Building New City-Centre Lines Instead Of Using Existing Network Inflates HS2 Cost By 15%
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Rail Technology Magazine.
This is the first paragraph.
HS2’s second phase will cost more compared to similar overseas schemes because it relies on new dedicated high-speed lines into city-centre terminal stations at Manchester and Leeds rather than using the existing conventional railway.
As the review of the costs of HS2, that showed this, was done by PwC, I suspect the figures can be believed.
Over the last few years, we’ve redeveloped or extended several busy stations like Derby, Kings Cross, Liverpool Lime |Street, London Bridge, Manchester Victoria, Nottingham, Reading and St. Pancras.
I like Reading and London Bridge the best, as the large concourse crossing either over or under the tracks with lots of escalators and lifts, seems to work well Liverpool Lime Street with a wide concourse at one end, seems to work well for a terminal station.
But St. Pancras is a mess for passengers and staff alike with effectively four stations in one one Victorian building.
It would have been better, if the station had been flattered and a new one built.
This approach is being taken at that 1960s monstrosity; Euston, which is being extended for HS2.
The four Northern stations in Phase 2 of HS2 are being treated differently.
- Leeds is getting a dedicated approach to new platforms at right angles to the existing ones.
- Liverpool Lime Street uses the existing approach and platforms have been extended for the new HS2 trains.
- Manchester Piccadilly is getting a dedicated approach to new platforms alongside the existing ones.
- Sheffield uses the existing approach and platforms will be extended for the new HS2 trains.
Liverpool Lime Street is already HS2-ready and can handle at least two normal expresses and one HS2 train in an hour.
The works were completed in a six-month blockade in the Summer of 2018.
I suspect Sheffield will be made HS2-ready, in a similar way.
Conclusion
Obviously, every station is different.
But Liverpool Lime Street has shown how it is possible to find an affordable, less disruptive approach to some stations.
Could A 125 Mph Electric Train With Batteries Handle The Midland Main Line?
In Bombardier’s 125 Mph Electric Train With Batteries, I investigated a pure electric train based on Bombardier’s proposed 125 mph bi-mode Aventra with batteries.
It would have the following characteristics.
- Electric power on both 25 KVAC overhead and 750 VDC third-rail.
- Appropriately-sized batteries.
- 125 mph running, where possible on electrification and/or battery power.
- Regenerative braking using the batteries.
- Low energy interiors and systems.
It would be a train with efficiency levels higher than any train seen before.
It would also be zero-carbon at the point of delivery.
An Example 125 mph Train
I will use the same size and specification of train, that I used in Bombardier’s 125 Mph Electric Train With Batteries.
- The train is five cars, with say four motored cars.
- The empty train weighs close to 180 tonnes.
- There are 430 passengers, with an average weight of 90 Kg each, with baggage, bikes and buggies.
- This gives a total train weight of 218.7 tonnes.
- The train is travelling at 200 kph or 125 mph.
Travelling at 200 kph, the train has an energy of 94.9 kWh.
I will also assume.
- The train uses 15 kWh per mile to maintain the required line speed and power the train’s systems.
- Regenerative braking is eighty percent efficient.
I will now do a few calculations.
Kettering To Leicester
Suppose one of the proposed trains was running between St. Pancras and Leicester.
- I’m assuming there are no stops.
- In a year or two, it should be able to run as far as Kettering using the new and improved 25 KVAC overhead electrification.
- The train would leave the electrification at Kettering with a full charge in the batteries.
- The train would also pass Kettering as close to the line speed as possible.
- Hopefully, the twenty-nine miles without electrification between Kettering and Leicester will have been updated to have the highest possible line speed, with many sections capable of supporting 125 mph running.
I can do a rough-and-ready calculation, as to how much energy has been expended between Kettering and Leicester.
- Twenty-nine miles at 15 kWh per mile is 435 kWh.
- The train has a kinetic energy of 94.9 kWh at 125 mph and twenty percent will be lost in stopping at Leicester, which is 19 kWh.
This means that a battery of at least 454 kWh will be needed to propel the train to Leicester.
Kettering To Sheffield
If the train went all the way without stopping between Kettering and Sheffield, the energy used would be much higher.
One hundred-and-one miles at 15 kWh is 1515 kWh.
So given that the train will be slowing and accelerating, we’re probably talking of a battery capacity of around 2000 kWh.
In our five-car example train, this is 400 kWh per car.
Kettering To Sheffield With Stops
The previous calculation shows what can be achieved, but we need a practical train service.
When I last went to Sheffield, the train stopped at Leicester, Loughborough, East Midlands Parkway, Long Eaton, Derby and Chesterfield.
I have built an Excel spreadsheet, that models this route and it shows that if the train has a battery capacity of 2,000 kWh, the train will get to Sheffield with 371 kWh left in the battery.
- Increase the efficiency of the regenerative braking and the energy left is 425 kWh.
- Reduce the train’s energy consumption to 12 kWh per mile and the energy left is 674 kWh.
- Do both and the energy left is 728 kWh.
The message is clear; train manufacturers and their suppliers should use all efforts to improve the efficiencies of trains and all of their components.
- Aerodynamics
- \Weight savings
- Bogie dynamics
- Traction motors
- Battery capacity and energy density
- Low energy lighting and air-conditioning
No idea however wacky should be discarded.
Network Rail also has a part to play.
- The track should have as a high a line speed as is practical.
- Signalling and timetabling should be designed to minimise interactions with other services.
Adding all these together, I believe that in a few years, we could see a train, that will consume 10 kWh per mile and have a regenerative braking efficiency of ninety-five percent.
