The Anonymous Widower

Sheffield Station – 14th October 2026

I went to Sheffield station and took these pictures.

Note.

  1. The tram electrification clearly shows, where the Sheffield Supertram runs above the railway.
  2. My Class 222 trains arrived in Platform 5 from London.
  3. A five-car Class 810 train is 120 metres long.
  4. Platform 8 is a 378 metre through platform.
  5. What is the purpose of the white iron beams over the track, in the pictures of Platform 8?
  6. The beams are fairly substantial
  7. Platform 7 is a 135 metre bay platform.
  8. There are also similar shorter beams over the bay Platform 7.
  9. The platforms are well-provided with lifts.
  10. In the past, I have used Platform 7 to take a train to Manchester Piccadilly station along the Hope Valley Line. This could be an ideal route for battery-electric trains, as it is scenic and only 42.1 miles long.

If these beams are to hold overhead electrification cables to charge battery-electric trains, then the bay Platform 7 could charge a single train and Platform 8 could charge a pair of trains.

I have some thoughts and questions.

Could Sheffield Station With A Charger In Platform 8, Return a Class 810 Battery-Electric Train To London?

In Electrification Project’s Major Milestone Delivered On Time And Under Budget, I had a section, which was entitled Battery-Electric Trains Between St. Pancras And Sheffield Stations, where I said this.

Real Time Trains reveal the following about current St. Pancras and Sheffield services, that are run by the new Class 810 trains.

  • Trains switch between electric and diesel power at Kilby Bridge junction.
  • Between Kilby Bridge junction and St. Pancras station, overhead electrication provides train power.
  • Between Kilby Bridge junction and Sheffield station diesel generators provide train power.
  • Kilby Bridge junction and Sheffield station are 71.4 miles apart.

This would mean.

  • For a one-way journey a battery range of 71.4 miles would be needed.
  • For a return journey a battery range of 142.8 miles would be needed.
  • Leicester, Loughborough, East Midlands Parkway, Long Eaton, Derby and Chesterfield stations would be served on battery power.

I suspect charging could be installed if required at Sheffield station.

This charging would need to put enough electricity in the batteries to get back to Kilby Bridge junction.

It certainly looks like.

  • Platform 7 is long enough to charge  a five-car train.
  • Platform 8 is long enough to charge  a ten-car train.

I don’t think the world’s first battery-electric 125 mph battery-express train is far away.

Could Two Trains Be Charged At The Same Time?

I don’t see why not, if the electrification has enough capacity.

Could Rigid Overhead Conductor Rails As At St. Pancras Thameslink Station Be Used?

These pictures show those rails.

I don’t see why not.

How Long Will Trains Take Between London St. Pancras And Sheffield?

I asked Google AI, how long the current trains take and received this reply.

East Midlands Railway (EMR) trains between London St Pancras International and Sheffield Station take an average of 2 hours and 12 minutes to 2 hours and 15 minutes, with the fastest direct services completing the journey in 1 hour and 57 minutes to 2 hours 1 minute.

I suspect that for marketing reasons, all services will be a minute or so, less than two hours.

Will The Trains Be Five- Or Ten-Cars?

As it appears, that trains of both lengths can be charged at both ends of the route, East Midlands Trains can run the trains, so that they maximise the numbers of passengers.

But I suspect, it will be a two trains per hour, guaranteed two hour service between London St. Pancras and Sheffield.

Could Trains Between London St. Pancras And Sheffield Be Extended To Leeds?

Consider.

  • According to Google AI, historically, there have been trains that have run between between London St. Pancras and Leeds via Sheffield and the Midland Main Line.
  • Trains would use Platform 8 at Sheffield, as it is an electrified through platform.
  • The route between Sheffield and Leeds would be something like Meadowhall, Rotherham Central, Swinton, Bolton-on-Dearne, Moorthorpe, Fitzwilliam, Westfield Westgate and Outwood.
  • Trains could also charge their batteries at Leeds, if required.
  • Sheffield and Leeds is only 39 miles

Note.

All the intermediate stations between Sheffield and Leeds, would get direct services to Chesterfield, Derby, Long Eaton, East Midlands Parkway, Loughborough, Leicester and London St. Pancras.

  1. Trains would not leave Sheffield until the batteries were full.
  2. As my pictures show that Sheffield will have two platforms capable of fully-charging trains for London St. Pancras, I suspect that Sheffield will still have two trains per hour to London St. Pancras.
  3. As Platform 8 at Sheffield can handle ten-car trains, five- and 10-car trains can be run between London St. Pancras and Leeds.

 

Could Manchester And Sheffield Trains Along The Hope Valley Be Run By Battery-Electric Trains?

Consider.

  • The Hope Valley Line between Manchester Piccadilly and Sheffield is only 42.1 miles.
  • The service is currently hourly.
  • The Hope Valley Line has recently been upgraded.
  • Could the upgrade allow two trains per hour?
  • Some trains between Manchester Piccadilly and Sheffield already use Platform 7 in Sheffield station.

Note.

  1. The Hope Valley Line is a scenic route.
  2. The service would use Platform 7 at Sheffield station.
  3. All platforms at Manchester Piccadilly station are electrified, so could top up the battery-electric trains.
  4. A two trains per service would have a cross-platform interchange with London trains in Platform 8.
  5. I’m sure that Hitachi could create a battery-electric version of their Class 185 train.
  6. I also suspect that CAF would be able to provide a battery-electric version of their Class 332 train, that Northern uses.

I believe that travellers using the Hope Valley Line would welcome an improved service.

Could A Battery-Electric Train With A Range Of 70 Miles Run A London And Nottingham Service?

In Electrification Project’s Major Milestone Delivered On Time And Under Budget, I had a section, which was entitled Battery-Electric Trains Between St. Pancras And Nottingham Stations, where I said this.

Real Time Trains reveal the following about current St. Pancras and Nottingham services, that are run by the new Class 810 trains.

  • Trains switch between electric and diesel power at Kilby Bridge junction.
  • Between Kilby Bridge junction and St. Pancras station, overhead electrication provides train power.
  • Between Kilby Bridge junction and Nottingham station diesel generators provide train power.
  • Kilby Bridge junction and Nottingham station are 33.1 miles apart.

This would mean.

  • For a one-way journey a battery range of 33.1 miles would be needed.
  • For a return journey a battery range of 66.2 miles would be needed.
  • Leicester, Loughborough, East Midlands Parkway and Beeston stations would be served on battery power.

I suspect charging could be installed if required at Nottingham station.

But would it be needed, as the battery range for for Sheffield is more than that needed for a return journey to Nottingham?

 

 

 

October 14, 2026 Posted by | Design, Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

GC Applies For Manchester Paths

The title of this post, is the same as that of a short news item in the August 2026 Edition of Modern Railways.

This is the body of the news item.

Open Access Operator Grand Central has applied to operate five trains per day between St. Pancras International and Manchester Piccadilly from December 2029. These would operate via the Midland Main Line using GC’s five-car Class 180 DMU fleet currently employed on its East Coast Main Line operations. These are due to be replaced by a fleet of tri-mode Class 820s being constructed by Hitachi Rail, which were ordered last year and are being financed by Angel Trains.

Meanwhile, GC is also bidding to operate trains between London Waterloo and Bristol Temple Meads, running via the South West Main Line and Salisbury. The operator says that under these proposals, trains would begin operating from December 2027 with seven trains per day running using stock currently off lease.

These are my thoughts on the St. Pancras International and Manchester Piccadilly service.

The Route Between The Midland Main Line And Manchester Piccadilly

This OpenRailwayMap shows Dore Junction, where the Midland Main Line meets the Hope Valley Line between Chesterfield and Sheffield stations.

Note.

  1. Dore Junction is a triangular junction in the middle of the map.
  2. Dore and Totley station is on the North point of the junction, which leads to Sheffield station.
  3. Dore & Totley Station – 1st April 2025 shows the station before and after its rebuilding.
  4. The South-East point of the junction leads to Chesterfield station.
  5. The South-West point of the junction leads to the Hope Valley Line and eventually to Manchester Piccadilly station.

There are three routes that trains can take between the Midland Main Line at Chesterfield station and the Hope Valley Line.

  • They can take the Dore South Curve shown in the map.
  • They can go directly into Sheffield station and reverse.
  • They can go via Barrow Hill and enter Sheffield station from the East.

Note.

  1. The first route doesn’t call at Sheffield.
  2. The second route is taken by trains between Liverpool and Norwich.
  3. I wrote about the third route in Reinstatement Of The Barrow Hill Line Between Sheffield And Chesterfield.

