Liverpool’s Vision For Rail
This document on the Liverpool City Region web site is entitled Metro Mayor’s Vision Of A Merseyrail for All Takes Vital Step Forward With Successful Trial Of New Battery-Powered Trains.
It makes these points in the first part of the document.
- Game-changing technology paves way for Merseyrail network expansion across the Liverpool City Region and beyond
- Merseyrail services could reach as far as Wrexham and Preston
- City Region is at the forefront of the introduction of pioneering energy efficient technology.
The new battery-powered trains would certainly go a long way to enable, these objectives.
- Battery-powered trains would need a range of 26.9 miles to go between Bidston and Wrexham stations.
- Battery-powered trains would need a range of 15.3 miles to go between Ormskirk and Preston stations.
This link is to the North Cheshire Rail User Group’s Newsletter for Spring 2021.
This is said about battery range of the new Class 777 trains.
Later model Class 777’s have the ability to leave the 3rd rail and operate under battery power for 20 miles or more with a full load thus
permitting expansion of the Merseyrail network beyond its current limits.
I suspect they will also have regenerative braking to batteries, which will increase the range and allow Preston and Wrexham stations to be achieved without charge.
It certainly sounds like Preston and Wrexham and all the intermediate stations, will be added to the Merseyrail network.
As to the third point above about the introduction of pioneering energy efficient technology, I suspect this is mainly regenerative braking to batteries and replacement of elderly worn-out power supply equipment.
There is more in the Liverpool City Region document.
Expanding Merseyrail
This is said.
The game-changing technology could allow the Merseyrail network to extend across all six city region boroughs to places like Rainhill in St Helens, Woodchurch on the Wirral and Widnes in Halton.
It could also allow the new fleet to operate as far afield as Skelmersdale, Wrexham, Warrington and Runcorn.
Note.
- A 25 KVAC capability could well be needed. But that is built into the Class 777 trains.
- Chargers could be needed at some of these stations. I suspect Stadler have a Swiss manufacturer in mind.
In the run-up to May’s elections, the Mayor pledged to deliver ‘Merseyrail for All, a commitment to connecting under-served communities to the Merseyrail network.
New Stations
Initially the battery-powered trains, which are considerably greener, using up to 30% less energy than the existing fleet, are set to run on services to a planned new station at Headbolt Lane, Kirkby.
The wider Merseyrail for All programme could ensure every community is well served by an integrated public transport network and new and refurbished train stations are also high on the agenda.
They could include:
- The Baltic Triangle in Liverpool
- Carr Mill in St Helens
- Woodchurch on the Wirral
Note.
- The Baltic Triangle station will be built on the site of the former Liverpool St. James station.
- The Carr Mill station will probably be built on the site of the former Carr Mill station.
- Woodchurch station is likely to be built on the Borderlands Line between Upton and Heswall stations.
Tram-Trains And Trackless Trams
The document says this.
Tram-Train technology and trackless trams will also be looked at as potential means of extending the Merseyrail network into hard-to-reach places. The technology could benefit areas such as Liverpool John Lennon Airport and Speke, Kirkby Town Centre, Southport Town Centre, Wirral Waters and the Knowledge Quarter.
Tram-trains built by Stadler in Valencia are already running in Sheffield and in the next few years they should be deployed on the South Wales Metro.
TStadler are also building Merseyrail’s new Class 777 trains, so I suspect they’ll go together like peaches and cream.
The Belgian firm; Van Hool have a product called Exquicity. This video shows them working in Pau in France.
These tram buses run on rubber types and are powered by hydrogen.
Similar buses running in Belfast are diesel-electric.
Could these be what the document refers to as trackless trams?
Battery Train Trials
The article finishes with this summary of the battery train trials. This is said.
Under the battery trials, financed by the Transforming Cities Fund, one of the new class 777 trains fitted with the battery technology was tested on the Northern line.
The batteries exceeded expectations with the trains travelling up to 20 miles per run without the need for re-charging.
The battery trains would remove the need for the third ‘electric’ rail, enabling the trains to travel beyond the existing network without major track investment.
The units passed all tests during four weeks of trials on the City Region’s rail network in May and June.
The Combined Authority and partners are still assessing the full impact of the Coronavirus pandemic on the programme and will provide more information regarding the roll out as soon as it has been agreed.
It looks to me, if all these plans get implemented successfully, Liverpool City Region will have one of the best public transport systems of any similar-sized cities in the world.
The Full Plan As A Map
This article on the BBC is entitled Battery-Powered Trains Part Of Merseyrail Expansion Plan.
The article contains this map.
There is no key or explanation, but it appears that the pink lines are new routes, where Merseyrail will run trains.
Before I discuss each of the possible routes, I will discuss two big factors, that will affect a lot of my thinking.
The West Coast Main Line
Avanti West Coast have the following stops in trains per hour (tph) at these stations on the West Coast Main Line as its trains pass the East of Merseyside to and from London Euston.
- Crewe – At least 5 tph
- Warrington Bank Quay – At least 2 tph
- Preston – At least 1 tph
These frequencies are in addition to these direct trains from London Euston.
- 1 tph to Liverpool Lime Street, which will rise to 2 tph in the December 2022, with a call at Liverpool South Parkway station.
- Occasional services to Chester throughout the day.
Passengers do not have to go via Liverpool Lime Street to travel to London.
In addition. there are useful services run by TransPennine Express between Liverpool Lime Street and Scotland, that call at Preston.
In Future; High Speed Two
This will call at Crewe, Liverpool Lime Street, Liverpool South Parkway, Preston and Warrington.
Northern Trains
Northern Trains were in all sorts of troubles and the service is now run directly by the Government’s Operator of Last Resort. I suspect that any reasonable offer to takeover over a service will be looked at favourably.
I will now look at Merseyrail’s new routes.
Ormskirk And Southport Via The Burscough Curve
Consider.
- This route has been a long term aspiration of Merseyrail.
- A curve between Burscough Bridge and Burscough Junction will have to be rebuilt on a former alignment.
- Southport and Ormskirk are about 13 miles apart.
- Southport and Ormskirk have third-rail electrified lines to Liverpool and the South.
It would be an ideal route for battery-electric trains with a range of 20 miles.
What would it do for passengers?
- It gives those living near five stations a direct link to Liverpool.
- It gives Southport a town of over 91,000 people more capacity to the city of Liverpool for jobs, leisure and shopping.
- Will it open up more opportunities for new housing in villages like Burscough?
It will certainly give Merseyrail operational advantages to Southport.
Ormskirk And Preston
Consider.
- Takeover of this Northern Trains route has been a long term aspiration of Merseyrail.
- Preston and Ormskirk are about 15.3 miles and 32 minutes apart.
- Omskirk has 750 VDC third-rail electrification and Preston has 25 KVAC overhead electrification.
- The Class 777 trains have been built so they can be updated to dual voltage.
It certainly looks to be a route that could be handled by a battery-electric Class 777 train.
What would it do for passengers?
- It gives those living near the Ormskirk and Preston Line a direct link to Liverpool.
- It creates a direct link in modern electric trains between North Liverpool and Preston, for onward travel on West Coast Main Line services and High Speed Two in the future.
- The journey time could be reduced to under thirty minutes.
As football is so important to the Liverpool economy, would a time around forty-five minutes between Preston and Sandhills station tempt football supporters going to Anfield and Goodison Park to use the train and then perhaps a trackless tram to the stadium?
This Google map shows the location of Anfield, Goodison Park and Sandhills station.
Note.
- Anfield is in the bottom-right corner of the map and is marked by a red arrow.
- Goodison is in the top-right corner of the map, slightly to the West of Anfield.
- Sandhills station is in the bottom-left corner of the map.
Both stadia are around a mile and a half from the station.
Southport And Preston
Once the Ormskirk and Southport and Ormskirk and Preston services are up and running, it would surely be possible to run a Southport and Preston service.
- There would be a reverse at Ormskirk.
- The two sections of Ormskirk and Southport and Ormskirk and Preston would both need battery power.
- Whilst the driver changed ends at Ormskirk, the train would be recharged using a fast and efficient charger.
- Times between Southport and Preston would be under an hour.
It certainly looks to be a route that could be handled by a battery-electric Class 777 train.
What would it do for passengers?
- It gives those living in Southport, a direct link to Preston.
- It creates a direct link in modern electric trains between Southport and Preston, for onward travel on West Coast Main Line services and High Speed Two in the future.
This service could be very valuable for passengers, but I suspect the route could be implemented with minimal infrastructure changes at Ormskirk station.
Ormskirk Station
This picture shows Ormskirk’s single platform from the Merseyrail end.
Note.
- The Liverpool train in the foreground.
- The Preston train in the background.
- The solid barrier between the trains.
I wonder if the following would be possible with the barrier removed.
- The long platform would be treated as one platform divided into two.
- Perhaps they will be the Liverpool and Preston/Southport platform,
- Trains that will leave the station for Liverpool will stop in the Liverpool platform.
- Trains that will leave the station for Preston or Southport will stop in the Preston/Southport platform.
- Through trains between Liverpool and Preston or Southport would be possible.
- A train between Preston and Southport could reverse in the Preston/Southport platform, whilst trains for Liverpool used the Liverpool platform.
It looks like it’s an efficient layout borrowed from somewhere else. and Stadler have probably seen it before.
Headbolt Lane Station
In Headbolt Lane Station Fly-Through, I described the new Headbolt Lane station.
This screen capture is from the video in that post,
Note.
- Two platforms going away from the camera and one platform and what looks to be a siding going towards the camera.
- There appears to be no direct connection between the two different sets of tracks.
Until proven wrong, I believe that the camera is looking towards Liverpool, as it would mean that Liverpool services had two platforms. But they currently make do with one at Kirkby.
There is a walk through between the tracks, which
- Enables passengers to access the second platform.
- Allows passengers to enter the station from the other side.
- Allows non-passengers to cross the tracks on the level.
- Avoids the need to build a bridge.
It is certainly an innovative design.
If occasional trains need to go through, could there be a lift-out section of the walk-through?
But as there are buffer stops on the tracks in the three platforms, that are either side of the walk-through, I suspect it will never happen, as it’s too much hassle.
In the Wikipedia entry for Headbolt Lane station this is said.
The Liverpool City Region Combined Authority announced in July 2021 that a trial of a battery electric multiple unit (BEMU) version of the new Class 777 will serve the new station, when it opens. This will not require all of the line extension to Headbolt Lane to be electrified.
Merseyrail would appear to have neatly side-stepped, the Office of Road and Rail’s policy of no more third-rail electrification.
But I’m sure Merseyrail could put an approved train-charging system in the station.
- They would need one if a Class 777 train arrived with a flat battery.
- They would need one to charge trains on the Headbolt Lane and Skelmersdale service, if the service were to be run by battery-electric trains.
- They would need one to charge trains on the Headbolt Lane and Wigan Wallgate service, if the service were to be run by battery-electric trains.
The system could be based on a short length of overhead wire and a slim pantograph or a system like Railbaar from Furrer + Frey.
But does it give any clues as to the orientation of the station in the video?
- As there are three platforms and a siding, that meet at Headbolt Lane station, all could be fitted with chargers. to make sure the services are reliable.
- Liverpool services could be handled at either end, as it only needs one platform.
- Skelmersdale and Wigan services could probably share a platform, but they would be better surely using two platforms.
- The siding could be created into a platform for extra services to be added to the Merseyrail network
So there is no pressing reason, why the station cannot be North or South of the railway.
