A First Ride In A Class 717 Train
I took my first ride in a Class 717 train today, between Moorgate and Finsbury Park stations.
The interior of the train is very like the Class 700 train.
- Seating is 2 + 2, as opposed to 2 + 3 in the current Class 313 trains.
- A walkthrough interior with a wide aisle
- There is wi-fi and power sockets.
- The colour scheme is rather grey.
They are a functional train, rather than a design classic.
I think that some will not like the seats.
- One Class 717 train has 362 seats, whereas two current Class 313 trains will have 462 seats.
- The seats are hard and not particularly comfortable.
- There are no seat-back tables or cup holders.
On the other hand, there is a lot of standing space, so those with sensitive bottoms can easily stand.
Competition From Greater Anglia And The London Overground
Some of Great Northern’s passengers have a choice of route to the centre of London.
Greater Anglia also has a service to the other side of Hertford and this year, the company will be introducing new Class 720 trains.
This article on Railway Gazette is entitled No ‘Ironing Board’ Seats, Greater Anglia Promises.
If they keep their promises, will those that can, change their route to London?
London Overground is also running new Class 710 trains, through Enfield. These trains use longitudinal seating, so won’t be to everyone’s taste, but it will be interesting to see if they increase ridership when they replace the elderly Class 315 trains.
The Class 710 trains will be Transport for London’s fourth train with longitudinal seating, following the S Stock for the Sub-Surface Lines, the Class 345 train for Crossrail and the Class 378 trains for the Overground, so hopefully the new trains will be well-designed.
I travel regularly in S Stock, Class 345 and Class 378 trains and find them preferable to both the Class 700 and Class 717 trains.
Could it be because?
- You can stretch your legs into the aisle.
- You have arm-rests.
- The seat backs have a better profile.
- TfL use jollier colours.
- TfL always uses quality seat covers and has done for decades. I’ve never seen plastic seats on a tube train or bus in London.,
- Passengers opposite are some distance away, so you have your own space.
- London’s deep Underground lines have persuaded passengers that longitudinal seating is OK
To try to solve the problem, I went for a ride in a Class 378 train between Harringay Green Lanes and Barking stations. Passengers were observed to do the following, when sitting in the longitudinal seats..
- Put their bags on the floor between their legs or on their laps.
- Slump back in the seats , often with their head resting on the window or the frame of the train.
- Put their legs out in front, although several had their legs crossed.
All looked to be comfortable.
One thing that is missing is a USB charging point in the armrest.
Shown is the seat on a Class 230 train.
Uncomfortable seats are to my mind, a good way to upset customers.
These are longitudinal seats on a Class 378 train on the Overground.
The Class 230 train charging points could surely be added.
How would London’s bottoms respond to these seats on a similar route in Valencia?
They make the seats on Class 700 and 717 trains appear soft!
Conclusion
I used to commute from Kings Cross to Welwyn Garden City. I wouldn’t want to do it every day in these trains.
The Shape Of Things To Come On The Gospel Oark To Barking Line
Since modernisation in 2010, the service on the Gospel Oak To Barking Line has been run using six two-car diesel Class 172 trains.
Today was the first weekday, when one of the diesel trains had been replaced by a four-car electric Class 378 train.
I was able to ride on a Class 378 train between Harringay Green Lanes and Gospel Oak stations. I then doubled back and travelled all the way East to Barking station.
These are a few observations.
Electric Trains
Riding the electric Class 378 trains is a very different experience to riding the diesel Class 172 trains.
- There is a lot less noise and vibration.
- You sit longitudinally in London Undergound fashion, as opposed to transversely.
- There was more capacity in the four cars of the electric train, as opposed to the two-car diesel trains.
I also got the impression that the Class 378 trains accelerated faster and cruised at a higher speed, than the Class 172 trains. I will check this out.
Train Capacity
I said in the previous section, that physical capacity is doubled from two to four cars.
- I actually went from Harringay Green Lanes to Gospel Oak twice in the morning Peak; once in a Class 172 and once in a Class 378.
- The former was jam-packed and the second was very comfortable, with only a few stansdees.
- The Class 172 train has 120 seats in a 47 metre train, which works out as 2.6 seats per metre.
- The Class 378 train has 136 seats in a 80 metre train, which works out at 1.7 seats per metre.
