Is This Healey’s Magic Money Tree?
It looks to me that Healey has found a Magic Money Tree, which does the following.
- Saves the welfare budget.
- Allows him to abolish standing charges on gas bills.
- Allows him to take VAT off electricity bills.
- Allows him to give £100 to 20,000,000 householders.
- The Kyiv Independent has a headline of UK Announces ‘Biggest Ever’ Ukraine Support Package Of $13 Billion In 2027.
- He seems committed to increasing defence spending.
- Setting up the National Agentic Security Unit will cost millions.
Is this the Magic Money Tree?
- Jackdaw’s gas goes to St. Fergus as planned!
- One leg of AquaVentus, which is a German system of pipes and wires, that brings green hydrogen and electricity from around the North Sea to Wilhelmshaven could start at the St. Fergus Gas Terminal.
- Other legs of AquaVentus are planned to start in Denmark, Norway and The Netherlands.
- Two H2 molecules can be extracted from each gas molecule, as methane is CH4.
- One way is a process called HiiROC that was developed in Hull, which is backed by big names including Cemex, Centrica, Hyundai, INEOS, Kia and Melrose.
- HiiROC is five times more energy efficient than traditional electrolysis.
- The Aberdeen area is not short of green electricity, given the large number of offshore wind farms.
- Germany gets the hydrogen to decarbonise, through the pipes of AquaVentus.
- The wires of AquaVentus could also take green electricity to Germany.
- Germany has run out of space in their Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) for more turbines.
- But as our EEZ is 23 times the size of Germany’s, we have enough to rent out space for German wind turbines.
- The route of AquaVentus will use the UK EEZ and could export energy from existing and planned UK wind farms.
- When the EEZs were drawn up, a corridor was left between the German and UK zones, where pipes and wires could be laid to transfer energy between the two countries.
- Burnham visited Merz a few weeks ago and nothing was said about energy to the media.
- But did they put together an energy deal to give Germany the green energy it needs?
- Chris O’Shea is CEO of Centrica and has several professional connections to Burnham from his Manchester days and the recent Labour Conference.
If Germany should be getting all this green energy, Healey will surely be getting loadsaeuros in return.
These are some further thoughts.
EEZ Of The UK And Neighbouring Coastal States
If you like to know more about EEZs or Exclusive Economic Zones, they have a Wikipedia entry, which includes these two statements.
- The idea of allotting nations’ EEZs to give them more control of maritime affairs outside territorial limits gained acceptance in the late 20th century.
- It was not until 1982 with the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea that the 200 nautical mile exclusive economic zone was formally adopted.
This is possibly, the most significant map concerning the future of the UK.
Note.
- The UK EEZ is shown in bright blue.
- The UK EEZ was setup by David Cameron’s government in 2014.
- Much of the UK EEZ stretches a full 200 nautical miles from the coast.
- Germany’s EEZ is indicated by DE.
- The UK EEZ is 23 times the size of Germany’s.
- There is a narrow corridor between the UK and German EEZs, which goes between the Dutch and Danish EEZs, which was the result of an expensive legal battle and gives Germany access to the North Sea.
- Wilhelmshaven is about in the mid-point of the North-facing part of the German coast.
- But the corridor could most-likely be the route of the Aquaventus pipes and wires system between Aberdeen and Wilhelmshaven via Humberside.
Whichever way you look at it, the UK did incredibly well, when EEZs were allocated.
The Route Of AquaVentus To The UK
This map shows the border between the UK and German EEZs.
Note.
- The North-East corner of Scotland is clearly visible in the North-West corner of the map.
- The corridor between the UK and German EEZs is clearly visible.
- The corridor points at the North-East corner of Scotland.
- Wilhelmshaven is on the round estuary on the German coast.
- AquaVentus has a preferred route via Humberside, which looks feasible.
If an AquaVentus leg ran between the German EEZ and the North-East corner of Scotland, it would be totally in the UK EEZ, which would probably simplify any negotiations.
Could AquaVentus Make Use Of The UK’s Energy Storage?
Consider.
- Various companies are building three or four large pumped storage hydro systems in the Highlands of Scotland.
- There are two large gas storage facilities; Aldbrough and Rough on Humberside, which could be converted to hydrogen storage.
Energy storage would surely add functionality to AquaVentus.
Does Germany Import Nuclear Energy Through Interconnectors?
Germany doesn’t have any nuclear power stations, but does it import nuclear energy?
I asked Google AI, thquestion in the title of this section, and received this answer.
Yes, Germany imports electricity that originates from nuclear power plants in neighboring countries via cross-border high-voltage interconnectors.
Key Facts on Nuclear Imports via Interconnectors
Zero Domestic Generation: Germany completed the shutdown of its last domestic nuclear power reactors in April 2023 and produces zero nuclear electricity locally.
Integrated European Grid: Electricity in Europe flows through a shared, interconnected network based on market prices, supply, and demand rather than national political borders.
Sources of Nuclear Imports: When Germany imports electricity—such as from France, Switzerland, or Belgium—a portion of that power mix comes from nuclear generation.
Rising Import Volumes: Estimates by DataPulse Research via Visual Capitalist indicate that Germany’s estimated nuclear electricity imports rose to roughly 18,313 GWh in 2024 following the complete nuclear phaseout.
It appears that so long as they don’t build any nuclear power stations, it’s OK!
What Will Be The Route Of AquaVentus From Denmark, Norway And The Netherlands?
The exact routes have not been decided, but if you look at the map of the EEZ Of The UK And Neighbouring Coastal States, it appears, that nearly all of the routes of the pipes and wires, will lie within the UK EEZ.
