Soham Station’s Inaugural Year A Soaring Success
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Rail Technology Magazine.
This is the first paragraph.
Soham station has seen healthy and consistent passenger usage over its first year since opening to the public, seeing almost 50,000 journeys starting or finishing there, according to Greater Anglia’s figures.
I took these pictures, when the station opened.
I think Soham station is a good design of a single-platform station.
- It’s a short walk from car park or drop-off point to the platform.
- There is adequate car parking.
- There is a shelter.
The station has also been built, so that it can be expanded.
These are my thoughts.
A Service To Cambridge
Soham station probably needs a train service to Newmarket and Cambridge, as it already has a two-hourly service to Bury St. Edmund’s, Ely and Ipswich and Peterborough.
Wikipedia says this.
There are no current plans for direct services to Cambridge, but the CPCA has expressed support for the idea in a future phase of the project. Mayor James Palmer said “the delivery of Soham station gives us a much stronger case to go to Government and Network Rail and lobby for the reinstating of the Snailwell loop which will provide a direct service between Ely, Soham, Newmarket and Cambridge”
This map from OpenRailwayMap shows the Snailwell Loop.
Note.
- The triangular junction in the middle of the map,
- The line from the junction leading East goes to Bury St. Edmunds and Ipswich.
- The line from the junction leading North goes to Soham, Ely and Peterborough.
- The line from the junction leading South goes to Newmarket and Cambridge.
- The Western side of the junction was removed by British Rail.
It would appear that by reinstating the Western side of the junction, a service between Ely and Cambridge via Soham and Newmarket could be run.
There are proposals for new stations in this area and given the need for comprehensive commuter services into Cambridge this Ely and Cambridge service could develop considerably.
The simplest service pattern would be
- Peterborough via Ely, Manea, March and Whittlesea.
- Ely non-stop.
- Ipswich via Bury St. Edmunds and Stowmarket.
- Cambridge via Newmarket and Dullingham.
All trains would be one train per two hours (tp2h).
Snailwell Junction And Cambridge
There could be problems between Snailwell junction and Cambridge, as the line is mainly single-track and it would need to handle the following trains.
Ipswich and Cambridge – 1 train per hour (tph)
Ely and Cambridge – 1 tp2h
Sundry freight trains.
In Roaming Around East Anglia – Newmarket Station, I wrote this about the plans of the East West Rail Consortium in the area.
In this document on the East-West Rail Consortium web site, this is said.
Note that doubling of Warren Hill Tunnel at Newmarket and
redoubling between Coldham Lane Junction and Chippenham Junction is included
in the infrastructure requirements. It is assumed that most freight would operate
via Newmarket, with a new north chord at Coldham Lane Junction, rather than
pursuing further doubling of the route via Soham.
So would it be possible to create a double-track railway through Newmarket station?
In the related post, I came to this conclusion.
Newmarket can benefit from East West Rail, but the two parties must agree objectives that don’t cause problems for the other.
But I do think, that Newmarket will not welcome the building of a double-track railway through the town.
The Proposed A14 Parkway Station
The Development of Liverpool Street And Paddington Stations
This article in The Telegraph is entitled Row Over ‘Grotesque’ £1.5bn Liverpool Street Revamp.
There is no doubt that Liverpool Street and Paddington stations will need a higher number of trains per hour and this will probably mean more platforms. But there is no space in either station.
Suppose a long-distance version of the current nine-car Alstom/Bombardier trains were to be built with toilets, a 110 mph top speed, but dimensionally identical to the existing Class 345 trains.
The Central Tunnel of the Elizabeth Line could probably handle more trains, than it currently does, given that Dear Old Vicky handles 36 trains per hour.
So services like Southend and Oxford or Beaulieu and Newbury could be run through the Central Tunnel, replacing the current Greater Anglia and GWR services.
This would relieve platform space in the current terminals and the high-speed Elizabeth Line trains, would just be more trains going through the Central Tunnel at 80 mph.
The important Oxford and Cambridge route would be one change at either Farringdon or Liverpool Street, Or with some track modifications, it might be possible to run direct via the Central Tunnel, Stratford and the West Anglia Main Line.
Sorting out the trains, would ease the development of Liverpool Street and Paddington stations.
Could An Oxford And Cambridge Service Be Run Via The Lizzie Line?
This article on the BBC is entitled East-West Rail: Part Of £5bn Scheme ‘Appears To Be Unachievable’.
These are the first four paragraphs.
A £5bn rail project “appears to be unachievable” in parts, a government report said.
The East-West Rail scheme will create a link from Oxford to Cambridge, with services being introduced in stages.
Stage two, between Oxford and Bedford, and stage three, between Bedford and Cambridge, have “major issues”, the Infrastructure and Projects Authority said.
A spokesman for East-West Rail said the delivery programme was “under review”.
As someone, who used to live near Cambridge, I have seen the transport routes improve in East Anglia, but not the area’s connections to the rest of the country.
The article describes Stage 2 and 3 of the East West Railway like this.
Stage two involves predominantly upgrading existing infrastructure, between Bletchley and Bedford, to allow services between Oxford and Bedford.
Stage three involves building a new line, between Bedford and Cambridge, to extend the railway and facilitate services from Oxford to Cambridge.
So if the Government feel that the major issues and opposition should lead to cancellation of the scheme to the East of Bedford or even Bletchley, what are the problems and alternatives?
Freight
The Port of Felixstowe is the UK’s busiest container port and it handles 48% of Britain’s containerised trade.
Having lived as a teenager in Felixstowe and in Suffolk for probably half my life, there is only one certainty about the port in my mind. It will get bigger and will generate more rail and road traffic in East Anglia.
- The roads have improved greatly, since the 1960s, when I used to cycle between Ipswich and Felixstowe, along a two-lane single carriageway road.
- The renamed A14 has replaced the A45 and now connects the port to the M1 and the M6.
- Tens of long freight trains every day now connect Felixstowe with the rest of the country.
- The East West Railway will be a very useful link between Felixstowe and South Wales and the West of England.
- Global warming will mean the decarbonisation of heavy freight, with more traffic on an electrified railway.
Felixstowe’s connections to the North and Midlands may have improved greatly, but they will need to be improved a lot more.
The Port of Southampton is the UK’s second busiest container port.
- Most freight trains from Southampton go North via Basingstoke, Reading and Oxford.
- A plan some years ago was for an Electric Spine, that would have connected the Port of Southampton to the Northern cities.
- The Electric Spine would have envisaged electrification of the East West Railway to the West of Bedford and electrified connections with the West Coast Main Line and the Midland Main Line.
- The Midland Main Line is now planned to be fully electrified, under the the Integrated Rail Plan for the North and Midlands.
Southampton, like Felixstowe will be in need of improved transport connections.
In an ideal world, an electrified East West Railway, would improve freight connections between the UK’s two busiest container ports and major cities in the UK.
Problems With Freight
Could this be the major problem East of Bletchley, where the residents living along the route, don’t want to see large numbers of freight trains running close by?
In this document on the East-West Rail Consortium web site, this is said.
Note that doubling of Warren Hill Tunnel at Newmarket and
redoubling between Coldham Lane Junction and Chippenham Junction is included
in the infrastructure requirements. It is assumed that most freight would operate
via Newmarket, with a new north chord at Coldham Lane Junction, rather than
pursuing further doubling of the route via Soham.
Will the residents of Newmarket object to a double-track freight railway through the town? Freight trains and horses are not a good mix.
