The Anonymous Widower

Hopes Railway Station In Picturesque Village Could Become ‘Gateway’ To Northumberland Coast

The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the Chronicle Live.

This is the sub-heading.

A rail company boss said there was a “real opportunity” for the station to have a bigger role

These three paragraphs add more details.

A key railway boss has provided hope that one of Northumberland’s quietest railway stations could finally see more trains pulling in. Chathill Station on the East Coast Mainline is close to two of the county’s most popular tourist destinations in Seahouses and Bamburgh.

Despite the excellent location it is one of the county’s least-used stations. Just 1,580 passengers were recorded between April 2024 and March 2025 – although this was up 25% on the previous 12 months.

Locals have been urging rail companies to make more stops in the village. Now, the boss of operator First Rail Open Access, which runs Lumo services, has visited the station and claimed there is a “real opportunity” to strengthen its role. Lumo provides services on the East Coast between King’s Cross and Edinburgh Waverly, passing through Chathill.

It seems that Lumo must think it is worthwhile stopping at Chathill.

Chathill: The Station That The Nation Forgot

This feature has the same title as this section.

It is well worth a read and gives a good background to the history of Chathill station and the other stations on the East Coast Main Line, and the former branch to Seahouses.

Could Modern Digital Signalling Be The Key For Lumo?

Lumo runs between London Kings Cross and Edinburgh Waverley and Glasgow Queen Street six time per day, calling at Stevenage, Newcastle, Morpeth, Edinburgh Waverley, Haymarket and Falkirk High.

Note.

  1. Stevenage calls only pick up Northbound and put down Southbound, so have Lumo developed procedures to get passengers on and off the train, as fast as possible?
  2. The East Coast Main Line is also under control of full digital signalling at Stevenage, so is that used to expedite the stop?
  3. Going North the trains seem to have a time where they leave Stevenage like 0606 and in reality they might arrive at 0604 and leave at 0606. So do they go as fast as traffic will allow between Kings Cross and Stevenage, using the digital signalling and the Mark 1 eyeball to keep tabs on the train in front?
  4. Going South a similar procedure seems to be used.

A typical stop at Stevenage seems to take between one and two minutes.

I have just checked Morpeth and all Lumo services seem to stop at Morpeth and they seem to take between one and two minutes.

It looks to me, as a Graduate Control Engineer, that full digital signalling on the East Coast Main Line might allow a couple extra stops to be added to Lumo’s timetable.

Will East Coast Main Line Digital Signalling Allow 140 mph Running?

I asked Google AI the question in the title of this section and received this reply.

Yes, the digital signalling being installed via the East Coast Digital Programme is a key technical enabler for future 140 mph (225 km/h) operation on parts of the East Coast Main Line.

This will surely, allow trains to pick up enough time on 140 mph sections of the line, to give enough time for the extra stops.

How Much Time Will 140 mph Running Save?

A quick calculation shows that if a train ran at 140 mph instead of 125 mph for a hundred miles, there would be approximate five minutes saved.

I suspect this would allow two extra stops.

Could An Extra Stop Be Made At Reston?

This OpenRailwayMap shows Chathill and South-East Scotland.

Note.

  1. The orange track going up the coast is the East Coast Main Line between London Kings Cross and Edinburgh.
  2. Chathill station is marked by the blue arrow in the South-East corner of the map on the East Coast Main Line.
  3. The East Coast Main Line crosses the Firth of Forth on the Forth Bridge to the West of Edinburgh.
  4. The yellow track coming down from the Edinburgh area is the Borders Railway to Galashiels and Tweedbank.
  5. Two former railways lead between Tweedbank and Berwick-upon-Tweed and Reston stations on the East Coast Main Line.
  6. Important stations, that are North of Chathill, are Berwick-upon-Tweed, Reston, Dunbar and East Linton.
  7. Berwick-on-Tweed and Dunbar are well-served by LNER, with Reston getting one train per day.

I could see Lumo stopping at Reston, just as they share business at Morpeth with LNER.

Are There Any Plans To Connect The Borders Railway To Berwick-On-Tweed?