The hydrogen and electricity may have not been generated by the UK, but it has come through our EEV.
It looks to me, that we have those Europeans screwed, glued and tattooed.
Germany Has Run Out Of Space In Their Exclusive Economic Zone For More Wind Farms
So they have come up with a plan, where they rent space in the EEZs of other countries and then bring the energy as either green hydrogen or electricity, back to Germany using the pipes and wires of AquaVentus.
Could Dogger Bank South Wind Farm Be Connected To AquaVentus?
Consider.
- It will be a pair of two 1,500 MW wind farms
- They are two of the furthest East UK wind farms and are not far from the border between the UK and German EEZs.
- They are being developed by German company ; RWE.
- They are currently to be connected to the UK grid at Birkhill Wood in the East Riding of Yorkshire.
But if it were more convenient or affordable could the two wind farms be connected to AquaVentus and send their green energy to Germany?
Conclusion
AquaVentus will bring Germany the energy it needs from around the North Sea.
And Chancellor Healey will have a long-lasting Magic Money Tree.
New Ferry Link Proposed Between Aberdeen And Iceland
The title of this post is the same as that of this article in The Times.
This is the sub-heading.
Talks are under way for a ferry from Aberdeen to Seydisfjordur in eastern Iceland, reviving a North Atlantic connection that endured for 150 years
These three paragraphs add more detail.
There were wild celebrations when the first ever regular mail steamer from Scotland arrived in Iceland.
Cheering crowds gathered as the Clyde-built Victor Emanuel, her single funnel belching black smoke, slipped into Reykjavik harbour in 1858 after crossing the North Atlantic from Leith. It was an historic day, marking a service that was to bind Britain and Iceland in a way they never had been before.
There was little or no emotion, however, when the last regular sea connection between Scotland and Iceland was lost in 2008 amid the rise of low-cost airlines, ending a century and a half of shipping history.
But now it appears that the ferry might be revived, as The Times article reports.
This Google Map shows the seas between Aberdeen and Iceland.
Note.
- Iceland is in the North-West corner of the map.
- Seydisfjordur, which will be the port, where the service will terminate is indicated by the red arrow.
- The Faroe Islands are in the middle of the map.
- Aberdeen is in the South-West corner of the map.
- The Orkneys and Shetlands are North of Scotland.
I was rather surprised, I could get everything on the single map.
This second map shows all the wind farms being developed around the North of Scotland.
Note.
- These seventeen wind farms have a total capacity of 24 GW.
- Currently, in total, as I write this we’re using 35.7 GW and generating 32.9 GW.
- The difference is made up of transfers.
- There are more details on these wind farms in Ørsted, Simply Blue, Subsea7 Submit Application For 100 MW Scottish Floating Wind Farm.
There would appear to be plenty more space for wind farms.
What Will Happen To This Energy In The North Of Scotland?
The Germans have a shortage of green energy and it is likely that they will build a system of pipes and wires called AquaVentus between Aberdeen and Wilhelmshaven via Humberside to bring green hydrogen and electricity to Germany.
I can see a need for ferries linking Wilhelmshaven, Aberdeen, Orkney, Shetland, the Faroes and Iceland, if construction really takes off in the area, where there is one of the largest undeveloped areas in Europe, that is suitable for wind farms.
And much of the area is in the UK EEZ.
I do wonder, if in his recent visit to Merz, Burnham and the German Chancellor agreed to develop the Northern part of the UK EEZ for the mutual benefit of the two countries.
I will finish with these questions.
What Is The Offshore Wind Potential Of Iceland?
I asked Google AI this question and received this answer.
Iceland possesses massive theoretical offshore wind resources, estimated by the World Bank at approximately 847 gigawatts (GW), which is more than the combined potential of countries like France and Spain.
Key Aspects of Iceland’s Offshore Wind Potential
Resource Scale: The World Bank estimates Iceland’s coastal waters could yield up to 847 GW of power, far exceeding the country’s domestic electricity consumption (which is currently met almost entirely by geothermal and hydroelectric power).
Geographical and Climate Challenges:
Shallows and Coastline: Unlike shallow North Sea basins, Iceland’s rugged coastlines have relatively few shallow areas, which can complicate conventional fixed-bottom turbine installations.
Harsh Conditions: Winter wind speeds and power densities are exceptionally high (with offshore values exceeding 1,000 W/m² in southern, eastern, and western coastal areas), though extreme weather, tectonic activity, and volcanic-glacial sediments require specialized foundation engineering.
Export and Cross-Border Concepts: Because Iceland’s domestic energy needs are already satisfied by low-cost renewables, large-scale offshore wind developments are often proposed for export. For example, developers like Hecate Independent Power (HIP Atlantic) have explored multi-gigawatt offshore wind projects off Iceland’s coast linked directly to the United Kingdom via long-distance subsea HVDC transmission cables.
Emerging Research: Scientific bodies like the British Geological Survey (BGS) and the Icelandic Geological Survey (ÍSOR) have partnered on grants to map Iceland’s seabed and glacial outwash plains to better evaluate site suitability and turbine foundation designs.
Iceland could be Europe’s largest power station.
It’s lucky Trump has no engineering, mathematical or scientific knowledge, otherwise he’d be jealous.
What Is The Offshore Wind Potential Of The Faroe Islands?
I asked Google AI this question and received this answer.
The Faroe Islands possess substantial wind resources, though deep surrounding waters present engineering challenges for standard bottom-fixed offshore wind turbines. To bypass these constraints and overcome local onshore resistance (“NIMBY” opposition), the territory has actively explored and planned offshore installations:
Planned Offshore Wind Projects
Tórshavn Offshore Wind Farm: The Faroese power company SEV planned an initial offshore wind project near the capital, Tórshavn, sized between 96 MW and 120 MW.