I suspect road layout and land use issues will eventually decide, the orientation of the station.
Headbolt Lane And Skelmersdale
Consider.
- This has been a long term aspiration of Merseyrail and Lancashire County Council.
- Headbolt Lane and Skelmersdale are just a few miles apart.
- Direct running between Liverpool and Skelmersdale will not be possible, but it will be a step-free change between trains.
The Wikipedia entry for Headbolt Lane station seems to indicate a proposed extension of the Northern Line with the next stop being the existing Rainford station. This would surely not add greatly to costs and bring Merseyrail to more fare-paying customers.
It certainly looks to be a route that could be handled by a battery-electric Class 777 train.
What would it do for passengers?
- Skelmersdale is a town of nearly 39,000 and is said to be one of the largest towns in England without a rail connection.
- At Headbolt Lane passengers will be able to change for Liverpool or Manchester.
A lot of passengers will have received a modern train service.
Headbolt Lane And Wigan
Consider.
- This service is currently run by Northern trains.
- Kirkby and Wigan Wallgate stations are just over twelve miles apart.
- Someone, who should know told me that by the time High Speed Two starts running through Wigan at a frequency of two tph, the two Wigan stations will have been combined.
- Headbolt Lane station could be the drop-off point for those needing to go to Birmingham, Edinburgh, Glasgow and London on both the current West Coast Main Line and the future High Speed Two.
What better way to start that journey than on one of Merseyrail’s battery-electric Class 777 trains.
What would it do for passengers?
With modern battery-electric trains linking Headbolt Lane station to the combined Wigan station complex, this route could be the zero-carbon route between large parts of Liverpool and cantres of tourism and employment along and to the East of the M6 and the West Coast Main Line.
Liverpool South Parkway And Warrington Central
Consider.
- This would be takeover of part of the current Liverpool Lime Street and Manchester Oxford Road service.
- The map shows the service going at least as far as Warrington Central station.
- Stations between Hunts Cross and Warrington Central include Halewood, Hough Green, Widnes, Sankey and the new Warrington West stations.
Distances are as follows.
- Liverpool South Parkway and Liverpool Lime Street – 5.5 miles
- Liverpool South Parkway and Warrington Central – 12.7 miles
- Liverpool South Parkway and Trafford Park – 25.4 miles
- Liverpool South Parkway and Manchester Oxford Road – 28.7 miles
The following sections of the route have 25 KVAC overhead electrification.
- Liverpool South Parkway and Liverpool Lime Street
- East of Trafford Park.
With a bit more electrification at either end, the whole route should be in range of a battery-electric Class 777 train.
Or the Class 777 trains could be fitted with bigger batteries!
It certainly looks to be a route that could be handled by a battery-electric Class 777 train.
What would it do for passengers?
- This is a route that has needed decent trains for years and has finally got new Class 195 trains.
- But, in addition, the battery-electric Class 777 trains would decarbonise the route.
The major problem, though is not infrastructure or trains, but surely Andy Burnham, who is the outspoken Mayor of Greater Manchester and could object to Merseyrail invading his patch.
Merseyrail’s Cheshire Ambitions
This is a section of the map shown on the BBC article, showing Cheshire.
It looks like there could be as many as three routes.
- Chester and Crewe
- Chester and Runcorn East
- Ellesmere Port and Runcorn East
I’ll now cover the routes in detail.
Chester And Crewe
Consider.
- This would be a takeover by Merseyrail of the existing Trains for Wales service.
- Chester And Crewe are about 21,2 miles and 25 minutes apart.
- Chester has 750 VDC third-rail electrification and Crewe has 25 KVAC overhead electrification.
- The Class 777 trains have been built so they can be updated to dual voltage.
- There is a proposal, that Beeston Castle and Tarporley station be re-opened.
It certainly looks to be a route that could be handled by a battery-electric Class 777 train.
What would it do for passengers?
- If trains will run between Crewe and Liverpool, this creates a second route between the two major stations.
- It creates a direct link in modern electric trains between The Wirral and Crewe, for onward travel on West Coast Main Line services and High Speed Two in the future.
- The journey time could be reduced by enough to increase service frequency on the route.
I This would be a very useful extension of the Merseyrail network.
Chester And Runcorn East
Consider.
- This would be a takeover by Merseyrail of the existing Trains for Wales service.
- Chester And Runcorn East are about 13.1 miles apart.
- Two stations and five miles further on is Warrington Bank Quay station.
- Chester has 750 VDC third-rail electrification and Warrington Bank Quay has 25 KVAC overhead electrification.
- The Class 777 trains have been built so they can be updated to dual voltage.
It certainly looks to be a route that could be handled by a battery-electric Class 777 train.
What would it do for passengers?
- It would enable a Merseyrail circular route from Liverpool Lime Street to Chester via Edge Hill, Wavertree Technology Park, Broad Green, Roby, Huyton, Whiston, Rainhill, Lea Green, St Helens Junction, Warrington Bank Quay, Frodsham, Runcorn East and Helsby.
- After Chester, it could take the Wirral Line back to Liverpool to make it a true Mersey Circular service.
Would a Mersey Circular service be a good idea?
Ellesmere Port And Runcorn East
Consider.
- This been a long term aspiration of Merseyrail.
- This would be a takeover by Merseyrail of the infrequent Northern Rail service.
- Ellesmere Port And Runcorn East are about 10.8 miles apart.
- Two stations and five miles further on is Warrington Bank Quay station.
- Ellesmere Port has 750 VDC third-rail electrification and Warrington Bank Quay has 25 KVAC overhead electrification.
- The Class 777 trains have been built so they can be updated to dual voltage.
It certainly looks to be a route that could be handled by a battery-electric Class 777 train.
What would it do for passengers?
- It would certainly improve rail transport along the South Bank of the Mersey from Ellesmere Port to Warrington Bank Quay or Runcorn East depending on the Eastern terminus.
- If the terminal were to be Warrington Bank Quay that would sort out the charging.
- It could create a direct link in modern electric trains between Ellesmere Port and Warrington Bank Quay, for onward travel on West Coast Main Line services and High Speed Two in the future.
I feel that an Ellesmere Port and Warrington Bank Quay service would be good for the area.
The Borderlands Line
I’ve left the Borderlands Line to last, as I feel it will be a lot more than commuter and leisure line between Liverpool and Wrexham.
- It crosses the border between England and Wales
- The line is 26.9 miles of double track, with a single-track extension of under two miles between the two Wrexham stations.
- It has over twenty stations with more planned in both countries
- It crosses a couple of rivers on long steel bridges.
- It brings commuters to Liverpool and takes workers to the high-tech factories of companies like Airbus and Toyota on Deeside.
- It connects to a lot of golf courses, one of which is the Open Championship course at Royal Liverpool.
- Once in Wales it has two connections to the North Wales Coast Line, which runs between Chester and holyhead.
It is no ordinary railway and is ripe for improvement to bridge passengers to employment sites and leisure areas along its route.
The line has one big problem in that passengers need to change trains at Bidston between Liverpool and Wrexham stations.
- Between Bidston and Liverpool the Merseyrail electric trains to and from Hoylake are used and they turn in the Liverpool Loop under Liverpool City Centre calling at four stations before returning.
- Between Bidston and Wrexham, diesel multiple units are used.
It is a route design straight out of the 1970s of men with minds without imagination. Even British Rail were designing battery-electric trains in the 1950s, which I wrote about in Did The Queen Ever Ride In This Train?.
Merseyrail intend to right the wrongs of the past using battery-electric Class 777 trains.
- As electric versions of these trains will be used on the Liverpool and Hoylake service, there would be no need to change trains at Bidston if the Liverpool and Wrexham trains were just a battery-electric version of the same train.
- The Wrexham trains would drive round the Liverpool Loop tunnel as hundreds of trains do every day.
- The trains would be charged on the existing third-rail electrification at the Liverpool end.
- I’m fairly certain that a frequency of two tph would be possible on the route, if the Liverpool Loop tunnel signalling could cope,
- Trains would need to be charged at the Wexham end of the route and I’m sure Stadler have a solution.
It would be an efficient and cost effective way to decarbonise a tricky but useful branch line.
Conclusion
Stadler are playing their full orchestra of ideas on Merseyrail.
When completed, it will be one of the best metros of any urban areas up to a million people in the world.
This metro could do for Liverpool, what the Beatles did for the city in the 1960s.
Beeching Reversal – Reopen Midge Hall Station
This is one of the Beeching Reversal projects that the Government and Network Rail are proposing to reverse some of the Beeching cuts.
Midge Hall station is a closed station on the Ormskirk Branch Line.
This Google Map shows what’s left of Midge Hall station.
Note.
- The single-track Ormskirk Branch Line running SW-NE across the map.
- Midge Hall Lane crossing it at right-angles in the South-West corner of the map, where a level crossing can be seen.
- The original station had two platforms, of which the remains can be seen.
There certainly seems plenty of space to rebuild the station.
The Ormskirk Branch Line
The Ormskirk Branch Line runs between Ormskirk and Preston stations.
- It is single-track most of the way.
- It is about 15.5 miles long.
- The current trains take just over half-an-hour.
- There are four intermediate stations.
- Most services terminate in a bay platform at Preston station.
- Ormskirk station is electrified with 750 VDC third-rail electrification.
- Preston station is electrified with 25 KVAC overhead electrification.
The Future section in the Wikipedia entry says this.
There have been several proposals to extend the Merseyrail electric service to Preston using this line. This would restore the most direct Liverpool – Preston route. The reinstatement of the Burscough Curves has been proposed which would allow services to Southport from Preston and Liverpool via Ormskirk. This could be accompanied by the reopening of Midge Hall station.
The reports usually say, that this would be achieved by fitting batteries to the new Class 777 trains.
Battery Operation Of Merseyrail’s New Class 777 Trains
It would appear that on each round trip between Ormskirk and Preston, the trains will have to run thirty-one miles on batteries.
- In Batteries On Class 777 Trains, I estimated that, the battery capacity of a Class 777 train was 300 kWh.
- It also looks like Stadler have designed the Class 777 train, with battery-operation as an integral part of the design.
In an article in the October 2017 Edition of Modern Railways, which is entitled Celling England By The Pound, Ian Walmsley says this in relation to trains running on the Uckfield Branch, which is not very challenging.
A modern EMU needs between 3 and 5 kWh per vehicle mile for this sort of service.
I know both branches reasonably well and the Ormskirk Branch is probably the least challenging.
Consider.
- The Class 777 train is probably equivalent in length to a three-car train, as the cars are short.
- The Class 777 train appears to have a sophisticated traction system, that includes regenerative braking to the batteries.
If the Class 777 train can achieve 3 kWh per vehicle mile, it will have a range of 33.3 miles. Reduce it to 2 kWh per vehicle mile and the range would be 50 miles.
I am fairly certain, that Stadler have designed a train, that can achieve a round trip between Ormskirk and Preston, without needing a battery top-up at Preston.
I don’t think, that it will need to use overhead wires either.
So that will save on infrastructure costs!
Charging The Batteries
The batteries would be charged using the existing third-rail electrification between Ormskirk and Hunts Cross stations.
No new infrastructure would be needed.
Future Services Between Liverpool And Preston
Preston and Liverpool already a direct hourly electric service via Huyton, St. Helens and Wigan North Western and until proven otherwise a second hourly service via Ormskirk would probably be a more-than-adequate replacement for the current Ormskirk and Preston service.
This would probably be achieved by one if the four trains per hour (tph) continuing to Preston.
