The Anonymous Widower

Changing For Chester At Shotton Station – 6th June 2025

From Wrexham Central station, I took the Borderlands Line to Shotton, where I changed to a train for Chester.

This Google Map shows the station.

Note.

  1. The station logo in the top-right corner of the map indicates the low-level station on the North Wales Coast Line.
  2. The second logo at the bootom of the map indicates the high-level station on the Borderlands line.
  3. It was quite a long walk between the two pairs of platforms.
  4. There were no lifts or facilities.

The Wikipedia entry for Shotton station gives this summary of future plans.

In March 2015 Network Rail published the draft version of their Welsh Route Study. It contained a proposal to build a new interchange station that would replace the existing High and Low Level stations, allowing for greater connectivity between the North Wales Coast Main Line and the Borderlands Line. The document recommended a transport planning study to establish the cost, feasibility and benefits of the proposed scheme.

In £2.1bn North Wales Rail Overhaul Plans Unveiled, match funding for step-free access at Shotton station is mentioned.

It certainly is a station in need of improvement. Especially, where step-free access is concerned.

It also needs a few more trains, as I waited an hour.

June 7, 2025 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , , | Leave a comment

£2.1bn North Wales Rail Overhaul Plans Unveiled

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

This is the sub-heading.

A £2.1bn plan to overhaul north Wales’ railway network has been unveiled by Welsh Transport Secretary Ken Skates, but with no funding commitment from the UK government so far.

These three introductory paragraphs add more detail.

The proposals include more services, the introduction of pay-as-you-go “tap in tap out” technology, electrification of lines and a Metro-style service linking Wrexham and Liverpool.

Promising the plans would mean “better stations and more trains”, Welsh ministers have committed an initial £13m, with substantial UK government cash needed to realise the proposals.

The UK government has been asked to comment.

Having lived in Liverpool for seven years, I can understand how this upgrade will benefit Wales and also bring the area closer to Liverpool and Merseyside, to the benefit of the wider region.

There is also this press release from the Welsh Government, which is entitled “METRO IS GO” with Network North Wales.

This press release says plans include.

  • Commencing work on the line between Wrexham and Liverpool as the crucial first phase of delivering metro services direct between the two cities.
  • Doubling train services between Wrexham and Chester next May.
  • Bringing forward the introduction of 50% more services across the North Wales mainline from December 2026 to next May – resulting in a new service from Llandudno to Liverpool and extending the Manchester Airport service to Holyhead in place of Llandudno.
  • Upon completion of rail line works at Padeswood, increase train services between Wrexham and Bidston to 2 trains per hour within the next three years, ahead of the introduction of 4 trains per hour that will run direct between Wrexham and Liverpool by 2035.
  • The existing Borderlands Line will also be renamed the Wrexham – Liverpool line.
  • Key stations on the Wrexham – Liverpool line will be improved in the next 12 months.
  • Trains operating on the Wrexham – Liverpool line will be wrapped to reflect the communities and football clubs they serve.
  • Introducing Pay as You Go tap in tap out technology – covering connections between Gobowen and Rhyl, and along the full length of the Wrexham -Liverpool line
  • Working with Network Rail to determine the feasibility of a rapid delivery of a new test railway station at Deeside Industrial Park, to gauge demand for permanent services to the park.
  • A new, multi-million pound electrification innovation fund to develop a plan to decarbonise the railway in North Wales and enable more frequent metro services and additional stations
  • Match funding for step-free access at Shotton and Ruabon stations.
  • Working with local authorities to develop plans for Gateway multi-modal interchanges at Holyhead, Bangor, Caernarfon and Wrexham.
  • A new T13 bus service – connecting Rhyl, Ruthin, Denbigh and Wrexham.
  • Examining options to re-open stations and build new stations to serve employment growth areas.
  • A new bus network specifically designed to link communities with industrial estates in the Flintshire and Wrexham Investment Zone.

It all seems very comprehensive.

The Current Wrexham And Liverpool Route

This OpenRailwayMap shows the railways of North Wales between Chester, Flint and Wrexham Central.

Note.

  1. Wrexham Central station is at the bottom of the map indicated by the blue arrow.
  2. Chester is in the North-East corner of the map, where three orange tracks meet.
  3. The orange track running East from Chester is the North Wales Coast Line to Crewe
  4. The orange track running West from Chester is the North Wales Coast Line to Shotton, Flint and then on to Llandudno, Bangor and Holyhead.
  5. The orange track running South from Chester goes to Wrexham.
  6. The yellow track running North from Chester is Merseyrail to Liverpool.
  7. Flint station is in the North-West corner of the map, with Shotton station between Chester and Flint stations.
  8. The yellow track running North from Wrexham Central station  to Shotton station is the Borderlands Line to Bidston for Liverpool.

This second OpenRailwayMap shows the two Wrexham stations and the lines to Liverpool and Chester.

Note.

The orange track running North-South is the Chester and Shrewsbury Line, which runs through Wrexham General station.

The yellow track running North -West is the Borderlands Line to Shotton and Bidston for Liverpool.

Wrexham Central station is on an extension of the Borderlands Line.

This third OpenRailwayMap shows where the Borderlands Line crosses the River Dee on the Hawarden Bridge.

Note.

  1. Running across the South-West corner of the map is the River Dee.
  2. The orange track in the South-West corner of the map is the North Wales Coast Line between Chester and Holyhead.
  3. The yellow track is the Borderlands Line between Wrexham and Bidston for Liverpool.
  4. The Borderlands Line crosses the River Dee on the Hawarden Bridge.
  5. Shotton station is a poor interchange between the two lines.
  6. Hawarden Bridge station is North of the river.

This fourth OpenRailwayMap shows where the Borderlands Line joins Merseyrail’s Wirral Line at Bidston station.

Note.

  1. Bidston station is in the vNorth-West corner of the map.
  2. The yellow track running West from Bidston station is Merseyrail to West Kirby.
  3. The yellow track running South from Bidston station is the Borderlands Line to Wrexham.
  4. The yellow track running North from the triangular junction to the East of Bidston station is Merseyrail to New Brighton.
  5. The yellow track running East from the triangular junction to the East of Bidston station is Merseyrail to Liverpool via Birkenhead North, Birkenhead Park, Conway Park and Hamilton Square stations.
  6. Birkenhead Central station is in the South-Eastern corner of the map and is on Merseyrail’s branches to Chester and Ellesmere Port stations.

Services from Chester, Ellesmere Port, New Brighton and West Kirby all combine at Hamilton Square to go round the stations under the centre of Liverpool; James Street, Moorfields, Lime Street, Central and James Street (again).

Wrexham And Liverpool Improvements

These plans concern the Borderlands Line or the Wrexham and Liverpool Line.

  • Commencing work on the line between Wrexham and Liverpool as the crucial first phase of delivering metro services direct between the two cities.
  • Upon completion of rail line works at Padeswood, increase train services between Wrexham and Bidston to 2 trains per hour within the next three years, ahead of the introduction of 4 trains per hour that will run direct between Wrexham and Liverpool by 2035.
  • The existing Borderlands Line will also be renamed the Wrexham – Liverpool line.
  • Key stations on the Wrexham – Liverpool line will be improved in the next 12 months.
  • Trains operating on the Wrexham – Liverpool line will be wrapped to reflect the communities and football clubs they serve.
  • Introducing Pay as You Go tap in tap out technology – covering connections between Gobowen and Rhyl, and along the full length of the Wrexham -Liverpool line
  • Working with Network Rail to determine the feasibility of a rapid delivery of a new test railway station at Deeside Industrial Park, to gauge demand for permanent services to the park.
  • A new, multi-million pound electrification innovation fund to develop a plan to decarbonise the railway in North Wales and enable more frequent metro services and additional stations
  • Match funding for step-free access at Shotton and Ruabon stations.
  • Examining options to re-open stations and build new stations to serve employment growth areas.

