The Anonymous Widower

First Bid For Sheffield To King’s Cross Paths

The title of this post is the same as an article in the February 2024 Edition of Modern Railways.

I have covered this before in FirstGroup Applies To Run New London To Sheffield Rail Service.

These are extra pieces of information.

FirstGroup Says It’s Only A Start

This is a fragment from the article.

First says the service of two return services per day would enable testing of the market before considering more complex services as plans for the East Coast main line timetable and fleet plans develop. The service is planned to be an additional operation under the brand of existing open access operator Hull Trains, although it would be operated as ‘a separate free-standing daily set of services’.

 

Nothing is said, but expansion could be extra services or destinations beyond Sheffield.

Currently, Hull Trains run seven trains per day (tpd) between London and Hull, with two tpd extending to Beverley.

  • Would seven tpd be an objective for between Sheffield and King’s Cross?
  • Five-car Class 802 trains could run the services and look like they fit all the Sheffield, Woodhouse, Worksop and Retford stations.
  • Between Sheffield and Retford, the Sheffield and Lincoln Line is not very busy.
  • Paths between Retford and London could be a problem.
  • However, the new digital signalling would allow the Hull and Sheffield services to run as a flight in the same path, perhaps two or three minutes apart.
  • The trains would use one of the longer platforms at King’s Cross, which can accommodate two five-car Class 802 trains.
  • I suspect that the new service would use one of the through platforms at Sheffield.

I think, there are three possibilities for extending the service from Sheffield.

  • Huddersfield with a reverse and along the Penistone Line after calling at Meadowhall and Barnsley.
  • Leeds with a reverse and calling at Meadowhall and Barnsley.
  • Manchester Piccadilly calling at Hazel Grove and Stockport.

Note.

  1. I don’t think Huddersfield and Barnsley have a direct service to London.
  2. Huddersfield will be on the main electrified TransPennine route.
  3. Huddersfield station is being upgraded with more platforms and electrified.
  4. The Penistone Line is being upgraded.
  5. Leeds already has services from King’s Cross.
  6. Manchester Piccadilly could be used , when there are engineering works on the West Coast Main Line.

I feel that the Huddersfield service is the one that could be successful.

Hull Trains-Style Customer Service

This is a sentence from the article.

The level of customer service on board would match that which Hull Trains currently delivers.

I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that.

Woodhouse Station

This is a sentence from the article.

First says it will assess the requirement to invest in Woodhouse station to ensure its facilities are fit for purpose for long distance services and work in partnership with the station’s operator, as it did at Morpeth for Lumo services.

Woodhouse station certainly needs improvement.

Trains To Be Used

This is said in the article.

  • As they want to start services in 2025, it looks like they will use the available Class 221 or 222 trains.
  • But the article indicates that a consistent fleet for Hull Trains using possibly Class 802 trains would be best.
  • The route will be cleared for both types of trains.
  • Currently, overnight servicing for Hull Trains to Hull is done at Hull Botanic Gardens TMD.

I think that getting this route going by 2025 could give the project its own momentum and enable Hull Trains to add more trains to the fleet.

Timetable

Consider.

  • The timetable is based on two trains per day (tpd) in both directions, seven days a week.
  • The first train on Monday to Saturday from Sheffield leaves at 9:20, with the Sunday train forty minutes later.
  • The second train on Monday to Saturday from Sheffield leaves at 16:54, with the Sunday train twenty minutes later.
  • The first train on Monday to Saturday from London leaves at 12:48, with the Sunday train eight minutes later.
  • The second train on Sunday to Friday from London leaves at 19:56, with the Saturday train thirty-one minutes later.

Note.

  1. If there are no problems, one train could shuttle between London and Sheffield all week.
  2. As Hull Trains have been using one train to boost some services to ten cars, I suspect they could run the initial Sheffield service with a five-car only Hull service. But what happens if they have a train failure?
  3. If you catch the first train up from Sheffield and the last train down from London, you have 8 hours and 12 minutes in London on Monday to Friday, 8 hours and 43 minutes on a Saturday and 7 hours and 48 minutes on a Sunday.
  4. It looks like, there is good time to watch a show or a match on Saturday and have a meal before returning North.
  5. All last trains return to Sheffield about 22:00.

It looks to be a well-thought out professional-written timetable.

Timetabling From And To Huddersfield

This is a sentence from the article.

It is currently thought the first Up and last Down service will run as empty coaching stock via Meadowhall, so it is proposed to call there on such workings.

Suppose though what would be possible if the First Up and Last Down services started from Huddersfield.

  • A train between Huddersfield and Sheffield could call at Barnsley and Meadowhall.
  • Class 150 trains take around 80 minutes between Sheffield and Huddersfield via Barnsley.
  • Class 802 trains could probably do that route in an hour, once the Penistone Line has been improved.
  • The second train from London will arrive at Sheffield between 21:56 and 22:26.
  • The first train to London will leave from Sheffield between 09:20 and 09:57.

It looks to me, that the following would be possible every night.

  • The second Hull Train service from London arrives in Sheffield between 21:56 and 22:26.
  • It continues to Huddersfield, where it finishes its journey after dropping passengers at Meadowhall and Barnsley.
  • Overnight servicing is arranged.
  • In the morning, it runs to Sheffield, picking up passengers as required at Barnsley and Meadowhall.

The train then forms the first Hull Train service to London between 09:20 and 09:57.

Meadowhall, Barnsley and Huddersfield would get 1 tpd to and from London King’s Cross.

Conclusion

There is certainly scope to create a useful set of services between London King’s Cross and South Yorkshire.

 

 

January 25, 2024 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

LNER’s New Sunday Timetable

LNER’s new Sunday timetable, that starts on the 10th December 2023 is now available to view on this page of the National Rail web site, where this is said.

Sundays are now one of the most popular days to travel on LNER’s network.

To support this increase in demand, LNER is introducing three additional Sunday services into its timetable starting in December 2023 – two (one each way) between Leeds and London Kings Cross and one between Doncaster and London.

There will also be more seats added to some trains with eight existing Sunday services becoming longer trains. The current five carriage services will be replaced with either nine or ten carriage Azuma trains for destinations including Leeds, Harrogate and Lincoln.