The reinstatement of the Barrow Hill Line may ease operations in Sheffield and allow a new station or two.

The Current Hope Valley Service Between Manchester Piccadilly And Sheffield

There are two passenger services between Manchester Piccadilly and Sheffield stations.

  • A Northern Trains local train that stops everywhere.
  • An East Midlands Railway faster train, that only stops at Stockport.

Both trains are hourly.

The Northern End Of Grand Central’s St. Pancras International And Manchester Piccadilly Service

I would feel that the ideal route for Grand Central’s new service would call at Chesterfield, Sheffield, Stockport and Manchester Piccadilly.

Hopefully, it could use the Barrow Hill Line to avoid a reverse at Sheffield.

Where Would Grand Central’s St. Pancras International And Manchester Piccadilly Service Call On The Midland Main Line?

East Midlands Railway services to Sheffield call at Leicester, Loughborough, East Midlands Parkway, Long Eaton, Derby and Chesterfield.

I would expect Grand Central’s service would only call at a selection of those stations.

Would St. Pancras International Be Able To Handle The Extra Trains?

East Midlands Railway run the following services from St. Pancras International.

  • Nottingham
  • Sheffield
  • Corby

Note.

  1. All services are two trains per hour (tph)
  2. Nottingham and Sheffield services can be five- or ten-car trains.
  3. Corby services can be four- or eight-car trains.
  4. There are only four East Midlands Railway platforms at St. Pancras International, but they are 260 metres long.
  5. 260 metre platforms will take a pair of five-car Class 800/801/802 Hitachi trains, which have the standard Hitachi car length of 26 metres. The architects got that right,
  6. Each platform can take one ten-car train or two five-car trains.
  7. East Midlands Railway’s Class 810 trains are 120 metres long.
  8. East Midlands Railway’s Class 360 trains are 80 metres long.
  9. Grand Central Trains’s Class 180 trains are 116.52 metres long.
  10. The train length of Grand Central Trains’s Class 820 trains has not been disclosed, but if they had the standard Hitachi car length of 26 metres, they’d be 130 metres long.

I am fairly certain, that St. Pancras International can handle two Hitachi trains in the same platform.

This leads me to believe that Grand Central Trains Class 180 and Class 820 trains could also share a platform with an East Midlands Railway Class 810 train.

The Route And Electrification Between Manchester Piccadilly And Hazel Grove

This OpenRailwayMap shows the Manchester Piccadilly end of the route.

Note.

  1. Tracks shown in black are not electrified.
  2. Tracks shown in red are electrified  with 25 KVAC overhead.
  3. Tracks shown in mauve are the Manchester Metrolink.
  4. Manchester Piccadilly station is indicated by the blue arrow.
  5. Hazel Grove station is in the South-East corner of the map.
  6. Between Manchester Piccadilly and Hazel Grove stations is fully-electrified.
  7. The red knot of electrified tracks close to Manchester Piccadilly station is Longsight depot.
  8. The Southern red knot of electrified tracks is Stockport station.
  9. Manchester Piccadilly and Hazel Grove stations are 8.7 miles apart and local trains take about 15 minutes.

The Route And Electrification Between Hazel Grove And Sheffield

This OpenRailwayMap shows the route between Hazel Grove and Sheffield.

Note.

  1. Tracks shown in black are not electrified.
  2. Tracks shown in red are electrified  with 25 KVAC overhead.
  3. Tracks shown in mauve are the Manchester Metrolink and Sheffield Supertram.
  4. Stockport and Hazel Grove can be picked out on the electrified tracks in the North-East corner of the map
  5. Dore and Totley station is indicated by the blue arrow.
  6. Sheffield station is to the North-East of Dore and Totley station.
  7. The mauve tracks are the Sheffield Supertram.
  8. Leading West from Dore and Totley station is the Hope Valley Line which connects Sheffield and Hazel Grove stations.
  9. Dore and Totley and Hazel Grove stations are 29.7 miles apart.
  10. Leading South-East from Dore and Totley station is the Midland Main Line to Chesterfield, Derby and the South.
  11. The electrification from St. Pancras International finishes just North of Market Harborough station.

Dore and Totley and Market Harborough stations are 67.1 miles apart.

Will Tri-Mode Trains We Able To Go Between St. Pancras International And Manchester Piccadilly Stations

It would appear that the gap in the electrification between Market Harborough and Hazel Grove is a few miles under a hundred miles.

Both Hitachi Rail and CAF have said that their five-car trains should be able to handle up to 122 miles.

So there should be enough range to go via Barrow Hill, which would remove the reversal at Sheffield station.

 

These are my thoughts on the London Waterloo and Bristol Temple Meads service.

The Route Between Bristol Temple Meads And Salisbury

Currently, there are two Great Western Railway services between Bristol Temple Meads and Salisbury.

  • One  calls at Bath Spa, Bradford-on-Avon, Trowbridge, Westbury, Dilton Marsh and Warminster.
  • One calls at Keynsham, Oldfield Park, Bath Spa, Freshford, Avoncliff, Bradford-on-Avon, Trowbridge, Westbury and Warminster.

Note.

  1. Both services call at Bath Spa, Bradford-on-Avon, Trowbridge, Westbury and Warminster.
  2. Only Bath Spa and Westbury have a frequent service to London.
  3. There are five other stations, that are called at occasionally by Bristol Temple Meads and Salisbury services.

I do feel that Grand Central Trains have a lot of scope to create a very passenger-friendly timetable.

August 25, 2026 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Could A Feeder Network Of Local Trains Be Developed For HS2 At Macclesfield Station?

Macclesfield station is one of the less important stations that will be served by High Speed Two.

I visited in July 2020 and afterwards wrote Macclesfield Station And High Speed Two.

This OpenRailwayMap shows the railway network around Macclesfield.

Note.

  1. Manchester Piccadilly station is at the top of the map .
  2. The station is surrounded by the green tracks of the Manchester Metrolink.
  3. Macclesfield station is at the bottom of the map and indicated by a blue arrow.

The West Coast Main Line can be followed North as it threads through Prestbury, Adlington (Cheshire), Poynton, Bramhall, Cheadle Hulme, Stockport, Heaton Chapel, Levenshulme and Ashburys on its way to Manchester Piccadilly.

This summary from the Wikipedia entry for the station outlines the services at the station.

Macclesfield is served by three train operating companies: Avanti West Coast, CrossCountry and Northern Trains.

Northbound to Stockport and Manchester Piccadilly, Avanti West Coast and Northern operate hourly services, with some peak time extras, and CrossCountry runs two services an hour.

Southbound, there are also four trains per hour: one stopping service to Stoke-on-Trent, operated by Northern Trains; one inter-city service to London Euston, operated by Avanti West Coast; one to Bournemouth, via Birmingham New Street and Reading; and one to Bristol Temple Meads, both operated by CrossCountry.

Sunday services are similar, but the local stopping service operated by Northern Trains no longer runs on Sunday, with rail replacement bus services operating between Stockport and Stoke-on-Trent.

It is not as busy a station, as the map suggests it is.

Searching in detail, I found these local trains.

  • CrossCountry – 1 – tph – Manchester Piccadilly and Bournemouth via Stockport, Macclesfield, Stoke-on-Trent and Stafford
  • CrossCountry – 1 – tph – Manchester Piccadilly and Bristol Temple Meads via Stockport, Macclesfield, Stoke-on-Trent and Stafford
  • Northern – 1 tph – Manchester Piccadilly and Stoke-on-Trent via Stockport, Cheadle Hulme, Bramhall, Poynton, Adlington, Prestbury, Macclesfield, Congleton and Kidsgrove

Three trains per hour is not many.

The train and bus network from Macclesfield station needs to be developed, so travellers can make full use of HS2.

This second OpenRailwayMap shows the railway network to the East of Macclesfield.

Note.

  1. Macclesfield is in the South-West corner of the map.
  2. Stockport is in the North-West corner of the map.
  3. The orange track that stretches across the map is the busy Hope Valley Line, which is an important passenger route between Manchester and Sheffield and an important freight route for the quarry products of the Peak District to the South.
  4. The Buxton Line comes South from the Hope Valley Line to Chapel-en-le-Frith, Dove Holes and Buxton.

I believe a strong case can be made to link the area to the East of Macclesfield to HS2.

These points must be considered, when designing a road transport network to feed travellers from the East of Macclesfield.

Bakewell

Bakewell is the largest settlement and only town within the boundaries of the Peak District National Park.

I believe that travellers to Bakewell, would use a quality transport network to HS2 at Macclesfield.