Replacement of Onshore Plans: This single offshore initiative was designed to replace at least five delayed or contested onshore wind farms, accelerating the territory’s push toward its goal of 100% sustainable electricity generation by 2030.
Technical & Geographical Challenges
Deep Waters: Standard fixed-bottom offshore wind turbines are difficult or costly to deploy because the waters surrounding the steep volcanic islands become deep very quickly.
Alternative Approaches: Studies and strategies have investigated floating offshore wind options, as well as integrating offshore wind with green hydrogen and ammonia production to power local maritime and industrial sectors.
Tidal Complement: Because standard wind and solar can be variable or affected by harsh salt and wind conditions, the islands are heavily supplementing their wind strategy with predictable underwater tidal kite technology (such as Minesto systems) which hold a separate 2 GW national tidal potential.
It looks like The Faroes goal of 100 % sustainable electricity generation by 2030, will mean they won’t be exporting large amounts of energy.
What Is The Offshore Wind Potential Of The Shetland Islands?
I asked Google AI this question and received this answer.
The Shetland Islands possess some of the most consistent and high-capacity wind resources in Europe, with multi-gigawatt offshore wind potential supported by ScotWind leasing rounds.
Key Offshore Wind Projects & Potential
Arven Offshore Wind Farm: A major floating offshore wind project targeted for the early 2030s located east of Shetland. It features a planned capacity of 2.3 GW (enough to power roughly 2 million homes annually).
Stoura Offshore Wind Farm: An early-stage floating wind project awarded to ESB via Crown Estate Scotland’s ScotWind process. Located about 40 km east of Shetland, it has a targeted capacity of 500 MW.
NE1 Site & Regional Leasing: The broader waters surrounding Shetland have yielded licensing for roughly 2.8 GW to 3 GW or more of offshore floating wind capacity through recent leasing rounds, utilizing deep-water floating technology for depths exceeding 60 meters.
Complementary Energy Infrastructure
Onshore Integration: The massive 443 MW Viking Energy Wind Farm (103 turbines) and related onshore sites operate alongside a 260 km subsea HVDC interconnector cable linking Shetland directly to the UK mainland grid.
Industrial Transition: The historic Sullom Voe Terminal is shifting into a clean energy and carbon storage hub (via projects like Veri Energy and ORION), exploring how excess offshore and onshore renewable power can drive green hydrogen production and offshore platform electrification.
Local Challenges: Developers and authorities must balance this massive marine energy potential with spatial constraints, local fishing industry concerns, and grid-connection capacities.
Shetland seems to have implemented an excellent local solution.
What Is The Offshore Wind Potential Of The Orkney Islands?
I asked Google AI this question and received this answer.
The Orkney Islands possess massive offshore wind potential, with surrounding regional waters estimated to hold anywhere from 5 GW to over 17 GW of immediate local generation capacity, alongside broader island and northern Scottish shelf sharing over 100 GW of combined offshore wind potential.
Key Offshore Wind Scale & Figures
Immediate/Local Potential: Between 5 GW and 10 GW of generation capacity lies within 12 miles of the islands, with broader regional models citing up to 17,000 MW (17 GW) of nearby offshore wind potential.
Broader Northern Potential: Orkney—alongside Shetland and the Outer Hebrides—shares access to a regional pool exceeding 100 GW of offshore wind capacity.
Major Projects: The landmark West of Orkney Windfarm (located 30 km off the west coast) features a capacity of 2 GW (up to 125 fixed-foundation turbines), designed to power over 2 million homes and target initial power generation around 2030. It is the first ScotWind project to secure both offshore and onshore planning consents.
Infrastructure & Grid Challenges
Grid Bottlenecks: Orkney frequently generates more than 130% of its local power needs from renewables, leading to significant wind curtailment because legacy interconnector cables to the Scottish mainland are heavily constrained (limited to roughly 40 MW).
Upcoming Upgrades: A new major transmission interconnector cable project is slated to scale up export capacity and relieve these constraints by the end of 2028.
Ports and Supply Chain: Strategic port developments—such as the Scapa Deep Water Quay project at Scapa Flow—are receiving multi-million-pound investments to transform Orkney into a primary assembly, manufacturing, and maintenance hub for Scottish and European floating and fixed offshore wind farms.
It appears that the priority is better transmission of the generated electricity.
Conclusion
It looks like a substantial amount of green electricity can be harvested and brought South, either as electricity or as green hydrogen.
UK And Germany Will Face Threats Together, Says Burnham In Berlin
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the BBC.
This is the sub-heading.
The UK and Germany will face threats together, Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said as he reaffirmed a series of defence and security partnerships
These two paragraphs add some more detail.
On his first official European trip, apart from visits to Ukraine, Burnham met German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and was greeted with military honours in Berlin.
Speaking to reporters at the German capital’s Federal Chancellery, the prime minister said both countries were facing hybrid attacks “on a regular basis” and “it makes sense” to take them on together.
I am surprised that the article doesn’t mention energy, as it is a problem for both Germany and the UK.
Germany’s problems include.
- They are short of both green electricity and gas.
- They produce about a fifth of their electricity from coal.
- They have weaned themselves off Russian gas and nuclear power.
- They have poor electricity storage.
Their strengths include.
- Siemens is the second-largest European wind turbine manufacturer.
- 29 wind farms in the UK, have been built around Siemens wind turbines.
- RWE is a major German developer of wind farms.
- RWE is the largest generator of electricity in the UK.
- RWE own or part-own thirteen wind farms in the UK.
