Regulator Approves New Grand Union Train Service From Carmarthen To London Paddington
The title of this post, is the same as that of this press release from the Office of Rail and Road.
This is the sub-heading of the press release.
The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) has opened up the Great Western Main Line to competition and enabled a significant increase in rail services between London and South Wales.
These points are made in the press release.
- The rail regulator has approved the introduction of new train services between London, Cardiff and South West Wales from the end of 2024.
- The services will be operated by a new open access operator, Grand Union Trains, bringing competition to the Great Western route out of Paddington.
- Passengers travelling between London, Bristol Parkway, Severn Tunnel Junction, Newport, Cardiff, Gowerton, Llanelli and Carmarthen will benefit from an extra five daily return services and greater choice of operator.
- The decision opens up the Great Western Main Line to competition for the first time, with potential benefits in terms of lower fares, improved service quality and innovation for all passengers using the route.
- The application, submitted to ORR in June 2022, was disputed by Network Rail due to concerns about capacity on the network. But following careful consideration and analysis, ORR has directed Network Rail to enter into a contract with Grand Union.
- Grand Union has committed to significant investment in new trains.
- As an ‘open access’ train operator, however, it will not get paid subsidies from public funds, unlike current operators along the route.
ORR supports new open access where it delivers competition for the benefit of passengers. In making this decision, the regulator has weighed this up against the impact on Government funds and effect on other users of the railway, both passengers and freight customers.
These are my thoughts.
The Company
Grand Union Trains have certainly persevered to get this approval.
- The company was created by Ian Yeowart, who previously created open access operators; Alliance Rail Holdings and Grand Central before selling both to Arriva.
- After multiple negotiations with the Office of Road and Rail (ORR), Yeowart must know how to get an acceptable deal.
- Grand Union Trains have a similar application for a service between Euston and Stirling with the ORR.
Grand Union Trains also have a web site.
The home page has a mission statement of Railways To Our Core, with this statement underneath.
At Grand Union we are passionate about Britain’s railways. We are committed to the traditional values of providing a high-quality customer service and a comfortable journey experience at a fair price.
I’ll go with that.
The Financial Backing Of The Company
All the UK’s open access operators are well-financed either by Arriva or First Group.
The ORR would not receive any thanks, if they approved an operator, which duly went bust.
So what is the quality of the financing behind Grand Union Trains?
This article on Railway Gazette is entitled RENFE Looks At Entering UK Rail Market Through Open Access Partnership, which starts with this paragraph.
Open access passenger service developer Grand Union Trains is working with Spain’s national operator RENFE and private equity firm Serena Industrial Partners on a proposed service between London and Wales.
That is fairly clear and would surely help in the financing of Grand Union Trains.
The Route
Trains will run between Carmarthen and London Paddington, with stops at Llanelli, Gowerton, Cardiff, Newport, Severn Tunnel Junction and Bristol Parkway.
A new station at Felindre will replace Gowerton at some time in the future.
There will be five trains per day (tpd).
I have some thoughts and questions about the route
Felindre Station
Felindre station is named in Wikipedia as the West Wales Parkway station, where it is introduced like this.
West Wales Parkway is a proposed railway station north of Swansea, near to the boundaries of the neighbouring principal area of Carmarthenshire, and the villages of Felindre and Llangyfelach. The station is proposed to be situated at the former Felindre steelworks, near Junction 46 of the M4 and A48, and near Felindre Business Park and Penllergaer Business Park. The project is in the planning stages, as part of a wider Department for Transport proposal to re-open the Swansea District line to passenger traffic.
This Google Map shows where, it appears the Felindre station will be built.
Note.
- The Felindre Business Park in the North-West corner of the map, with a Park-and-Ride.
- The M4 running across the bottom of the map.
- The Swansea District Line runs East-West between the motorway and the Business Park.
It looks that the new station could be located on the South side of the Business Park.
When High Speed Two Opens Will Trains Call At Old Oak Common?
When High Speed Two opens, all GWR trains will stop at Old Oak Common station for these connections.
- Chiltern for for Banbury, Bicester, High Wycombe and the West Midlands
- Elizabeth Line for Central and East London and the Thames Valley
- Heathrow Airport
- High Speed Two for Birmingham and the North
- Overground for Outer London
As Old Oak Common will be such an important interchange, I think they should.
Will The Platforms At Carmarthen Station Need Lengthening?
This Google Map shows Carmarthen station.
Note.
- The station has two platforms.
- There are certainly pictures of the station with an InterCity 125 in the station. There is a picture on the Wikipedia entry for Carmarthen station.
These pictures show the station.
I suspect that the station will be upgraded to accommodate Grand Union Trains.
The Trains
An article in the June 2022 Edition of Modern Railways, which is entitled Grand Union Bids For London To Carmarthen, gives these details of the trains.
