Changing Trains At Newcastle Station
In the last few weeks, I have changed trains at Newcastle station between the East Coast Main and the Northumberland Line four times.
I took these pictures on Sunday, when I changed twice.
Note.
- On my two train changes yesterday, I needed to buy a ticket for the next leg of my journey and I had to walk miles to the ticket office.
- The walk was rather straining on my dodgy knees.
- There are no signs to the ticket office and I only found it due to a helful human.
- In the morning, I missed my connection and had to wait an hour for the next train.
- A lot of these pictures show diesel multiple units, that were working the Northumberland Line to Ashington in Platform 1, surrounded by happy passengers.
- Platform 1 appears to be able to take at least a pair of Class 158 two-car diesel multiple units.
- Platform 1 appears to be electrified with 25 KVAC overhead wires, even if the Northumberland Line isn’t electrified.
- The staff seem extremely pleased with the success of the Northumberland Line.
The staff were very helpful, but it was all very much organised chaos.
But from what I saw yesterday, it appears that something powerful is stirring along the Northumberland Line.
Perhaps what the BBC predicted in Northumberland Line: Railway ‘Could Create Economic Powerhouse’ is starting to happen?
This was the sub-heading of the BBC article.
An “east coast economic powerhouse” stretching from Edinburgh to Leeds could be created if the Northumberland Line rail scheme goes ahead, a public inquiry has been told.
I’m well aware that one busy weekend doesn’t make a powerhouse.
But Northumberland Council must get ready for the next phases of the project.
Larger Zero-Carbon Trains
In Alstom Hydrogen Aventras And The Reopened Northumberland Line, I suggested that Alstom hydrogen trains might be suitable for the Northumberland Line, but these trains have not been seen in the flesh, so they can probably be discounted.
But this is a picture I took yesterday of Platform 1 at Newcastle station.
Note.
- The wires of the electrification above the Class 158 diesel multiple unit.
- An out and back trip between Newcastle and Ashington is probably less than fifty miles.
In the Wikipedia entry for Merseyrail’s Stadler Class 777 trains, this is said.
In December 2022, a maximum test range of 135 km (84 miles) was achieved, which was “much longer than we expected”.
It would appear that a small fleet of perhaps three trains, that were fitted with pantographs for charging could work the Northumberland Line, without the need for substantial additions to the infrastructure.
In the Wikipedia entry for the new Tyne and Wear Metro’s Stadler Class 555 trains, this is said.
The new trains will be five cars long in fixed formations, with a Jacobs bogie between the inner cars. One centre car will be fitted with a Brecknell Willis pantograph to draw the power from the 1,500 V DC overhead lines. They will also be fitted with regenerative braking technology for greater energy efficiency, and a battery energy storage system that will allow the trains to remain powered and reach the nearest station if the overhead lines fail. This offers the potential to be used on routes that are not fitted with overhead lines that may be added to the network in the future.
As the Class 777 and Class 555 trains appear to be cousins, perhaps those innovative Swiss engineers at Stadler can come up with a 25 KVAC battery-electric Class 555 train, that could charge its batteries in Platform 1 at Newcastle station and then use battery power to get to Ashington and back.
With perhaps a couple of short lengths of 25 KVAC overhead electrification, I feel Stadler could create a battery-electric Class 555 train, that could handle.
- Newcastle and Ashington and on to Newbiggin, as I wrote about in Onward To Newbiggin-by-the-Sea For The Northumberland Line?.
- Newcastle and Carlisle
- Carlisle and Morpeth via Newcastle
- Hexham and Nunthorpe via Newcastle
How many other branches from electrified main lines in the UK, could be handled by such a train?
How about these routes for starters.
- Darlington and Bishop Auckland
- Darlington and Saltburn
- Preston and Blackpool South.
- Skipton and Preston via Colne.
- Lancaster and Morecambe
- Leeds Metro
- Llandudno Junction and Blaenau Ffestiniog
- Middlesbrough and Whitby.
- Sheffield and Huddersfield
- Sheffield and Leeds
- Sheeffield and Manchester Piccaduilly
Sheffield and York
The Class 555 trains would also have other advantages.