Buxton

These are facts from Buxton’s Wikipedia entry.

  • Buxton is a spa town of 20,000 people.
  • It is England’s highest market town, sited at some 1,000 feet (300 m) above sea level.
  • The University of Derby is a noted employer.
  • Tourism is a major industry, with over a million visitors to Buxton each year.
  • The Buxton Line connects Buxton to Stockport and Manchester Piccadilly.

I believe that travellers to Buxton, would use a quality transport network to HS2 at Macclesfield.

The Cat And Fiddle Inn

The road between Macclesfield and Buxton passes the famous Cat and Fiddle Inn.

This is the first paragraph of the Wikipedia entry for the public house.

The Cat and Fiddle Inn is a former public house in the English Peak District, close to the border between Cheshire and Derbyshire. It sits on the A537 road from Macclesfield to Buxton, which runs across a high and remote area of moorland. A section of the road is known as the “Cat and Fiddle Road” after the inn. The building is some 1,689 feet (515 m) above sea level, and it was the second-highest public house in Britain before it closed in 2015 (the Tan Hill Inn in Yorkshire is slightly higher). In 2020, it reopened as a distillery, shop and bar.

I visited it once in the 1960s with my future wife and two friends.

These roads in the Peak District will be challenging roads for modern electric buses.

Chatsworth House

I have never been to Chatsworth House and no very little about the house and its history.

So I asked Google AI,”Is Chatsworth House A Major Tourist Attraction?” and received this reply.

Yes, Chatsworth House is a major tourist attraction, frequently cited as one of the UK’s most popular country houses and a top destination in the Peak District. Located in Derbyshire, it draws hundreds of thousands of visitors annually to explore its historic house, 105-acre garden, farmyard, and massive parkland.

Key Reasons for Its Status:

Cultural Significance: As the home of the Cavendish family since 1549, it holds significant art collections (Old Masters, modern sculpture, Egyptian artifacts).
“Palace of the Peak”: Known for its grand interiors, including the Painted Hall and Sketch Galleries.

Famous Grounds: Features a 105-acre garden with a maze, cascading water features, and the impressive Emperor Fountain.

Media Appearance: Known as the real-life Pemberley from the 2005 Pride & Prejudice film.

Family Activities: The estate includes a popular farmyard and adventure playground.

Chatsworth is often ranked as a favorite stately home in Britain and is a key visitor attraction in the East Midlands region.

As with Buxton, I believe that travellers to Chatsworth House, would use a quality transport network to HS2 at Macclesfield.

Chesterfield Station

Chesterfield station is a major station on the Midland Main Line, close to the East side of the Peak District.

Chesterfield station is the following distances from these towns and attractions.

  • Bakewell – 12-13 miles
  • Buxton – 24-25 miles
  • Chatsworth House – 12 miles
  • Macclesfield – 35-40 miles

Chesterfield has no direct rail connection to any of these towns, but I think you can get to Buxton with changes at Sheffield and Hazel Grove.

The Wikipedia entry for Chesterfield station gives this description of services at the station.

Chesterfield is served by three train operating companies:

  • East Midlands Railway operates regular inter-city services on the Midland Main Line between Sheffield and London St Pancras, via Derby and Leicester; this includes the 07:45 southbound departure, the Master Cutler. It also runs a route between Liverpool and Norwich, via Manchester Piccadilly and Nottingham.
  • Northern Trains runs an hourly service between Nottingham and Leeds.
  • CrossCountry operates a regular service between Sheffield and Derby; trains continue on to a variety of final destinations including Glasgow Central, Edinburgh Waverley, Plymouth, Reading, Southampton Central and Bristol Temple Meads.

There are typically 12 passenger trains per hour passing through the station on weekdays (six in each direction), with ten of those calling.

I believe that if a transport network is developed to the East of Macclesfield, it should call at Chesterfield station.

Dore & Totley Station

Dore &Totley station is the nearest station to Sheffield at the Sheffield end of the Hope Valley Line.

I wrote about the station in Dore & Totley Station – 1st April 2025 and after a sympathetic restoration, it is now a superb step-free station.

These pictures give a flavour of the station.

The second picture, appears to show a pair of bus stops on the main road.

If these aren’t considered adequate, I’m sure space could be found in the car park for a bus stop with level access to the station.

 

Hazel Grove Station

Hazel Grove station is the nearest station to Stockport at the Manchester end of the Hope Valley Line.

I wrote about the station in Hazel Grove Station and it is a rather ordinary station with car parking and step-free access.

Passengers can also change trains for the Buxton Line.

HS2 Day Trips

Toyota’s Trial Of Hydrogen Buses In The Peak District

To find out more of this, I typed the title of this section into Google AI, and received this answer.

Toyota conducted a two-week trial of hydrogen fuel cell buses in the Peak District National Park in September 2022 to promote sustainable tourism and reduce carbon emissions. Using CaetanoBus H2.City Gold vehicles, the trial aimed to connect key tourist sites without relying on private cars. This initiative supports a long-term goal of launching the “Peak Express” service by 2025.

Key Details of the Peak District Hydrogen Bus Trial

Purpose: The trial was designed to reduce the high reliance on cars (85% of visitors) in the national park, aiming to cut emissions by 3.6 million kg a year once fully operational.

Vehicles: The trial used hydrogen fuel cell electric buses manufactured by CaetanoBus, which is part of Toyota’s European partner network. These buses provide a range of up to 200 kilometers and can be refueled in 10-15 minutes.

Route: The hydrogen buses operated in and around the Peak District, connecting major spots including Chesterfield railway station and Chatsworth.

The “Peak Express” Initiative: Led by the Gateway at Peak development, this project plans a full service by 2025 to offer sustainable transport options.
Multi-technology Strategy: Toyota is testing both hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEV) and battery electric vehicles (BEV) to determine which is most suitable for different types of journeys.

The trial was part of a larger push to test hydrogen infrastructure, with long-term plans to create multiple hubs around the Peak District National Park boundary.

The experience from my trip to Gatwick, that I described in Sutton Station To Gatwick Airport By Hydrogen-Powered Bus, has convinced me, that where bus and hills are involved, you need to have hydrogen buses, as they torque the torque.

Conclusion

I believe that the Peak District and Toyota are on the right track, but I strongly believe that any buses ferrying passengers around the Peak District, need the extra torque that hydrogen will provide.

The bus also must be large enough.

I also wonder, if as the service will be serving Chatsworth, that a hydrogen-powered coach might be a better choice of vehicle.

Hydrogen-Powered Coaches

The first hydrogen-powered coaches will becoming into service this year.

  • Mercedes and Wrightbus have both said they will launch vehicles.
  • Two and three-axle models have been talked about.
  • Ranges of a thousand kilometres on a single tank of hydrogen seem to have been promised.
  • Typical load will be about eighty passengers, which will include wheelchairs.
  • Like the bus between Sutton station and Gatwick Airport, they will be mouse-quiet.

I believe they will become a valuable part of the public transport network.

  • Running long distance coach services.
  • Extending long-distance rail services.
  • Running special services over long distances, like those for football supporters.
  • Running rail replacement bus services for rail companies.

I can’t wait to have my first ride.

 

 

 

April 21, 2026 Posted by | Artificial Intelligence, Hydrogen, Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

RWE Opens ‘Grimsby Hub’ For Offshore Wind Operations And Maintenance

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

This is the sub-heading.

RWE officially opened its ‘Grimsby Hub’ offshore wind operations and maintenance (O&M) facility in the UK on 9 July. From the new O&M base, located at Associated British Ports’ (ABP) Port of Grimsby, RWE’s teams will maintain and operate the Triton Knoll and Sofia offshore wind farms.

These are the first two paragraphs.

The Grimsby Hub also houses RWE’s new UK Centralised Control Room (CCR), which has been set up to provide 24/7 monitoring of the company’s UK offshore wind farms and can provide services such as marine coordination, turbine operations, alarm management, high voltage monitoring and Emergency Response services with a team of twelve operatives, the developer says.

The O&M facility is already employing over 90 Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs), according to RWE, and is expected to employ around 140 RWE staff by 2027, as well as create approximately 60 new locally sourced jobs through the development of the CCR and ongoing offshore operations.

Note.

  1. Does RWE’s new UK Centralised Control Room control all their UK offshore wind farms?
  2. I have added them all up and there are almost 12 GW around our shores.
  3. I’ve read somewhere, that RWE are the UK’s largest power generator. From these figures, that would not surprise me.

This Google Map shows the location of RWE’s facilities in Grimsby.

