Batteries On Class 777 Trains
In this article on Railway Gazette, which is entitled Merseyrail Class 777 arrives in Liverpool, there is this sentence.
There is space under one vehicle to house a battery weighing up to 5 tonnes within the axleload limit.
This matter-of-fact sentence, draws me to the conclusion, that these trains have been designed from the start to allow future battery operation.
Batteries are not an add-on squeezed into a design with great difficulty.
Battery Capacity
Energy densities of 60 Wh/Kg or 135 Wh/litre are claimed by Swiss battery manufacturer; Leclanche.
This means that a five tonne battery would hold 300 kWh.
Note that Vivarail find space for 424 kWh in the two-car Class 230 train, I wrote about in Battery Class 230 Train Demonstration At Bo’ness And Kinneil Railway, so it would appear that Stadler aren’t being over ambitious.
Kinetic Energy Of A Full Class 777 Train
The weight of a full Class 777 train is calculated as follows.
- Basic empty weight – 99 tonnes
- Battery weight – 5 tonnes
- 484 passengers at 80 Kg – 38.72 tonnes
Which gives a total weight of 143.72 tonnes.
Intriguingly, the weight of a current Class 507 train is 104.5 tonnes, which is 500 Kg more than an empty Class 777 train with a battery!
If these weights are correct, I suspect Stadler have used some very clever lightweight design techniques.
For various speeds, using Omni’s Kinetic Energy Calculator, this weight gives.
- 30 mph – 3.6 kWh
- 40 mph – 6.4 kWh
- 50 mph – 10.0 kWh
- 60 mph – 14.4 kWh
- 70 mph – 19.5 kWh
- 75 mph – 22.4 kWh
Note.
- The average speed between Bidston and Wrexham General stations on the Borderlands Line is under 30 mph
- The operating speed on the Wirral Line is 70 mph
- The operating speed on the Northern Line is 60 mph
- The maximum speed of the trains is 75 mph.
Every time I do these calculations, I’m surprised at how low the kinetic energy of a train seems to be.
How Small Is A Small Battery?
One battery doesn’t seem enough, for a train designed with all the ingenuity of a product with quality and precision, that is designed to out-perform all other trains.
This is another paragraph from the Railway Gazette article.
According to Merseytravel, ‘we want to be able to prove the concept that we could run beyond the third rail’. By storing recovered braking energy, the batteries would help to reduce power demand and the resulting greenhouse gas emissions. All of the Class 777s will be fitted with small batteries to allow independent movement around workshop and maintenance facilities.
I am not quite sure what this means.
It would seem strange to have two independent battery systems in one train.
I think it is more likely, that the smaller battery can be considered the primary battery of the train.
- After all in the depot, it looks after the train’s power requirement.
- Does it also handle all the regenerative braking energy?
- Is it used as a secondary power supply, if say the power is low from the electrification?
- Could it be used to move the train to the next station for passenger evacuation in the event of a power failure?
I wonder if the power system is a bit like the average battery-powered device like a lap-top computer, smart phone or hybrid car.
- The electrification and the regenerative braking charges the battery.
- The battery provides the traction and hotel power for the train.
When the five tonne battery is fitted, does the train’s control system move power between the two batteries to drive the train in the most efficient manner?
I’ll return to factors that define the size of the small battery.
The small battery must be big enough for these purposes.
- Handling regenerative braking at the operating speed.
- Recovering a full train to the next station.
- Keeping a train’s systems running, during power supply problems.
- Moving a train around a depot
As the lines leading to depots are electrified, the train can probably enter a depot with a battery fairly well-charged.
As the new Class 777 trains have a maximum operating speed of 75 mph, I would suspect that the small battery must be able to handle the regenerative braking from 75 mph, which my calculations show is 22.4 kWh with a full train. Let’s call it 30 kWh to have a reserve.
Using Leclanche’s figures, a 30 kWh battery would weigh 500 Kg and have a volume of just under a quarter of a cubic metre (0.222 cubic metre to be exact!)
I suspect the operation of the small battery through a station would be something like this.
