GWR Takes Over Battery Train Project
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Rail News.
This paragraph outlines the takeover.
Great Western Railway has bought equipment from battery train manufacturer Vivarail, which went into administration in December. The purchase has included rolling stock, FastCharge systems and other items. Nine former Vivarail staff have also joined GWR, as it continues to prepare for using a battery unit on the West Ealing to Greenford branch. GWR engineering director Simon Green said: ‘There have clearly been some setbacks that mean we will need to review the existing plans and timescales, but we will continue to work with Network Rail and the Department for Transport to get the project back on track.’
This sounds a very sensible action to me.
- GWR take control of the West Ealing project.
- GWR’s sister company; South Western Railway, probably will get the support they need for the Vivarail trains on the Island Line.
- It may lead to First Group companies using more Vivarail trains on other lines.
I also suspect the deal will mean that the remains of Vivarail has more of a future and someone will buy it, to continue development.
The original press release is on the First Group web site and it is entitled Fast-Charging Battery Trial To Resume After GWR Agrees Deal To Purchase Vivarail Assets.
Partnership To Develop North American Battery Train
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Railway Gazette.
This is the first paragraph.
A contract for the development and testing of a battery multiple-unit for the North American market based on Stadler’s Flirt Akku design for Europe has been signed by the Swiss manufacturer, Utah State University and the Advancing Sustainability through Powered Infrastructure for Roadway Electrification engineering research centre.
After my recent visit to Liverpool, after which I wrote Riding In A Train Designed To Run On Battery Power, I am certainly of the belief that Stadler know where they are going.
Reopening Of Abandoned Merseyside Railway Under Consideration
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on New Civil Engineer.
This is the sub-heading.
St Helens Borough Council is investigating the possibility of reopening part of the abandoned St Helens and Runcorn Gap railway in Merseyside.
This map from OpenRailwayMap shows the section of railway that will be reopened.
Note.
- The line runs between St. Helens Central and St. Helens Junction stations.
- St. Helens Central is in the North-West corner of the map and is marked by a blue arrow.
- St. Helens Junction station is in the South-East corner of the map.
- Both stations have two tracks and two platforms.
- St. Helens Central appears to have full disabled access,
- Both stations are electrified.
- It appears, that the route is still viable, but the track is not intact.
I have a few thoughts.
St. Helens Junction Station
This Google Map shows St. Helens Junction station.
Note.
- There are two platforms.
- Platform 1 is the Northern platform and trains go East.
- Platform 2 is the Southern platform and trains go to Liverpool Lime Street.
- There appears to be a footbridge at the Eastern end.
- Trains from the new route from St. Helens Central station would approach from and leave to the South-West.
- In a typical hour, between five and eight trains per hour (tph) go through the station in both directions on the main line.
I feel that a bay platform would need to be built at the station to handle the proposed service at St. Helens Junction station. But it would be able to handle four tph.
St. Helens Central Station
This Google Map shows St. Helens Central station.
Note.
- There are two platforms.
- Platform 1 is the Western platform and trains go to Wigan North Western.
- Platform 2 is the Eastern platform and trains go to Liverpool Lime Street.
- There appears to be a footbridge in the middle, with lifts.
- Trains from the new route from St. Helens Junction station would approach from and leave to the South-West.
- In a typical hour, between two and three tph go through the station in both directions on the main line.
It may be possible to run two tph on the route to St. Helens Junction station, by using the Southern end of Platform 2.
It would probably be able to handle two tph, by fitting in between the current services.
If a new bay platform were to be built at St. Helens Central four tph would be possible.
What Would Be The Frequency Of The Service?
Consider.
- As I said earlier, because of the current frequency of trains through St. Helens Junction station, I feel a dedicated bay platform will be needed at that station, which would probably handle four tph.
- Without building a dedicated bay platform, I doubt that St. Helens Central station could have more than two tph.
- Two tph on the new route, would fit well with the services through St. Helens Central station.
I believe that providing it gave sufficient capacity for the route, that two tph will be the frequency, as it only needs one bay platform at St. Helens Junction station to be built.
What Length Of Train Will Be Used?
As a bay platform will have to be built at St. Helens Junction station, this will probably determine the length of train.
