Ryse Hydrogen’s Suffolk Freeport Hydrogen Vision Takes Shape
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on S & P Global.
This is the introductory paragraph.
Ryse Hydrogen plans to install a 6 MW electrolyzer at the Sizewell nuclear site in Suffolk as a launchpad for mass production of low carbon hydrogen in and around the future freeport of Felixstowe, company founder Jo Bamford told S&P Global.
Ryse Hydrogen are building the Herne Bay electrolyser.
- It will consume 23 MW of solar and wind power.
- It will produce ten tonnes of hydrogen per day.
This would mean that Sizewell’s 6 MW electrolyser could be producing around a thousand tonnes of hydrogen per year or 2.6 tonnes per day.
Note that the port and the power station are only about thirty miles apart.
Suffolk is thinking big again!
The last part of the article is where Jo Bamford discusses the cost of hydrogen and hydrogen buses and how he intends to sell them to the UK and ultimately the world.
Suffolk and Jo Bamford appear to be made for each other, with complementary ambitions.
Eight New Freeports Set To Open In The UK
Today, in his 2021 Budget, Rishi Sunak announced eight new freeports.
This article on the BBC, which is entitled Freeports: What Are They And Where Will They Be?, gives a brief guide to the freeports.
This links link to the nearest I can find to an official web site for each of the freeports.
The Government has said that the freeports will start their operations late this year.
DHL Teams With Volvo Trucks To Speed Up Transition To Fossil-Free Trucking
The title of this post is the same as that of this article on CleanTechnica.
This is the introductory paragraph.
Electric buses, electric garbage trucks, and even electric construction equipment are becoming more and more commonplace in urban landscapes, but there’s still some debate over whether or not battery electric vehicles will take over open-road, long distance trucking any time soon. To help make the case that electric trucking is the way forward, DHL Freight and Volvo Trucks have partnered to speed up the introduction of heavy duty electric trucks to be used for regional transport throughout Sweden.
Read the article and see what you think.
The author takes the view that electric trucks may be able to handle heavy duty road transport and that would sideline expensive fuel cell trucks powered by hydrogen.
This is a paragraph.
If it’s successful, the move to battery electric trucking could be one of the final nails in the coffin of expensive hydrogen fuel cell projects like Nikola Trucks and Volvo’s own recently acquired Daimler truck division.
I am not so sure, that he is right!
Recently, I wrote Holyhead Hydrogen Hub Planned For Wales and Felixstowe And Harwich Ports Submit Bid For ‘Freeport’ Status, where hydrogen hubs are proposed at the posts of Holyhead and Felixstowe.
- This is a distance of 335 miles.
- As trucks average 55 mph on motorways and dual carriageways, this journey would take six hours.
- Six hours is the maximum time a truck driver can work without a break.
- Tesla have said that their battery Semi Truck will have a range of 300 or 500 miles.
I feel that this rough calculation shows that both electric and hydrogen trucks could handle the Felixstowe and Holyhead route.
- With the battery truck, the weight and size of the battery would probably reduce the payload.
- Factors like cost of ownership, payload and drivers hours would probably play a big part in the choice.
- Trucks would need to be refuelled at the start of the journey, if they’d just come off a ferry.
- On Tesla’s figures, recharging a battery truck would take thirty minutes.
Once we start looking at practical journeys like say Cologne and Dublin, if you want to do it with one truck, it has to be hydrogen.
But a container between Felixstowe and Holyhead could probably be handled by an electric truck.
If you look at between Dover and Holyhead, that is 370 miles and at 55 mph, it would take almost seven hours. So the driver would need a break.
Conclusion
There will need to be extensive modelling to decide, what type of truck is best for a particular route, operator and cargo.
Daimler’s Philosophy
In Daimler Trucks Presents Technology Strategy For Electrification – World Premiere Of Mercedes-Benz Fuel-Cell Concept Truck, I examined Daimler’s strategy for hydrogen and electric trucks.
This is a summary of their philosophy.
- Mercedes-Benz GenH2 Truck, a fuel-cell truck with a range of up to 1,000 kilometres and more for flexible and demanding long-haul transport – customer trials in 2023, start of series production in second half of this decade.
- Mercedes-Benz eActros LongHaul, a battery-electric truck with a range of about 500 kilometres for energy-efficient transport on plannable long-haul routes – projected to be ready for series production in 2024.
- Mercedes-Benz eActros, a battery-electric truck with a range of well over 200 kilometres for heavy urban distribution to go into series production in 2021.
Note.
- 500 kilometres is 310 miles,
- The Mercedes-Benz eActros LongHaul will be able to handle Dover or Felixstowe and Holyhead with a thirty minute driver break/battery charge somewhere in the Midlands.
- The Mercedes-Benz GenH2 Truck will be able to handle Dover or Felixstowe and Holyhead without refuelling.
- The Mercedes-Benz GenH2 Truck will be able to handle a 620 mile out-and-back journey from Dover or Felixstowe without refuelling. This would allow journeys to Birmingham, Derby, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Nottingham and Sheffield
The flexibility built into Daimler’s philosophy is probably a sensible approach and ideal for truck journeys from Dover and Felixstowe.
Daimler would appear to have done a lot of modelling.
Felixstowe And Harwich Ports Submit Bid For ‘Freeport’ Status
The title of this post is the same as this article on the BBC.
These are the first three paragraphs.
A bid for “freeport” status for two existing ports has been submitted after the project was approved by a council.
East Suffolk Council unanimously backed the bid for the Port of Felixstowe and Harwich International to become one of 10 freeport facilities across the UK.
Freeport East would see owners Hutchison operate a single custom zone covering both coastal ports.
I think, some will think this a bit cheeky, but I think it is a product of the characters of the counties of Essex and Suffolk.
I was conceived in Suffolk and have probably spent half my life in the county.
It’s a county that thinks big.
- Is there another woman, who as Boudica did, assembled an army of hundreds of thousands and attempted to throw an unwelcome invader out of her country?
- The history of her tribe; the Iceni is closely tied, according to some historians, to the development of the thoroughbred racehorse at New Horse Market or Newmarket as it is known today!
- Newmarket is to horse racing as St. Andrews is to golf.
- The town is home of about 3,500 horses and is a major centre for horse and animal health.
- Newmarket Heath is a Site of Special Scientific Interest and is to be the largest area of mown grass in the world.
- Suffolk sheep are one of the most numerous sheep breeds in the world, having been exported all over the world.
- Suffolk is the only county in England with its own breed of sheep, cattle (Red Poll) and horse (Suffolk Horse)
- Bury St. Edmunds Abbey was one of the largest churches in England.
When I was about seven, the Port of Felixstowe was just a small dock exporting grain and now it the busiest container port in the UK and the eighth in Europe.
It is no surprise to me, that Felixstowe and Harwich want to be a Freeport, so they can expand further.
