MML Wires Could Reach Market Harborough
The title of this post is the same as that of an article in the June 2018 Edition of Modern Railways.
It appears that Network Rail have a problem.
- Electrification of the Midland Main Line (MML) is to run as far as Kettering and Corby stations.
- The power feed is to be located at Braybrooke, which is just South of Market Harborough station.
So Network Rail are now looking for a twelve mile long extension lead.
A Network Rail spokesman, says they are looking at various options, including an underground cable or extending the Overhead Line Equipment.
Extending The Electrification To Market Harborough
There must be a scenario, where extending the electrification as far as Market Harborough, is a feasible and cost-effective engineering solution.
Consider, the MML between Market Harborough station and Glendon Junction, where the Corby Branch Line joins.
- The distance is less than twelve miles.
- There are no stations, which can be a pain to electrify.
- The track through Market Harborough station is being re-aligned, so the station should be easy to electrify.
- Glendon Junction is the only junction.
- The electrification will reach as far as Glendon Junction from St. Pancras.
- The route is is a double-track railway, which appears to be over fairly level terrain.
- There appears to be wide margins on either side of the railway.
- There are about half-a-dozen bridges over the railway, some of which could have been fairly recently built or rebuilt.
I doubt, it would be one of the most difficult of electrification projects.
I also suspect, that after their electrification fiascoes of the last few years, Network Rail might have learned enough to do this at an affordable cost.
For example, if the bridges are a problem, they might be able to use the technique I described in Novel Solution Cuts Cardiff Bridge Wiring Cost.
East Midlands Trains Services To And From London
If you look at the current long distance service of East Midlands Trains, there are the following four services between St. Pancras and Derby, Nottingham and Sheffield stations.
- Nottingham (stopping) – Stops at Luton Airport Parkway, Bedford, Wellingborough, Kettering, Market Harborough, Leicester, Loughborough and Beeston.
- Sheffield (semi-fast) – Stops at Leicester, Loughborough, East Midlands Parkway, Long Eaton, Derby and Chesterfield
- Nottingham (fast) – Stops at Market Harborough, Leicester and East Midlands Parkway
- Sheffield (fast) – Stops at Leicester, Derby and Chesterfield.
Note.
- Market Harborough, Leicester, Loughborough, East Midlands Psrkway, Derby, Nottingham, Chesterfield and Sheffield stations, all get at least two trains per hour (tph) to and from London.
- Include the Corby service and Bedford, Wellingborough and Kettering have two tph to and from London.
- All trains stop at Leicester station, which gives the city four tph to and from London.
- Market Harborough to Leicester is only sixteen miles.
Bi-Mode Trains
From 2021, it is expected that these services will be run by 125 mph bi-mode trains.
So how will electrification help these bi-mode trains?
Class 802 Trains
Suppose the services were to be run by a Class 802 train, which can do at least 125 mph using electric power.
An article on Christian Wolmar’s web site, is entitled Bombardier’s Survival Was The Right Kind Of Politics.
This is said.
The Hitachi bi-mode trains can only go 110 mph when using diesel.
The article was written a year ago, so this figure may be higher now!
So a Hitachi bi-mode will be able to go to the end of the electrification at either Glendon Junction or Market Harborough, as fast as the track allows and then at 110 mph on diesel.
Currently, services between St. Pancras and London take around seventy to eighty minutes.
What difference would the planned electrification to Glendon Junction make to this time?
Consider.
- Electrification to Glendon Junction or Market Harborough station could save more time, through faster running.
- Electrification to Market Harborough would mean only sixteen miles to Leicester would be on diesel.
- Electrification at Market Harborough station would cut time for those services stopping at the station.
- Track improvement could allow more 125 mph running using electric power.
- Modern in-cab digital signalling might allow sections of even faster running under electric power.
- Modern trains should save time at stations.
I’m certain that the right combination of improvements to track, stations and trains, will mean all services between St. Pancras and Leicester would be around an hour with Class 802 trains.
Bombardier’s Proposed 125 mph Aventra Bi-Mode
Bmbardier have announced a 125 mph bi-mode Aventra, which I wrote about in Bombardier Bi-Mode Aventra To Feature Battery Power.
I said this about the train.
- Development has already started.
- Battery power could be used for Last-Mile applications.
- The bi-mode would have a maximum speed of 125 mph under both electric and diesel power.
- Bombardier’s spokesman said that the ambience will be better, than other bi-modes.
This train with its faster speed on diesel would certainly achieve a time between St. Pancras and Leicester of under an hour.
I also think that this time will be achieved, whether or not, the wires are extended to Market Harborough.
Improving The Track
Many politicians, union leaders and environmentalists, see electrification as the main answer to better train services.
But before you can electrify a route, the track must be in a state, so that trains can run at a high speed, with long gentle curves and as few junctions as possible.
In the Wikipedia entry for Market Harborough station, there is a section called Future. This is said.
Market Harborough station is located on a large curve on the Midland Main Line, as a result of this line speeds through the station have always been relatively slow, at around 60 mph (100 km/h). The track layout is set to change significantly over the next couple of years as Network Rail engineers set about straightening the line, as part of their overall plan to increase overall line speeds.
How many other sections between Glendon Junction and Leicester could benefit from this type of improvement?
Should Market Harborough To Leicester Be Electrified?
As Market Harborough and Leicester stations are only about sixteen miles apart, surely it would be sensible to electrify this section, if Glendon Junction to Market Harborough is electrified?
I have flown my helicopter from Market Harborough to Leicester and the whole route has the following characteristics.
- Double-track
- Fairly level
- Wide margins.
- Market Harborough is the only station.
- There are junctions South of Leicester.
It would be fairly easy to electrify, but for one thing.
Although, there are only half-a-dozen bridges South of Market Harborough, it would appear there to be up to twenty bridges on the Northern section, some of which look like they would need serious work to get the wires underneath.
I have a feeling that electrifying between Market Harborough and Leicester would cause massive disruption to road traffic, if some bridges needed to be demolished and rebuilt.
A bi-mode travelling at upwards of 110 mph would probably achieve the same times on this section, without the disruption of installing the electrification.
Could Discontinuous Electrification Be Used Between Market Harborough And Leicester?
