GWR And Vivarail
This is an attempt to make some sense about what is happening between GWR and the assets of Vivarail.
These are some random thoughts.
Ongoing Maintenance Of Existing Trains
Currently, there are four operators in the UK, with various types of Vivarail‘s Class 230 trains.
- Great Western Railway – 1 – Infrastructure under construction for trial on the Greenford Branch.
- Island Line – 5 – In operation.
- Transport for Wales – 5 – Undergoing testing prior to entering service.
- West Midlands Trains – 3 – Withdrawn from service indefinitely in December 2022.
Note.
- West Midlands Trains withdrew the trains because of uncertainty about the servicing of the trains.
- West Midlands Trains are getting complaints about the bus replacement service.
- All operators will probably need assistance to service the trains.
- Great Western Railway and Island Line are First Group companies.
Could First Group have got in first, so they can protect their interests with a professional Vivarail train maintenance organisation?
Mark Hopwood
In Special Train Offers A Strong Case For Reopening Fawley Line, I said this.
This is another quote from the Rail Magazine article.
However, SWR’s Mark Hopwood favours a much bolder plan. “We’d have to take a decision, once we knew the line was going ahead. But my personal belief is that we should be looking for a modern environmentally-friendly train that can use third-rail electricity between Southampton and Totton and maybe operate on batteries down the branch line.”
Pressed on whether that would mean Vivarail-converted former-London Underground stock, Hopwood adds. “It could be. Or it could be a conversion of our own Class 456, which will be replaced by new rolling stock very shortly. But I don’t think this is the time to use old diesels.
Mark Hopwood is now the Managing Director of Great Western Railway and he seems to be in favour of battery-electric trains. I agree totally with his statement about old diesels.
Mark Hopwood And The Cholsey And Wallingford Branch
According to LinkedIn, Mark Hopwood is also the President at the Cholsey and Wallingford Railway
- This is a two-and-a-half mile long standard gauge heritage railway.
- It used to be a branch line, that served the town of Wallingford.
- It connects to the Great Western Main Line in a bay platform at Cholsey station.
- Wallingford station has now been demolished.
- The heritage railway uses a new site on the south side of St. Johns Road.
This map from OpenRailwayMap shows the branch line.
Note.
- Cholsey station and the Great Western Main Line is in the South-Western corner of the map.
- The current Wallingford station is in the North-Eastern corner.
- The Cholsey and Wallingford Railway is shown in yellow.
This Google Map shows Cholsey station.
Note.
- There are four through platforms for Great Western Railway services.
- Platforms 1 and 2 for the fast services are on the Western side.
- Platforms 3 and 4 for the slow services are on the Eastern side.
- Bay Platform 5 is tucked in the North-East corner of the station and is the terminus for services on the Cholsey and Wallingford Railway.
- There are only 55 parking spaces.
Is the number of parking spaces sufficient for the station, if a lot of passengers drive from Wallingford?
Could a commercial service run between Cholsey and Wallingford?
Consider.
- Wallingford is a town of nearly twelve thousand people.
- Cholsey station has two trains per hour (tph) between Paddington and Didcot Parkway stations, with extra services between Oxford and Reading stations in the Peaks.
- There is only limited parking at Cholsey station.
- Most GWR branch lines are run by an hourly service.
- I feel that two-car battery-electric train could provide one or two tph on the branch.
- Charging would probably be needed at only one end of the branch line.
- As all the through lines at Cholsey station are electrified with 25 KVAC overhead wires, I suspect that charging would be provided at that station.
A two-car battery-electric train could probably provide a commercial service on this branch, if the Cholsey and Wallingford Railway wanted a revenue stream.
First Group Services That Could Be Run By Battery-Electric Trains
These Great Western Railway and South Western Railway services might be suitable for battery-electric services.
- Newbury and Bedwyn – Newbury is electrified.
- West Ealing and Greenford – West Ealing is electrified.
- Slough and Windsor and Eton Central – Slough is electrified.
