Some Pictures Of Platform Edges On The Uckfield Branch
I took these pictures on my visit to Eridge station yesterday.
The platform edges are a very mixed bunch.
- Some are only a couple of years old and were built, as part of new platform extensions.
- Some were built using pre-fabricated components.
- Some are of fairly indeterminate age.
- The ones at Eridge station probably date from when the station was opened in 1868.
I would suspect that your patio is in better condition than some of these important interfaces between train and platform.
So why did I photograph them?
In First Of A Kind Funding Awarded For 25 Rail Innovation Projects, Project Number Number 4 from Sheffield Hallam University was entitled Illumin Heated Concrete Platform Coper Slabs and was described like this.
Illuminated and heated low-energy concrete slabs for station platforms, which automatically switch on in freezing conditions to help prevent passengers from slipping on ice.
Some more information was given in Heated Railway Platforms Tested To Avoid Ice Accidents.
Could these platforms be fitted to a set of platform edges like these?
I would hope so.
If so, new smoother platforms and not just the edges, would also hope to cut small falls.
The World’s First Bi-Mode Hydrogen-Electric Train
This news page on the University of Birmingham web site is entitled HydroFLEX Secures Funding For Hydrogen-Powered Train Design.
The page is mainly about the new funding from Innovate UK, that I wrote about in First Of A Kind Funding Awarded For 25 Rail Innovation Projects, but it also includes this significant paragraph.
As well as being the UK’s first hydrogen-powered train, HydroFLEX is also the world’s first bi-mode electric hydrogen train. It will be undergoing mainline testing on the UK railway in the next few weeks.
One of my disappointments in the design of the Alstom Coradia iLint, is that, it is designed as a hydrogen-power only train, where it could surely have had a pantograph fitted, for more efficient working.
Consider.
- I suspect many hydrogen-powered trains will only be doing short distances, where electrification is not available, so daily distances under hydrogen power could be quite short.
- In the UK, a smaller hydrogen tank would certainly ease the design problems caused by a large fuel tank.
- There have been improvements in hydrogen storage in recent years.
The funding award to the project talks about raft production, so are the engineers, aiming to design a hydrogen power-pack on rafts, that could be fitted underneath the large fleets of retired electric multiple units, that are owned by Porterbrook.
Now that would be a game changer.
- Porterbrook have thirty-seven Class 350 trains, that will be replaced in the next few years by new trains. The electric trains are less than a dozen years old and Porterbrook have been talking about fitting batteries to these trains and creating a battery/FLEX train. Would making these trains bi-mode hydrogen-electric trains be better?
- Birmingham wants to open up new rail routes in the city on lines without electrification. What would be better than a hydrogen powered train, designed in the city’s premier university?
- Routes from Birmingham to Burton-on-Trent, Hereford, Leicester, Shrewsbury, Stratford-on-Avon and Worcester would be prime candidates for the deployment of a fleet of bi-mode hydrogen-electric trains.
- Birmingham have already asked ITM Power to build a hydrogen filling station in the city for hydrogen buses.
First Of A Kind Funding Awarded For 25 Rail Innovation Projects
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Railway Gazette.
This is the introductory paragraph.
The Department for Transport and Innovate UK have announced the 25 projects which are to share £9·4m of funding under the 2020 round of the First of a Kind rail industry innovation programme.
It appears to be a longer list, than I’ve seen previously awarded.
Project 1 Train Swap From Seatfrog Ops
Seatfrog is an app, that enables passengers to quickly and remotely update their seat reservation to a different service.
It already appears to be in use with Avanti West Coast, CrossCountry, GWR and LNER.
This application could have legs, as it looks a bit like eBay for First Class seats.
Project 2 Dynamic Capacity Management From Esoterix Systems Ltd
It is described as follows.
Ticketing that adjusts to travel patterns and rewards particular choices, using a monthly subscription that will help customers to save money on a large upfront fee.
Their web site doesn’t give much specific detail, as I write this.
Project 3 Next Generation Composite Poles For A 5G Enabled Railway From Hive Composites
It is descrtibed as follows.
Installation of lightweight composite poles along railways to improve wi-fi speed, consistency and connectivity.
Their web site doesn’t give more specific detail, as I write this.
Project 4 Illumin Heated Concrete Platform Coper Slabs From Sheffield Hallam University
It is described as follows.
Illuminated and heated low-energy concrete slabs for station platforms, which automatically switch on in freezing conditions to help prevent passengers from slipping on ice.
The Sheffield Hallam University doesn’t give more specific detail, as I write this.
Project 5 LAMINAR From iProov
It is described as follows.
iProov, WorldReach Software and Eurostar are to establish a walk-through ’facial biometric corridor’ at London St Pancras International to allow passengers to complete ticket checks and border exit processes without needing to come into contact with people or hardware.