As the current trains take about thirty minutes to run between Ormskirk and Preston, I think this could help devising a passenger-friendly timetable.
Future Services Between Southport And Preston
There is currently no train service between Southport and Preston stations.
But there used to be tracks as this Google Map shows.
Two railway lines run across the map.
- Starting in the North-East corner of the map is the Southport and Manchester Line, which passes through Burscough Bridge station.
- Starting at the bottom of the map, is the Ormskirk Branch Line, which passes through Burscough Junction station.
The two railway lines cross towards the North-East corner of the map.
Note the two green scars of the disused and overgrown Burscough Curves reaching East from Burscough Bridge station.
- The Northern curve connects to the Ormskirk Branch Line and used to enable trains to go between Southport and Preston stations.
- The Southern curve connects to the Ormskirk Branch Line and used to enable trains to go between Southport and Ormskirk stations.
Full or even partial restoration of these curves would improve connections to Southport and Preston.
Extend Some Liverpool and Southport Services To Preston
One possibility would be to extend perhaps one-in-four Liverpool and Southport services to Preston via the following route.
- Reverse at Southport
- Via Burscough Bridge station and using the Northern Burscough Curve.
Coupled with a one-in-four extension from Ormskirk station, this would provide the following.
- A two tph service between Liverpool and Preston
- A two tph service through Rufford, Croston and Midge Hall stations.
With precise and intelligent timetabling. I suspect that Rufford, Croston and Midge Hall stations could all be single-platform stations.
Extend Some Liverpool and Ormskirk Services To Preston Via Southport
Another possibility would be to extend perhaps one-in-four Liverpool and Ormskirk services to Preston via the following route.
- Using the Southern Burscough Curve to Southport via Burscough Bridge station.
- Reverse at Southport
- Via Burscough Bridge station and using the Northern Burscough Curve.
If the route used the electrified Platform 3 at Southport to reverse, it could top-up the batteries.
The Future Midge Hall Station
The design of the station will depend on the train frequency through the station.
An Hourly Service
Midge Hall station would probably be a single-platform station.
- There would only need to be a single-track railway, as now!
- The signalling would be handled by one train working, where only one train at a time would be allowed on the single-track between Ormskirk and Preston stations.
- Passengers needing to cross the line to get to the platform, would use the level crossing.
- Trains would arrive at fixed times in each hour.
It would be a very basic, but practical station.
A Two tph Service
Midge Hall station could probably still be a single-platform station.
- There would only need to be a single-track railway, as now!
- For a two tph service the signalling would need to be more sophisticated.
- Passengers needing to cross the line to get to the platform, would still use the level crossing.
- Trains would arrive at fixed times in each hour.
It would be a basic, but practical station.
A More Frequent Service
Midge Hall station would need to be a two platform station, as the line would need to be double-track.
- Comprehensive signalling would be needed.
- There could need to be a footbridge, with full step-free access.
It would be more expensive option.
A Compromise
I suspect in the end, Midge Hall station will be designed as a simple single-platform station, that can be upgraded, as required.
Conclusion
The frequency of the service between Ormskirk and Preston has a big effect on the cost of the work to be done.
But I can certainly envisage a two tph service along this route, if the Burscough Curves are reinstated.
- One tph via Ormskirk.
- One tph via Southport.
There would be two tph, through the reinstated Midge Hall station.
Beeching Reversal – South Fylde Line Passing Loop
This is one of the Beeching Reversal projects that the Government and Network Rail are proposing to reverse some of the Beeching cuts.
The Project
This project is described on this page on the web site of the Fylde MP; Mark Menzies, which is entitled Improving The South Fylde Rail Line.
The page lists that these improvements are needed.
Track And Stations
These improvements are listed for track and stations.
The bid involves laying around three miles of track between Lytham and St Annes stations, the creation of a new rail platform at Ansdell and Fairhaven Station, the installation of signalling along the line, and potential platform changes at Preston Station. There is scope for improvements to St Annes and Lytham Stations, should Network Rail decide it would rather include those stations within the passing loop – but that would be decided further along the process.
Services
The objective is to be able to run two trains per hour (tph) between Preston and Blackpool South stations.
Trains
Better trains are needed.
It certainly looks like the Pacers have already gone.
The Route
I shall describe the current route in this section.
Blackpool South Station
The Google Map shows Blackpool South station.
Note.
- Entrance to the station is from Waterloo Road, which runs East-West across the map.
- There are a pair of bus stops by the station entrance.
- There is a lot of car parking close to the station.
- I suspect that the single platform can hold a modern eighty-metre four-car train.
- This seventy-year-old has no difficulty waking to the football ground or the Blackpool trams from the station.
With two tph and some updated facilities, this would be a very useful station.
I suspect there is even space to add a second platform in the future, if that were felt to be necessary.
Blackpool Pleasure Beach Station
This Google Map shows Blackpool Please Beach station and the nearby Pleasure Beach.
We shouldn’t underestimate the importance of this station. One beautiful late summer Saturday, I was going to see Ipswich play at Blackpool and out of curiosity I had explored the train to Colne station. In those days a decade ago, Colne and Blackpool South was one service and the train from Colne was full of families, by the time it got to Preston. A large proportion, left the train at the Pleasure Beach.
The conductor told me, that the crowds, I had witnessed weren’t untypical.
Squires Gate Station and Blackpool Airport
This Google Map shows Squires Gate station and the nearby Blackpool Airport.
Blackpool Airport after a troubled few years seems to be finding a niche market, with a few business, commercial, offshore and training flights.
But I believe that airports like Blackpool in the future can develop another large niche – electric aviation.
Getting to places like Ireland, Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man and Wales by a nineteen-seat electric airliner will need the following.
- As short a flight as possible.
- Close to the coast would help.
- Good public transport links. Blackpool Airport has both tram and train.
- Space for aircraft to be parked, whilst charging.
- Plentiful supplies of renewable electricity. The over-300 MW Burbo Bank Wind Farm is not far away in Liverpool Bay and it will only be joined by more and larger wind farms.
- Frequent public transport.
Blackpool Airport could tick all these boxes, with a thick green marker.
Some example direct distances from Blackpool include
- Aberdeen – 238 miles
- Amsterdam Schipol – 340 miles
- Belfast City – 128 miles
- Cardiff – 165 miles
- Dublin – 134 miles
- Edinburgh – 150 miles
- Exeter – 211 miles
- Geneva – 661 miles
- Glasgow – 155 miles
- London Gatwick – 220 miles
- London Heathrow – 192 miles
- London Southend – 219 miles
- Newcastle – 89 miles
- Paris Orly – 422 miles
- Isle of Man Ronaldsway – 68 miles
- Southampton – 208 miles
These distances fit nicely with the range of the nine-seater Eviation Alice electric aircraft, which is predicted to be 620 miles.
St. Annes-on-the-Sea Station
This Google Map shows St. Annes-on-the-Sea station.
Note.
- Blackpool is to the North-West and Preston is to the South-East
- St. Annes-on-the-Sea is one of those convenient single-platform stations, where you just walk in-and-out on the level.
- The passing loop would start on the Preston side of the bridge.
There would need to be no major infrastructure work at the station, although I would expect the facilities could do with a makeover.
Ansdell And Fairhaven Station
In Should The Blackpool South Branch Be Electrified?, I said this about improvements to Ansdell and Fairhaven station.
Ansdell and Fairhaven station is nearest to the course at Royal Lytham.
-
- The Open Championship is a very important event on the golfing calendar.
- Other important golfing events are also held on the course
- Royal Lytham and St.Annes, last held the Open in 2012 and 2001. So it might come back to Royal Lytham in the mid-2020s.
Ansdell and Fairhaven station used to have two platforms, as described in Wikipedia.
The station was set out as an island platform with tracks on both faces until the singling of the line in the 1980s. Trains now only use the southern face. A disabled access ramp now covers the northern part of the station.
So could a rebuild of the station do the following?
-
- Restore two platforms on an island at the station.
- Put in full disabled access.
- Create a passing loop.
- Longer platforms might be a good idea.
This Google Map shows the station.
Note.
-
- The disabled ramp winding away.
- The platform is probably about a hundred metres long.
- It would appear that there is space at the far end to extend the platform.
I suspect that an ambitious architect with vision, could design a station that met all objectives.
It could be the best Championship Golf Course railway station in the world.
Lytham Station
This Google Map shows Lytham station.
Lytham station will be the Eastern end of the loop and it is likely, that the single-track will change to double at the Western end of the station.
As with St. Annes-on-the-Sea station, I suspect that a good makeover, will be all that will be needed.
Moss Side Station
This Google Map shows Moss Side station.
The only problem here is the level crossing, so do Network Rail want to remove it?
Kirkham And Wesham Station
This Google Map shows Kirkham and Wesham station.
There are three platforms, which from bottom to top on the map are.
- Platform 1 – Trains to Blackpool South
- Platform 2 – Trains to Blackpool North
- Platform 3 – Trains to Preston
All platforms seem to be being electrified in these pictures. that I took during construction.
Note.
- It can’t be described as a station, built down to a small budget.
- In the captions to the pictures, I’ve numbered the platforms from left to right.
- The last picture looks down Platform 1 and there is an electrification gantry at the Preston end.
Could this comprehensive electrification be so that trains to Blackpool North can use both Platforms 1 and 2?
- This would allow overtaking of say a local train by a London express.
- Trains could also be turned back in Platform 1, before the end of its journey, if there was a problem.
- The electrification is also substantial enough for the longest Class 390 trains.
- It could even accommodate a classic compatible High Speed Two train.
So does the last point, mean that Blackpool North station is a possible High Speed Two destination? Provided, the platforms at Blackpool North station are long enough, I think it does!
This Google Map shows Kirkham West Junction, where trains to Blackpool North and Blackpool South stations diverge.
Note.
- The electrification gantries and their shadows can be seen.
- Preston is to the South-East and the route is fully-electrified.
- Blackpool North is to the North-West and the route is fully-electrified.
- Blackpool South is to the West. The double-track becomes single before Moss Side station.
This picture shows the route going off to Blackpool South.
I took the picture from a train going to Blackpool North station.
So why are wires being run along the first few hundred metres of the Blackpool South Branch?
The Timetable
Currently, trains take the following times to do these journey legs.
- Run between Ansdell and Fairhaven and Blackpool South stations – 12 minutes
- Turnback at Blackpool South station – 3 minutes
- Run between Blackpool South and Ansdell and Fairhaven stations – 11 minutes
As the trains will be running every thirty minutes and the three legs total twenty-six minutes, that means there’s four minutes float.
So hopefully, it should be easily stainable, by an experienced rail timetable creator.
The Trains
I have remarked that I find the electrification at Kirkham & Wesham station, both comprehensive and slightly unusual.
Could The Electrification Have Been Designed For Battery Electric Trains To Blackpool South Station?
But there is one very plausible reason for the electrification layout – The Blackpool South Branch has been designed, so that services on the branch can be rum using battery trains.
- The distance between Kirkham & Wesham and Blackpool South stations is just over eleven miles.
- So for a round trip a range of perhaps twenty-five miles on battery power would suffice.
- There would also be a need for a few minutes of hotel power, whilst waiting at Blackpool South station.
These power needs are well within the capabilities of the average battery train.
- Trains could be charged on the nine minute run between Preston and Kirkham & Wesham stations.
- Changeover between electrification and battery power would take place in Kirkham & Wesham station.
