Would It Be Possible For The Bakerloo And Watford DC Lines To Use The Same Trains?
These two lines are very different.
- The Bakerloo Line is a classic London Underground Line with 25 stations and services run by 1972 Stock trains.
- The Watford DC Line is part of the London Overground with 19 stations and services run by Class 710 trains.
Ten stations are shared between the lines, of which only one; Queen’s Park offers level boarding.
The Shared Stations
The nine shared stations often have considerable steps up and down, as at Willesden Junction station, which is shown in Train-Platform Interface On Platform 1 At Willesden Junction.
I am rather pleased and pleasantly surprised, that there are not more accidents at the shared stations, but using the line must be a nightmare for wheelchair users, buggy pushes and large case draggers.
If Transport for London proposed building a line like this, they would have to launch it at the Hammersmith Apollo, where comedians perform.
The One Train Type Solution
To my mind, there is only one solution. The two services must use the same type of trains.
These are a few thoughts on the trains.
Trains Would Be Underground-Sized
As the trains will have to work through the existing tunnels to Elephant & Castle station, the trains would have to be compatible with the tunnels and therefore sized for the Underground.
I suspect they would be a version of the New Tube for London, that are currently being built by Siemens for the Piccadilly Line.
New Tube For London And Class 710 Train Compared
These figures are from Wikipedia.
- Cars – NTFL – 9 – 710 – 4
- Car Length – NTFL – 12.6 metres – 710 – 20 metres
- Train Length – NTFL – 113.4 metres – 710 – 80 metres
- Seated Passengers – NTFL – 268 – 710 – 189
- Total Passengers – NTFL – 1076 – 710 – 678
- Passenger Density – NTFL – 9.5 per metre – 710 – 8.2 per metre
- Speed – NTFL – 62 mph – 710 – 75 mph
Note.
- The passenger density and speed are closer than I thought they’d be.
- I’m sure Siemens can design a longer and faster train if required for the Euston service.
I feel that the New Tube for London could be designed, so that it could work the Watford DC service.
Platform Modifications
I suspect that the New Tube for London will be lower than the Class 710 train and all platforms would need to be lowered to fit the new trains.
I would also suspect that it would be easier to lower platforms, than modify them, so that they had dual-height sections to satisfy two classes of train.
It should be noted that the New Tube for London has shorter cars than the sixteen metre 1972 Stock trains currently used on the line, so there will be smaller gaps at stations with curved platforms like Waterloo.
I believe that with one class of train, all of the stations on the Bakerloo and Watford DC Lines could be made step-free between train and platform.
Queen’s Park And Euston
This map from cartometro.com, shows the route between Queen’s Park and Euston stations.
Note.
- The Watford DC Line is shown in orange.
- Queen’s Park station is to the West of Kilburn High Road station.
- It appears that Watford DC Line trains always use Platform 9 at Euston station.
The route seems to be a self-contained third-rail electrified line into Euston station.
On the subject of electrification between Queen’s Park and Euston stations, there would appear to be a choice between the third-rail system and London Underground’s four-rail system.
But it is rumoured that the New Tube for London will have a battery capability.
As Euston and Queen’s Park stations are only 3.7 miles apart, perhaps the choice would be to use battery power into Euston station, which would remove electrified rails from Euston?
How Many Trains Could Run Into Euston?
Currently, four trains per hour run into Euston.
It is generally accepted that six tph can use a single platform. But would this be enough?
I suppose there is the possibility of tunnelling under Euston station to a pair of terminal platforms.
In that case the current platform could be used by other services.
Southern’s Milton Keynes And Clapham Junction Service
This service wouldn’t be affected as it uses the fast lines between Willesden and Watford.
Conclusion
A common fleet used by the Bakerloo and Watford DC Line would appear to give advantages.
But what the Bakerloo Line, the Watford DC Line and the Bakerloo Line Extension need is a good dose of holistic design.
Should All Trains Have Grab Handles By The Doors?
These pictures show the vertical grab handles on London Overground Class 710 trains.
