The Anonymous Widower

Will Battery-Powered Trains Change The Future Of UK Rail Travel?

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

This is the sub-heading.

A near £1bn investment will see the UK’s first battery-electric trains for long-distance main line services built in Derby, which Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said will “bring faster, more reliable journeys to the north”

These are the first two paragraphs.

The new trains will replace diesel power with electricity, and seek to cut journey times by up to 10 minutes between Manchester and Leeds, and up to 14 minutes between Manchester and York.

So are batteries set to drive forward a new electric future of train travel in the UK?

Alstom’s press release and other sources on the order, add more details.

  • The trains will be based on the Adessia platform.
  • There will be 29 five-car trains.
  • It looks like they will replace the 51 three-car Class 185 trains.
  • Wikipedia says they are 110 mph trains.
  • The trains will be British-designed and built.

The trains will have level boarding at every door, of which the BBC article has a visualisation.

The BBC article has a long section about battery trains and is well-worth a full read.

The BBC explains how the trains will charge their batteries.

  • On electrified sections the batteries will be charged from the overhead wires.
  • According to Alstom, when the train brakes, the electric motors “work in reverse as generators, which captures braking energy”, which would normally be lost as heat energy.
  • This will also be fed back into the on-board battery.
  • The manufacturer added rapid charging facilities would also be installed as part of the contract at stations in Hull, Scarborough and Saltburn.

This is all proven technology, which is used all round the world and on Merseyrail in the UK.

September 17, 2026 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Creating More Capacity At King’s Cross Station

I took these pictures as I walked through King’s Cross station today.

Note.

  1. Each of the eight platforms in the main train shed, has been formally divided into a and b sections.
  2. In the first picture, a sign to the right of the clock, showing 0a and 0b, indicates that Platform 0 has been similarly divided.
  3. I would assume, that any services run by 10-car trains would use both the a and b platforms.
  4. Services run by 5-car trains, can use any free ‘a’ or ‘b’ platform.

It would appear to me, that 18 x 5-car platforms must be able to handle more trains than 9 x 10-car platforms.

This information screen, which is one of several, explains what has been done.

This is the message on the screen, which is only visible about once every ten minutes.

  • There are now more trains to and from King’s Cross station.
  • To help you find your train we’ve added new signs dividing platforms into sections ‘a’ and ‘b’ for some services.
  • Please allow extra time to get to section ‘a’, as this is furthest away.

It’s not a good way to present information.

It is one of the worst examples of mushroom management, I’ve seen in a long time.

I suspect, that experienced travellers will understand it, but will the less experienced?

Will It Increase The Capacity?

I believe it is a well-known rule, that you get more  bricks in a box, if they are all the same size and they are a fraction of the size of the box.

So by having five- and ten-car trains and platforms, Network Rail are minimising wasted space in the station, which is increasing the capacity.

The new digital signaling gives precise control  of the trains and theoretically, would obtain the maximum number of trains in the station.

But all trains, that will use the station must follow these rules.

  • Five- or ten-cars long.
  • Trains must have a digital-signalling capability.
  • Be able to cruise at 125 mph, so they can keep up with other trains.

Terminal stations on the East Coast Main Line, like Aberdeen, Bradford Forster Square, Edinburgh, Harrogate, Hull, Inverness, Leeds and others must also  be capable of handling five- or ten-car trains.

 

June 4, 2026 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

‘I Get To Work On The Most Scenic Railway Line In The World’

The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the BBC. It is a quote from someone in the BBC article.

This is the sub-heading.

Have you heard the one about the railway line that was threatened with closure, so lots of people started using it and it was saved?

These three opening paragraphs add some detail to the story.

Welcome to the Settle to Carlisle line, the quirky steel road through some of Britain’s most magnificent countryside.

The line starts in Leeds and passes through Shipley and Skipton, but it is the section between North Yorkshire and Cumbria that is world-famous for its views.

Heading north from Settle, the peak of Pen-y-Ghent soon looms large, with Whernside and Ingleborough following a few miles later.

The saving of the line in the 1980s, is one of those classic British tales of a fight against bureaucracy, which like all these tales involved a dog, who gets a heroic mention in the BBC article.

In the next few sections, I will detail how improvements to the rail infrastructure between Bradford, Carlisle, Lancaster, Leeds have gradually developed the rail infrastructure, so that the Settle and Carlisle Line can play an increasing part in improving the economic outlook for a large area of England.

Is The Settle And Carlisle Line In Good Condition?

Google AI gives this answer to the question in the title of this section.

Yes, the Settle-Carlisle line is in good, operational condition and is considered a vital, well-maintained part of the National Rail network.

Despite a history of threatened closures and past structural issues, major investments have secured its future, and it currently carries over 1.2 million passengers a year.

Here is the current status of the line as of early 2026:

Infrastructure Condition: Following significant repairs, including a major £2.1 million project on the Ribblehead Viaduct completed in 2021 and extensive work at Eden Brows (2017), the line’s 14 tunnels and 22 viaducts are in good condition.

Active Usage: It is regularly used by Northern passenger services and is a designated diversionary route for mainline express trains when the West Coast Main Line is closed.

Operational Status: The line is fully operational, featuring regular commuter services, tourist trains, and steam heritage charter trains.

Safety & Upgrades: While it is a historic line, the infrastructure is deemed safe.

Occasional, isolated issues (like the 2022 freight derailment near Carlisle) have been managed with swift repairs.As of early 2026, the line is heavily used, with special passenger services and 150th-anniversary celebrations planned.

It’s probably in better condition, than many houses in the UK.

What Is The Operating Speed Of The Settle And Carlisle Line?

Google AI gives this answer to the question in the title of this section.

The Settle and Carlisle Line generally operates at a maximum speed of 60 mph/97 km/h.

While historically faster, this 60 mph limit is standard for modern passenger and freight services on the route.

Usage Examples and ContextPassenger Services: Northern Rail and various chartered services, including the scenic “Staycation Express” HST 125, operate along the route.

Freight: The line is used for heavy freight, including oil, timber, and cement trains.

Diversions: The line is frequently used as a, albeit slower, alternative route (approx. 2.5 hours for Leeds-Carlisle) during major West Coast Main Line (WCML) closures.

Scenic Tourism: The line is renowned as one of England’s most scenic, carrying over a million travelers annually, with notable sights like the Ribblehead Viaduct.

The Settle And Carlisle Line Is Well Connected To The Rail Network At The Northern End

This OpenRailwayMap shows how the line connects to the West Coast Main Line and the Tyne Valley Line, to the South of Carlisle.

Note.

  1. Electrified lines are shown in red and lines shown in black are not electrified.
  2. The electrified West Coast Main Line runs diagonally across the South-West corner of the map.
  3. The blue arrow on this line, indicates Carlisle station.
  4. The Northernmost of the two black cross lines is the Tyne Valley Line between Carlisle and Newcastle.
  5. The Southernmost of the two black cross lines is the Settle And Carlisle Line, which goes South to Settle, Bradford Forster Square, Leeds and Settle stations.
  6. The line going South-West joins the Cumbrian Coast Line, which joins the West Coast Main Line at Carnforth.

It does appear that the junction South of Carlisle is very comprehensive and allows very flexible routing.

