Dore And Totley Station – 13th July 2020
These pictures show Dore and Totley station.
These are my thoughts on the station and the tracks through it.
The Midland Main Line And High Speed Two
The two tracks, that are furthest away from the station platform are the Midland Main Line between Sheffield and Chesterfield, Derby and the South.
- These tracks will be taken over by High Speed Two.
- They will be electrified with 25 KVAC overhead electrification between Clay Cross North junction and Sheffield station.
- The trains on the Midland Main Line will continue to use the electrified tracks.
- East Midlands Railway have ordered bi-mode Class 810 trains, which will each be 120 metres long or 240 metres long, when running as a pair.
- CrossCountry’s Class 220 trains are 187 metres long running as a pair.
- I estimate that the faster trains were doing around 100 mph, as they passed Dore and Totley station. I shall measure it properly next time, I go to Sheffield on a train.
Note.
- High Speed Two’s trains will probably be going through at the same speed as East Midlands Railway’s Class 810 trains.
- High Speed Two will be running their 200 metre long classic-compatible trains to and from Sheffield, so except that there will be two more trains in every hour, there will be little difference.
- Both the High Speed Two and the East Midlands Railway trains will be running on electric power between Sheffield and Chesterfield stations.
- It is likely that other services will use electric power on the Midland Main Line.
- There will be no platforms on the High Speed tracks at Dore and Totley station.
I would suspect that there will be little disruption to train services through the area, whilst the electrification is installed, judging by the disruption caused during electrification between Bedford and Corby.
Dore Junction
Dore Junction is a triangular junction, that connects the Hope Valley Line and the Midland Main Line to the South of Dore and Totley station.
This Google Map shows Dore Junction.
Note.
- Dore and Junction station is at the North of the Map.
- Dore West Junction is in the South West corner of the map and leads to the Hope Valley Line.
- Dore South Junction is in the South East corner of the map and leads to Chesterfield on the Midland Main Line.
This second Google Map shows Dore South Junction.
Could this junction be improved to increase capacity and efficiency?
- The Southern track of the triangular junction is only single track.
- It is a major route for stone trains between Derbyshire and London and the South.
If Network Rail have any ideas for Dore Junction, then surely, when the works in the area are being carried out, is the time for them to be performed.
Platform Length At Dore And Totley Station
I took these two pictures when I arrived at Dore and Totley station.
As the train was formed of two two-car Class 150 trains and the train fits the platform, it would appear that the platform is about eighty metres long.
An Extra Platform At Dore And Totley Station
There may be no plans to put platforms on the Midland Main Line, but plans exist for an extra track through the station, that will connect to the Hope Valley Line.
This Google Map shows Dore and Totley station and the Midland Main Line.
The second platform wouldn’t be the widest platform,. but I’m sure a second track and a safe platform could be squeezed in.
- A bridge with lifts would be needed.
- The current single platform at the station is around eighty metres long, but as I said in Beeching Reversal – Sheaf Valley Stations, the platforms must be long enough to take a pair of Class 185 trains or a five-car Class 802 train, which is probably around 140 metres.
I wonder if more space is needed, the Midland Main Line could be realigned to give more space and better performance.
A Turnback At Dore And Totley Station
In Beeching Reversal – Sheaf Valley Stations, I said this about a possible turnback at Dore and Totley station.
This Google Map shows Dore & Totley station and the area to the South.
Note.
- There would appear to be a lot of space between the Midland Main Line and the single track, that leads between Dore & Totley station and the Hope Valley Line.
Flying my helicopter, as low as I dare, it looks like the area is either a rubbish dump or very low grade businesses.
Crossrail has designed turnbacks at Abbey Wood and Paddington stations, that will handle twelve tph.
I believe that it would be possible to design a turnback at Dore & Totley station, that would handle eight trains per hour, if not twelve tph.It might even be possible to squeeze in some overnight stabling.
Whilst I was at Dore and Totley station, I met a couple, who were perhaps a few years older than me, who had grown up in the area.
He could remember local steam services between Sheffield and Dore and Totley stations, where there had been a turntable to the South of the station to reverse the locomotive.
Conclusion
After what I saw on my visit to Dore and Totley station, I would suspect that the station can be updated to the standard required to allow four tph between Manchester Piccadilly and Sheffield stations.
It could also be a station that will attract passengers.
Along The Hope Valley Line – 13th July 2020
These pictures show my return trip between Manchester Piccadilly and Dore & Totley stations.
There are an assorted set of stations.
- Some stations appear to have new platforms.
- Marple station has a impressive step-free bridge.
- Some stations may be Listed or should be.
- There are walking routes from some stations.
- Some stations need improvements to the access.
I also have some thoughts on the service.
The Class 150 Trains
The Class 150 trains have these characteristics.
- Installed Power – 426 kW
- Weight – 35.8 tonnes
- Operating Speed – 75 mph.
This compares with these for a Class 195 train.
- Installed Power – 780 kW
- Weight – 40 tonnes
- Operating Speed – 100 mph.
- Acceleration – 0.83 m/sec/sec
Unfortunately, I can’t find the acceleration for a Class 150 train, but I suspect that it’s not as good as the Class 195 train.
- I was in a Class 150 train, for both journeys.
- IThe train was on time both ways.
- The engine under my carriage wasn’t working that hard.
- The train was trundling around at around 60 mph.
- The operating speed of the line is 90 mph.
So I suspect, that a well-driven Class 195 train will shave a few minutes from the journey time.
Transport For The North’s Plan For Manchester And Sheffield
Transportbfor the North objective for Manchester Piccadilly and Sheffield stations can be summed up as follows.
Four tph in forty minutes.
As current trains take over anhour, it could be a tough ask!
The Timetable
The timetable isn’t very passenger-friendly with no easy-to-remember clock-face timetable.
This must be sorted.
Hopefully, it will increase the number of passengers riding on the route.
Battery Electric Trains
Consider.
- Sheffield station will be electrified for High Speed Two.
- It is likely that the route between Dore & Totley and Sheffield station will be electrified.
- There is electrification at the Manchester end of the route.
- The distance without electrification in the middle is probably about thirty-six miles.
- Fifty-sixty miles seems a typical range quoted for a battery electric train by train manufacturers.
As electric trains generally accelerate faster than their diesel equivalent, these could run the route reliably and save time on the journey.
Conclusion
I’m coming round to the opinion, that Transport for the North’s objectives for the route can be met without electrification.
Macclesfield Station And High Speed Two
Today, I went to Macclesfield station.
In the latest iteration of High Speed Two, two new destinations were added to the High Speed Two Network; Macclesfield and Lancaster.
These pictures show Macclesfield station.
It is a modern station, with three through platforms, two bridges and some Modernist architecture from the 1970s, that could be improved.
This Google Map shows the layout of the station.
Note.
- Platform 1 is in the West and is used by trains to Stockport and Manchester Piccadilly.
- Platform 2 is in the middle and is used by trains going to Stoke, London and the South.
- Platform 3 is in the East and appears to be used a couple of times per day.
- It also appears there might have been a fourth platform.
All platforms appear capable of handling an eleven-car Class 390 train, which are over two hundred and sixty metres in length.
Is the plan to use Macclesfield as a High Speed Two terminal feasible?
Which Trains Will High Speed Two Use On Macclesfield Services?
It appears that High Speed Two will have two types of trains.
- Trains built to the European loading gauge, that will only be able to work on high lines like High Speed One and High Speed Two. Examples would be Eurostar’s Class 373 and Class 374 trains.
- Trains built to the UK loading gauge, that could also work on existing UK 125 mph routes like the East Coast, Great Western, Midland and West Coast Main Lines. Examples would be Class 800. Class 801, Class 802, Class 390 and Class 745 trains.
