Heads Of The Valleys Road Upgrade Officially Opens
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on BusinessNewsWales.
This is the sub-heading.
The final phase of the £2 billion Heads of the Valleys Road upgrade programme has officially opened.
These first two paragraphs add detail to the project.
The Welsh Government said it marked the completion of “one of the UK’s largest and most technically challenging road projects”.
The £1.4 billion Section 5&6 Dowlais to Hirwaun final phase links the Valleys, South and West Wales to the English Midlands and beyond, together with ports serving Irish and other European destinations. As well as improving the resilience of the South Wales trunk road network, the road provides a vital link across the top of the South Wales valleys for the Metro project improving links to the Cardiff and Swansea Bay City Regions, the Welsh Government said.
From the statistics of work done and the money involved, it would appear that a comprehensive upgrade has fixed a big gap in the UK’s motorway network in South Wales.
This Google Map shows the locations of Dowlais and Hirwaun.
Note.
- Dowlais is in the North-East corner of the map.
- Hirwaun is in the South-West corner of the map and is outlined in red.
- The Heads of the Valleys Road links Dowlais and Hirwaun.
- Going East from Dowlais leads to Abergavenny, Monmouth, Raglan and the English Midlands.
- Abergavenny has a station, but Monmouth and Raglan don’t!
- Abergavenny station has comprehensive services to stations as far apart as Cardiff, Crewe, Holyhead, Manchester Piccadilly, Swansea and Wrexham General.
Abergavenny station could eventually turn out to be a parkway station for the South Wales Valleys.
I can certainly understand, why Lumo wants to run a service to Hereford.
I also feel that the Welsh government and Transport for Wales would be in favour of the service.
- Three towns in Wales; Cwmbran, Pontypool and Abergavenny get a direct service to Bristol Parkway and London Paddington stations.
- Hereford already has an hourly connection to Birmingham New Street via Worcester and University.
- If a coach were to be provided between Bristol Parkway and Bristol Airport, this could make getting to Bristol Airport easier.
I can see further improvements to services, that terminate at Abergavenny.
Could High Speed Two Serve Chester And North Wales?
This diagram shows High Speed Two services, as they were originally envisaged before Phase 2 was discontinued.
Note.
- Trains to the left of the vertical black line are Phase 1 and those to the right are Phase 2.
- Full-Size trains are shown in blue.
- Classic-Compatible trains are shown in yellow.
- Blue circles are shown, where trains stop.
- The dotted circles are where trains split and join.
- In the red boxes routes alternate every hour.
Click on the diagram to enlarge it.
If I look at the trains counting from the left of the diagram, I see the following.
- Train 4 is a pair of Classic-Compatible trains, that split and join at Crewe, with one train going to Lancaster and the other to Liverpool Lime Street.
- Train 5 is a single Classic-Compatible train going to Liverpool Lime Street.
This gives Liverpool Lime Street two trains per hour (tph) and Lancaster one tph
Could train 5 be a a pair of Classic-Compatible trains, that split and join at Crewe, with one train going to Holyhead via Chester and the other to Liverpool Lime Street?
Consider.
- Yesterday, a pair of Class 805 trains, ran between Euston and Holyhead. Each Class 805 train is 130 metres long, so a pair of Class 805 trains is sixty metres longer than a High Speed Two Classic-Compatible train.
- I am certain, that a single High Speed Two Classic-Compatible train will fit the platforms between Crewe and Holyhead.
- Crewe and Holyhead is 105.5 miles and the route is not electrified.
- Crewe and Holyhead is double-track all the way except for the Britannia Bridge over the Menai Strait.
- With the exception of perhaps 2 to 3 miles, half the route between Crewe and Holyhead has a line speed of 90 mph. with the other half being 75 mph.
- Given the countryside and the number of important historic sites, electrification might be difficult, as the heritage Taliban will say no!
- It was promised by the last government that Crewe and Holyhead would be electrified, but I will assume it won’t be!