If this can be achieved then the train will have 960 kWh in the batteries when it arrives in Sheffield.
Sheffield To Kettering
There is no helpful stretch of electrification at the Sheffield end of the route, so I will assume that there is a method of charging the batteries at Sheffield.
Unsurprisingly, as the train is running the same total distance and making the same number of stops, if the train starts with a full battery at Sheffield, it arrives at Kettering with the same amount of energy in the battery, as on the Northbound-run to Sheffield.
An Interim Conclusion
I am led to the interim conclusion, that given the continued upward curve of technology and engineering, that it will be possible to run 125 mph electric trains with an appropriately-sized battery.
How Much Battery Capacity Can Be Installed In A Train?
In Issue 864 of Rail Magazine, there is an article entitled Scotland High Among Vivarail’s Targets for Class 230 D-Trains, where this is said.
Vivarail’s two-car battery units contains four 100 kWh lithium-ion battery rafts, each weighing 1.2 tonnes.
Consider.
- Vivarail’s cars are 18.37 metres long.
- Car length in a typical Aventra, like a Class 720 train, is 24 metres.
- Aventras have been designed for batteries and supercapacitors, whereas the D78 trains, used as a base for the Class 230 train,were not.
- Batteries and supercapacitors are getting better all the time.
- Batteries and supercapacitors can probably be built to fit in unusually-shaped spaces.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see Aventras being able to take double the capacity of a Class 230 train under each car.
I wouldn’t rule out 2,000 kWh energy storage capacity on a five-car train, that was designed for batteries.
The actual size installed would depend on operator, weight, performance and cost.
My Excel spreadsheet shows that for reliable operation between Kettering and Sheffield, a battery of at least 1200 kWh is needed, with a very efficient train.
Charging Trains En-Route
I covered en-route charging fully in Charging Battery/Electric Trains En-Route.
I came to this conclusion.
I believe it is possible to design a charging system using proven third-rail technology and batteries or supercapacitors to transfer at least 200 kWh into a train’s batteries at each stop.
This means that a substantial top up can be given to the train’s batteries at stations equipped with a fast charging system.
An Astonishing Set Of Results
I use astonishing lightly, but I am very surprised.
I assumed the following.
- The train uses 15 kWh per mile to maintain the required line speed and power the train’s systems.
- Regenerative braking is eighty percent efficient.
- The train is fitted with 600 kWh of energy storage.
- At each of the six stations up to 200 kWh of energy can be transferred to the train.
Going North the train arrives in Sheffield with 171 kWh in the energy storage.
Going South the train arrives at Kettering with 61 kWh in the energy storage.
Probably a bit tight for safety, but surprising nevertheless.
I then tried with the following.
- The train uses 12 kWh per mile to maintain the required line speed and power the train’s systems.
- Regenerative braking is ninety percent efficient.
- The train is fitted with 500 kWh of energy storage.
- At each of the six stations up to 200 kWh of energy can be transferred to the train.
Going North the train arrives in Sheffield with 258 kWh in the energy storage.
Going South the train arrives at Kettering with 114 kWh in the energy storage.
It would appear that increasing the efficiency of the train gives a lot of the improvement.
Finally, I put everything, at what I feel are the most efficient settings.
- The train uses 10 kWh per mile to maintain the required line speed and power the train’s systems.
- Regenerative braking is ninety-five percent efficient.
- The train is fitted with 500 kWh of energy storage.
- At each of the six stations up to 200 kWh of energy can be transferred to the train.
Going North the train arrives in Sheffield with 325 kWh in the energy storage.
Going South the train arrives at Kettering with 210 kWh in the energy storage.
These sets of figures prove to me, that it is possible to design a 125 mph battery/electric hybrid train and a set of charging stations, that will make St. Pancras to Sheffield by electric train, a viable possibility without any more electrification.
Should The Train Be Fitted With A Means Of Charging The Batteries?
Why not?
Wires do go down and rest assured, a couple of battery/electric hybrids would get stuck!
So a small diesel or hydrogen generator to allow a train to limp a few miles might not be a bad idea.
Electrification Between Sheffield And Clay Cross On The Midland Main Line
In The UK’s New High Speed Line Being Built By Stealth, there is a sub-section with the same title as this sub-section.
This is the first part of that sub-section.
This article on Rail Technology Magazine is entitled Grayling Asks HS2 To Prepare For Electrification Of 25km Midland Main Line Route.
If this electrification happens on the Midland Main Line between Sheffield and Clay Cross, it will be another project in turning the line into a high speed route with a 200 kph operating speed, between London and Sheffield.
Currently, the electrified section of the line South of Bedford is being upgraded and the electrification and quadruple tracks are being extended to Glendon Junction, where the branch to Corby leaves the main line.
The proposed electrification will probably involve the following.
- Upgrading the line to a higher speed of perhaps 225 kph, with provision to increase the speed of the line further.
- Rebuilding of Chesterfield station in readiness for High Speed Two.
- Full electrification between Sheffield and Clay Cross.
Clay Cross is significant, as it is where the Midland Main Line splits into two Southbound routes.
- The main route through the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site and Derby station.
- The secondary route of the Erewash Valley Line to the East Midlands Hub station.
Note.
- Some of the tunnel portals in the Derwent Valley are Listed.
- Trying to electrify the line through the World Heritage Site will be a legal and engineering nightmare.
- Network Rail has spent or is spending £250million on upgrading the Erewash Valley Line.
- High Speed Two will reach The East Midlands Hub station in 2032.
