UK Rolling Stock Strategy: Diesel, Bi-mode and Fuel Cell-Powered Trains
The title of this post is the same as that on an article in Global Rail News.
I will not repeat myself here, but I laid down my thoughts in The Intelligent Multi-Mode Train And Affordable Electrification.
In that post, I said that an Intelligent Multi-Mode Train would have these characteristics.
- Electric drive with regenerative braking.
- Diesel or hydrogen power-pack.
- Onboard energy storage to handle the energy generated by braking.
- 25 KVAC and/or 750 VDC operation.
- Automatic pantograph and third-rail shoe deployment.
- Automatic power source selection.
- The train would be designed for low energy use.
- Driver assistance system, so the train was driven safely, economically and to the timetable.
Note the amount of automation to ease the workload for the driver and run the train efficiently.
After discussing affordable electrification, I came to the following conclusion.
There are a very large number of techniques that can enable a multi-mode train to roam freely over large parts of the UK.
It is also a team effort, with every design element of the train, track, signalling and stations contributing to an efficient low-energy train, that is not too heavy.
A Proposal For Two London Overground Stations At Old Oak Common
Transport for London published this proposal a few weeks ago, but it’s only now that I’ve found time to document it here.
TfL’s Proposal
This document on Tfl’s web site, gives full details of their proposals.
The Location Of The Stations
This map from TfL shows the location of the two stations.
Hythe Road station will be on the West London Line between Willesden Junction and Shepherd’s Bush stations.
Old Oak Common Lane station will be on the North London Line between Willesden Junction and Acton Central stations.
This Google Map shows the area.
Three features on both maps link them together.
- The Grand Union Canal.
- The layout of the two Overground Lines that meet at the distinctive Willesden High Level Junction.
- The long silver-roofed North Pole Depot at the bottom of the maps.
Note from the Google Map, how much space is available.
Are Two New Stations Needed?
There are various factors at work here.
More Stations And Entrances Shorten Journey Times
Research has shown that the more routes you give passengers, the quicker and easier the journeys.
Old Oak Common Is A Large Site
25,500 new homes and 65,000 jobs are being created in the Old Oak Common/Park Royal area and two new stations are probably needed.
The North And West London Lines Pass Separately Through The Site
Two separate stations give direct services to the following.
- West and South-West London via the North London Line.
- North and North-East London via the North London Line.
- Clapham Junction for South London via the West London Line.
Some might argue, that a new spur from Willesden High Level Junction, where the two lines divide direct to the combined HS2 and Elizabeth Line station, may be a better and cheaper option.
But this would only provide a connection to North and North-East London. Connections to the latter area, are also provided by the Elizabeth Line with a change of train at Liverpool Street or Stratford.
Conclusion About Two Stations
I’m convinced, that two Overground stations are needed and I suspect eventually, there will be other stations.
Hythe Road Station
TfL’s proposal for Hythe Road station would be built to the North of the existing embankment of the West London Line, which would be demolished.
This visualisation is from the TfL document.
It would appear to be reminiscent of Shoreditch High Street station, but built at ground-level.
Conclusion About Hythe Road Station
It is an inherently simple proposal, that can be built around an existing rail line, so it shouldn’t create too many construction problems.
Old Oak Common Lane Station
TfL’s proposal for Old Oak Common Lane station would incorporate an overbridge extending westwards to Victoria Road, to allow pedestrians and cyclists to cross the railway.
This map from the TfL document shows the location of the station.
And this Google Map shows roughly the same area.
The line breaking off to the North is the Dudding Hill Line, which is an important part of a proposal for a new railway line in West London, which I wrote about in New Railway Line For West London Proposed.
This visualisation is from the TfL document.
Note.
- The bridge for cyclists and pedestrians to Victoria Road.
- The Dudding Hill Line passing under the bridge.
It very much looks like Old Oak Common Lane station could have platforms on the Dudding Hill Line, which would be a very important addition to the West London Orbital Railway proposal.
Cnclusion About Old Oak Common Lane Station
TfL’s proposal looks comprehensive and reasonably simple to build.
It also includes provision to connect to the proposed West London Orbital Railway.
What Else Would I Do?
