‘I Get To Work On The Most Scenic Railway Line In The World’
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the BBC. It is a quote from someone in the BBC article.
This is the sub-heading.
Have you heard the one about the railway line that was threatened with closure, so lots of people started using it and it was saved?
These three opening paragraphs add some detail to the story.
Welcome to the Settle to Carlisle line, the quirky steel road through some of Britain’s most magnificent countryside.
The line starts in Leeds and passes through Shipley and Skipton, but it is the section between North Yorkshire and Cumbria that is world-famous for its views.
Heading north from Settle, the peak of Pen-y-Ghent soon looms large, with Whernside and Ingleborough following a few miles later.
The saving of the line in the 1980s, is one of those classic British tales of a fight against bureaucracy, which like all these tales involved a dog, who gets a heroic mention in the BBC article.
In the next few sections, I will detail how improvements to the rail infrastructure between Bradford, Carlisle, Lancaster, Leeds have gradually developed the rail infrastructure, so that the Settle and Carlisle Line can play an increasing part in improving the economic outlook for a large area of England.
Is The Settle And Carlisle Line In Good Condition?
Google AI gives this answer to the question in the title of this section.
Yes, the Settle-Carlisle line is in good, operational condition and is considered a vital, well-maintained part of the National Rail network.
Despite a history of threatened closures and past structural issues, major investments have secured its future, and it currently carries over 1.2 million passengers a year.
Here is the current status of the line as of early 2026:
Infrastructure Condition: Following significant repairs, including a major £2.1 million project on the Ribblehead Viaduct completed in 2021 and extensive work at Eden Brows (2017), the line’s 14 tunnels and 22 viaducts are in good condition.
Active Usage: It is regularly used by Northern passenger services and is a designated diversionary route for mainline express trains when the West Coast Main Line is closed.
Operational Status: The line is fully operational, featuring regular commuter services, tourist trains, and steam heritage charter trains.
Safety & Upgrades: While it is a historic line, the infrastructure is deemed safe.
Occasional, isolated issues (like the 2022 freight derailment near Carlisle) have been managed with swift repairs.As of early 2026, the line is heavily used, with special passenger services and 150th-anniversary celebrations planned.
It’s probably in better condition, than many houses in the UK.
What Is The Operating Speed Of The Settle And Carlisle Line?
Google AI gives this answer to the question in the title of this section.
The Settle and Carlisle Line generally operates at a maximum speed of 60 mph/97 km/h.
While historically faster, this 60 mph limit is standard for modern passenger and freight services on the route.
Usage Examples and ContextPassenger Services: Northern Rail and various chartered services, including the scenic “Staycation Express” HST 125, operate along the route.
Freight: The line is used for heavy freight, including oil, timber, and cement trains.
Diversions: The line is frequently used as a, albeit slower, alternative route (approx. 2.5 hours for Leeds-Carlisle) during major West Coast Main Line (WCML) closures.
Scenic Tourism: The line is renowned as one of England’s most scenic, carrying over a million travelers annually, with notable sights like the Ribblehead Viaduct.
The Settle And Carlisle Line Is Well Connected To The Rail Network At The Northern End
This OpenRailwayMap shows how the line connects to the West Coast Main Line and the Tyne Valley Line, to the South of Carlisle.
Note.
- Electrified lines are shown in red and lines shown in black are not electrified.
- The electrified West Coast Main Line runs diagonally across the South-West corner of the map.
- The blue arrow on this line, indicates Carlisle station.
- The Northernmost of the two black cross lines is the Tyne Valley Line between Carlisle and Newcastle.
- The Southernmost of the two black cross lines is the Settle And Carlisle Line, which goes South to Settle, Bradford Forster Square, Leeds and Settle stations.
- The line going South-West joins the Cumbrian Coast Line, which joins the West Coast Main Line at Carnforth.
It does appear that the junction South of Carlisle is very comprehensive and allows very flexible routing.
The Settle And Carlisle Line Is Well Connected To The Rail Network At The Southern End
This OpenRailwayMap shows how the line connects to the West Coast Main Line and the Tyne Valley Line, to the North of Skipton.
Note.
- Electrified lines are shown in red and lines shown in black are not electrified.
- The blue arrow on this line, indicates Bradford Forster Square station.
- The fully-electrified Leeds station is in the South-East corner of the map. You can just pick out the ee of the name.
- The electrified Leeds-Bradford Line connects Bradford Forster Square and Leeds station via Shipley station and its triangular junction.
- The electrification continues in a North-Westerly direction as far as Skipton, where the red track stops.
- Electric intercity trains can run from London to Leeds, Bradford Forster Square and Skipton.
- Self-powered intercity trains can also run from London to Harrogate, which is on the line without electrification, that runs North from Leeds.
- Leeds receives a London service of two trains per hour (tph).
- Bradford Forster Square station receives a London service of one train per two hours (tp2h) via Leeds.
- Harrogate station receives a London service of 1 tp2h via Leeds.
- Skipton station receives a London service of one train per day (tpd) via Leeds.
The Leeds-Bradford area gets a frequent service to London and the South.