The second type, which are referred to, as class-compatible trains will be used to Macclesfield, as these services will share track with Class 390 and other trains, that have been or will be built to the smaller UK loading gauge.
Will Classic-Compatible High Speed Two Trains Fit Into Macclesfield Station?
Currently, every hour, one eleven-car Class 390 train calls in Macclesfield station in both directions, as they provide one of Avanti \west Coast’s three trains per hour (tph) between London Euston and Manchester Piccadilly stations.
The current trains are sixty metres longer than the proposed classic-compatible High Speed Two trains, that could be terminating in Macclesfield station.
How Would Passengers Who Started And Finished Their Journeys In Macclesfield, Connect to Manchester?
Currently, these hourly services connect Manchester Piccadilly and Stoke stations.
- Avanti West Cost – Manchester Piccadilly and London Euston.
- CrossCountry – Manchester Piccadilly and Bournemouth
- CrossCountry – Manchester Piccadilly and Bristol
- Northern – Manchester Piccadilly and Stoke, which stops at all stations.
The characteristics would be common to all these four trains.
- Services call at Stockport, Macclesfield and Stoke stations.
- As services share tracks with a High Speed Two service, they must be reasonably fast.
- All except the Northern service are 125 mph trains.
- The Northern service is run by a 90 mph Class 323 electric train.
- As Manchester Piccadilly and Stoke via Stockport is a fully-electrified route, the trains should probably be able to take advantage.
In an ideal world should the frequency be six tph or one train every ten minutes in each direction?
Which Platforms Would Be Used To Terminate High Speed Two Services?
Trains built to the UK loading gauge could probably terminate in any of the three platforms.
But it might be advantageous to terminate all services in the same platform.
Platform 3 would be the obvious choice.
- It shares an island platform with classic services going South between Manchester Piccadilly and Stoke.
- Passengers starting their journeys in Manchester Piccadilly or Stockport could just walk across from their connecting train to the High Speed Two train.
It must surely be a possibility to make Platform 2 able to operate bi-directionally, so that all trains between Manchester Piccadilly and Stoke stations in both directions, stop in Platform 2, alongside the High Speed Two train for London and the South, that is waiting in Platform 3. The combined frequency would be eight tph. All passengers would just walk across the island platform to change trains.
Could A North-Facing Bay Platform Be Fitted Into The Northern End Of The Island Platform 2/3?
If you are going to provide a High Speed Two service to and from Macclesfield station, it needs to have superb and comprehensive connections to as many places as possible.
The station currently has four tph to Manchester Piccadilly, Stockport and Stoke, but would a North-facing bay platform with level access to the High Speed Two platform make any of the following feasible?
- Run a second local stopping service between Manchester Piccadilly and Macclesfield to give all intermediate stations two tph to High Speed Two.
- Run hourly services to places that don’t have good connections to high speed services to London and the South.
- The Stockport and Stalybridge Line could be used to connect Stalybridge and Huddersfield to High Speed Two.
- There might even be a way of creating a link between Macclesfield and Manchester Airport.
Note.
- Looking at the platform layout at Macclesfield station, fitting in a bay platform would appear to be feasible.
- The important Stockport station, which seems to have been forgotten by High Speed Two would probably have at least six tph to High Speed Two at Macclesfield station.
- The local train could be timed to arrive at Macclesfield station, a convenient time before the High Speed Two train is scheduled to depart.
The bay platform could even be part of Platform 3, if it was decided that trains stopping in Platform 3, never used the platform as a through platform. It would be Macclesfield’s version of the Clapham Kiss.
I suspect more space could be found, by moving the signal box at the end of the station.
\remember that these days most signalling is controlled from centralised Rail Operation Centres.
Could High Speed Two Trains Run Between Macclesfield And Manchester Piccadilly?
As I said earlier, High Speed Two’s classic-compatible trains will be the same cross-section and shorter, than an eleven-car Class 390 train.
So the answer to my question must be yes!
- This would enable a stop at Stockport station.
- No platform lengthening would be required at Manchester Piccadilly and Stockport stations.
High Speed Two must have good reasons for using Macclesfield as a terminal.
- There are capacity issues between Macclesfield and Manchester Piccadilly stations.
- Macclesfield offers opportunities to connect to places, that are difficult to reach from Manchester Piccadilly station.
But these problems could probably be overcome by digital signalling or extension of the Manchester Metrolink.
Could More High Speed Two Services Run Between Macclesfield Station and The South?
Consider.
- I believe that Macclesfield station could handle more than an hourly High Speed Two train.
- It is a general principle, that on a metro like the London Overground or Merseyrail, that a single platform can handle up to four or even six tph.
- Four tph would surely be too high, but Macclesfield could easily handle a second classic-compatible train to and from Birmingham Curzon Street via Stoke and Stafford.
- During the inevitable works at Manchester Piccadilly station to sccomodate High Speed Two, Macclesfield could offer an alternative route, between London and Manchester.
Using Macclesfield station, as an alternative terminal for Manchester Piccadilly, builds in extra capacity for the future and offers a valuable alternative route during construction and upgrade works.
Rationalisation Between Cross Country And High Speed Two
Consider.
- In a lot of locations North of Birmingham, CrossCountry and High Speed Two seem to provide similar services between the same stations.
- Using currently proposed connections between High Speed Two and the classic network, CrossCountry’s services could run faster.
- CrossCountry’s new fleet of trains will probably be multi-mode trains, that will be very similar to the classic-compatible High Speed Two trains.
- Some of the routes used by CrossCountry’s services will have a substantial upgrade to allow higher speeds and more trains, to speed up High Speed Two services.
There must be a case for rationalisation of services.
Conclusion
The more I look at High Speed Two terminating at Macclesfield station, the more I like it.
I can see these services running from the station in the future.
- High Speed Two – Macclesfield and London Euston – One tph – This service would additionally call at Birmingham Interchange to link up with CrossCountry to the South.
- High Speed Two – Macclesfield and Birmingham Curzon Street – One tph
- CrossCountry – Macclesfield and Bournemouth, Plymouth or Reading – One tph.
- Northern and others – Macclesfield and Manchester Piccadilly via Stockport – Four-six tph
- Northern – Macclesfield and Huddersfield via Stockport and Stalybridge – Two tph
- Northern – Macclesfield and Manchester Airport – Two tph.
Obviously, this is all speculation, but Macclesfield will develop into an important rail hub to the South-East of Manchester.
Beeching Reversal – Sheaf Valley Stations
This is one of the Beeching Reversal projects that the Government and Network Rail are proposing to reverse some of the Beeching cuts.
Stations To Be Rebuilt
As you approach Sheffield station, you pass four station sites, three of which are demolished and the fourth is just a shadow of its former self.
Dore & Totley
Dean & Totley station used to have four platforms and this Google Map, shows what is left after British Rail’s vandalism in the mid-1980s.
Note.
- The station has only one platform.
- The single track in the platform handles all trains to and from the Hope Valley Line.
- At present it appears to be two trains per hour (tph) in both directions.
- The two tracks at the right are the Midland Main Line.
Transport for the North wants to run four tph between Manchester Piccadilly and Sheffield through here, that will take forty minutes between the two cities.
Updates planned for the station include.
- A second platform for Manchester-bound trains.
- A new bridge with lifts.
- Platforms long enough to take a pair of Class 185 trains or a five-car Class 802 train.
- A full hourly service.
There certainly seems to be enough space for another platform and track through the middle of the station.
At some point in the near future, the two Midland Main Line tracks will be electrified, as part of the upgrade for High Speed Two.
Between Dore & Totley And Beauchief
This Google Map shows a typical section of the line between Dore & Totley and Beauchief stations.
Note the two Midland Main Line tracks on the right and single-track to the Hope Valley Line on the left.
It would appear that the fourth track can be squeezed in between the single track and the Midland Main Line.
Beauchief
Beauchief station used to have four platforms before it was demolished.