- Three classes.
- 2023 start for the service.
- Cycle provision.
- Vanload freight will be carried.
- Electric trains could start between London and Cardiff by 2023.
- In 2025, trains could be nine-car bi-modes.
- South Wales-based operation and maintenance.
- 125 full-time jobs created.
It certainly seems to be a comprehensive and well-thought out plan.
I have a few thoughts on the trains.
What Make Of Trains Will Be Procured?
Consider.
- Lumo’s Class 803 trains were ordered from Hitachi in March 2019 and entered service in October 2021.
- So if they ordered their version of the Hitachi trains by the end of 2022, the trains could be in service by July/August 2025.
- It would probably be easier, if the only fast trains on the Great Western Main Line between London and South Wales were all Hitachi trains with identical performance.
But the Spanish backers of Grand Union Trains may prefer Spanish-designed trains assembled in South Wales. So would a bi-mode version of CAF’s Class 397 trains be suitable?
On the other hand, the Carmarthen and Cardiff section of the route without a reverse at Swansea is only seventy-five miles.
This Hitachi infographic shows the Hitachi Intercity Tri-Mode Battery Train.
Consider.
- Charging could be provided at Carmarthen using a short length of electrification or one of Furrer + Frey standard chargers.
- Charging would also use the electrification between London Paddington and Cardiff.
- A nine-car Class 800 or Class 802 train has five engines and a five-car train has three engines.
- The Intercity Tri-Mode Battery Train was announced in December 2022.
- In the intervening two years how far has the project progressed?
- For the last twelve months, Lumo have been running trains with an emergency battery-pack for hotel power. How are the batteries doing, whilst being ferried up and down, the East Coast Main Line?
Can Hitachi configure a train with more than one battery-pack and a number of diesel engines, that has a range of seventy-five miles? I suspect they can.
I suspect that CAF also have similar technology.
There is also a benefit to Great Western Railway (GWR).
If GWR were able to fit out their Class 802 trains in the same way, they would be able to run between Cardiff and Swansea on battery power.
- It is only 45.7 miles.
- Charging would need to be provided at Swansea.
- GWR could still run their one tpd service to Carmarthen.
It looks like both train operating companies could be able to do as Lumo does and advertise all electric services.
What Could Be The Maxmum Range Of A Hitachi Train On Batteries?
This Hitachi infographic shows the Hitachi Regional Battery Train.
Consider.
- It has a battery range of 90 km or 56 miles on the single battery.
- I would expect that by a regional train, Hitachi mean a five car Class 800 or 802 train, like those that go to Cheltenham, Lincoln or Middlesbrough.
- A five-car Hitachi Regional Battery Train would have a battery that could contain power equivalent to 280 car-miles.
- Five-car Class 800 or 802 trains have three engine positions.
- These Hitachi trains have a very sophisticated control system, which I wrote about in Do Class 800/801/802 Trains Use Batteries For Regenerative Braking?
I believe the engineers at Hyperdrive Innovation have designed the battery-packs that replace the diesel engines as simulations of the diesel engines, so they can be a direct replacement.
This would mean that battery-packs could be additive, so the following could apply to a five-car train.
- Two battery packs could have a range of 112 miles.
- Three battery packs could have a range of 168 miles.
GWR generally runs pairs of five-car trains to Swansea, which would be 90 miles without electrification.
If five-car trains with two battery packs, could be given a range of 112 miles, GWR could run an electric service to Swansea.
They could also run to Carmarthen, if Grand Union Trains would share the charger.
What ranges could be possible with nine-car trains, if one battery pack is good for 280 car-miles?
- One battery-pack, gives a range of 280/9 = 31 miles
- Two battery-packs, give a range of 2*280/9 = 62 miles
- Three battery-packs, give a range of 3*280/9 = 93 miles
- Four battery-packs, give a range of 4*280/9 = 124 miles
- Five battery-packs, give a range of 5*280/9 = 155 miles
- Six battery-packs, give a range of 6*280/9 = 187 miles
- Seven battery-packs, give a range of 7*280/9 = 218 miles
Note.
- I have rounded figures to the nearest mile.
- There are five cars with diesel engines in a nine-car train, which are in cars 2,3,5, 7 and 8.
- Diesel engines are also placed under the driver cars in five-car Class 810 trains.
- For the previous two reasons, I feel that the maximum numbers of diesel engines in a nine-car train could be a maximum of seven.
- I have therefor assumed a maximum of seven battery packs.
These distances seem sensational, but when you consider that Stradler’s Flirt Akku has demonstrated a battery range of 243 kilometres or 150 miles, I don’t think they are out of order.
But, if they are correct, then the ramifications are enormous.
- Large numbers of routes could become electric without any infrastructure works.
- Grand Union Trains would be able to run to Carmarthen and back without a charger at Carmarthen.