- In the Newcastle area, I’m sure the Tyne and Wear Metro could probably service them.
- They have the Stadler steps for easy access.
- Most Stadler trains, tram-trains and trams are good at climbing hills.
Great British Railways could do a lot worse, than buying a reasonable number of Class 555 battery-electric trains.
Seaton Delaval Station – 30th March 2025
After I’d taken the pictures at Newsham station, I took the train to the next station on the way back to Newcastle ; Seaton Delaval station.
I took these pictures of the single platform station.
Note.
- It is a step-free single platform station.
- There are disabled parking spaces.
- It looks like charging points for electric vehicles have been installed, but not commissioned.
- Two disabled parking spaces will be for electric vehicles.
- There is space behind the platform for emergency service vehicles.
- There is a shelter and several sets of seats.
- The station connects to the local footpath network.
- There is good provision of litter bins.
It is one of the best single-platform stations I have seen.
I had a problem, at the station, in that my onward train was cancelled, due to a staff shortage.
However, the guy manning Northern’s Help Point, told me, that there was a pub by the station entrance.
So I walked the two hundred metres to the pub.
Note.
- The Hasting Arms has a gluten-free menu.
- The lunch was delicious and even the Yorkshires and the desserts were gluten-free.
- There is also a shop nearby.
- The landlord also said, that the new railway had brought more business.
I was also able to sit in the warm for an hour.
I have only one criticism of the station. There needs to be a local information board, giving a local map, and details of the pub, shop, buses and taxis.
Newsham Station – 30th March 2025
Today, I went to Newcastle and took a ride to the recently-opened ; Newsham station on the Northumberland Line.
Note.
- The road bridge over the railway.
- When complete there will be a lot of parking space.
- The orange bollards in the parking could be electric vehicle chargers, ready to be unveiled.
- The full step-free access over the railway via the lifts is already working.
- British Railways, its predecessors and many other countries would have just put in a level crossing.
- The Completed platform is wide.
- Both platforms already have a shelter.
- There are help points, information displays, facilities for those with limited hearing and readers for smart ticketing on both platforms.
- There is a ticket machine by both lift towers.
- The disabled parking is already marked out.
- The brickwork and other workmanship is top-class.
- There is space behind the platforms for taxis, buses and emergency service vehicles.
- There is enough clearance under the two bridges for overhead electrification.
There is still some finishing off and landscaping to do, but it is a station with everything.
I have some other thoughts.
The High Quality Lifts Are By Stannah
Several of the passengers I saw, were getting on in years.
Does the maker of the well-advertised stair-lifts use station lifts, which are likely to be used by those of reduced mobilility, as a promotional tool?
The Station Will Be One Of The Best Rural Stations In The UK, When It is Complete
I can see other stations on a similar theme being built.
Especially, where a level crossing is to be eliminated.
This Google Map shows the level crossing and former station at Six Mile Bottom, near where I used to live.
Note.
- The Cambridge and Newmarket railway goes across the map.
- Cambridge is to the West and Newmarket is to the East.
- The main Newmarket to London road crosses the railway here in a level crossing.
- Newmarket is to the North and London and the M11 is to the South.
- There used to be a station here and some want it back.
- There have been several incidents on the level crossing and Greater Anglia have had serious damage to more than one train.
A station like Newsham would be ideal here.
I can see Morgan Sindall building a few more on this theme.
Could they licence the design to construction companies all over the world?
I’ve certainly, seen similar layouts in Eastern Poland, where there are lots of level crossing accidents, according to our guide on one trip. But he said Russia is a lot worse for level crossing accidents.
Are There Any Plans For The Bay Sub-Surface Platforms At Moorgate Station?
I use Moorgate station regularly, as there’s a Leon Restaurant just outside the station, that looked after me properly during the Covid-19 Pandemic, so when I’m in the area and need feeding I pop in.
These pictures show the four bay platforms on the Sub-Surface lines.
Note.
- The pair of platforms to the left or South are numbered 5 and 6 and used to handle Thameslink trains, that ran to Moorgate station.
