The Anonymous Widower

An Extreme Day Out – Bedlington And Northumberland Park Stations

This OpenRailwayMap shows the Northumberland Line and the Eastern part of the Newcastle Metro.

Note.

  1. The yellow track is the Northumberland Line.
  2. It terminates in the North at Ashington in the top-left corner of the map.
  3. Bebington station is indicated by the blue arrow.
  4. It terminates in the South at Newcastle station.
  5. The green track is the Newcastle Metro.
  6. There is now an interchange between the two lines at Northumberland Park station.

In the following sections, I’ll describe my trip.

King’s Cross And Newcastle Return For £66.35

I bought my two long distance tickets on a walk-up basis at King’s Cross and Newcastle stations from the machines.

  • I traveled North on a Lumo service to Glasgow for £27.20.
  • I did indulge myself with a tea for £2.60.
  • I traveled South on an LNER service for £36.55.
  • One of the reasons, I buy tickets on a walk-up basis, is that with my uncomplicated pancolonic diverticular disease, I might decide to cancel at the last minute, so it avoids the hassle of getting refunds.

Both services were within a few minutes of the timetable, although LNER had said they would be late, due to signalling problems.

My Route In Northumberland For £2.60

I bought a return ticket at Newcastle station for Ashington, which is the current terminus of the Northumberland Line.

  • I actually didn’t go past Bedlington station, where I turned round and had a drink.
  • As there are two trains per hour on the Northumberland Line, waits are not generally not too long.
  • I only came back as far as Northumberland Park, where I swapped to the Metro for Newcastle station.

If I had had more time, I would have stopped at Seaton Delaval station to have a gluten-free dinner, which I wrote about in Seaton Delaval Station – 30th March 2025.

From Newcastle to Bedlington Station

I took these pictures going to Bedlington station.

I would have taken more pictures, but the train was rather full.

Bedlington Station And Bedlington

I took these pictures at and around Bedlington station.

Note.

  1. Although it is a completely rebuilt station, it has a level crossing.
  2. But is the signal box keeping a watchful eye over trains and the road?
  3. Bedlington station appears to be step-free using ramps and the level crossing.
  4. Just to the North of the station, the tracks split to Ashington and Morpeth.

In my forty minutes or so in Bedlington, I didn’t see a terrier.

Are Any Bedlington Terriers Still Bred At Or Near Bedlington?

I had to ask Google AI, this question and I received this reply.

Yes, Bedlington Terriers are still bred in and around their namesake town in Northumberland, UK. While they are a relatively rare breed overall, the historic North East region remains one of the primary strongholds for these distinct “lamb-like” dogs.

Northumberland Park Station

I took these pictures at Northumberland Park station.

 

Note.

  1. The Northumberland Line uses a single bi-directional platform on the North side of the station.
  2. The Newcastle Metro uses an island platform on the South side of the station.
  3. Both platforms have steps and lifts.
  4. There are around 400 parking spaces and a Sainsbury’s Superstore at the station.

At 78, after a stroke, I didn’t find the change between the two lines difficult. But I did use the lifts!

What Are The Future Plans For The Northumberland Line?

I couldn’t resist asking Google AI this question and I received this answer.

With the Bedlington and Northumberland Park stations fully operational, the core phase of the Northumberland Line connecting Ashington to Newcastle is complete. Future plans now focus on route extensions, additional stops, and increasing capacity to handle high passenger demand.

Key Future Plans

Extension to the Coast: The North East Combined Authority is actively funding the development of an extension to Newbiggin-by-the-Sea, utilizing existing freight tracks. Planning submissions for this expansion are targeted for 2028.

New Station Proposals: Proposals are being explored to build an additional stop serving the Wansbeck General Hospital and to replace the long-closed Choppington station.

Increased Capacity: Operator Northern Rail is in ongoing discussions with transport partners to lengthen train services (which are currently constrained to two to four coaches) to help accommodate massive patronage on the line.

Integrated Ticketing: The Northumberland County Council is exploring integrated ticketing with the Tyne and Wear Metro to allow for seamless travel between the two networks at stations like Northumberland Park.

From my observations on the line over the last few years, I would go along with Google AI’s recommendations.

These are some specific thoughts.

Extension To Newbiggin-by-the-Sea

This OpenRailwayMap shows the tracks that used to exist between Ashington and Newbiggin-by-the-Sea.

Note.

  1. Ashington station is in the South-West corner of the map.
  2. A freight line exists, which is shown in yellow, all the way to Lynemouth power station, which is a 420 MW biomass power station.
  3. Lynemouth powerstation was originally built to power an aluminium smelter.
  4. Running South-East from the Northumberland Line, is a disused railway alignment labelled NBN, which leads into Newbiggin-by-the-Sea.

This Wikipedia section describes the history of railway connection of the town.

Situated on the west side of Front Street (now the B1334), the station opened on 1 March 1872 as a terminus of the Blyth and Tyne Railway (now known as the Northumberland Line). The station had a long island platform onto which the station building faced. There were sidings on both sides of the station which handled goods traffic, controlled by a signal box. The station closed to both passengers and goods traffic on 2 November 1964. With the reopening of the Northumberland Line, Provisions have been made, especially at Ashington so that the line could be extended to Newbiggin. As of the end of 2025, there were calls to extend the railway by 1.6km (1 mile) into the centre of Newbiggin-by-the-Sea. This will require new track and is all subject to a feasibility study.  A formal bid was launched in December 2025 for this.

In Formal Bid To Extend Railway Line, I wrote about the latest progress in January 2026, based on a BBC article.

The Northumberland Line Needs A Focus Other Than Commuting

Several of the stations have large car-parks, which is good for commuting, but the railway needs to serve more places for leisure and other activities.

  • Seaton Delaval Hall is Grade 1 Listed and is just 10 minutes in a bus from the station with the same name.
  • If the Northumberland Line is connected to Newbiggin-by-the-Sea, that could bring in those, wanting a day by the sea.
  • The extended Northumberland Line would also connect to Woodhorn, which is a museum, described in this Wikipedia entry.

QTS are also developing an AI data centre at Cambois, which surely will generate commuter traffic from all over the North East.