This OpenRailwayMap shows how the Settle and Carlisle Line connects to the electrification at Skipton.
Note.
- Electrified lines are shown in red and lines shown in black are not electrified.
- The only electrified lines on the map are at Skipton station in the South-East corner of the map.
- The blue arrow on this line, indicates Settle station.
- Skipton and Settle stations are 15.2 miles apart.
- Settle and Carlisle are 71.5 miles apart.
To bridge the gap in the electrification between Carlisle and Skipton, trains will need to be able to run 86.7 miles on their own power.
Bridging The Carlisle And Skipton Gap
But once the train gets to Carlisle or Skipton, the train will have the luxury of 25 KVAC overhead electrification to both power the train and charge any batteries.
In my opinion, there are three intercity trains coming into service, that could handle an 86.7 mile gap in electrification.
- East Midland Railways’s Class 810 train, which is a diesel bi-mode with lots of power, which is described in this Wikipedia entry.
- LNER’s Class 802 trains, which currently is a diesel bi-mode, that Hitachi could convert into a Hitachi Intercity Battery Train, which is described on this Hitachi web site.
- LNER’s Class 897 trains, which is a diesel tri-mode, that CAF are building in Spain and Wales, which is described in this Wikipedia entry.
In How Far Will A Hitachi Intercity Battery Train Travel Without Using The Electrification?, I answer the question for both Hitachi and CAF trains.
Surprisingly, I got the answer of a range of 120 miles for both the Hitachi and CAF trains. But could it be that Network Rail and the train companies wanted a range of 120 miles to electrify the UK rail network and so a 120 mile battery range was in the specification.
My estimate of 120 miles for Hitachi’s trains, was also confirmed by the company.
Bridging The Gaps
Some other distances, where gaps must be bridged include.
- Sheffield and South Wigston – 69.4 miles
- Holyhead and Chester – 84.4 miles
- Exeter and Basingstoke – 124,3 miles
- Fishguard Harbour and Cardiff Central – 119.1 miles
- Aberystwyth and Shrewsbury – 81.5 miles
- Bristol Temple Meads and Newbury – 70.8 miles
- Inverness and Aberdeen – 108.3 miles
- Carlisle and Glasgow Central via Dumfries – 115.9 miles
- Hereford to Didcot Junction – 96.9 miles
120 miles could be a good fit.
Could it be that that distance was the range of a steam locomotive on a full load of water?
The Updating Of Bradford Forster Square Station
This is now a four-platform station, with two platforms able to take a pair of 5-car Hitachi or the new CAF 10-car Class 397 trains.
In Bradford Forster Square Station – 20th May 2025, I describe and show pictures of the updated station.
Bradford Forster Square station now gets seven trains per day to and from London King’s Cross via Leeds.
This article on the BBC, which is entitled New Platform’s Opening Gives Bradford More Trains has this sub-heading.
A new £35m platform at Bradford’s Forster Square Station has opened – boosting rail services in the city
£35million seems a lot of money to spend to just increase the number of services between King’s Cross and Bradford, even though 2025 was the year that Bradford was UK City of Culture, but there may be valid reasons to create a new route between London and Scotland, using the Settle and Carlisle Line.
- The Settle and Carlisle Line is one of the UK’s most famous scenic routes with 20 viaducts, 14 tunnels and countless beautiful vistas along its 72 mile track.
- You put the Mona Lisa on display, not in a store.
- LNER now has battery-electric bi-mode trains, with CAF tri-mode trains due to enter service in 2028, that can both handle the 86.7 mile gap in the electrification in silence.
- The CAF trains have extra diesel power, about which CAF is not disclosing much. This to me, suggests some innovative use.
- There appear to be no flights between Leeds/Bradford Airport and Scotland.
- There appear to be no direct trains between Glasgow and West Yorkshire.
- A direct train between Glasgow and Leeds and Bradford Forster Square would add additional connectivity between Scotland and Yorkshire.
- With the cancellation of High Speed Two, we need more train paths between London and Scotland.
- Decarbonisation of aviation is difficult, but replacing fossil-fueled planes with zero-carbon trains is easier.
- A single Class 897 train can carry 569 seated passengers, which is about 3.5 times the capacity of a single Airbus A320.
- The proposed Leeds Metro would bring passengers to the new service.
- Leeds and Bradford could see an upturn in tourism.
I also think the line will not be lightly used due to its iconic status.
How Would A Leeds/Bradford And Scotland Service Call At Bradford Forster Square Station?
- Bradford Forster Square station now gets seven trains per day to and from London King’s Cross via Stevenage, Newark Northgate, Doncaster, Wakefield Westgate, Leeds and Shipley.
- There is one fewer train on Sunday.
- There is a triangular junction at Shipley station, which connects the three electrified lines to Leeds, Bradford Forster Square and Skipton.
This OpenRailwayMap shows Shipley station and the triangular junction.
Note.
- All rail lines are electrified and shown in red.
- The blue arrow on this line, indicates Shipley station.
- Shipley station appears to be in the middle of the junction.
- The line going East connects to Leeds station.
- The line going South connects to Bradford Forster Square station, which is at the end of the line.
