Euston Station « The Anonymous Widower

Could High Speed Two Finish At Lichfield?

I wrote this post before Rishi Sunak made his speech.

I went to Manchester and Liverpool yesterday by train.

I took the 10:33 from Euston and this a summary of my journey.

The train left Euston half a minute early.
It arrived at Stafford (133.5 miles) at 11:50 and left at 11:52.
It arrived at Crewe (158.0 miles) at 12:08 and left at 12.10.
It arrived at Wilmslow (176.9 miles) at 12:25 and left at 12:27.
It arrived at Stockport (183.0 miles) at 12:35 and left at 12:37.
It arrived in Manchester Piccadilly (188.9 miles) at 12:46.
It was two minutes late into Manchester and more or less on time at the other stops.

Note.

The route was via the Trent Valley Line and the train passed through Nuneaton, Tamworth, Lichfield Trent Valley, Colwich and Stafford.
Euston and Manchester had been timetabled at two hours and eleven minutes.
This is an average speed of 86.5 mph.
The Wikipedia entry for High Speed Two gives the fastest time before High Speed Two opens as one hour and fifty-four minutes.
This will be an average speed of 99.4 mph.

Coming home, I took the 18:48 from Liverpool Lime Street and this a summary of my journey.

The train left Liverpool on time.
It arrived at Runcorn (13.2 miles) at 18:58 and left at 19:02.
It arrived at Crewe (35.8 miles) at 19:26 and left at 19:28.
It arrived at Milton Keynes (143.8 miles) at 20:27 and left at 20:29.
It arrived in Euston (183.6 miles) at 21:00.
It was five minutes late into Crewe and two minutes early at Euston.

Note.

The route was via the Trent Valley Line and the train passed through Stafford, Colwich, Lichfield Trent Valley, Tamworth and Nuneaton.
Liverpool and Euston had been timetabled at two hours and twenty minutes.
This is an average speed of 78.7 mph.
The Wikipedia entry for High Speed Two gives the fastest time before High Speed Two opens as two hours and three minutes.
This will be an average speed of 89.6 mph.

This map clipped from the High Speed Two web site, shows the junction North of Lichfield, where High Speed Two connects to the Trent Valley Line through Stafford.

Note.

High Speed Two runs North-South across the map.
After the Junction by Fradley South, High Speed Two to Crewe and the North, is the branch to the East.
The other branch connects to the Trent Valley Line at Handsacre junction.
Trent Valley Line can be picked out North of Lichfield, where it passes through Lichfield Trent Valley station.

The Trent Valley Line is no Victorian double-track slow-speed bottleneck.

The route between Rugby and Crewe is generally three or four tracks, with only one short stretch of double track, through Shugborough tunnel.
The speed limit is generally 110 mph, with 90 mph at Shugborough.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see Avanti West Coast’s Class 390 and Class 807 trains could be running at up to 140 mph on the route, if digital signalling were to be installed.
This speed would probably be attained by High Speed Two trains.

London Euston and Stafford would only have under twenty miles of slower line and that could be 140 mph, so High Speed Two times on the route could be very fast.

This second map clipped from the High Speed Two web site, shows between High Speed Two’s two Birmingham stations and Lichfield.

Note.

High Speed Two Phases 1 and 2a are shown in blue.
High Speed Two Phase 2b is shown in orange.
At the top of the map, can be seen the junction, where High Speed Two to the North splits, that was shown in the previous map.
The large blue dot in the West at the bottom of the map, is Birmingham Curzon Street station.
The other large blue dot is Birmingham International station.
The three sections of High Speed Two to London, Birmingham Curzon Street and the North meet at a triangular junction between the two Birmingham stations.
High Speed Two to the East Midlands, branches off to the East North of the triangular junction.

This third map clipped from the High Speed Two web site, shows between Lichfield and Crewe.

Note.

High Speed Two Phase 2a is shown in blue.
High Speed Two Phase 2b is shown in orange.
Crewe is in the North-West corner of the map, where at the South end of the orange section.
The junction at Lichfield is in the South-East corner of the map.
The lighter blue route to the East, between the Lichfield junction and Crewe is the new tracks of High Speed Two.
The darker blue route to the West, between the Lichfield junction and Crewe is the existing route of the Trent Valley Line and the West Coast Main Line.
The Trent Valley Line joins the West Coast Main Line at Stafford.

These are a few thoughts and questions.

How Will Trains Go Between Birmingham Curzon Street And London?

Trains will use the triangular junction shown in the second map to go between the two Birmingham stations and then head South,

How Will Trains Go Between Birmingham Curzon Street And The North?

Trains will use the triangular junction shown in the second map to turn North and then take one of the two routes to the North; High Speed Two or Trent Valley Line/West Coast Main Line.

How Will Trains Go Between Birmingham Curzon Street And The North If High Speed Two Between Birmingham And The North Is Scrapped?

If High Speed Two is scrapped from the Northern point of the triangular junction to the North, there will be no way that trains could go North from Birmingham Curzon Street.

The overcrowded Birmingham New Street station will still be the link to the North of England and Scotland for Birmingham.
How would trains connect to the future branch to East Midlands Parkway, which connects just North of the triangular junction?

I suspect that a short stub will be built North of the triangular junction to connect to the Trent Valley Line, which is currently, the main route of trains between London and the North through the West Midlands, for trains that don’t go through Birmingham.

Trains Between London And Stafford

Currently, Avanti West Coast trains take around one hour and seventeen minutes between London and Stafford.

The Wikipedia entry for High Speed Two gives these times between London and Stafford.

Fastest time before High Speed Two – one hour and seventeen minutes.
Time after Phase 2a of High Speed Two opens – fifty-five minutes.

Note.

That is a time saving of twenty-two minutes.

High Speed Two Trains will use the link between the junction at Lichfield and the Trent Valley Line.

How Many Avanti West Coast Services Use The Trent Valley Line?

These trains use the Trent Valley Line.

London and Holyhead – 8 tpd
London and Liverpool Lime Street – 1 tph, which is planned to increase to 2 tph
London and Manchester Piccadilly – 2 tph
London and Blackpool North – 1 tpd
London and Glasgow – 1 tph

Note.

tpd is trains per day
tph is trains per hour

This is roughly six tph.

Would It Be Possible To Finish High Speed Two At The Lichfield Junction And Connect It To The Trent Valley Line?

This is a repeat of the first map.

Note.

High Speed Two runs North-South across the map.
After the Junction by Fradley South, High Speed Two to Crewe and the North, is the branch to the East.
The other branch connects to the Trent Valley Line at Handsacre junction.
Trent Valley Line can be picked out North of Lichfield, where it passes through Lichfield Trent Valley station.

If the Eastern branch North from the junction were to be scrapped, all trains between London and North would go via Stafford.

As all these tracks are planned and must be at an advanced stage, that is ready for construction, I feel the route would be feasible.

It would have these benefits.

Birmingham Curzon Street services and the North-West of England and the West of Scotland would be possible.
Services between London and Stafford will be twenty-two minutes faster, than they are now.
Time savings will also apply to services from London to Liverpool, Macclesfield, Manchester, Stoke-on-Trent and all stations between Crewe and Glasgow.

The capacity of the Trent Valley Line would be the limiting factor.

Time Savings Between Crewe And Preston

According to the Wikipedia entry for High Speed Two, after Phase 2a of High Speed Two opens, these will be the fastest times to Crewe and Preston.

Crewe – 0:56
Preston 1:18

Note.

The fastest Preston service runs non-stop between Euston and Preston.
Crewe and Preston are 51 miles apart.

A time of 22 minutes between Crewe and Preston, means the average speed is 139 mph.

Does this mean that High Speed Two will improve between Crewe and Preston to allow 140 mph non-stop running?

But 22 minutes is certainly an improvement on the current time between Crewe and Preston for Scottish trains of 40 minutes.

Time Savings Between Crewe And Liverpool

The upgrading of the line between might save another couple of minutes between Crewe and Weaver junction.

What Times Would Be Possible Via High Speed Two And The Trent Valley Line?

These times are based on the following.

The twenty-two minute saving to Stafford, as all High Speed Two services to the North-West of England and the West of Scotland will go via Phase 1 of High Speed Two and Stafford.
A saving of eighteen minutes will be applied to Scottish services because of savings between Crewe and Preston.

This would give these times in hours:minutes.

Blackpool – 2:10
Carlisle – 2:35
Chester – 1:28
Crewe – 1:08
Glasgow – 3:50
Holyhead – 3:10
Lancaster – 2:03
Liverpool Lime Street – 1:41
Llandudno Junction – 2:24
Macclesfield – 1:30
Manchester Piccadilly via Crewe – 1:52
Oxenholme – 1:54
Preston – 1:46
Runcorn 1:31
Stafford – 0:55
Stockport – 1:35
Stoke-on-Trent – 1:10
Warrington – 1:22
Wigan 1:33
Wilmslow – 1:25

I have calculated extra services to Blackpool and North Wales.

