The Anonymous Widower

Council Opposes Six Track Plan For East West Rail

The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the BBC.

This is the sub-heading.

Councillors have voted to oppose part of a major railway line being built through their district.

These four paragraphs add detail to the story

Bedford Borough Council wants the East West Rail (EWR) line to be made up of four tracks, rather than six, in the Poets area north of the town.

Thirty-seven homes would need to be demolished in order to accommodate the two additional tracks.

However, in their full-council meeting on Wednesday, members agreed to support other parts of the project, such as the relocation of Stewartby station and the closure of Kempston Hardwick.

An EWR spokesperson said it was committed to working with local communities.

This OpenRailwayMap shows the Midland Main Line and the East-West Rail through Bedford.

 

Note.

  1. The solid orange line running from the North-West corner of the map to its Southern edge is the electrified Midland Main Line.
  2. The blue arrow on this line indicates Bedford station.
  3. The blue lettering to the South-East of Bedford station, indicates Bedford St. Johns station.
  4. The yellow line connecting the two stations is the Eastern end of the Marston Vale Line, which connects Bedford and Bletchley stations.
  5. The Marston Vale Line will be taken over by the East-West Rail.
  6. Just North of Bedford station is Bedford North junction.

The East-West Rail branches away from Bedford North junction  to the North-East on its way to Cambridge. It is shown as a dotted orange line.

This OpenRailwayMap shows Bedford station to a larger scale.

Note,

  1. The Western pair of orange lines are the current fast lines of the Midland Main Line.
  2. The Eastern pair of orange lines are the current slow lines of the Midland Main Line.
  3. To the East the orange dotted line shows indicates a proposed route of the East-West Rail.
  4. There appear to be crossovers that allow East-West Rail services to use Platforms 1 and 2 through Bedford station.

Between the Midland Main Line and East-West Rail platforms, the current Platform 1A used by the Marston Vale Line can be seen.

This picture show the current Marston Vale Line platform at Bedford station,

 

Note.

  1. The Marston Vale Line platform is on the left.
  2. It is numbered 1A.
  3. The platform is electrified, so can it be it used to terminate some Thameslink services.

It could also be used to terminate East-West Rail services from the West and if they were battery-electric trains they could be charged.

Oxford and Bedford is 51 miles or 82 kilometers, which is within range of a modern battery-electric train. Es[ecially, if it did a ‘splash and dash’ at Milton Keynes Central or Bletchley!

This OpenRailwayMap shows the lines to the North of Bedford station.

Note.

  1. The current four-track Midland Main Line running diagonally across the map.
  2. The East-West Rail running along on the East side and branching off to Cambridge.
  3. Crossovers between the Midland Main Line and East-West Rail.

It looks to me, that operation of East-West Rail trains through Bedford station will be as follows.

  • Oxford to Cambridge trains will use the crossovers to call in the existing Platform 2 at Bedford station.
  • Cambridge to Oxford to will use the crossovers to call in the existing Platform 1 at Bedford station.
  • Trains that are not stopping could use the avoiding line along the East side of the station.
  • Oxford to Bedford terminating trains, would stop in Platform 1A.

Because there would be a crossover between the Midland Main Line slow lines and the East-West Rail to the South and North of Bedford station, I suspect for operatuional reasons and safety Network Rail want a double track avoiding line.

 

January 17, 2025 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Fast Battery-Electric Hitachi Trains Between Paddington And Bristol Temple Mead Stations

It was when I was writing Thoughts On Lumo’s Proposed Paddington And Paignton Service, that I realised how significant Hitachi’s battery-electric high speed trains will be.

This page on the Hitachi web site gives this overview of their Intercity Battery Trains.

A quick and easy application of battery technology is to install it on existing or future Hitachi intercity trains. Hitachi Rail’s modular design means this can be done without the need to re-engineer or rebuild the train and return them to service as quickly as possible for passengers.

Replacing one diesel engine with just one battery reduces emissions by more than 20% and offers cost savings of 20-30%. Our intercity battery powered trains can cover 70km on non-electrified routes, operating at intercity speeds at the same or increased performance.

For the purpose of this exercise, I will assume the following.

  • All trains are five-car trains.
  • They were all originally manufactured as Class 800, 802 or 805 trains.
  • They were all originally manufactured with three  750 kW Rolls-Royce mtu diesel generators.
  • One diesel generator in each train has been replaced by a 750 kW battery-pack of the same size, weight and performance.

According to Hitachi’s web page, that I quote above, this gives intercity speeds at the same or increased performance, for 70 km. on non-electrified routes.

I will now look at how a Hitachi battery-electric high speed train would handle the line between London Paddington and Bristol Temple Mead stations.

This OpenRailwayMap shows the electrification between Chippenham and Bath Spa stations.

Note.

  1. London Paddington and Bristol Temple Mead stations are 118.3 miles apart.
  2. The blue arrow indicates Bath Spa station.
  3. Bristol Temple Meads station is 11.5 miles to the West of Bath Spa station.
  4. Chippenham station is in the North East corner of the map.
  5. Black lines are not electrified.
  6. Red lines are electrified with 25 KVAC overhead wires.
  7. The 93.9 miles betweeen London Paddington and Chippenham is fully-electrified.
  8. Red and black dotted lines are being electrified.
  9. The 24.4 miles between Chippenham and Bristol Temple Mead stations is not electrified.
  10. The residents of Bath Spa are not keen for the railway through Bath to be electrified.

The single battery-pack in the train, will have to propel the train between Chippenham and Bristol Temple Mead stations.

  • On arrival at Chippenham, the battery will have been fully charged on the 93.9 miles from London Paddington.
  • The train will be switched to battery power and proceed through Bath Spa station to Bristol Temple Meads station.
  • The 24.4 miles between Chippenham and Bristol Temple Mead stations is only 39.26 km. so it is well within range of a single battery pack.
  • The trains will be able to reach Bath, as fast as the track allows, so they could have come much of the way from London Paddington at speeds approaching 125 mph.