There have already been related news and media reports.
Freeport East Web Site
The Freeport East web site is at www.freeporteast.com.
Read these sections.
It is an ambitious vision. As someone, who believes we must innovate, this paragraph from the Innovation section strikes the right tone.
Beyond the energy sector, Freeport East will also contribute to wider innovation in the technology sector. Hutchison Ports is already working with Cambridge University and Three UK to develop innovative 5G applications. Hutchison Ports is also working with the New Anglia LEP, Tech East and BT’s research centre at Adastral Park on new telecommunications infrastructure. Freeport East will embed these technological innovations at its heart and help to make the UK a world leader in technological innovation
The web site, also talks about the ports becoming major centres for the development and servicing of renewable energy in the North Sea.
A Little Help From Their Friends
I notice that in some reports, they have joined forces with the University of Cambridge. As Cambridge colleges are big local landowners, this can only be to the benefit of the concept.
A Hydrogen Freeport
This article on the Eadt Anglian Daily Times is entitled Top Ports Could Be Powered By Hydrogen In Major Project.
The project is well-described in the article with this infographic, that shows how nuclear power from Siewell and wind power from the North Sea can come together to decarbonise shipping and the port.
This paragraph sums up the hydrogen project.
At its peak, the power project, which will be delivered in partnership with Ryse-Hydrogen and EDF, developers of the proposed Sizewell C nuclear power station, will produce 1GW of hydrogen – 20% of the 5GW target in the Prime Minister’s Ten Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution.
Suffolk is thinking big again!
It certainly does appear, that several ports are following the hydrogen route. On this blog I have mentioned Antwerp, Holyhead and Portsmouth recently.
So what will the hydrogen be used for?
The East Anglian article says this.
The clean fuel would be used to power port equipment, ships, trucks and trains.
Port Equipment
I think the interesting one is port equipment.
- The chairman of JCB is Anthony Bamford.
- His son; Jo Bamford owns Ryse Hydrogen.
- JCB have recently released a hydrogen-powered digger.
- JCB is mentioned on the infographic.
Could we be seeing a range of hydrogen-powered port equipment, that has been developed by JCB?
Other companies like Hyster are certainly developing hydrogen-powered port equipment.
Ships
Decarbonisation of ships is difficult, as they need a lot of power and it usually comes from that most noxious of fuels; bunker oil.
The Wikipedia entry for bunker oil, has a section called Environmental Issues, where this is said.
Emissions from bunker fuel burning in ships contribute to air pollution levels in many port cities, especially where the emissions from industry and road traffic have been controlled. The switch of auxiliary engines from heavy fuel oil to diesel oil at berth can result in large emission reductions, especially for SO2 and PM. CO2 emissions from bunker fuels sold are not added to national GHG emissions. For small countries with large international ports, there is an important difference between the emissions in territorial waters and the total emissions of the fuel sold.
A lot of work is being done to power ships with hydrogen.
Provide refuelling for hydrogen-powered ships and you’ll get the business.
Trucks
Diesel trucks hauling goods to and from ports contribute to the pollution in the port, but if they are powered by hydrogen, the pollution for workers and neighbours is less.
I can see some freight terminals adopting a policy of No Hydrogen – No Load, with hauliers.
In Holyhead Hydrogen Hub Planned For Wales, I talked about a hydrogen hub at Holyhead. Will the ports of Dover, Felixstowe and Immingham need to have hydrogen refuelling facilities to handle hydrogen trucks hauling goods between the island of Ireland and Europe?
Trains
It is my belief, that hydrogen freight locomotives will be developed, so Felixstowe will need facilities to fuel the trains.
Imagine two highly-automated ports at Felixstowe and Holyhead, both with large supplies of hydrogen.
- A hydrogen-powered freight train would link the two ports.
- Hydrogen-powered handling equipment would load and unload the containers.
How many trucks would that take off the roads between Holyhead and Felixstowe?
Conclusion
The Port of Felixstowe is going to use hydrogen to become more efficient and zero-carbon, and make it more attractive to shippers wanting to pay more than lip-service to decarbonisation.
The EU have constantly accused Boris of turning the UK into Singapore-on-Thames!
But here we are creating Singaport-on-the-Haven.
The EU has freeports, so I guess it’s OK.
A Class 93 Locomotive Hauling A 1500 Tonne Train Between The Port Of Felixstowe And Nuneaton
I am writing this post to show how I believe the new Class 93 locomotive would haul a freight train between the Port of Felixstowe and Nuneaton, where it would join the West Coast Main Line for Liverpool, Manchester mor Scotland.
Why 1500 Tonnes?
This article on Rail Engineer, which is entitled, Re-Engineering Rail Freight, gives a few more details about the operation of the Class 93 locomotives.
This is said about performance.
As a result, the 86-tonne Class 93 is capable of hauling 1,500 tonnes on non-electrified routes and 2,500 tonnes on electrified routes. With a route availability (RA) of seven, it can be used on most of the rail network.
So as I’m talking about non-electrified routes, I’ll use 1500 tonnes.
Sections Of The Route
The route can be divided into these sections.
- Port of Felixstowe and Trimley – 2.3 miles – 7 minutes – 19.7 mph – Not Electrified
- Trimley and Ipswich Europa Junction – 13.5 miles – 43 minutes -18.8 mph – Not Electrified
- Ipswich Europa Junction and Haughley Junction – 12.1 miles – 24 minutes -30.2 mph – Electrified
- Haughley Junction and Ely – 38.3 miles – 77 minutes -29.8 mph – Not Electrified
- Ely and Peterborough – 30.5 miles – 58 minutes -31.6 mph – Not Electrified
- Peterborough and Werrington Junction – 3.1 miles – 5 minutes -37.2 mph – Electrified
- Werrington Junction and Leicester – 49.1 miles – 97 minutes -30.4 mph – Not Electrified
- Leicester and Nuneaton – 18.8 miles – 27 minutes -41.8 mph – Not Electrified
Note.
- The train only averages around 40 mph on two sections.
- There is electrification at between Europa Junction and Haughley Junction, at Ely and Peterborough, that could be used to fully charge the batteries.
- In Trimode Class 93 Locomotives Ordered By Rail Operations (UK), I calculated that the 80 kWh batteries in a Class 93 locomotive hauling a 1500 tonne load can accelerate the train to 40 mph.
I can see some innovative junctions being created, where electrification starts and finishes, so that batteries are fully charged as the trains pass through.
- There must be tremendous possibilities at Ely, Haughley and Werrington to take trains smartly through the junctions and send, them on their way with full batteries.
- All have modern electrification, hopefully with a strong power supply, so how far could the electrification be continued on the lines without electrification?
- Given that the pantographs on the Class 93 locomotives, will have all the alacrity and speed to go up and down like a whore’s drawers, I’m sure there will be many places on the UK rail network to top up the batteries.