Adding The Lichfield And Crewe Section

Consider.

My calculations indicate that London and Crewe will take 1:08.
The Wikipedia entry for High Speed Two, after Phase 2a of High Speed Two opens, gives the fastest time to Crewe as 0:56.

This indicates that adding the section of High Speed Two between Lichfield and Crewe will save a further twelve minutes.

Conclusion

I strongly believe that an upgraded Trent Valley Line linked to a shortened High Speed Two at Lichfield could improve journey times between London, Birmingham and the North.

There are certainly savings to be made.

See Also

High Speed Two To Crewe

High Speed Two To Holyhead

High Speed Two To Lancaster

High Speed Two To Liverpool

High Speed Two To Manchester

High Speed Two To Wigan

October 4, 2023 Posted by AnonW | Transport/Travel | Avanti West Coast, Birmingham Curzon Street Station, Birmingham International Station, Class 390 Train, Class 807 Train, Euston Station, Handsacre Junction, High Speed Two, High Speed Two Classic-Compatible Trains, High Speed Two Lite, Lichfield Trent Valley Station, Liverpool Lime Street Station, Manchester Piccadilly Station, Nuneaton Station, Trent Valley Line | 11 Comments

High Speed Two To Crewe

There has been a lot of speculation about the Northern end of High Speed Two, so I might as well add sort out a few facts and add a bit of speculation of my own.

Sample Times Between London And Crewe

These are selected times from the 27th September 2023.

07:30 – Glasgow Non-Stop – 1:29
07:33 – Manchester Piccadilly – 1:37 – Stops at Stafford
07:43 – Liverpool Lime Street – 1:40 – Stops at Milton Keynes
08:30 – Glasgow Non-Stop – 1:29
08:33 – Manchester Piccadilly – 1:37 – Stops at Stafford
08:43 – Liverpool Lime Street – 1:40 – Stops at Milton Keynes
09:02 – Holyhead – 1:40 – Stop at Stafford
15:02 – Chester – 1:40 – Stops at Tamworth, Lichfield Trent Valley and Stafford

Note.

The 07:30 and 08:30 Glasgow services appears to be pathed for one of the Class 390 Pendolino electric trains and were run by Pendolinos.
The 07:33 and 08:33 Manchester services appears to be pathed for one of the Pendolino electric trains and were run by Pendolinos.
The 07:43 and 08:43 Liverpool services appears to be pathed for one of the new Class 807 electric trains, but were run by Pendolinos.
The 15:02 Chester service appears to be pathed for one of the new Class 805 bi-mode trains.
All services except the Glasgow services stop at Crewe.
As London Euston and Crewe is 158 miles, the non-stop Glasgow services average 107 mph, the one-stop Manchester service averages 98 mph and the one-stop Liverpool service averages 95 mph.

I have some further thoughts.

How Long Does A Stop Take?

I’ve looked at some stops of Glasgow, Liverpool and Manchester services

Crewe

Looking at timings between Weaver Junction and Norton Bridge, I have found the following times.

Glasgow-Euston – 23 minutes
Liverpool-Euston – 28 minutes

Note.

Manchester services don’t go through Weaver Junction.
Weaver Junction and Norton Bridge are respectively North and South of Crewe.
The Liverpool service stops at Crewe, where it has a dwell time of two minutes.
The Glasgow service goes straight through Crewe.

The Crewe stop takes a total of 5 minutes of which 3 minutes are deceleration and acceleration to and from linespeed.

Stafford

Looking at timings between Norton Bridge and Colwich, I have found the following times.

Glasgow-Euston – 7½ minutes
Liverpool-Euston – 7½ minutes
Manchester -Euston – 14 minutes

Note.

Norton Bridge and Colwich are respectively North and South of Stafford.
The Manchester service stops at Stafford, where it has a dwell time of two minutes.
The Glasgow and Liverpool services go straight through Stafford.

The Stafford stop takes a total of 6½ minutes of which 4½ minutes are deceleration and acceleration to and from linespeed.

Milton Keynes

Looking at timings between Weedon and Bletchley, I have found the following times.

Glasgow-Euston – 11½ minutes
Liverpool-Euston – 16 minutes
Manchester -Euston – 12½ minutes

Note.

Weedon and Bletchley are respectively North and South of Milton Keynes.
The Liverpool service stops at Milton Keynes, where it has a dwell time of one minute.
The Glasgow and Manchester services go straight through Milton Keynes.

The Milton Keynes stop takes a total of 4 minutes of which 3 minutes are deceleration and acceleration to and from linespeed.

Average Speeds Between Crewe And London

London Ruston and Crewe is 158 miles according to Real Time Trains.

So what would times would various average speeds deliver?

100 mph – 95 minutes
110 mph – 86 minutes
120 mph – 79 minutes
125 mph – 76 minutes
130 mph – 73 minutes
140 mph – 68 minutes

Obviously, any average speed with over 125 mph running, will need full digital signalling.

Liverpool And London In Two Hours

Tucked away beside the Grand Union Sets Out Stirling Ambitions article in the December 2022 Edition of Modern Railways is a report on Avanti West Coast’s application for a second service between Euston and Liverpool.

This is said.

Avanti West Coast has applied for access rights for its second hourly Euston to Liverpool service, starting from December 2023, although a phased introduction of the new service is likely. This would make use of Avanti’s new fleet of 10×7-car Class 807 Hitachi EMUs, which are expected to enter service from Autumn 2023. The ‘807s’ would be deployed on the current hourly Liverpool service, on which a call at Liverpool South Parkway would be added. (provision is made for this in the December 2022 timetable.).

Pendolinos would then operate the second service each hour, calling at Lichfield Trent Valley and Tamworth.

A linespeed project is in progress to raise the permissible speed for non-tilting trains on the West Coast Main Line, and Avanti’s new Hitachi trains will take advantage of this.

I’ll take a quick look at the Crewe and Runcorn section.

It is 22.5 miles.
It takes 19 minutes.
That is an average speed of 71 mph.
Crewe and Weaver Junction has a speed limit of at least 110 mph
Runcorn and Weaver Junction has a speed limit of at least 90 mph for most of the way.
If with their superior performance, the new Class 807 trains could average 90 mph between Crewe and Runcorn, they would take 15 minutes.
Achieving the 90 mph average may need a bit of track realignment and some signaling changes.

The four minutes saved would be enough to handle the extra stop at Liverpool South Parkway.

Consider.

Currently, Pendolino trains do Liverpool and Crewe in 38 minutes, which includes the stop at Runcorn.
My calculation with the Class 807 trains, shows that with a bit of extra signalling, the new trains could do Liverpool and Crewe in 38 minutes with the two stops.
The stop at Crewe will subtract 5 minutes from the base journey time.
The stop at Milton Keynes will subtract 4 minutes from the base journey time.

This means the base journey time between Crewe and London will be 73 minutes.

This would indicate that the trains would be running at 130 mph to achieve the two hours.

But there are five accelerations and five decelerations on a journey between London and Liverpool and the new Class 807 trains are the Lotuses of Hitachi’s family of AT-300 trains; lightweight and powerful.

Suppose they could save thirty seconds for each acceleration and deceleration.

The base journey time between Crewe and London will be 78 minutes.

This would indicate that the trains would be running at over 120 mph to achieve the two hours.

I certainly feel, that Liverpool and London in two hours is certainly possible using the new Class 807 trains.

London and Crewe with two stops would be times at one hour and twelve minutes.

But what about the Pendolinos?

My last return trip from Liverpool did a practice call at Liverpool South Parkway and still arrived in London a few minutes early.
The Pendolinos will still benefit from any improvements, between Crewe and Runcorn, which could reduce the Liverpool and Crewe time from 38 minutes to 34 minutes.
The stop at Crewe will subtract 5 minutes from the base journey time.
The stops at Lichfield Trent Valley and Tamworth will both subtract 4 minutes from the base journey time.

This means the base journey time between Crewe and London will be 73 minutes, which is the same as for the Class 807 trains.

This would indicate that the trains would be running at 130 mph to achieve the two hours.

Could this average speed be achieved by the selective application of full digital signalling, perhaps on the Trent Valley Line?

But it does appear to me, that the Pendolinos can get very close to two hours between London and Liverpool.

London and Crewe with three stops would be times at one hour and sixteen minutes.

Crewe And London Non-Stop

Consider.

Pendolinos between London and Glasgow, go non-stop between London and Crewe.
I have calculated that Pendolinos between London and Liverpool, will take one hour and sixteen minutes with three stops between London and Crewe.
The three stops take a total of thirteen minutes.

I wouldn’t be surprised to see London and Glasgow Pendolinos take one hour and three minutes between London and Crewe.

This would knock twenty-six minutes off journey times between London and Glasgow.

Conclusion

I believe that with relatively minor improvements on the West Coast Main Line and the Liverpool branch, the following can be achieved.

