The Anonymous Widower

I’ve Just Glimpsed The Future Of Train Travel Across The North Of England And I Like It

Yesterday, I had an appointment at Liverpool Lime Street station at four o’clock, so as I hadn’t seen the works for the TransPennine Upgrade for some time, I decided to go the long way round with a change of train from LNER to TransPennine Express at Leeds.

These sections document my day.

London King’s Cross To Leeds In An InterCity 225

I took these pictures on the journey.

Note.

  1. The 31 InterCity 225 trains were built around 1990.
  2. They have a capacity of 535 seats, whereas the newer Hitachi Class 801 trains have a capacity of 611 seats. Both trains are nine cars with both First and Standard seats.
  3. There is more of a step-up and step-down when entering or leaving the trains, compared to the best of today’s trains.
  4. They are now being phased out in favour of ten new CAF tri-mode Class 897 trains, which should be entering service in 2027.
  5. No details are available of the seating capacity of these trains, but they could be between 650 and 700, so they could maximise capacity on any LNER route.

Yesterday, the InterCity 225 performed well, although the windows at the seat where I sat, were rather dirty.

Changing Trains At Leeds Station

I changed to TransPennine Exzpress at Leeds station.

  • At least, Leeds station, is one of the few in the UK, with a ticket office behind the barrier. Reading station please note this.
  • But, I did have to walk across the bridge from one side of the station to the other.

In the end, I caught the TransPennine Express with about thirty seconds to spare.

Between Leeds And Huddersfield Stations

I took these pictures between Leeds and Huddersfield stations.

Note.

  1. Dewsbury and Huddersfield stations is about eight miles and takes about eight minutes.
  2. It is virtually a continuous building site, where extra tracks are being inserted.
  3. Three stations are being rebuilt.
  4. Overhead electrification is being installed. But except for approaching Huddersfield, there’s not much to be seen.
  5. OpenRailwayMap gives the maximum speed between Dewsbury and Huddersfield stations as between 60-75 mph.

The ride on my Class 803 train was very quiet and smooth. Was it on battery power or was I sitting in a coach without a diesel engine underneath?

Huddersfield Station

I took these pictures at Huddersfield station.

Note.

  1. Huddersfield station is Grade I Listed.
  2. There is a pub in each wing.
  3. I had a beer in the West Wing.
  4. There are currently three main through platforms and three bay platforms.
  5. Extensive works, which will be part of the TransPennine Upgrade,  will include electrification, a new roof, a new footbridge, and two extra through platforms.

Huddersfield station will be the jewel in the Costa del Yorkshire.

The Platforms At Huddersfield Station

This OpenRailwayMap shows the platforms in Huddersfield station.

Note.

  1. The red and black tracks are being electrified.
  2. Of the current platforms, Platforms 1, 4 and 8 will be electrified.
  3. The two bay platforms; 5 and 6, will be converted into through platforms.
  4. Platform 2 is the bay platform in the South-West corner of the map, that is used by the shuttle train from Sheffield.

I am sure extra platforms could be electrified as required, as there must be a good electrical connection at Huddersfield station.

A Tram-Train Service Between Huddersfield And Sheffield Stations

This OpenRailwayMap shows platform 2 at Huddersfield station.

Note.

  1. Platform 2 is the black track at the right of the two through tracks, that are being electrified.
  2. Platform 2 is a bay platform close to the Head of Steam pub.
  3. I estimate that the platform is about 90 metres long.
  4. I suspect Platform 2 could be lengthened if required.
  5. Sheffield’s Class 399 tram/trains are 37.2 metres long, so a pair should fit in Platform 2.
  6. The Class 398 tram/trains can run on battery power and climb hills in South Wales.
  7. Platform 2 at Huddersfield station could be electrified to charge the tram/trains.
  8. There could be a significant height difference between Huddersfield and Sheffield stations of about 40 metres, which could be used to charge tram/trains on the way down.
  9. I feel with some track improvements, that a four trains per hour (tph) service could be run.

The service would call at Meadowhall, Chapeltown, Elsecar, Wombwell, Barnsley, Dodworth, Silkstone Common, Penistone, Denby Dale, Shepley, Stocksmoor, Brockholes, Honley, Berry Brow and Lockwood

The Pair Of Cranes In Huddersfield Station

These can’t be missed in the pictures. But why two massive cranes?

With an old roof to be taken down and a new roof and a footbridge to be lifted into place, I believe Network Rail have decided to bring in two of largest mobile cranes available in the UK, so that all the lifting doesn’t delay the project.

Between Huddersfield And Stalybridge Stations

I took these pictures between Huddersfield and Stalybridge stations.

Note.

  1. The Class 802 train was running freely along a well-laid track.
  2. There are four stations between Huddersfield and Stalybridge; Slaithwaite, Marsden, Greenfield and Mossley(Manchester).
  3. The stations were in reasonable condition, but some needed new footbridges and a bit of refurbishment.
  4. There was virtually no signs of any foundations for electrification.

This map shows the route.

Note.

  1. The pink tracks are the Manchester Metrolink.
  2. The red tracks are electrified at 25 KVAC overhead.
  3. The red and black tracks are being electrified.
  4. Huddersfield is indicated by the blue arrow in the North-East corner of the map.
  5. Stalybridge station is in the South-West corner of the map.
  6. The pink track in the South-West corner of the map is the Manchester Metrolink branch to Ashton-under-Lyme.
  7. The route between Huddersfield and Stalybridge is shown as it will will be fully electrified.
  8. Huddersfield and Stalybridge is 18 miles.
  9. There are three short tunnels between Huddersfield and Stalybridge.

I wonder, if it would be more affordable to not put up wires between Huddersfield and Stalybridge and use battery-electric passenger trains and hydrogen freight locomotives?

Stalybridge Station

I took these pictures at Stalybridge station.

The station is fully-electrified and has direct services to Huddersfield, Hull, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester Piccadilly, Manchester Victoria, Newcastlle, Wigan and York.

Will Liverpool Lime Street And Newcastle Be Fully Electrified?

Consider.

  • Liverpool Lime Street and Newcastle stations is 180.8 miles.
  • Newcastle and Church Fenton stations is 91.4 miles and is fully-electrified.
  • Liverpool Lime Street and Stalybridge stations is 39.4 miles and is fully-electrified.

This means that the gap between Church Fenton and Stalybridge stations is just fifty miles.

Real Time Trains indicate that the current Class 802 trains on the route run on diesel between Stalybridge and York stations, which is 60.8 miles.

  • Changing power in Stalybridge and York stations means if anything goes wrong passengers can be easily rescued.
  • From what I saw on Thursday, it looks like electrification will be completed between Neville Hill depot and Huddersfield.

I wouldn’t be surprised, if they just electrified to the West of Stalybridge and the East of Huddersfield.

That would mean that the 18 miles between Stalybridge and Huddersfield would be run on batteries.

  • But it would also avoid electrifying three tunnels.
  • How much disruption would be saved, by not electrifying the tunnels?
  • Freight trains would use something like a bi-mode Class 99 locomotive, but it would only need a range of 18 miles on diesel.

I can also see improvised bi-mode locomotives being used like this combination of a Class 66 and Class 90 locomotives.

It was certainly doing its job, when I saw the combination at Shenfield.

August 24, 2025 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Extending The Sheffield Tram-Train To Adwick

I must admit, I very much like the Class 399 tram-trains in Sheffield and their German cousins in Karlsruhe.