- As the train runs from the previous station, the power from the battery will be used by the train, to make sure that there is enough spare capacity in the battery to accommodate the predicted amount of energy generated by regenerative braking.
- Under braking, the regenerative braking energy will be stored in the battery.
- Not all of the kinetic energy of the train will be regenerated, as the process is typically around eighty percent efficient.
- Whilst in the station, the train’s hotel services like air-conditioning, lights and doors, will be run by either the electrification if available or the battery.
- When the train accelerates away, the train’s computer will use the optimal energy source.
The process will repeat, with the battery constantly being charged under braking and discharged under acceleration.
Lithium-ion batteries don’t like this cycling, so I wouldn’t be surprised to see dome other battery or even supercapacitors.
A Trip Between Liverpool and Wrexham Central in A Class 777 Train With A Battery
The train will arrive at Bidston station with 300 kWh in the battery, that has been charged on the loop line under the city.
I will assume that the train is cruising at 50 mph between the twelve stops along the twenty-seven and a half miles to Wrexham Central station.
At each of the twelve stops, the train will use regenerative braking, but it will lose perhaps twenty percent of the kinetic energy. This will be two kWh per stop or 24 kWh in total.
I usually assume that energy usage for hotel functions on the train are calculated using a figure of around three kWh per vehicle mile.
This gives an energy usage of 330 kWh.
But the Class 777 trains have been designed to be very electrically efficient and the train is equivalent in length to a three-car Class 507 train.
So perhaps a the calculation should assume three vehicles not four.
Various usage figures give.
- 3 kWh per vehicle-mile – 247.5 kWh
- 2.5 kWh per vehicle-mile – 206 kWh
- 2 kWh per vehicle-mile – 165 kWh
- 1.5 kWh per vehicle-mile – 123.8 kWh
- 1 kWh per vehicle-mile – 82.5 kWh
Given that station losses between Bidston and Wrexham Central could be around 24 kWh, it looks like the following could be possible.
- With a consumption of 3 kWh per vehicle-mile, a Class 777 train could handle the route, but would need a charging station at Wrexham Central.
- If energy consumption on the train could be cut to 1.5 kWh per vehicle-mile, then a round trip would be possible.
It should also be noted that trains seem to do a very quick stop at Wrexham Central station of just a couple of minutes.
So if charging were to be introduced, there would need to be a longer stop of perhaps eight to ten minutes.
But the mathematics are telling me the following.
- The Class 777 train has been designed to weigh the same empty as a current Class 507 train, despite carrying a five tonne battery.
- If power consumption can be kept low, a Class 777 train with a battery can perform a round trip from Liverpool to Wrexham Central, without charging except on the electrified section of line between Liverpool and Bidston.
- Extra stops would probably be possible, as each would consume about 2 kWh
I feel that these trains have been designed around Liverpool to Wrexham Central.
Conclusion
Wrexham Central here we come!
Other routes are possible.
- Hunts Cross and Manchester Oxford Road – 27 miles
- Ormskirk and Preston – 15 miles
- Headbolt Lane and Skelmersdale – 6 miles
- Ellesmere Port and Helsby – 5 miles
- Kirkby and Wigan Wallgate – 12 miles
Chargers will not be needed at the far terminals.
Thoughts On Very Light Rail
The article on Railway Gazette International, which is entitled Very Light Rail Research On Track, a list of thirty-five rail lines, that could use the technology are given.
These are some of my thoughts.
Multiple Working
These are some examples of branch lines, where very light rail my be used.
- Cromer to Sheringham – 226,000
- Liskeard to Looe – 118,000
- St Erth to St Ives – 750,000
- Twyford to Henley-on-Thames – 771,000
- Maidenhead to Marlow – 300,000
- Slough to Windsor & Eton Central – 2,024,000
- Watford to St Albans Abbey – 167,000
Note.
- The first station is on the main line and the second is the terminus of the branch line.
- The figure is the number of passengers, who used the terminal station in 2018-2019
The numbers have quite a range and I’m sure that a single eighteen metre vehicle carrying 56 seated and 60 standing passengers, will not be big enough, even if it runs at a frequency of four trains per hour (tph) on some routes.