I do wonder, if freight trains hauled by noisy and unfriendly diesel locomotives are one of the reasons a full Oxford and Cambridge railway is losing its appeal and becoming a vote loser for the Government.
Cambridge Has An Accommodation And Commuting Problem
There is a shortage of accommodation in Cambridge for offices, laboratories, workshop and above all workers.
So it looks to the surrounding towns and cities to provide help.
London and Ely have good links, but the city needs better links to Bedford, Bury St. Edmunds, Haverhill, Ipswich, Norwich, Kings Lynn, Peterborough, Soham, Stansted Airport, Stevenage, Sudbury and Thetford.
Cambridge may be the place in the South East with the largest numbers of commuters from London.
Cambridge Needs A Decent Rail Network
In my view Cambridge needs at least the following services in trains per hour (tph)
- Colchester via Haverhill, Sudbury and Marks Tey – 2 tph
- Ipswich via Newmarket, A14 Parkway, Bury St. Edmunds, Stowmarket and Needham Market – 2 tph
- King’s Lynn via Cambridge North, Ely and Downham Market – 2 tph
- Oxford via Bedford, Milton Keynes/Bletchley and Bicester – 2 tph
- London King’s Cross via Cambridge South – 2 tph
- Norwich via Cambridge North, Ely, Thetford, Attleborough and Wymondham – 2 tph
- Peterborough via Cambridge North, Ely and March – 2 tph
- Stansted Airport via Cambridge South and Audley End – 2 tph
- Stevenage via Royston and Hitchin – 2 tph
- Wisbech via Cambridge North, Ely and March – 2 tph
Note.
- Some services already exist.
- Some of these services duplicate each other to give 4 tph or even 6 tph on certain routes.
- Some services could be back-to-back through Cambridge.
- A 14 Parkway station is a new station proposed by the East West Railway. I wrote about it in detail in Soham Station – 14th December 2021.
- Haverhill would be served by a rebuilt Stour Valley Railway.
- Wisbech would be served by restoring the railway to March.
To complete the network there would be a two tph service between Peterborough and Ipswich, which would go via March, Ely, Soham, A 14 Parkway, Bury St. Edmunds, Stowmarket and Needham Market.
Oxford Could Probably Argue that It Needs A Decent Rail Network Like Cambridge
Oxford would argue this and they have a point.
The East West Railway Is The Odd Line Out
Looking at the rail networks at Cambridge and Oxford, it appears, that with the exception of Cotswold services at Oxford and a few CrossCountry services, it appears that the East West Railway is a bit of an odd line out, as everything else is a local service.
The Effects Of Not Building The Bedford And Cambridge Section Of The East-West Railway
What will it mean, if the Bedford and Cambridge Section of The East-West Railway is not built?
- Cambourne will not get the promised station.
- Bedford and Cambridge journeys will be by bus, train via London or private car.
- Commuting into Cambridge from the West will be difficult.
- Milton Keynes and Cambridge journeys will be by bus, train via London or private car.
- Oxford and Cambridge journeys will be by bus, train via London or private car.
- Train journeys between Cambridge and much of the rest of the UK, will need to go via London.
It would appear that by not building the third section of the East West Railway, a lot of potential passengers will be denied a rail service.
Could Services Be Run Using Existing Infrastructure Through London?
The Elizabeth Line will eventually be able to handle a lot more services than it does at present.
Would Extending The Elizabeth Line To Oxford Be A Good Start?
Consider.
- Oxford has two services to London; Chiltern to Marylebone and Great Western Railway (GWR) to Paddington.
- The GWR service to Paddington stops only at Reading and Slough, has a frequency of two tph and takes under an hour.
- The fastest journey between Oxford and Liverpool Street using a fast GWR train and the Elizabeth Line takes one hour and 20 minutes.
- Only 10.6 miles of the route between Oxford and Paddington is without electrification.
- There is also a two tph stopping shuttle train between Oxford and Didcot Parkway stations and a two tph stopping train between Paddington and Didcot Parkway.
I feel that combining the two Didcot Parkway services and moving them to the Elizabeth Line would be an experiment worth trying.
This would give 2 tph direct to the following stations.
- Bond Street for the West End
- Canary Wharf for finance.
- Farringdon for Cambridge, Gatwick and Brighton.
- Hayes & Harlington for Heathrow.
- Liverpool Street for the City of London, Cambridge and Stansted
- Reading for Wales and the West.
Note.
- No-one would have a worse service than currently, but many passengers would avoid a change on their journey.
- Services could terminate at either Abbey Wood or Shenfield stations.
- Services could be an extension of the two tph to Reading or additional services.
- Between Didcot Parkway and Oxford is shown on OpenRailwayMap, as proposed for electrification.
- There may need to be some new platforms at Didcot Parkway station.
- I estimate that between Oxford and Liverpool Street would take one hour and fifty minutes.
It certainly looks, that it would be possible to replace the current GWR service between Oxford and Paddington, with an all-electric Elizabeth Line service.
The direct stopping service between Oxford and Liverpool Street would be thirty minutes slower, than the current fastest train.
The current fastest train between Liverpool Street and Cambridge takes 71 minutes, so with a change at Liverpool Street Oxford and Cambridge would probably be just over three hours.
Google Maps estimate a driving time of two hours between the two University Cities.
Could The Elizabeth Line Be Extended To Cambridge?
There is no train connection between the Elizabeth Line and the West Anglia Main Line at Liverpool Street station, although the walk for passengers is not that long.
In Extending The Elizabeth Line – Connecting West Anglia Main Line Services To The Central Tunnel, I describe how it could be possible to connect the West Anglia Main Line to the Elizabeth Line at Stratford station.
This connection would allow services from Cambridge, Harlow and Stansted to anywhere on the Elizabeth Line to the West of Stratford.
Oxford and Cambridge and Heathrow and Stansted would be distinct possibilities.
Could A High Speed Limited Stop Service Run Between Oxford And Cambridge?
In Extending The Elizabeth Line – High Speed Trains On The Elizabeth Line, I proposed running faster long-distance trains through the Central Tunnel of the Elizabeth Line.
- They would have to be dimensionally identical to the Class 345 trains to fit the platform edge doors.
- They would have a long-distance interiors.
- In the Central Tunnel, they would behave like 345 trains. with Paddington to Stratford taking 19 minutes.
- But on main lines like the Great Western Main Line, they could rattle along at 125 mph.
If the trains could keep up with Class 802 train performance between Oxford and Paddington and enter the Central Tunnel quickly, these times could be possible.
- Oxford and Paddington – 55 minutes
- Paddington and Stratford – 19 minutes
- Stratford and Tottenham Hale – 14 minutes
- Tottenham Hale and Cambridge – 65 minutes
Just over two-and-a-half hours, without a change of train, sounds fine to me.
What About The Trains From Great Malvern?
The fast services between Paddington and Oxford, run twice an hour, with the service formed of one hourly Paddington and Oxford service and another hourly Paddington and Great Malvern service.
- If Oxford gets electrified soon, this will mean that the Oxford and Paddington service would be all-electric.
- But the Great Malvern service would need to be able to handle 65.5 miles of line without electrification each way.
- The speed limits between Oxford and Great Malvern vary between 70 and 100 mph.
I’m certain that Stadler could design and build a train, with the following characteristics.
- Class 345 dimensions.
- 125 mph performance.
- Ninety miles range on battery power.
The trains would be charged between Paddington and Oxford and by a charger at Great Malvern.
Conclusion
Would an Oxford and Cambridge service through Central London be an alternative to the East-West Railway?
Perhaps not an alternative, but an addition?