This Google Map shows the station’s former location.
Note.
- The building with the red dot is the former Beauchief Hotel. which was by the station.
- On a larger screen you can see three tracks going into Sheffield.
I’m fairly certain that four tracks and two platforms for a station can be fitted into this narrow trackbed.
Millhouses & Eccleshall
Millhouses and Eccleshall station used to have four platforms before it was demolished.
This Google Map shows the station’s former location.
Note.
- Wikipedia says the station was accessed from the Archer Road bridge, which is in the South East corner of the map.
- It looks like there are three tracks with space for four.
- The road to the North-West of the railway is called Old Station Road.
As at Beauchief, it will be tight.
Heeley
Heeley station used to have four platforms before it was demolished.
This Google Map shows the station’s former location.
Note.
- The red arrow indicates Heeley Bridge, which Wikipedia says is near the station site.
- There appears to be only two tracks through here.
It is easy to follow the tracks from here to Sheffield station.
Could A Four Track Railway Be Rebuilt Between Dore & Totley And Sheffield Stations?
I’ve not seen anything that says that building a four-track railway through here is not possible.
In a few years, there could be the following tracks and platforms, on this section.
- Two fast tracks for High Speed Two, Midland Main Line and CrossCountry trains, that will be electrified with 25 KVAC overhead electrification, between Clay Cross North Junction and Sheffield station.
- The High Speed Two trains will be classic-compatible and up to 200 metres long.
- The two fast tracks will not have any platforms.
- Two slow tracks for local services, that will be appropriately electrified.
- The slow tracks will have step-free platforms, that will be long enough to take a five-car Class 802 train or a pair of Class 185 trains.
I can’t for the life of me understand, why this stretch of four-track main line between Dore & Totley and Sheffield stations was ever simplified, as at other places on the UK network, extra tracks were being added to the main lines, at the same time.
Future Services On The Fast Lines
Currently, the following services take the fast lines between Sheffield and Chesterfield stations via Dore & Totley station.
- East Midlands Railway – Sheffield and London St. Pancras – 2 tph
- East Midlands Railway – Sheffield and Norwich via Nottingham – 1 tph
- CrossCountry – Edinburgh/Newcastle and Derby/Birmingham and the South – 2 tph
- Northern – Sheffield and Nottingham – 1 tph
That is a very modest six tph.
High Speed Two are currently planning to run two tph between Sheffield and London Euston.
There may or may not be other changes.
- As Birmingham Curzon Street and Sheffield will be just forty-seven minutes by High Speed Two all the way, will these destinations have a direct high speed classic-compatible service? There’s plenty of space capacity on High Speed Two.
- I don’t think the Sheffield and St. Pancras services will be dropped, but they might be.
- CrossCountry will probably be running intelligent multi-mode trains capable of 125 mph running and up to 140 mph in places.
- Northern’s service between Sheffield and Nottingham might go via a reopened Barrow Hill Line.
But the biggest change will be that these two fast lines will be to High Speed Two standards.
- Sheffield and Chesterfield will be electrified.
- There will in-cab digital signalling, which theoretically could probably allow eighteen tph on the route.
- High Speed Two Trains between Sheffield and Chesterfield will take twelve minutes.
- Sheffield station will have been modified as required, to be able to handle all trains very efficiently.
But it would still be carrying a modest eight tph.
If required Sheffield would have the capacity to accept more trains from the South.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see, the following trains added.
- An extra tph to and from London Euston via High Speed Two.
- Two tph to and from Birmingham Curzon Street via High Speed Two.
I also wouldn’t be surprised to see CrossCountry using classic-compatible High Speed Two trains and switching to High Speed Two between Birmingham New Street and Sheffield. But these trains would still use the same tracks to access Sheffield station.
But I am led to the conclusion, that Sheffield will have more than enough capacity linking the City to Chesterfield and the South.
Future Services On The Slow Lines
Or should I use lines connecting to the Hope Valley Line rather than slow lines?
Currently, the following services take the slow lines between Sheffield and Dore & Totley stations.
- East Midlands Railway – Liverpool Lime Street and Sheffield – via Manchester Piccadilly – 1 tph
- TransPennine Express – Manchester Airport and Cleethorpes via Manchester Piccadilly – 1 tph
- Northern – Sheffield and Manchester Piccadilly – 1 tph
Transport for the North aims to run a four tph service with a forty minute journey time between Manchester Piccadilly and Sheffield.
Consider.
- 100 mph TransPennine Express trains take fifty-three minutes between Sheffield and Manchester Piccadilly without a stop.
- Classic-compatible trains with a battery capability could easily handle the route.
- Northern’s services on the Hope Valley Line are timed for 75 mph trains.
- Dore & Totley and Hazel Grove stations are twenty-nine miles apart.
If between Dore & Totley and Sheffield stations were to be electrified and track improvements like passing loops were to be made to the Hope Valley Line, I believe that to achieve a forty minute all-stops timing between Sheffield and Manchester Piccadilly, would need a train with the following specification.
- Electric train with batteries.
- Four cars
- 100 mph or faster operating speed.
- Step-free access between platform and train.
- Sparkling acceleration and deceleration.
- Ability to run under in-cab digital signalling to keep out of the way of freight services.
Looking at Crossrail between London Paddington and Maidenhead stations, the London route is probably as difficult as the Hope Valley Line and it has been designed as a forty minute service with ten stops, using a modern electric train.
If TransPennine fitted batteries to their Class 802 trains, these trains would fit the Northern Powerhouse Rail requirements.
East Midlands Railway and Northern would find that the following trains could be used.
- Bombardier – Aventra with batteries
- Bombardier – Class 377 train with batteries
- Bombardier – Class 379 train with batteries
- CAF – Class 331 train with batteries
- Hitachi – Class 385 train with batteries
- Porterbrook – Battery/FLEX train based on Class 350 train
- Stadler – Flirt with batteries
All would need that between Dore & Totley and Sheffield stations be electrified.
After the upgrades and the new or refurbished trains are running, this would mean that between Dean & Totley and Sheffield would be handling four tph, which would be semi-fast trains between Sheffield and Manchester Piccadilly. Although to current passengers on the line, they would seem to be fast services of a much higher standard.
It would not be very different to how the slow lines into Paddington also handle about four tph of other services, including GWR services and freight.
I believe that to provide an adequate service to the reopened and rebuilt stations of Dore & Totley, Beauchief, Millhouses & Eccleshall and Heeley, that a Turn-Up-And-Go service of at least four tph should be run between Dore & Totley and Sheffield stations.
A Turnback At Dore & Totley
This Google Map shows Dore & Totley station and the area to the South.
Note.
- There would appear to be a lot of space between the Midland Main Line and the single track, that leads between Dore & Totley station and the Hope Valley Line.
- Flying my helicopter, as low as I dare, it looks like the area is either a rubbish dump or very low grade businesses.
- Crossrail has designed turnbacks at Abbey Wood and Paddington stations, that will handle twelve tph.
I believe that it would be possible to design a turnback at Dore & Totley station, that would handle eight trains per hour, if not twelve tph.
It might even be possible to squeeze in some overnight stabling.
Trains Or Tram-Trains Between Dore & Totley And Sheffield Stations
In my view, it doesn’t matter.
Crossrail’s 12 tph turnbacks can handle a 205 metre long Class 345 train, so I’m sure a well-designed turnback at Dore & Totley could handle a mixture of any trams or tram-trains below a defined maximum length of say 140 metres, which would be defined by a pair of Class 185 trains, which might have to be turned back during service disruption.
Where Would The Services Terminate in The East?
It is my view that cross-city services like Birmingham’s Cross-City Line, Liverpool’s Northern Line, London’s Crossrail and Thameslink, Newcastle’s Metro and Paris’s RER are efficient for both passengers and train operators.