Liverpool and London can be around two hours with new Class 807 trains or Pendolinos.
Liverpool and London services can increase their calls in the Midlands.
London and Glasgow services can be nearly half-an-hour faster.
The fastest London and Crewe services could be just over an hour using Pendolinos.

I also believe that the only serious infrastructure needed is some track realignment and some updated signalling.

High Speed Two To Holyhead

High Speed Two To Lancaster

High Speed Two To Liverpool

High Speed Two To Manchester

High Speed Two To Stoke-on-Trent

High Speed Two To Wigan

September 30, 2023 Posted by AnonW | Transport/Travel | Avanti West Coast, Chester Station, Class 390 Train, Class 805 Train, Class 807 Train, Class AT-300 Train, Crewe Station, Euston Station, Glasgow Central Station, High Speed Two, High Speed Two Classic-Compatible Trains, High Speed Two Lite, Holyhead Station, Liverpool Lime Street Station, Manchester Piccadilly Station, Milton Keynes Central Station, Stafford Station, West Coast Main Line | 11 Comments

High Speed Two To Liverpool

There has been a lot of speculation about the Northern end of High Speed Two, so I might as well add sort out a few facts and add a bit of speculation of my own.

The Current Liverpool Service

I shall look at the 08:43 train on the 18th September 2023.

It was a nine-car Class 390 train or Pendolino, which left on time.
Euston and Liverpool Lime Street are 193.7 miles apart.
The train called at Milton Keynes Central, Crewe and Runcorn
The train arrived at Crewe at 10:24 and left at 10:26.
The train arrived at Runcorn at 10:43 and left at 10:44.
The train arrived at Liverpool Lime Street at 11:04 on time.
The journey took two hours and 21 minutes
The average speed was 82.4 mph.
The Crewe and Liverpool Lime Street section is 39.7 miles and the train is scheduled to take forty minutes.
The average speed between Crewe and Liverpool Lime Street is almost exactly 60 mph.
The slower average speed is because the train is slowing for a gradual stop in Liverpool and the only fast section is the 110 mph section between Crewe and Weaver Junction, where the Liverpool Branch leaves the West Coast Main Line.
There is one train per hour (tph).

There are probably only limited ways that time can be saved between Crewe and Liverpool Lime Street.

The West Coast Main Line between Crewe and Weaver Junction takes twelve minutes and has an operating speed of 110 mph, so saving a few minutes might be possible, by upgrading the speed on this line with digital signalling to allow 140 mph running.
It might be possible to save a couple of minutes at the Runcorn stop by using the superior performance of the new Class 807 or High Speed Two trains.
The slowing down into and accelerating out of Liverpool might be improved by digital signalling and trains with better performance.

It should be noted that Liverpool Lime Street station was recently remodelled to improve operation of the station and the tracks connecting it to Runcorn.

I would be fairly sure that Network Rail and Avanti West Coast have got Crewe and Liverpool Lime Street times to a minimum. As this route will become part of High Speed Two, I suspect that Network Rail/Avanti have done extensive computer simulations of the route, to make sure they get it as quick and efficient as possible.

The New Class 807 Trains

The Class 807 trains, which enter service this year or early next, are the Lotuses in Hitachi’s AT 300 family of high speed trains.

They are electric only and have no heavy diesel engines or traction batteries.
They don’t even have emergency batteries for when the catenary fails.
They have a redesigned nose. Is it more aerodynamic?
As with all the other Hitachi high speed trains, they are capable of 125 mph, or 140 mph if the signalling permits.

These trains will undoubtedly have faster acceleration and deceleration and could probably knock minutes off the timings at all the stops.

A Second Hourly Train To Liverpool

This is said.

Avanti West Coast has applied for access rights for its second hourly Euston to Liverpool service, starting from December 2023, although a phased introduction of the new service is likely. This would make use of Avanti’s new fleet of 10×7-car Class 807 Hitachi EMUs, which are expected to enter service from Autumn 2023. The ‘807s’ would be deployed on the current hourly Liverpool service, on which a call at Liverpool South Parkway would be added. (provision is made for this in the December 2022 timetable.).

Pendolinos would then operate the second service each hour, calling at Lichfield Trent Valley and Tamworth.

A linespeed project is in progress to raise the permissible speed for non-tilting trains on the West Coast Main Line, and Avanti’s new Hitachi trains will take advantage of this.

Note.

The current Liverpool service stops at Milton Keynes Central, Crewe and Runcorn.
Liverpool South Parkway station is too short for the longest Pendolinos or Class 390/1 trains.
When the second service is implemented will it stop at Milton Keynes Central, Crewe, Runcorn and Liverpool South Parkway?
Will the Pendolinos only stop at Lichfield Trent Valley and Tamworth?

Will Avanti West Coast use the trains to take advantage of their strengths?

The new lighter Class 807 trains will use their superior acceleration and deceleration to execute fast stops at more stations.
The shorter Class 807 trains will call at Liverpool South Parkway.
The current Pendolinos will use their tilt to run as fast as possible between London Euston and Liverpool.

I also suspect that Avanti West Coast will adjust the stopping pattern to attract passengers. I read somewhere, that a stop at Nuneaton to connect to Leicester, Peterborough, Cambridge and Stansted Airport, was a possibility.

More Details Of A Second Hourly Train To Liverpool – 30th September 2023.

Real Time Trains is now showing the details of the second service between London Euston and Liverpool.

These are the future timings of the 09:13 train from Liverpool.

Liverpool – Leave at 09:13
Runcorn – Arrive at 09:28 and leave at 09:29½
Crewe – Arrive at 09:49 and leave at 09:56
Stafford – Arrive at 10:14½ and leave at 10:16½
Lichfield Trent Valley – Arrive at 10:29½ and leave at 10:31½
Tamworth – Arrive at 10:36½ and leave at 10:38½
Nuneaton – Arrive at 10:49 and leave at 10:51
Milton Keynes Central – Arrive at 11:21 and leave at 11:23
Euston – Arrive at 11.59

Note.

This service has not been activated yet.
It is pathed for a Class 80x train.
There are seven stops.
It will take two hours and 46 minutes.
Liverpool and Crewe will take 36 minutes.
There are two other inactivated services like this running through Birmingham and Northampton.

Could these services have been timetabled to test connectivity?

High Speed Two Classic Compatible Trains

These High Speed Two Classic Compatible trains are to be built for High Speed Two.

They will be able to run on both High Speed Two and current high speed lines like the East Coast Main Line and the West Coast Main Line.
They will have an operating speed of 205 mph on High Speed Two.
They will be able to operate at appropriate speeds on existing high speed lines. Typically, that is 125 mph, but with full digital signalling that is 140 mph.
They are two hundred metres long and are sixty metres shorter than an eleven-car Pendolino.
They are being built by a Hitachi-Alstom joint venture.

This document on the Government web site is the Train Technical Specification for High Speed Two Classic-Compatible Trains.

Introducing The High Speed Two Classic Compatible Trains Into Service

Consider.

London Euston and Liverpool Lime Street services can be run by eleven-car Pendolinos.
It looks like after the introduction of the second service between London Euston and Liverpool Lime Street is introduced, it will be run by Pendolinos and it could be a two-stop service.
The High Speed Two Classic Compatible trains should be able to run any service currently run by an eleven-car Pendolino.

So will Avanti West Coast use this second hourly London Euston and Liverpool Lime Street service to introduce the new High Speed Two Classic Compatible trains into public service?

It would make sure the trains and existing track and signals were fully debugged.
It would inform the public that High Speed Two is on its way.
It would be good marketing for High Speed Two.
They might shave a few minutes off journey times.
It could use all the existing infrastructure.
It will provide work for Alstom in Derby.

I feel Avanti West Coast just might!

London Euston And Liverpool Lime Street Before Phase 2a Of High Speed Two Opens

According to the Wikipedia entry for High Speed Two, these are the fastest timings.

London Euston and Crewe – One hour and 30 minutes
London Euston and Runcorn – One hour and 53 minutes
London Euston and Liverpool Lime Street – Two hours and 3 minutes

Currently, the fastest London and Liverpool Lime Street trains take two hours and 21 minutes, so are the Class 807 trains going to be eighteen minutes faster?

From these figures and the times of the 0843, I can deduce these journey times.

Currently, Crewe and Runcorn takes 17 minutes and the Class 807 train will take 23 minutes
Currently, Runcorn and Liverpool Lime Street takes 20 minutes and the Class 807 train will take 10 minutes
Currently, Crewe and Liverpool Lime Street takes 38 minutes and the Class 807 train will take 33 minutes

It looks like there may be slight problems with Wikipedia’s figures. But they were published before Avanti West Coast had run a Class 807 train between Crewe and Liverpool Lime Street. I think we’ll have to wait and see what turns up on Saturday, the 9th of December 2023, when the timetables change.

But I do feel now that the Class 807 trains will achieve London Euston and Liverpool Lime Street in two hours and three minutes.

London Euston And Liverpool Lime Street After Phase 2a Of High Speed Two Opens

According to the Wikipedia entry for High Speed Two, these are the timings.

