Could Hull Become A Tram-Train Terminal?
Hull Paragon station is a station on the edge of the City Centre.
On Wednesday, I arrived at the station on a train from Bridlington and was very hungry. I also needed a drink, so that I could take my medication.
Like most of the East Cost of England from Newcastle to Felixstowe, there is a shortage of gluten-free food in the stations.
So Hull joins a big club including Clacton, Felixstowe, Great Yarmouth, Ipswich, Lowestoft and Middlesbrough.
Asking in the station, I found there was a Marks and Spencer in the City Centre, that was about a twenty minute walk.
So I walked it and luckily got the last gluten-free egg sandwich in East Yorkshire.
This map shows the City Centre of Hull and its relationship to the station.
The station is in the top-left hand corner and most of the shops, galleries and other buildings are in the middle.
You will also notice, that there is no small amount of space and quite a bit of water.
These pictures show the City Centre.
From what I have seen in other cities on the Continent, I think that a tram loop could be created in the city.
Tram-trains would be used, as they would need to run on both a tram network and National Rail tracks.
- Tram-trains would arrive at an inbound platform in Hull station from the West and North.
- They would stop in the station, so that passengers could change to and from buses and long distance trains.
- They would then go through the station and take to a loop around the City Centre.
- After stopping at perhaps half-a-dozen places, the tram-trains would reenter the station and stop in the outbound platform, before leaving the station.
I don’t know Hull or the travel habits of Hullensians, that well but these are a few thoughts.
The Tram-Trains
These would probably be similar to the Cardiff variant of the Class 399 tram-trains used in Sheffield’s tram-train extension to Rotherham.
The Cardiff tram-trains will be fitted with batteries to allow for a certain amount of catenary-free street running.
I’m sure battery power would cope with the steepest hills in Hull City Centre.
The City Centre Loop
Loops like this are not very common in the UK, but there are two successful examples.
- The Wirral Line Loop under Liverpool
- The Heathrow Loop on the Piccadilly Line.
There were also numerous loops for merry-go-round trains, that used to deliver coal; to power stations.
This Google Map shows the enormous Drax power station, which has a capacity of nearly 4 GW.
Note.
- The loop on the West side, which trains use to deliver the biomass, that is now the main fuel for the station.
- Below the loop , there are extensive greenhouses, which use waste heat and carbon dioxide from the power station to grow salads.
- There is also a plant that makes building blocks from the waste ash on the site.
Power station do a lot more than just generate electricity.
Loops have several advantages.
- The track needs is very simple and often single-track.
- Signalling only needs to work in one direction.
- They can handle a large number of trains.
Loops are particularly suited to trams, as they can have tight turning circles.
Main Line Electrification
Hull needs an economic boost and I believe that i the next ten years, the route between Hull and the East Coast Main Line will at least be partially-electrified.
Consider.
- The distance between Hull and Selby by rail is thirty-one miles.
- It is double-track.
- It runs across fairly flat country.
- The main problem would be the historic Selby swing bridge.
- From my hrlicopter, it doesn’t look to be the most difficult line to electrify.
Partial-electrification with dead sections on the swing bridge and under any low bridges would be a solution. But it would need trains to be bi-mode or have battery power to jump the gaps.
Hull Trains and First TransPennine wouldn’t object.
Where Will The Tram Trains Go From Hull?
The largest tram-train network in the world is the the Karlruhe Stadtbahn.
The longest route is S4, which goes all the way to Öhringen, which is a distance of over fifty miles from Karlsruhe.
The lines are electrified, but technology moves on and ranges of fifty miles on batteries are being predicted by those who are designing trains, trams and tram-trains.
Distances and times from Hull include.
- Beverley – 9 miles – 13 minutes
- Bridlington – 32 miles – 50 minutes
- Brough – 11 miles – 11 minutes
- Doncaster – 42 miles – 68 minutes
- Goole – 25 miles – 35 minutes
- Scarborough – 53 miles – 87 minutes
- Selby – 31 miles – 35 minutes
- Sheffield – 60 miles – 113 minutes
- York – 40 miles – 71 minutes
Note how slow the services are. Are they timed for Pacers?