The Settle And Carlisle Line Is Well Connected To The Rail Network At The Southern End

This OpenRailwayMap shows how the line connects to the West Coast Main Line and the Tyne Valley Line, to the North of Skipton.

 

Note.

  1. Electrified lines are shown in red and lines shown in black are not electrified.
  2. The blue arrow on this line, indicates Bradford Forster Square station.
  3. The fully-electrified Leeds station is in the South-East corner of the map. You can just pick out the ee of the name.
  4. The electrified Leeds-Bradford Line connects Bradford Forster Square and Leeds station via Shipley station and its triangular junction.
  5. The electrification continues in a North-Westerly direction as far as Skipton, where the red track stops.
  6. Electric intercity trains can run from London to Leeds, Bradford Forster Square and Skipton.
  7. Self-powered intercity trains can also run from London to Harrogate, which is on the line without electrification, that runs North from Leeds.
  8. Leeds receives a London service of two trains per hour (tph).
  9. Bradford Forster Square station receives a London service of one train per two hours (tp2h) via Leeds.
  10. Harrogate station receives a London service of 1 tp2h via Leeds.
  11. Skipton station receives a London service of one train per day (tpd) via Leeds.

The Leeds-Bradford area gets a frequent service to London and the South.

This OpenRailwayMap shows how the Settle and Carlisle Line connects to the electrification at Skipton.

Note.

  1. Electrified lines are shown in red and lines shown in black are not electrified.
  2. The only electrified lines on the map are at Skipton station in the South-East corner of the map.
  3. The blue arrow on this line, indicates Settle station.
  4. Skipton and Settle stations are 15.2 miles apart.
  5. Settle and Carlisle are 71.5 miles apart.

To bridge the gap in the electrification between Carlisle and Skipton, trains will need to be able to run 86.7 miles on their own power.

Bridging The Carlisle And Skipton Gap

But once the train gets to Carlisle or Skipton, the train will have the luxury of 25 KVAC overhead electrification to both power the train and charge any batteries.

In my opinion, there are three intercity trains coming into service, that could handle an 86.7 mile gap in electrification.

  1. East Midland Railways’s Class 810 train, which is a diesel bi-mode with lots of power, which is described in this Wikipedia entry.
  2. LNER’s Class 802 trains, which currently is a diesel bi-mode, that Hitachi could convert into a Hitachi Intercity Battery Train, which is described on this Hitachi web site.
  3. LNER’s Class 897 trains, which is a diesel tri-mode, that CAF are building in Spain and Wales, which is described in this Wikipedia entry.

In How Far Will A Hitachi Intercity Battery Train Travel Without Using The Electrification?, I answer the question for both Hitachi and CAF trains.

Surprisingly, I got the answer of a range of 120 miles for both the Hitachi and CAF trains. But could it be that Network Rail and the train companies wanted a range of 120 miles to electrify the UK rail network and so a 120 mile battery range was in the specification.

My estimate of 120 miles for Hitachi’s trains, was also confirmed by the company.

Bridging The Gaps

Some other distances, where gaps must be bridged include.

  • Sheffield and South Wigston – 69.4 miles
  • Holyhead and Chester – 84.4 miles
  • Exeter and Basingstoke – 124,3 miles
  • Fishguard Harbour and Cardiff Central – 119.1 miles
  • Aberystwyth and Shrewsbury – 81.5 miles
  • Bristol Temple Meads and Newbury – 70.8 miles
  • Inverness and Aberdeen – 108.3 miles
  • Carlisle and Glasgow Central via Dumfries – 115.9 miles
  • Hereford to Didcot Junction – 96.9 miles

120 miles could be a good fit.

Could it be that that distance was the range of a steam locomotive on a full load of water?

The Updating Of Bradford Forster Square Station

This is now a four-platform station, with two platforms able to take a pair of 5-car Hitachi or the new CAF 10-car Class 397 trains.

In Bradford Forster Square Station – 20th May 2025, I describe and show pictures of the updated station.

Bradford Forster Square station now gets seven trains per day to and from London King’s Cross via Leeds.

This article on the BBC, which is entitled New Platform’s Opening Gives Bradford More Trains has this sub-heading.

A new £35m platform at Bradford’s Forster Square Station has opened – boosting rail services in the city

£35million seems a lot of money to spend to just increase the number of services between King’s Cross and Bradford, even though 2025 was the year that Bradford was UK City of Culture, but there may be valid reasons to create a new route between London and Scotland, using the Settle and Carlisle Line.

  • The Settle and Carlisle Line is one of the UK’s most famous scenic routes with 20 viaducts, 14 tunnels and countless beautiful vistas along its 72 mile track.
  • You put the Mona Lisa on display, not in a store.
  • LNER now has battery-electric bi-mode trains, with CAF tri-mode trains due to enter service in 2028, that can both handle the 86.7 mile gap in the electrification in silence.
  • The CAF trains have extra diesel power, about which CAF is not disclosing much. This to me, suggests some innovative use.
  • There appear to be no flights between Leeds/Bradford Airport and Scotland.
  • There appear to be no direct trains between Glasgow and West Yorkshire.
  • A direct train between Glasgow and Leeds and Bradford Forster Square would add additional connectivity between Scotland and Yorkshire.
  • With the cancellation of High Speed Two, we need more train paths between London and Scotland.
  • Decarbonisation of aviation is difficult, but replacing fossil-fueled planes with zero-carbon trains is easier.
  • A single Class 897 train can carry 569 seated passengers, which is about 3.5 times the capacity of a single Airbus A320.
  • The proposed Leeds Metro would bring passengers to the new service.
  • Leeds and Bradford could see an upturn in tourism.

I also think the line will not be lightly used due to its iconic status.

How Would A Leeds/Bradford And Scotland Service Call At Bradford Forster Square Station?

  • Bradford Forster Square station now gets seven trains per day to and from London King’s Cross via Stevenage, Newark Northgate, Doncaster, Wakefield Westgate, Leeds and Shipley.
  • There is one fewer train on Sunday.
  • There is a triangular junction at Shipley station, which connects the three electrified lines to Leeds, Bradford Forster Square and Skipton.

This OpenRailwayMap shows Shipley station and the triangular junction.

Note.

  1. All rail lines are electrified and shown in red.
  2. The blue arrow on this line, indicates Shipley station.
  3. Shipley station appears to be in the middle of the junction.
  4. The line going East connects to Leeds station.
  5. The line going South connects to Bradford Forster Square station, which is at the end of the line.
  6. The line going West connects to Skipton station and the Settle and Carlisle Line.

Trains returning to London would reverse out of Bradford Forster Square station and take the Eastern route through Shipley and Leeds back to London.

  • An appropriate number of trains for Carlisle and Scotland, could surely just reverse out of the station and take the Western route through Skipton station and go on to the Settle and Carlisle Line.
  • The trains would call at Wakefield Westgate, Leeds, Shipley, Bradford Forster Square and Skipton stations in the Leeds/Bradford conurbation.
  • Other stations could be added to the route if required.
  • The trains would effectively reverse direction in their call at Bradford Forster Square station.
  • Going North the trains might check their battery levels in Bradford Forster Square station and use a fast-charger if necessary.
  • Going South, there would be no need for charging, as the route South from Bradford Forster Square station, is already fully-electrified.
  • Would the operator, use this longer stop to replace the crew with a fresh one?