Consider going between Ely and Peterborough.
- Leaving Ely, the train will have a battery containing enough energy to get them to forty mph.
- Once rolling along at forty, the Cat would take them to the East Coast Main Line, where they would arrive with an almost flat battery.
- It would then be a case of pan up and on to Peterborough.
These are my ideas for how the various sections would be handled.
Port of Felixstowe And Trimley
As I stated in Rail Access To The Port Of Felixstowe, I would electrify the short section between the Port of Felixstowe And Trimley. This would do the following.
- Charge the batteries on trains entering the Port, so they could operate in the Port without using diesel.
- Charge batteries on trains leaving the Port, so that they could have a power boost to Ipswich.
- The trains could be accelerated to operating speed using the electrification.
There would also be no use of diesel to the East of Trimley, which I’m sure the residents of Felixstowe would like.
Trimley and Ipswich Europa Junction
This section would be on diesel, with any energy left in the battery used to cut diesel running through Ipswich.
Ipswich Europa Junction and Haughley Junction
Consider.
- This is a 100 mph line.
- It is fully-electrified.
- All the passenger trains will be running at this speed.
If the freight ran at that speed, up to 17 minutes could be saved.
Haughley Junction And Ely
This section would be diesel hauled, with help from the batteries, which could be fully charged when entering the section.
There are also plans to improve Haughley Junction, which I wrote about in Haughley Junction Improvements.
One possibility would be to extend the electrification from Haughley Junction a few miles to the West, to cut down diesel use in both Greater Anglia’s Class 755 trains and any freight trains hauled by Class 93 locomotives.
As there are plans for an A14 Parkway station at Chippenham Junction, which is 25 miles to the West of Haughley Junction, it might be sensible to electrify around Chippenham Junction.
Ely and Peterborough
This section would be diesel hauled, with help from the batteries, which could be fully charged when entering the section.
It should also be noted that the tracks at Ely are to be remodelled.
- Would it not be sensible to have sufficient electrification at the station, so that a Class 93 locomotive leaves the area with full batteries?
- Acceleration to operating speed would be on battery power, thus further reducing diesel use.
It probably wouldn’t be the most difficult of projects at Peterborough to electrify between Peterborough East Junction and Werrington Junction on the Stamford Lines used by the freight trains.
On the other hand, I strongly believe that the route between Ely and Peterborough should be an early electrification project.
- It would give a second electrified route between London and Peterborough, which could be a valuable diversion route.
- It would allow bi-mode trains to work easier to and from Peterborough.
- It would be a great help to Class 93 locomotives hauling freight out of Felixstowe.
As the Ely-Peterborough Line has a 75 mph operating speed, it would Class 73 locomotive-hauled freights would save around thirty ,inutes.
Peterborough and Werrington Junction
This section looks to be being electrified during the building of the Werrington Dive Under.
Werrington Junction and Leicester
This section would be diesel hauled, with help from the batteries, which could be fully charged when entering the section.
Leicester and Nuneaton
This section would be diesel hauled, with help from the batteries,
As there is full electrification at Nuneaton, this electrification could be extended for a few miles towards Leicester.
Conclusion
This has only been a rough analysis, but it does show that Class 93 locomotives can offer advantages in running freight trains between Felixstowe and Nuneaton.
But selective lengths of electrification would bring time and diesel savings.
Trimode Class 93 Locomotives Ordered By Rail Operations (UK)
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Railway Gazette.
This is the introductory paragraph.
Stadler and Rail Operations (UK) Ltd have signed a framework agreement for the supply of 30 Class 93 trimode locomotives, with an initial batch of 10 scheduled for delivery in early 2023.
Note that the order may have been a long time coming, but it is now for thirty locomotives. In this article on Rail Magazine from December 2018, which is entitled Rail Operations Fuels its Ambitions With Tri-Mode Class 93s, only ten locomotives were to be ordered.
A Few More Details
This article on Rail Engineer, which is entitled, Re-Engineering Rail Freight, gives a few more details about the operation of the Class 93 locomotives.
It says this about operation in electric mode.
In electric mode, the batteries are charged when braking or from the transformer. As the batteries use the space occupied by the braking resistors in the Class 88, when the batteries are fully charged, the locomotive has only its friction brake.
This about operation in diesel-hybrid mode.
In diesel/battery hybrid mode, the batteries are charged both as the train brakes and by the diesel engine when it is not operating under full load. When the train accelerates, the batteries give it the extra power needed to get up to speed. This is a significant benefit as accelerating a freight train of over 1,000 tonnes up to its operating speed can take several minutes.
This is said about the batteries and their effect on performance.
It has two Lithium Titanate Oxide liquid-cooled battery packs, which have a rapid charge and discharge rate. These each have a 40kWh capacity with a peak power of 200kW. Thus, whilst the train is accelerating, the Class 93 will have a peak power of 1,300kW for up to ten minutes, which is almost twice that of a Class 88 in diesel mode.
The batteries would appear to be quite small when you consider, that Vivarail are talking about 424 KWh in one of their Class 230 trains.
This is said about performance.
As a result, the 86-tonne Class 93 is capable of hauling 1,500 tonnes on non-electrified routes and 2,500 tonnes on electrified routes. With a route availability (RA) of seven, it can be used on most of the rail network.
It may not be the largest of locomotives, but it could have a very high performance.
I have a few thoughts.
Regenerative Braking Performance
The Rail Engineer article says this about the Class 93 locomotive.
- The train has a total of 80 kWh of battery storage to store braking energy.
- The locomotive weighs 86 tonnes
- It can haul 1,500 tonnes on non-electrified lines.
Using a train weight of 1586 tonnes and Omni’s Kinetic Energy Calculator, gives a kinetic energy of 8 kWh at 42.6 mph.
Does this mean that the locomotive is designed to trundle around the countryside at around forty mph?
These are timings from Real Time Trains.
- Haughley Junction and Ely – 40 miles – 60 minutes – 40 mph
- Werrington Junction and Doncaster – 86 miles – 130 minutes – 40 mph
- Werrington Junction and Nuneaton – 67 miles – 123 minutes – 32.7 mph
- Southampton and Oxford – 74 miles – 120 minutes – 37 mph
There will be savings compared to the current diesel timings, with a Class 93 locomotive.
- Either side of these sections, the locomotive can use electric power to cut pollution, noise and carbon emissions.
- Stops and starts on sections without electrification will save diesel and cut carbon emissions.
- The train will be faster on electrified sections.
I also feel that with its smaller diesel engine, it will be able to maintain similar timings to current trains hauled by Class 66, Class 68 and Class 70 locomotives.
It can haul 2,500 tonnes on non-electrified lines.
Assuming a train weight of 2586 tonnes, the train energy at various speeds is as follows.