When High Speed Two, is extended North from the East Midlands Hub station, it will take a route roughly following the M1. A spur will link High Speed Two to the Erewash Valley line in the Clay Cross area, to enable services to Chesterfield and Sheffield.
But until High Speed Two is built North of the East Midlands Hub station, the Erewash Valley Line looks from my helicopter to be capable of supporting 200 kph services.
If this electrification is performed, it will transform the prospects for battery/electric hybrid trains between London and Sheffield.
- Trains will have to run fifteen miles less on battery power.
- Trains will arrive in both St. Pancras and Sheffield with batteries that are at least three-quarters full.
- Returning the trains will fill them up on the electrification at the end of the line.
- There will probably not be a need for charging systems at St. Pancras, Chesterfield and Sheffield.
I also think, that as the train could arrive in Sheffield with a full battery, there is the possibility of extending services past Sheffield to Barnsley, Huddersfield and cLeeds, if the operator felt it was a worthwhile service.
Nottingham
Nottingham is just eight miles from East Midlands Parkway station, which is less distance than Derby.
So if the battery/electric hybrid trains can reach Derby from Kettering on Battery power, with some help from charging at Leicester and Loughborough, the trains can reach Nottingham, where charging would be installed.
Conclusion
From my calculations, I’m sure that an efficient battery/electric hybrid train can handle all current services on the Midland Main Line, with third-rail charging at intermediate stations.
I do think though, that if Sheffield to Clay Cross Junction is electrified in preparation for High Speed Two, that it makes the design easier and the economics a lot better.
It would also give Sheffield a genuine sub-two hour service to London, which would only get better.
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.
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.
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.
Class 399 Tram-Trains In Service
On my two day trip to Sheffield, I reckon that I saw six of the seven Class 399 tram-trains in service on the Supertram.
These pictures were taken on a quiet Saturday morning trip from the station to Herdings Park.
Current Service
Currently, the Class 399 tram-trams are running on the Purple Route from Cathedral to Herdings Park, which is generally tun at a frequency of two trams per hour.
If you arrive in Sheffield station and don’t feel like walking up the hill, you take any of the trams from the stop on the station side of the tracks.
But take a tram going to Cathedral and over the two and a bit days I was in Sheffield, it was always a Class 399 tram-train.
Comparison With Current Fleet
The Class 399 tram-trains and the existing Siemend-Duewag Supertram are surprisingly similar in several ways.
- Both have three sections and four doors on either side.
- The Siemens tram is 34.8 metres long, whereas the Class 399 is 37.2 metres long.
- The Siemens tram weights 46.5 tonnes, whereas the Class 399 is a lot heavier at 66.1 tonnes.
- The Siemens tram has installed power of 1108 kW, whereas the Class 399 has just 870 kW.
- The Siemens tram has room for 86 sitting and 155 standing passengers, whereas the Class 399 has room for 88 and 150 respectively.
- The seats and their arrangement are vaguely similar.
- Neither tram has wi-fi.
The big difference other than the tram-train capability and what that entails, is that the Class 399 tram-train is faster with a 100 kph top speed, as against the 80 kph of the Siemens tram.
Other differences are detailed in the next sub-sections.
Step-Free Access
Getting on and off both trams is step-free and I saw people in wheel-chairs on both vehicles. One was easily pushed into a Class 399.
These pictures show the steps inside the two trams.
There is only a single-step on the Class 399 tram-train, whereas the Siemens tram has more.
Neither tram is a hundred percent step-free.
Weight
Note that the weight of the Class 399 tram-train is more than that of the Siemens tram.
As the two vehicles are of a similar size, could this mean that any of the following causes the weight increase.
- The electrical equipment needed to handle 15/25 KVAC power.
- The weight of the two extra traction motors.
- Strengthening for main line operation.
As someone, who has ridden for a few hours in both the Karlsruhe and Sheffield variants of the Citylink tram-train, they certainly don’t ride badly.
Performance
The current Siemens tram has 1108 kW of power and a weight of 46.5 tonnes, which gives an installed power/weight ratio of 23.8 kW/tonne.
The Class 399 tram-train has 870 kW of power and a weight of 66.1 tonnes, which gives an installed power/weight ratio of 13.1 kW/tonne.
So it would appear that the Class 399 tram-trains may not have the acceleration and hill-climbing capability of the Siemens trams.
However look at this data sheet on the Stadler Rail Espana web site for the Class 399 tram-train.
It clearly shows that the tram has four bogies and the text says that three are motored and one is a trailer. So this means that the central car is not a trailer and that power must be distributed along the tram, which probably puts the power to the rail in a more efficient way.
I did speak to a driver and he told me that on some of the hills the Siemens trams will strruggle with a full load, but the Class 399s can go up the hills at 40 mph.
The Class 399 tram-trains are very similar to the Stadler tram-trains in Karlsruhe, where the hills are much stiffer than Sheffield.
So it would appear that the layout of six smaller motors in a more modern vehicle probably does the trick.
Energy Efficiency
The question has to be asked if, as the Class 399 tram-trains have twenty-one percent less installed power, does this result in a saving of electricity use?
Comparison With Karlsruhe’s Tram-Trains
The Karlsruhe and Sheffield tram-trains are both variants of the Vossloh Citylink tram-train, that is now built by Stadler at Valencia in Spain.
The tram-trains in Karlruhe would appear to be very similar to the Class 399 tram-train, with a few small technical differences.
- They work on 750 VDC and 15 KVAC overhead wires, whereas the Class 399 can work on 750 VDC and 25 KVAC.
- As an electrical engineer, I wonder if the electrical systems are the same in both tram-trains and both can work 750 VDC and 15-25 KVAC, so they could work cross-border routes between say Germany and France.
