The Anonymous Widower

East West Rail Unveils Next Phase For Oxford-Cambridge Growth

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

These three bullet points act as sub-headings.

  • more frequent trains on the horizon for millions of passengers between Oxford and Cambridge as multibillion pound East West Rail project confirms next steps 
  • new rail station set to help serve upcoming Universal theme park in Bedford, as well as improvements planned for several existing stations  
  • new route delivers on the government’s Plan for Change, unlocking £6.7 billion of regional economic growth and delivering up to 100,000 new homes

These two introductory paragraphs make a few general points about the overall project, housing and jobs.

Millions of people across the Oxford to Cambridge corridor are set to benefit from more frequent trains as the East West Railway Company (EWR Co) has revealed the next steps for the second phase of the project today (19 November 2025).

As one of Britain’s largest transport projects, East West Rail forms a cornerstone of the government’s Plan for Change, unlocking £6.7 billion of regional economic growth by 2050, enabling up to 100,000 new homes and supporting tens of thousands of new jobs along the route.

These sections make some more  detailed points.

How Many Permanent Staff Will Be Employed At Universal Studios Bedford?

As many will want to live locally, this will surely encourage many to use the trains on the East-West Rail to travel to work, so this will be an important factor.

I asked Google AI, the question in the title of this section and received this answer.

Universal Studios plans to employ 8,000 permanent staff at its new resort in Bedford. This number is part of an overall total of approximately 28,000 jobs, which includes 20,000 jobs during the construction phase.

My project management knowledge is telling me that the station should be built before the theme park.

How Many Daily Visitors Are Expected At Universal Studios Bedford?

I asked Google AI, the question in the title of this section and received this answer.

The Universal Studios theme park in Bedford is expected to have 55,000 visitors on peak days from its launch, based on its plan to handle 8.5 million annual visitors. The project, planned to open in 2031, is expected to attract 8.5 million annual visitors in its first year, with numbers rising to 12 million within 20 years.

I would expect a large number of visitors and staff will probably be encouraged to come by train, just as they are at some Premier League football stadiums.

Will Universal Studios Bedford Be Marketed As A Low Carbon Theme Park?

I’m asking this question, as it seems, the railway is being upgraded make this easier.

I asked Google AI, the question in the title of this section and received this answer.

Yes, it appears Universal Studios Bedford will be marketed as having a low-carbon focus, as evidenced by its planning applications that highlight sustainability efforts. The project outlines include goals for water conservation, energy reduction and clean energy use, waste minimization, and the use of low-carbon materials, all of which will likely be part of the marketing narrative for the theme park, according to LinkedIn.

How Many Car Parking Spaces Will Be Provided At Universal Studios Bedford?

I asked Google AI, the question in the title of this section and received this answer.

The Universal Studios resort planned for Bedford will include a minimum of 7,106 parking spaces and 100 coach bays. The resort is also expected to have 250 cycle spaces and enough room for over 7,100 cars

That is a lot of car parking spaces. Hopefully, there will be a lot of car charging points.

 

Increased Train Frequency And Capacity

These two paragraphs from the press release, talk about increased train frequency and capacity.

Following extensive consultation with local communities, the multi-billion-pound project has confirmed it is exploring a series of transformative plans including increasing the proposed frequency of trains from 3 or 4 to up to 5 per hour.

These enhancements could provide up to 70% more seating across the route, easing overcrowding and speeding up boarding, as well as cutting average waiting times, improving service resilience and creating a smoother, more reliable passenger experience.

When you consider that London Overground, Merseytravel, the South Wales Metro, West Midlands Trains and other local lines in the UK consider than four trains per hour to be a minimum service, then five trains per hour is to be welcomed.

Station Improvements And New Stations

These two paragraphs from the press release, talk about station improvements and new stations..

Several other improvements across the route have also been confirmed, including new station entrances at Bletchley, Cambridge and Bedford, as well as four brand-new stations along the Marston Vale Line – the first significant investment since the 1960s.

With the current stations on the Marston Vale Line seeing some of the lowest usage in the country, the new stations will better serve local communities by providing faster, more frequent services, as well as helping to serve the upcoming Universal theme park.

I thought Bletchley, Cambridge and Bedford stations had already been substantially improved in recent years.

A New Station At Stewartby

Are the station improvements to upgrade public transport access to the Universal theme park at Stewartby station?

  • An East-West Rail service between Oxford and Stansted Airport via Bletchley, Milton Keynes Central, Stewartby, Bedford and Cambridge would give the Universal theme park all-important airport access.
  • Would an upgraded Bletchley station improve interchange between the West Coast Main Line and East-West Rail give better access to the theme park from London, the West Midlands and North-West for visitors?
  • Would an upgraded Bedford station improve interchange between the Midland Main Line and East-West Rail give better access to the theme park from London, the East Midlands and North-East for visitors?
  • An upgraded Bedford station could also be marketed as a zero-carbon route between the theme park and the Continent via St. Pancras International and Eurostar.
  • Would an upgraded Cambridge station give better access to the theme park from the East of England?

In addition four new stations on the Marston Vale Line would improve access for visitors and staff, who live locally.

Will Battery-Electric Trains Be Used On The East-West Rail?

As five major East-West Rail stations; Bedford, Bletchley, Cambridge, Milton Keynes and Reading are substantially served by main line electric trains, and it is likely that more stations will be in future, I believe that East-West Rail must either be electrified or services should be run by battery-electric trains, which would enable zero-carbon rail routes to and from London and all the city’s airports, Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester and an increasing number of cities  in the North and Midlands of England, and Scotland and Wales.

I asked Google AI, the question in the title of this section and received this answer.

Yes, the East West Rail (EWR) project plans to use battery-electric trains as part of a discontinuous electrification strategy. This means trains will run on overhead electric power in sections where they are installed, and on onboard batteries in other sections of the route.

It does appear that discontinuous electrification and battery-electric trains will be used.

Electrification At Bedford Station

This OpenRailwayMap shows The East side of Bedford station.

Note.

  1. The red tracks are electrified and black tracks are not.
  2. The black track looping into the station from the East is the Marston Vale Line, which will connect the East-West Rail to Bedford station.
  3. At the Easternmost part of the curve is Bedford St. Johns station, which serves Bedford hospital.
  4. The Marston Vale Line services normally connect to Platform 1A at Bedford station.
  5. But it also appears trains can also use Platforms 1 and 2 at Bedford station.
  6. It also appears that that Platforms 1A, 1 and 2 are all electrified.

This picture confirms electrification in Platforms 1A and 1.

Note.

  1. Platform 1A is on the left.
  2. Platform 1 is on the right.
  3. The Thameslink train on the right is in Platform 2.
  4. Platforms 1A, 1 and 2 are all clearly electrified.
  5. Platform 1A is 81 metres long, so could accept a typical four-coach train.

Battery-electric trains with pantographs could certainly by charged in either of these two platforms at Bedford station.