The lower seat density and the wide central isle, probably explains, why the electric train was more comfortable.
Note that in a few months, the Class 378 trains will be replaced with Class 710 trains, which will likely have a similar passenger capacity to the Class 378 trains.
So the capacity and passenger ambience of the Class 378 trains can probably be read across to the internally-similar Class 710 trains.
Platform Length Issues
I did my usual trick of riding in the last car and looking at where the end of the train came on the platform.
The line has been built, so that all platforms fit the standard British Rail four-car length of eighty metres, which applies to both four-car Class 378 and Class 710 trains.
The Possibilities Of Five-Car Trains
London Overground run five-car trains through four-car stations at Shadwell, Wapping, Rotherhithe and Canada Water on the East London Line, by allowing the last car to overhang the platform.
They get away with it without any trouble because.
- The Class 378 trains have selective door opening and a walk-through interior, with large lobbies.
- The announcements on the train are high-quality and advise passengers in the last car to move forward at short platforms.
- East Enders quickly learn how to get in and out of the train with little fuss
So could five-car trains be run the Gospel Oak to Barking Line?
- Barking station has a long platform.
- Some stations like Woodgrange Park, Wanstead Park, Leytonstone High Road, Leyton Midland Road and Upper Holloway originally had longer platforms and these could probably be extended.
- Other stations like Gospel Oak, South Tottenham and Blackhorse Road are probably at maximum length and would use selective door opening.
I suspect that if the demand needed the extra capacity, that the new trains could be lengthened from four to five cars, which would give a twenty-five percent increase in capacity.
Typical Passengers
I have a feeling that the Gospel Oak to Barking Line doesn’t have well-defined typical passengers, like a lot of routes do.
Using the train in the Peak, you notice that many passengers just hopped a couple of stops on the line.
One guy was going from Harringay Green Lanes to Shoreditch High Street, with changes at Gospel Oak and Canonbury.
This journey is probably a reflection on the badly-designed bus routes in the area it serves.
Gospel Oak To Barking Line Connectivity
The line is well-connected to the Underground, especially if you are up for a ten-minute walk.
- District and Hammersmith & City Lines at Barking
- Crossrail at Wanstead Park
- Victoria Line at Blackhorse Road
- Piccadilly Line at Harringay Green Lanes
- Northern Line at Upper Holloway
- North London Line at Gospel Oak
There are also good connections to North-South buses at several stations.
Will Electric Trains Attract More Passengers?
I suspect London Overground will be looking at the passenger statistics on the route with considerable interest, during the period, when some trains are two-car diesels and the others are four-car electrics.
This may well give the answer to my question.
I have a feeling that the reduced crowding on the route will mean that more passengers are attracted.
The new Class 710 trains will have wi-fi and USB charging points, so I wonder how many passengers this will attract.
But as I said earlier, a twenty-five percent increase in capacity may be possible by adding another car to the trains.
Conclusion
I have a very strong feeling that the upgrade to the Gospel Oak to Barking Line and the new electric trains, will change North-East London for the better.
As the London Overground lines to Cheshunt, Chingford and Enfield Town are also getting new trains, I would suspect that the effects will be bigger and more widespread than anybody has predicted.
- Trains will get crowded.
- New stations will be added to the network.
- Existing stations will be upgraded with step-free access
We could even see a serious outbreak of London Overground Syndrome.
Future Additions
These are projects that will or could happen along the Gospel Oak to Barking Line.
- Extension to the new Barking Riverside station.
- Five trains per hour in the Peak
- A new station at Cann Hall.
- A direct link between Walthamstow Queens Road and Walthamsow Central stations, when the latter is upgraded.
- South Tottenham station will be on Crossrail 2 and could be on a future Enfield Town-Stratford service.
- Harringay Green Lanes station could be connected to the Piccadilly Line underneath.
- Reopening of Junction Road station with a link to the Northern Line.
At present only the first two will happen.
Severn Toll Change
The title of this post is the same as that of a short article in the February 2019 Edition of Modern Railways.
This is the first paragraph.
There are concerns that the removal of toll charges on the M4 Severn Crossings on 17 December could result in a loss of rail freight traffic to road. The toll, for westbund vehicles only, was £16.70 per Heavy Goods Vehicle last year. It had been reduced from £20 in January 2018, when VAT ceased to be levied because the motorway bridges had passed from private to public ownership.