Looking at the map, I just had to ask Google AI the question in the title of this section.

I received this reply.

Official feasibility and business case studies are instead focused on extending the current Tweedbank terminus south toward Hawick and Carlisle along the old Waverley Route.

Grassroots Proposals

Tweed Valley Campaign: A volunteer group called the Tweed Valley Railway Campaign has lobbied to restore a link running east from St Boswells toward Berwick-upon-Tweed.

Local Benefits: Proponents argue an east-west connection would link the Borders directly to the East Coast Main Line, helping tourism and commuters.

Official Status: Despite local campaigns, transport authorities and councils have not adopted the Berwick route as part of official funded transport strategies.

Official Extension Plans

Carlisle Route: Government backing and funding are directed toward an extension study heading toward Hawick and Carlisle.

Timeline: Consultants are advancing a strategic business case for the Carlisle alignment, expected to report by late 2027.

I wonder if there might be a simpler interim plan.

Consider.

  • Galashiels has a vert smart rail and bus interchange.
  • Google AI says that Galashiels interchange can handle coaches.
  • Wrightbus are launching hydrogen coaches in the next year or so.
  • Hydrogen coaches will be powerful and silent.
  • Hydrogen coaches will have a working range of 1,000 km.

I could see that hydrogen coaches running from Galashiels to Carlisle and Berwick-on-Tweed could be a winner.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

August 11, 2026 Posted by | Artificial Intelligence, Hydrogen, Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Could London And Central Scotland Air Passengers Be Persuaded To Use The Trains?

How Many Passengers Fly Between London And Edinburgh?

Wikipedia gives these figures for 2024 for passengers from Edinburgh to London

  • London City – 334,873
  • London Gatwick – 476,152
  • London Heathrow – 1,148,634
  • London Luton – 338, 729
  • London Stansted – 693,953

This gives a total of 2,992,341.

As Wikipedia doesn’t give complete figures for from London to Edinburgh, for the purpose of this analysis, I’ll assume they are the same.

How Many Passengers Fly Between London And Glasgow?

Wikipedia gives these figures for 2024 for passengers from Glasgow to London

  • London City – 208,405
  • London Gatwick – 456,002
  • London Heathrow – 954,027
  • London Luton – 255,095
  • London Stansted – 225,110

This gives a total of 2,098,639.

As Wikipedia doesn’t give complete figures for from London to Glasgow, for the purpose of this analysis, I’ll assume they are the same.

How Many Passengers Fly Between London And Scotland’s Central Belt?

Adding the two figures gives 5,090,980. in both directions.

Which is an average of 97,903 per week or 13,948 per day.

How Many Train Seats Run Between London And Scotland’s Central Belt?

These figures are for Friday the 1st of August.

  • Aventi West Coast – London Euston and Glasgow Central – 5 x 9-car Class 390 train – 2,345 seats
  • Aventi West Coast – London Euston and Glasgow Central – 16 x 11-car Class 390 train – 6,677 seats
  • LNER – London King’s Cross and Edinburgh – 26 x 9-car Class 801 train – 15,886 seats
  • Lumo – London King’s Cross and Edinburgh – 5 x 5-car Class 803 train – 2,010 seats

Note.

  1. All services are all-electric.
  2. All services are fairly new or have recently been refurbished,

This gives a total of 26,918 train seats.

Adding Lumo’s Service To Glasgow

In Lumo Will Extend Its King’s Cross And Edinburgh Service To Glasgow, I suggested that the Glasgow service would be run as follows from December 2025.

  • Two existing Lumo services will leave London as pairs of five-car trains.
  • The pairs will split at Edinburgh.
  • The leading train will go on to Glasgow Queen Street calling at Edinburgh Haymarket and Falkirk High stations.
  • The trailing train will return to London King’s Cross.
  • At the end of the day, the two trains in Glasgow will do a fast run back to London King’s Cross as a pair of 5-car trains.

This will add 804 seats per day between London and Glasgow Queen Street in both directions.

The daily total would now total 27,722 train seats, which compares with a daily average of 13,948 passengers per day, who travel by air.