Note the vertical handles everywhere and especially tucked into the corner behind the door.
These pictures show the interior of a 1973 Stock train on the Piccadilly Line.
There are worse trains in the UK.
It should be noted that the trains were extensively refurbished in 1996-2001.
Should all trains have lots of grab handles like these two examples? And especially by the door?
I think they should.
This is an interesting picture of a Siemens design study, which I wrote about in Siemens’ View Of The Future Of The Underground.
Note the grab handles by the sides of the doors.
So at least Siemens are following the rule of grab handles by the door.
Train-Platform Interface On Platform 1 At Willesden Junction
Access to trains at Willesden Junction station can be difficult for some people.
I took these pictures of the access between train and platform for a Bakerloo Line train at Platform 1.
It is a step down from the platform of at least twenty centimetres.
These for a Watford DC Line train are not much better.
Once at this station, an elderly Indian lady in a sari was getting off one of these trains. She shouted something like “Catch me!” and jumped. Luckily, I caught her and it was smiles all round.
Of the ten stations that are shared by both services, it appears that only Queen’s Park has level access for both services.
These stations are an accident waiting to happen.
Hydrogen-Powered Ambulance Drives Into Glasgow Ahead Of London Trial
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on New Atlas.
This is the first paragraph.
Back in February, ULEMCo and industry partners announced plans to design an electric rapid response ambulance for the UK’s NHS Trust that would run on batteries and hydrogen fuel cells. Now, the working prototype has driven into Glasgow to give global leaders attending the UN’s COP26 climate summit a closer look at the technology.
Surely, this is a good application of hydrogen power.
Could they be used in the scenario I proposed in Big London Hospital Was Close To Running Out Of Oxygen?
Hospitals would have an electrolyser, which would produce the following.
- High grade oxygen for the hospital.
- Hydrogen to power the vehicles and especially the ambulances.
Note.
- There would be no oxygen delivery problems.
- The excess hydrogen could be stored to use as an emergency power supply.
- Would it improve the air quality by the hospital?
I have checked with the world’s premier electrolyser company; ITM Power of Sheffield and my idea is feasible.
Death Of A Commuter At Waterloo
This tragic accident is reported in this article on ITV, which is entitled Commuter Crushed To Death After Falling Unseen Into Tube Gap At Waterloo.
These are the first two paragraphs.
A commuter was trapped and crushed to death by a Tube train after he fell down the gap on the northbound Bakerloo line train at Waterloo, an investigation has found.
Tube staff did not spot the man after he slipped and fell on to the track where he lay for more than a minute before being hit by a second train, the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) said.
The accident is partly blamed on the curve of the track in the station.
I took these pictures at Waterloo station.
Note.
- Pictures were taken on both platforms, which are similar, as they are above each other.
- The gap is wide, but not the widest on the Underground.
- When I boarded a train, I realised there was no grab handle.
- I got my hand rather dirty using the door to pull myself across the gap.
Could this have been a factor in the death of the commuter, in that he looked for the grab handle, noticed there wasn’t one and then overbalanced?
This picture shows the detail on the inside of the door.
I’m sure a design could be created, that would give those who needed a pull-up something to grab.
Restoring Your Railway Planning Funds Allocated
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Railway Gazette.
This is the first paragraph.
The Department for Transport has announced the successful bidders for the third ’and for the foreseeable future final’ round of funding from the Restoring Your Railway programme’s Ideas Fund.
The DfT received eighty-nine applications and these were the lucky thirteen.
Reopening The Darlington – Weardale Line To Passenger Services
I haven’t covered this one before, so I have written a new post.
See Reopening The Darlington – Weardale Line To Passenger Services
Reopening The Ashton – Stockport Line To Passenger Services
I wrote about this line in July 2020 in Beeching Reversal – Stockport And Ashton Line.
Reopening The Middlewich Line To Passenger Services
I wrote about this line in July 2017 in Business Case Requested For Middlewich Reopening.
Introducing Passenger Services On The East Lancashire Railway Between Rawtenstall And Buckley Wells Near Bury
I wrote about this in January 2019 in Rossendale Reopening Prospect.