- Hitachi, who are part of the consortium building the High Speed Two Classic-Compatible trains have developed battery-electric high speed train technology, which is likely to be applied to the Current Class 805 trains, that work the route.
- Hitachi’s battery-electric high speed train technology can propel the trains at up to 125 mph, provided the track allows it.
I feel that Crewe and Holyhead can be developed into one of the most iconic high speed railways in the world, by using battery-electric high-speed trains. Tourists would come from all over the world, to experience mouse-quiet battery-electric trains.
High Speed Two should go for it!
These are some thoughts.
It Would Be A Green Route To Ireland
Consider.
The fastest direct Avanti service to Holyhead is scheduled to take three hours and forty-two minutes, with one hour and 46 minutes between Euston and Crewe, and one hour and fifty-seven minutes between Crewe and Holyhead.
- High Speed Two will knock thirty-four minutes off the time between Euston and Crewe, when the core route between Euston and Crewe is complete, which will reduce the time to three hours eight minutes, with with one hour and 12 minutes between Euston and Crewe, and one hour and fifty-seven minutes between Crewe and Holyhead.
- The Crewe and Holyhead section of the route would still take one hours and fifty-seven minutes, which is an average speed of just 54 mph, along the North Wales Coast.
- An overall time of three hours between Euston and Holyhead, would require an average speed along the North Wales coast, which would be an average speed of just 62 mph.
- The operating speed is an average of around 80 mph between Crewe and Holyhead, and would run the section of the route in 79 minutes, which would mean a Euston and Holyhead time of two hours and 31 minutes.
- A 100 mph average between Crewe and Holyhead, would run the section of the route in 63 minutes, which would mean a Euston and Holyhead time of of two hours and 15 minutes.
I believe that with track improvements, a more efficient stopping pattern and using Hitachi’s battery technology, that battery-electric High Speed Two Classic-Compatible trains could run between Euston and Holyhead in under two hours.
A fast ferry would complete the route between Holyhead and Dun Laoghaire.
Could More Than One Train Per Hour Be Sent To Chester And North Wales?
Consider.
- Because of the cancellation of Phase 2 of High Speed 2, there are spare paths on High Speed Two between London and the West Midlands.
- If the core section of High Speed Two is extended Northwards to Crewe, as advocated by Dyan Perry of the High Speed Rail Group, that I wrote about in The Future Of HS2 Could Lie In Its Original Vision, this would create extra paths to Crewe.
- If the West Midlands and Crewe section of the High Speed Two route has the same capacity as London Euston and the West Midlands it could handle seventeen tph.
- At present it looks like with the cancellation of Phase 2, the West Midlands and Crewe section will handle just ten tph.
, So there will be seven spare paths between Euston and Crewe!
In fact it will be better than that, as each train could be a pair of Classic-Compatible trains, that split and joined to serve two destinations.
Could A North Wales Service Call At Hawarden Airport?
Hawarden Airport is where Airbus build wings for their aircraft in the UK.This Google Map shows Hawarden Airport.
Note.
- The large runway.
- The various factory buildings.
- The North Wales Coast Line between Chester and Holyhead, runs along the North side of the Airport.
I doubt if Airbus wanted a station, it would be difficult to arrange.
Conclusion
Because of the vacant paths, it would appear that extra services to North Wales and North West England can be fitted in.
The Future Of HS2 Could Lie In Its Original Vision
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Railway Gazette.
This is the sub-heading.
High Speed 2 should be rescoped to run from London Euston to Crewe, taking advantage of the lessons learned and supply chain foundations established during Phase 1, says Dyan Perry, Chair of the High Speed Rail Group.
The article has been written by Dyan Perry, who knows her railways and especially high speed ones well.
These two first paragraphs introduce her arguments.
High Speed 2 stands at a defining crossroads. Phase 1 from Old Oak Common to Birmingham has the green light, and under the new leadership of HS2 Ltd CEO Mark Wild the project is undergoing a positive and much needed ’reset’. With around 31 000 jobs currently supported, more than 75% of tunnelling completed and construction underway on two-thirds of HS2’s viaducts, momentum is building again.