This is an additional section, that has been added after the announcement of March 5th 2019, that stated that the Midland Main Line would be electrified as far as Market Harborough.
Discontinuous electrification is to be used on the South Wales Metro and the difficult section, South of Leicester, which has lots of road bridges, might be a section, where the technique could be used to advantage.
Conclusion
I think that electrification between Glendon Junction and Market Harborough station will happen.
- The section wouldn’t be the most difficult to electrify.
- As there needs to be an electrical connection between Market Harborough and Glendon Junction, electrification of that section of the railway, might be a cost-effective solution to provide the connection.
- Electrification of Market Harborough station would cut the time to make a call at the station.
- It would offer enough time reduction on the Midland Main Line, that to give Leicester a four tph service to and from St. Pancras, with a journey time of under an hour, using existing train designs.
However, electrifying from Market Harborough to Leicester would be more difficult and I can’t see it offering any substantial benefits over a modern bi-mode train.
A Hydrogen-Powered Locomotive
If Alstom’s ventures in Germany and the UK with hydrogen-powered trains, are successful, I don’t think it will be long before engineers start thinking about a hydrogen-powered locomotive.
Consider some of the various locomotives used in the UK.
- Class 66 – Diesel – 2,500 kW – Over 400 in service
- Class 67 – Diesel – 2,400 kW – 30 in service
- Class 68 – Diesel – 2,800 kW – 34 in service
- Class 70 – Diesel – 2,800 kW – 37 in service
- Class 88 – Diesel – 700 kW – Electric – 4,000 kW – 10 in service
- Class 90 – Electric – 3,700 kW – 50 produced.
- Class 91 – Electric – 4,800 kW – 31 produced
- Class 92 – Electric – 5.000 kW – 46 produced.
Note.
- Many of the diesel locomotives, like the Class 66, don’t meet the latest emission regulations.
- Class 66 locomotives spent a lot of time pulling freight trains on electrified lines.
- The Class 90 electric locomotives are getting old and need careful maintenance.
- The Rail Minister, Jo Johnson, would like to see diesel power on UK railways gone by 2040.
I have not included some of the heritage locomotives, that are regularly seen on the UK rail network pulling freight.
This picture shows a pair of Class 86 locomotives hauling a freight train through Hackney Wick station.
These two Class 86 locomotives date from the mid-1960s. But they do have 2,700 kW of power. Each!
According to Wikipedia, fourteen of Freightliner‘s thirty Class 86 locomotives are still in regular use.
Not only is this a tribute to 1960s engineering, but it does show that there is a shortage of suitable locomotives in the UK.
So could a modern environmentally-friendly locomotive be developed to fill the gap?
A Look At The Class 88 Locomotive
There could be a clue as to what could be a useful power output in the design of the Class 88 locomotive.
- These are a modern design from Shadler that entered service in 2017.
- They have a power output of 4,000 kW from electricity.
- They have a power output of 700kW from diesel.
- They can switch between power sources automatically.
- They can haul passenger trains, as well as heavy freight trains.
- They comply with Euro III B emission limits.
Did Direct Rail Services make sure they got a correctly-sized locomotive with the right capabilities?
They obviously find the diesel Class 68 locomotive to their liking, as they have bought over thirty.
So they probably knew very well, the sort of power that they would need from a dual-mode electro-diesel locomotive.
On electricity, the Class 88 locomotive is more powerful than a Class 90 electric locomotive, which commonly haul heavy freight trains on the electrified network.
In this article in Rail Magazine, the following is said about Class 88 locomotives, operating from Preston to Glasgow.
When hauling the maximum permitted load of 1,536 tonnes on the 1 in 75 banks on this route, Class 88 has a balancing speed of 34mph in electric mode or 5mph in diesel mode.
This shows how a well-delivered 700 kW, isn’t that inadequate.
I suspect that there is sufficient power to bring a heavy freight train out of Felixstowe and the other ports without electrification.
So perhaps, we should take the specification of a Class 88 train, as a starting point for the specification of a proposed hydrogen locomotive?
Possible Routes And Duties
There are also some specific problems associated with various routes and duties, where the current UK fleet of locomotives are used.
InterCity 225 Trains
There are currently thirty-one InterCity 225 trains, running on the East Coast Main Line.
- They are hauled by a 4,800 kW Class 91 electric locomotive.
- The trains consist of nine Mark 4 coaches and a driving van trailer.
- The trains were designed for 140 mph, but normally run at 125 mph.
- The trains have a capacity of over five hundred passengers.
- The trains could be made to meet all proposed access regulations for those with reduced mobility, with not a great deal of expensive work.
- Most of the trains will be replaced by Class 800 trains in the next couple of years.
- The trains are owned by Eversholt Rail Group, who are gaining a reputation for innovation.
The trains could probably give a few more years of service.
One suggestion, that has been made, would be to run the trains on the Midland Main Line.
- Sections of the route allow running at 125 mph.
- The route needs an urgent replacement for InterCity 125 trains.
- The route is only to be electrified as far as Kettering and Corby.
So an alternative and powerful locomotive would be needed, that could run on both lines with and without electrification.
The Class 91 locomotives are powerful beasts running on electricity, but with careful calculations, I’m sure that the power needed on lines with and without wires should be known.
The trains might also be formed of less coaches and selective electrification could be used in stations to accelerate the trains.
Note that accelerating the train to 125 mph, will be the major use of electricity. Hence, electrified stations would be welcome.
Expect some innovative proposals to use Mark 4 coaches from the InterCity 225 on the Midland Main Line.
Initially, could two Class 88 locomotives working in push-pull mode, handle say six Mark 4 coaches between London and Derby, Nottingham and Sheffield?
Who knows? But there are probably teams of engineers working away to create plausible solutions for the bidders for the new East Midlands Franchise, which will be awarded in April 2019.
Class 66 Locomotive Replacement
Because of their number, you see Class 66 locomotives everywhere on the UK network.
- They haul long inter-modal freight trains.
- They haul freight into and out of docks like Felixstowe, that are without electrification.
- They haul engineering trains.
- They are often seen hauling trains using diesel power on electrified lines.
But they are one of the most environmentally-unfriendly of diesel trains, which don’t meet the latest emission regulations.