Reopening Corsham Station
I haven’t covered this one before, so I have written a new post.
Reopening Stonehouse Bristol Road Station
I haven’t covered this one before, so I have written a new post.
See Reopening Stonehouse Bristol Road Station
Reinstating The Line Between Tavistock And Bere Alston And Providing New Services To And From Plymouth
This would appear to be a change of emphasis, so I have written a new post.
Reopening The Gaerwen – Amlwch Line On Anglesey
I wrote about this in March 2017 in Reopening The Anglesey Central Railway
Reopening The Oswestry – Gobowen Line
I haven’t covered this one before, so I have written a new post.
See Reopening The Oswestry – Gobowen Line
Reopening the Stoke – Leek Line
I haven’t covered this one before, so I have written a new post.
See Reopening the Stoke – Leek Line
Reopening The Askern Branch
I haven’t covered this one before, so I have written a new post.
See Reopening The Askern Branch
Reopening The Don Valley Section Of The Former Woodhead Line Between Stocksbridge and Sheffield Victoria To Passenger Services
I haven’t covered this one before, so I have written a new post.
Reinstating the Beverley – Market Weighton – York Line
I wrote about this in July 2020 in Beeching Reversal – Reinstatement Of The Beverley And York Rail Line
The DfT will provide up to £50 000 to cover 75% of the cost of developing early-stage proposals and business cases for each scheme.
Reopening The Don Valley Section Of The Former Woodhead Line Between Stocksbridge and Sheffield Victoria To Passenger Services
On October 27th this Beeching Reversal Project was given £50,000 to build a case for reopening.
Stocksbridge is introduced like this in its Wikipedia entry.
Stocksbridge is a town and civil parish, in the City of Sheffield, in South Yorkshire, England. Historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, it lies just to the east of the Peak District. The town is located in the steep-sided valley of the Little Don River, below the Underbank Reservoir. It blends into the areas of Deepcar, Bolsterstone and the eastern end of Ewden valley around Ewden village, which are also within the civil parish. The population of the civil parish as of the 2011 census was 13,455.
This Google Map shows the area.
Note there are a large number of steel related industries all connected by an extensive railway system.
This Google Map shows part of the area to a more detailed scale.
I suspect that a station could be built somewhere to the South of the works.
I have followed the Stocksbridge Railway out to the East and it takes a loop to the South to Deepcar Tram and Railway station, as is shown on this Google Map.
Note.
The Eastern end of the Stockbridge site is in the North-West of the map.
Deepcar station is shown by a blue dot in the South-East corner of the map.
This Google Map shows Deepcar station in greater detail.
Note.
- The Stocksbridge Railway curving to the West is clearly visible.
- The other railway going North is the former Woodhead Line to Manchester.
This map clipped from Wikipedia shows the Lines through Deepcar station.
This shows the route between Stocksbridge and the former Sheffield Victoria station.
I have also found this article on the Sheffield Star, which is entitled Passenger Trains Could Return On Sheffield To Stocksbridge Don Valley Railway Line After major Funding Boost.
This is a paragraph.
The plans also involve reopening Sheffield Victoria station, which could serve a new Barrow Hill line to Chesterfield, stopping at Darnall, the Advanced Manufacturing Park, Woodhouse and other new stations, similar funding for which was granted last year.
This would seem to be a sensible plan.
These are my thoughts.
Sheffield Victoria Station
This Google Map shows the site of the Stocksbridge Line going through the centre of Sheffield.
The line starts in the North-West corner of the map and goes diagonally across.
The site of Sheffield Victoria station is at the Eastern edge of the map and is shown enlarged in this Google Map.
The street and hotel names are a giveaway.
There would appear to be space for a simple station with one or two platforms on the single-track through the area.
My preference would be for a single bi-directional platform, as has been used successfully at Galashiels station.
With well-placed passing loops, stations like these can handle two trains per hour (tph) and they can be step-free for all users.