- The line going West connects to Skipton station and the Settle and Carlisle Line.
Trains returning to London would reverse out of Bradford Forster Square station and take the Eastern route through Shipley and Leeds back to London.
- An appropriate number of trains for Carlisle and Scotland, could surely just reverse out of the station and take the Western route through Skipton station and go on to the Settle and Carlisle Line.
- The trains would call at Wakefield Westgate, Leeds, Shipley, Bradford Forster Square and Skipton stations in the Leeds/Bradford conurbation.
- Other stations could be added to the route if required.
- The trains would effectively reverse direction in their call at Bradford Forster Square station.
- Going North the trains might check their battery levels in Bradford Forster Square station and use a fast-charger if necessary.
- Going South, there would be no need for charging, as the route South from Bradford Forster Square station, is already fully-electrified.
- Would the operator, use this longer stop to replace the crew with a fresh one?
It could be a simple and efficient way to run a London and Scotland service via the Settle and Carlisle Line.
What About Hull, Sheffield And York?
I’m asking this question, as Yorkshire is a large county and this article has only mentioned a few places, where people live and might need to go to London or Scotland.
In February, I wrote Northern Launches New Yorkshire Flyer Fast Service Between Leeds And Sheffield.
I’m fairly sure that Hull, York and other cities and large towns in Yorkshire already have a good regional service to Bradford Forster Square or Leeds station, which will give a good connection to the new service.
Could Dumfries Be Served By Using The Glasgow South Western Line?
This OpenRailwayMap shows the Southern part of the Glasgow South Western Line.
Note.
- Electrified lines are shown in red and lines shown in black are not electrified.
- The blue arrow on the black track, indicates Dumfries station on the Glasgow South Western Line.
- The red track is the West Coast Main Line.
- Carlisle is in the South-East corner of the map.
- Carlisle and Glasgow Central via Dumfries is 115.9 miles
- The Thames-Clyde Express, ran on this route until 1974.
- According to the Wikipedia entry for the Thames-Clyde Express, the train called at Dumfries and Kilmarnock stations.
From this brief look it appears that the new service could include Dumfries and should be able to serve the town on battery power.
Is More Capacity Needed On The West Coast Main Line Between Carlisle And Glasgow?
I asked Google AI, this question, to see if there is capacity.
This was the answer I received.
Yes, increased capacity and infrastructure enhancements are required on the West Coast Main Line (WCML) between Carlisle and Glasgow, as the line is currently full and unable to meet modern, growing passenger and freight demands.
Upgrades are necessary to tackle aging infrastructure, bottlenecks, and the need for more frequent services.
Key Aspects of the Need for Capacity:Full Capacity: The WCML is essentially full, with little space left for growth, despite 75 million passengers using it annually.
Freight and Passenger Growth: Passenger numbers are expected to double by 2050, and the line is a crucial artery for Anglo-Scottish freight.
Infrastructure Age: The northern section is undergoing its largest upgrade in half a century to address reliability issues.
Performance Bottlenecks: Specific locations, such as those north of Carlisle, require signaling and track improvements to prevent delays.
Proposed Upgrades: Current initiatives include a £400m investment until March 2029 for upgrades, including signalling and track renewals, though these are largely to boost reliability rather than provide a massive increase in capacity.
It looks to me, that a bit of a redesign and some use of battery trains on the Glasgow South Western Line, might squeeze a few more trains into the route.
Eurowings Launches New Routes From London Gatwick To Germany
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on aviation24.be.
This is the sub-heading.
Eurowings has officially launched operations at London Gatwick Airport, introducing new connections to Germany as part of its summer expansion.
This two paragraphs add more details.
The airline now operates 13 weekly flights to Cologne—its only UK link to the city—since 29 March. This has been complemented by a six-times-weekly service to Stuttgart, launched on 14 April. Both routes are served from Gatwick’s North Terminal.
The move strengthens connectivity between the UK and key German economic and cultural centres, targeting both business and leisure demand while feeding into Eurowings’ wider European network.
I talked about more Gatwick services in Condor Celebrates Inaugural Flight Of New Frankfurt–London Gatwick Route.
But to check, there weren’t others, I asked Google AI,”Which Airlines Have Started Using Gatwick Since January 2026?” and received this answer.
As of April 2026, London Gatwick has launched its largest airline expansion in a decade, welcoming nine new carriers—Jet2, Air France, Condor, Eurowings, AnimaWings, AirAsia X, Air Arabia, Beijing Capital Airlines, and Pegasus—for the 2026 summer season. These airlines offer new connections across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, with many commencing operations in March and April 2026.
Key Airlines and Launch Dates (2026):
Jet2 (March 26): Launched its first flights, building to 29 destinations, with six based aircraft.
Air France (March 29): Returned to Gatwick, offering twice-daily services from Paris.
Condor (April 1): Launched three daily flights to Frankfurt.
Eurowings (March 29): Commenced services to Cologne and Stuttgart.
AnimaWings (March 22): Started six weekly flights to Bucharest.
Pegasus (June 15): Starts operations to Istanbul.
Beijing Capital Airlines (June 24): Commences flights to Qingdao.
