Huddersfield Station – 30th September 2025
This press release on the Network Rail Media Centre is entitled Huddersfield Station Set To Reopen Next Week With New Temporary Layout.
As it is now next week, I went to have a look at the progress today.
I made a mistake and got on a Grand Central Train, which meant, I had to change at York.
Speeding past Drax power station on the Selby Diversion, I took these pictures.
We were only in a 125 mph diesel, so we couldn’t take advantage of the 160 mph running, that the East Coast Main Line’s new signalling might allow on this section. The Wikipedia entry for the Selby Diversion, says this about the possible speeds.
The line was the first purpose-built section of high-speed railway in the UK having a design speed of 125 mph; however, research by British Rail in the 1990s indicated that the route geometry would permit up to 160 mph operation, subject to the necessary overhead line equipment and signalling upgrades. The new line also avoided the speed restriction over the swing bridge at Selby. The former ECML route, the NER’s 1871 York and Doncaster branch line, was closed from Selby northwards.
As the Selby Diversion opened in 1983, I wouldn’t be surprised that the calculations were performed on British Rail Research’s Pace 231-R, which was similar to the one I used at ICI and the pair, that NASA used calculate how to land Apollo on the moon.
When I eventually got to Huddersfield, I took these pictures.
Note.
- In I’ve Just Glimpsed The Future Of Train Travel Across The North Of England And I Like It, there are pictures of Huddersfield station, that were taken on the 21st August, soon after the work started.
- In Huddersfield Station – 15th December 2023, there are pictures of Huddersfield before the work started.
- Much of the work seems to have been done at the Western end of the station to lengthen the platform on the Penistone Line to Sheffield.
- Platform 2 for the Penistone Line has also been renumbered Platform 1.
Work still to be carried out at Huddersfield station, includes refurbishing the roof, installing the electrification and adding a couple of new platforms.
These are my thoughts.
Which Platforms Will Be Electrified?
This OpenRailwayMap shows the proposed electrification in Huddersfield station.
Note.
- The blue arrow in the North-East corner of the map indicates Huddersfield atation.
- The two red-and-black tracks going diagonally across the map are the Hudderfield Line.
- The red-and-black colour, indicates that the two tracks will be electrified.
- South of these two tracks, the Penistone Line sneaks into Platform 1 at Huddersfield station.
- The Penistone Line goes to Sheffield in a South-Westerly direction.
- There appears to be a crossover, so that trains from the Penistone Line can use both Platforms 1 and 2 in Huddersfield station.
- The OpenRailwayMap appears to show planned electrification between Stalybridge and Leeds stations.
- To the East of Leeds planned electrification is shown as far as Micklefield and Church Fenton stations.
Once installed, this electrification will create a complete electrified route across the Pennines from Liverpool Lime Street in the West to the East Coast Main Line in the East.
This OpenRailwayMap shows the planned electrification between Micklefield and Hull stations.
Note.
- Red tracks are electrified.
- Black tracks are not electrified.
- York is in the North-West corner of the map, with the electrified East Coast Main Line going through the station North-South.
- South of York, the East Coast Main Line now splits.
- The Western branch includes an electrified line to Micklefield station, Neville Hill depot and Leeds station.
- The Eastern Branch is the Selby Diversion, which is an electrified 160 mph line, that avoids the Selby coalfield.
- Running West-East across the map is the unlectrified Micklefield and Hull Line, which goes via Selby.
- Hull is in the South-East corner of the map.
- Hull is 42 miles from Micklefield and 36.1 miles from the Temple Hirst junction on the Selby Diversion, so it is within range of battery-electric trains, with charging at Hull station.
- Hitachi’s battery-electric Class 802 trains, used by Hull Trains and TransPennine Express, which are currently on test, should certainly be able to serve Hull.
Hull can become an electrified station, without the expense and disruption of full electrification.
How Long Is Platform 1 At Huddersfield Station?
This OpenRailwayMap shows the new Platform 1 at Huddersfield station.
Note.
The blue arrow indicates Huddersfield station.
- The three darker orange lines indicate the two through platforms 2 and 3, and the reconfigured bay platform 1.
- There is a cross-over between platforms 1 and 2, which connects Platform 2 to the Penistone Line.
- In the South-West corner of the map is a hundred metre scale.
- Using the scale, I estimate that the length of the bay platform 1 is around 120 metres.
- In the last two rows of pictures in the gallery of this post, a three car Class 150 train is shown in Platform 1.
- A three car Class 150 train is approximately sixty metres long.
Looking at the pictures, I wouldn’t be surprised if the new platform has been designed to take two three-car Class 150 trains. It would certainly take a pair of two-car Class 150 trains.
Other trains and their lengths that might use the platform include.
- Class 170 – three-car – 70.85 metres
- Class 195 – two-car – 48.05 metres
- Class 195 – three-car – 71.40 metres
- Class 195 – 2 x two-car – 96.10 metres
- Class 810 – five-car – 120 metres
The Class 810 uses 24 metre cars, so that a pair of trains, will fit in St. Pancras. But with perhaps selective door opening could a single Class 810 train run a St. Pancras and Huddersfield service, perhaps with a split and join at Sheffield.
Electrification Across The Pennines
The TransPennine Route will be electrified between Liverpool Lime Street and Micklefield stations, once the current works between Huddersfield and Leeds are complete.
Sections without electrification include.
- Bradford Interchange and Doncaster – 52.1 miles
- Cleethorpes and Doncaster – 52.1 miles
- Harrogate and Leeds – 18.3 miles
- Hazel Grove and Doncaster – 52.6 miles
- Hull and Micklefield – 42 miles
- Hull and Temple Hirst junction – 36.1 miles
- Saltburn and Northallerton – 28.1 miles
- Sunderland and Northallerton – 46.8 miles
- Scarborough and York – 42.1 miles
I expect that Hitachi trains with batteries or CAF’s tri-mode trains will be able to handle these routes in a low-carbon manner.
Electrification Between Stalybridge And Huddersfield
This section is shown as being electrified on OpenRailwayMap.
But as it is only 18 miles and includes the Standedge Tunnels will the route use battery-electric trains?
Could East Midlands Railway Run A St. Pancras And Leeds Service?
East Midlands Railway’s new Class 810 trains have been designed, so that a pair will fit into one platform at St. Pancras.
If we assume one platform at St. Pancras is used for the Corby and Luton Airport Express services, that leaves three platforms for pairs of Class 810 trains to run expresses to the East Midlands.
This could be as many as twelve pairs of five-car trains per hour.
Where wioll they all terminate in the North?
Leeds station must be the obvious new destination.
- Leeds has the largest population and is the largest commercial and finance centre in Yorkshire and the North-East.
- Leeds would have gained three trains per hour (tph) from London, two tph from Birmingham and four tph from the East Midlands Hub at Nottinham.
- Leeds is getting a brand new metro.
- Leeds is a fully-electrified station, so it could charge the trains before they return to Sheffield, Leicester, Wigston junction and St. Pancras.
- Leeds and Wigston junction is 107.8 miles, which should be within the range of a battery-electric Class 810 train. If it is too far, an extended stop could be taken at Sheffield to top up the batteries.
- Note that Stadler hold the Guinness World Record for the greatest distance covered on one charge at 139 miles. Hitachi Rail, who are partnered with JCB’s battery-maker in Sunderland, should be able to smash that.
The Rail Minister; Lord Peter Hendy went to Leeds University.
Which Route Would The Trains Take Between Sheffield And Leeds?
Consider.
- The fastest trains between Sheffield and Leeds, go via Meadowhall, Barnsley and Wakefield Kirkgate stations.
- Trains take about an hour.
- The current frequency is two tph.
- The distance is 41.1 miles with no electrification.
A frequency of two additional tph between St. Pancras and Leeds would give the following.
- A nice round four tph between Yorkshire’s two most important cities.
