Up The Schilthorn
I took these pictures on the ascent by cable-car of the Schilthorn.
Note.
- The ascent was on three successive cable-cars.
- As the weather was good, it was rather busy with waits at the cable-car changes.
- This ascent is included in a Swiss Pass and the only thing, I needed to do was get a free ticket at the first change.
- The windows on one cable-car could have done with a good clean.
It was certainly a good value ride.
Riding The Bernese Oberland Railway
The Bernese Oberland Railway, is one of the rail lines, that meet at Interlaken Ost station.
This short description is from Wikipedia.
The Bernese Oberland Railway (or correctly translated Bernese Highlands Railway; German: Berner Oberland-Bahn, BOB) is a narrow-gauge mountain railway in the Bernese Highlands of Switzerland. It runs, via a “Y” junction at Zweilütschinen to serve Interlaken and Lauterbrunnen and Grindelwald. The railway is rack assisted (that is although an adhesion railway, rack and pinion operation is used on steep sections of the line to assist traction).
These pictures show the railway.
On my trip I used the railway twice.
- To get to and from Lauterbrunnen station to go to the Schilthorn.
- To get to and from Wilderswil station to go to ride on the Schynige Platte Railway.
It is very much the railway to start your trip into the mountains.
It is a route included in a Swiss Pass.
Nice Work If You Can Get It!
There are pictures of Boris’s screwee all over the papers.
Screwee is a legal term, as used by my late wife for the other party in a divorce.
She used it for every sex and sexual orientation.
On a serious note, is 24 years an acceptable age difference in a relationship.
If it is then, perhaps this 71-year-old should be looking for available 47-yeae-old ladies.
Borders Railway: More Than 4 Million Journeys In 3 Years
The title of this post is the same as that of this article in Global Rail News.
The Borders Railway may only be a thirty mile route with a frequency of two trains per hour, but I believe it shows the economic and lifestyle benefits that new rail routes can bring.
And all at a cost of around £200million.
We should be looking to build other lines like this in the UK.
And all over the World!
Would Third-Rail Tram-Trains Affect The Design Of The Proposed Streatham Interchange Station?
Transport for London’s proposal for the Bakerloo Line Extension comes with a very nice map of the various projects that will be carried out to improve rail services in South London.
It is all good stuff and most is easily explained.
There is a little yellow box, which has a title of Streatham Common and contains the words.
Potential new interchange hub.
This map from carto.metro.free.fr shows the rail lines around Streatham and Streatham Common stations.
Streatham Interchange station has been proposed and could be at the major junction to the North of Streatham Common station.
Trains on the following routes could call.
- Thameslink services on the Sutton Loop Line, through Wimbledon and Sutton.
- Various Southern services between London Bridge and Victoria in the North and Caterham, Croydon, Epsom and Sutton in the South.
- Fast services between Victoria and the Brighton Main Line pass through.
I have also seen speculation on respected web sites, that the Overground will be extended to the new Streatham Common Interchange.
I suspect Transport for London’s plans will improve the lot of many travellers.
Third-Rail Tram-Trains To Streatham
If Streatham Interchange is going to be an important hub, then surely, it should be served by the Tramlink.
Third-Rail tram-trains would be able to run from any of these power sources.
- Overhead electrification on tramways.
- Third-rail electrification on rail tracks.
- Batteries on any tracks, including those without any electrification.
Most power changeovers would take place at tram-stops or stations. Although, I suspect that changing bertween battery and third-rail power would be automatic.
Third-rail tram-trains could run into Streatham Interchange on any standard third-rail track and could use any platform, be it a through platform or a bay one, that is used by standard trains.
These are the two obvious routes.
Use The Sutton Loop Line From Mitcham Junction Station
This map from carto.metro.free.fr shows the track layout at Mitcham Junction station and Tramlink between Mitcham and Beddington Lane tram stops.
Note that the black tracks are the Sutton Loop Line with Mitcham Eastfields station to the North and Hackbridge station to the South.
I think it would be possible, from what I have seen on other tram-train systems, to link the Sutton Loop Line to Tramlink, so that tram-trains could go between Bedddington Lane and a proposed Streatham Interchange.
A tram-train going between Croydon and Streatham Interchange would do the following.
- Stop in Beddington Lane tram stop.
- Drop the pantograph and change to battery power.
- Proceed to Mitcham Junction station.
- Connect to third-rail electrification.
- Run as a train to Streatham Interchange.
In the opposite direction, the sequence would be reversed.
Use The Sutton Loop Line From Wimbledon Station
This map from carto.metro.free.fr shows the track layout at Wimbledon station.
Haydons Road station is on the Sutton Loop Line going towards the proposed Streatham Interchange.
This picture shows a Thameslink train in Platform 9 and a tram in Platform 10b at Wimbledon station.
I think it could be possible to make Platform 10b into a bi-directional Tramlink platform to connect to Streatham Interchange.
