Barry Station To Go Step-Free
This document on the Government web site is entitled Access for All: 73 Stations Set To Benefit From Additional Funding.
Barry station is on the list.
These pictures show the station and the current bridge,
Note.
- The trains were very crowded.
- The bridge is approaching its rust-by date.
- I think it is true to say, that the station buildings need a thorough refurbishment.
I have been sent a map of the proposed works and facilities for the South Wales Metro. This snippet shows the lines around Barry station.
Note.
- The lines are not planned to be electrified.
- Barry station will get a new PRM-compliant bridge with step-free access between street and train.
- There will be an airport connection at the station.
I would assume that the station buildings will get the much-needed refurbishment.
Services To Barry, Barry Island, Bridgend and Penarth
The South Wales Metro services through Barry will be as follows.
- Services will terminate in the South and West at Barry Island, Bridgend and Penarth
- Services will terminate in the North at Coryton and Rhymney.
- There will be increased train frequencies.
Trains will be tri-mode Stadler Flirts with three or four cars, which will be similar to Greater Anglia’s Class 755 trains.
Judging by yesterday this capacity increase will be welcome.
Installing The Step-Free Access
It would appear there is plenty of space for a step-free footbridge with lifts.
In Winner Announced In The Network Rail Footbridge Design Ideas Competition, I wrote how the competition was won by this bridge.
A bridge like this could be built at the other end of the station.
It would also be able to built it, without disrupting the train services or the passengers.
Once complete, the old bridge could be demolished or left as required.
Treforest Station To Go Step-Free
This document on the Government web site is entitled Access for All: 73 Stations Set To Benefit From Additional Funding.
Treforest station is on the list.
These pictures show the station and the current bridge,
The bridge is not the easiest to cross and I tripped.
I wouldn’t like to cross it in the worst weather the Valleys could through at it!
Installing The Step-Free Access
This Google Map shows the station.
In Winner Announced In The Network Rail Footbridge Design Ideas Competition, I wrote how the competition was won by this bridge.
I believe that one of these bridges could be built at the Northern end of the station.
- The Southbound platform could be widened if necessary.
- The Western end of the bridge might mean a few car-parking spaces would be lost.
- Disabled car-parking spaces could be close to the bridge.
- The bridge could be used to support the electrification in the station.
But most importantly, the bridge could be installed without any disruption to trains and passengers.
I have been sent a map of the proposed works and facilities for the South Wales Metro. This snippet shows Treforest station.
Note.
- Treforest station is shown with a PRM-compliant bridge and step-free access from street to train. The new bridge would deliver this.
- The station is shown electrified.
- A short section of line North of the station is without electrification.
This Google Map shows the area to the North of the station.
It would appear, that instead of rebuilding the bridge to squeeze the wires underneath, a short earthed section of overhead conductor rail would be used.
Conclusion
Using one of Network Rail’s new bridges at Treforest station, solves all the problems of the station and could even make the electrification easier.
Is Taff’s Well Station Planned To Go Step-Free?
This document on the Government web site is entitled Access for All: 73 Stations Set To Benefit From Additional Funding.
Taff’s Well station is not on the list.
These pictures show the station and the current bridge,
Crossing the tracks on the current bridge, is no easier, than at Cathays and Treforest stations, both of which are going step-free.
This map is a schemastic of the South Wales Metro.
Twelve trains per hour (tph) will go through the station, when the South Wales Metro is fully developed.
Passenger numbers for 2017/2017 South between Pontypridd and Cathays are as follows.
- Pontypridd – 864,000 – Step-free
- Treforest – 752,000 – Going step-free by 2024
- Treforest Estate – 84,000
- Taff’s Well – 364,000
- Radyr – 539,000 – Step-free
- Llandaff – 483,000 – Step-free
- Cathays – 946,000 – Going step-free by 2024
Taff’s Well is the second least-used station.
But a doubling of the train frequency in the next few years, will certainly increase passenger numbers.
One guy, I spoke to said, that the station wasn’t busy.
I have been sent a map of the proposed works and facilities for the South Wales Metro. This snippet shows Taff’s Well station.
Note.
- There’s a lot of work to be done in the area.
- Taff’s Well station is shown with a PRM-compliant bridge and step-free access from street to train. The current bridge is not PRM-compliant.
- The station is shown electrified.