So Dore & Totley station could be one end of a Sheffield cross-city line, with a frequency of at least eight tph through Beauchief, Millhouses & Eccleshall, Heeley and Sheffield stations.
So where would services go on the other side of Sheffield? Wikipedia gives these as services to the East of Sheffield.
- Leeds via Barnsley and Wakefield (fast) – 2 tph
- Leeds via Meadowhall, Barnsley, Wakefield and Castleford (stopping). – 1 tph
- Leeds via Meadowhall, Moorthorpe and Wakefield. – 1 tph
- Scarborough via Meadowhall, Doncaster, Hull and Bridlington. – 1 tph
- Lincoln Central via Worksop and Retford – 1 tph
- Gainsborough Central via Worksop, three trains per week continue to Cleethorpes via Brigg. – 1 tph
- Huddersfield via Meadowhall, Barnsley and Penistone – 1 tph
- Doncaster via Meadowhall and Rotherham, with one train per hour continuing to Adwick – 2 tph
- York via Moorthorpe and Sherburn-in-Elmet. – 3 trains per day (tpd)
For much of the day, that is a frequency of 10 tph, with 5 tph calling at Meadowhall, 2 tph calling at Worksop and two fast tph passing Meadowhall without stopping.
But there are other rail projects under development.
- High Speed Two will enable a new fast service between Sheffield and Leeds via Meadowhall and a new station in the Dearne Valley.
- The Sheffield Region Transport Plan 2019 envisages a new station at Barnsley Dearne Valley. See Sheffield Region Transport Plan 2019 – A New Station At Barnsley Dearne Valley.
- The Sheffield Region Transport Plan 2019 envisages tram-trains running between Sheffield and Doncaster-Sheffield Airport See Sheffield Region Transport Plan 2019 – Tram-Trains Between Sheffield And Doncaster-Sheffield Airport.
- The Sheffield Region Transport Plan 2019 envisages a new Station at Waverley. See Sheffield Region Transport Plan 2019 – A New Tram-Train Route To A New station At Waverley.
- High Speed Two might enable a fast classic-compatible service between Sheffield and Scarborough via York.
- The possible opening of the South Yorkshire Joint Railway to passenger traffic, may open up further opportunities. See Beeching Reversal – South Yorkshire Joint Railway.
- The possible reinstatement of the Barrow Hill Line. See Reinstatement Of The Barrow Hill Line Between Sheffield And Chesterfield.
- The development of the Stocksbridge Railway for passenger services.
I can see classic-compatible High Speed Two trains serving the following places to the East of Sheffield.
- Leeds
- Hull via Doncaster
- Scarborough via York
- Cleethorpes via Doncaster, Scunthorpe and Grimsby.
A train like a five-car Class 802 train would probably be enough for most routes except Leeds.
I can see the following terminals for tram-trains to the East of Sheffield.
- Doncaster and Doncaster-Sheffield Airport
- Waverley station, which could be on a loop from the Sheffield and Lincoln Line.
- Barnsley Dearne Valley
There may well be others.
If Sheffield were Karlsruhe in Germany, the tram-trains would probably serve the following routes.
- Huddersfield via Penistone.
- Lincoln via Worksop and Gainsborough.
- Manchester via the Hope Valley Line.
But the Germans have a much larger electrified core, than Sheffield will have, even if High Speed Two electrifies between Dore & Totley and Thurnscoe stations via Sheffield.
I can make a table of destinations and distances and how they could be served.
- Barnsley – 16 miles – Possible return trip from Sheffield for a battery electric train.
- Barnsley Dearne Valley – 8 miles from Rotherham Parkgate – Possible return trip from Sheffield via Rotherham Parkgate for a battery electric tram-train.
- Doncaster – 11 miles from Rotherham Parkgate – Possible return trip from Sheffield via Rotherham Parkgate for a battery electric tram-train.
- Chesterfield via Barrow Hill – 17 miles – Possible return trip from Sheffield for a battery electric tram-train.
- Doncaster Sheffield Airport – 10 miles from Doncaster – Possible return trip from Sheffield via Rotherham Parkgate and Doncaster for a battery electric tram-train.
- Gainsborough Lea Road. – 32 miles – See Lincoln Central.
- Huddersfield – 36 miles – Possible battery electric train with charging at Huddersfield.
- Hull – 59 miles – Possible battery electric train with charging at Doncaster and Hull.
- Lincoln Central – 48 miles – Possible battery electric train with charging at Lincoln and/or Gainsborough Lea Road. Otherwise diesel.
- Penistone – 23 miles – Possible return trip from Sheffield for a battery electric train, using Newton’s friend on the way back.
- Retford – 23 miles – Possible return trip from Sheffield for a battery electric train.
- Waverley – About 6 miles – Possible return trip from Sheffield for a battery electric tram-train.
- Worksop – 16 miles – Possible return trip from Sheffield for a battery electric train.
It looks to me like a mix of battery electric trains and tram-trains could run most of the services from Sheffield, if services that used new High Speed Two infrastructure used classic-compatible trains or trains like the existing Class 802 trains, that have been converted to battery electric operation.
Note.
- I am assuming, that a battery electric train has a range of 56 miles on a single charge.
- Rotherham Parkgate station is changed to a through station.
- Tram-trains passing through Doncaster can recharge on the station’s 25 KVAC overhead electrification.
- Charging can be provided as required at other stations.
There are lots of possibilities.
Consider, this for tram-train extensions to Barnsley Dearne Valley, Doncaster and Doncaster Sheffield Airport.
- Extend the tram-train service at Rotherham Parkgate to either Doncaster and Doncaster Airport or Barnsley Dearne Valley stations.
- Run tram-trains between Dore & Totley and Rotherham Parkgate via Sheffield, Meadowhall and Rotherham Central.
This would give a double-ended route across Sheffield and Rotherham between Dore & Totley and the existing Supertram network in the West and Barnsley Dearne Valley, Doncaster and Doncaster Sheffield Airport in the East.
Consider how to connect the branch to Waverley station to the Supertram network.
- Waverley station will be either on or on a loop from the Sheffield and Lincoln Line.
- The Sheffield and Lincoln Line has no obvious connection with the Supertram network.
- The Sheffield and Lincoln Line goes straight in to Sheffield station.
- Trains to Lincoln always appear to use Platform 4 in Sheffield station.
- Sheffield station has four through platforms.
This Google Map shows where the Sheffield and Lincoln Line passes behind the Supertram Depot at Nunnery.
Note.
- The Nunnery Square Park and Ride is in the South West corner of the map.
- The Supertram depot is to the East of the Park-and-Ride, with the Nunnery Square tram stop to the South.
- The Woodbourn Road tram stop is in the North East corner of the map.
This second Google Map shows the lines around the Park-and-Ride.
I suspect that a connection between the Supertram system and the Sheffield and Lincoln Line, could be built to the North of the Nunnery Depot.
But would it be easier to continue to Sheffield station or pass through the station and terminate at Dore & Totley station?
I can’t be sure looking at the maps, but it could be logical that trains to and from Lincoln use the Southern pair of tracks past the Nunnery Depot, as they would be on the right side of the tracks for Lincoln.
This would make it easier to do the following.
- Create a connection between the Nunnery Depot and the Sheffield and Lincoln Line, which would surely be needed for efficient maintenance and operation of tram-trains running to and from Waverley.
- Allow tram-trains used to serve the proposed Waverley station to return to the Depot every night.
- Allow tram-trains working between Sheffield and Meadowhall to use the Lincoln and Sheffield Line to enter the Nunnery Depot.
- Build a tram stop/station by the Park-and-Ride.
There would also be less need to build another depot.
Looking at the maps, could there be space to extend the Nunnery Depot?
Conclusion
This could be a very good project.
- It fits in well with the plans and needs of High Speed Two.