This fresh injection of energy is welcome after years of shifting goalposts and cuts to the project’s scope. However, while Phase I pushes ahead, the handbrake has been pulled on the next critical phases of the project: the route from the West Midlands to Crewe and Old Oak Common to London Euston.
In the short term, this may appear fiscally sensible. However, as with all infrastructure investments, the project and potential returns must be viewed through a long-term lens. After all, a half-built railway moulded by short-term decision-making risks squandering investment to date and losing billions of pounds of taxpayers’ money.
The High Speed Rail Group (HSRG) has these recommendations.
- A “Euston to Crewe” Core.
- West Midlands to Crewe must be given the go-ahead before the powers to do so run out. This would provide much needed capacity on the West Coast Main Line.
- Use the lessons learned on Phase 1 to build West Midlands to Crewe more effectively.
- Build a streamlined, cost effective station at Euston.
- HSRG believes a concession let for a London to Birmingham and Crewe railway line, one that takes learning from the High Speed One financing model, could generate between £7·5bn and £10bn in concession value, a significant return for taxpayers.
High Speed Two needs a cohesive long term plan.
I very much agree with what Dyan and the HSRG are saying.
I also have some related thoughts.
High Speed East Coast
I am a Control Engineer by training and I’ve felt for some time, that the some of the bottlenecks on the East Coast Main Line to the South of Doncaster could be solved by intelligent digital signalling.
I believe that the major cities of the North-East of England and Eastern Scotland would be best served by direct high speed trains from London on the East Coast Main Line. I also think, that such an approach would deliver similar times to High Speed Two via Birmingham.
North of York
Just as stations on the West Coast to the North of Crewe will be served by High Speed Two and the West Coast Main Line, stations North of York will be served by trains going up the East Coast Main Line.
The Element Of Competition
I said earlier, that if a 30-year concession were to be sold for the West Coast Main Line, it could raise between £7.5bn and £10bn.
So why not sell a concession for the East Coast Main Line?
A further benefit, is that competition between the two concessions and the budget airlines, might bring down timings and prices, just as competition did in the Railway Races of 1888 and 1895.
High Speed North Wales
I have believed for some time, that there is a need for a zero-carbon (green) route between London and Dublin and ultimately between the Channel Tunnel and Dublin.
The last Conservative government promised to electrify Crewe and Holyhead along the North Wales Coast.
This route could deliver passengers to Holyhead for a zero-carbon high speed catamaran to Dublin.
The EU would be a beneficiary and might like to help fund the route.
Times Of Avanti West Coast Trains Between London Euston And Crewe
This table shows the first few Avanti West Coast trains between London Euston and Crewe on the 17th March 2025.
- 390119 – IS37 – Glasgow – 11 cars – 05:31 – 07:29 – 2 stops – 118 mins – 80.3 mph.
- 390155 – IH61 – Manchester Piccadilly – 11 cars – 06:29 – 08:08 – 2 stops – 99 mins – 95.7 mph.
- 807007 – IF11 – Liverpool Lime Street – 7 cars – 06:36 – 08:23 – 2 stops – 107 mins – 88.6 mph.
- 390104 – IS42 – Glasgow – 11 cars – 07:29 – 08:59 – 0 stops – 90 mins – 105.3 mph
- 390010 – IH62 – Manchester Piccadilly – 9 cars – 07:33 – 09:10 – 1 stop – 97 mins – 97.7 mph.
- 390044 – IF12 – Liverpool Lime Street – 9 cars – 07:43 – 09:18 – 2 stops – 95 mins – 99.7 mph.
- 390118 – IS45 – Glasgow – 11 cars – 08:30 – 10:01 – 0 stops – 91 mins – 104.2 mph
- 390040 – IH63 – Manchester Piccadilly – 11 cars – 08:33 – 10:19 – 1 stop – 106 mins – 89.4 mph.