- Maidenhead and Marlow – Maidenhead is electrified.
- Twyford and Henley-on-Thames – Twyford is electrified.
- Reading and Gatwick Airport – Partially electrified.
- Reading and Redhill – Partially electrified.
- Reading and Basingstoke – Partially electrified.
- Didcot Parkway and Oxford – Didcot Parkway is electrified.
- Weston-super-Mare and Severn Beach – No electrification.
- Bristol Temple Meads and Avonmouth – No electrification.
- Bristol Temple Meads and Filton Abbey Wood – No electrification.
- Bristol Temple Meads and Portishead – Proposed – No electrification.
- Swindon and Westbury – Swindon is electrified.
- Exmouth and Paignton – No electrification.
- Exeter Central and Okehampton – No electrification.
- Exeter Central and Barnstaple – No electrification.
- Plymouth and Gunnislake – No electrification.
- Liskeard and Looe – No electrification.
- Par and Newquay – No electrification.
- Truro and Falmouth Docks – No electrification.
- St. Erth and St. Ives- No electrification.
- Romsey and Salisbury – Partially electrified.
- Southampton Central and Fawley – Proposed – Partially electrified.
Note.
- Most services are one or two tph or less.
- Reading and Basingstoke, Didcot Parkway and Oxford, Exmouth and Paignton, and Romsey and Salisbury are 2 tph.
- I have included the proposed Bristol Temple Meads and Portishead and Southampton Central and Fawley services.
- All electrification is 25 KVAC overhead except for the North Downs Line between Reading and Gatwick Airport via Redhill, and Romsey and Salisbury, which are 750 VDC third rail.
There are a total of 24 services. As each 2 tph service will need two trains and the North Downs services probably six, a rough calculation, indicates there would need to be a minimum of over thirty trains, to convert all these services to battery-electric operation.
This simple analysis makes Mark Hopwood’s enthusiasm, that I quoted earlier understandable.
The Requirement For First Group Battery-Electric Trains
Consider.
- Most of the services can accommodate three or four-car trains.
- A few services can only be run with two-car trains.
- Some services will need running with 25 KVAC overhead electrification for operation or deploying to and from the depot.
- Some services will need running with 750 VDC third-rail electrification for operation or deploying to and from the depot.
- A modern interior with or without a fully-accessible toilet is needed.
- Ability to recharge in a platform fitted with electrification or a charging system in under ten minutes.
- A reasonable cruising speed where electrification is needed for deployment.
This suggests to me, that two train types will be needed.
- A Vivarail-style two-car train for branches like West Ealing and Greenford and Southampton Central and Fawley.
- A three- or four-car dual-voltage electric multiple unit, based on something like an Alstom Aventra, a Bombardier Electrostar or a British Rail-era Class 321 train.
The Class 321 train could be ideal.
- It is a 100 mph train.
- It is a four-car train, that can be shortened to three-cars.
- Versions are available for both 25 KVAC overhead and 750 VDC third-rail electrification.
- Some have been converted to a modern Renatus interior, with a fully-accessible toilet.
- Greater Anglia have run Class 321 Renatus trains between London and Norwich.
- The Class 321 Renatus trains are fitted with a modern AC-based traction system.
- Eversholt Rail and Vivarail were working on a Class 321 BEMU, which I wrote about in Eversholt Rail And Vivarail To Develop Class 321 BEMU.
- Other operators like Northern, Scotrail and Transport for Wales might like a Class 321 BEMU.
Could First Group convert the Class 321 trains?
In What Train Is This?, I talk about a refurbishment of a GWR Class 150 train, that was one of the best I’ve seen.
I suspect that First Group could do the conversion, with a little help from their friends, like Wabtec and the ex-Vivarail employees, that they’ve hired.
Could The Class 387 Trains Be Converted To Battery-Electric Operation?
It was in February 2015, that I wrote Is The Battery Electric Multiple Unit (BEMU) A Big Innovation In Train Design?, after a ride in public service on Bombardier’s test battery-electric train based on a Class 379 train.