- It connects the new Waverley station to Sheffield station.
- It fits well with the Sheffield Region Transport Plan 2019.
- It connects Sheffield, Rotherham and Doncaster to Doncaster Sheffield Airport.
- It opens up the Hope Valley Line to improve services between Manchester and Sheffield.
I also don’t think, there’s any great risk!
I
HS2 Trials UK’s First Electric Forklift
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Rail Technology Magazine.
This is the introductory paragraph.
In their efforts to lessen their carbon footprint and support the country’s green economic recovery, HS2 are trailing the UK’s first electric forklift on one of its major construction sites in London.
The construction industry is certainly thinking about cutting its emissions.
The Rival Plans For Piccadilly Station, That Architects Say Will ‘Save Millions’
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the Manchester Evening News.
This subtitle introduces the idea.
The speculative proposal includes a new underground HS2 station and an ‘s-shaped tunnel’ under the city centre.
The architects are Weston Williamson and I have felt for years that this was the best way and I put my ideas and some fragments from the press and Northern Powerhouse Rail in Manchester Piccadilly ‘Super Hub’ Proposed.
This picture from Weston Williamson, shows their proposed station.
Note.
- In the visualisation, you are observing the station from the East.
- The existing railway lines into Piccadilly station are shown in red.
- Stockport and Manchester Airport are to the left, which is to the South.
- Note the dreaded Castlefield Corridor in red going off into the distance to Oxford Road and Deansgate stations.
- The new high speed lines are shown in blue.
- To the left they go to Manchester Airport and then on to London, Birmingham and the South, Warrington and Liverpool and Wigan, Preston, Blackpool, Barroe-in-Furness, the North and Scotland.
- To the right, they go to Huddersfield, Bradford, Leeds, Hull and the North East, and Sheffield, Doncaster and the East.
- Between it looks like a low-level High Speed station with at least four tracks and six platforms.
- The Manchester Mretrolink is shown in yellow.
- The potential for over-site development is immense. If the Station Square Tower was residential, the penthouses would be some of the most desirable places to live in the North.
This Google Map shows the current station.
Unfortunately, the map is round the other way to the visualisation, but I hope you can see how the shape of the current station is intact and can be picked out in both.
If you’ve ever used London Paddington station in the last few years, you will know that Crossrail is being built underneath. But the massive construction project of building the Crossrail platforms has not inconvenienced the normal business of the station.
Weston Williamson’s proposed station can be built in the same way.
It could be truly transformational
- Manchester Piccadilly station would have at least 43 percent more platforms.
- Classic-compatible High Speed commuter trains would run to Barrow, Blackpool, Chester, Derby, Nottingham and Shrewsbury from the low-level High Speed station.
- The Northern Powerhouse Rail for all TransPennine Express services would use the low-level High Speed station.
- Glasgow services would use the low-level High Speed station.
- Manchester Piccadilly and Manchester Airport would have up to 18 high speed trains per hour and would be the finest airport service in the world.
- Some or all of the low-level High Speed platforms, would be able to take 400 metre long trains.
- 400 metre long platforms could handle one 200 metre long train from Manchester Airport and one 200 metre long train from Yorkshire.
- The Castlefield Corridor would only have local trains, limited to a number, with which it could cope.
- The use of the existing platforms would be reorganised.
It would be a massive increase in the capacity of the station and as been shown at Paddington with Crossrail, I am sure, that it could be built without massive disruption to existing services.
The Ultimate Train To The North
Imagine a pair of 200 metre long classic-compatible trains running between London Euston and Leeds.
- They would travel via Birmingham Interchange, Manchester Airport, Manchester Piccadilly, Huddersfield and Bradford.
- The trains would divide at Leeds.
- One train would go to Hull.
- The second train would go to York, Darlington, Durham and Newcastle. It could be extended to Edinburgh.
- It could even run with a Turn-Up-And-Go frequency of four tph.
Why not?
Birmingham-Black Country-Shrewsbury
On the Midlands Connect web site, they have a page, which is entitled Birmingham-Black Country-Shrewsbury.
This is the introductory paragraph.
We’re examining the case to increase services from three to four per hour, made possible by capacity released post-HS2.
They then give the outline of their plans, which can be summed up as follows.
- Services on the corridor are slow and unreliable.
- Network Rail say the service is in danger of acute overcrowding.
- Services will be increased from three trains per hour (tph) to four.
- A direct hourly service from Shrewsbury, Wellington and Telford to London will be introduced.
- Services to Birmingham International will be doubled.
- The economic case will be examined for speeding up services between Shrewsbury and Birmingham from 56 to 45 minutes, via track upgrades and possible electrification.
It seems a safe, and not overly ambitious plan.
These are my thoughts.
Shrewsbury’s Unique Position
These are distances and times from important stations.
- Birmingham International – 51 miles and 83 minutes
- Birmingham New Street – 42.5 miles and 71 minutes
- Chester – 42.5 miles and 53 minutes
- Crewe – 33 miles and 53 minutes
- Hereford – 51 miles and 59 minutes
- Telford – 14 miles and 21 minutes
- Wellington – 10 miles and 13 minutes
- Welshpool – 20 miles and 25 minutes
- Wolverhampton – 30 miles and 50 minutes
In Sparking A Revolution, I quoted this Hitachi-specification for a battery-electric train.
- Range – 55-65 miles
- Performance – 90-100 mph
- Recharge – 10 minutes when static
- Routes – Suburban near electrified lines
- Battery Life – 8-10 years
I can’t see any problem, for a train with this specification being able to reach Shrewsbury from Birmingham International, Birmingham New Street and Crewe on battery power.
In Hitachi Trains For Avanti, I quote an article with the same title in the January 2020 Edition of Modern Railways as saying this.
Hitachi told Modern Railways it was unable to confirm the rating of the diesel engines on the bi-modes, but said these would be replaceable by batteries in future if specified.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see Shrewsbury served from Birmingham and Crewe by fast electric trains, that used battery power. Avanti West Coast certainly seem to have that thought in mind.
Zero Carbon Trains Between Shrewsbury And Wales
It will be a formidable challenge to run battery trains from Shrewsbury to the Welsh destinations.
- Aberystwyth – 81.5 miles
- Cardiff – 107 miles
- Carmarthen – 185 miles
- Holyhead – 133 miles
- Milford Haven – 225 miles
- Swansea – 121.5 miles
Note.
- These are challenging distances for battery-electric trains.
- South Wales destinations served via Newport and Cardiff could use the electrification on the South Wales Main Line.
- Many of these services start from East of Shrewsbury and can use the electrified lines that connects to Birmingham New Street and Manchester Piccadilly.
Unless someone like Riding Sunbeams, makes a breakthrough, I can’t see battery-electric trains running to Welsh destinations from Shrewsbury.
Transport for Wales New Trains
Transport for Wales have ordered seventy-seven new Class 197 trains, and these diesel trains will be used for services through Shrewsbury, mainly on services to Birmingham New Street and Birmingham International stations.
- If these trains are similar to Northern’s Class 195 trains, they will be diesel multiple units with a noisy mechanical transmission.
- I was surprised in these days of global warming that Transport for Wales didn’t buy something more eco-friendly, as they have for South Wales and the services around Chester.
- The transmission of the Class 197 trains has not been disclosed.
Perhaps, CAF are going to do something innovative.
- The CAF Civity is a modular train, with either electric or diesel power options.
- The diesel-powered options use MTU engines.
- A logical development would be to use an MTU Hybrid PowerPack to reduce diesel consumption and emissions.
- This PowerPack would also reduce noise, as it has an electric transmission.
- I wonder, if CAF can raid their parts bin and fit a pantograph, so where 25 KVAC overhead electrification is available, it can be used.