This OpenRailwayMap shows the location of the QTS AI Data Centre.

Note.

  1. Ashington station is indicated by a blue arrow.
  2. The yellow track is the Northumberland Line, which now terminates at Ashington station.
  3. Bedlington station is in the South-West corner of the map.
  4. The trapezoidal grey box to the East of Bedlington is labelled as Site for QTS AI Data Centre.
  5. As the site, was that of Blyth coal-fired power station, before QTS acquired it, there is a disused railway line that connects the site to the Northumberland Line.

I suspect there are powerful economic arguments about whether or not, the Northumberland Line is extended to the QTS AI Data Centre site.

How Much Power Will QTS Cambois Data Centre Need?

I couldn’t resist asking Google AI this question and I received this answer.

The proposed QTS Cambois data centre in Northumberland is expected to require between 620MW and 720MW of critical IT power capacity, with an initial proposal capacity of up to 1.1GW.

Details on the planned power infrastructure include:

Power Capacity: The facility will support up to 720MW of critical IT capacity across ten planned buildings, though some council estimates cite an expected total power capacity of 620MW.

Backup Power: To guarantee uptime and handle power outages, the campus will rely on nearly 600 diesel-powered generators, requiring up to 58 generators per data hall.

Site Details: Located on the former Blyth Power Station site in Cambois, the £10 billion development will span 540,000 square metres.

My views on this are.

  • There is the 1.4 GW North Sea Link from Blyth to Norway, that I wrote about in UK To Norway Sub-Sea Green Power Cable Operational.
  • The 4.1 GW Berwick Bank wind farm is planned to send 1.8 GW to Blyth.
  • To help if QTS need more power, there is the 1.4 GW Sofia wind farm.
  • So 1.1 GW should be manageable, as Blyth is blessed with more power than Niagra Falls.

I also believe that Centrica and Delta have a much better backup solution, that I described in Delta And Centrica Launch Scalable Off-Grid Fuel Cell Power Solution. Hydrogen could come by pipeline or rail.

How Would The Northumberland Line Connect To Wansbeck Hospital?

This Google Map, shows the location of Wansbeck General Hospital with respect to Ashington station.

Note.

  1. Ashington station in the South-West corner.
  2. Woodhorn museum is in the North-East corner.
  3. Wansbeck General Hospital is indicated by a red arrow.
  4. The Northumberland Line runs East-West to the South of the museum and then curves round to reach the station.

Perhaps the station could go between the museum and the hospital and an innovative shuttle would connect all three locations.

How Would The Northumberland Line Connect To Choppington?

This Google Map, shows the location of Choppington, with respect to Morpeth and Bedlington stations.

Note.

  1. The orange track on the West side of the map is the East Coast Main Line.
  2. Morpeth station is in the North-West corner of the map.
  3. Bedlington station is in the South-East corner of the map.

The Eastern end of the Bedlington and Morpeth Line can be seen in this picture to the left of Bedlington North signal box at the Northern ends of the the platforms.

 

Note.

  1. Bedlington North signal box has a communication mast behind it.
  2. The track to the left of the box goes to Morpeth.
  3. The track to the right of the box goes to Ashington.

This OpenRailwayMap shows Choppington Road, which crosses the Bedlington and Morpeth Line at the only level crossing between Bedlington station and Hepscott junction.

Note.

  1. Choppington Road, which runs North-South on the map.
  2. The yellow tracks are the Morpeth and Bedlington Line, which runs East-West across the map.
  3. Where they cross, a red cross indicates a level crossing.
  4. The Wikipedia entry of Choppington station shows a level crossing.

As the level crossing on the map is the only one shown, this must be the location of Choppington station.

 

 

June 10, 2026 Posted by | Artificial Intelligence, Energy, Food, Hydrogen, Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Two Thirds Of Sofia Wind Turbines Installed

The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on offshoreWIND.biz.

This is the sub-heading.

Seventy wind turbines have been installed at RWE’s Sofia offshore wind farm in the UK, according to a Notice to Mariners recently issued by the project team.

These two paragraphs give more details of the installation process.

The first of the project’s 100 Siemens Gamesa SG 14-222 DD wind turbines was installed in March 2025, and the work reached the halfway mark in September last year. The vessel deployed for the work is Cadeler’s Wind Peak, which is carrying components for six turbines per trip, operating from the port of Hull.

IWS service operation vessel (SOV) IWS Seawalker is supporting the wind turbine installation work.

Note.

  1. Sofia is being installed by German Company ; RWE.
  2. Sofa will use 14 MW Siemens Gamesa wind turbines, some of which have recyclable blades.
  3. The installation process is being carried out nearly 200 kilometers out to sea on the Dogger Bank.

The power will be connected to the  grid at Lackenby substation, which is near the Wilton chemical works, which can certainly you the electricity.

Does Wilton Chemical Works Have A Power Station?

I asked GoogleAI, the question in the title of this section and received this reply.

Yes, the Wilton International industrial site (formerly associated with ICI chemical works) has multiple power stations and significant on-site energy generation, operated primarily by Sembcorp Utilities UK. The site features a biomass power station (Wilton 10), a further biomass unit (Wilton 11), and an energy-from-waste plant, supplying electricity and steam to chemical and industrial businesses on-site.

Note.

  1. Wilton 10 opened as a biomass power station in 2002.
  2. Wilton 11 opened as a biomass power station in 2016.

I seem to remember, that one of these power stations was there on my visits to Wilton for ICI in the 1970s.

Key details regarding power generation at Wilton:

Biomass & Waste-to-Energy:

The site transitioned from coal-fired units to renewable biomass and waste-to-energy, utilizing wood and other byproducts for power and heat generation.

 

Sembcorp Utilities:

Sembcorp operates the site’s energy infrastructure, which includes five different generation assets and a private wire network.

Capacity: The site hosts significant generation capacity, including a 52MW biomass unit and a 35MW unit.

Future Projects: The site is involved in developments for net-zero emissions, including the Whitetail Clean Energy project, which is planned as the UK’s first Net Zero emissions power plant with Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS).

The site serves as a “plug and play” industrial location offering on-site, cost-effective energy.