- Four fast tph between Meadowhall, Barnsley and Wakefield Kirkgate stations, and Leeds and Sheffield.
- Two direct trains between Meadowhall, Barnsley and Wakefield Kirkgate, and Chesterfield, Derby, Long Eaton, East Midlands Parkway, Loughborough, Leicester and St. Pancras.
It would be complimentary to any Leeds Metro.
Could East Midlands Railways Also Serve Huddersfield?
Consider.
- Huddersfield is 36.4 miles further than Sheffield on the Penistone Line, which is not electrified.
- Wigston junctionand Huddersfield station is 105.3 miles.
- Huddersfield is a Grade I Listed station with two pubs in the middle of the town.
- Huddersfield station is being fully-electrified in connection with the TransPennine Upgrade.
- All trains from Sheffield, that use the Penistone Line terminate in Platform 2 at Huddersfield station.
This OpenRailwayMap shows the position of Platform 2 in the station.
Note.
- The red-and-black dotted tracks are being electrified.
- The black tracks are not going to be electrified.
- Platform 2 is marked 2 in the top-right corner of the map.
- Platform 2 looks to be about 90 metres long.
- Five-car Class 810 trains are 120 metres long.
- From the map, it looks like the platform could be lengthened by the required thirty metres.
I suspect that some form of charger can be squeezed into the available space. After all, you don’t often get the chance to put charging into one of the most grand stations in Europe. Power supply would not be a problem, because of the electrification.
A frequency of twotph between St. Pancras and Huddersfield would give the following.
- Two fast tph between Meadowhall, and Barnsley, and Huddersfield and Sheffield.
- Two extra direct trains between Meadowhall and Barnsley, and Chesterfield, Derby, Long Eaton, East Midlands Parkway, Loughborough, Leicester and St. Pancras.
It would connect many stations to the TransPennine Route at Huddersfield station.
What Could The Sheffield and St. Pancras Look Like?
Consider that currently.
- There are two tph.
- Trains stop at Leicester, Loughborough (1tph), East Midlands Parkway (1tph), Long Eaton (1tph), Derby and Chesterfield.
- Trains are five- or seven-cars.
The simplest solution would probably be.
- A pair of five-car trains run all services.
- Trains split and join at Sheffield with one train going to Leeds and one going to Huddersfield.
I estimate that the Class 810 trains will offer about thirty more seats in every hour.
Riding Into the Future: Germany’s Pioneering Hydrogen-Powered Tram Project
The title of this post, is the same as that as this article on bnn Breaking.
This is the sub-heading.
Explore Germany’s groundbreaking project to develop a fuel cell-powered tram, leading the charge in sustainable urban mobility and reimagining the future of public transportation.
These are the first two paragraphs.
In the quiet, industrious corners of Germany, a revolution is unfolding on the tracks of public transportation. A consortium led by Hörmann Vehicle Engineering, alongside partners Heiterblick, Flexiva Automation & Robotik, and Technische Universität Chemnitz, has embarked on a groundbreaking journey to conceptualize, design, and test what could be the world’s next leap in eco-friendly mass transit: a hydrogen-powered tram. The project, aptly named the Hydrogen Tram for Next Generation, merges the realms of innovation, sustainability, and practicality, aiming to redefine urban mobility in ways we’ve only begun to imagine.
The project’s heart beats with a simple yet ambitious goal: to create a fuel cell-powered tram that doesn’t just exist as a prototype but thrives as a model for future public transportation. This initiative isn’t just about building a tram; it’s about reimagining the entire ecosystem surrounding urban mobility. From devising a robust refueling strategy to simulating operations and testing the fuel cell system, the collaborators are leaving no stone unturned. The project, with a generous €8 million budget, is buoyed by support from the federal government’s national hydrogen and fuel cell technology innovation program. This isn’t merely an experiment; it’s a statement of intent by Germany to lead the charge in sustainable transit solutions.
I have a few thoughts.
Chemnitz
These pictures show Chemnitz and its trams.
Note.
- Chemnitz used to be called Karl Marx Stadt.
- Chemnitz has some hybrid trams and tram-trains.
- I described how the Chemnitz trams work in Chemnitz Trams And The Chemnitz Model.
Chemnitz could be a very suitable place to try out the technology.
Hence, the involvement of Chemnitz University in the project doesn’t surprise me.
Tram-Trains
This article on Railway Gazette International, which is entitled Hydrogen Tram Development Project Underway, is also about the same project.
This is the first paragraph.
The Hydrogen Tram for Next Generation project has been launched to develop a fuel cell-powered vehicle which would enable services to be extended into new areas and tram-train routes created without the need for electrification.
It looks like this was added in the translation.
Tram Trains In South London
In The Third-Rail Tram-Train, I postulated using third-rail tram trains to extend the London Tramlink.
Since then Merseyrail have tried to extend, their third-rail electrified network and been told they couldn’t.
I have written these posts about using tram-trains to extend the London Tramlink.
- Could There Be A Tram-Train Connection At Reeve’s Corner?
- Would Third-Rail Tram-Trains Affect The Design Of The Proposed Streatham Interchange Station?
- The Cranleigh Line
- Thoughts On The Sutton Loop Line
- Could Third-Rail Tram-Trains Work The Epsom Downs Branch?
- Could Third-Rail Tram-Trains Be Used To Increase Services In South London?
- Could Beckenham Junction To Birkbeck Be Run Using Third-Rail Tram-Trains?
- Could Tram-Trains Be Used To Advantage In Croydon?
So would a hydrogen-powered tram-train be useful technology to extend the London Tramlink?
It just could be!
Zero-Carbon Between Manchester and Sheffield
This OpenRailwayMap shows the electrification across the Pennines.
Note.
- Red lines are electrified with 25 KVAC overhead.
- Mauve lines are tram lines electrified with 750 VDC overhead.
- The mauve lines in the West are the Manchester Metrolink.
- The mauve lines in the East are the Sheffield Supertram
- Black lines are not electrified.
- Red and black lines are currently being electrified.
- The blue arrow at the bottom of the map indicates Buxton.
- To the North of Buxton, the line linking Manchester and Sheffield is the Hope Valley Line.
- Running North-East from Manchester is the main TransPennine route between Leeds and Manchester via Dewsbury and Huddersfield.
This OpenRailwayMap shows the TransPennine route between Morley and Mossley stations.
Note.
- Colours are as before.
- Morley station is in the North-East corner of the map.
- Huddersfield station is indicated by the blue arrow in the middle of the map.
- Mossley station is in the South-West corner of the map.
In a few years time, there will be 25 KVAC overhead electrification all the way between Leeds and Manchester via Dewsbury and Huddersfield.
This OpenRailwayMap shows the routes around Manchester and Sheffield and the connecting routes between Barnsley, Huddersfield, Manchester and Sheffield.
Note.
- Colours are as before.
- The blue arrow at the bottom of the map indicates Buxton.
- The line to Stocksbridge runs North-West from Sheffield.
- To its East the Penistone Line runs to Huddersfield via Barnsley.
- Manchester has a series of lines to the East that need to be electrified.
How many of these lines could be integrated into the tram systems of Manchester and Sheffield, by the use of hydrogen-powered tram-trains?
Hydrogen-powered tram-trains could share lines with battery-electric trains.
Tram-trains could run from say Cathedral in Sheffield to Piccadilly Gardens in Manchester.
Using self-powered trains would cut the need for expensive infrastructure.
The possibilities are endless and carbon free.
Conclusion
Hydrogen-powered trams and tram-trains could be a valuable tool for decarbonising trams and trains.
FirstGroup Applies To Run New London To Sheffield Rail Service
The title of this post, is the same as that of this press release from First Group.
These four paragraphs outline FirstGroup’s initial plans.
FirstGroup plc, the leading private sector transport operator, has today submitted the first phase of an application for a new open access rail service between London and Sheffield to the Office of Rail and Road (ORR).