There looks a lot to do, but none of the actions would appear to be that large and expensive.

Running Class 777 Trains Between Wrexham Central Station And Liverpool City Centre

Consider.

  • There is no way, that the Office of Road and Rail will allow any more third rail electrification.
  • Class 777 trains could be fitted with pantographs, if the trains need to be charged on the tracks past Bidston station.
  • Siemens Mobility have developed a Rail Charging Converter, that I wrote about in Technology Behind Siemens Mobility’s British Battery Trains Hits The Tracks.
  • I suspect Stadler have some similar technology for the Class 777 trains.
  • Wrexham Central station is a single platform station.
  • Bidston and Wrexham Central stations are 27.5 miles apart or a 55 mile round trip.
  • In New Merseyrail Train Runs 135km On Battery, I describe how a Class 777 train ran for over eighty miles on battery power.

In Liverpool City Centre, trains would join services from Chester, Ellesmere Port, New Brighton and West Kirby and go round a loop through James Street, Moorfields, Liverpool Lime Street, Liverpool Central and James Street.

This Google Map shows Wrexham Central station.

Note.

  1. The single track, with the platform alongside.
  2. There would be plenty of space on the North side of the track to put up a short length of overead wire to charge the trains.
  3. The station appears to be surrounded by a shopping centre.

One platform should be able to handle four trains per hour (tph)

This second Google Map shows Bidston station.

Note.

  1. Bidston station is indicated by the station symbol.
  2. Merseyrail’s line between West Kirby and Liverpool runs through the station.
  3. Trains to Liverpool take the Eastern point of the triangular junction.
  4. Trains to New Brighton take the Northern point of the triangular junction.
  5. Trains to West Kirby and Wrexham take the Westerly lines, from Bidston station.

Work will probably need to be done at the junction, where the West Kirby and Wrexham line split.

I discuss the work at Padeswood in Train Frequency Focus In North Wales Transport Commission’s Interim Recommendations.

It doesn’t seem to me, that to be able to run 2 or even 4 tph between Wrexham Central and Liverpool, is going to need a large budget. Although, a few extra Class 777 trains, with a battery-electric capability, will be needed.

But this corner of Wales will have one of the world’s first battery-electric international trains.

New And Improved Services And Stations

These plans concern new and improved services and stations on the Borderlands Line or the Wrexham and Liverpool Line.

  • The existing Borderlands Line will also be renamed the Wrexham – Liverpool line.
  • Key stations on the Wrexham – Liverpool line will be improved in the next 12 months.
  • Trains operating on the Wrexham – Liverpool line will be wrapped to reflect the communities and football clubs they serve.
  • Introducing Pay as You Go tap in tap out technology – covering connections between Gobowen and Rhyl, and along the full length of the Wrexham -Liverpool line
  • Match funding for step-free access at Shotton station.
  • Examining options to re-open stations and build new stations to serve employment growth areas.

Deeside Industrial Park Station

This is planned for Deeside Industrial Park station.

Working with Network Rail to determine the feasibility of a rapid delivery of a new test railway station at Deeside Industrial Park, to gauge demand for permanent services to the park.

This Google Map shows Deeside Industrial Park

Note.

Shotton station is in the South West corner of the map.

Hawarden Bridge station is indicated by the red arrow.

The double-track Borderlands Line runs between the two stations and then Northwards between the warehouses and factories of the estate.

This second Google Map shows the area to the North of the two stations in greater detail.

Note.

  1. Flintshire Bridge Converter Station is the Southern end of the 2.2 GW Western HVDC Link from Scotland.
  2. Toyota’s Deeside Solar Park.
  3. The Borderland’s Line running between the substation and the solar park.

It does appear there could be plenty of space for a station.

 

Network Rail on Merseyside certainly have access to to a temporary station, as these pictures show of one’s use at Liverpool South Parkway station, which I wrote about in Liverpool South Parkway Station Stands In For Lime Street.

Note.

  1. It was mainly built of scaffolding.
  2. It was long enough for an eleven-car Class 390 train.

It could certainly be rearranged to make a temporary two-platform station.

But why a temporary station?

  • It may turn out, that Bidston and Wrexham Central is too long for battery-electric trains.
  • But Deeside Industrial Park station would be about half-way, so an ideal place for a pit-stop.
  • It’s also got plenty of electricity.
  • Toyota might also want to see how it helps the operation of their engine plant.

Network Rail might want to try out the idea of building a temporary station elsewhere in the future.

May 22, 2025 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Could High Speed Two Serve Chester And North Wales?

This diagram shows High Speed Two services, as they were originally envisaged before Phase 2 was discontinued.

Note.

  1. Trains to the left of the vertical black line are Phase 1 and those to the right are Phase 2.
  2. Full-Size trains are shown in blue.
  3. Classic-Compatible trains are shown in yellow.
  4. Blue circles are shown, where trains stop.
  5. The dotted circles are where trains split and join.
  6. In the red boxes routes alternate every hour.

Click on the diagram to enlarge it.

If I look at the trains counting from the left of the diagram, I see the following.

  1. Train 4 is a pair of Classic-Compatible trains, that split and join at Crewe, with one train going to Lancaster and the other to Liverpool Lime Street.
  2. Train 5 is a single Classic-Compatible train going to Liverpool Lime Street.

This gives Liverpool Lime Street two trains per hour (tph) and Lancaster one tph

Could train 5 be a a pair of Classic-Compatible trains, that split and join at Crewe, with one train going to Holyhead via Chester and the other to Liverpool Lime Street?

Consider.

  • Yesterday, a pair of Class 805 trains, ran between Euston and Holyhead. Each Class 805 train is 130 metres long, so a pair of Class 805 trains is sixty metres longer than a High Speed Two Classic-Compatible train.
  • I am certain, that a single High Speed Two Classic-Compatible train will fit the platforms between Crewe and Holyhead.
  • Crewe and Holyhead is 105.5 miles and the route is not electrified.
  • Crewe and Holyhead is double-track all the way except for the Britannia Bridge over the Menai Strait.
  • With the exception of perhaps 2 to 3 miles, half the route between Crewe and Holyhead has a line speed of 90 mph. with the other half being 75 mph.
  • Given the countryside and the number of important historic sites, electrification might be difficult, as the heritage Taliban will say no!
  • It was promised by the last government that Crewe and Holyhead would be electrified, but I will assume it won’t be!
  • Hitachi, who are part of the consortium building the High Speed Two Classic-Compatible trains have developed battery-electric high speed train technology, which is likely to be applied to the Current Class 805 trains, that work the route.
  • Hitachi’s battery-electric high speed train technology can propel the trains at up to 125 mph, provided the track allows it.

I feel that Crewe and Holyhead can be developed into one of the most iconic high speed railways in the world, by using battery-electric high-speed trains. Tourists would come from all over the world, to experience mouse-quiet battery-electric trains.

High Speed Two should go for it!

These are some thoughts.

It Would Be A Green Route To Ireland

Consider.

The fastest direct Avanti service to Holyhead is scheduled to take  three hours and forty-two minutes, with one hour and 46 minutes between Euston and Crewe, and one hour and fifty-seven minutes between Crewe and Holyhead.