Here are my thoughts.
An East-West People Mover
The only one thing I would definitely add, is some form of people mover stretching East-West across the whole Old Oak Common site.
My preferred option would be to use a high-level moving walkway perhaps enclosed in a glass tunnel, which would stretch from Victoria Road in the West to perhaps Wormwood Scrubs Park in the East.
Escalators and lifts would give step-free connections to Old Oak Common Lane, HS2, Elizabeth Line and Hythe Road stations.
We’re not getting any younger!
Terminal Platforms
Both stations could have terminal platforms in the visualisations.
But they would surely be a good idea to allow extra services to be run to and from the major station complex.
Both new stations will have a platform on each track.
Would it be a good idea to have a third platform, that could be used as a bay platform in both directions?
A Terminal Platform At Hythe Road Station
The West London Line currently has a Milton Keynes to East Croydon service and this must mean that services to the West Coast and Brighton Main Lines are possible from a Hythe Road station.
- Trains to the South could go to Clapham Junction, East Croydon, Gatwick and any desired station South of London.
- Trains to the North could go to Wembley Central, Watford and Milton Keynes.
A stopping service on the West Coast Main Line would be complementary to HS2. Take for instance, sports or music fans going to an event at Wembley Stadium.
A Terminal Platform At Old Oak Common Lane Station
The only passenger services on the North London Line are London Overground services, between Stratford and Eichmond, but surely a terminal platform at Old Oak Common Lane station could be useful in providing some needed services.
If the West London Orbital Railway is created, this will add eight trains per hour after Acton Central. This might be too many trains for the route, so perhaps there would be a need to turn-back some trains from Stratford at Old Oak Common Lane?
A terminal platform at Old Oak Common Lane station might be used for an extended Gospel Oak to Barking service.
Building The Stations
I haven’t had a good look at the sites of the two stations and I don’t know the area well.
But I do have the feeling that both these stations can be built independently without affecting any other projects.
So they could be built at any convenient time in the development of this large site.
A First Visit To Walthamstow Wetlands
Walthamstow Wetlands opened today, so I went to take a look.
It was well worth a visit.
I shall return!
Just Add Trains
I took these pictures of the Gospel Oak to Barking Line, as it passes past the Engine House on the Walthamstow Wetlands site.
This section, which is probably one of the easiest bits to electrify, looks to be ready for the trains.
Note that the pictures looking down on the line were taken from the fire escape on the side of the Engine House, shown in the last picture.
This Google Map shows the Gospel Oak To Barking Line crossing the area.
Note.
- The Engine House has a green label saying Walthamstow Wetlands.
- The bus stops by the Ferry Boat Inn have buses to and from Tottenham Hale and Blackhorse Road stations.
- The Engine House is about a hundred metres from the bus stops and
- The Engine House has a step-free entrance and a lift inside.
The Engine House is certainly worth the walk.
Can Class 230 Trains Work On Third Rail Electrified Lines?
London Underground’s D78 Stock used to share tracks between Gunnerbury and Richmond stations with London Overground’s Class 378 trains.
So the answer to my question used to be yes and I suspect that the Class 230 trains could be configured, so that they could still run on third-rail electrified lines.
Running A Service Using Class 230 Trains
Now that West Midlands Trains have ordered three Class 230 trains for the Marston Vale Line, I think we can see how operators could use the trains.
- The operator has enough trains to run the service, even if one train is out of service for routine maintenance or repair.
- The trains are stored overnight in a convenient siding or terminal station.
- The trains will be supported by probably a well-designed service vehicle and if needed a fuel bowser.
- The trains will be refurbished to a high standard, with wi-fi, power sockets and universal access toilets.
- Vivarail have talked about on-board drinks machines.
- Drivers and support staff would probably come from the local area.
You could even envisage a train with an onboard ticket machine.
Would A Third-Rail Ability Be Any Use?
Consider the following lines.
Bromley North Branch Line
The Bromley North Branch Line is a short branch line between Grove Park and Bromley North stations.
- Service is three trains per hour from Mondays to Saturdays.
- There is no service on Sundays.
- Bromley North station is Grade II Listed and has a ticket office.