It now appears that it is now cheaper to get wine from Felixstowe to a warehouse in Avonmouth, by using a train to Cardiff and then using trucks, than by using a train to Bristol and a shorter truck journey.
Surely, the longer journeys by both diesel truck and probably diesel train, creates more carbon dioxide.
Obviously, the UK and Welsh Governments didn’t assess the carbon emission consequences of abolishing the tolls on the Severn Bridges.
I also wonder, if more people will now drive between South Wales and England, because of the incentive of a toll-free crossing, which will further increase carbon-dioxide emissions.
Network Rail Are Treating Norwich And Ipswich Fans With Contempt
Over the last few years, I have gone to perhaps half-a-dozen Ipswich-Norwich Derbies.
Last season, I didn’t get to either match, as Network Rail, thought that these days were ideal to do engineering work on the Great Eastern Main Line.
As if, there hasn’t been enough in the time since I’ve moved to London in 2010.
Normally, I would have bought a ticket for the match on February 10th in Norwich at 12:00 in the morning.
But I have just looked up the train times to get there for a match start at that time on a Sunday.
The only service leaves Liverpool Street at 07:08 and arrives in Norwich at 10:12! It also involves an hour on a bus. I would probably arrive back home at around seven in the evening.
I have other things to do, like getting something to eat and as a coeliac, I can’t just pop into the average take-away, unless I wanted to spend another three hours sitting on the toilet.
Why is there no liaison between Network Rail and the two football clubs, so that essential work is done on less important days?
To make things worse, on Saturday the 2nd, they’re getting the buses out again. So that’s another match I’ll miss!
This season it has been easier to watch Away matches than Home ones.
When are Network Rail going to stop treating regular travellers with such downright contempt?
Rail Operations Group Gets Serious About Thunderbirds Etc.
The February 2019 Edition of Modern Railways has an article entitled Class 93 Tri-Oomph!, which has been written by Ian Walmsley.
This is the first paragraph.
Rail Operations Group has become known for the efficient haulage of EMUs around the country using very clever tranlation devices built into Europhenix converted Class 37 kicos. As I described in the March 2016 issue (“Lost in translation”) it looked at tens of millions of pounds worth of EMUs being dragged around unbraked, thought ‘this can’t be right’, and proceeded to make 50-year-old locomotives operate with state-of-the-art computer kit.
Rail Operations Group (ROG) had employed classicdisruptive innovation to create a new market, that was to everybody’s benefit.
As Ian reports, the company has grown a lot in the last few years and now does a lot more than just move new trains around.
- Old trains are also moved.
- Old trains are also stored safely.
- Operations are all planned as a consultancy.
The company is already planning their next operational niche.
A Move Into Logistics
ROG is moving into logistics.
Ian talks about the inefficiency and polluting distribution system using trucks, that add to traffic congestion.
He talks about rail being a better way and then says this.
The difference with ROG is that the company is going to invest in two Class 769 (bi-mode 319s’) converted for parcel use, and while these are not my favourite trains, parcels are a lot less fussy than me about how long they take to get to top speed.
Using 769s’ means that your hubs can be almost anywhere; not necessarily on a 25 KVAC electrified siding, just close to a road system interchange area.
So what happens, if they don’t get a customer? The Class 769 trains will be delivered with seats, so they could be sub-leased for passenger use.
I wrote The Go-Anywhere Express Parcel And Pallet Carrier (HSPT) in May 2017, where I discussed the uses for this type of parcel carrier. This was my conclusion.
There is definitely a market for a HSPT.
If it does come about, it will be yet another tribute to the magnificent Mark 3 design!
As to the secondary use of these trains as passenger trains, there is nothing wrong with that. After all, we’ve all had our fill of the dreaded Rail Replacement Buses.
In Gospel Oak-Barking Fleet Plan Remains Unclear, I talked about the problems caused by late delivery of the new Class 710 trains.
The problem would have been eased, if two Class 769 trains in good condition could have been called up at a couple of days notice.
Surely, there are other applications.
- I suspect that given the number of level-crossing accidents in the UK, they will find a lot of use.
- I don’t think Porterbrook will mind, if ROG effectively offered a try-before-buy service to train operators.
- There must also be a market for pop-up rail services to large sporting and cultural events.