Hence my belief that Bath Spa could be reached in around an hour without any stops from London  Paddington and Bristol Temple Meads in a very fast time.

There may be a need to top up the battery at Bristol Temple Meads station for London trains to return to the electrification at Chippenham or for other trains to continue their journey through Bristol.

This could be handled by some lengths of electrification in platforms in Bristol Temple Meads station,  where the Hitachi trains terminate.

However, I feel Network Rail will be able to avoid the sensitive and possibly very challenging electrification through Bath.

Conclusion

London Paddington and Bristol Temple Meads via Bath Spa trains would be substantially speeded up. Especially, if the first stop out of London Paddington were to be Bath Spa station.

Great Western Railway would only cut out the stops if they wanted to speed up services.

Who’d have thought, that powering services by batteries, would speed up services?

 

January 8, 2025 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Thoughts On Lumo’s Proposed Paddington And Paignton Service

Modern Railways says this about Lumo’s proposed new service between Paddington and Paignton.

Under the plans for Paignton, announced on 5 December, there would be five return Lumo trains running between Paddington and Paignton, serving Bath Spa, Bristol Temple Meads, Taunton, Exeter St David’s and Torquay. These could start in May 2028. A sixth path is planned between Highbridge & Burnham and London Paddington.

Modern Railways says that currently there are only three direct trains between Torbay and London and that rail has a 29% modal share on that route compared to 71% for road.

Modern Railways tell us that GWR current run three trains per day to Paignton and these call at Reading, Newbury, Hungerford, Pewsey, Westbury, Castle Cary, Taunton, Tiverton Parkway and Exeter St. David’s and Torquay.

Note.

  1. Lumo will be taking five stops using a longer route.
  2. GWR currently take ten stops using a shorter route via Westbury.
  3. GWR currently take ten stops between London Paddington and Bristol Temple Meads.
  4. The fastest GWR service I can find takes three hours and four minutes between London Paddington and Paignton.
  5. The fastest GWR service I can find takes one hour and thirty-five minutes between London Paddington and Bristol Temple Meads.
  6. The fastest service I can find takes one hour and thirty-nine minutes with five stops between Bristol Temple Meads and Paignton.
  7. Lumo’s trains will probably be fitted with traction batteries rather than diesel engines, so it is likely, that the fewer stops they execute will be done quieter and faster.

I would not be at all surprised to find that Lumo’s journey times would be of this order.

  • London Paddington and Bath Spa – One hour
  • London Paddington and Bristol Temple Meads – One hour and thirty minutes
  • London Paddington and Taunton – Two hours
  • London Paddington and Exeter St. David’s – Two hours and thirty minutes
  • London Paddington and Torquay – Two hours and fifty minutes
  • Paddington and Paignton – Three hours

These sections would not be electrified.

  • Chippenham and Bristol Temple Meads – 24.4 miles
  • Bristol Temple Meads and Paignton – 103.8 miles

In Fast Battery-Electric Hitachi Trains Between Paddington And Bristol Temple Mead Stations, I discuss how Lumo and Great Western Railway will speed trains to Bristol Temple Meads via Bath Spa and Chippenham.

If 128.2 miles on batteries sounds a tough ask, remember that a similar-sized Stadler Addu ran 139 miles on one charge in 2021. Lumo, Hitachi and their battery makers from Sunderland didn’t enter this contest to come a distant second.

Paignton has a big advantage, as this OpenRailwayMap shows.

Note.

  1. Paignton station is marked by the blue arrow and writing at the top of the map.
  2. There are two platforms, one of which normally handles arrivals and the other departures.
  3. There are the Goodrington Carriage sidings to the South of the station.

I’m sure Hitachi will electrify some of the sidings, so that Lumo’s trains can leave Paignton with full batteries. But they only need enough charge to cover the 128.2 miles to Chippenham!

I have a few extra thoughts.

The Train’s Batteries Will Get Bigger

Hitachi must have access to the best battery chemistry, that the world and especially Japan can offer.

I feel very strongly, that the performance of Hitachi’s trains will get better, as the years progress.

Pairs Of Trains Could Be Used

I suspect all the stations that will be used by the service ; Paddington, Bath Spa, Bristol Temple Meads, Taunton, Exeter St David’s, Torquay and Paignton can handle a pair of five-car Hitachi trains on a busy day.

The Goodrington Carriage sidings at Paignton station would certainly appear to be long enough.

This could be useful.

An Early Bath

Consider.

  • Currently, the fastest trains to Bath Spa take one hour and fourteen minutes from London Paddington.
  • But the trains do make as many as three stops at Reading, Swindon and Chippenham, before they stop at Bath Spa.
  • London Paddington and Bath Spa are 106.8 miles apart.
  • The route is fully electrified between London Paddington and Chippenham.

This is an average speed of 86.6 mph.

Lumo will have two advantages

  • They will be making Bath Spa the first stop.
  • They will be able to maintain at least 100 mph for a large part of the route between London Paddington and Bath Spa, by the use of traction batteries, where there are no wires.
  • To go between London Paddington and Bath Spa in an hour, requires an average speed of 106.8 mph

If they could average 100 mph, the time would be 66 minutes.

Bath Spa may not be an hour from Paddington, but it will be very close to it.

I would expect that a fast service to Bath could fill up with day-trippers.

How Long Will A Round Trip Take?

If I’m right that Lumo’s battery-electric high speed trains will be able to do one-way in three hours, then adding in half-an-hour to turn and charge  the train at Paignton would suggest a six-an-a-half hour round trip.

How Many Trains Will Be Needed For A Full Service?

Lumo are talking of five round trips per day to Paignton and one to Highbridge & Burnham, so this would probably need two trains to run the service.

The Wikipedia entry for Highbridge & Burnham station says this.

A loop on the west side of the line south of the station can be used by goods trains in either direction, southbound trains crossing over to run wrong line through the northbound No.2 platform to do so. This crossing also allows terminating passenger trains from the north to reverse here if required.