- The branch is double-track and fully electrified with one intermediate station.
- The service is run by a two-car Class 466 train, which travels to the line each morning.
- The Class 230 train has a higher passenger-focused specification than the twenty-year-old Class 466 train.
I believe that one Class 230 train could run the existing service, but as Bromley North station has two platforms, that two trains could run a four trains per hour service.
I also believe that the Grade II Listed station could be released for sympathetic development, by doing the following.
- Improving the automatic ticketing facilities and perhaps putting ticket machines on the trains.
- Closing the ticket office.
- Putting staff on the platform to assist passengers who need help.
The station could become a transport hub with cafes and stops catering for the needs of train travellers and those using the many buses serving the station.
The South Eastern franchise is up for renewal in the next couple of years, and I think that those bidding will have ideas about what to do the the Bromley North Branch Line.
Lymington Branch Line
The Lymington branch line runs between Brockenhurst and Lymington Pier.
- Service is normally two trains per hour between Brockenhurst and Lymington Pier
- The branch is single track and fully electrified.
- The service is run by a Class 158, Class 159 or Class 450 train.
- Brockenhurdst has a comprehensive four trains per hour service between London/Southampton and Bournemouth.
I believe that one Class 230 trains could run the existing service. With the addition of a passing loop, two trains may be able to run a four trains per hour service.
Sheerness Line
The Sheerness Line runs from Sittingbourne station to Sheerness station across the Isle of Sheppey.
- Service is normally two trains per hour between Sittingbourne and Sheerness.
- There are extra services between Victoriia and Sheeness in the Peak.
- The branch is partly double-track and fully electrified with four intermediate stations.
- Sheerness station has two platforms.
- The shuttle service is run by a two-car Class 466 train.
- Sittingbourne has a comprehensive six trains per hour service to and from London, with extra peak hour services.
As with the Bromley North Branch Line, the Class 230 train has a higher passenger-focused specification than the current Class 466 train.
I believe that two Class 230 trains could run the existing service, but as Sheerness station has two platforms and the route is partly double-track, that an extra train or two, could see the service upgraded to three or even four trains per hour.
Conclusion
I suspect that we’ll see Class 230 trains considered for lines with third-rail electrification.
Could Three-Car Aventras Run Services On The Greenford Branch?
Services on the Greenford Branch Line between West Ealing and Greenford stations, are currently provided by a two-car Class 165 train.
Consider.
- There are no plans to electrify the line.
- West Ealing station has a recently-constructed bay platform to serve the branch.
- The branch line is a 2.7 mile double-track line with three stations.
- The intermediate stations at Drayton Green, Castle Bar Park and South Greenford have short platforms, that can only accept two-car trains.
- The service frequency is two trains per hour (tph).
- Each trip takes eleven minutes.
In an ideal world, the service would be electric and four tph.
Proposals For New Trains
Most proposals seem to suggest moving the branch line to the London Overground and using one of their Class 172 trains. But these trains are now being moved to West Midlands Trains, so that proposal would seem to be a non-starter.
Three-Car Aventras
Could three-car Aventras run services on the line using battery power?
I discussed such a train in A Detailed Look At A Three-Car Aventra, after West Midlands Trains ordered thirty-six of the trains.
These are my thoughts.
Capacity Increase
A three-car train would give a fifty percent increase in capacity on the line.
Is this capacity increase needed?
The Link With Crossrail
Under Services in the Wikipedia entry for Crossrail, it is indicated that twelve tph will pass through West Ealing station, although it is not yet known how many will stop.
Surely, when Crossrail opens fully, an integrated service with good connections will be created at West Ealing.
I believe Crossrail will work in one of two ways at West Ealing.
- In a London Underground-like manner, all trains will stop.
- Perhaps four or six tph will stop.
I suspect that Londoners won’t accept the second pattern, as they are used to the Underground and the Overground, where there are not many limited-stop services and a train comes along every few minutes.
So this would mean that there will be trains every five minutes in both directions at West Ealing station, creating a steady stream of passengers for the Greenford Branch Line.
Passengers will get fed up waiting thirty minutes for the branch line train.
As West Ealing will be a well-equipped station, waiting fifteen minutes for a train will probably be acceptable to passengers.