- Short sections of line around the station are without electrification.
I feel that to meet their objectives, the bridge needs to be replaced.
Installing Step-Free Access
In Winner Announced In The Network Rail Footbridge Design Ideas Competition, I wrote how the competition was won by this bridge.
I feel that, when Network Rail fully understand their installation procedures and costs, that a bridge like this could be used to replace the current monstrosity.
It also appears that the wires at Taff’s Well station will not be electrified, so could a bridge be used to hold up the overhead wires, that will guide pantographs through the station?
This Google Map shows Taff’s Well station.
The station has the common problem, of those that use the station as a Park-and-Ride have to negotiate the bridge one way.
Does the possibility of coming back from Cardiff, with lots of shopping, encourage shoppers to drive down the valley?
Taff’s Well station illustrates one of the benefits of the winning bridge design.
It could be built at the Northern end of the station, without disrupting the existing trains or their passengers.
I feel that Taff’s Well station would be ideal for one of the new bridges, even if it is not installed for a few years.
Electrification Through Taff’s Well Station
It is planned that electrification will be continuous through the station., which probably means that a new bridge with all the right clearances is desireable.
South of the station, there are a series of modern road bridges, which should have been built to give sufficient clearance for the 25 KVAC overhead electrification.
North of the station, there are two modern footbridges.
This is the one nearest the station.
And this is the more Northerly bridge.
It appears that discontinuous electrification will be used on both bridges to make sure all safety clearances are met.
In an ideal world, the second bridge should surely have lifts!
Conclusion
Obviously, as the plans develop, we’ll know more about what will happen at Taff’s Well station.
Cathays Station To Go Step-Free
This document on the Government web site is entitled Access for All: 73 Stations Set To Benefit From Additional Funding.
Cathays station is on the list.
These pictures show the station and the current bridge,
This Google Map shows the station and its surroundings.
Note.
- As I went through I noticed a lot of development North of the station.
- The map shows developments to the South.
- There appears to be a lot of student accommodation in the area.
All this must add up to a large increase in passenger numbers at the station.
But the biggest driver of passenger numbers, will be the trains through the station, as shown on this map.
Twelve trains per hour (tph) will go through the station, when the South Wales Metro is fully developed.
- South to Barry Island, Bridgend, Cardiff Bay, Cardiff Central, Pearth and Rhoose Airport.
- North to Aberdate, Merthyr Tydfil, Pontypridd and Treherbert.
Cathays station will be busy, with a very busy bridge, handling twice as many trains, as it does now!
I have been sent a map of the proposed works and facilities for the South Wales Metro. This snippet shows Cathays station.
Note.
- Cathays station is shown with a PRM-compliant bridge with step-free access from street to train.
- There is a long and a short break in the electrification to the West of the station.
Cathays station is more complicated than it first appears.
Installing The Step-Free Access
I think that space for a footbridge could be tricky.
The platforms are narrow.
Is there enough space to add lifts to the existing bridge?
It could be difficult to keep the current bridge open, whilst a new one is installed.
In Winner Announced In The Network Rail Footbridge Design Ideas Competition, I wrote how the competition was won by this bridge.
It might be possible to squeeze in an asymmetric version of this bridge. Or one, where the steps went out to the side!
Electrification And Property Development To The West Of Cathays Station
To the West of Cathays station, Corbett Road crosses the railway., as this Google Map shows.
This is probably the shorter break in the electrification.
The second one could be more innovative.
This Google Map shows the railway, as it runs through Cardiff University between Cathays and Llandaf stations.
Note, what looks to be a large development site on the North side of the tracks.
Could it be that the University plans to build over the railway?
It would certainly maximise land use and perhaps make it easier for the University to construct the buildings it needs.
A New Station At Gabalfa
A new Gabalfa station is also proposed between Cathays and Llandaf stations.
Conclusion
It looks like there is a lot happening around Cathays station.
T
and there a
No Progress At Syon Lane Station
I visited Syon Lane station this morning and there has been no progress on the footbridge, that Network Rail say will be installed by late summer.
Over the weekend various works were done along the line, including some conductor rail replacement.
There’s another blockade next weekend, so I’ll see what happens then!
Conclusion
The longer it goes without any visible progress, does it make it more likely, that some form of prefabricated bridge will be assembled like giant Lego?