London Euston and Crewe – 56 minutes
London Euston and Runcorn – One hour and 14 minutes
London Euston and Liverpool Lime Street – One hour and 32 minutes

From these figures and the times of the 0843, I can deduce these journey times.

Currently, Crewe and Runcorn takes 17 minutes and High Speed Two will take 18 minutes
Currently, Runcorn and Liverpool Lime Street takes 20 minutes and High Speed Two will take 18 minutes
Currently, Crewe and Liverpool Lime Street takes 38 minutes and High Speed Two will take 36 minutes

There doesn’t seem to be much of a saving between today’s Pendolino and High Speed Two between Crewe and Liverpool Lime Street.

Could it be that the work to improve Liverpool Lime Street station and its approaches a few years ago sorted out a lot of problems and Crewe and Liverpool Lime Street is now almost to the standard needed for High Speed Two?

If savings are made anywhere by High Speed Two, it could be between Runcorn and Liverpool Lime Street.

Looking at the operating speeds on OpenRailwayMap, there appears to be a 30 mph section of track for a couple of miles out of Liverpool Lime Street, which includes a sharp curve.

This Google Map shows the approaches to Lime Street station.

Note.

The tracks across the top of the map are the main electrified Liverpool and Manchester tracks.
The building in the middle is Alstom Traincare’s Liverpool Depot.
The line to Runcorn enters the map in the South-East corner and curves around the depot to join the tracks into Lime Street station.
The operating speed gradually reduces from 30 mph on this map to less than 15 mph in Lime Street station.

Perhaps, this 30 mph section is to be improved to gain the couple of minutes.

I also think, that savings could be possible at Runcorn station.

If when the second service starts, the Pendolinos don’t stop at Runcorn, that would save a few minutes.

The Class 807 and the High Speed Two Classic Compatible trains with their superior acceleration and deceleration could save a couple of minutes in the stop at Runcorn.

I very much feel that as the Pendolinos manage to achieve Crewe and Liverpool Lime Street in 38 minutes, that Pendolinos on the second service, Class 807 and the High Speed Two Classic Compatible trains, will all manage 36 minutes or less on the route.

London Euston And Liverpool Lime Street After Phase 2b Of High Speed Two Opens

There will be no changes as the full-size High Speed Two trains are not planned to run into Liverpool Lime Street.

Conclusion

It looks to me, that the Crewe and Liverpool Lime Street leg of High Speed Two is more or less complete.

Times between London and Liverpool will be as follows.

Before High Speed Two Phase 2a – 2 hours and 3 minutes
After High Speed Two Phase 2a – 1 hour and 32 minutes
After High Speed Two Phase 2b – 1 hour and 32 minutes

I believe that for many this will be fast enough, especially as it’s nearly complete.

High Speed Two To Crewe

High Speed Two To Holyhead

High Speed Two To Lancaster

High Speed Two To Manchester

High Speed Two To Stoke-on-Trent

High Speed Two To Wigan

September 20, 2023 Posted by AnonW | Transport/Travel | Avanti West Coast, Class 390 Train, Class 807 Train, Euston Station, High Speed Two, High Speed Two Classic-Compatible Trains, High Speed Two Lite, Liverpool Lime Street Station, Network Rail, West Coast Main Line | 10 Comments

Would It Be Possible For The Bakerloo And Watford DC Lines To Use The Same Trains? – 6th March 2023 Update

These two lines are very different.

The Bakerloo Line is a classic London Underground Line with 25 stations and services run by 1972 Stock trains.
The Watford DC Line is part of the London Overground with 19 stations and services run by Class 710 trains.

Ten stations are shared between the lines, of which only one; Queen’s Park offers level boarding.

The Shared Stations

The nine shared stations often have considerable steps up and down, as at Willesden Junction station, which is shown in Train-Platform Interface On Platform 1 At Willesden Junction.

I am rather pleased and pleasantly surprised, that there are not more accidents at the shared stations, but using the line must be a nightmare for wheelchair users, buggy pushes and large case draggers.

If Transport for London proposed building a line like this, they would have to launch it at the Hammersmith Apollo, where comedians perform.

The One Train Type Solution

To my mind, there is only one solution. The two services must use the same type of trains.

These are a few thoughts on the trains.

Trains Would Be Underground-Sized

As the trains will have to work through the existing tunnels to Elephant & Castle station, the trains would have to be compatible with the tunnels and therefore sized for the Underground.

I suspect they would be a version of the New Tube for London, that are currently being built by Siemens for the Piccadilly Line.

New Tube For London And Class 710 Train Compared

This Siemens infographic summarises the New Tube For London.

These figures are from Wikipedia.

Cars – NTFL – 9 – 710 – 4
Car Length – NTFL – 12.6 metres – 710 – 20 metres
Train Length – NTFL – 113.4 metres – 710 – 80 metres
Seated Passengers – NTFL – 268 – 710 – 189
Total Passengers – NTFL – 1076 – 710 – 678
Passenger Density – NTFL – 9.5 per metre – 710 – 8.2 per metre
Speed – NTFL – 62 mph – 710 – 75 mph

Note.

The figures for the Class 710 train are for a four-car train.
The passenger density and speed are closer than I thought they’d be.
I’m sure Siemens can design a longer and/or faster train if required for the Euston service.

I feel that the New Tube for London design could be adjusted , so that it could work the Watford DC service.

Platform Modifications

I suspect that the New Tube for London will be lower than the Class 710 train and all platforms would need to be lowered to fit the new trains.

I would also suspect that it would be easier to lower platforms, than modify them, so that they had dual-height sections to satisfy two classes of train.

It should be noted that the New Tube for London has shorter cars than the sixteen metre 1972 Stock trains currently used on the line, so there will be smaller gaps at stations with curved platforms like Waterloo.

I believe that with one class of train, all of the stations on the Bakerloo and Watford DC Lines could be made step-free between train and platform.

Platform Height On Platform 9 At Euston

I took these pictures on Platform 9 at Euston station.

Note that it is rather a high step into the train and there is a large gap.

But if say, a modern London Underground train from say the Victoria Line pulled into the platform would it be a better fit?

Platform Height At Kilburn High Road Station

These pictures show Kilburn High Road station.

I should have taken more pictures, but the step between the platform and train is similar to Platform 9 at Euston.

Platform Height At South Hampstead Station

These pictures show South Hampstead station.

I should have taken more pictures, but again the step between the platform and train is similar to Platform 9 at Euston.

Were The Platforms At Euston, South Hampstead And Kilburn High Road Built For Another Class Of Train?

This Wikipedia entry is for the London Underground Watford Joint Stock train, where this is said.

The Watford Joint Tube Stock was built for the service to Watford along both the Bakerloo tube and the London North Western Railway. As a result, the cars were owned by both the Underground and the London North Western Railway. To be able to operate on both lines, the car floors were 4+1⁄2 inches (110 mm) higher than other tube cars. This was a compromise height between the platform heights on the two lines.

The cars were ordered in 1914, but construction was delayed by The First World War. As a result, the first cars were not delivered until early 1920.

Note.

The Wikipedia entry has links to some images of which this is one.
They must have been rather cramped trains if they were built for deep tunnels and had a floor that was 110 mm higher, than other tube trains.

It certainly appears to be possible to design a train, that would fit both lines.

But would it fit modern regulations and give full step-free access?

Queen’s Park And Euston

This map from cartometro.com, shows the route between Queen’s Park and Euston stations.

Note.

The Watford DC Line is shown in orange.
Queen’s Park station is to the West of Kilburn High Road station.
It appears that Watford DC Line trains always use Platform 9 at Euston station.

The route seems to be a self-contained third-rail electrified line into Euston station.

On the subject of electrification between Queen’s Park and Euston stations, there would appear to be a choice between the third-rail system and London Underground’s four-rail system.

But it is rumoured that the New Tube for London will have a battery capability.

As Euston and Queen’s Park stations are only 3.7 miles apart, perhaps the choice would be to use battery power into Euston station, which would remove electrified rails from Euston?

How Many Trains Could Run Into Euston?

Currently, four trains per hour (tph) run into Euston.

It is generally accepted that six tph can use a single platform. But would this be enough?

I suppose there is the possibility of tunnelling under Euston station to a pair of terminal platforms.

In that case the current platform could be used by other services.

Southern’s Milton Keynes And Clapham Junction Service

This service wouldn’t be affected as it uses the fast lines between Willesden and Watford Junction.

Advantages Of One Train Type On The Bakerloo And Watford DC Lines

I can think of these advantages.

Step-free access between train and platform, should be achieved.
A unified fleet.
A higher frequency between Euston and Willesden Junction stations.
Higher frequency where needed.
If trains had a battery capability, Euston could be free of third-rail electrification.

As only one type of train will be using the Watford DC line between Euston and Watford Junction, this could result in operational efficiencies.

Linking Of The Bakerloo And Abbey Lines

This could be the biggest advantage of all.

This map from cartometro shows the lines at Watford Junction station.

