New Mersey Ferry Takes To The Water For The First Time In Historic Moment
The title of this post, is the same as that of this press release from Merseytravel.
These bullet points act as sub-headings.
- Painted in traditional colours, first sight of the new Mersey Ferry in over 60 years
- Royal Daffodil floated on the River Mersey’s incoming tide
- Vessel then towed into Cammell Laird’s basin for further work to progress
- Proud moment for Mayor Steve Rotheram and Wirral shipbuilders
These three paragraphs add more detail.
The new £26m Mersey Ferry took to the river for the first time today in an historic moment for the Liverpool City Region.
Painted in the fleet’s historic red, white and black colours and with windows fitted, the first new Mersey Ferry in more than 60 years emerged from Cammell Laird’s giant construction hall on the banks of the Mersey early Thursday morning.
In a carefully managed 24-hour operation, the Royal Daffodil was moved to the river’s edge to allow the incoming tide to slowly lift her clear and float the vessel for the very first time. She will then be tugged to the shipyard’s test basin where engineers will carry out further work ahead of full sea trials early next
I would have thought that given Merseyside’s love of the spectacular, they would have launched the ferry in more dramatic fashion.
There is though, this YouTube video of the safe and steady launch.
I have a few thoughts.
The Ferry Was Built Quickly
According to the Wikipedia entry for the Royal Daffodil, the construction dates were as follows.
- Laid Down. 10th January 2025
- Launched. 6th January 2025
It is planned to be in service next year.
Perhaps, the Scottish Government should have asked Cammell Laird to build their recent ferries?
Canal Water To Heat Some Of Liverpool’s Most Famous Buildings In Hi-Tech Carbon-Cutting Scheme
The title of this post is the same as that of this press release from Liverpool City Region.
These five bullet-points act as subheadings.
- Energy generated from Leeds and Liverpool canal by one of the UK’s largest water source heat pumps
- Announcement comes as Mersey Heat Energy Centre officially opens
- Scheme to connect Georges Dock, Cunard and the Museum of Liverpool buildings to Mersey Heat Network
- Joint project between Combined Authority, Liverpool City Council and National Museums Liverpool
- Key part of Combined Authority plan to reach net zero by 2035
These introductory paragraphs add more detail.
Three major public buildings on Liverpool’s waterfront are to slash carbon emissions by joining a heat network driven by energy from canal water.
Under the plan, an extended pipeline will connect Georges Dock building, the Cunard building, and the Museum of Liverpool, part of National Museums Liverpool (NML), to the Mersey Heat network.
The newly opened Mersey Heat Energy Centre is already supplying the Liverpool Waters site, the Titanic Hotel and the Tobacco Warehouse apartments.
It uses one of the UK’s largest water source heat pumps to extract energy from the Leeds and Liverpool Canal to power a network of heating pipes.
The project is the latest in the Liverpool City Region’s five-year carbon action plan and journey to reach net zero. The Combined Authority has recently secured an additional £35m to decarbonise dozens of other public buildings from the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero.
This map of the Liverpool Waterfront shows the canal and some of the buildings mentioned.
Note.
- In the top-left corner is Everton’s new Hill-Dickenson Stadium, which at the time of this map was under construction.
- The pink arrow to its right indicates the Titantic Hotel.
- The Leeds and Liverpool canal passes on the South side of the hotel.
- On the other bank of the canal is the Tobacco Warehouse.
- The canal goes East and then turns North before going all the way to Leeds. The Wikipedia entry gives full details of the canal.
- From the Titanic Hotel, the Leeds and Liverpool Canal also turns South and boats can go along Liverpool’s famous Waterfront to Canning Dock, in front of the Tate Liverpool.
- The red arrow marks the Liver Building.
- Georges Dock building, the Cunard building, and the Museum of Liverpool are just to the South the Liver Building.
- To the East of the Liver building, there is Liverpool City Centre, with beyond it Liverpool Lime Street station, with another collection of important buildings including St. George’s Hall, the Picton Library, World Museum and the Walker Art Gallery.
The Combined Authority will not have a shortage of buildings to decarbonise with the £35m from the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero.
These are my thoughts.
What Is A Water Source Heat Pump?
I asked Google AI this question and received this answer.