Again, it appears ROG have found a niche and have invested in it.
Before leaving the subject of Class 769 trains, I must mention Brexit.
Could the trains find a use in a no-deal Brexit-world moving high-value freight from ports and airports to inland distribution centres?
Thoughts On The Class 93 Locomotive
These are some thoughts from the article.
Available Power
Ian starts by saying this about the operation of the Class 93 locomotive.
Apart from the obvious electric (4,000kW) and diesel (900kW), the third mode is a Lithium Titanate Oxide (LTO) battery (400kW), which can be used in conjunction with the diesel to give a power boost up to 1,300kW or 1,743hp in old money.
The extra oomph from the battery takes you from a Class 33 to a Class 37 in old locos but with minimal losses, and you don’t need full power for very long on most non-electrified routes.
I suspect there’s a clever control system, that optimises the use of the battery.
The Ultimate Thunderbird
The locomotive appears to have a unique feature of a variable height coupler, which enables it to haul rolling stock with all the five standard heights of coupler, that exist on UK railways.
How did this madness occur?
But as the locomotive can deal with them all, Ian argues that the Class 93 locomotive could be the ultimate Thunderbird or rescue locomotive.
Moving Trains In The Future
Ian argues that ROC’s collection of locomotives used for moving new and replaced trains is getting older and will soon be difficult to service.
The Class 93 locomotives would be ideal for this role.
But Ian sees this very much as a fallback position, if the locomotives do not find innovative new uses.
Ian finishes with this paragraph.
When we first saw Dr. Beeching’s new Freightliners(now ‘intermodal’) in the 1960s, they did 75 mph. They still do, but there are some really smart looking 100 mph flats available. Remember the path-ology. There are plenty of cross-country runs where a Class 37 equivalent is fine for the diesel bits, then pan up and 4,000kW is yours. Come on. Not excited by this? You must be in the wrong job.
As an example some freight trains go between Felixstowe and Birmingham, Liverpool or Manchester using the North London Line.
They are hauled all the way by a Class 66 diesel.
Put the containers on the smart looking 100 mph flats with a Class 93 locomotive on the front and the following happens.
- The locomotive uses diesel between Felixstowe and Ipswich, with possibly some battery boost.
- The locomotive uses electric power for most of the journey.
- The locomotive might use diesel power at the destination for a short distance.
- On the double-track 100 mph Great Eastern Main Line, the operating speed will not be far off the new Class 745 and Class 720 trains.
- On the North London Line, the train will pass through some of the smartest parts of North London with lower levels of noise, vibration and pollution.
- On the West Coast Main Line, the train will be able to mix it with the new Class 730 trains on the slow lines.
Greater Anglia have the trains to run more services between London and Ipswich.
How many more could they squeeze in, if all freight trains had a similar performance to their express services?
Consider now, freight trains taking the cross-country route from Felixstowe to the North and Midlands via Peterborough.
- With track improvements at Haughley and doubling of the line between Kennett and Ely, I suspect that timings on the flat lands of East Anglia using hybrid power would be approaching those of Class 66 locomotive-hauled stock.
- With a faster cruise on the East Coast Main Line, would the trains take the direct route on the slow lines, rather than the diversion through Lincoln?
The Class 93 locomotive could be the ultimate Felixstowe Flyer.
Could it also be the freight locomotive that passenger train operators want reight operators to use, as it keeps freight trains out of the way of passenger ones?
Grayling Declares Government Will Not ‘Betray People In The Midlands And The North’ And Will Deliver HS2 In Full
The title of this post is the same as that of this article on Rail Technology Magazine.
There has been talk recently of cutting back High Speed Two.
Grayling has stated that this Government won’t do that.
I meet people, who think that High Speed Two is a waste of money.
Usually, they fit into one of the following categories.
- Nimbys
- People who always drive.
- Those that wouldn’t use a train, bus or tram if it was free.
I also think that most of the reasons people are against High Speed Two are for personal selfish reasons.
So why should High Speed Two be built?
Overwhelmingly, it is about greater capacity between the North and South of this country for freight and passengers.
Although, High Speed Two will not carry freight, it will free up capacity on the West and East Coast Main Lines, to allow more freight on these routes.
Could A Class 399 Tram-Train With Batteries Go Between Manchester Victoria And Rochdale/Bury Bolton Street/Rawtenstall Stations?