AirAsia X (June 26): Returns to London, offering flights to Kuala Lumpur via Bahrain.
Air Arabia (June 26): Starts twice-daily flights from Sharjah.
This influx of carriers has allowed Gatwick to offer over 230 destinations in the summer 2026 schedule, restoring connectivity to its highest level since 2019.
It must increase the need for a second runway.
At least Gatwick’s plans seem well advanced, as this visualisation shows.
Gatwick With Two Runways
This appears to me to be a good efficient design.
- The new runway is on the left.
- It looks like the secondary North runway, used when the current main runway is under maintenance, is still in place.
- Between the two runways is a massive new terminal.
- Note the station in the bottom right corner, with the Brighton Main Line going across.
- The red line is a shuttle, that takes passengers between the current North and Main terminals, the new terminal and the train station.
- Little demolition seems to have taken place.
But in some ways, where the runway is built is irrelevant, if Crossrail and the improved Thameslink work as they say on their trains.
These two high-capacity railways will give Heathrow and Gatwick a shared terminal called London, that unfortunately for them, they will share with Stansted, Luton, HS2 and Eurostar.
I feel though, that because of Brexit, we’ll see a decision before the end of the year and possibly in the next few weeks.
British governments have fiddled for far too long!
Condor Celebrates Inaugural Flight Of New Frankfurt–London Gatwick Route
The title of this post is the same as that of this press release from Condor.
This is the sub-heading.
Condor today launched its new city connection between Frankfurt am Main (FRA) and London Gatwick (LGW). With the inaugural flight, the British capital is now officially part of Condor’s city network. The route will be operated three times daily with a schedule designed to appeal equally to business travellers and city tourists. Flights are operated using Condor’s Airbus A320 aircraft, offering capacity for 180 passengers in a two-class configuration, including Business Class and Economy Class with the standard 3-3 seating layout. In addition, Condor cooperates with partner airlines on this route.
These three paragraphs add more details.
With this new connection, Condor is expanding its city network to include one of Europe’s most important metropolitan hubs, thereby strategically strengthening its presence in the European market. To mark the inaugural flight from London Gatwick, departing passengers on the fully booked service were welcomed with a small reception and gifts before the flight departed punctually for Frankfurt am Main.
David Carlisle, Director Network and Partnerships at Condor, said: “Today’s inaugural flight to London Gatwick marks another important milestone in the expansion of our European route network. London is one of Europe’s most sought-after destinations, both for business travellers and short city breaks. We are delighted to offer our guests up to three daily frequencies, providing maximum flexibility as well as convenient access to our long-haul network to Africa and Asia.”
Jonny Macneal, Head of Aviation Development at London Gatwick, added: “We are delighted to welcome Condor to London Gatwick and to offer our passengers even greater choice with this new, frequently operated service to Frankfurt. Whether travelling for business, leisure or to visit friends and family, the route provides excellent flexibility and connectivity. Condor’s arrival marks another important milestone during a period of significant growth for the airport.”
The press release also has these two last paragraphs, which give more information about the airline.
London is one of Europe’s leading economic and financial centres and also one of the most popular destinations for city travel. The new connection offers business travellers excellent access to the Greater London area as well as flexible options for day trips. Leisure travellers benefit from convenient flight times for weekend getaways.
In addition to the launch of London Gatwick, Condor continues to expand its network. From May, Barcelona, Budapest and Venice will be added as new destinations, bringing the total number of city destinations in the Condor network to 13. With these additions, Condor is further strengthening its presence in high growth markets and continuing to expand its European route network. Flights can be booked online at http://www.condor.com, via telephone or through travel agencies.
It is certainly one of the best-written and information-rich press releases, that I have seen.
If the attention to detail is as good in the way the airline is run is half as good, Condor will be worth giving a try.
This page is their TripAdvisor reviews.
Gatwick Airport Is Expanding
I picked up the news of Condor Airlines new service from one of my Google Alerts about Gatwick Airport’s proposed new runway.
These were the titles of the news articles in the alert.
- Simple Flying – Unbelievable! The UK’s 2nd-Busiest Airport Welcomes 5th New Airline In 11 Days
- MSN – London Gatwick confirms 9th new airline in massive 2026 shakeup
- Aviation A2Z – Condor Begins First UK Route with 3 New Daily Flights to This Airport
- Yahoo News UK – Airline launches first-ever UK route from Gatwick Airport to popular European city
- AviationSource News – Condor Launches New Frankfurt to London Gatwick Route
- Aviation24.be – Condor launches Frankfurt–London Gatwick route with three daily flights, marking UK debut
- Travel Wires – Condor launches first UK route with Gatwick–Frankfurt service
- Travel And Tour World – Frankfurt & London: New Condor Flights Spark Hope and Joy at London Gatwick Airport, UK
There is also this headline about Air France.
- Aviation24.be – Air France returns to London Gatwick with new twice-daily Paris CDG service
Gatwick seems to be doing well to be welcoming nine new airlines in 2026 and five in the last eleven days.
Perhaps, some honest accounting have convinced those nine airlines, that Gatwick’s new runway, won’t raise charges as much as Heathrow’s.