I would build the bay platform to accept a three or four car train, as lengthening platforms is always a pain.
Looking at the map of St. Helens Junction station, I suspect that a four-car platform may be the longest possible.
What Type Of Train Should Be Used?
If you look at all the Beeching Reversal schemes, there isn’t one like this, where two electrified lines are connected by a short length of new railway, which in this case is only 3.5 km, according to the New Civil Engineer article.
Consider.
- A round trip is only 7 kilometres.
- I suspect each trip between the two stations will take no more than ten minutes.
- If the frequency is two tph, there will be plenty of time to turn a train at each end.
- All new routes opened on UK railways from now on, should have carbon-free traction.
For these reasons, I suspect that the route could be run by a battery-electric train, which is charged at one end.
Putting up a short length of overhead electrification in the new bay platform at St. Helens Junction, as the station is already electrified, would not be the most challenging of tasks.
Alternatively, the train could be charged, whilst it is waiting to return in St. Helens Central, using the existing overhead electrification.
Will There Be Any Intermediate Stations Between St. Helens Central And St. Helens Junction?
On the first map the station sites of two former stations are shown; Peasley Cross and Sutton Oak.
According to the Wikipedia entry for Sutton Oak station, there was quite an intensive service a hundred years ago.
Why shouldn’t they be rebuilt? Especially, if there are plans for housing or regeneration in the area.
Will Between St. Helens Central And St. Helens Junction Be Single Track?
This would still enable two tph, if the trains did a quick turn-round in the bay platform at St. Helens Junction.
But it would mean.
- Lower cost infrastructure.
- Simple tram-style intermediate stations.
- One train on line operation for safety.
I feel that it is highly likely the new route will be single-track.
Carr Mill Station
This map shows Merseyrail’s future plans.
Note the proposed new station at Carr Mill, which is North-East of St. Helens Central on the Liverpool and Wigan Line.
The Wikipedia entry for Carr Mill station, says this about a proposed new station.
Proposals to construct a new station to serve the expanding population have been suggested by Merseytravel but funding has yet to arrive. A new proposal to open a station was raised by Metro Mayor of the Liverpool City Region Steve Rotheram as part of his re-election plans in January 2020.
It should be noted, that a new Carr Mill station could be on the East Lancashire Road, so it might be a good place to create a Park-and-Ride station for Liverpool and St. Helens.
Perhaps if a bay platform were to be incorporated into the new Carr Mill station, it might be better to run a service between Carr Mill and St. Helens Junction.
- There would be two tph.
- Intermediate stops would be St. Helens Central, Peasley Cross and Sutton Oak.
- I estimate the distance would be about four miles of which 1.8 miles would be electrified.
- The trains would be charged on the electrified line between Carr Mill and St. Helens Central stations.
There would be no need to electrify the bay platform at St. Helens Junction
Should The Service Go All The Way To Wigan?
It must surely be a possibility to run the service between Wigan North Western and St. Helens Junction.
- There would be two tph.
- Intermediate stops would be Carr Mill, Bryn, Garswood, St. Helens Central, Peasley Cross and Sutton Oak.
- I estimate the distance would be about eleven miles of which nine miles would be electrified.
- The trains would be charged on the electrified line between Wigan North Western and St. Helens Central stations.
This would create an excellent connection to Wigan North Western for all the long distance trains to Scotland and the South.
Should The New Route Be Electrified?
Consider.
- St. Helens and Wigan North Western is a fully-electrified route.
- It is only 2.2 miles, which would probably be single track railway.
- As there is electrification at both ends of the new route, there would be no problem arranging power.
- It would remove the need for battery-electric trains.
I suspect that this is one that accountants will decide, as both battery-electric and electrification will work equally well!
What Trains Would Be Used?
If the route is electrified, any electric train of a suitable length could be used. I would argue, that the same class of train, as is used through the two St. Helens stations, should be used for operational and passenger convenience.
To maintain the operational and passenger convenience, if battery-electric trains are used, then Northern’s Class 331 trains and Merseyrail’s Class 777 trains come or will come in both electric and battery-electric versions.
Conclusion
This looks like a very sensible scheme.