This equates to more than 3,000 additional seats on a Sunday and will help reduce overcrowding and increase connectivity for more people between Yorkshire and London.  

To provide additional Sunday seating capacity, due to the lengthening of some London Kings Cross to Harrogate services on Sundays, two northbound station calls at Horsforth need to be removed on Sundays only.  The impacted services are the 09.05 and 17:05 London Kings Cross to Harrogate trains.

Note.

  1. Horsforth looks to have short platforms.
  2. Last Sunday, Harrogate to London services were three nine-car and three five-car trains.
  3. In September 2023, I wrote Yorkshire To See More LNER Services And Longer Trains.

LNER certainly seem to be fulfilling the last promise.

Additionally, in this article on Modern Railways, which is entitled LNER Orders CAF Tri-mode Sets, this is said.

Modern Railways understands the new fleet will be maintained at Neville Hill depot in Leeds and, like the ‘225’ sets, will be used predominantly on services between London and Yorkshire, although unlike the ‘225s’ the tri-modes, with their self-power capability, will be able to serve destinations away from the electrified network such as Harrogate and Hull.

So are LNER gradually moving towards the new timetable they will use after the CAF tri-mode trains are delivered?

November 18, 2023 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , | Leave a comment

East Midlands Railway To Leeds

This news story from the Department of Transport is entitled Yorkshire And The Humber To Benefit From £19.8 billion Transport Investment.

This is said about Leeds and Sheffield services.

The line between Sheffield and Leeds will be electrified and upgraded, giving passengers a choice of 3 to 4 fast trains an hour, instead of 1, with journey times of 40 minutes. A new mainline station for Rotherham will also be added to the route, which could give the town its first direct service to London since the 1980s, boosting capacity by 300%.

These are my thoughts.

A New Mainline Station For Rotherham

This page on Rotherham Business News, says this about the location of the Rotherham mainline station.

South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) and Rotherham Council have been developing a scheme to return mainline train services to the borough for the first time since the 1980s. A site at Parkgate is the frontrunner for a regeneration project described by experts as “a relatively straightforward scheme for delivery within three to four years.”

Various posts and comments on the Internet back the councils preference for a new station at Rotherham Parkgate.

  • It  would be at Rotherham Parkgate shopping centre.
  • It connects to the tram-trains, which run half-hourly to Cathedral in Sheffield city centre via Rotherham Central.
  • There appears to be plenty of space.

This OpenRailwayMap shows the tracks at the current Rotherham Parkgate tram stop.

Note.

  1. The orange lines are the main railway tracks.
  2. Rotherham Parkgate is indicated by the blue arrow in the North-East corner of the map.
  3. Trains would run between Sheffield and Rotherham Parkgate via Meadowhall Interchange and Rotherham Central.
  4. Trains and tram-trains would share tracks through Rotherham Central.

After passing Rotherham Parkgate trains would go to Swinton, and then on to Doncaster or Leeds.

Sheffield And Leeds Via Rotherham Parkgate

Currently, there is an hourly service between Leeds and Sheffield, that goes through the Rotherham Parkgate site.

  • It calls at Outwood, Wakefield Westgate, Sandal & Agbrigg, Fitzwilliam, Moorthorpe, Thurnscoe, Goldthorpe, Bolton-upon-Dearne, Swinton, Rotherham Central, Meadowhall.
  • The service takes one hour and thirteen minutes, but there are eleven stops.
  • As the distance is 38.9 miles, that works out at an average speed of 32 mph.

I suspect this schedule was written for Pacers.

The Department of Transport is aiming for a forty minute journey, which is an average speed of 58.4 mph.

Consider.

  • If you look at the maximum speeds of the route from Rotherham Parkgate to Wakefield Westgate, it is 21.8 miles of 100 mph track.
  • About twenty miles to the South of Wakefield Westgate is electrified.
  • Leeds and Wakefield Westgate is 10.1 miles of 75-85 mph track.
  • LNER’s expresses leave Wakefield Westgate, eleven minutes after leaving Leeds.
  • I can find a TransPennine Express that takes thirteen minutes to go between Sheffield  and Rotherham Parkgate late at night on the way to the depot.

The eleven and thirteen minutes mean that leaves 16 minutes for Rotherham Parkgate to Wakefield Westgate, if Sheffield and Leeds are to be timed at forty minutes, which would be an average speed of 82 mph between Rotherham Parkgate and Wakefield Westgate.

I feel that for a forty minute journey between Leeds and Sheffield, the following conditions would need to be met.

  • Very few stops. Perhaps only Meadowhall, Rotherham Parkgate and Wakefield Westgate.
  • 100 mph running where possible.
  • 100 mph trains
  • Electric trains would help, as acceleration is faster. Battery-electric trains would probably be sufficient.
  • Some track improvements might help.

But forty minutes would certainly be possible.

At present there are five trains per hour (tph) between Leeds and Sheffield.

  • Northern – 2 tph – via Wakefield Kirkgate, Barnsley and Meadowhall – 58 minutes
  • Northern – 1 tph – via Outwood, Wakefield Westgate, Sandal & Agbrigg, Fitzwilliam, Moorthorpe, Thurnscoe, Goldthorpe, Bolton-upon-Dearne, Swinton, Rotherham Central and Meadowhall – One hour and 13 minutes
  • Northern – 1 tph –  via Woodlesford, Castleford, Normanton, Wakefield Kirkgate, Darton, Barnsley, Wombwell, Elsecar, Chapeltown and Meadowhall – One hour and 19 minutes.
  • CrossCountry – 1 tph – via Wakefield Westgate – 44 minutes

Note.

  1. Only the second service will go through Rotherham Parkgate.
  2. The CrossCountry service takes the more direct route avoiding Rotherham Parkgate.
  3. All trains go via Meadowhall, although the CrossCountry service doesn’t stop.
  4. If the CrossCountry service was run by electric trains, it might be able to shave a few minutes as part of the route is electrified.

The CrossCountry service indicates to me, that 40 minutes between Leeds and Sheffield will be possible, but a stop at Meadowhall could be dropped to save time.