Conclusion

This would appear to be a sensible small power system providing 1400 GW of wind power, backed up if needed be by the two biomass units, which total 87 MW.

Note, that ICI were storing gases under the site for many years, so I suspect, that Carbon Capture and Storage, might work well at this location.

I can see other places, where a wind farm, is combined with energy from waste for backup.

Are Wind Farms Being Backed Up By Energy From Waste Units In The UK?

I asked GoogleAI, the question in the title of this section and received this reply.

Yes, but only in a limited, complementary capacity, rather than as a direct, large-scale substitute for wind power.
Energy from Waste (EfW) units—commonly known as incinerators—are increasing in the UK, but their role in the grid is different from how we “back up” wind.

Here is a breakdown of how it works:

1. The Role of EfW (Baseload, not Backup)

Baseload Generation: EfW plants run 24/7 to burn waste. They provide a steady, consistent, predictable “baseload” of electricity (about 2–3% of UK supply).

Intermittency: Because they run constantly, they cannot ramp up and down quickly when the wind stops blowing. Therefore, they are not a “flexible” backup in the same way gas power plants are.

Partial Renewable: Around 50% of the energy produced by EfW is considered renewable (organic waste), helping the UK hit green targets.

2. What Actually Backs Up Wind?

When wind farms stop producing power during low-wind periods (often called “dunkelflaute”), the UK relies on other sources:

Natural Gas Plants: These are the primary, flexible backup that can ramp up instantly to fill gaps in renewable production.

Interconnectors: Imported electricity from other countries (e.g., Norway, France).

Battery Storage: Growing, but still small-scale compared to total demand.

3. How EfW Helps the Grid

EfW does assist the grid by providing system inertia and consistent, low-carbon, on-demand energy, reducing the need for more fossil fuels to be burnt at certain times. They are particularly useful for providing power when the grid is congested, but they do not specifically act as a “spare tire” for wind farms.

4. Future Trends
The government is looking to attach Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) to EfW units, which would make them a low-carbon, dependable, and sustainable part of the energy mix by the 2030s.
In summary: EfW plays a part in supporting a greener grid, but it is not a direct substitute for the flexibility required to back up intermittent wind power.

5. Hydrogen Power

This is a section, that artificial intelligence has unsurprisingly left out, as no country has yet built the hydrogen storage and the power stations to generate the electricity, when it is needed.

But Note.

  1. SSE are building a big hydrogen store in Yorkshire at Aldbrough.
  2. Centrica are converting the Rough gas storage to a hydrogen store.
  3. SSE are building a 910 MW hydrogen-powered power station at Keadby.
  4. SSE are building a 1200 MW hydrogen-powered power station at Ferrybridge.

I suspect if you were building a chemical plant and Wilton fitted your budget, you would take a look.

February 19, 2026 Posted by | Artificial Intelligence, Energy, Hydrogen | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Britain’s Biggest Clean Power Projects Among 2.4GW Of Transmission Connections National Grid Delivers In 2025

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

This is the sub-heading.

Record-breaking renewable power projects are among the 2.4GW of new generation connections we plugged into our transmission network during 2025, in another key step in the UK’s clean energy transition.

This first paragraph adds some detail to the headlines.

This year’s works build on the 3GW of connections we delivered in 2024 – which included a new interconnector between Wales and Ireland – and is part of 12.6GW of generation capacity we’ve connected in England and Wales over the past five years.

The rate of connections appear to have been fairly steady over the last five years, at about 2.5 GW/year.

Three projects are highlighted.

  • In April the 373MW Cleve Hill Solar Park, Britain’s largest solar array, began exporting power across the network following work to connect it at our Cleve Hill substation in Kent.

 

  • Over summer Statera Energy’s Thurrock Storage project, the country’s biggest battery energy storage system (BESS), connected at our Tilbury substation in Essex to add 300MW of flexible capacity across London and the south east.

 

  • And in September we completed upgrades and commissioning activity at our Lackenby substation in North Yorkshire in readiness for RWE’s Sofia offshore wind farm – one of the world’s biggest – to complete construction.

They also completed works for more than 400MW of additional BESS connections during the year, including a 150MW scheme connecting at Ferrybridge substation in West Yorkshire, a 100MW facility plugging in at Thornton substation in North Yorkshire, and further projects at our substations in Enderby (Leicestershire), Rainhill (Merseyside) and Bredbury (Greater Manchester).

I think that adds up to ten projects in total.

It looks like National Grid had a good year.

 

January 5, 2026 Posted by | Energy, Energy Storage | , , , , , | 2 Comments

All Recyclable Blades Installed At RWE’s 1.4 GW UK Offshore Wind Farm

The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on offshoreWIND.biz.

This is the sub-heading.

All 150 recyclable blades have been installed at the 1.4 GW Sofia offshore wind farm, with more than half of the wind turbines now in place at the UK construction site.

These three paragraphs add more details.

All 150 recyclable blades are now installed, with each turbine utilising 50 sets of three blades, marking the UK’s first large-scale use of this technology at an offshore wind farm, RWE, the developer, said.

The recyclable rotor blades used at Sofia are manufactured by Siemens Gamesa at its Hull factory and use a unique resin that enables easy separation of component materials at the end of each blade’s operational life cycle.

In addition, 62 out of 100 Siemens Gamesa 14 MW turbines have now been installed at the site located 195 kilometres off the UK’s east coast. Each turbine features 108-metre blades and a 222-metre rotor diameter. Cadeler is responsible for the installation of the wind turbines.

Note.

  1. The Sofia wind farm has a hundred turbines, each with the customary three blades.
  2. Currently the 13 MW Siemens Gamesa turbines in Dogger Bank A and Dogger Bank B are the largest turbines in British waters.
  3. Sofia’s at 14 MW will be larger.
  4. But 15 MW monsters are on their way, with RWE’s Norfolk zone appearing to favour 15 MW Vesta turbines.

At the present time, turbine size seems to be creeping up. I would expect this to happen, as turbines become more affordable.

November 10, 2025 Posted by | Energy, Environment | , , , , , | Leave a comment

RWE Opens ‘Grimsby Hub’ For Offshore Wind Operations And Maintenance

The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on offshoreWIND.biz.