- If CAF can convert a bog standard diesel multiple unit into a hybrid diesel-electric-battery multiple unit, by performing a heart transplant, it is a neat way of keeping new diesel Civities running until a later date.
- Remember that Northern and West Modlands Trains have another seventy-four similar new diesel Civities in operation or on order. With trains having a forty year life, they don’t fit with an early phasing out of diesel.
I have no idea, what is actually happening, but my engineer’s nose tells me to expect a surprise from CAF.
Increasing Birmingham And Shrewsbury Services From Three Trains Per Hour To Four
Four trains per hour or one train every fifteen minutes seems to be a preferred frequency on several UK suburban lines.
These services seem to provide four tph or better on most, if not all of their routes.
- Birmingham Cross-City Line
- London Overground
- Merseyrail
- Tyne and Wear Metro
Four tph seems to be a very handy Turn-Up-And-Go frequency that encourages people to use rail services.
So I am not surprised to see Midlands Connect wanting four tph between Birmingham and Shrewsbury.
Currently, the following services seem to operate between Shrewsbury and Birmingham.
- Avanti West Coast – 2 trains per day (tpd) – Shrewsbury and London Euston via Birmingham New Street and Birmingham International.
- Trains for Wales – 1 train per two hours (tp2h) – Holyhead and Birmingham International via Birmingham New Street.
- Trains for Wales 1 tph – Aberystwyth/Pwllheli and Birmingham International via Birmingham New Street
- West Midlands Trains – 2 tph – Shrewsbury and Birmingham New Street – One semi-fast and one stopper.
Note.
- All services call at Wolverhampton, Telford and Wellington.
- Shrewsbury and Birmingham New Street is a 3.5 tph service.
- Shrewsbury and Birmingham International is a 1.5 tph service.
It relies heavily on services from Trains for Wales, who probably don’t put Shrewsbury and Birmingham services at the top of their priorities.
I remember, when local services in the North-East of London were run by Greater Anglia from Norwich. Moving some services to Transport for London, brought about a large improvement
Quite frankly, the current service is best described as pathetic.
Should Trains for Wales Services Terminate As Shrewsbury?
I suspect some local politicians in Shrewsbury and Birmingham, think it would be best to adopt this sort of strategy.
- All Welsh services terminate at Shrewsbury.
- Birmingham and Shrewsbury mandate West Midlands Trains and Avanti West Coast to provide a frequent service between Shrewsbury and Birmingham.
It might be the way to go, but many travellers from the Marches, would probably want direct connections to Birmingham, Birmingham Airport and in the future High Speed Two.
Introducing A Direct Hourly Service From Shrewsbury, Wellington And Telford To London
On the face of it, it looks like a much needed service to and from Shrewsbury.
- It will be hourly.
- Initially it will use Class 221 diesel multiple units, but these will be replaced with bi-mode Class 805 trains.
- The current infrequent service calls at Watford Junction, Rugby, Coventry, Birmingham International, Birmingham New Street, Sandwell and Dudley, Wolverhampton, Telford Central and Wellington.
- There are also six other stations between Shrewsbury and Wolverhampton, which might like an improved service.
- The service will be run by Avanti West Coast.
There might also be the possibility of using battery power between Wolverhampton and Shrewsbury, which is only thirty miles each way.
But there are other collateral benefits.
- The service increases the frequency between Shrewsbury and Birmingham New Street stations by one tph to 4.5 tph
- The service increases the frequency between Shrewsbury and Birmingham International by one tph to 2.5 tph.
- The service increases the frequency between Wolverhampton and London Euston by one tph.
- The service increases the frequency between Sandwell and Dudley and London Euston by one tph
- The service increases the frequency between Birmingham New Street and London Euston by one tph.
- The service increases the frequency between Birmingham International and London Euston by one tph.
- The new service will provide an hourly quality connection to High Speed Two at Birmingham International for stations between Shrewsbury and Coventry.
- It appears that the Class 390 trains to Birmingham New Street and being replaced by new Class 807 trains, so Birmingham will have three out of four tph, run by new trains.
- The new Shrewsbury service , has a similar calling pattern to that of the current Scottish service through Birmingham. Will it replace that service, when High Speed Two opens?
Note.
- Midlands Connect’s objective of four tph between Shrewsbury and Birmingham has been met.
- Several stations get a better direct service to London.
- Connectivity to High Speed Two is improved.
- Birmingham New Street and London is now a Turn-Up-And-Go frequency of four tph.
- The Class 805 train will also mean that Avanti West Coast could be zero-carbon in Birmingham. Especially, if it used battery power between Wolverhampton and Shrewsbury stations.
The hourly direct service between Shrewsbury and London will make a lot of difference to train services between Shrewsbury and Birmingham.
Avanti’s London Euston and Birmingham New Street Service
Consider.
- There are two tph that terminate in Birmingham New Street station, that take 88-89 minutes, from London Euston
- There is one tph that goes through Birmingham New Street station to Edinburgh, Glasgow, Preston, or Shrewsbury, that takes 82-84 minutes, from London Euston.
- Currently, the two terminating trains are Class 390 trains, whereas the through train can be a Class 221 train as well.
- Through trains are allowed 5-10 minutes to pass through Birmingham New Street.
- Trains that terminate at Birmingham New Street station are allowed 20-30 minutes to arrive and leave.
- Avanti West Coast have said, that they will be running Class 807 trains between London and Birmingham New Street.
It doesn’t seem to be the best use of scarce platform resources in a busy station to park a train there for half-an-hour.
In Will Avanti West Coast’s New Trains Be Able To Achieve London Euston and Liverpool Lime Street In Two Hours?, I came to the conclusion that the Class 807 trains have been designed as simple, fast, lightweight all-electric trains with no heavy batteries, diesel engines or tilt mechanism.
- I think they’ll be able to shave a few minutes on the timings between London Euston and Birmingham New Street station.
- I would suspect that they will match the 82-84 minutes of the through trains
- The ultimate would be if they could do a round trip between London Euston and Birmingham New Street in three hours.
- Two tph run by what would effectively be a London-Birmingham shuttle would need just six trains.
It might mean new methods of manning the trains, to reduce turnround times.
Doubling Of Services Between Shrewsbury And Birmingham International
The hourly direct London and Shrewsbury Avanti West Coast service will raise the current 1.5 tph service between Shrewsbury and Birmingham International to 2.5 tph, so will be a good start.
- Perhaps Trains for Wales could find the missing 0.5 tph.
- West Midlands Trains might be able to squeeze in another train.
But I suspect that the crowded line between Birmingham New Street and Birmingham International is the problem.
Shrewsbury And Birmingham In Forty-Five Minutes
This is the last objective and saving eleven minutes on this route would suggest that the best way would surely be to fully electrify the route.
- Between Wolverhampton and Birmingham International stations is fully electrified.
- Electric trains have faster acceleration and deceleration, so would probably achieve the required savings if they stopped more than five times.
- From my virtual helicopter it doesn’t appear to be the most challenging of routes to electrify.
- Only about thirty miles of double track would need to be electrified between Wolverhampton and Shrewsbury stations.
- Both Trains for Wales and West Midlands Trains would have to obtain new electric trains.
- Avanti West Coast have already got bi-mode Class 805 trains, that could use the electrification.
But will Trains for Wales go along with Midlands Connect, when they tell them to get electric or bi-mode trains to work between Shrewsbury and Birmingham International stations?
It is because of dilemmas like this, that I feel that electric trains using battery or hydrogen power, when away from electrification can be a very good alternative.
- There is no major disruption raising bridges for the electrification.
- Stations don’t need to be closed for electrification.
- The trains have all the comfort and performance of electric trains.
- Costs and timescales can be reduced.
- When running on battery or hydrogen power, these trains are very quiet, as there is no pantograph noise.
To run battery-electric trains between Shrewsbury and Wolverhampton, the only infrastructure needed would be a method of charging the train at Shrewsbury station.