  • High Speed Two will knock thirty-four minutes off the time between Euston and Crewe, when the core route between Euston and Crewe is complete, which will reduce the time to three hours eight minutes, with with one hour and 12 minutes between Euston and Crewe, and one hour and fifty-seven minutes between Crewe and Holyhead.
  • The Crewe and Holyhead section of the route would still take one hours and fifty-seven minutes, which is an average speed of just 54 mph, along the North Wales Coast.
  • An overall time of three hours between Euston and Holyhead, would require an average speed along the North Wales coast, which would be an average speed of just 62 mph.
  • The operating speed is an average of around 80 mph between Crewe and Holyhead, and would run the section of the route in 79 minutes, which would mean a Euston and Holyhead time of two hours and 31 minutes.
  • A 100 mph average between Crewe and Holyhead, would run the section of the route in 63 minutes, which would mean a Euston and Holyhead time of of two hours and 15 minutes.

I believe that with track improvements, a more efficient stopping pattern and using Hitachi’s battery technology, that battery-electric High Speed Two Classic-Compatible trains could run between Euston and Holyhead in under two hours.

A fast ferry would complete the route between Holyhead and Dun Laoghaire.

Could More Than One Train Per Hour Be Sent To Chester And North Wales?

Consider.

  • Because of the cancellation of Phase 2 of High Speed 2, there are spare paths on High Speed Two between London and the West Midlands.
  • If the core section of High Speed Two is extended Northwards to Crewe, as advocated by Dyan Perry of the High Speed Rail Group, that I wrote about in The Future Of HS2 Could Lie In Its Original Vision, this would create extra paths to Crewe.
  • If the West Midlands and Crewe section of the High Speed Two route has the same capacity as London Euston and the West Midlands it could handle seventeen tph.
  • At present it looks like with the cancellation of Phase 2, the West Midlands and Crewe section will handle just ten tph.

, So there will be seven spare paths between Euston and Crewe!

In fact it will be better than that, as each train could be a pair of Classic-Compatible trains, that split and joined to serve two destinations.

Could A North Wales Service Call At Hawarden Airport?

Hawarden Airport is where Airbus build wings for their aircraft in the UK.This Google Map shows Hawarden Airport.

Note.

  1. The large runway.
  2. The various factory buildings.
  3. The North Wales Coast Line between Chester and Holyhead, runs along the North side of the Airport.

I doubt if Airbus wanted a station, it would be difficult to arrange.

Conclusion

Because of the vacant paths, it would appear that extra services to North Wales and North West England can be fitted in.

 

May 16, 2025 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

DESNZ Launches Call For Evidence For Solar Carports In The UK

The title of this post is the same as this article on Solar Power Portal.

These three paragraphs introduce the article.

The UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) has launched a call for evidence to help increase the number of solar-powered carports in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

The likely result of this will be a mandate that car parks have a solar PV installation, as has been the case in France for some time.

Mandating solar on car parks has multiple benefits, which DESNZ is keen to emphasise. It says that a mandate would be a “better deal for motorists and businesses”

I may not be a fan of electric cars, but I’m certainly no fan of spreading solar panels over large areas of quality farmland.

There are some interesting statements.

Take this one.

DESNZ cites estimates that supermarkets, retail parks and offices could save up to £28,000 annually by installing solar carports (this figure calculated for an 80-space car park—the size that France mandates must be covered by solar PV) if all of the electricity generated by the solar array was used onsite.

£28,000 a year is not to be sneezed at!

And this one.

Earlier this year, Norwich-based RenEnergy, a solar carport provider, revealed that installing solar carports in more than half a million suitable parking spaces owned by UK businesses could generate 1.57GW of solar energy.

They do suggest that this figure only scratches the surface.

And then there’s this story from Bentley.

In 2019, Bentley Motors installed a solar car park at its headquarters in Crewe. The site’s 10,000 solar PV modules have a capacity of 2.7MW and cover an area of 16,426m². Along with other installed solar arrays and 6.6MW of battery energy storage, the car park enables all of Bentley’s manufacturing operations to be powered by solar or certified green energy.

How many other businesses could do that?

This Google Map shows the Bentley Motors site at Crewe.

Note.

  1. It appears to be a large site.
  2. Bentley employs over 4,000 employees at Crewe.
  3. In 2023, Bentley delivered 13, 560 cars.
  4. The solar car ports appear to be at the Western end of the site.
  5. There would appear to be a lot of scope to add more solar car ports at the Eastern end of the site.

Running along the Southern edge of the site is the North Wales Coast Line, which runs between Crewe and Chester and then on to North Wales.

I would have thought, that a case could be made out to have a station at the Bentley site for employees and visitors.

There also doesn’t seem to be the infrastructure, so that cars to some destinations can be delivered by train, like these from Toyota, which I photographed at Denmark Hill station, which were on the way to Europe, through the Channel Tunnel.

Perhaps sending luxury cars to their future owners by train is the wrong image.

 

 

May 8, 2025 Posted by | Energy, Transport/Travel | , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Brand New Battery Technology To Be Trialled On TransPennine Train

The title of this post, is the same as that of this press release from Hitachi.

These three bullet points, act as sub-headings.

  • First-ever trial in the UK to replace a diesel engine with a battery on an intercity train is underway.
  • Pioneering collaboration between Angel Trains, TransPennine Express, Turntide Technologies and Hitachi Rail.
  • Hitachi Rail has built a battery using the North East supply chain, with one battery unit predicted to reduce emissions and fuel costs by as much as 30%.

These are my thoughts on some of the paragraphs in the press release.

The First Paragraph

This is the first paragraph.

Testing of the UK’s first intercity battery train commenced earlier today. The battery, which generates a peak power of more than 700kw, has now been successfully retrofitted onto a TransPennine Express ‘Nova 1’ train (five-carriage intercity Class 802), ahead of the trial on Transpennine routes this summer.

Each of the three diesel power packs in on of TransPennine Express’s Class 802 trains can generate 700 kW, so the battery packs can provide the same power as the current Rolls-Royce mtu diesel power packs.

The Third Paragraph

This is the third paragraph.

The single battery unit is incredibly powerful, storing enough electricity to power more than 75 houses for a day. This impressive energy and power density will deliver the same levels of high-speed acceleration and performance, while being no heavier than the diesel engine it replaces.

This equity of high-speed acceleration and performance is to be expected, as the train power and weight is the same, if the power is diesel engines or batteries.

The Fourth Paragraph

This is the fourth paragraph.

The installation of a battery will reduce emissions and improve energy efficiency. It is predicted to reduce emissions and fuel costs by as much as 30% on a Hitachi intercity train.

I would assume that this improvement in emissions and fuel costs, is due to the use of regenerative braking to recharge the batteries, when the train slows down.

The Fifth Paragraph

This is the fifth paragraph.

Most importantly for passengers, the trial will test how intercity trains can enter, alight and leave non-electrified stations in zero-emission battery mode to improve air quality and reduce noise pollution.

As the trains enter a non-electrified station, the regenerative braking will recharge the batteries to both power the train in the station and accelerate the train on its way.

The Seventh Paragraph

This is the seventh paragraph.

The trial will provide real-world evidence to inform the business case for a 100% -battery-electric intercity train, capable of running up to 100km in battery mode. This remarkable range means this battery technology could be deployed to cover the final non-electrified sections of intercity routes in the coming years. It will also demonstrate how battery technology can reduce infrastructure costs by reducing the need for overhead wires in tunnel sections and over complex junctions.