Skegness Station To Benefit From A £3.3m Improvement Package
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Rail Technology Magazine.
I took these pictures of Skegness station, on a visit to the town in July last year, which I wrote about in A Trip To Skegness.
I feel that Skegness station would welcome some improvement.
The Rail Technology Magazine article says this about the project.
Upon completion of the project, customers will be able to utilise a number of enhanced facilities, including an improved accessible toilet with changing spaces, two new start-up offices, a community café and retail provisions. Upgrades will continue through improved access into the station for pedestrians and vehicles, offering integration with the surrounding community.
Work is hoped to start this year.
A Modern Zero-Carbon Train Service
If £3.3 million is going to be spent on Skegness station, would it not be a good idea to have better trains serving the station.
In A Trip To Skegness, I talked about updating the hourly Nottingham and Skegness service using Class 170 trains with Rolls-Royce MTU Hybrid PowerPacks.
I wonder if this route could be improved by fitting the Class 170 trains with Rolls-Royce MTU Hybrid PowerPacks?
- The hybrid technology would have a lower fuel consumption and allow electric operation in stations.
- The prototype hybrid is already working on Chiltern Railways in a Class 168 train.
- The Class 168 train is an earlier version of the Class 170 train and they are members of the Turbostar family.
- Rolls-Royce are developing versions of these hybrid transmissions, that will work with sustainable fuels.
- As we have a total of 207 Turbostar trainsets, these could be a convenient way of cutting carbon emissions on long rural lines.
- As Rolls-Royce MTU are also developing the technology, so their diesel engines can run on hydrogen, it is not outrageous to believe that they could be on a route to complete decarbonisation of this type of train.
I believe that we could see hydrogen-hybrid Class 170 trains, with a Rolls-Royce badge on the side.
But would it be possible to go the whole way using one of Stadler’s battery-electric trains?
Consider the service between Nottingham and Skegness.
- It is hourly.
- The route is run by 100 mph Class 170 trains.
- Nottingham and Grantham are 22.7 miles apart.
- Grantham and Skegness are 58.2 miles apart.
- Trains take four minutes to reverse at Grantham.
- Trains wait 20 minutes before returning at the two end stations.
- Trains reverse at Nottingham in a bay platform, which is numbered 2.
- Grantham is electrified.
- Nottingham station will be electrified in the next few years.
- Skegness station is next to the bus station in the middle of the town, so hopefully the electricity supply is robust enough to charge buses and trains.
Stadler make a train called an Akku.
- It is a member of the FLIRT family.
- It is a 100 mph train.
- I wrote Stadler FLIRT Akku Battery Train Demonstrates 185km Range, which means it could run between Nottingham and Skegness without intermediate charging.
This leads me to the conclusion that with charging systems at Nottingham and Skegness and taking a four-minute top-up at Grantham if needed, a FLIRT Akku could handle this route with ease.
Conclusion
Skegness is a town that needs leveling-up. A refurbished station and 100 mph electric trains to Grantham and London would be a good start.
Battery Train Pilot Project On Challenging’ Westerwald Routes
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Railway Gazette.
It is only a small order for three Mireo Plus B battery-electric multiple-units from Siemens Mobility, but I feel, it is significant that engineers and managers are confident that a battery-electric multiple unit can handle a challenging route.
Riding In A Train Designed To Run On Battery Power
Today, I had my first ride in a train, that has been designed to be able to run on battery power.
- Merseyrail’s Class 777 trains run normally using third-rail electrification.
- But they are also designed to run on battery power.
- I took these pictures of the train as it went from Liverpool Central station to Kirkby station and back to Moorfields station, from where I took a train back to Liverpool Lime Street station.
I took these pictures on the route.
Note.
- Every seat has access to a power and USB socket.
- Every head-rest has leather facings.
- The end lights change from white for front, to red for back, when the train changes direction.
- Door lights are green when it is safe to enter.
- There is a lot of attention to detail in the design.
If there is a better suburban train in Europe, I’ve yet to see or ride in it.
Noise And Vibration
Consider.
- I have ridden in two trains converted to battery-electric operation and both were very quiet.
- This train was also very quiet, but it has been designed for battery operation.