How long before residents and rail passengers, start to complain about these locomotives, where electric haulage is possible?
I believe there is an increasingly urgent need for a go-anywhere replacement for the Class 66 locomotive.
It would appear, that the Class 88 locomotive, was specified so it can take over some of the duties of a Class 66 locomotive,
Could this see more orders for the Stadler locomotive?
I also believe that we could see other types of locomotive built to replace the Class 66 locomotive.
We might even see a locomotive with a lower power rating able to use electric or hydrogen power for work with all the smaller trains, that Class 66 locomotives haul.
Hydrogen Instead Of Diesel
The 700 kW diesel engine in a Class 88 locomotive is a Caterpillar C27, which drives an ABB alternator.
The engine alone weighs three tonnes.
By comparison Ballard make a hydrogen fuel cell that has an output of 100 kW, for a weight of 385 Kg.
This gives a weight of 2.7 tonnes for an output of 700 kW.
There will need to be a substantial battery. I estimate that a 500 kWh battery will weigh about eight tonnes.
On balance, the hydrogen-powered locomotive will probably be heavier than a diesel one, but it will have environmental advantages.
But with good design, I do think that a locomotive with similar performance to a Class 88 can be produced.
It might need to be longer or articulated and have more axles, to cope with extra weight.
Conclusion
I am led to the belief that a hydrogen-powered locomotive with sufficient power is possible.
They may be able to handle a lot of the duties of Class 66 locomotives, but I doubt they would be powerful enough for hauling full rakes of Mark 4 coaches.
It will be interesting to see, what solutions are proposed to solve the forthcoming rolling stock shortage on the Midland Main Line.
MK-Bedford New Line Mooted
The title of this post, is the same as the title of an article in the April 2018 Edition of Modern Railways.
This is the first paragraph.
A new railway between Milton Keynes and Bedford for the East West Rail project has been suggested as a way of avoiding problems with the Marston Vale Line, where the hourly stopping service and numerous level crossings limit capacity for through regional trains.
Another aim is that the next phase of the project should be completed by the end 2022, which is between a one and two years earlier than the existing target.The Chairman of the East West Rail Company, then said he’d like the the railway to open in 2027.
The article says a new route will be expensive, but innovative ways of doing things could help.
Consider these points about the Marston Vale Line
- The stations need development.
- There are at least thirteen level crossings.
- New houses are being built near some stations.
- The operating speed is just 50 mph.
- Finding a new route at Fenny Stratford, Woburn Sands, Aspley Guise, Ridgmont and Lidlington could be difficult.
- The railway passes under the M1 and the A421, so moving these crossing points could be difficult.
It’s all a complicated design problem.
East West Rail could borrow a trick from the Heathrow Southern Railway, which is planned to run alongside the M25 to get to Heathrow. The new railway could be routed alongside the A421 in the Bedford area.
This Google Map shows the A421 to the South of Bedford.
Note.
- The Marston Vale Line goes across the North West corner of the map.
- The Midland Main Line goes across the map in a North-South direction.
- The roundabout at the North East connects the A421 to the A6.
- The building by the roundabout is a hotel.
If the East West Rail Link was routed alongside the by-pass a station could be built where the two lines cross.
- The Midland Main Line and Thameslink would be linked to the East West Rail Link.
- Passengers for Bedford would be able to use the frequent Thameslink service to get to the town.
- A big Park-and-Ride could be built.
- Marston Vale Line services would take the same route as they do now, via Bedford St. Johns station.
If it was desired, chords could be built to enable services on the East West Rail Link to serve Bedford with a reverse in Bedford station.
Oxford has a Parkway station, Milton Keynes has a Milton Keynes South station at Bletchley, Cambridge will probably have a Cambridge South station, so why shouldn’t Bedford have a Bedford South station?
Midland Mark 4
The title of this post is the same as an article by Ian Walmsley in the March 2018 Edition of Modern Railways.
Ian builds on what he said in an article in the August 2017 Edition of the same magazine. I wrote about that article in We Should All Think Radically!
He proposes using Mark 4 coaches with two Class 43 power cars to create trains that meet the PRM-TSI regulations deadline, which will mean the replacement of the East Midland Franchise’s twelve InterCity 125s.
He suspects various technical solutions can be borrowed to make it all possible and because of the extra weight of the Mark 4 coaches, the trains may become 2+7 sets instead of the current 2+8.
The trains could be rather nice.
- The Mark 4 coaches have been extensively refurbished in the last two decades and have full wi-fi and power socket fitment.
- The Mark 4 coaches meet all the PRM-TSI regulations.
- 125 mph running would be possible, where the track allowed.
- The East Midland Franchise already has the Class 43 power-cars.
- If the electrification of the Midland Main Line is ever electrified, then the Class 43 power cars could be swapped for electric locomotives.
I would assume that three extra sets, that the franchise is acquiring from Grand Central could also be converted., giving the East Midlands Franchise, fifteen sets with a life of at least ten years.
A quick calculation would indicate that this reorganisation could see the current 132 Mark 3 coaches replaced by perhaps 120 Mark 4 coaches. I’ve just applied 7/8 to the Mark 3 coach total after the Grand Central trains have been added to the fleet.
What Will Happen To The Remaining Mark 4 Coaches?
Currently, there are 302 Mark 4 coaches in service on the East Coast Main Line with Virgin Trains East Coast.
In the Wikipedia entry for the Mark 4 coach, there is a section named Future.
This is said.
The Mark 4s are scheduled to be replaced on the East Coast Main Line by Class 801s in 2018. Some may be redeployed to Midland Main Line services.[19] Virgin Trains East Coast will retain seven or eight nine-carriage sets to operate extra services to Edinburgh.
In 2017, Alliance Rail Holdings announced that, owing to it being unable to source new build Class 390 EMUs for its intended service between London and Blackpool, it was revising its proposal to use the Class 91/Mark 4 combination instead
So it looks like seventy-two coaches will be retained for the East Coast Main Line.
As to how many trains will be needed between London and Blackpool, that’s the old question of how long is a piece of string.
Consider.
- I don’t think that the platforms at Blackpool will accept full-length sets.
- Class 180 trains used by various operators are five cars in length.