Extending East Midlands Railway’s Sheffield Service To Leeds

Consider

  • Sheffield station has two tph to London all day.
  • The CrossCountry service looks like it could be timed to run between Leeds and Sheffield in forty minutes.
  • An East Midlands Railway Class 810 train could probably be timed at 40 minutes between Leeds and Sheffield via Meadowhall, Rotherham Parkgate and Wakefield Westgate.
  • The current Northern services could continue to provide connectivity for stations between Leeds and Sheffield.

Extending one tph of East Midlands Railway’s trains to Leeds would probably be sufficient to give two fast trains per hour between Leeds and Sheffield.

  • The East Midlands Railway and CrossCountry services could provide a fast service between Leeds and Sheffield in forty minutes.
  • If they were electric or battery-electric trains, I suspect that they could call at Meadowhall, Rotherham Parkgate and Wakefield Westgate.
  • They could be backed up by the two tph through Barnsley, which could probably be speeded up to around fifty minutes by electrification or using battery-electric trains.

The East Midlands Railway service between London and Leeds would be under three hours.

  • Rotherham would get an hourly train to London.
  • ,London and Leeds in under three hours, would be slower than Leeds and King’s Cross.
  • But the electrification of the Midland Main Line would speed it up a bit.

A fast Leeds and Derby service might compensate for the loss of the Eastern leg of High Speed Two.

Sheffield And Doncaster Via Rotherham Parkgate

At present there are three tph between Sheffield and Doncaster.

  • Northern – 1 tph – via Meadowhall, Rotherham Central, Swinton, Mexborough and Conisbrough – 42 minutes
  • Northern – 1 tph – via Meadowhall – 28 minutes
  • TransPennine Express – 1 tph – via Meadowhall – 27 minutes

Note.

  1. The first Northern train continues calling at all stations to Adwick.
  2. The second Northern train continues calling at all stations to Scarborough.
  3. Both Northern services go through Rotherham Parkgate.
  4. The TransPennine Express service takes the more direct route avoiding Rotherham Parkgate.
  5. All trains go via Meadowhall.

These services would give good connectivity for a London train, with a change at Rotherham Parkgate.

Improving Tracks Between Doncaster, Leeds and Sheffield

Consider.

  • About 65 % of the main routes between Doncaster, Leeds and Sheffield have a maximum operating speed of 100 mph.
  • Doncaster and Leeds is electrified.
  • Only 35 miles is without electrification.
  • The Midland Main Line is in the process of being electrified to Sheffield.
  • There are plans to extend the Sheffield tram-trains to Doncaster Sheffield Airport, that I wrote about in Sheffield Region Transport Plan 2019 – Doncaster Sheffield Airport.

There is also heavyweight electrification infrastructure through Rotherham Central for the Sheffield tram-trains.

As it is only used by the tram-trains it may be only 750 VDC. But it can probably handle 25 KVAC.

  • Could these routes be improved to allow faster running?
  • Would it be cost-effective to electrify between Sheffield and the East Coast Main Line and the Doncaster and Leeds Line?
  • Alternatively battery-electric trains could be run on the routes between Doncaster, Leeds and Sheffield, charging at all three main stations.

Any form of electric train should be faster, as acceleration and deceleration is faster in any electric train, be it powered by electrification, batteries, hydrogen or a hybrid diesel-battery-electric powertrain.

Conclusion

 

 

November 2, 2023 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Could Sheffield Station Become A Battery-Electric Train Hub?

Promised Improvements To Train Services At Sheffield

This news story from the Department of Transport is entitled Yorkshire And The Humber To Benefit From £19.8 billion Transport Investment.

Sheffield station gets several mentions of improvement to these routes.

Sheffield And Hull

This is said about train services between Sheffield and Hull.

The number of trains between Hull and Sheffield will be doubled, to 2 per hour, with capacity also doubled.

These points describe typical current services.

  • The route is 59.4 miles long.
  • Modern Class 170 trains take 78 minutes.
  • There are stops at Meadowhall, Doncaster, Goole and Brough.
  • The maximum speed of the line is mostly around 70 mph, with one short section of 100 mph.
  • The average speed is 45.7 mph.
  • The train continues to Scarborough after a six-minute stop at Hull.

I believe that if this route were to be electrified, that a time around an hour would be possible between Sheffield and Hull.

Sheffield and Scarborough takes two hours and 45 minutes. With electrification, this time could be less than two hours and 30 minutes.

But it would be around 113 miles of new double-track electrification.

I believe that Sheffield and Hull is a route that could be run by battery-electric trains, that would be charged at both ends of the route.

Sheffield And Leeds

This is said about train services between Sheffield and Leeds.

The line between Sheffield and Leeds will be electrified and upgraded, giving passengers a choice of 3 to 4 fast trains an hour, instead of 1, with journey times of 40 minutes. A new mainline station for Rotherham will also be added to the route, which could give the town its first direct service to London since the 1980s, boosting capacity by 300%.

These points describe typical current services.

  • The route is 41.1 miles long.
  • Modern Class 195 trains take 56 minutes.
  • There is a few miles of electrification at the Leeds end.
  • There are stops at Meadowhall, Barnsley and Wakefield Kirkgate.
  • The maximum speed of the line is mostly around 60-70 mph.
  • The average speed is 44 mph.

I believe that if this route were to be electrified, that a time around fifty minutes might be possible between Sheffield and Leeds.

That is not really good enough, but if they went through a new mainline station for Rotherham, the trains would be able to use 100 mph tracks all the way to Leeds. There would also be electrification between South Kirby junction and Leeds.

I suspect forty minutes should be possible with 100 mph running between Rotherham and Leeds.

I believe that Sheffield and Leeds is a route that could be run by battery-electric trains, that would be charged at both ends of the route.

Sheffield And Manchester

This is said about train services between Sheffield and Manchester.

The Hope Valley Line between Manchester and Sheffield will also be electrified and upgraded, with the aim of cutting journey times from 51 to 42 minutes and increasing the number of fast trains on the route from 2 to 3 per hour, doubling capacity.

In Electrification Of The Hope Valley Line, I talked about electrification of the line and how the services on the line could be run by battery-electric trains.