- 40 mph – 114 kWh
- 60 mph – 258 kWh
- 80 mph – 459 kWh
- 100 mph – 718 kWh
- 110 mph – 868 kWh
Am I right to assume that once the batteries are full, the regenerative braking energy can be returned through the catenary to power other trains?
Operation With 750 VDC Third Rail Electrification
Will some locomotives be fitted with third-rail shoes to work into and out of Southampton?
They would not need to use diesel between and Basingstoke.
Access To Ports And Rail Freight Terminals
I recently wrote Rail Access To The Port Of Felixstowe.
Looking in detail at Felixstowe and how trains will serve the port, this was my conclusion.
I very much feel, that the specification of the Class 93 locomotive with its trimode capability is ideal for working to and from ports and freight terminals.
Looking at the specification, I am certain, that these locomotives can haul a heavy freight train out of Felixstowe on diesel, with help from the batteries.
- The distance without electrification is around fifteen miles.
- It takes around thirty minutes.
- It is fairly flat Suffolk countryside with the possible exception of the climb over Spring Road Viaduct.
The batteries would need to be charged and surely in Felixstowe’s case the best way would be to electrify the two single track access routes between Trimley station and the Port.
- On leaving, the trains would pass Trimley with full batteries.
- They could also be at line speed after accelerating using the two miles or so of electrification.
- They could also enter the Port with full batteries, after charging the batteries on the short length of electrification.
The batteries may be large and powerful enough, to enable diesel free operations in the Port.
Does this partially explain the increase in the order for Class 93 locomotives? There’s not really been a genuine Last-Mile locomotive in the UK before.
Enabling Carbon-Free Ports And Rail Freight Terminals
Regularly, I read reports of ports wanting to do carbon-free.
- Port vehicles and cranes can go electric or hydrogen, as appropriate.
- Tugs, work and pilot boats can go hydrogen and developments are under way like one I wrote about in Scotland To Trial World’s First Hydrogen-Powered Ferry In Orkney.
Class 93 locomotives can help the process, by not using their diesel engines in ports and rail freight terminals.
It might just need a short length of electrification between the port or terminal and the main line, to make sure batteries are fully-charged.
But not at London Gateway!
This Google Map shows the couple of kilometres of track without electrification, that connects London Gateway to the electrified route through East Tilbury station.
London Gateway would appear to be ready for low or possibly zero-carbon access, using Class 93 locomotives.
High Speed Freight Trains
Consider.
- These Class 93 locomotives will have an operating speed of 110 mph, when running on electrified lines.
- Currently, many multimode freight trains run at speeds of under 90 mph, as Class 66 locomotives don’t have the power to go faster and the wagons carrying the containers have a lower speed limit.
So with new or refurbished wagons capable of travelling at 110 mph, there will be speed improvements in some containerised freight.
As an example of what happens on the UK rail network, at the present time, I have found a freight train that goes between Felixstowe and Coatbridge near Glasgow,
- The route is via Ipswich, London, The North London Line and the West Coast Main Line.
- It can weigh 1600 tonnes.
- The distance is 483 miles.
- The service takes around 16 hours.
- With the exception of between Felixstowe and Ipswich, the route is fully electrified.
I estimate that if this service could run at up to 100 mph on the Great Eastern Main Line and up to 110 mph on the West Coast Main Line, that several hours could be saved.
Electrification Gap Bridging
As I indicated earlier, I believe these Class 93 locomotives will be able to haul a freight train out of Felixstowe to the electrified Great Eastern Main Line.
In Thoughts On A Battery/Electric Replacement For A Class 66 Locomotive, I gave a list of typical gaps in the electrification in the UK.
- Didcot and Birmingham – Around two-and-a-half hours
- Didcot and Coventry – Just under two hours
- Felixstowe and Ipswich – Around an hour
- Haughley Junction and Peterborough – Around two hours
- Southampton and Reading – Around one-and-a-half hours
- Werrington Junction and Doncaster via Lincoln – Around two hours
- Werrington Junction and Nuneaton – Just under two hours
How many of these gaps could be bridged by a Class 93 locomotive working in a diesel hybrid mode?
Stadler have not confirmed the size of the battery, but have said that it can provide 400 kW of power, which gives a maximum of 1.3 MW, when the batteries are working as afterburners for the diesel engine!
If the article in Rail Engineer is correct, I feel there is a high chance, that a Class 93 locomotive can bridge these gaps, with a load of 1500 tonnes in tow.
It is worth looking at current timings between Haughley Junction and Ely, when hauled by a Class 66 locomotive.
- The distance is around 40 mph
- The time taken is around an hour.
- A Class 66 locomotive would put 2.2 MW at the rail.
This locomotive could need up to 2.2 MWh to bridge the gap.
But I don’t believe that a forty mile gap will be impossible for a Class 93 locomotive.
- Stadler will have all the performance data of the bi-mode Class 88 locomotive to draw on.
- The Class 93 locomotive has regenerative braking to help charge the batteries at any stops.
- Several of the large electrification gaps on the UK rail network are in the flat lands of East Anglia and Lincolnshire.
- Modern control systems would be able to eke out the power of the batteries.
I wouldn’t be surprised to find that Stadler have had an objective to design a locomotive that can perform like a Class 66 locomotive for two hours.
Conclusion
If Stadler get the specification, performance and reliability of this locomotive right, they will sell a lot of locomotives for operations like these! And not just in the UK!
Rail Access To The Port Of Felixstowe
This Google Map shows the Port of Felixstowe.
Note.
- Trimley station is at the top edge of the map.
- One rail line curves down from Trimley to the Southern side of the Port.
- Another rail line connects Trimley to the Northern side of the Port.
- A few miles of the route between Trimley and Ipswich, has recently been double-tracked and improved.
I will now describe the important parts of the rail network to and from the Port.
Trimley Station
This Google Map shows Trimley station.
Note.
- Trimley station has two platforms. although only the Northern one, which is numbered 1 is in use.
- There are two tracks through the station.
- There is a footbridge over the tracks.
- Most people cross the lines on the level crossing.
The track through Trimley station has been improved and the improved is described in the Wikipedia entry for the Felixstowe Branch Line, where this is said.
In October 2017 final approval was given for a £60.4m project which includes doubling between Trimley station and Grimston Lane foot crossing. Work started on 7 April 2018 and was predicted to end in Autumn 2019.[29] However, the work was completed by May 2019 and saw changes to the infrastructure at Trimley station where trains from the Felixstowe direction could now access the disused platform road and the establishment of a double track as far as a new junction called Gun Lane Junction just over a mile west of Trimley station. Both lines can be worked bi-directionally and with the increase in freight traffic that resulted from the additional capacity a number of level crossings were either abolished or upgraded to improve safety.
This Google Map shows the section of line, that has now been dualed.
Note.
- Grimston Lane is the triangle of roads in the North-West corner of the map.
- Trimley station is in the South-East corner of the map.
This Google Map shows the track layout East of Trimley station.