- They have couplers to work in multiple.
- They have different passenger door arrangements.
- The driver’s cab windows have different arrangement.
These pictures show Karlsruhe’s tram-trains.
Imagine these trams in Supertram colours on the streets of Sheffield.
Take a close look at picture 4.
You will notice that the Karlsruhe tram-trains have an obvious coupling and it can be assumed that they can work in ,multiple, although I don’t seem to have seen it happening.
Picture 4, also shows passengers apparently sitting in the back cab of the tram-train.
The fifth picture was taken from sitting inside the tram-train looking backwards, over the folded-down driver’s desk.
This feature wasn’t being used in Sheffield and this could be for one the following reasons.
- The Class 399 tram-trains don’t have the feature installed.
- There has been a Health and Safety decision.
- It takes perhaps ten minutes to fold up the driver’s desk and this would slow the timetable.
It’s a pity , as this feature of German trams is very common and popular.
Comparison With Class 144 Train
The Class 399 tram-trains and Northern’s Class 144 train will share routes and on some routes the tram-trains may even take over from the Pacers.
So how do the two trains compare?
- The Class 399 has room for 88 sitting and 150 standing passengers, whereas the Pacer has 99 seats in a two-car and 157 in a three-car train.
- The Class 399 weighs 66.1 tonnes, whereas a two-car Pacer weighs 49.2 tonnes and a three-car weighs 72 .7 tonnes.
- The Pacer has a toilet.
- The Class 399 is air-conditioned, whereas the Pacer relioes on waste heat from the engine.
- The Pacer is a 75 mph train, but seems to operate most of the time at 60 mph
- The Class 399 has installed power of 870 kW, whereas the Pacer has just 336 kW.
- The Pacer is thirty-year-old crap, that should have been strangled at birth, whereas the Clas 399 is a modern unit.
You could argue, that I’m being biased, as the tram-train can’t operate without electrification.
But it can!
Chemnitz or Karl Marz Stadt as the East Germans renamed it. also runs Stadler Citylink tram-trains, which are similar to the Class 399 tram-trains.
But the tram-trains in Chemnitz are different in that instead of being dual-voltage like Sheffield and Karlsruhe, they have a diesel-generator to power them away from the 750 VDC overhead wires.
This data sheet gives a few details of the Chemnitz Hybrid tram-train. The data sheet doesn’t specify the power of the diesel powerpack, but the much heavier Class 769 train uses two rail-proven MAN diesel engines of 390 kW each.
In this article on Rail News, which is entitled Penistone Line Is Chosen For £24m Tram Trains Trial, the original trial is described and 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 article was written in 2008 and hybrid Citylink tram-trains didn’t run in Chemnitz until 2016.
So the original proposal envisaged using hydrid diesel tram-trains.
Why not use them in Sheffield?
Operational Details
The Class 399 tram-trains have other features that became apparent on my observations.
Battery Use
Passing a Class 399 tram-train, I took this picture.
I hadn’t thought about it before, but batteries on a tram must have similar uses to those in any vehicle.
- Starting up the vehicle.
- Raising the pantograph, on an electric tram, train or locomotive.
- Opening the powered doors.
- Providing lighting and other important services in a power failure.
- Being able to move the vehicle a short distance in case of a complete overhead power failure.
- With a dual-voltage vehicle, it must be there in case the changeover isn’t successful.
But with a tram-train, battery operation surely opens up the possibility of changing between the tram and heavy rail lines using very simple track without electrification, points and cross-overs.
The driver would do the following.
- Pan down on one network.
- Use battery power to move perhaps fifty or a hundred metres to the other system.
- Raise the pantograph on the other network.
Provided the driver obeys the rules and the signals, it should be a safe transfer.
Regenerative Braking
This article on the Railway Gazette is entitled Karlsruhe orders Vossloh tram-trains.
These tram-trains were the first of the Citylink family of tram-trains, of which the Class 399 tram-trains are a member.
This is said.
The three-section steel-bodied tram-trains will incorporate extensive crashworthiness design elements and provision for regenerative braking. Top speed will be 80 km/h, with the four bogies having pneumatic secondary suspension. The air-conditioned interior will have 104 seats cantilevered from the sides for easy cleaning.
How do the Citylink tram-trains handle the regenerative braking?
Two methods are possible.
- They return the braking energy to the overhead wires.
- They store it in their battery for reuse.
In the Wikipedia entry for the Supertram, there is a section called Overhead Wiring. This is said.
The contact wires are twin cadmium copper ones, twin wires being necessary because of the high installed power rating of the trams (1 megawatt). The regenerative braking on the tram feeds current back into the wires.
So any braking energy can be returned to the wires.
But as the Railway Gazette article dates from 2011, I wonder if the trams have been developed to use battery storage?
How Far Could The Tram-Train Go On Battery Power?
I’ll assume the following.
- A New Routemaster bus battery of 75 kWh can be fitted to the Class 399.
- Running on an easy track, the Class 399 could need 5 kWh for each car-mile.
This would give a range of five miles.
Note.
- The stiffer the route the smaller the range.
- Battery capacity should increase through the years.
- Battery cost should decrease through the years.
- Charging stations can be fitted at station stops.
The only certainties are that practical battery range will increase and battery cost will decrease.
Conclusions
These tram-trains have been well worth waiting for.
If I was in charge of the Sheffield Supertram and a decision was made to replace the original Siemens trams, I would think seriously about going to Stadler for a replacement fleet.
If the fleet was all Class 399 tram-trains, this could offer other savings.