This was my conclusion in the linked post.

I believe that full electrification of the Hope Valley Line is not needed, if battery-electric trains are used.

I also believe that battery-electric trains and the current improvements being carried out on the Hope Valley Line will enable a forty minute time between Manchester Piccadilly and Sheffield.

I believe that the Hope Valley Line could be speeded up, by the use of intelligent engineering, rather than expensive and disruptive electrification.

Don Valley Line

This is said about the Don Valley Line.

Communities will be reconnected through the reopening of lines and stations closed under the Beeching reforms of the 1960s. This will include the restoration of the Don Valley Line between Stocksbridge and Sheffield Victoria, and new stations at Haxby Station, near York, Waverley, near Rotherham, and the Don Valley Line from Sheffield to Stocksbridge.

I’ve talked about the Don Valley Line before in Reopening The Don Valley Section Of The Former Woodhead Line Between Stocksbridge and Sheffield Victoria To Passenger Services.

The Don Valley Line has a comprehensive Wikipedia entry, which is well worth a read.

Could the Don Valley Line be worked by battery-electric trains?

It would appear that these promised improvements to and from Sheffield could be worked by battery-electric trains.

Now that battery-electric trains are being developed, it could also have services, using these trains.

Could Battery-Electric Trains Improve Other Services At Sheffield?

These are some possibilities.

Chesterfield And Sheffield Victoria

This news story from the Department of Transport is entitled East Midlands To Benefit From £9.6 billion Transport Investment.

This news story also talks about the Stocksbridge Line and Sheffield Victoria, where this is said.

Funding will also be provided for the Barrow Hill Line between Chesterfield and Sheffield Victoria, with a new station at Staveley in Derbyshire.

I wrote about the Barrow Hill Line in Reinstatement Of The Barrow Hill Line Between Sheffield And Chesterfield.

In the related post, this was my conclusion.

This looks to be a very sensible project.

  • It could be run with either trains or tram-trams.
  • It should be electrified, so it could be zero-carbon.
  • Tram-trains could be used to make stations simpler.
  • It could give an alternative route for electric trains to Sheffield station.
  • The track is already there and regularly used.

But surely the biggest reason to built it, is that it appears to open up a lot of South and South-East Sheffield and North-East Chesterfield for development.

Now that battery-electric trains are being developed, Chesterfield and Sheffield could also have services, using these trains.

Sheffield And Adwick

Nothing is said in the news story about train services between Sheffield and Adwick.

Consider.

  • Sheffield and Adwick is 22.7 miles.
  • Journeys take fifty minutes.
  • There are seven intermediate stations.
  • This is an average speed of 27.2 mph.
  • Adwick and Doncaster is 4.4 miles and electrified.
  • There are generous turn-round times at both ends of the route.
  • There are rather unusual reversing arrangements at Adwick.

I wonder if electric trains on this route, would knock a few minutes off the journey time because of the better acceleration and deceleration of electric trains.

Could this route be another route from Sheffield suitable for battery-electric trains?

  • The train could fully charge between Adwick and Doncaster and at Adwick.
  • It is only a short route with a round trip under sixty miles.

I believe this route could be very suitable for battery-electric trains.

Sheffield And Huddersfield

Nothing is said in the news story about train services in the Penistone Line between Sheffield and Huddersfield.

Consider.

  • Sheffield and Huddersfield is 36.4 miles.
  • Journeys take one hour and nineteen minutes.
  • There are fifteen intermediate stations.
  • This is an average speed of 27.6 mph.
  • Huddersfield is being electrified as part of the TransPennine Upgrade.

I wonder if electric trains on this route, would knock a few minutes off the journey time because of the better acceleration and deceleration of electric trains.

Could this route be another route from Sheffield suitable for battery-electric trains?

Sheffield And Lincoln

Nothing is said in the news story about train services between Sheffield and Lincoln.

Consider.

  • Sheffield and Lincoln is 48.5 miles.
  • All Sheffield and Lincoln services start in Leeds.
  • Journeys take one hour and twenty-five minutes.
  • There are nine intermediate stations.
  • This is an average speed of 34.2 mph.
  • There is no electrification.
  • Turn-round time at Lincoln is 26 minutes.
  • All trains terminate in Platform 5 at Lincoln.

I wonder if electric trains on this route, would knock a few minutes off the journey time because of the better acceleration and deceleration of electric trains.

Could this route be another route from Sheffield suitable for battery-electric trains?

  • Platform 5 could be electrified at Lincoln.
  • There may need to be a battery top-up at Sheffield and Leeds.

I believe this route could be very suitable for battery-electric trains.

Electrification Between Sheffield And London

Consider.

  • The Midland Main Line electrification is creeping up from London.
  • It should soon be installed between St. Pancras and Market Harborough.
  • Sheffield and Market Harborough is 81.9 miles.
  • The Class 810 trains that will run the Sheffield and London route can’t be far off entering service.

There might be scope for running battery-electric trains on the route, until the electrification is complete.

A Battery-Electric Train Hub At Sheffield

I believe that a fair proportion of services to and from Sheffield could be run using battery-electric trains or bog-standard electric trains.

This OpenRailwayMap shows the platforms at Sheffield.

Note.

  1. The lilac tracks are those of the Sheffield Supertram.
  2. The darker lines are the tracks in the station.
  3. Tracks could be electrified as required.

Eventually, Sheffield will be a fully-electrified station, because of the Midland Main Line electrification.

But why not do it sooner rather than later, so that by running new or refurbished battery-electric trains to places like Huddersfield, Hull, Leeds, Lincoln, London and Manchester?

  • Services would be speeded up by around a minute or two for each stop.
  • Faster journeys may attract more passengers.
  • Routes would be creating less carbon emission and pollution.
  • In some cases, routes would be zero carbon.

Some routes would need electrification at the terminal to charge the trains, but Leeds, London St. Pancras and Manchester are already fully electrified.

Charging Long Distance Battery-Electric Trains When They Stop In Sheffield

These long distance services stop in Sheffield.