Perhaps this loop will be used to allow one train to start from here in the morning and at the end of the day stable here overnight.

The loop could be electrified to make sure that the first train of the day gets to Chippenham.

Trains could follow a schedule like this.

  • Train 1 – Leaves Highbridge & Burnham – 06:00
  • Train 1 – Arrives London Paddington – 08:00
  • Train 1 – Leaves London Paddington – 08:30
  • Train 1 – Arrives Paignton – 11:30
  • Train 1 – Leaves Paignton – 12:00
  • Train 1 – Arrives London Paddington – 15:00
  • Train 1 – Leaves London Paddington – 15:30
  • Train 1 – Arrives Paignton – 18:30
  • Train 1 – Leaves Paignton – 19:00
  • Train 1 – Arrives London Paddington – 22:00
  • Train 2 – Leaves London Paddington – 06:30
  • Train 2 – Arrives Paignton – 09:30
  • Train 2 – Leaves Paignton – 10:00
  • Train 2 – Arrives London Paddington – 13:00
  • Train 2 – Leaves London Paddington – 13:30
  • Train 2 – Arrives Paignton – 16:30
  • Train 2 – Leaves Paignton – 17:00
  • Train 2 – Arrives London Paddington – 20:00
  • Train 2 – Leaves London Paddington – 20:30
  • Train 2 – Arrives Highbridge & Burnham – 22:30

Someone with more experience of writing timetables could make this work.

But it does appear to me, that using Highbridge & Burnham station for an early start and an overnight charge of one of the trains could mae the whole service work.

January 8, 2025 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Fourteen New Trains To Drive First Rail Open Access Growth

The title of this post, is the same as that of this press release from First Group.

These four bullet points are sub-headings.

  • The Group has signed an agreement with Angel Trains and Hitachi to lease 14 new five-car class 80X Hitachi electric, battery electric or bi-mode trains (70 cars in total) at a cost of c.£500m including maintenance, over a ten year lease period
  • The trains will be manufactured by Hitachi in County Durham, securing the skills base and jobs in the local area
  • The new trains will enable FirstGroup to significantly expand its open access portfolio and will be used on the newly announced London-Carmarthen route and to increase the number of cars on the existing Lumo and Hull Trains services
  • The agreement also contains an option for FirstGroup to lease up to an additional 13 trains on the same terms if the Group’s open access applications are granted by the Office of Rail and Road (‘ORR’)

These first three paragraphs add a bit more detail.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is visiting Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, today to celebrate a significant agreement for the Hitachi factory which has secured an order to manufacture 70 new rail cars for FirstGroup’s growing open access business, creating certainty for the manufacturing skills base, and the factory’s future.

The Lease Agreement will deliver 14 new trains, which will not only give the Group a homogenous fleet across its open access operations, ensuring flexibility and reliability for customers, but also facilitates the Group’s strategic objective of materially increasing its open access capacity. Delivery of the new trains is expected to commence in late 2027. The lease will be financed by Angel Trains, adding to their portfolio of Hitachi assets. The trains will be maintained by Hitachi at their facilities around the country.

The trains will be used on the Group’s open access rail services, including the Carmarthen-London route announced on 5 December, and the existing Hull Trains and Lumo services on the East Coast Mainline.

Note.

  1. Does the presence of Keir Starmer indicate any approval for open access?
  2. Trains could be electric, battery electric or bi-mode.
  3. Bi-mode trains should only be purchased these days, if they are convertible to battery-electric trains. Hitachi’s can.
  4. Delivery is expected to commence in late 2027.
  5. The first fourteen trains will be deployed on the London to Carmarthen, Edinburgh and Hull routes.

This table shows the trains needed initially  for each route.

  • Carmarthen – Class 802 trains – 5 tpd – 5 trains – 75.3 miles unelectrified
  • Edinburgh – Class 803 trains – 5 tpd – 5 trains – electrified
  • Hull – Class 802 trains – 5 tpd – 5 trains – 44.3 miles unelectrified

Note.

  1. tpd is trains per day.
  2. I’m assuming that as unelectrified distances to Carmarthen and Hull are not that far apart, the number of trains needed is the same.
  3. Class 802 trains are bi-mode.
  4. Class 803 trains are electric.

After the fourteen new trains are delivered, there will be a combined fleet of 29 trains.

Consider.

  • Hull Trains have started running some services as pairs of trains. I wrote about this in Ten-Car Hull Trains.
  • Lumo has been a success and perhaps needs more capacity.

The Wikipedia entry for Grand Union says this.

Grand Union proposed to operate with ex-LNER Class 91s and Rail Operations Group Class 93s hauling nine-car Mark 4s and a Driving Van Trailer.

So perhaps the Carmarthen service needs ten-car trains.

That would mean that the number of routes needed for the three routes would be as follows.

  • Carmarthen – Class 802 trains – 5 tpd -10 trains
  • Edinburgh – Class 803 trains – 5 tpd -10 trains
  • Hull – Class 802 trains – 7 tpd – 10 trains

It would appear that we’re a train short with 29 in the combined fleet against a need of 30 trains.

But then it would also appear that Hull Trains can provide the required five/ten car service with only four trains.

I would assume that the extra train, goes to make up the numbers for  Lumo’s Carmarthen service.

 

December 6, 2024 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

FirstGroup Acquires London – South Wales Open Access Business And Plans Lumo To Devon

The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Railway Gazette.

This is the sub-heading.

‘Growing our open access rail portfolio is a key priority’, FirstGroup CEO Graham Sutherland said on December 5 when the company announced that it had acquired Grand Union Trains GWML Holdings Ltd. GUT holds track access rights to launch an open access passenger service between London and Carmarthen. FirstGroup has also applied for paths to launch a London to Paignton service.

FirstGroup seem to have acted quickly to replace the business that they have lost to the Government.

This is said about the London Paddington  and Carmarthen route.

