How Many Direct Trains Should There Be Between London Paddington And Newquay?
The Mid-Cornwall Metro will see the following improvements on the Atlantic Coast Line between Newquay and Par stations.
- A second platform built at Newquay station.
- There will be a passing loop across Treegoss Moor.
- There will be a step-free bridge at Par station.
This will allow the current service on the line to be increased from two-hourly to hourly.
FirstGroup’s services in the UK, include several services, where a service is extended to a terminus away from the main line.
- Avanti West Coast – two trains per day (tpd) to Blackpool
- Great Western Railway – six tpd to Carmarthen
- Hull Trains – five tpd to Hull.
- Hull Trains – two tpd to Beverley.
- Hull Trains (proposed) – two tpd to Worksop and Sheffield.
Given that there will only be an hourly local service on the Atlantic Coast Line, I suspect that FirstGroup will be able to run up to six tpd to Newquay to satisfy the traffic needs of the London and Newquay service.
How Will Great Western Railway Run A Service To Newquay?
Last weekend, when I went to Ebbw Vale, I wrote My Train To Wales Today Divided At Swansea.
My train, that day was a ten-car train formed of a pair of Class 800 trains.
- The front train was signed as going to Swansea.
- The rear train was signed as going to Carmarthen.
- At Swansea the trains split into two.
- The front train finished its journey.
- The rear train reversed out and continued to Carmarthen.
Returning to London Paddington, trains join at Swansea.
Will Great Western Railway use a similar operation with Newquay services.
The train would be a ten-car train formed of a pair of Class 802 trains.
- One train would be going to Plymouth and the other train to Newquay.
- At Plymouth the trains split into two.
- One train finishes its journey at Plymouth.
- The other train continues to Newquay.
As Bodmin General station, has a second platform, that was recently built with financial help from Great Western Railway, could this be another destination served by splitting a train at Plymouth?
I discuss the implications of the second platform at Bodmin General station in Beeching Reversal – Increased Service Provision Bodmin General-Bodmin Parkway
How Long Would A Round Trip Take Between Plymouth And Newquay?
Current timings are as follows.
- Plymouth to Par – 34.7 miles – 50 minutes
- Par to Newquay – 20.8 miles – 51 minutes
- Turnround at Newquay – 5 minutes
- Newquay to Par – 20.8 miles – 51 minutes
- Par to Plymouth – 34.7 miles – 50 minutes
Note.
- Times are from Class 802 trains between Par to Plymouth.
- Times are for Class 150 trains between Par and Newquay.
Total time is 207 minutes or three hours and twenty-seven minutes.
Hull Trains Open Access Model Drives £185m-380m Economic Boost To Region, New Report Reveals
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Rail Technology Magazine.
This is the first paragraph.
Open Access rail operator Hull Trains has announced the launch of a report by Arup, highlighting the significant economic, social, and environmental benefits its services have brought to the Hull and Humberside region.
The key findings of the report are as follows.
- Economic benefits: Since it launched in 2000, Hull Trains estimates that it has delivered between £185m-380m since launch. It also projects those benefits will reach an estimated £325m-700m by 2032.
- Increased connectivity: Frequency between Hull and London has grown to seven trains per day (tpd) from just a single train.
- Enhanced capacity: 10-car trains and additional Sunday services doubled seating capacity compared to 2000.
- Sustainability: Modal shift from road to rail has reduced carbon emissions and air pollution.
- Employment: £35m-£70m (2023 prices) generated in direct employment since launch.
As the report is by respected consultancy Arup, I would put a high level of confidence in the findings.
I have a few thoughts.
Did Hull’s Rail Service Help Hull Become UK City Of Culture In 2017?
In the shortlist, the cities were Dundee, Hull, Leicester and Swansea Bay.
If Hull had had just a single tpd from London, would it have been chosen?
Do Hull Trains Make It More Likely That Companies from Outside Will Develop There?
Hull and Humberside in general has GWs of wind energy, several gas-fired power stations and uniquely plenty of storage for natural gas and/or hydrogen.
So if your company uses a lot of energy, Hull would probably be on your short list.
A good well-respected train service to London could help with your choice.
Hullensians Seem Proud Of Their Train Company
In First Class Gluten-Free Food, I described some good service of a gluten-free meal on Hull Trains.
I praised the steward and her mother-in-law said thanks.
Perhaps Other Independent Cities Need Their Own Open-Access Operator?
Hull Trains seems to have been a success and according to the Arup report, Hull has benefitted.
LNER Are Developing Services To Bradford, Cleethorpes/Grimsby Harrogate, Lincoln And Middlesbrough.
Will LNER run services that are tied to the destination, as if they were an open access operator?
Conclusion
Pairing an independent city with its own train company seems a good business practice.
Perhaps it should be done more often?
Extending The Elizabeth Line – Could Open Access Services Use The Elizabeth Line?
In the February 2024 Edition of Modern Railways, there is an article which is entitled First Bid For Sheffield To King’s Cross Paths.
The article is mainly about FirstGroup’s proposal for a new Sheffield and London service, running under the Hull Trains brand.
But, this is the last paragraph.
Modern Railways understands First is working on a number of proposals for additional open access services, and this is an early statement of intent. Other existing open access proposals include Grand Union Trains’ plans for London to Stirling and Cardiff to Edinburgh services, along with an already approved London to Carmarthen service, and the recently submitted Wrexham, Shropshire and Midland Railway application for a London to Wrexham service. It is understood other organisations, including MTR and Virgin, are also working up plans for new open access services.
The respected Modern Railways magazine seem to think, that we’ll be seeing more open access services on UK railways.
These are my thoughts.
A Simple Example – London Crosslink
In Extending The Elizabeth Line – London Crosslink, I said this.
In the Wikipedia entry for the London Crosslink, this is the introduction.
London Crosslink was a passenger train service operated by Anglia Railways between Norwich and Basingstoke, using the North London Line to bypass central London. Class 170 Turbostar diesel multiple units were used, and the service operated between 22 May 2000 and 28 September 2002, supported by funding from the Strategic Rail Authority through its Rail Passenger Partnership fund.
As it was discontinued and it doesn’t seem to be sadly missed, I’m not advocating its reinstatement, but just looking how it might be run after the full opening of the Elizabeth Line.
But surely, there were good reasons, why the service was run in the first place and there might be a need in the future.
These are some characteristics of the service.
- There were about half-a-dozen services in both directions every day.
- At its full length it ran between Norwich and Basingstoke.
- Stops included Diss, Stowmarket, Ipswich, Colchester, Witham, Chelmsford, Ingatestone, Romford, Stratford, Highbury & Islington, Camden Road, West Hampstead, Brentford, Feltham, Staines, Woking and Farnborough (Main).
- Each service seemed to have a different stopping pattern.
- The timetable wasn’t very regular.
- The route wasn’t fully electrified.
It appears that it may have been a difficult service to timetable.
I lived North of Ipswich for some years.
I never used the London CrossLink service, as I had moved away before the service started in 2000.
- I would have found the change to the Central Line at Stratford station useful.
- I would have found the change to the Victoria Line at Highbury & Islington station useful.
- I would have found the change to Thameslink at West Hampstead station useful.
- Basingstoke would have given access to Greater South-West England.
- I could have got a bus to Heathrow from Feltham.
But getting to Marylebone, Paddington and Waterloo would have still been tedious.
Could a replacement for the London CrossLink be routed via the Elizabeth Line?
- The service would use the Elizabeth Line between Stratford and Reading.
- The service would use the Reading and Basingstoke Line between Reading and Basingstoke.
The route has some advantages over the original route.
- Except for the 13.6 miles between Southcote Junction and Basingstoke, the route is fully-electrified.
- Whitechapel will give access to London Overground services.
- Farringdon will give access to Thameslink services.
- There will be a lot of connections at Tottenham Court Road and Bond Street.
- Paddington and Reading will give access to Heathrow, Oxford and West of England services.
- Basingstoke will give access to Greater South-West England.
It is certainly an as-useful route as the original, if not more so.
The Trains
In Extending The Elizabeth Line – Will There Be A Need For Long Distance Class 345 Train?, I set out how a standard Class 345 train could be updated with faster running and a more appropriate interior.
As the Elizabeth Line is likely to need some more trains if High Speed Two is delayed, perhaps some extra trains should be ordered fairly soon.
The Routes
Consider.