An ideal train would surely be CAF’s four-car battery electric version of the Class 331 train, which I wrote about in Northern’s Battery Plans.
- According to an article in the March 2020 Edition of Modern Railways, with the same name, these trains will be working between Manchester Airport and Windermere.
- Class 331 trains without batteries will be running to and from Blackpool North station.
- Four-car trains are probably the right size for the route.
There would also probably be no need for a charging station at Blackpool South station, if trains could leave Kirkham & Wesham station with a full battery.
Where Would The Trains Terminate In The East?
These would be the obvious choices.
- Blackburn – Where there is a convenient bay platform.
- Colne – Where they used to terminate!
- Liverpool – Merseyrail has the trains and Liverpool has lots of punters and the imagination.
- Preston – Where they do now!
- Skipton – If the Skipton-Colne Link is built!
My money would be on Skipton, using a new Skipton-Colne Link, for the following reasons.
- Politicians of all colours and roses are in favour.
- Skipton has an electrified route to Leeds.
- Skipton-Colne would be a valuable by-pass route during the building of Northern Powerhouse Rail.
- Battery-powered trains would be ideal for Skipton-Colne.
Would A Battery Electric Train Be Feasible Between Blackpool South And Liverpool?
Consider.
- An all-stations service would complement the fast service between Liverpool Lime Street and Blackpool North stations via St. Helens, Wigan North Western and Preston.
- The service could either go between Liverpool and Preston via Ormskirk or Southport and a reinstated Burscough Chord.
- The Ormskirk route is 15 miles of unelectrified line and the Southport route is just four miles further.
- A service via Southport would need to reverse at Southport station.
- The service would be run using dual-voltage Class 777 trains fitted with batteries.
- 25 KVAC overhead electrification, is already installed between Preston and Kirkham & Wesham stations,
- Using existing electrification, trains would leave Kirkham & Wesham, Ormskirk, Preston and Southport stations with full batteries.
- A coastal service between Blackpool and Liverpool would surely attract visitors.
- Liverpool and Blackpool are the two biggest urban areas on the coast.
- There are several golf courses on the route, including three courses that have held the Open; Royal Birkdale, Royal Liverpool and Royal Lytham & St. Annes.
It may be a bit fanciful. But.
- Merseyrail will have the trains.
- Liverpool has the potential passengers.
- I believe the route could handle a two tph service.
- In Reopen Midge Hall Station, I showed that it was possible to run a two tph service between Liverpool and Preston, with one tph via each of Ormskirk and Southport.
Liverpool also has bags of ambition and imagination.
Would A Battery Electric Train Handle Preston And Skipton?
I estimate that this route is forty-one miles, with a stiff rise from Rose Grove to Colne station.
So would a battery electric train be able to handle this distance?
Hitachi are talking 56 miles for their Regional Battery Train, so I suspect CAF would want and need to be competitive with a similar specification.
Perhaps the logical service would be to run between Leeds and Blackpool South.
- The service would go via Preston, Blackburn, Burnley Central, Colne and Skipton.
- Leeds and Skipton is electrified.
- Preston and Kirkham & Wesham is electrified.
- No extra chargers for trains would be needed.
The only new infrastructure needed would be the Skipton and Colne Link.
Electrification Between Preston And Blackburn
Consider.
- In Colne – Skipton Reopening Moves Closer, I talked about the proposed Huncoat Rail Fright Terminal, that could be built North of Blackburn on the East Lancashire Line.
- Blackburn is a major hub for passenger services.
- An electrified Blackburn would allow Manchester and Clitheroe to be run by battery electric trains. Clitheroe is ten miles and Bolton is thirteen.
- An electrified Blackburn would allow Blackburn and Manchester Victoria via the Todmorden Curve to be run by battery electric trains. The whole route is 39.5 miles.
- It may be possible for battery electric trains to reach Leeds via Hebden Bridge, as it is only fifty miles away, which is within Hitachi’s range.
- As the Blackburn area grows, there will be more pressure for a daily London service.
- Some think, the Calderdale route should be electrified.
- Preston and Blackburn stations are just twelves miles apart.
- There is a multiple unit depot at Blackburn.
- I also feel that battery electric trains fanning out from Blackburn, wouldn’t do the town’s image any harm.
For all these reasons, I wouldn’t be surprised to see a short stretch of electrification added between Preston and Blackburn.
Conclusion
I like this proposal and it could be a big asset to trains across the Pennines.
Merseyrail’s Battery Intentions
In New Merseyrail Fleet A Platform For Future Innovations, I quoted from this article on the Rail Technology Magazine web site.
The article mainly is an interview with David Powell, who is programme director of rolling stock at Merseytravel.
This is a direct quote from the article.
We will be exploring, with Stadler, what the options are for having the trains becoming self-powered. This isn’t the bi-modes that lots of other people are talking about in the industry; this is on-board electrical storage.
The Wikipedia entry for Merseyrail links to this document, which puts a lot more flesh on Merseyrail’s intentions for battery trains.
It outlines strategies for the following routes.
Ellesmere Port And Helsby
The document says this.
There is a reasonable business case for extending the Merseyrail service through to Helsby.
However this is likely to be best served by the use of Merseyrail battery powered enabled
services. This will be tested on the new units in 2020.
According to Wikipedia, the sixth Class 777 train to be delivered will be fitted with batteries.
Currently, the service between Liverpool Central and Ellesmere Port stations is as follows.
- A train every thirty minutes.
- Trains take eighty-five minutes to do the round trip from Ellesmere Port round the Wirral Loop under Liverpool and back to Ellesmere Port.
- There are thirty-one stops on the route.
- There is a five minute turnround at Ellesmere Port station.
Two trains are needed to run the service.
The Current Class 507/508 trains and the future Class 777 trains both have the same operating speed, but there are performance differences.
The British Rail trains have 656 kW of power per train, whereas every new Stadler train will have 2,100 kW. The speed may be the same, but the acceleration will be much greater if needed and and the regenerative braking should be powerful and smoothly controlled.
- Figures for the Class 313 train, which is similar to the Class 507/508 trains show a top speed of 75 mph and an acceleration of 0.67 m/s².
- Figures for the Class 777 train show a top speed of 75 mph and an acceleration of 1.1 m/s².
These figures mean that a Class 507 train will get to 75 mph in 125 seconds, whereas the new Stadler trains will take just 76 seconds.
In addition, loading and unloading of passengers with their increasing levels of extras will be much faster due to the hollistic design of the trains and the platforms on the new Stadler trains.
It would not be unrealistic to see around a minute saved at every stop.
I think this level of improvement could be expected, with all the modern trains in the UK.
The extended service between Ellesmere Port and Helsby stations is not much extra distance and time.
- Just over five miles each way.
- About thirteen minutes each way , based on existing services on the route.
So if the terminus were to be moved to Helsby, when the new trains are in service, the time savings between Ellesmere Port and Liverpool should cover the extra distance.
It should also be noted about Helsby station.
- It has four platforms and could probably handle four trains per hour (tph).
- A platform with a charging station could be created.
- It has a wide selection of services including Chester, Llandudno, Manchester and Warrington.
To my mind, Liverpool to Helsby would be an ideal route for a battery electric train.
Ormskirk-Preston Enhancements
The document says this.
This incorporates both electrification from Ormskirk through to Preston and the potential
reintroduction one or both of the Burscough Curves. In view of the deferral of electrification
proposals, and the relative low ranking of the electrification proposal in the Northern Sparks
report, it is unlikely that the electrification proposal is expected to be taken forward in the
near future. In addition to this, the business case for extending electrification to Burscough,
and the introduction of the southern Burscough Curve, is poor. The potential use of battery
powered Merseyrail units may improve the business case for both proposals. This will be
reviewed after the Merseyrail units have been tested for battery operation in 2020.
Currently, the service between Ormskirk and Preston stations is as follows.
- A train every hour.
- Trains take around thirty minutes to go between the two terminal stations.
- The route is fifteen and a half miles long.
- There are three stops on the route.
- There is a long turnround in a bay platform at Preston station.
At the present time, the service seems rather erratic, with some services replaced by buses and long connection times at Ormskirk.
The service between Liverpool Central and Ormskirk stations takes thirty-five minutes with eleven stops and is generally every fifteen minutes, with a half-hourly service in the evening and at weekends.
If a Class 777 train could use battery power, I estimate it could run between Liverpool Central and Preston stations within an hour.
This would surely open up the possibility of a new service between Liverpool and Preston.
- It would take only a few minutes longer than the fifty-one minutes of a direct train between Liverpool Lime Street and Preston stations.
- It would connect a lot of stations to the West Coast Main Line at Preston.
- It would link the major sporting venues of Aintree, Anfield and Goodison or Everton’s new ground to the North.
- At the Southern end, it could connect to Liverpool Airport.
The Class 777 trains would need to be able to do about thirty miles on battery power and if required, the technology exists to either top up the batteries at Preston or use a pantograph to access the overhead wires of the West Coast Main Line.
At the present time, the Ormskirk Branch Line between Ormskirk and Preston stations is only single track and probably needs resignalling, but I suspect that a four tph service could be run between Liverpool and Ormskirk, with two tph extended to Preston.
Extra track work, North of Ormskirk and the reinstatement of the Burscough curves would allow.
- Four tph between Liverpool and Preston via Ormskirk.
- A service between Liverpool and Southport via Ormskirk.
- A service between Preston and Southport.
There is even the possibility of extending Liverpool and Preston services to Blackpool South station, if they used the overhead electrification through Preston to charge the batteries.
Borderlands Development
The document says this.
While the aspiration is to fully electrify the line, and incorporate it into the Merseyrail
network, this is very much a long term aspiration. In the interim period the aim is to develop
the line through the introduction of an improved diesel service. Merseytravel will work
closely with relevant cross-border organisations such as Growth Track 360 to bring this
about. There are a number of new station proposals for the line, the principal being a new
station close to the Deeside Industrial Park, which would improve the ability of the
workforce to access the site via public transport.
The Borderlands Line provides a service between Liverpool and Wrexham Central station with a change at Bidston station.
- The twenty-seven miles between Wrexham Central and Bidston are not electrified.
- The line is double-track throughout.
- There are twelve stations on the line.
- The service is hourly, but probably needs to be at least half-hourly.
- The service takes about an hour between Wrexham and Bidston stations.
Using Class 777 trains on the route, using battery power between Bidston and Wrexham Central stations would enable.
- A direct service, that terminated in the Wirral Loop under Liverpool.
- An increased capacity at Bidston station.
- A faster service.
I estimate that a time of perhaps seventy to eighty minutes between Liverpool Central and Wrexham Central stations will be possible.
There would be very little infrastructure work, except for new stations and the possible ability to top up batteries at Wrexham Central.
I suspect that political problems, rather than any railway ones will be larger.
Bootle Branch Electrification
The document says this.
A long term proposal which will need to be considered alongside the developing freight
strategy for the region and the expansion of the Port of Liverpool. The proposal envisages
the introduction of passenger services which will operate from the Bootle Branch into Lime
Street. An initial study is required to understand fully the freight requirements for the line
and what the realistic potential for operating passenger services over the line is.
The Bootle Branch is known as the Canada Dock Branch in Wikipedia.
Class 777 trains with a battery capability and the ability to use the overhead electrification into Liverpool Lime Street would be able to serve this route, without the need for electrification.
Obviously, if for freight efficiency, the route was electrified, the trains could use it as needed.
North Mersey Branch
The document says this.