This is the sub-heading.

RWE officially opened its ‘Grimsby Hub’ offshore wind operations and maintenance (O&M) facility in the UK on 9 July. From the new O&M base, located at Associated British Ports’ (ABP) Port of Grimsby, RWE’s teams will maintain and operate the Triton Knoll and Sofia offshore wind farms.

These are the first two paragraphs.

The Grimsby Hub also houses RWE’s new UK Centralised Control Room (CCR), which has been set up to provide 24/7 monitoring of the company’s UK offshore wind farms and can provide services such as marine coordination, turbine operations, alarm management, high voltage monitoring and Emergency Response services with a team of twelve operatives, the developer says.

The O&M facility is already employing over 90 Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs), according to RWE, and is expected to employ around 140 RWE staff by 2027, as well as create approximately 60 new locally sourced jobs through the development of the CCR and ongoing offshore operations.

Note.

  1. Does RWE’s new UK Centralised Control Room control all their UK offshore wind farms?
  2. I have added them all up and there are almost 12 GW around our shores.
  3. I’ve read somewhere, that RWE are the UK’s largest power generator. From these figures, that would not surprise me.

This Google Map shows the location of RWE’s facilities in Grimsby.

Note.

  1. The bright red arrow at the top of the map indicates RWE Generation UK in Grimsby Docks.
  2. There is another RWE location to the right of the bright red arrow.
  3. There is a line of stations along the coast, which from left-to-right are Stallingborough, Healing, Great Coates, Grimsby Town, Grimsby Docks, New Clee and Cleethorpes.
  4. Cleethorpes is not shown on the map.
  5. Doncaster and Cleethorpes are 52.1 mile apart, which is within the range of a battery-electric Hitachi and other trains.
  6. Charging would be at Doncaster, which is fully electrified and at Cleethorpes, by a short length of electrification.

This OpenRailwayMap shows the layout of and the railways around Grimsby Dock.

Note.

  1. Cleethorpes station is indicated by the blue arrow, in the South-East corner of the map.
  2. Cleethorpes station has four platforms, but no electrification.
  3. Grimsby Docks are to the North of the railway to Cleethorpes.
  4. This Wikipedia entry for Cleethorpes station, shows other railways and light railways served the area. Some were even electric.

These are a few of my thoughts on the development of railways between Sheffield and Cleethorpes.

RWE Will Be A Large Driver Of Employment In Grimsby

Earlier I wrote.

  • Does RWE’s new UK Centralised Control Room control all their UK offshore wind farms?
  • I have added them all up and there are almost 12 GW around our shores.
  • I’ve read somewhere, that RWE are the UK’s largest power generator. From these figures, that would not surprise me.

It’s a long time, since I’ve added resources to a large project, so I asked Google AI, “How many people are needed to support a 1 GW offshore wind farm in the UK?”, and received this answer.

Based on data from large-scale UK offshore wind projects, a 1 GW (1,000 MW) offshore wind farm generally requires between 300 and 600+ people to operate and maintain, depending on whether the staff count includes direct operations, service vessel crews, and long-term supply chain partners. 
Operational Staffing: Ørsted’s 1.2 GW Hornsea 1 and 1.3 GW Hornsea 2 projects are supported by an East Coast Hub in Grimsby, which maintains a workforce of over 600 people.

Direct & Indirect Support: For a large-scale project, this often breaks down into approximately 100–150 direct, permanent, high-skilled roles (technicians, engineers, management) and hundreds more in indirect, contracted, or supply chain roles (vessel crews, port operations, logistics).

Industry Average: Studies suggest that for operations and maintenance (O&M), around 50–100 full-time equivalent (FTE) jobs are generated per GW of installed capacity in terms of direct, permanent staff.

Key Takeaways for a 1 GW Farm:

  • Direct Technicians/Operators: ~100–200+ (working on-site, turbines, or in control rooms).
  • O&M Support Services: ~300–400+ (vessel operators, port logistics, supply chain).
  • Total Operations Personnel: 300–600+ people. 

Google AI appeared to have borrowed the figure from Ørsted and Hornsea 1 and 2.

So if it’s correct, there will be a total of 7,200 personnel supporting RWE’s wind farms in the UK. Even if only a third were employed in Grimsby, that is still a lot of people to accommodate and who will need to travel to work.

I also think a lot of personnel will come in by train, as the station is close to RWE’s locations.

Will Grimsby Have An Aberdeen-Sized Office-Shortage Problem?

One of the biggest problems, I was always hearing in the 1970s, was the shortage of offices in Aberdeen for the use of the oilmen.

In RWE Goes For An Additional 10 GW Of Offshore Wind In UK Waters In 2030, I talked about RWE’s plans for the future and published this table of new wind farms.

  • Sofia – 1,400 MW
  • Norfolk Boreas – 1380 MW
  • Norfolk Vanguard East – 1380 MW
  • Norfolk Vanguard West – 1380 MW
  • Dogger Bank South – 3000 MW
  • Awel y Môr – 500 MW
  • Five Estuaries – 353 MW
  • North Falls – 504 MW

Note.

  1. Sofia is nearly complete.
  2. Only the three Norfolk and the Dogger Bank South wind farms  are on the East side of England and suitable to be serviced from Grimsby., but they still total 7,140 MW.

Has Grimsby got the office-space for all the people needed?

Could The Cleethorpes And Liverpool Lime Street Service Be Run By Battery-Electric Rolling Stock?

The various sections of this route are as follows.

  • Cleethorpes and Doncaster – No Electrification – 52.1 miles
  • Doncaster and Meadowhall – No Electrification – 15.2 miles
  • Meadowhall and Sheffield – No Electrification – 3.4 miles
  • Sheffield and Dore & Totley  – No Electrification – 4.2 miles
  • Dore & Totley and Hazel Grove – No Electrification – 29.2 miles
  • Hazel Grove and Stockport – Electrification – 3.3 miles
  • Stockport and Manchester Piccadilly – Electrification – 5.9 miles
  • Manchester Piccadilly and Deansgate – Electrification – 0.8 miles
  • Deansgate and Liverpool South Parkway -Not Electrified – 28.2 miles
  • Liverpool South Parkway and Liverpool Lime Street – Electrified – 5.7 miles

Adding the sections together gives.