Flirt Akku And Class 755 Train Compared
This article on Focus Transport is entitled 224-kilometre Battery Range For FLIRT Akku – Stadler Sets World Record For Guinness Book Of Records.
These facts about the record run are given.
- The route was from from Berlin to Warnemünde.
- It appears to have been independently verified.
- The distance was 224 kilometres or 139 miles.
- This distance is more than London to Great Yarmouth via Norwich.
- It is reported that the temperature was around zero, which is not very battery-friendly.
No mention was made in the article of the number of passengers on board or the average speed.
Various articles have stated that the Flirt Akku is a three-car train, but I was not sure, if it included a PowerPack car like the Class 755 train.
So I flew my virtual drone over the route and got this picture.
Compare the front end with this picture of a Class 755 train at Lowestoft.
And the side view with this diagram of the trains, that I clipped from Wikipedia.
I can come to these conclusions.
- The two front ends are very different, although the basic layout of doors and windows appears the same.
- The Akku seems to have a flatter side.
- The Akku lacks the PowerPack of the British train.
It also looks like the Greater Anglia train has better step-free access between between train and platform. But then you never seem to find good step-free access on German trains.
Some extra information and thoughts .
Testing The Flirt Akku
This article on Railvolution is entitled FLIRT AKKU Research Project Completed.
The article comprehensively described the testing process and gave more details of the train.
- The train was running at 140 kph or 87 mph.
- This speed is available from the catenary or battery.
- Battery charging takes twenty minutes.
- The train seats 154 passengers in a 2 + 2 configuration.
The train appears to be roughly the same size and performance as a three-car Class 755 train.
Range On A Battery-Electric Class 755 Train
The battery range needed on various Greater Anglia routes are as follows.
Ipswich and Cambridge – 41.3 miles
- Ipswich and Felixstowe – 15.6 miles
- Ipswich and Lowestoft – 48.9 miles
- Ipswich and Peterborough – 71.2 miles
- Norwich and Great Yarmouth – 18.3 miles
- Norwich and Lowestoft – 23.5 miles
- Norwich and Sheringham – 30 miles
- Norwich and Stansted Airport – 53.7 miles
- Marks Tey and Sudbury – 11.8 miles
Note.
- Cambridge, Ely, Ipswich, Norwich and Peterborough are stations with full electrification.
- I suspect some services will need charging at the remote station.
It looks like to handle all routes will need a train with a range of around 80 miles or around 129 kilometres.
Conclusion
I don’t think that it would be impossible for Stadler to create a battery-electric Class 755 train with enough range.
Is There A Case For A Round-The-Wash Service Between Doncaster And Ipswich/Norwich?
I suggested this service in The Integrated Rail Plan For The North And Midlands And The East Coast Main Line.
Effectively, it would join East Midlands Railway’s Doncaster and Peterborough service with Greater Anglia’s Cambridge and Ipswich service.
- The service could go via Scunthorpe, Grimsby Town, Cleethorpes, Grimsby Town, Market Rasen, Lincoln, Sleaford, Spalding, Peterborough, March, Ely, Cambridge North, Cambridge, Newmarket, Bury St. Edmunds and Stowmarket.
- There would be reverses at Cleethorpes and Cambridge.
- There may be extra stops in Lincolnshire and across Suffolk.
- The service would not use the East Coast Main Line, but would use the new Werrington Dive-Under and the Great Northern and Great Eastern Joint Line to the East of the East Coast Main Line.
- The frequency would be one train per two hours (1tp2h).
- Ideal trains could be Class 755 trains, perhaps running on batteries or hydrogen.
It would be paired with a new Doncaster and Norwich service, that could partly replace East Midlands Railway’s Liverpool and Norwich service.
- The service could go via Scunthorpe, Grimsby Town, Cleethorpes, Grimsby Town, Market Rasen, Lincoln, Sleaford, Spalding, Peterborough, March, Ely, Cambridge North, Cambridge, Cambridge North, Ely, Thetford, Attleborough and Wymondham.
- There would be reverses at Cleethorpes and Cambridge.
- There may be extra stops in Lincolnshire and across Norfolk.
As with the Ipswich train it would not use the East Coast Main Line and have a frequency of 1tp2h.
The Objectives Of The Service
I believe this service could have several objectives.
Remove Slower Trains From The East Coast Main Line Between Peterborough And Doncaster
There aren’t many except freight, but this plan could provide a better solution to the Liverpool and Norwich service.
Providing Better Connections To The Biggest Growth Point In The UK – Cambridge
Cambridge needs better connections, so that it can bring in the staff and workers, that the high-tech capital of the UK needs.
Better Connection Of East Anglia And Lincolnshire To Northern England And Scotland
In Peterborough and Doncaster the route has two main interchanges to bring about these connections.
Promoting Tourism
For a start the route has five cathedrals; Bury St. Edmunds, Ely, Lincoln, Norwich and Peterborough and the historic city of Cambridge.
But I do believe that there are numerous places, where tourists might stay on the route and use it to explore the East of the country.
A Few Questions
These are a few questions.
Would The Route Be Electrified?
I don’t believe it will be fully electrified for two reasons.
Freight locomotives will increasingly become hydrogen-powered and also be able to use electrification, where it exists.
Plans by the likes of Hitachi ABB Power Grids and Furrer and Frey are likely to enable discontinuous and battery-electric trains to be able to work the route.
This philosophy would avoid all the disruption and reconstruction of structures of electrification and probably be much more affordable.
Would York Or Leeds Make A Better Northern Terminal For The Route?
Both have possibilities.
- York would need running on the East Coast Main Line.
- Leeds would probably need trains capable of 125 mph running.
On the other hand both Leeds and York would have superb connectivity.
Conclusion
I feel this would be a very valuable new service and it could be created without building any new infrastructure other than perhaps some strategic stations.
Would A Lumo-Style Service Work Between King’s Cross And Norfolk?
This is a bit of a fantasy and you’ll never know the real reason why I have written it!
With the upgrade of the East Coast Main Line to full digital signalling, there will be a problem South of Hitchin with 140 mph Azumas and Hitachi Class 802 trains and similar from Grand Central , Hull Trains and Lumo hogging the fast lines to and from King’s Cross. I first wrote about it in Call For ETCS On King’s Lynn Route.
One solution would be to replace the current Class 387 trains with a 140 mph train , such as a Hitachi Class 802 variant. This would enable these fast King’s Lynn and Cambridge trains to join the 140 mph trains on a fast run to and from King’s Cross.
The Future Of Cambridge
Cambridge is one of the UK’s four world cities, with its heritage and lately its high position in any technology league table.
The Current Rail Service Between London And Cambridge
Currently, it has a good service into King’s Cross, Liverpool Street and St. Pancras.
- Great Northern – two tph to King’s Cross – A stopping train using Class 700 or Class 387 trains.
- Great Northern – one tph between Ely and King’s Cross – A fast train using Class 387 trains.
- Great Northern – one tph between King’s Lynn and King’s Cross – A fast train using Class 387 trains.
- Thameslink – two tph to Brighton – A semi-fast train using Class 700 trains.
- Greater Anglia – two tph to Liverpool Street – A semi-fast train using Class 720 or Class 379 trains.
Note.
- tph means trains per hour.
- The similar Class 387 and Class 379 trains are both late-model Bombardier Electrostars with sensible seats and a large number of tables. Both train types can or could be modified to run at 110 mph.
- The Class 700 trains are unsuitable for the route, as they have ironing-board seats and no tables. These are only 100 mph trains.