So I am convinced that the vehicles must be able to work in multiple.
One picture on this page on the Transport Design International web site, shows the vehicle with a coupler.
Increasing Passenger Numbers, Festivals And Sporting Events
Forecasting passenger numbers on a new rail service, is a very inexact science. I talk about London Overground Syndrome, which seems to occur regularly.
There are also the problems of festivals and sporting events of various kinds, where perhaps for a week or so traffic is much higher.
Extra very light rail vehicles can be added to the trains as required or even drafted in at times of high demand.
Automatic Coupling And Uncoupling
They must also be able to couple and uncouple quickly and automatically, as needs vary throughout the day and to rescue a stranded unit.
Transit Mode
Suppose a large event, like say the Open Golf was taking place near a station with an inadequate train service and for the duration of the event, a dozen very light rail vehicles were to be running a shuttle to the nearest major rail hub.
A method must be developed to bring the vehicles to the event. I suspect Rail Operations Group, who are the experts in rolling stock movements would have a simple solution, perhaps by using a diesel locomotive to tow them to and from central warm storage.
It could probably be argued, that a capability to build temporary stations is needed.
Automation
These very light rail vehicles are prime candidates for automation.
I can envisage a lot of routes being run automatically, with the driver in a supervisory role, very much as the Victoria Line has been run since it opened in 1968.
- At each station, when they had ascertained that the passengers had all left and boarded the train safely, they would close the doors and activate a control to start the vehicle.
- It would then move to the next station and stop in the right place.
- The doors would then be opened automatically or by action of the crew.
Dear old Vicky has been doing this for over fifty years!
I also think, that with automation and CCTV, a system could be devised, where the driver stays in one cab all the time.
This would speed up operations.
Procedures For Running On Shared Tracks With Freight, Private And Heritage Railways
These suggested routes for very light rail are either freight, private or heritage railways.
- Bodmin Parkway to Bodmin General
- Kidderminster to Stourport
- Ashington to Blyth
- Sheffield to Stocksbridge
- Paignton to Brixham
- Totton to Hythe
I’m sure procedures can be devised, so that all traffic can run safely.
Old And New At Ipswich
I took these pictures at Ipswich, yesterday.
There seemed to be a lot of old Class 86 locomotives and new Class 755 trains around.
First Time On A Saturday
Yesterday, after a dreadful match at Ipswich, I came back to London in a new Class 745 train.
I have a feeling, this was the first time that the trains have been running with passengers on a Saturday.
They really are seriously good trains!
I shall be interested to see how the number of passengers increase between London and Norwich via Chelmsford, Colchester and Ipswich.
Economics Of Very Light Rail Between Cromer And Sheringham
In Very Light Rail Research On Track, I reviewed an article of the same name on Railway Gazzette International.
The article ,mentioned that the route between Cromer and Sheringham stations could be run by very light rail vehicles.
Very Light Rail Vehicles
Very Light Rail vehicles are defined as weighing less than a tonne per linear metre.
- Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG) found the most efficient propulsion system, was diesel-electric hybrid with battery storage. Was it nicked from an LEVC taxi?
- An eighteen metre long vehicle will hold 56 seating and 60 standing passengers.
- Will turn round times at the end of a shuttle route be reduced to perhaps two minutes as the driver only has to walk eighteen metres?
- The article doesn’t give any speed estimates for very light rail vehicles. But I suspect 50-60 mph would be possible, as this is the operating speed of a Class 399 tram-train and very much the speed of typical single-decker buses.
If seated passengers weigh 90 kilograms with baggage, bikes and buggies and standing passengers perhaps 75 kilograms, this gives a vehicle weight of around 27.5 tonnes.
I estimate that a three-car Class 755 train, with the same passenger load would weigh around 108 tonnes or about 98 tonnes empty, which is about a tonne and a half per linear metre. A single-car Class 153 train is about 1.8 tonnes per linear metre.
Very light rail vehicles appear to be considerably lighter.