There is more on the iProov web site.
I think, this could be the way to ensure safe train travel in these pandemic times.
It would certainly cut queues.
Project 6 Track-To-Train Communications To Transport for Wales From Ingram Networks
It is described as follows.
Lab-based study into cost-effective 10 Gbps+ trackside to train communications infrastructure, to be tested on an 8 km heritage railway in Leicestershire.
Their web site doesn’t give more specific detail, as I write this.
Project 7 Prototype Zero Emissions Trac Rail Transposer (TRT-e) From Unipart Rail
This is described as follows.
A zero-emissions machine which removes and replaces rails.
The Unipart Rail web site, doesn’t give more specific details as I write this
Will it be battery or hydrogen-powered?
Project 8 LoCe: Less Oil, Cleaner Exhaust From Porterbrook Leasing
This is described as follows.
£400 000 to support Porterbook, Eminox, Bosch Rexroth and DG8 in retrofitting a Bombardier Class 170 Turbostar DMUs leased to East Midlands Railway with with Eminox SCRT technology to evaluate whether this can reduce CO, particulate, hydrocarbon and NOx emissions to make mid-life diesel engines more environmentally sustainable.
There is more on Porterbrook’s web site.
Project 9 Zero Emission Rail Freight Power From Steamology Motion
This is described as follows.
Hydrogen-based steam turbine system to provide zero emission power for existing freight locomotives.
In Steam, But Not As You Know It…, I give more details of their technology.
Could Steamology Motion really be on the verge of reengining a Class 66 locomotive with a zero-carbon steam technology that uses hydrogen and oxygen as a fuel?
Project 10 Daybreak From Riding Sunbeams
This is described as follows.
A direct connection between renewable energy generation and overhead electrifcation systems.
There is more on this page on the Riding Sunbeams web site.
Project 11 Resi-Glaze From FAR-UK
This is described as follows.
Resilient glazing solution to ensure passenger safety on trains and a potential CO2 emissions saving.
I can’t find anything more about this.
Project 12 HydroFLEX Raft Production From BCRRE
This is described as follows.
£400 000 grant to support final production design and testing by the University of Birmingham and Porterbrook of a hydrogen power pack intended to minimise the loss of passenger saloon space.
Just reading the extract, it seems that the University of Birmingham have found a solution to the big problem of hydrogen-powered trains in the UK; the small loading gauge.
Project 13 Low Environmental Impact Composite Footbridge From Associated Utility Supplies
This is described as follows.
A footbridge made entirely from fibre reinforced polymer, which is designed to be significantly easier to install than an equivalent steel bridge to help reduce network disruption and local environmental damage.
Could their share of the £9.4 million, almost build the first footbridge?
Looking at the Associated Utility Supplies web site, amongst the wide range of equipment, that they source for various industries, where danger is ever present, there are no footbridges.
So did their expertise and that of some Network Rail engineers, all come together in a convivial meeting to produce an innovative design of footbridge?
Project 14 Integrated Optical Fibre Sensing (OptRail-PRO) From rcm2
This is described as follows.
Optic fibre sensors to monitor the condition of switches and crossings.
The rcm2 web site doesn’t give more specific details, as I write this.
Project 15 Train Axle Crack Monitoring From TAMON – Perpetuum
This is described as follows.
Using sensors and pattern-recognition technologies to identify cracks in axles, helping to reduce returns to depot.
Perpetuum seem a very capable company.
Project 16 High Speed Cryogenic Blasting For Rail Cleaning To Alleviate Low Adhesion From Sheffield University
This is described as follows.
High speed cryogenic cleaning system for tracks to prevent low adhesion and slow running of trains.
This article on the BBC, which is entitled Dry ice ‘could stop leaves on line rail delays’, explains the technology.
Dry Ice Blasting is also explained on this page on the IceTech Technologies web site.
As the dry ice is carbon dioxide, will the Green Movement object?
The Wikipedia entry for dry ice blasting says this about its environmental effects.
Dry ice blasting is an environmentally responsible cleaning method. Dry ice is made of reclaimed carbon dioxide that is produced from other industrial processes, and is an approved media by the EPA, FDA and USDA. It also reduces or eliminates employee exposure to the use of chemical cleaning agents.
Compared to other media blasting methods, dry ice blasting does not create secondary waste or chemical residues as dry ice sublimates, or converts back to a gaseous state, when it hits the surface that is being cleaned. Dry ice blasting does not require clean-up of a blasting medium. The waste products, which includes just the dislodged media, can be swept up, vacuumed or washed away depending on the containment.
It appears it could be one of those processes, that when it replaces a traditional method, has more benefits than disadvantages.
Project 17 InnoTamp From Fugro
This is described as follows.