Anything less and there will be masses of complaints.
The Link With The Central Line
What applies at West Ealing with Crossrail, surely applies at Greenford with the Central Line.
Short Platforms
I feel that selective door opening on the Aventra could handle the short platforms on the branch.
Four Trains Per Hour
I think it be possible to work a four tph West Ealing to Greenford shuttle, as the branch line is double-track.
But it may need another cross-over to be installed.
Four tph would need two operational trains.
Charging The Trains
The trains could be charged at either end of the branch line, although for practical reasons, charging might use 25 KVAC overhead at West Ealing and 750 VDC at Greenford, as these are used on other tracks in the respective stations.
But as Aventras can be dual voltage, this could be handled by the trains.
As the line is only 2.7 miles long, charging could probably be done at one end only.
Other Alternatives
It would not be balanced to ignore other possibilities.
Refurbished Two-Car Diesel Trains
Two refurbished two-car diesel trains, like say Class 150 trains could also work four tph. on the branch.
But these would probably present services and refuelling problems.
Class 230 Trains
Two Class 230 trains could also work four tph. on the branch.
Consider.
- They could work the branch on diesel or battery, or a combination of both.
- Trains would be refurbished to a modern standard, with wi-fi and power sockets.
- Two-car trains would fit the stations on the branch.
- They are designed for remote servicing.
I think that a dedicated fleet of three two-car Class 230 trains would be a viable alternative.
Conclusion
Three-car Aventras could provide a good service on the Greenford Branch Line, but there are issues and it may be more complicated than anyone thinks to run a service, that is acceptable to passengers.
But three two-car Class 230 trains would be a viable alternative.
A Detailed Look At A Three-Car Aventra
In Bombardier and CAF To Make 413 Carriages For New West Midlands Franchise, I wondered if the three-car Aventras ordered by West Midlands Trains had a battery capability.
The Train Weight
I need a good estimate of the weight of a typical Aventra carriage.
Wikipedia gives the following values.
- Bombardier Aventra – A nine-car Class 345 train weighs less than 350 tonnes, which gives a figure of 39 tonnes per car.
- Siemens Desiro City – A twelve-car Class 700 train weighs 410 tonnes, which gives a figure of 34 tonnes per car.
- Bombardier Electrostar – A five-car Class 378 train weighs 159.5 tonnes, which gives a figure of 32 tonnes per car.
Bombardier seem to play their weight figures close to their chest, so I’ll just use a figure of 35 tonnes per car. But it does appear that Aventras, could be heavier than Electrostars.
The Battery Weight
I tend to think in terms of New Routemaster hybrid bus batteries, which have a capacity of 75 kWh. Surely hybrid bus batteries are fairly common and if you were needing a battery for a new application, it might be where you will start.
The best estimate I can make is that a 75 kWh battery weighs about 600 Kg. I will use this until I find a better figure.
Could the weight of the battery explain the increase in weight between an Electrostar and an Aventra?
The Gangway Weight
One thing that could add to the weight of the Aventras of West Midlands Trains, is the fact that they will be built with a gangway.
Will they be able to split and join automatically in a couple of minutes?
Aventras Have A Lot Of Traction Motors
From what I’ve seen on the Internet, it appears that Aventras have a lot of powered bogies.
A Three-Car Aventra
I think that a three-car Aventra would have a formation something like.
- DMSLW – Driver Motor Standard – Wheelchair and Universal Access Toilet
- PMS – Pantograph Motor Standard
- DMS – Driver Motor Standard
Note.
- I estimate it would have about 230 Standard Class seats in a traditional layout. or perhaps 150 in a Metro layout.
- There would be a couple of wheelchair spaces.
- Would a toilet be provided on the train? Crossrail puts them in the stations! Does Birmingham?
- Each car would be fully motored.
- Could each car have its own battery, so they handled their own regenerative braking efficiently?
- All the cars would be connected together by an electrical bus fed from the pantograph car.
- West Midlands Trains have said the new trains will be 90 mph units.
The capabilities are not unlike the current Class 323 trains.
The Aventras have advantages over the older trains.
- They are articulated, which gives more space.