I can’t see how, if a traditional footbridge is used, it can be built to their timescale.
Irlam Station To Go Step-Free
This document on the Government web site is entitled Access for All: 73 Stations Set To Benefit From Additional Funding.
Irlam station is on the list.
These pictures show the station and the current subway.
The station was a total surprise, with a large pub-cafe and a lot of visitors and/or travellers sitting in the sun.
I had an excellent coffee and a very welcoming gluten-free blueberry muffin!
This Google Map shows the station.
It is one of those stations where commuters have to cross the railway either on the way to work or coming home.
So a step-free method of crossing the railway is absolutely necessary.
The Current And Future Rail Service
As the station lies conveniently between Liverpool and Warrington to the West and Manchester and Manchester Airport to the East, it must be a station with tremendous potential for increasing the number of passengers.
At the moment the service is two trains per hour (tph) between Liverpool Lime Street and Manchester Oxford Road stations.
- Oxford Road is probably not the best terminus, as it is not on the Metrolink network.
- When I returned to Manchester, many passengers alighted at Deansgate for the Metrolink.
- On the other hand, Liverpool Lime Street is a much better-connected station and it is backed up by Liverpool South Parkway station, which has a connection to Merseyrail’s Northern Line.
- The current service doesn’t serve Manchester Piccadilly or Airport stations.
A guy in the cafe also told me that two tph are not enough and the trains are often too short.
Merseyrail work to the same principle as the London Overground and other cities of four tph at all times and the frequency certainly draws in passengers.
Whilst I was drinking my coffee, other trains past the station.
- One tph – Liverpool Lime Street and Manchester Airport
- One tph – Liverpool Lime Street and Norwich
Modern trains like Northern’s new Class 195 trains, should be able to execute stops at stations faster than the elderly diesel trains currently working the route.
So perhaps, after Irlam station becomes step-free, the Manchester Airport service should call as well.
As Liverpool Lime Street station has been remodelled, I can see a time in the not too distant future, when that station can support four tph, that all stop at Irlam station.
The Manchester end of the route could be a problem, as services terminating at Oxford Road have to cross the busy lines of the Castlefield Corridor.
So perhaps all services through Irlam, should go through Deansgate, Manchester Oxford Road and Manchester Piccadilly stations to terminate either at the Airport or perhaps Stockport or Hazel Grove stations.
But would this overload the Castlefield Corridor?
Battery/Electric Trains
If you look at the route between Liverpool Lime Street and Manchester Oxford Road stations, the following can be seen.
- Only about thirty miles between Deansgate and Liverpool South Parkway stations is not electrified.
- The section without electrification doesn’t appear to be particularly challenging, as it is along the River Mersey.
It is my view, that the route between Liverpool and Manchester via Irlam, would be an ideal route for a battery/electric train.
A train between Liverpool Lime Street and Manchester Airport stations would do the following.
- Run from Liverpool Lime Street station to Liverpool South Parkway station using the installed 25 KVAC overhead electrification.
- Drop the pantograph during the stop at Liverpool South Parkway station.
- Run from Liverpool South Parkway station to Deansgate station using battery power.
- Raise the pantograph during the stop at Deansgate station.
- Run from Deansgate station to Manchester Airport station, using the installed 25 KVAC overhead electrification.
The exact distance between Deansgate and Liverpool South Parkway stations is 28.2 miles or 45.3 kilometres.
In 2015, I was told by the engineer riding shotgun on the battery/electric Class 379 train, that that experimental train was capable of doing fifty kilometres on battery power.
There are at least four possible trains, that could handle this route efficiently.
- Porterbrook’s proposed batteryFLEX train based on a Class 350 train.
- A battery/electric train based on the seemingly unwanted Class 379 train.
- A battery/electric version of Stadler’s Class 755 train.
- I believe that Bombardier’s Aventra has been designed so that a battery/electric version can be created.
There are probably others and I haven’t talked about hydrogen-powered trains.
Battery power between Liverpool and Manchester via Irlam, appears to be very feasible.
Tram-Trains
As my train ran between Manchster and Irlam it ran alongside the Metrolink between Cornbrook and Pomona tram stops.
Manchester is very serious about tram-trains, which I wrote about in Could A Class 399 Tram-Train With Batteries Go Between Manchester Victoria And Rochdale/Bury Bolton Street/Rawtenstall Stations?.