FirstGroup plans to expand its open access rail operations as part of its award-winning Hull Trains business, building on their successful existing service which has transformed long-distance connectivity between Hull and London.
FirstGroup’s new proposals comprise two return journeys a day from London King’s Cross, calling at Retford, Worksop, Woodhouse and Sheffield, and the company aims to provide a faster link between London and Sheffield than alternative services. Almost three quarters of trips between London and Sheffield are currently made by car, with a further 9% of trips made by coach, and a competitively priced new rail offering will help stimulate a shift in transport mode of choice from road to rail.
The new proposed route will give Sheffield the first regular service from London King’s Cross since 1968 and will also give Worksop in Nottinghamshire the first regular direct London trains in decades. FirstGroup estimates there are 350,000 people in the Worksop and Woodhouse catchment areas who will have direct rail access to London because of these proposals. A sizeable number of rail users in these areas currently drive to Doncaster station to pick up faster services to London rather than travelling via Sheffield, and a convenient rail offering from local stations will also help to reduce the number of these car journeys.
Note.
- The press release says this is only the first phase.
- It appears to be an extension of Hull Trains.
- Comments on a news story based on the press release in The Times, have been generally positive.
These are my thoughts.
The Two Routes Are Similar
Consider.
- Beverley is 44.3 miles from the electrified East Coast Main Line at Temple Hirst Junction.
- Hull is 36.1 miles from the electrified East Coast Main Line at Temple Hirst Junction.
- Sheffield is 23.5 miles from the electrified East Coast Main Line at Retford station.
- There is no electrification at Beverley, Hull or Sheffield.
Note.
- Trains must be capable of having a range sufficient to go from the East Coast Main Line to the destination and back again.
- It is slightly surprising that Sheffield station is closest to the electrification of the East Coast Main Line.
- Hull Train’s electro-diesel Class 802 trains regularly handle the 88.6 miles to Beverley and back.
It does look like an appropriate number of Class 802 trains could handle Hull Trains current and future services to Beverley, Hull and Sheffield.
Hull Trains Need Ten-Car Trains
Consider.
- In Ten-Car Hull Trains, I show some details of Hull Trains using a pair of five-car trains.
- I’ve since seen ten-car Hull Trains regularly.
- There were two ten-car services on the 29th December 2023 between London King’s Cross and Hull.
Hull Trains must procure enough trains for all possible scenarios.
Intermediate Stations Of The Two Routes
Intermediate stations are.
- Going North from London King’s Cross to Hull, trains call at Stevenage (limited), Grantham, Retford, Doncaster, Selby, Howden and Brough.
- Going North from London King’s Cross to Sheffield, trains call at Retford, Worksop and Woodhouse.
There are only a small number of stops on the Sheffield service. Is this to reduce the journey time as much as possible?
What Will Be The Time Of The London King’s Cross And Sheffield Service?
Consider.
- Non-stop trains take 82 minutes between London King’s Cross and Retford, which is 138.6 miles, so it’s an average speed of 101.4 mph.
- Woolmer Green and Retford are 111.7 miles and will in a couple of years, be digitally signalled.
- Non-stop trains take 66 minutes between Woolmer Green and Retford, which is an average speed of 112 mph.
- I have found a direct Retford and Sheffield train, that takes 31 minutes for the 23.5 miles with six stops, which is an average speed of 45 mph.
- The Retford and Sheffield section has a mostly 60 mph maximum speed.
I can now build a table of times between King’s Cross and Retford based on the average speed North of Woolmer Green.
- 125 mph – 72 minutes
- 130 mph – 70 minutes
- 135 mph – 68 minutes
- 140 mph – 66 minutes
Note.
- Getting a high average speed using the power of digital signalling can save several minutes.
- I have measured an InterCity 125 averaging 125 mph on that section.
I can now build a table of times between Retford and Sheffield based on the average speed.
- 45 mph – 31 minutes
- 50 mph – 28 minutes
- 60 mph – 24 minutes
- 70 mph – 20 minutes
- 80 mph – 18 minutes
Note.
- The planned service is expected to stop only twice after Retford, so if we take off two minutes for each of the four stops not taken, this could reduce the time between Retford and Sheffield by 8 minutes.
- There will be a couple of minutes to add for the stop at Retford.
- I feel a typical journey with 125 mph to Retford, 50 mph to Sheffield, could take 94 minutes
- Currently, the fastest London St. Pancras to Sheffield take around 116-118 minutes.
Hull Trains new service could save 22-24 minutes on the current service.
I also feel a fast journey could involve 130 mph to Retford, 60 mph to Sheffield, could take 88 minutes.
Hull Trains new service could save a few minutes over half-an-hour.
Could The Time Of The London King’s Cross And Sheffield Service Be Under 90 Minutes?
I reckon the following is possible.
- After the digital signalling is completed between King’s Cross and Retford, I suspect that a 135 mph average speed can be maintained between Woolmer Green and Retford. This would mean that a King’s Cross and Retford time of 68 minutes would be possible.
- If Network Rail improve the track between Retford and Sheffield, I believe that a 70 mph average could be achieved on the Retford and Sheffield section. This would mean that a Retford and Sheffield time of 20 minutes would be possible.
- I would expect at least six minutes would be saved by missing stops.
This gives a time of 82 minutes between London King’s Cross and Sheffield.
In Anxiety Over HS2 Eastern Leg Future, I said that High Speed Two’s promised London and Sheffield time via a dedicated track would be 87 minutes.
It looks to me that running under full digital signalling on the East Coast Main Line, Hull Trains can beat the HS2 time.
Could Hitachi’s Battery-Electric Trains Handle The Routes?
This page on the Hitachi web site is entitled Intercity Battery Trains.
This is the sub-heading
Accelerate the decarbonisation of intercity rail with batteries.
These paragraphs outline the philosophy of the design of the trains.
A quick and easy application of battery technology is to install it on existing or future Hitachi intercity trains. Hitachi Rail’s modular design means this can be done without the need to re-engineer or rebuild the train and return them to service as quickly as possible for passengers.
Replacing one diesel engine with just one battery reduces emissions by more than 20% and offers cost savings of 20-30%. Our intercity battery powered trains can cover 70km on non-electrified routes, operating at intercity speeds at the same or increased performance.
Wouldn’t it be great, if we could take the diesel engine out of our cars and replace it with an electric power pack?
Paul Daniels would’ve classed it as engineering magic.
But it’s an old engineer’s trick.
As a fifteen year old, I spent time in a rolling mill, building and fitting replacement control systems on large machines. Transistors were used to replace electronic valves and relays.
It’s certainly possible to create a battery pack, that is plug-compatible with an existing diesel generator, that responds to the same control inputs and gives the same outputs.
At the extreme end of this technology, there would be no need to change any of the train’s software.
In The Data Sheet For Hitachi Battery Electric Trains, these were my conclusions for the performance.
- The battery pack has a capacity of 750 kWh.
- A five-car train needs three battery-packs to travel 100 miles.
- A nine-car train needs five battery-packs to travel 100 miles.
- The maximum range of a five-car train with three batteries is 117 miles.
- The maximum range of a nine-car train with five batteries is 121 miles.
As the East Coast Main Line to Beverley is a round trip is 88.6 miles, I suspect that Hull Trains’s five-car Class 802 trains will need to be fitted with a full-complement of three batteries.
Will Hull Trains Have An Identical Fleet Of Trains?
An identical fleet must have advantages for train staff, maintenance staff and above all passengers.
I believe FirstGroup have two choices.
- They buy an appropriately-sized batch of identical Class 802 trains.
- They convert their current fleet to battery-electric operation and buy an appropriately-sized batch of identical new trains.
Note.
- The second option means that they fully-decarbonise Hull Trains.
- Neither option would need any new infrastructure.
- I feel this means that this order is more likely to go to Hitachi.