Cromer And Sheringham Line
This section of the Bittern Line can be considered a branch of the main section of the line, which links Norwich and Cromer stations.
- It is single-track.
- There is a simple cross-over outside Cromer station
- It is just over 3.5 miles long.
- Sheringham station is a single platform, that has recently been extended to take four-car Class 755 trains.
- The only intermediate station is West Runton, which is a single platform.
- Cromer station has two platforms.
- Trains take eight minutes to go between Sheringham and Cromer stations.
- The average speed of the train between Sheringham and Cromer is just 26 mph.
- The maximum speed of the route is given in Wikipedia as 75 mph. As it is fairly straight it could probably be improved.
As four trains per hour (tph) between Cromer and Sheringham would take a total of 64 minutes, it would seem to be impossible to run such a schedule with current trains, given that the driver would have to change ends eight times in an hour.
Cromer Station
This Google Map shows the two-platform Cromer station.
Note the Northern platform, which is directly connected to the route to Sheringham.
A Split Service
Operation of a split service could be as follows.
- A shuttle using the Northern platform 2 to Sheringham via West Runton.
- A service to Norwich using the Southern platform 1.
I suspect to save signalling costs, that the Sheringham service could be run for most of the time under the principle of one-train on the line.
Could Four tph Run Between Cromer And Sheringham?
I suspect that a driver in running shoes could squeeze four tph out of a three-car Class 755 train.
Consider.
- Three-car trains would save 160 metres of walking over four-car trains.
- The Class 755 trains are designed for quick stops and have fast acceleration.
- Versions of the trains are to be fitted with batteries.
- Two crew working together with some automation might mean that the driver doesn’t have to change ends.
- Three tph would be easier, as it would give more time for the driver to change ends.
- Automation with the crew having an override could surely be used.
I don’t believe it would be impossible for a system of operation for this shuttle to be run using a Class 755 train.
Certainly, three tph is easier, but four tph is much more passenger friendly.
Could Two tph Run Between Cromer And Norwich?
Currently, trains take fifty-seven minutes between Norwich and Sheringham, which means that two tph would be very complicated, but not impossible.
Running the Cromer and Sheringham section independently, would mean that the time between Cromer and Norwich could be as low as forty-six minutes.
For a start, this means that a single train could work an hourly service between Cromer and Norwich.
It probable means that two trains could run a two tph service, provided that they could pass at a suitable place, where there are two tracks, as at North Walsham or to the South of Hoverton & Wroxham station.
Possible Service Patterns
I think the ideal service pattern would be something like this.
- Two tph between Cromer and Norwich.
- Three or four tph between Cromer and Sheringhan.
Currently, there is an hourly service along the whole route, which needs two trains to operate.
Two tph to and from Norwich and a shuttle would only need one extra train.
Savings With Very Light Rail
There are various ways cost savings can be made.
Cost Of The Vehicle
Leasing a single very light rail vehicle will be much less than leasing even an ancient one-car Class 153 train.
Obviously, for a reliable service, a spare will be needed, if a company had several routes that could be developed using very light rail, then the spare could be shared.
It looks like Greater Anglia are also thinking about other routes, so this may be an economic proposition.
One Train On Line Operation
Cromer and Sheringham could be run with a single train shuttling between the two stations and the points set, so that no other train could use the track.
This must surely reduce signalling costs.
Track Access Charges
Lighter trains have lower track access charges.
This could be a substantial saving, especially if there were four tph in both directions.
Cost Of New Infrastructure
Some routes that will be proposed for very light rail operation will need bridges and embankments to be built.
If the maximum weight of the vehicle is lower, this must surely reduce costs, as lighter structures could be used.
Fast Turnround Times
One of the limiting factors in providing frequent services over a short branch line is the time it takes to turn the train at each end of the route.
But in a very light rail vehicle, which is only eighteen metres long, the driver can probably change cabs in under two minutes, which is of the order of the time it takes to load and unload the train with passengers.
The only high frequency shuttle service over a short route in the UK is the one between Stourbridge Junction and Stourbridge Town stations.