A water source heat pump (WSHP) is a highly efficient, low-carbon renewable energy system that extracts heat from a nearby water source like a lake, river, or canal to provide heating and hot water for a building, and can also be used for cooling. It works by using electricity to transfer this thermal energy into the building’s heating system, offering a more efficient alternative to traditional boilers and reducing energy bills. There are two main types: closed-loop systems, which circulate a fluid through pipes submerged in the water, and open-loop systems, which directly pump and then discharge the water.
Is Mersey Heat Energy Centre A Closed Or Open-Loop Water Source Heat Pump?
I asked Google AI this question and received this answer.
The Mersey Energy Heat Centre uses an open-loop water source heat pump system. It abstracts water from the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, extracts heat from it, and then returns the water back to the dock system.
As the Leeds and Liverpool Canal is 127 miles long, and there appears from the map to be a lot of water in the docks at the Liverpool end, I would expect that Liverpool will have more than enough water to extract heat from.
Where Exactly Is The Mersey Heat Energy Centre?
In this article on Place North West, which is entitled Work Begins On Peel’s Mersey Heat Energy Centre, has this image, which is labelled as the Mersey Heat Energy Centre.
Note the large building in the foreground with the circular objects on the roof. Could these be fans or vents?
This Google Map shows the area.
Note.
- The two docks at the top of the map can be picked out in the image.
- The main breakwater on the left, which is marked Isle of Man Steam Packet Company, looks very similar to the one shown in the image.
- The bridge between the two docks on the left appears to be the same in both map and image.
I am fairly sure, that the large building on the breakwater with the three circles on the roof, is the Mersey Heat Energy Centre.
It certainly looks to be a building, that could provide a substantial amount of heat and power .
What Is The Output Of The Mersey Heat And Energy Centre?
I asked Google AI this question and received this answer.
The Mersey Heat and Energy Centre produces low-carbon heat for up to 6,700 homes and 1.3 million square feet of commercial space, aiming to deliver around 20GWh of heat per year. The project is also planned to expand to supply around 45GWh annually. This heat is delivered to buildings for their heating and hot water needs through the Mersey Heat network.
This article on Place North West, also has this similar answer.
Led by district heat network specialist Ener-Vate, the Mersey Heat Energy Centre will feature two 3MW water source heat pumps that would work on an ‘open loop’ system to take heat from water from the Leeds-Liverpool canal. This heat would be used to warm surrounding homes and businesses within six kilometres.
Plans form the first phase of Peel NRE’s Mersey Heat network. The initial project could supply 20GWh of heat every year, with planning permission secured to expand to supply around 45GWh – the equivalent of supplying heating and hot water to 17,000 homes.
It looks like we’re getting similar answers from different sources.
Does the Merseyside Area Have Enough Green Electricity To Power A Large Water Source Heat Pump?
In Could Liverpool Develop A Massive Zero-Carbon Data Centre?, I calculated the operational and planned offshore wind power in Liverpool Bay and got these results.
- 2509 MW has been commissioned.
- 3980 MW is being planned.
That is a total of 6489 MW or about twice the output of Hinckley Point C nuclear power station.
This map shows the existing wind farms in the sea between Liverpool, Lancashire and the Isle of Man.
Note.
- Each green arrow is a wind farm.
- There is the 2452 MW Heysham nuclear power complex near Lancaster.
- The Western HVDC Link is a 2250 MW connection between Hunterston in Western Scotland near Glasgow and Connah’s Quay on the Wirral.
- I also suspect more space in Liverpool Bay could be developed with wind farms.
Spinal Tap turned the power up to 11, Liverpool, being Liverpool, they have enough power to go to at least sixteen.
Will Merseyside Have Lots Of Data Centres?
Consider.
- It has the power.
- It has the water.
- The locals speak a form of English.
- Merseyside will be two hours from London by train.
- There are two Premier League football teams.
- The golf courses are good.
- It is a city that is famous all over the world.
I am sure the number of data centres will grow.
Conservatives Would Scrap Stamp Duty, Badenoch Announces
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the BBC.
This is the sub-heading.
The next Conservative government would abolish stamp duty on the purchase of main homes, Kemi Badenoch has said, in a surprise announcement at the end of her first conference speech as party leader.
These two introductory paragraphs add more detail.
Badenoch received a standing ovation from Tory activists in Manchester as she declared: “That is how we will help achieve the dream of home ownership for millions.”
She said scrapping stamp duty – a tax paid by home buyers in England and Northern Ireland – will “unlock a fairer and more aspirational society” and help people of all ages.