Note.

  1. The bright red arrow at the top of the map indicates RWE Generation UK in Grimsby Docks.
  2. There is another RWE location to the right of the bright red arrow.
  3. There is a line of stations along the coast, which from left-to-right are Stallingborough, Healing, Great Coates, Grimsby Town, Grimsby Docks, New Clee and Cleethorpes.
  4. Cleethorpes is not shown on the map.
  5. Doncaster and Cleethorpes are 52.1 mile apart, which is within the range of a battery-electric Hitachi and other trains.
  6. Charging would be at Doncaster, which is fully electrified and at Cleethorpes, by a short length of electrification.

This OpenRailwayMap shows the layout of and the railways around Grimsby Dock.

Note.

  1. Cleethorpes station is indicated by the blue arrow, in the South-East corner of the map.
  2. Cleethorpes station has four platforms, but no electrification.
  3. Grimsby Docks are to the North of the railway to Cleethorpes.
  4. This Wikipedia entry for Cleethorpes station, shows other railways and light railways served the area. Some were even electric.

These are a few of my thoughts on the development of railways between Sheffield and Cleethorpes.

RWE Will Be A Large Driver Of Employment In Grimsby

Earlier I wrote.

  • Does RWE’s new UK Centralised Control Room control all their UK offshore wind farms?
  • I have added them all up and there are almost 12 GW around our shores.
  • I’ve read somewhere, that RWE are the UK’s largest power generator. From these figures, that would not surprise me.

It’s a long time, since I’ve added resources to a large project, so I asked Google AI, “How many people are needed to support a 1 GW offshore wind farm in the UK?”, and received this answer.

Based on data from large-scale UK offshore wind projects, a 1 GW (1,000 MW) offshore wind farm generally requires between 300 and 600+ people to operate and maintain, depending on whether the staff count includes direct operations, service vessel crews, and long-term supply chain partners. 
Operational Staffing: Ørsted’s 1.2 GW Hornsea 1 and 1.3 GW Hornsea 2 projects are supported by an East Coast Hub in Grimsby, which maintains a workforce of over 600 people.

Direct & Indirect Support: For a large-scale project, this often breaks down into approximately 100–150 direct, permanent, high-skilled roles (technicians, engineers, management) and hundreds more in indirect, contracted, or supply chain roles (vessel crews, port operations, logistics).

Industry Average: Studies suggest that for operations and maintenance (O&M), around 50–100 full-time equivalent (FTE) jobs are generated per GW of installed capacity in terms of direct, permanent staff.

Key Takeaways for a 1 GW Farm:

  • Direct Technicians/Operators: ~100–200+ (working on-site, turbines, or in control rooms).
  • O&M Support Services: ~300–400+ (vessel operators, port logistics, supply chain).
  • Total Operations Personnel: 300–600+ people. 

Google AI appeared to have borrowed the figure from Ørsted and Hornsea 1 and 2.

So if it’s correct, there will be a total of 7,200 personnel supporting RWE’s wind farms in the UK. Even if only a third were employed in Grimsby, that is still a lot of people to accommodate and who will need to travel to work.

I also think a lot of personnel will come in by train, as the station is close to RWE’s locations.

Will Grimsby Have An Aberdeen-Sized Office-Shortage Problem?

One of the biggest problems, I was always hearing in the 1970s, was the shortage of offices in Aberdeen for the use of the oilmen.

In RWE Goes For An Additional 10 GW Of Offshore Wind In UK Waters In 2030, I talked about RWE’s plans for the future and published this table of new wind farms.

  • Sofia – 1,400 MW
  • Norfolk Boreas – 1380 MW
  • Norfolk Vanguard East – 1380 MW
  • Norfolk Vanguard West – 1380 MW
  • Dogger Bank South – 3000 MW
  • Awel y Môr – 500 MW
  • Five Estuaries – 353 MW
  • North Falls – 504 MW

Note.

  1. Sofia is nearly complete.
  2. Only the three Norfolk and the Dogger Bank South wind farms  are on the East side of England and suitable to be serviced from Grimsby., but they still total 7,140 MW.

Has Grimsby got the office-space for all the people needed?

Could The Cleethorpes And Liverpool Lime Street Service Be Run By Battery-Electric Rolling Stock?

The various sections of this route are as follows.

  • Cleethorpes and Doncaster – No Electrification – 52.1 miles
  • Doncaster and Meadowhall – No Electrification – 15.2 miles
  • Meadowhall and Sheffield – No Electrification – 3.4 miles
  • Sheffield and Dore & Totley  – No Electrification – 4.2 miles
  • Dore & Totley and Hazel Grove – No Electrification – 29.2 miles
  • Hazel Grove and Stockport – Electrification – 3.3 miles
  • Stockport and Manchester Piccadilly – Electrification – 5.9 miles
  • Manchester Piccadilly and Deansgate – Electrification – 0.8 miles
  • Deansgate and Liverpool South Parkway -Not Electrified – 28.2 miles
  • Liverpool South Parkway and Liverpool Lime Street – Electrified – 5.7 miles

Adding the sections together gives.

  • Cleethorpes and Hazel Grove – No Electrification – 104.1 miles
  • Hazel Grove and Deansgate – Electrification – 10 miles
  • Deansgate and Liverpool South Parkway -Not Electrified – 28.2 miles
  • Liverpool South Parkway and Liverpool Lime Street – Electrified – 5.7 miles

Note.

  1. To cover the 104.1 miles to Hazel Grove battery-electric trains would probably need to leave Cleethorpes with full batteries.
  2. Doncaster is a fully-electrified station and passing trains may be able to have a quick top-up.
  3. In South Yorkshire Now Has Better North-South Connections, I calculated that Doncaster is a very busy station with 173 express trains per day calling at the station or one every 8.5 minutes.
  4. Will trains be able to stop for a long period to charge batteries?
  5. It may be prudent to electrify between Meadowhall and Sheffield, under the Midland Mainline Electrification.
  6. Sheffield and Dore & Totley is shown that it will be electrified, under the Midland Mainline Electrification.
  7. Do we really want to have electrification marching along the Hope Valley Line?
  8. I believe that hydrogen-hybrid locomotives will be a better solution for freight trains on scenic lines like the Hope Valley, as they are zero-carbon, powerful and with a range comparable to diesel.

I believe CAF, Hitachi and Siemens have off the shelf rolling stock and factories in this country, who could build trains for the Cleethorpes and Liverpool Lime Street route.

How Would You Charge Battery-Electric Trains At Cleethorpes?

This picture shows Cleethorpes station

Note.

  1. The four long platforms without  electrification.
  2. The platforms have recently been refurbished.
  3. The train in Platform 2 is a TransPennine Express Class 185 Siemens Desiro diesel train.

The simplest way to electrify the station would be to put up enough 25 KVAC overhead wires, so that battery-electric trains needing a charge could put up a pantograph and have a refreshing drink.

In Technology Behind Siemens Mobility’s British Battery Trains Hits The Tracks, I wrote about Siemens Rail Charging Converter.

This is a visualisation of a Siemens Rail Charging Converter in action.

Note.

  1. The track is electrified with standard 25 KVAC overhead electrification.
  2. The train is a standard Siemens electric or battery-electric train.
  3. Siemens Rail Charging Converter, which is the shed in the compound on the left is providing the electricity to energise the catenary.
  4. I suspect, it could power third rail electrification, if the Office of Rail and Road ever allowed it to be still installed.
  5. The Siemens Rail Charging Converter does have one piece of magic in the shed. I suspect it uses a battery or a large capacitor to help power the electrification, as it can be powered from any typical domestic grid supply.
  6. I also wonder, if it has safety devices that cut the power outside the shed if track workers or intruders are detected, where they shouldn’t be?
  7. It could even cut the power, when trains are not running to save power and increase safety.

This looks to me, that a Siemens Rail Charging Converter could be a superb example of out-of-the-box thinking.

Could The Cleethorpes And Barton-on-Humber Service Be Run By Battery-Electric Rolling Stock?

This OpenRailwayMap shows the railways of North-East Lincolnshire.

Note.

  1. Cleethorpes is in the South-East Corner of the map.
  2. Barton-on-Humber is in the North-West corner of the map and marked by a blue-arrow.
  3. Stations from South to North would be New Clee, Grimsby Docks, Grimsby Town, Great Coates, Healing, Stallingborough, Habrough, Ulceby, Thornton Abbey, Goxhill, New Holland and Barrow Haven.
  4. The line is double track.
  5. Cleethorpes and Barton-on-Humber is just 22.8 miles.
  6. A round trip would be under fifty miles, which would be well within range of a full-charge at one end.
  7. Service is one train per two hours (tp2h), which would only need a single train, shuttling between Cleethorpes and Barton-on-Humber.
  8. Two trains could provide an hourly service.