- The route is just 0.8 of a mile long.
- It is served by Class 139 trains, which are just 8.7 metres long and can carry 20–25 seated, 30–35 standing passengers.
- Trains run every ten minutes
- The turnround time appears to be about two minutes
It is reputed to be the shortest operational branch line in Europe.
I can’t see why, that in a well-designed very light rail vehicle that is only twice the length of a Class 139 train, that the turnround time could not be the same time of two minutes.
It probably can’t be any shorter, in case several people turn up in wheel-chairs at the same time.
If we look at the Cromer and Sheringham route, I can see the following timing being possible for a well-designed shuttle train on the route.
- Cromer to West Runton – two minutes
- Stop at West Runton – one minute
- West Runton to Sheringham – two minutes
- Turnround at Sheringham – two minutes
- Sherington to West Runton – two minutes
- Stop at West Runton – one minute
- West Runton to Cromer – – two minutes
- Turnround at Cromer – two minutes
Note.
- The round trip would take fourteen minutes.
- I have assumed that the train is running at around 50-60 mph.
- The West Runton stop could be by request.
- There is only one train on the route at all times.
The round trip could be scheduled at four tph.
It must surely be an affordable way to provide a service.
I would also do the following.
- As at Stourbridge have a second train on standby, to guarantee a reliable service, rescue a failed train and perhaps double the capacity at busy times.
- Services between Cromer and Sheringham would be free.
- Cromer, West Runton and Sheringham would be part of a group called Cromer stations, like Birmingham stations and Manchester station. So to book to any of the stations, you’d buy a ticket to Cromer stations.
If the latter ideas didn’t attract passengers then nothing would.
Greater Anglia would get their revenue on the onward services from Cromer.
Could The Cromer And Sheringham Shuttle Be Extended To Holt?
If the train crosses the level crossing at Sheringham station, the track extends all the way to Holt on the North Norfolk Railway.
This Google Map shows the two stations at Sheringham on either side of the level crossing.
The National Rail station is on the East side, with the heritage railway on the West.
Some heritage railways are certified to be able to run scheduled services to and from the main rail network.
This may even be possible here, to allow a service between Cromer and Holt.
Although the North Norfolk Railway seem to run a frequent timetable, I’m sure if there was the necessary coming together, that a service that was beneficial to all parties could be arranged.
Conclusion
Very light rail could be very exciting!
World’s Largest Green Hydrogen Plant Begins Operation In Austria
The title of this post is the same as that of this article on Recharge.
This is the subtitle, which says it all.
The 6MW facility in Linz, running Siemens electrolysers, will provide clean H2 for steel production.
Steel-making is a large source of carbon-dioxide emissions and this is said about how hydrogen can be used in the process.
In light of global climate targets, Voestalpine is currently investigating the practicality of a hybrid technology to bridge between the existing coke/coal-based blast furnace route and electric arc furnaces powered with green electricity partly generated using green hydrogen,” says Voestalpine. “If economically feasible, from today’s perspective this option would reduce the group’s CO2 emissions by around a third sometime between 2030 and 2035.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see steel-makers beat that target, especially as renewable energy production and hydrogen electrolyser capacity increases.
The article also details two other large green hydrogen production electrolysers.
A 10MW PEM electrolysis plant, REFHYNE, is under construction at Shell’s Rheinland refinery in Wesseling, Germany, and is due to be completed in the second half of 2020, while a 30MW pilot — part of a 700MW project — is expected to be up and running in northwest Germany by 2025.
There’s more about REFHYNE on their web site.
This is the introduction on the web site.
The REFHYNE project is at the forefront of the effort to supply Clean Refinery Hydrogen for Europe. The project is funded by the European Commission’s Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (FCH JU) and will install and operate the world’s largest hydrogen electrolyser the Shell Rhineland Refinery in Wesseling, Germany.
The plant will be operated by Shell and manufactured by ITM Power. The electrolyser has a peak capacity of 10 MW (megawatts) and will be able to produce approximately 1,300 tonnes of hydrogen per year. This decarbonised hydrogen can be fully integrated into refinery processes including the desulphurisation of conventional fuels
Hydrogen is coming.