A Brand New Railway Line Is Set To Directly Link South West London With The UK’s Biggest Airport – And It Could Be Up And Running By The Early 2030s
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Secret London.
This is the sub-heading.
A shiny new railway line could provide a seamless link between south-west London and the capital city’s busiest airport.
These two paragraphs add some details.
As a south-west Londoner who can fairly frequently be found at Heathrow Airport (or at least dreaming about being there), I can confirm that a speedy service, directly linking the almighty aviation hub with the south west of the city is something that’s been perched at the very top of my wish list for quite some time now. And it seems as though my prayers may finally have been answered in the form of the Heathrow Southern Railway.
London Heathrow Airport is currently in the early stages of a rather hefty expansion. Over the next ten years, the airport (which just so happens to be the biggest and busiest in the country) is set to receive a third runway. And when said runway is up and running, Heathrow is expecting to welcome approximately 66 million more passengers a year. So now is probably a pretty good time to start thinking about how they’re all going to get there.
I have written extensively about Heathrow Southern Railway in the past.
Start by reading Why I Like The Heathrow Southern Railway Proposal, which I wrote in November 2016 and ended with this conclusion.
It is definitely one of those projects, where by creating something a bit out of the ordinary, leads to lots of other worthwhile things.
I still like it and we now have more information, which includes this map.
Note.
- The blue line is the Elizabeth Line.
- The yellow line is a direct link from Waterloo to Heathrow.
- The station in a six pointed star is Clapham Junction.
On the Heathrow Southern Railway web site there is a section called Service Opportunities.
It details two routes.
- Heathrow and Waterloo via Staines and Clapham Junction
- Basingstoke/Guildford and Paddington via Woking and Heathrow
These are a few random thoughts.
A ULEZ Avoiding Line
If the Elizabeth Line is extended to Staines, then Heathrow Southern Railway provides a ULEZ avoiding route for Heathrow employees to help get the Mayor out of a hole. A station guy at Staines told me a lot of Heathrow staff take buses to the airport from Staines station.
West London Orbital Railway
I believe that the West London Orbital Railway would make sense to give lots of other routes for Heathrow staff and passengers.
Bid To Create UK’s First Regional Hydrogen Network
The title of this post is the same as this article on the BBC.
This is the sub-heading
Four energy companies are working together to bid for government funding to develop the UK’s first regional hydrogen transport and storage network.
This two paragraphs add more details to the article.
National Gas, Centrica, Equinor and SSE Thermal aim to secure about £500m of funding to develop the network, which will connect sites across the Humber region.
“This is a competitive process that will determine where the UK’s first integrated hydrogen network is built,” a spokesperson for the four companies said.
Note.
- There are already several hydrogen projects in the area including Aldbrough Hydrogen Storage, H2H Saltend, and Ferrybridge and Keadby Next Generation Power Stations.
- The local MPs seem in favour.
- In Could Doncaster Sheffield Airport Become A Hydrogen Airport?, I laid out my reasons, why Doncaster Sheffield Airport could become a hydrogen airport.
I can see this hydrogen cluster having a big future.
Does The UK Need More Passenger Rail Capacity Between London And Glasgow?
I asked Google AI this question and received this answer.
Yes, the UK requires more passenger rail capacity between London and Glasgow to meet growing demand and combat overcrowding, with key improvements and new services planned on the East Coast Main Line (ECML) through 2025. Despite previous capacity constraints on main routes, rail has overtaken air as the preferred mode of travel for these journeys, necessitating increased frequency.
Key details:
Capacity Expansion: The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) approved new services for late 2025, including Lumo extending London-Edinburgh services to Glasgow.
Growing Demand: Passenger numbers on West Coast routes showed significant growth, with a 29% increase in Glasgow-London travellers reported between 2013 and 2019.
Infrastructure Constraints: While demand increases, the ORR has rejected some service proposals due to insufficient capacity on the existing, congested lines.
Future Upgrades: HS2 is expected to improve connectivity, targeting reduced journey times to under 3 hours 40 minutes by 2033.
Sustainability Shift: Increased capacity supports shifting travellers from air to rail, reducing environmental impact.
I posed this question out of curiosity, but Google AI gave me, what I think is a well-reasoned answer.
In The Last Three Months, These Two Improved Anglo-Scottish Services Have Started
In Lumo Will Extend Its King’s Cross And Edinburgh Service To Glasgow, I talk about Lumo’s extended service to Glasgow, which started on December 14th, 2025.
In Man In Seat 61: My Nail-Biting Journey To Orkney By Train And Ferry, I describe a trip by the Man In Seat 61 (Mark Smith) in the new Birmingham-Scotland Sleeper.
There Is A Third New Anglo-Scottish Service To Come
In Lumo To Expand Scotland’s Rail Network With New London-Stirling Rail Route From Spring 2026, I describe Lumo’s new Euston and Stirling open access rail route.
Could Doncaster Sheffield Airport Become A Hydrogen Airport?
I asked Google AI, what is the current status of Doncaster Sheffield Airport and received this reply.