- The Queen’s bottom doesn’t like the Class 700 trains.
A large proportion of the passengers and commuters between to and from Cambridge work in high-tech or information-rich businesses and I believe if the trains were more geared to this market they would attract passengers away from the roads.
The Cambridge Employment Problem
Fast-growing Cambridge is taking over the region and it is always looking for towns and villages to develop as places for dormitories and to build premises for the hundreds of high-tech businesses.
This is one of the reasons why Greater Anglia acquired new Stadler Class 755 trains to run services from Cambridge to Bury St. Edmunds, Ipswich, Norwich, Peterborough and Stansted Airport.
If you’re going to lure Cambridge’s well-paid high-tech commuters out of their cars, you must give them an equivalent seat to their car. The Class 379, 387 and 755 trains do this.
Living In Norfolk And Suffolk And Working In Cambridge
This has always been the choice of many who work in Cambridge, but using rail into Cambridge didn’t really take-off seriously until modern three-car Class 170 trains replaced the single-car Class 153 trains.
Greater Anglia have followed the upward trend in passenger numbers, by running hourly four-car Class 755 trains from Cambridge to both Ipswich and Norwich.
Before the pandemic, it was starting to look like Norwich and Cambridge would soon need a second service, especially with the planned opening of the new Cambridge South station in 2025.
Addenbrooke’s Hospital And The Cambridge Biomedical Campus
Cambridge South station is being built to serve Addenbrooke’s Hospital and Cambridge Biomedical Campus, which intend to be create the foremost medical research cluster in the world.
Staycations And Holiday Homes In East Anglia
Life is changing because of the covids and more people are taking staycations or buying holiday homes.
And many are following the example of the Queen and going to Norfolk for their relaxation.
The Undoubted Need To Improve Rail Services Between London King’s Cross And Norfolk Via Cambridge
These factors convince me that there is a need for a new or repurposed rail service between London King’s Cross and Norfolk via Cambridge.
- The need to provide a high-class commuter service between London and Cambridge.
- The need to bring workers into Cambridge from Norfolk.
- The need to provide a fast high-class rail link to Cambridge South station with all its medical research.
- The need to provide a comprehensive working environment on the trains.
- The need to cater for all those people relaxing in Norfolk after a hard week in London.
It is my view, that a radical design of train is needed for this route.
- It would need to have a high-class interior.
- It would need at least a 125 mph capability, so that it can use the fast lines between Hitchin and King’s Cross.
- The train may need the ability to split and join.
- It would need an independent power capability for running on the Breckland Line between Ely and Norwich.
- Because of Cambridge and because East Anglia is easy country for cycling, it would need a sensible capacity for cycles.
I also believe that because of the need to decarbonise, the train should be zero-carbon.
These are my thoughts.
Operating Speed
Because of running on the fast lines between Hitchin and King’s Cross with the 140 mph trains from the North, I suspect that an operating speed of at least 125 mph is needed. But if the Hitachi trains of LNER, Hull Trains, Lumo and in the future possibly other operators like Grand Central, will be capable of 140 mph, this speed could be desirable.
Speed limits once the trains have left the East Coast Main Line at Hitchin North junction are as follows.
- Hitchin and Cambridge – 90 mph
- Cambridge and King’s Lynn – 90 mph
- Ely and Norwich – 75-90 mph
I can see Network Rail using their expertise to raise the speed limit on sections of these lines.
Flighting Of Trains On The East Coast Main Line
To increase capacity on the East Coast Main Line, I believe that at some point in the not too distant future that trains will be flighted. This will involve two or more trains leaving King’s Cross in a sequence and proceeding with all trains at a safe distance from each other.
I can envisage a flight like this from King’s Cross.
- An Edinburgh train with York as the first stop – Leaves at XX.00
- A Leeds train with Doncaster as the first stop – Leaves at XX.03
- A Lincoln train with Peterborough as the first stop – Leaves at XX.06
- A Cambridge train with Stevenage as the first stop – Leaves at XX.09
Note.
- The Edinburgh train would set the speed.
- Trains would maintain their time behind the lead train.
- Everything could be controlled by the digital signalling.
- Gaps between the trains would be sufficient for a safe stop.
- No train in the flight would make a station stop unless it was the last train in the flight.
- The last train in the flight would drop off and go to their destination.
As there are at least two tph to Edinburgh, Leeds and Cambridge, there would be two main flights per hour leaving King’s Cross, with the second flight perhaps incorporating a service to Hull.
Digital signalling and precise driving would enable the flights to be built in the opposite direction into King’s Cross.
The big advantage would be that instead of needing eight paths per hour on the East Coast Main Line, only two would be needed.
All trains would need to have similar performance, so this is another reason why the Cambridge trains need to be at least 125 mph trains.
Train Interiors
Lumo has broken new ground in train interiors.
- It is one class.
- Everybody gets a decent seat.
- Everybody gets good legroom.
- Everybody gets some form of table.
- There are decent-sized overhead racks for hand-baggage and coats.
- There is space for bicycles and heavy luggage appropriate to the route.
This can be built on to provide a good working and playing environment suited to the passengers who would use a fast King’s Cross and Norfolk service via Cambridge.
- Lots of tables for four, as in the high-class Electrostars.
- Better bicycle storage.
- Better alignment of seats with windows.
Hitachi could obviously produce a train to this specification.
But what about other manufacturers.
Stadler’s Class 755 trains are surely a possibility.
- A senior driver from Greater Anglia told me that the design speed for a Class 755 train is 200 kph or 125 mph.
- They have good seats.
- They have flat floors.
- They have large windows.
- They have step-free access between train and platform.
- Like the Hitachi trains, they are in service.
I believe the closely-related Class 745 trains are probably the best commuter trains in the UK and are the only alternative to the Hitachi trains on a125 mph fully-electrified route.
Bridging The Electrification Gap Between Ely And Norwich
Between Norwich and Ely stations is 53.8 miles and this section is not electrified, although both stations have full electrification.
The line is not heavily used with typically only two passenger trains and the occasional freight trains in each direction in an hour.
This Hitachi infographic describes the Hitachi Regional Battery Train.
A 90 km. range could be sufficient to cover the gap between Norwich and Ely.
Could Hitachi build a Class 802 train or similar with a battery range of 90 km or 56 miles?
Certainly, a speed of 100 mph would probably be sufficient to bridge the gap in a decent time.
Improving The Breckland Line
The Breckland Line is the route between Cambridge and Norwich.
- Cambridge and Norwich is 68.5 miles
- Only the sixteen miles between Cambridge and Ely North junction is electrified.
- There are thirteen stops between the two cities.
- A typical time is 79 minutes
- This is an average speed of just 52 mph.
- The operating speed is 75-90 mph.
I am sure that Network Rail can squeeze a few minutes here and there to get the operating speed up to the 100 mph of the Great Eastern Main Line.
But the big problem at Norwich is the Trowse swing bridge.
It is only single track and it is likely that this bridge will be replaced soon.
This Google Map shows Trowse junction, a short distance South of the swing bridge.
Note.
- The electrified double-track of the Great Eastern Main Line goes across the map from North East to South West.
- The double-track railway to the East of the main line is the unelectrified Breckland Line to Cambridge, which turns West and goes under the main line.
- On the West of the main lines are the Victoria sidings that I wrote about in Greater Anglia Completes Directly-Managed Norwich Victoria Sidings Project.
As the replacement of the swing bridge will require some work to be done to the electrification, I wonder if at the same time Network Rail would electrify the Norwich end of the Breckland Line.