Note.
- I have a degree in Control Engineering at Liverpool University and graduated in 1968.
- Badenoch has a degree in Systems Engineering at Sussex University and graduated much recently.
Our degrees are both very mathematically-based and probably surprisingly similar.
My feeling as a Control Engineer, is that to selectively remove stamp duty could be a good idea, as you are affecting the derivatives rather than the rates.
Only time will tell, but some thorough mathematical modelling will probably show the validity of the idea.
It is unlikely that I will move, but given the state of the buses, there is a small chance that I might.
- My current house is probably worth about a million.
- If I bought a similarly-priced house, I would pay tax of £43,750.
- But, if I bought a house at double the price, I would pay tax of £153,750.
Given the progressive nature of the tax, I think I’ll be staying put, occupying a three-bedroom family house with a garage, all by myself.
If the tax is removed, I would be more likely to move into a house, that suited me better!
Wigan Wallgate To Headbolt Lane – 10th May 2025
I was now running late and decided to go back to Liverpool via the Kirkby Branch Line, with a change of train at Headbolt Lane.
I took these pictures along the route.
Note.
- Wigan Wallgate station could be refurbished into a quality station.
- Manchester to Wigan Wallgate is likely to be electrified, as I wrote in Bolton-Wigan £78m Rail Electrification Project Announced.
- Headbolt Lane station is a new station.
- The other stations on the line are fairly rudimentary affairs.
- Only Headbolt Lane station is step-free, as all platforms are on the same level.
The Kirkby Branch Line runs across the flat Lancashire countryside.
This Google Map shows the unusual layout of Headbolt Lane station.
Note.
- Liverpool is to the South-West.
- Wigan and Manchester are to the North-East.
- The station buildings and the car parks are on the North side of the tracks.
- There are two platforms pointing towards Liverpool.
- There is a single platform pointing towards Wigan.
- There is a second track pointing towards Wigan, that has no platform.
- None of the tracks are electrified.
- Three red buffer stops can be picked out.
- Trains to Liverpool are run by battery-electric Class 777 multiple units.
- Trains to Wigan and Manchester are run by diesel multiple units.
All platforms are the same level and you can walk from one side of the station to the other between the buffer stops.
It is effectively a step-free three-platform station without lifts or escalators.
I have never seen another station like it!
Modernising The Route Between Wigan Wallgate And Headbolt Lane
Consider.
- With the exception of Headbolt Lane station, there is no step-free access on this line and that needs to be addressed.
- Wigan Wallgate station has an island platform, with steps to the street.
- With the exception of Headbolt Lane station, there is very little parking.
- The Class 150 diesel multiple units are forty years old.
The distance between Wigan Wallgate and Headbolt Lane stations is about 15 miles.
Arriving In Liverpool Lime Street Station – 10th May 2025
Liverpool Lime Street station has one of the more spectacular approaches of British railway stations, as these pictures show.
These sections describe the approach.
Crossing The Mersey
You cross the Mersey at Runcorn on the Ethelfreda or Britannia Bridge, which is described in this Wikipedia entry.
It was completed in 1868 and hopefully in a few years, it will be carrying High Speed Two trains between London and Liverpool.
On your right as you cross the Mersey to Liverpool is the Silver Jubilee road bridge, which is a through arch bridge that opened in 1961 to replace a historic transporter bridge. I am just a little bit too young to have seen the transporter bridge.
Further to your right, you can see the Mersey Gateway Bridge, which is a cable-stayed bridge, that opened in 2017 and is described in this Wikipedia entry.
Drax’s Biomass
As you approach Lime Street station, you pass through Edge Hill, where there are the GB Railfreight sidings, where the biomass trains for Drax power station are marshalled for their journey across the Pennines. These Drax trains seem to be one of the few freight trains in the UK, that carry advertising. Tesco trains also do, but their’s is just big letters.
In Do Cummins And Stadler Have a Cunning Plan?, I talked about the possible conversion at some date in the future of GB Railfreight’s new electro-diesel Class 99 locomotives to electro-hydrogen locomotives. These locomotives will surely be ideal for hauling Drax’s biomass trains across the Pennines.
I do believe that these Class 99 locomotives are the future of heavy freight trains in the UK. In Iarnród Éireann Looks At Diesel Loco Replacement Options, I write about speculation, that Stadler may build a version for the Irish.