- The lower-power of the Class 399 tram-trains might cut electricity use.
- Regenerative braking using onboard batteries saves electrification costs.
- Would expensive twin cadmium copper contact wires still be needed?
- One tram type would save costs in maintenance and staff training.
New must-have features like wi-fi and 4G boosters could be added, as the technology has now been developed, since the Siemens trams were built.
A Trip To Gainsborough
I wrote about Gainsborough in A Town With Two Stations And Infrequent Rail Services, so when I was in Sheffield, I had to go and have a look at the town.
From Sheffield To Gainsborough Central
I left Sheffield on the 08:09 train to Cleethorpes and arrived at Gainsborough Central on time at 09:01.
I took these pictures on the way.
Note.
- The route is double-track.
- The terrain is flat with no tunnel,
- There are seven intermediate stations and several level crossings.
- There is an interchange at Worksop station with the Robin Hood Line to Nottingham.
- There is an interchange at Retford station with the East Coast Main Line.
Our Class 144 train handled the route with ease at a steady sixty mph or so.
Gainsborough Central Station
Gainsborough Central station only has a train service on a Saturday.
As the pictures show, the facilities are basic. Although there is plenty of parking.
Gainsborough Central station illustrates the the problems of providing step-free access at some stations.
Consider.
- With modern trains or trams, all the tools are there to enable anybody to board and leave the train easily.
- At present, someone in a wheelchair or pushing a buggy would just use the crossing shown in picture four.
- The three services a week, probably don’t attract many passengers.
- How many passengers have used the bridge recently?
This is a station, that cries out for a well-designed solution to ensure safety.
Marshall’s Yard
Marshall’s Yard is a Shopping Centre by Gainsborough Central station.
The Shopping Centre is a comprehensive one, with a wide range of shops and a few cafes and restaurants.
- I bought an excellent gluten-free breakfast at Root
- I was surprised to see an M & S food store.
- There were several middle-range specialist chain stores.
It was certainly busy.
It strikes me, that a more frequent train service to the station might be in the interest of everyone.
Walking Between Gainsborough Central And Lea Road Stations
It took me about half-an-hour and I took these pictures as I walked.
I would have taken more, but I was walking directly into the sun and couldn’t see much!
Gainsborough Lea Road Station
Gainsborough Lea Road station is an unusual station, as these pictures show.
I would assume British Rail asked the local agricultural building manufacturer to design and build the wooden disabled ramp on the Lincoln-bound platform.
A couple of years ago I was coming down from Edinburgh to London in an Inter-City 125, when because of engineering works, we were diverted through Gainsborough Lea Road station.
From Gainsborough Lea Road To Sheffield
The two routes from Gainsborough to Sheffield join between Gainsborough and Retford and these are pictures of the return journey.
I timed this journey, so that I would arrive in Sheffield, to get to Bramall Lane in good time, for the Ipswich match. There were a lot of football supporters on the train, as Rotherham were also at home and the poor old Pacer was creaking at the seams.
It certainly proved to me, that the trains working between Lincoln and Sheffield are totally inadequate for the task.
Improving The Service Between Sheffield And Lincolnshire
The service between Sheffield and Lincolnshire needs improvement.
New Trains
New trains on the services are desperately needed and I will be interested to see in a couple of years, what trains are running the services.
The football crowds on the Saturday, showed that a two-car train is sometimes inadequate.
I suspect that Northern will run new Class 195 trains on the Sheffield to Lincoln route.
- These are 100 mph trains, as opposed to the 75 mph of the Class 144 trains.
- I suspect the trains will have wi-fi and power sockets.
- Three-car units are on order.
They should be a great improvement.
Improved Stations
The stations are rather variable, with some like Retford and Worksop of a high quality, but others a bit more suspect.
Is there also a need for extra stations to serve new developments?
Extra Services
The current times from Sheffield are as follows.
- Worksop – 30 minutes
- Retford – 41 minutes
- Gainsborough Lea Road – 56 minutes
It is reasonable to assume that the Class 195 trains will better these times by a few minutes.
Consider.
- The passenger demand will probably be higher, close to Sheffield.
- Worksop station has a turnback facility.
- It is likely, that a Class 1895 train could go from Sheffield to Worksop and back, within an hour.
I, therefore feel that an extra service from Sheffield to Worksop may well be possible.
Tram-Train To Worksop
In Class 399 Tram-Trains In Service, I discussed the Class 399 trains that are now running in Sheffield.
The performance of the Class 399 tram-trains is such, that they could be able to achieve the one hour time for a complete journey to Worksop.
If a suitable route from the Supertram at Sheffield to Worksop could be identified and electrified, I don’t see why Sheffield’s new Class 399 tram-train couldn’t run to Worksop.
This Google Map shows where the Sheffield to Workshop rtoute passes alongside the Supertram Depot.
Note.
- The Sheffield to Workshop route is the two tracks at the top of the map.
- The Meadowhall Branch of the Supertram is the two tracks at the bottom of the map.
- The Nunnery Depot is in between.
I believe it would be possible to arrange a connecting pair of track, so that tram trains could go between the two routes.
Use Of Hybrid Tram Trains
I have assumed that the tram-train route will need to be electrified, but this isn’t necessary.
Chemnitz or Karl Marz Stadt as the East Germans renamed it. also runs Stadler Citylink tram-trains, which are similar to the Class 399 tram-trains.
But the tram-trains in Chemnitz are different in that instead of being dual-voltage like Sheffield and Karlsruhe, they have a diesel-generator to power them away from the 750 VDC overhead wires.