- GWR would be able to run to Swansea and back without a charger at Swansea.
Prudence may mean strategic chargers are installed.
Rrenewable Energy Developments In South West Wales
In Enter The Dragon, I talked about renewable energy developments in South West Wales.
I used information from this article on the Engineer, which is entitled Unlocking The Renewables Potential Of The Celtic Sea.
The article on the Engineer finishes with this conclusion.
For now, Wales may be lagging slightly behind its Celtic cousin to the north, but if the true potential of the Celtic Sea can be unleashed – FLOW, tidal stream, lagoon and wave – it looks set to play an even more prominent role in the net zero pursuit.
The Red Dragon is entering the battle to replace Vlad the Mad’s tainted energy.
South West Wales could see a massive renewable energy boom.
Grand Union Trains will increase the capacity to bring in more workers to support the developments from South Wales and Bristol.
Are These Two Stories Related?
These are two stories recently published in Railway Gazette.
Deutsche Bahn Sells Arriva Businesses To Private Equity Holding Company, which starts with this paragraph.
Deutsche Bahn has reached agreement to sell its Arriva local transport activities in Denmark, Poland and Serbia to München-based private equity holding company Mutares SE & Co KGaA.
That is fairly clear and is probably related with the German government’s desire for DB to concentrate on its core business.seren
This article on Railway Gazette is entitled RENFE Looks At Entering UK Rail Market Through Open Access Partnership, which starts with this paragraph.
Open access passenger service developer Grand Union Trains is working with Spain’s national operator RENFE and private equity firm Serena Industrial Partners on a proposed service between London and Wales.
That also is fairly clear and would bring competition to services to and from South Wales.
It would also help in the financing of Grand Union Trains.
The article also says the following.
- RENFE seem to be expanding into partnerships to run services outside Spain.
- A parkway station at Felindre will be build to avoid the reverse at Swansea, that would save 20 mins.
- It will be a high quality service with new electro-diesel trains.
- Four trains will be needed.
- A 2025 start is envisaged.
Will this partnership with Grand Union Trains proceed with the development of Grand Union Trains’ London and Stirling service?
I have some thoughts and questions.
Will Deutsche Bahn Sell Other Arriva Businesses?
I think this is a reasonable question to ask, especially, as Deutsche Bahn owns two Open Access Operators in the UK; Chiltern Railways and Grand Central Trains.
- Both operators have a good reputation.
- Both operators need to decarbonise, either by updating their current stock or buying new trains.
- Both operators have solid niche markets, where they are often responsible for the stations.
- Both operators have expansion plans.
Would RENFE and Serena Industrial Partners be interested in taking over Arriva UK and developing the business?
The Talgo Factory At Longannet
I believe that there is reason to believe that one of Talgo’s reasons for a factory in Scotland, is that it could have been used to build Russian and dual-gauge trains for Eastern Europe. The trains would have been delivered by ferry from Rosyth.
There is also the not-small matter of the fleet for Rail Baltica, for which Talgo will surely be a bidder.
But Russia’s attack on Ukraine has scuppered that plan, or at least delayed it for a few years. But now, there could be a much larger market for trains in Eastern Europe and especially Ukraine.
If RENFE Acquire Open Access Operators In The UK, They Will Need New Trains
They will certainly need new trains for the South Wales operations, if they go ahead, but if they were to decarbonise Chiltern and Grand Central, the order could be substantial.
With one Spanish train factory in the UK and another a possibility, I would suspect any train order would go to a Spanish train-builder.
If the orders fell right, could we see Talgo’s factory at Longannet built after all?
Will It Be Third-Time Lucky For Grand Union Trains In Wales?
It is three years since I wrote Grand Union Seeks ’91s’ To Cardiff and their proposal has not been accepted and the third iteration has been announced.
This article on Wales Online is entitled Independent Rail Firm Bids To Launch As Rival To Great Western On The Mainline From South Wales To London.
These are the introductory paragraphs.
An independent rail firm is hoping to launch a rival train service in Wales which they say will slash journey times between Carmarthen and London. Grand Union Trains is making a fresh bid to introduce an initial service in both directions between Cardiff and London on the existing Great Western line.
The company believes the move will “create passenger choice” and increase the number of trains available, with the hope that the service can be extended west in South Wales towards Carmarthen.
Other points in the article include.
- Swansea will be by-passed, which will speed up services to and from Llanelli and Carmarthen.
- A new Park-and-Ride station will be built by Grand Union at Felindre, which is to the North of Swansea.
- Services will stop at Llanelli, Cardiff Central, Newport, Severn Tunnel Junction and Bristol Parkway.
- When Cardiff Parkway opens, this will be an extra stop.
An article in the June 2022 Edition of Modern Railways, which is entitled Grand Union Bids For London To Carmarthen, gives extra details.