- A terminal station would probably need to be electrified to the Elizabeth Line route.
- It would need the infrastructure to turn the trains.
These stations could probably be used as terminal stations.
- Basingstoke
- Bristol
- Cardiff
- Colchester
- Faversham
- Hoo – See Extending The Elizabeth Line – A Branch To The Isle Of Grain.
- Ipswich
- Northfleet – For European services at Ebbsfleet International.
- Norwich
- Oxford
- Rochester
- Southampton
- Southend Victoria
There will certainly be others.
Why Use Open Access?
Suppose an operator wants to run a service between Bristol Parkway and Northfleet to give the West Country access to European services.
- The operator takes all the risk and Network Rail get track access charges.
- Do Transport for London get track access charges for the Elizabeth Line tunnels?
- If they get their predictions and sums wrong, they lose the money.
But if they get it right, they probably sell it to an infrastructure company at a profit.
Conclusion
I think open access operation might work through the Elizabeth Line Tunnels.
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.
An Excursion To Retford And Worksop
Today’s excursion was designed to be simple.
- Take an LNER train or a Hull Train to Retford station.
- Travel to Worksop station, have a look and take a few pictures.
- Travel back to Retford and take the first train back to London.
- In one if my two visits to Retford, have a look and take a few pictures.
- Talk to passengers and railway staff about what they felt about FirstGroup’s Proposed Sheffield Service, that I wrote about in FirstGroup Applies To Run New London To Sheffield Rail Service.
These were my thoughts and observations.
LNER’s Improved Ticketing
These pictures show the tickets that I bought.
Note.
- I bought my ticket to Retford from the Ticket Office at King’s Cross station.
- The ticket seller gave me a well-designed folder for the tickets.
- I was also able to buy my return ticket between Retford and Worksop on the LNER train to Retford. I’ve tried doing that before and it wasn’t allowed.
Making ticketing easier must be a good thing for passengers, staff and LNER.
£24.75 With A Railcard From King’s Cross to Retford
- The second picture shows my ticket to Retford.
- It cost me just £24,75 with my Senior Railcard.
- I also bought it about half-an-hour before the train left.
- I bought the ticket in the Ticket Office.
- I got a forward-facing window seat with an unrestricted view.
How much would the 145 mile and nearly three-hour journey have cost in a car?
I Missed My Connection At Retford Station
These pictures show my train to Worksop station in Platform 3 at Retford station, as I approached from the South.
Note.
The Northern Trains’s Class 195 train arriving on Platform 3 on the Sheffield and Lincoln Line.
- I arrived in Platform 2 at Retford station at 12:50
- There were three lifts or sets of stairs to negotiate between Platform 2 and Platform 3.
- It must take at least five minutes between the two platforms.
- One of the lifts was out of order and was being serviced by an engineer.
- There was no way, I could have caught the connection, which left at 12:51.
- At least one other passenger, had to wait the one hour and fifteen minutes I waited for the next train, which arrived at 14:03.
I feel that there needs to be a timetable adjustment here, so that as many passengers as possible avoid the long wait.
Retford Station
At least the long wait allowed me to take a lot of pictures and have a cup of coffee in the Costa Coffee on Platform 1.
Note.
- The toilets were immaculate.
- The Costa Coffee had friendly and professional staff, but only rudimentary gluten-free options.
- The station is fully step-free with four lifts.
- Platforms 1 and 2 on the East Coast Main Line can take a pair of five-car Class 802 trains, as Hull Train demonstrated.
- The Hull Train in Platform 2 was using the electrification.
- The station is in very good condition.
- The station is Grade II Listed.
This Google Map shows the station.
Note.
- The red arrow in the South-East corner are the low-level Platforms 3 and 4.
- The red arrow in the middle marks the low-level Platforms 1 and 2.
- Network Rail’s yellow Mobile Maintenance Train is visible in the siding opposite Platform 2.
- There is space around the platforms.
The station may have development possibilities. Especially, as there are signs of To Let over some of the buildings.
Ambitious Renewable Energy
Retford and Worksop are only eleven minutes away but there were a large wind farm and solar farms between the two stations.
Note.
- I was a bit slow on the uptake and missed the large wind farm.
- The strong sun was reflecting on the windows.
- They weren’t the best of photographs.
I had intended to take more and better pictures on the way back, but circumstances intervened.
This Google Map shows the wind and solar farms.
Note.
- The Sheffield and Lincoln Line going across the map.
- There are solar panels North and South of the railway.
- This is the Walkers Wood Solar Farm, which has a nameplate capacity of 27 MW.
- H M Prison Ranby is at the top of the map.
- The scars of the wind turbines are to the West of Babworth and the crematorium.
- At the moment, I can’t find any reference to the wind farm.
These wind and solar farms are probably a classic place to position a battery.
Prisons And Recycling
Worksop Station
I took these pictures during the time I spent at Worksop station.
Note.
- The station is not step-free, although you can cross the tracks using the level-crossing.
- The station has a pub and a cafe.
- There are train services to Leeds, Lincoln, Nottingham and Sheffield.
- The station is in very good condition.
- The station is Grade II Listed.
- The platforms are long enough to handle a Class 802 train without any modification.
- Hull Trains could run their Sheffield service to Worksop station without any new infrastructure.
- Lidl are developing a site on the other side of the level crossing.
- There are 100 car parking spaces.
The station may have development possibilities.
Worksop Station Cafe
These pictures show the Worksop station cafe.
Note.
- It is run by two ladies; Jo and Lyndsey.
- As one is coeliac, there were lots of gluten-free cakes.
- It was cosy and warm on a cold day.
This is definitely one of the better station cafes.
A Double Incident
My journey back to the capital was I suspect untypical.
- I’d arrived at Worksop at 14:14 and finally left at 16:38 on a train for Retford and Lincoln.
- The delay was because someone had been hit by a train between Barnsley and Sheffield, which resulted in cancelled trains.
- When I arrived at Retford at 16:49, there was an LNER train in the platform.
- It was the 15:15 from Leeds and I was told by LNER staff to catch it and get my ticket on the train.
- The train finally left Retford for London 69 minutes late at 17:07.
- We arrived in Peterborough at 19:27, where the train was now 170 minutes late.
- The delay was because someone had been hit by a train at Newark, which results in delays everywhere.
- LNER decided to give up on the train and all passengers were put on other trains.
- I got on the 14:30 from Edinburgh, which arrived in King’s Cross at 20:22, which was 96 minutes late.
Worse things happen at sea.
I am adding this a day after my trip to the North.
This article on the BBC is entitled ‘Major Disruption’ After Person Hit By A Train.
These are the first three paragraphs.
Train services on the East Coast Main Line have been seriously disrupted after a person was hit by a train in North Yorkshire.
Network Rail said the incident happened just before 07:00 GMT between York and Thirsk, with emergency services attending the scene shortly afterwards.
The line was blocked, resulting in delays and cancellations.
Three in two days us three too many.
FirstGroup Applies To Run New London To Sheffield Rail Service
The title of this post, is the same as that of this press release from First Group.
These four paragraphs outline FirstGroup’s initial plans.
FirstGroup plc, the leading private sector transport operator, has today submitted the first phase of an application for a new open access rail service between London and Sheffield to the Office of Rail and Road (ORR).
FirstGroup plans to expand its open access rail operations as part of its award-winning Hull Trains business, building on their successful existing service which has transformed long-distance connectivity between Hull and London.
FirstGroup’s new proposals comprise two return journeys a day from London King’s Cross, calling at Retford, Worksop, Woodhouse and Sheffield, and the company aims to provide a faster link between London and Sheffield than alternative services. Almost three quarters of trips between London and Sheffield are currently made by car, with a further 9% of trips made by coach, and a competitively priced new rail offering will help stimulate a shift in transport mode of choice from road to rail.
The new proposed route will give Sheffield the first regular service from London King’s Cross since 1968 and will also give Worksop in Nottinghamshire the first regular direct London trains in decades. FirstGroup estimates there are 350,000 people in the Worksop and Woodhouse catchment areas who will have direct rail access to London because of these proposals. A sizeable number of rail users in these areas currently drive to Doncaster station to pick up faster services to London rather than travelling via Sheffield, and a convenient rail offering from local stations will also help to reduce the number of these car journeys.
Note.
- The press release says this is only the first phase.
- It appears to be an extension of Hull Trains.