There must be a balance point adding electrification or batteries to the trains.
As the Breckland Line has few freight trains, electrification is not needed for freight.
Ticketing
A high-speed high-capacity service as I’m proposing must be easy to use.
It is a classic route, where nothing short of London-style contactless ticketing will do, as I’m certain this encourages people to use the trains.
As East Anglia is self-contained and has few services that don’t terminate in the area or in London, I am certain that this could be achieved.
If you remove First Class as Greater Anglia has done on many services, you actually simplify the ticketing, so a Lumo-style mid-class is ideal.
High Speed Train Services
Currently Great Northern run two tph from King’s Cross to Ely via Cambridge.
- One service is extended to King’s Lynn.
- I could see the second service extended to Norwich.
Both services would need to be run by 125 mph trains because of the speed of other trains on the East Coast Main Line.
Conclusion
I think duch a system would be possible.
The Route Map Of The East West Main Line
This image shows a schematic map of the East West Main Line.
Note.
- There is a lot of detail at the Eastern end. Is that the East Anglia influence in the Partnership?
- Bury St. Edmunds has been missed out. Is that the Ipswich influence in the Partnership?
- Of the four new stations only Winslow is not in Cambridgeshire. Is that the Cambridge influence in the Partnership?
It should also be noted that there are two links at the East, to the two ports of Freeport East; Felixstowe and Harwich.
Conclusion
This map makes a bold statement.
Related Posts
Cambridge Station To Get Another Platform Lengthening
Of all the stations I use regularly, Cambridge seems to have more expansion programs than any other station I know.
When I first used it regularly it had the following platforms.
- One long through platform split into two numbered 1 and 4 to handle most traffic.
- Two bay platforms pointing North for services to Ipswich and Norwich.
- Two bay platforms pointing South to London.
These have since been joined by a pair of through platforms to the East of the main lines through the station.
Wikipedia says this about Platforms 1 and 4.
- Platform 1 is a 12-car bi-directional through platform generally used for southbound services to London King’s Cross and northbound services to King’s Lynn. It is also used for some early morning northbound services to Ely and for some late evening terminating services.
- Platform 4 is a bi-directional 10-car through platform generally used for northbound services to Ely, King’s Lynn and Birmingham New Street. It is also used for some early morning southbound services to London King’s Cross and London Liverpool Street and for some terminating late evening services.
I was told today, that Platform 4 is going to be lengthened by forty metres at its Northern end.
- This will make Platforms 1 and 4 the same length.
- It will probably allow twelve-car trains to be run from London to both Cambridge North and Kings Lynn stations.
As both Greater Anglia and Great Northern already have twelve-car trains, adding forty metres of new platform is probably an affordable way to increase capacity between Cambridge and London.
A West Anglia High Speed Service
I like the concept of a high speed service Between King’s Cross and Cambridge.
Cambridge is sucking in the best scientific, engineering and financial talent in the UK and a high speed service to and from London would be ideal for reverse commuters.
Trains would be as I described in Will Hitachi Announce A High Speed Metro Train?.
- The trains would run non-stop between King’s Cross and Cambridge.
- The trains would run every thirty minutes.
- Between London and Hitchen, the trains would run at up to 140 mph under digital signalling on the East Coast Main Line.
- Between Hitchin and Cambridge, the trains would run at up to 100 mph on the Cambridge Line.
- When Cambridge South station opens, the trains would stop at the station.
- I would run a pair of trains to Cambridge station, where they would split with one train going to King’s Lynn and the other to Norwich.
- Trains could split in the lengthened Platform 4 in Cambridge station.
- Returning to London, they would join in Platform 1 at Cambridge station.
- The King’s Lynn portion would stop at all stations to King’s Lynn.
- The Norwich portion would stop at Cambridge North and then all stations to Norwich.
- The 54 miles between Ely and Norwich would be on battery power.
- All stations to the North of Ely would get a service every thirty minutes.
I can see other services like this starting all over the country.
- London Euston and Milton Keynes, Rugby and Coventry.
- London Kings Cross and Leeds
- London Kings Cross and Lincoln, Grimsby and Cleethorpes
- London Paddington and Bristol
- London Paddington and Cardiff
- London Paddington and Oxford
- London St. Pancras and Leicester, Derby and Nottingham.
- London Waterloo and Portsmouth, Southampton and Bournemouth.
Note.
- The enabling factor would be trains running at 140 mph under full digital control.
- Existing 140 mph trains like Class 390 and Class 395 trains could also be used.
The services would generally handle shorter distances than High Speed Two and fill in the gaps left by that network.
The Cambridge Re-signalling, Relock and Recontrol Project
This project is Network Rail’s big signalling project in the Cambridge area and it is fully described in this document on the Network Rail web site.
The project is called the C3R Project for short and its scope is described in this Network Rail infographic.
Note.
- 125 miles of track are to be resignalled.
- Seventeen stations are likely to be resignalled.
- Eight level-crossings are to be upgraded.
Network Rail’s document splits the project into five sections.
- Cambridge Power Signal Box – This will be upgraded.
- Safety Interlocking Equipment – This will be upgraded with a computer-based system.
- Closure Of Three Signal Boxes – Control will be relocated to Cambridge Power Signal Box.
- Seven Level Crossing Upgrades – These will be upgraded to full barrier crossings.
- Land Acquisition – As necessary to complete the works.
Upon completion the project will have replaced around 690 signalling assets.
Network Rail also say that the outline design contract to Alstom and it is expected to be completed in the last quarter of 2021.
Network Rail also says this about completion.
Subject to obtaining the necessary consents and design approvals, the detailed design and delivery of the signalling upgrade could begin by end of 2021 and be complete around the end of 2024.
My experience of project management and the railways of East Anglia, says that subject to one caveat, that this is a reasonable timescale.
The Level Crossing Problem
The problem could be the level crossings, as local interests are very protective of their supposed right to cross unhindered.
I particularly remember the Little Cornard Derailment, because a solicitor, who regularly instructed my late wife, was seriously injured in the derailment.
This is the first paragraph of the Wikipedia entry.
The Little Cornard derailment occurred on 17 August 2010 when a passenger train collided with a road vehicle on a level crossing on the Gainsborough Line near Little Cornard, Suffolk, and partly derailed. The vehicle, a tanker lorry, had begun crossing over the track when the Class 156 train from Sudbury destined for Marks Tey struck it whilst travelling at a speed of approximately 40 miles per hour (64 km/h)
Note.
Although, my late wife had died in 2007, one of her barrister colleagues told me of the link.
East Anglia and other rural parts of the UK suffer regularly from this type of accident.
This Google Map shows a 3D visualization of the site of the derailment.
It appears to be rather remote.
I am totally appalled that there was such primitive safety equipment on this crossing.
- I have worked in seriously dangerous chemical plants, where Health and Safety rules forbade anyone entering the plant without full training.
- As a sixteen-year-old in 1963, I was designing and installing systems on industrial guillotines, so that workers didn’t lose their hands.
- A proportion of work, I did whilst working for ICI was about Health and Safety.
- I have travelled extensively in tour buses in Eastern Europe and seen some appealing driving at level crossings.
- According to a Hungarian friend, if you want to see bad driving at level crossings try Russia. He put it down to the local firewater.
This experience leeds me to believe that one of two things should be done with all level crossings on the railway.
- There should be a strong safety system on the crossing.
- The level crossing should be closed.
Will Network Rail be allowed by local interests to upgrade all the crossings they need?
The Level Crossings Network Rail Propose To Upgrade
These are the crossings Network Rail propose to upgrade.