- 807001 – IF14 – Liverpool Lime Street – 7 cars – 08:43 – 10:28 – 1 stop – 95 mins – 99.7 mph.
- 805001/805011 – ID83 – Holyhead – 10 cars – 09:02 – 10:51 – 1 stop – 109 mins – 86.9 mph.
- 390136 – IS48 – Glasgow – 11 cars – 09:30 – 11:02 – 0 stops – 92 mins – 103.0 mph
- 390040 – IH64 – Manchester Piccadilly – 9 cars – 09:33 – 11:08 – 1 stop – 95 mins – 99.7 mph.
- 390154 – IF16 – Liverpool Lime Street – 11 cars – 09:43 – 11:31 – 1 stop – 108 mins – 87.7 mph.
- 805012/805003 – ID84 – Chester – 10 cars – 10:10 – 11:53 – 1 stop – 103 mins – 92.0 mph.
- 390130 – IS52 – Glasgow – 11 cars – 10:30 – 12:00 – 0 stops – 90 mins – 105.3 mph
- 390151 – IH65 – Manchester Piccadilly – 11 cars – 10:35 – 12:09 – 1 stop – 94 mins – 100.8 mph.
- 807008 – IF18 – Liverpool Lime Street – 7 cars – 10:43 – 12:30 – 1 stop – 107 mins – 88.6 mph.
- 805009 – ID85 – Chester – 5 cars – 11:00 – 11:46 – 1 stop – 106 mins – 89.4 mph.
Note.
- All trains shown, go through Crewe.
- Some trains were delayed, hence their slow average speed.
- The Glasgow trains, which run non-stop from Euston to Warrington Bank Quay were the fastest, with four trains over 100 mph.
I have a few other thoughts.
The Class 805 Trains Are Crying Out For Batteries
In The Data Sheet For Hitachi Battery Electric Trains, I said this on how the Hitachi Class 80x trains will perform on batteries.
These are my conclusions about Hitachi’s battery packs for Class 80x trains.
- The battery pack has a capacity of 750 kWh.
- A five-car train needs three battery-packs to travel 100 miles.
- A nine-car train needs five battery-packs to travel 100 miles.
- The maximum range of a five-car train with three batteries is 117 miles.
- The maximum range of a nine-car train with five batteries is 121 miles.
Holyhead and Crewe is only 105.5 miles.
As battery technology gets better, these distances will increase.
The Fast Glasgow Train Appears To Be Leading A Convoy
The non-stop to Warrington Bank Quay Glasgow trains, also appear to be leading one Manchester Piccadilly, a Liverpool Lime Street and a Chester/North Wales train in a convoy, through Milton Keynes Central and the Trent Valley.
This convoy could grow as other services are added to the West Coast Main Line.
The Open Access Services Might Have Their Own Convoy
It would seem to me, that it might be possible to run a second convoy every hour, out of phase with the current one following the Glasgow service.
It also might be more virtual than real and under the control of the digital signalling, that will be installed on the line.
Brand New Battery Technology To Be Trialled On TransPennine Train
The title of this post, is the same as that of this press release from Hitachi.
These three bullet points, act as sub-headings.
- First-ever trial in the UK to replace a diesel engine with a battery on an intercity train is underway.
- Pioneering collaboration between Angel Trains, TransPennine Express, Turntide Technologies and Hitachi Rail.
- Hitachi Rail has built a battery using the North East supply chain, with one battery unit predicted to reduce emissions and fuel costs by as much as 30%.
These are my thoughts on some of the paragraphs in the press release.
The First Paragraph
This is the first paragraph.
Testing of the UK’s first intercity battery train commenced earlier today. The battery, which generates a peak power of more than 700kw, has now been successfully retrofitted onto a TransPennine Express ‘Nova 1’ train (five-carriage intercity Class 802), ahead of the trial on Transpennine routes this summer.
Each of the three diesel power packs in on of TransPennine Express’s Class 802 trains can generate 700 kW, so the battery packs can provide the same power as the current Rolls-Royce mtu diesel power packs.