- They are wider inside due to thin, strong car sides and underfloor heating.
- Design of lobbies has improved.
- A mixed traditional/metro interior can be used as in Crossrail’s Class 345 trains.
They could also be designed to a slightly longer length if required. But this might have operational and depot issues.
I expect Bombardier will have used every trick and dodge to get this order.
What Size Of Battery Is Needed To Handle Regenerative Braking?
I’ll do the calculation for one car with perhaps a hundred passengers running at 90 mph or 145 kph.
I’ll assume each passenger weighs 80 Kg with all their baggage, which gives a one-car mass of 43 tonnes.
The amount of energy in that one car is a very surprising figure of just 10 kWh.
How Far Could A Three-Car Aventra Go On Battery Power?
In an article in the October 2017 Edition of Modern Railways, which is entitled Celling England By The Pound, Ian Walmsley says this in relation to trains running on the Uckfield Branch.
A modern EMU needs between 3 and 5 kWh per vehicle mile for this sort of service.
The three-car Aventra will be an efficient train, but it will have features like air-conditioning, so I suspect that a figure of 4 kWh per car-mile will be achievable, if the following is done.
- Air-conditioning is very intelligent and efficient.
- The train is very well insulated.
- All electrical equipment on the train like lights, toilets and doors are efficient.
- Operation ensures batteries are fully charged before entering battery sections.
- Pantograph operation will be intelligent to snatch a sneaky charge on a short length of electrification.
- Regenerative braking energy is stored on the train.
3 kWh per car-mile may even be possible.
Suppose the battery in each car had a capacity of 75 kWh. This would give the following ranges with various energy consumption rates.
- 3 kWh – 25 miles
- 4 kWh – 19 miles
- 5 kWh – 15 miles
It certainly is important to get the train as energy efficient as possible.
Increasing the battery capacity will increase the range proportionally.
This would mean that a very efficient train with a double-size battery could go fifty miles without wires.
Where Practically Could These Trains Run?
There are several possibilities.
Camp Hill Line
The Camp Hill Line is an obvious possibility.
A lot is said about the reopening in Future Plans in the Wikipedia entry for the line.
This is the latest part of the section.
In August 2017, West Midlands Trains announced plans as part of their franchise deal that the line would reopen by December 2019 as part of a £1 billion investment in the West Midlands. This included a new station at Moseley.
There has also been speculation in the railway press, that chords will be created to allow trains on the line to run directly into Birmingham Moor Street station.
Moor Street Station
If these trains were to run into Birmingham Moor Street station would the bay platforms at the station be electrified?
This would allow the trains batteries to be charged before returning along the Camp Hill Line.
But it would open up interesting possibilities.
With electrification at stations like Stratford-upon-Avon and Leamington to charge the batteries, could services South of Birmingham be run by three-car Aventras running on batteries?
Both |Stratford-upon-Avon and Leamington Spa are under forty miles by road from Birmingham,
I think it could be theoretcally possible, but West Midlands Trains are acquiring a lot of diesel trains.
Extending Existing Electric Services
From May 2018, the electric services on the Cross City Line will run between Bromsgrove and Lichfield Trent Valley stations.
Could trains running on batteries extend services?
Conclusion
Three-car Aventras are an interesting possibility.
I think we’ll be seeing a lot of them around the UK.
Is This The Hippest Train Status Displays?
In Technology Doesn’t Have To Be Complex, I described how Transport for London were using the suspension to assess how crowded trains are on the London Overground.
In my post, I suggested that the information could be used in modern station displays to show the train loading.
Yesterday, this article in the Standard, had a picture of such a display, at Shoreditch High Street station.
So today, I took one of my own.
According to the Standard, passengers like the display.
It should be born in mind, that this is only the first version and I’m certain the information captured from the train suspension will find be used in several innovative ways.
Should Thameslink Be Extended To Corby?
I ask this question as someone who created his pension pot from writing the algorithms to allocate resources in the planning of projects and because I know that the number of train paths on the Midland Main Line is very tight for the number of services required.
This document on the Network Rail web site has this paragraph.
Electrification of the MML north of Bedford to Kettering and Corby is scheduled to be completed by December 2019.