Note.

The orange lines are the current Watford DC Line services of the London Overground, terminating in platforms 1 to 4 of Watford Junction station.
These lines would be taken over by the unified Bakerloo/Watford DC Line services, running nine-car New Tubes For London.
The next station to the South is Watford High Street.
The West Coast Main Line goes through the station and uses platforms 5 to 10.
At the North of the station is Platform 11 on the Abbey Line which leads roughly North East to St. Albans.

Look at how the Abbey Line is more or less in line with the twin-tracks of the Watford DC Line.

Recently, during the Bank Station Upgrade, a 488 metre long single track tunnel was built to divert the Southbound Northern Line.

This tunnel was not dug with a tunnel boring machine, but traditionally by hand, using men, picks, shovels and I suspect a few small machines.

I believe, that a similar technique could be used to dig a tunnel, to connect the Abbey Line and the Watford DC Line.

It would only be single-track
It would probably be less than 500 metres long.
It would connect to the Abbey Line to the South of Platform 11.
It would be deep-level tube-sized.
It might be dug by hyperTunnel.
Geography wouldn’t allow the tunnel to terminate in the Watford DC Line platforms at Watford Junction station.

But where would the terminal be on the Southern side of the West Coast Main Line?

This map from OpenRailwayMap, shows the two routes between Watford Junction and Bushey stations.

Note.

Watford Junction station is at the top of the map.
The orange line is the West Coast Main Line.
The yellow line looping to the West of the West Coast Main Line is the double-track Watford DC Line.
Bushey station is at the bottom of the map, where the two rail lines meet.
Watford High Street station is in the middle of the map on the Watford DC Line.

The new service could certainly take the Watford DC Line as far as Watford High Street station.

The station is close to the centre of Watford, the hospital and Vicarage Road stadium.
But there is no space for a terminal platform.

This second OpenRailwayMap shows the disused railways to the West of Watford High Street station.

Note.

The yellow loop at the East of the map is the Watford DC Line.
Watford High Street station is on this loop.
There is a triangular junction, that connects the former Croxley Green branch to the Watford DC Line.
The terminus at Croxley Green station is marked by a blue arrow.
There used to be intermediate stations at Cassiobridge, Watford West and Watford Stadium.
This route was used for the failed attempt to build the Croxley Rail Link.

But could a Western extension of the Abbey Line be built?

It would terminate at either Croxley Green or Cassiobridge.
There would be intermediate stations at Watford West, Watford Stadium and Watford High Street.
There would be two tph.
Trains would be nine-car New Tubes For London.
The current Abbey Line is 6.4 miles and would be run using battery power, with possible charging at St. Albans Abbey station.
The tunnel under the West Coast Main Line would be run on battery power.
The Western extension from Watford High Street station would be run using battery power, with possible charging at the Western end.

I believe, an extended Abbey Line could be a viable alternative to the ill-fated Croxley Rail Link.

I have used battery power, as I doubt Health and Safety would allow any new third-rail electrification.
I have used nine-car New Tubes For London for the extended Abbey Line, as their small cross-section would allow a smaller tunnel and they would be certified for running in tunnels.
Some platforms on the Abbey Line would need to be lengthened, but these would be the only modifications, other than the possible installation of the charging system.
The extended Abbey Line would serve Watford Hospital and Vicarage Road.

The capacity of the extended Abbey Line would be substantially more than the current line.

Conclusion

A common fleet used by the Bakerloo and Watford DC Line would appear to give advantages and it has been done successfully before.

But what the Bakerloo Line, the Watford DC Line, the Abbey Line and the Bakerloo Line Extension need is a good dose of holistic design.

March 6, 2023 Posted by AnonW | Design, Transport/Travel | 1972 Stock, Abbey Line, Bakerloo Line, Cassiobridge Station, Class 710 Train, Croxley Green Branch, Croxley Rail Link, Euston Station, hyperTunnel, Kilburn High Road Station, London Overground, New Tube For London, Queens Park Station, South Hampstead Station, St Albans Abbey Station, Step-Free, Transport for London, Watford DC Line, Watford Junction Station, Watford Stadium Station, Watford West Station | 3 Comments

Thoughts On Watford DC Line Electrification At Euston Station

I was in Euston station this morning and took these pictures of the electrification on Platform 9.

Note.

Watford DC Line trains usually use Platform 9.
The first two pictures show the 750 DC third rail electrification.
The last three pictures show the 25 KVAC overhead electrification.
The train is a five-car Class 710/3 train, which is a dual-voltage train.

The train’s pantograph was in the down position, as far as I could see.

This Google Map shows the ends of Platforms 6 to 11 at the station.

Note.

The platforms have their numbers painted on the end.
The train in the top-left corner of the image is in Platform 5.
Platforms 9 and 10 appear to be fitted with 750 VDC third-rail electrification.
All Platforms also seem to have 25KVAC overhead electrification.

So platforms 9 and 10 appear to be able to handle trains which need either form of electrification. When I took the first set of pictures, there was a Class 350 train in Platform 10.

These dual voltage platforms 9 and 10, may help with the operation of the station.

I have some questions.

Do TfL Intend To Increase Watford DC Line Services?

Currently, the services on the Watford DC Line are as follows.

Four trains per hour (tph) between Euston and Watford Junction stations.
In the last few weeks, I’ve seen both four-car Class 378 and five-car Class 701 trains on the route.
All trains that work the route appear to be dual voltage.

This TfL infographic illustrates their plans.

It says Watford and Euston would be run by five-car trains at a frequency of four tph.

TfL have ordered six five-car Class 701/3 trains for the Watford DC service.

Will The Watford DC Platforms Be Moved In The Euston High Speed Two Rebuild?

The operation of the Watford DC Line works well at present, but as Euston station is going through a major rebuild for High Speed Two, the platforms could be moved or rebuilt.

Would Health and Safety object to laying third-rail electrification and insist that Watford DC services used 25 KVAC to access Euston?

They could do this, as all trains running on the Watford DC Line are dual-voltage trains.

Would Removing Third-Rail Electrification From Euston Station Improve Safety?

Health and Safety would say it did and as the trains are dual-voltage, they could transition at Queen’s Park or South Hampstead stations.

An Alternative To Changing The Electrification

The distance between Euston and Queen’s Park stations is just under four miles.

In Will London Overground Fit On-board Energy Storage To Class 378 Trains?, I asked whether it would be worthwhile.

I finished with these two sentences.

I have no idea how much electricity would be saved by regenerative braking on the London Overground, but various applications of regenerative braking technology talk of electricity savings of between ten and twenty percent.

I think it is only a matter of time before the technology is proven to be sufficiently reliable and the numbers add up correctly for the Class 378 trains to be fitted with on-board energy storage.

What would be the advantages from fitting on-board energy storage?

There would be the savings of electricity by the use of regenerative braking to the batteries.
Trains could be rescued from the Thames Tunnel, if there was a power failure.
Hotel power would be maintained, if there was a power failure.
Trains can be moved in depots and sidings without power.
Trains would be able to move in the event of cable theft.
The battery would probably have sufficient capacity to move the train into and out of Euston.

There could be a saving in train operating costs and safety would be improved.

March 5, 2023 Posted by AnonW | Transport/Travel | Battery-Electric Trains, Class 378 Train, Class 701 Train, Electrification, Euston Station, Queens Park Station, Transport for London, Watford DC Line | 2 Comments

TfL Considers Replacing Over Half Of London Overground Trains Within The Next 4 Years

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

This is the sub-heading.

The trains were specially built for the dimensions of the Overground network

This paragraph outlines, why the trains may be replaced.

The 57 Class 378 ‘Capitalstar’ trains which provide the majority of services on London Overground could disappear as soon as June 2027, as Transport for London (TfL) officials decide what to do with them as their leases expire. The five carriage walkthrough trains have helped revolutionise the Overground network, being built to special dimensions to fit the unique profile of the suburban routes they run on – notably the East London line, where trains use the narrow single-bore Thames Tunnels.

Note.

The Class 378 trains, which I use regularly, still seem to be performing well!
They could do with a lick of paint and a tidying up in places.
Would it be too much to ask for power sockets and wi-fi?
The other London Overground trains, the Class 710 trains can’t run through the Thames Tunnel on the East London Line, as they have no means to evacuate passengers in the tunnel in an emergency.
More Class 378 trains are needed for the East London Line to increase services, but these can be obtained by transferring trains from the North London Line and replacing those with new Class 710 trains.

I live near the two Dalston stations on the London Overground and the thing we need most is more capacity.

I have some thoughts on London Overground’s future trains.

Increased Services On The Current Network

Plans exist to increase the frequency on various London Overground services and this graphic sums up what was planned a few years ago.

Note the extra two trains per hour (tph) between the following stations.

Clapham Junction and Stratford
Dalston Junction and Crystal Palace
Dalston Junction and Clapham Junction
Enfield Town and Liverpool St. via Seven Sisters

I think only Route 1 services have been increased.