Meldreth Road Level Crossing
This Google Map shows the Meldreth Road level crossing.
Note.
- Meldreth Road is the A10 between Cambridge and Royston.
- The double-track rail is the Cambridge Line between Cambridge and the East Coast Main Line.
- The line has a maximum speed of 90 mph.
- In every hour there are up to 10-12 passenger trains per hour (tph) through the level crossing.
- There are perhaps ten other trains per day, or less than one tph.
The ABC Railway Guide gives a line speed of 90 mph and adds these risk factors.
- Sun Glare
- Frequent Trains
It is very much a classic case of a busy railway crossing a busy road.
I also think that Network Rail has another problem here.
Pressure from train operators and passengers, could lead to more and faster trains through this level crossing.
In my view, the best solution to that problem would be to drop the railway into a cutting and put the road on a bridge over the top.
But this would be a very expensive and disruptive solution, which might mean that the road and/or railway were to be closed for several months.
The only other solution would be to run all trains between Royston and Cambridge under the control of digital signalling and Automatic Train Operation.
Trains would be timed so, that trains in opposite directions crossed on the level crossing, when the full barriers were down to stop traffic.
If this could be done, it could have various effects.
- This would halve the number of level crossing closures in every hour.
- The timekeeping might even impress drivers.
- It might even train drivers to expect two trains, so if one was a minute or so late, they might be more prepared to wait.
This technique would give whole new meaning to a double cross.
This page on the My Councillor web site, gives details of opposition to the project by Councillor Susan van der Ven.
Six Mile Bottom Level Crossing
This Google Map shows the Six Mile Bottom level crossing.
Note.
- The road is the A1304 which is the main link between Newmarket and the South.
- The road can get very busy, when there is a big race meeting.
- The rail track is only single track.
- The line has a maximum speed of up to 75 mph.
- In every hour there are no more than one passenger tph in both directions.
- There are some occasional freight trains over the crossing.
The ABC Railway Guide gives a line speed of 60 mph and adds these risk factors.
- Large Numbers Of Users
- Sun Glare
I used to drive across this level crossing regularly, when I lived in the area and the trouble is that it is on a straight road, that encourages high speed.
Legend has it, that this was one of public roads used by Vincent to test their high performance motorcycles.
In the time I lived near the crossing, I can remember a serious accident between a car and a train, at the crossing.
It would appear that a partial solution has been applied.
This video shows how much brighter LED lights have been fitted to the crossing.
Let’s hope this encourages drivers to slow down, when the crossing is closed.
How many other level crossings would be improved with bright LED lights like these?
Dullingham Level Crossing
This Google Map shows the Dullingham level crossing.
Note.
- The current barriers are operated manually by the signalman in Dullingham signal box.
- The road is a local road and the small amount of traffic could probably be easily handled by an automatic crossing with full barriers.
- The rail line is the same at that at Six Mile Bottom, but is double-track.
The ABC Railway Guide gives a line speed of 60 mph and adds these risk factors.
- Poor Visibility for Approaching Road Vehicles
- Crossing is Near a Station
- Crossing Approach
- Sun Glare
From my local experience, I suspect that an automatic crossing with full barriers might even cause less delay to road traffic.
Milton Fen Level Crossing
This Google Map shows the Milton Fen level crossing.
Note.
- The road is a local road and the small amount of traffic could probably be easily handled by an automatic crossing with full barriers.
- The railway is the Fen Line between Cambridge and Ely.
- It looks like there are three passenger tph and the occasional freight trains through this crossing.
- The line speed of the rail line is 75 mph.
The ABC Railway Guide gives a line speed of 75 mph and adds these risk factors.
- Sun Glare
- Frequent Trains
It should also be noted that I can find reports of serious accidents and deaths on this crossing.
It looks to me, that an automatic crossing with full barriers could work well on this level crossing.
Waterbeach Level Crossing
This Google Map shows the Waterbeach level crossing.
Note.
- The road is a local road, but could the traffic be easily handled by an automatic crossing with full barriers?
- The railway is the Fen Line between Cambridge and Ely.
- It looks like there are three passenger tph and the occasional freight trains through this crossing.
- The line speed of the rail line is 75 mph.
- Waterbeach station is split with one platform either side of the level crossing, which is used by passengers to cross the line.
The ABC Railway Guide gives a line speed of 75 mph and adds these risk factors.
- Poor Visibility for Approaching Road Vehicles
- Crossing is Near a Station
- Crossing Approach
- Large Numbers of Users
- Blocking Back
- Frequent Trains
It should also be noted that Network Rail rate this crossing as high risk.
There is probably a long-term solution for this level crossing
Under Future Plans in the Wikipedia entry for Waterbeach station, this is said.
Plans to develop a New Town of 8,000 to 9,000 homes on the former Waterbeach Barracks site have been outlined by South Cambridgeshire District Council. As part of the proposal, there are plans to relocate the station to a new site and extend the platforms to accommodate 12 car trains.
Surely, a well-designed transport network to serve all these houses would see the level crossing closed and a new station built at a convenient location.
Dimmocks Cote Level Crossing
This Google Map shows the Dimmocks Cote level crossing.
Note.
- The road is the A1123, so could the traffic be easily handled by an automatic crossing with full barriers?
- The railway is the Fen Line between Cambridge and Ely.
- It looks like there are three passenger tph and the occasional freight trains through this crossing.
- The line speed of the rail line is 75 mph.
The ABC Railway Guide gives a line speed of 75 mph and adds these risk factors.
- Infrequent Trains
- Deliberate Misuse or User Error
It should also be noted that Network Rail rate this crossing as high risk.
Croxton Level Crossing
This Google Map shows the Croxton level crossing.
Note.
- The road is the A1075, so could the traffic be easily handled by an automatic crossing with full barriers?
- The railway is the Breckland Line between Norwich and Ely.
- It looks like there are two passenger tph and the occasional freight trains through this crossing.
- The line speed of the rail line is 75-90 mph.
It should also be noted that Network Rail rate this crossing as high risk.
The ABC Railway Guide gives the line speed as 40 mph and adds these risk factors.
- Poor Visibility for Approaching Road Vehicles
- Crossing Approach
- Large Numbers of Users
- Sun Glare
- Deliberate Misuse or User Error
This crossing sounds like it could be an accident waiting to happen.
Although, I would feel that installing similar lights to those at Six Mile Bottom could be a big help!
Summarising The Proposed Level Crossing Upgrades
I can split these by topic.
Full Barrier installation
It would appear that all barriers can probably be replaced with the latest full barrier technology.
Improved Lighting
The video from Six Mile Bottom was impressive and probably shows how fairly simple improvements can increase safety.
Local Opposition
On this brief summary of all the level crossings, that Network Rail propose to upgrade to automatic crossing with full barriers, it would appear that only the Meldreth Road crossing is seeing opposition from local interests. Although, I do have doubts, that the development of all those houses at Waterbeach will ever happen because of local opposition.
Major Construction Works
It would appear that only two upgrades could require major works.
Meldreth Road – But only if it was felt that a substantial solution was needed.
Waterbeach – If a new station were to be built to cater for future housing development.
The others would only need barrier replacement and other appropriate improvements.
I would also feel that most of the work could be carried out without major disruption to train services or road traffic.
Modern Digital Signalling With Automatic Train Operation
Modern digital signalling with in-cab displays and a measure of automatic train operation offers three main gains to train operators and passengers.
- More services can be squeezed safely into the existing network, without building controversial and expensive new lines.
- Trains can run at higher average speeds.