- Comments on a news story based on the press release in The Times, have been generally positive.
These are my thoughts.
The Two Routes Are Similar
Consider.
- Beverley is 44.3 miles from the electrified East Coast Main Line at Temple Hirst Junction.
- Hull is 36.1 miles from the electrified East Coast Main Line at Temple Hirst Junction.
- Sheffield is 23.5 miles from the electrified East Coast Main Line at Retford station.
- There is no electrification at Beverley, Hull or Sheffield.
Note.
- Trains must be capable of having a range sufficient to go from the East Coast Main Line to the destination and back again.
- It is slightly surprising that Sheffield station is closest to the electrification of the East Coast Main Line.
- Hull Train’s electro-diesel Class 802 trains regularly handle the 88.6 miles to Beverley and back.
It does look like an appropriate number of Class 802 trains could handle Hull Trains current and future services to Beverley, Hull and Sheffield.
Hull Trains Need Ten-Car Trains
Consider.
- In Ten-Car Hull Trains, I show some details of Hull Trains using a pair of five-car trains.
- I’ve since seen ten-car Hull Trains regularly.
- There were two ten-car services on the 29th December 2023 between London King’s Cross and Hull.
Hull Trains must procure enough trains for all possible scenarios.
Intermediate Stations Of The Two Routes
Intermediate stations are.
- Going North from London King’s Cross to Hull, trains call at Stevenage (limited), Grantham, Retford, Doncaster, Selby, Howden and Brough.
- Going North from London King’s Cross to Sheffield, trains call at Retford, Worksop and Woodhouse.
There are only a small number of stops on the Sheffield service. Is this to reduce the journey time as much as possible?
What Will Be The Time Of The London King’s Cross And Sheffield Service?
Consider.
- Non-stop trains take 82 minutes between London King’s Cross and Retford, which is 138.6 miles, so it’s an average speed of 101.4 mph.
- Woolmer Green and Retford are 111.7 miles and will in a couple of years, be digitally signalled.
- Non-stop trains take 66 minutes between Woolmer Green and Retford, which is an average speed of 112 mph.
- I have found a direct Retford and Sheffield train, that takes 31 minutes for the 23.5 miles with six stops, which is an average speed of 45 mph.
- The Retford and Sheffield section has a mostly 60 mph maximum speed.
I can now build a table of times between King’s Cross and Retford based on the average speed North of Woolmer Green.
- 125 mph – 72 minutes
- 130 mph – 70 minutes
- 135 mph – 68 minutes
- 140 mph – 66 minutes
Note.
- Getting a high average speed using the power of digital signalling can save several minutes.
- I have measured an InterCity 125 averaging 125 mph on that section.
I can now build a table of times between Retford and Sheffield based on the average speed.
- 45 mph – 31 minutes
- 50 mph – 28 minutes
- 60 mph – 24 minutes
- 70 mph – 20 minutes
- 80 mph – 18 minutes
Note.
- The planned service is expected to stop only twice after Retford, so if we take off two minutes for each of the four stops not taken, this could reduce the time between Retford and Sheffield by 8 minutes.
- There will be a couple of minutes to add for the stop at Retford.
- I feel a typical journey with 125 mph to Retford, 50 mph to Sheffield, could take 94 minutes
- Currently, the fastest London St. Pancras to Sheffield take around 116-118 minutes.
Hull Trains new service could save 22-24 minutes on the current service.
I also feel a fast journey could involve 130 mph to Retford, 60 mph to Sheffield, could take 88 minutes.
Hull Trains new service could save a few minutes over half-an-hour.
Could The Time Of The London King’s Cross And Sheffield Service Be Under 90 Minutes?
I reckon the following is possible.
- After the digital signalling is completed between King’s Cross and Retford, I suspect that a 135 mph average speed can be maintained between Woolmer Green and Retford. This would mean that a King’s Cross and Retford time of 68 minutes would be possible.
- If Network Rail improve the track between Retford and Sheffield, I believe that a 70 mph average could be achieved on the Retford and Sheffield section. This would mean that a Retford and Sheffield time of 20 minutes would be possible.
- I would expect at least six minutes would be saved by missing stops.
This gives a time of 82 minutes between London King’s Cross and Sheffield.
In Anxiety Over HS2 Eastern Leg Future, I said that High Speed Two’s promised London and Sheffield time via a dedicated track would be 87 minutes.
It looks to me that running under full digital signalling on the East Coast Main Line, Hull Trains can beat the HS2 time.
Could Hitachi’s Battery-Electric Trains Handle The Routes?
This page on the Hitachi web site is entitled Intercity Battery Trains.
This is the sub-heading
Accelerate the decarbonisation of intercity rail with batteries.
These paragraphs outline the philosophy of the design of the trains.
A quick and easy application of battery technology is to install it on existing or future Hitachi intercity trains. Hitachi Rail’s modular design means this can be done without the need to re-engineer or rebuild the train and return them to service as quickly as possible for passengers.
Replacing one diesel engine with just one battery reduces emissions by more than 20% and offers cost savings of 20-30%. Our intercity battery powered trains can cover 70km on non-electrified routes, operating at intercity speeds at the same or increased performance.
Wouldn’t it be great, if we could take the diesel engine out of our cars and replace it with an electric power pack?
Paul Daniels would’ve classed it as engineering magic.
But it’s an old engineer’s trick.
As a fifteen year old, I spent time in a rolling mill, building and fitting replacement control systems on large machines. Transistors were used to replace electronic valves and relays.
It’s certainly possible to create a battery pack, that is plug-compatible with an existing diesel generator, that responds to the same control inputs and gives the same outputs.
At the extreme end of this technology, there would be no need to change any of the train’s software.
In The Data Sheet For Hitachi Battery Electric Trains, these were my conclusions for the performance.
- 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 the East Coast Main Line to Beverley is a round trip is 88.6 miles, I suspect that Hull Trains’s five-car Class 802 trains will need to be fitted with a full-complement of three batteries.
Will Hull Trains Have An Identical Fleet Of Trains?
An identical fleet must have advantages for train staff, maintenance staff and above all passengers.
I believe FirstGroup have two choices.
- They buy an appropriately-sized batch of identical Class 802 trains.
- They convert their current fleet to battery-electric operation and buy an appropriately-sized batch of identical new trains.
Note.
- The second option means that they fully-decarbonise Hull Trains.
- Neither option would need any new infrastructure.
- I feel this means that this order is more likely to go to Hitachi.
It’ll probably all come down to the accountants.
Retford Station
This OpenRailwayMap shows the tracks around Retford station.
Note.
- The red tracks are electrified and are the East Coast Main Line.
- The black ones aren’t electrified.
- Doncaster is to the North.
- The black line to the East goes to Lincoln
- The black line to the West goes to Sheffield
- The red line going South-East goes to Peterborough and London.
The unusual loop allows trains to connect from one direction to another.
This second OpenRailwayMap shows the tracks in more detail.
Note.
- As before red lines are electrified and black ones aren’t
- Platforms 1 and 2 are on the East Coast Main Line.
- Platforms 3 and 4 are on the Sheffield and Lincoln Line.
This third OpenRailwayMap shows the platforms in more detail.
Note.
- The yellow tracks are the 125 mph fast lines of the East Coast Main Line.
- The light blue tracks are the 40 mph relief lines of the East Coast Main Line.
- Northbound tracks are to the left of each pair of lines.
- The dark blue track is the 10 mph chord that connects the Northbound relief line of the East Coast Main Line to the Sheffield and Lincoln Line.
- Platform 1 is on the Southbound relief line.
- Platform 2 is on the Northbound relief line.
- Unusually, both platforms are on the same side of the line.
- In The Lengths Of Hitachi Class 800/801/802 Trains, I state that the full length of an InterCity 225 train is 245.2 metres.
- I suspect that both platforms can accommodate a full length InterCity 225, as the trains have been calling at Retford since the 1980s.
I doubt Retford station has any problem accommodating a pair of Class 802 trains, which it does regularly.
How Do Northbound Trains Go To Sheffield From Retford Station?
This OpenRailwayMap shows the tracks to the South of Retford station in detail.
Note.
- The yellow tracks are the 125 mph fast lines of the East Coast Main Line.
- The light blue tracks are the 40 mph relief lines of the East Coast Main Line.
- Northbound tracks are to the left of each pair of lines.