Electrification At Milton Keynes Central Station

It would appear that East-West Rail services will use Platform 2A at Milton Keynes Central station.

This OpenRailwayMap shows Platform 2A at Milton Keynes Central station.

Note.

  1. The red tracks are electrified and black tracks are not.
  2. Platform 1 is the through platform on the North-East side of the station.
  3. Platform 2A is the bay platform tucked underneath Platform 1.
  4. Platform 2A is clearly electrified.
  5. Platform 2A is 124 metres long, so could accept a typical five or six-coach train.

These pictures show Platforms 1 and 2A at Milton Keynes Central station.

Battery-electric trains with pantographs could certainly by charged in Platform 2A at Milton Keynes Central station.

Electrification At Oxford Station

It would appear that terminating East-West Rail services will use Platform 1 or 2 at Oxford station.

This OpenRailwayMap shows the platforms at Oxford station.

Note.

  1. The red and black tracks are to be electrified and black tracks are not.
  2. Platforms 1 and 2 are shown in black and are likely to be used by terminating East-West Rail trains.
  3. Platforms 1 and 2 would need to be electrified to be able to charge trains.
  4. Platforms 1 and 2 would also be used by Chiltern’s London services.
  5. Platform 1 and 2 are respectively 157 and 160 metres long, so could accept a typical five or six-coach train.
  6. As Oxford and Reading is to be electrified, through East-West Rail trains could use that electrification to travel to and from Reading.

These pictures show Platforms 1 and 2 at Oxford station.

Battery-electric trains with pantographs could certainly by charged in Platform 1 and 2 at Oxford station, if the platforms were electrified.

Electrification At Reading Station

The West-facing platforms at Reading station are all electrified and longer than 120 metres, so could accept a typical four or five-coach train.

What Trains Should Be Used?

Consider.

  • There is only one battery-electric train, that has been tested on the UK rail network – The Hitachi Class 802 train or similar.
  • There is only one battery-electric train, that has been ordered – The Hitachi Class 802 train or similar.
  • The longest distance on battery, between Reading and Bedford, is probably about thirty miles.

The Government could do a lot worse than order some more Class 802 trains, that were tailored for East-West Rail.

The Hitachi Class 802 train has five-cars, which are 26 metres long.

  • It has a 125 mph operating speed.
  • It has a range of 45 miles on battery power.
  • The trains have been proven in service.
  • The trains are made in the UK.
  • The trains could handle extended routes like Birmingham and Stansted Airport or Cardiff and Cambridge.

A four-car variant of the train with a 100 mph operating speed could be an alternative.

What Will Be The Initial East-West Rail Service?

I asked Google AI, the question in the title of this section and received this answer.

The initial East West Rail service will be between Oxford and Milton Keynes/Bletchley, with passenger services delayed until at least 2026 due to a dispute over train crew roles. Freight services began in June 2025, and temporary diesel services will run until the line is electrified. The full project aims to connect Oxford and Cambridge.

Note.

  1. Stewartby station for Universal Studios Bedford will not be served by East-West Rail initially.
  2. But I suspect, that the current Marston Vale Line service will continue, with a change if needed at Bletchley or Bedford to get to Stewartby.
  3. Earlier I showed that Google AI is predicting 20,000 construction jobs at Universal Studios Bedford, which I am sure will need some form of high-capacity rail transport, if grid-lock is to be avoided in much of Bedfordshire.

Perhaps an initial fleet of four- or five-car Class 802 diesel-electric trains could be ordered and they would run the full route between Oxford and Bedford stations, with a reverse in Platform 2A at Milton Keynes station.

  • The trains would run initially on diesel.
  • By using stepping-up in Platform 2A at Milton Keynes station, I believe a two trains per hour (tph) service could surely be run.
  • Hitachi could probably deliver the trains quickly, as they have not long been out of production.
  • Those living locally would get a much improved train service from their local station to and from Bedford, Milton Keynes or Oxford.
  • A large portion of the onward connectivity of the East-West Rail would be delivered early to the benefit of locals and visitors.
  • If extra services are needed, semi-fast services could be added between Bedford and Reading with stops at Stewartby, Bletchley, Bicester Village, Oxford Parkway and Oxford stations.

When Platforms 1 and 2 at Oxford station are electrified and the trains are converted to battery-electric operation, the route could be converted to zero-carbon operation.

Virtually Nothing Is Said About The Route Of The East-West Rail Between Bedford and Cambridge South Stations Via Tempsford Station

This quote from David Hughes, CEO, East West Railway Company, is the only time, that Tempsford is mentioned in the press release.

“From a new station at Cambridge East to better access in Oxford and clear alignment through Tempsford, East West Rail is shaping the modern, sustainable transport link this region needs to thrive.”

I asked Google AI, if  the proposed route of the East-West Rail between Bedford and Cambridge South stations through Tempsford is controversial and I received this reply.

Yes, the proposed route of East West Rail between Bedford and Cambridge is controversial, with opposition from some local residents and political figures who have expressed concerns about the southern alignment through Tempsford and surrounding villages. However, East West Rail Co has selected the route north of the Black Cat roundabout as the preferred alignment, citing reasons like cost-effectiveness and fewer disruptions, while also updating designs to include a southern station entrance to connect with planned growth areas around Tempsford.

Does Government or Artificial Intelligence have precedence?

Cambridge East Station Gets A First Mention

This quote from David Hughes, CEO, East West Railway Company, is the first time, that I’ve seen Cambridge East station mentioned.

“From a new station at Cambridge East to better access in Oxford and clear alignment through Tempsford, East West Rail is shaping the modern, sustainable transport link this region needs to thrive.”

In this document on the East-West Rail Consortium web site, there is extensive talk of an A14 Parkway station.

  • The document dates from 2018.
  • Google AI can’t find any trace of the A14 Parkway station referred to in the document.
  • This article on the BBC, which was written five days ago and is entitled Additional City station Proposed By East West Rail, is the only reference on the Internet, that references Cambridge East station.
  • The BBC article also says that other proposals after consultation include a new eastern entrance for Cambridge station, locating Cambourne station closer to the town and a mined tunnel for Bourn Airfield.
  • I also have to assume that A14 Parkway has also morphed into Cambridge East station.
  • To access all my posts, that relate to A14 Parkway, click this link.

But it does seem that consultation appears to have produced an acceptable compromise.

Between Kempston Hardwick and Tempsford Stations Through Bedford

I’ve now found that OpenRailwayMap  has been updated between Bedford and Cambridge.

This first section shows the route between Kempston Hardwick and Tempsford stations through Bedford.

 

Note.

  1. Kempston Hardwick station is in the South-West corner of the map.
  2. The yellow track is the Marston Vale Line, which goes through Bedford St. Johns and Bedford stations.
  3. The red track on the West side of the map is the Midland Main Line.
  4. The red track on the East side of the map is the East Coast Main Line.
  5. The dotted red line across the top of the map will be the route of the East-West Rail.
  6. Tempsford station will be to the South-West of where the East Coast Main Line and East-West Rail cross in the North-East cornet of the map.