Germany also has good plans to solve their problems.
- AquaVentus is a series of pipes and wires to bring green electricity and hydrogen from Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Aberdeen and Humberside in the UK. to Wilhelmshaven in North-West Germany.
- H2ercules is a plan to deliver hydrogen around Germany to power industry.
In New Study Shows How North Sea Offshore Wind Can Yield More While Costing Less, I found this “It appears from the text in this must read report, that the Germans might develop as much as 20 GW in neighbouring countries.”
The UK’s problems include.
- High electricity and gas prices.
- Not enough electricity storage.
- Poor connections to the grid.
Our strengths include.
- A large amount of solar and wind power is being developed.
- We will generate more electricity than we need.
- Geographically, we generate more electricity on the East side of the UK, so our electrons are ideally placed in invade Germany.
- We shall be able to send electricity and hydrogen to Germany using the AquaVentus system.
- We are developing at least three 2 GW/30 GWh pumped storage systems in Scotland to store electricity and back up AquaVentus.
- Rough and Aldbrough are gas storage reservoirs on Humberside, that could be converted to store hydrogen, so we could keep Germany supplied.
- HiiROC is affordable hydrogen production technology being developed in Hull, which is five times more efficient, than traditional methods.
Centrica is backing HiiROC and is developing a stable of British ideas.
The UK’s Biggest Advantage
This map shows the The Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ) around the UK.
Note.
- Undoubtedly, the rules by which EEZs were drawn, favoured the UK, and countries like Belgium and Germany didn’t do as well.
- The area of the UK’s EEZ is twenty-three times that of Germany’s EEZ.
- Belgium doesn’t do well compared to The Netherlands.
- There is a substantial area between the UK and Ireland, which can deliver energy to where it is worth more.
- Great Britain and Ireland are surrounded by a large area, that must be worth developing.
- There is a convenient corridor, that runs North-West from the German EEZ to the UK EEZ, which could be used to deliver energy to Germany.
Didn’t the UK (and the Irish) do well!
I believe that there are joint actions that the UK and Germany can take to both their own advantages.
Find A Way To Keep Rough Operational
If we keep Rough operational, then.
- It can usefully act as hydrogen storage for the Germans, with a connection to AquaVentus.
- We can also use it as a store for hydrogen created from excess energy, when we have too much.
- It can also supply hydrogen to companies like INEOS on Humberside.
- Hydrogen could also be exported from the Port of Hull in small coastal liquid hydrogen tankers.
- Companies that need a lot of zero-carbon energy could move to Humberside.
I suspect John Healey will make an announcement in the 2026 Budget.
AquaVentus And Energy Storage
AquaVentus, the pumped storage hydro in Scotland and the hydrogen storage on Humberside could make a big difference to the cost of UK energy, as instead of paying wind farm operators to turn off their wind farms, the excess electricity be handled in one of these ways.
- It can be sent to Germany using AquaVentus as electricity.
- Electricity can be stored in the pumped storage hydro in the Highlands.
- It can be used to create hydrogen which can be stored in Rough and Aldbrough.
- Hydrogen can be sent to Germany using Aquaventus.
- Electricity waste is minimised, which saves the UK money.
- Germany gets a more reliable supply of green hydrogen.
The UK should get a cash flow from Germany for the energy, that is delivered.
AquaVentus Could Be Combined With National Grid’s Eastern Green Links Project
Consider.
- AquaVentus will bring energy from Aberdeen and Humberside to Wilhelmshaven.
- National Grid are building five Eastern Green Links along the East Coast of the UK to move electricity to where it is needed.
- EGL1 will link Murton, Co Durham and Torness.
- EGL2 will link Drax, Yorkshire and Peterhead.
- EGL3 will link Anderby Creek and Peterhead.
- EGL4 will link Anderby Creek and Westfield, Fife.
- EGL5 will link Anderby Creek and Peterhead.
- All willhave a capacity of 2 GW.
The Eastern Green Links have a Wikipedia entry.
This Google Map shows the location of Wilhelmshaven with respect to the UK.
Wilhelmshaven is marked by the red arrow.
- It looks to me, that between Lincolnshire and Scotland AquaVentus and EGL1-5 will be following a similar route up the East Coast of the UK, which would surely make construction easier, faster and less costly.
- Provision could easily be made to provide a link to the Sizewell nuclear site, which has a total capacity of 4.4 GW.
- NeuConnect is a 1.4 GW interconnector between the Isle of Grain and Wilhelmshaven, that is under construction and will be 725 kilometres long.
- On the Isle of Grain is the 1.32 GW gas-fired power station, that is owned by RWE.
- BritNed is a 1 GW interconnector between the Isle of Grain and Rotterdam.
- Nemo Link is a 1 GW interconnector between Kent and Zeebrugge.
- LionLink is a proposed 1.8GW HVDC electrical interconnector to link offshore wind farms in the North Sea to the electrical grids in both Great Britain and the Netherlands.
- In National Grid, TenneT Germany Launch GriffinLink, A First Of A Find Project To Maximise Offshore Wind, I talk about GriffinLink, which will run between the UK and Germany.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see a tidying-up of the electrical connections between England, Belgium, The Netherlands and Germany.
Are the Danish And German Grids Connected Under The North Sea?
I asked Google AI this question and received this answer.
The Danish and German electricity grids are connected through undersea and land infrastructure, though direct grid-to-grid interconnections under the North Sea itself are currently expanding rather than existing as a direct bilateral link between the two countries’ mainland grids.
Current and Planned Connections
Land Boundary: The primary connection between Denmark and Germany is a shared 146-kilometer land border across the Jutland peninsula, which carries high-voltage alternating current (HVAC) power lines linking the two national transmission systems.