Trains needing to stop in Retford station will need to cross to the Northbound relief line to enter Platform 2 at Retford station.
This OpenRailwayMap shows the curve that connects Platform 2 at Retford station to the Sheffield and Lincoln Line to Sheffield.
Note.
- The green tracks are the 60 mph Sheffield and Lincoln Line.
- Sheffield is to the West.
- The blue tracks are the curve that connects Platform 2 in Retford station to the Sheffield and Lincoln Line.
- There appears to be a grade-separated junction, where the two lines join to the West of Retford station.
A Northbound train to Sheffield will take curve and then join the line to Sheffield.
How Do Southbound Trains Go From Sheffield Through Retford Station?
I suspect trains do the opposite from a train going to Sheffield.
The train takes the curve and then stops in Platform 2 facing South.
This OpenRailwayMap shows the tracks to the South of Retford station in detail.
When the train is cleared by the signals to go South, it will leave Retford station going South on the Northbound relief line.
Note that on the map there are two crossovers, which the train will take to get on the Southbound fast line for Newark and London.
As a Control Engineer, I suspect this is the sort of manoeuvre, that modern digital signalling will make slicker and safer.
How Do Northbound Trains Go To Hull From Retford Station?
On leaving the station, the train will continue along the relief line until it merges with the Northbound fast line for Doncaster.
This is exactly as any Northbound train stopping at Retford does now.
How Do Southbound Trains Go From Hull Through Retford Station?
Currently, trains from Hull stop in Platform 1 on their way to London.
- Trains needing to stop in Retford station will need to cross to the Southbound relief line to enter Platform 1 at Retford station.
- When the train is cleared by the signals to go South, it will leave Retford station going South on the Southbound relief line.
- The Southbound relief line joins the Southbound fast line to the South of the station.
This is exactly as any Southbound train stopping at Retford does now.
Could A Hull And A Sheffield Service Run As A Pair And Split And Join At Retford Station?
Consider.
- Class 802 trains, as used by Hull Trains are designed to be run as a pair of trains, with easy coupling and uncoupling between the two trains.
- Hull Trains regularly run services as a pair of Class 802 trains.
- A pair of trains could leave King’s Cross. They would then split at a convenient station, after which the two trains go to different destinations.
- There are advantages with respect to infrastructure charges.
I feel that Hull Trains two services to Sheffield and Hull/Beverley could work as a pair.
- A pair of trains could leave King’s Cross.
- At Retford station they would split, with one train going to Hull and the other to Sheffield.
Coming South they would join at Retford.
How Would Splitting Of A Hull And Sheffield Service Be Performed At Retford Station?
The procedure would be something like this.
- As the pair of train is stopping in Retford station, it would use the relief line to enter Platform 2.
- It would stop in Platform 2.
- The trains would be uncoupled.
- The front train would go to its destination.
- The rear train would go to its destination.
Note.
- As the track to Doncaster and Hull is faster, the front train should probably be for Hull.
- Platform 2 is electrified, so the Sheffield train could top up its batteries .
- The Sheffield train could lower its pantograph.
Uncoupling takes about two minutes.
How Would Joining Of A Hull And Sheffield Service Be Performed At Retford Station?
Consider.
- Joining would have to be performed in Platform 2, as there is no route for a train from Sheffield to access Platform 1.
- North of Retford station there are two convenient crossovers, to allow a train to cross to the Northbound relief line. There are also a couple of loops, where trains could wait.
- As this is coal-mining country, perhaps, they were part of a freight route between Sheffield and Doncaster?
But this infrastructure would allow, a train from Hull to access Platform 2 at Retford station.
As the Sheffield train can easily access Platform 2, the two trains could meet in Platform 2 and then be joined together for a run to London.
Is There A Problem With Splitting And Joining Of the Hull And Sheffield Services?
Earlier, I said these were the stops of the two services.
- Going North from London King’s Cross to Hull, trains call at Stevenage (limited), Grantham, Retford, Doncaster, Selby, Howden and Brough.
- Going North from London King’s Cross to Sheffield, trains call at Retford, Worksop and Woodhouse.
Surely, if the trains were travelling as a pair, they would need to stop at the same stations to the South of Retford.
But modern digital signalling will allow trains to run closer together, so perhaps this would be the procedure going North.
- The two trains start in the same platform at King’s Cross, with the Sheffield train in front of the Hull train.
- The two trains leave King’s Cross a safe number of minutes apart.
- At its Stevenage and Grantham stops, the Hull train will tend to increase the distance between the two trains.
- The Sheffield train would stop in Platform 2 at Retford station, so that space is left for the Hull train.
- The Hull train will stop behind the Sheffield train in Platform 2 at Retford station.
- The Sheffield train will leave when ready.
- The Hull train will leave when ready.
And this would be the procedure going South.
- The train from Sheffield would line up in Platform 2 at Retford station.
- The train from Hull would line up in Platform 1 at Retford station.
- The train from Sheffield would leave when everything is ready and the train is cleared by the signalling system.
- The train from Hull would leave a safe number of minutes behind the train from Sheffield.
- At its Grantham and Stevenage stops, the Hull train will tend to increase the distance between the two trains.
- The trains could share a platform at King’s Cross.
The digital signalling and the driver’s Mark 1 eyeballs will keep the Hull train, a safe distance behind the faster Sheffield train.
The Capacity Of The Lincoln And Sheffield Line
Looking at the Sheffield and Lincoln Line, it has only an hourly train, that calls at Darnall, Woodhouse, Kiverton Park, Kiverton Bridge, Shireoaks and Worksop between Retford and Sheffield.
- I would suspect that there is enough spare capacity for Hull Trains to run a one train per two hours (tp2h) service between London King’s Cross and Sheffield.
- If LNER feel that a 1 tp2h frequency is viable for Harrogate, Lincoln and other places, surely Hull and East Sheffield could support a similar service from King’s Cross.
If the services could be run by battery-electric trains, capable of running at 140 mph on the East Coast Main Line and giving times of ninety minutes to Sheffield, this could be a success.
Could Woodhouse Station Become A Transport Hub?
This Google Map shows Woodhouse station.
Note.
- It is certainly surrounded by a lot of houses.
- Could it be provided with car-parking?
Although, as this picture shows it is not blessed with lots of facilities.
But.
- The station is in an area, which Sheffield want to develop.
- The Advanced Manufacturing Centre is nearby.
- There are aspirations to run a tram-train between Sheffield and Chesterfield via Darnall, Woodhouse and Barrow Hill stations.
- The station could be on the tram-train route to Stocksbridge, that I wrote about in Reopening The Don Valley Section Of The Former Woodhead Line Between Stocksbridge and Sheffield Victoria To Passenger Services.
Woodhouse station could be an interchange or it could become something bigger like a hub station.
How Many Sheffield Services Per Day Could Be Run?
If the Hull and Sheffield trains run as a flight under control of the digital signalling, this will mean that every Hull train can be paired with a Sheffield train.
- There are five trains per day (tpd) to and from Hull and two to and from Beverley.
- It seems a maximum of one tpd in both directions can be a ten-car train.
- Two five-car trains could fit in a platform at King’s Cross.
I suspect that the maximum number of trains per day to and from Sheffield is the same as for Hull. i.e. seven tpd.
But there is no reason, if they have enough trains and paths are available, that Hull Trains couldn’t add extra services to both destinations.
Onward From Sheffield
Several of those, who have commented on the new service have suggested that the service could go further than Sheffield, with Manchester and Leeds being given specific mentions.
This OpenRailwayMap shows the platforms at the Northern end of Sheffield station.
Note.
- The pink tracks at the East are the Sheffield Supertram.
- Trains to and from Barnsley, Huddersfield, Hull, Leeds, Lincoln and Retford access the station from the Northern end.
- Trains to and from Chesterfield, Derby, London, Manchester and Stockport access the station from the Southern end.
- The tracks in Sheffield station are numbered 1 to 8 from the West.
- There are five through platforms. 1, 2, 5, 6 and 8 and two bay platforms at either end.
- An extension of the service to Manchester via the Hope Valley Line, could go straight through the station.
- An extension of the service to Barnsley, Huddersfield or Leeds, would mean the train reversing at Sheffield.
It looks like an extension to Manchester Piccadilly over the recently upgraded Hope Valley Line would be the easiest extension. But would Avanti West Coast, who have FirstGroup as a shareholder want the competition?