It’ll probably all come down to the accountants.
Retford Station
This OpenRailwayMap shows the tracks around Retford station.
Note.
- The red tracks are electrified and are the East Coast Main Line.
- The black ones aren’t electrified.
- Doncaster is to the North.
- The black line to the East goes to Lincoln
- The black line to the West goes to Sheffield
- The red line going South-East goes to Peterborough and London.
The unusual loop allows trains to connect from one direction to another.
This second OpenRailwayMap shows the tracks in more detail.
Note.
- As before red lines are electrified and black ones aren’t
- Platforms 1 and 2 are on the East Coast Main Line.
- Platforms 3 and 4 are on the Sheffield and Lincoln Line.
This third OpenRailwayMap shows the platforms in more detail.
Note.
- The yellow tracks are the 125 mph fast lines of the East Coast Main Line.
- The light blue tracks are the 40 mph relief lines of the East Coast Main Line.
- Northbound tracks are to the left of each pair of lines.
- The dark blue track is the 10 mph chord that connects the Northbound relief line of the East Coast Main Line to the Sheffield and Lincoln Line.
- Platform 1 is on the Southbound relief line.
- Platform 2 is on the Northbound relief line.
- Unusually, both platforms are on the same side of the line.
- In The Lengths Of Hitachi Class 800/801/802 Trains, I state that the full length of an InterCity 225 train is 245.2 metres.
- I suspect that both platforms can accommodate a full length InterCity 225, as the trains have been calling at Retford since the 1980s.
I doubt Retford station has any problem accommodating a pair of Class 802 trains, which it does regularly.
How Do Northbound Trains Go To Sheffield From Retford Station?
This OpenRailwayMap shows the tracks to the South of Retford station in detail.
Note.
- The yellow tracks are the 125 mph fast lines of the East Coast Main Line.
- The light blue tracks are the 40 mph relief lines of the East Coast Main Line.
- Northbound tracks are to the left of each pair of lines.
Trains needing to stop in Retford station will need to cross to the Northbound relief line to enter Platform 2 at Retford station.
This OpenRailwayMap shows the curve that connects Platform 2 at Retford station to the Sheffield and Lincoln Line to Sheffield.
Note.
- The green tracks are the 60 mph Sheffield and Lincoln Line.
- Sheffield is to the West.
- The blue tracks are the curve that connects Platform 2 in Retford station to the Sheffield and Lincoln Line.
- There appears to be a grade-separated junction, where the two lines join to the West of Retford station.
A Northbound train to Sheffield will take curve and then join the line to Sheffield.
How Do Southbound Trains Go From Sheffield Through Retford Station?
I suspect trains do the opposite from a train going to Sheffield.
The train takes the curve and then stops in Platform 2 facing South.
This OpenRailwayMap shows the tracks to the South of Retford station in detail.
When the train is cleared by the signals to go South, it will leave Retford station going South on the Northbound relief line.
Note that on the map there are two crossovers, which the train will take to get on the Southbound fast line for Newark and London.
As a Control Engineer, I suspect this is the sort of manoeuvre, that modern digital signalling will make slicker and safer.
How Do Northbound Trains Go To Hull From Retford Station?
On leaving the station, the train will continue along the relief line until it merges with the Northbound fast line for Doncaster.
This is exactly as any Northbound train stopping at Retford does now.
How Do Southbound Trains Go From Hull Through Retford Station?
Currently, trains from Hull stop in Platform 1 on their way to London.
- Trains needing to stop in Retford station will need to cross to the Southbound relief line to enter Platform 1 at Retford station.
- When the train is cleared by the signals to go South, it will leave Retford station going South on the Southbound relief line.
- The Southbound relief line joins the Southbound fast line to the South of the station.
This is exactly as any Southbound train stopping at Retford does now.
Could A Hull And A Sheffield Service Run As A Pair And Split And Join At Retford Station?
Consider.
- Class 802 trains, as used by Hull Trains are designed to be run as a pair of trains, with easy coupling and uncoupling between the two trains.
- Hull Trains regularly run services as a pair of Class 802 trains.
- A pair of trains could leave King’s Cross. They would then split at a convenient station, after which the two trains go to different destinations.
- There are advantages with respect to infrastructure charges.
I feel that Hull Trains two services to Sheffield and Hull/Beverley could work as a pair.
- A pair of trains could leave King’s Cross.
- At Retford station they would split, with one train going to Hull and the other to Sheffield.
Coming South they would join at Retford.
How Would Splitting Of A Hull And Sheffield Service Be Performed At Retford Station?
The procedure would be something like this.
- As the pair of train is stopping in Retford station, it would use the relief line to enter Platform 2.
- It would stop in Platform 2.
- The trains would be uncoupled.
- The front train would go to its destination.
- The rear train would go to its destination.
Note.
- As the track to Doncaster and Hull is faster, the front train should probably be for Hull.
- Platform 2 is electrified, so the Sheffield train could top up its batteries .
- The Sheffield train could lower its pantograph.
Uncoupling takes about two minutes.
How Would Joining Of A Hull And Sheffield Service Be Performed At Retford Station?
Consider.
- Joining would have to be performed in Platform 2, as there is no route for a train from Sheffield to access Platform 1.
- North of Retford station there are two convenient crossovers, to allow a train to cross to the Northbound relief line. There are also a couple of loops, where trains could wait.
- As this is coal-mining country, perhaps, they were part of a freight route between Sheffield and Doncaster?
But this infrastructure would allow, a train from Hull to access Platform 2 at Retford station.
As the Sheffield train can easily access Platform 2, the two trains could meet in Platform 2 and then be joined together for a run to London.
Is There A Problem With Splitting And Joining Of the Hull And Sheffield Services?
Earlier, I said these were the stops of the two services.
- Going North from London King’s Cross to Hull, trains call at Stevenage (limited), Grantham, Retford, Doncaster, Selby, Howden and Brough.
- Going North from London King’s Cross to Sheffield, trains call at Retford, Worksop and Woodhouse.
Surely, if the trains were travelling as a pair, they would need to stop at the same stations to the South of Retford.
But modern digital signalling will allow trains to run closer together, so perhaps this would be the procedure going North.
- The two trains start in the same platform at King’s Cross, with the Sheffield train in front of the Hull train.
- The two trains leave King’s Cross a safe number of minutes apart.
- At its Stevenage and Grantham stops, the Hull train will tend to increase the distance between the two trains.
- The Sheffield train would stop in Platform 2 at Retford station, so that space is left for the Hull train.
- The Hull train will stop behind the Sheffield train in Platform 2 at Retford station.
- The Sheffield train will leave when ready.
- The Hull train will leave when ready.
And this would be the procedure going South.
- The train from Sheffield would line up in Platform 2 at Retford station.
- The train from Hull would line up in Platform 1 at Retford station.
- The train from Sheffield would leave when everything is ready and the train is cleared by the signalling system.
- The train from Hull would leave a safe number of minutes behind the train from Sheffield.
- At its Grantham and Stevenage stops, the Hull train will tend to increase the distance between the two trains.
- The trains could share a platform at King’s Cross.
The digital signalling and the driver’s Mark 1 eyeballs will keep the Hull train, a safe distance behind the faster Sheffield train.
The Capacity Of The Lincoln And Sheffield Line
Looking at the Sheffield and Lincoln Line, it has only an hourly train, that calls at Darnall, Woodhouse, Kiverton Park, Kiverton Bridge, Shireoaks and Worksop between Retford and Sheffield.
- I would suspect that there is enough spare capacity for Hull Trains to run a one train per two hours (tp2h) service between London King’s Cross and Sheffield.
- If LNER feel that a 1 tp2h frequency is viable for Harrogate, Lincoln and other places, surely Hull and East Sheffield could support a similar service from King’s Cross.