- Platforms 5 and 6 used to be electrified with 25 KVAC overhead wires.
- The pair of platforms to the right or North are numbered 3 and 4 and are used to terminate some Metropolitan Line services at Moorgate station.
- Platforms 3 and 4 are electrified with London Underground four-rail electrification.
- The number for Platform 4 can clearly be seen.
This map from cartometro shows the track layout in Farringdon, Barbican and Moorgate stations.
Note.
- The multi-coloured tracks and platforms of the Metropolitan, Circle and Hammersmith & City Lines running through Platforms 1 & 2 at Farringdon, Barbican and Moorgate stations.
- The multi-coloured tracks and platforms of the Metropolitan, Circle and Hammersmith & City Lines terminating in Platforms 3 & 4 at Moorgate station.
- The purple tracks and platforms of the Elizabeth Line running underneath the Metropolitan, Circle and Hammersmith & City Lines and their stations.
- The maroon and white tracks and platforms of Thameslink running through Platforms 3 & 4 in Barbican station and terminating in Platforms 5 & 6 at Moorgate station.
- The black tracks of Thameslink running through Farringdon and City Thameslink stations.
- It would appear there used to be two junctions to allow trains from Moorgate to go North through Farringdon station or South through City Thameslink station.
- The Thameslink tracks have two useful crossovers.
- The black tracks of the City branch of the Northern Line running through Old Street, Moorgate and Bank stations.
- The black tracks of the Northern City Line running through Old Street station and terminating in Moorgate station.
- The red tracks of the Central Line running through Chancery Lane, St. Paul’s and Bank station.
Because of the layout of the various tracks new connections and improvements may be possible.
Extending The Northern City Line To Bank Station
In Walking Along Moorgate – 30th September 2020, I describe some of the possibilities opened up by the design of Moor House, which has been built to allow more tunneling underneath.
I believe two extensions South from Moorgate station would be possible.
- It was intended by the builders of the Northern City Line, to take the route to just North of Bank station at Lothbury.
- Has The Possibility Been Created For A Pedestrian Tunnel Between Bank And Moorgate Stations?
Note.
- As the extension to Bank station has dug tunnels all over the place, I would expect that the engineers on that project would have a good idea on the best way to connect Moorgate and Bank stations.
- I usually use the Northern Line between Moorgate and Bank stations, but sometimes the Northern Line is rather crowded.
- The Northern City Line is being resignalled and may have an increased number of trains, so more passenger capacity may be needed.
- If a new station were to be built at Lothbury, it might be possible to improve step-free access to the Northern City Line.
- A new station on the Northern City Line and a pedestrian tunnel could connect to the newly-installed travelator at Bank station.
There are certainly serious possibilities to improve connections between Moorgate and Bank stations.
Could Metropolitan Line Trains Be Turned At Moorgate Station?
Currently, there are eight trains per hour (tph) between Aldgate and Uxbridge in the Off Peak.
With the new signalling on the Sub-Surface Lines would it allow more trains to operate, if some Metropolitan Line services were terminated in Platforms 3 & 4 at Moorgate station.
Would It Be Worthwhile To Run Thameslink Trains Again Into Moorgate Station?
It would only need to terminate trains from the North, as trains from the South can terminate at Black friars Station.
Perhaps a two tph service from a convenient station would suffice.
A Pedestrian Connection Between City Thameslink Station And St. Paul’s Tube Station
I covered this in A Pedestrian Connection Between City Thameslink Station And St. Paul’s Tube Station.
Hydrogen-Powered Trains To Be Introduced In Northern Italy
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Fuel Cell Works.
These three paragraphs introduce the project.
Residents and visitors to Valcamonica, an Alpine region in northern Italy, will be able to ride hydrogen-powered trains from next year.
The pioneering project, the first of its kind in Italy and supported by an investment of 367 million euros ($396 million), marks a significant adoption of hydrogen fuel for a rail line, despite the high production and operational costs.
The region currently uses polluting diesel trains, which will be replaced by 14 zero-emission hydrogen-powered trains made in Italy by a unit of French group Alstom
The trains will run on the Brescia–Edolo railway, which has this Wikipedia entry.