  • CrossCountry – Plymouth and Edinburgh
  • CrossCountry – Reading and Newcastle
  • East Midland Railway – London and Leeds
  • East Midland Railway – Liverpool Lime Street and Norwich
  • Northern – Leeds and Lincoln
  • Northern – Leeds and Nottingham
  • Northern – Sheffield and Cleethorpes
  • TransPennine Express – Liverpool Lime Street and Cleethorpes

battery-electric trains could be given a top-up, as they pass through.

I am assuming that CrossCountry, East Midland Railway, Northern and TransPennine Express will be running suitable battery-electric trains.

Battery-Electric Train Hubs

To be a battery-electric train hub, a station probably needs to have all or nearly all of its platforms electrified.

  • It should be able to fully-charge any battery-electric trains terminating in the station, provided that the turn-round time is long enough.
  • It should be able to give a through battery-electric train a boost if required, so that it gets to the final destination.

It would appear that there are already several battery-electric train hubs in the England, Scotland and Wales.

This map from OpenRailwayMap shows Liverpool Lime Street station, with electrified tracks shown in red.

It would appear that the station is fully electrified and is an excellent battery-electric train hub.

This map from OpenRailwayMap shows Manchester Piccadilly station, with electrified tracks shown in red.

It would appear that the station is fully electrified, except for the Northernmost platform, and is an excellent battery-electric train hub.

This map from OpenRailwayMap shows Leeds station, with electrified tracks shown in red.

It would appear that the station is fully electrified and is an excellent battery-electric train hub, with twelve electrified bay platforms.

Conclusion

I can see a very comprehensive scheme being developed for Sheffield, based on a hub for battery-electric trains at Sheffield station.

 

October 17, 2023 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Improvements To Leeds And Hull Services

This news story from the Department of Transport is entitled Yorkshire And The Humber To Benefit From £19.8 billion Transport Investment.

This is said about Leeds and Hull services.

Hull will also be brought into the Northern Powerhouse Rail network, reducing journey time from Leeds from 58 minutes to just 48. The number of trains between Hull and Sheffield will be doubled, to 2 per hour, with capacity also doubled. Journeys from Hull to Manchester will drop from 115 to 84 minutes, enabling 2 fast trains to Leeds.

I shall look at the 10:15 Northern Trains service between Hull and Leeds on the 13th October 2023.

  • The distance is 51.8 miles.
  • There are seven stops.
  • The service is run by a diesel Class 158 train.
  • Journey time is 69 minutes.

Ten minutes off this time would be worthwhile.

I shall look at the 10:03 TransPennine Express service between Hull and Leeds on the 13th October 2023.

  • There are two stops.
  • The service is run by a diesel Class 185 train.
  • Journey time is 54 minutes.

Ten minutes off this time would be difficult.

Note.

  1. The line between Micklefield and Leeds is being electrified.
  2. The distance between Hull and Micklefield is 42 miles.
  3. The route has a maximum speed of between 75 and 90 mph.

There is also an historic swing bridge at Selby, which would probably be difficult to electrify.

How Many Minutes Could Electric Trains Save Between Leeds and Hull?

Electric trains have better acceleration and deceleration, when compared to diesel trains, so two minutes per stop and for the acceleration and deceleration at Hull and Leeds, would give the following times.

  • Northern Trains – 53 minutes
  • TransPennine Express – 48 minutes

As electrification is not mentioned for between Leeds and Hull, the only electric trains, that could work the route will be battery-electric trains.

Battery-Electric Trains Between Leeds and Hull

Consider.

  • TransPennine Express already have Class 802 trains, from which the battery-electric version is being developed.
  • Northern Trains would need a suitable battery-electric train. There has been talk of a CAF battery-electric Class 331 train, but nothing more. These would surly be ideal.
  • Trains could be charged on new electrification in Hull station and between Micklefield and Leeds.

The trains would need a range of just 42 miles.

A Second Fast Train Between Leeds and Hull

What does this statement in the news story imply?

Journeys from Hull to Manchester will drop from 115 to 84 minutes, enabling 2 fast trains to Leeds.

I feel that this statement must be read in conjunction with the benefits of the TransPennine Route Upgrade.

One benefit is given as Faster Journeys, where this is said.

We’re speeding up journeys so you can travel to your favourite towns and cities more quickly. Our fastest journey times are forecast to be 63-66 minutes between Manchester and York and 41-42 minutes between Manchester and Leeds.

The news story says that the fastest journey times between Leeds and Hull will be 48 minutes, which would give a Hull and Manchester time of 89-90 minutes.

Alternatively, there could be these timings on one train.

  • Hull and Leeds – 48 mins
  • Hull and Manchester Victoria – 84 mins
  • Leeds and Manchester Victoria – 36 mins

Note.

  1. The train would call at Brough, Selby, Leeds, Huddersfield and Stalybridge.
  2. There may be a new station at Leeds Thorpe Park
  3. The distance between Hull and Manchester Victoria is 94.7 miles.
  4. This is an average speed of 67.6 mph.

It almost looks like it’s connectivity East of Leeds and speed between Leeds and Manchester.

Conclusion

Battery-electric trains would provide all the improvements promised between Leeds and Hull.

October 16, 2023 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Could Manchester Airport Be Accessed From The West By A Tunnel Under The M56?

This OpenRailwayMap shows the railways of East London between Dalston Junction and Stratford International stations.

Note.

  1. Dalston Kingsland station is marked with an arrow in the West of the map.
  2. Stratford International station is marked by the blue lettering in the East of the map.
  3. The orange line between them is the North London Line.
  4. There are also two pink lines, which indicate High Speed One, which is dug several metres below the North London Line.

It can’t be much different to dig a high speed railway underneath a motorway. Has anybody done this?

This OpenRailwayMap shows the railways leading to Manchester Airport.

Note.

  1. Junctions 5 and 6 of the M56 motorway are on the Western edge of the Airport.
  2. The red tracks are the Styal Line.
  3. The mauve tracks are the Metrolink.
  4. It should be noted that railway lines pass under Heathrow Airport’s runways.

Point 4 makes me sure, that Manchester Airport can have a station connected to the West by a railway under the M56.