- There are fourteen Class 180 trains, running to Bradford, Hull and Sunderland.
- TransPennine Express has ordered several multiple units and rakes of coaches, that are five-cars long.
So perhaps three sets of five carriages, which seem adequate for Sunderland, would be a rough estimate.
This gives the following totals.
- East Midlands Franchise – 120
- East Coast Main Line – 72
- Euston-Blackpool – 15
Which gives a total of 207.
This leaves ninety-five coaches for other purposes. Or dare I say it, nineteen sets of five coaches?
Motive Power
The rakes of coaches will need to be powered.
These are a few possibilities.
Class 91 Locomotive And A Mark 4 Driving Van Trailer
Currently, Mark 4 coaches are powered and driven by a Class 91 locomotive with a Mark 4 Driving Van Trailer, at the other end of the train.
Total numbers available are
- 31 – Class 91 Locomotive
- 32 – Mark 4 Driving Van Trailer
If eight sets are retained for the East Coast Main Line, this means that a maximum of twenty-three trains could be created.
But except for limited use by Open Access Operators from London on fully-electrified lines, I can’t see all Class 91 locomotives being required.
Mark 4 Coaches Topped And Tailed With Class 43 Locomotives
This is Ian Walmsley’s plan for the Midland Main Line, as he outlined in the March 2018 Edition of Modern Railways.
Consider.
- There are quite a few Class 43 locomotives available. There are thirty-two on the East Coast Main line for a start.
- Ian feels that creating 2+7 sets is possible, but many needed would be shorter.
- According to the article, Mark 4 coaches would be more affordable than making Mark 3 coaches PRM-TSI compliant.
The trains would share the iconic appearance of the InterCity 125, which passengers seem to love so much!
Class 68 Locomotive And A Mark 4 Driving Van Trailer
Chiltern use Class 68 locomotives and Mark 3 Driving Van Trailers, with Mark 3 coaches, so it is likely perhaps after some modification, these locomotives could be used with Mark 4 coaches and an appropriate Driving Van Trailer.
If a Class 68 locomotive would work, surely the closely-related Class 88 locomotive could also be used.
Mark 4 Coaches Topped And Tailed With Class 68 Locomotives
This arrangement has been used between Norwich, Lowestoft and Yarmouth with an elderly rake of Mark 2 coaches for some time.
It is a method that could be surely be used with Mark 4 coaches after a few modifications.
A New Class Of Electro-Diesel Locomotive And A Mark 4 Driving Van Trailer
I very much feel we need a new electro-diesel locomotive for both freight and passenger purposes.
Mark 4 Coaches Topped And Tailed With A Class 68 And A Class 88 Locomotive
I have often wondered, if instead of using two Class 68 locomotives, whether a Class 68 and a Class 88 locomotive could be used at opposite ends, to create the ultimate hybrid train, with a powerful diesel locomotive on one end and a powerful electric locomotive on the other.
Summing Up Motive Power
With a bit of ingenuity, I’m sure that uses could be found for most of the Mark 4 coaches.
Possible Routes
These routes need good quality rolling stock and innovatively-hauled Mark 4 coaches could be a solution.
Wales
Scotland has decided that the best way of serving some of its long routes, is to use shortened InterCity 125s.
Surely, if the concept works in Scotland, it is likely to work in Wales.
These could use Mark 4 coaches or more likely updated Mark 3 coaches.
Liverpool and Manchester To Holyhead
Once the Halton Curve is open, the possibility of a Liverpool to Holyhead service must exist.
A quality service along the North Wales Coast, must surely be beneficial to residents, business and tourism.
London Waterloo To Exeter Via Basingstoke
This service is currently served by Class 158 or Class 159 trains.
- Trains generally work as six-car units.
- The route is electrified between London Waterloo and Basingstoke.
- Time could be saved by partial electric haulage.
The problem of this route might be solved by converting the Class 158/159 trains in bi-modes, as I wrote about in Class 158/159 Bi-Modes?
Cross-Country Routes
Cross Country routes and I don’t just mean those run by the company of the same name are often very-well pastronised, as often these routes are the only way to get between two provincial cities.
Take Norwich to Liverpool, which has a route, that definitely needs more coaches than those offered by a two-car Class 158 train.
Scenic Routes
Scotland is to run short-formation InterCity 125s between major cities.
IMany of these routes also fall into the category of scenic routes.
If this Scottish innovation is successful, will we see pressure for similar trains to work routes like Settle-Carlisle in England?
Summing Up Possible Routes
I don’t think there will be a shortage of routes to run Mark 4 coach-based services.
Conclusion
Don’t underestimate how the retired Mark 4 coaches will be used.
Thoughts On A Hydrogen-Powered Bi-Mode High Speed Train
My stockbroker and pension fund manager keeps contacting me about hydrogen power. There seems to be a lot of money chasing few good investments.
What I find surprising is that two of the leading fuel cell companies are Canadian; Ballard and Hydrogenics, with one supplying Alstom with fuel cells for their hydrogen powered train.
Bombardier at Derby, who are another Canadian company, have been very quiet on hydrogen.
These are my thoughts.
The Aventra Is A Plug-And-Play Train
I believe that the control system on an Aventra looks at the train and determines what cars make up the train. Hitachi certainly do this with their A-trains like Class 800 trains and I suspect that the control systems of most modern trains can do it, as it allows trains to be lengthened and shortened as required.
Electric Multiple Units Have An Electrical Power Bus
I believe that most electric multiple units have an electrical power bus that connects all cars to the electrical supply from the pantograph or third rail shoes.
On a Btoitish Rail-era Class 319 train, which has DC traction motors, this is 750 VDC, but on modern trains, which generally have AC traction motors, it is probably something more appropriate.
The Design Trend In Electrical Multiple Units Is To Have More Powered Axles
Bombardier are certainly going this route with the new Class 345 trains for Crossrail.
I found this snippet on the Internet which gives the formation of the new Class 345 trains.
When operating as nine-car trains, the Class 345 trains will have two Driving Motor Standard Opens (DMSO), two Pantograph Motor Standard Opens (PMSO), four Motor Standard Opens (MSO) and one Trailer Standard Open (TSO). They will be formed as DMSO+PMSO+MSO+MSO+TSO+MSO+MSO+PMSO+DMSO.