This OpenRailwayMap shows the Northern part of the railway.
Note.
- Edolo station is indicated by the blue arrow at the top of the map.
- The Brescia–Edolo railway is indicated by the yellow line.
- Stations are indicated by blue lettering.
- Iseo is the station in the South-West corner of the map.
- Click the map to show it to a larger scale.
This second OpenRailwayMap shows the Southern part of the railway to the same scale.
Note.
- The Brescia–Edolo railway is indicated by the yellow line.
- The Venice-Milan railway is indiated by the orange line across the bottom of the map.
- Stations are indicated by blue lettering.
- Iseo station is in the South-West corner of the map.
- Brescia station is in the South-East corner of the map on the Venice-Milan railway.
- Click the map to show it to a larger scale.
It looks to me, that the Brescia–Edolo railway could be a day-out if you were having a holiday in Milan, Venice or Verona.
- The railway is a single track railway.
- It appears to go through the mountains.
- Currently, it is diesel powered, but I suspect running hydrogen trains on the route will turn it into a major tourist attraction.
Could other rail routes attract visitors, by going for zero-carbon traction using hydrogen?
In the UK, these are surely six of many possibilities.
- Settle and Carlisle
- Marshlink Line
- Mid-Cornwall Metro
- Norwich and Sheringham
- Sheffield and Huddersfield
- Mid-Cornwall Metro
- Uckfield Branch
Infrastructure costs would just need a hydrogen supply to be arranged.
Conclusion
You can always trust the Italians to use a stylish solution.
London Gatwick Implementing Time-Based Separation On Single Mixed-Mode Runway
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Flight Global.
These four paragraphs introduce the technique.
UK air navigation service NATS has applied its intelligent arrival separation system to a mixed-mode single runway for the first time, with implementation at London Gatwick.
The system uses dynamic time-based – rather than distance-based – approach spacing in order to maintain sufficient arrival rates in strong headwind conditions.
Headwinds reduce the groundspeed of inbound aircraft flying at a set airspeed. This means a longer interval between two arrivals spaced a fixed distance apart.
“Having to maintain set separation distances in those conditions reduces the landing rate and can have a significant knock-on effect to the airport operation,” says NATS.
I have flown light aircraft onto main runways at major airports several times, including Cardiff, Dublin, Edinburgh, Hamburg, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Naples, Nice, Southend and Stansted.
In one approach I made to Dublin airport, this type of approach may well have been of assistance.
I was flying into Dublin in my Piper Arrow; G-JMTT.
- I had crossed over Anglesey to leave Wales and I was talking to RAF Valley, whilst I crossed the Irish Sea in more of a direct line for Dublin Airport.
- The RAF handed me over to Dublin Approach, who gave me a series of vectors to point me at the main runway at Dublin Airport.
- Dublin Tower, then gave me the instruction. “Tango-Tango Can you speed it up a bit! There’s a Jumbo on your tail!”
- I replied. “Affirmative! Tango-Tango!” I then lowered the nose and pointed it at the runway to speed things up a bit.
- Dublin Tower, then asked. “Tango-Tango On landing, can you expedite clearing the runway?”
- There was then a brief exchange, where I negotiated my route off the runway, by taking the first taxiway on the left and then stopping.
- After a safe landing and a stop on the taxiway, Dublin Tower called. “Tango-Tango! We’ll give you ten out of ten for that!”
- After which the Jumbo rushed past on the runway, with the pilot giving a quick laugh over the radio.
- Dublin Tower called. “Welcome to Dublin!”
The Irish have different ways of doing things!
But, seriously, NATS are probably just implimenting a computerised form of what good air traffic controllers have done for years.
In that arrival at Dublin, the controllers had stretched the time and distance between my small Piper and the Jumbo, so everything was safe.
There alternative would have been to delay one of the planes.
Conclusion
It looks to me that the application of a new algorithm by NATS, will squeeze a few more aircraft into Gatwick’s single runway.
How Jewish is Volodymyr Zelensky?
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the Jewish Chronicle.
This is the sub-heading.