Tram-trains are often best employed to go right across a city, so could the Bury tram-trains go to Irlam after joining the route in the Cornbrook area?
- Only about thirty miles between Deansgate and Liverpool South Parkway stations is not electrified.
- The route between Liverpool and Manchester via Irlam doesn’t look to be a very challenging line to electrify.
- The total distance bettween Liverpool Lime Street and Manchester Victoria station is only about forty miles, which is a short distance for a tram-train compared to some in Karlsruhe.
- Merseyrail’s Northern Line terminates at Hunts Cross station, which is going to be made step-free.
- There is an existing step-free interchange between the Liverpool and Manchester route via Irlam and Merseyrail’s Northern Line at Liverpool South Parkway station.
- Class 399 tram-trains will have a battery capability in South Wales.
- Class 399 tram-trains have an operating speed of 62 mph, which might be possible to increase.
- Stadler make Class 399 tram-trains and are building the new Class 777 trains for Merseyrail.
I think that Stadler’s engineers will find a totally feasible and affordable way to link Manchester’s Metrolink with Liverpool Lime Street station and Merseyrail’s Northern and Wirral Lines.
I can envisage the following train service running between Liverpool and Manchester via Irlam.
- An hourly service between Liverpool Lime Street and Nottingham, as has been proposed for the new East Midlands Franchise.
- A four tph service between Liverpool Lime Street and Manchester Airport via Manchester Piccadilly.
- A tram-train every ten minutes, linking Liverpool Central and Manchester’s St Peter’s Square.
- Tram-trains would extend to the North and East of Manchester as required.
- All services would stop much more comprehensively, than the current services.
- Several new stations would be built.
- In the future, the tram-trains could have an interchange with High Speed Two at Warrington.
Obviously, this is just my speculation, based on what I’ve seen of tram-train networks in Germany.
The possibilities for the use of tram trains are wide-ranging.
Installing Step-Free Access At Irlam Station
There would appear to be two ways of installing step-free access at Irlam station.
- Add lifts to the existing subway.
- Add a separate bridge with lifts.
These are my thoughts on each method.
Adding Lifts To The Existing Subway
Consider.
- The engineering would not be difficult.
- Installaton would probably take a number of weeks.
- There is good contractor access on both sides of the railway.
There are similar successful step-free installations around the UK
The problem is all about, how you deal with passengers, whilst the subway is closed for the installation of the lifts.
Adding A Separate Bridge With Lifts
Consider.
- There is a lot of space at both the Eastern and Western ends of the platform to install a new bridge.
- Adding a separate bridge has the big advantage, that during the installation of the bridge, passengers can use the existing subway.
- Once the bridge is installed, the subway can be refurbished to an appropriate standard.
Passengers will probably prefer the construction of a new bridge.
In Winner Announced In The Network Rail Footbridge Design Ideas Competition, I wrote how the competition was won by this bridge.
So could a factory-built bridge like this be installed at Irlam station?
There is certainly space at both ends of the platform to install such a bridge and the daily business of the station and its passengers would be able to continue unhindered, during the installation.
I’m also sure, that the cafe would be happy to provide the daily needs of the workforce.
Conclusion
From a station and project management point-of-view, adding a new factory-built bridge to Irlam station is the easiest and quickest way to make the station step-free.
It also appears, that Network Rail have made a wise choice in deciding to put Irlam station on their list of stations to be made step-free, as the station could be a major part in creating a new high-capacity route between Liverpool and Manchester.
This could also be one of the first stations to use an example of the new bridge.
- Installation would be quick and easy.
- There is no site access problems.
- There station can remain fully open during the installation.
- All stakeholders would probably be in favour.
But above all, it would be a superb demonstration site to bring those from stations, where Network Rail are proposing to erect similar bridges.
My First Ride In A Class 195 Train
Today, I rode the ten o’clock Virgin to Manchester Piccadilly station.
I then waited for one of the new Class 195 trains going South to Manchester Aurport station.
These pictures show the Class 195 train.
These are my views on various aspects of the train.
Noise, Vibration And Harshness
The Class 195 train is a diesel multiple unit, with an MTU engine and a ZF Ecolife transmission.
Wikipedia describes the transmission as is a 6 speed transmission for city buses. It also lists these features.