The London Paddington to Carmarthen service is now expected to launch in December 2027, with GUT having secured track access rights to the end of 2037.

There will be five services each way per day, calling at stations including Bristol Parkway, Newport, Severn Tunnel Junction, Cardiff Central, Gowerton and Llanelli. FirstGroup said it would provide low fares, ‘more customer choice and much-needed additional capacity’.

It is still considering rolling stock options, and ’updates will be provided in due course’. The trains would have one class, free wi-fi and onboard catering.

After the successful trial of battery-powered high speed trains that I wrote about in ‘UK-First’ Intercity Battery Trial Exceeds Expectations, I would suspect that the train would run between London Paddington and Carmarthen like this.

  • Run between London Paddington and Cardiff Central using the 25 KVAC overhead electrification.
  • Whilst running between Paddington and Cardiff Central, the train’s batteries will be fully charged using the overhead electrification.
  • Run between Cardiff Central and Carmarthen using the onboard battery power.
  • Charge the train as required at Carmarthen.

Note.

  1. London Paddington and Cardiff Central is 145.2 miles or 233.7 km.
  2. Cardiff Central and Carmarthen via Gowerton is 75.3 miles or 121.2 km.
  3. In case of disruption, trains could wait at Cardiff Central, until the batteries had enough charge.

A battery capability of 121.2 km will be needed.

This is said about the London Paddington and Paignton route.

An application has been submitted to the Office of Rail & Road for the service to incorporate five return trips per day between London Paddington and Paignton via stations including Bath Spa, Bristol Temple Meads, Taunton, Exeter St David’s and Torquay from May 2028, as well as a sixth path between Highbridge & Burnham and London.

I suspect that the Paignton route will use a similar profile to the Carmarthen route.

  • Run between London Paddington and Chippenham using the 25 KVAC overhead electrification.
  • Whilst running between Paddington and Chippenham, the train’s batteries will be fully charged using the overhead electrification.
  • Run between Chippenham and Paignton using the onboard battery power.
  • Charge the train as required at Paignton .

Note.

  1. London Paddington and Chippenham is 93.5 miles or 233.7 km.
  2. Chippenham and Paignton is 128.6 miles or 207 km.
  3. In case of disruption, trains could wait at Chippenham , until the batteries had enough charge.

A battery capability of 207 km will be needed.

This page on the Hitachi Rail web site is entitled Intercity Battery Trains, where this is a paragraph.

Replacing one diesel engine with just one battery reduces emissions by more than 20% and offers cost savings of 20-30%. Our intercity battery powered trains can cover 70km on non-electrified routes, operating at intercity speeds at the same or increased performance.

I am a Graduate Control and Electrical Engineer and I believe that, if you have a train with two batteries, then by sequencing and managing the power, a range of 140 km. should be possible. As a typical Class 802 train, as used by Hull Trains has three diesel engines, would the train have a range of 210 km., if all three were swapped for batteries?

One fact, that has been disclosed by Hitachi, is that diesel engines and battery packs are identical in weight and power, so train performance and handling is unaffected, by the number of batteries.

If we look at the routes of First Group present and future subsidiaries and how much is on unelectrified track, we can create the following table.

  • Beverley – Hull Trains – 71.3 km.
  • Carmarthen – Lumo – 121.2 km.
  • Hull – Hull Trains – 58,1 km.
  • Paignton – Lumo – 207 km.
  • Rochdale – Lumo – 16.7 km.
  • Sheffield – Hull Trains – 37.5 km.
  • Worksop – Hull Trains – 12.2 km.

Note,

  1. One two or three batteries could be fitted.
  2. Some destinations could be served without any charging at the destination.
  3. Hitachi have proposed short lengths of 25 KVAC overhead line to charge trains.
  4. For some destinations, it may be a more affordable to add another battery than add a charger.

It’s all very modular.

December 5, 2024 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

‘UK-First’ Intercity Battery Trial Exceeds Expectations

The title of this post, is the same as that of this press release from Hitachi.

These three bullet points, act as sub-headings.

  • Intercity battery train completes testing in the north of England, demonstrating superior performance and cost-effectiveness compared to diesel engines.
  • Trial confirms single battery technology can reduce fuels costs between 35%-50% and enter and leave stations in zero-emission mode.
  • Ahead of Railway 200 celebration, this new UK rail innovation is ready to reduce cost and emissions on the railways.

These are the first two paragraphs.

Today, Angel Trains, Hitachi Rail and TransPennine Express are celebrating the successful completion of the UK’s first intercity battery trial in the North of England.

The powerful 700kw battery technology met, and in some cases even surpassed, the key objectives of the trial, including:

  • Fuel costs savings between 35%-50%, surpassing previous predictions of up to 30%.
  • Just one battery has managed to power the train to speeds greater than 75mph, clearly demonstrating this technology can enter, alight and exit stations solely in zero-emission battery-mode to improve air quality and reduce noise pollution.
  • Able to achieve all journey times and performance requirements so can meet operators timetable requirements.
  • The battery matches the weight of a diesel engine and is installed in the same undercarriage space, ensuring no risk of track degradation and no impact on the passenger environment.

Note.

  1. I would expect, that most of the fuel cost savings are due to the use of regenerative braking to the battery.
  2. 75 mph might seem slow, but Hull Trains average slower speeds than this on their diesel sections.
  3. Running in a non-polluting mode in stations and sensitive areas, is not going to be disliked by anyone.
  4. The most powerful diesel engines in Class 800 and Class 802 trains are rated at 700 kW. So with the same weight and power, it is not surprising that the performance is the same.

It looks to me, that Hitachi have designed an efficient battery-electric electric train, that can extend services from electrified main lines onto branch lines without electrification.

The One Battery Test Train And Hull Trains

Hull Trains currently run one service to Hull and Beverley and have applied for another service to serve Worksop, Woodhouse and Sheffield, where the trains would leave the East Coast Main Line at Retford.