The Ukrainian President is hailed as one of the few Jewish world leaders not from Israel, but how Jewish is he
The article is a must read, as it gives a valuable insight into what drives Zelensky.
These two paragraphs describe his upbringing.
Zelensky grew up in the Russian-speaking city of Kryvyi Rih, in the eastern part of Ukraine. Like most Soviet Jews, his parents were highly educated but limited in where their careers could go. His father was a professor of mathematics and his mother studied engineering.
Zelensky said he grew up in an “ordinary Soviet Jewish family,” which was to say, not very religious, since “religion didn’t exist in the Soviet state as such.”
We could certainly do, with more world leaders, who understood science and had less religion.
It also publishes a story of four brothers that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz.
“Three of them, their parents and their families became victims of the Holocaust. All of them were shot by German occupiers who invaded Ukraine,” he said. “The fourth brother survived. … Two years after the war, he had a son, and in 31 years, he had a grandson. In 40 more years, that grandson became president, and he is standing before you today, Mr. Prime Minister.”
Zelensky has come one hell of a journey and it has been very much a Jewish journey.
In addition to all the pogroms, persecutions and the Holocaust, he would probably know all the various medical problems and diseases, that members of the Jewish faith seem to have suffered, in Eastern Europe.
Today, The Times published an article which is entitled Zelensky: Putin Will Die Soon And The Ukraine War Will End.
IThe article has this sub-heading.
The Ukrainian leader says after Nato summit that the Russian president is near death and fears losing his grip on his people.
I would believe, that the Ukrainian leader is talking from a position, where he is sure of his facts, because of his Jewish heritage and what he knows of Putin’s heritage, which is partly Jewish, and his life and medical history.
Consider.
- As a coeliac, who lost his son indirectly to coeliac disease, I believe that it is a dangerous disease to have, if it is undiagnosed and you are not on a gluten-free diet.
- From some of the stories, I’ve read about Putin, I wonder, if he could be an undiagnosed coeliac. As I spent fifty years of my life that way, I know what it’s like.
- According to the NHS, coeliac disease is much more common in women and backing this up, is the fact that I’ve only ever met two male adult coeliacs.
- Is coeliac disease in Russia, very much a girly disease, that action men, like Vlad the Butcher can’t get?
- If Vlad is an undiagnosed coeliac, there could be something nasty, like a stroke or cancer lurking in his genes.
Given his upbringing, Zelensky is probably giving us, a scientific analysis of the facts about his adversary.
Cleethorpes Station – 25th March 2025
When I got to Cleethorpes station, I took these pictures.
Note.
- The weather wasn’t up to much.
- The restaurant, where I had intended to have lunch appeared closed.
- So I just turned round and went back to Doncaster.
- The station appears to have four long platforms and a siding, where trains could be cleaned during a short or possibly overnight stay.
I do have a few thoughts about Cleethorpes station.
The Platform Lengths At Cleethorpes Station
In
I’ve Just Been Microsofted
Without my permission, my computer changed itself to Windows 11.
I should be in charge not some nameless idiot in Trumpland.
I now can’t preview my pictures on the SD cards my Nikon camera uses.
Why is it, they never do upwards compatibility right?
The bastards!
Trump’s Tariffs Threaten To Wipe Out UK’s Economic Growth
The title of this post is the same as that of this article on The Times.
This is the sub-heading.
Rachel Reeves could be forced to raise taxes or cut spending after the US president announced plans for tariffs of up to 25 per cent on cars
These three paragraphs add more detail.
Rachel Reeves faces having to raise taxes or cut spending if President Trump follows through on his threat to impose tariffs on Britain next week, the official budget watchdog has warned.
The chancellor was forced to announce a £14 billion package of cuts to repair the public finances in her spring statement after the Office for Budget Responsibility halved growth forecasts.
But the budget watchdog warned that there was a 50 per cent chance that Reeves would be forced to return with further cuts or tax rises as soon as October amid concerns that the UK’s economic outlook will deteriorate still further.
So I will hit back in the only way I can and avoid buying any goods made by US companies.
I have started by removing any US-owned products from my Ocado order on Saturday.
The Anonymous Widower 