Recently, it has been announced that the Penistone Line to Barnsley and Huddersfield will be upgraded to accept two trains per hour (tph) and allow faster running.
Because Sheffield could be around eighty minutes from London, there could be some smart times to and from the capital.
- Meadowhall in 90 minutes
- Barnsley in 112 minutes.
- Huddersfield in 140 minutes.
Huddersfield could be almost twenty minutes faster than the route via Leeds.
Comments From The Times
These are some readers comments from The Times.
- Hope the prices are competitive with LNER. I rarely go to London from Chesterfield with EMR as they’re so expensive. LNER from Newark is much cheaper but a service from Worksop for me would be perfect.
- Excellent News in so many ways. I hope it really takes off which could help ease the congestion on the M1 and also thin out overcrowding on busy LNER services. It really does deserve to succeed.
- This is excellent news. The Lumo service has been a game changer for me and those living in the north east.
The public seem in favour.
Conclusion
I really like this proposal from FirstGroup.
- It has the possibility to provide Sheffield with a fast train link to London.
- It could run about six trains per day.
- It will be faster than High Speed Two was proposed.
It could be the first service of High Speed Yorkshire.
May The Maths Be With You!
It was a bit of a surprise, when in the November 2023 Edition of Modern Railways, in an article, which was entitled Extra Luggage Racks For Lumo, I read this closing paragraph.
Lumo celebrated its second birthday in late October and was also set to mark the carriage of its two-millionth passenger. It is understood Lumo is interested in augmenting its fleet, such has been the success of the service; while many operators favour bi-mode units, Lumo is proud of its all-electric credentials so straight EMUs are still preferred, although the possibilities of including batteries which could power the trains may be pursued (the ‘803s’ have on-board batteries, but only to provide power to on-board systems if the electricity supply fails).
I find this development very interesting.
Surely the obvious way to increase capacity would be to acquire some extra identical trains and run the busiest services as ten-car trains. I talked about Hull Trains running ten-car trains in Ten-Car Hull Trains. Both companies have five trains, so I suspect that this number would allow for occasional ten-car trains.
If not, then add a few identical trains to the fleet, so capacity can be matched to the demand.
- Some services would be ten-car instead of five-car.
- Platforms at Edinburgh, King’s Cross and Newcastle already handle nine and ten-car trains, so infrastructure costs would be minimal.
- No extra paths would be needed, as a ten-car train can run in a path, that normally has five-car trains, as Hull Trains have shown.
A simple spreadsheet should probably predict, when and how many extra trains need to be added to the fleet.
Lumo And Traction Batteries
But why does the Modern Railways’s article talk about traction batteries?
In the two years since Lumo started their service, there have been days, when the East Coast Main Line has been closed for engineering works, bad weather or an incident. I wrote about an incident in Azumas Everywhere!.
Some of these engineering works have been able to be by-passed by using diversions. But not all of these diversion routes are fully-electrified, so are not available for Lumo.
There would appear to be three viable diversions for the East Coast Main Line.
- Werrington Junction and Doncaster via Lincoln – Not Electrified – 85.4 miles
- Doncaster and York via Leeds – Being Electrified – 55.5 miles
- Northallerton and Newcastle – Not Electrified – 56.8 miles
If all or some of Lumo’s five-car trains had a battery-range of a hundred miles, they would be able to divert around some blockades.
Note.
- A traction battery could also provide power to on-board systems if the electricity supply fails.
- A traction battery would allow the train to skip past some catenary problems.
- I would be interested to know how much diversions, bad weather and incidents have cost Lumo in lost sales and refunds.
As an electrical engineer, I believe, that the emergency-only and the traction batteries could be the same design, but with different software and capacity.
The extra cost of the larger capacity traction battery, might deliver a better service and also pay for itself in the long term.
Extending Lumo’s Route
Lumo will want to maximise revenue and profits, so would it be possible to extend the route North of Edinburgh?
Consider.
- Edinburgh and Aberdeen is 131.4 miles
- Ladybank is a station to the North of the Forth Bridge, which is under 40 miles from Edinburgh.
- The line between Edinburgh and Ladybank is being electrified.
- Ladybank is just 91.4 miles South of Aberdeen.
At some point in the next few years, I believe that one of Lumo’s trains fitted with a hundred mile traction battery could reach Aberdeen on electric power.
The train would need to be charged at Aberdeen before returning South.
How would Aberdonians like that?
Unfortunately, Inverness is 146.1 miles from the nearest electrification at Dunblane, so it is probably too far for a hundred mile traction battery.
It does appear to me that if Lumo’s trains were fitted with a hundred mile traction battery, this would enable them to take some non-electrified diversions and provide a service to Aberdeen.
How Useful Would A Hundred Mile Range Battery-Electric Train Be To Other Operators?
I take each operator in turn.
Hull Trains
Consider.
- It appears that Hull Trains change between diesel and electric power at Temple Hirst junction, which is between Doncaster and Selby, on their route between King’s Cross and Hull/Beverley.
- The distance between Temple Hirst junction and Beverley is 44.3 miles.
- It would appear that an out-and-return journey could be possible on a hundred mile traction battery.
- The hundred mile traction battery would also allow Hull Trains to use the Lincoln diversion, either when necessary or by design.
To ensure enough range, a short length of overhead electrification could be erected at Hull station to combat range anxiety.
The Modern Railways article also says this.
The co-operation between sister East Coast Main Line open access operators Lumo and Hull Trains continues, with one recent move being the use of Hull Trains ‘802’ on Lumo services to cover for a shortage of the dedicated ‘803s’ while one 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.
If Hull Trains used traction batteries rather than diesel engines could the trains be identical to Lumo’s trains from the driver’s perspective?
This would surely appeal to First Group, who are the owner of both Hull Trains and Lumo.
TransPennine Express
These are TransPennine Express services.
- Liverpool Lime Street and Newcastle – Fully Electrified
- Liverpool Lime Street and Hull – Part Electrified – Hull and Micklefield – 42 miles
- Manchester Airport and Saltburn – Part Electrified – Saltburn and Northallerton – 33.6 miles
- Manchester Piccadilly and Newcastle – Fully Electrified
- Manchester Piccadilly and Scarborough – Part Electrified – York and Scarborough – 42.1 miles
- York and Scarborough – Not Electrified – 42.1 miles
- Manchester Piccadilly and Huddersfield – Fully Electrified
- Huddersfield and Leeds – Fully Electrified
- Liverpool Lime Street and Cleethorpes – Part Electrified – Hazel Grove and Cleethorpes – 104.6 miles
Note.
- I am assuming that the TransPennine Upgrade has been completed and Manchester and Leeds is electrified.
- Liverpool Lime Street and Cleethorpes will need some form of charging at Cleethorpes and a slightly larger battery.
All of these TransPennine Rxpress routes would be possible with a battery-electric train with a hundred mile traction battery.
LNER
These are distances from the electrification of the East Coast Main Line.
- Aberdeen via Ladybank – 91.4 miles – Charge before return
- Bradford Forster Square – Electrified
- Carlisle via Skipton – 86.8 miles – Charge before return
- Cleethorpes via Newark and Lincoln – 63.9 miles – Charge before return
- Harrogate via Leeds – 18.3 miles
- Huddersfield via Leeds – 17.2 miles
- Hull via Temple Hirst junction – 36.1 miles
- Lincoln via Newark – 16.7 miles
- Middlesbrough via Northallerton – 22.2 miles
- Scarborough via York – 42.1 miles
- Skipton – Electrified
- Sunderland via Northallerton – 47.4 miles
Note.
- The first place after the ‘via’ is where the electrification ends.
- Carlisle could be a possibility during High Speed Two upgrading of the West Coast Main Line or for an enthusiasts’ special or tourist train.
- Cleethorpes is a possible new service for LNER. I wrote about this in LNER To Serve Cleethorpes.
- Scarborough must be a possible new service for LNER.
- ‘Charge before return’ means the train must be charged before return. Carlisle is electrified, but Cleethorpes is not.
- The only new infrastructure would be the charging at Cleethorpes.
All of these LNER routes would be possible with a battery-electric train with a hundred mile traction battery.
The hundred mile traction battery would also allow LNER to use the Lincoln diversion.
Grand Central
These are distances from the electrification of the East Coast Main Line for Grand Central’s services.