- Three classes.
- 2023 start for the service.
- Five return trains per day.
- Cycle provision.
- Vanload freight will be carried.
- Electric trains could start between London and Cardiff by 2023.
- In 2025, trains could be nine-car bi-modes.
- South Wales-based operation and maintenance.
- 125 full-time jobs created.
It certainly seems to be a comprehensive and well-thought out plan.
These are my thoughts and observations.
Felindre Station
Felindre station is named in Wikipedia as the West Wales Parkway station, where it is introduced like this.
West Wales Parkway is a proposed railway station north of Swansea, near to the boundaries of the neighbouring principal area of Carmarthenshire, and the villages of Felindre and Llangyfelach. The station is proposed to be situated at the former Felindre steelworks, near Junction 46 of the M4 and A48, and near Felindre Business Park and Penllergaer Business Park. The project is in the planning stages, as part of a wider Department for Transport proposal to re-open the Swansea District line to passenger traffic.
This Google Map shows where, it appears the Felindre station will be built.
Note.
- The Felindre Business Park in the North-West corner of the map, with a Park-and-Ride.
- The M4 running across the bottom of the map.
- The Swansea District Line runs East-West between the motorway and the Business Park.
It looks that the new station could be located on the South side of the Business Park.
According to Wikipedia, the station would cost £20 million to build.
- It would need a comprehensive rethinking of transport improvements in the Swansea area.
- But it could result in time savings on services between Carmarthen and Cardiff.
The Modern Railways article says this.
GU proposes to build the Felindre station near Swansea and invest in Severn Tunnel Junction station, where it says it will increase parking, provide direct access from the M4 motorway and improve passenger and staff facilities, backing up plans being evaluated by the Welsh Government for the station.
Grand Union is not a charity and does this indicate that a bank or infrastructure company is prepared to fund parking and the extra passengers pay the charges.
Rolling Stock
Wikipedia says that the rolling stock could be nine-car InterCity 225s hauled by Class 91 or Class 93 locomotives.
As the Class 93 locomotives are bi-modes, these would handle the Carmarthen and Cardiff leg.
The Modern Railways article says this.
Trains could start between Cardiff and London Paddington as early as May 2023 if electric only, with services extended west around two years later with new bi-mode trains in up to nine-car formations.
Would a new Class 93 locomotive count as a new bi-mode train?
I suspect the new locomotive would be more affordable, than a new bi-mode train.
Vanload Freight
This is an interesting idea and it follows similar thinking to Royal Mail’s latest ideas, that I wrote about in Royal Mail Rolling Back The Years To Put More Post On Trains.
One coach could be a nice little earner, if it were modified to carry roller cages, that were loaded and unloaded at the end of the route.
One advantage of the InterCity 225s is that they are 125 mph trains, so that this will be high speed freight.
Timings
Consider.
- A GWR Carmarthen and London service takes three hours and 47 minutes.
- This includes a nine-minute reverse at Swansea.
- GWR makes seven more stops than Grand Union will.
- GWR does seven diesel stops, whereas Grand Union will only do two.
I would estimate that Grand Union will be under three hours and thirty minutes.
Carmarthen Station
This Google Map shows Carmarthen station.
Note.
- The station has two platforms.
- There are certainly pictures of the station with an InterCity 125 in the station.
These pictures show the station.
I suspect that the station will be upgraded to accommodate Grand Union.
Rrenewable Energy Developments In South West Wales
In Enter The Dragon, I talked about renewable energy developments in South West Wales.
I used information from this article on the Engineer, which is entitled Unlocking The Renewables Potential Of The Celtic Sea.
The article on the Engineer finishes with this conclusion.
For now, Wales may be lagging slightly behind its Celtic cousin to the north, but if the true potential of the Celtic Sea can be unleashed – FLOW, tidal stream, lagoon and wave – it looks set to play an even more prominent role in the net zero pursuit.
The Red Dragon is entering the battle to replace Vlad the Mad’s tainted energy.
South West Wales could see a massive renewable energy boom.
The Railways To The West Of Carmarthen
This map from OpenRailwayMap shows the rail lines to the West of Carmarthen.
There are three main branches to Fishguard, Milford Haven and Pembroke Dock.
I can see the railways becoming increasingly important in supporting the growing renewable energy in the area.
- There would be more frequent services.
- Services would tie in with London and Cardiff trains at Carmarthen.
- Closed stations could be reopened and new ones built.
It may also be possible to bring in large components needed by the renewable energy industry.
Conclusion
I feel that Grand Union have seen the opportunities presented to a frequent Carmarthen and London service and have grabbed them with both hands.
Electrifying Wales
I would not be surprised to learn that Wales wants to decarbonise their railways.
At present, Wales only has the following electrified railways either in operation or under construction.