The Class 387 and Class 379 trains are very similar and with Vivarail’s battery and charging expertise, I believe that both Class 379 and Class 387 trains could be converted into modern four-car battery-electric trains.
- They would have a 100 mph or possibly a 110 mph operating speed, so could work routes like the Great Western Main Line amongst the thundering herds of Hitachis.
- The interiors would be suitable for longer routes like Cardiff Central and Exeter or Waterloo and Exeter via Salisbury.
- Great Western Railway have 33 Class 387 trains.
- Thirty Class 379 trains are wasting space in sidings.
I believe that with modern battery technology, these trains could have a battery range in excess of ninety miles.
This would enable services like Cardiff Central and Exeter St. Davids and Exeter St. Davids and Salisbury.
With judicious use of charging stations in stations like Bristol Temple Meads, Exeter St. Davids and Salisbury, all First Group main line services, that are not run by the Hitachi trains could be converted to battery-electric operation.
Conclusion
I believe a well-thought out plan is emerging.
GWR Takes Over Battery Train Project
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Rail News.
This paragraph outlines the takeover.
Great Western Railway has bought equipment from battery train manufacturer Vivarail, which went into administration in December. The purchase has included rolling stock, FastCharge systems and other items. Nine former Vivarail staff have also joined GWR, as it continues to prepare for using a battery unit on the West Ealing to Greenford branch. GWR engineering director Simon Green said: ‘There have clearly been some setbacks that mean we will need to review the existing plans and timescales, but we will continue to work with Network Rail and the Department for Transport to get the project back on track.’
This sounds a very sensible action to me.
- GWR take control of the West Ealing project.
- GWR’s sister company; South Western Railway, probably will get the support they need for the Vivarail trains on the Island Line.
- It may lead to First Group companies using more Vivarail trains on other lines.
I also suspect the deal will mean that the remains of Vivarail has more of a future and someone will buy it, to continue development.
The original press release is on the First Group web site and it is entitled Fast-Charging Battery Trial To Resume After GWR Agrees Deal To Purchase Vivarail Assets.
My First Ride On A Class 484 Train
These pictures tell the story of my first ride in a Class 484 train.
Note.
- Ryde Pier Head station could do with a refurbishment.
- The train was formed of a pair of two-car units.
- The interior shows its origins in London Underground D78 Stock.
- There is a fully-functioning information display.
- At some stations, there is step-free access between train and platform.
These are a few of my other thoughts.
Ride
This was like a D78 Stock train on a good day after a major service.
Operating Speed
I timed the train running along happily at 40 mph on my phone.
Build Quality
More 2020 than 1978.
Timekeeping
The single train was running an hourly service.
As time went on it was getting further behind schedule.
Could this have been due to the power supply not being able to power two trains at the same time, in the same place on the line?
I have just looked at the Real Time Trains figures for yesterday and they are documenting power supply and signalling problems.
It also looks like some trains lost time between Ryde St. Johns Road and Brading. Perhaps this section is short on power.
Customer Reaction
It appeared to be positive.
A Dreadful Hot Chocolate At Woking Station
On my trip to the Isle of Wight today, to ride on the new Class 484 trains on the Island Line, I got on a Portsmouth & Southsea train, rather than one to Portsmouth Harbour station.
I was told be the guard, that it would be convenient to change at Woking station, which I did.
I took these pictures at the station.
Note.
- I alighted on Platform 5, where there is a Starbucks.
- I bought a hot chocolate in the Starbucks.
- I then moved to Platform 4 to catch my train to Portsmouth Harbour.
- It was a bit of a precarious platform transfer as the lifts are at the other end of the station.
- Where there was a Pumpkin.
It’s a pity, I didn’t wait to get my drink, as it was one of the worst Hot chocolates I’ve ever tasted.
Later I had a much better hot chocolate in another cafe at Ryde.