A long term proposal; this envisages a new service operating from Ormskirk via Bootle into
Liverpool. It was reviewed as part of the Merseyrail Route Utilisation Strategy in 2009 which
identified a poor business case.
I can’t identify the actual route, but there are various rail alignments into and through the Docks.
Skelmersdale
The document says this.
Merseytravel is currently working with Lancashire County Council and Network Rail to
develop the Merseyrail network from Kirkby through to Skelmersdale. This work is expected
to be completed in 2019. Further development work will be required before this project is
implemented. While 3rd rail electrification is being considered currently, alternatives will be
considered later in the development process. A new station at Headbolt Lane to serve the
Northwood area of Kirkby is an integral part of this proposal. The potential to extend the
network further through to Wigan will need to be developed separately.
I wrote about this plan in Merseyrail To Skelmersdale – How To Plan A New Rail-Link.
Thoughts On Battery Size And Range
Thjis article on Railway Gazette is entitled Battery Trial Planned For New EMU Fleet.
This is the first paragraph.
The sixth of the 52 four-car 750 V DC third rail electric multiple-units which Stadler is to supply for Merseyrail services around Liverpool is to be fitted with a 5 tonne battery to test the business case for energy storage. While all the EMUs will be equipped for regenerative braking, this is not seen as optimal on the Merseyrail network.
I find the last part of this paragraph difficult.
Does it mean the trains can use regenerative braking, but that it is not worth using?
This media release on the Stadler web site is entitled Stadler Signs Contract To Build And Maintain 52 Metro Trains For
Liverpool City Region.
This is a sentence.
The units will also be equipped with batteries that allow independent movement of the units in the workshop and depot areas.
Out of curiosity, what will be the kinetic energy of the four-car trains at the full speed of 75 mph
- The train weight is given as 99 tonnes in Wikipedia.
- The passenger capacity is 484, with a weight of 90 Kg each.
- This gives a train weight of 142.56 tonnes.
Putting these figures into Omni’s Kinetic Energy Calculator gives a kinetic energy of 22.3 kWh.
I feel that this fairly low amount of energy could be held in a 60 kWh battery, that would probably come from a hybrid bus and weigh about 600 Kg.
I would be very surprised if Stadler are not using a smaller battery to do the following.
- Handle regenerative braking.
- Independent movement in the workshop and depot areas.
- Train power in sidings and platforms.
It could also handle, train rescue to a safe evacuation point, in the event of power failure. I suspect that like Crossrail in London, Merseyrail would be very happy to have an independent recovery system in the tunnels under Liverpool, Birkenhead and the River Mersey.
In How Much Power Is Needed To Run A Train At 125 mph?, I estimated that using 3 kWh per vehicle mile is not a bad estimate for the energy use of an electric train running at speeds in excess of 100 mph.
Using this figure would give a range on a 60 kWh battery of at least five miles, which would move the train out of the tunnels if the power failed.
But we’re talking about a modern lightweight train running on probably newly relaid track and my 3 kWh per vehicle mile could be a little on the high side.
Stadler are talking of fitting the sixth train with a fifty five battery, which would probably have a capacity of around 500 kWh.
Using various consumption figures, the range would be as follows.
- 3 kWh per vehicle mile – 42 miles
- 2 kWh per vehicle mile – 62 miles
- 1 kWh per vehicle mile – 125 miles
Stadler and their battery supplier are probably working on.
- A train that uses less electricity.
- More efficient regenerativer braking.
- A more intelligent train control system.
- Increased energy density in the battery.
- Efficient charging systems.
- A plug-in battery pack that can be added and removed in minutes.
As a Control and Electrical Engineer, I wouldn’t be surprised to see that the control, electrical and software system of trains with and without the five tonne battery are identical and some just have a larger amount of energy storage.
Range on battery power can only increase!
Consider the lengths of some of the routes discussed earlier.
- Ellesmere Port and Helsby – 5 miles
- Ormskirk and Preston – 16 miles
- Bidston and Wrexham Central – 27 miles
Only the last route might need a charging station at the remote terminal.
My Own Speculation On Routes
I think there could be other routes that could easily be run by Class 777 trains running on battery power.
Onward From Hunts Cross
The current service between Hunts Cross and Manchester Oxford Road stations is only two tph, using rather suspect rolling stock.
- Under Merseyrail and London Overground rules, it should be at least four tph to give travellers a Turn-Up-And-Go service.
- The stations are of variable quality, but are being improved and will soon be joined by a new station at Warrington Wrst.
- There is a lot of new developments along the route.
- The service terminates in a convenient bay-platform at Manchester Oxford Road station.
- The service calls at Deansgale station for the Manchester Metrolink.
The route could be developed into a City-Centre-to-City-Centre and commuter route for both Liverpool and Manchester.
So could this route be run by Class 777 trains using battery power?
Consider.
- Hunts Cross and Manchester Oxford Road are just twenty-seven miles apart.
- The last couple of miles to Oxford Road is electrified with 25 KVAC overhead wires.
- Hunts Cross is electrified with 750 VDC third-rail.
It will be a Liverpool and Manchester Railway for the Twenty-First Century
I think it is one of those problems, where the engineering is easy, but the politics will be very difficult.
Onward From Headbolt Lane
The current service between Liverpool and Kirkby, which will be extended to the new station at Headbolt Lane, is a a Turn-Up-And-Go service of four tph. But the onward service to Wigan and Manchester is just a very inadequate hourly-service.
Consider.
- Headbolt Lane and Wigan are just twelve miles apart.
- Plans are being developed to create a proper transport interchange at Wigan for the arrival of High Speed Two.
- Wigan North Western is electrified with 25 KVAC overhead wires.
- Kirkby is and Headbolt Lane will be electrified with 750 VDC third-rail.
It would appear to be very possible to extend Class 777 trains from Kirkby to Wigan using battery power.
More Trains For Merseyrail
This is a paragraph from the Stadler media release about Merseyrail’s new trains.
The new four-car trains will all be in service by 2021, with the first unit arriving for testing by the middle of 2019.
The value of the manufacture and maintenance contracts for the 52 trains is up to £700m and Merseytravel
also has the option to procure an additional 60 units of rolling stock.
If the options are taken up, this would more than double the size of the Merseyrail’s fleet.
But where will these trains connect to Liverpool City Centre?
Helsby, Preston, Skelmersdale, Wrexham Central and the other routes in Liverpool will all need more trains, but nothing like sixty trains.
So will we see Wigan and Warrington added to Merseyrail’s destinations? And what about Manchester?
Never say no to Liverpool and their Swiss co-conspirators!
Conclusion
It is a comprehensive expansion strategy, where much of the work to create the various extensions is performed by adding equipment to the trains in factories or depots, rather than by the disruptive installation of electrification.
It looks very much like a case of Have Swiss Train Will Travel.
But then, I think the London Overground is using a similar strategy to expand in partnership with Bombardier.
Other networks like the Tyne & Wear Metro and those in cities like Birmingham, Cardiff, Glasgow and Leeds will be using similar philosophies of battery trams, tram-trains and trains.
Cardiff has already disclosed their plans and Stadler are building the trains for the South Wales Metro.
Northern’s Plans For Between Preston And Ormskirk
The service on the Ormskirk Branch Line between Preston and Ormskirk stations is an infuriating one.
- The Class 153 trains that run the service seem to be unreliable when I use it.
- The frequency is roughly hourly and not clockface by any means.
- Sometimes the trains are very full.
- The signalling appears to be old-fashioned.
But it seems that from May 21st, things will be getting better.
The timetable shows the following.
- Trains leave Ormskirk hourly from 07:01 until 23:11 and take 31 minutes to get to Preston.
- Trains leave Preston hourly from 06:26 until 21:26 and take 30 minutes to get to Ormskirk.
Journey times are actually similar to now, so I would assume they are for a Class 153 train.
What a pity, that the round trip will take over an hour.
Northern will need two trains to run this service, but if they could do a round trip in an hour, only one train would be needed.
Consider.
The Class 153 train is only a 75 mph train.
Part of the journey is along the electrified West Coast Main Line.
Northern have or soon will have faster trains in their fleet
- Class 158 train – 90 mph
- Class 170 train – 100 mph
- Class 769 train – 100 mph on electric, 90 mph on diesel.
I suspect that any one of these trains could achieve the hourly round trip.
All would offer increased capacity and better quality interiors.
The Class 769 train would handle the route with ease.
- The train could use the electrification on the West Coast Main Line.
- The train is faster.
- It is a four-car train.
I doubt it will happen, but the trains could continue on the Merseyrail network, if their third-rail electrification shoes, were to be refitted.
But who knows what will happen if Merseyrail and Northern decide to bring the railways between Blackpool, Kirkby, Ormskirk, Preston, Southport and Wigan into the twenty-first century?
There’s certainly a lot happening in the area at the timetable change on May 20th.
- Blackpool to Liverpool gets an electric hourly service.
- Blackpool to Manchester Airport gets an hourly service, which will go electric in time.
- Ormskirk to Preston gets a proper hourly service.
- Wigan North Western to Alderley Edge gets a new service using Class 769 trains.
- Wigan North Western to Stalybridge gets a revamped service using Class 769 trains.
Porterbrook’s affordable bi-mode Class 769 train seems to be fully involved.
Extra Services To Southport On Merseyrail’s Northern Line
Local interests have ambitions to connect Ormskirk and Southport stations, as is detailed in Wikipedia under Future Developments in the Wikipedia entry for Ormskirk station.
There have been calls from local authorities and the local rail user group to reopen both curves at Burscough to allow the reinstatement of through trains from here to Southport, as well as to reinstate through services between Preston & Liverpool via Ormskirk and to rebuild & reopen the Skelmersdale branch.[7] Merseytravel’s 2014 ‘Liverpool City Region Long Term Rail Strategy’ does not back plans for an Ormskirk to Skelmersdale route (instead proposing that the link be provided from the Kirkby to Wigan Wallgate line), though it does suggest that a new bi-level interchange at Burscough Bridge could be built to provide improved interchange facilities between the Ormskirk branch and the Wigan to Southport line in addition to reopening the curves and extending electrification through to Preston & Southport.
, To connect the two stations would mean doing at least the following.
- Reinstate the South Burscough Curve as a single track
- The South Burscough Curve would have bi-directional signalling and third rail electrification.
- Remodel Ormskirk station.
This picture shows what remains of the second platform at Ormskirk station.
The second platform could probably be reinstated reasonably easily, but I wonder if a clever station designer and train scheduler could organise Liverpool, Preston and Southport services around a single long platform?
The current layout could be actually considered to be two platforms, as one end serves Liverpool trains and other Preston trains.
So in this explanation, I’ll refer to them as the Liverpool Platform and the Preston Platform.
- The Liverpool platform would be long enough to take two new Stadler trains.
- The Preston platform would be long enough for the longest train likely to work an Ormskirk to Preston service.
- An electrified passing loop starting from between the two platforms and extending towards Burcough Junction station would be installed.
Consider.
- Trains arriving and returning to Liverpool would operate as they do now using the Liverpool platform.
- Trains arriving and returning to Preston would operate as they do now using the Preston platform, but stop within the passing loop.
- Passengers changing between Liverpool and Preston services would change trains as they do now, by walking along the platform.
- Liverpool to Southport and Liverpool to Preston services would use the Liverpool platform and would either go through the Preston platform or use the passing loop as appropriate.
Two parallel platform stations are so nineteenth century!
These modifications between Ormskirk and Southport would improve train services in the following ways.
- Create more capacity between Liverpool and Southport.