I hope the good people of Bedford are happier now!

Between Tempsford and Cambourne

I’ve now found that OpenRailwayMap  has been updated between Bedford and Cambridge.

This second section shows the route between Tempsford and Cambourne stations.

Note.

  1. The dotted red line across the top of the map will be the route of the East-West Rail.
  2. Tempsford station is in the South-West corner of the map on the route of the East-West Rail.
  3. The red track on the West side of the map is the East Coast Main Line.
  4. Cambourne is the village in the North-East corner of the map.

 

November 23, 2025 Posted by | Artificial Intelligence, Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

East West Rail Train Door Row May See Launch Delayed

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

This is the sub-heading.

The launch of a new £7bn railway faces being delayed because of a row over who will control the opening and closing of carriage doors.

These three paragraphs add more details.

The BBC understands train operator Chiltern Railways is in a standoff with the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union, which represents train guards, over how East West Rail services between Oxford and Milton Keynes will run.

The RMT said the operator wants train drivers to open and close the doors at stations, with no guards required.

Passenger trains were scheduled to start running between Oxford and Milton Keynes for the first time in nearly 60 years by the end of December.

I suspect that the unions won’t be satisfied until all trains in the UK have a crew of two.

November 21, 2025 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , | 3 Comments

New Chiltern Railways Trains Set To Unlock 10,000 More Seats A Day

The title of this post is the same as that of this press release from Chiltern Railways.

This picture from Chiltern Railways shows the train at Marylebone.

These three paragraphs are from the press release and add more details.

Chiltern Railways today (Tuesday 14 October) showcased for the first time its newest (Mark 5A) trains, set to add 10,000 more seats for customers each weekday from December 2026.

The trains, to be introduced between London to West Midlands from early 2026, will enable Chiltern to deliver more capacity across each of its West Midlands, Aylesbury, and Oxford routes as part of the operator’s efforts to deliver better journeys for customers.

The newest fleet will consist of 13 modern trains set to transform customer journeys during 2026. The trains will replace Chiltern’s oldest carriages, which are nearly 50 years old, with state-of-the-art equivalents, and provide a significant improvement to the on-board experience.

Today, I also received an update from Modern Railways, which was entitled Chiltern Railways Mk 5As To Enter Traffic Early Next Year, and included this delivery schedule.

From December 2026 there will be ten Mk 5A sets in traffic each day, with one ‘hot spare’ and one undergoing maintenance. That leaves one extra set which, CR has suggested, could eventually be pressed into traffic.

I have a few thoughts.

How Do The Trains Compare Physically?

These are basic figures for the two different types of train sets.

  • The current Mark 3 are five-car sets of 23 metres coaches, that weigh about 36 tonnes. The driving van trailer is 18.83 metres and 43.7 tonnes
  • The future Mark 5A are four-car sets of 22.2 metres coaches, that weigh about 43 tonnes. The driving trailer is 22.37 metres and 43 tonnes.

Lengths and weights of various sets will be as follows.

  • Mark 3 – five-car and driving van trailer – 133.83 metres and 223.7 tonnes.
  • Mark 5A – four-car and driving trailer – 111.17 metres and 215 tonnes
  • Mark 5A – five-car and driving trailer – 155.57 metres and 258 tonnes

Note.

  1. Chiltern Railways and TransPennine Express use the same Class 68 locomotives.
  2. The five-car Mark 3 and the four-car Mark 5A sets are quite similar in length and weight
  3. This could mean that both sets would perform similarly with the same locomotives on the same route.
  4. I wouldn’t be surprised that the new Platform 4 at Birmingham |Snow Hill station will be able to handle all configurations.

I almost feel that when CAF designed the Mark 5A sets for TransPennine Express, they also had Chiltern in mind as another possible sale.

How Many Trains Would Be Needed To Run Between London Marylebone And Birmingham?

Consider.

  • Trains currently run half-hourly on the route between 06:00 to 23:30, which is up to 36 services per day.
  • When Platform 4 is operational at Birmingham Snow Hill station, all services could probably stop at both Birmingham Moor Street and Birmingham Snow Hill stations.
  • A round trip between London Marylebone and Birmingham Snow Hill stations currently takes about five hours.

I’m fairly certain that to run a half-hourly core service would need ten trains.

Could Chiltern Develop Another Network On The Other Side Of Birmingham?

Consider.

  • Trains could run twice an hour from 06:00 to 23:30, which is up to 36 services per day.
  • When Platform 4 is operational at Birmingham Snow Hill station, all services could probably stop at both Birmingham Moor Street and Birmingham Snow Hill stations.
  • Chiltern Railways already run several services a day to Stourbridge Junction.
  • Chiltern Railways have run services to Kidderminster station in the past.
  • Wrexham & Shropshire used to run locomotive-hauled Mark 3 four-car sets with driving van trailers, as far as Wrexham via Shrewsbury.

It looks to me, that with the right rolling stock configurations, Chiltern’s network can be developed on the other side of Birmingham.

  • Destinations could include Stourbridge Junction, Kidderminster, Shrewsbury, Wolverhampton, Chirk, Ruabon and Wrexham General.
  • Some services would need longer trains.

Obviously services would only be run if they were viable.

Would It Help Growth In A Town Or Area, If It Had A Rail Connection To London And/Or The Nearest Major City?

I know Lincoln is on the other side of the country, but I asked Google AI if Lincoln’s rail link to London has brought growth to the city and received this answer.

Yes, Lincoln’s rail link to London has brought significant growth by improving tourism, business travel, and student mobility, and is expected to spur further economic benefits through faster journey times and increased services. The direct link has made Lincoln more accessible for visitors and is a key part of the city’s long-term strategy for economic growth and development.

That was fairly definite.

How would that apply to an extended Chiltern Main Line.

  • Politicians are always saying growth is important.
  • An extended Chiltern Main Line servicewould improve connections of a lot of places to London and Birmingham.
  • Shrewsbury is the easiest connection for West Wales.
  • Surely a rail connection to a major city, might tempt someone to open a branch or a new factory.

Would a rail service make people feel more included?

 

October 19, 2025 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Midlands Rail Hub Looks To The Future With Preferred Alliance Partners

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

The press release has a spectacular picture, which I’m showing here.

Note.

  1. High Speed Two’s Curzon Street station is on the left.
  2. Birmingham Moor Street station is in the centre.
  3. There appears to be parkland between the two stations.
  4. Is that the West Midlands Metro running across in front of Moor Street station?

This OpenRailwayMap shows the railway lines in the area.

Note.