If the services could be run by battery-electric trains, capable of running at 140 mph on the East Coast Main Line and giving times of ninety minutes to Sheffield, this could be a success.
Could Woodhouse Station Become A Transport Hub?
This Google Map shows Woodhouse station.
Note.
- It is certainly surrounded by a lot of houses.
- Could it be provided with car-parking?
Although, as this picture shows it is not blessed with lots of facilities.
But.
- The station is in an area, which Sheffield want to develop.
- The Advanced Manufacturing Centre is nearby.
- There are aspirations to run a tram-train between Sheffield and Chesterfield via Darnall, Woodhouse and Barrow Hill stations.
- The station could be on the tram-train route to Stocksbridge, that I wrote about in Reopening The Don Valley Section Of The Former Woodhead Line Between Stocksbridge and Sheffield Victoria To Passenger Services.
Woodhouse station could be an interchange or it could become something bigger like a hub station.
How Many Sheffield Services Per Day Could Be Run?
If the Hull and Sheffield trains run as a flight under control of the digital signalling, this will mean that every Hull train can be paired with a Sheffield train.
- There are five trains per day (tpd) to and from Hull and two to and from Beverley.
- It seems a maximum of one tpd in both directions can be a ten-car train.
- Two five-car trains could fit in a platform at King’s Cross.
I suspect that the maximum number of trains per day to and from Sheffield is the same as for Hull. i.e. seven tpd.
But there is no reason, if they have enough trains and paths are available, that Hull Trains couldn’t add extra services to both destinations.
Onward From Sheffield
Several of those, who have commented on the new service have suggested that the service could go further than Sheffield, with Manchester and Leeds being given specific mentions.
This OpenRailwayMap shows the platforms at the Northern end of Sheffield station.
Note.
- The pink tracks at the East are the Sheffield Supertram.
- Trains to and from Barnsley, Huddersfield, Hull, Leeds, Lincoln and Retford access the station from the Northern end.
- Trains to and from Chesterfield, Derby, London, Manchester and Stockport access the station from the Southern end.
- The tracks in Sheffield station are numbered 1 to 8 from the West.
- There are five through platforms. 1, 2, 5, 6 and 8 and two bay platforms at either end.
- An extension of the service to Manchester via the Hope Valley Line, could go straight through the station.
- An extension of the service to Barnsley, Huddersfield or Leeds, would mean the train reversing at Sheffield.
It looks like an extension to Manchester Piccadilly over the recently upgraded Hope Valley Line would be the easiest extension. But would Avanti West Coast, who have FirstGroup as a shareholder want the competition?
Recently, it has been announced that the Penistone Line to Barnsley and Huddersfield will be upgraded to accept two trains per hour (tph) and allow faster running.
Because Sheffield could be around eighty minutes from London, there could be some smart times to and from the capital.
- Meadowhall in 90 minutes
- Barnsley in 112 minutes.
- Huddersfield in 140 minutes.
Huddersfield could be almost twenty minutes faster than the route via Leeds.
Comments From The Times
These are some readers comments from The Times.
- Hope the prices are competitive with LNER. I rarely go to London from Chesterfield with EMR as they’re so expensive. LNER from Newark is much cheaper but a service from Worksop for me would be perfect.
- Excellent News in so many ways. I hope it really takes off which could help ease the congestion on the M1 and also thin out overcrowding on busy LNER services. It really does deserve to succeed.
- This is excellent news. The Lumo service has been a game changer for me and those living in the north east.
The public seem in favour.
Conclusion
I really like this proposal from FirstGroup.
- It has the possibility to provide Sheffield with a fast train link to London.
- It could run about six trains per day.
- It will be faster than High Speed Two was proposed.
It could be the first service of High Speed Yorkshire.
Penistone Line – 15th December 2023
I took these pictures on the Penistone Line today.
Note.
- I started at Sheffield station and travelled to Huddersfield station, before returning to Sheffield on the next train.
- The trains run hourly.
- There are 15 stops.
- The route had good views but it didn’t seem the train worked that hard.
- The route is 36.4 miles and trains are timed to take 75 minutes.
- That is an average speed of 29.1 mph.
- Most services were run by two car Class 150 trains, but some were run by three-car trains.
- The two trains I used were well patronised.
I have some thoughts and observations.
Could The Service Be Run Faster?
Consider.
- 29.1 mph doesn’t seem very fast.
- The maximum speed is 50 mph or less in places.
- The line North of Barnsley is single-track with passing loops at Penistone and Stocksmoor.
- Some of this single-track is on top of high viaducts, so could be difficult to double.
- Between Barnsley and Sheffield is double-track.
- To do the journey in an hour would need an average of 36.4 mph.
- Typically, Greater Anglia run their Class 755 trains at 34-36 mph.
As the Penistone Line has 15 stops, an electric train with faster acceleration and deceleration might be ideal for the route.
But I suspect it would be tight, but possible to do the journey in an hour.
Help And Money Is On Its Way!
This article on Kirkless Together is entitled £48million Funding Boost To Get Penistone Rail Line On The Right Track.
This is the first paragraph.
The government have just announced that we’ve been successful in a bid to their Levelling Up Fund for £48million, to support major improvements to the Penistone rail line.
That certainly sounds like a good start.
The article sums up what the funding means like this.
This funding means we’ll be able to improve the infrastructure along this rail line, and improve access as well. This will make the Penistone line a really important link between Huddersfield, Barnsley and Sheffield!
Improvements are outlined in this paragraph.
It will include station improvements creating better access and waiting facilities, increasing the speed of travel along the line and upgrading the rail infrastructure – including doubling sections of track, which will allow for two trains to travel on the northern section of the line every hour, in both directions.
Note.
- I feel that the current track layout could allow a theoretical two trains per hour (tph) service North of Barnsley, if both passing loops at Penistone and Stocksmoor were to be used.
- But it might not be very resilient to late trains and other problems, so extra double-track might be desirable, if it made the route more reliable.
I would expect that if possible, the improvements would allow trains to go between Sheffield and Huddersfield in an hour, as that would definitely attract more passengers to the service.
Could Battery-Electric Trains Run The Service On The Penistone Line?
Consider.
- Both Sheffield and Huddersfield stations will be electrified in the next few years, so the power supplies will be able to support charging of battery-electric trains.
- Sheffield and Huddersfield is only 36.4 miles.
- Hopefully, the track improvements would make the route less severe.
- The Penistone Line is self-contained with no other services on much of the route.
- There is time to charge the train at each end of the route.
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 don’t think the terrain of the Penistone line is much different from the Uckfield branch, so what are the figures for a three-car-battery electric train?
The answer would appear to be somewhere between 328 and 546 kWh.
According to the data sheet is now on the Stadler web site, the battery size of a Class 777 train is 320 KWh.
I feel that an off the shelf battery electric train could work the Penistone Line.
Could Tram-Train Operation Be Used?
Consider.
- A Sheffield tram driver told me that Sheffield’s Class 399 Tram-Trains are excellent on hills.
- The cousins of the Class 399 Tram-Trains run a similar service between Karlsruhe and Baden-Baden in Germany on bigger hills.
- Battery-electric Class 399 Tram-Trains are available and are being tested in Wales.
- Sheffield station handles Huddersfield services straight into one of two single bay platforms.
- Huddersfield station handles Sheffield services straight into a single bay platform.
- Major improvements to the Penistone Line will allow two trains per hour on the line.
I suspect if two trains per hour can be run using using diesel multiple units operating as a shuttle, then battery-electric Class 399 tram-trains could do the same.
A Tourist Tramway Across The Pennines
I feel there are possibilities to run tram-trains between Huddersfield and Manchester Piccadilly via Meadowhall and Sheffield stations.
This would create a unique tourist tramway across the Pennines.
Huddersfield’s magnificient Grade 1 Listed station is being upgraded and electrified.
The Hope Valley Line has been upgraded in the last couple of years.