- Allow travellers to go between Southport and the Ormskirk Branch of the Northern Line , without going via Sandhills station.
- Allow access to Manchester services at Burscough Bridge station
- Add direct Liverpool services to those to Manchester and Southport to all the new housing that seems to be under construction around the Southport to Manchester Line.
- Enable the construction of one or more new stations, like Kew Gardens in Southport, which is close to the hospital.
You can certainly understand why Merseyrail appears to be keen.
There are lots of ways to organise services.
I suspect one of the most efficient ways will be to run the trains in a loop going to and starting from Hunts Croos and going to Liverpool Central via Liverpool Central, Southport, Burscough Bridge, Burscough Junction and Ormskirk. Four trains per hour (tph) would go in one direction and four tph in the other.
Timing with the current trains are as follows.
- Hunts Cross to Southport – 64 minutes
- Southport to Burscough Bridge – 22 minutes
- Burscough Bridge to Ormskirk – 9 minutes – estimated
- Ormskirk to Liverpool Central – 34 minutes
- Kirkby to Liverpool Central – 18 minutes.
These timings are not the easiest to put together to make a four tph schedule.
As an example, if you want a current Class 508 train to go from Hunts Cross to Southport and back again, it will take 128 minutes plus whatever it takes to turn the train at each end. Allowing eleven minutes at each end gives a time of two and a half hours, which means ten trains are needed for a full four tph.
Ormskirk to Liverpool central will also need trains. If they could do Liverpool Central to Ormskirk and back in under an hour, that would need four tph..
The new Stadler trains have been designed to do the journey nine minutes quicker, which means that if the turnrounds are a bit quicker, it could be possible to do the round trip in two hours, which would mean only eight trains would be needed for a full four tph.
Ormskirk to Liverpool central will also need trains. If they could do Liverpool Central to Ormskirk and back in under an hour, that would need four tph..
If you look at the full loop with the current trains, this takes 258 minutes plus perhaps 30 minutes for the two reverses at Southport and the one at Liverpool Central. So we get a time of probably three hours and a requirement of 12 trains to run 4 tph to both Ormskirk and Southport and provide a four tph service between the two current termini.
As the current services need ten trains for Hunts Cross-Southport and four for Liverpool Central-Ormskirk, the loop saves two trains.
With the new Stadler trains, I suspect they could do the loop diagram in under two hours, which would mean just eight trains for a full four tph.
Thus, extra services can be provided between Ormskirk and Southport with a requirement of four less trains than running the lines individually.
Services to Southport and Ormskirk from Liverpool would be as follows.
- Southport to Hunts Cross via Formby – 4 tph
- Southport to Liverpool Central via Ormskirk – 4 tph
But the big difference is most stations on the Northern Line are served by four tph from Hunts Cross and Southport and all the other stations need a single change and a wait of a few minutes.
To operate the loop service, it would need Ormskirk to Southport to be fully electrified.
Southport To Manchester
You then have the situation if a Class 319 Flex train were to work Southport to Manchester, that it would work as follows.
- Southport to Burscough Bridge – using third-rail electrification when installed.
- Burscough Bridge to Bolton – using diesel power.
- Bolton to Manchester – using overhead electrification.
Southport would become an all electric station.
To get a full electric service to Manchester, it would only be necessary to electrify between Manchester and Burscough Bridge, where the chsngeover would take place.
I have followed this line in my helicopter and there are only three small bridges and a level crossing between Burscough Bridge and Wigan Wallgate stations.
So I suspect electrifying from Wigan to Burscough Bridge could be an easier electrification than most.
Conclusions
I have come to the following main conclusion.
Combining Southport and Ormskirk services in a loop via a reinstated South Burscough Curve, means the following.
- Southport gets eight trains per hour (tph) to and from Liverpool.
- Ormskirk gets four tph to and from Liverpool.
- All stations on the Northern Line get four direct or single-change tph from Hunts Cross, Southport and Liverpool Central.
- Ormskirk to Southport and all intermediate stations get 4 tph in both directions.
- The service can be run by less trains than needed for independent operation to Southport and Otmskirk.
Southport to Ormskirk needs third-rail electrification.
There were a some subsidiary conclusions.
- Ormskirk station can be based on a single platform with a passing loop, which could allow Liverpool-Preston services.
- Ormskirk station could still run the current Ormskirk to Preston service.
- The third-rail electrification between Southport and Burscough Bridge stations could be used by Class 319 Flex trains working services between Southport and Manchester.
- Southport could become an all electric station.
I suspect that others could do much better.
Interchange At Burscough
Burscough in Lancashire is a large village, where the Manchester to Southport Line and the Ormskirk Branch Line cross.
This Google Map shows the two stations; Burscough Bridge on the line to Manchester and Burscough Junction on the line through Ormskirk.
The maps show shadows of railway embankments, which are the remains of the Burscough Curves, that once connected Ormkirk station in the South and Preston station in the North to Southport in the West.
In Extra Services To Southport On Merseyrail’s Northern Line, my calculations brought me to the following conclusions.
Combining Merseyrail’s Northern Line services to Southport and Ormskirk in a loop via a reinstated South Burscough Curve, means the following.
- Southport gets eight trains per hour (tph) to and from Liverpool – 4 tph via Formby and 4 tph via Ormskirk.
- Ormskirk gets four tph to and from Liverpool.
- All stations on the Northern Line get four direct or single-change tph from Hunts Cross, Southport and Liverpool Central stations.
- Ormskirk to Southport and all intermediate stations get 4 tph in both directions.
- The service can be run by less trains than needed for independent operation from Liverpool to Southport and Otmskirk.
Southport to Ormskirk needs third-rail electrification.
There were a some subsidiary conclusions.
- Ormskirk station can be based on a single platform with a passing loop, which could allow Liverpool-Preston services.
- Ormskirk station could still run the current Ormskirk to Preston service.
- The third-rail electrification between Southport and Burscough Bridge stations could be used by Class 319 Flex train,.working services between Southport and Manchester.
- Southport could become an all electric station.
I suspect that others could do much better.
So it does show that British Rail dropped everyone deep in the doo-dah, by closing the South Burscough Curve to passenger trains in 1962.
Walking Between Burscough Bridge And Burscough Junction Stations
This set of pictures shows how I walked between to Burscough Junction station from Burscough Bridge station after arriving from Southport.
I did the walk in time, but with one tph between Ormskirk and Preston, I wonder how many people try it and then wait for nearly an hour to catch a train.
Pictures Of The Burscough Curves
From the train, I took these pictures of the Burscough Curves.
At least the bridges appear to be there.
Electrification Of The Burscough Curves
There are three bridges in the tangle of lines around Burscough, that could have electrified lines go underneath.
- The bridge at Burscough Bridge station.
- The bridge at Burscough Junction station.
- The bridge where the two rail lines cross.
Looking at the pictures of bridges 1 and 2, I think that they would have to be rebuilt for 25 KVAC overhead electrification, but only at great inconvenience to the local community.
I also suspect that bridge 3 is rather old but in good condition. Is it low as well?
Third-rail electrification around the South Burscough Curve to allow Southport to Ormskirk services, would be fine, if Health and Safety would allow it as an extension to Merseyrail’s Northern Line.
The Class 319 Flex Train
I must give a brief list of the characteristics of the Class 319 Flex train.
- Four cars
- Full dual-voltage electrical system, enabling running on 750 VDC third-rail or 25 KVAC overhead electrification.
- On-board rail-proven diesel engines for lines without electrification.
- The Class 319 Flex is a 100 mph train using electrification.
- The Class 319 Flex is a 90 mph train using diesel.
- It is probably reasonable that at each stop, they save at least a minute compared to a Pacer or a Class 150 train.
- They can deputise for electric Class 319 trains on electrified lines.
They are compatible with the West Coast Main Line and Merseyrail’s third-rail network.
Electrification Of Southport To Manchester
If Burscough Bridge to Southport were to be electrified using third-rail for Merseyrail, then it would probably be sensible to use it for the trains on the Manchester to Southport service, on the section of line they would share.
Currently trains take the following times.
- Southport to Burscough Bridge – 12 minutes.
- Burscough Bridge to Wigan Wallgate – 16 minutes.
- Wigan Wallgate to Bolton – 17 minutes
- Wigan Wallgate to Salford Crescent via Atherton – 34 minutes
By the end of this year, Bolton should be electrified to Manchester Piccadilly, Victoria and Airport stations.
Dual voltage Class 319 trains could probably work from Manchester to Southport with a voltage changeover at Burscough Bridge, if overhead electrification went that far.
But that is unlikely to happen in the near future.
Southport To Manchester By Class 319 Flex
But as Northern will have Class 319 Flex trains with a dual-voltage capability and on-board diesel engines to bridge any electrification gaps, we could be seeing Southport to Manchester services running as follows.
- Southport to Burscough Bridge – 750 VDC third rail.
- Burscough Bridge to Bolton or Salford Crescent – diesel.
- Bolton or Salford Crescent to Manchester – 25 KVAC overhead.
Hopefully, extra electrification in the future, will shorten the diesel leg.
Southport To Wigan Wallgate By Class 319 Flex
Before looking at times for the full journeys from Southport, I will look at the possible times that can be achieved by a Class 319 Flex train between Southport and Wigan Wallgate.
For this estimate, I will use or assume the following.
- Current timings betweens Southport to Wigan Wallgate are probably timed for a 75 mph Pacer.
- Fast services, which go to Manchester Airport, take 28 minutes and stop five times
- Slow services, which go to Manchester Victoria, take 36 minutes and stop eight times
- There is no electrification .
- The service will be run on diesel power.
- There are no other services between Southport and Wigan Wallgate.
I have taken a detailed look at the line on a map and it is a fairly straight double track railway with a couple of level crossings.
It is reasonable to assume that the Class 319 Flex train with its faster stops could save five and eight minutes for fast and slow services respectively.
This compares with five and six minutes if you adjust times by the speed of the trains.
So it would be reasonable to assume that a fast service between Southport and Wigan Wallgate will take perhaps between 22-23 minutes, with a slow service taking 28-29 minutes.
If Southport to Burscough Bridge were to be electrified for Merseyrail Northern Line services, I think it is reasonable to assume that these figures could be reduced by a couple of minutes.
Add in a few selective improvements and the removal of the level crossings and I would expect that Class 319 Flex trains could achieve the following times between Southport and Wigan Wallgate.
- A fast service with five stops in twenty minutes, which is a reduction of eight minutes.
- A slow service with eight stops in twenty-five minutes, which is a reduction of eleven minutes.
Would Northern be tempted to run four tph on the route?
Kirkby To Wigan Wallgate By Class 319 Flex
Can the same logic, that I have applied to the Southport to Wigan Wallgate route be applied to Kirkby to Wigan Wallgate?
For this estimate, I will use or assume the following.
- Current timings betweens Kirkby to Wigan Wallgate are probably timed for a 75 mph Pacer.
- Services take 24 minutes and stop four times
- There is only one tph, which after Wigan Wallgate goes on to Manchester Victoria.
- There is no electrification .
- The service will be run on diesel power.
- There are no other services between Kirkby and Wigan Wallgate.
I have taken a detailed look at the line on a map and it is a fairly straight railway with a mixture of single and double track, a longish tunnel and some stone overbridges. It could be difficult to electrify.
It is reasonable to assume that the Class 319 Flex train with its faster stops could save four minutes on the jorney.
This is the same, if you adjust times by the speed of the trains.