Through The Edge Hill Cutting
From Edge Hill a deep cutting through the sandstone takes you into Lime Street station.
It looked good in the sun, but the first time I arrived in the city to start my studies at Liverpool University, it was chucking it down and the cutting was very dark and wet.
It was a very different welcome to that, which I got yesterday.
My Train Arrived In Platform 10
Liverpool Lime Street has two cast iron train sheds.
- The Western shed has platform 1 to 5 and generally handles trains from the East.
- The Eastern shed has platform 6 to 10 and generally handles trains from the South.
Note.
- Changing between trains is just a step-free walk across the station concourse.
- Both sections have their own taxi rank and full-size clock.
- The Ticket Office is in the Western train shed.
I just walked from my train to the Ticket Office, bought a Lancashire Day Ranger ticket and then walked fifty metres to my next train.
How many stations have such an easy change of trains?
Is Liverpool Lime Street Station Ready For High Speed Two?
Consider.
- I travelled North in an 11-car Class 390 train, which is 265.3 metres long and can carry 607 passengers.
- As the last pictures show, the train fitted easily into platform 10.
- High Speed Two plans to send 200 metre classic-compatible trains to Liverpool Lime Street, with each having a capacity of up to 528.
It looks to me, that these High Speed Two classic-compatible trains will fit into Liverpool Lime Street station, at any platform that currently accepts an eleven-car Class 390 train.
Looking on Real Time trains over the last few days, I’ve found eleven-car Class 390 trains using platforms 9, 10 and 6.
It seems that Network Rail’s engineers have done a superb job to turn the Grade II Listed station, into one of the best operationally.
Liverpool Fans’ Celebrations Caused Earth Tremor
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the BBC.
This is the sub-heading.
Liverpool fans celebrating the club’s historic title-clinching win over Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield caused a series of tremors, university scientists have revealed.
These three paragraphs give more details.
Arne Slot’s side secured the club’s 20th top-flight championship defeating Tottenham 5-1 in front of a packed Anfield stadium on 27 April.
The most significant tremor was caused by Alexis Mac Allister’s strike in the 24th minute, which put Liverpool 2-1 ahead and registered a peak magnitude of 1.74 on the Richter scale.
The data was recorded by University of Liverpool earth scientists using equipment used to detect earthquakes.
Looking at it on a scientific basis, it is surely a very good test that the equipment is working well.
The whole of the BBC article is worth a good read.
Mayors Head To Parliament With Plan For Northern Arc To Deliver Green Growth
The title of this post, is the same as that of this news item from Liverpool City Region.
These four bullet points act as sub-headings.
- Steve Rotheram and Andy Burnham take case for backing Northern Arc to Treasury – as new data shows North can drive green growth and unlock £90bn for UK economy
- Liverpool City Region and Greater Manchester Mayors will meet with ministers and MPs today, and Andy Burnham will give evidence at Business and Trade Select Committee on the UK’s industrial strategy
- Economic analysis shows that investing in transport infrastructure and a pipeline of projects across the North would benefit the whole UK economy, improving living standards and closing the North-South productivity gap
- Mayors will also address Innovation Zero World Congress in London, showing how city-regions can create high quality jobs by pioneering low-carbon innovation
These two paragraphs add a bit more detail.
The right investment would create a growth corridor, stretching from the Mersey to the Pennines and connecting into West and South Yorkshire, underpinned by transport networks that would include a new railway linking Liverpool and Manchester.
The Northern Arc area spans regions with close economic ties to Lancashire, North Wales, Hull and the North East. With international connections through the Port of Liverpool and Manchester Airport, it’s well positioned for global trade.
If I have a problem with the mayors’ thoughts, the plan outlined in the news item is rather Liverpool/Manchester-based with Hull being the only city outside that area getting a mention. Do Blackburn, Blackpool, Bradford, Burnley, Doncaster, Huddersfield, Leeds, Preston, Rotherham, Scunthorpe, Stockport, Wigan and York exist?
For instance you would expert a report from Liverpool and Manchester’s Mayors to call for a new railway between their two cities. And of course they do!
The current TransPennine Lines has two main routes across the Pennines between East and West.
If ever there was a rail route, designed by Topsy, it is the North TransPennine Route.
- There are six separate services, if you ignore Newcastle and Edinburgh Waverley, which is a shuttle to fill a gap in rail services.