Note that 100 kilometres is 62.1 miles.

You can never do too much real world testing!

These are my further thoughts.

Acceleration And Braking Under Battery Power

This graph from Eversholt Rail, shows the acceleration and deceleration of a five-car Class 802 electric train.

As Hitachi have said in the press release that.

  • The weight of a battery pack is the same as a diesel engine.
  • The power of a battery pack is the same as a diesel engine.

The acceleration and braking curve for a Class 802 train, with a single traction battery will surely be the same.

Would this mean, that if a battery-electric train replaced a diesel-electric train, the timetable would be the same?

What would be the effects, if a second diesel engine were to be replaced with a battery pack?

  • The train would still weigh the same.
  • The train’s performance would still be the same.
  • The train would have 1400 kW of power available, but I doubt this could be used efficiently, as it might exceed the train’s performance limits.
  • The train would have enough electricity for a 200 kilometre or 124.3 mile range.

There might be a need for a sophisticated control system to set the power mode, but in my experience of riding in the cab of an InterCity 125 and a Boeing 747, drivers or pilots have enough intelligence and fingers to control systems with multiple engines.

What would be the effects, if a third diesel engine were to be replaced with a battery pack?

  • The train would still weigh the same.
  • The train’s performance would still be the same.
  • The train would have enough electricity for a 300 kilometre or 186.4 mile range.

The range is sufficient for a lot of routes.

London And Beverley

Consider.

  • This route has 44.3 miles of unelectrified track between Temple Hirst Junction and Beverley.
  • One battery range is 100 kilometres or 62.1 miles.
  • As the trains have three slots for battery packs or diesel engines, they could always carry a diesel engine for emergencies.

The route could be run in one of two ways.

  • By using one battery, that would be charged at Beverley.
  • By two batteries, that would be charged on the main line to the South of Temple Hirst Junction. One battery would be used in each direction.

Note.

  1. The second method would not require any new infrastructure at Beverley or Hull.
  2. All batteries would be identical 100 km batteries.
  3. Trains would just swap an appropriate number of diesel engines for batteries.

The service could run as soon as the trains had the power transplants.

Using The Lincoln Diversion

In Extra Luggage Racks For Lumo, I also talked about Lumo taking the diversion via Lincoln.

Consider.

  • This route is 88.5 miles of unelectrified track.
  • It would be possible to be handled by a Class 802 train with two battery packs.
  • Hull Trains will need battery packs to get to Beverley.
  • Some LNER services will use battery packs.

Perhaps trains will use one battery to Lincoln and one from.

Crewe And Holyhead

In October 2023, the government said, that the North Wales Coast Line would be electrified.

Consider.

  • Crewe and Holyhead are 105.5 miles apart.
  • The route currently has no electrification.
  • It has been planned to electrify the 21.1 miles between Crewe and Chester for some time.
  • A lot of the route West of Chester may arouse the wrath of the Nimbies and be politically difficult to electrify, as castles and electrification don’t mix.
  • Llandudno Junction station might be a station, where trains could be charged.
  • Shotton and Chester stations need rebuilding.
  • The line is not short of electric power, because of Electric Mountain and the windfarms along the coast.
  • The route will soon be served by Hitachi Class 805 trains.

I believe the North Wales Coast Line could be one of those routes, which Hitachi’s partial electrification might be ideal.

I also believe that, it could be an extension of High Speed Two from Crewe, which provided a zero-carbon route between London and Ireland.

Conclusion

I can see if the tests perform as expected, that there will be some battery express trains running soon.

 

May 30, 2024 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

250,000 Seats A Day On The WCML?

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

These are the first three paragraphs.

In the Parliamentary debate on the cancellation of HS2 phase 2, Transport Minister Mark Harper claimed that what remains of HS2 will deliver “a massive increase in capacity to the West Coast Main Line (WCML)” by providing 250,000 seats a day. This figure was subsequently repeated by the Prime Minister and Rail Minister who advised that it applies “across the primary long-distance operator on the West Coast.”

Yet without HS2 phase 2a, there is to be no WCML capacity increase north of Lichfield. Furthermore, with no HS2 station in Manchester it will not be possible to run the planned two-unit 400-metre HS2 trains to the city. Instead, there can only be single 200-metre unit HS2 trains which are shorter than the current 265-metre Pendolino trains.

Furthermore, 250,000 seats a day is equivalent to running 17 x 605-seat Pendolinos an hour, 24 hours a day. This is clearly not credible.

Note.

  1. The writer’s assumptions about Manchester are correct.
  2. Liverpool Lime Street is already is already HS2-ready for trains between Crewe and London, after the recent upgrade.
  3. Liverpool Lime Street will certainly be able to take two London trains per hour (tph), which can only be single 200-metre unit HS2 trains.
  4. Liverpool Lime Street may be able to take a third London train per hour.

These are my thoughts.

Current Services

Current services include.

  • Avanti West Coast – London Euston and Blackpool North via Birmingham New Street – 2 trains per day (tpd)
  • Avanti West Coast – London Euston and Glasgow Central via Birmingham New Street – 5 tpd
  • Avanti West Coast – London Euston and Edinburgh Waverley via Birmingham New Street – 7 tpd
  • Avanti West Coast – London Euston and Birmingham New Street – 1 tph
  • Avanti West Coast – London Euston and Holyhead – 10 tpd
  • Avanti West Coast – London Euston and Liverpool Lime Street – 1 tph – Increasing to 2 tph.
  • Avanti West Coast – London Euston and Manchester Piccadilly via Stoke-on-Trent, Macclesfield and Stockport – 1 tph
  • Avanti West Coast – London Euston and Manchester Piccadilly via Stoke-on-Trent and Stockport – 1 tph
  • Avanti West Coast – London Euston and Manchester Piccadilly via Crewe, Wilmslow and Stockport – 1 tph
  • Avanti West Coast – London Euston and Glasgow Central – 1 tph.
  • West Midlands Trains – London and Birmingham New Street – 2 tph
  • West Midlands Trains – London and Crewe – 1 tph
  • West Midlands Trains – Birmingham New Street and Liverpool Lime Street – 1 tph

It looks like there are eight Avanti West Coast tph and two West Midlands Trains tph between Stafford and Crewe.

High Speed Two Services

This diagram shows High Speed Two services, as they were originally envisaged before Phase 2 was discontinued.

Note.

  1. Trains to the left of the vertical black line are Phase 1 and those to the right are Phase 2.
  2. Full-Size trains are shown in blue.
  3. Classic-Compatible trains are shown in yellow.
  4. The dotted circles are where trains split and join.
  5. In the red boxes routes alternate every hour.
  6. Was Lancaster chosen as it’s close to the new Eden Project Morecambe?

Click on the diagram to enlarge it.

The Author’s Assumption

The author has made these assumptions.

  • Current West Coast Main Line capacity North of Lichfield; Avanti West Coast – 8 tph, West Midlands – 1 tph and freight trains – 4 tph
  • HS2 offers no extra capacity North of Lichfield.
  • Max capacity ; Old Oak Common – 8 tph and London Euston – 10 tph.
  • 400-metre long trains North of Birmingham ; Min – 1 tph to Edinburgh/Glasgow
  • 400-metre long trains North of Birmingham ; Max – plus 3 tph to Liverpool/Manchester
  • Trains operate a maximum of 14 hours per day.

I would add.