A time of twenty minutes between Kirkby and Wigan Wallgate, should be easy to attain.
Southport To Manchester Airport By Class 319 Flex
For this estimate, I will use or assume the following.
- On current timings Southport to Manchester Airport takes 88 minutes, which is probably timed for a 75 mph Pacer.
- Manchester to Preston electrification via Bolton is completed.
- The service goes via Bolton
- Southport to Bolton will be run on diesel.
- Bolton to Manchester Airport will use the wires.
- Southport to Wigan Wallgate can be done in twenty minutes.
From Wigan Wallgate to Bolton, consider the following factors.
- There will only be a maximum of two scheduled passenger trains between Southport and Bolton on any part of the route, if you include Kirkby services.
- There is just two stops.
- The current time is 17 minutes.
Dropping the time in proportion to the train speed gives about 14 minutes
But the biggest savings will come out of the 43 minutes from Bolton to Manchester Airport, which will be electrified.
Unfortunately, I can’t find any reliable estimate of the electrified timing between Bolton and Manchester Airport.
An estimate based on train speed, says that a Class 319 running using electricity could do the journey in 36 minutes.
Adding up the various legs gives 20+14+36=70
So we could be looking at a saving of a eighteen minutes or so from Southport to Manchester Airport.
Currently, the service takes 88 minutes, which means an out-and-back service is probably twenty minutes or more over three hours.
But knock a eighteen minutes off each leg and the out-and-back time could be well under three hours.
An hourly service between Southport and Manchester Airport could probably be achieved with just three trains in a time dropping around seventy minutes.
Northern would love that!
Southport To Manchester Victoria By Class 319 Flex
For this estimate, I will use or assume the following.
- On current timings Southport to Manchester Victoria takes 79 minutes, which is probably timed for a 75 mph Pacer.
- The service goes via Atherton
- Wigan Wallgate to Manchester Victoria takes 41 minutes with 8 stops.
- Southport to Salford Crescent will be run on diesel.
- Salford Crescent to Manchester Victoria will use the wires.
- Southport to Wigan Wallgate can be done in twenty minutes, which means that 61 minutes is possible for Southport to Manchester Victoria
There isn’t the scope for saving time because of electrification, as the wired area is short,
But consider.
- The Class 319 train was designed as a 100 mph commuter special, so it must be able to save at least a minute at most of the stops, by good driving making use of the train’s excellent brakes and acceleration.
- Southport to Salford Crescent via Atherton only carries two tph, if you include the Kirkby services.
Two estimates can be generated.
- Saving a minute a stop gives a time of 53 minutes.
- Applying a rough calculation based on the increased performance of the Class 319 Flex train gives a time of 54 minutes.
If I were the boss of Northern, I’d be dreaming of a journey time of sixty minutes between Southport and Manchester Victoria.
It’s not impossible, providing that the Class 319 Flex trains can cut the time on the Southport end of the line.
Why Not Electrify Both Routes To Wigan Wallgate From Manchester?
There are two routes between Manchester and Wigan Wallgate station.
- The soon to be partially-electrified route via Bolton.
- The Atherton Line from Salford Crescent.
If these routes were to be electrified, it would mean that all Southport and Kirkby services to and from Manchester would be electrified South of Wigan Wallgate.
This would mean various service improvements.
- All Southport and Kirkby services would be run by four-car Class 319 Flex trains.
- Southport to Manchester Airport would be under seventy minutes.
- Southport to Manchester Piccadilly would be under sixty minutes.
- Southport to Manchester Victoria could be around fifty minutes.
- Kirkby to Manchester Victoria could also be around fifty minutes.
- Extra services could probably be run to intermediate stations, to give a highly-desirable four tph.
I don’t known how much freight and other traffic there is on these routes, but as they are both electrified at their Manchester ends, I don’t think that electrification would be that difficult.
Electrification from Manchester to Wigan Wallgate and using Class 319 Flex trains might be a simpler and more affordable strategy than electrifying all the way to Southport and Kirkby.
As both routes connect Salford Crescent and Wigan Wallgate stations, there’s even scope to divert services during any blockades, needed for the electrification.
How Will Ormskirk To Preston Services Be Affected?
The first part of this section starts with a repeat of what I said in Could Kirkdale Station Become A Busy Interchange On Merseyrail?
The current service between Ormskirk and Preston, is an occasional hourly train along the line. Often it is just a single Class 153 train, although last time it was two.
It was also surprisingly clean and full.
But the line deserves better.
- The frequency of trains should be at least 2 tph to Preston
- They should also connect better with trains to Liverpool and Southport.
- Could the trains go beyond Preston?
Perhaps the solution is to link trains between somewhere like Kirkdale and Colne or Blackpool.
I suspect that Merseyrail have their own ideas.
The current service takes 30 minutes between Ormskirk and reston and its likely with some track improvements, that a Class 319 Flex train could reduce this time to perhaps 20-22 minutes.
This time saving would be an advantage, as it would allow a train to shuttle between the two stations maintaining an hourly clockface schedule, which could be timed to arrive at a convenient point in the schedule of trains going between Liverpool and Southport.
There are probably three main patterns for the Preston train.
- They shuttle Preston-Ormskirk-Southport-Ormskirk-Preston using reverses at Ormskirk(2) and Southport.
- They shuttle Preston-Ormskirk-Southport-Preston using reverses at Ormskirk and Southport and a reinstated North Burscough Curve.
- They shuttle between Preston and Ormskirk as now.
Option 1 would just take longer than an hour to return to Preston and the driver would have to do a lot of walking.
Option 2 would probably have the problems of Option 1 and the expense of reinstating the North Burscough Curve.
Option 3 would probably work with perhaps a passing loop added to the current platform layout, as I proposed in Extra Services To Southport On Merseyrail’s Northern Line.
In the following consider that the long platform at Ormskirk is divided into two.
- The Liverpool platform is the part of the platform that handles trains to and from Liverpool
- The Preston platform is the part of the platform that handles trains to and from Preston
This could be the sequence of arrivals and departures.
- xx:00 – Train arrives from Preston into the Preston Platform and drops passengers for Liverpool and Southport.
- xx:04 – Train arrives from Southport and waits at the entry to the passing loop behind the train from Preston.
- xx:05 – Train arrives from Liverpool into the Liverpool Platform and departs for Southport after dropping and picking up passengers.
- xx:08 – Train from Southport uses the passing loop to move to the Liverpool Platform and departs for Liverpool after dropping and picking up passengers.
- xx:10 – Train departs for Preston from Preston Platform, after picking up passengers from Liverpool and Southport.
In this set of movements, the only driver who has to change ends, would be the driver of the Preston shuttle train and they would have ten minutes or so in which to do the walk.
Get the sequence right and passengers would only wait for a few minutes, whilst changing trains.
The only complication would be that the train from Liverpool would have to pass the train from Southport waiting to enter the station.
It would need some form of double passing loop, which is probably standard practice.
There are obviously other solutions, that use the current single platform at Ormskirk, without the need to add any new infrastructure at the station except for some appropriate track and signalling changes.
Conclusions
To my untrained eye, it looks like reinstating the two Burscough Curves wouldn’t be the most difficult of projects.
But electrifying through the area, could be tricky for the following reasons.
- Some of the bridges might need to be rebuilt for overhead electrification.
- Merseyrail would want third-rail electrification to allow Ormskirk and Southport services to be run as a loop for maximum efficiency.
- Health and Safety.
And critics wonder why Network Rail are so costly and slow with electrification.
But there is one place for more electrification.
Services to Southport and Kirkby would be improved, if the routes to Wigan Wallgate from Bolton and Salford Crescent were both both fully electrified.
This would bring Manchester Piccadilly and Victoria within an hour of both Southport and Kirkby.
To sum up the following should be done.
- Reinstate the South Burscough Curve.
- Electrify Ormskirk to Southport using third-rail electrification.
- Electrify Bolton to Wigan Wallgate using overhead electrification.
- Electrify Salford Crescent to Wigan Wallgate using overhead electrification.
- Northern would also need to acquire some more Class 319 Flex trains.
In the interim, it looks like that just running the services between Manchester and Southport using the Class 319 Flex trains will give Northern and its customers a lot of benefits.
In the future, Northern might like to replace the stop-gap Class 319 Flex trains with bi-mode versions of their new Class 331 trains.
Sorting Out The Kirkby, Ormskirk And Southport Branches Of Merseyrail’s Northern Line
A Lot of changes will and could happen at the Northern end of Merseyrail‘s Northern Line in the next few years.
- New bespoke Stadler trains will be introduced, that will run services from Liverpool to Kirkby, Ormskirk and Southport stations.
- Class 319 and Class 319 Flex trains will start to appear at stations like Kirkby, Ormskirk and Southport, where Merseyrail’s network joins Northern Rail’s lines from Bolton, Manchester, Preston and Wigan.
- A new station at Maghull North will be built.
- Skelmersdale, which is one of the largest towns in the North-West without a rail connection, could be linked to Merseyrail’s network.
- A new Headbolt Lane station could be built to create a proper connection between Merseyrail and Northern’s trains using the Kirkby Branch Line to Wigan Wallgate station and onwards to Bolton, Manchester and Manchester Airport.
- Ormskirk station could be remodelled to allow direct services Liverpool and Preston.
- The Canada Dock Branch could be electrified and be opened to passenger trains.
- The Burscough Curves could be reinstated.
- The Southport to Manchester Line could be electrified.
- Everton could be building a new stadium at Bradley Moore Dock.
In the next series of sections, I will cover some of these changes and issues raised in more detail.
Turn-Up-And-Go Services
Where I live in Dalston in East London, the London Overground run services at what they call a Turn-Up-And-Go service of four trains per hour (tph).
Merseyrail use this frequency on some of their lines, as do Birmingham and Leeds.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see this on some more routes in the North-West, where there is sufficient demand.
Can Stadler’s New Trains And Class 319 Trains Share The Same Tracks and Platforms?
I’m not sure about this, as until we see the new trains and/or their specification making a comparison is difficult.
- Both trains can run on third rail electrified lines, although most of the current Class 319 trains working in the North West have had their third rail equipment removed.
- The Stadler trains must be designed to work with the current Class 507 and Class 508 trains, which they probably must do during the introduction phase.
- So could there be size problems between Stadler’s and the Class 319 trains?
But seeing how Stadler are always a company for the main chance, I wouldn’t put it past their engineers to design a train, that can work the same routes as all variants of the Class 319 trains, as replacing them in a few years time would be a nice little earner.
There is also plenty of words in the media, which state that 25 KVAC overhead capability can be added to the Stadler trains, so they can work lines out of Liverpool Lime Street.
As an aside here, I should mention the Halton Curve, which is to be upgraded to create a new route between Liverpool and Chester.
Under Upgrade in the Wikipedia entry for the Halton Curve, this is said about the building of the curve and its future services.
The Liverpool City Region Combined Authority approved the work in April 2016, utilising Government’s Local Growth Fund (LGF) funding £10.4 million, adding an additional £5.67 million from the city’s LGF. Work is hoped to start in June 2017 and to be completed in May 2018. This should lead to an hourly service between Liverpool and Chester from December 2018 along the curve with some services extending into North Wales.
With their dual voltage and electro-diesel capability, the Class 319 Flex trains must be an ideal train to work services to Chester and North Wales via the Halton Curve.
So I suspect there could be a lot of compatibility between the current Merseyrail trains, the new Stadler trains and the Class 319 trains, as otherwise it could be tricky to work the Halton Curve to Chester, until the new Stadler trains are delivered.