  • Cleethorpes and Hazel Grove – No Electrification – 104.1 miles
  • Hazel Grove and Deansgate – Electrification – 10 miles
  • Deansgate and Liverpool South Parkway -Not Electrified – 28.2 miles
  • Liverpool South Parkway and Liverpool Lime Street – Electrified – 5.7 miles

Note.

  1. To cover the 104.1 miles to Hazel Grove battery-electric trains would probably need to leave Cleethorpes with full batteries.
  2. Doncaster is a fully-electrified station and passing trains may be able to have a quick top-up.
  3. In South Yorkshire Now Has Better North-South Connections, I calculated that Doncaster is a very busy station with 173 express trains per day calling at the station or one every 8.5 minutes.
  4. Will trains be able to stop for a long period to charge batteries?
  5. It may be prudent to electrify between Meadowhall and Sheffield, under the Midland Mainline Electrification.
  6. Sheffield and Dore & Totley is shown that it will be electrified, under the Midland Mainline Electrification.
  7. Do we really want to have electrification marching along the Hope Valley Line?
  8. I believe that hydrogen-hybrid locomotives will be a better solution for freight trains on scenic lines like the Hope Valley, as they are zero-carbon, powerful and with a range comparable to diesel.

I believe CAF, Hitachi and Siemens have off the shelf rolling stock and factories in this country, who could build trains for the Cleethorpes and Liverpool Lime Street route.

How Would You Charge Battery-Electric Trains At Cleethorpes?

This picture shows Cleethorpes station

Note.

  1. The four long platforms without  electrification.
  2. The platforms have recently been refurbished.
  3. The train in Platform 2 is a TransPennine Express Class 185 Siemens Desiro diesel train.

The simplest way to electrify the station would be to put up enough 25 KVAC overhead wires, so that battery-electric trains needing a charge could put up a pantograph and have a refreshing drink.

In Technology Behind Siemens Mobility’s British Battery Trains Hits The Tracks, I wrote about Siemens Rail Charging Converter.

This is a visualisation of a Siemens Rail Charging Converter in action.

Note.

  1. The track is electrified with standard 25 KVAC overhead electrification.
  2. The train is a standard Siemens electric or battery-electric train.
  3. Siemens Rail Charging Converter, which is the shed in the compound on the left is providing the electricity to energise the catenary.
  4. I suspect, it could power third rail electrification, if the Office of Rail and Road ever allowed it to be still installed.
  5. The Siemens Rail Charging Converter does have one piece of magic in the shed. I suspect it uses a battery or a large capacitor to help power the electrification, as it can be powered from any typical domestic grid supply.
  6. I also wonder, if it has safety devices that cut the power outside the shed if track workers or intruders are detected, where they shouldn’t be?
  7. It could even cut the power, when trains are not running to save power and increase safety.

This looks to me, that a Siemens Rail Charging Converter could be a superb example of out-of-the-box thinking.

Could The Cleethorpes And Barton-on-Humber Service Be Run By Battery-Electric Rolling Stock?

This OpenRailwayMap shows the railways of North-East Lincolnshire.

Note.

  1. Cleethorpes is in the South-East Corner of the map.
  2. Barton-on-Humber is in the North-West corner of the map and marked by a blue-arrow.
  3. Stations from South to North would be New Clee, Grimsby Docks, Grimsby Town, Great Coates, Healing, Stallingborough, Habrough, Ulceby, Thornton Abbey, Goxhill, New Holland and Barrow Haven.
  4. The line is double track.
  5. Cleethorpes and Barton-on-Humber is just 22.8 miles.
  6. A round trip would be under fifty miles, which would be well within range of a full-charge at one end.
  7. Service is one train per two hours (tp2h), which would only need a single train, shuttling between Cleethorpes and Barton-on-Humber.
  8. Two trains could provide an hourly service.

I would expect, that well-designed, solid and reliable German engineering could build a Siemens’ Rail Charging Connector that could charge four trains per hour (tph) at Cleethorpes station.

At present services are.

  • TransPennineExpress – 1 tph to Liverpool Lime Street.
  • East Midlands Railway – 1 tp2h to Barton-on-Humber
  • East Midlands Railway – 1 tp2h to Matlock via Lincoln and Nottingham
  • Northern Trains – 1 train per day (tpd) Sheffield via Brigg.

That is probably only about two tph.

Could The Cleethorpes And Sheffield Service Be Run By Battery-Electric Rolling Stock?

This is a description of the current Cleethorpes and Sheffield service.

  • It is run by Northern Trains.
  • The morning train leaves Sheffield at 09:54 and arrives in Cleethorpes at 11:40.
  • The afternoon train leaves Cleethorpes at 13:20 and arrives in Sheffield at 15:10.
  • The train is a Class 150 diesel train, which is a bit of a Joan Collins of a train – Of a certain age, but still scrubs up extremely well!
  • Intermediate stations are Worksop, Retford, Gainsborough Central, Kirton Lindsey, Brigg, Barnetby and Grimsby Town
  • The route length is 71.6 miles
  • Trains take about 45-50 minutes.

It is also a parliamentary train.

The Wikipedia entry for parliamentary train gives this description of the Cleethorpes and Sheffield service.

Via Kirton Lindsey & Brigg. Became a parliamentary service when weekday services were withdrawn in 1993. Regular trains have operated between Gainsborough and Sheffield for most timetable periods since. Suspended January 2022 by Northern, who cited COVID-19 and staffing issues , but the service was reinstated in December 2022. Changed in May 2023 to be one return journey on weekdays only.

In the 1950s and 1960s I lived in Felixstowe part of the time and in the 1970s and 1980s I lived near Woodbridge and I observed first hand the development of the Port of Felixstowe and the effects it had on the surrounding countryside.

The development of the Port of Felixstowe, has brought the following.

  • Improved roads and railways.
  • Ipswich is now an hour from London by train.
  • Ipswich is now a University town.
  • New housing and other developments, both in Ipswich and Felixstowe and the surrounding countryside.
  • Employment also has increased considerably, both in the Port and in surrounding towns.
  • Ipswich’s football team is very much respected all over Europe and has won the English top division, the FA Cup and the UEFA Cup.