  • All pairs of 200-metre long trains split and join at Crewe.
  • Birmingham Curzon Street has seven platforms.
  • Lancaster and Macclesfield have long bay platforms, that can handle 200-metre trains
  • Liverpool Lime Street and Manchester Piccadilly have two platforms, that can handle 200-metre trains.
  • I suspect 
  • Liverpool Lime Street and Manchester Piccadilly could both handle four 200-metre trains tph hour – Three for London and one for Birmingham.

There is a surprising amount of capacity in the North.

The Author’s Minimum Plan For HS1 – Phase 1

I think his minimum  plan is as follows.

  • Old Oak Common and Birmingham Curzon Street – 400-metre long trains – 3 tph
  • Old Oak Common and Liverpool Lime Street/Lancaster – 400-metre long trains – 1 tph – Splits at Crewe.
  • Old Oak Common and Liverpool Lime Street – 200-metre long trains – 1 tph
  • Old Oak Common and Macclesfield via  Stafford and Stoke-on-Trent – 200-metre long trains – 1 tph
  • Old Oak Common and Manchester Piccadilly – 200-metre long trains – 2 tph
  • Old Oak Common and Edinburgh Waverley/Glasgow Central – 400-metre long trains – 1 tph – Splits at Crewe.

Note.

  1. 400-metre long trains are a pair of 200-metre long trains, that can split and join.
  2. This fulfils all the requirements of the original HS2 timetable for Phase 1.
  3. The total is nine tph and Old Oak Common can only handle 8 tph.
  4. Perhaps, the Liverpool Lime Street service could be a Liverpool Lime Street/Manchester Piccadilly service, that splits at Crewe?

I think it could work with London having the following services.

  • Birmingham Curzon Street – 400-metre long trains – 3 tph
  • Birmingham International – 400-metre long trains – 4 tph
  • Carlisle – 200-metre long trains – 1 tph
  • Crewe – 400-metre long trains – 3 tph
  • Edinburgh Waverley – 200-metre long trains – 1 tph
  • Glasgow Central – 200-metre long trains – 1 tph
  • Lancaster – 200 metre long trains – 1 tph
  • Liverpool Lime Street – 200-metre long trains – 2 tph
  • Macclesfield – 200-metre long trains – 1 tph
  • Manchester Piccadilly – 200-metre long trains – 2/3 tph
  • Preston – 200-metre long trains – 2 tph
  • Stafford – 200-metre long trains – 1 tph
  • Stoke-on-Trent – 200-metre long trains – 1 tph
  • Warrington Bank Quay – 200-metre long trains – 1 tph
  • Wigan North Western – 200-metre long trains – 1 tph

Services care as good or better than the current services.

The Author’s Maximum Plan For HS1 – Phase 1

I think his maximum plan is as follows.

  • London Euston and Birmingham Curzon Street – 400-metre long trains – 3 tph
  • London Euston and Liverpool Lime Street/Lancaster – 400-metre long trains – 1 tph – Splits at Crewe.
  • London Euston and Liverpool Lime Street/Manchester Piccadilly – 400-metre long trains – 1 tph – Splits at Crewe.
  • London Euston and Macclesfield via  Stafford and Stoke-on-Trent – 200-metre long trains – 1 tph
  • London Euston and Manchester Piccadilly – 200-metre long trains – 2 tph
  • London Euston and Edinburgh Waverley/Glasgow Central – 400-metre long trains – 1 tph – Splits at Crewe.

Note.

  1. 400-metre long trains are a pair of 200-metre long trains, that can split and join.
  2. This fulfils all the requirements of the original HS2 timetable for Phase 1.
  3. That is nine tph and London Euston can handle 10 tph.
  4. Perhaps, a tenth train could serve Edinburgh Waverley/Glasgow Central with a split at Crewe.

It should work.

Could High Speed Birmingham Curzon Street and Liverpool Lime Street And Manchester Piccadilly Services Be Provided With A Reverse At Birmingham Curzon Street?

A train would take this route.

  • A 400 metre long train would leave London and go to Birmingham Curzon Street.
  • At Birmingham Curzon Street the train would reverse and travel to Crewe.
  • At Crewe the train would split with separate trains going to Liverpool Lime Street and Manchester Piccadilly.

Note.

  1. Automation could be used extensively to do the joining and splitting.
  2. The train would have an onboard team of drivers, so all joins, reverses and splits are performed as fast as possible.
  3. A local service could be paired with each train, so that intermediate stations on the Liverpool and Manchester branches had excellent connections to Birmingham and the South.

Suppose the maximum plan is now as follows.

  • London Euston and Liverpool Lime Street/Manchester Piccadilly via Birmingham Curzon Street – 400 metre long trains – 3 tph – Reverses at Birmingham Curzon Street – Splits at Crewe.
  • London Euston and Birmingham Curzon Street – 400 metre long trains – 1 tph
  • London Euston and Lancaster – 200 metre long trains – 1 tph
  • London Euston and Liverpool Lime Street – 200 metre long trains – 1 tph
  • London Euston and Macclesfield via  Stafford and Stoke-on-Trent – 200 metre long trains – 1 tph
  • London Euston and Manchester Piccadilly – 200 metre long trains – 1 tph
  • London Euston and Edinburgh Waverley/Glasgow Central – 400 metre long trains – 2 tph – Splits at Crewe.

Note.

  1. Birmingham Curzon Street, Liverpool Lime Street and Manchester Piccadilly would all get four tph to and from London.
  2. Birmingham Curzon Street, Liverpool Lime Street and Manchester Piccadilly would all get one tph to and from London, that could be non-stop and didn’t join, reverse or split.
  3. Birmingham Curzon Street and Liverpool Lime Street would have a three tph service.
  4. Birmingham Curzon Street and Manchester Piccadilly would have a three tph service.
  5. Lancaster, Edinburgh Waverley, Glasgow Central and other stations would get the originally-promised service to and from London. 
  6. That is ten tph to and from London Euston and the station can handle that number of trains.

It should work.

Could High Speed Birmingham Curzon Street and Edinburgh Waverley and Glasgow Central Services Be Provided With A Reverse At Birmingham Curzon Street?

In the previous section, I showed how, three tph between London Euston and Liverpool Lime Street/Manchester Piccadilly could be provided with a reverse at Birmingham Curzon Street.

So could the fourth train between London and Birmingham Curzon Street take this route?

  • A 400 metre long train would leave London and go to Birmingham Curzon Street.
  • At Birmingham Curzon Street the train would reverse and travel to Crewe, or another station, where the split can be performed.
  • The train would split with separate trains going to Edinburgh Waverley and Glasgow Central.

Note.

  1. They would use the current paths used by Avanti West Coast Birmingham and Scotland services along the West Coast Main Line.
  2. This would give a third train to both Edinburgh Waverley and Glasgow Central.

It certainly appears that by using a reverse at Birmingham Curzon Street, more capacity can be created on the West Coast Main Line/HS2 route.

Could High Speed Two Serve North Wales?

It finally looks like the North Wales Coast Lines will finally be electrified.

  • Would this allow a 200 metre long train to run all the way to Holyhead for the boats to Ireland?
  • There could be a join and split at Crewe with another train.
  • Chester would also be served by HS2.

It would create a zero-carbon route to Ireland.

What Would Be The Daily Number Of Passengers Carried?

The maximum plan could now be as follows.