Data gathering to ensure the maintenance of optimum rail alignment.
The project is described on this page of the Fugro web site.
Prokject 18 Thermal Radiometry For The Remote Condition Monitoring Of Railway Vehicles From Rail Innovations
This is described as follows.
Using thermal radiometry camera technology to measure temperatures of mechanical systems on moving trains, sending automatic alarms in the event of over heating.
I can’t find any more information on this project.
Project 19 Minimising Disruption Of Overhead Line Renewals Via Novel Headspan Assemblies From Associated Utility Supplies
This is described as follows.
Span wire clamping system to enable rapid, low-cost overhead line equipment headspan renewals with minimum network disruption.
This is a second project from the same company.
Project 20 Trainserv Software User Trial And Preparation For Commercialisation From Cogitaire
This is described as follows.
Integrating multiple sources of real-time data for use by rail workers to help them improve services and respond to incidents.
Cogitare seem a very capable company.
Project 21 Cleartrak On-Train Testing From Garrandale
This is described as follows.
Innovative and efficient system for processing toilet waste, reducing cost and maintenance requirements.
Ptoject 22 IRIS: Information System For Railway Station Staff From Liverpool John Moores University
This is described as follows.
An information system for frontline station staff to enhance communication and enable them to help passengers in making travel decisions and planning more effectively.
Another project from a University.
Project 23 Railway Optical Detection & Obstructions – Tunnel & Station Monitoring From Vortex IoT
This is described as follows.
Sensors and data analysis tools to detect and identify intrusion and obstructions on the track, and send real-time situational alerts to the rail control centre to prompt further investigation.
This page on the Vortex IoT web site shows some of the technology they will use.
Project 24 Improving Resilience Through A Surface Water Flooding Decision Support System from IBA Consulting
This is described as follows.
This project seeks to develop a first of a kind surface water flood forecasting and early warning system for Network Rail using technology and data to map the surface water flood likelihood in real time, ahead of the event and forecast rainfall intensity.
I can’t find the company or this project.
Project 25 Improved Railway Operations Through Train-Mounted Water Addition From CoCatalyst
This is described as follows.
Spraying a small amount of water from the train when slippery rails are detected to improve traction and braking, and prevent subsequent services from being affected.
There’s a detailed description on this page on the Water=Trak web site.
This looks to be a simple idea, that may be significant, to stop wheel slippage.
Conclusion
The ideas are more numerous than usual and they are a very wide-ranging bunch.
In Grants To Support Low-Carbon Technology Demonstrators, which were a similar group in 2019, that were also funded by Innovate UK, there were only five projects.
I also feel, some could have significant export opportunities.
Steam, But Not As You Know It…
The title of this post, is the same as that of a sub-section of this news article on the IMechE web site.
This is the introductory paragraph.
Burning vast amounts of coal, wood or oil, traditional steam locomotives are hardly environmentally friendly. Steamology Motion hopes to give steam a modern makeover with its W2W Zero Emissions Power System, a range extender for Vivarail Class 320 rolling stock.
This paragraph gives an outline of the technology.
Few details are available, but the project aims to boost air quality at stations and reduce noise and pollution. W2W stands for water-to-water, and the system has a compact energy dense steam generator at its heart. “Steam is generated using energy stored as compressed hydrogen and oxygen gas in tanks,” the project summary says. “High pressure, superheated steam is used to drive a turbine to do useful work by generating electricity.”
There is only a fine line between madness and genius.
Explaining Gravitricity
Gravitricity is a simple way to store excess electricity, that is perhaps being produced by intermittent renewable resources like wind or solar power.
This is their explanatory video.
It may look simple, but how much energy can a typical system store.
The video says that depths can be between 150 and 1,500 metres and that the weight can be up to 5,000 tonnes.
- A quick calculation using Omni’s Potential Energy Calculator with 500 metres and 500 tonnes gives 681 kWh.
- But build a system in a four kilometre deep gold mine with 5000 tonnes and you could store 54.5 MWh.
- Perhaps, that is extreme, but you can understand why the South Africans are interested in the technology.
- Perhaps, more practically, we have some coal mines in the UK, where the winding shafts are around 800 metres, which with a 1000 tonnes would store 2.2 MWh.
These are practical amounts of power.
Gravitricity And South Africa
This article on ESI Africa is entitled Gravitricity Sets Sights On South Africa To Test Green Energy Tech.
This is the introductory paragraph.
Disused mine shafts in South Africa have been identified as an ideal location to test UK-based energy start-up Gravitricity’s green energy technology.
Remember that mine depths in South Africa are often measured in kilometres rather than metres.
Wabtec Launches BlueFilter Air Filters For Trains
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Railway Gazette.
This is the introductory paragraphs.