- The South Wales Main Line between the Severn Tunnel and Cardiff.
- The South Wales Metro based on local railways around Cardiff and Newport is being created and will be run by electric trains.
There is no more electrification planned in the future.
Hitachi’s Specification For Battery Electric Trains
Recently, Hitachi have released this infographic for their Regional Battery Train.
This gives all the information about the train and a definitive range of 90 km or 56 miles.
The Welsh Rail Network
If you look at the network of services that are run by Transport for Wales Rail Services, they connect a series of hub stations.
Major hubs include the following stations.
- Cardiff Central – Electrified
- Chester
- Hereford
- Shrewsbury
- Swansea
Smaller hubs and termini include the following stations.
- Aberystwyth
- Birmingham International – Electrified
- Birmingham New Street – Electrified
- Blaenau Ffestiniog
- Carmarthen
- Crewe – Electrified
- Fishguard Harbour
- Hereford
- Holyhead
- Llandudno Junction
- Manchester Airport – Electrified
- Manchester Piccadilly – Electrified
- Machynlleth
- Milford Haven
- Newport – Electrified
- Pembroke Dock
Running Welsh Routes With Electric Trains
These routes make up the Welsh rail network.
Chester And Crewe
Consider.
- The route between Chester and Crewe is without electrification.
- Crewe and Chester are 21 miles apart.
I believe that if a battery-electric train, with a range of 56 miles, can leave Chester and Crewe with full batteries, that it will be possible to run between Chester and Crewe stations.
Chester And Holyhead via Llandudno Junction
Consider.
- All services between Llandudno Junction and England call at Chester.
- All services running to and from Holyhead call at Llandudno Junction.
- The route between Chester and Holyhead is without electrification.
- Chester and Llandudno Junction are 54 miles apart.
- Llandudno Junction and Holyhead are 40 miles apart.
I believe that if a battery-electric train with a range of 56 miles can leave Chester, Llandudno Junction and Holyhead with full batteries, that it will be possible to run between Chester and Holyhead stations.
Chester And Liverpool Lime Street
Consider.
- The route between Runcorn and Liverpool Lime Street is electrified.
- The route between Chester and Runcorn is without electrification.
- Chester and Runcorn are 14 miles apart.
I believe that if a battery-electric train, with a range of 56 miles, can leave Chester and Runcorn with full batteries, that it will be possible to run between Chester and Liverpool Lime Street stations.
Chester And Manchester Airport
Consider.
- The route between Warrington Bank Quay and Manchester Airport is electrified.
- The route between Chester and Warrington Bank Quay is without electrification.
- Chester and Warrington Bank Quay are 18 miles apart.
I believe that if a battery-electric train, with a range of 56 miles, can leave Chester and Warrington Bank Quay with full batteries, that it will be possible to run between Chester and Manchester Airport stations.
Chester And Shrewsbury
Consider.
- The route between Chester and Shrewsbury is without electrification.
- Chester and Shrewsbury are 42 miles apart.
I believe that if a battery-electric train with a range of 56 miles, can leave Shrewsbury and Chester with full batteries, that it will be possible to run between Chester and Shrewsbury stations.
Llandudno And Blaenau Ffestiniog
Consider.
- The route between Llandudno and Blaenau Ffestiniog is without electrification.
- Llandudno and Blaenau Ffestiniog are 31 miles apart.
I believe that if a battery-electric train with a range of 56 miles, can leave Llandudno and Blaenau Ffestiniog with full batteries, that it will be possible to run between Llandudno and Blaenau Ffestiniog stations.
Machynlleth And Aberystwyth
Consider.
- The route between Machynlleth and Aberystwyth is without electrification.
- Machynlleth and Aberystwyth are 21 miles apart.
I believe that if a battery-electric train with a range of 56 miles, can leave Machynlleth and Aberystwyth with full batteries, that it will be possible to run between Machynlleth and Aberystwyth stations.
Machynlleth And Pwllheli
Consider.
- The route between Machynlleth and Pwllheli is without electrification.
- Machynlleth and Pwllheli are 58 miles apart.
I believe that if a battery-electric train with a range of upwards of 58 miles, can leave Machynlleth and Pwllheli with full batteries, that it will be possible to run between Machynlleth and Pwllheli stations.
Machynlleth And Shrewsbury
Consider.
- The route between Machynlleth and Shrewsbury is without electrification.
- Machynlleth and Shrewsbury are 61 miles apart.
I believe that if a battery-electric train with a range of upwards of 61 miles, can leave Machynlleth and Shrewsbury with full batteries, that it will be possible to run between Machynlleth and Shrewsbury stations.
Shrewsbury and Birmingham International
Consider.
- The route between Birmingham International and Wolverhampton is electrified.
- The route between Shrewsbury and Wolverhampton is without electrification.
