carbon a year through CCS.
- The UK Government has set a target to capture 10 Mt of carbon a year by 2030.
- NEP has submitted a bid for funding through Phase 2 of the UK Government’s Industrial Decarbonisation Challenge, aiming to accelerate the development of an offshore pipeline network to transport captured CO2 emissions from both NZT and ZCH to offshore geological storage beneath the UK North Sea.
These projects could could decarbonise a lot of businesses on Teesside and the Humber.
Carbon Capture And Use
The Equinor press release says this about carbon capture and use.
The Northern Endurance Partnership will channel the extensive experience of its members to develop and deliver the offshore transport and storage infrastructure we need to unlock the enormous benefits of deploying CCUS across the Humber and Teesside. We’re delighted to start working together with five really world class energy companies to deliver a solution that will play a critical role in decarbonising the UK’s largest industrial heartland and protecting tens of thousands of jobs in the process.”
Uses include.
- Feeding to salad vegetables, tomatoes, soft fruit and flowers in giant greenhouses.
- Creating sustainable aviation fuel.
- Creating building products like blocks and plaster board.
- Making better concrete.
This is a list that will grow.
Making Hydrogen With An Electrolyser
The Shell press release says this.
Uniper continues to develop a separate green hydrogen project, using electrolytic hydrogen production technology, as part of the overall Humber Hub development at Uniper’s Killingholme site. Uniper, along with its project partners, will shortly complete the Project Mayflower feasibility study, part funded by the Department for Transport’s Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition, administered by InnovateUK, looking at the decarbonisation of port related activities at the Port of Immingham.
Note that the sub station for the 1.4 GW Hornsea 2 wind farm is close to both Killingholme power station and the Uniper web site.
What Will Happen To Shell’s Blue Hydrogen Plant?
I think there are two possible scenarios.
- It will be closed when Uniper’s electrolyser is fully on stream.
- It will become an emergency hydrogen source, when the wind is not blowing.
In both cases it will produce less carbon dioxide, thus leaving more space in the Northern Endurance Partnership.
Conclusion
It looks like there could be a comprehensive hydrogen production facility at Killingholme.
Is The Paddington Bakerloo Line Link Opening Soon?
I took these pictures on the Bakerloo Line platforms at Paddington station yesterday.
Note.
- There are new direction signs by the entrance, but they are covered in white plastic.
- The lights on the lift were showing sensible messages.
- The escalators behind the grill doors were running.
- It was only shut off using a barrier and black and yellow tape.
- The access between the Northbound Bakerloo Line platform and the escalator lobby, still needed to be opened up.
But it does look to me that this route is getting ready to be used.
In The Crossrail Article That Everyone Must Read, I review this article on Ian Visits, which is entitled A Sneak Preview Of London’s New Elizabeth Line Railway.
In a section, that is entitled The Bakerloo Line Link At Paddington Station, I wrote this.
Ian writes this interesting paragraph.
Something though that was added to Paddington station after the funding was approved was a new direct deep tunnel link from the platforms to the Bakerloo line. London Underground contractors built the link, and Andy Lord suggested that they are considering opening up the link before the Elizabeth line opens fully as it would help with offering step-free access for Bakerloo line customers.
Many people find getting to Paddington difficult, as I do from Dalston.
I typically use some roundabout and slow routes and most end up with arriving at Paddington on the Bakerloo Line.
Opening the link early would have the following effects.
- It would make things a lot easier for me and probably many other passengers.
- It would add passengers to London’s least-used Underground line.
- It would add capacity to the Bakerloo Line station at Paddington.
It would also give a piece of the infrastructure, a good soak testing with real passengers and may flag up some changes that needed to be made to details like signage.
Did Ian call it right?
Conclusion
I think he might have!
Highview Power Names Rupert Pearce Chief Executive Officer
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on business wire.
This is the first paragraph.
Highview Power, a global leader in providing long duration energy storage and essential grid services, has named Rupert Pearce as its new CEO. In this role, Pearce will leverage his expertise in guiding technology companies through significant transformation and globalisation to position Highview Power as a leader in accelerating the energy transition.
He certainly seems to be type of CEO, that Highview needs to succeed.
The Anonymous Widower 