North Sea Undersea Cables (Indirect/Transit): The COBRAcable, a high-voltage direct current (HVDC) submarine link operated by TenneT and Energinet, connects the electricity grids of the Netherlands and Denmark, running through the German sector of the North Sea.
North Sea Hybrid Projects: German and Danish transmission system operators (such as Amprion and Energinet) have signed agreements and memoranda—including joint declarations from the North Sea Summit—to examine and develop future hybrid offshore wind interconnectors and energy hub links in the North Sea.
Baltic Sea Connections: In contrast, direct cross-border grid and hybrid wind connections between Denmark and Germany are more established or actively deploying in the Baltic Sea, such as through the Kriegers Flak and Bornholm Energy Island projects.
It looks like what is happening between England and Germany has already been developed between Germany and Denmark.
Does Germany Want To Put Wind Farms In Other Countries EEZs And Bring The Energy To Germany?
Google AI gave this answer to my question.
Yes, Germany is moving toward integrating and allowing cross-border and radial offshore wind projects located in the Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) of neighboring countries—such as Denmark—to connect directly to the German grid.
Rather than “renting” areas unilaterally, Germany is accomplishing this through joint cross-border European partnerships and bilateral agreements.
Key Details
Regulatory Changes: Germany has proposed amendments (such as via drafts integrating “international offshore connection lines” into its WindSeeG legislation) to explicitly cover radial lines from an offshore farm outside the German EEZ connected exclusively to the German grid.
Counting Toward Targets: These proposed rules allow cross-border radial offshore wind projects to count directly toward Germany’s national offshore wind targets (such as its 70 GW offshore wind goal).
Cross-Border Cooperation: Strategic frameworks—such as between Denmark and Germany—are being established to link projects in foreign waters (like Danish waters) to German converter platforms (e.g., the OST-2-4 platform in the German EEZ).
Research and Industry Push: Studies (including analysis by Fraunhofer IWES) and industry voices (such as Örsted) have argued that shifting or sharing some offshore build-out into neighboring waters like Denmark and Sweden can optimize output, lower costs, and reduce the risk of regionally weak wind conditions. This is also part of broader European agreements like the North Sea Summit declarations scaling up cross-border infrastructure.
Note.
- The UK and German EEZs join via a corridor, that would surely be bideal for a large capacity cable, which is clearly visible on then EEZ map.
- The UK has more than enough space for wind farms.
- The primary source of the UK’s offshore energy could shift to wind farms to the West and North-West of Great Britain.
- Eastern British would probably play a large part in the construction and service of German wind farms to the East of Great Britain.
There would appear to be winners all round.
- Germany gets the energy it needs.
- The UK gets the affordable energy it needs.
- The UK gets paid for the energy created in and exported from its waters.
- British jobs will be created in the construction and support of the German wind farms.
This could be the start of something very big for Germany and the UK.
Uttoxeter Station – 14th October 2026
Becuse Uttoxeter station could be on a possible open access service between St. Pancras and Manchester Piccadilly stations, I went and had a look.
My father would have made a comment about Molotov as regards this station.
Molotov had this reputation for always saying no.
This station is rather short in its list of facilities.
- It has no lifts for the footbridge.
- It has no staff.
- There was no obvious information about local transport.
- I saw no details of how to get a taxi.
- There were no litter bins on Platform 1.
- Poor early and late trains.
I believe this station needs a lot of improvement.
These are my thoughts.
Are Any Improvements Planned At Uttoxeter Station?
I thought I had better ask this question of Google AI first, so I didn’t repeat myself.
Google AI gave me this answer to the question.
Several service and timetable improvements are planned for Uttoxeter station:
Sunday Train Timetable Changes: Starting in December 2026, Sunday train services through Uttoxeter and Tutbury will be expanded to run from 9:30 AM onward, removing the previous restriction where trains did not start until after 3:00 PM.
Local Campaign for Increased Frequency: Local campaigns and discussions with East Midlands Railway (EMR) and Network Rail are underway to assess adding more frequent local train services and extra carriages on the Derby-to-Crewe line, including through Uttoxeter.
Proposed Open Access Services: Grand Central Trains has submitted an application for a new open access train service connecting Manchester Piccadilly and London St. Pancras that would call at Uttoxeter (proposing five trains per day).
Regional Infrastructure Upgrades: Network Rail has conducted ongoing infrastructure and track-renewal works across Derbyshire and Staffordshire (such as recent upgrades near Wychnor Viaduct and Clay Mills level crossing) to improve overall line reliability for services passing through Uttoxeter.
Note.
- When I visited the station, a guy complained to me about train times.
- I took one train to Uttoxeter and one from the station. Both were crowded.
- I believe Grand Central Trains service between London St. Pancras and Manchester Piccadilly will be a winner.
- Good to see that a level crossing has been removed.
Nothing seems to be planned, except for the better timetable.
Would Adding The Open Access Service Be Welcomed?
The open access service could have these effects.
- Five more trains in each direction would add more capacity.
- Trains could be timetabled to run in busy times.
- Early and late trains, would benefit shift workers.
- Running to London St. Pancras would connect to Continental services in the same station.
- Running to stations like Derby, Leicester, Stoke-on-Trent, Stockport and Manchester Piccadilly would widen the employee catchment area for employers in Uttoxeter.
- Alton Towers, JCB and Uttoxeter racecourse would probably all benefit from a direct train service to London St. Pancras, Derby, Stockport and Manchester.
Andy Burnham says he wants growth. Surely these five trains in each direction would inject growth into Uttoxeter and the surrounding area.