  1. Electrified tracks are shown in red.
  2. Tracks without electrification are shown in black.
  3. West Midlands Metro tracks are shown in mauve.
  4. The red tracks going diagonally across the map are the four electrified tracks going into Birmingham New Street station.
  5. Birmingham New Street station is off the map to the West.
  6. To the North of the tracks going into Birmingham New Street station, there are the seven  platforms of High Speed Two’s Curzon Street station.
  7. The four platforms without electrification are shown South of the tracks into Birmingham New Street station.
  8. Two platforms at Birmingham Moor Street station are through platforms, that pass under Birmingham City Centre to Birmingham Snow Hill station.
  9. The other two platforms at Birmingham Moor Street station are bay platforms.
  10. The West Midlands Metro appears to take a loop around the stations.

But when you get into the words of the press release, there are a lot of vegetables and very little meat.

  • The Midlands Rail Hub could cost around £1.75bn if delivered in full.
  • The government’s recent spending review committed to progress the next stage of Midlands Rail Hub.
  • Alongside this, planning is underway to begin to deliver two smaller but significant upgrades to benefit passengers as quickly as possible.
  • The Alliance partners will be VolkerRail, Laing O’Rourke, AtkinsRéalis, Siemens Mobility, and Network Rail.

These four paragraphs indicate the work, that could be done.

The biggest change will be connecting the Chiltern main line, which runs into Moor Street, with the Camp Hill lines which run towards the South West and East Midlands via two new chords in Bordesley, near Birmingham city centre.

The transformation of the network will include running more train services on key routes through Birmingham and significantly improving connections for the millions of people who use the railway every day.

Work will be prioritised to explore how smaller, but vital, pieces of work which will provide passengers and communities with quicker benefits, including new journey options and more trains can be delivered as soon as possible.

They include reopening platform 4 at Snow Hill station so additional Chiltern Railways services can run directly between Birmingham’s business district and London Marylebone, and redeveloping Kings Norton station and the lines through it so extra Cross City trains can be added and new Midlands Rail Hub-enabled services can call there.

Three projects are specifically mentioned.

  1. The new chords in Bordesley.
  2. The reopening of platform 4 at Snow Hill station.
  3. The redeveloping of Kings Norton station.

I shall now look at each in detail.

The New Chords At Bordesley

This OpenRailwayMap shows the tracks going into and around Birmingham Moor Street station.

 

Note.

  1. Electrified tracks are shown in red.
  2. Tracks without electrification are shown in black.
  3. West Midlands Metro tracks are shown in mauve.
  4. The red tracks going diagonally across the map are the four electrified tracks going into Birmingham New Street station.
  5. Birmingham New Street station is off the map to the West.
  6. To the North of the tracks going into Birmingham New Street station, there are the seven  platforms of High Speed Two’s Curzon Street station.
  7. The black track running NW-SE is the Chiltern Main Line between London Marylebone and Birmingham Moor Street stations.
  8. Birmingham Moor Street station is indicated by the blue arrow in the North-West corner of the map.
  9. The black track running NE-SW is the Camp Hill Line, that allows services to cross Birmingham.

Two new chords will be built where the Chiltern Main and the Camp Hill Lines cross, to allow services on the Camp Hill Line to call at Birmingham Moor Street station.

Consider.

  • The press release described these chords as the biggest change.
  • The chords will probably not be fully used, until the new stations are built on the Camp Hill Line.
  • There may be need for extra platforms at Birmingham Moor Street station to accommodate any new services.

For these reasons, I suspect that these chords could well be the project that is pushed back to a later date.

The Reopening Of Platform 4 At Snow Hill Station

This OpenRailwayMap shows the track layout at Birmingham Snow Hill station.

Note.

  1. The two lilac tracks are the West Midlands Metro.
  2. The two orange tracks are the two through tracks between Birmingham Moor Street and Stourbridge Junction stations.
  3. Platform 3 is the Southbound track to Birmingham Moor Street on the right.
  4. Platform 2 is the Northbound track to Stourbridge Junction on the left
  5. Platform 1 is a loop on left.
  6. Platforms 1, 2 and 3 are all bi-directional.
  7. The closed Platform 4 is on the right and is shown by the black track.

I would expect that this reopening could be fairly straightforward and may also have worthwhile benefits.

  • Would an extra platform, allow all Chiltern services to serve both Birmingham Moor Street and Birmingham Show Hill stations?
  • Chiltern would probably find it easy to extend services from Birmingham to the North-West of the city.
  • In this century, services have run as far as Wrexham from Marylebone.
  • If all Chiltern services terminated at Birmingham Show Hill station would this have operational and/or marketing advantages?
  • If all Chiltern services terminated at Birmingham Show Hill station would this, make it easier for some passengers to get a train to London and the South?
  • If all Chiltern services terminated at Birmingham Show Hill station would this release a platform at Birmingham Moor Street station for other services?

These are a few pictures of Birmingham Snow Hill station.

Platform 4 at Birmingham Snow Hill station could be a Build One Platform-Get One Free At Another Station situation!

The Redeveloping Of Kings Norton Station

This will probably be needed for running services on the Camp Hill Line, so why not get some of the work done early, so the rebuilding doesn’t effect existing services?

This OpenRailwayMap shows the Eastern end of Kings Norton station

Note.

  1. Electrified tracks are shown in red.
  2. Tracks without electrification are shown in black.
  3. The station has four platforms, but some are unused.
  4. Two platforms are on an island, with a single platform on either side.

This OpenRailwayMap shows the Western end of Kings Norton station.

The notes to the previous map apply.

These two paragraphs from the Wikipedia entry for Kings Norton station, describe the station.

With the development of both bus and tram services, the need for such a large facility reduced from the 1930s onwards. The result is that today although all four platforms remain in place, only the outer two are in passenger use, with the middle island platforms now derelict.

Refurbished as part of the Cross-City line in 1978, it retained some of its original features following refurbishment, unlike the other ‘cross city line’ stations. The original station building survived, leased out for commercial purposes, until it was demolished in February 2006 for safety reasons. An extension car park provides a Park and Ride facility.

Disabled-access doesn’t seem to be the best either.

These pictures show the station.

Note.

  1. As I guessed, there is no disabled-access.
  2. But there are Braille  markings on the handrails down to the platforms.
  3. Two CrossCountry trains are seen going through the station.
  4. The local Class 730 trains, lights and information screens appeared to be new.
  5. Three platforms are electrified, but the fourth is not.
  6. The electrification structure could probably be used to electrify the fourth platform.
  7. Only the two outside platforms ; 1 and 4 are in use, with the central island platforms ; 2 and 3 left derelict.
  8. There is car parking and possibly space for more.
  9. The two active platforms are 150 metres long and the six-car Class 730 trainstrains appear to be 144 metres long.
  10. The Class 220 trains, that are run by CrossCountry Trains appear to be 93 metres long.

It was one of the scruffiest stations, that I’ve ever seen.

These are my thoughts on the station.

Handling The Camp Hill Line

Refurbishing Kings Norton Station

I don’t feel, that this will be the most horrendous of jobs, as it is very much a job, where all the rubbish and wild forest is removed and new platforms and a bridge are built.