I could see a two route strategy being developed.
This Google Map shows the KCOM Stadium which is about a mile out of Hull station.
The rail lines are as follows.
- The line going North West goes to Beverley, Bridlington and Scarborough.
- The line going South West goes to Brough, Goole, Selby and Doncaster.
- The line going East goes to Hull station.
It should also be noted that in the South East corner of the map, part of Hull Hospital can be seen.
My initial plan would start by electrification of the line between Hull and Selby.
This would enable.the following.
- Hull Trains to run their Class 802 trains between London and Hull on electric power. Desel power would still be needed between Hull and Beverley for one train per day in each direction.
- First TransPennine to run their Class 802 trains between Liverpool and Hull on electric power. Diesel power would still be needed between Manchester and Selby.
- Class 399 tram/trains could operate on the electrification between Hull and Selby.
- Class 399 tram/trains could replenish their batteries using the electrification.
Fully-charged battery tram-trains would then have free-reign to explore, on any suitable track.
- They could go walkabout in Hull City Centre to set down and pick up passengers.
- They could run a second service to Beverley or Driffield on battery power.
- They could run a third service to Goole on battery power from Gilberdyck.
Extra stops could be added at important locations, like the Hull Hospital and the KC Stadium.
Could there be a network with three routes.
- Hull and Brough via Hull Hospital, KCom Stadium, Hessle and Ferriby
- Hull and Beverley via Hull Hospital, KCom Stadium and Cottingham
- Hull and Goole via Hull Hospital, KCom Stadium, Hessle, Ferriby, Brough, Broomfleet, Gilberdyke and Saltmashe
Some things ease getting a good route structure.
- Known traffic patterns might show where to add extra stops.
- There are two disused platforms at Brough station.
- Brodlington has a convenient bay platform.
Others don’t.
- There are no closed stations between Hull and Berverley, Brough and Goole.
- Beverley and Goole stations don’t look to be good terminals.
I’m sure a good route structure can be created.
Service Frequency
Ideally all branches should have four trains per hour (tph) for a Turn-Up-And-Go service.
A reasonable two tram-trains per hour to Beverley, Brough and Goole, would produce the following services.
- A six tph frequency through the City Centre.
- Hull station, Hull Hospital and the KCom Stadium would have six tph service in both directions.
- Because two routes go via Brough, all stations to Brough, would have a four tph service both directions.
- All stations to Beverley or Bridlington would have a two tph service in both directions.
All services would be augmented by limited stop services from Hull to Doncaster, Leeds, London, Scarborough, Sheffield and York.
Construction Needed
The following works would need to be done.
- Electrify Hull to Selby with 25 KVAC overhead wires.
- Build the tram-train loop in Hull City Centre.
- Adjust platforms, so that they can provide at least good access between all tram-trains, trains and platforms.
Hopefully, this will be enough to allow the tram-trains to start operating.
How Many Tram-Trains Would Be Needed?
My rough calculations show that a full service could be provided by between eight and ten tram-trains. The variation is because, the performance of the tram-trains will affect the numbers required.
Conclusion
I have only roughly sketched how a tram-train network based on a loop round Hull City Centre could be developed.
In my view for it to be viable, the first thing, that needs to be done is to electrify between Hull and Selby.
Welcome For Extension Of Midland Electrification
The title of this post is the same as that of this article on Rail News.
This is the first paragraph.
Electrification of the Midland Main Line is set to be extended from Kettering North Junction to Market Harborough station.
The project was announced in the House of Commons and has already been called great news by the local MP.
In MML Wires Could Reach Market Harborough, I laid out my thoughts after an article in the June 2018 Edition of Modern Railways, with the same title.
This was my major conclusion.