So as both PMSO cars are there, I would assume that the current seven-car trains are two MSO cars or an MSO and a TSO car short of a full-train.
The power cars/total cars ratio will be as follow.
- Seven-car train – 0.86
- Nine-car train – 0.89
In The Formation Of A Class 707 Train, I showed that the ratio for Class 707 trains is just 0.40, whereas Greater Anglia’s siomilar five-car Class 720 train appears to have five cars with motors.
Could this increase in the number of powered axles mean the following?
- Better acceleration for the same electrical power.
- More, but smaller and lighter traction motors.
- Less wheel-slip in some rail conditions.
- Each axle could be controlled individually, to minimise wheel-slip, which leads to extra maintenance costs.
- Smoother regenerative braking, as effectively every axle is braked without the use of inefficient friction brakes.
- If batteries are used for regenerative braking, then one smaller battery can be fitted to each car with motors.
But the extra traction motors could cost more.
Only Bombardier seem to have gone all the way. Perhaps, they have found that modern manufacturing methods can produce more affordable traction motors.
One consequence of distributed power, is that each car will have a high electrical load, so there will be a need for a sophisticated electrical power bus going to every can on the train.
A Car With A Diesel-Powered Electricity Generator
I have ridden in the cab of a Class 43 locomotive. Admittedly, it was one that had been modified with a new diesel engine, I was surprised how quiet 2,250 hp can be, just a few feet away.
Obviously, the sound-proofing was of the highest quality.
This picture shows a Stadler train, which has a diesel-powered car in the middle of the train.
Greater Anglia’s new Class 755 trains will use this technique.
Intriguingly, British Rail designed the record-braking Class 442 train, with all the electrical equipment and traction motors in the middle car of a five-car set.
I suspect because of the design of an Aventra, Bombardier could put a diesel engine in one the middle cars to create a bi-mode Aventra.
Bombardier have said in this article on Christian Wolmar’s web site, that they are working on a 125 mph bi-mode Aventra.
In the Class 172 train, each car has a 360 kW diesel engine, so a five car 125 mph bi-mode train could need a substantial amount of power.
A Car With A Hydrogen-Powered Electricity Generator
In Alstom’s Coradia iLint, the hydrogen tanks and generators are mounted on the roof, thus taking advantage of the larger Continental loading gauge. Wikipedia says this about the train.
The Coradia iLint is a version of the Coradia Lint 54 powered by a hydrogen fuel cell. Announced at InnoTrans 2016, the new model will be the world’s first production hydrogen-powered trainset. The Coradia iLint will be able to reach 140 kilometres per hour (87 mph) and travel 600–800 kilometres (370–500 mi) on a full tank of hydrogen. The first Coradia iLint is expected to enter service in December 2017 on the Buxtehude-Bremervörde-Bremerhaven-Cuxhaven line in Lower Saxony, Germany.
In the UK, there isn’t the space, but I believe that a car could be built with a hydrogen tank and the appropriate size of hydrogen-powered electricity generator.
Bear in mind, that a hydrogen power system will be is a lot quieter and vibrate less, that a diesel one.
The Plug-and-Play nature of an Aventra or other modern trains, would mean that after the train software has been modified, it could detect that the train has a car with a hydrogen-powered electricity generator.
The car would deliver its electricity, when it is require, through the electrical bus.
The train’s computer system would control the generator, so that the level of power needed to move the train was available.
Batteries
Batteries are an integral part of Alstom’s Coradia iLint as this promotional video shows.
I believe that Bombardier make extensive use of batteries in the Aventra for regenerative braking, running for short distances without electrification and electrification failure.
Why Do I Think A Hydrogen-Powered High Speed Train Is Possible?
By High Speed Train, I mean one that can travel at 200 kph or 125 mph.
Most energy is needed to accelerate the train, not to maintain the high cruising speed.
So if you take a train running along a line with only a few stops, that is fairly level with no long climbs, there will be a minimal power requirement, except where accelerating from a stop.
Energy requirement can be reduced by the following.
- Design the line as straight as possible.
- Remove as many gradients as possible.
- Have separate tracks for stopping and high-speed traffic.
- Install a modern signalling system, so that trains run efficiently.
- Remove flat junctions and level crossings
- Have a very efficient train with low rolling resistance and good aerodynamics.
- Have as few stops as possible.
Network Rail seem to be improving the tracks all over the UK to this standard and Point 6 is satisfied by modern trains like Aventras.
Point 7 depends on getting the timetable right.
Adding all these factors together and you can see why I believe a hydrogen-powered High Speed Train is a possibility.
Development
The great advantage of developing a hydrogen-powered train, is that a lot of the initial testing can be done in a lab, as all you need to develop is a power module, that can fit in the train, that can generate the required number of kilowatts.
Independently, the train company would need to develop an electric train capable of 125 mph running.
Deployment
Hydrogen-powered High Speed Trains could run on several lines in the UK.
Midland Main Line
The Midland Main Line is the obvious line for a hydrogen-powered High Speed Train.
- A lot of the route is already capable of 125 mph running.
- Large sections are three or four tracks.,
- The Southern section from Bedford to St. Pancras is electrified, so hydrogen power would only be needed North of Bedford.
- The new East Midlands Franchise will streamline the intermediate stops.
- Parts of the line go through the World Heritage Site of the Derwent Valley and would be difficult to electrify. Quiet hydrogen-powered trains would be acceptable to all.
- Selective electrification could be applied at Derby, Leicester, Nottingham and Sheffield, to charge batteries and accelerate trains.
There is a lot of work going on =North of Bedford as far as Kettering and Corby.
- The Corby branch is being made double track.
- Bedford to Glendon Junction, where trains to Corby leave the Midland Main Line, will become four tracks.
- Tracks will be electrified to Kettering and Corby.
- 125 mph running will be possible as far as Glendon Junction and Corby.
Will the two fast lines be electrified between Kettering and Glendon Junction?
This would enable trains going North from Kettering to accelerate to 125 mph using the electrification, rather than hydrogen or battery power.
The electrification would catapult them the nearly thirty miles to Leicester at 125 mph, with speed maintained by using small amounts of hydrogen or battery power.