Doncaster Sheffield Airport (DSA) is currently in a state of active, public-funded redevelopment after closing in late 2022 due to financial issues, with plans to reopen for passenger flights by late 2027 or 2028, following significant funding (around £160m) secured by the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) for the City of Doncaster Council to take over operations and rebuild commercial viability, with freight and general aviation potentially returning sooner.
This Google Map shows the location of the airport.
Note.
- The distinctive mouth of the River Humber can be picked out towards the North-East corner of the map.
- Hull and Grimsby sit in the mouth of the Humber.
- The red arrow indicates Doncaster Sheffield Airport.
- Leeds is in the North-West corner of the map.
- The towns and city of Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield can be picked out to the West of the airport.
This second Google Map shows a close-up of the airport.
On my visit to NASA in the 1980s, where an Artemis system was used to project manage the turnround of the Space Shuttle, I was asked questions by one of NASA’s support people about RAF Finningley. Nothing too technical, but things like what is Doncaster like.
When I asked why, they said there’s a high chance that a Space Shuttle could land at RAF Finningley, as it has one of the best runways for a very heavy aircraft in Europe.
Looking at the runway, it is a long and wide runway that was built for heavy RAF nuclear bombers like Valiants, Victors and Vulcans.
I believe that we will eventually see hydrogen- and/or nuclear-powered airliners flying very long routes across the globe, just as a nuclear-powered example, attempted to do in the first episode of the TV series Thunderbirds, which was called Trapped in the Sky and has this Wikipedia entry.
Just as the Space Shuttle did, these airliners and their air-cargo siblings will need a large runway.
Doncaster Sheffield Airport already has such a runway.
These hydrogen- and nuclear-powered aircraft will make Airbus A 380s look small and will need runways like the one at Finningley.
But I don’t think we’ll ever see nuclear-powered aircraft in the near future, so the aircraft will likely be hydrogen.
Other things in favour of making Doncaster Sheffield Airport, an airport for long range hydrogen aircraft include.
- The airport is close to the massive hydrogen production and storage facilities being developed on Humberside at Aldbrough and Rough.
- The airport could be connected to the Sheffield Supertram.
- The airport could be connected to the trains at Doncaster station, which has 173 express trains per day to all over the country.
- The airport would fit well with my thoughts on hydrogen-powered coaches, that I wrote about inFirstGroup Adds Leeds-based J&B Travel To Growing Coach Portfolio
- The airport might even be able to accept the next generation of supersonic aircraft.
- The airport could certainly accept the largest hydrogen-powered cargo aircraft.
- The Airport isn’t far from Doncaster iPort railfreight terminal.
Did I read too much science fiction?
I have some further thoughts.
Do Electric Aircraft Have A Future?
I asked Google AI this question and received this answer.
Yes, electric aircraft absolutely have a future, especially for short-haul, regional, and urban air mobility (UAM), promising quieter, zero-emission flights, but battery limitations mean long-haul flights will rely more on hydrogen-electric or Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) for the foreseeable future. Expect to see battery-electric planes for shorter trips by the late 2020s, while hybrid or hydrogen solutions tackle longer distances, with a significant shift towards alternative propulsion by 2050.
That doesn’t seem very promising, so I asked Google AI what range can be elected from electric aircraft by 2035 and received this answer.
By 2035, fully electric aircraft ranges are expected to be around 200-400 km (125-250 miles) for small commuter planes, while hybrid-electric models could reach 800-1,000 km (500-620 miles), focusing on short-haul routes due to battery limitations; larger, long-range electric flight remains decades away, with hydrogen propulsion targeting 1,000-2,000 km ranges for that timeframe.
Note.
- I doubt that many prospective passengers would want to use small commuter planes for up to 250 miles from Doncaster Sheffield airport with hundreds of express trains per day going all over the UK mainland from Doncaster station.
- But Belfast City (212 miles), Dublin (215 miles) and Ostend (227 miles), Ronaldsway on the Isle of Man (154 miles) and Rotterdam(251 miles) and Schipol 340 miles) may be another matter, as there is water to cross.
It looks like it will be after 2035 before zero-carbon aircraft will be travelling further than 620 miles.
My bets would be on these aircraft being hydrogen hybrid aircraft.
What Will The Range Of Hydrogen-Powered Aircraft In 2040?
I asked Google AI this question and received this answer.
By 2040, hydrogen-powered commercial aircraft are projected to have a range that covers short- to medium-haul flights, likely up to 7,000 kilometers (approximately 3,780 nautical miles), with some models potentially achieving longer ranges as technology and infrastructure mature.
The range of these aircraft will vary depending on the specific technology used (hydrogen fuel cells versus hydrogen combustion in modified gas turbines) and aircraft size.
It looks like we’ll be getting there.
This Wikipedia entry is a list of large aircraft and there are some very large aircraft, like the Antonov An-225, which was destroyed in the Ukraine War.
A future long-range hydrogen-powered airline must be able to match the range of current aircraft that will need to be replaced.
I asked Google AI what airliner has the longest range and received this reply.