This OpenRailwayMap shows the railways around Weaver Junction on the West Coast Main Line, where the trains branch off to Liverpool.

Note.

  1. The West Coast Main Line goes down the Eastern side of the map.
  2. Warrington Bank Quay is the next station to the North.
  3. The Liverpool Branch goes off to the West.
  4. The M56 tuns diagonally across the map from the North-East corner crossing both both branches of the West Coast Main Line.

This Google Map shows where the M56 crosses over the West Coast Main Line to Warrington Bank Quay.

Note.

  1. The M56 motorway is obvious.
  2. The Eastbound motorway goes to Manchester Airport and Manchester.
  3. The junction is numbered 11.
  4. The railway runs down the Western side of the map.

I believe that it would be possible to connect a railway running East under the motorway to the West Coast Main Line.

This Google Map shows where the M56 crosses over the Liverpool branch of the West Coast Main Line.

Note.

  1. There is no motorway junction here.
  2. The North-East bound motorway goes to Manchester Airport and Manchester.
  3. The railway runs slightly diagonally across the bottom of the map.
  4. The Westbound railway goes to Runcorn and Liverpool.
  5. The Eastbound railway goes to Weaver Junction, Crewe and the South.

There would only need to be a connection between Liverpool and the railway under the motorway going to and from Manchester Airport.

I have some further thoughts and questions.

This Is Just My First Thought

I am happier about the connection to the Liverpool branch than the Northern connection.

But then I feel there are several routes at both junctions, some of which will take a wider route.

How Long Will The Tunnels Be?

Between Junctions 11 and 6 on the M56 is 16 miles.

At What Speed Would The Trains Run?

I suspect that once on the straight section between Junctions 11 and 6, speeds of up to 90 or 100 mph should be possible, but speeds would probably be lower at the junctions to the West Coast Main Line.

How Would It Connect To Manchester Piccadilly?

The tunnel would continue the other side of the Airport and it’s a further 9.4 miles to under Manchester Piccadilly.

In The Rival Plans For Piccadilly Station, That Architects Say Will ‘Save Millions’, I wrote about Weston Williamson’s plan for Manchester Piccadilly station.

This was their visualisation.

Note.

  1. In the visualisation, you are observing the station from the East.
  2. The existing railway lines into Piccadilly station are shown in red.
  3. Stockport and Manchester Airport are to the left, which is to the South.
  4. Note the dreaded Castlefield Corridor in red going off into the distance to Oxford Road and Deansgate stations.
  5. The new high speed lines are shown in blue.
  6. To the left they go to Manchester Airport and then on to London, Birmingham and the South, Warrington and Liverpool and Wigan, Preston, Blackpool, Barrow-in-Furness, the North and Scotland.
  7. To the right, they go to Huddersfield, Bradford, Leeds, Hull and the North East, and Sheffield, Doncaster and the East.
  8. Between it looks like  a low-level High Speed station with at least four tracks and six platforms.
  9. The high speed lines could be oriented so they ran East-West, rather than North-South in this visualisation.
  10. The Manchester Metrolink is shown in yellow.

The potential for over-site development is immense. If the Station Square Tower was residential, the penthouses would be some of the most desirable places to live in the North.

Onward From Manchester Piccadilly

I would hope that a connection could be made to the Huddersfield Line to the East of Manchester Piccadilly station, so that trains could use the TransPennine Upgrade all the way to Leeds.

 

 

October 6, 2023 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Yorkshire To See More LNER Services And Longer Trains

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

These are the two introductory paragraphs.

London North Eastern Railway (LNER) is meeting an increase in demand from leisure travellers by adding more services and thousands more seats on trains between Yorkshire and London every Sunday.

Sundays are now one of the most popular days for journeys with 30% more customers travelling across the 956-mile LNER network than in 2019.

From December 2023, three new services and longer trains will be introduced on Sundays between London and Yorkshire.

September 26, 2023 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , | 1 Comment

Derby Alstom Train Factory Jobs Fear As Orders Dry Up

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

This is the sub-heading.

Derby City Council is seeking talks with train builder Alstom over reports it could be about to lay off workers.

These two paragraphs introduce the story.

The firm’s Litchurch Lane site is the only UK train factory able to design, build, engineer and test trains for domestic and export markets.

About 2,000 people work at the factory but the firm says its current order book only runs until early 2024.

This could be another serious problem for High Speed Two.

Could LNER Use High Speed Two Classic-Compatible Trains?

In LNER Seeks 10 More Bi-Modes, I discuss how LNER are needing ten more bi-mode trains to expand their services.

Consider.

  • One of LNER’s predecessors used to run Eurostar trains between Kings Cross and Leeds
  • A High Speed Two Classic-Compatible trains are 200 metres long, as against the 233.7 metres of a nine-car Class 801 train.
  • High Speed Two Classic-Compatible trains will run on the East Coast Main Line, when High Speed Two fully opens.
  • London to Doncaster, Edinburgh, Leeds, Newcastle and York are all fully electrified routes.

So if all these fully-electric routes, were to be run using High Speed Two Classic-Compatible trains, this would release a number of Class 800 and Class 801 trains, which could be converted to bi-modes or battery-electric variants.

London and Edinburgh In Three-And-A-Half Hours

This is a paragraph from the Wikipedia entry for the InterCity 225 train.

The InterCity 225 was designed to achieve a peak service speed of 140 mph (225 km/h); during a test run in 1989 on Stoke Bank between Peterborough and Grantham, an InterCity 225 was recorded at a speed of 162 mph (260.7 km/h). Its high speed capabilities were again demonstrated via a 3hr 29mins non-stop run between London and Edinburgh on 26 September 1991. British regulations have since required in-cab signalling on any train running at speeds above 125 mph (201 km/h) preventing such speeds from being legally attained in regular service. Thus, except on High Speed 1, which is equipped with cab signalling, British signalling does not allow any train, including the InterCity 225, to exceed 125 mph (201 km/h) in regular service, due to the impracticality of correctly observing lineside signals at high speed.

If in-cab digital signalling were to be installed between London and Edinburgh, I believe that the three-and-a-half hour timing can be regularly achieved by a High Speed Two Classic-Compatible train.