Onward To Chesterfield
The plans as laid out in the paragraph in the Sheffield Star would appear to be feasible.
Darnall and Woodhouse are existing stations.
It would serve the proposed new station at Waverley, that I wrote about in Sheffield Region Transport Plan 2019 – A New Tram-Train Route To A New Station At Waverley.
Chesterfield station will be rebuilt for High Speed Two, so extra platforms could surely be added.
I wrote about plans for the Barrow Hill Line in Reinstatement Of The Barrow Hill Line Between Sheffield And Chesterfield.
It certainly looks to me, that taken together the Barrow Hill and Stocksbridge schemes could be a valuable new railway for Sheffield.
Rolling Stock
I have ridden all over Karlsruhe in Germany on their tram-trains, which are a German variant of Sheffield’s Class 399 tram-trains and I can see no reason, why the combined route couldn’t be designed and built for these trains.
- They are very good on hills.
- They can work on both 750 VDC and 25 KVAC overhead wires.
- The closely-related Class 398 tram-trains in Cardiff will have batteries.
- They are already working successfully in Sheffield.
- There must be design advantages for stations.
- Travellers in Sheffield are used to the tram-trains.
- There is maintenance and operational experience in Sheffield.
It is also my belief, that Class 399 tram-trains would make excellent replacements for Sheffield’s current trams. I wrote about this in Sheffield Region Transport Plan 2019 – Renewal Of Supertram Network.
Electrification
Looking at the Stocksbridge and Barrow Hill Lines together, I believe there is a strong case for electrification of both routes with 25 KVAC overhead wires.
This would enable the following.
- Class 399 tram-trains to work the combined route.
- East Midlands Railway’s Class 810 trains to access Sheffield station via the Barrow Hill Line on electricity.
- Electrified freight trains could use the route.
It could also be an easy route to electrify and be a good start to the electrification of Sheffield, which will happen in the future.
Electrification Between Sheffield And Clay Cross North Junction For High Speed Two
This electrification is needed for High Speed Two’s connection to Sheffield. It will also entail a lot of disruption for trains between Derby and Sheffield.
For these reasons, I believe that opening up the Barrow Hill route early between Sheffield and Chesterfield could be an excellent blockade buster.
Conclusion
There’s more to reopening the Stocksbridge Line, than as a local service in Sheffield.
Australia’s FFI Plans $8.4 Billion Green Hydrogen Project In Argentina
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on S & P Global.
A couple of weeks ago I had not heard of Fortescue Future Industries (FFI), but then they did the deal with JCB, that I wrote about in JCB Signs Green Hydrogen Deal Worth Billions.
This paragraph gives a few more details of the deal with Argentina.
The Australian company, which produces green hydrogen from electrolysis powered by renewable electricity, first plans to test the wind power potential in Rio Negro, a southern province in Patagonia, before building a pilot facility and then shifting into full-scale development.
This Google Map shows the Rio Negro province.
Note.
- The province is outlined in red.
- Buenos Aires is on the estuary of the River Plate in the North East corner of the map.
- Puerto Madryn is a convenient port to the South of Rio Negro, which was founded by the Welsh.
According to the article, it looks like much of the hydrogen will be shipped to Germany.
Conclusion
Fortescue Future Industries is extremely serious about hydrogen.
A Comment On The Obituary Of Sir Archie Lamb In The Times
In The Times today, there is an obituary of diplomat; Sir Archie Lamb.
This is one of the comments.
My husband comments: ‘When Lamb was knighted, he said to the Queen “may I ask something, Ma’am?” She replied “as one of my ambassadors, you may ask me anything” “ in that case, may I be knighted as Archie Lamb? I hate my given name, Albert.” “Ah,” said the Queen, “though you can change your family name, you cannot change your given name. But I can. Arise Sir Archie.” Archie told me the story, long long ago. Se non e vero, e ben trovato.’
Priceless!
RMT Head Office Closed Due To Strike Action
The title of this post, is the same as this article on ITV.
Looks like a case of the biter bit!
The Anonymous Widower 