Hitachi’s current test train has two diesel engines and one battery pack.

An Electric Service Between London and Hull/Beverley

Distances for the Hull and Beverley service are.

  • ECML  and Hull – 58.1 km. – 3 stops
  • Hull and Beverley – 13.2 km or 26.4 km both ways. – 1 stop

Note.

  1. Trains will be fully-charged, when they leave the ECML.
  2. Trains could be fully-charged, when they leave Hull station, if the platform they use has a charging system.
  3. All Hull Trains call in Platform 7 at Hull station.
  4. The Hitachi press release said “During a trial run, the battery’s impressive power enabled the train to operate solely in battery mode for 70km.” A speed of 75 mph is indicated.
  5. I would assume the Hitachi train used regenerative braking to help recharge the batteries, at the intermediate stops.
  6. Trains average around 57 mph between the ECML and Hull and 38 mph between Hull and Beverley.
  7. Much of the track between the ECML and Hull has a speed limit of 75 mph.
  8. Much of the track between Beverley and Hull has a speed limit of 70 mph or less.

Because of these figures and what Hitachi have said of the train’s performance on batteries, I am convinced that Hull Trains will use an electrified Platform 7 at Hull station to charge the trains.

These pictures show a Hull Trains’s Class 802 train in Platform 7 at Hull station.

Note.

  1. The blue Hull Train is in Platform 7 in the pictures.
  2. Hull station has a classic Victorian cast-iron roof.
  3. Many other similar platforms have been electrified in the UK.

I believe that this platform can be electrified relatively easily with 25 KVAC overhead wires.

An Electric Service Between London and Worksop/Sheffield

Distances for the Worksop and Sheffield service are.

  • ECML  and Worksop – 12.2 km. – 1 stop
  • Worksop and Sheffield- 25.3 km or 50.6 km both ways. – 1 stop

Note.

1. A train from London will leave Retford with a full battery.
2. Retford and Sheffield is only 37.5 km. So the round trip is only 75 km.
3. A full battery will power the train at 75 mph for 70 km – According to Hitachi.
4. Much of the track between Retford and Sheffield is only 60 mph. So going slower will give an energy saving.
5. Slowing at Worksop, Woodhouse and Sheffield will give the batteries a small charge.
6. There are no bridges in the Workshop station area, so a mile or so of electrification could be easy.
7. It’s an easy level route.
8. I’ve read somewhere that Hitachi have a full route simulator.

I calculate, that a two minute charge at Worksop would probably be all the train would need to travel the 75 km. on batteries.

We don’t know if Hitachi have licenced some of Vivarail’s FastCharge technology from FirstGroup. This could enable them to extract the maximum value from each stop at Worksop.

The One Battery Test Train And Lumo

Hitachi’s current test train has two diesel engines and one battery pack.

It is likely that a train with this configuration could be used on Lumo’s new service to Rochdale.

As London Euston and Manchester Victoria is fully electrified, the only unelectrified section is the 16.7 km. between Manchester Victoria and Rochdale. This would mean, that to complete the trip, Lumo’s train would need the ability to do 33.4 km on battery power.

As Hitachi’s test train can do 70 km on a full charge, Lumo could use trains with the standard two diesel engine and one battery pack configuration. The battery would be charged on the electrified sections of the route, between London Euston and Manchester Victoria stations.

It looks to me, to be a superb demonstration of the capabilities of a battery-electric InterCity train with two diesel engines and one battery pack.

The One Battery Test Train And LNER

Hitachi’s current test train has two diesel engines and one battery pack.

It is likely that a train with this configuration could be used on  several LNER services from King’s Cross.

  • Bradford Forster Square – 21.9 km. from Leeds
  • Cleethorpes – 102.5 km. from Newark
  • Grimsby Town – 97.9 km. from Newark
  • Harrogate – 29.4 km from Leeds
  • Lincoln – 26.9 km. from Newark
  • Middlesbrough – 35.2 km. from ECML
  • Cleethorpes – 102.5 km. from ECML
  • Scarborough – 67.8 km. from York

Note.

  1. Some services like those to Bradford Forster Square, Harrogate and Lincoln could be run by only charging on the East Coast Main Line.
  2. Some services like those to Middlesbrough  and Scarborough could be run by charging at the destination.
  3. Other services would need more batteries and/or charging at the destination.

I haven’t put in the Scottish services as running them may be more complicated.

Running Longer Distances On Battery Power

This paragraph is from the original Hitachi press release.

This success demonstrates that Hitachi Rail is ready to deliver the next stage of a full intercity battery-electric train. Based on real-world data, such a train would have a range between 100-150km. These ranges can cover significant sections of non-electrified routes, eliminating the need for wires in tunnels or stations, and potentially saving hundreds of millions of pounds on electrification projects.

Note.

  1. I would assume that as many diesel engines as possible would be replaced with battery packs.
  2. On a typical three-battery Class 800 train, 802 train or Class 805 train, this could be up to three batteries.
  3. But on a four-battery Class 810 train, this could be up to four batteries.

A strategy would need to be developed for all routes and trains would be configured and allocated to the routes accordingly.

November 10, 2024 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Stadler Presents A World First In Berlin

The title of this post, is the same as that of this press release from Stadler.

These are the first two paragraphs.

With the RS ZERO, the rail vehicle manufacturer is presenting the successor to the successful Regio-Shuttle RS1 model. There is a choice of two modern and environmentally friendly drive technologies: Hydrogen and battery. Both will enable CO2 emission-free operation of secondary lines in the future.

Stadler today unveiled the prototype of the new RS ZERO, the innovative successor to the successful RS1 Regio-Shuttle. The Regio-Shuttle has been one of the most popular vehicles in German regional rail transport for 28 years, with around 500 RS1 vehicles currently in operation in Germany and the Czech Republic. Stadler is building on this proven technology and integrating state-of-the-art, environmentally friendly drive systems. The RS ZERO is optionally available with a hydrogen and/or battery drive and thus not only sets new standards for environmentally friendly rail transport, but also presents a world first.