 

 

 

August 29, 2025 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

An Interesting Comment From Lord Peter Hendy

This article on Modern Railways is entitled Chiltern FINALLY Signs Mk 5 Deal.

This extract from the article describes the deal.

An agreement for Chiltern Railways to lease the Mk 5A coaches previously operated by TransPennine Express and owned by Beacon Rail Leasing has been signed – and the trains are due to replace the current Mk 3 stock in phases from 2026. A 10-year lease has been agreed for the vehicles.

Chiltern will take on all 13 five-car sets as well as the spare Driving Trailer and the dedicated pool of 14 Class 68 locomotives.

The article also, has this excellent quote from Lord Peter Hendy, who is the Rail Minister at the end.

This government is putting passengers back at the heart of the 21st century railway by investing to make journeys easier, greener, and more comfortable.

“We are continuing to support Chiltern as they develop a plan to introduce additional services into their timetable, giving people more opportunities to work, live, and socialise.

I agree with much of what Lord Peter Hendy says, but could we see some actions to back up the words.

I have a few thoughts.

Lumo To Glasgow

I wrote about this new service in Lumo Will Extend Its King’s Cross And Edinburgh Service To Glasgow.

Given the opposition of the Transport Minister to open access services, I didn’t think this innovative service would be approved.

  • But it does add an affordable passenger-friendly service to London and Glasgow routes.
  • It will certainly be an easier route to London for some in Scotland.
  • It also adds some much-needed direct services between Newcastle and Glasgow.

Did Lord Peter Hendy have words to help Lumo get its approval?

As I wrote in Could London And Central Scotland Air Passengers Be Persuaded To Use The Trains?, I also believe that this new Lumo service could persuade more air passengers to take the train to Scotland.

Lumo To Stirling

I wrote about this service in ORR: Open Access Services Given Green Light Between London And Stirling.

  • First Group has taken over Grand Union Trains and the service will now be run by Lumo, who will use diesel Class 222 trains.
  • But Lumo will have the option of running their electric Class 803 trains on the route, as it is fully electrified, when their fleet receives more trains.

This was another service, that I didn’t think would be approved, as no other services on the West Coast Main Line were approved, as Network Rail objected.

But it certainly meets the words in Lord Peter Hendy’s statement.

Like Lumo’s service to Glasgow, when the Stirling service gets electric trains, it will surely cut carbon emissions of travellers to Central Scotland.

Chiltern’s Replacement Trains

Chiltern Railways are replacing this fleet of locomotive hauled trains.

  • 8 Class 68 locomotives
  • 25 Mark 3 coaches
  • 6 Driving Van Trailers

As services between London Marylebone and Birmingham Moor Street stations consist of one locomotive, five coaches and one driving van trailer, that means there are two spare locomotives, one spare coach and one spare driving van trailer, if there are five rakes of coaches in service.

The new fleet will be.

  • 14 Class 68 locomotives
  • 52 Mark 5A coaches
  • 14 Driving Van Trailers

If services between London Marylebone and Birmingham Moor Street stations consist of one locomotive, four coaches and one driving van trailer, that means there are one spare locomotive and one spare driving van trailer, which gives a possible thirteen rakes of coaches in service.

There are certainly enough to expand Chiltern’s services. The obvious destination would surely be Oxford. These pictures show the two North-pacing platforms at Oxford station.

The platforms would be shared with East-West Rail, but they are around 160 metres in length.

The Modern Railways article quote Arriva Group Managing Director UK Trains Amanda Furlong as saying this.

Upgrading our fleet is a vital next step in Chiltern’s modernisation plans and an important part of Arriva’s wider ambition to support the transition to more sustainable rail travel across the UK and Europe.

We are proud to support this important milestone for Chiltern Railways, which is a great example of what can be achieved through strong collaboration with Government to deliver practical improvements for passengers. We look forward to seeing these upgraded trains improve journeys and lower emissions across the network.

She certainly would agree on some issues with Lord Peter Hendy.

So will Chiltern Railways do something to reduce the carbon footprint of their fourteen Class 68 locomotives?

  • The Class 68 locomotives don’t have too many miles on the clock.
  • Chiltern have already run some their Class 68 locomotives on HVO, so this must be a possibility.
  • In total there are thirty-four Class 68 locomotives in service all of which have Caterpillar engines, so a conversion to zero-carbon power could be worthwhile.

I asked Google for an AI Overview on How many diesel locomotives have caterpillar engines worldwide? I got this answer.

While a precise worldwide count of diesel locomotives powered by Caterpillar (CAT) engines is difficult to pinpoint, it’s estimated that hundreds, if not thousands, of locomotives are equipped with CAT engines. Caterpillar has a long history of supplying engines to the rail industry, with engines like the 3500 series powering both mainline and switcher locomotives. Additionally, CAT engines are also used in generator sets for Head End Power (HEP) in passenger locomotives.

Note.

  1. It appears that, Caterpillar might have given up making truck engines because of emission issues.
  2. London Marylebone and Oxford is 66.8 miles
  3. London Marylebone and Birmingham Snow Hill is 112.3 miles.

Perhaps one of the consultants like Ricardo could convert these locomotives to run on hydrogen.

 

August 7, 2025 Posted by | Hydrogen, Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Bicester Village Station – 28th May 2025

I went to Bicester Village station today and took these pictures.

Note.

  1. The station is fully step-free, with lifts.
  2. There is a reasonable coffee-shop.
  3. There is a very large car-park.

There are two trains per hour (tph) in both directions between Marylebone and Oxford stations.

This Google Map shows the station.

Note.

  1. London is to the North.
  2. Oxford is to the South.
  3. The footbridge dates from October 2021 and is not shown on the map.
  4. The London Road level crossing is in the North-East corner of the map.
  5. The London Road level crossing is a problem, as I indicated in Bicester MP Calls On Chancellor To Fund London Road Crossing.
  6. To take the pictures of the level crossing, I crossed the footbridge to the North-West side of the station and walked through the car park to the station entrance on Station Approach. I then walked past the Bicester Bodyshop and Edmundson Electrical to the level crossing.
  7. The Shell garage can be clearly seen behind the level crossing.

During my walk of about thirty-five minutes three trains passed over the level crossing.

These are my thoughts.

The Long Platforms

The platforms are long.

  • The Oxford-bound platform, which is Platform 1, is 240 metres long.
  • The London-bound platform, which is Platform 2, is 230 metres long.

Both platforms will take a pair of five-car Hitachi Express Trains.

It looks to me, that East-West Rail are expecting a large number of passengers.

East-West Rail Plans For Powering Trains

I detailed these in Plans For Powering Trains And Details Of Our Upcoming Consultation.This post was based on an East-West Rail news item with the same title.

Distances include.

  • London Marylebone and Oxford – 66.8 miles.
  • Bletchley and Oxford – 47.2 miles.

Both distances are within range of five-car Hitachi Express Trains, that have been fitted with batteries.

I also suspect other manufacturers could supply suitable trains.

Thoughts On The London Road Level Crossing

This article on the BBC is entitled Level Crossing Petition Supported By Thousands.

This is the sub-heading.

A petition calling for a fully accessible underpass at a town’s level crossing has received more than 3,000 signatures.

These three paragraphs add more detail.

Launched by MP for Bicester and Woodstock Calum Miller, the petition calls on the government to ensure any replacement of the level crossing at London Road in Bicester includes access for cars, not just cyclists and pedestrians.

It is set to be closed on safety grounds when the East West Rail (EWR) line becomes fully operational, which many fear would cut off crucial access to thousands of residents.

Mr Miller will present the petition, which can only be signed in person, in Parliament on 3 June.

The argument is certainly hotting up.

But I believe, that a bridge that meets everybody’s requirements might be possible to be built.

  • Suppose that all trains and locomotives passing through the level crossing had to be self-powered. Passenger trains could be battery-electric and freight locomotives could be either hydrogen or battery powered through the location of the level crossing.
  • The track could also be lowered through the crossing.
  • These actions would reduce the height of any bridge taking the road over the railway.

It looks to me that on the Northumberland Railway, which has recently opened, they had a similar problem, but they were able to squeeze a bridge into the space, as this 3D Google Map shows.

Note.

  1. The bridge looks like it carries a two-lane road and a pedestrian/cycle way.
  2. There is no electrification.
  3. I believe that the Northumberland Line could be run by battery-electric trains.
  4. The road bridge has been built to accept all traffic using the railway.

In Newsham Station – 30th March 2025, there are several pictures of the bridge. This one shows the bridge with a train.

In Trains: £34m For Revival Of 50-Year-Old North-East Railway Line, I said this about battery-electric trains for the Northumberland Line.

I’m drawn inextricably to the conclusion, that the trains should be 100 mph battery-electric trains.

Hitachi, who have a factory in the North-East, have announced their Regional Battery Train in July 2020, which is described in this Hitachi infographic.

These trains can be based on Class 385 trains.

  • They are 100 mph trains.
  • They come in three- and four-cars lengths.
  • The three-car trains have 206 seats.
  • They can work in pairs.
  • They can use 25 KVAC overhead electrification.
  • They have a range of 90 kilometres or 56 miles on battery power.
  • The batteries would be charged on the ECML between Benton North junction and Newcastle station.
  • The battery packs will be designed and manufactured by Hyperdrive Innovation in Sunderland.
  • They have big windows for the views.

I’m sure Hitachi and Hyperdrive would like a fleet in service, just up the road from their factories.

Could a similar or even thinner bridge be squeezed in at Bicester Village station to take London Road over the railway?

I think it can, if they use some of the latest 3D modelling.

 

May 28, 2025 Posted by | Design, Energy, Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Arriva Group Invests In New Battery Hybrid Train Fleet In Boost To UK Rail Industry

The title of this post, is the same as that of this news item from Arriva Group.

These four bullet points act as sub-headings.

  • Order worth around £300 million for fleet of new trains, which will increase seats by 20 per cent, improving capacity and connectivity.
  • 45 rail cars to be manufactured at Hitachi Rail in the North East and financed by Angel Trains, helping secure highly skilled jobs and unlocking a new advanced manufacturing opportunity for rail.
  • State-of-the-art ‘tri-mode’ train technology has proven its ability to cut emissions and fuel costs by around 30 per cent to support UK Government’s decarbonisation agenda.
  • Announcement is made from Hitachi’s Newton Aycliffe factory and attended by the Secretary of State for Transport, Heidi Alexander MP.

These three paragraphs give more details.

Arriva Group announced today an order for nine cutting-edge battery hybrid trains to replace its entire Grand Central fleet, providing a major boost to regional economies and offering passengers more comfortable, greener travel options.

The order for 45 Hitachi Rail ‘tri-mode’ cars, which have the flexibility to run on electrified and non-electrified tracks, along with a 10-year maintenance contract, represents an investment of around £300 million. Tri-mode means the trains can be powered using electricity, battery or diesel.

It follows approval by the rail regulator for extended track access rights for Grand Central’s existing services through to 2038, with the investment underpinning Arriva’s long-term commitment to UK rail and to delivering sustainable public transport solutions to communities up and down the country and across Europe.

The trains will be built by Hitachi at Newton Aycliffe.

I have some further thoughts and questions.

What Distances Will The Trains Run Away From Electrification?

The distances that the various services will run away from electrification are as follows.

  • King’s Cross and Bradford Interchange – Doncaster and Bradford Interchange – 52.1 miles.
  • King’s Cross and Cleethorpes – Doncaster and Cleethorpes – 52.1 miles.
  • King’s Cross and Sunderland – Longlands junction and Sunderland – 48.5 miles.

It would appear that a train with a range away from electrification of 55 miles would be enough, if there were to be charging at all the destinations.

Will The Trains Be Able To Take The Great Northern And Great Eastern Joint Line (GNGE) Diversion Via Lincoln On The East Coast Main Line?

I discussed using this diversion in detail in London And Edinburgh By Lumo Using the Joint Line Diversion.

In that post, I said this.

The January 2024 Edition of Modern Railways says that the diversion is approximately 90 miles or 145 kilometers.

If the trains have a 90 mile capability on batteries and/or diesel, they will be able to use the diversion.

As Hull Trains, LNER and Lumo all need this ability to take the GNGE Diversion, I suspect, it will be a tick-box on the order form for the trains.

When Will The Trains Be In Service?

The news item says this.

The trains will be delivered in 2028 under a 10-year leasing arrangement, in partnership and financed by Angel Trains.

Will The New Trains Be Faster?

They might save a couple of minutes, if Doncaster is the first stop.

Will The New Trains Be Quieter?

The news item says this about noise and emissions.

State-of-the-art ‘tri-mode’ train technology has proven its ability to cut emissions and fuel costs by around 30 per cent to support UK Government’s decarbonisation agenda.

Hitachi have said that the diesel engines will not run in stations.

Could The Trains Run Grand Central’s Routes Carbon-Free?

In The Data Sheet For Hitachi Battery Electric Trains, I came to these conclusions

  • The battery pack has a capacity of 750 kWh.
  • A five-car train needs three battery-packs to travel 100 miles.
  • A nine-car train needs five battery-packs to travel 100 miles.
  • The maximum range of a five-car train with three batteries is 117 miles.
  • The maximum range of a nine-car train with five batteries is 121 miles.

As battery technology gets better, these distances will increase.

If I was choosing the trains for Grand Central, the trains would be able to operate these routes without using diesel.

  • Doncaster and Bradford Interchange and return.
  • Doncaster and Cleethorpes and return.
  • Longlands junction and Sunderland and return.

Passengers might not like to have noisy passengers.

Probably, the best insurance policy to avoid running out of battery power, would be to have perhaps fifty metres of electrification at terminal stations. Hitachi claim they can offer a nice line in short lengths of electrification.

Quiet Trains Should Attract Passengers

I’ve seen it before and also with buses.

The Number Of Trains Ordered

The basic order is for nine trains, but Railway Gazette says this.

Arriva welcomed the ‘swift decision-making’ by ORR and the backing of the Department for Transport and Network Rail. It has also submitted applications to run more trains to Bradford and introduce services to Cleethorpes, and has an option to buy more trains if these are approved.

I’ve read somewhere that the option is for three extra trains.

So that’s a total of twelve, which would replace the ten Class 180 trains and two Class 221 trains, that Grand Central Trains currently run.

What About Chiltern Railways And CrossCountry?

Train operating companies Chiltern Railways, CrossCountry and Grand Central Trains are all wholly owned subsidiaries of Arriva Trains UK, who are described like this in the first paragraph of their Wikipedia entry.

Arriva UK Trains Limited is the company that oversees Arriva’s train operating companies in the United Kingdom. It gained its first franchises in February 2000. These were later lost, though several others were gained. In January 2010, with the take-over of Arriva by Deutsche Bahn, Arriva UK Trains also took over the running of those formerly overseen by DB Regio UK Limited

Arriva is ultimately owned by American infrastructure investment company; I Squared Capital.

Both Chiltern Railways and CrossCountry have trains, that are coming to the date, when they will need to be replaced and similar trains to those ordered by Grand Central could be suitable. to replace some.

Chiltern Railways have six rakes of Mark 3 coaches, that are hauled by diesel locomotives between London Marylebone and Birmingham Moor Street stations, These rakes of coaches could be replaced by Hitachi tri-mode trains, of perhaps five or six cars.

Chiltern Railways also have about sixty assorted diesel multiple units totalling up to about 150 carriages.

CrossCountry Trains have twenty-nine two- or three-car Class 170 trains and sixty-one four- or five car Class 220 or 221 trains. All these ninety trains were built this century and are diesel-powered.

The Government’s policy of net-zero by 2050, would probably mean a significant number of these smaller diesel multiple units need to be replaced by 2030.

If the Grand Central Trains new Hitachi trains are a success, then changing the longer four-, five- and six-car trains for similar Hitachi trains, would be a low-risk replacement strategy for I Squared Capital, that could be applied at Chiltern Railways and CrossCountry.

I can also see a need for a two-, three- or four-car tri-mode train for Chiltern Railways and CrossCountry.

Was The Date Of The Announcement Significant?

In October 2020, I wrote Hitachi Targets Export Opportunities From Newton Aycliffe and I believe that tri-mode trains like these that Grand Central have ordered could have export opportunities.

One country for exports has possibilities and that is the United States.

  • Hitachi AT-300 trains like these don’t need expensive high-speed tracks and there are probably many lines in the United States, where these trains could fit existing tracks.
  • This page on the Hitachi Rail web site is entitled Hitachi Rail in the USA and Canada.
  • In the UK, companies like GWR, LNER, Southeastern and TransPennine Express effectively use theHitachi trains as fast commuter trains on some routes.
  • Trump’s tariffs would only be 10 % on these trains.
  • The Grand Central version looks very stylish!
  • Hitachi’s battery technology is owned by Turntide Technology, who are a US company.
  • For some routes, the trains would probably only need to be battery-electric.

Has the experience of running Chiltern Railways, CrossCountry and Grand Central Trains convinced I Squared Capital, that running railways is a good investment?

Have  I Squared Capital identified some railroads in the United States, that could follow a similar upgrade path to Chiltern Railways?

Was it significant that the order was announced the day after Trump’s tariffs?

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April 4, 2025 Posted by | Design, Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Plans For Powering Trains And Details Of Our Upcoming Consultation

The title of this post, is the same as that of a news item on the East West Rail web site.

This is the sub heading.

We’re pleased to share plans for how we’ll power trains on East West Rail, as well as information and dates of our public consultation on latest proposals for the project.

These are the first two paragraphs.

As part of our latest proposals, which we’ll be sharing for public consultation from 14 November, we’re providing information on our preference for green traction power in the form of discontinuous electrification with hybrid battery-electric trains, after the Chancellor confirmed government support for the project in yesterday’s budget.

As well as reducing carbon emissions, discontinuous electrification would mean overhead lines would only need to be installed along some sections of the route, which would reduce disruption to existing structures and potentially reduce visual impacts in more sensitive locations on the new railway between Bedford and Cambridge. This option would also cost less than full electrification and would need less land for things such as mast foundations.

There is also a short video, which explains discontinuous electrification.

I feel that to use discontinuous electrification and hybrid battery-electric trains is the way to go on this railway between Oxford and Cambridge.

  • It is a zero-carbon solution.
  • There is electrification at Reading. Didcot, Bletchley, Milton Keynes, Bedford and Cambridge along the route, so grid connections will be already available.
  • Sandy, where East West Rail crosses the East Coast Main Line, is fully electrified and must have a grid connection.
  • A small article in the November 2024 Edition of Modern Ralways, says that Hitachi are developing a smaller battery for commuter and suburban trains.
  • Didcot to Oxford could be electrified and there is already a grid connection at Didcot.

Discontinuous electrification could be used to extend East West Rail to Norwich, Ipswich and Colchester.

These are my detailed observations and thoughts.

Existing Electrification

This OpenRailwayMap shows the electrification between Oxford and Bedford.

Note.

  1. Bold red lines are tracks electrified at 25 KVAC.
  2. Bold black lines are tracks without electrification.
  3. Oxford is in the South-West corner of the map.
  4. Bedford is in the North-East corner of the map.
  5. The bold black line of the Western section of the East West Rail connects the two cities.
  6. The lines through Oxford are shown as being electrified. The black stub pointing East to the South of Oxford is the Cowley Branch.

The rail lines crossing East West Rail from West to East are as follows.

  • Chiltern Main Line – Not Electrified
  • High Speed Two – Will Be Electrified
  • West Coast Main Line – Electrified
  • Midland Main Line – Electrified

I suspect all lines, except for the Chiltern Main Line, will be able to provide a grid connection for East West Rail.

This second OpenRailwayMap shows the electrification between Bedford and Cambridge.

Note.

  1. Bold red lines are tracks electrified at 25 KVAC.
  2. Bold black lines are tracks without electrification.
  3. Bedford is in the South-West corner of the map.
  4. Cambridge is in the North-East corner of the map.
  5. The Eastern section of the East West Rail connects the two cities.
  6. Both maps are to the same scale

The rail lines crossing East West Rail from West to East are as follows.

  • Midland Main Line – Electrified
  • East Coast Main Line – Electrified
  • West Anglia Main Line – Electrified

I suspect all lines will be able to provide a grid connection for East West Rail.

Distances Without Electrification

These sections are not electrified.