  • London Euston and Liverpool Lime Street/Manchester Piccadilly via Birmingham Curzon Street – 400 metre long trains – 3 tph – Splits at Crewe.
  • London Euston and Edinburgh Waverley/Glasgow Central via Birmingham Curzon Street – 400 metre long trains – 1 tph – Splits at Crewe.
  • London Euston and Liverpool Lime Street/Lancaster – 400 metre long trains – 1 tph – Splits at Crewe.
  • London Euston and Macclesfield via  Stafford and Stoke-on-Trent – 200 metre long trains – 1 tph
  • London Euston and Manchester Piccadilly/Holyhead – 400 metre long trains – 1 tph – Splits at Crewe.
  • London Euston and Edinburgh Waverley/Glasgow Central – 400 metre long trains – 2 tph – Splits at Crewe.

Note.

  1. There are eight 400 metre long trains and one 200 metre long trains in both directions.
  2. A 200 metre long train hold 550 passengers.
  3. There are seventeen 200 metre long tph in both directions.
  4. Trains operate a maximum of 14 hours per day.

The number of passengers per day is 261,800.

 

 

 

May 7, 2024 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

enfinium Announces Proposal For £200m Investment In Carbon Capture Project In North Wales

The title of this post is the same as that of this press release from enfinium.

This is the sub-heading.

The project could be capable of capturing up to 235,000 tonnes of CO2 every year, accelerating efforts to achieve net zero.

The first two paragraphs outline the project.

Today, enfinium, a leading UK energy from waste operator, announces it is progressing plans to invest around £200 million in carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology at the Parc Adfer energy from waste facility in Deeside, North Wales, providing vital carbon removals and boosting the green economy.

The project could capture up to 235,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) every year. As over half of the waste processed at the facility is organic, installing CCS would enable the plant to take more CO2 out of the atmosphere than it produces. The Welsh Government’s Carbon Budget makes clear that Wales needs carbon removal solutions to mitigate other polluting parts of the economy to achieve a Net Zero economy.

The press release also says this about Paec Adfer.

Opened in 2019 in partnership with the five local authorities that make up the North Wales Residual Waste Treatment Partnership (NWRWTP), Parc Adfer currently diverts up to 232,000 tonnes of unrecyclable waste from climate damaging landfill. As recognised by the National Infrastructure Commission, emissions from energy from waste plants are lower per tonne of waste compared to landfill.

With CCS installed, Parc Adfer will support the Welsh Government’s ambition to have 100% zero carbon power by 2035 and support over 1,000 jobs in the green economy during the construction phase.

This Google Map shows the location of Parc Adfer, with respect to Liverpool and the River Dee.

Note.

  1. Liverpool is in the North-East corner of the map.
  2. Chester is in the South-East corner of the map.
  3. The Dee Estuary is in the North-West corner of the map.
  4. The red arrow indicates the location of Parc Adfer.

This second Google Map shows the location of Parc Adfer in Deeside Industrial Park, which is just over the England-Wales border.

As before, the red arrow indicates the location of Parc Adfer.

This third Google Map shows the detailed area of Parc Adfer.

Note.

  1. The red arrow indicates the location of Parc Adfer.
  2. The Borderlands Line between Liverpool and Wrexham runs alongside the site.
  3. Around Parc Adfer are assorted steel works and the Flintshire Bridge HVDC Convertor Station for the Western HVDC Link to Hunterston in Scotland.
  4. On the other side of the tracks are Amazon, Great Bear Distribution, Toyota, Unilever and the Toyota Deeside Solar Park.

These are my thoughts.

Parc Adfer Has Excellent Electrical Connections

In addition to the 2.25 GW Western HVDC Link to Hunterston, there are following power sources in the area.

  • The wind farms of Liverpool Bay.
  • The 1.4 GW Connah’s Quay power station.
  • The 498 MW Deeside power station.

From the enfinium web site, it looks like Parc Adfer will generate 21 MW of zero-carbon energy from waste.

Will Parc Adfer Have A Rail Connection?

According to the  enfinium web site, Parc Adfer will process waste from Flintshire County Council, Denbighshire County Council, Conwy County Borough Council, Gwynedd Council and the Isle of Anglesey County Council.

I have arranged these councils in order from East to West and all are served by the North Wales Coast Line.

This OpenRailMap shows the rail connection between Parc Adfer and the North Wales Coast Line.

Note.

  1. The Borderlands Line is shown in yellow and runs between Liverpool and Wrexham.
  2. The Borderlands Line runs past Parc Adfer just off the North of the map.
  3. The North Wales Coast Line is shown in orange and runs between North Wales and Chester.
  4. There are two stations at Shotton; High and Low Levels, which allow a passenger connection.

Unfortunately, there is no rail connection for trains which would allow freight services between Parc Adfer and North Wales.

A section called Future, in the Wikipedia entry for Shotton station, says this about upgrading the station.

In March 2015 Network Rail published the draft version of their Welsh Route Study. It contained a proposal to build a new interchange station that would replace the existing High and Low Level stations, allowing for greater connectivity between the North Wales Coast Main Line and the Borderlands Line. The document recommended a transport planning study to establish the cost, feasibility and benefits of the proposed scheme.

It appears to be likely, that no rail route will be created to allow freight services between Parc Adfer and North Wales.

Deeside Parkway Railway Station

It does appear that a parkway station at Deeside Parkway is a possibility.

This is the opening paragraph of the Wikipedia entry for Deeside Parkway station.

Deeside Parkway is a proposed railway station situated between Neston and Hawarden Bridge on the Borderlands Line. The station is intended to serve the Deeside area of Flintshire, North Wales, particularly the Deeside Industrial Park.

The station is proposed to be park of the North Wales Metro, which is described in this Wikipedia entry.

 

April 14, 2024 Posted by | Energy | , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

High Speed Two To Holyhead

Rishi Sunak has just announced that the North Wales Main Line will be electrified, along with the cancellation of further phases of High Speed Two.

I have written about this topic before in Could High Speed Two Serve Holyhead?.

In that post, I started with this question and answer.

Why?

It could be a way to create a zero- or low-carbon route between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland.

In Could High Speed Two Finish At Lichfield?, I discussed, what might happen if the Birmingham to Manchester leg of High Speed Two were to be scrapped.

This was my main conclusion.

I strongly believe that an upgraded Trent Valley Line linked to a shortened High Speed Two at Lichfield could improve journey times between London, Birmingham and the North.

As the current Holyhead services will pass this junction between the Trent Valley Line and High Speed Two, there is no reason, why they couldn’t take High Speed Two to and from London, if the service was run by High Speed Two Classic-Compatible Trains.

These are further thoughts.

Timings

These would be the times in hours:minutes.

  • Bangor – 2:42
  • Chester – 1:28
  • Holyhead – 3:10
  • Llandudno Junction – 2:24

Currently, Holyhead is three hours and forty-five minutes.

Would the Electrification Be Full Or Partial Between Crewe And Holyhead?

This question will be increasingly asked about electrification.

Consider.

  • CAF, Hitachi, Siemens and Stadler are all developing battery-electric technology for trains.
  • The UK’s first battery-electric train service goes into service tomorrow between Liverpool and Headbolt Lane station.
  • Freight locomotives are increasingly being ordered with both electric and diesel power.
  • Some of the castles, countryside and other monuments wouldn’t be enhanced, with lots of overhead electrification.

I think it is likely, that electrification will increasingly have gaps for visual, technical or heritage reasons.

Electrification of the North Wales Coast Line with other small improvements could probably reduce the journey time between London and Holyhead to around three hours.

Would There Be Enough Paths On The Trent Valley Line And High Speed Two?