- Bradford Interchange via Shaftholme junction – 47.8 miles
- Cleethorpes via Doncaster – 52.1 miles – Charge before return
- Sunderland via Northallerton – 47.4 miles
Note.
- The first place after the ‘via’ is where the electrification ends.
- Cleethorpes is a possible new service for Grand Central.
- ‘Charge before return’ means the train must be charged before return.
All of these routes would be possible with a battery-electric train with a hundred mile traction battery.
The hundred mile traction battery would also allow Grand Central to use the Lincoln diversion.
Avanti West Coast
These are distances from the electrification of the West Coast Main Line for Avanti West Coast’s services.
- Chester via Crewe – 21.1 miles
- Gobowen via Wolverhampton – 47.7 miles
- Holyhead via Crewe – 105.5 miles – Charge before return
- Shrewsbury via Wolverhampton – 29.7 miles
- Wrexham via Crewe – 33.3 miles
Note.
- The first place after the ‘via’ is where the electrification ends.
- Gobowen is a possible new service for Avanti West Coast.
- ‘Charge before return’ means the train must be charged before return.
All of these routes would be possible with a battery-electric train with a hundred mile traction battery.
Great Western Railway
These are distances from the electrification of the Great Western Main Line for Great Western Railway’s services.
- Bristol Temple Meads via Chippenham – 24.4 miles
- Carmarthen via Cardiff Central – 77.4 miles – Charge before return
- Cheltenham Spa via Swindon – 43.2 miles
- Exeter St. Davids via Newbury – 120.4 miles – Charge before return
- Great Malvern via Didcot East junction – 76.1 miles – Charge before return
- Hereford via Didcot East junction – 96.9 miles – Charge before return
- Oxford via Didcot Parkway – 10.3 miles
- Paignton via Newbury – 148.7 miles – Charge before return
- Pembroke Dock via Cardiff Central – 121.6 miles – Charge before return
- Penzance via Newbury – 172.6 miles – Charge before return
- Plymouth via Newbury – 120.4 miles – Charge before return
- Swansea via Cardiff Central – 53 miles – Charge before return
- Weston-super-Mare via Chippenham – 43.8 miles
- Worcester Foregate Street via Didcot East junction – 68.2 miles – Charge before return
- Worcester Shrub Hill via Didcot East junction – 67.6 miles – Charge before return
Note.
- The first place after the ‘via’ is where the electrification ends.
- ‘Charge before return’ means the train must be charged before return.
- Partial electrification through Hereford, Great Malvern, Worcester Foregate Street and Worcester Shrub Hill, could possibly be used to charge services from Hereford and Worcester.
- Partial electrification through Penzance, Plymouth and Exeter St. Davids, could possibly be used to charge services from the South West.
- Partial electrification West of Swansea, could possibly be used to charge services from West Wales.
All routes, except for Hereford and Worcester, the South-West and West Wales, would be possible with a battery-electric train with a hundred mile traction battery.
I’ll now look at the three groups of services in more detail.
Services To Hereford And Worcester
These are distances from the electrification of the Great Western Main Line for Great Western Railway’s Hereford and Worcester services.
- Great Malvern via Didcot East junction – 76.1 miles
- Hereford via Didcot East junction – 96.9 miles
- Worcester Foregate Street via Didcot East junction – 68.2 miles
- Worcester Shrub Hill via Didcot East junction – 67.6 miles
Note.
- All services join the Great Western Main Line at Didcot East junction.
- Some services will be probably need to have, their batteries charged at the Hereford and Worcester end.
At the present time, the electrification finishes at Didcot East junction, but if it were to be extended to Charlbury station, these would be the distances without electrification.
- Great Malvern via Charlbury – 52.3 miles
- Hereford via Charlbury – 73.1 miles
- Worcester Foregate Street via Charlbury – 44.4 miles
- Worcester Shrub Hill via Charlbury – 43.8 miles
Note.
- Some of the track between Oxford and Charlbury is only single track, which may give advantages, when it is electrified.
- It might be possible with a hundred mile traction battery for all Worcester services to charge their batteries between Charlbury and London Paddington and not need a charge at Worcester to return.
- A larger traction battery or extending the electrification to perhaps Morton-in-Marsh could see Great Malvern in range of battery-electric trains from London Paddington without a charge.
- Hereford would probably be too far to get away without charging at Hereford.
This OpenRailwayMap shows the layout of Hereford station.
I’m certain that a platform can be found, where there is space for a charger, which could also be used for other trains serving the station.
Services To The South West
In the August 2023 Edition of Modern Railways, there is an article, which is entitled GWR Seeks Opportunities To Grow.
This is the sub-heading.
Managing Director Mark Hopwood tells Philip Sherratt there is plenty of potential to increase rail’s economic contribution.
This is two paragraphs.
The desire to provide electrification to support aggregates traffic from the Mendip quarries could also benefit GWR , says Mr. Hopwood. ‘Having an electric loco would massively help with pathing heavy freight trains through the Thames Valley. If you could electrify from Newbury to East Somerset Junction, a big chunk of the Berks and Hants route would be wired.
Then you can ask how much further you could get on battery power on an IET without running out of juice.’
Newbury to East Somerset Junction would be 53.5 miles of electrification, so I can build this table of services to the South-West
- Exeter St. Davids via Newbury – 120.4 miles – 66.9 miles
- Paignton via Newbury – 148.7 miles – 95.2 miles
- Penzance via Newbury – 251.9 miles – 198.5 miles
- Plymouth via Newbury – 172.6 miles – 119 miles
Note.
- The distance between Penzance and Plymouth is 79.5 miles.
- The first figure in the table is the distance to Newbury.
- The second figure in the table is the distance to East Somerset junction.
A possible way of running these four services to London on battery power is emerging.
- Exeter St. Davids via Newbury – Charge before return – Run on battery for 66.9 miles to East Somerset junction.
- Paignton via Newbury – Charge before return – Run on battery for 95.2 miles to East Somerset junction.
- Penzance via Newbury- Charge before return – Run on battery for 79.5 miles to Plymouth – Charge at Plymouth – Run on battery for 119 miles to East Somerset junction.
- Plymouth via Newbury – Charge before return – Run on battery for 119 miles to East Somerset junction.
Once at East Somerset junction, it’s electrification all the way to Paddington.
This is the corresponding way to run services from London.
- Exeter St. Davids via Newbury – Run on electrification to East Somerset junction, charging the battery on the way – Run on battery for 66.9 miles to Exeter St. Davids.
- Paignton via Newbury – Run on electrification to East Somerset junction, charging the battery on the way – Run on battery for 95.2 miles to Paignton.
- Penzance via Newbury – Run on electrification to East Somerset junction, charging the battery on the way – Run on battery for 119 miles to Plymouth – Charge at Plymouth – Run on battery for 79.5 miles to Penzance.
- Plymouth via Newbury – Run on electrification to East Somerset junction, charging the battery on the way – Run on battery for 119 miles to Plymouth.
More electrification or a larger than a hundred mile traction battery would be needed, as Plymouth and East Somerset junction is 119 miles.
But if a Stadler Akku can do 139 miles on a charge, why shouldn’t a Hitachi battery-electric train?
Services To West Wales
It seems that the current timetable is already setup for battery-electric trains to run to and beyond Swansea.
- Carmarthen and Swansea is almost exactly 32 miles.
- Pembroke Dock and Swansea is 73.4 miles.
- Swansea and Cardiff Central is 45.7 miles.
Note
- All these sections could be run by a battery-electric train, with a fully-charged hundred mile traction battery.
- All trains going to or from Carmarthen or Pembroke Dock reverse at Swansea, where a generous time of more than eleven minutes is allowed for the manoeuvre.
- During the reverse at Swansea, there is sufficient time to charge the batteries, if overhead wires were present.
Battery-electric services could serve Wales Wales with overhead electrification at Carmarthen, Pembroke Dock and Swansea.
Conclusion
We will go a long way, if we embrace battery-electric trains.
Most routes can be handled with a train with a traction battery range of 100 miles.
Exceptions are.
- Hazel Grove and Cleethorpes – 104.6 miles
- Plymouth and East Somerset junction – 119 miles
But if a Stadler Akku can do 139 miles on a charge, why shouldn’t a Hitachi battery-electric train?
TransPennine Express Releases Blueprint For Improving Service And Fleet Upgrade
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Rail Technology Magazine.