I think that electrification between Glendon Junction and Market Harborough station will happen.
I actually feel that with the announcement of innovative new rolling stock and electrification methods in the last few months, that electrification of this section could now be easier and that electrification to Leicester might even happen.
Wigan North Western To Alderley Edge And Stalybridge
The following two services were started from Wigan North Western station in May 2018.
- Alderley Edge via Manchester Piccadilly.
- Stalybridge via Manchester Victoria
Both services are hourly and cross-Manchester services. I rode both of them on Friday afternoon.
These two routes are not fully-electrified and it was intended that they would use new Class 769 bi-mode trains, which can use diesel on sections without electrification.
But the Class 769 trains are still under test, so there was a selection of good and not-so-good rolling stock.
- One four-car train was two refurbished Class 156 trains working together.
- Another was a pair of refurbished Class 150 trains.
- And a third was a Class 150 train pulling a Pacer.
The diesel trains trundled into Manchester at speeds between sixty and eighty mph.
At least the four-car trains were the right size for the route and although full, the trains weren’t by any means over-full!
The arrival of the Class 769 trains would increase the quality and operating speed of the rolling stock.
I also went into Manchester on Saturday in a Class 319 train.
This electric train was doing up to ninety mph on the fully-electrified route via Newton-le-Willows.
As the Class 769 trains are based on Class 319 trains on electrified sections of the routes, they will be able to speed along and shorten journey times.
Wigan North Western And Alderley Edge
On this route approximately 9.5 miles of the 34.5 miles route is not electrified and journeys take 78 minutes.
As between Bolton and Alderley Edge is now fully electrified, I wonder what will be time between Wigan North Western and Alderley Edge.
If the service is under the hour, this could mean a reduction in the number of trains needed to work the route.
Wigan North Western And Stalybridge
On this route approximately 17 miles of the 27.8 miles route is not electrified and journeys take 59 minutes.
Because this service spends more time on diesel, the speed-up might not be as easy to achieve.
Conclusion
I predict that the Class 769 trains will be welcomed by passengers, operators and staff, as they will speed up services.
The Wires Are Completed At Bolton
I took these pictures as I changed trains at Bolton station.
According to this article on Rail News, which is entitled Final Test Train Runs On Electrified Preston Line, the Manchester-Preston line has passed all the tests to allow Class 319 trains to run at 100 mph.
They also hope, that 100 mph running will start in May.
Stalybridge Station – 22nd February 2019
I took these pictures, when I visited Stalybridge station earlier this year.
Note that there appears to be no electrification.
But there is an extremely good real ale hostelry.
Would Batteries Help Voltage Change-over In A Dual Voltage Train Or Tram-Train?
Battery Power And Tram-Trains
Consider.
- The Class 399 tram-trains in Sheffield can work on both 25 KVAC and 750 VDC overhead electrification.
- Their German cousins in Karlsruhe can work on both 15 KVAC and 750 VDC overhead electrification.
In Karlsruhe, there is a ceramic rod between the two overhead cables with different voltages and the pantograph rides across. I suspect that clever power electronics on the tram-train measures the voltage and converts it automatically to that needed to power the tram-train.
I haven’t been able to see how Sheffield connects the two different voltages, but I wouldn’t be surprised if a similar system with a ceramic rod is used.
Look at this picture, I took of a Class 399 tram-train in Sheffield.
Note the BATTERY CHARGE socket to the left of the car number.
Why would an electrically-powered vehicle need a battery?
I suppose it could be to start up the tram-train in the morning and raise the pantograph.
But could it also be for emergency power, to move the tram-train short distances, such as in depots or to assist the vehicle through the dead sections, where the power supply changes from one voltage to another?
The Class 399 tram-trains ordered for the South Wales Metro will also have to cope with discontinuous electrification. So is the technology needed for this already installed in the tram-trains in Sheffield?