These pictures from Chemnitz Trams And The Chemnitz Model, show the Regio-Shuttle RS1.

Note.

  1. The Regio-Shuttles can run as up to seven car trains.
  2. These Regio-Shuttles are electro-diesel.
  3. The distinctive diagonal windows.
  4. They can carry 170 passengers at 75 mph.
  5. They can run as train-trams using the Chemnitz model on compatible tram networks.

The Regio-Shuttle Wikipedia entry gives more details.

This image from the press release shows the prototype RS ZERO.

It looks very similar to my pictures from Chemnitz.

I have a few thoughts.

Comparison To A Class 150 Train

A Class 150 train can carry up to 149 seated passengers at 75 mph, which is similar to the RS ZERO.

As Stadler have built trains for Greater Anglia, Merseyrail and the Glasgow Subway, I believe that Stadler could build an RS ZERO, that would fit the UK loading gauge.

In What Train Is This?, I show the standard of interior, that can be achieved by refurbishing a Class 150 train, but unlike the RS ZERO, the train won’t be zero-carbon.

Does The RS ZERO Have A Toilet?

This is a paragraph from the press release.

The prototype of the RS ZERO presented today in Berlin is a one-car vehicle with hydrogen drive. Stadler is demonstrating the numerous design options with a multi-purpose area equipped for carrying bicycles, pushchairs and bulky luggage, lounge and comfort zones, standard and privacy seats, a wheelchair space, WC and a train office.

The train appears to be able to have what an operator might need.

What Will Be The Range Of An RS ZERO On Hydrogen?

I suspect, Stadler will provide a train, that will handle the route.

Conclusion

This could be a very handy train to decarbonise branch and secondary lines in the UK.

 

 

September 1, 2024 Posted by | Hydrogen, Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Rail Minister Marks Completion Of £150m Hope Valley Railway Upgrade

The title of this post is the same as that of this article on Rail Magazine.

These first two paragraphs summarise the work.

More reliable journeys are promised on the Hope Valley line between Manchester and Sheffield after a £150 million upgrade was completed in early April.

Over the last three years, the existing platform at Dore & Totley station on the south side of Sheffield has been extended to cope with six-coach trains. Meanwhile the second platform has been rebuilt and commissioned (after it was removed in the 1980s), two mechanical signal boxes have been abolished and a new one-kilometre freight loop laid in the Peak District. At Hathersage, a pedestrian crossing has also been removed and replaced with a footbridge.

These are my thoughts.

Dore And Totley Station

The Rail Magazine article says this about the improvements at Dore and Totley station.

Replacing two tracks through Dore & Totley removes a single-track bottleneck that often saw Sheffield to Manchester express services held up by slower stopping services and cement trains destined for Earles Sidings. A nine-day shutdown of the route in March was needed to finish the work.

The new platform sits between the Midland Main Line and the Hope Valley line, so can only be reached via the new footbridge or lifts. As well as the usual ‘blister paving’ slabs marking the edge of the platform, other tactile paving has been laid to help people with visual impairments find their way around the station.

This OpenRailwayMap shows the new layout of tracks at Dore and Totley station.

Note.

  1. The four tracks at the North of the map go to Sheffield station.
  2. The Eastern pair of tracks are the Midland Main Line and they go to the South-East corner of the map for Chesterfield and the South.
  3. The Western pair of tracks are the Hope Valley Line and they go to the South-West corner of the map for Manchester.
  4. The blue lettering in the middle of the map indicates Dore and Totley station.
  5. There is a single track curve between the Midland Main Line and the Hope Valley Line, which is mainly used by freight trains.

This secondOpenRailwayMap shows Dore and Totley station in greater detail.

The big improvement is that the Hope Valley Line is now double instead of single track, which must eliminate a lot of delays.

These pictures show the station in July 2020.

The pictures clearly show the single track and platform at Dore and Totley station.

Dore South Curve

Dore South Curve links the Southbound Midland Main Line with the Westbound Hope Valley Line.

This OpenRailwayMap shows the curve.

There is a crossover in the South-West corner of the map, so with careful signalling, trains can use the Dore South Curve in both directions.

Bamford Loop

This is a freight loop between Bamford and Hathersage stations.

This OpenRailwayMap shows the loop.

Note.

  1. The Hope Valley Line goes diagonally across the map.
  2. Manchester is to the North-West.
  3. Sheffield is to the South-East.
  4. Bamford station is in the North-West corner of the map.
  5. Hathersage station is just off the South-East corner of the map.
  6. The loop is on the Northern side of the Hope Valley Line.

The loop will most likely be used by trains going to Sheffield or Chesterfield.

Hathersage Footbridge

This Google Map shows Hathersage station.

Note.

  1. Dore Lane and the B 6001 appear to pass under the railway.
  2. There appears to be what could be foundations just to the West of the platforms at Hathersage station.
  3. From pictures found by Google the bridge appears to be a simple steel structure.

I shall have to go and take pictures.

Fast Trains Between Manchester And Nottingham

In the Wikipedia entry for the Hope Valley Line, this is said.

Nottinghamshire County Council and the Department for Transport have investigated the possibility of adding another service that does not call at Sheffield in order to improve the journey time between Nottingham and Manchester. Stopping (and changing direction) in Sheffield, the fastest journey is 110 minutes (in 2019), but the council has estimated bypassing Sheffield would cut the time to 85 minutes. Suggested improvements on a 2+1⁄2-mile (4 km) stretch near Stockport may reduce journey times by 2–3 minutes.

Consider.

  • According to Google, the driving time between the two cities is 128 minutes and the motorway route is via the M1 and M62.
  • If nearly half-an-hour could be saved between Manchester and Nottingham could be a big saving in journey time.
  • Manchester Piccadilly is likely to be rebuilt for High Speed Two and a fast route via Nottingham could be a viable alternative.
  • Both Manchester and Nottingham have good local tram and train networks.
  • As the electrification of the Midland Main Line progresses, the route will be increasingly suitable for 100 mph battery-electric trains.