I know signalling updates are holding up the extra trains on the East London Line, but are more trains needed to fully implement the extra services?

Routes 2 and 3 services will need Class 378 trains because of the tunnel and these would be transferred from the North London Line.
Route 4 would need Class 710 trains, as the service already uses them.

So there may be a need for more Class 710 trains.

West London Orbital Railway

The graphic doesn’t mention the West London Orbital Railway.

There would be two routes between West Hampstead and Hounslow and Hendon and Kew Bridge using the Dudding Hill Line.
The tracks already exist.
Some new platforms and stations would be needed.
The route would probably need improved signalling.
Four tph on both routes would probably be possible.
The West London Orbital Railway would connect to the Great Western Railway, the North London and Elizabeth Lines and High Speed Two at Old Oak Common station.

I believe it could be run by battery-electric versions of either the Class 378 or Class 710 trains. This would avoid electrification.

As some commentators have suggested that the West London Orbital Railway and the Gospel Oak and Barking Line would be connected, I would expect that new battery-electric Class 710 trains would be used.

Adding On-board Energy Storage To The Class 378 Trains

In Will London Overground Fit On-board Energy Storage To Class 378 Trains?, I asked whether it would be worthwhile.

I finished with these two sentences.

I have no idea how much electricity would be saved by regenerative braking on the London Overground, but various applications of regenerative braking technology talk of electricity savings of between ten and twenty percent.

I think it is only a matter of time before the technology is proven to be sufficiently reliable and the numbers add up correctly for the Class 378 trains to be fitted with on-board energy storage.

What would be the advantages from fitting on-board energy storage?

There would be the savings of electricity by the use of regenerative braking to the batteries.
Trains could be rescued from the Thames Tunnel, if there was a power failure.
Hotel power would be maintained, if there was a power failure.
Trains can be moved in depots and sidings without power.
Trains would be able to move in the event of cable theft.
Short route extensions might be possible.
Could battery power be used to serve Euston during the rebuilding process for High Speed Two?
Do Network Rail want to remove third-rail electrification from Euston station for safety or cost reasons?

There could be a saving in train operating costs.

We know the trains are coming up for a new lease.

Suppose the leasing company fitted them with new batteries and some other customer-friendly improvements like new seat covers, better displays, litter bins, power sockets and wi-fi.

The leasing company would be able to charge more, as they have added value to the trains.
TfL would be saving money due to less of an electricity bill.
The passenger numbers might increase due to the extra customer-friendly features.
Electrification might be removed from places where theft is a problem.
Third-rail electrification could be removed from Euston station. It’s only 2.8 miles to South Hampstead station, where third-rail electrification already exists.

Get it right and passengers, TfL, Network Rail and the leasing company would all be winners.

March 4, 2023 Posted by AnonW | Transport/Travel | Class 378 Train, Class 710 Train, Dudding Hill Line, East London Line, Elizabeth Line, Euston Station, Hendon Station, High Speed Two, Hounslow Station, Kew Bridge Station, London Overground, Network Rail, North London Line, Old Oak Common Station, Thames Tunnel, Transport for London, West Hampstead Station, West London Orbital Railway | 2 Comments

A First Ride In A Five-Car Class 710 Train – 30th January 2023

These pictures are from a few weeks back, when I had a first ride in one of the new five-car Class 710 trains.

I only went between Euston and Queen’s Park stations.

February 24, 2023 Posted by AnonW | Transport/Travel | Class 710 Train, Euston Station, Queens Park Station | Leave a comment

Is Liverpool Going To Get High Speed One-Point-Five?

Some of the best train journeys, I’ve ever had were not on high speed trains on specially-built tracks.

The Thunder of Three-Thousand Three-Hundred Horses is from the early 1970s and describes a trip back from Darlington behind a Class 55 locomotive or Deltic.

Norwich-In-Ninety Is A Lot More Than Passengers Think! describes a trip from London to Norwich and back, in the early days of the Norwich-in-Ninety timetable behind a Class 90 locomotive.

I could add a journey on an InterCity 125 from London to Plymouth, which was running nearly thirty minutes late at Newbury, but was on time at Exeter.

The connection between these stories, was that all had a superb biological control system in the cab, who with help from the signallers was able to keep to a difficult schedule or make up time.

Last year, I made several journeys between Euston and Liverpool Lime Street. A couple of the journeys were unusual in that we arrived at our destination around six or more minutes early.

I suspect, that Avanti West Coast were experimenting to make sure that they get the new two trains per hour (tph) for the route perfect.

In Avanti West Coast Looks To Recover, I said this about Euston and Liverpool Lime Street services.

A paragraph talks about the second hourly service between London and Liverpool.

Avanti still has ambitions to introduce a second hourly service between Euston and Liverpool, but when this will come in will depend on demand recovery.

Consider.

If would be desirable if some or all trains running on the route could achieve a timing of two hours between London and Liverpool.

It is felt that the second service should stop at Liverpool South Parkway station, where the platforms are too short for eleven-car Class 390 trains.

Avanti have stated they would like more stops in the Trent Valley, especially at Nuneaton, where they would connect to services to the East Midlands.

Nuneaton is almost exactly halfway between London and Liverpool.

Running two tph with Class 807 trains would need nine trains and Avanti have only ordered ten in total.

I believe that a practical timetable like this could work.

Class 390 train – one tph – Non-stop or perhaps a single stop in the Midlands – Under two hours

Class 807 train – one tph – Stopping at Nuneaton, Stafford, Crewe, Runcorn and Liverpool South Parkway – Current time or better

An hourly service between London and Liverpool in under two hours would surely be a passenger magnet.

So what is possible?

I found this service on Real Time Trains, which ran on the 16th February 2023.

Scheduled to leave Liverpool Lime Street at 0943, but left at 1012 or 29 minutes late.

Train did a ninety second unadvertised stop at Liverpool South Parkway. Now running 26 minutes late.

There was a two minute stop at Runcorn and a four-minute stop at Crewe. Now running 25 minutes late

There was a one-minute stop at Milton Keynes. Now running 20 minutes late.

The train arrived in London Euston at 1220 or 16 minutes late.

Note.

Liverpool Lime Street and London Euston took 2 hours and 8 minutes.

As Liverpool Lime Street and London Euston is a distance of 193.6, a 128 minute journey is an average speed of 90.7 mph

Liverpool Lime Street and Crewe took 32 minutes with two stops.

Crewe and London Euston took 1 hour and 32 minutes with one stop.

In West Coast Main Line Electro-Diesels On Test, I found that a Glasgow and London train took 1 hour and 28 minutes between Crewe and London Euston.

All services last week had the unadvertised stop at Liverpool South Parkway

What can be deduced from these figures?

If the Crewe stop were to be cut out, two hours and four minutes could certainly be possible between Liverpool Lime Street and London Euston with a Class 390 train.

I also suspect that if the train were to be run non-stop, that the other four minutes could be saved.

So will Avanti West Coast run the current service using new Class 807 trains, with the extra stop at Liverpool South Parkway and perhaps other stations and the additional hourly train with a non-stop nine-car Class 390 train?

This way of delivering a two tph service would mean.

Runcorn, Crewe and Milton Keynes would not lose any of their current fast services to and from Liverpool Lime Street and London Euston.

Liverpool South Parkway station is probably a more convenient location for some passengers going to and from the South. It would gain an hourly service to London Euston.

There will be an additional 77% of seats between Liverpool Lime Street and London Euston.

Passengers who don’t like tilting trains could use the Class 807 trains.

One tph would be timed for two hours or under and would be a marketing man’s dream.

No train would be slower than the current services.

Improvements To The Non-Stop Class 390 Train Service

I earlier said.

As Liverpool Lime Street and London Euston is a distance of 193.6, a 128 minute journey is an average speed of 90.7 mph.

An average speed of 90.7 mph, doesn’t seem fast for a Class 390 train with an operating speed of 125 mph or 140 mph under full ERTMS digital signalling.

These are some times for a selection of average speeds between Liverpool Lime Street and London Euston.

90 mph – 2 hours 9 minutes

100 mph – 1 hour 56 minutes

110 mph – 1 hour 46 minutes

120 mph – 1 hour 37 minutes

125 mph – 1 hour 33 minutes

130 mph – 1 hour 29 minutes

135 mph – 1 hour 26 minutes

140 mph – 1 hour 23 minutes

Note.

Average speeds of upwards of 130 mph are unlikely, but I’ve added them to show that the train speed is less important than the speed of the track.

High Speed Two’s planned time between Liverpool Lime Street and London Euston is 1 hour and 32 minutes.

But I do think times of around 1 hour and 35 minutes should be possible for non-stop Class 390 trains between Liverpool Lime Street and London Euston with an improved track and full ERTMS digital signalling.

Improvements To The Stopping Class 807 Train Service

As the track of the West Coast Main Line is improved with better track and full ERTMS digital signalling, this will also benefit the times of the stopping service run by the new Class 807 trains.