Adding Lumo’s Service To Stirling

In Lumo To Expand Scotland’s Rail Network With New London-Stirling Rail Route From Spring 2026, I talk about Lumo’s new service to Stirling.

  • There will be five trains per day (tpd) in each direction.
  • Lumo’s new route will link London Euston directly to Stirling, also calling at Milton Keynes, Nuneaton, Crewe, Preston, Carlisle, Lockerbie, Motherwell, Whifflet (serving Coatbridge), Greenfaulds (serving Cumbernauld) and Larbert.
  • The service will use 6-car Class 222 trains, which in the linked post, I estimate will have a similar one-class capacity to the Class 803 trains between London King’s Cross and Edinburgh.
  • If the capacity of the two train types is similar, this should give operational advantages and allow some more Class 803 trains to run the Euston and Stirling route.

This second Scottish route will add 2010 train seats per day between London Euston and Stirling in both directions.

The daily total would now total 29,732 train seats, which compares with a daily average of 13,948 passengers per day, who travel by air.

Could More Capacity Be Added Between London And Scotland’s Central Belt?

I believe some of the Lumo services between London King’s Cross and Edinburgh could be doubled up to a pair of trains.

There would have to be no platform length issues at London King’s Cross, Stevenage, Newcastle and Morpeth stations.

If three trains could be doubled up, that would add 1,206 train seats per day between London and Edinburgh in both directions.

The daily total would now total 30,938 train seats, which compares with a daily average of 13,948 passengers per day, who travel by air.

I also suspect, that some of the Stirling services could be doubled up.

Connectivity Of England’s Northern Airports To London And Central Scotland

Birmingham Airport

Consider.

  • There are easyJet flights to Edinburgh and Glasgow
  • There are 1.5 trains per hour (tph) between Birmingham New Street and Edinburgh.
  • There are 6 tpd between Birmingham New Street and Glasgow.

You would make your choice and pay the money.

East Midlands Airport

There are no flights or trains to Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Leeds Airport

Consider.

  • There are no flights to Edinburgh or Glasgow.
  • There is one tph between Leeds and Edinburgh
  • There is one tpd between Leeds and Glasgow

Could Leeds and Glasgow get better connectivity?

Liverpool Airport

Consider.

  • There are no flights to Edinburgh or Glasgow.
  • There is one tph between Liverpool Lime Street and Edinburgh
  • There is three tpd between Liverpool Lime Street and Glasgow

The Liverpool area is well connected to Crewe, Warrington Bank Quay, Wigan North Western and Preston stations on the West Coast Main Line for alternative services to Glasgow.

Manchester Airport

Consider.

  • There are no flights to Edinburgh or Glasgow.
  • There is one tph between Manchester Airport and Scotland via Manchester Piccadilly and Manchester Oxford Road, which alternates between Edinburgh and Glasgow.

The Manchester area is well connected to Crewe, Warrington Bank Quay, Wigan North Western and Preston stations on the West Coast Main Line for alternative services to Glasgow.

Omio gives this summary of flights between Heathrow and Manchester airports.

Flights from Manchester Airport to London Heathrow Airport depart on average 8 times per day, taking around 1h 6m. Cheap flight tickets for this journey start at £63 but you can travel from only £16 by coach.

Wrightbus and others will be producing mouse-quiet hydrogen-powered coaches in a couple of years. I suspect these will give short flights a good kicking.

Newcastle Airport

Consider.

  • There are no flights to Edinburgh or Glasgow.
  • There is three tph between Newcastle and Edinburgh with an additional 5 tpd from Lumo.
  • There is two tpd between Newcastle and Glasgow.
  • There is one tpd between Newcastle and Stirling.
  • From December 2025, Lumo will add two tpd from Newcastle to Glasgow and one tpd from Glasgow to Newcastle.
  • In Lumo Will Extend Its King’s Cross And Edinburgh Service To Glasgow, I stated that I believe that Lumo’s Glasgow to Newcastle service will be a late evening ten-car train, so travellers can have a long day in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Newcastle and still return to London.