The Third Paragraph
This is the third paragraph.
The single battery unit is incredibly powerful, storing enough electricity to power more than 75 houses for a day. This impressive energy and power density will deliver the same levels of high-speed acceleration and performance, while being no heavier than the diesel engine it replaces.
This equity of high-speed acceleration and performance is to be expected, as the train power and weight is the same, if the power is diesel engines or batteries.
The Fourth Paragraph
This is the fourth paragraph.
The installation of a battery will reduce emissions and improve energy efficiency. It is predicted to reduce emissions and fuel costs by as much as 30% on a Hitachi intercity train.
I would assume that this improvement in emissions and fuel costs, is due to the use of regenerative braking to recharge the batteries, when the train slows down.
The Fifth Paragraph
This is the fifth paragraph.
Most importantly for passengers, the trial will test how intercity trains can enter, alight and leave non-electrified stations in zero-emission battery mode to improve air quality and reduce noise pollution.
As the trains enter a non-electrified station, the regenerative braking will recharge the batteries to both power the train in the station and accelerate the train on its way.
The Seventh Paragraph
This is the seventh paragraph.
The trial will provide real-world evidence to inform the business case for a 100% -battery-electric intercity train, capable of running up to 100km in battery mode. This remarkable range means this battery technology could be deployed to cover the final non-electrified sections of intercity routes in the coming years. It will also demonstrate how battery technology can reduce infrastructure costs by reducing the need for overhead wires in tunnel sections and over complex junctions.
Note that 100 kilometres is 62.1 miles.
You can never do too much real world testing!
These are my further thoughts.
Acceleration And Braking Under Battery Power
This graph from Eversholt Rail, shows the acceleration and deceleration of a five-car Class 802 electric train.
As Hitachi have said in the press release that.
- The weight of a battery pack is the same as a diesel engine.
- The power of a battery pack is the same as a diesel engine.
The acceleration and braking curve for a Class 802 train, with a single traction battery will surely be the same.
Would this mean, that if a battery-electric train replaced a diesel-electric train, the timetable would be the same?
What would be the effects, if a second diesel engine were to be replaced with a battery pack?
- The train would still weigh the same.
- The train’s performance would still be the same.
- The train would have 1400 kW of power available, but I doubt this could be used efficiently, as it might exceed the train’s performance limits.
- The train would have enough electricity for a 200 kilometre or 124.3 mile range.
There might be a need for a sophisticated control system to set the power mode, but in my experience of riding in the cab of an InterCity 125 and a Boeing 747, drivers or pilots have enough intelligence and fingers to control systems with multiple engines.
What would be the effects, if a third diesel engine were to be replaced with a battery pack?
- The train would still weigh the same.
- The train’s performance would still be the same.
- The train would have enough electricity for a 300 kilometre or 186.4 mile range.
The range is sufficient for a lot of routes.
London And Beverley
Consider.
- This route has 44.3 miles of unelectrified track between Temple Hirst Junction and Beverley.
- One battery range is 100 kilometres or 62.1 miles.
- As the trains have three slots for battery packs or diesel engines, they could always carry a diesel engine for emergencies.
The route could be run in one of two ways.
- By using one battery, that would be charged at Beverley.
- By two batteries, that would be charged on the main line to the South of Temple Hirst Junction. One battery would be used in each direction.
Note.
- The second method would not require any new infrastructure at Beverley or Hull.
- All batteries would be identical 100 km batteries.
- Trains would just swap an appropriate number of diesel engines for batteries.
The service could run as soon as the trains had the power transplants.
Using The Lincoln Diversion
In Extra Luggage Racks For Lumo, I also talked about Lumo taking the diversion via Lincoln.
Consider.
- This route is 88.5 miles of unelectrified track.
- It would be possible to be handled by a Class 802 train with two battery packs.
- Hull Trains will need battery packs to get to Beverley.
- Some LNER services will use battery packs.
Perhaps trains will use one battery to Lincoln and one from.
Crewe And Holyhead
In October 2023, the government said, that the North Wales Coast Line would be electrified.
Consider.
- Crewe and Holyhead are 105.5 miles apart.
- The route currently has no electrification.
- It has been planned to electrify the 21.1 miles between Crewe and Chester for some time.
- A lot of the route West of Chester may arouse the wrath of the Nimbies and be politically difficult to electrify, as castles and electrification don’t mix.
- Llandudno Junction station might be a station, where trains could be charged.
- Shotton and Chester stations need rebuilding.
- The line is not short of electric power, because of Electric Mountain and the windfarms along the coast.
- The route will soon be served by Hitachi Class 805 trains.
I believe the North Wales Coast Line could be one of those routes, which Hitachi’s partial electrification might be ideal.
I also believe that, it could be an extension of High Speed Two from Crewe, which provided a zero-carbon route between London and Ireland.
Conclusion
I can see if the tests perform as expected, that there will be some battery express trains running soon.
High Speed Two To Holyhead
Rishi Sunak has just announced that the North Wales Main Line will be electrified, along with the cancellation of further phases of High Speed Two.
I have written about this topic before in Could High Speed Two Serve Holyhead?.
In that post, I started with this question and answer.
Why?
It could be a way to create a zero- or low-carbon route between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland.
In Could High Speed Two Finish At Lichfield?, I discussed, what might happen if the Birmingham to Manchester leg of High Speed Two were to be scrapped.
This was my main 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.
As the current Holyhead services will pass this junction between the Trent Valley Line and High Speed Two, there is no reason, why they couldn’t take High Speed Two to and from London, if the service was run by High Speed Two Classic-Compatible Trains.
These are further thoughts.
Timings
These would be the times in hours:minutes.
- Bangor – 2:42
- Chester – 1:28
- Holyhead – 3:10
- Llandudno Junction – 2:24
Currently, Holyhead is three hours and forty-five minutes.
Would the Electrification Be Full Or Partial Between Crewe And Holyhead?
This question will be increasingly asked about electrification.
Consider.
- CAF, Hitachi, Siemens and Stadler are all developing battery-electric technology for trains.
- The UK’s first battery-electric train service goes into service tomorrow between Liverpool and Headbolt Lane station.
- Freight locomotives are increasingly being ordered with both electric and diesel power.
- Some of the castles, countryside and other monuments wouldn’t be enhanced, with lots of overhead electrification.
I think it is likely, that electrification will increasingly have gaps for visual, technical or heritage reasons.
Electrification of the North Wales Coast Line with other small improvements could probably reduce the journey time between London and Holyhead to around three hours.
Would There Be Enough Paths On The Trent Valley Line And High Speed Two?
This graphic shows High Speed Two services after Phase 2b is completed.
Note.
- Services shown in blue are run by High Speed Two Full Size trains.
- Services shown in yellow are run by High Speed Two Classic-Compatible trains.
- There are a total of 23 train paths of which eleven would need to go along the Trent Valley Line.
- The three London-Manchester services and the two Birmingham-Manchester services would have to be run by High Speed Two Classic-Compatible trains.
- The second Liverpool train is only a single train, but it could be a pair, that split at Crewe, with one train going to Liverpool and the other to Chester and North Wales.
- All the Avanti West Coast services, currently using the Trent Valley Line would probably be replaced by High Speed Two services.
There would have to be a bit of reorganising, but I suspect an hourly path could be found for a train between London and Holyhead.
A Fast Green Route To The Emerald Isle
Electrification of the North Wales Coast Line with other small improvements could probably reduce the journey time between London and Holyhead to around three hours.
This service could be paired with a fast zero-carbon ferry to the island of Ireland?
Conclusion
I am fairly sure that an HS2 service to Holyhead could be run, once the North Wales Coast Line is electrified.
See Also
Could High Speed Two Finish At Lichfield?
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.
See Also
Could High Speed Two Finish At Lichfield?
The Anonymous Widower 