Coming South, the train would get to 125 mph leaving Leicester, either using a short length of electrification through the station or by use of the onboard power.
Small amounts of hydrogen or battery power would keep the train at 125 mph, until it could connect to the electrification at Glendon Junction.
I’m assuming that the signalling can keep the fast lines free of slow traffic. But even if they are slowed by a crossing train, regenerative braking using the battery will enable speed to be recovered quickly.
This article on Rail Technology Magazine is entitled DfT Deal Means East Midlands HS2 Station Could Open Early.
East Midlands Hub station would obviously be electrified for HS2 services from Birmingham and London.
So perhaps a few miles of electrification could be added to the Midland Main Line to get trains to operating speed, after a stop at the station.
In addition, could selective electrification be applied at other stations like Derby, East Midlands Parkway, Leicester, Nottingham and Sheffield.
It could be a bit like a game of 125 mph Pass-the-Parcel.
Trains could be at 125 mph for most of the way from St. Pancras to Sheffield, giving a journey time somewhere in the region of ninety minutes.
North Wales Coast Line
I’ve never travelled on the North Wales Coast Line.
- It is around ninety miles long.
- It has an operating speed of 90 mph
- As it’s a coastal line, I suspect that the route is fairly level.
- No-one would complain about the noise reduction of a hydrogen-powered train.
- Virgin’s Class 221 trains take about a hundred minutes from Holyhead to Chester with six stops.
It is a route, where a bi-mode train could probably save some minutes, as they could use the electrification South of Crewe.
Alstom have already set up a base in Widnes and are interested in demonstrating hydrogen trains between Chester and Liverpool via the Halton Curve when it reopens.
But a train with a slightly better performance to the Coradia iLint could be ideal for Liverpool to Chester and along the North Wales Coast.
Basingstoke To Exeter
The West Of England Line goes from Waterloo to Exeter and has the following characteristics.
- The Waterloo to Basingstoke section is forty-eight miles long and electrified.
- The Basingstoke to Exeter section is 124 miles long and not-electrified.
- The route is fairly level.
- The operating speed is 90 mph.
- The route is served by 90 mph Class 159 trains.
This is one of those lines, where a bi-mode train would be ideal.
The route might be suitable for a hydrogen-powered train.
Ashford To Southampton
Between Ashford and Southampton, there is only one section that is not electrified and that is the Marshlink Line, which is just 26 miles long.
Other Routes
I suspect there are other routes, but I do think gentle lines without too many gradients are probably the best lines for hydrogen-powered trains.
Other Trains
As Hitachi’s IEP and Stadler Flirts have similar electrical layouts and design, a similar technique involving hydrogen poower could probably be used.
A Walk Down The Finchley Road
Aleks2cv made this comment on my long post about the West London Orbital Railway, which was entitled New Railway Line For West London Proposed.
West London’s version of Goblin, an available resource with potential. All urban London so suitable for Overground 4 car metro service.
I would add extensions to your outline.There is space at the former Midland Finchley Road station for a single terminating platform with existing street facade. Interchange with North London, Metropolitan, and Jubilee and coaches on Finchley Road such as Stansted AirLink.
It got me thinking.
This is only part of the comment and I’ll deal with the rest after Christmas, if I renmember.
This is a Google Map of the area along the Finchley Road, between Finchley Road and Frognal station in the North and Finchley Road station in the South.
It is one of those interchanges, you might do in a North to South direction, as you have gravity assistance.
This second map from carto.metro.free.fr shows the various rail lines.
Note, the following lines can be seen in both maps.
- The Midland Main Line through West Hampstead Thameslink station, which crosses Finchley Road between Finchley Road and Frognal and Finchley Road stations.
- The Metropolitan and Jubilee Lines going through West Hampstead and Finchley Road stations.
- The North London Line going through West Hampstead and Finchley Road and Frognal stations.
I took these pictures as I walked down Finchley Road.
My thoughts on various parts of the area.
Finchley Road And Frognal Station
The station is a very poor example.
- There is no step-free access.
- Station buildings are minimal.
- There is a ruin next door.
- There is a need for perhaps a light-controlled crossing outside the station, as the road is very busy.
Improvement wouldn’t be helped, by the fact that the station is at the end of Hampstead Heath tunnel.
This Google Map shows a close-up of the station.
The only solution is probably a full rebuilding with perhaps a block of housing or offices on the top of a modern station.
The Midland Main Line
This Google Map shows the Midland Main Line as it passes under Finchley Road, to the North of the O2 Centre.
Note.
- There is not much space between the railway and the service road for the O2 Centre.
- The large surface-level car park of the O2 Centre is visible.
- The two slow lines are the Northern pair of lines, with the two fast lines to the South.
At least there is space in the middle of the lines.
A Terminus For The West London Orbital Railway
Aleks2cv in his comment, felt that the West London Orbital Railway can be extended to Finchley Road.
I think this could be very difficult, as the West London Orbital Railway will probably be a single track railway sneaking up the South side of the Midland Main Line.
- There is very little space.
- Passengers would still have to walk about a hundred metres to connect to the Underground.
- Connecting to the Overground would require a stiff walk up the hill.
This Google Map shows the limit of the freight line, that could possibly be turned into the West London Orbital Railway.
Note.
- The railway going East-West is the Midland Main Line.
- The diagonal railway is the North London Line through West Hampstead station.
In the shadows on the South side of the Midland Main Line, you can just see tyhe freight line, which connects to the Down Fast of the Midland Main Line to the East of the bridge.
It looks to me, that years ago, the land now occupied by the O2 Centre was some form of railway yard or factory premises.
Finchley Road Underground Station
Finchley Road Underground station is a station in need of a degree of refurbishment.
- It is not step-free.
- Pedestrian access to the O2 Centre is not good.
But it is a cross-platform interchange between the Jubilee and Metropolitan Lines.
This Google Map shows the station.
Note.
- The two Chiltern tracks to the South of the station.
- The closeness of the Western end of the station to the Car Park of the O2 Centre.
- There is space to the South of the Chiltern tracks.
I feel very much that this station could be developed sympathetically to be a very good station, that could be paid for by housing on the top.
The O2 Centre
I think the O2 Centre could be the key to Aleks2cv’s idea for the West London Orbital Railway.