This data sheet gives a few details of the Chemnitz Hybrid tram-train. The data sheet doesn’t specify the power of the diesel powerpack, but the much heavier Class 769 train uses two rail-proven MAN diesel engines of 390 kW each.
Conclusion
The service between Sheffield and Lincolnshire needs to be improved.
This could be done traditionally using Class 195 trains or creating a tram-train extension.
Riding The Penistone Line
The Penistone Line from Sheffield to Barnsley, Penistone and Huddersfield was the line originally selected for the tram-train trial.
I wrote about the tram-train trials in The Penistone Line And Rotherham Tram-Train Trials.
Sheffield To Penistone
I took these pictures between Sheffield and Penistone
Note.
- Barnsley Interchange is a combined train and bus station, that does the town proud.
- There are several level crossings, including one in the middle of Barnsley.
- Some stations are rather basic.
- The Class 144 train, I rode is totally inadequate for the line.
The line certainly needs improvement to stations and trains.
Penistone Station
Penistone station is an unusual station, in that it is a two-platform station without any form of bridge, subway or controlled level crossing.
Note that to cross the line, passengers just walk across on a uncontrolled pedestrian crossing.
This Google Map shows the layout of the station.
It certainly has a lot of space and possibilities.
Wikipedia says this about services to the station.
On Monday to Saturday, trains operate every hour in each direction towards Huddersfield and Sheffield via Barnsley. On Sundays, these run every two hours each way.
There are proposals by Alliance Rail to run a 4 trains-per-day service between Huddersfield and London Kings Cross, via Worksop, Sheffield and Penistone, giving Penistone a direct train to London 4 times a day.
So Alliance Rail, think the station has possibilities too!
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.
Progress On The Sheffield-Rotherham Tram-Train – October 13th 2017
It is only a couple of weeks since I wrote Progress On The Sheffield-Rotherham Tram-Train and progress seems to have accelerated in that time.
The Class 399 tram-trains are now running between Cathedral and Herdings Park, as I reported in Class 399 Tram-Trains In Service.
Progress On The Tinsley Chord
I took these pictures at Tinsley Chord, where the track connects theMeadowhall branch of the Supertram to the freight line to Rotherham.
There isn’t really much to see, as trees obscure any good view from the road.
This Google Map shows the area.
Note.
- The Tinsley Viaduct carrying the M1 cutting across the bottom-left corner of the map.
- Blackburn Meadows, with the Water Treatment Plant and Biomass Power Station, at the North of the map.
- The Blackburn Meadows Way linking into Meadowhall.
- The freight line to Rotherham runs to the outh of this road.
- The Supertram running along the West side of the motorway.
The Tinsley Chord, that links the tram and freight lines is hidden under the viaduct.
I did get some more pictures later.
The Tinsley Chord appears to be double-track, where it will join the existing tram line.
The Wires Are Going Up
These pictures show that the wires are going up between the freight line and Rotherham Central station.
The gantries seem much more main line than tram.
But the Class 399 tram-trains, won’t care if they contain 750 VDC or 25 KVAC. Changing the volts is a lot easier than changing the catenary.
Rotherham Station
These pictures show the current state of Rptherham Central station.
Note.
- The wires are going up.
- The low-level platform extensions need to be completed.
- Trains will use the high end of the platforms and tram-trains the low end.
Karlsruhe have much worse platform height problems, as they have two generations of tram-trains and German trains that need low platforms to cope with.
Walking To The Parkgate Shopping
I thought about using a taxi, but in the end, I walked to the Parkgate Shopping, as the weather was sunny.
I did manage to get an idea of the distance in a thirty minute walk.
Parkgate Shopping
Parkgate Shopping is the sort of shopping centre I rarely visit.
I am a guerrilla shopper, who decides what he needs and then chooses where to go and buy it. Being a coeliac, food shopping usually requires a couple of shops. One of these must be a Marks and Spencer, as their gluten-free staples like bread, biscuits, beer and muesli are better than most.
These days, I don’t drive, but a couple of doctors have told me, they reckon I could get my licence back.It’s just that not having a car, removes a whole chunk of hassle from your life. I don’t want it back!
I also often create shopping with a visit to either a friend, a restaurant, a museum or perhaps even a dentist.
I’ll often plan my day, so I come home via somewhere like the Angel, Moorgate, Eastfield or King Cross, where I pick up my supper.
Parkgate might be a place to go if it fitted my target requirements and I lived locally.
But it would need decent public transport like Meadowhall down the riad.
The Tram Stop At Parkgate Shopping
These pictures show the railway that passes Parkgate Shopping and the tram-train stop being built.
The stop needs finishing and a route to the stops would need to be created.
But it looks like the designers have developed a simple one platform stop capable of handling the required three trains an hour.
Conclusion
The project appears to be coming towards the end.
There are several things that need to be completed.
- The catenary.
- The connection of the tracks at the Tinsley Chord.
- Rotherham Central station pltforms
- Parkgate Shopping tram stop.
Then it would need to be tested.
If I have a question about the project, I wonder how they managed to be so late and over budget, as IS reported in this article in the Guardian, which is entitled Sheffield to Rotherham Tram-Train Is Five Times Over Budget, Says NAO.
My gut instinct tells me, that there are a few problems with this project, that would have been avoided by a little bit more thought before it started.
But I think it’ll come out alright on the end.
Progress On The Sheffield-Rotherham Tram-Train
I took these pictures in Sheffield and Rotherham, whilst trying to take pictures of Class 399 tram-trains.
Note.
- The heavy-weight gantries for the electrification, which I suspect would support 25 KVAC electrification.