I would expect, that well-designed, solid and reliable German engineering could build a Siemens’ Rail Charging Connector that could charge four trains per hour (tph) at Cleethorpes station.

At present services are.

  • TransPennineExpress – 1 tph to Liverpool Lime Street.
  • East Midlands Railway – 1 tp2h to Barton-on-Humber
  • East Midlands Railway – 1 tp2h to Matlock via Lincoln and Nottingham
  • Northern Trains – 1 train per day (tpd) Sheffield via Brigg.

That is probably only about two tph.

Could The Cleethorpes And Sheffield Service Be Run By Battery-Electric Rolling Stock?

This is a description of the current Cleethorpes and Sheffield service.

  • It is run by Northern Trains.
  • The morning train leaves Sheffield at 09:54 and arrives in Cleethorpes at 11:40.
  • The afternoon train leaves Cleethorpes at 13:20 and arrives in Sheffield at 15:10.
  • The train is a Class 150 diesel train, which is a bit of a Joan Collins of a train – Of a certain age, but still scrubs up extremely well!
  • Intermediate stations are Worksop, Retford, Gainsborough Central, Kirton Lindsey, Brigg, Barnetby and Grimsby Town
  • The route length is 71.6 miles
  • Trains take about 45-50 minutes.

It is also a parliamentary train.

The Wikipedia entry for parliamentary train gives this description of the Cleethorpes and Sheffield service.

Via Kirton Lindsey & Brigg. Became a parliamentary service when weekday services were withdrawn in 1993. Regular trains have operated between Gainsborough and Sheffield for most timetable periods since. Suspended January 2022 by Northern, who cited COVID-19 and staffing issues , but the service was reinstated in December 2022. Changed in May 2023 to be one return journey on weekdays only.

In the 1950s and 1960s I lived in Felixstowe part of the time and in the 1970s and 1980s I lived near Woodbridge and I observed first hand the development of the Port of Felixstowe and the effects it had on the surrounding countryside.

The development of the Port of Felixstowe, has brought the following.

  • Improved roads and railways.
  • Ipswich is now an hour from London by train.
  • Ipswich is now a University town.
  • New housing and other developments, both in Ipswich and Felixstowe and the surrounding countryside.
  • Employment also has increased considerably, both in the Port and in surrounding towns.
  • Ipswich’s football team is very much respected all over Europe and has won the English top division, the FA Cup and the UEFA Cup.

When you consider the jobs that RWE could create in the Port of Grimsby, I believe that this could have similar effects in Grimsby and Cleethorpes, as the Port of Felixstowe had in East Suffolk.

Already, the following are being talked about.

  • A direct rail link between Cleethorpes and Grimsby to London.
  • Battery-electric trains between Cleethorpes and Grimsby and Doncaster, Manchester and Liverpool Lime Street.

I believe that an improved rail link between Cleethorpes and Sheffield could be the catalyst for much needed housing along the route, which would be to the benefit of Cleethorpres, Grimsby, Sheffield and all the intermediate towns and villages on the route.

and the affects this will have on the countryside around the town, I believe that a strong case can be made out for a more frequent service between Cleethorpes and Sheffield.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

July 16, 2025 Posted by | Artificial Intelligence, Design, Energy, Sport, Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Mayors Head To Parliament With Plan For Northern Arc To Deliver Green Growth

The title of this post, is the same as that of this news item from Liverpool City Region.

These four bullet points act as sub-headings.

  • Steve Rotheram and Andy Burnham take case for backing Northern Arc to Treasury – as new data shows North can drive green growth and unlock £90bn for UK economy
  • Liverpool City Region and Greater Manchester Mayors will meet with ministers and MPs today, and Andy Burnham will give evidence at Business and Trade Select Committee on the UK’s industrial strategy
  • Economic analysis shows that investing in transport infrastructure and a pipeline of projects across the North would benefit the whole UK economy, improving living standards and closing the North-South productivity gap
  • Mayors will also address Innovation Zero World Congress in London, showing how city-regions can create high quality jobs by pioneering low-carbon innovation

These two paragraphs add a bit more detail.

The right investment would create a growth corridor, stretching from the Mersey to the Pennines and connecting into West and South Yorkshire, underpinned by transport networks that would include a new railway linking Liverpool and Manchester.

The Northern Arc area spans regions with close economic ties to Lancashire, North Wales, Hull and the North East. With international connections through the Port of Liverpool and Manchester Airport, it’s well positioned for global trade.

If I have a problem with the mayors’ thoughts, the plan outlined in the news item is rather Liverpool/Manchester-based with Hull being the only city outside that area getting a mention. Do Blackburn, Blackpool, Bradford, Burnley, Doncaster, Huddersfield, Leeds, Preston, Rotherham, Scunthorpe, Stockport, Wigan and York exist?

For instance you would expert a report from Liverpool and Manchester’s Mayors to call for a new railway between their two cities. And of course they do!

The current TransPennine Lines has two main routes across the Pennines between East and West.

If ever there was a rail route, designed by Topsy, it is the North TransPennine Route.

  • There are six separate services, if you ignore Newcastle and Edinburgh Waverley, which is a shuttle to fill a gap in rail services.
  • In the West trains terminate at Huddersfield, Liverpool Lime Street, Manchester Airport, Manchester Piccadilly and Manchester Victoria
  • In the East trains terminate at Edinburgh Waverley, Hull, Leeds, Newcastle, Redcar Central, Scarborough and York.
  • Terminals like Huddersfield, Hull, Liverpool Lime Street, Newcastle and York are some of the best terminal stations in the UK, but others are very second rate.

I suspect, this North TransPennine Route structure brought about the demise of TransPennine Express.

The  South TransPennine Route on the other hand, although it was built by several different railway companies, they were all intent on the same thing. An East-West route across the Pennines through Doncaster, Manchester and Sheffield.

  • The Western terminal is Liverpool Lime Street, which in my view is the finest grand terminus in the UK, in terms of architecture, onward connections and operation. It is also the oldest still-operating grand terminus mainline station in the world, in that it dates from 1836.
  • The Eastern terminal is Cleethorpes, which is an efficient four-platform recently-refurbished station, that is within a hundred metres of some of the best gluten-free fish and chips, I’ve ever tasted on the pier.
  • Intermediate stations include Liverpool South Parkway, Warrington Central, Birchwood, Irlam, Urmston, Manchester Oxford Road, Manchester Piccadilly, Stockport, Sheffield, Meadowhall, Doncaster, Scunthorpe, Barnetby, Habrough and Grimsby Town.
  • Liverpool South Parkway has a bus connection to Liverpool Airport
  • Liverpool Lime Street, Manchester Oxford Road, Manchester Piccadilly, Stockport, Sheffield and Doncaster are stations with comprehensive onward connections.
  • The route is electrified between Liverpool Lime Street and Manchester Piccadilly and at Doncaster.Liverpool Lime Street and Cleethorpes is 148.2 miles
  • Hazel Grove and Doncaster is without electrification and is 52.3 miles long.
  • Cleethorpes and Doncaster is without electrification and is 52.1 miles long.
  • I believe that Hitachi, Siemens and Stadler could supply battery-electric trains, that would be able to work the route, with the addition of a short length of overhead wires at Cleethorpes, so that trains could return to Doncaster.
  • Trains go straight through all the intermediate stations, so there are no time-wasting reverses.
  • Journey time is just over three and a half hours.

I believe that a mouse-quiet battery-electric train would pack in the punters, if only for the novelty.

But.

A battery-electric train would probably knock perhaps thirty minutes off the journey.

The timetable would be an hourly train at all stations.

The service would pass the mother’s birthday test, in that you could easily visit any station from any other and buy your mother lunch before returning on a convenient train.

There are connections to and from London at Liverpool Lime Street, Manchester Piccadilly, Stockport, Sheffield and Doncaster.

It could be a very useful East-West train service.

 

April 30, 2025 Posted by | Energy, Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Between Dore & Totley And Bamford Stations – 1st April 2025

I wanted to see the newly-built passing loop between Heathersage and Bamford stations, so the easiest way was to go to Bamford station and return from Bamford station to Sheffield station.

I took these pictures along the outward route.

Note.