This leads me to say that there should be no problems with both sets of trains sharing platforms and tracks on the surface branches of the Northern Line to Kirkby, Ormskirk and Southport.
I suspect that the Class 319 trains could also work the Northern Line tunnels, but I suspect that would be a step too far for Merseyraiil and they would prefer their network to be reserved for their new Stadler trains as much as possible.
Canada Dock Branch
The Canada Dock Branch will have a large influence on what happens to the rail services in the North of Liverpool.
There will be a massive increase in capacity of Liverpool Docks after the completion of Liverpool2.
Under Freight Use in the Wikipedia entry for the Canada Dock Branch, this is said.
Due to the construction of Liverpool2 container terminal at the port of Liverpool the line will increase in freight traffic. In May 2016 it was announced that the line’s final section into the dock estate would be upgraded to double track from single track to increase capacity to the port. Combined with improved signalling at Earlestown, the improvements will enable up to 48 trains a day to enter the port. Work on the line is expected to be completed by 2019.
How many trucks is that going to remove from the M62?
Under Passenger Use in the Wikipedia entry for the Canada Dock Branch, this is said.
The line is also being seriously assessed for reopening to passengers with Everton F.C. and Liverpool F.C. stadia both located on the line’s route.
On 16 July 2007 the Liverpool Daily Post reported that Liverpool F.C. may partially fund the reopening of the line to passenger services providing a direct rail link to the proposed Stanley Park Stadium however this project has since been dropped by the club. This was highlighted on the Network Rail North West development plan as a potential project to be undertaken by Network Rail, rather than Liverpool F.C..
The Department for Transport’s Rail electrification document of July 2009, states that the route to Liverpool Docks will be electrified. The Canada Dock Branch Line is the only line into the docks.
Add this to 48 freight trains per day running into the Docks and this must surely result in the Canada Dock Branch being electrified between Liverpool Docks and where the Branch joins the electrified Liverpool and Manchester Lines at Wavertree Technology Park station.
This is also said about passenger services.
The electrification of this branch line would greatly assist in recommissioning passenger trains, as costs would be reduced. The electrification of the Liverpool and Manchester line will reduce travel time from around 45 minutes to 30 minutes between the two cities due to the greater acceleration achieved by electric trains in clearing lines quickly, and the raising of the speed limit along the line from 75 to 90 mph. These advantages will cascade onto the Canada Dock branch line. Class 319 dual-voltage, 3rd rail and overhead wires, EMUs will be fully refurbished and transferred from the Thameslink route to operate between Liverpool, Wigan and Manchester. The dual voltage trains can operate on Merseyrail’s 3rd rail network giving greater scope for route planning.
There is also a serious suggestion to introduce passenger services on this line in the Local Transport Plan for Merseyside. This was again mentioned in Merseytravel’s 30-year plan of 2014.
Putting the comments about electrification, passenger services and 319 trains together with Network Rail’s performance as regarding electrification in the North-West, I now feel that Porterbrook, Northern Rail and Rail North have thrown a very large drum of lubricating oil into the mix in the shape of the Class 319 Flex train.
A passenger service could be run along the Canada Dock Branch, as soon as the following conditions are met.
- Some stations have been built or reopened.
- The route is appropriately signalled, tested and certified.
- A small number of Class 319 Flex trains are available.
Electrification can come later.
This Google Map shows Kirkdale station on the Merseyrail Northern Line.
Note the dark cutting going North-East to South-West across the map. With a more detailed resolution, I can see railway tracks in the bottom.
This is the Canada Dock Branch.
So what do I think will happen and where would I put my money?
- Electrification
- A passenger service.
- A station to serve Liverpool and Everton Football Clubs
- Some other stations
- An interchange at Kirkdale station between the Canada Dock Branch and the Northern Line.
It will be interesting to see what happens to the Canada Dock Branch.
Headbolt Lane Station
Headbolt Lane station is Merseyrail’s solution to connecting the single-track Kirkby Branch of the Northern Line to the double-track Kirkby Branch Line from Wigan Wallgate station in an efficient manner.
I wrote about this station in An Overview Of Headbolt Lane Station
Kirkby Or Headbolt Lane To Manchester
In this section, by Kirkby, I mean Kirkby and/or Headbolt Lane. The former would apply now and the latter, when it is built.
Currently, a train running between Kirkby and Salford Crescent stations takes around 60 minutes, via Atherton.
If I apply Irene’s Law, which admittedly applies to London Underground journeys, but seems to work in a rough manner on intensive urban and suburban lines, I reckon that an electric train can do the following.
- Salford Crescent to Manchester Piccadilly – 6 minutes
- Salford Crescent to Manchester Victoria – 4 minutes
So it leads me to think that a Class 319 Flex train, which is faster than the current Class 156 train, could probably do Kirkby to either of the two Manchester stations in under an hour.
This would mean the following.
- To provide a two tph service to Manchester would require four trains.
- To provide a four tph service to Manchester would require eight trains.
Where the benefits come, is when all the lines are electrified, which means faster speed and quicker stops.
Take the four tph service between Dalston Junction and New Cross. As the service takes 22 minutes, the round trip can be done within an hour, giving drivers time to turn the train and have a comfort break or a coffee.
So this shorter route will only need four trains to porovide a four tph timetable.
Anything that can be done to reduce the journey time, means the required frequency can be attained with a smaller number of trains.
Going back to the Kirkby to Manchester service.
There is a bay Kirkby/Southport-facing platform at Wigan Wallgate station, which is shown in this Google Map.
And here’s a picture of the platform.
According to Wikipedia, the bay platform is for trains for Southport and Kirkby.
Wigan to Kirkby is currently scheduled at 24 minutes, which I suspect is so that a Class 142 Pacer can do a complete trip within the hour.
So this would mean the following.
- 2 tph between Kirkby and Manchester would need 4 trains.
- 2 tph between Kirkby and Wigan Wallgate would need 2 trains.
So two trains have been saved.
But Kirkby to Wigan Wallgate is run at a Turn-Up-And-Go frequency of 4 tph, where the trains have cross-platform access to Liverpool to Kirkby trains with the same frequency.
Southport To Manchester
I wasn’t intending to look at Southport to Manchester now, but as I’ve just looked at Kirkby to Manchester and the two routes both go through Wigan Wallgate station, I’ll do it to follow the Kirkby analysis.
Currently, a train running between Southport and Salford Crescent stations takes just over 60 minutes, via Atherton, with Southport and Wigan Wallgate taking thirty minutes.
So at a quick look, it would appear that
So this would mean the following.
- 2 tph between Southport and Manchester would need 4 trains.
- 2 tph between Southport and Wigan Wallgate would need 2 trains.
If the timings were aligned, every inbound Wigan Wallgate service from both Kirkby and Southport would arrive at Wigan Wallgate, in front of a Manchester service, which could take them to where they wanted to go, if it was beyond Wigan.
So with 12 trains, the following lines could get these services.
- 4 tph Kirkby to Wigan Wallgate
- 4 tph Southport to Wigan Wallgate
- 2 tph Wigan Wallgate to Salford Crescent via Bolton
- 2 tph Wigan Wallgate to Salford Crescent via Atherton
From Salfrord Crescent, passengers will after the Ordsall Chord and the related works have been completed, be able to get easily to Deansgate, Hazel Grove, Manchester Airport, Manchester Oxford Road, Manchester Piccadilly, Manchester Victoria, Salford Central, Stockport and probably a few others too.
Obviously, there are other and better patterns.
But it just shows what can be done, by creating a network of electrified and pseudo electrified lines into Manchester and funnelling them through a series of interchanges.
The Burscough Curves
There were some good thngs done by British Rail in the 1960s and 1970s, but there were some supreme examples of crap design.
This Google Map shows trhe Burscough Curves, which I suspect were originally designed to make operation of trains to the South East of Southport a lot more efficient.
There are two railway lines on the map.
- Burscough Bridge station is on the Southport to Manchester Line, which is a major commuting route.
- Burscough Junction station is on the Ormskirk Branch Line, which is an extension of Merseyrail’s Northern Line, that links it to Preston.
Connecting them are the North and South Burscough Curves.
This description of the Burscough Curves, is a simplified version of that in Wikipedia.
During the rail restructuring of the 1960s and 1970s, the “Burscough Curves”, which formed a link between the Ormskirk-Preston and Southport-Wigan lines were removed, although the formation survives. The North Curve was taken out of use and severed in July 1969, being lifted in 1973: it was last used for a Saturdays only empty train from Blackpool to Southport. The South Curve was singled in 1970, but remained in use to serve the extensive sidings at the MOD depot located just to the north of Burscough Junction station. It saw its last train in 1982.
The passenger service from Ormskirk to Burscough Junction and on to Southport, which used the southern curve, was withdrawn in 1962
Pressure from local transport groups, has not so far persuaded Network Rail to reinstate the curves. Various schemes have been proposed, including the full electrification of the line from Southport via Burscough to Ormskirk using the same third rail system as Merseyrail. This proposal would allow users of the Ormskirk branch of Merseyrail’s Northern Line to reach Southport directly.
Wikipedia also says something of how they might be used in the future.
A new study being conducted by Merseytravel could see demand for a potential reinstatement and electrification of the curves in the near future. The uses of the curves in a new service pattern has been identified by Network Rail, if electrified along with the through lines.
One factor more than any other will decide what happens to the Burscough Curves and the possible opening of a through route from Ormskirk to Preston and that is new housing developments in the area.
It has already contributed to the need to open Maghull North station to relieve pressure on Maghull station
Midge Hall on the Ormskirk Branch Line could be the next to open.
Ormskirk To Southport
This is mentioned in my extract from Wikipedia’s entry for the Burscough Curves.
I suspect that any reinstatement of the Burscough Curves would develop this alternative route from Liverpool to Southport.
Ormskirk To Preston
If you take one of the new Northern Electrics from Liverpool Lime Street to Preston, it’ll take you 58 minutes.
If you go the other way by taking a Merseyrail train from Liverpool Central to Ormskirk and then a train for Preston, it will only take you just seven minutes longer.
The time could and probably will be reduced in the next few years.
- When the new faster Stadler trains are running to Ormskirk, it is likely that 6-7 minutes will be taken off the time.
- Eliminating the change of trainat Ormskirk could reduce the time.
- But new modern trains could go much faster on an improved Ormskirk Branch.
I would estimate that times of forty minutes could be achieved, with perhaps a frequency of two tph.
Higher frequencies like 4 tph, would probably need full restoration of the second track between Ormskirk and Preston.
This fast time would attract passengers and especially those living in the North of Liverpool and on the coast to Southport.
But other factors would also help.
- Fast trains to the North and Scotland will call at Preston and going via the Ormskirk Branch may be more convenient for many.
- Aintree station is five stations South of Ormskirk, so the route may offer a quick way to the races.
- The Open is at Royal Birkdale this year.
I have a feeling that extending the Northern Line from Ormskirk to Preston, with a well-thought out treatment of the Burscough Curves, may produce lots of passengers that the train companies didn’t think existed.
Everton’s New Stadium
Everton may well be building a new stadium at Branley Moore Dock, which is between Sandhills station and the City Centre.
For a new sports ground, that could be the centrepiece of a Commonwealth Gales in 2022 or 2026, it is well-placed and not far from Merseyrail’s Northern Line.
I have discussed this project in Everton’s New Stadium.
Except for possibly changes of services at times, it should not affect operation of services on the Northern Line.
The Anonymous Widower 