When you consider the jobs that RWE could create in the Port of Grimsby, I believe that this could have similar effects in Grimsby and Cleethorpes, as the Port of Felixstowe had in East Suffolk.

Already, the following are being talked about.

  • A direct rail link between Cleethorpes and Grimsby to London.
  • Battery-electric trains between Cleethorpes and Grimsby and Doncaster, Manchester and Liverpool Lime Street.

I believe that an improved rail link between Cleethorpes and Sheffield could be the catalyst for much needed housing along the route, which would be to the benefit of Cleethorpres, Grimsby, Sheffield and all the intermediate towns and villages on the route.

and the affects this will have on the countryside around the town, I believe that a strong case can be made out for a more frequent service between Cleethorpes and Sheffield.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

July 16, 2025 Posted by | Artificial Intelligence, Design, Energy, Sport, Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

RWE Goes For An Additional 10 GW Of Offshore Wind In UK Waters In 2030

This press release from RWE is entitled RWE And Masdar Join Forces To Develop 3 Gigawatts Of Offshore Wind Projects Off The UK Coast.

This is the last paragraph.

The UK plays a key role in RWE’s strategy to grow its offshore wind portfolio RWE is a leading partner in the delivery of the UK’s Net Zero ambitions and energy security, as well as in contributing to the UK build-out target for offshore wind of 50 GW by 2030. RWE already operates 10 offshore wind farms across the UK. Following completion of the acquisition of the three Norfolk offshore wind projects from Vattenfall announced at the end of 2023, RWE is developing nine offshore wind projects in the UK, representing a combined potential installed capacity of around 9.8 GW, with RWE’s pro rata share amounting to 7 GW. Furthermore, RWE is constructing the 1.4 GW Sofia offshore wind project in the North Sea off the UK’s east coast. RWE’s unparalleled track record of more than 20 years in offshore wind has resulted in 19 offshore wind farms in operation, with a goal to triple its global offshore wind capacity from 3.3 GW today to 10 GW in 2030.

Note.

  1. Nine offshore wind projects in the UK, representing a combined potential installed capacity of around 9.8 GW
  2. RWE are saying they intend to add 6.7 GW in 2030.

The eight offshore wind farms, that RWE are developing in UK waters would appear to be.

  • Sofia – 1,400 MW
  • Norfolk Boreas – 1380 MW
  • Norfolk Vanguard East – 1380 MW
  • Norfolk Vanguard West – 1380 MW
  • Dogger Bank South – 3000 MW
  • Awel y Môr – 500 MW
  • Five Estuaries – 353 MW
  • North Falls – 504 MW

This is a total of 9897 MW, which ties in well with RWE’s new capacity figure of 9.8 GW.

The Location Of RWE’s Offshore Wind Farms

RWE’s wind farms seem to fit in groups around the UK.

Dogger Bank

This wind farm is on the Dogger Bank.

  • Dogger Bank South – 3000 MW – Planned

This wind farm would appear to be rather isolated in the middle of the North Sea.

RWE could have plans to extend it or even link it to other wind farms in the German area of the Dogger Bank.

Lincolnshire Coast

This wind farm is along the Lincolnshire Coast.

  • Triton Knoll – 857 MW – 2022

As there probably isn’t much heavy industry, where Triton Knoll’s power comes ashore, this wind farm can provide the power needed in the area.

But any excess power in the area can be exported to Denmark through the Viking Link.

Norfolk Coast

These wind farms are along the Norfolk Coast.

  • Norfolk Boreas – 1380 MW – Planned
  • Norfolk Vanguard East – 1380 MW – Planned
  • Norfolk Vanguard West – 1380 MW – Planned

These three wind farms will provide enough energy to provide the power for North-East Norfolk.

North Wales Coast

These wind farms are along the North Wales Coast.

  • Awel y Môr – 500 MW – Planned
  • Gwynt y Môr – 576 MW – 2015
  • Rhyl Flats  – 90 MW – 2009
  • North Hoyle – 60 MW – 2003

These wind farms will provide enough energy for the North Wales Coast.

Any spare electricity can be stored in the 1.8 GW/9.1 GWh Dinorwig pumped storage hydroelectric power station.

Electric Mountain may have opened in 1984, but it is surely a Welsh giant decades ahead of its time.

Suffolk Coast

These wind farms are along the Suffolk Coast.

  • Five Estuaries – 353 MW – Planned
  • Galloper – 353 MW – 2018
  • North Falls – 504 MW – Planned

These wind farms will provide enough energy for the Suffolk Coast, which except for the Haven Ports, probably doesn’t have many large electricity users.

But if the area is short of electricity, there will be Sizewell B nuclear power station to provide it.

Teesside

This wind farm is along the Teesside Coast

  • Sofia – 1,400 MW – Planned

Teesside is a heavy user of electricity.

These six areas total as follows.

  • Dogger Bank – 3,000 MW
  • Lincolnshire Coast – 857 MW
  • Norfolk Coast – 4140 MW
  • North Wales Coast – 1226 MW
  • Suffolk Coast – 1210 MW
  • Teesside – 1,400 MW

Backup for these large clusters of wind farms for when the wind doesn’t blow will be provided as follows.

  • Dogger Bank – Not provided
  • Lincolnshire Coast- Interconnectors to Denmark and Scotland
  • Norfolk Coast – Not provided
  • North Wales Coast – Stored in Dinorwig pumped storage hydroelectric power station
  • Suffolk Coast – Sizewell B and Sizewell C
  • Teesside – Interconnectors to Norway and Scotland and Hartlepool nuclear power stations

Note.

  1. The interconnectors will typically have a 2 GW capacity.
  2. The 1.9 GW/9.1 GWh Dinorwig pumped storage hydroelectric power station must be one of the best wind farm backups in Europe.

There is a very solid level of integrated and connected assets that should provide a reliable power supply for millions of electricity users.

How Will Dogger Bank And The Norfolk Coast Wind Clusters Work Efficiently?