Currently, twelve trams per hour turn at Wimbledon and I suspect that this needs two terminating platforms.
Conclusion
Connecting tram-trains at Wimbledon to the Sutton Loop Line may be tricky, but it should be easier at Mitcham Junction.
However, so long as Streatham Interchange has enough capacity for Tramlink services, there shouldn’t be a problem.
Clean Drivers To Sport Green Numberplates
The title of this post is the same as that as an article on page 11 of today’s Sunday Times.
The first paragraph gives a few more details.
Electric and hydrogen-powered cars, vans and taxis may be awarded green numberplates in a public display of virtue.Chris Grayling, the transport secretary, said giving clean vehicles a “green badge of honour” was a “brilliant way of helping increase awareness” ans “might just encourage people to think about” getting one themselves.
I think it’s a good idea and apparently Norway, Canada and China have green plates.
I like it as it would be easier to spot a battery taxi, which are so much nicer than the older models.
Jesse Norman, a junior Government minister is also thinking about tax breaks for e-Bikes and for ecargobikes for “last mile” deliveries.
I Don’t Like The Colour
Lamborghinis should be in a stand-out colour.
I remember a friend had a car in a similar colour and it was always getting damaged, as other drivers didn’t see it.
Architect Produces Longest Moving Walkway Alternative To Tram-Train Glasgow Airport Link
The title of this post is the same as that of this article in The Herald.
The world’s longest travelator would link a new station on the Inverclyde Line to the Airport.
This Google Map shows the Airport and the rail line.
The railway runs at right-angles to the runway alongside the M8 motorway. The station in the middle of the map is Paisley St. James station.
The article says the station will be built near the Ferguslie Park housing estate in Paisley. It is marked on the map to the West of Paisley St. James station.
These are my thoughts on the plan.
Ferguslie Park Station
This enlarged map shows Ferguslie Park, the complicted motorway junction and Paisley St. James station.
From the look of this map, it would appear that there used to be a triangular junction here. Where did that railway go?
The position will have to chosen with care, as it can’t be too near to Paisley St. James station and in a position that allowed an easy connection to a travelator to and from the Airport.
Frequency Of Trains
Airports around the UK have these numbers of trains in each hour.
- Birmingham has upwards of eight trains in both directions.
- Edinburgh has six trams.
- Gatwick has four Express services and will have ten Thameslink services in both directions.
- Heathrow has four Express services and will have at least four Crossrail service.
- Luton has seven trains in both directions.
- Manchester has nine trains and twelve trams.
- Newcastle has at least four Metro trains.
- Stansted has four Express services.
Surely, the service to Ferguslie Park must have a frequency of at least four trains per hour!
This would not be unobtainable, as the two termini of Gourock and Wemyss Bay stations have enough capacity.
The Long Travelator
I believe a long travelator would work, but I do think it would have to be designed carefully in sections for Health and Safety reasons.
My real reservations are that after my visit to Paisley St. James station, which I wrote about in Paisley St. James Station, I do wonder how passengers will like a travelator link.
- The area is fairly bleak, for a wait of up to fifteen minutes.
- Inside a tram would be more comfortable.
- There would need to be a step-free bridge at the new station.
In my view it would like a cheap option, that would be difficult to expand.
Using A Tram-Train
Since the travelator plan was published in the Herald, Stadler have launched tram-trains with a battery capability for the South Wales Metro.
These could do the following as a minimum.
- Run between Glasgow Central and Paisley Gilmour Street stations using the 25 KVAC overhead electrification.
- Run a frequency of four tram-trains per hour on a bi-directional single-track spur without electrification to a single platform at the Airport.
- Run between Paisley St. James station and the Airport on batteries, that would be charged between Glasgow Central and Paisley Gilmour Street stations.
- Stop at Paisley Gilmour Street station to change power source.
- Handle 230 passengers in each tram-train.
The system could also be expanded if needed.
- The tram-trains could work in pairs.
- The spur could be double track.
- A second platform could be built at the Airport.
This could handle up to eight tram-trains per hour.
Is Glasgow A World City?
Probably not yet!
Consider.
- Glasgow hosted the Commonwealth Games in 2014.
- Glasgow hosted the European Games in 2018.
- It has the facilities to handle World Championships in many sports.
- It has two football teams, that regularly play in European competitions.
- Hampden Park has hosted six European football finals.
At least on the wider sporting front, it can be considered an important city, that is on a par with Manchester in England.
And I think it will soon be recognised as a World City!
For this reason alone, the Airport needs a proper rail service, rather than a travelator to a bleak station.
Other Airports
The following Airports in the UK need a decent rail link.
- Bristol
- East Midlands
- Leeds
- Liverpool
A similar tram-train link could be provided in a similar manner at these airports and probably many others around Europe and the rest of the World.
Conclusion
I will be very surprised, if Glasgow Airport doesn’t get a tram-train link, that uses batteries.
The Anonymous Widower 