Isle Of Wight Rail Line Set To Reopen After 10-Month Closure
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the BBC.
It may have been a long time coming, but let’s hope it’s worth it.
I shall certainly going down, when it opens.
It would appear that the reason for the delay is partly down to software problems.
This seems to me an all-to-frequent occurrence these days.
Could this be that first generation programmers like myself, who honed our skills on small machines in the 1960s and 1970s have mostly retired and are not there to pass on expertise?
First Class 484 Arrives On The Isle Of Wight
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Railway Gazette.
The title says it all, but the article contains links to interesting pictures and video of the solution to getting a two-car Class 484 train onto an island.
Graffiti Vandals Paralyse Island Line Service
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Railnews.
This is the first paragraph.
The Island Line timetable was suspended on Monday morning, after the only serviceable train on the route was sprayed with graffiti. Passengers were being diverted to buses until the graffiti could be removed.
I can’t understand the motives of people who spray graffiti and I hope that the culprits are found and given time in one of the Isle of Wight’s prisons.
Reinstatement Of Branch Lines On The Isle Of Wight
This is one of the successful bids in the First Round of the Restoring Your Railway Fund.
This article on isleofwhiteradio is entitled Funding From Government To Develop Isle Of Wight Railway Reopening Proposals.
The article lists two proposed schemes for expansion of the Island Line.
• Extension of the existing Island Line service (Ryde-Shanklin) south of Shanklin to reach Ventnor, calling at Wroxall.
• Integration with, and extension of, the existing Isle of Wight Steam Railway route to provide passenger services through Smallbrook from Ryde to Newport.
The article has an informative map.
Nearly, three years ago, I wrote Diesel And Battery Trains Could Be The Solution For Island Line, based on an article on the Island Echo, with the same title.
Since then, things have moved on and these developments have started.
- Vivarail are building a fleet of five new zero-carbon Class 484 electric trains.
- Network Rail have promised £5 million to upgrade Ryde Pier to secure the future of the line.
- The track and signalling system will be upgraded this winter.
- The passing loop at Brading will be reinstated.
This will allow a thirty minute service interval from May 2021.
Wikipedia states that a twenty-minute service could be possible in the future.
The Trains
These pictures show the Class 230 trains on the Marston Vale Line.
Note.
- These are a diesel-electric version of the Class 484, which will use the existing third-rail electrification and possibly batteries on the Island Line.
- The operator can choose an interior appropriate to their needs.
- Three-car versions of the train have been ordered by Transport for Wales.
Battery versions of the train are available with a forty-mile range, See Retired London Underground Train Travels Forty Miles Solely On Battery Power.
The Extension To Ventnor
Looking at the map and measuring distance using methods that would have been known to Drake and Grenville, I estimate that the distance between Shanklin and Ventnor via Wroxhall is less than fifteen miles.
- As the battery range of Vivarail’s trains can be in the region of forty miles, this must open up the possibility of using battery power between Shanklin and Ventnor.
- Building the extension without electrification would lower the cost.
- Trains running from Shanklin to Ventnor would be charged on the electrified section of the route.
- One of Vivarail’s charging systems could be installed at Ventnor if required. See Charging A Battery-Powered Class 230 Train.
Would Vivarail just add a third car with batteries to the Class 484 trains and update the software to enable trains to run on the extension to Ventnor?
The Extension To Newport
The Island Line connects to the Isle of Wight Steam Railway at Smallbrook Junction station.
Note.
- The Island line running North-South on the Eastern side of the map.
- The Isle of Wight Steam Railway curving away to the South-West.
- The two railways connecting at Smallbrook Junction station.
- Ryde is to the North.
- Shanklin is to the South.
- Newport is to the West.
I doubt, that allowing trains to run between Ryde and Newport, would be one of the most challenging projects in railway engineering.
The map on the isleofwightradio web site, shows a chord, that would allow trains to run between Shanklin and Newport.
I would estimate that the distance between Smallbrook Junction and Newport is around ten miles.