- I suspect that the train is very frugal with electricity.
- I wonder, if the small battery, that is carried on the train for depot movements, is also used for regenerative braking.
- It might not be a traditional battery, but a supercapacitor, some of which are made from curved graphene.
This train certainly sets new standards in noise and vibration.
Recovering A Broken Down Battery-Electric Train
I was on a bus recently, where the brakes locked on and we had to all get off and wait to be rescued, by the next service.
To aid recovery on trains, it is usual for a broken-down train to be able to be rescued by another train of the same type.
But how do you rescue a battery electric train?
There will be two main groups of failures.
- Those where even the world’s most powerful locomotive will be unable to move the train.
- Those where a train with enough power can move the train to safety.
Let’s assume we have a four-car battery electric train.
- Trains can run for 40 miles, when starting with a full battery.
- Trains can run as pairs to provide higher capacity services or recover trains.
It is running on a ten-mile single-track branch line with a terminal station at the remote end.
It would be reasonable to assume, that the train could do two round trips before it needed a recharge.
The battery could also be said to have a capacity 160 car-miles.
Suppose a train broke down for some reason at the remote end, with a fault, that still allows the train to be moved, by towing.
- A second train can be used to remove the first train.
- It will use up 40 car-miles of energy to reach the first train.
- This leaves 120 car-miles of energy in the battery.
- When the two trains are connected, they are an eight-car train.
120 car-miles of energy in the battery, should be able to move the pair of trains fifteen miles.
I suspect that track layouts for battery-electric trains are designed with care, so that one train has enough battery capacity to rescue another.
The Stadler Data Sheet For A Class 777 IPEMU
This data sheet is now available on the Stadler web site.
These are my observations.
Battery Charging
The datasheet says this about battery charging.
While an IPEMU is running on the electrified network, the batteries can be charged from the third rail, as well as through regenerative braking.
I’m glad to see the trains have regenerative braking, which in a train with frequent stops saves electricity.
Battery Charging Time
The datasheet says this about battery charging time.
IPEMUs can be recharged in less than 15 minutes.
That time compares favourably with Hitachi’s time.
Expected Battery Life
The datasheet says this about expected battery life.
The IPEMU battery can undergo more than 10,000 charge/discharge cycles, which is about four times the lifetime of a battery used in EVs.
Stadler also give the battery a minimum expected life of eight years.
Transition Between Electrification And Battery
The datasheet says this about this important transition.
Transition between electrified and non-electrified networks without interruption, reducing travel times.
Stadler certainly do the changeover from electric to diesel smoothly on a Class 755 train.
A Comparison To Tesla
This is a paragraph in the introduction of the data sheet.
The battery/vehicle weight-ratio of a Tesla is about 25 per cent, while the ratio of the IPEMU is only about 6 per cent.
I suspect the rolling resistance, is also a lot less, than the rolling resistance of a Tesla, due to the superior properties of steel wheels on rail, as opposed to rubber tyres on road.
Battery Range
The data sheet gives the following.
- Installed battery capacity – 320 KWh
- Maximum speed (IPEMU mode) – 62 mph
- Range in battery operation – 34 miles
- Maximum demonstrated range – 84 miles
Note.
- I would assume the 55 km given for range on the datasheet is a guaranteed range.
- The maximum demonstrated range is from New Merseyrail Train Runs 135km On Battery.
- All other figures are from the datasheet.
In an article in the October 2017 Edition of Modern Railways, which is entitled Celling England By The Pound, Ian Walmsley says this in relation to trains running on the Uckfield Branch, which is not very challenging.
A modern EMU needs between 3 and 5 kWh per vehicle mile for this sort of service.
I don’t think the terrain of Merseyrail’s services are much different from the Uckfield branch, so what are the figures for the Class 777 trains on battery power?
- 55 km range – 2.353 kWh per vehicle mile
- 135 km range – 0.952 kWh per vehicle mile
The train appears to be very miserly with electricity.
But if the attention to detail in the electrical system of the train is of the standard of a Swiss watch, I don’t think they are unreasonable.
Operation With 25 kV Overhead Electrification
The datasheet says nothing about this, but the Wikipedia entry for the Class 777 train says this under Design.