The longest-range airliner in service is the Airbus A350-900ULR (Ultra Long Range), specifically configured for airlines like Singapore Airlines to fly extremely long distances, reaching around 9,700 nautical miles (18,000 km) for routes like Singapore to New York. While the A350-900ULR holds records for current operations, the upcoming Boeing 777-8X aims to compete, and the Boeing 777-200LR was previously known for its exceptional range.
I believe that based on the technology of current successful aircraft, that an aircraft could be built, that would be able to have the required range and payload to be economic, with the first version probably being a high-capacity cargo version.
What Would An Ultra Long Range Hydrogen-Powered Airliner Look Like?
Whatever the aircraft looks like it will need to be powered. Rolls-Royce, appear to be destining a future turbofan for aircraft called the Ultrafan, which has this Wikipedia entry.
I asked Google AI, if Rolls-Royce will produce an Ultrafan for hydrogen and received this answer.
Rolls-Royce is actively developing the UltraFan architecture to be compatible with hydrogen fuel in the future, but the current UltraFan demonstrator runs on Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). The company has a research program dedicated to developing hydrogen-powered engines for future aircraft, aiming for entry into service in the mid-2030s.
I asked Google AI, if Rolls-Royce have had major difficulties converting engines to hydrogen and received this answer.
Rolls-Royce has not encountered insurmountable difficulties but faces significant engineering and logistical challenges in converting engines to run on hydrogen. The company has made substantial progress in testing both stationary and aero engines using pure hydrogen, confirming its technical feasibility.
Given the company’s success in developing engines in the past, like the R Type, Merlin, RB 211, Pegasus, Trent, mtu 4000 and others, I suspect there’s a high chance of a successful hydrogen-powered Ultrafan.
If you look at a history of large passenger and cargo aircraft over the last sixty years, there has been a lot of the following.
- Conversion of one type of aircraft to a totally different type.
- Fitting new engines to a particular type.
- Fitting new avionics to a particular type.
Examples include.
- Fitting new CFM-56 engines to DC-8s.
- The first two Nimrods were converted from unsold Comet 4Cs.
- Converting Victor bombers to RAF tanker aircraft.
- Converting BA Tristars to RAF tanker aircraft.
- Converting DC-8s to cargo aircraft.
- Airbus converted five Airbus A 300-600 into Belugas, which have this Wikipedia entry.
- Airbus converted six Airbus A 330-200F into BelugaXLs, which have this Wikipedia entry.
- Converting two Boeing-747s to carry Space Shuttles ; one from American Airlines and one from Japan Airlines, which have this Wikipedia entry.
Note.
- Most of these examples have been successful.
- The last three examples have been very successful.
- Most of these applications do not have a human cargo.
This picture shows an Emirates Air Lines’s Airbus A 380 on finals at Heathrow.
Note.
- The aircraft was landing on Runway 27 L.
- The four engines and the vertical oval cross-section of the fuselage are clearly visible.
- The Wikipedia entry for the Airbus A 380 shows two floors across the fuselage; the upper floor with eight seats in 2-4-2 and the lower floor with ten seats in 3-4-3, and a pair of LD3 cargo containers in the basement.
I’d be interested to know, how much hydrogen could be put in the basement and how far it could take the plane with a full load of passengers!
This link to the Wikipedia entry, shows the cross section in detail.
Note
I wouldn’t be surprised that the first application of large hydrogen aircraft will be for cargo and it could be an Airbus Beluga or perhaps an Airbus A 380 freighter?
Hydrogen In Aviation Offers Potential For Growth And Deeper Emissions Reductions, New Study Shows
The title of this post, is the same as that of this press release from Rolls-Royce.
These five paragraphs compose the press release.
Rolls-Royce, easyJet, Heathrow and University College London Air Transportation Systems Lab (UCL ATSLab) published a report highlighting how hydrogen-powered aircraft could enable European and UK aviation to cut carbon emissions while supporting future growth.
The study, Enabling Hydrogen in the European Aviation Market, found that hydrogen in aviation offers a unique opportunity to achieve both emissions reduction and market expansion. The analysis shows that introducing hydrogen alongside Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) can accelerate progress towards net zero, particularly when policy incentives reward low-carbon fuels and if hydrogen were to be included within the EU’s SAF mandate.
The research also found that targeted hydrogen infrastructure at around 20 major European airports, including Heathrow, could deliver more than 80% of the emissions benefits of full hydrogen availability across the continent. Concentrating investment at key ‘hydrogen hubs’ would therefore provide a practical and cost-effective path to early adoption.
Further modelling indicates that the earlier novel technologies, such as hydrogen, can be introduced, the more opportunity they present for CO2 emission reductions, underscoring the value of early technological transition where it is financially and technically viable.
The study is underpinned by UCL ATSLab’s Airline Behaviour Model (ABM), which represents the complexity of airline decision-making through specific behavioural variables. Building on this, the research evaluates how fuel costs, incentives and new technologies shape airline responses. This provides a research-based, realistic picture of how hydrogen adoption could evolve, highlighting both opportunities and potential challenges for adoption.
Note, these two sentences recommending early adoption of hydrogen.
- Concentrating investment at key ‘hydrogen hubs’ would therefore provide a practical and cost-effective path to early adoption.