- Shrewsbury and Wolverhampton are 30 miles apart.
I believe that if a battery-electric train, with a range of 56 miles, can leave Shrewsbury and Wolverhampton with full batteries, that it will be possible to run between Shrewsbury and Birmingham International stations.
Shrewsbury And Cardiff Central via Hereford
Consider.
- All services between Cardiff Central and Shrewsbury call at Hereford.
- The route between Cardiff Central and Newport is electrified.
- The route between Newport and Shrewsbury is without electrification.
- Shrewsbury and Hereford are 51 miles apart.
- Hereford and Newport are 44 miles apart.
I believe that if a battery-electric train, with a range of 56 miles, can leave Shrewsbury, Hereford and Newport with full batteries, that it will be possible to run between Shrewsbury and Cardiff Central stations.
Shrewsbury And Crewe
- The route between Shrewsbury and Crewe is without electrification.
- Shrewsbury and Crewe are 33 miles apart.
I believe that if a battery-electric train with a range of upwards of 61 miles, can leave Shrewsbury and Crewe with full batteries, that it will be possible to run between Shrewsbury and Crewe stations.
Shrewsbury and Swansea
Consider.
- The Heart of Wales Line between Shrewsbury and Swansea is without electrification.
- Shrewsbury and Swansea are 122 miles apart.
- Trains cross at Llandrindod and wait for up to eleven minutes, so there could be time for a charge.
- Shrewsbury and Llandrindod are 52 miles apart.
- Swansea and Llandrindod are 70 miles apart.
It appears that another charging station between Swansea and Llandrindod is needed
I believe that if a battery-electric train, with a range of 56 miles, can leave Shrewsbury, Swansea and the other charging station, with full batteries, that it will be possible to run between Shrewsbury and Swansea stations.
Swansea And Cardiff Central
Consider.
- The route between Swansea and Cardiff Central is without electrification.
- Swansea and Cardiff Central are 46 miles apart.
I believe that if a battery-electric train, with a range of 56 miles, can leave Swansea and Cardiff Central with full batteries, that it will be possible to run between Swansea and Cardiff Central stations.
Swansea And Carmarthen
Consider.
- The route between Swansea and Carmarthen is without electrification.
- Swansea and Carmarthen are 31 miles apart.
I believe that if a battery-electric train, with a range of 56 miles, can leave Swansea and Carmarthen with full batteries, that it will be possible to run between Swansea and Carmarthen stations.
Swansea And Fishguard Harbour
Consider.
- The route between Swansea and Fishguard Harbour is without electrification.
- Swansea and Fishguard Harbour are 73 miles apart.
- Tramins could top up the batteries during the reverse at Carmathen.
- Swansea and Carmarthen are 31 miles apart.
- Carmarthen and Fishguard Harbour are 42 miles apart.
I believe that if a battery-electric train, with a range of 56 miles, can leave Swansea, Carmathen and Fishguard Harbour with full batteries, that it will be possible to run between Swansea and Fishguard Harbour stations.
Swansea And Milford Haven
Consider.
- The route between Swansea and Milford Haven is without electrification.
- Swansea and Milford Haven are 72 miles apart.
- Tramins could top up the batteries during the reverse at Carmathen.
- Swansea and Carmarthen are 31 miles apart.
- Carmarthen and Milford Haven are 41 miles apart.
I believe that if a battery-electric train, with a range of 56 miles, can leave Swansea, Carmathen and Milford Haven with full batteries, that it will be possible to run between Swansea and Milford Haven stations.
Swansea And Pembroke Dock
Consider.
- The route between Swansea and Pembroke Dock is without electrification.
- Swansea and Pembroke Dock are 73 miles apart.
- Tramins could top up the batteries during the reverse at Carmathen.
- Swansea and Carmarthen are 31 miles apart.
- Carmarthen and Pembroke Dock are 42 miles apart.
I believe that if a battery-electric train, with a range of 56 miles, can leave Swansea, Carmathen and Pembroke Dock with full batteries, that it will be possible to run between Swansea and Pembroke Dock stations.
Other Routes
I have not covered these routes.
- Borderlands Line
- Cardiff Valley Lines, that will be part of the South Wales Metro
- Routes on the electrified South Wales Main Line, that are to the East of Cardiff.
The first will run between Chester and the electrified Merseyrail system and the others will be electrified, except for short stretches.
Stations Where Trains Would Be Charged
These stations will need charging facilities.
Aberystwyth
Aberystwyth station only has a single terminal platform.
I’ve not been to the station, but looking at pictures on the Internet, I suspect that fitting a charging facility into the station, wouldn’t be the most difficult of engineering problems.
Birmingham International
Birmingham International station is fully-electrified and ready for battery-electric trains.
Blaenau Fflestiniog
Blaenau Ffestiniog station has a single terminal platform.