- It appears simple bi-level platforms are being built at Rotherham Central station.
- Could a stop being put at the New York stadium?
It certainly doesn’t seem to be an expensive system.
Single Or Double Track Electrified At 25 KVAC
The heavy rail route which is both single and double-track is electrified using standard 25 KVAC electrification.
Simple Voltage Changeover
In Karlsruhe, a ceramic rod is used to connect the overhead wires of different voltages. The pantograph of the tram-train runs on this rod, as the vehicle passes between the two voltages.
The different voltages would be handled automatically on the tram-train.
Kinetic energy or a battery will take the tram-train over the very short dead section.
I didn’t see it, but I suspect a similar system is used on the Tinsley Chord in Sheffield, where the two voltage systems meet.
The advantage of this simple system, is that voltage changeover can be completely automatic, with the driver only monitoring the changeover.
Simple Bi-Level Platform Extensions
This technique is used in Karlsruhe, where they have myriad problems due to various classes of tram-trains and conventional trains.
Modern construction methods will certainly help here.
How Did Network Rail Manage To Spend So Much Money?
The only feasible positive explanation is that this tram-train trial is being very comprehensive and covers all possible UK operations.
- The tram-trains are tested on 25 KVAC at Rotherham.
- Single and double-track.
- The tram-trains are tested on 750 VDC all over Sheffield.
- The tram-trains are tested on sharp curves and climbing hills on the Sheffield Supertram network.
- The voltage changeover is thoroughly tested on the Tinsley Chord.
- Platform designs get a rigorous test.
If the tram-train passes these tests and the regulators and operators like it, it’ll be passed for the UK network.
Is The Rotherham Trial A Tram-Train Or A Train-Tram?
When going from Sheffield to Rotherham, the Class 399 train, starts as a tram and changes to a train on the Tinsley Chord.
But when going from Rotherham to Sheffield, the vehicle starts as a train and changes to a tram.
So I suppose it’s both and it changes over where the voltage changes on the Tinsley Chord.
But just as in the Rotherham trial, provided there is an overhead wire with an acceptable voltage, the Class 399 tram-trains can run on any track, be it for trams or trains.
On What Routes Could A Class 399 Train Run?
There are several possibilities.
Extending An Existing Tram Network On A Heavy Rail Line
The tram-train runs normally on a standard tram line and then the route is extended on a heavy rail line, which is electrified with 25 KVAC overhead wires.
This is what is being done at Rotherham.
More possibilities exist in Sheffield and probably on other systems like Birmingham, Blackpool, Edinburgh, Manchester and Nottingham.
Creating A Tram Link Across A Town Or City
Suppose a town or city has two electrified stations on opposite sides. Perhaps one handles trains from the West and the other handles trains from the East.
If a tram route can be created between the two stations, which is connected to the lines at the station, then tram-trains can run across the town or city.
This has been done in Karlsruhe and other European cities, but I doubt we’ll see a cross-city link like this in the UK for a decade or two.
Creating A Tram Link Between Two Electrified Lines
This is similar to the previous application, except that the tram route might be in a rural area.
One possibility might be from Cambridge to Marks Tey along a rebuilt Stour Valley Railway.
Running A Branch On A Heavy Rail Line As A Tram
Creating a branch line to tram standards should be cheaper than creating it to heavy rail standards.
The proposed Glasgow Airport Tram-Train could be built this way, by building a tram track from the Inverclyde Line to the Airport.
The branch would have the following characteristics.
- Segregated single-track from the Inverclyde Line
- 750 VDC overhead electrification.
- Low floor tram-trains.
- Simple stations.
The tram-trains could run as normal electric trains from Glasgow Central station to West of Paisley St. James station, where they would take to the branch line and run as trams to the Airport.
As the performance of a Class 399 tram-train is not much slower than the current Class 314 trains that work some services on the Inverclyde Line, I feel that fitting the tram-train service into the service pattern on the line would be possible.
I estimate that a round trip from Glasgow Central to the Airport could be done within an hour, which would mean that to provide an adequate four tram-trains per hour, would require four vehicles.
Two other airports could be served in this way; Leeds and Liverpool
- Leeds Airport would require electrifying as far as Horsforth station, where a tram track would lead to the Airport.
- I suspect that the tram-trains could not only connect Leeds to the Airport, but Bradford as well.
- Liverpool Airport from Liverpool Lime Street services would change to a tram at Liverpool South Parkway station.
I think we’ll be seeing tram-trains used for services like these.
Consider these points.
- A suitable station on the electrified network is needed as a terminus.
- A suitable junction must be possible between the branch and the electrified network.
- Any number of stops could be built on the branch.
- Simple tram-style 750 VDC overhead wires can be used, which would be less visually intrusive.
Some schemes will be simple like perhaps the Slough to Windsor and Eton Line and others would be more complicated.
Conclusion
In a year or so’s time, we’ll know if tram-trains are another method of expanding and improving the UK’s rail network.
By Rail Between Derby And Manchester via Sheffield
In his article entitled Connecting The Powerhouses in the June 2017 Edition of Modern Railways, Colin Boocock, says that the one rail route between Derby and Manchester, is to go via Sheffield.
There is one train an hour that takes one hour 38 minutes with a change at Sheffield. The two legs appear to take 33 and 52 minutes respectively with a thirteen minute wait at Sheffield station, which is a well-equipped station.
Change the destination to Manchester Airport and it’s still one train an hour and the journey takes two minutes over two hours.
Incidentally, the fastest trains to Manchester and Manchester Airport via Sheffield seem to be the same trains.