Lumo would appear to fill in the gap between Newcastle and Glasgow.

Google AI gives this summary of flights between Heathrow and Newcastle airports.

There are usually 5-6 direct flights per day between Newcastle and Heathrow airports. These flights are operated by British Airways. The average flight time is around 1 hour and 10 minutes.

Note.

  1. In 2024, 497, 469 passengers flew between between Heathrow and Newcastle airports, which is an average of 681 passengers in each direction every day.
  2. This was an increase of 13.6 % on 2023.
  3. From December Lumo will be running extra London King’s Cross and Newcastle services, with each train having 402 seats.
  4. The improvements in rail services in and around Newcastle in recent months, will surely bring more passengers to use trains from Newcastle station.
  5. Will Lumo also target adverts at airline passengers?

London and Newcastle could be another route for mouse-quiet hydrogen-powered coaches.

Conclusion

These numbers summarise my calculations.

  • Currently an average of 13,948 passengers per day fly between London and Central Scotland.
  • Currently, there are 26,918 train seats available per day between London and Central Scotland.
  • In December 2025, Lumo will add another 804 low-cost train seats between London King’s Cross and Glasgow Queen Street.
  • In Spring 2026, Lumo will add 2010 low-cost train seats between London Euston and Stirling.
  • From Spring 2026, there will be 29,732 train seats available per day between London and Central Scotland.
  • This represents a 10 % increase of seats on the trains between London and Central Scotland.

How many passengers, who normally fly, will switch to using the train?

  • Lumo may only offer one class, but you get a trolley and can order food from M & S and others to be delivered to your seat.
  • Both LNER and Lumo accept dogs. I don’t know about Avanti.
  • All services will be all-electric, when Lumo gets its new electric trains for Stirling, in a few years.
  • It looks to me like Lumo could be offering a late train back to London from Edinburgh and Glasgow.
  • Digital signalling on the East Coast Main Line should speed up services.

If Lumo to Glasgow and Stirling works out, it could also cut the total carbon footprint of travel between London and Central Scotland.

August 4, 2025 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Hertford North Station – 6th December 2023

I went to Hertford North station this morning and took these pictures.

Note.

  1. Getting to Platform 1 is not easy.
  2. There would appear to be no obvious place for a lift.
  3. The traditional signals are still working.
  4. There is a cafe/shop in the station.

With some sympathetic refurbishment, it could be an excellent station.

I have some thoughts.

Digital Signalling

The digital signalling is currently being rolled out on the Northern City Line.

  • The Class 717 train seemed to be running faster than I can remember.
  • Had Network Rail been weeding the signals, as there only seemed to be one between each pair of stations?
  • Currently, Moorgate and Welwyn Garden City takes around 50-53 minutes.
  • Currently, Moorgate and Stevenage takes around 66-67 minutes.
  • The average speed between Moorgate and Stevenage is only about 32 mph, which is slow for an 85 mph train.

Could the digital signalling find more time between Hertford North and Stevenage reduce the journey time to something less than an hour?

Trains For Current Schedule

I estimate that the current off-peak schedule of two trains per hour (tph) needs nine trains.

So as there are extra trains in the peak, the fleet of twenty-five Class 717 trains should be enough to be able to run the extra peak trains.

Could Four Trains Per Hour Be Run On Both Routes?

Four tph on both routes, would need something like eighteen trains, which leaves seven spare trains.

December 6, 2023 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The Bowes Park And Bounds Green Out-Of-Station Interchange

After I’d taken the latest pictures in Bowes Park Station – 12th January 2023, I walked to Bounds Green station to go back South to the Angel.

I took these pictures on the way.

Note.

  1. The walk is level and could be done easily, if you were pushing a buggy, dragging a case or in a wheel-chair.
  2. There is a footbridge over the busy Bowes Road, which doesn’t have lifts. But you don’t need it to go between the stations.
  3. There is a light-controlled crossing outside Bounds Green station to cross Brownlow Road.
  4. The walk took me about six minutes.

These pictures show the escalators at Bounds Green station.

Could the central stairs be replaced by an inclined lift?