Note.
- Trimley station is at the top of the map.
- There is a junction to the South-East of Trimley station.
- The Northern track goes straight on to Felixstowe station and the Southern Terminal at the Port of Felixstowe.
- The Southern track curves South to the North Terminal at the Port of Felixstowe.
- Both branches are single track.
It would appear that all trains going to and from the South Terminal at the Port, take the Northern track through Trimley station and those going to and from the North Terminal at the Port, take the Southern track.
Southern Access To The Port
This Google Map shows how the trains go between Trimley station and the Southern entry to the Port.
Note.
- Felixstowe station is in the North-East corner of the map.
- The single track from Trimley station splits into two in the North West corner of the map.
- One branch allows an hourly service between Ipswich and Felixstowe stations.
- The second branch goes South to the Port.
- The junction used to be a full triangular junction to allow trains to go between the two Felixstowe stations.
Do the residents of some houses in Felixstowe, get plagued by noise, pollution, smell and the diesel smoke of Class 66 locomotives going to and from the Southern access to the Port?
Felixstowe Beach Station
There used to be a Felixstowe Beach station on the railway to the Port.
This Google Map shows the location.
The station was to the North-East of the level crossing.
These pictures show the area as it was a year or so ago.
Is there a need for a new Felixstowe Beach station to allow workers and visitors to the Port to avoid the crowded roads?
Future Passenger Services Between Ipswich and Felixstowe
The passenger service between Ipswich and Felixstowe has for many years been a bine of contention between the Port of Felixstowe and passenger train operators.
The Port would like to see the passenger service discontinued, so that they could run more freight trains.
However, to increase both freight and passenger capacity, the East-West Rail consortium has proposed running a tram-train between Felixstowe and Ipswich.
- It would run through the streets of Ipswich to the forecourt of Ipswich station.
- It would serve important points in Ipswich, like the Hospital, Town Centre and Portman Road.
- It would have a frequency of four trains per hour (tph).
I wrote about the proposal in Could There Be A Tram-Train Between Ipswich And Felixstowe?
The Southern area of Felixstowe, along the beach is run down and needs improvement.
So why not run the tram-train all the way along the sea-front to Landguard Point?
This Google Map shows Landguard Point.
A tram-train going to Landguard Point would do the following.
- Provide a direct passenger rail service between the Port and Ipswich.
- Provide access to the Harwich ferry.
- Improve the economic prospects of the Southern part of Felixstowe.
- Bring visitors to the beach without using their cars.
But the main thing it would do is create decent access to the historic Landguard Fort.
Landguard Fort was the site of the last invasion of the UK, when the Dutch were repelled on the 2nd of July 1667, at the Battle of Landguard Fort.
The Southern Terminal At The Port Of Felixstowe
This Google Map shows the Southern terminal of the Port.
This second Google Map shows where the rail line enters the Southern terminal.
Note how the rail link enters in the North-East corner of the and curves towards the quays before it splits into two.
One branch goes straight on, past some sidings and gives a connection to the Trinity Terminal.
The second branch turns South to several sidings.
This Google Map shows these sidings.
Note that the sidings are towards the right of the image and run North-South.
Northern Access To The Port
This Google Map shows the route taken by the rail access to the Trinity Terminal.
Note.
- The route branches off South just to the East of Trimley station.
- It curves its way South to the South-West corner of the map, where it enters the Port.
- It is single track.
This second Google Map shows where it enters the Port.
Note.
- The track enters from the North-West corner of the map.
- It then splits into two branches.
- One branch goes West to the Trinity Terminal.
- The second branch goes South into a set of sidings.
It looks to be a well-designed access, to the Felixstowe Branch Line at Trimley station.
The Trinity Terminal At The Port Of Felixstowe
This Google Map shows the Trinity terminal.
Note the rail sidings and the link to the East, which links to the previous map.
This Google Map shows the rail sidings in detail.
I hope the pictures give a clear impression of the size of the port, which in the next few years will probably need more trains to the rest of the country.
There is also a yard that appears to be connected to both the North and South train entrances to the Port.
This yard is shown in this Google Map.
Note, the cranes to lift containers on and off.
Electrification In The Port
Note that there is no electrification in the Port or on the access links from Trimley station.
I once spent half-an-hour with a fellow Ipswich supporter before an away match. He turned out to be a crane driver at the Port of Felixstowe and we got to talking about why the trains weren’t electrified.
He told me that accidents to happen and that you you don’t want high voltage wires about, when you’re swinging containers on and off trains.
Especially, when the trains are close together, as they are in the previous image.
Class 73 Locomotives And The Port Of Felixstowe
The first Class 73 locomotives have now been ordered by Rail Operations Group (UK), and I wrote about the order in Trimode Class 93 Locomotives Ordered By Rail Operations (UK).
What surprised me about the order was that it was for thirty locomotives, whereas only ten were talked about two years ago. I know, that Rail Operations (UK) have received a big capital injection, as was reported in this article on Rail Advent, which is entitled Rail Operations Group Acquired By STAR Capital Partnership. but they must have ambitious plans for thirty locomotives.
Could it be that the specification of these locomotives is geared to operating out of ports like Felixstowe?
Consider.
- A locomotive probably needs a self-powdered capability to take a heavy train in or out of the Port of Felixstowe.
- Would a Class 73 locomotive have sufficient range and power to take the average train out of the port using bi-mode diesel and battery power until it arrived at the electrification of the Great Eastern Main Line?
- How would these locomotives handle a gap like Haughley Junction and Ely?
- A Class 73 locomotive could probably handle these container trains at 100 mph to and from London on the Great Eastern Main Line, which would keep them out of the way of Greater Anglia’s express trains.
- What speed would these locomotives be able to achieve under electric power on the West Coast and East Coast Main Lines?
- The two single-track access links between Trimley station and the Port could be electrified to charge the batteries both ways and to accelerate the train fast out of the Port.
I also feel that other ports would benefit.
Conclusion
I very much feel, that the specification of the Class 93 locomotive with its trimode capability is ideal for working to and from ports and freight terminals.
Just Look How The Port Of Felixstowe Has Grown
This article on Rail Engineer is entitled Felixstowe Branch Line Capacity Enhancement Goes Live.
This is the introductory paragraph.
Funded by the Strategic Freight Network, with a contribution from Hutchinson Ports UK (HP-UK), a £60.4 million investment to create a new 1.4km loop on the Felixstowe branch line in Suffolk was successfully brought into service on 29 May 2019, on time and on budget. It facilitates an increase from 33 to 47 freight train paths a day in each direction on this key artery, carrying the highest freight tonnage in the country and serving the largest container port in the UK.
High Speed Two it is not, but if you read the article, you’ll see that a substantial amount of work has been done, involving track, footbridges, level crossings and signalling.