The Wikipedia entry for Corby station has a section entitled Future, where this is said.
It is planned that a half-hourly London St Pancras to Corby service will operate from December 2019 using new Class 387 trains, once the Midland Main Line has been electrified beyond Bedford as part of the Electric Spine project. Network Rail has also announced that it plans to re-double the currently singled Glendon Junction to Corby section as part of this scheme.
So how will the second service in each hour be provided?
Bedford To St. Pancras
Looking at Bedford, it would appear the following trains run to London.
- East Midlands Trains in 39-40 minutes
- Thameslink in 57-59 minutes at a frequency of four trains per hour (tph).
- A Limited-Stop Thameslink in 52 minutes.
As Thameslink has now fully introduced an all-Class 700 train service, could we be seeing a faster service?
Bedford To Corby
The current hourly service between St. Pancras and Corby stops at Bedford and takes thirty-four minutes between Bedford and Corby with stops at Wellingborough and Kettering.
A modern electric train like a Class 700 train, might be able to do the return trip from Bedford to Corby in under an hour. If a Class 700 train can’t do it, then a Class 387 train certainly could.
This would mean that one way to provide the extra service between St. Pancras and Corby would be to extend one of the four tph Bedford to Brighton services to Corby.
This approach would give the following advantages
- No extra train path is needed South of Bedford.
- Corby, Kettering and Wellingborough would get a choice of service.
- Corby, Kettering and Wellingborough would have a direct link to Crossrail.
But there would be disadvantages.
- The Thameslink service would be a few minutes slower.
- The Class 700 trains don’t have tables, cup-holders, wi-fi and power sockets.
- The Class 700 trains are only 100 mph trains and probably not fast enough.
The obvious solution is to run the service with a faster electric train, which addresses the deficiencies of the Class 700 trains.
The Ultimate Solution
The Midland Main Line between Bedford and Glendon Junction for Corby is at least three tracks, with in most places space for a fourth.
I believe the following improvements should be made to the route between Bedford and Glendon Junction.
- All the tracks between Bedford and Corby should be upgraded to be as fast as possible, so that 110 or 125 mph trains to Corby could make full use of their speed, without using the two Fast Lines.
- Wellingborough station should have the fourth platform restored.
- Extra stations, including a Parkway station, could be added if required.
Thameslink would acquire a number of 110 or 125 trains and replace the four tph service between Brighton and Bedford, with a four tph service between Brighton and Corby.
Class 387 trains would probably be acceptable. Especially, as Govia Thameslink Railway uses these trains on Cambridge services.
The consequences of doing this would be.
- The current one tph path between St. Pancras and Corby on the Fast Lines would be released.
- Platform needs at St. Pancras would be reduced.
- No extra Slow Line paths would be needed.
- Bedford would get the same four tph service to London all day.
- Corby, Kettering and Wellingborough would get four tph to St. Pancras.
Twelve faster trains would be needed to provide a full four tph service between Corby and St. Pancras.
Alternatively, you could extend just two opf the four tph from Brighton tom Bedford to Corby!
This would mean.
- Bedford would get the same four tph service to London all day.
- Corby, Kettering and Wellingborough would get two tph to St. Pancras.
Six faster trains would be needed.
Conclusion
I am led to the conclusion, that by providing some extra 110 or 125 mph trains for Thameslink, that the service on the Midland Main Line can be improved significantly.
It also leads me to believe that the specification of the Class 700 trains was created by someone with worse vision than George Shearing.
The trains lack a lot of features like wi-fi and power sockets.
But more importantly, they lack the 110 mph capability of trains like the |Class 350, Class 387 and Class 379 trains, which enables them to run efficiently with express services cruising at 125 mph.
Bombardier and CAF To Make 413 Carriages For New West Midlands Franchise
The title of this post is the same as this article on Global Rail News.
This is said.
Future operator West Midlands Trains has made a £680 million order with Bombardier and CAF for 413 carriages.
Bombardier will manufacture 36 three-car and 45 five-car Aventra trains at its Derby site, while CAF will produce 12 two-car and 14 four-car Civity trains. In total, 107 new trains will be delivered.