Would This Out-Of-Station Interchange Create An Easy Route Between Northern Piccadilly Line Stations And The Elizabeth Line?

Consider.

  • Cockfosters, Oakwood and Arnos Grove stations have car parking.
  • All stations on the Piccadilly Line from Bounds Green Northwards are well-connected by buses.
  • Bounds Green station has escalators.
  • Bowes Park station has stairs.
  • Bowes Park station has a well-stocked cafe.
  • Moorgate station has escalators and lifts to the Elizabeth Line.

For a perfect route, some things must be done.

The Frequency Of Trains On The Northern City Line

At the moment the trains through the station are two trains per hour (tph) between Moorgate and Stevenage.

But the frequency has been as high as four tph.

The frequency needs to be higher to cut waiting for a train.

Step-Free Access

This needs to be installed or improved at Bounds Green, Bowes Park and Moorgate stations.

Signage

The route between Bowes Park And Bounds Green stations needs better signage.

Conclusion

This Out-Of-Station Interchange could be made more use of.

January 13, 2023 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A Visit To Stevenage Station’s New Fifth Platform

These pictures show the new fifth platform at Stevenage station.

These are a few thoughts.

The New Spacious Platform

As the pictures show, the platform is spacious with plenty of shelter, which probably indicates that it has been designed to handle more than the current two trains per hour (tph).

Why Is Train-and-Platform Not Step-Free?

Look at this picture.

Surely, with a new platform and trains specifically-designed for the route, passengers in wheelchairs, pushing buggies or trailing heavy cases should be able to just stroll in?

If as is likely this route goes to Transport for London because of their policy of allowing those needing assistance to just turn up, this could become a problem in the future. Especially, if a more intensive service was run on this route between Moorgate and Stevenage, where turnround times have been reduced!

Track Layout

It looks like the new Platform 5 at Stevenage station is directly connected to the Down Line of the Hertford Loop, so that trains from London come straight in from the Down Platform  2 at Watton-at-Stone station. My return train appeared to run the other way until crossing over to the Up Line before it arrived back at Watton-at-Stone station.

Google Maps have not been updated in the area, so I’m not sure of the full track layout.

Following freight trains through Watton-at-Stone, it would appear that they use these platforms at Stevenage station.

  • Platform 1 – Going South
  • Platform 4 – Going North

As would be expected, it looks like it is possible for a freight train to pass through Stevenage to and from the Hertford Loop, with a train in Platform 5.

How Many Trains Per Hour Can Run Between Moorgate And Stevenage?

The timetable has appeared to have been setup, so that a very relaxed two tph can run very reliably between Moorgate and Stevenage stations.

Currently, there are four tph from Moorgate on the Hertford Loop, which alternate between terminating at Hertford North station or the new platform in Stevenage station.

So, if a commuter going home to Stevenage missed his train, they’d be thirty minutes late for supper.

Perhaps not a disaster, but as I indicated in Stevenage Station’s New Fifth Platform Opened A Year Early, Stevenage has an important hospital and increasingly trains for the North are calling at the station.

I suspect, that Network Rail and Great Northern will be investigating, if the two tph to Hertford North station can be extended to Stevenage.

Certain things must be in their favour.

  • It is generally accepted, that a well-designed single platform can turn back up to four, and in some cases, six tph.
  • The new Class 717 trains have better performance than the former Class 313 trains.
  • The route is now run exclusively by the new fleet of trains.
  • There are turn-back platforms at Hertford North and Gordon Hill stations.

But the biggest factor, must be that the Hertford Loop along with the rest of the Southern part of the East Coast Main Line, is going to be equipped with ERTMS digital signalling.

I can certainly see a day in the not-to-distant future, when at certain times in the day four tph run between Moorgate and the new fifth platform at Stevenage.

Freight Trains Through The Hertford Loop

According to Real Time Trains, during yesterday about ten freight trains ran through the Hertford Loop.

In addition, there appear to be up to two-three paths in some hours, which were not used.

In the future, after ERTMS digital signalling has been added to the route and more freight services are equipped, I can see increasing numbers of freight services on the Hertford Loop.