I can remember the Port of Felixstowe, when it was a just a small basin, with the Little Ships Hotel, a couple of warehouses and the giant seaplane crane. A couple of times, I used the Harwich Ferry to cross the harbour to Harwich on the Brightlingsea.
In some ways Felixstowe has come a long way in those sixty years.
With the increase in capacity on the Felixstowe Branch Line, the rail link can handle the container traffic through the Port better!
Note this about trains between Ipswich and Felixstowe.
- 47 freight trains per day between Ipswich and Felixstowe is roughly two trains per hour (tph) in both directions.
- The current passenger service is one tph.
- In addition, there is an hourly Ipswich and Lowestoft train, which shares track between Ipswich and Westerfield Junction.
- The new Class 755 trains are faster and will have shorter dwell times than the current trains.
Between Ipswich and Westerfield, there are four tph.
- The route is double-track.
- Not all trains stop at Westerfield
- The level-crossing at Westerfield station has been improved and is now is a Manually Controlled Barrier with CCTV
- The signalling has been improved and moved to Colchester Power Signal Box.
Between Westerfield and Felixstowe, there are three tph.
- The route is single track with loops to the East of Derby Road and the West of Trimley stations.
- The level crossings have been improved and three have been converted to Manually Cntrolled Barriers.
- The signalling has been improved and moved to Colchester Power Signal Box..
It looks to my untrained eye, that these service pattern are possible.
So what will happen in the future?
In the next few sections, I talk about the future.
Could More Passenger Trains Be Run To Felixstowe And Lowestoft?
I suspect here, that the limiting factor will be platform capacity at Ipswich station.
Ipswich station will have at least four tph running between Stowmarket and Colchester (3 x London and Norwich and 1 x Peterborough and Colchester), that will use Plstform 2 at Ipswich station. I suspect that this means Lowestoft and Felixstowe trains will have to share the Bay Platform 1.
With good signalling and precision driving, I suspect that the single platform could handle 2 tph to both Felixstowe and Lowestoft.
There would only ever be one train in Platform 1 at Ipswich station, unlike now, where two trains share. The new Class 755 trains will be just too long.
Could Two tph Be Run Between Ipswich And Felixstowe?
The current timetable is as follows.
- Leaves Ipswich at XX:58 and arrives Felixstowe at XX:24
- Leaves Felixstowe at XX:28 and arrives Ipswich at XX::54
Note.
- The clock-face nature of the timetable.
- Both journeys are 26 minutes
- There is four minutes for the driver to change ends and have a break.
This service would need two trains and if there’s one thing that Abellio Greater Anglia aren’t short of, it’s three-car Cl;ass 755 trains.
If the trains had the branch to themselves, there could be a two tph service between Ipswich and Felixstowe.
But they have to share it with freight trains running at two tph.
This would mean the following.
- Five tph between Ipswich and Westerfield
- Four tph between Westerfield and Felixstowe.
As two tph between Ipswich and Felixstowe is likely to be on Greater Anglia’s wish list, I suspect the new track layout was designed with this service in mind.
Currently, there is one or two cars per hour between Ipswich and Felixstowe, but a two tph service would mean a minimum of six cars per hour or a massive increase in capacity.
Could Two tph Be Run Between Ipswich And Lowestoft?
The current timetable between Ipswich and Lowestoft stations is as follows.
- An almost clock-face hourly service in both directions.
- A journey time of just under one-and-a-half hours.
- There are nine stops on the route.
- There are several minutes for the driver to change ends and have a break.
When the new Class 755 trains are working the route, the following will apply.
- The Class 755 trains are faster and have a shorter dwell time in stations.
- There will be four London and Lowestoft services per day.
I think it is true to say, that journey times will be reduced.
I suspect that the following could be possible.
- A journey time of perhaps one hour and twenty minutes.
- Trains would leave Lowestoft at XX:07
- Trains would leave Ipswich at XX:37
This or something like it, would be an acceptable clockface timetable.
I strongly believe that an improved service will be possible between Ipswich and Lowestoft.
- I feel that two tph between Ipswich and Lowestoft might be difficult to achieve without extra works on the track.
- Extra capacity can be added by using four-car Class 755 trains on the route.
- Faster services will certainly be introduced, as the train’s faster speed and shorter dwell times will knock several minutes from the journey.
I also think, that it may be possible to introduce a second service on the Southern section of the route, which runs to perhaps Leiston or even Aldeburgh. This would give the busier Southern section of the route two tph.
So Platform 1 at Ipswich station could see the following trains.
- Two tph Ipswich and Felixstowe
- One tph Ipswich and Lowestoft
- One tph Ipswich and Leiston/Aldeburgh
I believe that timetabling of the route would not be a difficult task!
Four Trains Per Day Between Lowestoft and London
The London and Lowestoft service could be arranged as follows.
- Lowestoft station has three platforms., so one could be reserved for the London service.
- If the last service arrived back late or the first service needed to leave early, the dedicated platform could be used for overnight stabling.
- When running between Ipswich and Lowestoft it would take over, one of the Ipswich and Lowestoft paths.
- The trains will stop at all stations between Ipswich and Lowstoft, as there will be jealousy between users.
- It would call in the through platforms 2 and 3 at Ipswich station..
- The trains would make as few calls as possible South of Ipswich, as the Lowestoft train will be a fourth fast London service in the hour.
No new infrastructure would be required.
Could London And Lowestoft Services Be A Dedicated Shuttle Train?
This may have marketing advantages, as the train could have its own livery and perhaps a buffet or a catering trolley.
If you assume that the working day for a train is 0600-2400, then this means the following.
- A round trip must be performed in four and a half hours.
- A London and Lowestoft time of two hours and fifteen minutes,.
- The journey time would include the turnround time at the destination.
As Ipswich and London times of an hour are possible with a 100 mph trains, like the Class 755 train, Ipswich and Lowestoft would have to be run in a time as close to an hour as possible.
Consider.
- The only trains on the East Suffolk Line will be Class 755 trains between Ipswich and Lowestoft.
- Class 755 trains may be able to stop at stations in under a minute.
- Line speed could possibly be increased, as the route appears reasonably straight
- Some level crossings could probably be removed.
- The current average speed on the line is around 35 mph.
I also suspect that Greater Anglia have run tests with the current Class 170 trains, which are 100 mph trains to determine what times are possible.
I wouldn’t be surprised if using a single shuttle train to run the four trains per day between London and Lowestoft, is possible.
- Services could leave Lowestoft at 06:00, 10:30, 15:00 and 19:30
- Services could leave Liverpool Street at 08:15, 12:45, 17:15 and 21:45
The last service would arrive back in Lowestoft at midnight.
Tram-Trains Between Ipswich And Felixstowe
This report on the East-West Rail web site is entitled Eastern Section Prospectus and gives full details of their proposals for the Eastern section of the East-West Rail Link.
This is said in the report.