- Further modelling indicates that the earlier novel technologies, such as hydrogen, can be introduced, the more opportunity they present for CO2 emission reductions.
I also suspect, that introducing hydrogen early, feeds back to reduce Co2 emissions.
But what is Trump’s considered view on hydrogen aircraft?
Google AI gives this answer to my question.
Donald Trump’s view on hydrogen for transportation, including potential use in aircraft, is highly skeptical due to perceived safety risks and effectiveness concerns, which generally aligns with his broader opposition to green energy initiatives. He has specifically criticized hydrogen-powered vehicles as being dangerous and “prone to blowing up”.
Note.
- I used to work in a hydrogen factory and it’s still producing hydrogen.
- I doubt Trump gets on well with Jennifer Rumsey, who is CEO of Cummins, who are one of the world’s largest diesel-engine companies, who are following a zero-carbon route.
- Is Formula One Likely To Go To Hydrogen Fuel? This would set the Cat Among The Pigeons
I also feel that this University College London study will create a string of converts to hydrogen.
Ryanair Refuses To Refund Hero Passenger Injured During Cambridgeshire Train Stabbing
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Simple Flying.
These two paragraphs add details to the story.
Ryanair has doubled down on its decision not to issue a refund for a passenger injured while risking his life to stop a mass stabbing assailant. Stephen Crean, 61, suffered stab wounds as he fought a knife-wielding man attacking passengers on a train, leaving his unable to catch his Ryanair flight to Austria.
The Irish ultra-low-cost carrier has responded to the public outrage, insisting that all of its fares are non-refundable and advising customers to pay for travel insurance. However, many are calling on the airline to make an exceptional case for Crean.
I feel Ryanair have been very mean.
In fact, I feel Ryanair could have used the story for a bit of free advertising.
Because of the fact, that my ongoing medical condition; uncomplicated pancolonic diverticular disease could flare up at any time and I might need the toilet urgently, I wouldn’t fly Ryanair, as they might put restrictions on access to the facilities, between my booking and the flight.
CO2 to SAF: A One-Step Solution
The title of this post is the same as that of this article on the Chemical Engineer.
This is the sub-heading,
Oxford spinout OXCCU has launched a demonstration plant at London Oxford Airport to trial its one-step process of turning CO2 into sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). Aniqah Majid visited the plant to investigate the benefits of its “novel” catalyst
One word in this sub-heading caught my eye.
When I was a young engineer in the Computer Techniques section in the Engineering Department at ICI Plastics Division, I did a small mathematical modelling project for this chemical engineer, using the section’s PACE 231-R analogue computer.
He was impressed and gave the 23-year-old self some advice. “You should apply that beast to catalysts.”
I have never had the chance to do any mathematically modelling of catalysts either at ICI Plastics or since, but I have invested small amounts of my own money in companies working with advanced catalysts.
So when OXCCU was picked up by one of my Google Alerts, I investigated.
I like what I found.
The three raw ingredients are.
- Green Hydrogen
- Carbon dioxide perhaps captured from a large gas-fired powerstation like those in the cluster at Keadby.
- OXCCU’s ‘novel’ catalyst, which appears to be an iron-based catalyst containing manganese, potassium, and organic fuel compounds.
I also suspect, that the process needs a fair bit of energy. These processes always seem to, in my experience.
This paragraph outlines how sustainable aviation fuel or (SAF) is created directly.
This catalyst reduces CO2 and H2 into CO and H2 via a reverse water gas shift (RWGS) process, and then subsequently turns it into jet fuel and water via Fischer-Tropsch (FT).
The Wikipedia entry for Fischer-Tropsch process has this first paragraph.
The Fischer–Tropsch process (FT) is a collection of chemical reactions that converts a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen, known as syngas, into liquid hydrocarbons. These reactions occur in the presence of metal catalysts, typically at temperatures of 150–300 °C (302–572 °F) and pressures of one to several tens of atmospheres. The Fischer–Tropsch process is an important reaction in both coal liquefaction and gas to liquids technology for producing liquid hydrocarbons.
Note.
- I wouldn’t be surprised that to obtain the carbon monoxide and hydrogen or syngas for the Fischer-Tropsch process, excess hydrogen is used, so the OXCCU process may need a lot of affordable hydrogen, some of which will be converted to water in the RWGS process.
- The high temperatures and pressures for the Fischer-Tropsch process will need a lot of energy, as I predicted earlier.
But I don’t see why it won’t work with the right catalyst.
The Wikipedia entry for the Fischer-Tropsch process also says this.
Fischer–Tropsch process is discussed as a step of producing carbon-neutral liquid hydrocarbon fuels from CO2 and hydrogen.
Three references are given, but none seem to relate to OXCCU.
OXCCU have a web site, with this title.
Jet Fuel From Waste Carbon
And this mission statement underneath.
OXCCU’s mission is to develop the world’s lowest cost, lowest emission pathways to make SAF from waste carbon, enabling people to continue to fly and use hydrocarbon products but with a reduced climate impact.
It looks like they intend to boldly go.
Conclusion
My 23-year-old self may have been given some good advice.
The Anonymous Widower 