I am not alone, as talking to an experienced Sheffield tram driver, he said that the extra power of the Class 399 tram-trains have over the Supertrams, mean they handle Sheffield’s hills with ease, when the tram-trains are full.

They have a top speed of 62 mph compared to a British Rail Class 150 train being able to manage 75 mph.

Passenger capacity of the two trains is probably about the same.

The Current Tram-Train Service

The service has the following characteristics.

  • This runs between Sheffield Cathedral and Rotherham Parkgate via Meadowhall South and Rotherham Central stations.
  • Services run every thirty minutes.
  • I have heard rumours that an extra stop is going to be be added at Magna Science Adventure Centre.

London Overground and local rail services in Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester and other cities in the UK, seem to run at a frequency of four trains per hour (tph).

The Current Northern Rail Service Between Sheffield And Adwick Via Doncaster

The service has the following characteristics.

  • This runs between Sheffield and Aswick stations via Meadowhall, Rotherham Central, Swinton, Mexborough, Conisbrough, Doncaster and Bentley stations.
  • Services run every hour.
  • The service passes Rotherham Parkway Shopping Centre, but doesn’t stop.

Is there a need for this Northern Rail service to stop at Rotherham Parkway Shopping Centre?

The Current Electrification Between Sheffield And Rotherham

This OpenRailwayMap shows the electrified lines between Sheffield and Rotherham Parkway.

Note.

  1. Mauve tracks are electrified with 750 VDC overhead wires, so they can power Sheffield’s trams and tram-trains directly.
  2. Black tracks are not electrified.
  3. Meadowhall and its rail and tram interchange is in the South-West corner of the map.
  4. Note how mauve lines indicate the electrified tram tracks, that curve round the Meadowhall Shopping Centre.
  5. The blue arrow in the North-East corner indicates Rotherham Parkgate tram stop.
  6. The mauve line diagonally across the map, indicates the current electrification between Meadowhall South and Rotherham Parkgate tram stops.
  7. Magna Science Adventure Centre, is just to the South of the electrified Sheffield-Rotherham tram-line.

This second OpenRailwayMap shows the rail and tram lines between Sheffield and Rotherham in more detail.

Note.

  1. Track colours are as in the first map.
  2. The blue arrow in the North-East corner of the map indicates Holmes junction and is the route that Northern Rail’s current Sheffield and Adwick service takes.
  3. Sheffield and Rotherham Central stations are 6.1 miles apart.
  4. Sheffield and Adwick stations are 22.7 miles apart, but the Northern four miles between Doncaster and Adwick are electrified with 25 KVAC overhead wires.

This would indicate that a tram-train with a range of about twenty miles on battery power would be able to handle the route, if it could charge its batteries on the electrified lines.

Terminating a Sheffield And Adwick Service In Sheffield

This OpenRailwayMap shows the rail and tram lines in and through Sheffield station.

Note.

  1. Rail lines are in orange.
  2. Tram lines are in mauve.
  3. Platform numbers in Sheffield station are shown as blue dots. Click on the map to show it on a larger scale.
  4. Sheffield Cathedral tram stop is in the North-West corner of the map.
  5. The triangular junction in the North-East corner of the map, allows trams to use all the main tram lines that go in three directions. A touch of genius as it gives a lot of flexibility, when adding extra services.

Currently, termination of the services from Rotherham and Doncaster is as follows.

  • The tram-train terminates at the Sheffield Cathedral tram stop with a frequency of two tph.
  • The train terminates in Platform 3 in Sheffield station with an hourly frequency.
  • As typically a terminal platform can handle 4 tph, I don’t see why a second Sheffield and Adwick service can’t be running every hour into Sheffield station.

A short length of overhead electrification would need to be added on Platform 3 to recharge any tram-trains terminating in the platform.

It could also become a tram and run to any of the other destinations served from the triangular junction; Halfway, Herdings Park or Malin Bridge. This would allow batteries to be charged as the tram-trains ran across the city.

Remember,  Sheffield station is likely to be electrified with 25 KVAC  overhead wires in connection with running electric trains between London St. Pancras and Sheffield.

If the four bay platforms at Sheffield station, were to be electrified, then these would be ideal for recharging any battery-electric trains or tram-trains, that terminated in the station.

Battery-Electric Trains Between Manchester And Sheffield

Consider.

  • Manchester Piccadilly station is already fully electrified.
  • Currently, all Manchester Piccadilly and Sheffield, terminate in Platform 8 at Sheffield station.
  • The distance between the electrification at Manchester Piccadilly and Platform 8 at Sheffield station is 40.2 miles.
  • CAF are promising battery-electric versions of their Class 331 trains.

With a battery range of fifty miles, which is not outrageous, Manchester and Sheffield could be an electric service for the first time since January 1970, when the Woodhead route was closed.

FirstGroup’s Proposed  London King’s Cross And Sheffield Service

This open access service might happen, although with this Government of all the Lawyers we have, who can predict anything.

  • If it does happen, it is likely that the trains will be battery-electric Class 802 trains.
  • These will be the same as those that will be run by Hull Trains.
  • Battery range will be sufficient to handle Retford and Sheffield, which is 23.3 miles and much shorter than Temple Hirst junction and Beverley.

These trains will also need charging at Sheffield.

 

 

 

 

 

The current Sheffield and Adwick service terminates in platform 3 at Sheffield station, so this platform would probably need to have tramway electrification, so that it could charge the trams.

Updating Rotherham Parkgate Tram Stop

My preference would be for four tph passing through Rotherham Parkgate tram stop in both directions, so this would be a tram-train every seven minutes and thirty seconds, if there was only one platform as now.

I’m fairly sure, that Rotherham Parkgate tram stop needs to have a platform in both directions.

This Google Map shows the tram stop.

Note.

  1. The double-track rail line between Meadowhall and Doncaster curving to the South of the Rotherham Parkgate Shopping Centre.
  2. The Rotherham Parkgate tram stop on a spur from the rail line.

I am pretty certain, that a two-platform station could be squeezed in.

February 15, 2025 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Hull Trains Eyes Worksop And Sheffield Launch

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

These are the two introductory paragraphs of the article.

Hull Trains’ proposed London King’s Cross – Worksop – Sheffield open access service would ‘give people more choice’, offer more flexibility in train fares and make the area better known, according to Labour Member of Parliament for Bassetlaw Jo White.

Speaking at the launch of FirstGroup’s Moving forward together: Why open access is essential for a better railway report on January 21, White said the service would increase opportunities for the growing population of Worksop, where new housing being built. Looking back at the history of open access, she said East Hull MP John Prescott had been a supporter of the original launch of Hull Trains.

I suspect that the ebullient John Prescott would have given full backing to Hull Trains proposed Sheffield service.

I have some thoughts about Hull Trains proposed service.

London Overground Syndrome

I am fairly certain, that this service will suffer from from London Overground Syndrome, which is defined like this.

This benign disease, which is probably a modern version of the Victorian railway mania, was first identified in East London in 2011, when it was found that the newly-refurbished East London Line and North London Line were inadequate due to high passenger satisfaction and much increased usage. It has now spread across other parts of the capital, despite various eradication programs.

It may be for slightly different reasons, but as Workshop station has good car parking and could have fast trains to London, it could attract passengers.

But I don’t think two trains per day will be enough.

Tram-Trains Between Sheffield And Retford Via Worksop

Consider.

  • It’s under twenty-five miles between Sheffield and Retford, so this route would be possible using battery-electric tram trains, similar to those in South Wales.
  • These tram-trains would also be suitable for the Robin Hood Line between Nottingham and Worksop via Mansfield.
  • The speed limits are not fast and the distances are not great and I suspect battery-electric versions of Sheffield’s tram trains could handle all routes.
  • By using temporal separation, Hull Trains services could be sneaked in early and late in the day.

As both cities of Nottingham and Sheffield have used or thought about using tram-trains, I’m sure Stadler could provide a suitable tram-train, that could work in the two cities and all the branch lines that used to serve the numerous coal mines.

It would be levelling up on a big way.

It could grow into a very comprehensive East Midlands Metro, that also served Derby, Doncaster and possibly Lincoln.

Stadler’s products can certainly be configured in many unusual ways.

 

 

 

January 28, 2025 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Penistone Line – 15th December 2023

I took these pictures on the Penistone Line today.

Note.

  1. I started at Sheffield station and travelled to Huddersfield station, before returning to Sheffield on the next train.
  2. The trains run hourly.
  3. There are 15 stops.
  4. The route had good views but it didn’t seem the train worked that hard.
  5. The route is 36.4 miles and trains are timed to take 75 minutes.
  6. That is an average speed of 29.1 mph.
  7. Most services were run by two car Class 150 trains, but some were run by three-car trains.
  8. The two trains I used were well patronised.

I have some thoughts and observations.

Could The Service Be Run Faster?

Consider.

  • 29.1 mph doesn’t seem very fast.
  • The maximum speed is 50 mph or less in places.
  • The line North of Barnsley is single-track with passing loops at Penistone and Stocksmoor.
  • Some of this single-track is on top of high viaducts, so could be difficult to double.
  • Between Barnsley and Sheffield is double-track.
  • To do the journey in an hour would need an average of 36.4 mph.
  • Typically, Greater Anglia run their Class 755 trains at 34-36 mph.

As the Penistone Line has 15 stops, an electric train with faster acceleration and deceleration might be ideal for the route.

But I suspect it would be tight, but possible to do the journey in an hour.

Help And Money Is On Its Way!

This article on Kirkless Together is entitled £48million Funding Boost To Get Penistone Rail Line On The Right Track.

This is the first paragraph.

The government have just announced that we’ve been successful in a bid to their Levelling Up Fund for £48million, to support major improvements to the Penistone rail line.

That certainly sounds like a good start.

The article sums up what the funding means like this.

This funding means we’ll be able to improve the infrastructure along this rail line, and improve access as well. This will make the Penistone line a really important link between Huddersfield, Barnsley and Sheffield!

Improvements are outlined in this paragraph.

It will include station improvements creating better access and waiting facilities, increasing the speed of travel along the line and upgrading the rail infrastructure – including doubling sections of track, which will allow for two trains to travel on the northern section of the line every hour, in both directions.

Note.

  1. I feel that the current track layout could allow a theoretical two trains per hour (tph) service North of Barnsley, if both passing loops at Penistone and Stocksmoor were to be used.
  2. But it might not be very resilient to late trains and other problems, so extra double-track might be desirable, if it made the route more reliable.

I would expect that if possible, the improvements would allow trains to go between Sheffield and Huddersfield in an hour, as that would definitely attract more passengers to the service.

Could Battery-Electric Trains Run The Service On The Penistone Line?

Consider.

  • Both Sheffield and Huddersfield stations will be electrified in the next few years, so the power supplies will be able to support charging of battery-electric trains.
  • Sheffield and Huddersfield is only 36.4 miles.
  • Hopefully, the track improvements would make the route less severe.
  • The Penistone Line is self-contained with no other services on much of the route.
  • There is time to charge the train at each end of the route.

In an article in the October 2017 Edition of Modern Railways, which is entitled Celling England By The Pound, Ian Walmsley says this in relation to trains running on the Uckfield Branch, which is not very challenging.

A modern EMU needs between 3 and 5 kWh per vehicle mile for this sort of service.

I don’t think the terrain of the Penistone line is much different from the Uckfield branch, so what are the figures for a three-car-battery electric train?

The answer would appear to be somewhere between 328 and 546 kWh.

According to the data sheet is now on the Stadler web site, the battery size of a Class 777 train is 320 KWh.

I feel that an off the shelf battery electric train could work the Penistone Line.

Could Tram-Train Operation Be Used?

Consider.

  • A Sheffield tram driver told me that Sheffield’s Class 399 Tram-Trains are excellent on hills.
  • The cousins of the Class 399 Tram-Trains run a similar service between Karlsruhe and Baden-Baden in Germany on bigger hills.
  • Battery-electric Class 399 Tram-Trains are available and are being tested in Wales.
  • Sheffield station handles Huddersfield services straight into one of two single bay platforms.
  • Huddersfield station handles Sheffield services straight into a single bay platform.
  • Major improvements to the Penistone Line will allow two trains per hour on the line.

I suspect if two trains per hour can be run using using diesel multiple units operating as a shuttle, then battery-electric Class 399 tram-trains could do the same.

A Tourist Tramway Across The Pennines

I feel there are possibilities to run tram-trains between Huddersfield and Manchester Piccadilly via Meadowhall and Sheffield stations.

This would create a unique tourist tramway across the Pennines.

Huddersfield’s magnificient Grade 1 Listed station is being upgraded and electrified.

The Hope Valley Line has been upgraded in the last couple of years.

Through Sheffield will be upgraded and electrified for the Midland Main Line.

Stadler have built vehicles for lines like these in many places.

This could be the spectacular attraction that the North-Centre of England needs.

 

December 16, 2023 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , | Leave a comment

More Government Details Emerge On How Fleetwood’s Rail Link Will Be Restored – Using Tram-Train Technology

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

This is the sub-heading.

New details have emerged about how the Government plans to restore the rail link between Fleetwood and Poulton using state-of-the-art tram-train technology.

These are points from the article, which mainly come from a letter to the local MP; Paul Maynard.

  • In a letter to Mr Maynard, Rail Minister Huw Merriman has set out for the first time how the Government intends to restore the rail link.
  • The Government is now looking at the finer details of a tram-train scheme and how the project can be funded.
  • Tram-trains will be used for the link.
  • The re-opened railway can be linked into the existing Blackpool to Fleetwood tramway, allowing services to run into the heart of Fleetwood.
  • Services would operate twice hourly from Preston station to Poulton-le-Fylde over the existing heavy rail network, before joining a new light rail link between Poulton-le-Fylde and the Denham Way roundabout on Amounderness Way, calling at up to three new intermediate stops.
  • From the roundabout, the services would continue on the existing Blackpool tram network towards Fleetwood town centre and Fleetwood ferry terminal.
  • The Government is committed to the project.

These are my detailed thoughts.

The Route

The Blackpool Gazette article describes the route like this.

Services would operate twice hourly from Preston station to Poulton-le-Fylde over the existing heavy rail network, before joining a new light rail link between Poulton-le-Fylde and the Denham Way roundabout on Amounderness Way, calling at up to three new intermediate stops.

From the roundabout, the services would continue on the existing Blackpool tram network towards Fleetwood town centre and Fleetwood ferry terminal.

This map from OpenRailwayMap shows the route.

Note.

  1. Poulton-le-Fylde station is marked by the blue arrow in the South-East corner of the map.
  2. The pink line running up the coast is the Blackpool tramway.
  3. The Blackpool tramway terminates at Fleetwood Ferry at the top of the map.

This second OpenRailwayMap shows Fleetwood Ferry tram terminus.

Note.

  1. As before, the Blackpool tramway tracks are shown in pink.
  2. There is a lifeboat station and a ferry to the other side.
  3. The tracks allow a tram to come from the South, go round the loop and return to the South.
  4. I believe that both the Blackpool tramway and the Fleetwood tram-train will both reverse direction in the same way.
  5. No new infrastructure would be needed at the Fleetwood Ferry terminal, except for perhaps a few signs.

This third OpenRailwayMap shows the track from Fleetwood Ferry to the Lindel Road tram stop.

Note.

  1. As before, the Blackpool tramway tracks are shown in pink.
  2. Fleetwood Ferry is in the North-East corner if the map.
  3. Lindel Road tram stop is marked by the blue arrow in the South-West corner if the map.

This fourth OpenRailwayMap shows the Lindel Road tram stop area at a larger scale.

Note.

  1. As before, the Blackpool tramway tracks are shown in pink.
  2. Lindel Road tram stop is marked by the blue arrow.
  3. Running parallel to and to the  East of the Blackpool tramway is Amounderness Way, which appears to have been built on the line of the railway to Fleetwood.
  4. Along the West side of Amounderness Way, a disused railway is indicated, which must be the closed railway to Fleetwood.

I believe that Network Rail or their engineers have found a route to connect the old branch line to the Blackpool tramway.

  • The railway connecting the Blackpool tramway and the closed railway to Fleetwood, would only need to be single-track.
  • There might be a convenient route, where all the land is owned by the Council.
  • If the tram-trains were to be was fitted batteries, then there would be no need to electrify the line.

I suspect, that the connection would be to the South of Lindel Road tram stop.

  • This would mean that the tram-train would serve a number of stops in the town centre.
  • The tram-train could use the catenary of the Blackpool tramway.
  • Connection and disconnection to the catenary could be done in the Lindel Road tram stop.

This Google Map shows the area of the Lindel Road tram stop and Denham Road.

Note.

  1. The Lindel Road tram stop in the North-West corner of the map, with the Blackpool tramway running NE-SW across the corner of the map.
  2. The roundabout and Amounderness Way on the East side of the map.
  3. Denham Way connecting the roundabout to Copse Road and the tram stop.
  4. On the fourth OpenRailwayMap  it showed the original line of the railway was to the West of Amounderness Way.

So could the spur between the Lindel Road tram stop and the railway to Poulton-le-Fylde station take the following route?

  • Just South of the tram stop the two tracks connect to a new single-track that goes East on the South side of Denham Way.
  • The turn would be quite sharp, but trams and tram-trains have the articulation of a snake and can use tight turns and narrow formations.
  • The crossing of Copse Road would be protected by traffic lights.

When the tram-train gets to the roundabout other end of Denham way, I think there are two choices.

  1. Turn sharp right and go South alongside the West side of Amounderness Way.
  2. Somehow cross Amounderness Way and go down the West side.

This Google Map Amounderness Way going South.

Note.

  1. Amounderness Way runs North-South down the map between two roundabouts.
  2. The large industrial area to the East of the road is labelled as SUEZ Recycling and Recovery.
  3. North-East of SUEZ is Fleetwood Marsh Nature Reserve.
  4. South-East of SUEZ is SUEZ Environmental Jameson Road Landfill and Lancashire County Council’s Fleetwood Household Waste Recycling Centre.
  5. There also seem to be a lot of large holiday caravans.
  6. There is a road running along the South-East of the large SUEZ site called Jameson Road.

The Wikipedia entry for the Fleetwood branch line, says this about the state of the branch.

Some of the line is now cleared of overgrowth because the northern track was not lifted from past Burn Naze Halt to just beyond Jameson Road Fleetwood. However, the road bridge was filled in below it. The junction, last used when goods trains took coal to Fleetwood Power Station, still exists. Looking over the road bridge on Jameson Road, the track to both north & south can still be seen through the undergrowth. In the 1990s, the new A585 The Amounderness Way bypass has been built on the former trackbed, although sufficient space still exists for a reinstated railway should it be required.

Note.

  1. It appears that enough space has been left at the Northern end to connect to the Blackpool tramway.
  2. It doesn’t seem to be in too bad a state.
  3. I suspect that rebuilding the branch has a similar degree of difficulty to rebuilding the Dartmoor Line to Okehampton, which is now operating successfully.

This gave me hope, that a single-track tramway could be built between Poulton-le-Fylde junction and the Lindel Road tram stop.

This Google Map shows the track meeting the filled in road bridge on Jameson Road.

Note.

  1. If that’s not a single-track railway and the filled-in bridge on Jameson Road, I’m a Dutchman.
  2. The railway can be followed on Google Maps for most of the way to Poulton-le-Fylde station.
  3. Google Maps also shows traces of railway to the North of the bridge on Jameson Road.

This Google Map shows the section of Amounderness Way from the North of the SUEZ Recycling and Recovery site to the Denham Way roundabout.

I suspect that the tram would go straight up the East side of ‘Amounderness Way.

But how would the tramway cross the road.

This Google Map shows Denham Way, the roundabout and Lindel Road tram stop.

I am fairly sure that a single-track bridge of some sort could connect Lindel Road tram stop with a single-track railway along the East side of Amounderness Way, to link up with the orphaned track South of Jameson Road.

This OpenRailwayMap  shows Poulton-le-Fylde junction, where the former railway to Fleetwood, joins the Blackpool branch.

Note.

  1. Poulton-le-Fylde station is indicated by the blue arrow.
  2. The orange track is the Blackpool branch to Blackpool North station.
  3. Poulton-le-Fylde junction is to the West of the station.
  4. The track going North from the junction, is the disused track to Fleetwood.
  5. The map also shows a couple of level crossings.

I am fairly certain, that a single-track tramway could be built between Poulton-le-Fylde junction and the Lindel Road tram stop.

This OpenRailwayMap  shows Poulton-le-Fylde junction and Poulton-le-Fylde station.

These pictures taken in 2018, show Poulton-le-Fylde station.

Note.

  1. It is a small station, that oozes quality.
  2. The tracks and electrification were all installed or renewed in the last few years.
  3. There is even a cafe and a lift to the street.
  4. The flower-beds in the middle of the platform, are at the Preston end of the station.
  5. As the tram-trains will stop in the station, they can raise and lower the pantograph in the station.
  6. Tram-trains and trains will share the appropriate platform.

The possibility can probably be arranged that an incoming train to Blackpool North will be able to drop passengers at a waiting tram-train for Fleetwood Ferry.

Will The New Fleetwood Branch Be Electrified?

There are various arguments for and against electrification between Poulton-le-Fylde station and the Lindel Road tram stop.

In favour, is that a continuous catenary can be run from end-to end, with 750 VDC electrification.

  • An insulated section would be used at Poulton-le-Fylde station to separate the 750 VDC of the tramway and the 25 KVAC of the Blackpool branch.
  • Standard tram-trains, like Sheffield’s Class 399 tram-trains could be used.
  • Battery-electric tram-trains are probably more expensive.

Against electrification are.

  • There would be no electrification between Poulton-le-Fylde station and the Lindel Road tram stop to install.
  • There would be no need for any modifications to the catenary at Poulton-le-Fylde station and the Lindel Road tram stop.
  • The filled in bridge mentioned in Wikipedia, might only need a tram-sized hole and not complete rebuilding to get the trams through.
  • Occasional freight trains could probably be run, if required.
  • Battery-electric tram-trains are proven technology.

It will definitely one for the accountants to decide.

The Tram-Trains

These are pictures of Stadler Citylink tram-trains in Sheffield.

Note.

  1. These Class 399 tram-trains were the first tram-trains to run in the UK, when they entered service in 2017.
  2. They were built by Stadler in Spain.
  3. They share the tracks in Sheffield happily with Sheffield’s other trams of a different type.
  4. At the time, Paul Maynard, who is the local MP, was the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport, so I suspect that explains, why the MP appears pleased with the choice of tram-trains and talks knowledgeably about them.
  5. There is also a battery electric version of these tram-trains, which has been ordered by the South Wales Metro.
  6. Blackpool’s tramway uses Bombardier Flexity 2 trams. However, it doesn’t seem, that there is a tram-train version of the Flexity 2.
  7. Merseyrail in the Liverpool area, are introducing a large fleet of Stadler trains, which will be running to Preston in a couple of years.

I suspect that these tram-trains will be built by Stadler and they could be fitted with batteries.

Tram-Train Frequency Between  Fleetwood Ferry And Poulton-le-Fylde Station

The Blackpool Gazette article is definite, that the frequency of the tram-train will be two trains per hour (tph).

Consider.

  • The Blackpool tramway operates a service of trams every 10-15 minutes between Starr Gate and Fleetwood Ferry, so the frequency will be increased by two tph North of Lindel Road tram stop.
  • As heritage trams also share the route to Fleetwood, I suspect that at some busy times, the Fleetwood Ferry and Preston service could be reduced to hourly.
  • But it does look to me, that the all-important terminal at Fleetwood Ferry has been well-designed and can handle the extra traffic.
  • Looking at the timetable for the Blackpool tramway, trams take forty-one minutes between Fleetwood Ferry and the North Pier.
  • As Poulton-le-Fylde station and North Pier tram stop, are probably similar distances from Fleetwood Ferry,  I suspect that Poulton-le-Fylde station and Fleetwood Ferry would take thirty minutes or more.
  • Real Time Trains indicates that electric trains to Blackpool North station take around 16-17 minutes between Poulton-le-Fylde and Preston stations, with diesel trains taking a couple of minutes more.
  • Add in time for stops at Kirkham & Wesham, possibly another at Salwick and cleaning and crew changeover at Preston station, I suspect that a roundtrip from Preston to Fleetwood Ferry and back will take a very convenient two hours.

A two hour round trip and two tph, will mean four trains will be needed to work the timetable.

I can’t prove it, but I my gut feeling is that there there will be a passing loop somewhere between Poulton-le-Fylde station and the Lindel Road tram stop.

The passing loop would also give scope for operational flexibility.

Train Services Through Poulton-le-Fylde Station

Train services through Poulton-le-Fylde station are currently as follows.

  • Avanti West Coast – London Euston and Blackpool North – 1 train per day (tpd)
  • Northern – Liverpool Lime Street and Blackpool North – 1 tph
  • Northern – Manchester Airport and Blackpool North – 2 tph
  • Northern – York and Blackpool North – 1 tph

Note that all trains stop at Preston.

The Avanti West Coast service only calls Southbound, but I wouldn’t be surprised, if the Fleetwood tram-train is built, that Avanti West Coast started a Northbound service.

Could The Blackpool South Branch Be Served By Similar Tram-Trains?

In Beeching Reversal – South Fylde Line Passing Loop, I talked about improving the Blackpool South branch.

Objectives included.

  • Two tph.
  • Better trains.
  • A passing loop that would enable the 2 tph.

Note.

  1. Pacers have been replaced with Class 150 trains.
  2. The route is electrified between Preston and Kirkham & Wesham station.
  3. 12.2 miles are without electrification.

It certainly would seem possible that if a battery-electric tram-train had sufficient range, it could handle the current route to Blackpool South station.

The trams would have a ninety-minute round trip between Preston an Blackpool South stations and two tph, will mean three trains will be needed to work the timetable.

The MP is quoted in the Blackpool Gazette article, as liking the concept of a tram loop to Blackpool from Preston.

Trams might go to Fleetwood, down the promenade and then take the Blackpool South branch beck to Preston.

It could obviously go the other way around the loop.

This Google Map shows the location of Blackpool South station.

Note.

At the West side of the map is the promenade, with tramway running North and South.

At the East side of the map is Blackpool South station.

The walking route between the tramway and the station is not arduous, but it is not a seamless transfer.

It might be better to make the connection at Blackpool Pleasure Beach, which is shown in this Google Map.

Note.

  1. The Pleasure Beach lies between the tramway and the promenade by the beach and the Blackpool South branch on the East side.
  2. There are two stops on the tramway and a station just to the South.

Perhaps, if the Pleasure Beach were redeveloping an area, they might leave provision for tram-trains to  to sneak through to join the tramway going North.

But it’s a difficult problem, as there is not much space, that is undeveloped and the roads aren’t very wide.

This Google Map shows the North Pier and Blackpool North station.

Note.

  1. The North Pier is in the South-West corner of the map.
  2. Blackpool North station, which is Blackpool’s main station is in the North-East corner of the map.
  3. The tramway runs along the sea-front.

The North Pier and the station are linked by Talbot Road.

This Google Map shows Talbot Road and the development of a tram stop by Blackpool North station.

Note.

  1. To create the space a large Wilkinson’s store was demolished.
  2. Blaxkpool North station is just off the North-East corner of the map.
  3. The tram stop will have two platforms.
  4. There is a large diamond crossing on the approach to the tram stop, so operation is smooth and reliable.
  5. It looks like there will be substantial development around and possibly over the tram stop.

This Google Map shows Talbot Square, where the tram branch to Blackpool North station joins the main North-South tramway.

It is all very crowded and I believe  this illustrates, why despite their close proximity, there is no rail connection between the Blackpool South branch and the Blackpool tramway.

There just isn’t the space to put in junctions like this and the tramway doesn’t go past Blackpool Airport, so the connection would have to be amongst the crowded houses on the sea front.

The Development Of Blackpool Airport

Aviation is changing and I believe a new breed of airliners and the airports to serve them, will be developed in the next few years.

  • Zero-carbon aircraft are being developed and I believe some will have entered service by 2026.
  • They will be powered directly by batteries or from green hydrogen.
  • Some like the Eviation Alice are already entering a flight-test program, that will lead to certification.
  • These airliners are likely to be smaller and quieter than current airliners, with typically a passenger capacity of around 19 passengers.
  • They will often fly routes between smaller regional airports.

Blackpool Airport could be an ideal airport for these airliners.

  • Offshore electricity and even hydrogen generated offshore will be easy to deliver to Blackpool Airport.
  • It could have excellent transport connections with trams and trains.
  • Blackpool Airport has good runways.
  • Many take-offs will be over the sea.
  • We will see airports converting to zero-carbon airports.

So why not Blackpool Airport?

These are distances between Blackpool Airport and other airports.

  • Aberdeen – 238 miles
  • Amsterdam Schipol – 340 miles
  • Belfast City – 128 miles
  • Cardiff – 165 miles
  • Dublin – 134 miles
  • Edinburgh – 150 miles
  • Exeter – 211 miles
  • Geneva – 661 miles
  • Glasgow – 155 miles
  • Haverfordwest – 157 miles
  • Jersey – 318 miles
  • Kirkwall – 358 miles
  • London Gatwick – 220 miles
  • London Heathrow – 192 miles
  • London Southend – 219 miles
  • Newcastle – 89 miles
  • Paris Orly – 422 miles
  • Isle of Man Ronaldsway – 68 miles
  • Shannon – 254 miles
  • Southampton – 208 miles
  • Sumburgh – 427 miles

These distances fit nicely with the range of the nine-seater Eviation Alice electric aircraft, which is predicted to be 620 miles.

This Google Map shows Blackpool Airport.

Note.

  1. The East-West main runway, which is over 1,800 metres long, which will probably mean an easier takeoff into the wind, for much of the time.
  2. The acres of space.
  3. The Blackpool South branch running down the side of the airport, with Squires Gate station on the road past the Airport.
  4. But zoom in on the airport and some improvement and refurbishment needs to be done. Years of neglect and uncertainty has taken its toll.

This Google Map shows the North-West corner of the map at a greater scale.

Note.

  1. In the North-West corner of the map is Blackpool tramway’s depot and Starr Gate tram stop with its loop.
  2. The rail station is Squires Gate for Blackpool Airport.
  3. The smart green space to the East of the railway is Blackpool FC’s training ground.
  4. Below the training ground on the East side is Blackpool Airport.
  5. On the other side of the track from the Airport, it appears to be the local rubbish dump.

I wonder, if this is where the Blackpool tramway and the Blackpool South branch could be joined up.

  1. A joint two-platform station partly on Airport land would replace the current Squires Gate station.
  2. It could be connected to the Airport terminal by some form of shuttle or travellator.
  3. The trams would be connected to the Starr Gate loop by a line going along the front, as the tramway does in much of Blackpool, before cutting through the waste ground.
  4. Trains to Blackpool South station would use their current route.

This plan and probably lots of others could allow a Blackpool loop tram-train from Preston.

What would a zero-carbon airport do for Blackpool?

 

 

 

 

July 22, 2023 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Leading Transport Experts To Explore Innovative Options For The Watford To Croxley Link

The title of this post, is the same as that of this news item on the Watford Borough Council web site.

The news item starts with this sub-title.

A wide range of proposals to bring a long disused stretch of railway back to life as a key transport link between Watford and Croxley Green are to be explored…

These four paragraphs then outline what is to be done.

A wide range of proposals to bring a long disused stretch of railway back to life as a key transport link between Watford and Croxley Green are to be explored by three leading travel and transport consultancies.

Atkins, SYSTRA UK and Wood Group will work in partnership with Hertfordshire County Council, Watford Borough Council, Three Rivers District Council and Network Rail to provide innovative solutions to improve connectivity within the area.

The transport link will connect important areas of Watford like the town centre, hospital, Watford FC and Croxley Park with Croxley Green and Watford Junction and the travel network beyond.

Securing the right solution is an important part of the overall plans of the partnership and Network Rail for future cleaner, healthier and greener travel in the area for the benefit of residents, visitors and commuters.

Note.

SYSTRA UK and the Wood Group are respected consultancies.

The main railway station, town centre, football ground and the hospital should be connected together by decent public transport. In Watford, as in many towns, they currently are a long walk or a taxi.

Watford Junction and Croxley stations will be connected together.

These are my thoughts.

The Abbey Line

I believe that the Abbey Line, which links Watford Junction and St. Albans Abbey stations should be included in any proposals.

  • It has a rather unusual timetable with trains running every forty-five minutes.
  • Proposals exist for a passing loop, which would allow two trains per hour (tph)
  • All stations only have a single platform.

If it were updated to a modern railway, it would be a valuable asset with charm.

Connecting St. Albans Abbey And St. Albans City Stations

This map from OpenRailwayMap shows the two stations.

Note.

  1. The yellow line in the South-West corner  is the Abbey Line that terminates in St. Albans Abbey station.
  2. The orange line is the Midland Main Line passes through St. Albans City station.
  3. The dotted line crossing the Midland Main Line and linking to the Abbey Line is a disused railway that has been converted into the St, Albans Way.

Tram-trains with a tight turning circle might be able to use the Abbey Line and with selected use of street running be able visit the City Centre and terminate at St. Albans City station.

Connecting The Abbey Line And The London Overground

This map from OpenRailwayMap, shows the track layout at Watford Junction station.

Note.

  1. The orange tracks are the West Coast Main Line.
  2. The yellow track to the North of the West Coast Main Line is the Abbey Line.
  3. The yellow track to the South of the West Coast Main Line is the Watford DC Line of the London Overground.

If you were using tram-trains, like the Class 399 tram-trains on the Abbey Line, I suspect a single-track dive-under could connect the Abbey Line with the Overground tracks to Watford High Street station.

Why Tram-Trains?

Tram-Trains have advantages in a scheme like this.

  • They can run as trams on the streets.
  • They can run as trains on railway tracks.
  • They can use lightweight catenary, which is quicker and more affordable to erect.
  • They are narrower and lighter than trains.
  • They have a tighter turning circle than trains.

But most importantly, tram-trains have been running successfully in Sheffield for several years.

The Eastern Section Of The Croxley Rail Link

This map from OpenRailwayMap shows the Eastern section of the Croxley Rail Link.

Note.

  1. The yellow track is the Watford DC Line, which goes through Watford High Street station.
  2. A disused line runs via the Croxley Green Chord to the disused stations of Croxley Green, Watford Stadium and Watford West.
  3. Vicarage Road and Watford General Hospital are to the North of the disused line.

The original plan for the Croxley Rail Link would have seen a double-track along the line of the old railway with stations at Vicarage Road and Watford General Hospital.

I don’t see why tram-trains could join the Watford DC Line to the South of Watford Junction station, go through Watford High Street station and then continue along the reinstated track.

The Western Section Of The Croxley Rail Link

This map from OpenRailwayMap shows the Western section of the Croxley Rail Link.

Note.

  1. The blue track is the Metropolitan Line, which runs to  Watford station.
  2. The disused line runs West from the former Watford West station to the roundabout at Croxley Green on the A 412.

The original plan involved a large double-track viaduct, which is shown in this visualisation from the Watford Observer.

Note that the roundabout is the Croxley Green roundabout.

This Google Map shows the Croxley Green roundabout.

Note.

  1. The Metropolitan Line to Watford station runs across the North-West corner of the map.
  2. The Croxley Green roundabout is the roundabout in the West of the map.
  3. The disused railway runs from South of the roundabout to the South-East corner of the map.
  4. The proposed Cassiobridge station would be in the South-East corner of the map.

I wonder, if it would be possible to build a Croxley Green station to the South of the roundabout.

This would be an interim solution until it is worked out how to connect the Croxley Link to the Metropolitan Line.

Solutions could be.

  • The original solution of a massive flyover, which would be very expensive and disruptive to build.
  • Street-run the tram-train, which I feel are needed on the Croxley Link to Croxley station.
  • Build a Croxley Green station on the Metropolitan Line to the North of the roundabout.

I think that experienced transport planners can find an acceptable solution.

August 27, 2022 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Six Operators Award Joint Contract For Up To 504 Tram-Trains

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

These are the first three paragraphs.

A consortium of six German and Austrian transport bodies has awarded Stadler a framework contract for the supply and maintenance of up 504 tram-trains worth €4bn, the largest contract in the Swiss company’s history.

The VDV TramTrain framework contract was awarded on January 14 by Karlsruhe’s VBK and AVG, Saarbrücken’s Saarbahn Netz, Schiene Oberösterreich, the Land of Salzburg and Zweckverband Regional-Stadtbahn Neckar-Alb.

It includes a €1·7bn firm order for the supply of 246 Citylink tram-trains over 10 years from 2024, and the provision of 16 years of maintenance. There are options to order up to 258 more vehicles and to extend the maintenance to 32 years.

That will keep the factories running for a few years.

Note that all these Stadler Citylink tram-trains are similar to the Class 399 tram-trains, that run between Sheffield and Rotherham.

More Stadler Citylink tram-trains will start running in the next couple of years in Cardiff.

I can also envisage these tram-trains being used on the following projects in the UK, if they were to go ahead.

Note.

  1. Six are extensions to the Sheffield Supertram network.
  2. Three projects are extensions to the Manchester Metrolink.
  3. These are possible orders, that if the projects go ahead would likely have Stadler Citylink as the first choice of tram!
  4. All the tram-trains would be of a similar design.

How many other projects are under discussion in Europe?

Conclusion

Stadler have designed a tram-train that everybody likes and that generates orders.

I think Stadler will soon need to increase production of these Citylink tram-trains.

January 19, 2022 Posted by | Business, Transport/Travel | , , , | 3 Comments

Reopening The Don Valley Section Of The Former Woodhead Line Between Stocksbridge and Sheffield Victoria To Passenger Services

On October 27th this Beeching Reversal Project was given £50,000 to build a case for reopening.

Stocksbridge is introduced like this in its Wikipedia entry.

Stocksbridge is a town and civil parish, in the City of Sheffield, in South Yorkshire, England. Historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, it lies just to the east of the Peak District. The town is located in the steep-sided valley of the Little Don River, below the Underbank Reservoir. It blends into the areas of Deepcar, Bolsterstone and the eastern end of Ewden valley around Ewden village, which are also within the civil parish. The population of the civil parish as of the 2011 census was 13,455.

This Google Map shows the area.

Note there are a large number of steel related industries all connected by an extensive railway system.

This Google Map shows part of the area to a more detailed scale.

I suspect that a station could be built somewhere to the South of the works.

I have followed the Stocksbridge Railway out to the East and it takes a loop to the South to Deepcar Tram and Railway station, as is shown on this Google Map.

Note.

The Eastern end of the Stockbridge site is in the North-West of the map.

Deepcar  station is shown by a blue dot in the South-East corner of the map.

This Google Map shows Deepcar station in greater detail.

Note.

  1. The Stocksbridge Railway curving to the West is clearly visible.
  2. The other railway going North is the former Woodhead Line to Manchester.

This map clipped from Wikipedia shows the Lines through Deepcar station.

This shows the route between Stocksbridge and the former Sheffield Victoria station.

I have also found this article on the Sheffield Star, which is entitled Passenger Trains Could Return On Sheffield To Stocksbridge Don Valley Railway Line After major Funding Boost.

This is a paragraph.

The plans also involve reopening Sheffield Victoria station, which could serve a new Barrow Hill line to Chesterfield, stopping at Darnall, the Advanced Manufacturing Park, Woodhouse and other new stations, similar funding for which was granted last year.

This would seem to be a sensible plan.

These are my thoughts.

Sheffield Victoria Station

This Google Map shows the site of the Stocksbridge Line going through the centre of Sheffield.

The line starts in the North-West corner of the map and goes diagonally across.

The site of Sheffield Victoria station is at the Eastern edge of the map and is shown enlarged in this Google Map.

The street and hotel names are a giveaway.

There would appear to be space for a simple station with one or two platforms on the single-track through the area.

My preference would be for a single bi-directional platform, as has been used successfully at Galashiels station.

 

With well-placed passing loops, stations like these can handle two trains per hour (tph) and they can be step-free for all users.

Onward To Chesterfield

The plans as laid out in the paragraph in the Sheffield Star would appear to be feasible.

Darnall and Woodhouse are existing stations.

It would serve the proposed new station at Waverley, that I wrote about in Sheffield Region Transport Plan 2019 – A New Tram-Train Route To A New Station At Waverley.

Chesterfield station will be rebuilt for High Speed Two, so extra platforms could surely be added.

I wrote about plans for the Barrow Hill Line in Reinstatement Of The Barrow Hill Line Between Sheffield And Chesterfield.

It certainly looks to me, that taken together the Barrow Hill and Stocksbridge schemes could be a valuable new railway for Sheffield.

Rolling Stock

I have ridden all over Karlsruhe in Germany on their tram-trains, which are a German variant of Sheffield’s Class 399 tram-trains and I can see no reason, why the combined route couldn’t be designed and built for these trains.

  • They are very good on hills.
  • They can work on both 750 VDC and 25 KVAC overhead wires.
  • The closely-related Class 398 tram-trains in Cardiff will have batteries.
  • They are already working successfully in Sheffield.
  • There must be design advantages for stations.
  • Travellers in Sheffield are used to the tram-trains.
  • There is maintenance and operational experience in Sheffield.

It is also my belief, that Class 399 tram-trains would make excellent replacements for Sheffield’s current trams. I wrote about this in Sheffield Region Transport Plan 2019 – Renewal Of Supertram Network.

Electrification

Looking at the Stocksbridge and Barrow Hill Lines together, I believe there is a strong case for electrification of both routes with 25 KVAC overhead wires.

This would enable the following.

  • Class 399 tram-trains to work the combined route.
  • East Midlands Railway’s Class 810 trains to access Sheffield station via the Barrow Hill Line on electricity.
  • Electrified freight trains could use the route.

It could also be an easy route to electrify and be a good start to the electrification of Sheffield, which will happen in the future.

Electrification Between Sheffield And Clay Cross North Junction For High Speed Two

This electrification is needed for High Speed Two’s connection to Sheffield. It will also entail a lot of disruption for trains between Derby and Sheffield.

For these reasons, I believe that opening up the Barrow Hill route early between Sheffield and Chesterfield could be an excellent blockade buster.

Conclusion

There’s more to reopening the Stocksbridge Line, than as a local service in Sheffield.

 

November 3, 2021 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Beeching Reversal – South Yorkshire Joint Railway

This is one of the Beeching Reversal projects that the Government and Network Rail are proposing to reverse some of the Beeching cuts.

This railway seems to have been forgotten, as even Wikipedia only has a rather thin entry for the South Yorkshire Joint Railway.

The best description of the railway, that I’ve found is from this article in the Doncaster Free Press, which is entitled South Yorkshire Railway Line, Which Last Carried Passengers 100 Years Ago Could Be Reopened.

This is said.

The line remains intact, and recently maintained, runs from Worksop through to Doncaster, via North and South Anston, Laughton Common/Dinnington and Maltby.

I jave got my helicopter out and navigating with the help of Wikipedia, I have traced the route of the South Yorkshire Joint Railway (SYJR) between Worksop and Doncaster.

Shireoaks Station

This Google Map shows the Southern end of the SYJR on the Sheffield and Gainsborough Central Line between Shireoaks and Kiveton Park stations.

Note.

  1. Shireoaks station is in the East.
  2. Kiveton Park station is in the West.
  3. The SYJR starts at the triangular junction in the middle of the map.
  4. Lindrick Golf Club, where GB & NI, won the Ryder Cup in 1957 is shown by a green arrow to the North of Shireoaks station.
  5. The original passenger service on the SYJR, which closed in the 1920s, appears to have terminated at Shireoaks station.

The line immediately turns West and then appears to run between the villages of North and South Anston.

Anston Station

This Google Map shows the location of Anston station.

Note that the SYJR goes between the two villages and runs along the North side of the wood, that is to the North of Worksop Road.

Dinnington & Laughton Station

This Google Map shows the location of the former Dinnington & Laughton station.

Note that the SYJR goes to the west side of both villages, so it would have been quite a walk to the train.

Maltby Station

This Google Map shows the location of the former Maltby station.

Note.

  1. The SYJR goes around the South side of the village.
  2. The remains of the massive Maltby Main Colliery, which closed several years ago.

I wonder if they fill the shafts of old mines like this. if they don’t and just cap them, they could be used by Gravitricity to store energy. In Explaining Gravitricity, I do a rough calculation of the energy storage with a practical thousand tonne weight. Maltby Main’s two shafts were 984 and 991 metres deep. They would store 2.68 and 2.70 MWh respectively.

It should be noted that Gravitricity are serious about 5.000 tonnes weights.

Tickhill & Wadworth Station

This Google Map shows the location of the former Tickhill & Wadworth station.

Note.

  1. Tickhill is in the South and Wadworth is in the North.
  2. Both villages are to the West of the A1 (M)
  3. The SYJR runs in a North-Easterly direction between the villages.

The station appears to have been, where the minor road and the railway cross.

Doncaster iPort

The SYJR then passes through Doncaster iPort.

Note.

  1. The iPort seems to be doing a lot of work for Amazon.
  2. The motorway junction is Junction 3 on the M18.
  3. The SYJR runs North-South on the Western side of the centre block of warehouses.

This is Wikipedia’s introductory description of the iPort.

Doncaster iPort or Doncaster Inland Port is an intermodal rail terminal; a Strategic Rail Freight Interchange, under construction in Rossington, Doncaster at junction 3 of the M18 motorway in England. It is to be connected to the rail network via the line of the former South Yorkshire Joint Railway, and from an extension of the former Rossington Colliery branch from the East Coast Main Line.

The development includes a 171-hectare (420-acre) intermodal rail terminal to be built on green belt land, of which over 50 hectares (120 acres) was to be developed into warehousing, making it the largest rail terminal in Yorkshire; the development also included over 150 hectares (370 acres) of countryside, the majority of which was to remain in agricultural use, with other parts used for landscaping, and habitat creation as part of environment mitigation measures.

It ;looks like the SYJR will be integrated with the warehouses, so goods can be handled by rail.

Onward To Doncaster

After the iPort, the trains can take a variety of routes, some of which go through Doncaster station.

I have some thoughts on the South Yorkshire Joint Railway (SYJR).

Should The Line Be Electrified?

This is always a tricky one, but as there could be a string of freight trains running between Doncaster iPort and Felixstowe, something should be done to cut the carbon emissions and pollution of large diesel locomotives.

Obviously, one way to sort out Felixstowe’s problem, would be to fill in the gaps of East Anglian electrification and to electrify the Great Northern and Great Eastern Joint Line between Peterborough and Doncaster via Lincoln. But I suspect Lincolnshire might object to up to fifteen freight trains per hour rushing through. Even, if they were electric!

I am coming round to the believe that Steamology Motion may have a technology, that could haul a freight  train for a couple of hours.

These proposed locomotives, which are fuelled by hydrogen and oxygen, will have an electric transmission and could benefit from sections of electrification, which could power the locomotives directly.

So sections of electrification along the route, might enable the freight trains to go between Felixstowe and Doncaster iPort without using diesel.

It should be said, that Steamology Motion is the only technology, that I’ve seen, that has a chance of converting a 3-4 MW diesel locomotive to zero carbon emissions.

Many think it is so far-fetched, that they’ll never make it work!

Electrification of the line would also enable the service between Doncaster and Worksop to be run by Class 399 tram-trains, which are pencilled in to be used to the nearby Doncaster Sheffield Airport.

What Rolling Stock Should Be Used?

As I said in the previous section, I feel that Class 399 tram-trains would be ideal, if the line were to be electrified.

Also, if the line between Shireoaks and Kiveton Park stations were to be electrified to Sheffield, this would connect the South Yorkshire Joint Line to Sheffield’s Supertram network.

Surely, one compatible tram-train type across South Yorkshire, would speed up development of a quality public transport system.

A service could also be run using Vivarail’s Pop-up Metro concept, with fast charging at one or two, of any number of the stations.

Conclusion

This seems to be a worthwhile scheme, but I would like to see more thought on electrification of the important routes from Felixstowe and a unified and very extensive tram-train network around Sheffield.

 

July 5, 2020 Posted by | Energy Storage, Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

The Big Metro Fleet Upgrade That Could Make It ‘Easy’ To Finally Extend Train Services To New Areas

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

This is the first paragraph.

Every train in Metro’s new fleet will be capable of running via an on-board battery, reducing the chance of major shutdowns and making it much cheaper to extend the network.

The fact that it is technically possible, is not a surprise as Stadler’s Class 777 trains for Merseyrail will be using battery power to extend routes. I would be very surprised if the new Tyne and Wear Metro trains and those for Merseyrail, didn’t have a lot of design in common.

But what is surprising, is that the Tyne and Wear Metro’s whole fleet will be fitted with batteries. This must be the first time in the UK, that a whole fleet of trains has been said to have batteries.

The Merseyrail trains will also have a dual voltage capability and will be able to be modified for running on 25 KVAC overhead electrification, as well as 750 VDC third-rail electrification.

Will the Tyne and Wear trains be able to use 25 KVAC electrification? It could be useful in some places on the network and I’m sure, if there was a financial case for a service using existing 25 KVAC electrification, then some trains would be modified accordingly.

A Quick Comparison

This is a quick comparison between Merseyrail’s Class 777 trains and the Tyne and Wear Metro’s new trains.

  • Cars – 777 – 4 – T&W – 5
  • Operating Speed – 777 – 75 mph – T&W – 50 mph
  • Capacity – 484 – T&W – 600
  • Capacity Per Car – 121 – T&W – 125
  • In Service – 2022 (?) – T&W – 2024

They are not that different and it looks like the Tyne and Wear trains will be built after the Merseyrail trains.

Battery Running

The article says this about running on battery power.

He said the 16km off-wire running would allow for a new loop extending out from South Hylton, through Washington, connecting back to Pelaw.

He added that it would be “easy” to create new connections between existing Metro lines – potentially allowing for a new route through Silverlink and the Cobalt business park in North Tyneside, or a link-up from South Shields towards Sunderland.

Battery power would also solve the problem of running Metro trains on Network Rail lines, which is currently impossible because they operate at different voltages.

Mr Blagburn said: “You could remove the electrification from the complex parts of the route, say over historic structures or through tunnels.

Note.

  1. The range of sixteen kilometres or ten miles could be very useful.
  2. The trains appear to be designed to run on Network Rail tracks, as the current trains already do.
  3. The current trains use the Karlsruhe model to effectively work as tram-trains on shared tracks.

I actually believe that the new Tyne and Wear trains could be modified to run on both 25 KVAC and 750 VDC overhead electrification, as Stadler’s Class 399 tram-trains do in Sheffield.

Conclusion

These trains are using all Stadler’s experience of trains and tram-trains from all over the world.

  • They will normally operate using 750 VDC overhead electrification.
  • But Stadler have the technology to enable the trains for 25 KVAC overhead electrification, if required.
  • They have a range of ten miles on batteries.
  • Are the batteries charged by using the energy created by the regenerative braking?

These are not bog-standard trains!

But then neither are the trains built for Greater Anglia by Stadler!

 

 

June 25, 2020 Posted by | Design, Transport/Travel | , , , , , | 1 Comment

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