Battery Power And Dual Voltage Trains
Suppose you have a train like a Class 378 or Class 700 train, that can run on both 25 KVAC overhead and 750 VDC third-rail electrification.
Third-rail trains with contact shoes deal with discontinuous electrification all the time.
If a dual-voltage train had a battery that could take it say two hundred metres, then I believe that voltage changeover could be simplified and speeded up.
I have watched Class 717 trains change voltage at Drayton Park station and what changes would a limited battery capability make.
The third-rail electrification would stop several metres short of the station and would be removed in the station itself.
Going towards Moorgate, this would be the procedure.
- The train would stop in the station as it does now.
- The driver would drop the pantograph, whilst passengers unloaded and loaded.
- The driver would close the doors.
- The train would accelerate away on battery power.
- After a few metres the train would contact the third-rail and the train’s computer would change from battery to third-rail power.
Going away from Moorgate, this would be the procedure.
- The train would automatically disconnect from third-rail power, where that stopped to the South of the station.
- The train would automatically switch to battery power.
- The train would stop in the station as it does now.
- The driver would raise the pantograph, whilst passengers unloaded and loaded.
- The driver would close the doors.
- The train would accelerate away on overhead power.
The stops should be no longer, than a normal station stop without power changeover.
Conclusion
Batteries may well reduce the time taken to change voltage
The Electrification Between Lea Bridge And Meridian Water Stations Is Almost Complete
I took these pictures from a train going North from Lea Bridge station to the new Meridian Water station.
It appears that most of the electrification is almost complete, except for perhaps a hundred metres at the Southern end.
Conclusion
This electrification seems to have gone reasonably well so far.
On the other hand, the electrification of the Gospel Oak to Barking Line was troublesome with various components being wrongly made and the discovery of an unknown sewer.
But the electrification of the new single track was effectively working on a new track, where what was underneath the track was very well known.
I’m drawn to the conclusion, that if we want to electrify a railway, the quality of the knowledge of the tracks to be electrified has a strong influence on the outcome of the project.
If there are thought to be too many unknowns and it is felt necessary to relay the track, then so be it!
We may have the paradox that to electrify a 125 mph fast line like the Midland Main Line, which has had top class care and constant speed upgrades, may be easier and more affordable, than to electrify a slower commuter line like Manchester to Preston, which has probably not had as much attention, due to the slower speeds.
I know it’s totally different, but decorating a new house is easier than doing the same to an old one!
Electrification of a railway track seems to have a similar relationship.
Could A Class 399 Tram-Train With Batteries Go Between Manchester Victoria And Rochdale/Bury Bolton Street/Rawtenstall Stations?
In Rossendale Reopening Prospect, I looked at a proposal to run a new service between Manchester Victoria and Bury Bolton Street stations.
Could this route be run by a Class 399 tram-train with a battery capability?
These tram-trains would be very similar to the Stadler Citylink Metro Vehicles, that have been specified for the South Wales Metro.
- Wikipedia gives the weight of the vehicle as 66 tonnes.
- Manchester Victoria has an altitude of 44 metres
- Bury has an altitude of 100 metres.
- Rochdale has an altitude of 137 metres.
- Rawtenstall has an altitude of 174 metres.
- I will assume 200 passengers at 90 Kg. each, which gives a weight of 12 tonnes.
Using Omni’s Potential Energy Calculator gives the following.
- Manchester Victoria to Bury Bolton Street has an increase in potential energy of 12 kWh.
- Manchester Victoria to Rochdale has an increase in potential energy of 20 kWh.
- Manchester Victoria to Rawtenstall has an increase in potential energy of 28 kWh.
When you consider that a Class 230 train has 400 kWh of batteries in a two-car train, I don’t think that there will be any problem fitting batteries big enough to take a Class 399 tram-train from Manchester Victoria to Bury Bolton Street, Rochdale or Rawstenstall stations under battery power with a full load of passengers.
- The batteries would be charged in Manchester Victoria station.