- Boosted operating economy, longer service life, and higher temperature resistance for operation with Euro 5 (1st generation) and Euro 6 (2nd generation) compatible engines.
- An integral retarder,
- Longer operational intervals between oil changes.
- Higher torque capacity.
It looks like ZF have created a sophisticated and very efficient gearbox for diesel buses and trains.
During today, I rode also rode in Class 156 and Class 175 trains, that are also diesel powered.
I would put the noise, vibration and harshness of the diesel engine and the transmission of the Class 195 trains, as worse than that of the Class 175 train and better than than that of the Class 156 train.
I am surprised that the Class 195 train doesn’t use a hybrid electric transmission, which are starting to be developed by MTU and will be retrofitted into various diesel multiple units like Porterbrook’s Class 170 trains, as I talked about in Rolls-Royce And Porterbrook Launch First Hybrid Rail Project In The UK With MTU Hybrid PowerPacks.
I said this in the linked post.
As I understand it, the current hydraulic traction system will be replaced by an electric one with a battery, that will enable.
- Regenerative braking using a battery.
- Battery electric power in urban areas, stations and depots.
- Lower noise levels
- Lower maintenance costs.
This should also reduce diesel fuel consumption and carbon emissions.
As the Class 195 train has a similar electric cousin; the Class 331 train, I would have felt that it would be possible to fit the Class 195 trains with an MTU Hybrid PowerPack or similar.
This should reduce, what to me, are unacceptable noise levels.
As the MTU Hybrid PowerPack has been developed, at the same time as the Class 195 train, which uses a traditional MTU engine, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Class 195 train has been designed to be retrofitted with the more efficient MTU Hybrid PowerPack.
Interior Design
The designj of the interior is disappointing in some of the details and I would rate it inferior to the Class 385 trains, built for ScotRail by Hitachi.
The most annoying aspect is that the seats and windows are not aligned, as they are in Hitachi’s design.
This picture taken in a Chiltern Railways Mark 3 carriage, shows the alignment done in a better manner.
But I believe, that it can be done better still.
Entrance And Exit
As the pictures show, there is a big gap and a high step getting into the train. I know that the platform at Manchester Piccadilly is not easy, but the gap was still large on the straight platform at Manchester Airport.
With any new train, a passenger in a wheelchair, should be able to push themselves into and out of the train.
They certainly can’t in a Class 195 train.
Conclusion
I was rather disappointed with the Class 195 train.
Good points were the number of tables and build quality.
Bad points were the noise, vibration and harshness, execution of the interior design and entry and exit.
Compared to the Class 385 train, which I would score at 8/10, the Class 195 train, is no better than 6/10.
In some ways though, my biggest disappointment, is that they didn’t get the smaller points of the design right first time!
Seven Kings Station – 2nd July 2019
Seven Kings station appears to be substantially complete, as these pictures show..
A new bridge with lifts has been added to supplement the current stairs, which have been refurbished.
Brentwood Station – 2nd July 2019
I took these pictures of Brentwood station today.
For comparison, this second set of pictures were taken in October 2014 and I posted them in Before Crossrail – Brentwood Station.
Note the excellent toilets.
There is still work to do to finish the station.
The biggest problem appears to be squeezing the lifts into the structure.
There is this article on Essex Live, which is entitled Brentwood Station Lift Fiasco Is Penalising Buggy-Users And Disable People.
This is said in the article.
Network Rail has previously said that the decision to not install a lift on platform four was “not taken lightly.”
But, the discovery of power cables and a disused culvert underneath where the lift shaft would go led to Network Rail’s conclusion that a lift could not be installed there.
I’m afraid that station modifications are liberally sprinkled with stories like this.
Harold Wood Station – 2nd July 2019
Harold Wood station appears to be progressing towards completion.
These pictures were taken today.
For comparison, this second set of pictures were taken in October 2014 and I posted then in Before Crossrail – Harold Wood .
In the related post, I said this.
The station has toilets but a bad bridge and no lifts.
It won’t take much to get it ready for Crossrail.
It appears that the following work has been done.
- A temporary (?) step-free entrance has been built.
- A new bridge has been put in place.
- The platforms have been extended.
But the lift installation need finishing and the old station building needs refurbishing.
The station has the air of an overrunning refurbishing project or one that has run out of money.
The Anonymous Widower 