A Decent Bus Service To Local Attraction Would Be Needed
I took these pictures today of a small bus in London.
Note.
- It is a Wrightbus GB Kite electric bus.
- It was built in Northern Ireland.
- Wrightbus is owned by Lord Bamford’s son.
- Lord Bamford’s family own JCB.
I’m sure the family can agree on a deal to make Uttoxeter a must-visit place.
ORR Rejects WSMR And Lumo WCML Bids
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Modern Railways.
These two paragraphs add more details.
Aspirations by Wrexham, Shropshire & Midlands Railway Company (WSMR) and Lumo to run more open access services on the West Coast main line have been rejected by the Office of Rail and Road.
WSMR hoped to run four Wrexham-London Euston return services, and Lumo up to four return trains between Rochdale and Euston. The ORR also rejected Avanti West Coast’s bid for extra Blackpool-Euston trains.
I feel by its rejection of the two open access bids from WSMR and Lumo, the ORR is showing its obedience to its socialist masters and following a policy of no trains, must be run by private enterprise.
But its rejection of more services to Blackpool, is surely an error of the highest order.
- Blackpool needs more express trains.
- Blackpool North station now has a well-designed interchange between the trains to Preston, Manchester, Liverpool, London and the South and the Blackpool tramway.
- Blackpool North and Euston is a fully-electrified route.
- There is scope to add extra services to the Blackpool tramway.
- Avanti West Coast will be run by the state from the 7th March 2027.
Surely, similar rules can apply independently of the owner?
But obviously not in Burnham’s Bankrupt Britain.
Could Centrica Build An Alternative Grid For The UK?
Andy Burnham’s Speech In Liverpool Introduced The Great British Grid
This extract is what he said on energy and the grid.
One of the biggest barriers to growth in the UK is the cost of energy. British businesses and billpayers pay some of the highest energy costs in Europe.
Within 10 years, I want those costs to be in line with our neighbours.
This means reforming a broken energy market so it better serves the public interest.
We are already taking more control of our electricity prices with a massive expansion of home-grown renewables and nuclear. I have asked Miatta to speed up the breaking of the link between what we pay for power at home and the international gas market, to get bills down.
And we will be pragmatic in relation to the North Sea as we build a bridge to a clean energy future and face the climate crisis.
But it’s not just the price. The system needs to work better too. You would not believe how many businesses complain to me they can’t get going because they can’t get connected to the grid.
It pushes costs up. It drags growth down. And it holds Britain back. We won’t get the growth and inward investment we need if we don’t fix it.
So, for the first time, we will have a national energy plan and we will bring back local democratic control through a stronger role for mayors and local leaders.
But we must go further. Today I can announce our plan for Great British Grid. A new branch of Great British Energy. A publicly-owned company that will challenge the private sector operators.
But is Andy Burnham’s plan realisable?
The Great Grid Upgrade From Norwich To Tilbury
National Grid are aiming to replace the grid between Norwich and Tilbury to add extra capacity and the details of the project are on this web site.
This is a map of the route.
To ascertain the level of objections, I asked Google AI “Norwich to Tilbury grid objections” and received this reply.
Local councils, residents, and organizations object to National Grid’s Norwich to Tilbury Project primarily due to the visual and ecological damage of using 50-meter overhead pylons instead of offshore or underground alternatives.
Key Objections and Concerns
Overhead Pylons vs. Alternatives: Opposition to roughly 100 miles (159–183 km) of towering onshore overground lines. Objectors demand fully costed offshore high-voltage direct current (HVDC) or underground cabling options.
Environmental & Landscape Harm: Severe impact on protected and valued landscapes, including the Dedham Vale national landscape and Waveney Valley, alongside extensive tree loss and disruption to local wildlife habitats.
Heritage & Property Impacts: Damage to the settings of historic buildings and significant property or land devaluation, including negative impacts on planned developments like the Dunton Hills Garden Village in Brentwood.
Unrealistic Delivery Timeline: Concern that the targeted 2030/2031 completion deadline is overly ambitious, forcing rushed implementation without proper scrutiny of cumulative effects from multiple East Anglian energy projects.
Community Disruption: Strain on local highways, disruptive weekend and bank holiday working hours, agricultural disruption, and a lack of adequate community compensation or tangible social value.
The Nimbys don’t seem very keen on more and bigger overhead power lines.
Conclusion
I believe building a second set of power lines across the country will be very difficult, if not impossible.
The Investment Of Centrica And Others In innovative Energy Technology
I think we’ll see innovation from the likes of Centrica, Octopus, National Grid and others, as to how we get our energy delivered.
Centrica and others, who include the UK Government, have backed four British companies, that I’m sure will be used in the grid of 2030.
- Ceres have developed a fuel cell that runs on hydrogen, biomethane or natural gas. It was thought it would be used to power data centres, but it could be used to provide power anywhere there is a gas supply, like a big factory or a new housing estate.
- Heata was developed by British Gas Research and is part of a data centre, which sits in a domestic hot water tank and the waste heat gives you affordable hot water.
- Highview Power make liquid-air batteries up to 300 MW/3.2 GWh. Significantly, Andy Burnham performed the groundbreaking for a 50 MW/300 MWh battery in Manchester, when he was Mayor of Greater Manchester.
- HiiROC from Hull University have a way to make hydrogen that uses only a fifth of the electricity. Cemex are using HiiROC to make low-carbon cement at Rugby. I also think Jim Ratcliffe has plans for HiiROC, as he is an investor with Centrica and others.
Could Centrica build an innovative Great British Grid from their investments?
I don’t think so because of the problem I indicated earlier with Norwich to Tilbury of putting up more overhead cables.