- Returning to Manchester Victoria station would use a small amount of battery power, with some assistance from Newton’s friend; gravity.
- The batteries would get a certain amount of charge from the regenerative braking of the tram-trains.
This Google Map shows the Eastern approaches into Manchester Victoria station.
Note.
- The four through platforms numbered 3 to 6.
- The two bay platforms numbered 1 and 2.
- The four platform faces and three tracks of the Metrolink.
Having seen several tram-train systems all over Europe, I believe it would be possible to connect tram-trains running on batteries on the Calder Valley Line to the Manchester Metrolink at Manchester Victoria station.
- Going from Manchester to Bury Bolton Street, Rochdale or Rawtenstall, the tram-train would stop in the Manchester Victoria tram-stop, drop the pantograph and then continue on its way under battery power.
- Returning from the North, the tram-train would stop in the Manchester Victoria tram-stop, raise the pantograph and then continue on its way using power from the overhead wires.
- Batteries would be charged whilst running through Manchester.
There couldn’t be too many tram-train systems that would be easier to build than this?
It is interesting to note that Hebden Bridge station is just twenty-three miles from Manchester Victoria station and has an altitude of 190 metres.
So would it be possible for a Class 399 tram-train to reach Hebden Bridge station on battery power? I very much think it would be!
Class 399 Tram-Trains And Class 156 Trains
Class 156 trains are one of the better workhorses of the railways in the North and despite their age, they scrub up well.
If their performance is compared to that of a Class 399 tram-train, they are not that different.
- Noise and vibration of the electric tram-train is obviously much lower.
- The modern interior of the tram-train is geared to the needs of passengers.
- Passenger capacity of the two vehicles is also about the same.
- In Karlsruhe, tram-trains travel for up to 100 miles from the centre of the city.
Both Karlsruhe and Sheffield use three-car tram-trains, but Valencia uses much longer ones, so on heavily-used routes larger tram-trains could be used.
I doubt there would be many complaints, if a Class 156 service were to be replaced with one run by Class 399 tram-trains.
Electrification Of The Calder Valley Line
Electrifying the Calder Valley Line with 25 KVAC overhead wires as far as Rochdale station, would certainly make running to Hebden Bridge station possible.
- That electrification would also mean that electric trains could be turned-back at Rochdale station, just as diesel trains are now!
- I have flown my helicopter along the route and it looks like of the seven or eight bridges on the route, mostly appear to be modern structures for new roads or motorways.
- As 25 KVAC overhead electrification is currently being erected between Manchester Victoria and Stalybridge, a spur to Rochdale would be very much a simple addition.
It could be a very useful short length of electrification.
Tram-Trains In Manchester
This article on Rail Technology Magazine was puiblished yesterday and is entitled Plans For Tram-Trains In Manchester Unveiled As Grayling And Burnham Mull Expansion Of Metrolink.
Conclusion
Could we see tram-trains running from Bury Bolton Street, Hebden Bridge, Rawtenstall and Rochdale into Manchester Victoria and then taking to the existing tram network?
If you’ve ever been to Karlsruhe, as I have to see the Class 399 tram-trains German cousins, you wouldn’t rule out anything.
That would include tram-train services to Blackburn, Buxton, Chester, Glossop, Hebden Bridge, Sheffield, Southport and Wigan.
Infrastructure Delays Force Northern To Soldier On With Pacers
The title of this post is the same as that of this article on Rail Magazine.
This is the first paragraph.
Forty-six Pacers remained in traffic with Northern at the start of January, after they were supposed to have been sent off-lease.
Northern are saying they are still in service because of delays in the delivery of the electrification through Bolton, which would have allowed the replacement of Pacers with electric trains.
The situation has not been helped by the late delivery of eight Class 769 trains, which could be running partially-electrified routes.
The Class 331 trains should also be arriving this year.
As there are also some more Class 319 trains in store, it does look like Northern’s blaming of the late electrification is on the mark.
The Anonymous Widower 