A Manchester and Nottingham express service looks to be an easy service to implement after the Hope Valley Line has been improved.

Hourly Stopping Trains Between Manchester And Sheffield

The Wikipedia entry for the Hope Valley Line gives these details for the stopping service between Manchester Piccadilly and Sheffield.

  • Trains are hourly.
  • Trains call at Reddish North, Brinnington, Bredbury, Romiley, Marple, New Mills Central, Chinley, Edale, Hope, Bamford, Hathersage, Grindleford and Dore & Totley.
  • But some services do not call at some or all of Edale, Bamford, Hathersage, Grindleford and Dore & Totley giving some 2-hour gaps between services at these stations.

Let’s hope that some of the extra capacity is used to provide a regular service at all stations on the Hope Valley Line.

As in a few years, it will have electrification at both ends, this route could be very suitable for battery-electric trains.

Completion Date

It appears that the first day, when passengers will be able to use the new upgraded tracks and stations will be Thursday, the 2nd of May.

Conclusion

The improvements, certainly seem to allow extra and improved services through on the Hope Valley Line.

I also feel that in a few years, services will be run by battery-electric trains.

 

April 27, 2024 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Enterprise: Belfast-Dublin Rail To Receive Multi-Million Investment

The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the BBC.

This is the sub-heading.

Cross-border rail services between Belfast and Dublin are set to benefit from a £141.9m investment.

These are points from the rest of the article.

  • The investment is part of the Peace Plus initiative which funds projects in Northern Ireland and border counties.
  • The funding will support a major programme aimed at providing an hourly service between Belfast and Dublin.
  • All existing Enterprise trains are to be replaced with brand new trains by the end of this decade leading to faster journey times.
  • Ian Campbell from transport company Translink said that the announcement was “good news” and “very much needed”.
  • Mr Campbell said the funding would allow the current fleet of four enterprise trains to be replaced by eight new trains.
  • He said that these trains would allow a “step up in accessibility and passenger experience”, as well as reducing the journey times by “about 15 minutes”.
  • He added that the trains would be “designed ultimately to operate as a net zero service using sustainable technology”.
  • Mr Campbell said that the hourly service was “very much needed” as Translink expected there to be demand for two million passenger journeys on the service by 2030.
  • Funding is also being provided by the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) in Northern Ireland and the Department of Transport in the Republic of Ireland.

These are my thoughts.

The Enterprise Service

The BBC article describes the service like this.

Jointly operated by Northern Ireland Railways and Iarnród Éireann, the Enterprise train service has provided a transport link between Belfast and Dublin for over 75 years.

These are some points about the tracks and the trains.

  1. The Northern terminal is Belfast Lanyon Place station.
  2. The Southern terminal is Dublin Connolly station.
  3. The Wikipedia entry for the Belfast and Dublin line says the distance is 112 miles, with an operating speed of 90 mph.

The fastest services take two hours and five minutes, which is an average speed of 54 mph.

Electrification Between Dublin And Belfast

Currently, only the nine miles at the Southern end between Dublin Connolly and Malahide stations is electrified using 1,500 V DC overhead.

But there is a program being planned called Dart+, which could see electrification extended by 23 miles to Drogheda station.

New Trains For The Enterprise Service

The BBC article made these points about the new trains.

  • Ian Campbell from transport company Translink said that the announcement was “good news” and “very much needed”.
  • Mr Campbell said the funding would allow the current fleet of four enterprise trains to be replaced by eight new trains.
  • He said that these trains would allow a “step up in accessibility and passenger experience”, as well as reducing the journey times by “about 15 minutes”.
  • He added that the trains would be “designed ultimately to operate as a net zero service using sustainable technology”.

This article on Rail Technology Magazine is entitled Multi-Million Pound Transformation For Belfast-Dublin Rail Services.

The last two paragraphs of the article give more details of the trains.

This funding will finance the replacement of the current Enterprise fleet of four train-sets with eight new, modern and sustainable train-sets. Enterprise is jointly operated by Northern Ireland Railways and Iarnród Éireann, and the new trains are designed to evolve as both jurisdictions work towards a fully electrified cross-border rail corridor over the coming decades.

The procurement process for the new train-sets is set to be completed in the coming year, with the fleet expected to be in operation by 2029. The trains will be designed initially to run on electric and battery power, with the possibility to be converted into fully electric operation in the future.

After the DART reaches Drogheda, 32 miles of the Enterprise route will be electrified, with 80 miles unelectrified.

If it is assumed that the Dublin Connolly and Drogheda electrification, means that all trains leave Drogheda for Belfast with a full battery, then it looks to me, that there are three ways, this route could be operated.

  • Trains would have a range on excess of 80 miles and would be charged by a short length of overhead wire in or near Belfast Lanyon Place station.
  • Trains would have a range on excess of 160 miles and would be charged, whilst running South of Drogheda.
  • Trains would be tri-mode trains, with diesel power.

Note.

  1. Battery-electric multiple units have already been ordered for the Dublin DART from Alstom.
  2. There are several charging systems available from companies like Furrer+Frey, Hitachi and others.
  3. The Guinness World Record for a battery-electric train is around 140 miles, but battery technology is improving.
  4.  I suspect range will rule out the second option.
  5. The first option would be zero-carbon from day one.

Choosing the first option would seem to be the most likely option.

When electrification between Belfast Lanyon Place and Dublin Connolly is completed, all trains could be converted to either all-electric or battery-electric trains.

Could Similar Techniques Be Used To Decarbonise Other Irish Routes?

Just as the Belfast service uses a branch of the electrified DART, as a route out of Dublin, it appears that other Irish routes share tracks with the DART to access stations in the centre of Dublin.

  • Cork services share the DART branch to Hazelhatch and Celbridge station.
  • Sligo services share the DART branch to Maynooth station.
  • Rosslare services share the DART branch to Greystones station.
  • Waterford services share the DART branch to Hazelhatch and Celbridge station.