Improving the times on this route will not be easy.
- Stops are minimal at only Chesterfield, Stockport, Manchester Piccadilly and Manchester Airport.
- The service uses the 90 mph Hope Valley Line between Sheffield and Manchester.
- The only electrification is between Stockport and Manchester Airport.
- Electrification from Sheffield to Stockport on the Hope Valley Line will be difficult because of the terrain and the countryside lobby.
- Electrification from Derby to Sheffield will be difficult, as the line goes through a World Heritage Site.
The closure of the electrified Woodhead Line to passenger traffic in 1970, with the benefit of hindsight, now looks to be a crass decision of the highest order. I assume that, the great friend of the railways; Harold Wilson was in charge!
Conclusions
Going between Derby and Manchester by rail is a practical proposition, but it is a route, which would be difficult to improve.
Will High Speed 2 Have Go-Anywhere Trains?
I ask this question as after writing Plans For Toton Station For HS2 Are Beginning To Emerge, I started to think about the specification of the trains that will work on HS2.
Extending North |From Toton Or East Midlands Hub Station
Extending HS2 to Sheffield from Toton will eventually be via a dedicated High Speed Line, where the trains can run at their design speed of 225 mph.
But Toton HS2 to Sheffield via Chesterfield will be linked by the Erewash Valley Line, where trains will be able to travel at least as fast as 125 mph.
The Erewash Valley Line will probably be electrified before HS2 opens to Toton HS2 around 2030, to bring Sheffield consistently under two hours from London.
Extending North From Crewe
Similarly Crewe to Liverpool will not be getting a dedicated High Speed Line, but there is already a route where at least 125 mph is possible.
As passengers won’t want to change trains, Liverpool will get two trains per hour (tph)from London on HS2.
The only work needed North of Crewe would be to create extra and longer platforms at Liverpool Lime Street, provided that the new HS2 trains can work on classic high speed lines like the West Coast Main Line.
These improvements at Liverpool Lime Street are actually underway and knowing Scousers as I do, you could bet your house on it being ready in 2027, as they would want to have HS2 services at the same time as Manchester, if not a couple of years before.
Learning From The French
We should also look at how the French do things.
If you travel from Biarritz to Paris via a TGV, the service runs on both High Speed and classic lines.
From the Liverpool and Sheffield examples, I suspect that we will adopt a similar philosophy.
Consider when HS2 opens, the places that could be served directly from Crewe.
- Runcorn and Liverpool
- Manchester Piccadilly, if there is platform space.
- Warrington, Preston, Carlisle, Glasgow and Edinburgh – Why not?
- Chester and Holyhead – If the North Wales Coast Line is electrified, as has been threatened!
Note most of the West Coast Main Line routes are covered.
Can this explain the decision to combine the HS2 and West Coast Main Line franchises and the early extension of HS2 to Crewe?
The new franchise could even use the same 225 mph trains for HS2 at a slower speed on the West Coast Main Line to replace the Pendelinos.
The only disadvantage would be that the new trains couldn’t take advantage of the more generous HS2 loading gauge, unless of course the classic lines, where they are to run have their gauges enhanced. This may already be the case, as many of these routes have a loading gauge of W10 to take large freight containers.
The Trains For HS2 And West Coast Main Line
I think we’ll be seeing a very interesting specification for the HS2 trains.
- 225 mph capability on High Speed Lines
- 140 mph Pendolino performance on classic lines where possible.
- Short and long trains. Class 800 trains and others seem to be ordered this way, as five and nine/ten car units.
- Automatic coupling and uncoupling of units, just as Class 395 trains do now!
As the trains won’t be delivered for nearly ten years, wouldn’t be surprised to see that they have a 100 mph independently-powered capability of perhaps 100 miles. This would enable the trains to reach places like Aberdeen, Barrow in Furness, Blackpool, Inverness and Lincoln from the West Coast Main Line or Phase 1 of HS2.
Expanding The High Speed Network
It may seem strange to use perhaps onboard energy storage to extend services away from HS2. But this capability would probably only be given to the shorter trains that can join and split at Crewe or Birmingham International for fast running to and from London. Generally, when operating on onboard energy storage, the trains will be travelling at slower speeds. so less energy is needed.
This would mean that places like Barrow-in-Furnace, Blackpool, Cleethorpes and Lincoln could be easily added to the high speed network.
The High Speed network could also be expanded by improving the current network with selective electrification and the capability for higher line speeds.
All of these improvements on the classic lines, would mean that local and freight trains were able to provide a better service too!
Coupled with HS2, they would make a wonderful marketing opportunity.
I estimate the following using new trains and HS2 from Crewe, when Phase 2a of HS2 is complete.
- Glasgow-London would take under four hours for the journey as opposed to just over four and a half hours now.
- Liverpool-London would come down from two hours twelve minutes to one hour 33 minutes.
- Preston-London would down from two hours fifteen minutes to under a hundred minutes.
- Wigan-London would come down from just over two hours to just 87 minutes.
And some commentators and politicians doubt HS2 is needed.
Conclusion
Certainly, the decision to extend as fast as possible to Crewe was a very good idea.
Consider going from Euston to Glasgow in say 2028.
- The train would run from Euston to Crewe at full speed of 225 mph stopping if required at Old Oak Common and Birmingham International in a time of 58 minutes.
- From Crewe to Glasgow, the train would run at least at 125 mph stopping as appropriately.
- Selective improvements and in-cab signalling would reduce journey times from those of today to the North of Crewe.
Ten years or so later, the journey time will be even faster as the High Speed line was extended past Crewe.