This graphic shows High Speed Two services after Phase 2b is completed.

Note.

  1. Services shown in blue are run by High Speed Two Full Size trains.
  2. Services shown in yellow are run by High Speed Two Classic-Compatible  trains.
  3. There are a total of 23 train paths of which eleven would need to go along the Trent Valley Line.
  4. The three London-Manchester services and the two Birmingham-Manchester services would have to be run by High Speed Two Classic-Compatible  trains.
  5. The second Liverpool train is only a single train, but it could be a pair, that split at Crewe, with one train going to Liverpool and the other to Chester and North Wales.
  6. All the Avanti West Coast services, currently using the Trent Valley Line would probably be replaced by High Speed Two services.

There would have to be a bit of reorganising, but I suspect an hourly path could be found for a train between London and Holyhead.

A Fast Green Route To The Emerald Isle

Electrification of the North Wales Coast Line with other small improvements could probably reduce the journey time between London and Holyhead to around three hours.

This service could be paired with a fast zero-carbon ferry to the island of Ireland?

Conclusion

I am fairly sure that an HS2 service to Holyhead could be run, once the North Wales Coast Line is electrified.

See Also

Could High Speed Two Finish At Lichfield?

High Speed Two To Crewe

High Speed Two To Lancaster

High Speed Two To Liverpool

High Speed Two To Manchester

High Speed Two To Stoke-on-Trent

High Speed Two To Wigan

October 4, 2023 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Train Frequency Focus In North Wales Transport Commission’s Interim Recommendations

The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Railway Gazette International.

This is the first paragraph.

The North Wales Transport Commission chaired by Lord Burns has published its interim recommendations for the development and delivery of an integrated multi-modal transport system in the region.

The following sections, outline the recommendations for rail services.

Chester Station Improvements

The North Wales Transport Commission (NWTC) supports proposed improvements at Chester station to enable additional services to operate.

This page on Transport for Wales detailed the improvements at Chester station, where this is said.

Transport for Wales is delivering significant improvements to Chester Station. The project primarily focuses on customer improvements within the station, with work to include new branding and signage, a new passenger assist point, cycle stands, roaming mics and hearing loop systems, a new full station CCTV system, toilet refurbishments on the concourse and platforms 4 and 7, a new changing place toilet, customer waiting room upgrade, water refill unit, platform and concourse seating and waste facilities.

New Customer Information Screens will be installed throughout Chester station increasing the train service information available on the platforms and within the station waiting rooms. We’ll also be installing new screens for onward journeys, including bus, and an interactive screen which will be installed on the concourse.  

Improvement works in the concourse also include, repurposing of the ticket office to create a new retail unit for the future, a new rental unit, a new customer service desk with ticket selling facilities, additional ticket vending machines, a repositioned gate line with additional standard and wide aisle gates.  A new quiet room will also be introduced as a place for customers who require a safe, isolated space whilst waiting for their train. 

TfW is working closely with industry partners to minimise disruption during these works for both customers and the local community. Customers are encouraged to plan in extra time to allow for potential disruption during this work. Signage and hoardings will be erected at the station in advance of and throughout, these significant improvement works, and communications will be provided at the station, onboard services and online, to advise of any temporary changes to accommodate the work on site at the station.

Note.

  1. It looks a serious level of improvement for customers.
  2. The Chester and Wrexham Line was improved in 2017, with full double-tracking and higher maximum speeds.
  3. It looks like completion is some time in 2024.

Nothing is said about extra train services.

North Wales Main Line

The NWTC says this about the North Wales Main Line.

On the North Wales Main Line, it says the priority should be service frequency improvements and supporting infrastructure works between Crewe and Llandudno. Improvements to signalling and line capacity from Llandudno to Bangor and Holyhead would require larger scale works, which should be planned so that they are ready to progress as and when funding is available.

I went to Holyhead earlier in the year and more trains would be welcome.

Borderlands Line

The NWTC says this about the Borderlands Line.

Signalling and line capacity improvements are required along the Borderlands Line, the commission believes. A key constraint is the sidings for the Hanson site at Padeswood, where freight trains block the line for up to an hour, and the commission says this needs to be resolved before other work to improve the line can proceed.

There should be investment to reduce journey times and increase service frequencies between Wrexham and Liverpool to significantly increase the attractiveness of the route.

I talked about the freight problem in New Trains Could Be Operating Through Flintshire From May But No Green Light For Two An Hour Service.

This map from OpenRailwayMap shows the track layout at Padeswood site.

I was able to follow a train on Real Time Trains, as it left Padeswood Cement Works.

  • It moved to the sidings alongside the Borderlands Line.
  • It then joined the Borderlands Line and went Northwards through Buckley, Hawarden, Shotton and Hawarden Bridge stations before stopping in Dee Marsh Sidings.
  • The engine then changed ends and brought the train back down the Borderlands Line to Wrexham.
  • The train then continued to its destination via Ruabon, Gobowen and Shrewsbury.

This movement doesn’t seem too bad, so has there been some signalling and track improvements?

Shrewsbury And Chester Line

The NWTC says this about the Shrewsbury and Chester Line.

The commission says it has not seen a pressing case for full electrification of the Shrewsbury to Chester line, and the priority should be signalling improvements at Gobowen.

I thought that Shrewsbury and Chester might have been electrified, as it could be used to charge battery-electric going between England and Wales. But it will be some years before Transport for Wales get a battery-electric train strategy together.

On the other hand the two cities are only 42 miles apart, which is in range of battery-electric trains.

Conwy Valley And Cambrian Coast Lines

The NWTC says this about the Conwy Valley Line and the Cambrian Coast Line.

There could be merit in introducing increased frequencies on the Conwy Valley and Cambrian Coast lines during the peak season. Service enhancements and infrastructure improvements such as passing loops may be beneficial, ‘as has happened to similar lines in Devon and Cornwall’, but ’in the immediate future, those communities served by stations along the route should have access to enhanced bus services to reduce dependence on car use’.

This seems like a sensible and non-disruptive plan.

Anglesey Central Railway

The NWTC says this about the Anglesey Central Railway to Amlwch.

NWTC ‘is not persuaded’ that there is a case for opening the line to Amlwch, and says ’more urgent improvements to existing lines and services should take a higher priority’.

The Anglesey Central Railway reopening would appear to be a fairly simple project as the track is mostly already there, so this might be the sort of project, that finds itself moving up the list, if related housing or commercial developments are proposed.

This Google Map shows Amlwch and the surrounding area.

With all the tidal, nuclear and wind energy possibilities in the area, I would never rule out the rail link to Amlwch being restored.

Associated Octel used to have bromine works in Amlwch and more details can be found in this web site.

I’ve worked in chemical works with chlorine, fluorine and bromine and my advice is be very careful with them.

Criccieth And Bangor

NWTC says this about reopening the route between Criccieth and Bangor.

NWTC ‘is not persuaded’ that there is a case for opening the line between Criccieth and Bangor, and says ’more urgent improvements to existing lines and services should take a higher priority’.

This OpenRailwayMap shows the area of the reopening.

Note.

  1. The orange line going across the top of the map is North Wales Coast Line between Chester in the East and the Port of Holyhead on Anglesey.
  2. Towards the North-East corner of the map, Bangor station is indicated by the blue lettering.
  3. The Menai Strait runs between the Welsh mainland and the Island of Anglesey.
  4. The important town of Caernarfon can be picked out.
  5. The orange line at the bottom of the map is the Cambrian Line, which connects to Shrewsbury and Aberystwyth.
  6. This line terminates at Pwllheli on the Lleyn Peninsular in the South-West corner of the map.