It could be coming in a big way to the UK, as we have the capability to generate gigawatts of off-shore wind power and ITM Power have the world’s largest PEM electrolyser factory in Rotherham.
Very Light Rail Research On Track
The title of this post is the same as that of this article on Railway Gazette International.
It details the progress on very light rail, which is defined as a vehicle with a weight of less than one tonne per linear metre.
It is a thorough article and very much a must-read.
It also details thirty-five rail routes in the UK and several cities, where the technology could be employed.
Some of the routes mentioned include, ones that I’ve covered on this blog, including.
- Cromer – Sheringham – Part of Greater Anglia
- Saxmundham – Aldeburgh – Part of Greater Anglia
- Coventry – Nuneaton – Part of West Midlands
- Liskeard – Looe – Part of Great Western
- Plymouth – Tavistock – Part of Great Western
- St Erth – St Ives – Part of Great Western
- Henley-on-Thames – Twyford – Part of Great Western
- Maidenhead – Marlow – Part of Great Western
- Slough – Windsor & Eton Central – Part of Great Western
- Truro – Falmouth- Part of Great Western
- Watford – St Albans Abbey – Part of London Midland
- Ashington – Blyth
- Fleetwood – Poulton-le-Fylde
Note.
- On reading the full list, I wondered why Greenfood – West Ealing and Southall – Brentford weren’t included, but it’s probably because freight uses the lines.
- I particularly like the inclusion of Saxmundham – Aldeburgh and Watford Junction – St. Albans Abbey.
You can understand why the rail leasing company; Eversholt, has got involved, as they must see quite a few possible sales.
There is more information on the concept call Revolution on this page on the Transport Design International web site.
Some points that can be gleaned from this page.
- One picture shows a coupler on the front of the vehicle. So can they work in multiple?
- Vehicles will have low axle weights (around 4 tonnes),
- Self-powered vehicles, with energy recovery and storage systems as standard,
- Reduced infrastructure costs for installation, operation and maintenance.
The consortium is also aiming for a sub million pound price tag.
Conclusion
It is a bold plan, which is backed by some large companies and organisations with deep pockets.
Digital Displacement Project On Track To Reduce Rail Emissions
The title of this post is the same as that of this article on Rail Technology Magazine.
This is the introduction paragraph.
With challenging targets to radically reduce railway CO2 emissions, Artemis Intelligent Power is looking at the potential of Digital Displacement® hydraulics as a novel route to lower emissions for freight locomotives, shunters and on-track plant.
Artemis Intelligent Power are an Edinburgh-based company, who are owned by Misubishi and claim they are global leaders in digital displacement technology.
The company has a section on their technology on their web site.
Effectively, they have designed a very efficient computer controlled hydraulic pump. When used in an application, there is often a fuel saving of several percent.
Tyne And Wear Metro: Swiss Firm Stadler To Build New Fleet
The title of this post is the same as that of this article on the BBC.
This is the introductory paragraph.
Swiss firm Stadler has won a £362m contract to build a new fleet of trains for the Tyne and Wear Metro.
And this is one of Stadler’s visualisations of the trains for the Tyne and Wear Metro (T & W).
Compare this with a Stadler picture of a Class 777 train, that will soon be appearing on Merseyrail in Liverpool.
They would appear to be two very similar trains.
- The same headlights and stylised M on the front.
- One pair of double passenger doors in the first car.
- Both new trains are articulated with four sections.
- Train widths are Merseyrail Old – 2.82 metres, T & W Old – 2.65 metres and Merseyrail New – 2.82 metres.
- The Merseyrail trains have a 75 mph operating speed and the T & W trains have one of only 50 mph.
The T & W trains have a pantograph and overhead electrification and the Merseyrail trains use third-rail electrification.
More Details On The Tyne And Wear Trains
This page on the NEXUS web site is entitled Nexus Unveils £362m New Tyne And Wear Metro Trains.
This is two paragraphs.