The Class 807 train with its lighter weight will have better acceleration than the current Class 390 trains. This will mean, that they will not be slowed as much, when they stop.

It may be possible to add extra stops at places like Watford Junction, Nuneaton and Stafford and still time the train for a few minutes over two hours.

Avanti West Coast Looks To Recover, is a post, that I wrote based on an interview in Modern Railways with Phil Whittingham, who is MD of Avanti West Coast.

There is a lot of talk in the article about.

Using Nuneaton to connect the North West and the East Midlands.

The acceleration of the Class 807 trains.

Improving the Customer Service.

I think that Liverpool will find it is connected to more of the country on services with just a single change.

Conclusion

Liverpool is getting greater connectivity to the Midlands and the South-East of England, with times, that could be improved to be comparable with High Speed Two.

February 18, 2023 Posted by AnonW | Transport/Travel | Avanti West Coast, Class 390 Train, Class 55 Locomotive, Class 807 Train, Class 90 Locomotive, Darlington Station, Digital Signalling, Euston Station, High Speed Two, InterCity 125, Liverpool Lime Street Station, Liverpool South Parkway Station | 8 Comments

West Coast Main Line Electro-Diesels On Test

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

This is the first paragraph.

The first two of 13 Hitachi Class 805 electro-diesel trainsets ordered for Avanti West Coast services are undergoing testing on the West Coast Main Line ahead of entry into service later this year.

These Class 805 trains will go to places like Chester, Bangor and Holyhead via Crewe.

It is interesting to look at various Crewe to London Euston services this morning.

0740 – Class 390 train – From Liverpool – One Stop – 1 hour 40 minutes
0755 – Class 221 train – From Holyhead – One Stop – 1 hour 40 minutes
0832 – Class 390 train – From Manchester – One Stop – 1 hour 37 minutes
0844 – Class 390 train – From Glasgow – 1 hour 28 minutes

Note.

The first field is the four-figure time that the train left Crewe.
The last field is the journey time between Crewe to London Euston.
The Class 390 and 805 trains will use electricity to run between Crewe and London Euston, whereas the Class 221 train will use diesel.
Crewe and London Euston is 158 miles.
The Glasgow train covers the 158 miles at an average speed of 107.7 mph.

I have some thoughts.

What Will Be The Time For A Class 805 Train Between Crewe And London Euston?

Consider.

From Crewe, the Class 805 train will be using the electrification to London Euston.
The Class 390 train can tilt, whereas the Class 805 train can’t!
The Class 805 train is at least three tonnes lighter per car, than the Class 390 train.
The lighter weight and possibly more power of the Class 805 trains, will give better acceleration.
There is twenty-one years of difference in the build dates of the two trains. In that time, I also suspect that Network Rail have improved the track between Crewe and London Euston.
Norton Bridge junction has been improved to avoid conflicts.
It would be very convenient for Avanti West Coast and Network Rail, if the performance under electrification of the two trains were similar.

For these reasons, I believe that the performance of a non-stop Crewe And London Euston service using a Class 805 train will be such that it can match that of a Class 390 train.

I would also expect that with a similar stopping pattern between Crewe And London Euston, there would be little to choose between the two trains.

I can see with its better acceleration and lighter weight that the time between Crewe and London Euston will be perhaps a dozen minutes faster than the current time.

Using the electrification will also save a lot of diesel fuel with all its emissions.

Along The North Wales Coast Line

Consider.

Crewe and Holyhead is 105.5 miles and takes two hours and two minutes in a typical service.
These figures give an average speed of 52 mph.
There are six stops, which are scheduled to take a total of ten minutes.
About half the North Wales Coast Line has a maximum operating speed of 90 mph, but through Chester, Llandudno Junction and West of Bangor, the operating speed is 75 mph or less.

I am fairly sure, that with both the current Class 221 trains and the new Class 805 trains, it will be the track, rather than the train that determines the average speed.

It would therefore appear that if the average speed can be raised by track improvements these time savings could be achieved.

60 mph – 105.5 mins – 16.5 mins
70 mph – 90 mins – 32.5 mins
80 mph – 79 mins – 43 mins
90 mph – 70 mins – 52 mins
100 mph – 63 mins – 59 mins
110 mph – 58 mins – 64 mins
120 mph – 53 mins – 69 mins
130 mph – 49 mins – 73 mins
140 mph – 45 mins – 77 mins

Note.

The first column is the average speed.
The second column is the time between Holyhead and Crewe.
The third column is the saving.
I suspect that 90 or 100 mph would be the highest possible practical average speed.
Trains average 100 mph on several long sections of the Great Eastern Main Line.
I put in the higher speeds to show what is possible, if the North Wales Coast Line were to be converted into a 140 mph electrified line with digital signalling.

Even at these relatively slow speeds compared to High Speed Two, there are considerable time savings to be made, just by improving the tracks.

Incidentally, High Speed Two is quoted in Wikipedia as aiming for a Crewe and London Euston time of 56 minutes, so by averaging 100 mph between Crewe and Holyhead, London Euston and Holyhead could be under two hours.

Batteries And Class 805 Trains

I wouldn’t be surprised that soon after the Class 805 trains are delivered, they could be converted to a version of Hitachi’s Intercity Tri-Mode Battery Train, the specification of which is shown in this Hitachi infographic.

Note.

I suspect that the batteries will be used to handle regenerative braking on lines without electrification, which will save diesel fuel and carbon emissions.
The trains accelerate faster, than those they replace.
The claimed fuel and carbon saving is twenty percent.
It is intended that these trains will be introduced in 2023.

But Hitachi have not given any predictions of the range of these trains on battery power alone.

However, they do claim a battery range of 56 miles for the Hitachi Regional Battery Train, which is based on similar technology.

These trains could help in speeding the stops between Crewe and Holyhead.

Batteries would be charged at Holyhead and on the electrification to the South of Crewe.
At each stop, trains would use a proportion of the power in the battery to accelerate faster and save fuel and cut emissions.
Battery power would be used in stations for train hotel power.
Westbound trains would arrive in Holyhead and Southbound trains would arrive in Crewe, with not much power in the battery.

I suspect that, whether diesel or battery power is used, will be controlled by a sophisticated computerised control system.

Electrification Along The North Wales Coast Line

I think this will eventually happen to allow High Speed Two Classic-Compatible trains to run to Chester and along the North Wales Coast Line to Llandudno, Bangor and Holyhead.

But there is no benefit to be gained in electrifying until higher speeds are possible, after track improvements.

I believe these times will be possible with track improvements and the opening of High Speed Two.

Holyhead and Crewe – Class 805 train and 80 mph average – 79 mins
Holyhead and Crewe – Class 805 train and 90 mph average – 70 mins
Holyhead and Crewe – High Speed Two Classic-Compatible train, electrification and 100 mph average – 63 mins
Crewe and London Euston – Class 805 train – 80 mins
Crewe and London Euston – High Speed Two Classic-Compatible train – 56 mins

Note, electrification will be needed, to run High Speed Two Classic-Compatible trains along the North Wales Coast Line.

I am confident that these times will be possible.

Holyhead and London Euston – Class 805 train and 90 mph average along the coast – 2 hours 30 mins
Holyhead and London Euston – High Speed Two Classic-Compatible train and 100 mph average along the coast – 2 hours

The current time between Holyhead and London Euston is over three hours 45 minutes.

Conclusion

These trains will certainly speed up trains to North Wales.

February 15, 2023 Posted by AnonW | Transport/Travel | Anglesey, Avanti West Coast, Bangor Station, Chester Station, Class 221 Train, Class 390 Train, Class 805 Train, Crewe Station, Electrification, Euston Station, High Speed Two, High Speed Two Classic-Compatible Trains, Holyhead, North Wales, North Wales Coast Line | 11 Comments

Thoughts On Extending The Northern Line To Clapham Junction

As I wrote in Northern Line Could Be Extended To Clapham Junction In Regeneration Plans, the extension of the newly-built extension to Battersea Power Station station could be further extended to Clapham Junction station.

Railways Between Battersea And Clapham

This map from OpenRailwayMap shows the tracks that run between the two stations.

Note.

Battersea Power Station station is in the North-East corner of the map.
The orange and yellow lines going North from that corner go to Victoria station.
The orange and yellow lines going North-East from that corner go to Waterloo station.
The yellow line going West is the West London Line to Shepherds Bush and Willesden Junction stations.
Clapham Junction station is in the South-West corner of the map.

I estimate that the distance between Battersea Power Station and Clapham Junction stations is about three kilometres.

This map from OpenRailwayMap shows an enlargement of the tracks around Battersea.

Note.

The tracks going North over the River to Victoria station.
The tracks going East to Waterloo station.
The tracks going South West to Clapham Junction station.
The tracks from Victoria pass over and then join the tracks from Waterloo to continue to Clapham Junction station.

Battersea Power Station station can be seen to the North-East of the junction.

This map from OpenRailwayMap shows an enlargement of the tracks around Battersea Power Station station.