  1. Hathersage seems a tidy and attractive village.
  2. All the stations I visited, seem to be long on information.
  3. The last three pictures show the passing loop from the bridge at Bamford station.
  4. eathersage and Bamford stations are not step-free.
  5. The piling is of a similar quality to a larger scale of a surgeon sewing up a patient after a serious operation.

This OpenRailwayMap shows the loop.

Note.

  1. The three tracks of the passing loop appear almost straight.
  2. Are they level I wonder?
  3. The loop looks level from my pictures.
  4. Bamford station is 83.9 miles from Cleethorpes according to Real Time Trains.
  5. Dore & Totley station is 75 miles from Cleethorpes according to Real Time Trains.
  6. Dore & Totley and Bamford stations are 8.9 miles apart and  TransPennine Express Class 195 trains take eight minutes to go between the two stations.

I’ll take an average speed of just under 70 mph on a straight and level track.

What speed would a battery-electric Class 802 train, be able to achieve?

This track seems to have been built for battery-electric InterCity Trains and their drivers to have fun.

If the engineers had wanted to make it better they could have used concrete slab track, but to my camera and my eyes, it looks to be extremely level.

I took these pictures along the return route.

Only by looking at all pictures and the map in detail in this post, can you get a feeling for what has been done.

The Wikipedia entry for the Hope Valley Line says this.

The work includes creating a 3,600 feet (1,100 m) passing loop between Bamford and Hathersage.

But this is no passing loop, as it’s much more of a passing straight!

It will be very interesting to see how many minutes can be saved between Dore & Totley And Bamford stations.

My Only Worry

This OpenRailwayMap shows the Eastern section of the Hope Valley Line.

Note.

  1. The triangular junction at Dore is at the East of the map.
  2. The blue arrow indicates Bamford station.
  3. The straight and level passing loop to the East of Bamford station.
  4. Click the map to show it to a larger scale.

Will this section of track, with trains going through at seventy mph, every few minutes be too dangerous for some people on the four stations on the route?

 

April 2, 2025 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Dore & Totley Station – 1st April 2025

It seems like only yesterday, when I visisited Dore and Totley station and wrote Dore And Totley Station – 13th July 2020, when I took these pictures.

But it was yesterday, when I visited the station again and look at the station now.

Note.

  1. The footbridge is in keeping with the original station building.
  2. The only changes to the original station building, is a small amount of tasteful restoration.
  3. The footbridge is high enough for future electrification.
  4. There are one shelter on the entry/car park and two on the far side.
  5. As I watched several Class 158, Class 195 and Class 222 trains pass through, it appears that the curve has been profiled for speed.
  6. I am pretty sure, that the station has been designed so that if required, at least one extra platform can be added to the Chesterfield Lines.
  7. The Rajdhani Restaurant in the original station building is rated 4.2 on Trip Advisor, which says they do gluten-free options.
  8. The maximum speed through the station appears to be 50 mph, with 70 mph on the Chesterfield Lines.

From my brief visit, it appears to be another  station, that has been superbly updates.

Let’s bring on a few more.

April 2, 2025 Posted by | Food, Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Thoughts On Tram-Trains In Manchester

The State Of Public Transport In the North

Over the last few years plans have been put in place to improv the state of the public transport of the major cities of the North and progress has started to happen, with new trains, trams and light rail systems being planned and in some cases coming into service.

Birmingham, Coventry And The West Midlands

A lot of investment has been made and it is continuing.

  • Birmingham New Street station has been rebuilt.
  • Coventry and Wolverhampton stations have been remodelled.
  • Two new stations were built in Birmingham for the Commonwealth Games.
  • A large number of new Class 730 local  trains are being brought into service.
  • Birmingham stations are being updated for High Speed Two.
  • The West Midland Metro has been extended at both ends and a second line is under construction.

Transport in the wider West Midlands has been greatly improved.

Derby, Nottingham, Sheffield And The East Midlands

The major investment in this area is the electrification of the Midland Main Line and the provision of new Hitachi electric Class 810 trains.

In addition the following has been done.

  • The Hope Valley line between Manchester and Sheffield has been improved.
  • Derby station has been improved.
  • The local trains have been refurbished.
  • The power supply has been improved.
  • An application for an Open Access service to Sheffield has been made.

The improvements in the East Midlands, will not be on the same scale as in the West Midlands, but they will make a difference.

Leeds, Bradford And West Yorkshire

For decades, West Yorkshire and especially Bradford has lagged behind the rest of the North.

But at least things are stirring.

  • Plans have been laid to create a through station in Bradford.
  • Leeds station has been refurbished.
  • An extra platform is being added at Bradford Forster Square station.
  • The TransPennine Upgrade is underway to electrify between Huddersfield and York.
  • Hitachi have developed a battery-electric high speed train for the TransPennine route.
  • Bradford is installing a hydrogen electrolyser, so that the city can have hydrogen buses to cope with the hills.
  • Plans are now being developed to create a metro for Leeds and Bradford.

West Yorkshire is closing the gap to the rest of the North.

Liverpool And Merseyside

Again, a lot of investment has been made.

  • The approaches to Liverpool Lime Street station have finally been sorted, with more tracks and new signalling.
  • Liverpool Lime Street station has been improved and is now one of the finest stations in Europe.
  • Trains are now approaching High Speed Two times between Crewe and Liverpool.
  • More services between London and Liverpool can now be planned, with the arrival of new Class 807 trains.
  • Some new stations have been built and more are planned.
  • A large number of new Class 777 local  trains are being brought into service.

Transport in the wider Merseyside has been greatly improved.

Newcastle, Tyneside And Northumberland

The area is getting investment, but not as much in proportion as others.

  • The Metro trains are being replaced and the Metro itself, is getting a major update.
  • The East Coast Main Line has received improvements to power supplies, signalling and some bottlenecks.
  • The Northumberland Line to Ashington is being brought back into operation.

It’s a start, but if the Northumberland Line is a success, I can see a call for more line re openings.

Manchester And Greater Manchester

If you look at each of the areas, they generally have one or more large projects.

  • Birmingham, Coventry And The West Midlands – Birmingham New Street station, Class 730 Trains, High Speed Two, West Midland Metro
  • Derby, Nottingham, Sheffield And The East Midlands – Midland Main Line, Class 810 Trains, Hope Valley Line, Open Access To Sheffield
  • Leeds, Bradford And West Yorkshire – Leeds station, Bradford improvements, TransPennine Upgrade, Battery-Ekectric Trains, Leeds Metro
  • Liverpool And Merseyside – Liverpool Lime Street Improvements, Class 807 Trains, Class 777 Trains
  • Newcastle, Tyneside And Northumberland – Metro upgrade with New Trains, Northumberland Line

So what improvements are in the pipeline for Greater Manchester?

This Wikipedia entry is entitled Proposed Developments Of Manchester Metrolink.

The proposed developments include in the Wikipedia order.

  • New Metrolink Stop: Stop to serve new housing development  proposed at Elton Reservoir on the Bury Line.
  • New Metrolink Stop: Stop to serve new housing development  proposed at Sandhills on the Bury Line.
  • New Metrolink Stop: Stop to serve new housing development  proposed at Cop Road on the Oldham and Rochdale Line.
  • Airport Line extension to Terminal 2: A short extension of the Airport Line from the current Manchester Airport station to the site of the expanded Terminal 2.
  • Airport Line extension to Davenport Green: An extension of the Airport Line from Roundthorn to the site of the proposed Manchester Airport High Speed station on the HS2 high speed network.
  • Oldham–Heywood via Rochdale tram-train pathfinder: A tram-train service utilising the heavy rail Calder Valley line to connect Oldham to Heywood through Rochdale railway station.
  • Manchester Airport–Wilmslow via Styal tram-train pathfinder: A tram-train service operating on the southern section of the heavy rail Styal Line between Manchester Airport and Wilmslow in Cheshire.
  • South Manchester–Hale via Altrincham tram-train pathfinder: An extension of Metrolink’s Altrincham Line using tram-train to reach Hale on the heavy rail Mid-Cheshire line.
  • Improved Metrolink frequency between Piccadilly and Victoria stations: Increasing capacity to provide a direct service from Rochdale and Oldham to Manchester Piccadilly.
  • Interventions to improve Metrolink capacity and reliability: Includes improvements to turnback facilities and double-tracking currently single-track sections.
  • Further interventions to improve Metrolink capacity and reliability: Includes longer vehicles, a third depot and double-tracking currently single-track sections.
  • Manchester–Stalybridge extension: An extension of the East Manchester Line from Ashton-under-Lyne to Stalybridge.
  • Manchester–Middleton extension: A proposed spur from the Bury Line connecting to the town of Middleton.
  • Oldham–Middleton extension: A spur from Oldham to Middleton.
  • MediaCityUK–Salford Crescent: A line connecting the MediaCityUK tram stop to the Salford Crescent railway station interchange. Further new Metrolink.
  • Connections between Salford Crescent, Inner Salford and the City Centre: Extension of the MediaCityUK–Salford Crescent line into the regional centre.
  • Completion of the Airport Line (Wythenshawe Loop): Completion of the Wythenshawe Loop by connecting the Metrolink lines between the Davenport Green and Manchester Airport Terminal 2 extensions.
  • Port Salford/Salford Stadium extension: Extending the Trafford Park Line from the Trafford Centre to a proposed container terminal at Port Salford.
  • Glossop tram-train: A tram-train service utilising the Glossop line between Manchester and Glossop in Derbyshire.
  • Marple tram-train: A tram-train service utilising the Hope Valley line branches north of Marple towards Manchester.
  • Manchester–Wigan via Atherton tram-train: A tram-train service utilising the Atherton section of the Manchester–Southport line between Manchester and Wigan.
  • Manchester–Warrington tram-train: A tram-train service utilising the southern route of the Liverpool–Manchester lines between Manchester and Warrington.
  • Stockport–Hazel Grove tram-train: A tram-train service between Stockport and the suburb of Hazel Grove.
  • Stockport–Manchester Airport tram-train: A tram-train service between Stockport and Manchester Airport.
  • Rochdale–Bury via Heywood tram-train: Extension of the Oldham–Heywood tram-train pathfinder from Heywood to Bury.
  • Manchester Airport–Mid Cheshire tram-train: A tram-train service from Manchester Airport using a proposed Western Link rail line to the Mid-Cheshire line.
  • Stockport–Ashton via Denton and Reddish tram-train: A tram-train service utilising the Stockport–Stalybridge line from Stockport to Ashton.
  • Cornbrook–Manchester Airport via Timperley tram-train: A tram-train service from Cornbrook using the Altrincham line to Timperley, the Mid Cheshire line to Baguley, then the Wythenshawe Loop to Manchester Airport.
  • Regional centre metro tunnel: Providing capacity for more services on the network.
  • Oldham–Greenfield via Grotton extension: A Metrolink spur from Oldham town centre to Greenfield railway station on the Huddersfield line.
  • Oldham–Royton extension: A Metrolink spur from the Oldham and Rochdale line to the town of Royton.

Note.

  1. The number of times that tram-trains are mentioned.
  2. But with its numerous rail and tram lines, Greater Manchester is ideally suited for conversion to tram-trains.
  3. There are three pathfinder routes for tram-trains, which will be converted first to prove the technology.

These are my detailed thoughts on tram-trains in Greater Manchester,

All Routes Could Be Run By Identical Tram-Trains

If this can be arranged, it is surely preferable from the operator, staff and passengers point-of-view.

Tram-Trains Can Run On Secondary Routes Like The Calder And Hope Valley Lines

In Manchester, this would enable some routes to be swapped from the rail to the tram network.

It would also allow trams to run between networks, so you could have a direct tram service between say Stockport and Sheffield on the Hope Valley Line.

Tram-Trains Can Be Faster

Tram-trains can be faster, when running on rail lines, so they don’t hold up expresses.

What Do Tram-Trains Look Like?

This is one of Sheffield’s Class 399 tram-trains at Rotherham Parkgate.

Note.

  1. This tram-train is a member of the Stadler Citylink family.
  2. this version can be powered by either 750 VDC or 25 KVAC.
  3. The Welsh version will also have battery-power.
  4. It is a three-car tram train.
  5. There is step-free access.

The Wikipedia entry for the Stadler Citylink has lots more details.

Stadler have just launched a new smaller one- or two-car tram-train.

This image from the press release shows the prototype hydrogen-powered one-car RS ZERO.

Note.

  1. The Regio-Shuttles can run as up to seven car trains.
  2. These RS ZERO are powered by overhead electrification, battery or hydrogen power.
  3. They can carry 170 passengers at 75 mph.
  4. They can run as train-trams using the Chemnitz model on compatible tram networks.
  5. The interiors are very flexible.
  6. An RS ZERO can be fitted with toilets for the posher parts of Manchester.
  7. Typically, a one-car RS ZERO handles a similar passenger load to a one-car Metrolink vehicle.

The more I compare the RS ZERO with the Metrolink’s trams, the more it looks like Stadler’s design has a Metrolink order firmly in its sights.

A Simple Tram-Train Example

The Altrincham Line of the Metrolink, runs between Altrincham and Deansgate-Castlefield in Central Manchester.

  • Tram-trains would be capable of sharing the tracks with the current trams.
  • Initially, they would run an identical service to the same destinations in the North.
  • At either Navigation Road or Altrincham stations, they would switch to the heavy rail track.
  • They would then travel to Hale or whatever station is determined to be the terminus.

Tram-trains would be a simple way of extending a tram service along a heavy eail line.

The Range Of The RS ZERO

This article on the Railway Gazette is entitled Prototype RS Zero Hydrogen Or Battery Railcar For Secondary Lines Unveiled At InnoTrans, has this paragraph.

The hydrogen powered RS Zero has a range of more than 700 km in the single car version, and a two-car version would offer more than 1 000 km. Battery trains will offer ranges of 80 to 110 km or 90 to 180 km. The maximum speed is 120 km/h.

As Chester and Manchester is only 45 miles or 72.4 kilometres, ways and means of running the battery versions on the route should be possible.

In fact, as Stockport and Manchester Piccadilly is already electrified at 25 KVAC and a return trip to Manchester Piccadilly from Stockport probably takes about twenty-five minutes, I would envisage that an RS ZERO would leave Stockport for Chester with a full battery. As Stockport and Chester is only 39.2 miles or 63 kilometres, the RS ZERO  should do the trip if it started with a full battery and had a short length of electrification at Chester to top up the battery, if needed.

Other Possible Tram-Train Routes From Stockport

It is indicated the Metrolink would like to run other tram-train routes from Stockport.

  • Ashton – Not sure of the route
  • Buxton – 31.8 km
  • Hazel Grove – 5 km – Electrified
  • Manchester Piccadilly – 9 km – Electrified
  • Manchester Airport – Not sure of the route
  • Sheffield – 59 km – Will be electrified at Sheffield

Note.

  1. This would speed up Sheffield services.
  2. Buxton would be an interesting route and would probably use Newton’s friend to help on the return.

I suspect that nearly all local services from Manchester through Stockport could be run by battery-electric or hydrogen tram-trains.

The Glossop Line Could Be Converted To Tram-Train

It’s already electrified so why not?

Conclusion

It strikes me, that a lot of Manchester’s suburban rail network could be converted to RS ZERO tram-trains.

The RS ZERO  tram-trains could also be used on existing tram routes to convert them to tram-train operation and extend them.

As a bonus Manchester’s trains would be substantially decarbonised.

 

 

 

December 4, 2024 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Rail Minister Marks Completion Of £150m Hope Valley Railway Upgrade

The title of this post is the same as that of this article on Rail Magazine.

These first two paragraphs summarise the work.

More reliable journeys are promised on the Hope Valley line between Manchester and Sheffield after a £150 million upgrade was completed in early April.

Over the last three years, the existing platform at Dore & Totley station on the south side of Sheffield has been extended to cope with six-coach trains. Meanwhile the second platform has been rebuilt and commissioned (after it was removed in the 1980s), two mechanical signal boxes have been abolished and a new one-kilometre freight loop laid in the Peak District. At Hathersage, a pedestrian crossing has also been removed and replaced with a footbridge.

These are my thoughts.

Dore And Totley Station

The Rail Magazine article says this about the improvements at Dore and Totley station.

Replacing two tracks through Dore & Totley removes a single-track bottleneck that often saw Sheffield to Manchester express services held up by slower stopping services and cement trains destined for Earles Sidings. A nine-day shutdown of the route in March was needed to finish the work.

The new platform sits between the Midland Main Line and the Hope Valley line, so can only be reached via the new footbridge or lifts. As well as the usual ‘blister paving’ slabs marking the edge of the platform, other tactile paving has been laid to help people with visual impairments find their way around the station.

This OpenRailwayMap shows the new layout of tracks at Dore and Totley station.

Note.

  1. The four tracks at the North of the map go to Sheffield station.
  2. The Eastern pair of tracks are the Midland Main Line and they go to the South-East corner of the map for Chesterfield and the South.
  3. The Western pair of tracks are the Hope Valley Line and they go to the South-West corner of the map for Manchester.
  4. The blue lettering in the middle of the map indicates Dore and Totley station.
  5. There is a single track curve between the Midland Main Line and the Hope Valley Line, which is mainly used by freight trains.