- The terminus would appear to be in the Barton area of Newport.
- Much of the route would appear to be across open countryside.
- The only place for a station could be the Isle of Wight Crematorium. Why not?
As with the extension to Ventnor, I believe that battery-electric Class 484 trains could run services to Newport.
Will The Isle Of Wight Steam Railway Object?
I very much feel, that if the scheme is well-designed, that they could be a beneficiary because of increased numbers of visitors.
The scheme might also be able to give the steam railway paths to run steam trains as far as Ryde St. John’s Road station.
Conclusion
This proposal is an elegant one, that uses proven technology and builds smoothly on work, that is already underway.
It is also a zero-carbon solution, if the electricity is from renewable sources.
I also suspect, if Network Rail put one of their brighter teams on the current upgrade to the track and signalling of the Island Line, that the extra work needed to connect to Ventnor and Newport, could be planned and costed in a very short time.
Isle of Wight Line’s Future Secured With £26m Investment
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the Railway Gazette.
This is the first paragraph.
Investment of £26m to secure the future of the 13·7 km line between Ryde and Shanklin on the Isle of Wight was announced on September 16. This includes infrastructure modernisation and replacement of the life-expired fleet of small profile ex-London Underground trains which date back to 1938.
A few more details.
Infrastructure
Improvements will include.
- The track will be renewed and the electrical systems will be modernised to improve reliability and ride.
- A passing loop will be installed at Brading.
- South Western Railway will improve the important stations.
The track improvements will allow a half-hourly service to link up with the ferries to the mainland.
Rolling Stock
These Class 483 trains will be replaced.
They will be replayed by trains similar to these.
The pictures show Class 230 trains, which are diesel-electric versions of the electric Class 484 trains that will be used on the Island Line.
- Both trains are two car sets, which will work in pairs.
- The new trains will have a capacity of 172 seats, as opposed to the 84 seats of the current stock.
- The speed of the new trains is 60 mph, as opposed to the 45 mph of the current stock.
- It would appear that the new fleet includes a spare train, which should improve reliability.
The extra speed and the passing loop at Brading will enable the half-hourly timetable.
In Battery Class 230 Train Demonstration At Bo’ness And Kinneil Railway, I describe a ride in a battery/electric version of the Class 230 train.
The noise levels were very low and I suspect the Class 484 train will be a quiet ride.
Conclusion
There may be better and much more expensive solutions, but this is a practical one, that is affordable, with little risk.
I also think that £26million to secure the island Line for upwards of a dozen years, is not a bad investment.
Did Adrian Shooter Let The Cat Out Of The Bag?
This article with a video in the Scotsman is entitled Video: Battery Trains On Track To Cut Emissions and gives a lot of information about the Class 230 train. This is a paragraph.
The train is restricted to a 25mph speed on this week’s test trips, but Vivarail Chief Executive Adrian Shooter says it can sustain speeds of “60 mph for 40 miles” when new batteries become available next year.
Moreover, the batteries need just four minutes to recharge.
So what does this mean for the various routes?
Borderlands Line
Transport for Wales have ordered Class 230 trains for the Borderlands Line.
The line runs between Bidston and Wrexham Central stations is around twenty-seven miles and takes an hour. There is a generous turnround time at both ends in the current schedule.
This Google Map shows the layout of the two-platform station at Bidston.
This picture shows the red-roofed shed in the middle of the island platform, with the tracks on either side.
Would it be sensible to add a dedicated bay platform at Bidston for charging the battery trains?
The train will certainly be able to start with a full battery after a long charge at Wrexham Central and then do the following.
- Run to Bidston on battery power.
- Turnround at Bidston, where four minutes could be used to charge the batteries.
- Run back to Wrexham Central on battery power.
- Regenerative braking would be used at the thirteen intermediate stations.
If necessary during the long runs the diesel engines could be used to provide more power or top up the batteries.
Chester To Crewe Line
Transport for Wales have ordered Class 230 trains for the Chester to Crewe Line.