My comments would be similar to what, I said for Aberystwyth station. I would hope a standard solution can be developed.
Cardiff
Cardiff station is fully-electrified and ready for battery-electric trains.
Chester
Chester station has two through platforms and one bay platform, that are used by Trains for Wales.
- The through platforms are bi-directional.
- The bay platform is used by services from Liverpool Lime Street and Manchester Airport and Piccadilly.
- The station is a terminus for Merseyrail’s electric trains, which use 750 VDC third-rail electrification.
- Some through services stop for up to seven minutes in the station.
This Google Map shows the station.
There is plenty of space.
The simplest way to charge trains at Chester would be to electrify the two through platforms 3 and 4 and the bay platform 1.
I would use 750 VDC third-rail, rather than 25 KVAC overhead electrification.
- I’m an engineer, who deals in scientifically-correct solutions, not politically-correct ones, devised by jobsworths.
- Maintenance staff at the station will be familiar with the technology.
- Station staff and passengers will know about the dangers of third-rail electrification.
- Trains connect and disconnect automatically to third-rail electrification.
- Trains don’t have to stop to connect and disconnect, so passing trains can be topped-up.
- Hitachi with the Class 395 train and Alstom with the Class 373 train, have shown even trains capable of 140 mph can be fitted with third-rail shoes to work safely at slower speeds on lines electrified using third-rail.
- Modern control systems can control the electricity to the third-rail, so it is only switched on, when the train completes the circuit.
I have a vague recollection, that there is an avoiding line at Chester station, so trains can go straight through. Perhaps that should be electrified too.
Carmarthen
Carmarthen station is a two platform station, with a rather unusual layout, that I wrote about in Changing Trains At Carmarthen Station.
I took these pictures when I passed through in 2016.
Note the unusual step-free crossing of the tracks.
This Google Map shows the layout at the station.
I believe it is another station, where third-rail electrification could be the solution.
- Most trains seem to reverse at the station, which gives time for a full charge.
- Others terminate here.
but would they still allow passengers to cross the line as they do now, whilst trains are being charged?
Crewe
Crewe station is fully-electrified.
- Trains for Wales seem to use Platform 6 for through trains and the bay Platform 9 for terminating trains.
- Both platforms appear to be electrified.
- Terminating trains appear to wait at least 9-11 minutes before leaving.
It does appear that Crewe station is ready for battery-electric trains.
Fishguard Harbour
Fishguard Harbour station only has a single terminal platform.
My comments would be similar to what, I said for Aberystwyth station. I would hope a standard solution can be developed.
Hereford
Hereford station has four through platforms.
This Google Map shows the station.
There is plenty of space.
As with Chester, I would electrify this station with 750 VDC third-rail equipment.
But the electrification wouldn’t be just for train services in Wales.
- West Midlands Trains, run an hourly service to Birmingham New Street and there is only a forty-one mile gap in the electrification between Hereford and Bromsgrove.
- Great Western Railway’s service to London, has a massive ninety-six mile run to the electrification at Didcot Junction, which could be bridged by installing charging facilities at Worcestershire Parkway and/or Honeybourne stations.
Both services have generous turnround times at Hereford, so would be able to leave fully-charged.
Distances from Hereford station are as follows.
- Abergavenny – 24 miles
- Bromsgrove – 41 miles
- Great Malvern – 21 miles
- Honeybourne – 48 miles
- Ludlow – 13 miles
- Newport – 44 miles
- Shrewsbury – 51 miles
- Worcester Parkway – 33 miles
Hereford station could be a serious battery-electric train hub.
Holyhead
Holyhead station has three terminals platforms.
My comments would be similar to what, I said for Aberystwyth station. I would hope a standard solution can be developed.
Liverpool Lime Street
Liverpool Lime Street station is fully-electrified and ready for battery-electric trains.
Llandrindod
Llandrindod station has two through platforms.
I took these pictures at the station as I passed through in 2016.
The Heart of Wales Line is certainly a route, that would benefit from larger trains. Zero-carbon battery-electric trains would surely fit well in the area.
This Google Map shows the station.
It would appear that, it is another station, that could be fitted with third-rail electrification to charge the trains.
Distances from Llandrindod station are as follows.
- Shrewsbury – 52 miles
- Llandovery – 27 miles
- Llanelli – 59 miles
- Swansea – 70 miles
It would appear that a second station with charging facilities or bigger batteries are needed.
Llandudno Junction
Llandudno Junction station has four platforms.
This Google Map shows the station.
There is plenty of space.
As at Chester, the simple solution would be to electrify the platforms used by trains, that will need charging.
Butb there may also be a wider plan.
Llandudno Junction station is at the Western end of a string of five closely-spaced stations with Prestatyn station in the East.
- Llandudno Junction and Prestatyn are eight miles apart.