Introduction of a tram-train service on the Felixstowe branch, with doubling between Derby Road and Felixstowe and street running through
Ipswich.
It is also said, that there will be a frequency of four tph between Ipswich and Felixstowe.
It looks like the plan is to fully-double the branch line to the East of Derby Road station.
To the West of Derby Road, the line is mainly single track until it joins the East Suffolk Line close to Westerfield station.
The problem is that the single-track railway goes over the over the Spring Road Viaduct. Rebuilding the viaduct to add the second track, would be something that everybody would want to totally avoid, as how would the containers from forty-seven freight trains per day in both directions, be moved in and out of the Port of Felixstowe?
If the capacity can’t be increased, the demand will have to be reduced.
A Possible Tram-Train Proposal
The East West Rail report is proposing that the 1-2 tph passenger service between Ipswich and Felixstowe should be replaced by a four tph tram-train service.
- The tram-train service would start at Ipswich station, running as a tram.
- It would probably meander through Ipswich, serving places like Portman Road, the Town Centre< Christchurch Park, the new housing in the North, Ipswich Hospital and the Retail Parks in the East.
- If Ipswich gets a new Northern Ring Road, the tram-trains, might run on the original by-pass, that goes past Ipswich Hospital.
- It would then join the double-track section of the Felixstowe Branch Line on the Eastern outskirts of the town.
- Extra stops might be built between Ipswich and Felixstowe.
- At Felixstowe station, the tram-trains could revert to tram mode and might even go as far as the sea-front, using battery-power.
There are a lot of possibilities to give Ipswich and Felixstowe, one of the best local transport links in the world.
There will be some collateral benefits.
- Extra freight trains can probably be squeezed through.
- Ipswich Hospital will get the updated transport links, that it badly needs.
- Road traffic would be reduced.
I also believe that the tram-train could be added to the Felixstowe Branch Line without disrupting trains, freight or passengers.
Electrification
I can remember reports from the 1960s, which said that felt the Felixstowe Branch Line would be electrified.
- With a frequency of four tph, the route would surely be electrified for the tram-trains.
- It would probably be electrified at 25 KVAC, so that freight trains could take advantage.
- When street running in Ipswich and Felizstowe,, 750 VDC electrfication or battery-power could be used.
There would be no extra electrification needed to enable all freight trains going via London to be electric-hauled.
Freight Locomotives
I think it likely, that increasingly, we’ll see Class 93 locomotives and other electro diesel locomotives with a Last Mile capability taking freight trains into and out of the Port of Felixstowe.
These new breed of 110 mph locomotives will be able to take maximum-length freight trains on routes to, from and through London, but a new locomotive will be needed to take trains across East Anglia to Ely and Pryrtborough and then on to the Midlands and the Notth.
Conclusion
The Port of Felixstowe and the railways connecting it to the rest of the UK have come a long way in sixty years and they will expand more in the next decade or two!
Freight Diesel Traction Realities
The title of this post is the same as that of a comprehensive article by Roger Ford in an article in the April 2019 Edition of Modern Railways.
In the article Roger talks about the problems of decarbonising the freight sector on the UK’s railways.
Future Traction
This section in the article begins with this paragraph
Since the laws of physics and chemistry rule out pure battery or hydrogen fuel cell 3 MegaWatt (4,000 hp) freight locomotives from around 2035 we are going to need to start replacing the diesel locomotives for routes yet to be electrified.
The following actions are suggested.
- More electrification, through a rolling program.
- Research into and production of low-CO2 locomotives.
- 4000 hp locomotives to run faster, longer and heavier freight trains.
These actions will apply to many countries in Europe and the wider world.
Hybrid
This section in the article begins with these two paragraphs.
Extension of electrification will reduce the length of the last miles beyond the end of the wires, making increased use of electric traction viable. Here the challenge will be to provide sufficient diesel traction power and range. Stadler’s Class 93 ‘tri-mode’ locotive provides an interesting preview.
It builds on the Class 88, which adds a 700kW diesel engine to a 4MW Bo-Bo electric locomotive.
The Class 93 locomotive has a larger 900 kW diesel engine and a lithium titanate oxide battery.
I estimated the battery size at 126 kWH in Stadler’s New Tri-Mode Class 93 Locomotive.
Roger reckons that the battery gives 6-7 ,minutes of power to boost output to 1,740 hp or 1300 kW.
- The boost from the battery would appear to be 400 kW
- For 6.5 minutes this would need 43.3 kWH
Either Roger’s 6-7 minutes or my deduced battery size of 126 kWH is wrong. So I will assume both figures are wrong.
Suppose though, you wanted to boost the power of a Class 93 locomotive to the 2,500 kW of a Class 66 locomotive for an hour, which would get a freight train into or out of the Port of Felixstowe.
- 1600 kW will be needed to boost the diesel engine.
- 1600 kWH will need to be stored in the battery.
- I will assume 75 Wh/Kg for the LTO batteries.
- I have made no allowance for the use of regenerative braking.
This gives a weight of 21.3 tonnes for the batteries.
Roger says this in the article.
If you need to fit diesel engines and batteries into an electric locomotive for freight the a Co-Co configuration gives you another 20 tonnes on a 17.5 tonne axle load.
This leads me to believe that a hybrid locomotive with the power of a Class 66 locomotive and a range of one hour is possible.
Could There Be A Tram-Train Between Ipswich And Felixstowe?
I should declare an interest here of my teenage self, who spent some very boring summers in, what was then, the small coastal resort and dormitory town of Felixstowe.
There was only so many places you could cycle and as my school friends were all in London, I used to avoid going to Felixstowe if possible.
I can remember going from London to Felixstowe several times on the train.
I would cycle from our London house in Cockfosters to Liverpool Street station and put my bike in the guard’s van for the trip to Ipswich.
From Ipswich, I would ride the dozen or so miles along the A45 (now the A14) to Felixstowe.
I suspect, that I could have used, the two-car diesel shuttle from Ipswich to Felixstowe, but I never did.
Perhaps, it was because it was not the most frequent of services.
The frequency was certainly a lot less than the current hourly service.
A Tram-Train To Felixstowe
This report on the East West Rail web site is entitled Eastern Section Prospectus and gives full details of their proposals for the Eastern section of the East-West Rail Link.
This is said in the report.
Introduction of a tram-train service on the Felixstowe branch, with doubling between Derby Road and Felixstowe and street running through
Ipswich.
It is also said, that there will be a frequency of four trains per hour (tph) between Ipswich and Felixstowe.
So how feasible is this proposal?
The Proposed Frequency
People travel between Ipswich and Felixstowe for several reasons.
- It is an important dormitory town for Ipswich and increasingly for London,
- The Port of Felixstowe is an important employer.
- There is a large amount of leisure traffic between the two towns.
Currently, much of the travelling between Ipswich and Felixstowe is by car on an increasingly crowded A14.