This secondOpenRailwayMap shows Dore and Totley station in greater detail.

The big improvement is that the Hope Valley Line is now double instead of single track, which must eliminate a lot of delays.

These pictures show the station in July 2020.

The pictures clearly show the single track and platform at Dore and Totley station.

Dore South Curve

Dore South Curve links the Southbound Midland Main Line with the Westbound Hope Valley Line.

This OpenRailwayMap shows the curve.

There is a crossover in the South-West corner of the map, so with careful signalling, trains can use the Dore South Curve in both directions.

Bamford Loop

This is a freight loop between Bamford and Hathersage stations.

This OpenRailwayMap shows the loop.

Note.

  1. The Hope Valley Line goes diagonally across the map.
  2. Manchester is to the North-West.
  3. Sheffield is to the South-East.
  4. Bamford station is in the North-West corner of the map.
  5. Hathersage station is just off the South-East corner of the map.
  6. The loop is on the Northern side of the Hope Valley Line.

The loop will most likely be used by trains going to Sheffield or Chesterfield.

Hathersage Footbridge

This Google Map shows Hathersage station.

Note.

  1. Dore Lane and the B 6001 appear to pass under the railway.
  2. There appears to be what could be foundations just to the West of the platforms at Hathersage station.
  3. From pictures found by Google the bridge appears to be a simple steel structure.

I shall have to go and take pictures.

Fast Trains Between Manchester And Nottingham

In the Wikipedia entry for the Hope Valley Line, this is said.

Nottinghamshire County Council and the Department for Transport have investigated the possibility of adding another service that does not call at Sheffield in order to improve the journey time between Nottingham and Manchester. Stopping (and changing direction) in Sheffield, the fastest journey is 110 minutes (in 2019), but the council has estimated bypassing Sheffield would cut the time to 85 minutes. Suggested improvements on a 2+1⁄2-mile (4 km) stretch near Stockport may reduce journey times by 2–3 minutes.

Consider.

  • According to Google, the driving time between the two cities is 128 minutes and the motorway route is via the M1 and M62.
  • If nearly half-an-hour could be saved between Manchester and Nottingham could be a big saving in journey time.
  • Manchester Piccadilly is likely to be rebuilt for High Speed Two and a fast route via Nottingham could be a viable alternative.
  • Both Manchester and Nottingham have good local tram and train networks.
  • As the electrification of the Midland Main Line progresses, the route will be increasingly suitable for 100 mph battery-electric trains.

A Manchester and Nottingham express service looks to be an easy service to implement after the Hope Valley Line has been improved.

Hourly Stopping Trains Between Manchester And Sheffield

The Wikipedia entry for the Hope Valley Line gives these details for the stopping service between Manchester Piccadilly and Sheffield.

  • Trains are hourly.
  • Trains call at Reddish North, Brinnington, Bredbury, Romiley, Marple, New Mills Central, Chinley, Edale, Hope, Bamford, Hathersage, Grindleford and Dore & Totley.
  • But some services do not call at some or all of Edale, Bamford, Hathersage, Grindleford and Dore & Totley giving some 2-hour gaps between services at these stations.

Let’s hope that some of the extra capacity is used to provide a regular service at all stations on the Hope Valley Line.

As in a few years, it will have electrification at both ends, this route could be very suitable for battery-electric trains.

Completion Date

It appears that the first day, when passengers will be able to use the new upgraded tracks and stations will be Thursday, the 2nd of May.

Conclusion

The improvements, certainly seem to allow extra and improved services through on the Hope Valley Line.

I also feel that in a few years, services will be run by battery-electric trains.

 

April 27, 2024 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Riding Into the Future: Germany’s Pioneering Hydrogen-Powered Tram Project

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

This is the sub-heading.

Explore Germany’s groundbreaking project to develop a fuel cell-powered tram, leading the charge in sustainable urban mobility and reimagining the future of public transportation.

These are the first two paragraphs.

In the quiet, industrious corners of Germany, a revolution is unfolding on the tracks of public transportation. A consortium led by Hörmann Vehicle Engineering, alongside partners Heiterblick, Flexiva Automation & Robotik, and Technische Universität Chemnitz, has embarked on a groundbreaking journey to conceptualize, design, and test what could be the world’s next leap in eco-friendly mass transit: a hydrogen-powered tram. The project, aptly named the Hydrogen Tram for Next Generation, merges the realms of innovation, sustainability, and practicality, aiming to redefine urban mobility in ways we’ve only begun to imagine.

The project’s heart beats with a simple yet ambitious goal: to create a fuel cell-powered tram that doesn’t just exist as a prototype but thrives as a model for future public transportation. This initiative isn’t just about building a tram; it’s about reimagining the entire ecosystem surrounding urban mobility. From devising a robust refueling strategy to simulating operations and testing the fuel cell system, the collaborators are leaving no stone unturned. The project, with a generous €8 million budget, is buoyed by support from the federal government’s national hydrogen and fuel cell technology innovation program. This isn’t merely an experiment; it’s a statement of intent by Germany to lead the charge in sustainable transit solutions.

I have a few thoughts.

Chemnitz

These pictures show Chemnitz and its trams.

Note.

  1. Chemnitz used to be called Karl Marx Stadt.
  2. Chemnitz has some hybrid trams and tram-trains.
  3. I described how the Chemnitz trams work in Chemnitz Trams And The Chemnitz Model.

Chemnitz could be a very suitable place to try out the technology.

Hence, the involvement of Chemnitz University in the project doesn’t surprise me.

Tram-Trains

This article on Railway Gazette International, which is entitled Hydrogen Tram Development Project Underway, is also about the same project.

This is the first paragraph.

The Hydrogen Tram for Next Generation project has been launched to develop a fuel cell-powered vehicle which would enable services to be extended into new areas and tram-train routes created without the need for electrification.

It looks like this was added in the translation.

Tram Trains In South London

In The Third-Rail Tram-Train, I postulated using third-rail tram trains to extend the London Tramlink.

Since then Merseyrail have tried to extend, their third-rail electrified network and been told they couldn’t.

 

I have written these posts about using tram-trains to extend the London Tramlink.

So would a hydrogen-powered tram-train be useful technology to extend the London Tramlink?

It just could be!

Zero-Carbon Between Manchester and Sheffield

This OpenRailwayMap shows the electrification across the Pennines.

Note.

  1. Red lines are electrified with 25 KVAC overhead.
  2. Mauve lines are tram lines electrified with 750 VDC overhead.
  3. The mauve lines in the West are the Manchester Metrolink.
  4. The mauve lines in the East are the Sheffield Supertram
  5. Black lines are not electrified.
  6. Red and black lines are currently being electrified.
  7. The blue arrow at the bottom of the map indicates Buxton.
  8. To the North of Buxton, the line linking Manchester and Sheffield is the Hope Valley Line.
  9. Running North-East from Manchester is the main TransPennine route between Leeds and Manchester via Dewsbury and Huddersfield.

This OpenRailwayMap shows the TransPennine route between Morley and Mossley stations.

Note.

  1. Colours are as before.
  2. Morley station is in the North-East corner of the map.
  3. Huddersfield station is indicated by the blue arrow in the middle of the map.
  4. Mossley station is in the South-West corner of the map.

In a few years time, there will be 25 KVAC overhead electrification all the way between Leeds and Manchester via Dewsbury and Huddersfield.

This OpenRailwayMap shows the routes around Manchester and Sheffield and the connecting routes between Barnsley, Huddersfield, Manchester and Sheffield.

Note.

  1. Colours are as before.
  2. The blue arrow at the bottom of the map indicates Buxton.
  3. The line to Stocksbridge runs North-West from Sheffield.
  4. To its East the Penistone Line runs to Huddersfield via Barnsley.
  5. Manchester has a series of lines to the East that need to be electrified.

How many of these lines could be integrated into the tram systems of Manchester and Sheffield, by the use of hydrogen-powered tram-trains?

Hydrogen-powered tram-trains could share lines with battery-electric trains.

Tram-trains could run from say Cathedral in Sheffield to Piccadilly Gardens in Manchester.

Using self-powered trains would cut the need for expensive infrastructure.

The possibilities are endless and carbon free.

Conclusion

Hydrogen-powered trams and tram-trains could be a valuable tool for decarbonising trams and trains.

 

 

 

February 27, 2024 Posted by | Hydrogen, Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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