It could be a simple and efficient way to run a London and Scotland service via the Settle and Carlisle Line.

What About Hull, Sheffield And York?

I’m asking this question, as Yorkshire is a large county and this article has only mentioned a few places, where people live and might need to go to London or Scotland.

In February, I wrote Northern Launches New Yorkshire Flyer Fast Service Between Leeds And Sheffield.

I’m fairly sure that Hull, York and other cities and large towns in Yorkshire already have a good regional service to Bradford Forster Square or Leeds station, which will give a good connection to the new service.

Could Dumfries Be Served By Using The Glasgow South Western Line?

This OpenRailwayMap shows the Southern part of the Glasgow South Western Line.

Note.

  1. Electrified lines are shown in red and lines shown in black are not electrified.
  2. The blue arrow on the black track, indicates Dumfries station on the Glasgow South Western Line.
  3. The red track is the West Coast Main Line.
  4. Carlisle is in the South-East corner of the map.
  5. Carlisle and Glasgow Central via Dumfries is 115.9 miles
  6. The Thames-Clyde Express, ran on this route until 1974.
  7. According to the Wikipedia entry for the Thames-Clyde Express, the train called at Dumfries and Kilmarnock stations.

From this brief look it appears that the new service could include Dumfries and should be able to serve the town on battery power.

Is More Capacity Needed On The West Coast Main Line Between Carlisle And Glasgow?

I asked Google AI, this question, to see if there is capacity.

This was the answer I received.

Yes, increased capacity and infrastructure enhancements are required on the West Coast Main Line (WCML) between Carlisle and Glasgow, as the line is currently full and unable to meet modern, growing passenger and freight demands.

Upgrades are necessary to tackle aging infrastructure, bottlenecks, and the need for more frequent services.

Key Aspects of the Need for Capacity:Full Capacity: The WCML is essentially full, with little space left for growth, despite 75 million passengers using it annually.

Freight and Passenger Growth: Passenger numbers are expected to double by 2050, and the line is a crucial artery for Anglo-Scottish freight.

Infrastructure Age: The northern section is undergoing its largest upgrade in half a century to address reliability issues.

Performance Bottlenecks: Specific locations, such as those north of Carlisle, require signaling and track improvements to prevent delays.

Proposed Upgrades: Current initiatives include a £400m investment until March 2029 for upgrades, including signalling and track renewals, though these are largely to boost reliability rather than provide a massive increase in capacity.

It looks to me, that a bit of a redesign and some use of battery trains on the Glasgow South Western Line, might squeeze a few more trains into the route.

 

 

 

 

 

May 2, 2026 Posted by | Artificial Intelligence, Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Huddersfield Station – 30th September 2025

This press release on the Network Rail Media Centre is entitled Huddersfield Station Set To Reopen Next Week With New Temporary Layout.

As it is now next week, I went to have a look at the progress today.

I made a mistake and got on a Grand Central Train, which meant, I had to change at York.

Speeding past Drax power station on the Selby Diversion, I took these pictures.

We were only in a 125 mph diesel, so we couldn’t take advantage of the 160 mph running, that the East Coast Main Line’s new signalling might allow on this section. The Wikipedia entry for the Selby Diversion, says this about the possible speeds.

The line was the first purpose-built section of high-speed railway in the UK having a design speed of 125 mph; however, research by British Rail in the 1990s indicated that the route geometry would permit up to 160 mph operation, subject to the necessary overhead line equipment and signalling upgrades. The new line also avoided the speed restriction over the swing bridge at Selby. The former ECML route, the NER’s 1871 York and Doncaster branch line, was closed from Selby northwards.

As the Selby Diversion opened in 1983, I wouldn’t be surprised that the calculations were performed on British Rail Research’s Pace 231-R, which was similar to the one I used at ICI and the pair, that NASA used calculate how to land Apollo on the moon.

When I eventually got to Huddersfield, I took these pictures.

Note.

  1. In I’ve Just Glimpsed The Future Of Train Travel Across The North Of England And I Like It, there are pictures of Huddersfield station, that were taken on the 21st August, soon after the work started.
  2. In Huddersfield Station – 15th December 2023, there are pictures of Huddersfield before the work started.
  3. Much of the work seems to have been done at the Western end of the station to lengthen the platform on the Penistone Line to Sheffield.
  4. Platform 2 for the Penistone Line has also been renumbered Platform 1.

Work still to be carried out at Huddersfield station, includes refurbishing the roof, installing the electrification and adding a couple of new platforms.

These are my thoughts.

Which Platforms Will Be Electrified?

This OpenRailwayMap shows the proposed electrification in Huddersfield station.

Note.

  1. The blue arrow in the North-East corner of the map indicates Huddersfield atation.
  2. The two red-and-black tracks going diagonally across the map are the Hudderfield Line.
  3. The red-and-black colour, indicates that the two tracks will be electrified.
  4. South of these two tracks, the Penistone Line sneaks into Platform 1 at Huddersfield station.
  5. The Penistone Line goes to Sheffield in a South-Westerly direction.
  6. There appears to be a crossover, so that trains from the Penistone Line can use both Platforms 1 and 2 in Huddersfield station.
  7. The OpenRailwayMap appears to show planned electrification between Stalybridge and Leeds stations.
  8. To the East of Leeds planned electrification is shown as far as Micklefield and Church Fenton stations.

Once installed, this electrification will create a complete electrified route across the Pennines from Liverpool Lime Street in the West to the East Coast Main Line in the East.

This OpenRailwayMap shows the planned electrification between Micklefield and Hull stations.

Note.

  1. Red tracks are electrified.
  2. Black tracks are not electrified.
  3. York is in the North-West corner of the map, with the electrified East Coast Main Line going through the station North-South.
  4. South of York, the East Coast Main Line now splits.
  5. The Western branch includes an electrified line to Micklefield station, Neville Hill depot and Leeds station.
  6. The Eastern Branch is the Selby Diversion, which is an electrified 160 mph line, that avoids the Selby coalfield.
  7. Running West-East across the map is the unlectrified Micklefield and Hull Line, which goes via Selby.
  8. Hull is in the South-East corner of the map.
  9. Hull is 42 miles from Micklefield and 36.1 miles from the Temple Hirst junction on the Selby Diversion, so it is within range of battery-electric trains, with charging at Hull station.
  10. Hitachi’s battery-electric Class 802 trains, used by Hull Trains and TransPennine Express, which are currently on test, should certainly be able to serve Hull.

Hull can become an electrified station, without the expense and disruption of full electrification.

How Long Is Platform 1 At Huddersfield Station?

This OpenRailwayMap shows the new Platform 1 at Huddersfield station.

 

Note.

The blue arrow indicates Huddersfield station.

  1. The three darker orange lines indicate the two through platforms 2 and 3, and the reconfigured bay platform 1.
  2. There is a cross-over between platforms 1 and 2, which connects Platform 2 to the Penistone Line.
  3. In the South-West corner of the map is a hundred metre scale.
  4. Using the scale, I estimate that the length of the bay platform 1 is around 120 metres.
  5. In the last two rows of pictures in the gallery of this post, a three car Class 150 train is shown in Platform 1.
  6. A three car Class 150 train is approximately sixty metres long.