Four tph seems an eminently sensible frequency.
Why Propose A Tram-Train?
If a train, like a Class 170 train or one of the new Class 755 trains were used for the route, it would mean the following.
- Four tph in the single platform at Felixstowe.
- Four tph in a dedicated platform at Ipwich.
- Four trains would be needed for the service.
- An extra six tph using the route between Westerfield and Ipswich stations.
The stations should be able to cope, but I doubt that the extra trains could be fitted into a busy route with the following services.
- Ipswich and Norwich
- Ipswich and Bury St. Edmunds, Cambridge and Peterborough
- Ipswich and Lowestoft
If you add in the up to forty freight trains per day, that will use the route, something will have to give.
The Route Od The Tram-Train
It would appear that the plan is to replace the train, with a tram-train running on the streets of Ipswich.
This could be a possible route for street running.
- Ipswich Station
- Portman Road
- Ipswich Town Centre
- Ipswich Hospital
It would then join the Ipswich-Felixstowe rail line in the area of Derby Road station or the retail parks on the East of Ipswich.
This Google Map shows Derby Road station and Ipswich Hospital.
Note.
- Ipswich Hospital is in the top-right of the map.
- Derby Road station is at the left side of the map in the middle.
- The Ipswich-Felkixstowe Line can be seen going South-Easterly across the map to the well-known St. Augustine’s roundabout.
A tram-train would have the following benefits.
- It would link the town centres of Ipswich and Felixstowe.
- It would create a step-free link across Ipswich Town Centre to the all-important hospital.
- Extra stations can be added where they are needed in Ipswich without decreasing capacity on the rail line.
- It would surely encourage more people to use the trains from Ipswich station.
I suspect too, that Class 399 tram-trains could be used as they are in Sheffield and will be on the South Wales Metro.
Between Ipswich And Derby Road Stations
This extract is from the Wikipedia entry for the Felixstowe Branch Line.
The train now enters a section of double track through Derby Road station (6.10 miles (9.82 km) from Ipswich station by train, but only 1.5 miles on the map) where trains can pass.
It is very significant, that going through the houses between the two stations is a route that is shorter by eight-and-a-half miles.
Could it be that the time that would be saved by the shorter route is balanced by the slower progress of on-street running, which means that the current twenty-six minute journey time can be maintained?
Doubling Between Derby Road And Felixstowe
I’ll repeat what is said in the report.
Introduction of a tram-train service on the Felixstowe branch, with doubling between Derby Road and Felixstowe.
Doubling of about a mile of the Felixstowe Branch to the West of Trimley is ongoing and doubling further to the West looks to be fairly easy from my helicopter.
But there is one major problem.
This Google Map shows, where the rail line goes over the Ipswich by-pass.
Note that provision has been made for a second track.
So hopefully, it won’t be much more expensive to add a second bridge and track, than to add points either side of the existing bridge.
There would be some extra bridge works between the A14 and Derby Road station, but doubling all the way from Derby Road station to Felixstowe doesn’t look to be the world’s most difficult railway engineering.
Extra Tram-Train Stops Between Ipswich And Felixstowe
There used to be an extra stop at Orwell station. It was little-used and closed in 1959.
Looking at the station, it is now a large private residence and I suspect there is no point in reopening, as there isn’t much housing in the area.
But there could be a case for a station at Futura Park, which is shown in this Google Map.
Lots of the usual out-of-town stops are there including a Waitrose and a John Lewis.
The railway runs to the South of the A1156 Felixstowe Road and there is surely the possibility of a station in this area.
There is also the possibility, that the tram-train could join and leave the Felixstowe Branch Line at this point, after and before street running to Ipswich station.
Would The Tram-Trains Go Walkabout In Felixstowe?
Felixstowe used to have two other stations; Felixstowe Pier and Felixstowe Beach. Both are now closed.
- I can remember Felxstowe Beach station, as occasionally in the 1950s, we stayed nearby at the Cavendish Hotel.
- Felixstowe Pier station was towards Landguard Fort and even served steam vessels going to Germany.
Both stations were served by trains reversing at the main station, which is impossible now as the chord has been removed.
This Google Map shows the current rail lines in Felixstowe.
The line to/from Ipswich splits into two in the top-left corner of the map.
- The branch going East goes to Felixstowe station.
- The branch going South used to serve the two other Felixstowe stations and now serves the Port of Felixstowe.
The missing chord is visible to the West of the playing fields of Felixstowe International College.
I would rate reinstatement of the chord as highly unlikely.
- The only reason, the chord would be reinstated, would be if the Port of Felixstowe wanted to have a four tph passenger service.
- The Port wouldn’t want to have all those extra movements on what is a busy and exclusive freight line.
On the other hand, I wouldn’t rule out extension into Felixstowe Town Centre.
This Google Map shows the Town Centre.
Note.
- The one-platform station is at the top of the map, behind a small Co-op supermarket and the Listed station buildings, which are now a small shopping centre.
- The High Street, which is part -pedestrianised leads down from the station to the top of the cliffs, where Bent Hill leads down to the sea-front.
- Halfway along is a triangular garden, where a local road splits off toward the Southern part of the sea-front and the Port.
- The pattern of retail shopping is changing and Marks and Spencer in the town will be closing soon.
My plan would be as follows.
- Rebuild the Co-op supermarket to allow a single-track tram line to squeeze through to the High Street.
- Trams would then continue down the High Street to the triangular garden.
- A second platform face could be added at Felixstowe station to allow trams to pass and give flexibility.
Done properly, it could improve Felixstowe’s appeal as a leisure destination.
I also think, that as the extension is only short, the current Ipswich to Felixstowe timing could be maintained.
Future Services At Ipswich Station
Listing all the services proposed at Ipswich station gives the following.
- 3 tph – London Liverpool Street and Norwich – Greater Anglia
- 1 tph – Colchester and Peterborough – Greater Anglia – Replaces current Ipswich and Peterborough service.
- 1 tph – Manningtree and Oxford via Cambridge – East West Rail – Replaces current Ipswich and Cambridge service
- 1 tph – Ipswich and Lowestoft – Greater Anglia – Some services extend to London
- 4 tph – ipswich and Felixstowe – Greater Anglia – Proposed tram-train service.
If the Felixstowe tram-train service were to terminate outside the station, as trams tend to do, there would only be a need for one bay platform at Ipswich, that would handle hourly Lowestoft services, that didn’t go to/from London.
Ipswich station would become more of a through station with the following through trains.
- Five tph going between Manningtree and Stowmarket
- Two tph between Manningtree and the proposed A14 Parkway station via Bury St. Edmunds.
This would all save the expense of rebuilding large parts of Ipswich station.
Although, there would be a certain amount of remodelling of the station forecourt to accommodate the tram-trains.
Conclusion
It is a classic application of tram-train technology and I’m sure that a good route can be devised between the two towns.