This is the sub-heading.
TransPennine Express (TPE), which transferred to the government’s owning group (DOHL) earlier this year, has set out its plans to address many of the issues which have caused problems and disruption for rail customers.
These three paragraphs summarize their plans.
Making Journeys Better: A Prospectus gives clear detail of the issues TPE has faced during the past two years as well as outlining how TPE, under DOHL, will work to make things better, having completed an in-depth review of the business.
Part of the plans involve the operators plans for its new fleet. Its New Trains Programme outlines its long term view for decarbonisation. The report states that TPE will look towards new technology on its fleet to overcome the lack of clarity on the full electrification of the line.
This, it states will help with the cascading and removal of diesel trains faster across its network.
It always looked to me, that TPE under First Group, brought rather a dog’s breakfast of trains, when a unified fleet of Class 802 trains, as per Hull Trains, might have been easier to operate.
- They are already retiring the Class 68 locomotives and their Mark 5 coaches, so surely to decarbonise their services, a number of battery electric high speed trains would be an idea.
- They are already testing Class 802 battery-electric trains for Hitachi and Eversholt Rail.
- I also feel that CAF could offer a suitable battery-electric train, based on the Class 397 train.
TPE say in the example, that they expect a decision later in the month.
TransPennine Express Services And Battery Electric Trains
These are their services and how they would be effected by battery-electric trains.
- Liverpool Lime Street And Newcastle – Fully-electrified after TransPennine Upgrade.
- Liverpool Lime Street And Hull – Fully-electrified after TransPennine Upgrade.. – 42 miles unelectrified – Service could be run by a battery-electric train that charged between Leeds and Micklefield.
- Manchester Airport and Saltburn – Fully-electrified between Manchester Airport and Northallerton after TransPennine Upgrade. – 33.6 miles unelectrified – Service could be run by a battery-electric train that charged between Leeds and Northallerton. Would eliminate overnight noise problems at Redcar.
- Manchester Piccadilly and Newcastle – Fully-electrified after TransPennine Upgrade.
- Manchester Piccadilly and Scarborough – Fully-electrified between Manchester Piccadilly and York after TransPennine Upgrade. – 42.1 miles unelectrified – Service could be run by a battery-electric train that charged between Leeds and York.
- York and Scarborough – Electrified at York – 42.1 miles unelectrified – Service could be run by a battery-electric shuttle train that charged at York.
- Manchester Piccadilly and Huddersfield – Electrified at Manchester Piccadilly – 25.5 miles unelectrified – Service could be run by a battery-electric shuttle train that charged at Manchester Piccadilly.
- Leeds and Huddersfield – Electrified at Leeds – 17.2 miles unelectrified – Service could be run by a battery-electric shuttle train that charged at Leeds.
- Liverpool Lime Street and Cleethorpes – 125,6 miles unelectrified – In Electrification Of The Hope Valley Line, I show how this route can be run by battery-electric trains that charged on existing electrification a short new section of electrification at Cleethorpes.
Note.
- If Manchester Victoria and Huddersfield, is not electrified, battery-electric trains would be able to cross the 25.8 miles of unelectrified track on battery power.
- If Leeds and Huddersfield, is not electrified, battery-electric trains would be able to cross the 17.2 miles of unelectrified track on battery power.
- I am assuming that the TransPennine Upgrade between Manchester and Leeds will be completed, so that between Liverpool Lime Street and Leeds is fully-electrified.
- The only new infrastructure needed would be electrification at Cleethorpes to charge the trains.
All services except for Liverpool Lime Street and Cleethorpes could be run using battery-electric trains with a range on a full battery of at least 100 miles and with no additional electrification.
Electrifying Cleethorpes Station
This Google Map shows Cleethorpes station.
These pictures show the station in June 2023, when it appears to be going through a platform refurbishment.
I don’t think it would be the most difficult station to electrify.
- There are four platforms.
- As the station is likely to get more battery-electric services, including one from King’s Cross, I would suspect that at least three out of the four platforms would be electrified.
- Although, the station is Grade II Listed, there doesn’t appear to be any canopies or important architectural details, that would get in the way of electrification.
Once Cleethorpes station had been successfully electrified, similar installations could be applied at other stations like Saltburn, Scarborough and Skegness.
Conclusion
If TransPennine Express were to buy the right number of battery-electric trains with a hundred mile range, they can decarbonise all their routes in a train factory.
TransPennine Express To Stop Using Loco-Hauled Push-Pull Trains In December
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Railway Gazette.
This is the sub-heading.
TransPennine Express has confirmed that it will cease using its push-pull sets of Class 68 locomotives and MkVa coaches, previously designated Nova 3 sets, from the December 2023 timetable change.
These are my thoughts.
The Nova 3 Trains
Currently, the Nova 3 trains are made up from the following.
- 14 – Class 68 locomotives
- 52 – Mark 5a coaches
- 14 – Driving Van Trailers
Note.
- There have been complaints about the noise of the Class 68 locomotives at Scarborough and also at Marylebone with Chiltern Railways.
- The Class 68 locomotives could be switched to freight duties.
- The coaches are capable of 125 mph.
- A maximum of thirteen sets can be created.
- I suspect CAF wouldn’t object to being asked to build some more Mark 5a coaches and driving van trailers.
- The current fleet has a spare locomotive and a spare driving van trailer to allow for servicing.
All locomotives and coaches are a maximum of seven years old, so will have plenty of life left.
The Class 93 Locomotive
Rail Operations Group have ordered ten Class 93 locomotives, with twenty options, which have an impressive specification.
- Built by Stadler in Valencia.
- Same family as a Class 68 and 88 locomotive.
- Electric, diesel and battery power
- 110 mph operating speed
- Ability to pull passenger and freight trains.
- Delivery scheduled for 2023.
I believe that if the Class 68 diesel locomotive of a Nova 3 train, were to be replaced with a Class 93 locomotive, a very useful train would be created.
- It would be ten mph faster, than a Nova 3 train.
- It could use the diesel engine and the batteries to bridge gaps in electrification.
- By adding extra carriages it could be tailored to the needs of a route.
- In Vegetable Oil Fuelling Chiltern Railways Trains In UK First, I discuss how it might be possible to run all these locomotives on HVO to cut emissions.
- It could be quieter.
Could it be a simple way to reduce carbon emissions on a route?
The Successor To The Class 93 Locomotive
Stadler keep innovating in their designs for locomotives and are already building hydrogen-powered multiple units.
I can see Stadler coming up with a hydrogen-powered locomotive, with the following specification.
- In the same family as Class 68, 88 and 93 locomotives.
- Ability to do everything that Class 68, 88 and 93 locomotives can do.
- Ability to use 25 KVAC overhead electrification, where it exists.
- Ability to be able to be fitted with third-rail equipment, so it can use 750 VDC third-rail electrification, where it exists.
- At least a 110 mph operating speed.
- Range of at least 200 miles on hydrogen.
Stadler would sell a lot of these locomotives to decarbonise railways all over the world.
Possible Routes
These are possible routes for a rake of Mark 5a coaches hauled by a Class 93 locomotive or its zero-carbon successor.
Hull Trains
Consider.
- Hull Trains is an open access operator.
- Hull Trains currently have a fleet of five Class 802 trains, each of which have five-cars.
- A Class 93 locomotive has a power of 900 kW on diesel, whereas the Class 802 train has 2100 kW.
- The Class 802 train has nearly ten percent more capacity.
- In Ten-Car Hull Trains, I saw two Class 802 trains working as a pair. Does this indicate they have a capacity problem?
- Between Hull and the East Coast Main Line is only 36.1 miles and isn’t very challenging and I suspect could probably be easily handled by a Class 93-hauled rake of Mark 5a coaches.
- Adding extra coaches would not be difficult and would probably be less costly than with the more complex Class 802 trains.
- Hull Trains need to have a plan to decarbonise.
- HVO could be used to cut down emissions.
A Class 93-hauled rake of Mark 5a coaches could be an intermediate step to full decarbonisation with a hydrogen locomotive.
Would other operators of Class 802 trains like to increase their fleets, by adding Hull Trains’s five Class 802 trains?
TransPennine Express
Consider.
- TransPennine Express currently have four different fleets of trains, so it must cause problems with the allocation of drivers.
- The Class 397 trains are confined to the West Coast Main Line.