The Dogger Bank and the Norfolk Coast clusters will generate up to 3 and 4.14 GW respectively.

So what purpose is large amounts of electricity in the middle of the North Sea?

The only possible purpose will be to use giant offshore electrolysers to create hydrogen.

The hydrogen will then be transported to point of use by pipeline or tanker.

Feeding H2ercules

I described H2ercules in H2ercules.

H2ercules is an enormous project that will create the German hydrogen network.

The H2ercules web site, shows a very extensive project, as is shown by this map.

Note.

  1. Hydrogen appears to be sourced from Belgium, the Czech Republic, The Netherlands and Norway.
  2. RWE’s Dogger Bank South wind farm will be conveniently by the N of Norway.
  3. RWE’s Norfolk cluster of wind farms will be conveniently by the N of Netherlands.
  4. The Netherlands arrow points to the red circles of two hydrogen import terminals.

For Germany to regain its former industrial success, H2ercules  will be needed to be fed with vast amounts of hydrogen.

And that hydrogen could be in large amounts from the UK sector of the North Sea.

Uniper’s Wilhelmshaven Hydrogen Hub

This page on the Uniper web site is entitled Green Wilhelmshaven: To New Horizons

This Uniper graphic shows a summary of gas and electricity flows in the Wilhelmshaven Hydrogen Hub.

Note.

  1. Ammonia can be imported, distributed by rail or ships, stored or cracked to provide hydrogen.
  2. Wilhelmshaven can handle the largest ships.
  3. Offshore wind energy can generate hydrogen by electrolysis.
  4. Hydrogen can be stored in underground salt caverns.

I suspect hydrogen could also be piped in from an electrolyser in the East of England or shipped in by a hydrogen tanker.

All of this is well-understood technology.

Sunak’s Magic Money Tree

Rishi Sunak promised a large giveaway of tax in his manifesto for the 2024 General Election.

As we are the only nation, who can provide the colossal amounts of hydrogen the Germans will need for H2ercules, I am sure we will be well paid for it.

A few days ago we celebrated D-Day, where along with the Americans and the Canadians, we invaded Europe.

Now eighty years later, our hydrogen is poised to invade Europe again, but this time for everybody’s benefit.

This document on the Policy Mogul web site is entitled Rishi Sunak – Conservative Party Manifesto Speech – Jun 11.

These are three paragraphs from the speech.

We don’t just need military and border security. As Putin’s invasion of Ukraine has shown, we need energy security too. It is only by having reliable, home-grown sources of energy that we can deny dictators the ability to send our bills soaring. So, in our approach to energy policy we will put security and your family finances ahead of unaffordable eco zealotry.

Unlike Labour we don’t believe that we will achieve that energy security via a state-controlled energy company that doesn’t in fact produce any energy. That will only increase costs, and as Penny said on Friday there’s only one thing that GB in Starmer and Miliband’s GB Energy stands for, and that’s giant bills.

Our clear plan is to achieve energy security through new gas-powered stations, trebling our offshore wind capacity and by having new fleets of small modular reactors. These will make the UK a net exporter of electricity, giving us greater energy independence and security from the aggressive actions of dictators . Now let me just reiterate that, with our plan, we will produce enough electricity to both meet our domestic needs and export to our neighbours. Look at that. A clear, Conservative plan not only generating security, but also prosperity for our country.

I believe that could be Rishi’s Magic Money Tree.

Especially, if the energy is exported through electricity interconnectors or hydrogen or ammonia pipelines and tankers.

Will This Be A Party Anyone Can Join?

Other wind farm clusters convenient for the H2ercules hydrogen import terminals on the North-West German coast include.

  • Dogger Bank – SSE, Equinor – 5008 MW
  • East Anglian – Iberdrola – 3786 MW
  • Hornsea – Ørsted – 8056 MW

That totals to around 16.5 GW of wind power.

I can see offshore electrolysers producing hydrogen all around the coasts of the British Isles.

What Happens If Sunak Doesn’t Win The Election?

RWE and others have signed contracts to develop large wind farms around our shores.

They didn’t do that out of the goodness of their hearts, but to make money for themselves and their backers and shareholders.

Conclusion

I believe a virtuous circle will develop.

  • Electricity will be generated in the UK.
  • Some will be converted to hydrogen.
  • Hydrogen and electricity will be exported to the highest bidders.
  • European industry will, be powered by British electricity and hydrogen.
  • Money will be paid to the UK and the energy suppliers for the energy.

The more energy we produce, the more we can export.

In the future more interconnectors, wind farms and electrolysers will be developed.

Everybody will benefit.

As the flows grow, this will certainly become a Magic Money Tree, for whoever wins the election.

 

June 9, 2024 Posted by | Energy, Hydrogen | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Highview Power In The Daily Express

This article in the Daily Express is entitled The Storage Sites Around The UK That Could Provide Cheap Power To Millions Of Homes.

Highview Power gets a large mention for its plan for twenty storage sites around the UK.

This is said about their planned sites at Carrington and on Humberside.

It is hoped that the first plant, a £250million Manchester station, will come online as early as 2024. It will have a 30megawatts capacity, able to store 300megawatt hours of electricity, enough to supply 600,000 homes with clean power for an hour.

The next plants will be even larger in scale, with four a five planned for Humberside with a 200megawatt/2.5gigwatt hour capacity. The CRYOBattery site would be able to store excess energy generated by the Dogger Bank, Hornsea and Sofia wind farms.

There is also a comprehensive map, with sites indicated at places like Aberdeen, Anglesey, Inverness, Liverpool, Montrose, Norfolk and Sizewell.

The sites seem to be following the wind, which is where excess power needs to be stored and released, when the wind is on strike.

November 27, 2022 Posted by | Energy, Energy Storage | , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Plans Emerge For 8 GW Of Offshore Wind On Dogger Bank

Wikipedia has an entry, which is a List Of Offshore Wind Farms In The United Kingdom.

The totals are worth a look.

  • Operational – 13279 MW
  • Under Construction – 4125 MW
  • Proposed Under The UK Government’s Contracts For Difference Round 3 – 2412 MW
  • Proposed Under The UK Government’s Contracts For Difference Round 4 – 7026 MW
  • Exploratory Phase, But No Contract for Difference – Scotland – 24,826 MW
  • Exploratory Phase, But No Contract for Difference – England – 14,500 MW

Note.