But all of these four companies can provide support and enhancement to the existing grid.
- Ceres could be used to provide extra power, where it is needed, if there is a suitable gas supply.
- Heata could be used to give a large proportion of houses and flats affordable hot water.
- Highview Power could be used to provide energy storage where too much energy is being generated at times and needs to be stored for a number of hours.
- I believe that many large wind farms will be connected to the grid, with a Highview Power battery at the sub-station.
- I also believe that we could see Highview Power batteries installed offshore to smooth wind farm output.
- HiiROC could produce hydrogen when and where it is needed.
The big problem will be that the grid will get more complicated and will be more difficult to control.
In Centrica And Return Partner To Scale Battery Flexibility In Germany, I ask Google AI if Centrica are good at optimising batteries and received this reply.
Yes, Centrica is considered a strong and established player in grid battery (BESS) optimisation.
Centrica Energy leverages over 15 years of flexible asset trading experience and has actively optimised battery energy storage systems since 2018. They currently manage over 950 MW of grid-scale batteries on contract across the UK and Europe.
It may be difficult to manage all these assets, but it does appear that Centrica have the mathematicians and engineers, who are up to the task.
The Future Of Nuclear
Consider.
- The four nuclear stations at Hartlepool, Heysham 1, Heysham 2 and Torness are to be shut down by March 2030, which will lose approximately 5 GW of zero-carbon electricity.
- Hinckley Point C will deliver 3.2 GW from the early 2030s.
- Sizewell C will deliver 3.2 GW at some time in the future.
Can we rely on solar and wind power to power the UK?
It is not a question of can, but we have to.
But Centrica have made a bold move to link up with X-energy of the US to build a fleet of small modular reactors called an Xe-100.
- I wrote about the initial deal in Centrica And X-energy Agree To Deploy UK’s First Advanced Modular Reactors.
- In Hartlepool Nuclear Reactor Moves To UK Regulatory Assessment, I talk about how the first reactor will be built at Hartlepool.
- In Centrica, X-energy Advance Nuclear Plans As UK Regulators To Begin Design Review For Xe-100, I say more about the design and the parners in the Xe-100.
- In With Federal Funding Windfall, X-energy Advances Small Nuclear Reactor, I talk about US Federal funding for X-energy.
- In TRISO-X Completes Vertical Construction Of TX-1 Fuel Fabrication Facility, I describe how they are cracking on with the fuel facility in the US.
It certainly, seems to be a project that has started with a certain degree of momentum, which says to me, they have got the project management right.
But believe that these 80 MW Xe-100 reactors, if strategically placed around the country will keep us going as older nuclear and gas power stations are retired.
The Relationship Between Andy Burnham And Chris O’Shea
I wrote about this in Have Chris O’Shea And Andy Burnham Met?
I will assume its a good relationship, until proven otherwise.
Conclusion
I wonder whether in the end, the Great British Grid is a series of extensions to the current grid we have.
Have Chris O’Shea And Andy Burnham Met?
I feel that this is a sensible question to ask Google AI.
I received this answer.
Yes, Centrica CEO Chris O’Shea and Prime Minister Andy Burnham have met.
They most recently crossed paths at the September 2026 Labour Party Conference in Liverpool.
During the event, Chris O’Shea was part of a slimmed-down delegation of top British business executives who attended a private meeting where Andy Burnham took questions and delivered a frank address regarding the “cost of business” and his future economic strategy.
They have also met previously during Burnham’s tenure as Mayor of Greater Manchester.
For instance, in April 2022, the banking group NatWest arranged a high-level meeting involving both Andy Burnham and Chris O’Shea to discuss green energy initiatives and policy incentives for sustainable housing.
It should also be noted, that Centrica, where Chris O’Shea is Chief Executive, have backed Highview Power’s 50 MW/300 MWh battery at Carrington in Greater Manchester. I wouldn’t be surprised that given the NatWest meetings, that Burnham and O’Shea met at Carrington at some point. In Andy Burnham and Highview Power, I investigated Burnham’s attitude to the Carrington battery and it appears to be positive.
I have just read this interview with Chris O’Shea in the Guardian.
Burnham and O’Shea have a lot of similarities in their lives.
- There is only a four years difference in their ages.
- Both are from Catholic families.
- Both may have had financial troubles in their families as children.
- Both went to good universities.
- Both are keen football supporters.
I can expect that on a lot of important issues, they are in agreement.
Power Lines Disappear From Cornish Beauty Spot
The title of this post, is the same as this news item from National Grid.
This is the sub-heading.
Visitors to a North Cornwall beauty spot will be able to enjoy improved views after overhead power lines were removed by our engineers.
These three paragraphs add more detail.
They took down more than a mile of poles and lines at Hawkers Cove, near Padstow, which have been replaced by underground cables.
The cove is a popular destination known for its coastal scenery and views across the Camel Estuary, and we worked with Cornwall National Landscape, Cornwall Council, local landowners and a tenant farmer to identify which overhead equipment could be removed.
This resulted in more than a dozen poles and 15 spans of high and low voltage conductors covering 1,600 metres being taken down.
It appears that National Grid work in partnership with National Parks and National Landscapes, to identify and prioritise schemes.
I posted this story, as in Burnham’s speech, he said he would be setting up Great British Grid.
Will this mean, if you vote Labour, you’ll get ugly cables removed from around your house, so that it goes up in value?
Should Number 10 North Have Good Rail Connections To London?
The answer to this question must be Yes! But it must also have good rail connections to the rest of the UK.Heron House
The current Number 10 North is at Heron House, which is shown on this OpenRailwayMap.
Note.