Looking at the pictures, I wouldn’t be surprised if the new platform has been designed to take two three-car Class 150 trains. It would certainly take a pair of two-car Class 150 trains.

Other trains and their lengths that might use the platform include.

  • Class 170 – three-car – 70.85 metres
  • Class 195 – two-car – 48.05 metres
  • Class 195 – three-car – 71.40 metres
  • Class 195 – 2 x two-car – 96.10 metres
  • Class 810 – five-car – 120 metres

The Class 810 uses 24 metre cars, so that a pair of trains, will fit in St. Pancras. But with perhaps selective door opening could a single Class 810 train run a St. Pancras and Huddersfield service, perhaps with a split and join at Sheffield.

Electrification Across The Pennines

The TransPennine Route will be electrified between Liverpool Lime Street and Micklefield stations, once the current works between Huddersfield and Leeds are complete.

Sections without electrification include.

  • Bradford Interchange and Doncaster – 52.1 miles
  • Cleethorpes and Doncaster – 52.1 miles
  • Harrogate and Leeds – 18.3 miles
  • Hazel Grove and Doncaster – 52.6 miles
  • Hull and Micklefield – 42 miles
  • Hull and Temple Hirst junction – 36.1 miles
  •  Saltburn and Northallerton – 28.1 miles
  • Sunderland and Northallerton – 46.8 miles
  • Scarborough and York – 42.1 miles

I expect that Hitachi trains with batteries or CAF’s tri-mode trains will be able to handle these routes in a low-carbon manner.

Electrification Between Stalybridge And Huddersfield

This section is shown as being electrified on OpenRailwayMap.

But as it is only 18 miles and includes the Standedge Tunnels will the route use battery-electric trains?

October 1, 2025 Posted by | Computing, Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

How Will The East Coast Main Line Timetable Change Affect Sheffield?

This article in the October 2025 Edition of Modern Railways is entitled Industry Gears Up For December ECML Timetable Change.

This is the first paragraph.

Major changes are planned to trains along the East Coast main line from 14 December as the long-heralded timetable takes effect.

In this post, I will see how the changes detailed in the article in Modern Railways will affect Sheffield and Doncaster.

Aberdeen-Edinburgh

This is said about Aberdeen and Edinburgh services.

Monday-Saturday services will not change between Aberdeen and Edinburgh, with all intermediate stations served at similar times.

The LNER service to and from King’s Cross will call additionally at Doncaster, Newark Northgate and Peterborough; the last LNER Monday-Friday departure from Aberdeen will terminate at Doncaster instead of Leeds, and the first LNER Monday-Saturday train to Aberdeen will start from King’s Cross at 05:48 instead of Leeds.

Note.

  1. An hourly fast train between Edinburgh and King’s Cross will have a journey time of 4 hours and 10 minutes, which is a saving of at least 12 minutes.
  2. There is an Aberdeen-Manchester air service, but no Edinburgh-Manchester or Leeds-Scotland air services.
  3. In Could London And Central Scotland Air Passengers Be Persuaded To Use The Trains?, I speculated about how air passengers could be tempted to use the trains between London and Central Scotland.
  4. It looks to me, that LNER are strengthening their services between Doncaster and Scotland.
  5. Will that 05:48 King’s Cross departure for Aberdeen, enable a working day in Aberdeen and return?

Is LNER’s aim to get travellers to use the trains between Doncaster and Scotland, as an alternative to driving or trains from Leeds?

Alnmouth and Berwick

This is said about Alnmouth services.

Quicker LNER journey times are promised to stations South of York, with King’s Cross-Alnmouth journey times up to 15 minutes quicker.

More TPE trains will run between Newcastle, Morpeth, Alnmouth, Berwick, Reston, Dunbar, East Linton and Edinburgh Waverley.

The number of trains calling at Durham on weekdays will fall from 18 to 13 Southbound and from 15 to 10 Northbound.

This is said about Berwick services.

LNER trains will call every two hours during the middle of the day, and the number of weekday trains to King’s Cross falls from 15 to 11 Southbound with a 13 to nine fall Northbound. More TPE trains will call.

Note.

  1. Lumo serves Newcastle, Morpeth and Edinburgh.
  2. Reston and East Linton are new stations.
  3. The stations between Newcastle and Edinburgh need adequate parking to attract commuters.

It looks to me, that LNER are timing the trains to attract day trips along the East Coast Main Line.

Bradford Forster Square/Interchange

This is said about Bradford Forster Square services.

The number of weekday trains will remain as per May 2025, but on Sundays, the number of trains serving Forster Square increases from two to six each way on a two-hourly interval. LNER stopping patterns change, with fewer trains calling at Peterborough and none at Grantham or Retford.

Trains currently stop at Peterborough, Doncaster, Wakefield Westgate, Leeds and Shipley, but surely a more regular six trains per day (tpd) is preferable.

 

This is said about Bradford Interchange services.

At Interchange, Grand Central Trains will run at different times to the May 2025 timetable, with King’s Cross journeys up to 20 minutes quicker. One GC each way will call at Peterborough, while some will stop at Pontefract Monkhill on Sundays for the first time.

Note.

  1. Trains currently stop at Peterborough, Doncaster, Pontefract Monkhill, Wakefield Kirkgate, Mirfield, Brighouse, Halifax and Low Moor
  2. Is the twenty minutes time saving due to the new digital signalling to the South of Doncaster?
  3. Is this another open access operator being allowed to do what they do best?

This looks to be a very useful service, which serves several stations, with no other service to London.

Doncaster

This is said about Doncaster services.

Additional trains calling at destinations including Birmingham New Street, Sheffield, York, Newark and Berwick-upon-Tweed. LNER Aberdeen/Inverness trains will call at Doncaster. EMR trains will be retimed at Doncaster to provide better connections with LNER’s revised timetables, but journeys from Doncaster to Sleaford and Spalding will require a change at Lincoln. This change has been made to “enable improved connections” at Peterborough, Sleaford, Lincoln and Doncaster. The number of trains calling at Stevenage falls from 24 to 19 Southbound and 24 to 21 Northbound, with Grantham stops dropping by seven trains to 28 Southbound and 4 to 29 Northbound.

If CrossCountry Trains were to switch their trains to Hitachi InterCity Battery trains, I believe that a version of these trains could handle routes like Plymouth and Aberdeen.

  • This would speed up services.
  • Trains would run close together and thus increase capacity.
  • Services could even be faster.

So expect a replacement order for CrossCountry Trains diesel multiple units soon.

Glasgow

LNER gave up serving Glasgow Central from King’s Cross in the December 2024 timetable change.

In Lumo Will Extend Its King’s Cross And Edinburgh Service To Glasgow, I talked about Lumo extending their King’s Cross and Edinburgh service to Glasgow Central station.

Hull

This is said about Hull services.

On Mondays-Fridays, Hull Trains will provide an extra train from London.

The LNER Monday-Friday Hull-Doncaster train will be withdrawn;

Northern will operate a 20:25 departure to Doncaster; calling at Brough and Selby.

Note.

  1. It looks like Great British Railways have surrendered Hull and Beverley to Hull Trains.
  2. Hull Trains are converting their Class 802 trains to battery-electric power.
  3. It is likely that Hull Trains upgraded trains will be able to use the Great Northern and Great Eastern Joint Line via Lincoln on battery power.

The new timetable appears to be ready for the future of Hull Trains.

Leeds

This is said about Leeds services.

LNER services will depart to King’s Cross at xx.10 and xx.40.

Northern will introduce an extra mostly hourly service between  Leeds and Sheffield calling at Wakefield Westgate. They will depart about 30 minutes earlier or later than the CrossCountry service.

Note.

  1. I would expect the two King’s Cross and Leeds services which would both stop at Doncaster and Wakefield Westgate would set the timings between Doncaster and Leeds.
  2. Currently, of the four trains that run to and from Leeds every two hours, two are planned to terminate at Leeds, one at Harrogate and one at Bradford Forster Square.
  3. There is also a daily service between King’s Cross and Skipton via Leeds.
  4. I can envisage another service between  King’s Cross and Ilkley via Leeds, Kirkstall Forge, Guiseley, Burley-in-Wharfedale and Ben Rhydding.
  5. I can envisage another service between King’s Cross and Huddersfield, via Leeds, White Rose, Morley, Batley, Dewsbury, Ravensthorpe, Mirfield and Deighton.
  6. I can envisage another service between King’s Cross and Hebden Bridge, via Leeds, White Rose, Morley, Batley, Dewsbury, Ravensthorpe, Mirfield, Sowerby Bridge, Mytholmroyd and Brighouse.
  7. An alternative to Hebden Bridge would be Rochdale, which already has four platforms and is on the Manchester Metrolink
  8. It appears that Bradford Forster Square, Harrogate, Huddersfield, Leeds and Skipton stations can turn nine or ten-car trains and Ilkley can turn five-car trains.
  9. I also believe that one of Hitachi’s InterCity Battery trains could use battery power to take the spectacular Settle and Carlisle Line to Carlisle or even Glasgow Central.
  10. If needed pairs of five-car trains could split and join at Leeds, with one train waiting at Leeds and the other train going on to another destination.
  11. The CrossCountry and Northern Trains services on the Sheffield and Leeds route via Doncaster and Wakefield Westgate would probably need to be modern battery-electric trains to maximise the capacity on the route.

There certainly seem to be opportunities to give a number of stations in Yorkshire an all-electric service to King’s Cross with a two-hourly frequency, in a time of a few minutes over two hours.

Lincoln

This is said about Lincoln services.

One more LNER train from King’s Cross will run, with the first train arriving earlier and the last train later. There will no longer be an LNER train serving Stevenage with passengers having to change at Newark Northgate or Peterborough. An improved service will run to and from Nottingham, with an increase from one to two trains per hour on Mondays-Saturdays. An hourly service will run to Crewe, and a new Matlock-Nottingham-Lincoln-Cleethorpes service will run. EMR will cease all bar morning peak direct trains to/from Leicester. Newark Northgate-Lincoln trains will be reduced from five to four on Mondays-Fridays, eight to four on Saturdays and ten to eight on Sundays.

Note.

  1. Travellers between Lincoln/Nottingham and the North/Scotland will have two trains per hour to Newark Northgate, where there will be two tph to the North/Scotland.
  2. The hourly Crewe service will give access to Liverpool Manchester and the West Coast Main Line.
  3. Will there still be a Liverpool and Norwich service or will this be replaced by East-West Rail?

There seems to be a big sort out to EMR services.

Newcastle

This is said about Newcastle services.

The number of trains serving King’s Cross increases from 35 to 53 Southbound on weekdays and from 36 to 52 Northbound. One train every hour will run non-stop to York. More TPE trains will run Northbound (see Alnmouth and Berwick), while Northern is retiming services on the Northumberland Line in anticipation of Northumberland Park and Bedlington stations opening in early 2026. A semi-fast hourly service between Newcastle and Middlesbrough will run on Mondays-Saturdays and there will be an hourly stopping service between them.

Note.

  1. There will be a big increase in services between King’s Cross and Newcastle.
  2. Is the aim to persuade travellers to use trains rather than airlines?
  3. LNER also runs one train per day (tpd) between King’s Cross and Middlesbrough.
  4. Grand Central Trains will be running at a frequency of six tpd between King’s Cross and Sunderland via Thirsk, Northallerton, Eaglescliffe, Hartlepool and Seaham.

Hull appears to have been left to Hull Trains and Glasgow to Lumo, and Sunderland appears to be left for Grand Central Trains.

Conclusions

I am coming to some conclusions about services on the East Coast Main Line, with respect to Sheffield.

Doncaster Is A Well-Equipped Station

Doncaster is the nearest station to Sheffield on the East Coast Main Line.

  • Over the last few years, Doncaster station has been improved.
  • It has a subway with a more than adequate number of lifts.
  • The station has nearly 600 parking spaces.
  • There is a taxi rank.
  • There is no Marks & Spencer’s food store, which is important for a coeliac like me.
  • There are thirty bus stands close to Doncaster station.
  • Doncaster station is well-equipped with cafes, a pub and coffee stalls.
  • All trains to Aberdeen, Bradford Forster Square, Bradford Interchange, Edinburgh, Hull, King’s Cross, Leeds, Sheffield and Wakefield seem to stop at the station.
  • There are several local trains per hour.
  • Changing trains is not a strenuous exercise.

Doncaster is one of the UK’s better regional stations.

Doncaster Needs A Connection To The Sheffield Supertram

One of the first things, I do when I arrive in a strange town or city is look for the local public transport network.

In 2019, Sheffield published an ambitious plan for their tram network, which I wrote about in Sheffield Region Transport Plan 2019 – Doncaster Sheffield Airport.

The post contained this map, of Sheffield’s plans for the trams.

Doncaster and Doncaster Sheffield Airport are connected to the current end of the tram-train route at Rotherham Parkgate.

This OpenRailwayMap shows the rail lines between Rotherham Parkgate and Doncaster.

Note.

  1. Doncaster station is in the North-East corner of the map.
  2. Rotherham Central station is in the South-West corner of the map.
  3. The blue arrow in the South-West corner indicates Rotherham Parkgate tram stop.
  4. Swinton, Mexborough and Conisbrough stations can be picked out.
  5. The dotted red line running North-South across the map is the route of the ill-fated Eastern Leg of High Speed Two.

It is a simple application of tram-train technology to connect Doncaster station and Doncaster Sheffield Airport to the Sheffield Supertram.

With all the comings and goings on the East Coast Main Line at Doncaster station, I believe that the tram-train connection to Sheffield and Rotherham is essential.

The Cities Of Bradford, Doncaster, Leeds, Sheffield and Wakefield Can Have a High-Frequency Rail Connection

Consider.

  • Four stations are all step-free with a bridge or subway served by lifts.
  • Bradford Forster Square station has level access to the platforms from the street.
  • The rail lines between the five stations are electrified, with the exception of Sheffield and Doncaster.
  • Services between the cities are run by CrossCountry Trains, Grand Central Trains, Hull Trains, LNER and Northern Trains.
  • Most maximum speeds are not unduly slow.

Consequently the five cities can have a high-frequency rail connection in excess of four tph.

Could this be the basis of a Five-Cities Metro?

Open Access Services

There are six open access services running on the East Coast Main Line.

  • Grand Central Trains – King’s Cross-Bradford Interchange via Peterborough, Doncaster, Pontefract Monkhill, Wakefield Kirkgate, Mirfield, Brighouse, Halifax and Low Moor – 4 tpd
  • Grand Central Trains – King’s Cross-Sunderland via Peterborough, York, Thirsk, Northallerton, Eaglescliffe and Hartlepool – 6 tpd
  • Hull Trains – King’s Cross-Hull via Stevenage, Grantham, Retford, Doncaster, Selby, Howden, Brough – 4 tpd
  • Hull Trains – King’s Cross-Beverley via Stevenage, Grantham, Retford, Doncaster, Selby, Howden, Brough, Hull and Cottingham  – 2 tpd
  • Lumo – King’s Cross-Edinbugh via Stevenage, Newcastle and Morpeth – 5 tpd
  • Lumo – King’s Cross-Glasgow Queen Street via Stevenage, Newcastle, Morpeth, Edinburgh and Falkirk High – 2 tpd

Note.

  1. tpd is trains per day.
  2. All seem to serve an exclusive area, except Lumo.
  3. In a couple of years, all could be using Hitachi trains.
  4. I suspect some services will swap their diesel generators for batteries.

Battery-power would allow some services to be zero-carbon, even when using the GNGE diversion.

 

 

 

 

September 22, 2025 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Do Hitachi Battery Electric InterCity Trains Have Problems?

I asked Google the question in the title of this post and got this answer.

While Hitachi’s battery-powered intercity trains have shown promising results in trials, particularly regarding fuel savings and emissions reduction, there are some potential challenges and considerations. These include safety concerns related to lithium battery fires, especially in the event of a crash or derailment, as well as range limitations for longer journeys. However, the technology is continuously evolving, and Hitachi is actively working to address these issues.

That seems fairly positive.

There is also this article on the BBC, which everybody should read, which is entitled Will New Battery-Powered Trains Replace Diesel, And Are They Safe?.

In The Data Sheet For Hitachi Battery Electric Trains, I look at the data sheet, that Hitachi published in late 2023.

These were my conclusions about the data sheet.

These are my conclusions about Hitachi’s battery packs for Class 80x trains, which were written in November 2023.

  • 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.

As battery technology gets better, these distances will increase.

Hitachi have seen my figures.

They also told me, that they were in line with their figures, but new and better batteries would increase range.

125 mph trains with a 120 mile range on batteries, would revolutionise UK train travel.

LNER’s Class 897 Trains

In the Wikipedia entry for LNER, this is said about LNER’s new ten CAF tri-mode trains.

In November 2023, LNER placed an order for 10 ten-car tri-mode (electric, diesel and battery power) Civity trains from CAF. In August 2024, it was announced that the units will be designated Class 897 under TOPS.

According to their Wikipedia entry, it appears the Class 897 trains will be delivered from 2027.

Can I Build A Schedule For The Introduction Of New Trains, Services and Batteries?

I think that I can from the information that is out there.

  • East Coast Main Line – December 2025 – Introduction of Lumo between London King’s Cross and Glasgow
  • West Coast Main Line – Spring 2026 – Introduction of Lumo between London Euston and Stirling
  • Midland Main Line – 2026-2027 – Introduction of EMR Class 810 trains between London St. Pancras and Leicester, Derby, Nottingham and Sheffield.
  • East Coast Main Line – From 2027 – Introduction of LNER Class 897 trains between London King’s Cross and Yorkshire.

Note.

  1. The two Lumo services use trains already in service.
  2. The Class 810 trains for EMR are being debugged and introduced at the present time.
  3. The only new trains are the Class 897 trains for LNER.
  4. The introduction of the Class 897 trains will allow LNER to withdraw some trains for refurbishment and fitting of batteries.

This would mean that before the next general election, almost the full timetable between London and the North of England and Scotland would have been implemented using diesel-electric technology.

Is it a low-risk start to the full electrification of services to the North?

The second-phase would see battery-electric trains introduced.

I believe that Grand Central’s new trains would be brought into service first.

  • The new trains are scheduled to be introduced in 2028.
  • Grand Central will still have the diesel trains for backup.
  • Their new trains would be similar to the other Hitachi trains.
  • It looks like they could be doing some splitting and joining.

After the Grand Central trains had been introduced successfully, the trains for the other Hitachi operators would have batteries fitted.

I suspect short routes like Lincoln would be electrified with battery-electric trains first.

There would also need to be short lengths of electrification erected, so that trains could be charged to send them on their way.

Other routes could also be electrified in the same way.

  • Basingstoke and Exeter
  • Birmingham and Aberystwyth
  • Bristol and Penzance
  • Cardiff and Swansea
  • Crewe and Holyhead
  • Edinburgh and Aberdeen
  • Edinburgh and Inverness
  • Reading and Taunton
  • Swindon and Gloucester

If this technique could work for main lines, surely a scaled down version with smaller trains would work for branch lines.

Conclusion

Consider.

  • It looks to me, that someone has planned this thoroughly.
  • It all fits together extremely well.

It could be the first phase of a cunning plan to use battery-electric trains to electrify the UK’s railways.

Passengers will also see benefits, from when Lumo runs its first train into Glasgow Queen Street station.

I don’t think Hitachi’s trains have any problems, but there is enough float in this plan to make sure, it can be implemented on time and on budget.

 

August 6, 2025 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Hull Trains Eyes Worksop And Sheffield Launch

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

These are the two introductory paragraphs of the article.

Hull Trains’ proposed London King’s Cross – Worksop – Sheffield open access service would ‘give people more choice’, offer more flexibility in train fares and make the area better known, according to Labour Member of Parliament for Bassetlaw Jo White.

Speaking at the launch of FirstGroup’s Moving forward together: Why open access is essential for a better railway report on January 21, White said the service would increase opportunities for the growing population of Worksop, where new housing being built. Looking back at the history of open access, she said East Hull MP John Prescott had been a supporter of the original launch of Hull Trains.

I suspect that the ebullient John Prescott would have given full backing to Hull Trains proposed Sheffield service.

I have some thoughts about Hull Trains proposed service.

London Overground Syndrome

I am fairly certain, that this service will suffer from from London Overground Syndrome, which is defined like this.

This benign disease, which is probably a modern version of the Victorian railway mania, was first identified in East London in 2011, when it was found that the newly-refurbished East London Line and North London Line were inadequate due to high passenger satisfaction and much increased usage. It has now spread across other parts of the capital, despite various eradication programs.

It may be for slightly different reasons, but as Workshop station has good car parking and could have fast trains to London, it could attract passengers.

But I don’t think two trains per day will be enough.

Tram-Trains Between Sheffield And Retford Via Worksop

Consider.

  • It’s under twenty-five miles between Sheffield and Retford, so this route would be possible using battery-electric tram trains, similar to those in South Wales.
  • These tram-trains would also be suitable for the Robin Hood Line between Nottingham and Worksop via Mansfield.
  • The speed limits are not fast and the distances are not great and I suspect battery-electric versions of Sheffield’s tram trains could handle all routes.
  • By using temporal separation, Hull Trains services could be sneaked in early and late in the day.

As both cities of Nottingham and Sheffield have used or thought about using tram-trains, I’m sure Stadler could provide a suitable tram-train, that could work in the two cities and all the branch lines that used to serve the numerous coal mines.

It would be levelling up on a big way.

It could grow into a very comprehensive East Midlands Metro, that also served Derby, Doncaster and possibly Lincoln.

Stadler’s products can certainly be configured in many unusual ways.

 

 

 

January 28, 2025 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Is FirstGroup’s Order For Fourteen Trains For Lumo And Hull Trains More Identical Than Is Generally Assumed?

Currently, Hull Trains operate Class 802 trains and Lumo operate Class 803 trains.

Both trains are five-car Hitachi A-Trains and appear to be similar in size, although there are other differences.

  • Hull Trains have a two-class layout, whereas on Lumo everybody sits in the same class.
  • Hull Trains are a true bi-mode with the 700 kW Rolls-Royce mtu diesel generators.
  • Lumo only have a battery for emergency hotel power.
  • Hull Trains currently operate a route, where up to a hundred miles in each round trip can be on diesel.
  • Lumo’s current route is all electric.

However, the differences in train specification doesn’t stop the two operators using each other’s trains.

This is from an article in the November 2023 Edition of Modern Railways, that is entitled Extra Luggage Racks For Lumo.

The co-operation between sister East Coast mail line open access operators Lumo and Hull Trains continues, with one recent move,  being the use of a Hull Trains ‘802’ on Lumo services to cover  for a shortage of the dedicated ‘803s’ while one unit was out of action for repairs following a fatality. Although the two types are similar, there are notable differences, most obviously that the Hull Trains units are bi-modes while the Lumo sets are straight EMUs and a training conversion course is required for Lumo drivers on the ‘802s’. There are also challenges from a passenger-facing perspective – The Hull Trains units have around 20 % fewer seats and a First Class area.

A future Chief Executive of FirstGroup  might at some future date decide to convert all trains to the same specification.

Drive Systems Of The Five-Car Class 80x Trains

I’m writing them down for all the five-car Class 80x trains to make it easier to understand.

  • Class 800 train – DPTS–MS-MS-MC–DPTF – (LNER) 3 x 560 kW or (GWR) 3 x 700 kW diesel generators.
  • Class 801 train – DPTS–MS-MS-MC–DPTF –  1 x 560 kW diesel generators
  • Class 802 train – DPTS–MS-MS-MC–DPTF – (LNER) 3 x 700 kW diesel generators.
  • Class 803 train – DPTS–MS-MS-MS–DPTF
  • Class 805 train – DPTS–MS-MS-MC–DPTF –  3 x 700 kW diesel generators.
  • Class 810 train – DPTS–MS-MS-MC–DPTF –  4 x 735 kW diesel generators.

Note.

  1. All these five-car trains have the same drive configuration.
  2. Traction motors are on cars 2 and 4.
  3. Trains with one diesel generators have them under car 3.
  4. Trains with three diesel generators have them under cars 2/3/4.
  5. Trains with four diesel generators have them under cars 1/2/4/5.
  6. The traction battery in the Class 802 battery-electric test train was 750 kW, according to The Data Sheet For Hitachi Battery Electric Trains.

It is all a very balanced design.

A Standard Basic Train For Hull Trains And Lumo

This may be possible and could be the following.

  • A Class 802 or Class 803 train to the latest specification.
  • Five cars.
  • Interior to the customers specification.
  • Ability to work in pairs.
  • A standard size traction battery in car 3.

The battery could be changed according to route.

I can see a battery range of 100 miles covering most routes.

There could be two or three batteries close together in cars 2, 3 and 4, driving the traction motors in cars 2 and 4 and being charged by them.

These are my thoughts on individual Hull Trains and Lumo routes.

Beverley And Hull

In Could Hull Station Be Electrified?, I put forward my view that if Hull station were to be electrified, it opens up various possibilities of running battery-electric trains to Hull and Beverley.

Hull Trains services would charge the battery, every time they went through Hull station.

Distances needed on battery power to electrification would be.

  • Beverley – 16.7 miles for return trip.
  • Bridlington – 31.1 miles
  • Doncaster – 40.8 miles
  • Scarborough – 53.8 miles
  • Temple Hirst – 36.1 miles

Except for Scarborough, a single battery would probably suffice.

Beverley and Hull are handled without a battery at present, but Hull Trains might like to carry sufficient power in batteries to be able to handle the Lincoln Diversion.

Carmarthen

Cardiff and Carmarthen via Gowerton is 75.3 miles, which probably means two batteries would be needed.

See Thoughts On Lumo’s Proposed Paddington And Carmarthen Service, for more details.

Edinburgh

Edinburgh is handled without a battery at present, but Lumo might like to carry sufficient power in batteries to be able to handle the Lincoln Diversion.

Paignton

Paignton is the longest route at 128.2 miles and I doubt, it would be talked about if it wasn’t technically possibly.

See Thoughts On Lumo’s Proposed Paddington And Paignton Service, for more details.

Rochdale

Sheffield

Stirling

Stirling could be handled without a battery, but Lumo might like to carry sufficient power in batteries to be able to handle a small diversion.

 

January 11, 2025 Posted by | Design, Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

‘UK-First’ Intercity Battery Trial Exceeds Expectations

The title of this post, is the same as that of this press release from Hitachi.

These three bullet points, act as sub-headings.

  • Intercity battery train completes testing in the north of England, demonstrating superior performance and cost-effectiveness compared to diesel engines.
  • Trial confirms single battery technology can reduce fuels costs between 35%-50% and enter and leave stations in zero-emission mode.
  • Ahead of Railway 200 celebration, this new UK rail innovation is ready to reduce cost and emissions on the railways.

These are the first two paragraphs.

Today, Angel Trains, Hitachi Rail and TransPennine Express are celebrating the successful completion of the UK’s first intercity battery trial in the North of England.

The powerful 700kw battery technology met, and in some cases even surpassed, the key objectives of the trial, including:

  • Fuel costs savings between 35%-50%, surpassing previous predictions of up to 30%.
  • Just one battery has managed to power the train to speeds greater than 75mph, clearly demonstrating this technology can enter, alight and exit stations solely in zero-emission battery-mode to improve air quality and reduce noise pollution.
  • Able to achieve all journey times and performance requirements so can meet operators timetable requirements.
  • The battery matches the weight of a diesel engine and is installed in the same undercarriage space, ensuring no risk of track degradation and no impact on the passenger environment.

Note.

  1. I would expect, that most of the fuel cost savings are due to the use of regenerative braking to the battery.
  2. 75 mph might seem slow, but Hull Trains average slower speeds than this on their diesel sections.
  3. Running in a non-polluting mode in stations and sensitive areas, is not going to be disliked by anyone.
  4. The most powerful diesel engines in Class 800 and Class 802 trains are rated at 700 kW. So with the same weight and power, it is not surprising that the performance is the same.

It looks to me, that Hitachi have designed an efficient battery-electric electric train, that can extend services from electrified main lines onto branch lines without electrification.

The One Battery Test Train And Hull Trains

Hull Trains currently run one service to Hull and Beverley and have applied for another service to serve Worksop, Woodhouse and Sheffield, where the trains would leave the East Coast Main Line at Retford.

Hitachi’s current test train has two diesel engines and one battery pack.

An Electric Service Between London and Hull/Beverley

Distances for the Hull and Beverley service are.

  • ECML  and Hull – 58.1 km. – 3 stops
  • Hull and Beverley – 13.2 km or 26.4 km both ways. – 1 stop

Note.

  1. Trains will be fully-charged, when they leave the ECML.
  2. Trains could be fully-charged, when they leave Hull station, if the platform they use has a charging system.
  3. All Hull Trains call in Platform 7 at Hull station.
  4. The Hitachi press release said “During a trial run, the battery’s impressive power enabled the train to operate solely in battery mode for 70km.” A speed of 75 mph is indicated.
  5. I would assume the Hitachi train used regenerative braking to help recharge the batteries, at the intermediate stops.
  6. Trains average around 57 mph between the ECML and Hull and 38 mph between Hull and Beverley.
  7. Much of the track between the ECML and Hull has a speed limit of 75 mph.
  8. Much of the track between Beverley and Hull has a speed limit of 70 mph or less.

Because of these figures and what Hitachi have said of the train’s performance on batteries, I am convinced that Hull Trains will use an electrified Platform 7 at Hull station to charge the trains.

These pictures show a Hull Trains’s Class 802 train in Platform 7 at Hull station.

Note.

  1. The blue Hull Train is in Platform 7 in the pictures.
  2. Hull station has a classic Victorian cast-iron roof.
  3. Many other similar platforms have been electrified in the UK.

I believe that this platform can be electrified relatively easily with 25 KVAC overhead wires.

An Electric Service Between London and Worksop/Sheffield

Distances for the Worksop and Sheffield service are.

  • ECML  and Worksop – 12.2 km. – 1 stop
  • Worksop and Sheffield- 25.3 km or 50.6 km both ways. – 1 stop

Note.

1. A train from London will leave Retford with a full battery.
2. Retford and Sheffield is only 37.5 km. So the round trip is only 75 km.
3. A full battery will power the train at 75 mph for 70 km – According to Hitachi.
4. Much of the track between Retford and Sheffield is only 60 mph. So going slower will give an energy saving.
5. Slowing at Worksop, Woodhouse and Sheffield will give the batteries a small charge.
6. There are no bridges in the Workshop station area, so a mile or so of electrification could be easy.
7. It’s an easy level route.
8. I’ve read somewhere that Hitachi have a full route simulator.

I calculate, that a two minute charge at Worksop would probably be all the train would need to travel the 75 km. on batteries.

We don’t know if Hitachi have licenced some of Vivarail’s FastCharge technology from FirstGroup. This could enable them to extract the maximum value from each stop at Worksop.

The One Battery Test Train And Lumo

Hitachi’s current test train has two diesel engines and one battery pack.

It is likely that a train with this configuration could be used on Lumo’s new service to Rochdale.

As London Euston and Manchester Victoria is fully electrified, the only unelectrified section is the 16.7 km. between Manchester Victoria and Rochdale. This would mean, that to complete the trip, Lumo’s train would need the ability to do 33.4 km on battery power.

As Hitachi’s test train can do 70 km on a full charge, Lumo could use trains with the standard two diesel engine and one battery pack configuration. The battery would be charged on the electrified sections of the route, between London Euston and Manchester Victoria stations.

It looks to me, to be a superb demonstration of the capabilities of a battery-electric InterCity train with two diesel engines and one battery pack.

The One Battery Test Train And LNER

Hitachi’s current test train has two diesel engines and one battery pack.

It is likely that a train with this configuration could be used on  several LNER services from King’s Cross.

  • Bradford Forster Square – 21.9 km. from Leeds
  • Cleethorpes – 102.5 km. from Newark
  • Grimsby Town – 97.9 km. from Newark
  • Harrogate – 29.4 km from Leeds
  • Lincoln – 26.9 km. from Newark
  • Middlesbrough – 35.2 km. from ECML
  • Cleethorpes – 102.5 km. from ECML
  • Scarborough – 67.8 km. from York

Note.

  1. Some services like those to Bradford Forster Square, Harrogate and Lincoln could be run by only charging on the East Coast Main Line.
  2. Some services like those to Middlesbrough  and Scarborough could be run by charging at the destination.
  3. Other services would need more batteries and/or charging at the destination.

I haven’t put in the Scottish services as running them may be more complicated.

Running Longer Distances On Battery Power

This paragraph is from the original Hitachi press release.

This success demonstrates that Hitachi Rail is ready to deliver the next stage of a full intercity battery-electric train. Based on real-world data, such a train would have a range between 100-150km. These ranges can cover significant sections of non-electrified routes, eliminating the need for wires in tunnels or stations, and potentially saving hundreds of millions of pounds on electrification projects.

Note.

  1. I would assume that as many diesel engines as possible would be replaced with battery packs.
  2. On a typical three-battery Class 800 train, 802 train or Class 805 train, this could be up to three batteries.
  3. But on a four-battery Class 810 train, this could be up to four batteries.

A strategy would need to be developed for all routes and trains would be configured and allocated to the routes accordingly.

November 10, 2024 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Hull Trains Sees Biggest Timetable Transformation In Its 23 Year History

The title of this post, is the same as that of this press release from Hull Trains.

These are the first two paragraphs.

Hull Trains has announced it is now running extended 10 carriage trains on a number of its services from Wednesday to Sunday due to growing passenger numbers, bringing an extra 4,000 available seats per week for customers.

Introducing this extra capacity, especially on a Sunday, has been an aspiration of the operator for some time now and it is delighted to finally be able to launch these longer train services. The change will bring additional seats and offers to Hull Trains’ services for customers.

These two paragraphs talks about their performance.

A report released in late 2023 by the Office of Road and Rail (ORR), showed that Hull Trains have led the way for long-distance train operators, reporting a 34% growth in journeys compared to the previous year.

This provided further evidence of Hull Trains’ stability and strength with the local open-access operator now delivering 28% more journeys than it was before the pandemic.

So why have they outperformed other operators?

A Local Presence And Name Must Help

So if you’re going to London, you’re probably more likely to use a local train company. It’s also easy to market.

Hull Has One Of The Best Bus/Train Interchanges In The Country

Recently, I went to an SSE presentation about their Hydrogen Pathfinder Project at Aldbrough. This was given at Horden about twenty miles from Hull and the buses to and from the station were just a hundred metres from the platform at Hull station.

They were also reasonable frequent.

At some stations like Leeds, Manchester Piccadilly and Newcastle the bus/train interchange is bad and require a walk halfway across the City Centre.

Money is Tight At The Moment

I suspect that bus and train is cheaper than going by car to the station.

As in many households there are at often two cars, I wouldn’t be surprised that if one partner can manage without a car, a lot of families have reduced the number of cars they have.

This would be difficult in some places as public transport, isn’t good enough to rely on.

So Hull’s excellent bus/train interchange would benefit train operators.

Interestingly, Doncaster has a co-located bus station.

Sheffield Also Is A Good Bus/Train Interchange

Hull Trains proposed new route is London and Sheffield, which I wrote about in FirstGroup Applies To Run New London To Sheffield Rail Service.

Conclusion

Hull trains are certainly getting it right, but I do think the buses in Hull help.

 

 

January 18, 2024 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , | 2 Comments

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