  1. That gives a Grand Total of 66,168 MW or 66.168 GW.
  2. The government’s target is 50 GW of offshore wind by 2030.
  3. The typical UK power need is around 23 GW, so with nuclear and solar, we could be approaching three times the electricity generation capacity that we currently need.

The figures don’t include projects like Berwick Bank, Cerulean Wind, Norfolk Vanguard or Northern Horizons, which are not mentioned in Wikipedia’s list.

I regularly look at the list of wind farms in this Wikipedia entry and noticed that the number of Dogger Bank wind farms had increased.

They are now given as.

  • Dogger Bank A – 1200 MW – Completion in 2023/24
  • Dogger Bank B – 1200 MW – Completion in 2024/25
  • Dogger Bank C – 1200 MW – Completion in 2024/25
  • Dogger Bank D – 1320 MW – No Completion Given
  • Dogger Bank South – 3000 MW – No Completion Given

Note, that gives a Grand Total of 7920 MW or 7.920 GW.

This article on offshoreWIND.biz is entitled BREAKING: SSE, Equinor Plan 1.3 GW Dogger Bank D Offshore Wind Project.

It was published on the October 6th, 2022 and starts with this summary.

SSE Renewables and Equinor are looking into building what would be the fourth part of Dogger Bank Wind Farm, the world’s largest offshore wind farm, whose three phases (A, B and C) are currently under construction. Surveys are now underway at an offshore site where the partners want to develop Dogger Bank D, which would bring Dogger Bank Wind Farm’s total capacity to nearly 5 GW if built.

Obviously, there are a few ifs and buts about this development, but it does look like SSE Renewables and Equinor are serious about developing Dogger Bank D.

More Dogger Bank Gigawatts for UK As RWE Moves Forward With Two 1.5 GW Projects

This subheading describes, the 3 GW wind farm, that I listed earlier as Dogger Bank South.

These three paragraphs describe the projects.

RWE is now moving forward with two new offshore wind farms in the Zone, each with a 1.5 GW generation capacity, after the company obtained approval from the UK Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) to enter into an Agreement for Lease with The Crown Estate this Summer, following the Round 4 leasing process.

The wind farms will be built at two adjacent sites located just southwest of the Dogger Bank A offshore wind farm and are dubbed Dogger Bank South (DBS) East and Dogger Bank South (DBS) West.

RWE has also started with geophysical seabed surveys within the wind turbine array areas for its two new projects.

It appears that they have already got the leasing process started.

When Will Dogger Bank D And Dogger Bank South Be Operational?

Consider.

  • In How Long Does It Take To Build An Offshore Wind Farm?, showed that a lot of offshore wind farms have gone from planning permission to first operation in six years.
  • I don’t think that there will be planning permission problems on the Dogger Bank.
  • The two wind farms are a continuation of Dogger Bank A, B and C and the Sofia wind farms.
  • A lot of the construction, would be more of the same.

With average luck, I can see Dogger Bank D and Dogger Bank South in full production before the end of 2028.

October 16, 2022 Posted by | Energy | , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Highview Power’s Plan To Add Energy Storage To The UK Power Network

The plan was disclosed in this article on the Telegraph, which is entitled Britain Will Soon Have A Glut Of Cheap Power, And World-Leading Batteries To Store It, by Rupert Pearce, who is Highview’s chief executive.

His plan is to build twenty of Highview Power’s CRYOBatteries around the country.

  • Each CRYOBattery will be able to store 30 GWh.
  • Each CRYOBattery will be one of the largest batteries in the world.
  • They will have three times the storage of the pumped storage hydroelectric power station at Dinorwig.
  • They will be able to supply 2.5 GW for twelve hours, which is more output than Sizewell B nuclear power station.

The first 30 GWh CRYOBattery is planned to be operational by late 2024.

  • It will be built on Humberside.
  • Humberside is or will be closely connected to the Dogger Bank, Hornsea and Sofia wind farms.
  • When fully developed, I believe these wind farms could be producing upwards of 8 GW.

The Telegraph quotes Rupert Pearce as saying this.

We can take power when the grid can’t handle it, and fill our tanks with wasted wind (curtailment). At the moment the grid has to pay companies £1bn a year not to produce, which is grotesque.

I certainly agree with what he says about it being a grotesque practice.

It sounds to me, that Rupert’s plan would see Highview Power in the waste electricity management business.

  • The wasted wind would just be switched to the Humberside CRYOBattery, if there was too much power in the area.
  • The CRYOBattery might be conveniently located, where the wind farm cables join the grid.
  • Dogger Bank A and B wind farms are connected to Creyke Beck substation, which is North of the Humber.
  • Hornsea 1 and Hornsea 2 wind farm are connected to Killingholme substation, which is South of the Humber.
  • Hornsea 3 wind farm will be connected to Norfolk.
  • Hornsea 4 wind farms will be connected to Creyke Beck substation
  • It looks like the combined capacity of Dogger Bank A, Dogger Bank B and Hornsea 4 could be around 3.4 GW.
  • Sofia wind farm will be connected to Lazenby substation near Redcar.
  • As the CRYOBattery is buying, selling and storing electricity, I would assume that there’s money to be made.

This Google Map shows Creyke Beck substation.

Note.

  1. It is a large site.
  2. Creyke Beck Storage have built a 49.99 MW lithium-ion storage battery on the site.
  3. The Northern part of the site is used to store caravans.
  4. It looks like the combined capacity of Dogger Bank A, Dogger Bank B and Hornsea 4 could be around 3.4 GW.

It looks like a 30 GWh CRYOBattery with a maximum output of 2.5 GW would be an ideal companion for the three wind farms connected to Creyke Back substation.

The combination could probably supply upwards of 2.5 GW to the grid at all times to provide a strong baseload for Humberside.

Conclusion

Will the income from the Humberside CRYOBattery be used to fund the next CRYOBattery?

I very much think so as it’s very sensible financial management!

July 30, 2022 Posted by | Energy, Energy Storage | , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments