York To Church Fenton – 10th August 2022
These pictures show the new electrification between York and Church Fenton.
My train was going towards York.
Half-an-hour later, I went to Manchester via Leeds and took the newly-electrified line.
- The Class 802 train was on diesel on this section, but it was cruising at 100 mph.
- One the train had passed Church Fenton station, it appeared to slow noticeably.
- Today, York and Church Fenton took eight and a half minutes.
It will be interesting to see timings, when the wires are switched on.
York And Church Fenton Electrification
This news item from Network Rail is entitled Yorkshire’s First New Electric Railway In 25 Years Set To Cut Carbon And Slash Journey Times.
This section summarised the work
Work began on the York to Church Fenton electrification scheme in October 2019, and to date has delivered:
- 17 kilometres of new, more reliable track, ready to run faster trains
- An innovative 65-metre-wide under-track crossing
- 270 new steel masts, which carry the overhead electric wires
When the new wires are energised, they will allow more environmentally friendly hybrid trains to run along this section at speeds of up to 125mph – that’s 30mph faster than they currently run.
This OpenRailwayMap shows between York and Church Fenton.
Note.
red lines indicate 25 KVAC overhead electrification.
York is in the North-East corner of the map.
Church Fenton is in the South-West corner of the map.
The track marked in red going South is the Selby Diversion, which was built in 1983 to avoid the Selby coalfield. It joins the York and Church Fenton route at Colton Junction.
The Colton Junction and Church Fenton section is marked in red and black, indicating this section is being electrified.
This second OpenRailwayMap shows between Church Fenton and Neville Hill TMD in the East of Leeds.
Note.
- Church Fenton is in the North-East corner of the map.
- Neville Hill TMD is the big black blob in the middle of the West edge of the map.
- The route marked in red and black will probably be the next to be electrified.
- Between Leeds and Neville Hill is electrified.
Electrification of Church Fenton and Neville Hill TMD means that the electrification between Leeds and York would be complete.
These services use this route between Leeds and York.
- TransPennine Express – 1 tph – Liverpool Lime Street and Newcastle
- TransPennine Express – 1 tph – Manchester Airport and Redcar Central
- CrossCountry – 1 tph – Plymouth and Edinburgh Waverley
In addition, the new electrified route will have other effects.
Electric trains will have direct electrified access to Neville Hill TMD from York.
Micklefield is only 42 miles from Hull and with charging at Hull, I suspect TransPennine’s Manchester Piccadilly and Hull service could go battery-electric.
The Anonymous Widower 