Through Sheffield will be upgraded and electrified for the Midland Main Line.
Stadler have built vehicles for lines like these in many places.
This could be the spectacular attraction that the North-Centre of England needs.
Huddersfield Station – 15th December 2023
I took these pictures at Huddersfield station today.
Note.
- The station is a Grade I Listed building.
- The station will be fully-electrified under the TransPennine Upgrade.
- St. George’s Square in front of the station is pedestrianised.
- There is a pub in each wing of the station.
This OpenRailwayMap shows the tracks between Huddersfield and the next station to the East; Deighton.
Note.
Huddersfield station is in the South-West corner of the map, where the tracks lead to Manchester.
Deighton station is in the North-East corner of the map, where the tracks lead to Leeds.
The tracks between the two stations will be electrified as part of the TransPennine Upgrade.
This second OpenRailwayMap shows the layout of platforms and tracks in Huddersfield station.
Currently, there are the following platforms.
- Platforms 1, 4 and 8 are through platforms.
- Platform 2 is a bay platform at the Manchester end of the station is used by trains on the Penistone Line to Sheffield.
- Platform 5 and 6 are two bay platforms at the Leeds end of the station, that are used by services to and from Bradford Interchange.
The Wikipedia entry for Huddersfield station says these changes will be made under the TransPennine Upgrade.
Work is underway on Network Rail’s Transpennine Route Upgrade project, which will see electrification of the Huddersfield Line, allowing many of the services through the station to switch to newer, faster electric rolling stock. As part of this project the signal box on platform 4 which was decommissioned previously will be removed, its control area already passed to the York Rail Operating Centre as a part of the Huddersfield Re-signalling project. To match the quadrupling of the line north of Huddersfield, the project will in effect split the existing island platform, extending the existing bay platforms 5 and 6 to form two new through platforms covered by a new roof, and add a new footbridge at the Leeds end. The process will also include relocating the 1880s island platform tea room, and rotating it through 180 degrees.
It looks like the functionality of the station for passengers, staff and operators will be upgraded to the level of style of the station.
Performing The Upgrade
I learned today, that during some parts of the upgrade work, Deighton station will be used as a temporary station for Huddersfield.
Could Sheffield Station Become A Battery-Electric Train Hub?
Promised Improvements To Train Services At Sheffield
This news story from the Department of Transport is entitled Yorkshire And The Humber To Benefit From £19.8 billion Transport Investment.
Sheffield station gets several mentions of improvement to these routes.
Sheffield And Hull
This is said about train services between Sheffield and Hull.
The number of trains between Hull and Sheffield will be doubled, to 2 per hour, with capacity also doubled.
These points describe typical current services.
- The route is 59.4 miles long.
- Modern Class 170 trains take 78 minutes.
- There are stops at Meadowhall, Doncaster, Goole and Brough.
- The maximum speed of the line is mostly around 70 mph, with one short section of 100 mph.
- The average speed is 45.7 mph.
- The train continues to Scarborough after a six-minute stop at Hull.
I believe that if this route were to be electrified, that a time around an hour would be possible between Sheffield and Hull.
Sheffield and Scarborough takes two hours and 45 minutes. With electrification, this time could be less than two hours and 30 minutes.
But it would be around 113 miles of new double-track electrification.
I believe that Sheffield and Hull is a route that could be run by battery-electric trains, that would be charged at both ends of the route.
Sheffield And Leeds
This is said about train services between Sheffield and Leeds.
The line between Sheffield and Leeds will be electrified and upgraded, giving passengers a choice of 3 to 4 fast trains an hour, instead of 1, with journey times of 40 minutes. A new mainline station for Rotherham will also be added to the route, which could give the town its first direct service to London since the 1980s, boosting capacity by 300%.
These points describe typical current services.
- The route is 41.1 miles long.
- Modern Class 195 trains take 56 minutes.
- There is a few miles of electrification at the Leeds end.
- There are stops at Meadowhall, Barnsley and Wakefield Kirkgate.
- The maximum speed of the line is mostly around 60-70 mph.
- The average speed is 44 mph.
I believe that if this route were to be electrified, that a time around fifty minutes might be possible between Sheffield and Leeds.
That is not really good enough, but if they went through a new mainline station for Rotherham, the trains would be able to use 100 mph tracks all the way to Leeds. There would also be electrification between South Kirby junction and Leeds.
I suspect forty minutes should be possible with 100 mph running between Rotherham and Leeds.
I believe that Sheffield and Leeds is a route that could be run by battery-electric trains, that would be charged at both ends of the route.
Sheffield And Manchester
This is said about train services between Sheffield and Manchester.
The Hope Valley Line between Manchester and Sheffield will also be electrified and upgraded, with the aim of cutting journey times from 51 to 42 minutes and increasing the number of fast trains on the route from 2 to 3 per hour, doubling capacity.
In Electrification Of The Hope Valley Line, I talked about electrification of the line and how the services on the line could be run by battery-electric trains.
This was my conclusion in the linked post.
I believe that full electrification of the Hope Valley Line is not needed, if battery-electric trains are used.
I also believe that battery-electric trains and the current improvements being carried out on the Hope Valley Line will enable a forty minute time between Manchester Piccadilly and Sheffield.
I believe that the Hope Valley Line could be speeded up, by the use of intelligent engineering, rather than expensive and disruptive electrification.
Don Valley Line
This is said about the Don Valley Line.
Communities will be reconnected through the reopening of lines and stations closed under the Beeching reforms of the 1960s. This will include the restoration of the Don Valley Line between Stocksbridge and Sheffield Victoria, and new stations at Haxby Station, near York, Waverley, near Rotherham, and the Don Valley Line from Sheffield to Stocksbridge.
I’ve talked about the Don Valley Line before in Reopening The Don Valley Section Of The Former Woodhead Line Between Stocksbridge and Sheffield Victoria To Passenger Services.
The Don Valley Line has a comprehensive Wikipedia entry, which is well worth a read.
Could the Don Valley Line be worked by battery-electric trains?
It would appear that these promised improvements to and from Sheffield could be worked by battery-electric trains.
Now that battery-electric trains are being developed, it could also have services, using these trains.
Could Battery-Electric Trains Improve Other Services At Sheffield?
These are some possibilities.
Chesterfield And Sheffield Victoria
This news story from the Department of Transport is entitled East Midlands To Benefit From £9.6 billion Transport Investment.
This news story also talks about the Stocksbridge Line and Sheffield Victoria, where this is said.
Funding will also be provided for the Barrow Hill Line between Chesterfield and Sheffield Victoria, with a new station at Staveley in Derbyshire.
I wrote about the Barrow Hill Line in Reinstatement Of The Barrow Hill Line Between Sheffield And Chesterfield.
In the related post, this was my conclusion.
This looks to be a very sensible project.
- It could be run with either trains or tram-trams.
- It should be electrified, so it could be zero-carbon.
- Tram-trains could be used to make stations simpler.
- It could give an alternative route for electric trains to Sheffield station.
- The track is already there and regularly used.
But surely the biggest reason to built it, is that it appears to open up a lot of South and South-East Sheffield and North-East Chesterfield for development.
Now that battery-electric trains are being developed, Chesterfield and Sheffield could also have services, using these trains.
Sheffield And Adwick
Nothing is said in the news story about train services between Sheffield and Adwick.
Consider.
- Sheffield and Adwick is 22.7 miles.
- Journeys take fifty minutes.
- There are seven intermediate stations.
- This is an average speed of 27.2 mph.
- Adwick and Doncaster is 4.4 miles and electrified.
- There are generous turn-round times at both ends of the route.
- There are rather unusual reversing arrangements at Adwick.
I wonder if electric trains on this route, would knock a few minutes off the journey time because of the better acceleration and deceleration of electric trains.
Could this route be another route from Sheffield suitable for battery-electric trains?
- The train could fully charge between Adwick and Doncaster and at Adwick.