I can see similar trains, that will be used between Dublin and Belfast, being used on other routes to and from Dublin.

Conclusion

Decarbonisation of Dublin and Belfast could be the start of something big and green in the island of Ireland.

I suspect train manufacturers, like Alstom, CAF and Stadler will use all their skills to secure the contract to build the trains for the Enterprise service.

 

 

April 16, 2024 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Hydrogen And Electric Propulsion Compared

Stadler have given us an interesting way of comparing the range and other properties of hydrogen-powered and battery-electric trains, as their Flirt H2 and Akku trains have both set Guinness World Records for distance travelled.

The Hydrogen-Powered Flirt-H2

In Stadler’s FLIRT H2 Sets World Record For Hydrogen Powered Train, I write about how a Stadler Flirt-H2 had set a record of 2803 kilometres, without refilling.

This page on the Stadler web site gives details of the Flirt-H2.

  • Hydrogen Range – 460 km.
  • Operating Speed – 127 kph
  • Refuelling Time – < 30 minutes
  • Seats – 116

This graphic clipped from the Stadler web site shows the Flirt-H2.

Like Greater Anglia’s Class 755 train, it has a PowerPack in the middle, which contains a fuel cell and the hydrogen tank, instead of the Class 755 train’s diesel engines.

The Battery-Electric Akku

In Flirt Akku And Class 755 Train Compared, I compare a Flirt Akku and Greater Anglia’s Class 755 train, after the battery-electric Akku had set a record of 224 kilometres, with recharging.

This page on the Stadler web site gives details of the Flirt Akku.

  • Battery Range – 150 km
  • Operating Speed – 160 kph
  • Chrging Time – 15 minutes
  • Seats – 120-180

This graphic clipped from the Stadler web site shows the Flirt Akku.

At a quick glance, the trains seem to be fairly similar, with the exception of the PowerPack.

  • Both have regenerative braking.
  • Both have the battery and the power converter on the roof.
  • I would expect that the Flirt-H2 could be fitted with a pantograph and a transformer.
  • Both trains have two passenger carriages.

I also suspect, both trains can be lengthened by adding extra coaches.

These are my thoughts.

Thoughts On The PowerPack In A Flirt-H2

This picture shows the PowerPark car of a Class 755 train.

Note.

  1. These PowerPacks have slots for up to four 480 Kw diesel engines.
  2. PowerPacks on a Class 788/4 train with four diesel engines weighs 27.9 tonnes.
  3. PowerPacks on a Class 788/3 train has two diesel engines.
  4. In the UK, trains with PowerPacks have up to four passenger cars.
  5. The PowerPack has a walkway from one end of the car to the other.

As customers, might like to replace their diesel PowerPacks, with something that was zero-carbon, I would expect, that the hydrogen PowerPack would have the following properties.

  • Hydrogen and diesel PowerPacks would be interchangeable.
  • The hydrogen PowerPack would come in two handy sizes of hydrogen fuel cell; 0ne and two MW.
  • The weight of both hydrogen and diesel PowerPacks would be similar, as if power and weight were similar, then this could help certification.
  • The Flirt-H2 for California, which would only have two passenger cars, would have the smaller hydrogen fuel cell.

I would expect that a conservative designer would use any spare space for hydrogen storage.

  • Perhaps, there would be one tank either side of the walkway.
  • The quoted range of 450 kilometres for the Flirt-H2 is just under 300 miles, so it would probably cover most regional round trips in Europe without refuelling.
  • On many routes refuelling would only need to be done once-per-day.
  • Refuelling can be some distance from operation.
  • Large tanks would explain the thirty minutes refuelling time.

Obviously, large tanks have the collateral benefit of setting distance records.

The Kinetic Energy Of A Flirt-H2 Train

In My First Rides In A Class 755 Train, I calculated the kinetic energy of a Class 755/4 train.

I said this.

I will use my standard calculation.

The basic train weight is 114.3 tonnes.

If each of the 229 passengers weighs 90 kg with Baggage, bikes and buggies, this gives a passenger weight of 20.34 tonnes.

This gives a total weight of 134.64 tonnes.

Using Omni’s Kinetic Energy Calculator gives these figures for the Kinetic energy.

  • 60 mph – 13.5 kWh
  • 100 mph – 37.4 kWh
  • 125 mph – 58.4 kWh

If we are talking about the Greater Anglia Class 755 train, which will be limited to 100 mph, this leads me to believe, that by replacing one diesel engine with a plug compatible battery of sufficient size, the following is possible.

  • On all routes, regenerative braking will be available under both diesel and electric power.
  • Some shorter routes could be run on battery power, with charging using existing electrification.
  • Depot and other short movements could be performed under battery power.

The South Wales Metro has already ordered tri-mode Flirts, that look like Class 755 trains.

The calculation for a Flirt-H2 train is as follows.

Train Weight – 82.3 tonnes

Passenger Weight – 10.4 tonnes

Total Weight – 92.7 tonnes

This gives these kinetic energies

  • 60 mph – 9.3 kWh
  • 79 mph – 16.0 kWh
  • 100 mph – 25.7 kWh

It looks like the 79 mph; Flirt-H2 would only need  a 16 KWh battery.

It seems when a battery is not for traction and only handles the regenerative braking, it can be surprisingly small.

Mathematical Advantages Of Hydrogen

I do wonder that on balance, there may be mathematical advantages to hydrogen; long range, less frequent refuelling and small batteries.

But as I indicated in Zillertalbahn Hydrogen Plan Dropped In Favour Of Battery Traction, the decision doesn’t always go hydrogen’s way!

Conclusion

I feel Stadler have the right approach of a modular concept that incorporates both hydrogen-powered and battery-electric trains.

I also think, if you have a route, you want to decarbonise, Stadler have the train for you.

April 9, 2024 Posted by | Hydrogen | , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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