I also believe that at least one train per hour (tph) between London and Edinburgh could achieve the three-and-a-half hour timing.

High Speed Two are promising a 3:48 time between London and Edinburgh.

It could be a Lumo-squasher!

A one tph service would need eight trains, but would release eight nine-car Class 801 trains.

Euston and Glasgow

This might be another route, where High Speed Two Classic-Compatible trains could be used.

Conclusion

LNER gets some more trains and Derby gets more work.

But the biggest benefits would be that, the trains would get a thorough testing before High Speed Two opens and passengers would get a view of the shape of things to come.

September 15, 2023 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Green Light For Major Transpennine Improvements

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

These paragraphs outline the project.

Improvements on the Transpennine route in West Yorkshire have been given the green light, after a Transport and Works Act order was signed by the transport secretary on 27 June, six months earlier than planned.

The cost of the upgrades was described as ‘multi-billion’ by Network Rail, which said it was the ‘biggest milestone’ so far on the Transpennine Route Upgrade programme.

The improvements will be carried out between Huddersfield and Westtown in Dewsbury, and include quadrupling the double line and remodelling track layouts as well as major renovations at Huddersfield, Deighton and Mirfield and a new station at Ravensthorpe. In addition, there will be a flyover near Ravensthorpe to separate the Wakefield and Leeds lines and reduce conflicting movements.

Effectively, Grant Shapps fired the starting gun for this project four days ago.

I have written various posts on the upgrade and they can be read from this link.

The Transpennine Route Upgrade Web Site

The project now has its own comprehensive web site, which is named the Transpennine Route Upgrade.

A Reply To Peter Robins About Electrification

Peter Robins made this very perceptive comment.

The main point of TPU isn’t electrification, though, it’s upgrading the track to remove bottlenecks, improve lines speeds, add capacity. This is mainly what the Hudd-Dew TWA order is about. If you electrify the line while you’re doing that, then you increase the number of connecting places/lines which are within range of current batteries.

I think that Lds-CF will also have to wait for the post-IRP review, meaning the full upgrade will be a long time coming.

This Hitachi infographic shows the specification of their Regional Battery Train.

Note.

  1. It is a 100 mph train.
  2. Batteries can be charged when travelling under wires or 10-15 mins static.
  3. Range on batteries is 90 km. or 56 miles.
  4. My experience of Hitachi bi-modes is that pantographs on these trains can go up and down, with all the alacrity of a whore’s drawers.

Hitachi have stated that they will be testing a Class 802 train with batteries later this year.

Could Hitachi Battery Trains Be Charged On The Electrification Between Huddersfield And Dewsbury?

Looking at the data from RealTimeTrains for this route it appears that the fastest time I can find between Huddersfield And Dewsbury is eleven minutes.

Would this be enough time to fully-charge the battery? If not the electrification could perhaps be extended for a couple of miles.

How Many Of Transpennine Express (TPE)’s Services Could Be Decarbonised, if Huddersfield And Dewsbury Were To Be Electrified?

I’ll look at each service that uses this route.

Liverpool Lime Street And Newcastle

This is an hourly service that calls at Newton-le-Willows, Manchester Victoria, Huddersfield, Dewsbury, Leeds, York, Northallerton, Darlington and Durham.

  • Liverpool Lime Street and Manchester Victoria is electrified.
  • Colton Junction and Newcastle is electrified.
  • Huddersfield and Dewsbury will be electrified by the Transpennine Route Upgrade.

This leaves the following sections without electrification.

  • Manchester Victoria and Huddersfield – 25.8 miles
  • Dewsbury and Colton Junction – 29.3 miles

Note.

  1. There are also stops under the wires, at Dewsbury, Huddersfield and Leeds, which could be used to top up the battery.
  2. The largest unelectrified section would be 29.3 miles.

It looks to me that Liverpool Lime Street And Newcastle could be served using a Hitachi Regional Battery Train or similar.

Manchester Airport And Redcar Central

This is an hourly service that calls at Gatley, Manchester Piccadilly, Manchester Oxford Road, Manchester Victoria, Huddersfield, Dewsbury, Leeds, York, Thirsk, Northallerton, Yarm, Thornaby and Middlesbrough.

  • Manchester Airport and Manchester Victoria is electrified.
  • Colton Junction and Northallerton is electrified.
  • Huddersfield and Dewsbury will be electrified by the Transpennine Route Upgrade.

This leaves the following sections without electrification.

  • Manchester Victoria and Huddersfield – 25.8 miles
  • Dewsbury and Colton Junction – 29.3 miles
  • Northallerton and Redcar Central – 28.8 miles

Note.

  1. There are also stops under the wires, at Dewsbury, Huddersfield and Leeds, which could be used to top up the battery.
  2. The largest unelectrified section would be 29.3 miles.
  3. I suspect that charging could be needed at Redcar end of the route. Middlesbrough would probably be best, as it could also charge the LNER services, if they used battery power from Northallerton.

It looks to me that Manchester Airport And Redcar Central could be served using a Hitachi Regional Battery Train or similar.

Manchester Piccadilly And Hull

This is an hourly service that calls at Stalybridge, Huddersfield, Leeds, Selby and Brough.

  • Manchester Piccadilly and Manchester Victoria is electrified.
  • Huddersfield and Dewsbury will be electrified by the Transpennine Route Upgrade.
  • Leeds and Neville Hill Depot is electrified.

This leaves the following sections without electrification.

  • Manchester Victoria and Huddersfield – 25.8 miles
  • Dewsbury and Leeds – 29.3 miles
  • Neville Hill Depot and Hull – 50 miles

Note.

  1. There are also stops under the wires, at Huddersfield and Leeds, which could be used to top up the battery.
  2. The largest unelectrified section would be 50 miles.
  3. I am sure that charging would be needed at Hull end of the route. Hull would probably be best, as it could also charge the Hull Trains, LNER and Northern Trains services, if they used battery power from the East Coast Main Line.
  4. Alternatively, there could be electrification between Hull and Brough. or Neville Hill and Micklefield. The latter would knock eight miles off the unelectrified section and is needed to allow electric trains to access Neville Hill Depot under electric power.