- It is only a short route with a round trip under sixty miles.
I believe this route could be very suitable for battery-electric trains.
Sheffield And Huddersfield
Nothing is said in the news story about train services in the Penistone Line between Sheffield and Huddersfield.
Consider.
- Sheffield and Huddersfield is 36.4 miles.
- Journeys take one hour and nineteen minutes.
- There are fifteen intermediate stations.
- This is an average speed of 27.6 mph.
- Huddersfield is being electrified as part of the TransPennine Upgrade.
I wonder if electric trains on this route, would knock a few minutes off the journey time because of the better acceleration and deceleration of electric trains.
Could this route be another route from Sheffield suitable for battery-electric trains?
Sheffield And Lincoln
Nothing is said in the news story about train services between Sheffield and Lincoln.
Consider.
- Sheffield and Lincoln is 48.5 miles.
- All Sheffield and Lincoln services start in Leeds.
- Journeys take one hour and twenty-five minutes.
- There are nine intermediate stations.
- This is an average speed of 34.2 mph.
- There is no electrification.
- Turn-round time at Lincoln is 26 minutes.
- All trains terminate in Platform 5 at Lincoln.
I wonder if electric trains on this route, would knock a few minutes off the journey time because of the better acceleration and deceleration of electric trains.
Could this route be another route from Sheffield suitable for battery-electric trains?
- Platform 5 could be electrified at Lincoln.
- There may need to be a battery top-up at Sheffield and Leeds.
I believe this route could be very suitable for battery-electric trains.
Electrification Between Sheffield And London
Consider.
- The Midland Main Line electrification is creeping up from London.
- It should soon be installed between St. Pancras and Market Harborough.
- Sheffield and Market Harborough is 81.9 miles.
- The Class 810 trains that will run the Sheffield and London route can’t be far off entering service.
There might be scope for running battery-electric trains on the route, until the electrification is complete.
A Battery-Electric Train Hub At Sheffield
I believe that a fair proportion of services to and from Sheffield could be run using battery-electric trains or bog-standard electric trains.
This OpenRailwayMap shows the platforms at Sheffield.
Note.
- The lilac tracks are those of the Sheffield Supertram.
- The darker lines are the tracks in the station.
- Tracks could be electrified as required.
Eventually, Sheffield will be a fully-electrified station, because of the Midland Main Line electrification.
But why not do it sooner rather than later, so that by running new or refurbished battery-electric trains to places like Huddersfield, Hull, Leeds, Lincoln, London and Manchester?
- Services would be speeded up by around a minute or two for each stop.
- Faster journeys may attract more passengers.
- Routes would be creating less carbon emission and pollution.
- In some cases, routes would be zero carbon.
Some routes would need electrification at the terminal to charge the trains, but Leeds, London St. Pancras and Manchester are already fully electrified.
Charging Long Distance Battery-Electric Trains When They Stop In Sheffield
These long distance services stop in Sheffield.
- CrossCountry – Plymouth and Edinburgh
- CrossCountry – Reading and Newcastle
- East Midland Railway – London and Leeds
- East Midland Railway – Liverpool Lime Street and Norwich
- Northern – Leeds and Lincoln
- Northern – Leeds and Nottingham
- Northern – Sheffield and Cleethorpes
- TransPennine Express – Liverpool Lime Street and Cleethorpes
battery-electric trains could be given a top-up, as they pass through.
I am assuming that CrossCountry, East Midland Railway, Northern and TransPennine Express will be running suitable battery-electric trains.
Battery-Electric Train Hubs
To be a battery-electric train hub, a station probably needs to have all or nearly all of its platforms electrified.
- It should be able to fully-charge any battery-electric trains terminating in the station, provided that the turn-round time is long enough.
- It should be able to give a through battery-electric train a boost if required, so that it gets to the final destination.
It would appear that there are already several battery-electric train hubs in the England, Scotland and Wales.
This map from OpenRailwayMap shows Liverpool Lime Street station, with electrified tracks shown in red.
It would appear that the station is fully electrified and is an excellent battery-electric train hub.
This map from OpenRailwayMap shows Manchester Piccadilly station, with electrified tracks shown in red.
It would appear that the station is fully electrified, except for the Northernmost platform, and is an excellent battery-electric train hub.
This map from OpenRailwayMap shows Leeds station, with electrified tracks shown in red.
It would appear that the station is fully electrified and is an excellent battery-electric train hub, with twelve electrified bay platforms.
Conclusion
I can see a very comprehensive scheme being developed for Sheffield, based on a hub for battery-electric trains at Sheffield station.
What Would Tram-Trains With A Battery Capability Do For The Sheffield Supertram?
I asked this question in a slightly different form in Is The Sheffield Rotherham Tram-Train Showing Signs Of London Overground Syndrome?, where I said this.
Sheffield could do a lot worse, than replace the Siemens-Duewag trams with Class 399 tram-trains. Especially, as the South Wales Metro, will be buying thirty-six similar vehicles with batteries.
What would tram-trains with a battery capability do for Sheffield, Rotherham and the neighbouring towns?
We don’t know much about Stadler’s proposed tram-trains for the South Wales Metro.
- They look to be very similar externally to the Class 399 tram-trains.
- They will be able to work using 25 KVAC electrification on the South Wales Main Line.
- They will be able to work the two-mile long Butetown Branch Line on battery power.
- Whether they will have a 750 VDC capability has not been said.
A tram-train with batteries would certainly offer other possibilities.
On my trip to Rotherham, I met a guy of about my age, who was a resident of Sheffield. He was proud of the city’s trams and was trying out the tram-train for the first time.
He also suggested two possible extensions.
- Royal Hallamshire Hospital
- A tram-train to Doncaster.
There have also been plans at times to run tram-trains to Dore & Totley and Penistone stations.
So how would tram-trains with batteries help for these routes?
Royal Hallamshire Hospital
On this page of the Sheffield Teaching Hospitals web site, this is said about getting to the hospital by tram.
Supertram does not serve the Northern General Hospital. It can be used to reach the Royal Hallamshire, Jessop Wing, Charles Clifford and Weston Park Hospitals, although please be aware that there is still a 10-15 minute uphill walk from the nearest stop (University). We would recommend that anyone who experiences difficulty walking long distances choose some alternative means of travelling to hospital.
How many doctors, nurses and other hospital staff, would be put off by that paragraph and go and work elsewhere, where the public transport is better,
This Google Map shows the area.
Note.
- The University tram stop is in the North-East corner of the map and is marked by a blue dot, marked with University of Sheffield.
- The Royal Hallamshire Hospital is in the South-West corner of the map.
This Google Map shows the University of Sheffield tram stop and how the tram route turns East to go to and from the city centre.
If the terrain allows it, a short extension might be possible to be built to the West along Glossop Road.
- As in Birmingham City Centre, the tram-trains could run on batteries, without any overhead wires.
- Charging could be provided at the terminal station which could be a few minutes walk to the hospital.
- The hospital and the university could be a good terminus for tram-trains from Rotherham and the East.
This is a typical extension, that is made easier and more affordable by the use of trams with a battery capability.
Connecting The Supertram To Heavy Rail
The Sheffield Supertram was designed before tram-trains existed, but even so there would seem to be several places, where the two systems could be connected.
The design of the Class 399 train-trams also makes the connections easier to design and build.
- The tram-trains can take tight turns.
- There are various innovative solutions, that allow the pantograph to ride from one electrification system to the other.
- If the tram-trains have batteries, this helps the electrification system changeover.
As more tram-train systems are installed, the library of solutions will get larger. As Electrification specialist ; Furrer and Frey have their UK subsidiary based in Nottingham, Sheffield could play a big part in the evolution of tram-train systems.
Tram-Train To Doncaster
There is a two trains per hour (tph) Northern service that goes between Sheffield and Doncaster, stopping at Meadowhall, Rotherham Central, Swinton, Mexborough and Conisbrough.