- So that leaves the bi-mode Class 802 trains and the diesel Class 185 trains to work the TransPennine routes.
The Wikipedia entry for the Class 802 train, gives more details of the plans for the Class 802 trains.
During October 2021, it was announced that TransPennine Express, Hitachi, and Angel Trains had agreed to convert one of the former’s Nova 1 trainsets into a battery hybrid train on a trial basis with the aim of supporting the technology’s further development. If successful, Hitachi and Angel Trains have proposed the retrofitting of the entire fleet. In January 2022, reports emerged that the Nova 1 fleet was operating under diesel power even when operating on entirely electrified sections of the East Coast Main Line on account of the insufficient power supplies present along the line; national railway infrastructure owner Network Rail is reportedly set to complete upgrades to the power supplies within two years.
The fleet is also set to benefit from the rollout of electrification under the Transpennine route upgrade scheme. The company’s management has noted that, in the event of largescale electrification being funded and implemented, the Class 802s could have some of their engines removed to reduce roughly 15% of their weight and thus raise their efficiency. Furthermore, Leo Goodwin, TPE’s managing director, has observed that while the Class 802s have an initial maximum speed of 125 mph (201 km/h), they have the capability of being modified for operating at 140 mph (230 km/h) if infrastructure upgrades were to permit such speeds at a future date.
Could an augmented fleet of battery-electric Class 802 trains handle the bulk of the TransPennine routes, with the shorter and unelectrified ones still being handled by the Class 185 trains?
These shorter routes are.
- Leeds and Huddersfield
- Manchester Piccadilly and Huddersfield
- York and Scarborough
Plans only exist to electrify Leeds and Huddersfield.
I suspect a few more battery-electric Class 802 trains would be needed.
Great Western Railway
Could a Class 93-hauled rake of Mark 5a coaches be used as a replacement for the GWR Castles or short-formation InterCity125s?
- They both have four passenger coaches.
- They are both 125 mph trains.
- A Class 68 locomotive could be used on routes without electrification.
- HVO could be used to cut down emissions.
- The Mark 5a coaches would probably be quieter, as they only have one diesel engine.
A Class 93-hauled rake of Mark 5a coaches could be an intermediate step to full decarbonisation with a hydrogen locomotive.
Alternatively, five-car Class 802 trains could be used as replacements for GWR Castles.
Great Western Railway also have the problem of decarbonising services between Bristol/Gloucester and Weymouth/Southampton/Portsmouth.
Great Western Railway look like they’re needing some innovative thinking.
I also suspect a few more battery-electric Class 802 trains would be needed for other routes.
Transport For Wales Rail
Transport for Wales Rail run a Premier Service between Holyhead and Cardiff using Class 67 locomotives and Mark 4 coaches.
According to the Wikipedia entry for Transport for Wales Rail, they have seven sets of 4/5 coaches to run this service.
If Transport for Wales Rail wanted to decarbonise this route, they would need to replace the locomotives for a zero-carbon unit.
Perhaps, their best solution, would be to wait until a suitable hydrogen-powered locomotive is available and buy seven rakes of new coaches with driving van trailers.
Grand Union
Grand Union has a detailed Wikipedia entry, where this is the first paragraph.
Grand Union is a prospective open access operator who are proposing to operate train services in the United Kingdom from England to Wales and Scotland. Grand Union is headed by Ian Yeowart, who founded previous open access operators Alliance Rail Holdings and Grand Central before selling both to Arriva.
That seems a sound foundation.
- They have permission to run trains between Paddington and Carmarthen starting in December 2024.
- They have also applied to run trains between Euston and Stirling.
- They are now backed by Spanish companies; Serena Industrial Partners and Renfe.
- They are proposing to use nine Mark 4 coaches hauled by Class 93 locomotives.
Consider.
- CAF has a factory in Wales.
- CAF has sold trains to Transport for Wales.
- The Mark 5a coaches will definitely be available by December 2024.
- Mark 5a coaches could easily be arranged as a rake of eight coaches and a driving van trailer.
- Grand Union is backed by Spanish companies.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Grand Union were to use sets of CAF-built Mark 5a coaches for their Carmarthen service. And later for their Stirling service.
A Class 93-hauled rake of Mark 5a coaches could be an intermediate step to full decarbonisation with a hydrogen locomotive.
Grand Central
Consider.
- Grand Central is another open access operator.
- Grand Central has a mixed fleet of twelve five-car diesel trains.
- These trains run under electrification on the East Coast Main Line.
- According to the Wikipedia entry for Grand Central trains, they have plans for expansion across the North and to and from London.
- Grand Central need to have a plan to decarbonise.
- HVO could be used to cut down emissions.
A Class 93-hauled rake of Mark 5a coaches could be an intermediate step to full decarbonisation with a hydrogen locomotive.
South Western Railway
South Western Railway have an excellent fleet of new or nearly new trains, with the exception of the diesel Class 158 and Class 159 trains, that work services between Waterloo and Exeter trains via Basingstoke and Salisbury.
- Waterloo and Exeter is 172 miles.
- Only the 47.7 miles between Waterloo and Basingstoke is electrified with 750 VDC third-rail electrification.
- Train lengths vary between five and eight cars.
- The current trains date from around 1990 and must need replacing soon.
I wouldn’t be surprised that if after a rebranding with new trains, this could be a popular route.
A version of Hitachi’s ubiquitous bi-mode Class 802 could be used.
But.
- They would need to be ordered and built.
- The third-rail gear, would need to be developed and tested.
- Passengers would be travelling for over two and a half hours with underfloor diesel engines.
An alternative could be a Class 68-hauled rake of Mark 5a coaches.
- These trains would be available after release from TransPennine Express.
- They would run in TransPennine Express formation.
- Length could be adjusted by adding or removing coaches, if required.
- The noise is all in the locomotive, which is isolated from the passengers.
At some point in the future, the route could be decarbonised by swapping the locomotive for a hydrogen-electric locomotive with the ability to handle third-rail electrification.
ScotRail
ScotRail have a similar problem to Great Western Railway with their short-formation InterCity125s.
- They have 52 Class 43 locomotives and 120 Mark 3 coaches, which is probably enough for 24 trains.
- Scotland has substantial amounts of electrification.
- I feel that a Class 68-hauled rake of Mark 5a coaches would be a more than adequate replacement.
- Class 93 locomotives could be used where routes are partially electrified.
- Scotland is not going to be short of green hydrogen.
When a suitable hydrogen-electric locomotive is available, these trains can be decarbonised.
CrossCountry
CrossCountry have a fleet consisting of the following trains.
- 5 – 2+7 InterCity125 trains
- 7 – two-car Class 170 trains
- 22 – three-car Class 170 trains
- 34 – four-car Class 220 trains
- 4 – four-car Class 221 trains
- 20 – five-car Class 221 trains
Note.
- The fleet is all diesel.
- I’ll ignore the Class 170 trains in this analysis.
- The Class 220 and 221 trains often work in pairs to provide the required capacity.
So how could these trains be decarbonised?
- The InterCity125s and the Class 220 and 221 trains could be replaced by a locomotive-hauled rake of Mark 5a coaches of an appropriate length.
- Motive power could be provided by an appropriate Class 68 or 93 locomotive.
When a suitable hydrogen-electric locomotive is available, these trains can be fully decarbonised.
Decarbonisation Of UK Main Line Services
It is generally assumed that the railways of the UK will need to fully decarbonise if the UK and the constituent nations are going to meet their decarbonisation targets.
I believe that my analysis shows that decarbonisation of main line passenger services can be achieved by the purchase of two types of trains.
- Five-car bi-mode Class 802 trains or similar.
- Locomotive-hauled rakes of Mark 5a coaches of an appropriate length.
Note.
- The Class 802 trains would be mainly to augment existing Hitachi fleets.
- Some Class 802 trains would be fitted with batteries instead of diesel generators to handle gaps in the electrification.
- The rakes of coaches would be powered by an appropriate locomotive.
- The lengths of the rakes of coaches would be adjusted to meet the demand of each service.
Initially, the following locomotives would be used.
- Class 68 locomotives would be used on unelectrified lines.
- Class 93 locomotives would be used on full or partially electrified lines.
When the hydrogen-electric locomotives become available, these would take over the routes, which couldn’t be decarbonised by full electrification or by using a Class 93 locomotive.
The Anonymous Widower 