It looks to me that Manchester Piccadilly and Hull could be served using a Hitachi Regional Battery Train or similar.

Manchester Piccadilly and Huddersfield

This is an hourly service that calls at Stalybridge, Mossley, Greenfield, Marsden, and Slaithwaite.

  • Manchester Piccadilly is electrified.
  • Huddersfield is electrified.

This leaves the following sections without electrification.

  • Manchester Piccadilly and Huddersfield – 25.5 miles

Note.

  1. There are also stops under the wires, at Manchester Piccadilly and Huddersfield, which would be used to top up the battery.
  2. The largest unelectrified section would be 25.5 miles.
  3. Trains would be charged at both ends of the route.

It looks to me that Manchester Piccadilly and Huddersfield could be served using a Hitachi Regional Battery Train or similar.

Huddersfield And Leeds

This is an hourly service that calls at Deighton, Mirfield, Ravensthorpe, Dewsbury, Batley, Morley and Cottingley

  • Huddersfield is electrified.
  • Leeds is electrified.

This leaves the following sections without electrification.

  • Dewsbury and Leeds – 29.3 miles

Note.

  1. There are also stops under the wires, at Manchester Piccadilly and Huddersfield, Deighton, Mirfield, Ravensthorpe, Dewsbury and Leeds, which would be used to top up the battery.
  2. The largest unelectrified section would be 29.3 miles.
  3. Trains would be charged at both ends of the route.

It looks to me that Huddersfield and Leeds could be served using a Hitachi Regional Battery Train or similar.

York And Scarborough

This is an hourly service that calls at Malton and Seamer

  • York is electrified.

This leaves the following sections without electrification.

  • York And Scarborough – 42.1 miles

Note.

  1. The largest unelectrified section would be 42.1 miles.
  2. Trains would be charged at both ends of the route.

It looks to me that York and Scarborough could be served using a Hitachi Regional Battery Train or similar.

How Many Of Northern Trains’s Services Could Be Decarbonised, if Huddersfield And Dewsbury Were To Be Electrified?

I’ll look at each service that uses this route.

Wigan North Western And Leeds

This is an hourly service that calls at Daisy Hill, Atherton, Walkden, Salford Crescent, Salford Central, Manchester Victoria, Rochdale, Smithy Bridge, Littleborough, Walsden, Todmorden, Hebden Bridge, Mytholmroyd, Sowerby Bridge, Brighouse, Mirfield, Dewsbury, Morley and Cottingley

  • Wigan North Western is electrified.
  • Salford Crescent and Manchester Victoria is electrified.
  • Heaton Lodge East junction and Dewsbury is electrified.
  • Leeds is electrified.

This leaves the following sections without electrification.

  • Wigan North Western and Salford Crescent – 16 miles
  • Manchester Victoria and Heaton Lodge East junction – 37.6 miles
  • Dewsbury and Leeds – 29.3 miles

Note.

  1. There are also stops under the wires, at Wigan North Western, Salford Crescent, Salford Central, Manchester Victoria, Mirfield, Dewsbury and Leeds, which would be used to top up the battery.
  2. The largest unelectrified section would be 37.6 miles.
  3. Trains would be charged at both ends of the route.

It looks to me that Wigan North Western and Leeds could be served using a Hitachi Regional Battery Train or similar.

Huddersfield And Castleford

This is an occasional service that calls at Deighton, Mirfield and Wakefield Kirkgate.

As it is run by buses at the moment, I can’t get the data to work out if it could be served using a Hitachi Regional Battery Train or similar.

But I suspect it can, after looking at a map.

How Many Of Grand Central’s Services Could Be Decarbonised, if Huddersfield And Dewsbury Were To Be Electrified?

I’ll look at each service that uses this route.

London King’s Cross And Bradford Interchange

This is a four trains per day service that calls at Doncaster, Pontefract Monkhill, Wakefield Kirkgate, Mirfield, Brighouse, Halifax and Low Moor.

  • King’s Cross and Doncaster is electrified.
  • Mirfield is electrified.

This leaves the following sections without electrification.

  • Doncaster and Mirfield – 34.8 miles
  • Mirfield and Bradford Interchange – 17.3 miles

Note.

  1. There are also stops under the wires, at Mirfield, which would be used to top up the battery.
  2. The largest unelectrified section would be 34.8 miles.
  3. Trains would need to be charged at Bradford Interchange, during the turnround of around an hour.
  4. It is likely, that some electrification will be erected in the Bradford area, to improve services to Leeds.

It looks to me that London King’s Cross and Bradford Interchange could be served using a Hitachi Regional Battery Train or similar.

Conclusion

It looks like electrifying between Huddersfield and Dewsbury will enable a Hitachi Regional Battery Train or similar to work all passenger routes, that run on that section of track.

 

July 1, 2022 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 21 Comments

‘Upgrade East Coast Main Line Before HS2’ If Leeds And Yorkshire Want Faster Rail Links To London

The title of this post, is the same as that of this letter to the Yorkshire Post.

This is the opening paragraph.

The decision to scrap HS2 running to Leeds is controversial but those who travel to London should not despair.

The writer makes these points.

  • High Speed Two will probably charge a premium fare because of the speed.
  • The current journey time to the capital is two hours 13 minutes at a cost of £28-60, if purchased in advance.
  • Planned improvements on the East Coast Main Line will reduce the journey time to London King’s Cross to one hour 56 minutes.
  • High Speed Two will take one hour 22 minutes.
  • If the line between Doncaster and Leeds were to be improved, the journey time could be reduced to one hour 45 minutes.

The writer finishes by saying that if the government ‘four tracked’ the entire East Coast route, 140mph LNER’s Azuma trains would match the times of High Speed Two.

In What Will Be The Fastest Times Possible Between London King’s Cross And Leeds?, I came to this conclusion.

It looks like a non-stop service between London and Leeds running at 140 mph, with perhaps some sections at perhaps a bit faster, could be able to match the High Speed Two times.

Running non-stop saves a total of eighteen minutes.

In an hour, I would give Leeds one non-stop and one stopping service to London.

March 9, 2022 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , , | 13 Comments

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