More Passenger Services On The Hertford Loop

In the past, whilst returning from the North to London, during periods of disruption caused by track and catenary problems, engineering works or other incidents, the train has taken some unusual routes. In one instance, the InterCity 125 used the Hertford Loop.

These are timings of trains between Finsbury Park and Stevenage stations.

  • Moorgate services – 51 minutes
  • Thameslink – Cambridge and Brighton – 19 minutes
  • Great Northern – Cambridge Express – 16 minutes

To help with the bottleneck of the Digswell Viaduct, it is likely that the Cambridge Expresses will be 140 mph trains, so they can mix it with all the LNER, East Coast Trains, Hull Trains and the other high speed trains between Kings Cross and Hitchin, as I wrote in Call For ETCS On King’s Lynn Route.

Perhaps, other tricks can be employed using Stevenage station and the Hertford Loop Line.

  • Could some services go non-stop on the Hertford Loop Line instead of over Digswell?
  • Could some services split and join in the long platforms at Stevenage?
  • Could some services from the North turnback at Stevenage?

I obviously don’t know all the technicalities, but it does seem that the recent works at Stevenage and the upcoming ERTMS signalling may open up possibilities.

Conclusion

This looks to be a major improvement at Stevenage!

Except for the lack of step-free access!

I

 

 

August 5, 2020 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , | Leave a comment

Stevenage Station’s New Fifth Platform Opened A Year Early

The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Rail Engineer.

This is the introductory paragraph.

A new £40 million platform and track at Stevenage station has been completed more than a year ahead of schedule.

Yesterday, it appears that the first scheduled train left Stevenage for Moorgate at 0502.

Will This Be Good For Travellers?

A few thoughts!

Stevenage Hospital

One of my old school friends lives in Cuffley. From that part of Hertfordshire, the hospital, patients use is in Stevenage. He can drive, but not everybody can!

LNER

Currently, LNER run an hourly service between Stevenage and Leeds, with an hourly service between Stevenage and Lincoln or York via Newark.

North From Enfield, Palmers Green, Southgate, Winchmore Hill and Wood Green

If you live in Enfield or the old London boroughs of Southgate or Wood Green, it could be easier to pick up trains for the North from Stevenage, rather than Kings Cross.

Not Bad For Me Too!

Even, where I live now, which is a mile or so East of Highbury & Islington station, if the timing is right, I can walk or get a bus for four stops to Essex Road station and get a train to Stevenage and then change for Leeds and the North.

East Coast Trains

East Coast Trains will be starting a fast, low-cost London Kings Cross and Edinburgh service, which will call at Stevenage.

Grand Central Trains

Grand Central Trains are currently shut down because of COVID-19, but will they call at Stevenage station, when they restart?

Hull Trains

Some Hull Trains services between London Kings Cross and Hull, call at Stevenage.

Hitachi’s Class 80x Trains

LNER, East Coast Trains and Hull Trains, all run versions of Hitachi’s Class 800 trains or similar.

These trains are built for performance and an extra stop at Stevenage station can probably be incorporated in the timetable without any penalty.

So will we see more trains stopping at Stevenage, if the train operators think it will be worthwhile?

Could Some Services From The North Terminate At Stevenage?

The Digswell Viaduct and the double-track section through Welwyn North station are the major bottleneck on the East Coast Main Line.

But a train returning North at Stevenage wouldn’t go over the viaduct.

Stevenage already has or could have excellent connections to the following.

  • Cambridge, Stansted Airport and East Anglia
  • Moorgate and the City of London and Crossrail.
  • North East London

If keen pricing can encourage travellers to use Stevenage instead of Kings Cross, I can see operators wanting to run extra services, that could start at Stevenage.

I can also see Greater Anglia getting in on the act.

Could Greater Anglia’s Ipswich and Cambridge service be extended to Stevenage via the planned Cambridge South and Royston stations?

Could the service be timed to offer cross-platform interchange with their Norwich and Stansted Airport, at Cambridge South station?

Four important extra services would be created with a step-free interchange.

  • