The Long Platforms At Liverpool Street Station
I was on Liverpool Street station today and I took these pictures.
It got me thinking.
- I was standing On Platform 1 and on Platform 2 was a pair of five-car Class 720 trains coupled together.
- The pair of five-car Class 720 trains would be 244 metres long, which mean that the platforms could handle nine-car Class 800 or Class 345 trains.
- There would appear to be plenty of platform space in Liverpool Street station.
- In Azuma Test Train Takes To The Tracks As LNER Trials Possible New Route, I talked about how LNER were checking an Azuma train could use the route to Cleethorpes.
- In London North Eastern Railway Runs Trial Train To Liverpool Street, I talked about how LNER had ran a train into Liverpool Street.
The general consensus seems to be, that points 3 and 4, are about several things.
Adding Grimsby and Cleethorpes to LNER’s list of destinations.
Possibly adding Spalding, Sleaford, Market Rasen and Barnetby to LNER’s list of destinations.
Providing a faster service between London and Grimsby/Cleethorpes.
Providing a diversion route because of engineering or blockades on the East Coast Main Line.
Nearly twenty years ago, I used to play real tennis, with a guy, who was on a committee, that planned the future of the Cambridge region.
- One of the things he said was that Cambridge was full and there is not enough lab space, factories and housing.
- He felt that Peterborough would make an excellent satellite for Cambridge.
- However, transport links and especially the trains are not the best between Cambridge and Peterborough.
- I wonder, if Cambridge’s overcrowding is spreading the Cambridge Effect into Lincolnshire and the number of rail passengers between Lincoln and Cambridge is growing.
So have LNER taken the bull by the horns and are planning to run a London Liverpool Street and Cleethorpes service via Cambridge?
- It might perhaps run at least six trains per day (tpd) in both directions.
- Stops could include Stratford, Cambridge South, Cambridge, Cambridge North, Ely, March, Peterborough, Spalding, Sleaford, Lincoln, Market Rasen, Barnetby and Grimsby Town.
- Trains could be a five-car Class 800 train.
- The route is fully-electrified between London and Ely.
Note.
- The London King’s Cross and Lincoln service could be discontinued.
- Connection between Cambridge and Lincolnshire is much improved.
- The developing energy powerhouse in North-East Lincolnshire gets a connection to Cambridge and London.
- There could be same-platform interchange at Peterborough for passengers between Cambridge and the North.
- By going via Cambridge, one less train needs to use the bottleneck over the Digswell viaduct.
LNER are trying to get the most out of the new December 2024 East Coast Main Line timetable and I do wonder if a London Liverpool Street and Cleethorpes servce is part of that exercise.
Leisure Market Boom? GWR’s Vision For Direct Bristol-Oxford Services
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Rail Magazine.
This is the first paragraph.
Great Western Railway has hopes on running direct services between Bristol Temple Meads and Oxford from September 14, subject to approval of its new trial proposal by the Department for Transport and Network Rail. The move is a test of growth in demand for leisure travel by train.
It is an interesting idea.
These are some points about the service, given in the article.
- The route will be via Swindon, Chippenham and Bath Spa.
- Fastest journey time would be 71 minutes.
- The route will be aimed at the leisure market.
- There will be two trains per day (tpd) in each direction on Saturdays.
This is GWR’s handy route map.
These are my thoughts.
Will The Trains Call At Didcot Parkway?
This OpenRailwayMap shows Didcot Parkway station and the large triangular junction, that connects Oxford to the Great Western Main Line.
Note.
- The red tracks are the Great Western Main Line.
- The blue arrow indicates Didcot Parkway station.
- Oxford station is about ten miles to the North.
- Chords in the junction allow trains to go between Oxford and Paddington and Oxford and Swindon, with or without a stop at Didcot Parkway station.
The article says that GWR has asked to run the following services.
- 1018 Bristol Temple Meads-Oxford – Would arrive at Oxford at 1129.
- 1155 Oxford-Bristol Temple Meads (via Didcot) – Would arrive at Bristol Temple Meads at 1306.
- 1518 Bristol Temple Meads-Oxford – Would arrive at Oxford at 1629.
- 1712 Oxford-Bristol Temple Meads – Would arrive at Bristol Temple Meads at 1823.
Note.
- I suspect that the 1155 will reverse at Didcot Parkway station.
- There is a two train per hour (tph) service between Didcot Parkway and London Paddington stations.
- It looks like the four services could be run by a single train shuttling up the Great Western Main Line.
Would it be sensible if all Oxford and Bristol trains called at Didcot Parkway station, so that travellers could use the London service to their advantage?
But, calling at Didcot Parkway station would slow the service as there would need to be a reverse.
What Class Of Train Would Be Used?
Consider.
- A Bristol and Didcot Parkway via Bath Spa service takes 55 minutes.
- This is an average speed of 71.1 mph over a distance of 65.2 miles.
- 24.4 miles at the Bristol end of the route is not electrified.
- 10.3 miles at the Oxford end of the route is not electrified.
- The four services can be run by a single train shuttling up the Great Western Main Line.
It looks to me, that a bi-mode train with good performance is needed.
So I suspect that a five-car Class 800 or Class 802 train will be used.
Will The Train Be Battery-Electric Powered?
This is an interesting possibility.
- An ideal route for a battery electric train, is surely one with a long electrified section in the middle, which can be used to fully charge the train’s batteries.
- The train would have to run for 48.8 miles on its own power at the Bristol end of the route.
- The train would have to run for 20.6 miles on its own power at the Oxford end of the route.
The data sheet for a battery-electric Class 800/802 train can be downloaded from this page on the Hitachi web site.
In a section on the page, which is entitled Intercity Battery Trains, this is said.
A quick and easy application of battery technology is to install it on existing or future Hitachi intercity trains. Adding just one battery reduces emissions by more than 20% and offers cost savings of 20-30%.
Our intercity battery powered trains can cover 70km on non-electrified routes, operating at intercity speeds at the same or increased performance. Hitachi Rail’s modular design means this can be done without the need to re-engineer or rebuild the train and return them to service as quickly as possible for passengers.
The range of 70 km is 43.5 miles, which would appear to be a little bit short to go from the end of the electrification at Chippenham to Bristol Temple Meads and back.
But various measures could be taken to make sure the train can handle the route.
- The regenerative braking strategy could be used to conserve battery power.
- A second battery could be added to the train.
- Methods to charge the train at Bristol Temple Meads could be installed.
As London Paddington and Bristol Temple Meads is an important route, I suspect that Hitachi and Great Western Railway have a strategy to handle trains from Chippenham and sending them back.
Could This Route Be A Trial Route For Battery-Electric Trains?
Consider.
- Hitachi and Great Western Railway wouldn’t want to introduce an unreliable train without full full testing.
- Trains can probably limp to either Stoke Gifford or Reading depots, after a battery failure.
- Great Western Railway could test a new route.
- A full test only needs one train.
- Passenger reaction to a battery-electric train can be assessed.
- Staff need to be trained.
- The route can be run by a standard bi-mode if required.
- It could be the world’s first high-speed battery-electric train.
- Enthusiasts would flock to have a ride.
Could this be a trial service to make sure everything goes right?
New LNER Fleet To Have Joint Line Capability
The title of this post, is the same as that of an article in the January 2024 edition of Modern Railways.
This is the text of the article.
LNER’s new fleet of CAF tri-mode trains, for which an order was confirmed in November, has been specified with the capability to operate via the Joint Line via Spalding and Lincoln in case of closures on the East Coast Main Line between Peterborough and Doncaster.
CAF will supply 10×10-car trains with overhead electric, battery and diesel capability, financed by Porterbrook. The inclusion of diesel engines as part of the winning bid, rather than a straightforward battery-electric unit, has surprised some observers, but LNER’s specification was that the fleet should have sufficient self-powered capability to cover the length of the joint line, which is approximately 90 miles. This is currently to be considered to be beyond the scope of battery-power alone, although as the technology evolves diesel engines could be replaced by batteries. The configuration of diesel engines and batteries within the sets has yet to be decided.
LNER frequently uses the Joint Line as a diversionary route, both during planned engineering work and at times of disruption, but only its bi-mode Azumas are currently able to traverse it under their own power (electric sets have been hauled by a diesel locomotive, but this is now a very rare occurrence). The new CAF fleet will replace the InterCity 225 electric fleet, and the self-power capability will provide valuable resilience to LNER to divert via non-electrified routes.
While the ‘225s’ are currently confined to services between King’s Cross and Leeds/York, if the enhanced December 2024 timetable goes ahead as currently planned (see story above) they will operate north of York once again on some of the hourly services which will terminate at Newcastle. However, LNER is having to limit the use of the sets before the Class 91 locomotives and Mk 4 coaches come due for major overhauls: the decision to retain 12 locos and eight rakes of coaches was based on the intended timescale for replacing the fleet at the time, but confirming the order for the new CAF tri-modes has taken longer than anticipated, largely due to delays in receiving Government approval to place the order.
This article has got me thinking.
The InterCity225 Trains Need Replacing Urgently
The Modern Railways article states that the need to replace the InterCity 225s is getting urgent, as more than the Azumas will be needed for the December 2024 timetable and the InterCity 225s are getting to the end of their economic life.
As LNER have been doing reasonably well lately, a cock-up caused by lack of trains at Christmas 2024 would be the last thing they need.
Currently, LNER have enough Mark 4 coaches for eight trains, so ordering ten new CAF tri-mode trains will allow for a small amount of extra services.
The CAF tri-mode trains were only ordered in November 2023, so getting them delivered for December 2024 would be tight.
As I write this on the 31st December 2023, trains from King’s Cross to Leeds included.
- 5 x InterCity225
- 5 x 10-car Azuma
- 7 x 9-car Azuma
- 2 x 5-car Azuma
So there were InterCity 225s running on that day.
A Few Distances Around Lincolnshire
I believe that because of offshore wind, interconnectors and other renewable energy developments, that Lincolnshire will become an energy powerhouse, supporting the East Midlands and also exporting electricity and hydrogen to Europe through pipelines and interconnectors.
Because of this and other developments, I believe that rail passenger traffic to and around the county will increase significantly.
These are a few selected distances.
- Doncaster and Cleethorpes – 52.1 miles
- Grantham and Skegness – 58.2 miles
- Lincoln and Doncaster – 36.8 miles
- Lincoln and Newark – 16.8 miles
- Lincoln and Peterborough – 54.8 miles
- Lincoln and Cleethorpes – 47.2 miles
Note.
- This means that the length of the Joint Line, which between Werrington Junction and where it rejoins the East Coast Main Line to the South of Doncaster is no more than ninety miles. This ninety mile distance was assumed in the Modern Railways article.
- Peterborough and Cleethorpes via Lincoln is ninety-two miles.
- I estimate that around four miles could be easily electrified at Werrington, which would reduce these two distances by four miles.
- Newark and Cleethorpes via Lincoln is sixty-four miles.
It looks like if a battery-electric train had a range of 92 miles and there was charging at Cleethorpes and Skegness, Lincolnshire could have a first class zero-carbon rail service.
CAF Tri-Mode Trains And The Joint Line
This is the first sentence in the Modern Railways article.
LNER’s new fleet of CAF tri-mode trains, for which an order was confirmed in November, has been specified with the capability to operate via the Joint Line via Spalding and Lincoln in case of closures on the East Coast Main Line between Peterborough and Doncaster.
Note.
- The Modern Railways article states the Joint Line is approximately 90 miles.
- As I stated earlier with some strategically placed electrification at Werrington and South of Doncaster, this distance without electrification can probably be shortened by a few miles.
It looks like any service run by a CAF tri-mode train will be able to use the Joint Line.
Hitachi Class 801 Trains And The Joint Line
Unless the Joint Line is electrified or the all-electric Class 801 trains are fitted with batteries of a sufficient size the Class 801 trains will not be able to use the Joint Line.
Hitachi Class 800/802 Trains And The Joint Line
If currently, the Class 800/802 trains can handle the Joint Line on their diesel engines, they can continue to do this.
Hitachi Class 803 Trains And The Joint Line
Unless the Joint Line is electrified or Class 803 trains are fitted with batteries of a sufficient size the Class 803 trains will not be able to use the Joint Line.
Hitachi Class 80x Trains With Batteries And The Joint Line
Note that Lumo’s Class 803 trains are already fitted with an emergency battery for hotel power. So Hitachi must have information on how their batteries perform in service.
This press release from Hitachi, which is entitled Hitachi And Eversholt Rail To Develop GWR Intercity Battery Hybrid Train – Offering Fuel Savings Of More Than 20% announced the start of Hitachi’s battery-electric program in December 2020.
This is a paragraph.
The projected improvements in battery technology – particularly in power output and charge – create opportunities to replace incrementally more diesel engines on long distance trains. With the ambition to create a fully electric-battery intercity train – that can travel the full journey between London and Penzance – by the late 2040s, in line with the UK’s 2050 net zero emissions target.
Hitachi have now published this page on their web site, which is entitled Intercity Battery Trains.
The page has this sub-heading.
Accelerate the decarbonisation of intercity rail with batteries
These are the first two paragraphs.
A quick and easy application of battery technology is to install it on existing or future Hitachi intercity trains. Hitachi Rail’s modular design means this can be done without the need to re-engineer or rebuild the train and return them to service as quickly as possible for passengers.
Replacing one diesel engine with just one battery reduces emissions by more than 20% and offers cost savings of 20-30%. Our intercity battery powered trains can cover 70km on non-electrified routes, operating at intercity speeds at the same or increased performance.
It appears to be a masterful application of an old electrical or software engineer’s trick.
In the 1960s, I spent time in two summer holidays building transistorised control systems in a rolling mills to replace obsolete control systems that used thermionic valves and relays.
Are Hitachi just replacing a diesel power pack with a battery pack, that has the same power and control functionality?
In The Data Sheet For Hitachi Battery Electric Trains, I looked at Hitachi’s published data sheet, which has these bullet points.
- 750kW peak power
- Weight neutral
- At least 20% lower CO2 emissions
- 70km on non-electrified routes
- 20% reduction in whole life maintenance costs
- Up to 30% fuel cost savings
- Zero emissions in and out of stations
- Charge on the move
- 10 year life span
Note.
- 750 kW peak power, is around the power of the diesel-engine, that will be replaced.
- I wouldn’t be surprised that powerwise, the battery pack looks like a diesel engine.
- Weight neutral means that acceleration and performance will be unchanged. I suspect this means that current timetables can be achieved.
- Batteries are easier to maintain than diesels.
- It is stated that a train can be fully-decarbonised.
I have a feeling these trains are no ordinary battery-electric trains.
This paragraph, that I quoted earlier gives details on battery range.
Replacing one diesel engine with just one battery reduces emissions by more than 20% and offers cost savings of 20-30%. Our intercity battery powered trains can cover 70km on non-electrified routes, operating at intercity speeds at the same or increased performance.
If one battery can give seventy kilometres or 43.5 miles, what distances would be possible in the various Hitachi Class 80x trains on the UK rail network?
- Five-car Class 800 – Three diesel engines
- Nine-car Class 800 – Five diesel engines
- Five-car Class 801 – One diesel engine
- Nine-car Class 801 – One diesel engine
- Five-car Class 802 – Three diesel engines
- Nine-car Class 802 – Five diesel engines
- Five-car Class 803 – One battery
- Five-car Class 805 – Three diesel engines
- Seven-car Class 807 – No diesel engine or battery
- Five-car Class 810 – Four diesel engines
Note.
- The Class 801 trains have one diesel engine for emergency use.
- The Class 803 trains have one battery for emergency use.
- The Class 807 trains appear to be built for top speed and acceleration and have no unnecessary weight.
In The Data Sheet For Hitachi Battery Electric Trains, I came to the conclusion, that if all diesel engine packs are be replaced by batteries, the train has a range of around 117-121 miles.
If my calculation is correct, I believe that Hitachi battery-electric trains will be capable of using the Joint Line, if all diesel engines are replaced by battery packs.
Surely, if a number of Hitachi trains could use the Joint Line in addition to the ten CAF tri-mode trains, this would minimise disruption to passengers and increase revenue on days, when the East Coast Main Line was closed for engineering works or an incident.
Will The Hitachi Class 80x Trains With Batteries Or The CAF Tri-Mode Trains Have The Longer Range Without Electrification?
Consider.
- Cleethorpes could be the problem, as it is 64 miles from Newark and 92 miles from Peterborough and a round trip without charging at Cleethorpes for a battery-electric might be a trip to far.
- But a tri-mode train like that from CAF with an on-board diesel, should have the range.
- More range for a tri-mode train, just needs bigger fuel tanks.
- I also suspect Cleethorpes has the equipment to refuel a diesel train, as all services to the station are diesel powered.
The article also says this.
The inclusion of diesel engines as part of the winning bid, rather than a straightforward battery-electric unit, has surprised some observers, but LNER’s specification was that the fleet should have sufficient self-powered capability to cover the length of the joint line, which is approximately 90 miles. This is currently to be considered to be beyond the scope of battery-power alone, although as the technology evolves diesel engines could be replaced by batteries.
Could it be that some of LNER’s routes like Aberdeen, Cleethorpes and Inverness have longer running without electrification, than Hitachi’s trains with batteries can achieve. Perhaps, this is why they lost the order?
Pairs Of Hitachi Class 80x Trains With Batteries And The Joint Line
I suspect if one five-car train with batteries can handle the Joint Line, then a pair could also handle it, if the train’s control system allowed it.
Will The Joint Line Be Slower Than The East Coast Main Line?
Consider.
- The Joint Line is not the slowest line in the country and large sections of the route, have a top speed of 60 mph or higher.
- It is surprisingly straight.
- There are some slower sections, through Lincoln and Sleaford.
- The average speed between Peterborough and Lincoln of local trains is about 50 mph.
- The average speed between Doncaster and Lincoln of local trains is about 48 mph.
I suspect that the expresses, should be able to achieve 60 mph between Peterborough and Doncaster, with a small amount of track improvement.
This would mean the following times between Doncaster and Peterborough.
- Via the Joint Line – 90 minutes
- Via East Coast Main Line – 50 minutes
It looks like forty minutes will be added to journey times.
Would There Be Any Point In Running Some Services Via The Joint Line?
Consider.
- Lincoln has one train per two hours (tp2h) to and from King’s Cross.
- A King’s Cross and Doncaster service could use the Joint Line and call at Peterborough, Spalding, Sleaford, Lincoln Central, Gainsborough Lea Road and Doncaster.
- If it terminated at Harrogate, Leeds or York, it could ease congestion on the East Coast Main Line between Peterborough and Doncaster.
- Lincoln is making a name for itself as a University town.
- Lincolnshire is getting more important with respect to renewable energy and innovative food production.
- The frequency would be at least one tp2h.
- If needed, Lincoln Central could be electrified to charge passing trains.
- The service could also go via Cambridge to provide East Anglia and its technological powerhouse with better connections to and from the North.
It would all depend on where extra rail services are needed.
Could Cleethorpes And Grimsby Town Have A Service From King’s Cross?
In Azuma Test Train Takes To The Tracks As LNER Trials Possible New Route, I discuss how in June 2023, LNER ran a test train to Cleethorpes and Grimsby Town.
- With all the energy development going on in North-East Lincolnshire, I suspect that a service between King’s Cross and Cleethorpes via Lincoln, Market Rasen, Barnetby and Grimsby Town could be viable.
- I suspect that the energy developments could find recruitment difficult and say a one tp2h service to Peterborough might ease the problem.
- Whether it ran to Lincoln via Newark and the East Coast Main Line or via Spalding and Sleaford would be down to predicted traffic.
- The distance via Newark would be 64 miles or 128 miles return.
- The distance via Peterborough would be 92 miles or 184 miles return.
- These distances would probably mean that a battery-electric train would need charging at Cleethorpes.
So would it be better if the Cleethorpes trains were to be run by CAF tri-mode trains.
Could Cleethorpes Services Be Paired With The York Service?
The current King’s Cross and Lincoln service uses the same path as a York service.
- Both services leave King’s Cross at six minutes past the hour.
- York trains leave at odd hours.
- Lincoln trains leave at even hours.
If the York service used the Joint Line and the Lincoln service were to be extended to Cleethorpes, Lincoln would receive an hourly service.
- One service could go via Newark and the other via Peterborough, Spalding and Sleaford.
- A path on the East Coast Main Line would be saved.
- The service to York could go via Leeds.
- The York service could be extended to Middlesbrough, Scarborough or Sunderland.
- I suspect that timings to Cleethorpes and York could be a similar six-hour round trip.
- CAF tri-mode trains would be needed for the Cleethorpes services.
- Either train type could work the York services.
There are various possibilities to improve the train service been London and Lincolnshire.
What Will Be The Maximum Range Of The CAF Tri-Mode Trains?
When determining this, LNER would probably have taken into account all current and every possible service, that they might run in the future, which was not fully electrified.
These would include.
- London King’s Cross and Aberdeen – 91.4 miles
- London King’s Cross and Bradford Interchange via Shaftholme junction – 47.8 miles
- London King’s Cross and Cleethorpes via Newark and Lincoln – 64 miles
- London King’s Cross and Cleethorpes via Peterborough, Spalding and Lincoln – 92 miles
- London King’s Cross and Harrogate via Leeds – 18.3 miles
- London King’s Cross and Inverness– 151.1 miles
- London King’s Cross and Hull via Temple Hirst junction – 36.1 miles
- London King’s Cross and Lincoln – 16.8 miles
- London King’s Cross and Middlesbrough via Northallerton – 20.3 miles
- London King’s Cross and Scarborough via York – 42.1 miles
- London King’s Cross and Sunderland via Northallerton – 47.4 miles
They would also have taken in possible diversion routes.
- London King’s Cross and Carlisle via Leeds – 86.8 miles
- London and Edinburgh – 400 miles
- London King’s Cross and Newcastle via Northallerton and Durham Coast Line – 59.6 miles
Note.
- The distance is the length without electrification.
- London King’s Cross and Carlisle is a possible diversion route, if between Leeds and Edinburgh is blocked.
- A London King’s Cross and Edinburgh capability might be needed, if there was something like a serious weather problem, bringing down the overhead wires.
- London King’s Cross and Newcastle via Northallerton and Durham Coast Line is a possible diversion route, if between Northallerton and Newcastle is blocked.
LNER’s longest route without electrification is to Inverness and it is 151.1 miles between Stirling and Inverness.
London King’s Cross and Cleethorpes via Peterborough, Spalding and Lincoln could be longer, if it were to be run as a return trip of 184 miles.
LNER will probably have specified the range they need on the longest route they run or might run in the future, as there is no point in buying a fleet of trains and then finding that they can’t handle all your routes. They would also include all possible emergency routes, just as they’ve already included the Joint Line.
Out of curiosity I asked Professor Google how far a diesel train could run on a full tank of diesel and got this answer.
According to the traction manual for 158/159 stock each coach has a 400 gallon tank or 1818 Ltr. £2500 at the filling station.
The manual also says that that is enough fuel to travel Waterloo to Exeter and back twice over. Which is 688 miles exactly. Guess there is spare in there for shunting and idling at terminus. Still an mpg of 1.7.
It looks to me, that if a humble Class 158/159 train has a range of nearly 700 miles, then LNER can probably have virtually any distance they want for their new trains.
These journeys will probably all be possible.
- Between London King’s Cross and Edinburgh – 400 miles
- A round trip between Stirling and Inverness – 302.2 miles
- A round trip between Peterborough and Cleethorpes – 184 miles
Professor Google also gives the diesel range of a Class 800 train as 650 miles.
Conclusion
It looks to me, that LNER, Lumo and FirstGroup have a serious plan to decarbonise their network.
All services, that can be decarbonised by replacing diesel generator units, with electrical battery packs.
LNER’s longer routes will use the new CAF trains.
These will be fully decarbonised at a later date.
Cardiff To Reading In A Class 387 Train
Returning from my trip to Cardiff yesterday, it wasn’t the normal Class 80x train, but a pair of Class 387 trains.
The timings from real time trains, weren’t as bad as some would have expected.
- Cardiff Central – 16.54 – 16:56
- Newport – 17:07 – 17:11
- Bristol Parkway – 17:29 – 17:32
- Swindon – 17:53 – 17:58
- Reading – 18:20 – 18:26
Note.
- The first time is the scheduled time and the second time is the actual time of the Class 387 trains.
- The schedule covers the 109.2 miles in 84 minutes, which is an average speed of 78 mph.
- The Class 387 trains covered the 109.2 miles in 90 minutes, which is an average speed of 72.8 mph.
I also arrived in Reading with three or so minutes to catch the Elizabeth Line train.
Are More Elizabeth Line Services Needed To Reading?
In a couple of instances, I’ve waited at Reading for nearly half-an-hour for an Elizabeth Line train.
Currently.
- The two Elizabeth Line trains take 53 minutes between Reading and Paddington.
- The two Great Western Main Line trains, that serve Didcot Parkway take 37 minutes between Reading and Paddington.
- The Great Western Main Line train, that serve Newbury take 25 minutes between Reading and Paddington.
Perhaps four trains per hour (tph) on the Elizabeth Line would be more convenient?
But services wouldn’t be as fast.
Do LNER Have Plans For Lincolnshire?
I ask the question in the title of this post, for two reasons.
- In Azuma Test Train Takes To The Tracks As LNER Trials Possible New Route, I talked about how LNER had run a test train to Cleethorpes.
- In First Tri-Mode Long Distance Trains For The East Coast Main Line, I talked about LNER’s order for tri-mode long distance trains.
Note.
- London King’s Cross and Cleethorpes via Newark and Lincoln is just over 200 miles.
- Around eighty miles between London King’s Cross and Cleethorpes is not electrified.
- The Cleethorpes/Grimsby area is doing well because of all the offshore wind and the power stations at Keadby.
- I am fairly sure, that Lincolnshire will attract more energy-related businesses or ones that need a lot of energy.
- Lincoln is a city that is becoming more important for business and education.
- Lincoln probably needs a train service to the capital of at least one train per hour (tph).
For a train to do the round-trip between London King’s Cross and Cleethorpes, without refueling or charging the batteries at Cleethorpes, needs a train with a range without electrification of over 150 miles.
It seems to me, that LNER’s new CAF tri-mode long distance trains would be ideal to run a one train per two hours (tp2h), between London King’s Cross and Cleethorpes.
- The service could call at Stevenage, Peterborough, Grantham, Newark Northgate, Lincoln, Market Rasen, Barnetby and Grimsby Town.
- I estimate that the trip would take about 0ne hour and 55 minutes to Lincoln and two hours and 55 minutes to Cleethorpes.
- The CAF tri-mode long distance trains could probably easily handle the 160 miles without wires.
- Cleethorpes can handle a ten-car train.
The current London King’s Cross and Lincoln service and the future London King’s Cross and Cleethorpes would be timed to give Lincoln an hourly service to and from London King’s Cross.
Serving Sleaford And Spalding
It must surely be possible to route the Cleethorpes trains to the South of Lincoln, via Sleaford, Spalding and the new Werrington dive-under, so that Sleaford and Spalding would have a direct service to London.
Don’t Forget Skegness And Boston
Consider.
Skegness, Boston and other places are connected to the East Coast Main Line, by an hourly train to Nottingham via Grantham.
They are also connected to Lincoln and Peterborough at Sleaford.
This OpenRailwayMap shows the lines at Sleaford.
Note.
- Sleaford station is marked with the blue arrow.
- The orange track is the Peterborough and Lincoln Line, that avoids Sleaford.
- The yellow track going East-West is the Grantham and Skegness Line.
- There is a loop from the Peterborough and Lincoln Line, so that passenger trains can go through Sleaford station.
I think that there are possibilities to improve the experience at Sleaford.
One possibility must be to build a Park-and-Ride station, where the two lines cross.
How Many Trains Would Be Needed For London King’s Cross and Cleethorpes Via Peterborough?
I estimate that the journey time could be around two hours and 45-50 minutes, so perhaps a six-hour round trip would be possible.
To run an hourly service would need six trains, with three needed for one tp2h.
New Infrastructure Required
The only new infrastructure required, might be some method of refuelling the CAF tri-mode long distance train at Cleethorpes.
Do Rolls-Royce mtu Have A Plan To Decarbonise Their Diesel Engines For Rail Applications?
Data Sheets For Rolls-Royce mtu Diesel Engines For Trains
These are data sheets for various Rolls-Royce mtu diesel engines that can be used in rail applications.
Rolls-Royce Releases mtu Rail Engines For Sustainable Fuels
The title of this section, is the same as that of this press release from Rolls-Royce.
These four bullet points, act as sub-headings.
- mtu Series 1300, 1500 and 1800 engines already released; Series 1600 and 4000 to follow shortly
- Up to 90% CO2 savings by operating existing engines with Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO/renewable diesel)
- Locally emission-free operation possible in combination with mtu Hybrid PowerPack
- Field tests with DB Cargo and RDC Autozug Sylt
This is the first paragraph.
Rolls-Royce is taking a significant step towards even more climate-friendly rail transport with the release of mtu rail engines for use with sustainable fuels. With synthetic diesel fuels of the EN15940 standard, CO2 emissions can be reduced by up to 100 percent compared to fossil diesel. Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO or renewable diesel), which is already commercially available today, reduces CO2 emissions by up to 90 percent. If the fuels are produced with the help of renewable energy and green hydrogen – through what is termed a Power-to-X process – existing rail vehicles can be operated in a completely CO2-neutral manner. The mtu Series 1800 engines which are used in mtu PowerPacks, as well as Series 1300 and 1500 for locomotives and multi-purpose vehicles, are already approved for use with synthetic fuels such as HVO. Series 1600 and versions of Series 4000 engines will follow in the near future. The release of engines for climate-friendly fuels requires a series of tests and trials and Rolls-Royce has found strong partners for this activity. DB Cargo and RDC Autozug Sylt have already tested or are currently testing mtu Series 4000 engines with HVO in their locomotives.
How Does That Fit With The UK’s Population Of Rolls-Royce mtu Diesel Engines?
These classes of train have Rolls-Royce mtu engines.
- Class 43 power cars – 6V 4000 R41R
- Class 168 train – 6R 183 TD 13H
- Class 170 train – 6R 183 TD 13H
- Class 172 train – 12V 1800 R83
- Class 195 train – 12V 1800 R85L
- Class 196 train – 12V 1600 R85L
- Class 197 train – 12V 1600 R85L
- Class 800 train – 12V 1600 R80L
- Class 801 train – 12V 1600 R80L
- Class 802 train – 12V 1600 R80L
- Class 805 train – 12V 1600 R80L
- Class 810 train – 12V 1600 R80L
Note.
- Class 168 and 170 trains seem to be powered by older model Rolls Royce mtu engines.
- Class 180, 220,221 and 222 trains are powered by Cummins engines.
- I can’t find what engines power Class 805 and 810 trains, but it is reasonable to assume they have the same engines as the other Hitachi trains.
- As CAF are building LNER’s new tri-mode trains, I suspect these trains will also have Rolls Royce mtu engines.
It would appear that all the Rolls-Royce mtu rolling stock in the UK, with the possible exception of the Class 168 and 170 trains will be able to run on sustainable fuels.
Rolls Royce mtu And Hydrogen
This press release from Rolls-Royce is entitled Rolls-Royce Successfully Tests mtu Engines With Pure Hydrogen.
This is the first paragraph.
Rolls-Royce today announces that it has conducted successful tests of a 12-cylinder gas variant of the mtu Series 4000 L64 engine running on 100% hydrogen fuel. The tests, carried out by the Power Systems business unit, showed very good characteristics in terms of efficiency, performance, emissions and combustion. These tests mark another important step towards the commercial introduction of hydrogen solutions to meet the demand of customers for more sustainable energy.
Engines of mtu’s 4000 family are used in Class 43 power cars, so surely these developments could lead to hydrogen-powered freight locomotives.
The picture shows a Class 43 power car at Glasgow Queen Street station.
Could Rolls-Royce mtu hydrogen power keep these iconic trains running for a few more years?
In ‘Spirit of Innovation’ Stakes Claim To Be The World’s Fastest All-Electric Vehicle, I look at Rolls-Royce’s Spirit of Innovation, which set the record for an electric vehicle at 555.9 km/hour.
As the InterCity125 already holds the record for the fastest diesel train, perhaps Rolls-Royce will attempt to set a record for the fastest hydrogen-powered train?
Decarbarbonising The CAF Class 195, 196 And 197 Trains
If Rolls-Royce mtu develop a hydrogen version of the 1800 diesel engine, then this could be used to fully decarbonise the CAF trains.
The operators may consider it’s not worth it and continue with using sustainable fuels.
But the possibility is surely there.
There must also be the possibility of developing a fuel cell replacement for the 1800 diesel, that can be slotted into the train.
Decarbarbonising The Hitachi Class 80x Trains
Hitachi are developing battery packs and the data sheet can be downloaded from this page on the Hitachi web site.
Decarbarbonising The CAF Tri-Mode Trains
I feel that as CAF usually use Rolls-Royce mtu engines, I suspect these trains will be designed, so they can be converted to hydrogen.
Conclusion
Rolls-Royce mtu appear to be on a path to decarbonise all their diesel engines.
The Data Sheet For Hitachi Battery Electric Trains
Was I just slow to spot this data sheet or has it only just been released?
You can download a copy from this page on the Hitachi web site.
In a section on the page, which is entitled Intercity Battery Trains, this is said.
A quick and easy application of battery technology is to install it on existing or future Hitachi intercity trains. Adding just one battery reduces emissions by more than 20% and offers cost savings of 20-30%.
Our intercity battery powered trains can cover 70km on non-electrified routes, operating at intercity speeds at the same or increased performance. Hitachi Rail’s modular design means this can be done without the need to re-engineer or rebuild the train and return them to service as quickly as possible for passengers.
These are my initial thoughts.
Plug-and-Play
It looks like the train is plug-and-play.
A diesel engine will be swapped for a battery-pack and the train’s computer controls the power sources accordingly.
Hitachi’s Battery Philosophy Explained
This is said on the data sheet.
Battery technology has the potential to play a significant role in the future of sustainable rail mobility, setting
the rail industry on the path to full intercity decarbonisation by 2050.
Installing batteries on intercity trains can complement electrification and provide a low emission alternative
to domestic air travel.Our retrofit solution for intercity trains offers phased replacement of diesel engines at the time that they would
have been due for their regular heavy maintenance overhaul, replacing each engine in turn until trains are fully battery electric. The solution delivers fuel cost savings and lowers CO2 emissions by at least 20% for every engine replaced, and a 20% reduction in whole life maintenance costs – well within the battery’s life span of 8-10 years.
Performance On Battery Power
The data sheet gives these bullet points.
- 750kW peak power
- Weight neutral.
- At least 20% lower CO2 emissions
- 70km on non-electrified routes
- 20% reduction in whole life maintenance costs
- Up to 30% fuel cost savings
- Zero emissions in and out of stations
- Charge on the move
- 10 year life span
Note.
- 750 kW peak power, is around the power of the diesel-engine, that will be replaced.
- I wouldn’t be surprised that powerwise, the battery pack looks like a diesel engine.
- Weight neutral means that acceleration, performance and handling will be unchanged.
- Batteries are easier to maintain than diesels.
- It is stated that a train can be fully-decarbonised.
I have a feeling these trains are no ordinary battery-electric trains.
Seventy Kilometre Range On Battery
Seventy kilometres is 43.5 miles.
This may not seem much, but the data sheet says this.
Our battery hybrid trains can cover 70km on non-electrified routes, operating at intercity speeds at the same
or increased performance. By identifying the routes with short non-electrified sections of 70km or less, we could
see the replacement of existing diesel trains with fully battery-operated trains on those routes within a year.
And, using battery power to avoid electrifying the hardest and most expensive areas, such as tunnels and bridges,
enables flexibility on electrification, minimising passenger disruption during upgrades.
Note.
- It looks like the trains can operate at 125 mph on battery power, where the track allows it. But then the rolling restistance of steel wheel on steel rail, is much lower, than that of rubber tyres on tarmac.
- Hitachi seem to have developed a philosophy on how the trains will be used.
- Hitachi’s pantographs, go up and down with all the alacrity of a whore’s drawers. They will be ideal for a short length of electrification.
I think these LNER routes could be immediately decarbonised.
- LNER – London and Harrogate , where only 18.3 miles is unelectrified. Trains may not need charging, as a full battery could handle both ways.
- LNER – London and Hull, where 36.1 miles is unelectrified. A short length of electrification to charge trains would be needed at Hull.
- LNER – London and Lincoln, where only 16.7 miles is unelectrified. Trains would not need charging, as a full battery could handle both ways.
- LNER – London and Middlesbrough, where only 20.3 miles is unelectrified. Trains would not need charging, as a full battery could handle both ways.
Note.
- It looks like some services could start fairly soon, once batteries are available.
- Hull Trains could use the 70 km batteries and charging at Hull, as it passed through. This would decarbonise Hull Trains passenger operations.
- Services to Aberdeen, Cleethorpes and Inverness would be out of range of the initial Hitachi trains.
Could the last point, partially explain the purchase of the CAF tri-mode trains, which I wrote about in First Tri-Mode Long Distance Trains For The East Coast Main Line?
We shall see what we shall see.
But having a choice of battery-electric or tri-mode trains will enable route development and decarbonisation.
What Is The Size Of The Battery Pack?
In How Much Power Is Needed To Run A Train At 125 Or 100 mph?, I estimated that to maintain 125 mph, a Class 801 train has a usage figure of 3.42 kWh per vehicle mile.
If a five-car Class 800 can run 70 km or 43.5 miles at 125 mph, as indicated by Hitachi, then the battery size can be calculated.
3.42 * 5 * 43.5 = 743.85 kWh
As the battery pack can supply 750 kW according to the data sheet, this looks like this will run the train for an hour.
Is that coincidence or a design criteria?
What Battery Capacity Would Be Needed For A Hundred Miles?
For a five-car train, this is the energy needed for a hundred miles.
3.42 *5 * 100 = 1710 kWh or three batteries.
For a nine-car train, this is the energy needed for a hundred miles.
3.42 *9 * 100 = 3078 kWh or five batteries.
It looks like all diesel engines will be replaced by batteries.
Will Class 801 Trains Swap Their Single Diesel Engine For a Battery Power Pack?
Consider.
- Class 801 trains have a single diesel engine for emergency power.
- Lumo’s Class 803 trains, are all-electric with a battery-pack for emergency hotel power only.
- Hitachi must have full details on the performance of Lumo’s trains.
- The East Coast Main Line is notorious for the wires to come tumbling down.
- The diesel engine and the battery pack appear to weigh the same.
- Batteries cost less to maintain than diesels.
I can’t see why the single diesel engine can’t be replaced by a standard battery pack, without loosing any functionality.
What Would Be The Range Of A Fully Battery-Electric Train?
This is a paragraph from a data sheet.
Our retrofit solution for intercity trains offers phased replacement of diesel engines at the time that they would
have been due for their regular heavy maintenance overhaul, replacing each engine in turn until trains are fully battery electric. The solution delivers fuel cost savings and lowers CO2 emissions by at least 20% for every engine replaced, and a 20% reduction in whole life maintenance costs – well within the battery’s life span of 8-10 years.
Note.
- It looks like Hitachi are expecting operators to replace engines in turn.
- Replacing engines with batteries saves the operators money.
As a five-car Class 800 train has three diesel engines and a nine-car train has five engines, does this mean that the range of fully-batteried Class 800 train is 70 km or 210 km?
- A fully-batteried Class 800 train will weigh the same as the current diesel.
- One battery can drive the train for 70 km at 125 mph according to Hitachi.
- There are no branches of electrified lines that are 125 mph lines without electrification.
- I would assume that the train can use regenerative braking to recharge the batteries.
- 210 kilometres is 130 miles.
I don’t know much about the electrical systems of Hitachi’s trains, but it is likely that there will be an electrical bus to distribute power from one end of the train to the other.
So a five-car Class 800 train with three fully-charged battery packs could have over 2 MWh of electricity on board, that could be used for traction.
- Applying the usage figure of 3.42 kWh per vehicle mile, gives a range for the five-car train of at least 117 miles.
- The equivalent figure for a nine-car train will be at least 121 miles.
These distances would open up routes like these on the East Coast Main Line.
- LNER – London King’s Cross and Aberdeen – 91.4 miles – Charge before return.
- LNER/Hull Trains – London King’s Cross and Beverley via Temple Hirst junction – 44.3 miles – No Charging needed before return.
- Grand Central – London King’s Cross and Bradford Interchange via Shaftholme junction – 47.8 miles – No Charging needed before return.
- LNER – London King’s Cross and Cleethorpes via Newark and Lincoln – 63.9 miles – Charge before return.
- LNER – London King’s Cross and Harrogate via Leeds – 18.3 miles – No Charging needed before return.
- LNER – London King’s Cross and Inverness– 146.2 miles – Charge before return.
- LNER/Hull Trains – London King’s Cross and Hull via Temple Hirst junction – 36.1 miles – No Charging needed before return.
- LNER – London King’s Cross and Middlesbrough via Northallerton – 20.3 miles – No Charging needed before return.
- LNER – London King’s Cross and Scarborough via York – 42.1 miles – No Charging needed before return.
- LNER/Grand Central – London King’s Cross and Sunderland via Northallerton – 47.4 miles – No Charging needed before return.
Note.
- The miles are the longest continuous distance without electrification.
- Only Aberdeen, Cleethorpes and Inverness would need to charge trains before return.
- Inverness may be too far. But is it in range of LNER’s new CAF tri-mode trains?
The battery range would also allow LNER to use the Lincoln diversion on the Joint Line.
Why Didn’t LNER Buy More Azumas?
This puzzles me and I suspect it puzzles other people too.
Surely, an all Azuma fleet will be easier to manage.
But in this article on Modern Railways, which is entitled LNER Orders CAF Tri-mode Sets, this is said.
Modern Railways understands the new fleet will be maintained at Neville Hill depot in Leeds and, like the ‘225’ sets, will be used predominantly on services between London and Yorkshire, although unlike the ‘225s’ the tri-modes, with their self-power capability, will be able to serve destinations away from the electrified network such as Harrogate and Hull.
Note.
- Hull would possibly need work to provide some form of charging for battery-electric Azumas, but Harrogate is close enough to be served by a one-battery Azuma.
- The CAF Tri-mode sets would certainly handle routes like Cleethorpes, Middlesbrough and Sunderland, but would they really need a ten-car train.
- Ten-car trains would also be busy on the Leeds route.
- The UK is going to need more 125 mph trains for Cross Country, Grand Central, Grand Union, TransPennine Express and possibly other train companies.
- Has Hitachi got the capacity to build the trains in the UK?
So has the Government given the order to CAF to create a level of competition?
Conclusions
These are my conclusions about Hitachi’s battery packs for Class 80x trains, which were written in November 2023.
- 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.
Hitachi have seen my figures.
They also told me, that they were in line with their figures, but new and better batteries would increase range.
In July 2025, I wrote Batteries Ordered For Grand Central Inter-City Trains, which mentions the following.
- Grand Central’s trains will be electric-diesel-battery hybrid inter-city trainsets.
- The trains will have lithium ion phosphate batteries.
- The trains will be delivered in 2028.
- The batteries will be smaller and more powerful, than current batteries.
This is also said about safety, hazards and cybersecurity.
The Safety Integrity Level 2 and IEC 61508 compliant battery management system will detect and mitigate hazards and meet the IEC 62243 cybersecurity standard.
These batteries would appear to give Hitachi and Grand Central Trains everything they want and need.
It looks like the new battery chemistry, will give Hitachi extra range.
First Tri-Mode Long Distance Trains For The East Coast Main Line
The title of this post, is the same as that of this press release from LNER.
This is the sub-heading.
London North Eastern Railway (LNER) is pleased to confirm that CAF has been named as the successful bidder to deliver a fleet of 10 new tri-mode trains for LNER. Porterbrook has been chosen as the financier of the new fleet. The trains will be able to operate in electric, battery or diesel mode.
These are the first two paragraphs.
Benefits of tri-mode trains range from a reduction in emissions, particulates, noise and vibration pollution, lower maintenance and operating costs and upgradeable technology, with an expected increase in range and performance as technology develops further. Battery power reduces the need to use diesel traction in areas where overhead powerlines are not available.
Complementing the modern Azuma fleet of 65 trains, the new ten-coach trains will help LNER achieve its vision of becoming the most loved, progressive and trusted train operator in the UK, delivering an exceptional service for the customers and communities served along its 956-mile network.
I have a few thoughts.
Will The Trains Have Rolls-Royce mtu Diesel Engines?
Consider.
- CAF’s Class 195, 196 and 197 Civity trains for the UK all have Rolls-Royce mtu diesel engines.
- Porterbrook are headquartered in Derby.
- Rolls-Royce are headquartered in Derby.
- In Rolls-Royce And Porterbrook Agreement Will Drive Rail Decarbonisation, I talked about how the two companies were planning to decarbonise trains using techniques like mtu Hybrid PowerPacks and hydrogen fuel cells.
I would think it very likely that the new trains will have Rolls-Royce mtu engines.
Will The Trains Have Rolls-Royce mtu Hybrid PowerPacks?
It was in 2018, that I first wrote about mtu Hybrid PowerPacks in Rolls-Royce And Porterbrook Launch First Hybrid Rail Project In The UK With MTU Hybrid PowerPacks.
- Examples of these power packs are now running in Germany, Ireland and the UK.
- The mtu Hybrid PowerPack how has its own web site.
- There is also this YouTube video.
- If CAF use off-the-shelf mtu Hybrid PowerPacks in their Civity trains, there is one big massive plus – They don’t have to develop the complicated control software to get a combination of diesel engines and batteries to perform as immaculately as Busby Berkeley’s dancers or a Brigade of Guards.
- The mtu Hybrid PowerPacks also have a big plus for operators – The batteries don’t need separate charging infrastructure.
- In Rolls-Royce Releases mtu Rail Engines For Sustainable Fuels, I talk about how mtu engines can run on sustainable fuels, such as biodiesel or HVO.
I think it is extremely likely that CAF’s new trains for LNER will be powered by mtu Hybrid PowerPacks.
Class 800 And Class 397 Trains Compared
The Class 800 train is LNER’s workhorse to Scotland from London.
The Class 397 train used by TransPennine Express, is a 125 mph Civity train.
Differences include.
- The Class 800 train can run at 140 mph, where the signalling allows, but is the Class 397 train only capable of 125 mph?
- The Class 397 train accelerate at 0.92 m/s², whereas the Class 800 train can only manage 0.7 m/s².
- The Hitachi train has 14 % more seats, 36 First and 290 Standard as opposed to 22 First and 264 Standard in five-car trains.
I will add to this list.
Will The New Trains Be Capable Of 140 mph Running?
As the East Coast Main Line is being fully digitally signalled to allow 140 mph running of the numerous Hitachi expresses on the route, I wouldn’t be surprised to see, that the new CAF trains will be capable of 140 mph.
In this article on Modern Railways, which is entitled LNER Orders CAF Tri-mode Sets, this is said.
The new fleet will be equipped with CAF Signalling’s European Rail Traffic Management System digital signalling. This will align with the East Coast Digital Programme, which aims to introduce European Train Control System (ETCS) on the southern stretch of the East Coast main line from King’s Cross to Stoke Tunnel by 2029.
Later in the article this is said.
LNER has retained 12 ‘91s’ hauling eight rakes of Mk 4s, and the rollout of ETCS is another reason the operator has sought to order the replacement fleet. LNER’s passenger numbers have rebounded more quickly than other operators post-Covid, which has helped make the case for confirming the order.
This does seem sensible.
What Will Be The Range Of The CAF Trains Without Electrification?
The longest LNER route without electrification is the Northern section of the Inverness service between Inverness and Dunblane, which is 146.1 miles. There are also eight stops and some hills.
In Edinburgh to Inverness in the Cab of an HST, there’s a video of the route.
I’m sure that even, if they don’t normally run the new trains to Inverness, being able to do so, could be useful at some point.
It should be noted that the Guinness World Record for battery-electric trains is 139 miles, which is held by a Stadler Akku.
I am left with the conclusion that London and Inverness needs a tri-mode train or lots of electrification. Did this rule out Hitachi?
The Number Of Trains Ordered
The Modern Railways article says this about the number of trains.
The contract includes an eight-year maintenance services agreement with an option to extend; CAF says the order value, including maintenance, exceeds €500 million. When the tender was published the intention was to include an option for five additional sets; LNER confirmed to Modern Railways there is an option to purchase additional sets on top of the base order of 10.
Can we assume this means that other trains will be ordered, if the trains are a success?
Can These New CAF Trains Be Made Net Zero?
This is a paragraph, in the LNER press release.
This new fleet of trains will keep LNER on track to reduce its emissions by 67 per cent by 2035 and be net zero by 2045. LNER has already reduced carbon emissions by 50 per cent compared with 2018/19. Per mile, LNER trains produce 15 times less carbon emissions than a domestic flight.
As the new CAF trains will probably have a service life of at least forty years, there must be some way, that these new trains can be made net zero.
Consider.
- I am absolutely certain, that the new CAF trains will have Rolls-Royce mtu diesel engines.
- LNER’s existing Class 800 and 801 trains have Rolls-Royce mtu diesel engines.
Rolls-Royce mtu according to some of Rolls-Royce’s press releases appear to be developing net zero solutions based on hydrogen or net zero fuels.
This press release from Rolls-Royce is entitled Rolls-Royce Successfully Tests mtu Engines With Pure Hydrogen, suggests that Rolls-Royce mtu are working on a solution.
Routes They Will Serve
The Modern Railways article says this about the routes to be served.
Modern Railways understands the new fleet will be maintained at Neville Hill depot in Leeds and, like the ‘225’ sets, will be used predominantly on services between London and Yorkshire, although unlike the ‘225s’ the tri-modes, with their self-power capability, will be able to serve destinations away from the electrified network such as Harrogate and Hull.
Note.
- This surprised me, as I’d always expected the Yorkshire routes will be served by Hitachi battery-electric trains.
- But it does look that both Harrogate and Hull stations, have long enough platforms to hold a ten-car train.
- With their tri-mode technology, it also looks like the CAF trains won’t be needed to be charged before returning to London.
The last point would enable them to try out new routes.
These are distances from the electrification of the East Coast Main Line of the destinations that LNER served, where there is not full electrification.
- Aberdeen via Ladybank – 91.4 miles
- Carlisle via Skipton – 86.8 miles
- Cleethorpes via Newark and Lincoln – 63.9 miles
- Harrogate via Leeds – 18.3 miles
- Huddersfield via Leeds – 17.2 miles
- Hull via Temple Hirst junction – 36.1 miles
- Inverness via Dunblane – 146.1 miles
- Lincoln via Newark – 16.7 miles
- Middlesbrough via Northallerton – 22.2 miles
- Scarborough via York – 42.1 miles
- Sunderland via Northallerton – 47.4 miles
Note.
- The first place after the ‘via’ is where the electrification ends.
- Carlisle could be a possibility during High Speed Two upgrading of the West Coast Main Line or for an enthusiasts’ special or tourist train.
- Cleethorpes is a possible new service for LNER. I wrote about this in LNER To Serve Cleethorpes.
- Scarborough must be a possible new service for LNER.
- All stations can take ten-car trains, with the possible exception of Middlesbrough, which is currently being upgraded.
- Huddersfield and Leeds is being electrified under the TransPennine Upgrade.
This would appear to show that LNER need enough bi-mode or tri-mode trains to run services to Aberdeen, Cleethorpes, Harrogate, Hull, Inverness, Lincoln, Middlesbrough and Sunderland.
But.
- It would appear that the initial batch of trains, will not be serving the North of Scotland.
- Aberdeen and Inverness could be served, when there is enough electrification at the Southern end.
I am also fairly sure, that no significant infrastructure is required.
Do Hitachi Have A Problem?
I am starting to wonder, if Hitachi are having trouble with the designing and building of their battery packs.
- It’s not like Hitachi to allow someone to run off with a €500 million contract from under their nose.
- Are they short of capacity to build the trains at Newton Aycliffe?
But then they’re probably up to their elbows in work on the High Speed Two Classic-Compatible trains.
Are There Any Other Routes, Where The New CAF Trains Could Be Employed?
The trains would certainly be suitable for these routes.
- Chiltern – InterCity services.
- CrossCountry Trains – Fleet replacement
- Grand Central Trains – Fleet replacement
- Grand Union Trains – For Carmarthen and Stirling open access services.
- Great Western Railway – Replacing Castles in the South West.
- ScotRail – Replacing Inter7City trains.
- South Western Railway – Basingstoke and Exeter St. Davids and other routes.
Note.
- CAF could sell a lot of trains.
- I estimate that fleet replacement for Grand Central Trans would cost around €350 million
- The specification would vary according to the route.
Could CAF have got the LNER order, because they have the capacity in the Newport factory?
Conclusion
It looks like CAF have done a good job in designing the trains.
I’m also fairly sure that CAF are using Rolls-Royce mtu PowerPacks.
The Diesel Power Of The Class 805 Trains
Avanti West Coast’s new Class 805 trains, will probably start running between London Euston and Chester, Shrewsbury and North Wales before the end of the year.
But will they have the 560 kW engines of the Class 800 trains or the the 700 kW engines of the Class 802 trains?
On this page of Eversholt Rail’s web site, there is a detailed specification for a Class 802 train.
It says these trains have a top speed of 110 mph on diesel.
But it also says this about the design of the trains.
They have been designed to meet the operational requirements of the West of England route and are used on services out of London Paddington to Plymouth and Penzance.
The class 802 is almost identical to the class 800, the differences are that class 802s have a higher rated engine output to tackle the gradients through Devon and Cornwall, and a superior diesel range to provide the IET experience to the wider Greater Western Network, they also have a larger brake resistor which reduces brake pad usage and requires less maintenance.
Wikipedia also says that these are the diesel engine sizes in the three main classes of these Hitachi AT 300 trains.
- Class 800 train – 560 kW – Three engines for five cars
- Class 801 train – 560 kW – One emergency engine for five cars
- Class 802 train – 700 kW – Three engines for five cars
- Class 810 train – 735 kW – Four engines for five cars
All these four trains have similar bodyshells and running gear, so I suspect that to run at similar cruising speeds, similar amounts of power will be needed.
If the Class 802 train has a speed of 110 mph on diesel, then a rough estimate of the cruising speed of a train with the 560 kW engines can be estimated by doing this simple calculation. Note that air resistance is proportional to the square of the speed.
Square root (110*110 *560/700) = 98.4 mph
I have looked on OpenRailwayMap at all the tracks to the West of Wolverhampton, where these trains will run and the highest maximum operating speed I can find is 90 mph.
As the Class 805 trains have a reprofiled nose, which could be more aerodynamic, they may be able to cruise at 90 mph.
I believe that a train with three 560 kW engines will suit Avanti West Coast purposes well.
What Is The Operating Speed Of The Class 810 trains?
I can use a similar calculation to estimate the maximum operating speed of the Class 810 trains, that will operate on the Midland Main Line.
Consider.
- The Class 802 train has a total power of 2100 kW
- The Class 810 train has a total power of 2940 kW
- The Class 810 train with only three working engines has a total power of 2205 kW
I can estimate the cruising speed by doing this simple calculation, which is similar to the one for the Class 805 train.
Square root (110*110 *2940/2100) = 130 mph
I can also do it for a train running on three engines.
Square root (110*110 *2205/2100) = 113 mph
I looks to me, that the following is possible.
- As Class 810 trains can achieve the maximum speed of 125 mph on both diesel and electric power, the timetable is independent of the progress of the electrification.
- If the 125 mph sections are ignored, the fastest sections of line have a maximum speed of 110 mph, which could be possible on three engines.
- North of the electrification, where the maximum speed is only 110 mph, engines could be selectively rested to avoid overheating.
Four engines give a lot of interesting options.
I can’t wait to take a ride.
Could The Class 810 Trains Be Fitted With Batteries?
When, the electrification reaches Market Harborough station, there will be no 125 mph sections on the Midland Main Line, which are not electrified.
This Hitachi infographic shows the Hitachi Intercity Tri-Mode Battery Train.
A Class 810 version of this train would have three diesel engines and one battery pack.
- It would have all the features of the infographic.
- My calculations give it a top speed of 113 mph on a route, where the maximum speed North of the electrification is 110 mph.
- I also suspect, it could bridge any small gaps in the electrification.
It would have the very positive effects of saving fuel and cutting pollution in stations.
London North Eastern Railway Runs Trial Train To Liverpool Street
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Rail Advent.
These two paragraphs, describe why this was done.
In an effort to mitigate the effect on passengers during disruption to services, London North Eastern Railway (LNER) ran one of its Azuma trains from Finsbury Park to London Liverpool Street during the early hours of this morning, Friday, 14th July.
The trial run took place to determine the long-term feasibility of diverting services during periods of planned disruption or when significant engineering works were taking place.
There doesn’t seem to have been any problems.
- The route in from Finsbury Park station went through Canonbury, Dalston Kingsland, Hackney Central, Homerton, Hackney Wick, Stratford and Bethnal Green stations, which was a distance of 9.6 miles.
- The route out to Finsbury Park station went through Bethnal Green, Cambridge Heath, London Fields, Dalston Kingsland and Canonbury, what was a distance of 5.8 miles.
Note.
- Two different routes were checked.
- The Class 800 train had five cars.
- Platform 4 at Liverpool Street station was used, which is normally used by London Overground and Cambridge services.
As this comes so soon after the test run to Cleethorpes, that I wrote about in Azuma Test Train Takes To The Tracks As LNER Trials Possible New Route, I wonder if Network Rail and the train operating companies are planning for some worst case scenario, where the two or more of the West Coast Main Line, Midland Main Lone and East Coast Main Line are blocked.
LNER and Network Rail have shown the following.
- Azumas can use Cleethorpes station.
- Azumas can use Liverpool Street station.
We also know that Cleethorpes has a direct TransPennine train service across the North of England to Doncaster, Sheffield, Manchester and Liverpool.
So if say Euston has to be shut for perhaps fourteen days during the construction of High Speed Two, a service between Liverpool Street and Cleethorpes via Colchester, Ipswich, Cambridge, Peterborough and Lincoln could be used to get some passengers to and from the North.
The other big problem is the removal of the problems of the Newark Crossing, which if it results in a long blockade of the East Coast Main Line, might need services to go into an alternative London terminal.
The Powerhouse In The East
Consider.
- The importance of Cambridge to the economy of the UK is growing fast.
- The city suffers from a shortage of commercial premises, housing and staff at all levels.
- I have just looked at the non-passenger traffic on the West Anglia Main Line for all of yesterday and there were just six freight trains through Bishop’s Stortford.
I wonder, if it would be possible to run a Liverpool Street and Cleethorpes service via Cambridge, Ely, Peterborough, Spalding, Sleaford, Lincoln, Market Rasen, Barnetby and Grimsby Town?
- The service avoids the East Coast Main Line, except through Peterborough, where it would use the separate Werrington lines.
- Liverpool Street is in the heart of one of the world’s major financial centres.
- Liverpool Street is on the Elizabeth Line.
- The service could call at Stansted Airport, but a reverse would be needed.
- Peterborough is sometimes promoted in Cambridge as a city, that could be developed, to provide support for Cambridge.
- A reverse would be needed at Lincoln.
- Lincoln is developing as a university city with character.
- Grimsby and Cleethorpes are close to the fast expanding Humberside renewable energy and hydrogen cluster.
The service could be paired with a Liverpool Street and Norwich service, via Ely, Thetford, Attleborough and Wymondham.
The services could alternate every half hour or perhaps leave London as a pair and split and join at Cambridge.
Platform Availability At Kings Cross And Liverpool Street
Consider.
- Digital signalling on the East Coast Main Line will increase the number of possible trains between London and the North.
- LNER have said they want to increase services to the North and have identified a possible service to Cleethorpes.
- Grand Central would like to increase services to Bradford.
- Lumo have started services to Newcastle and Edinburgh from Kings Cross.
- The Elizabeth Line now runs less services into Liverpool Street station.
- The Elizabeth Line connects to Liverpool Street, but doesn’t connect to King’s Cross.
- Liverpool Street is to undergo a major refurbishment, which should increase the overall passenger capacity of the station.
Would it be sensible to move a small number of services from King’s Cross to Liverpool Street?
Surely, the logical service to move to Liverpool Street would be the new Cleethorpes service.
- It would route via Cambridge, Cambridge North, Ely, Peterborough, Spalding, Sleaford, Lincoln, Market Rasen, Barnetby and Grimsby Town.
- It would use the Werrington Lines through Peterborough.
- It would not need a path on the East Coast Main Line.
- The service would provide a much needed direct link between Cambridge and Lincoln via Peterborough.
- The service could also be hourly or two-hourly.
I also believe that a Liverpool Street and Cleethorpes service could be run by a battery-electric Azuma.
- The route is electrified between Liverpool Street and Ely and through Peterborough.
- Ely and Peterborough is 30 miles.
- Peterborough and Lincoln is 56.9 miles.
- Lincoln and Cleethorpes is 47.2 miles.
- There would need to be a charging station or a few miles of electrification at Cleethorpes.
- There may be 134.1 miles of unelectrified track, but there can be a Splash and Dash at Peterborough.
A Stadler Akku would be able to handle this route, so I suspect that a similar-sized battery-electric Azuma should also be able to handle the route.
The Anonymous Widower 