- Trains can run to timetable easier.
It should be noted that South of Doncaster the East Coast Main Line is being converted to this type of signalling and this will allow the Azumas and other trains to run at 140 mph, where the track allows, to speed up services between King’s Cross and the North.
Services Between King’s Cross and Cambridge
South of Hitchin, some services between King’s Cross and Cambridge share the lines with the expresses to and from the North.
For that reason the 100 mph Class 700 trains and the 110 mph Class 387 trains, would be out of their speed range like Morris Minors on the M1.
In 2018, I wrote Call For ETCS On King’s Lynn Route, based on an article in Rail Magazine, which called for 125 mph trains to Cambridge and King’s Lynn, so they wouldn’t slow the expresses.
It does appear to me that the digital signalling part of the C3R Project will enable 125 mph trains to run between King’s Cross and King’s Lynn via Cambridge.
- Oxford has 125 mph non-stop local trains to London, so why not Cambridge?
- A nine-car Class 800 train has a similar seating capacity to a twelve-car Class 700 train, but the seats are better and the train can travel at 125 mph.
- These trains would significantly reduce the fifty minute journey time between King’s Cross and Cambridge.
This would be a real Cambridge Express.
Developing Services Around Cambridge
Just as full digital signalling is helping London to expand its railways with Crossrail and Thameslink. I believe that the C3R Project will help to squeeze more trains through Cambridge.
In a few years time, I believe Cambridge will have a core route consisting of Cambridge North, Cambridge and Cambridge South stations with much expanded services to Bury St. Edmunds, Ely, Ipswich, Kings Lynn, London, Norwich, Peterborough, Stansted Airport, Stevenage and Wisbech.
Ten years ago, I was told by one of Cambridge’s eminent thinkers, that Cambridge needed the connectivity to bring in the people that the economy needs.
The pandemic has changed things, but not Cambridge’s desire to create more businesses expand.
A Connection To Peterborough
Peterborough is the other half of Cambridgeshire’s area and shares the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority with Cambridge.
Peterborough station is well connected to the North and Midlands.
- LNER’s connect the station to most stations on the East Coast Main Line.
- It has hourly services to Birmingham, Leicester, Liverpool, Manchester and Nottingham.
But the connection between Cambridge and Peterborough is not of the quality and frequency that the two cities need.
A Connection To Stevenage
Stevenage is an important manufacturing and technology centre, with a strong presence in aerospace.
Stevenage station is well connected to the North and South.
- LNER and other services connect the station to most stations South of Leeds and York on the East Coast Main Line.
- The new service from East Coast Trains will provide a direct service to Newcastle and Edinburgh with a frequency of seven trains per day (tpd).
- It has a direct suburban line to King’s Cross.
- It has a direct suburban line to Moorgate.
Stevenage seems to be acquiring more long distance services as time progresses.
But the connection between Cambridge and Stevenage is currently poor, at just two tph, which stop everywhere.
Improve the connection between Cambridge and Stevenage and have more calls of services to and from the North at Stevenage and Cambridge and \stevenage would benefit.
Currently, the fast Cambridge services take 27 minutes to do the 30.3 miles between Cambridge and Stevenage, which is an average speed of 67.3 mph.
A Connection To Wisbech
Progress seems to be being made on a service between Cambridge and Wisbech, which I wrote about in Hope For Wisbech Line Revival.
This was the conclusion of that post.
I very much feel that the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority and Network Rail can create a very useful branch line to Wisbech.
There is not much infrastructure to be built and upgraded.
-
- A new station will be built at Wisbech, which I feel is likely to be a Park-and-Ride on the A47.
- A bay platform will probably need to be reopened at March station.
- March station will need to be step-free.
- There may be a station and a passing loop at Coldham.
- Track and signalling will need to be replaced.
But the big project needed is the remodelling at Ely, which will have to be done to increase capacity, through the bottleneck.
Greater Anglia’s Class 755 trains would appear to be ideal for the branch and could operate on battery power.
This connection could be a very valuable connection.
It certainly looks like there are better plans to connect Wisbech to Cambridge, than there are to improve the connections between Cambridge and Peterborough and Stevenage.
Conclusion
The C3R Project will give the Cambridge compatible signalling with the East Coast Main Line and I feel increasingly Cambridge could be treated as a series of stations just off the East Coast Main Line and we might see some services develop, that seem strange to today’s travellers.
A simple example could be a Regional Metro running between Peterborough and Stevenage.
- It would call at March, Ely, Waterbeach, Cambridge North, Cambridge, Cambridge South, Royston and Hitchin.
- It would run at a frequency upwards of two tph.
- It could even connect to Lincoln.
Other North-South services through Cambridge like Thameslink and Norwich and Stansted would combine to give perhaps six tph through the three main Cambridge stations.
The C3R Project will open up lots of possibilities.
Thoughts On Faster Trains On Thameslink
The Class 700 trains used by Thameslink only have an operating speed of 100 mph.
I do wonder, if that is a fast enough operating speed for all Thameslink routes.
Sharing The Midland Main Line With 125 mph Trains
A couple of years ago, I travelled back into St. Pancras with a group of East Midlands drivers in a Class 222 train.
They told me several things about the route including that the bridge at the South of Leicester station would be difficult to electrify, as it was low and the track couldn’t be lowered as one of Leicester’s main sewers was under the tracks at the bridge. Perhaps, this is one place, where discontinuous electrification could be used on the Midland Main Line.
They also told me, that sometimes the Thameslink trains were a nuisance, as because of their 100 mph operating speed, the 125 mph Class 222 trains had to slow to 100 mph.
Upgrading Of The Midland Main Line South Of Bedford
The electrification of the Midland Main Line South of Bedford is being updated, so that it is suitable for 125 mph running.
An Analysis Of Services On The Midland Main Line South Of Bedford
The current Class 222 trains are capable of 125 mph and will be replaced by Class 810 trains capable of the same speed on both diesel and electricity.
Currently, a Class 222 train is capable of doing the following on a typical non-stop run between St. Pancras and Leicester.
- Covering the 30 miles between St. Albans and Bedford in 17 minutes at an average speed of 106 mph.
- Covering the 50.3 miles between Bedford and Leicester in 30 minutes at an average speed of 100.6 mph.
- Maintaining 125 mph for long stretches of the route, once the trains is North of London commuter traffic at St. Albans
I can estimate the timings on the 79.2 miles between Leicester and St. Albans, by assuming the train runs at a constant speed.
- 100 mph – 47.5 minutes
- 110 mph – 43.2 minutes
- 125 mph – 38 minutes
- 140 mph – 34 minutes
Note.
- I have done the calculation for 140 mph, as that is the maximum operating speed of the Class 810 train with full in-cab digital signalling.
- Trains have been running at 125 mph for a couple of decades on the Midland Main Line.
- To get a St. Pancras and Leicester time add another 14 minutes, which is the current time between St. Pancras and St. Albans of a Class 222 train.
- Some Off Peak trains are timed at 62-63 minutes between St. Pancras and Leicester.
- A time of under an hour between St. Pancras and Leicester might be possible and the Marketing Department would like it.
- As Thameslink trains between Bedford and St. Albans stop regularly, they are on the slow lines of the four-track railway, to the North of St. Albans.
- South of St. Albans, Thameslink trains often run on the fast lines.
I can expect that East Midlands Railway will want to be running their new Class 810 trains as far as far South as they can at 125 mph, to speed up their services. When the signalling allows it, they’ll want to run at 140 mph.
So they won’t want to see Thameslink’s slow trains on the fast lines.