This Google Map shows the Southern end of Shrewsbury station.
Note.
- The platforms are built over the River Severn.
- The five-car Class 221 train in Virgin livery sitting in Platform 5.
- When this train leaves it will turn left or to the East for Wolverhampton and Birmingham.
- Trains can turn right for Wales.
It is a very unusual station layout.
- Platform 5 is one of a pair of bay platforms; 5 & 6, that can access either Wales or Birmingham.
- Outside of the bay platforms are a pair of through platforms; 4 & 7, that can also access Wales or Birmingham, but they can also access Chester by going through the station.
- The 115 metre long Class 221 train fits easily in the bay platform 5.
- The 130 metre long Class 805 train would probably need to use Platform 4 or 7.
But with well-planned electrification, it would be ideal for charging electric trains as they pass through or turned back!
Once the train reaches Wolverhampton, it will connect to electrification again.
Shrewsbury And High Speed Two
Currently, Shrewsbury has three connections to stations, where it would be convenient to take a High Speed Two train.
- Birmingham International, which is 51 miles and 83 minutes away. Plus a ride on a people mover for High Speed Two.
- Birmingham New Street, which is 42.5 miles and 71 minutes away. Plus a walk to Birmingham Curzon Street for High Speed Two.
- Crewe, which is 33 miles and 55 minutes away.
Passengers will make their own choice.
Could Shrewsbury Have A Classic-Compatible High Speed Two Service To Manchester Piccadilly?
London To Shrewsbury, Now And Post-High Speed Two
Travel On Monday
If I want to go to Shrewsbury next Monday, one fast journey is taking the 09:10 from Euston and changing at Crewe, which gives a journey time of two hours and thirty-two minutes.
I can also get a train with a change at Birmingham International that takes seven minutes longer.
Travel On High Speed Two
After High Speed Two opens to Birmingham Curzon Street and Interchange in Phase 1 what sort of times to Shrewsbury can be expected?
I estimate the following.
- Travelling via Birmingham Curzon Street could produce a time of around one hour and fifty minutes, if you’re lucky with the trains.
- Travelling via Crewe could produce a time of one hour and thirty minutes, if you’re lucky with the trains.
- Travelling via Interchange could produce a time of around one hour and fifty-five minutes. or forty-four minutes faster.
If I was going to Shrewsbury after High Speed Two has opened, I would probably change at Birmingham Curzon Street, if the walk to New Street station was still within my capabilities, as there will be a Turn-Up-And-Go frequency of four tph between Birmingham New Street and Shrewsbury stations.
Looking at the Midlands Connect objectives, these help with linking Shrewsbury with London.
- Increasing services between Birmingham and Shrewsbury to four tph, as it’s Turn-Up-And-Go!
- The direct hourly service to London from Shrewsbury, Wellington and Telford might be the quickest way to London by changing at Birmingham New Street/Curzon Street or Interchange.
- Doubling the service between Shrewsbury and Birmingham International, may be a good move, as Interchange, which will be connected to Birmingham International by a high capacity people mover, will have five tph between London Euston and Old Oak Common stations.
- Saving eleven minutes between Shrewsbury and Birmingham will certainly help.
Travelling between London and Telford, Wellington and Shrewsbury will be much improved.
Could The Crewe And Derby Line Become A Much More Important Route?
On the Midlands Connect web site, they have a page, which is entitled Derby-Stoke-Crewe.
This is the introductory paragraph.
Our plans have the potential to increase passenger demand on the corridor by 72%, with faster, more frequent services.
They then give the outline of their plans, which can be summed up as follows.
- Currently, the service is one train per hour (tph) and it takes 79 minutes.
- The service frequency will go to two tph.
- Twenty minutes could be saved on the second service by adjusting calling patterns.
- Improved links at Crewe for High Speed Two. This must have been written before Stafford and Stoke got the High Speed Two service to Macclesfield.
- East Midlands Railway are planning to extend the current Crewe and Derby service to Nottingham.
It seems a safe, and not overly ambitious plan.
These are my thoughts.
The Route
I have flown my virtual helicopter along the route and it appears to be double track all the way, except for a three mile section to the East of Crewe, that British Rail reduced to single track
However, in recent years the A5020 was built under the railway and the new bridge appears to have space for the second track to be restored, as this Google Map shows.
Note.
- The single track appears to be electrified, from the shadows of the gantries at either end of the bridge.
- West Midlands Trains appear to run an electric service between Crewe and Stafford on this route.
- I suspect it’s also used as a diversion route for Avanti West Coast’s Manchester service via Stoke-on-Trent or for train positioning.
Will this route allow High Speed Two trains to run between Stoke-on-Trent and Manchester Piccadilly?
From picture and comments in a rail forum, I suspect that the route could be redoubled fairly easily.
- The electrification runs for about 15.5 miles, between Crewe station and Stoke Junction, which is about half-a-mile on the other side of Stoke-on-Trent station.
- Trains seem to be connected to the electrification for over twenty minutes, so it could be useful for charging a battery train, running between Stoke-n-Trent and Crewe stations.
This Google Map shows Stoke Junction.
Note,
- Stoke-on-Trent station is to the North.
- The electrified railway going due South is the West Coast Main Line to Stone and Stafford stations.
- The line without electrification going off in a more South-Easterly direction is the line to Uttoxeter and Derby.
Following the route between Derby and Crewe, these are my observations.
- There is a level crossing at Blythe Bridge station.
- Most of the bridges over the route are modern, so I suspect will accept electrification.
- The route would appear to have a speed limit of 70 mph, but I would suspect that this could be increased somewhat as it doesn’t look too challenging.
- The route is 51 miles long, so a service that takes the current 79 minutes with nine stops, would average 38.7 mph.
- The proposed time of 59 minutes, would average 51.8 mph
I suspect there could be more to come, as the timetable is probably written for a Class 153 train.
A Crewe And Nottingham Service
The Midlands Connect plan says the service will be the following.
- Two tph
- A slow train in 79 minutes.
- A fast train in 59 minutes.
- East Midlands Railway want to extend services to Nottingham.
It could be a fairly simple easy-to-use timetable.
Fast Trains
Consider.
- Derby and Nottingham are 16 miles apart and fastest trains take between 19-22 minutes between the two cities.
- When it opens, all trains would stop at East Midlands Hub station between Nottingham and Derby.
- East Midlands Railway have a fleet that will include forty Class 170 trains.
- I suspect that these 100 mph trains will be able to run between Crewe and Nottingham including the turnround in under 90 minutes.
This would mean that a fast hourly service would need three trains.
Slow Trains
Consider.
- I wouldn’t be surprised to see the slower services continuing as now and not extending to Nottingham.
- 79 minutes is probably a convenient time, which would give a ninety minute time for each leg between Derby and Crewe, when turnround is included.
- Trains would be more of the Class 170 trains.
This would mean that a slow hourly service would need three trains.
Could Battery Electric Trains Be Used?
Consider.
- I think it is likely that the route between Derby and East Midlands Parkway via East Midlands Hub station, will be electrified, in conjunction with Midland Main Line electrification.
- Between Derby and Long Eaton stations via East Midlands Hub station is just under ten miles and takes ten minutes.
- Nottingham and Crewe is 66 miles of which 25 miles in total could be electrified.
- Derby and Crewe is 51 miles of which 15 miles are electrified.
- The longest section without electrification is between Derby station and Stoke Junction, which is 35.5 miles.
Batteries would be charged in the following places.
- Between Long Eaton and Derby stations.
- During turnround at a fully-electrified Derby station.
- Between Stoke-on-Trent and Crewe stations.
- During turnround at a fully-electrified Crewe station.
That’s a lot better than with an electric car.
In Sparking A Revolution, I quoted this Hitachi-specification for a battery-electric train.