Note how the tracks go through Battersea Power Station station and terminate just before the lines into Victoria station.

It should also be noted that the platforms at Battersea Power Station station are reached using two sets of escalators, so they could be over forty metres below the surface. This would surely make the construction of tower blocks with deep foundations easier over the Northern Line.

But the depth would also enable an extended Northern Line to be below any existing or future construction.

This map from OpenRailwayMap shows the approaches to Clapham Junction station.

There are certainly a lot of tracks through Clapham Junction station.

Reasons For The Extension Of The Northern Line To Clapham Junction

These reasons come to mind.

To Enable Development In The Area

This is always a good reason.

In Network Rail To Outline Business Case For Clapham Junction Redevelopment, I said this.

The Rail Technology Magazine article talks of decking over the whole station and putting two million square feet of development on top. But it also cautions, it would be very expensive.

With that amount of development, there would be a need for as many transport links as possible.

To Improve Access To The Elizabeth Line For Passengers On Trains To And From Victoria

Victoria station does not have an Underground Line, that connects to easily the Elizabeth Line.

The best route to use is described in The Lizzie Line And Circle/District Line Interchange At Paddington – 1st July 2022, where you use the Circle to Paddington.

To go to the West on the Elizabeth Line, take the Circle/District Line to Paddington.
To go to the East on the Elizabeth Line, take the District Line to Whitechapel.
To go to Liverpool Street take the Circle Line all the way.

Getting to the stations between Paddington and Liverpool Street means a change at either of those stations.

At Waterloo, you can use the Northern Line, which has a direct connection to Tottenham Court Road on the Elizabeth Line.

Connecting to the Northern Line at Clapham Junction will give Victoria-bound passengers, the advantages of those going to Waterloo.

An Alternative Way Of Connecting Victoria To The Elizabeth Line

The lack of an easy connection between the Victoria and the Elizabeth Line is a pain and I believe that it was a major omission in the design of the Elizabeth Line.

Dear Old Vicky has a frequency of upwards of thirty trains per hour (tph)
With some improvements at stations like Oxford Circus, Highbury & Islington and Walthamstow Central, the line could handle some more passengers.
More step-free access would also help increase capacity.
Engineers are a competitive bunch and I could see the day, when Vicky is running at 40 tph.

If Vicky was running at forty full tph, it would be moving 45120 passengers per hour.

This would mean that to match the passenger capacity of the older line, the Elizabeth Line would have to be running at a frequency of thirty tph.

As passengers at the ends of the line have difficulty getting to places like Paddington and Heathrow, a connection between the two Queens would really help.

Vicky was universe-class in the 1960s and now she needs updating to the 21st Century.

This map from cartometro shows the Lines through Bond Street and Oxford Circus stations.

Note.

The Bakerloo Line is shown in brown.
The Central Line is shown in red.
The Elizabeth Line is shown in purple.
The Victoria Line is shown in light blue.
The Elizabeth Line is the deepest line.

In addition, consider.

The Eastern exit of the Elizabeth Line at Bond Street station has three escalators and lifts. It also opens onto Hanover Square, so it won’t suffer from overcrowding problems outside.

Hanover Square is just a garden, with no car park underneath, so pedestrian tunnels could pass under it
I also suspect there are no existing or planned buildings between the two stations with deep foundations that would block a pedestrian tunnel.
With the capability and ingenuity of three-D design software, I can see wide tunnels being created that would link Oxford Circus and the two Bond Street stations.
The new wide tunnels at Bank station have opened up the station’s capacity and all the tunnels were dug traditionally.
If it was felt to be needed, moving walkways could be added, just as they have been at Bank station.

I am absolutely sure, that by using the ideas and methods, that have worked so well in the upgrade of Bank station, that Oxford Circus and Bond Street stations could be turned into a London Superhub Station, that connects all the Underground lines together and has entrances all over the area.

The benefits of such a station would be.

It would provide a high-capacity link between London’s two highest-capacity Underground Lines; Elizabeth and Victoria.
It would provide a high-capacity link between the Elizabeth Line and Euston, St. Pancras and King’s Cross.
It would provide a high-capacity link between the Elizabeth Line and Victoria.
It would provide a high-capacity link between the Elizabeth Line and High Speed Two.
Areas like Brixton, Haringey and Walthamstow would gain a much needed link to the Elizabeth Line for Heathrow and Paddington.

Wikipedia says this about the building of the Bank Station Upgrade.

As part of the development of the scheme, TfL worked with potential bidders to improve the design of the station from TfL’s original design. The design proposed in the winning bid by Dragados was 9.7% cheaper than the original design (saving TfL £60m), took 10 months less time to construct than the original design (the proposed closure of the Northern line was also 5 weeks shorter), and the layout of the station was more efficient. This substantially improved the benefit–cost ratio by 45% to 3.5:1.

The Mayor should be knocking on the door of Dragados and asking them for a price for a design and build for a West End Superhub station.

A Possible Route For The Extension Of The Northern Line To Clapham Junction

I suspect that the simplest route for the extension of the Northern Line would be to bore or dig a twin-track railway underneath the numerous other railways in the area.

It could terminate in two underground platforms at Clapham Junction station.

This is the first map of this post and it shows the tracks that run between the two stations.

Note.

Battersea Power Station station is in the North-East corner of the map.
Clapham Junction station is in the South-West corner of the map.

The Western of the pair of orange Lines going off the map in the North-East corner of the map is the Brighton Main Line.

It passes through Battersea Park station.

It passes over the South Western Main Line out of Waterloo.

It then loops to the West and joins the lines to Clapham Junction on the Southern side.

It serves four platforms at Clapham Junction; 12 and 14 are up platforms and 13 and 15 are down platforms.

This Google Map shows an overview of Clapham Junction station.

Note.

Platforms 1 and 2 at the top of the map, handle London Overground services.
Platforms 3 to 11 handle South Western Train services.
Platforms 12 to 17 handle Southern services.
Platforms 9 and 10 have a Delice de France cafe.
Platforms 11 and 12 have a Cuppacino cafe.
Platforms 13 and 14 have the logos.
All platforms have full step-free access with lifts to the wide footbridge that connects all platforms.

The platforms don’t seem to be very wide and putting stairs and escalators down to underground platforms could be a difficult proposition.

This map from OpenRailwayMap shows shows the platforms at Clapham Junction station and the track layout to the West of the footbridge.

Note.

The tracks through the platforms are shown in orange.
The blue dots are platform numbers.
The bridge connecting all the platforms is shown shaded in the middle of the map.
To the West of the bridge are Clapham Junction Sidings and Clapham Traincare Depot.

These pictures were taken from the bridge.

Note.

The top row of pictures were taken looking West.
The bottom row of pictures were taken looking East.
Many of the tracks are electrified.
There is a lot of space to park trains.

Will all the space be needed now, that a new depot has been built at Feltham.

Could Two New Surface Platforms Be Built For The Extension Of The Northern Line To Clapham Junction?

Consider.

The step-free bridge across all the platforms at Clapham Junction station works well.
It is connected to the streets around the station at both ends.
Clapham Junction station will be redeveloped and surplus depot land could be used for housing.
As the maps show, there is a large gap in the platforms between the South Western Railway and the Southern sides of the station.
As Battersea Power Station station can turn services on the Northern Line with only two platforms, there would only need to be the same number of Northern Line platforms at Clapham Junction.

So could an extra pair of platforms be built under the bridge, with stairs and a lift similar to the existing platforms?

The platform would have full step-free access.
The platforms could be long enough for any future trains.
There could be sidings for a few trains.
The tunnels from Battersea Power Station would surface just outside the station.
There would need to be a crossover or a turnback siding for operational reasons.

I also think, that once the depot and sidings at Clapham Junction have released the space, the new platforms and tracks could be installed without interrupting main line services through the station.

Would The Extension Of The Northern Line Be Electrified?

Consider.

Merseyrail were not allowed to use third-rail electrification to Headbolt Lane station and had to use batteries.
The Northern Line was extended to Battersea Power Station station using London’s four-rail electrified system.
Clapham Junction station has third-rail electrification everywhere.

I think that the authorities would be very churlish not to allow electrification to Clapham Junction.

Conclusion

I believe it is possible to extend the Northern Line to two new surface platforms at Clapham Junction station.

But I also believe that using similar methods to those used in the Bank Station Upgrade, that a full interchange between the Elizabeth and Victoria Lines can be built at Oxford Circus and Bond Street.

February 4, 2023 Posted by AnonW | Transport/Travel | Battersea Power Station Station, Brighton Main Line, Clapham Junction Station, Development, Dragados, Elizabeth Line, Euston Station, Feltham Depot, King's Cross Station, London Overground, London Superhub Station, Moving Walkway, Northern Line, Sadiq Khan, South Western Main Line, South Western Railway, Southern, St. Pancras Station, Tottenham Court Road, Transport for London, Victoria Line, Victoria Station, Waterloo Station, West London Line | 1 Comment

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