It runs between Chester and Crewe stations, is around twenty miles long and services take about twenty minutes.
As there are no stations between Chester and Crewe and the maximum speed of the Class 230 train is sixty mph, it looks like the train will be almost at maximum speed along this route.
So will the four diesel engines be working hard?
When these trains were built in the 1980s, I doubt that anybody thought they’d be running services on a section of the North Wales Coast Line.
Conwy Valley Line
Transport for Wales have ordered Class 230 trains for the Conwy Valley Line.
It runs between Llandudno and Blaenau Ffestiniog stations, is around thirty miles long and services take eighty minutes to ascend and seventy to come down.
The train will certainly be able to start with a full battery after a long charge at Llandudno and then do the following.
- Ascend to Blaenau Ffestiniog on battery power, with help from the diesel engines.
- Turnround at Blaenau Ffestiniog, where four minutes could be used to charge the batteries.
- Descend to Llandudno on battery power, with help from gravity.
- The descent would be controlled by regenerative braking.
- Regenerative braking would be used at the eleven intermediate stations.
If necessary during the long ascent the diesel engines could be used to provide more power or top up the batteries.
Greenford Branch
What do you do with a problem like the Greenford Branch?
In Could Class 165 HyDrive Trains Be The Solution To The Greenford Branch?, I looked at the possibility of using the proposed Class 165 HyDrive trains to provide a four trains per hour (tph) service on the Greenford Branch.
This was my conclusion.
Four tph is possible on the Greenford Branch, but it will need an extra crossover just outside West Ealing station.
Class 165 HyDrive trains with their extra performance would make the four tph timetable more reliable.
The lower noise and emissions of the trains would also please the local residents.
I also feel that a well-designed battery-powered two-car train, with perhaps a charging station at either end could also provide the improved service.
That well-designed battery-train has arrived in the shape of the Class 230 train.
Island Line
It appears likely, that Class 230 trains will be ordered for the Island Line.
It runs between Ryde Pier Head and Shanklin stations, is under nine miles long and a typical round trip is as follows.
- Shanklin to Ryde Pier Head – 24 minutes
- Turnround at Ryde Pier Head – 20 minutes
- Ryde Pier Head to Shanklin – 24 minutes
- Turnround at Shanklin – 5 minutes
The Island Line has an operating speed of just 45 mph.
Adding all that up, I would estimate that a train doing a round trip would do under twenty miles at a maximum speed of 45 mph.
Adrian Shooter said that the trains will be able to store 2,400 miles² /hour, whereas the Island Line would use only 900 miles² /hour in a round trip. They may be weird units, you won’t find in any text book, but I want to prove if something is possible or not.
It looks like it most definitely is possible for a battery-powered Class 230 train to perform a round trip on one charge of of the batteries.
Suppose though, the line was reinstated to Ventnor station, as a line without electrification. A quick estimate gives the round-trip as thirty miles, which would need 1350 miles² /hour.
There could even be a second charging station at Ventnor.
Could we see a future Island Line like this?
- No electrification.
- Extension to a new Ventnor station.
- A passing loop at Brading station.
- Battery trains.
- Relaid track for very gentle curves and high efficiency.
- Charging stations at Ryde Pier Head and Ventnor stations.
I suspect with some faster running, where it is possible and perhaps one diesel power pack per train, three-car Class 230 trains could run a two tph service.
This type of service would not be unique for long, as other places would quickly copy.
Marston Vale Line
West Midlands Trains have ordered Class 230 trains for the Marston Vale Line.
It runs between Bedford and Bletchley stations, is around twenty-four miles long and services appear to take about forty-five minutes, with a turn-round time of well over four minutes.
So it would seem that each leg of a return journey would be less than forty miles and there would be sufficient time for a full four-minute charge at either end.
The regenerative braking would be useful in handling the eleven stops.
Conclusion
It isn’t one cat!
It’s a whole destruction, glorying or nuisance of felines!
The Anonymous Widower 