The electric three-car Aventras will operate on metro services, the electric five-car units for outer suburban and long distance, while CAF’s DMUs will run on dedicated services to the towns and cities around Birmingham.
These are my thoughts on the various parts of the order.
The Three-Car Aventras
The thirty-six three-car Aventras will probably replace the twenty-six Class 323 trains, which lack wi-fi and other passenger-friendly features.
It should also be noted that the Aventra has a slightly unusual and innovative electrical layout.
This article in Global Rail News from 2011, which is entitled Bombardier’s AVENTRA – A new era in train performance, gives some details of the Aventra’s electrical systems. This is said.
AVENTRA can run on both 25kV AC and 750V DC power – the high-efficiency transformers being another area where a heavier component was chosen because, in the long term, it’s cheaper to run. Pairs of cars will run off a common power bus with a converter on one car powering both. The other car can be fitted with power storage devices such as super-capacitors or Lithium-ion batteries if required.
This was published six years ago, so I suspect Bombardier have refined the concept, which is probably more to do with spreading weight around the train for better dynamics than anything else!
Obviously for West Midlands Trains, there is no need for 750 VDC, but will there still be a pair of power cars?
So it looks like there may be a reorganisation of the electrical system in the trains.
A few other points.
- I am surprised that some of the trains aren’t six-cars, as every other set of new trains seem to be single and double lengths.
- According to Wikipedia, the trains will have end gangways.
- The trains are air-conditioned and have free wi-fi and power sockets.
Hopefully, the full specification and Tops-number will be disclosed soon.
Are Batteries An Inherent Part Of The Operation Of Three Car Aventras?
Suppose each car in the train was a self-contained power car.
- Each car could also have a 75 kWh battery, which is the size of one on a New Routemaster hybrid bus.
- Regenerative braking would be efficient as it would use the battery in the same car.
- Batteries can be topped up using the 25 KVAC overhead wires.
- Passenger services like power-points would be powered from the battery.
If we assume that each car needs 5 kW to do a mile, this would give the train a range away from the wires of 15 miles.
Would it be possible for trains to run on the Camp Hill Line and the proposed Camp Hill Chords into Birmingham Moor Street station solely using battery power?
I think it is possible and after the battery-powered trams on the Midland Metro, it’s another case of emphasising the B in Birmingham.
The Five-Car Aventras
These will probably be vaguely similar to the other two five-car Aventras; Class 701 and Class 720.
Differences highlighted in the various articles and Wikipedia include.
- According to Wikipedia, the trains will have end gangways.
- The trains will be 110 mph units.
Both are firsts for Aventras.
I don’t think it will be long before a train operator buys an Aventra capable of 125 mph.
The CAF Civity Trains
The CAF Civity are a mixture of two-car and four-car units and will be used to replace some older diesel multiple units and augment some of the more modern Class 170 and Class 172 trains.
Class 230 Trains
West Midlands Trains have also ordered three Class 230 trains for the Marston Vale Line.
The route has the following characteristics.
- It is roughly twenty-four miles long.
- Trains take just over forty minutes for the journey between Bletchley and Bedford stations.
- There are plans to extend the service to Milton Keynes Central station.
- It is a diesel island in a sea of electrified lines.
Wikipedia says this about the Infrastructure.
Apart from a short length of single track at both ends, the line is double track, and is not electrified (barring short lengths at either end). It has a loading gauge of W8 and a line speed of 60 miles per hour (97 km/h). The line’s signalling centre is at Ridgmont.
I would suspect that two trains are needed to provide an hourly service, so buying three trains gives a spare, that might augment the services at busy times.
The flexibility of the Class 230 trains will give a choice of operating modes.
- Using 25 KVAC overhead electrification at the ends.
- Using onboard diesel power.
- Using batteries charged at the ends of the route.
I suspect that the most efficient will be a mix of all three.
The trains are also designed for remote servicing, so they could be based in a siding at Bedford, Bletchley or Wolverton and supported by a well-designed service vehicle and a fuel bowser.
Conclusions
West Midlands Trains seem to have gone for a sensible Horses-for-Courses solution.
I have a feeling that their concept for the Marston Vale Line will be used elsewhere.
The Anonymous Widower 