Wabtec Corp has launched BlueFilter, a filter designed to be retrofitted to current passenger train HVAC systems to ensure the provision of clean air on board.
The company says it can remove contaminants that are .01 to 1 000 μm size, smaller than current standard filters and including bacteria, dust and viruses.
Does viruses include COVID-19?
This Press Release on Wabtec’s web site gives more details.
BlueFilter’s design removes contaminants that are .01 to 1,000 micrometers in size. That includes allergens, bacteria, various dusts and viruses. By comparison, today’s standard filters typically only remove particles that are between 10 to 1,000 micrometers in size, which only includes contaminants such as pollen, most dusts and some bacteria.
It certainly gets down to the nitty-gritty.
Bamboo Sleepers Aimed At Middle Eastern Railways
The title of this post, is the same as that on this article on the Railway Gazette.
Sounds surprising, but the company founder and CEO, gives these advantages.
Avraham says that bamboo sleepers bring advantages in railway construction and renewal because the material does not require additional after-treatment with substances such as creosote in order to provide long term protection. It is also naturally impervious to insect infestation. This means the risk of soil and groundwater contamination from chemicals is minimised compared to alternative materials.
They are going to launch production with 50,000 tonnes of raw bamboo.
Solar Freeze
I found this simple idea on an awards web-site.
Solar Freeze is designed to solve this problem.
In much of the developing world, postharvest losses are as high as 80% and the cold‐storage chain is virtually non‐existent due to the high cost of equipment and spotty electricity. Because fresh produce can perish in a matter of days under ambient temperatures, temperature control alone can extend the shelf life by weeks or even months.
And this is their solution.
Solar Freeze is pioneering mobile cold storage units powered by renewable energy for rural smallholder farmers, to help them reduce the huge challenge of post-harvest loss in much of the developing world, postharvest losses are as high as 80% and the cold-storage chain is virtually non-existent due to the high cost of equipment and spotty electricity.
I do like the term spotty electricity!
They’ve come up with products like this mobile solar-powered cold room.
I’ve also found this video.
This is the sort of help and innovation, that a lot of the world needs.
Smartphone-Based Testing Device Cuts Time And Cost Of Diagnostics
The title of this post is the same as that of this article on The Engineer.
This is the sub-title of the article.
An inexpensive and sensitive smartphone-based testing device for viral and bacterial pathogens could reduce the pressure on testing laboratories during a pandemic.
These are a few important points from the article.
- The device has been developed by researchers and engineers at the University of Illinois.
- They are aiming for a $50 price.
- They started looking for a solution to look for viral and biological pathogens in horses.
- Tests work with a nasal or blood sample.
- Tests take about half-an-hour.
If this device can be productionised, so that millions can be turned out for their target price, this will be a major weapon in the fight against COVID-19.
Apparently, there is a great advantage of using horses in the trials of the device. The horse pathogens are harmless to humans, so it lowers the risk to researchers.
Thirsty High-Rollers … Mining’s Heavy Haulers Prime Candidates For Hydrogen Conversion
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on ecogeneration.
You understand, what the author means about mining’s heavy haulers, when you open the article.
This paragraph describes their carbon emissions.
One large scale dump truck, depending on the haul road it is using, will use between 100 and 140 litres of diesel per 100km. These vehicles operate all day every day except for maintenance down time. That’s between 260kg and 360kg of CO2 per 100km per truck.
Large open pit mines have tens of these vehicles operating continuously, so the numbers build up very quickly.
The author then goes on to say why, that converting these vehicles to green hydrogen makes a lot of sense.
The dump trucks are already diesel/electric, which means that the diesel generator can be replaced with a hydrogen fuel cell and a battery.
Mining giant; Anglo-American will be introducing a prototype hydrogen-powered dump truck at a platinum mine in South Africa this year.
These paragraphs describe the transmission.
The vehicle, which is called a fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) haul truck, will be powered by a hydrogen fuel cell module paired with Williams Advanced Engineering’s scalable high-power modular lithium-ion battery system. Williams provides batteries for FIA’s E-Formula motorsport.
This arrangement will replace the existing vehicle’s diesel engine, delivering in excess of 1MWh of energy storage. The battery system will be capable of recovering energy through regenerative braking as the haul truck travels downhill.
Note that the truck has more energy storage than is proposed for a four-car battery-electric train, like the Class 756 train, which has only 600 kWh.
The author finishes with this concluding paragraph.
With the major mining companies focusing on making significant strides in decarbonisation by 2030 expect there to be more announcements such as this focusing this “low hanging fruit” for the mining industry’s to materially reduce its carbon foot print.
Reading this, I can’t help feeling that replacement of a Class 66 locomotive with a zero-carbon hydrogen-battery-electric hybrid unit could be possible.
The Anonymous Widower 