- The green lines are Manchester’s Metrolink.
- Piccadilly Gardens with its tram stop is in the North-East corner of the map.
- The tram lines going South-East from Piccadilly Gardens go to Manchester Piccadilly station.
- The tram lines going North-East from Piccadilly Gardens go to Manchester Victoria station.
- In the middle of the map, there is St. Peter’s Square tram stop, which are within a five-minute walk to the circular Manchester Central Library and the triangular Manchester Town Hall.
- Heron House is on the opposite side of Albert Square to Manchester Town Hall.
Andy Burnham has obviously chosen a location he knows well from his nine years as the Mayor of Greater Manchester.
Long-term there are plans to move Number 10 North to the Manchester Digital Campus in Great Ancoats Street, Ancoats, Manchester, when construction is completed around 2032.
This Google Map shows the location of Great Ancoats Street with respect to Manchester City Centre.
Note.
- Great Ancoat’s Street appears to be part of Manchester’s Inner Ring Road.
- Google placed the red arrow, but I suspect Number 10 North could be somewhere near the arrow.
- Manchester Piccadilly station is not marked on the map, but is about a 0.8 mile South-West of the red arrow, at the end of the rail line going South-East from the map.
- Number 10 North should be about a 5 to 10 minute walk from Manchester Piccadilly station.
- Currently, there is no tram running in this direction.
- The two stations in the South-West corner of the map are Deansgate in the West and Manchester Oxford Road in the East.
- The fourth station in Manchester City Centre is Manchester Victoria in the North-West corner of the map, by the AO Arena and Manchester Cathedral.
- Located between Deansgate, Oxford Road and Victoria stations is a white triangle, which is Manchester Town Hall, with the current location of Number 10 North at Heron House to its West.
- There don’t appear to be any trams on Great Ancoat’s Street, but there are buses between Manchester Victoria and Great Ancoat’s Street, which take about 11-20 minutes.
- As an alternative between Manchester Victoria and Great Ancoat’s Street, you can take a tram to New Islington and walk.
This brief look seems to indicate, that to get to Great Ancoat’s Street, you either walk from Manchester Piccadilly or take trams or buses and a short walk from Manchester Victoria.
This OpenRailwayMap shows Manchester Piccadilly, Manchester Victoria and New Islington.
Note.
- Manchester Victoria station is indicated by a blue arrow.
- Manchester Piccadilly station is towards the bottom of the map.
- New Islington tram stop is North-West of Manchester Piccadilly on the green tram line to the Etihad Stadium and Ashton-Under-Lyme tram stops.
- The Etihad Stadium can be seen three tram stops on from New Islington at the Eastern edge of the map.
- Passengers going between Manchester Victoria and New Islington would change trams at Picadilly Gardens tram stop.
I believe that the Future Number 10 North will be within easy walking distance of the New Islington tram stop.
Current London And Manchester Services
Avanti West Cost currently run three hourly trains between Euston and Manchester Piccadilly.
- 1 train per hour (tph) stops at Milton Keynes Central, Rugby, Stoke-on-Trent, Macclesfield, Stockport
- 1 tph stops at Nuneaton, Stoke-on-Trent, Stockport
- 1 tph stops atStafford, Crewe, Wilmslow, Stockport
I don’t think this gives a wide enough coverage of stations.
Lumo’s Proposed London And Manchester Services
Lumo want to run six daily trains between between Euston and Rochdale.
These will stop at Warrington Bank Quay, Newton-le-Willows, Eccles and Manchester Victoria.
Note.
- This could be a fast service, as it is proposed to be non-stop between Euston and Warrington Bank Quay.
- It will probably be only five-cars, which would give no problems terminating at Euston and Rochdale stations.
- Eccles and Rochdale are in Greater Manchester.
- Currently, Warrington Bank Quay, Newton-le-Willows, Eccles and Manchester Victoria don’t have direct trains to London.
- I can see this service appealing to thrifty Yorkshire folk, as Rochdale has 3 tph to Hebden Bridge and Leeds, 2 tph to Halifax and Bradford Interchange, and 1 tph to Brighouse and Dewsbury.
- It could be a low-cost service.
I can see it being successful.
The Role Of Train Stations In Driving Economic Growth
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Business Live.
This is the sub-heading.
This role of railway stations is set out in a recent report by Development Economics.
These two paragraphs add more detail.
We usually think of railways and railway stations as places to catch trains. And so they are. They provide us in parts of Wales with an alternative to the motor car particularly for longer journeys; and within the UK where air travel options are few.
This role of railway stations is set out in a recent report by Development Economics: Growing Places – Railway Stations: Engines of Economic Growth. It illustrates the impact of Great Western main line stations including Carmarthen, a medium size station in terms of passenger numbers handling nearly half-a-million entries and exits annually.
It sounds to me, that next time I go to South Wales, I should go and look at Carmarthen.
The report from Development Exconomics is also mentioned in this article on Rail Industry Connect, which is entitled Railway Stations Emerge As Engines Of Growth, But SMEs Must Move Quickly To Secure Their Place.
This is the sub-heading.
Railway stations across the UK are being recast as far more than transport hubs, with new analysis positioning them at the centre of economic growth, regeneration and investment. A recent report by Great Western Railway, Growing Places: Railway Stations – Engines of Economic Growth, sets out the scale of this shift and, crucially, what it means for the rail supply chain.
The initial paragraph adds some more detail.
For SMEs, the message is clear. The opportunity is substantial, but it is evolving. Value is no longer created solely through infrastructure delivery; it is increasingly tied to the wider economic ecosystems that stations enable.
Both articles are a must read.
Andy Burnham should read both!