- Trains take twenty-three minutes to pass through this section.
- Some trains do a detour to Llandudno station before continuing.
- For part of the route, the railway lies between the dual-carriageway A55 road and the sea.
So why not electrify this section of railway between Llandudno Junction and Prestatyn stations?
- Either 750 VDC this-rail or 25 KVAC overhead electrification could be used.
- Prestatyn and Chester are 46 miles apart.
- Llandudno Junction and Holyhead are 40 miles apart.
If third-rail electrification were to be used, it might be advantageous to electrify to Llandudno station.
- It would be less intrusive.
- It would be quieter in an urban area.
- It would give the trains to Blaenau Ffestiniog trains a good charge.
But above all third-rail electrification might cost a bit less and cause less disruption to install.
Machynlleth
Machynlleth station is where the Aberystwyth and Pwllheli services split and join.
This Google Map shows the station.
Consider.
- There is a train depot by the station.
- Will there be a good power supply at the station to charge the trains?
- Machnylleth and Pwllhelli are 58 miles apart.
- Machynlleth and Shrewsbury are 61 miles apart.
I think that Machynlleth might be pushing things too far, without extra stations with charging facilities.
One solution might be to develop the Riding Sunbeams concept and electrify the route between Newtown and Dovey Junction via Machynlleth, using third-rail technology powered-by solar or wind power.
Another solution would be batteries with a larger capacity.
Manchester Airport
Manchester Airport station is fully-electrified and ready for battery-electric trains.
Manchester Piccadilly
Manchester Piccadilly station is fully-electrified and ready for battery-electric trains.
Milford Haven
Milford Haven station only has a single terminal platform.
My comments would be similar to what, I said for Aberystwyth station. I would hope a standard solution can be developed.
Pembroke Dock
Pembroke Dock station only has a single terminal platform.
My comments would be similar to what, I said for Aberystwyth station. I would hope a standard solution can be developed.
Pwllheli
Pwhelli station is a only has a single terminal platform.
This Google Map shows the location of the station.
The stsation is at the North West corner of the bay.
My first reaction, when I saw this was that I have to go.
So I took a closer look at the station instead.
I suspect that fitting a charging facility into the station, wouldn’t be the most difficult of engineering problems. Although, there might be a problem getting a good enough connection to the National Grid.
Shewsbury
Shrewsbury station is a five-platform station.
This Google Map shows the station’s unusual location over the River Severn.
It must be one of few stations in the world, where trains enter the station from three different directions.
- From Crewe and Chester to the North.
- From Hereford and Wales to the South.
- From Birmingham and Wolverhampton in the East.
Adding electrification to all or selected platforms should allow trains to recharge and be on their way.
- Under current timetables, dwell times in Shrewsbury are up to eight minutes.
- I would suspect the train times could be adjusted, so that trains left the station with full batteries.
With battery-electric services to Aberystwyth, Birmingham International, Birmingham New Street, Cardiff Central, Chester, Crewe, Hereford, Holyhead, London Euston, Manchester, Pwllheli and Swansea, it will be a very important station.
Swansea
Swansea station has four terminal platforms.
A charging facility could be added to an appropriate number of platforms.
Or perhaps, the last few miles of track into the station should be electrified, so trains could charge on the way in, charge in the station and charge on the way out.
Third Rail Electrification
I have suggested in this post, that 750 VDC third-rail electrification could be used in several places.
I will repeat what I said earlier, when discussing Chester station.
- I’m an engineer, who deals in scientifically-correct solutions, not politically-correct ones, devised by jobsworths.
- Maintenance staff at the station will be familiar with the technology.
- Station staff and passengers will know about the dangers of third-rail electrification.
- Trains connect and disconnect automatically to third-rail electrification.
- Trains don’t have to stop to connect and disconnect, so passing trains can be topped-up.
- Hitachi with the Class 395 train and Alstom with the Class 373 train, have shown even trains capable of 140 mph can be fitted with third-rail shoes to work safely at slower speeds on lines electrified using third-rail.
- Modern control systems can control the electricity to the third-rail, so it is only switched on, when the train completes the circuit.
Third-rail electrification should be seriously considered.
A Standardised Terminal Solution
In this post, I mentioned that the following stations could be powered by a scandalised solution, as they are all one platform, terminal stations.
- Aberystwyth
- Blaenau Ffestiniog
- Fishguard Harbour
- Holyhead
- Milford Haven
- Pembroke Dock
- Pwllheli
The system might also be applicable at Carmarthen and Swansea.
My view is that Vivarail’s Fast Track charging based on third-rail technology would be ideal. I discussed this technology in Vivarail Unveils Fast Charging System For Class 230 Battery Trains.
Conclusion
With a bit of ingenuity, all train services run by Transport for Wales, can be run with battery-electric trains.
The Anonymous Widower 