A dotted line indicates a disused railway between the Southern coast of the peninsular and Bangor via Caernarfon, which I assume is the railway that has been proposed for reinstatement.

It could be a valuable addition to the railways of North Wales and could help to promote tourism.

Station And Other Improvements On The Borderlands Line

This is said about station and other improvements on the Borderlands Line.

The commission supports a new station at Deeside Industrial Park, and enhancements at Shotton to improve connectivity between the high and low-level platforms.

It says frequency enhancements should be prioritised over new stations, and fleet improvements should facilitate the frequency enhancements. It endorses the proposed use of Merseyrail’s Class 777 battery-electric trainsets on the Borderlands Line.

I feel that the Class 777 trains, which could travel under Liverpool are a shoe-in.

Conclusion

North Wales will be getting the railway it need to promote education, employment, leisure and tourism.

 

 

June 21, 2023 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Will Hollywood Celebrity Involvement Be The Catalyst To Spark Development Of the Borderlands Line?

In Wrexham General Station – 4th May 2023, I showed this map, of Wrexham General station and the Racecourse Ground.

Consider.

  • Wrexham A. F. C. are certainly a club, whose fans won’t need much encouragement to go to matches by train.
  • I also feel that given the celebrity ownership, it will be one of those grounds where away supporters will want go.
  • Its ground and Wrexham General station is well-served by direct trains from Birmingham, Cardiff, Liverpool and London.
  • Interesting matches next year could be against Crewe, Newport and Tranmere.

I’m sure that because of the location of the ground and the celebrity owners, there will be pressure to improve the Borderlands Line to Liverpool.

The Wikipedia entry for the Borderlands Line has a section called Development, where this is said.

The doubling of the journey frequency on the line is one of the aims of the Growth Track 360 group, a consortium of business, politicians and public sector leaders. The group aims to improve transport and create jobs in the North Wales, Merseyside and Cheshire area over the next 20 years. During the 2017 Autumn budget, Chancellor Philip Hammond stated that part of the additional £1.2 billion funding Wales was receiving would be used to look into proposals to improve journey times on the line and developing a business case.

In October 2019, Transport for Wales announced £280,000 have been allocated to revamp stations along the line in north Wales and Merseyside, as part of TfW’s £194 million station improvement programme.

In a section called Proposed New Stations, these improvements have been proposed.

  • Build a new station at Deeside Industrial Park.
  • Build a new station at Woodchurch.
  • Build a new station at Beechwood.
  • Incorporate the line into the Merseyrail Wirral line to provide direct connectivity with Liverpool city centre.
  • Replace the High and Low levels at Shotton station with a dedicated interchange station, improving connectivity between the North Wales Coast Main Line & the Borderlands line.
  • Remove level crossings to improve line speed.

All these proposals seem reasonable.

There is also a section called Proposed Electrification, where this is said.

There have been proposals for the full or partial electrification of the line since 1999 with participation of Merseytravel and the devolved institutions in Wales. Such electrification is usually intertwined with proposals for the full incorporation of the line into the electrified Merseyrail network, allowing for services from either Wrexham Central or partway along the line to travel all the way to Birkenhead and Liverpool Central.

In 2008, a Network Rail study estimated the cost for third-rail electrification of the entire line to be £207 million. To lower costs, Merseytravel suggested overhead-wire electrification as an alternative, bringing estimates down to £66 million. However, this would mean trains running between Wrexham and Liverpool would have to be compatible with both electric systems, therefore incompatible with the third-rail only trains in use at the time.

There is political support to electrify the line from both Welsh and Merseyside authorities, however the responsibility of rail infrastructure lies with the UK Government’s Department for Transport. The Welsh Government aims to increase services between North Wales and Merseyside, in particular Wrexham and Deeside with Liverpool and Liverpool John Lennon Airport. Whereas Merseyside authorities would like to increase services to stations on the line on the Wirral Peninsula in particular, as well as the rest of the line.

In 2016, a working group had been set up to examine improving the line, including proposals to increase the frequency of trains on the line. It is hoped that an increase in the number of passengers would improve the case for electrification.

It seems that various solutions have been proposed.

Consider what will be available to Merseyrail and Transport for Wales within a year or so.

  • Merseyrail will be running a new fleet of electric Class 777 trains.
  • These new trains will be running from Bidston station and under Liverpool City Centre using the Wirral Line.
  • Merseytravel has an option for a further 60 units.
  • Class 777 trains are designed for running with 25 KVAC overhead electrification, should this be required in the future.
  • Merseyrail and Transport for Wales will be working with Stadler on the use of battery-electric trains.
  • Bidston and Wrexham Central are only 27.5 miles apart.
  • The Borderlands Line is not the most challenging of rail lines to improve, as it is fairly straight and level.
  • It is unlikely that Health and Safety would allow any more third rail electrification. But would this ban also apply in Wales?
  • West Kirby trains run for 10.4 miles in 34 minutes to perform their loop under from Bidston under Liverpool City Centre.
  • If Wrexham trains could turn under Liverpool City Centre, this would improve shopping, business and educational opportunities for those living along the Borderlands Line.

This section of the Wikipedia entry for the Borderlands Line says this about the range of the Class 777 trains on battery power.

The Liverpool City Region Combined Authority announced that trials of the seven battery electric multiple unit (BEMU) versions of their new Class 777 had shown that they were capable of travelling up to 20 miles (32 km) without a charge. Further trials by Stadler reached a range of 84 miles (135 km). This would allow the line to be served without the full electrification.

In Battery Answer To Schleswig-Holstein’s Diesel Replacement Question, I talked about how Stadler were using battery-electric trains to replace diesels in Schleswig-Holstein.

It seems obvious to me, that Stadler would have experience of a suitable battery-electric train and charging system, that could be applied to the Borderlands Line.

  • I would suspect that the 34 minutes that the train would take to go from Bidston to Liverpool and back to Bidston would be more than adequate to fully charge the batteries on a train.
  • This would be enough to get a full train to Wrexham, even when Liverpool or Everton were playing an FA Cup match against Wrexham A. F. C.

But how would trains recharge at Wrexham? This map from OpenRailwayMap shows the track layout at Wrexham.

Note.

  1. Wrexham Central station is in the South-East corner of the map.
  2. Wrexham General station is towards the top of the map marked by blue letters.
  3. A single track connects Platform 4 at Wrexham General station to the single platform at Wrexham Central station.

It looks like space could be a bit limited at Wrexham Central station, so would it be an idea to electrify between the two stations?

A train takes typically about seven minutes from arrival at Wrexham General station from Bidston until it leaves the station to return to Bidston.

  • This should be enough to charge the train fully.
  • Theoretically, it would allow Wrexham to have a four trains per hour (tph) service to Liverpool.
  • Electrifying between the two stations would be about 0.6 miles of single-track electrification.
  • Connection and disconnection to the electrification would be in Wrexham General station.
  • The electrification would only be switched on, when there is a train using it. This could be arranged using simple automation or by employing another signaller.

I do wonder if Welsh Health and Safety would allow third-rail electrification? If it’s a UK matter, then give it to the Welsh Government. But it would be the only third-rail electrification in the Principality.

Conclusion

I believe that if the Welsh Government would allow third-rail electrification, the service could start as soon as Merseyrail has enough battery trains.

 

May 6, 2023 Posted by | Sport, Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

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