In Rossendale Reopening Prospect, I looked at a proposal to run a new service between Manchester Victoria and Bury Bolton Street stations.
Could this route be run by a Class 399 tram-train with a battery capability?
These tram-trains would be very similar to the Stadler Citylink Metro Vehicles, that have been specified for the South Wales Metro.
- Wikipedia gives the weight of the vehicle as 66 tonnes.
- Manchester Victoria has an altitude of 44 metres
- Bury has an altitude of 100 metres.
- Rochdale has an altitude of 137 metres.
- Rawtenstall has an altitude of 174 metres.
- I will assume 200 passengers at 90 Kg. each, which gives a weight of 12 tonnes.
Using Omni’s Potential Energy Calculator gives the following.
- Manchester Victoria to Bury Bolton Street has an increase in potential energy of 12 kWh.
- Manchester Victoria to Rochdale has an increase in potential energy of 20 kWh.
- Manchester Victoria to Rawtenstall has an increase in potential energy of 28 kWh.
When you consider that a Class 230 train has 400 kWh of batteries in a two-car train, I don’t think that there will be any problem fitting batteries big enough to take a Class 399 tram-train from Manchester Victoria to Bury Bolton Street, Rochdale or Rawstenstall stations under battery power with a full load of passengers.
- The batteries would be charged in Manchester Victoria station.
- Returning to Manchester Victoria station would use a small amount of battery power, with some assistance from Newton’s friend; gravity.
- The batteries would get a certain amount of charge from the regenerative braking of the tram-trains.
This Google Map shows the Eastern approaches into Manchester Victoria station.
Note.
- The four through platforms numbered 3 to 6.
- The two bay platforms numbered 1 and 2.
- The four platform faces and three tracks of the Metrolink.
Having seen several tram-train systems all over Europe, I believe it would be possible to connect tram-trains running on batteries on the Calder Valley Line to the Manchester Metrolink at Manchester Victoria station.
- Going from Manchester to Bury Bolton Street, Rochdale or Rawtenstall, the tram-train would stop in the Manchester Victoria tram-stop, drop the pantograph and then continue on its way under battery power.
- Returning from the North, the tram-train would stop in the Manchester Victoria tram-stop, raise the pantograph and then continue on its way using power from the overhead wires.
- Batteries would be charged whilst running through Manchester.
There couldn’t be too many tram-train systems that would be easier to build than this?
It is interesting to note that Hebden Bridge station is just twenty-three miles from Manchester Victoria station and has an altitude of 190 metres.
So would it be possible for a Class 399 tram-train to reach Hebden Bridge station on battery power? I very much think it would be!
Class 399 Tram-Trains And Class 156 Trains
Class 156 trains are one of the better workhorses of the railways in the North and despite their age, they scrub up well.
If their performance is compared to that of a Class 399 tram-train, they are not that different.
- Noise and vibration of the electric tram-train is obviously much lower.
- The modern interior of the tram-train is geared to the needs of passengers.
- Passenger capacity of the two vehicles is also about the same.
- In Karlsruhe, tram-trains travel for up to 100 miles from the centre of the city.
Both Karlsruhe and Sheffield use three-car tram-trains, but Valencia uses much longer ones, so on heavily-used routes larger tram-trains could be used.
I doubt there would be many complaints, if a Class 156 service were to be replaced with one run by Class 399 tram-trains.
Electrification Of The Calder Valley Line
Electrifying the Calder Valley Line with 25 KVAC overhead wires as far as Rochdale station, would certainly make running to Hebden Bridge station possible.
- That electrification would also mean that electric trains could be turned-back at Rochdale station, just as diesel trains are now!
- I have flown my helicopter along the route and it looks like of the seven or eight bridges on the route, mostly appear to be modern structures for new roads or motorways.
- As 25 KVAC overhead electrification is currently being erected between Manchester Victoria and Stalybridge, a spur to Rochdale would be very much a simple addition.
It could be a very useful short length of electrification.
Tram-Trains In Manchester
This article on Rail Technology Magazine was puiblished yesterday and is entitled Plans For Tram-Trains In Manchester Unveiled As Grayling And Burnham Mull Expansion Of Metrolink.
Conclusion
Could we see tram-trains running from Bury Bolton Street, Hebden Bridge, Rawtenstall and Rochdale into Manchester Victoria and then taking to the existing tram network?