- One train continues to Hull and the other to Adwick.
- The service takes forty minutes from Doncaster to Sheffield.
- The service goes past the Rotherham Parkgate tram-train stop.
- The service takes about twenty minutes to go from Rotherham Parkgate to Doncaster, which is a distance of around 11.5 miles.
There is surely scope to extend the tram-train service to Doncaster to improve links between Sheffield, Rotherham and Doncaster.
This Google Map shows the Rotherham Parkgate tram-train stop.
Note how the tram-train stop is effectively a siding alongside the double-track Dearne Valley Line, that links Rotherham Central with Leeds and York. It also has a link to Doncaster via the short Swinton-Doncaster Line.
Space would appear to have been left to convert the line through the tram-train stop to a loop. With an additional cross-over at the Eastern end of the stop, it would be possible to extend the tram-train service beyond its current terminal.
I have a map, which shows that the routes to Doncaster and along the Dearne Valley Line to where it crosses the Leeds-Doncaster Line could be electrified in the early 2020s.
If this electrification is carried out, then the tram-train service could easily be extended to Doncaster.
On the other hand, as Rochester Parkgate to Doncaster is around 11.5 miles and the route will have 25 KVAC overhead electrification at both ends, would it be possible for a tram-train with batteries to bridge the gap in the electrification?
Comparing a three-section Class 399 tram-train with a two-car battery/electric Class 230 train shows that the two vehicles have similar lengths, weight and passenger capacities.
As Vivarail have managed to fit 400 kWh of batteries under a Class 230 train, I wouldn’t be surprised to see at least 200 kWh of batteries squeezed under a Class 399 tram-train.
So would 200 kWh of battery power be sufficient to take a Class 399 tram-train between Rotherham Parkgate and Doncaster?
It should be noted that the total power of a Class 399 tram-train is 870 kW, so it wouldn’t be possible if the tram-train was on full power all the time.
But.
- The route is along the River Don and appears to be not very challenging.
- Regenerative braking can be used at the three stops and any other stops due to red signals.
- The initial acceleration at both ends could be accomplished under a short length of electrification.
- The tram-trains will probably have been designed to use the lowest level of energy possible.
- The tram-train could run in a low energy mode, when under battery power.
Stadler also know that handling a route like this on battery power would be an important sales feature all round the world.
Tram-Train To Dore & Totley
Running a tram-train service to Dore & Totley station in the South West of Sheffield seems to keep being mentioned.
When it was planned that HS2 was going to Meadowhall, this document was published. This was said about connecting Dore & Totley station to HS2.
Improved rail access to Meadowhall from south-west Sheffield could also be considered – for
example, a frequent service between Dore & Totley and Meadowhall could be included.Proposed future transport schemes include the tram-train project; if successful, this could be extended to allow further interchange possibilities at the HS2 station.
But HS2 is now going to the main Sheffield station.
This will probably mean.
- The route between Sheffield and Chesterfield will be upgraded and electrified, with I suspect extra tracks.
- The electrified lines will pass through Dore & Totley station.
- HS2 will need frequent connecting services from all over South Yorkshire into Sheffield station.
Dore & Totley and the stations on the Hope Valley service have a truly inadequate erratic hourly service to both Sheffield and Manchester.
There are two compatible solutions.
- A four tph regional solution of a train between perhaps Hull and Manchester stopping at Doncaster, Rotherham Central, Sheffield and a few stations on the Hope Valley Line.
- A higher frequency Sheffield solution of a train between perhaps Doncaster and the stations near to Sheffield on the Hope Valley Line.
The first service would be an advanced bi-mode train, whilst a tram-train with batteries could be ideal for the second
.Consider using a tram-train with batteries on the second service.
- It could use batteries on the Hope Valley Line to avoid electrification.
- It would serve Sheffield and Meadowhall stations.
- It could use heavy rail or tram routes in between the two major stations.
- It could provide a high frequency service between the two major stations.
There are a lot of possibilities and the transport planners will know the best things to do, with respect to traffic.
Tram-Train To Penistone
In Riding The Penistone Line, I described a trip on the Penistone Line.
This was my conclusion.
Tram-trains like the Class 399 tram-train could easily climb the hill to Penistone to provide a perhaps two trains per hour service to Sheffield.
But the line would need to be electrified or hybrid diesel tram-trains, as in Chemnitz will need to be used.
So perhaps Northern‘s plan for the Northern Connect service, which would use more powerful Class 195 diesel multiple units, might be better suited to the Penistone Line.
I think the heavy rail solution will be used.
Conclusion
I think that tram-trains with batteries will find a few worthwhile uses in the wider Sheffield area.
The Penistone Line And Rotherham Tram-Train Trials
The Penistone Line Tram-Train Trial
The Penistone Line from Sheffield to Barnsley, Penistone and Huddersfield was the line originally selected for the tram-train trial.
In the Wikipedia entry for the line, this is said about the tram-train trial.
On 18 March 2008, the Department for Transport released details of a proposal to trial tram-trains on the Penistone Line, the first use of such vehicles in the UK. The trial was to start in 2010 and last for two years. Northern Rail, the operator of passenger services on the line, asked potential manufacturers to tender for the design and construction of five new vehicles, which Northern Rail would subsequently lease. In addition, Network Rail planned to spend £15m modifying track and stations to make them compatible with the new vehicles.
However, it was announced on 15 September 2009 that a city tram-train trial between Rotherham and Sheffield would replace the Penistone Line scheme.
More about the trial is said in this article on Rail News, which is entitled Penistone Line Is Chosen For £24m Tram Trains Trial. In particular, this is said.
One of the biggest initial tasks is to set a specification for the building of the five diesel-electro hybrid tram trains at a cost of £9 million. The trains will have to be equipped with braking systems suitable for on-street running and a Train Protection Warning System which is required for running on lines with ‘heavy’ rail passenger and freight trains.
The article was written in 2008 and Chemnitz hybrid Citylink tram-trains didn’t enter service until 2016.
So was the trial on the Penistone Line a disaster before it even started?
It had the following problems.
- It was expecting a diesel-electric hybrid tram to be designed and built before 2010.
- A long distance was involved.
- The track-work needed to connect to the Sheffield Supertram could have been incredibly complicated.
- The first all-electric Citylink tram-trains weren’t delivered to Karlsruhe until May 2014, which was seven months late.
For these and other reasons, I think that the decision of the trial to be delayed and to use Rotherham, was a prudent decision.
The Rotherham Tram-Train Trial
Consider these characteristics of the current trial, between Cathedral and Rotherham Psrkgate.
- The tram-trains are virtually standard Karlsruhe Citylink tram-trains, adapted for UK 25 KVAC and painted blue!
- A simple chord connecting the two systems.
- A few miles of electrification, that could be powered by either 750 VDC or 25 KVAC.
- Modification of the recently-built Rotherham Central station.
- Building of a new terminal tram stop at Rotherham Parkgate.
It’s a simple plan, but one that covers a lot of design possibilities and has few, if any, risky elements, that haven’t been done in the UK or Karlsruhe.
The following can be tested.
- The Class 399 tram-trains on the Sheffield Supertram network and an electrified main line.
- Passenger entry and exit at Rotherham Central station and all over the Supertram network.
- Operation under both 750 VDC or 25 KVAC.
- Signalling systems on both tram and main line networks.
The one thing that can’t be tested is a diesel hybrid tram-train as they have in Chemnitz, as they haven’t ordered any!
But if they did want to order some, they could easily be tested between Cathedral and Rotherham Parkgate.
Conclusion
The original plan to use the Penistone Line and diesel-electric tram-trains was impossible.
Network Rail might have got this one right at the second attempt.
They could even run a UK version of the Chemnitz hybrid tram-train on the test route between Sheffield and Rotherham.
The Anonymous Widower 