- Range – 55-65 miles
- Performance – 90-100 mph
- Recharge – 10 minutes when static
- Routes – Suburban near electrified lines
- Battery Life – 8-10 years
I can’t see any problem with one of these trains or other battery-electric trains with a similar performance, running between Crewe and Nottingham or Derby via Stoke.
Could Hydrogen-Powered Trains Be Used?
I would suspect so, as the Alsthom Coradia iLint runs a similar route in Germany.
Connections To High Speed Two
Midlands Connect noted the route’s link to High Speed Two at Crewe.
But it also has other links to High Speed Two at Stoke-on-Trent and East Midlands Hub stations.
I suspect some stations like Uttoxeter or Alsager will have a choice of fast routes to London or Scotland.
Could Services Be Extended From Crewe?
In Connecting The Powerhouses, I talked about an article in the June 2017 Edition of Modern Railways, which proposed reopening the Midland Railway route between Derby and Manchester.
Some passengers and commentators fell a direct fast link is needed.
When High Speed Two is completed, the main route into Manchester Piccadilly will be a high speed spur from Crewe via Manchester Airport. Current plans include the following services.
- One tph from London Euston via Old Oak Common and Birmingham Interchange.
- Two tph from London Euston via Old Oak Common
- Two tph from Birmingham Curzon Street
Note.
- All services will call at Manchester Airport.
- It is likely that Northern Powerhouse Rail will add six tph to Manchester Piccadilly from Liverpool via Warrington.
- Some services will extend through Manchester Piccadilly to Bradford, Doncaster, Huddersfield, Hull, Leeds, Newcastle, Sheffield and York.
- High Speed lines will probably have a capacity of up to eighteen tph.
The Birmingham Curzon Street, Liverpool and London Euston services would be eleven tph, so there would be more than enough capacity for an hourly train from Nottingham.
What would the service be like?
- It would be between Nottingham and Manchester Piccadilly stations.
- It could call at East Midlands Hub, Derby, Uttoxeter, Stoke-on-Trent, Kidsgrove, Crewe and Manchester Airport stations.
- It would probably be hourly.
Timings could be as follows.
- Nottingham and Manchester Airport – 87 minutes
- Nottingham and Manchester Piccadilly – 91 minutes
- Derby and Manchester Airport – 67 minutes
- Derby and Manchester Piccadilly – 71 minutes
- Stoke-on-Trent and Manchester Airport – 32 minutes
- Stoke-on-Trent and Manchester Piccadilly – 36 minutes
The trains used on this and other local services that might need to use High Speed Two infrastructure would be performing a similar role as that of the Class 395 trains on High Speed One.
Possibilities must include.
- A classic-compatible High Speed Two train.
- A five-car AT-300 train, like East Midlands Railway’s Class 810 trains.
- An updated Class 395 train.
All trains would need a battery capability with a range of 40 miles.
It should also be noted that in Options For High Speed To Hastings, I worked through the options needed to run high speed commuter services to Hastings.
This was the last sentence in that post.
It’s all about selling trains and a company that had a 140 mph or 225 kph high-speed electric train, that could do perhaps 25 miles or 40 kilometres on batteries, would have a valuable addition to their product range.
A train with a range of 50 miles on battery power, would be suitable for the following routes.
- London St. Pancras and Hastings via Ashford International.
- Manchester Piccadilly and Nottingham via Manchester Airport, Crewe, Derby and East Midlands Hub.
- Manchester Piccadilly and Barrow-in-Furness via Manchester Airport, Warrington Bank Quay, Wigan North Western, Preston and Lancaster.
- Manchester Piccadilly and Chester via Manchester Airport and Crewe.
- Manchester Piccadilly and Shrewsbury via Manchester Airport and Crewe.
Charging might be needed at some of the terminal stations.
Discontinuous Electrification Through Leicester Station
Leicester station is an important station on the Midland Main Line
- Leicester is an urban area of half a million people.
- All of East Midlands Railway Intercity services call as they pass through the station.
- Leicester station is only sixteen miles North of the end of the Southern electrification at Market Harborough station.
- Birmingham New Street is 40 miles away.
- Clay Cross North Junction is 50 miles away.
- Derby is 29 miles away.
- East Midlands Parkway is 19 miles away.
- Long Eaton is 21 miles away.
- Nottingham is 27 miles away.
- Peterborough is 52 miles away.
- Sheffield is 66 miles away.
A sensible decision would probably be to extend the electrification from Market Harborough to a few miles North of Leicester, so that battery-electric trains could reach all the places in the above list.
Unfortunately, the following about the bridge at the Southern end of Leicester station, must be noted.
- The bridge doesn’t have sufficient clearance for electrification and would need to be rebuilt.
- It carries the main A6 road to London over the railway.
- The station building also spans the railway lines.
- To complicate matters, there is an important sewer either in or under the bridge.
This Google Map shows the bridge and the Southern end of the station.
It looks to me, that Leicester station and the road, would have to be closed to traffic for some time, if the bridge were to be rebuilt, to allow the erection of electrification through the area.
A solution could be discontinuous electrification.
- The electrification from the South, would finish on the South side of bridge.
- The electrification from the North, would finish in Leicester station.
- Electric trains would cover the gap of a few hundred metres on battery power.
Pantographs could be raised and lowered, where the wires exist.
- On the North side of the bridge, this could be in Leicester station, whilst passengers are getting off and on the train.
- On the South side of the bridge, this could be as far South as Market Harborough, which is sixteen miles away.
The other big problem area of electrification on the Midland Main Line is North of Derby, where the railway runs through the World Heritage Site of the Derwent Valley Mills. There might be serious opbjections to electrification in this area.
- But if electrification were to be installed between Leicester and Derby stations, the following would be possible.
- The Midland Main Line would be electrified at East Midlands Hub station.
- Power could be taken from High Speed Two’s supply at East Midland Hub station.
- Battery-electric trains could do a return trip to Nottingham from an electrified East Midlands Parkway, as it’s only sixteen miles in total.
- Battery-electric trains could reach the High Speed Two spur into Sheffield at Clay Cross from Derby, as it’s only twenty-one miles.
I am assuming, that Hitachi’s Class 810 trains will have range of over fifty miles on battery power, which fits with Hitachi’s statements.
Conclusion
Discontinuous electrification and batteries on trains can solve the problem of electrification through Leicester station.
Also. electric trains could run between London and Sheffield, if the following were done.
- The Class 810 trains were to be given a range of twenty-five miles
- Electrification were to be erected between Leicester and Derby stations.
- Electrification were to be erected between Sheffield and Clay Cross Junction, as required by High Speed Two.
The electrification could be brought forward, to bring Sheffield early benefits of High Speed Two.
The Definitive High Speed Two Route Map
This map is shown on the High Speed Two web site.
The map shows how it links to other routes.
- High Speed Two joins the West Coast Main Line at Crewe and South of Wigan.
- High Speed Two uses a route via Stafford and Stoke-on-Trent to serve Macclesfield.
- High Speed Two uses the current Crewe and Liverpool route to serve Runcorn and Liverpool.
- High Speed Two to Manchester Piccadilly share tracks with Northern Powerhouse Rail between Liverpool and Manchester Piccadilly via Warrington and Manchester Airport.
- High Speed Two uses the loop around Crewe to Wigan to serve North West England and Scotland.
- High Speed Two joins the East Coast Main Line South of York, to serve York, Darlington, Durham and Newcastle.
- High Speed Two joins the Midland Main Line at Clay Cross North Junction to serve Chesterfield and Sheffield.
- High Speed Two has connections to Midlands Rail Engine at Birmingham, Crewe and East Midlands Hub.
- High Speed Two has connections to Northern Powerhouse Rail at Liverpool, Manchester Airport, Manchester Piccadilly, Sheffield and Leeds.
The Anonymous Widower 