If you’ve ever been to Karlsruhe, as I have to see the Class 399 tram-trains German cousins, you wouldn’t rule out anything.
That would include tram-train services to Blackburn, Buxton, Chester, Glossop, Hebden Bridge, Sheffield, Southport and Wigan.
A Central Londoner’s View Of Thameslink
The Thameslink route, which runs North-South across London is used by different purposes, by different passengers.
- To many, who live close to its outer reaches it is a commuter railway into London.
- It serves two airports at Gatwick and Luton.
- Londoners use it to explore the delights of the South Coast of England.
But to those who live in Central London like me, it is a useful rail line.
Kings Cross And London Bridge
I regularly use Thameslink for this route, as compared to the Northern Line.
- The trains are more spacious and are generally less crowded.
- It is less walking at Kings Cross.
- The trains are air-conditioned.
- The trains have toilets.
- I have a convenient bus or taxi home from both end stations.
I suspect, I use this route a couple of times a week.
Access To Tate Modern
I like the Tate Modern and the gluten-free egg sandwiches are good.
There is also restaurants in the area; Leon and Carluccio’s for a start, that are good places for lunch or dinner.
So sometimes, I’ll use Thameslink to Blackfriars to visit the Tate Modern and then after my visit, I’ll walk over the Wobbly Bridge and take a bus home.
Thameslink is also an easy way to visit St. Paul’s and in a few years, the new Museum of London will be accessed from Farringdon station.
Access to Gatwick And Luton Airports
I haven’t used Luton Airport in years, as getting there by train is a bit tedious.
But I regularly use Gatwick Airport, usually by getting a bus to and from London Bridge station and then using Thameslink.
West Hampstead Thameslink
West Hampstead station on the Overground has recently been rebuilt and regularly I come home by changing between Thameslink and the Overground.
There is also a Marks & Spencer by the station, which helps too.
The area is becoming a major interchange and if the West London Orbital Railway is created, the Overground will be taking over or adding a platform at West Hampstead Thameslink station.
Does Thameslink Cater For All Passengers?
I say this deliberately, as I think that Thameslink concentrates more on the longer distance and airport passengers, rather than those, who use it as another North-South line across London.
Thameslink Will Run At Rapid Transit Frequencies
In the central core section between Blackfriars and St. Pancras International stations, the trains will run at a frequency of 24 trains per hour (tph) or a train every two and a half minutes.
Trains will run automatically at a frequency, that is higher than many rapid transit systems in the world.
Thameslink Is Part Of London’s Oyster/Contactless Ticketing Zone
From Gatwick Airport in the South to Elstree & Borehamwood and Hadley Wood in the North, Thameslink is part of London’s Oyster/Contactless Ticketing Zone.
In Oyster Card Scheme Extension Agreed, I wrote about how the zone is being extended to Luton Airport Parkway and Welwyn Garden City.
So increasingly, Thameslink will be covered by London’s ticketing, that is increasingly used by residents, commuters and visitors.
Thameslink Has Interchanges With The Underground And Overground
Thameslink has several interchange stations with the Overground and Underground.
These include.
- Blackfriars
- Denmark Hill
- Elephant & Castle
- Farringdon
- Finsbury Park
- Kentish Town
- London Bridge
- Peckham Rye
- St. Pancras Thameslink
- West Hampstead Thameslink
- Wimbledon
In addition East Croydon, Mitcham Junction and Wimbledon are interchanges with Tramlink and Blackfriars and London Bridge are interchanges with the river buses.
Thameslink Is Not On The Tube Map
This is a bone of contention with many! Including myself!
According to the Wikipedia entry for the Tube Map, Thameslink was shown on the map between 1977 and 1998.
So why was it removed?
Some Thameslink Stations Don’t Have Tube Maps On The Platforms
I was on the platform at City Thameslink station and needed a Tube Map.
There wasn’t one!
Why not?
Conclusion
Thameslink is very much part of London’s rail network.
It should be treated as such, by doing the following.
- Extending Oyster/Contactless ticketing to all Thameslink stations.
- Adding all or part of Thameslink to the Tube Map.
- Putting a Tube Map on all station platforms in the London area.
But this mess has existed for twenty years, since Thameslink was removed from the Tube Map.
The Anonymous Widower 