- In the West trains terminate at Huddersfield, Liverpool Lime Street, Manchester Airport, Manchester Piccadilly and Manchester Victoria
- In the East trains terminate at Edinburgh Waverley, Hull, Leeds, Newcastle, Redcar Central, Scarborough and York.
- Terminals like Huddersfield, Hull, Liverpool Lime Street, Newcastle and York are some of the best terminal stations in the UK, but others are very second rate.
I suspect, this North TransPennine Route structure brought about the demise of TransPennine Express.
The South TransPennine Route on the other hand, although it was built by several different railway companies, they were all intent on the same thing. An East-West route across the Pennines through Doncaster, Manchester and Sheffield.
- The Western terminal is Liverpool Lime Street, which in my view is the finest grand terminus in the UK, in terms of architecture, onward connections and operation. It is also the oldest still-operating grand terminus mainline station in the world, in that it dates from 1836.
- The Eastern terminal is Cleethorpes, which is an efficient four-platform recently-refurbished station, that is within a hundred metres of some of the best gluten-free fish and chips, I’ve ever tasted on the pier.
- Intermediate stations include Liverpool South Parkway, Warrington Central, Birchwood, Irlam, Urmston, Manchester Oxford Road, Manchester Piccadilly, Stockport, Sheffield, Meadowhall, Doncaster, Scunthorpe, Barnetby, Habrough and Grimsby Town.
- Liverpool South Parkway has a bus connection to Liverpool Airport
- Liverpool Lime Street, Manchester Oxford Road, Manchester Piccadilly, Stockport, Sheffield and Doncaster are stations with comprehensive onward connections.
- The route is electrified between Liverpool Lime Street and Manchester Piccadilly and at Doncaster.Liverpool Lime Street and Cleethorpes is 148.2 miles
- Hazel Grove and Doncaster is without electrification and is 52.3 miles long.
- Cleethorpes and Doncaster is without electrification and is 52.1 miles long.
- I believe that Hitachi, Siemens and Stadler could supply battery-electric trains, that would be able to work the route, with the addition of a short length of overhead wires at Cleethorpes, so that trains could return to Doncaster.
- Trains go straight through all the intermediate stations, so there are no time-wasting reverses.
- Journey time is just over three and a half hours.
I believe that a mouse-quiet battery-electric train would pack in the punters, if only for the novelty.
But.
A battery-electric train would probably knock perhaps thirty minutes off the journey.
The timetable would be an hourly train at all stations.
The service would pass the mother’s birthday test, in that you could easily visit any station from any other and buy your mother lunch before returning on a convenient train.
There are connections to and from London at Liverpool Lime Street, Manchester Piccadilly, Stockport, Sheffield and Doncaster.
It could be a very useful East-West train service.
Cammell Laird To Study Market Opportunities For UK-Built SOVs
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on offshoreWIND.biz.
This is the sub-heading.
The Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult, in partnership with the National Shipbuilding Office and The Crown Estate, has appointed Cammell Laird, part of APCL Group, to carry out a detailed analysis of the future market opportunity for UK-built service operation vessels (SOVs) for offshore wind.
These two paragraphs explain the plan.
According to an ORE Catapult analysis, hundreds of SOVs will likely be in operation worldwide in the coming years as global offshore wind capacity is expected to grow to over 850 GW by 2050. To support the capacity expansion, the global SOV fleet will need to grow as well, with an associated global market of nearly GBP 35 billion (approximately EUR 41.6 billion) expected between now and 2050.
The UK SOV Manufacturing Business Case Development study for which Cammell Laird has been commissioned will help to develop knowledge of how the UK can provide vessel manufacturing to support offshore wind, delivering jobs and economic investment to communities around the country, according to ORE Catapult.
These are my thoughts.
Cammell Laird Are Also To Build A New Mersey Ferry
I wrote about this in Sail Into The Future In Style With Super-Realistic Virtual Tour Of The New Mersey Ferry.
I wouldn’t put it past Liverpool, to use one of the City’s famous icons to sell UK-built service operation vessels (SOVs) for offshore wind.
Will Rolls-Royce Get Involved?
In Rolls-Royce Powers World’s Fastest Offshore Crew Transfer Vessels, I describe how Rolls-Royce mtu are providing powerful engines for Italian Crew Offshore Vessels.
Will Rolls-Royce mtu provide the power for Cammell Laird’s service operation vessels?