- But if you look at the Thameslink trains that do run on the fast lines between St. Albans and St. Pancras, they appear to be the four trains per hour (tph) that run to and from Bedford.
- Of these trains, two tph terminate at Brighton and two tph terminate at Gatwick Airport.
- The average speed of a Class 222 train between St. Albans and St. Pancras assuming 14 minutes for the 19.7 miles is 84.4 mph.
So it looks to me that a 100 mph Thameslink train could be able to get away without slowing the East Midland Railway expresses.
But then that is not surprising, as for many years, the Class 222 trains worked happily with 100 mph Class 319 trains.
Is There Scope For Extra And Faster Services Into St. Pancras?
I have only done a simple calculation, but I do wonder if there is scope for the following.
- Increasing the frequency of trains for both Thameslink and East Midlands Railway.
- Saving a few minutes on East Midlands Railway services.
Consider.
- The new Class 810 electric trains will probably have better acceleration and deceleration than the current Class 222 diesel trains, when working using electric power.
- East Midlands Railway is introducing Class 360 trains that were built as 100 mph trains by Siemens, who are now upgrading them to 110 mph trains.
- Can Siemens do the same for the Class 700 trains and create a sub-fleet capable of 110 mph running?
- All trains will be running under full in-cab digital signalling with a large degree of automatic train control.
I feel that if the Class 700 trains had the extra speed, they would make the planning of services South of St. Albans easier and allow the Class 810 trains to both run faster and provide more services.
Sharing The East Coast Main Line With 125 mph Trains
The following Thameslink services run up the East Coast Main Line past Stevenage.
- Cambridge And Brighton – Two tph – Stops at Royston, Ashwell and Morden (1 tph), Baldock, Letchworth Garden City, Hitchin, Stevenage, Finsbury Park, London St Pancras International, Farringdon, City Thameslink, London Blackfriars, London Bridge, East Croydon, Gatwick Airport, Three Bridges, Balcombe, Haywards Heath and Burgess Hill
- Cambridge and Kings Cross – Two tph – Stops at Foxton, Shepreth, Meldreth, Royston, Ashwell and Morden, Baldock, Letchworth Garden City, Hitchin, Stevenage, Knebworth, Welwyn North, Welwyn Garden City, Hatfield, Potters Bar and Finsbury Park
- Peterborough and Horsham – Two tph – Stops at Huntingdon, St Neots, Sandy, Biggleswade, Arlesey, Hitchin, Stevenage, Finsbury Park, London St Pancras International, Farringdon, City Thameslink, London Blackfriars, London Bridge, East Croydon, Coulsdon South, Merstham, Redhill, Horley, Gatwick Airport, Three Bridges, Crawley, Ifield, Faygate (limited) and Littlehaven
Note.
- Services are generally run by Class 700 trains, although lately the Kings Cross service seems to use Class 387 trains, which have a maximum speed of 110 mph and a more comfortable interior with tables.
- It is intended that the Cambridge and Kings Cross service will be extended to Maidstone East by 2021.
In addition there are two Cambridge Express and Fen Line services.
- Kings Cross and Ely – One tph – Stops at Cambridge and Cambridge North.
- Kings Cross and King’s Lynn – One tph – Stops at Cambridge, Cambridge North, Waterbeach, Ely, Littleport, Downham Market and Watlington
Note.
- These services are generally run by Class 387 trains.
- Cambridge and King’s Cross is timetabled at around fifty minutes.
Adding all of this together means that slower services on the East Coast Main Line are comprised of the following in both directions.
- Three tph – 110 mph – Class 387 trains
- Four tph – 100 mph – Class 700 trains
These seven trains will have to be fitted in with the 125 mph trains running services on the East Coast Main Line, for LNER, Grand Central, Hull Trains and East Coast Trains.
There are also the following problems.
- All trains must navigate the double-track section of the East Coast Main Line over the Digswell Viaduct and through Welwyn North station.
- The King’s Cross and Cambridge service stops in Welwyn North station.
- Full in-cab digital signalling is being installed on the East Coast Main Line, which could increase the speed of the expresses through the double-track section.
Could the introduction of the Class 387 trains on the Cambridge and King’s Cross service have been made, as it easier to fit in all the services if this one is run by a 110 mph train?
However, the full in-cab digital signalling with a degree of automatic train control could be the solution to this bottleneck on the East Coast Main Line.
- Trains could be controlled automatically and with great precision between perhaps Hatfield and Stevenage.
- Some expresses might be slowed to create gaps for the Cambridge and Peterborough services.
- The Hertford Loop Line is also getting full in-cab digital signalling, so will some services be sent that way?
In Call For ETCS On King’s Lynn Route, I talked about a proposal to improve services on the Fen Line. This was my first three paragraphs.
The title of this post, is the same as that on an article in Edition 849 of Rail Magazine.
The article is based on this document on the Fen Line Users Aoociation web site, which is entitled Joint Response To Draft East Coast Main Line Route Study.
In addition to ETCS, which could improve capacity on the East Coast Main Line, they would also like to see journey time reductions using trains capable of running at 125 mph or faster on the King’s Lynn to Kings Cross route.
My scheduling experience tells me that a better solution will be found, if all resources are similar.
Hence the proposal to run 125 mph trains between King’s Cross and King’s Lynn and probably Ely as well, could be a very good and logical idea.
If the Class 700 trains were increased in speed to 110 mph, the trains through the double-track section of the East Coast Main Line would be.
- One tph – 110 mph – Class 387 trains
- Four tph – 110 mph – Class 700 trains
- Two tph – 125 mph – New trains
Note.
- This would probably be an easier mix of trains to digest with the high speed services, through the double-track section.
- I like the idea of extending the Ely service to Norwich to give Thetford, Attleborough and Wymondham an improved service to London, Cambridge and Norwich.
The new trains would probably be a version of Hitachi’s Regional Battery Train.
- It would need to be capable of 125 mph on the East Coast Main Line.
- If the Ely service were to be extended to Norwich, this section would be on battery power.
There are certainly a lot of possibilities.
But as with on the Midland Main Line, it looks like for efficient operation, the operating speed of the Class 700 trains on the route needs to be increased to at least 110 mph.
Could Faster Class 700 trains Improve Services To Brighton?
These are the Thameslink services that serve Bedford, Cambridge and Peterborough, that I believe could be run more efficiently with trains capable of at running at speeds of at least 110 mph.
- Bedford and Brighton – Two tph
- Bedford and Gatwick Airport – Two tph
- Cambridge and Brighton – Two tph
- Cambridge and Maidstone East – Two tph
- Peterborough and Horsham – Two tph
Note.
- I have assumed that the Cambridge and King’s Cross service has been extended to Maidstone East as planned.
- Eight tph serve Gatwick Airport.
- Four tph serve Brighton.
The Gatwick Express services have a frequency of two tph between London Victoria and Brighton calling at Gatwick Airport is already run by 110 mph Class 387 trains.
It would appear that if the Bedford, Cambridge and Peterborough were run by uprated 110 mph Class 700 trains, then this would mean that more 110 mph trains would be running to Gatwick and Brighton and this must surely improve the service to the South Coast.
But it’s not quite as simple as that, as the Cambridge and Maidstone East services will be run by eight-car trains and all the other services by twelve-car trains.
Conclusion
There would appear to be advantages in uprating some or possibly all of the Class 700 trains, so that they can run at 110 mph, as it will increase capacity on the Brighton Main Line, East Coast Main Line and Midland Main Line.
The Anonymous Widower 