  • Oxford and Bletchley – 47.2 miles
  • Bletchley and Bedford – 16.5 miles
  • Bedford and Cambridge – 29.2 miles
  • Ely and Norwich – 53.7 miles
  • Norwich and Great Yarmouth – 18.4 miles
  • Cambridge and Haughley Junction – 41.3 miles

I am assuming that the East West Rail could extend past Cambridge on these two routes.

  • Ely, Thetford, Norwich and Great Yarmouth.
  • Newmarket, Bury St. Edmunds, Stowmarket, Ipswich, Manningtree and Colchester.

All sections have electrification at both ends, if Didcot Junction and Oxford is electrified, as is expected to happen.

Train Battery Range Needed

The route layout, I have proposed means that if you go for the battery-electric train with the longest battery range you can afford and it can’t handle Ely and Norwich, the existing electrification can be extended to bridge the gap.

Application Of Discontinuous Electrification To Greater Anglia And Chiltern Railways

If discontinuous electrification can be applied to East West Rail, it can surely be applied to Greater Anglia and Chiltern Railways, given the fact that the route networks of all three companies overlap and share tracks.

Greater Anglia already have a fleet of Class 755 trains, which are designed to be converted to battery-electric operation.

With batteries fitted, I believe that these trains could handle most of the current routes they do now.

The other routes would be handled with selective lengths of overhead electrification in terminal stations to charge the trains before return.

Electrification Between Oxford And Bicester Village Stations

Oxford station has two North-facing bay platforms, that are used by Chiltern and other services terminating at the station from the North.

Note.

  1. Chiltern Railways already run two trains per hour (tph) between these platforms and Marylebone.
  2. I would assume the platforms will be used by East West Rail services, that terminate at Oxford station.
  3. If discontinuous electrification is to be used, then these two platforms could be electrified to charge trains before they return.
  4. East West Rail have not published their proposed services yet, but it could be one tph to both Milton Keynes Central and Bedford stations.

I can see Chiltern buying battery-electric trains to run services between Marylebone and Oxford, and some other routes.

Marylebone and Oxford is 66.7 miles, which is probably two far for even Stadler’s remarkable battery-electric trains, but if say between Oxford and Bicester Village station were to be electrified, would it make it possible to run battery-electric trains between Marylebone and Oxford with charging at both end of the route.

In Chiltern Sets Out New Fleet Ambitions, I talk about Chiltern’s possible new fleet, as proposed by their MD in September 2023.

October 31, 2024 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Improvements At Marylebone Station – 15th October 2024

I passed through Marylebone station today and took these pictures of the improvements.

Note.

  1. The Class 165 and Class 168 trains are being refurbished.
  2. The Chiltern gate line has been improved.
  3. A wider ticket gate line has been installed in the Underground station.
  4. The stairs to the Bakerloo Line has been replaced with a third escalator.
  5. The last picture shows the lack of grab handles in the doors of Bakerloo Line trains.

It certainly looks like Chiltern Railways and its assets are improving.

October 15, 2024 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Innotrans 2024: Rolls-Royce Shows mtu Solutions For On-Track Energy Transition And Celebrates 100 years Of Rail Engine Business

The title of this post, is the same as that of this press release from Rolls-Royce.

These four bullet points, act as sub-headings.

  • All mtu engine series for locomotives and railcars approved for sustainable fuels
  • DB, RDC Autozug Sylt, Trenitalia and České dráhy use or test HVO
  • Rolls-Royce celebrates 100 years of success with mtu rail drives
  • More than 250 rail customers worldwide value the performance, compact design and low exhaust emissions of mtu systems

These are the first two paragraphs.

Rolls-Royce will be presenting its mtu-brand propulsion and service solutions at the international rail exhibition Innotrans in Berlin from September 24 to 27, 2024 in Hall 18, Booth 500. The company will be celebrating an anniversary at the same time: for 100 years, mtu products have been powering trains, including mainline and multi-purpose locomotives, high-speed trains and local transport railcars. On display will be sustainable propulsion solutions such as the mtu Series 4000 and 1600 engines for locomotives and the underfloor drive systems mtu PowerPacks for railcars, all of which are now released for sustainable fuels such as HVO. Rolls-Royce will also be presenting its repower and reman solutions.

100 years ago, Karl Maybach laid the foundation for the rail drive systems of today’s mtu brand with the world’s first high-speed diesel engine for railcars, the Maybach G 4a. Maybach also developed the GO 5 engine for the “Fliegender Hamburger” express train.

These are my thoughts.

Chiltern Railways Could Go Carbon-Neutral By Using HVO

In Vegetable Oil Fuelling Chiltern Railways Trains In UK First, I described how Chiltern Railways are running their Class  68 locomotives on HVO.

This move by Rolls-Royce mtu will allow all Chiltern’s Class 168 trains to be run on sustainable HVO, as they have Rolls-Royce mtu diesel engines.

Chiltern Railways Class 168 train fleet is as follows.

  • 10 x 4-car
  • 9 x 3-car
  • 9 x 2-car

This will still leave Chiltern Railways Class 165 train fleet to be converted to sustainable fuel.

  • 28 x 2-car
  • 11 x 3-car

Note.

  1. There are 75 of these trains in service with Chiltern Railways and Great Western Railway.
  2. They are fitted with Perkins engines.
  3. Perkins engines are now owned by Caterpillar, who built the engines for the Class 68 locomotives.

As Caterpillar have the sustainable diesel technology, could they convert the Class 165 trains to HVO?

Cummins And HVO

Although this post is mainly about Rolls-Royce mtu, it would be convenient to put in this section about Cummins and how their diesel engines run on HVO.

The UK train fleet contains the following trains with Cummins engines.

  • 10 x Class 175 train x 2-car
  • 16 x Class 175 trains x 3-car
  • 14 x Class 180 trains x 5-car
  • 34 x Class 220 trains x 4-car
  • 23 x Class 221 trains x 5-car
  • 4 x Class 221 trains x 4-car
  • 4 x Class 222 trains x 7-car
  • 23 x Class 222 trains x 5-car

Cummins says this about their engines and HVO.

Cummins approves use of HVO fuel in all high-horsepower engines
(19L-95L), including the QSK19, K19, QSK23, QST30, QSK38, K38, QSK45,
QSK50, K50, QSK60, QSK78, QSK95, V903 and ACE for all industrial
markets. No engine modifications are required; engines currently in the
field can be used with HVO at any percentage.

It would appear that all trains with Cummins engines can be converted to run on HVO.

CAF And HVO

Class 195, 196 and 197 trains all have Rolls-Royce mtu diesel engines, so they will be able to run on HVO.

Hitachi And HVO

Class 800, 1801, 802, 805 and 810 trains all have Rolls-Royce mtu diesel engines, so they will be able to run on HVO.

Conclusion

If all diesel engines are to be converted to HVO, there is going to be a lot of HVO needed in the UK.

But many train fleets will be carbon-neutral.

October 1, 2024 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

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