The new trains will cut Metro’s high voltage power consumption by 30% while providing 15 times better reliability than the current fleet. Metro’s 36 million passengers will benefit from modern features including wifi, charging points, air conditioning and a step-change in accessibility.
Among new features will be an automatic sliding step at every door of the new trains, making travel easier for Metro’s 50,000 wheelchair passengers as well as people with children’s buggies, luggage or bicycles.
The size of the energy saving, indicates that the trains will probably be using regenerative braking.
As it has been disclosed that the new Merseyrail trains will have a small battery for depot movements, will this also be used to handle the regenerative braking.
More details of the trains will be disclosed in the coming months.
Merseyrail And The Tyne And Wear Metro Are Similar
I have ridden Merseyrail many times and the Tyne and Wear Metro perhaps five times and it is surprising how similar the two systems are.
- They are partly in tunnel.
- There are a range of stations, including both ancient and modern, simple and complex.
- Merseyrail is powered by 750 VDC third rail electrification and T & W by 1500 VDC overhead electrification. The power electronics on the two fleets, won’t be that different.
- Both operators have ambitions to use 25 KVAC overhead electrification to extend services.
- Both operators have ambitions to extend services on lines, that currently have no electrification. Merseyrail want to go to Preston, Skelmersdale, Warrington and Wrexham and T & W want to go to Blyth and Ashington along the Northumberland Line.
It is no surprise to me, that Merseyrail and T & W have chosen to use two versions of the same Stadler train.
Expansion Of The Networks
Both networks are ambitious and it appears to me, that they have ordered a train, that could be used to expand their networks.
Merseyrail
Merseyrail have proposed these expansions at various times.
- Extension of the Northern Line from Ormskirk to Preston
- Extension of the Northern Line from Hunts Cross to Warrington
- Incorporation of the Borderlands Line from Bidston to Wrexham into the Wirral Line as a new branch.
- A new branch of the Northern Line to Skelmersdale via the new station at Headbolt Lane.
- Passenger services on the Canada Dock Branch.
Merseyrail now have the trains to handle this expansion.
- They may need to purchase a few extra trains.
- Some charging points or electrification may be needed.
Note that Bidston and Wrexham is less than thirty miles of unelectrified line, so I suspect that the new trains can handle this range.
Other places within a similar range include.
- Preston from Ormskirk
- Wigan Wallgate from Kirkby
- Manchester Oxford Road from Hunts Cross, via Warrington Central.
- Chester from Liverpool Lime Street via Runcorn, Frodsham and Helsby.
The four terminal stations all have existing bay platforms.
Tyne And Wear Metro
The Tyne And Wear Metro have proposed these expansions at various times.
- Sunderland city centre to Doxford Park
- South Shields to Sunderland
- Washington, either via the disused Leamside line or a new route
But as the Government is funding a study into linking Blyth and Ashington to Newcastle, which I wrote about in £500m Fund To Restore Beeching Rail Cuts Goes Ahead Amid Criticism, I wouldn’t be surprised that this route is developed.
A lot of my comments about expanding the Merseyrail network, can be applied to the T & W.
- They may need to purchase a few extra trains.
- Some charging points or electrification may be needed.
None of the proposed extensions seem particularly long and places like Blyth, Ashington and Washington should be able to be reached on battery power.
Tram-Train Operation
The Wikipedia entry for Merseyrail has a section called tram-trains.
Two possible routes are indicated.
- Liverpool Lime Street to John Lennon Airport, using street-running from Liverpool South Parkway.
- Kings Dock to Edge Hill
I have heard others mentioned.
The Wikipedia entry for the Tyne and Wear Metro also mentions street-running.
Stadler have extensive experience of trams and tram-trains and built the Class 399 tram-trains for the Sheffield Supertram.
Stadler also provided the trains for the unique tram-train system in the German town of Zwickau, where diesel multiples units share the tram tracks to access the town centre.
The picture shows the train at its stop in the centre.
I’m sure Stadler know how to enable street-running with the UK’s smaller trains.