Sail Into The Future In Style With Super-Realistic Virtual Tour Of The New Mersey Ferry
The title of this post is the same as this page on the Liverpool Region web site.
These five bullet points act as sub-headings.
- Immersive, interactive VR tour offers stunning detail of new Mersey Ferry
- Vessel designed to reflect Mersey Ferries’ world-famous new vessel will feature event spaces, bars, bike storage and improved accessibility
- Offers world-class experience to passengers and unique, stylish venue for conferences and private events
- Built by Cammell Laird and part of £26m investment in modernising ferries
- Due to set sail in summer 2026
Good to see, that it will be a locally-built ferry.
The current ferries were there, when I first went to the city in the 1960s.
Click here to take a tour on the new vessel.
Thoughts On Tram-Trains In Manchester
The State Of Public Transport In the North
Over the last few years plans have been put in place to improv the state of the public transport of the major cities of the North and progress has started to happen, with new trains, trams and light rail systems being planned and in some cases coming into service.
Birmingham, Coventry And The West Midlands
A lot of investment has been made and it is continuing.
- Birmingham New Street station has been rebuilt.
- Coventry and Wolverhampton stations have been remodelled.
- Two new stations were built in Birmingham for the Commonwealth Games.
- A large number of new Class 730 local trains are being brought into service.
- Birmingham stations are being updated for High Speed Two.
- The West Midland Metro has been extended at both ends and a second line is under construction.
Transport in the wider West Midlands has been greatly improved.
Derby, Nottingham, Sheffield And The East Midlands
The major investment in this area is the electrification of the Midland Main Line and the provision of new Hitachi electric Class 810 trains.
In addition the following has been done.
- The Hope Valley line between Manchester and Sheffield has been improved.
- Derby station has been improved.
- The local trains have been refurbished.
- The power supply has been improved.
- An application for an Open Access service to Sheffield has been made.
The improvements in the East Midlands, will not be on the same scale as in the West Midlands, but they will make a difference.
Leeds, Bradford And West Yorkshire
For decades, West Yorkshire and especially Bradford has lagged behind the rest of the North.
But at least things are stirring.
- Plans have been laid to create a through station in Bradford.
- Leeds station has been refurbished.
- An extra platform is being added at Bradford Forster Square station.
- The TransPennine Upgrade is underway to electrify between Huddersfield and York.
- Hitachi have developed a battery-electric high speed train for the TransPennine route.
- Bradford is installing a hydrogen electrolyser, so that the city can have hydrogen buses to cope with the hills.
- Plans are now being developed to create a metro for Leeds and Bradford.
West Yorkshire is closing the gap to the rest of the North.
Liverpool And Merseyside
Again, a lot of investment has been made.
- The approaches to Liverpool Lime Street station have finally been sorted, with more tracks and new signalling.
- Liverpool Lime Street station has been improved and is now one of the finest stations in Europe.
- Trains are now approaching High Speed Two times between Crewe and Liverpool.
- More services between London and Liverpool can now be planned, with the arrival of new Class 807 trains.
- Some new stations have been built and more are planned.
- A large number of new Class 777 local trains are being brought into service.
Transport in the wider Merseyside has been greatly improved.
Newcastle, Tyneside And Northumberland
The area is getting investment, but not as much in proportion as others.
- The Metro trains are being replaced and the Metro itself, is getting a major update.
- The East Coast Main Line has received improvements to power supplies, signalling and some bottlenecks.
- The Northumberland Line to Ashington is being brought back into operation.
It’s a start, but if the Northumberland Line is a success, I can see a call for more line re openings.
Manchester And Greater Manchester
If you look at each of the areas, they generally have one or more large projects.
- Birmingham, Coventry And The West Midlands – Birmingham New Street station, Class 730 Trains, High Speed Two, West Midland Metro
- Derby, Nottingham, Sheffield And The East Midlands – Midland Main Line, Class 810 Trains, Hope Valley Line, Open Access To Sheffield
- Leeds, Bradford And West Yorkshire – Leeds station, Bradford improvements, TransPennine Upgrade, Battery-Ekectric Trains, Leeds Metro
- Liverpool And Merseyside – Liverpool Lime Street Improvements, Class 807 Trains, Class 777 Trains
- Newcastle, Tyneside And Northumberland – Metro upgrade with New Trains, Northumberland Line
So what improvements are in the pipeline for Greater Manchester?
This Wikipedia entry is entitled Proposed Developments Of Manchester Metrolink.