- The O2 Centre appears tired.
- Public transport can take people easily to the shopping at Oxford Street or Brent Cross.
- Surface car parking is so Twentieth Century.
As the O2 Centre is owned by British Land, who are one of the UK’s biggest property companies, I think that it is likely the site could be redeveloped.
Suppose the site was developed as follows.
- It extended over and connected to the Western ends of the platforms at Finchley Road Underground station.
- A two-platform terminal station for the West London Orbital Railway could probably be fitted in reasonably close to the Underground station.
- A small bus station.
Over the top would be shops, offices, housing or whatever was desired.
Conclusion
I believe that something will be done to redevelop this site.
Whether it has the terminal for the West London Orbital Railway underneath, will only be made clear, when planning permissio is given.
OLE Changes To Boost Midland Main Line Speeds
The title of this post is the same as that of an article in Issue 840 of Rail Magazine.
Currently, the overhead line equipment (OLE) between St. Pancras and Bedford is rated at 100 mph.
But the new OLE between Bedford and Corby via Kettering is going to be built to a standard that will allow 125 mph running.
The article goes on to say that to make the best use of 125 mph bi-mode trains, the possibility of upgrading the St. Pancras to Bedford electrification to the 125 mph standard.
This must give advantages.
Should Thameslink Be Extended To Corby?
I ask this question as someone who created his pension pot from writing the algorithms to allocate resources in the planning of projects and because I know that the number of train paths on the Midland Main Line is very tight for the number of services required.
This document on the Network Rail web site has this paragraph.
Electrification of the MML north of Bedford to Kettering and Corby is scheduled to be completed by December 2019.
The Wikipedia entry for Corby station has a section entitled Future, where this is said.
It is planned that a half-hourly London St Pancras to Corby service will operate from December 2019 using new Class 387 trains, once the Midland Main Line has been electrified beyond Bedford as part of the Electric Spine project. Network Rail has also announced that it plans to re-double the currently singled Glendon Junction to Corby section as part of this scheme.
So how will the second service in each hour be provided?
Bedford To St. Pancras
Looking at Bedford, it would appear the following trains run to London.
- East Midlands Trains in 39-40 minutes
- Thameslink in 57-59 minutes at a frequency of four trains per hour (tph).
- A Limited-Stop Thameslink in 52 minutes.
As Thameslink has now fully introduced an all-Class 700 train service, could we be seeing a faster service?
Bedford To Corby
The current hourly service between St. Pancras and Corby stops at Bedford and takes thirty-four minutes between Bedford and Corby with stops at Wellingborough and Kettering.
A modern electric train like a Class 700 train, might be able to do the return trip from Bedford to Corby in under an hour. If a Class 700 train can’t do it, then a Class 387 train certainly could.
This would mean that one way to provide the extra service between St. Pancras and Corby would be to extend one of the four tph Bedford to Brighton services to Corby.
This approach would give the following advantages
- No extra train path is needed South of Bedford.
- Corby, Kettering and Wellingborough would get a choice of service.
- Corby, Kettering and Wellingborough would have a direct link to Crossrail.
But there would be disadvantages.
- The Thameslink service would be a few minutes slower.
- The Class 700 trains don’t have tables, cup-holders, wi-fi and power sockets.
- The Class 700 trains are only 100 mph trains and probably not fast enough.
The obvious solution is to run the service with a faster electric train, which addresses the deficiencies of the Class 700 trains.
The Ultimate Solution
The Midland Main Line between Bedford and Glendon Junction for Corby is at least three tracks, with in most places space for a fourth.
I believe the following improvements should be made to the route between Bedford and Glendon Junction.
- All the tracks between Bedford and Corby should be upgraded to be as fast as possible, so that 110 or 125 mph trains to Corby could make full use of their speed, without using the two Fast Lines.
- Wellingborough station should have the fourth platform restored.
- Extra stations, including a Parkway station, could be added if required.
Thameslink would acquire a number of 110 or 125 trains and replace the four tph service between Brighton and Bedford, with a four tph service between Brighton and Corby.
Class 387 trains would probably be acceptable. Especially, as Govia Thameslink Railway uses these trains on Cambridge services.
The consequences of doing this would be.
- The current one tph path between St. Pancras and Corby on the Fast Lines would be released.
- Platform needs at St. Pancras would be reduced.
- No extra Slow Line paths would be needed.
- Bedford would get the same four tph service to London all day.
- Corby, Kettering and Wellingborough would get four tph to St. Pancras.
Twelve faster trains would be needed to provide a full four tph service between Corby and St. Pancras.
Alternatively, you could extend just two opf the four tph from Brighton tom Bedford to Corby!
This would mean.
- Bedford would get the same four tph service to London all day.
- Corby, Kettering and Wellingborough would get two tph to St. Pancras.
Six faster trains would be needed.
Conclusion
I am led to the conclusion, that by providing some extra 110 or 125 mph trains for Thameslink, that the service on the Midland Main Line can be improved significantly.
It also leads me to believe that the specification of the Class 700 trains was created by someone with worse vision than George Shearing.
The trains lack a lot of features like wi-fi and power sockets.
But more importantly, they lack the 110 mph capability of trains like the |Class 350, Class 387 and Class 379 trains, which enables them to run efficiently with express services cruising at 125 mph.
The Class 769 Trains Are Progressing
The August 30th Edition of Rail Magazine gives a few details about the creation and testing of the Class 769 trains at Brush Traction in Loughborough.
- A test rig will be built to test the combination of MAN diesel engine and ABB alternator.
- The first train will be fitted with a power unit in the next eight weeks.
- After static tests it will move to the nearby Great Central Railway. for dynamic testing.
- The first train will be joined by a second train to test compatibility and multiple working.
- After returning to Brush for approval, they will move to Allerton Depot, where they will be based.
- It is planned that all eight trains for Northern will be in the North West by April 2018.
I find it intriguing that the testing is done on the local heritage railway.
There are two parts of the Great Central Railway separated by the Loughborough Gap.
- The Northern part is the Great Central Railway (Nottingham), which runs from the Midland Main Line at Loughborough to the South of Nottingham.
- The Southern part is the Great Central Railway, which runs between Loughborough Central and Leicester North stations.