Stadler’s trains, trams and tram trains also seem to have a high degree of articulation and seem to be able to take tight corners with ease.
The picture was taken inside a Class 399 tram-train, as it traversed the tight curve under the M1 motorway, where the tram and the train sections of the route to Rotherham join.
Looking at the pictures of the Class 777 trains, I feel they could be able to take tighter curves than most trains.
The Dead Elephant In The Room
Several local services on Merseyside and in the North East are run by Northern, which is now being taken over the Government.
The Department for Transport, hasn’t disclosed any plans yet, but it is likely that some routes could be handed to Merseyrail and the T & W.
There is a loose precedent for this happening. In North-East London the poorly performing Lea Valley Lines from Liverpool Street to Chingford, Cheshunt and Enfield Town were moved from Greater Anglia to London Overground in 2015. No-one feels they should be returned and there are rumours that more services in the area will move to the London Overground.
So what services could be moved?
Merseyrail
These diesel services could surely be moved to Merseyrail.
- Omrskirk and Preston – 16 miles
- Liverpool Lime Street and Manchester Oxford Road via Warrington Central – 27 miles
The distances are the length of track without electrification.
It could also be argued that Greater Manchester would get its share of the Northern routes, but I can envisage Class 777 trains or similar running the following routes.
- Southport and Manchester Victoria – 27 miles
- Kirkby and Manchester Victoria – 28 miles
As before, the distances are the length of track without electrification, but these could be reduced considerably with electrification from Salford Crescent to Wigan Wallgate.
It should be noted that Greater Manchester has ambitions to run tram-trains to Wigan Wallgate via various routes.
The demise of Northern probably allows these routes to be taken over by Greater Manchester.
- Manchester Piccadilly and Buxton – 16 miles
- Manchester Piccadilly and Hadfield/Glossop – Electrified
- Manchester Victoria and Blackburn – 14 miles
- Manchester Victoria and Clitheroe – 24 miles
- Manchester Victoria and Rochdale – 11 miles
- Manchester Victoria and Stalybridge – 8 miles
- Manchester Victoria and Wigan Wallgate – 10 miles
Again, the distances are the length of track without electrification.
Buxton and Clitheroe could be difficult because of the gradients involved, but as in South Wales, bi-modes might be the solution if the routes were run back-to-back.
This simple analysis shows how Northern’s demise will ask questions all over the North.
Tyne And Wear Metro
These diesel services could surely be moved to the T & W.
- Newcastle and Morpeth – Electrified
- Newcastle and Chathill- Electrified
I also think, that these services could be restructured, if the Blyth and Ashington routes are developed for the T & W.
The trains could also reach to Hexham, which is just 22 miles from electrification.
Middlesbrough is probably too far, as the station is thirty five miles from the electrification at Sunderland.
But electrification of the Durham Coast Line would allow the T & W Metro to serve the new station at Howden and reach Middlesbrough and possibly Nunthorpe.
Conclusion
I can see both Merseyrail and the Tyne and Wear Metro significantly extending their networks in the next few years.
The new trains, with their batteries and dual-voltage capability are built for expansion.
Tram-train or street running will help.
Several important new areas are within battery range.
I can also see other cities using similar Stadler technology to create local Metros.
Manchester, Middlesbrough, Preston and Sheffield come to mind.
Using similar technology would surely allow joint services and sharing of knowledge and designs to enable cost savings.
UK Electric Van Maker Arrival Secures £340m Order From UPS
The title of this post is the same as that of this article in the Guardian.
Arrival seem to be doing things differently, so read the Gaurdian article and their entry on Wikipedia.
This is their mission statement from the web site.
Arrival is a technology company, we create Generation 2 Electric Vehicles. Devices on wheels — they outperform legacy technology to deliver an experience like no other, but are priced the same as fossil fuel equivalents.
They must be doing something right, UPS, Hyundai and Kia have all invested in the company.
Here’s a picture from the Arrival web site.
Arrival is one of those companies, that will either make a fortune and annoy a lot of established companies in the field or end up in serious trouble, as the rivals gang up on them.
The Anonymous Widower 