The proposed developments include in the Wikipedia order.
- New Metrolink Stop: Stop to serve new housing development proposed at Elton Reservoir on the Bury Line.
- New Metrolink Stop: Stop to serve new housing development proposed at Sandhills on the Bury Line.
- New Metrolink Stop: Stop to serve new housing development proposed at Cop Road on the Oldham and Rochdale Line.
- Airport Line extension to Terminal 2: A short extension of the Airport Line from the current Manchester Airport station to the site of the expanded Terminal 2.
- Airport Line extension to Davenport Green: An extension of the Airport Line from Roundthorn to the site of the proposed Manchester Airport High Speed station on the HS2 high speed network.
- Oldham–Heywood via Rochdale tram-train pathfinder: A tram-train service utilising the heavy rail Calder Valley line to connect Oldham to Heywood through Rochdale railway station.
- Manchester Airport–Wilmslow via Styal tram-train pathfinder: A tram-train service operating on the southern section of the heavy rail Styal Line between Manchester Airport and Wilmslow in Cheshire.
- South Manchester–Hale via Altrincham tram-train pathfinder: An extension of Metrolink’s Altrincham Line using tram-train to reach Hale on the heavy rail Mid-Cheshire line.
- Improved Metrolink frequency between Piccadilly and Victoria stations: Increasing capacity to provide a direct service from Rochdale and Oldham to Manchester Piccadilly.
- Interventions to improve Metrolink capacity and reliability: Includes improvements to turnback facilities and double-tracking currently single-track sections.
- Further interventions to improve Metrolink capacity and reliability: Includes longer vehicles, a third depot and double-tracking currently single-track sections.
- Manchester–Stalybridge extension: An extension of the East Manchester Line from Ashton-under-Lyne to Stalybridge.
- Manchester–Middleton extension: A proposed spur from the Bury Line connecting to the town of Middleton.
- Oldham–Middleton extension: A spur from Oldham to Middleton.
- MediaCityUK–Salford Crescent: A line connecting the MediaCityUK tram stop to the Salford Crescent railway station interchange. Further new Metrolink.
- Connections between Salford Crescent, Inner Salford and the City Centre: Extension of the MediaCityUK–Salford Crescent line into the regional centre.
- Completion of the Airport Line (Wythenshawe Loop): Completion of the Wythenshawe Loop by connecting the Metrolink lines between the Davenport Green and Manchester Airport Terminal 2 extensions.
- Port Salford/Salford Stadium extension: Extending the Trafford Park Line from the Trafford Centre to a proposed container terminal at Port Salford.
- Glossop tram-train: A tram-train service utilising the Glossop line between Manchester and Glossop in Derbyshire.
- Marple tram-train: A tram-train service utilising the Hope Valley line branches north of Marple towards Manchester.
- Manchester–Wigan via Atherton tram-train: A tram-train service utilising the Atherton section of the Manchester–Southport line between Manchester and Wigan.
- Manchester–Warrington tram-train: A tram-train service utilising the southern route of the Liverpool–Manchester lines between Manchester and Warrington.
- Stockport–Hazel Grove tram-train: A tram-train service between Stockport and the suburb of Hazel Grove.
- Stockport–Manchester Airport tram-train: A tram-train service between Stockport and Manchester Airport.
- Rochdale–Bury via Heywood tram-train: Extension of the Oldham–Heywood tram-train pathfinder from Heywood to Bury.
- Manchester Airport–Mid Cheshire tram-train: A tram-train service from Manchester Airport using a proposed Western Link rail line to the Mid-Cheshire line.
- Stockport–Ashton via Denton and Reddish tram-train: A tram-train service utilising the Stockport–Stalybridge line from Stockport to Ashton.
- Cornbrook–Manchester Airport via Timperley tram-train: A tram-train service from Cornbrook using the Altrincham line to Timperley, the Mid Cheshire line to Baguley, then the Wythenshawe Loop to Manchester Airport.
- Regional centre metro tunnel: Providing capacity for more services on the network.
- Oldham–Greenfield via Grotton extension: A Metrolink spur from Oldham town centre to Greenfield railway station on the Huddersfield line.
- Oldham–Royton extension: A Metrolink spur from the Oldham and Rochdale line to the town of Royton.
Note.
- The number of times that tram-trains are mentioned.
- But with its numerous rail and tram lines, Greater Manchester is ideally suited for conversion to tram-trains.