It is not said, whether the testing is North or South of Loughborough.
The two heritage railways are trying to bridge the gap at present and I can’t help feeling that once it is bridged, there will be winners all round.
We Should All Think Radically!
In the August 2017 Edition of Modern Railways, Ian Walmsley, who is a writer, that I respect, thinks radically about how to upgrade or replace the High Speed Trains on the Midland Main Line.
He has a lot of experience in the rail industry and his views in this issue, are probably worth the price of the magazine alone.
He feels the InterCity 125s should be replaced as you can only make-do-and-mend for so long and he proposes replacing them with a modern equivalent, which would initially be two diesel locomotives topping and tailing a rake of new coaches, and then if electrification happens, the diesels are replaced with electric units.
Ian’s article comes a few days after this article in Rail Technology Magazine, entitled New bi-mode fleet a requirement for East Midlands as consultation opens, was published.
This is the first paragraph.
The DfT has this week launched its public consultation on the new East Midlands franchise, including specifications for a new bi-mode fleet of intercity trains, whilst at the same time revealing that plans to electrify the Midland Main Line north of Kettering have been abandoned.
There is going to have to be a lot of radical thinking to get a solution for that.
To make the replacement harder, Ian indicates various problems, which I won’t disclose here.
But I do think Ian’s idea is sound and it could be the solution to the problem of running modern 125 mph trains from St. Pancras to Derby, Nottingham and Sheffield.
So How Feasible Is Ian’s Plan?
Maths and physics don’t change. so I suspect that the calculations done by Terry Miller and his team in the 19670s, which led to the iconic InterCity 125 are still valid.
Locomotive Haulage
The power output of each Class 43 power car is 2,250 hp, so to propel an appropriate number of new carriages, you still need a locomotive at each end of the train.
The most modern diesel locomotive in the UK is the Stadler-built Class 68 locomotive, which has a power voutput of 3,800 hp, but a top speed of only 100 mph. The only 125 mph diesel locomotive in the UK is the Class 67 locomotive. To complicate matters, there is also the Stadler-built Class 88 locomotive, which is a 100 mph electro-diesel locomotive, but this locomotive is more a powerful electric locomotive with a sensible-sized last-mile diesel engine.
Ian suggests, that as the Class 68 is a few tonnes lighter than the Class 67, that a 125 mph Class 68/2 locomotive would be possible.
I don’t disagree, but given the quality of railway engineering coming out of companies like Bombardier, CAF and Stadler, that someone will do better.
We should also consider that the UK will need more than a few new freight locomotives in the next few years, as they do seem to be scratching around for motive power, as this picture shows.
These two Class 86 locomotives date from the mid-1960s. But they do have around 3,600 hp each and a top speed of around 100-110 mph.
I even saw this interesting combination at Shenfield.
The Class 90 and Class 66 locomotives appear to be double-heading the heavy freight train. The Class 90, of which several will become available soon from Greater Anglia are 5,000 hp units with a top speed of 110 mph, whereas the ubiquitous Class 66 has only 3,300 hp and 75 mph.
With more and more long freight trains appearing on increasingly busy main lines, these freight trains must be becoming unwelcome to the companies running passenger trains and also to those, who live alongside the lines.
So is there another desperate need for a powerful locomotive to pull express freight trains at maximum length and weight around the country?
Some main freight routes like these are electrified with 25 KVAC overhead wires or will be soon.
- East Coast Main Line
- West Coast Main Line
- Greast Eastern Main Line
- Great Western Main Line
- North London Line
- Gospel Oak to Barking Line
But others are not.
- London to Southampton
- Felixstowe to Peterborough and The Midlands
- Peterborough to Doncaster via Lincoln
- Trans-Pennine Routes
And that’s just for starters.
I think it becomes obvious, why Direct Rail Services and Stadler came up with the Class 88 locomotive. The 5,300 hp available under the wires is more than adequate for the heaviest express intermodel freight train and the 1,000 hp under diesel can probably move the train into and out of the docks.
But this amount of diesel power is probably inadequate for hauling a heavy freight train at 100 mph.
A New Electro-Diesel Locomotive
So could we see a new electro-diesel locomotive with the following characteristics?
- The ability of a pair to top-and-tail an express passenger train on both diesel and 25 KVAC overhead electrification.
- The ability to haul the heaviest intermodal freight trains at up to 100 mph on both diesel and 25 KVAC overhead electrification.
- The ability to switch between modes at line speed.
- Regenerative braking underboth elkectricity and diesel.
In a few years time the diesel might be replaced by hydrogen or some other exotic fuel.
Electrification South Of Bedford
It might appear that these locomotives if working the Midland Main Line could switch to electric power South of Bedford or in the near future; Kettering, but the electrification is limited to 100 mph and there is no planned upgrade. This is a familiar story for anybody like me who uses the Great Eastern Main Line, where the inadequate electrification has had to be upgraded over the last couple of years to allow faster services.
The Coaches
The coaches are the least of the problems for Ian’s proposals.
This article on Rail Technology Magazine is entitled First bodyshell completed by CAF for new TPE fleet.
This is the first paragraph.
Pictures of the first bodyshell for new rolling stock to be used by TransPennine Express (TPE) have been unveiled as the operator looks to introduce 13 five-car Mark 5A Coaches – being built by Spanish company CAF – as part of its brand-new fleet.
The Mark 5A coaches, being built by CAF are designed for 125 mph! So all that is needed is to specify the interior!
As the Spanish train manufacturer has just announced the building of a factory at Llanwern in South Wales, that might be an ideal place to build the coaches needed.
Beating The PRM Deadline In 2020
The Mark 5A coaches for TransPennine Express are scheduled for delivery in 2018-2019, so I suspect the coaches for the Midland Main Line could start to be delivered after the TransPennine Express and Caledonian Sleeper orders are complete.
The locomotives might be move problematical, but if they are a derivative of an existing type, then surely this wouldn’t delay fleet introduction.
I suspect that a certain amount of testing can be done in parallel too!
So having some trains in service by the PRM eadline of 2020 could certainly be possible.
Conclusion
Ian Walmsley’s proposal for the next Midland Main Line franchise is possible.
The Anonymous Widower 