Because current regulatory policy makes it unlikely that future extensions of Merseyrail’s unshielded third rail traction power supply will be approved, Class 777 units will be delivered with provision for the future installation of 25 kV 50 Hz AC overhead line traction equipment.
This is probably needed for charging at locations without third-rail electrification.
New Merseyrail Train Runs 135km On Battery
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Liverpool Business News.
This paragraph gives the details.
Posting on social media site Linked In, Joaquim Font Canyelles, project leader at Stadler Rail, said: “Our new Merseytravel class 777 IPEMU (Independent Powered Electrical Multiple Unit) proved its strength after running 135 km fully loaded and without external current supply, which is much longer than we expected.
Note that 135 km is 83.9 miles.
These are possible routes, where the battery-electric trains could be deployed.
- Bidston and Wrexham Central – 27.5 miles
- Canada Dock Branch – 4.6 miles
- Chester and Crewe – 21.2 miles
- Chester and Runcorn East – 13 miles
- Ellesmere Port and Runcorn East – 10.8 miles
- Ormskirk and Preston – 15.3 miles
- Hunts Cross and Manchester Oxford Road – 27.1 miles
- Kirkby and Manchester Victoria – 30 miles
- Kirkby and Wigan Wallgate – 12 miles
- Liverpool Lime Street and Chester via Runcorn – 27 miles
- Liverpool Lime Street and Manchester Oxford Road – 31.5 miles
- Southport and Manchester Oxford Road – 37.8 miles
- Southport and Stalybridge – 45.5 miles
- Southport and Wigan Wallgate – 17.4 miles
Note.
- All routes could be done both ways with the exception of Southport and Stalybridge and possibly Southport and Manchester Oxford Road.
- Southport trains to Wigan and Manchester would charge their batteries at Southport.
- Central Liverpool and Wrexham Central would not need the change at Bidston.
- Hunts Cross and Preston via Central Liverpool would not need the change at Ormskirk.
- A Liverpool Lime Street and Manchester Oxford Road service would be possible.
Batteries can add a lot of range to a city’s railway system.
Conclusion
If Merseyrail can get hold of the routes to Crewe, Manchester, Preston and Wrexham, the Liverpool City Region will have one of the best metros for a city of its size.
25kV Battery Train Charging Station Demonstration
This project was one of the winners in the First Of A Kind 2022 competition run by Innovate UK.
In this document, this is said about the project.
Project No: 10037158
Project title: 25kV Battery Train Charging Station Demonstration
Lead organisation: SIEMENS MOBILITY LIMITED
Project grant: £59,910
Public description: The UK rail industry is committed to decarbonisation, including the removal of diesel trains by 2040.
Replacing diesel trains with electric, hydrogen or battery bi-mode rolling stock provides faster, smoother and more reliable journeys, as well as eliminating local pollution and greatly reducing carbon dioxide. To enable clean, green electric bi-mode operation without continuous electrification requires enhancement of the power supply to existing electrification and novel charging facilities to support bi-mode trains. No small, low-cost solution is currently available for charging facilities that are compatible with standard UK trains and locally available power supplies and space.
Siemens Mobility, working with ROSCO, TOCs and Network Rail, will deliver a novel AC charging solution enabling simple installation of small, low-cost rapid charging facilities fed from existing standard local power supply cables. Compatible with all OLE-powered trains, the novel design enables the removal of diesel passenger train operation on non-electrified routes across the UK, while minimising land requirements and modifications required to existing station structures.
My Thoughts And Conclusion
Consider.
- The solution works with all 25 KVAC trains.
- It looks like it is a compact overhead electrification system, which might have originally been designed for a European tram or German S-Bahn system.
- It is claimed to be low-cost.
- Siemens were not asking for a lot of money.
- ROSCO, TOCs and Network Rail are all involved, which must be good.
It looks to me, that someone at Siemens has raided the parts bin and found some small, low-cost overhead electrification, that can be installed in the UK gauge and powered by a fairly standard mains supply.
It strikes me, that this system would be ideal to install in a station like Marylebone, if services to the station were to be run by battery-electric trains.
The Anonymous Widower 