- There are three pathfinder routes for tram-trains, which will be converted first to prove the technology.
These are my detailed thoughts on tram-trains in Greater Manchester,
All Routes Could Be Run By Identical Tram-Trains
If this can be arranged, it is surely preferable from the operator, staff and passengers point-of-view.
Tram-Trains Can Run On Secondary Routes Like The Calder And Hope Valley Lines
In Manchester, this would enable some routes to be swapped from the rail to the tram network.
It would also allow trams to run between networks, so you could have a direct tram service between say Stockport and Sheffield on the Hope Valley Line.
Tram-Trains Can Be Faster
Tram-trains can be faster, when running on rail lines, so they don’t hold up expresses.
What Do Tram-Trains Look Like?
This is one of Sheffield’s Class 399 tram-trains at Rotherham Parkgate.
Note.
- This tram-train is a member of the Stadler Citylink family.
- this version can be powered by either 750 VDC or 25 KVAC.
- The Welsh version will also have battery-power.
- It is a three-car tram train.
- There is step-free access.
The Wikipedia entry for the Stadler Citylink has lots more details.
Stadler have just launched a new smaller one- or two-car tram-train.
This image from the press release shows the prototype hydrogen-powered one-car RS ZERO.
Note.
- The Regio-Shuttles can run as up to seven car trains.
- These RS ZERO are powered by overhead electrification, battery or hydrogen power.
- They can carry 170 passengers at 75 mph.
- They can run as train-trams using the Chemnitz model on compatible tram networks.
- The interiors are very flexible.
- An RS ZERO can be fitted with toilets for the posher parts of Manchester.
- Typically, a one-car RS ZERO handles a similar passenger load to a one-car Metrolink vehicle.
The more I compare the RS ZERO with the Metrolink’s trams, the more it looks like Stadler’s design has a Metrolink order firmly in its sights.
A Simple Tram-Train Example
The Altrincham Line of the Metrolink, runs between Altrincham and Deansgate-Castlefield in Central Manchester.
- Tram-trains would be capable of sharing the tracks with the current trams.
- Initially, they would run an identical service to the same destinations in the North.
- At either Navigation Road or Altrincham stations, they would switch to the heavy rail track.
- They would then travel to Hale or whatever station is determined to be the terminus.
Tram-trains would be a simple way of extending a tram service along a heavy eail line.
The Range Of The RS ZERO
This article on the Railway Gazette is entitled Prototype RS Zero Hydrogen Or Battery Railcar For Secondary Lines Unveiled At InnoTrans, has this paragraph.
The hydrogen powered RS Zero has a range of more than 700 km in the single car version, and a two-car version would offer more than 1 000 km. Battery trains will offer ranges of 80 to 110 km or 90 to 180 km. The maximum speed is 120 km/h.
As Chester and Manchester is only 45 miles or 72.4 kilometres, ways and means of running the battery versions on the route should be possible.
In fact, as Stockport and Manchester Piccadilly is already electrified at 25 KVAC and a return trip to Manchester Piccadilly from Stockport probably takes about twenty-five minutes, I would envisage that an RS ZERO would leave Stockport for Chester with a full battery. As Stockport and Chester is only 39.2 miles or 63 kilometres, the RS ZERO should do the trip if it started with a full battery and had a short length of electrification at Chester to top up the battery, if needed.
Other Possible Tram-Train Routes From Stockport
It is indicated the Metrolink would like to run other tram-train routes from Stockport.
- Ashton – Not sure of the route
- Buxton – 31.8 km
- Hazel Grove – 5 km – Electrified
- Manchester Piccadilly – 9 km – Electrified
- Manchester Airport – Not sure of the route
- Sheffield – 59 km – Will be electrified at Sheffield
Note.
- This would speed up Sheffield services.
- Buxton would be an interesting route and would probably use Newton’s friend to help on the return.
I suspect that nearly all local services from Manchester through Stockport could be run by battery-electric or hydrogen tram-trains.
The Glossop Line Could Be Converted To Tram-Train
It’s already electrified so why not?
Conclusion
It strikes me, that a lot of Manchester’s suburban rail network could be converted to RS ZERO tram-trains.
The RS ZERO tram-trains could also be used on existing tram routes to convert them to tram-train operation and extend them.
As a bonus Manchester’s trains would be substantially decarbonised.
The Anonymous Widower 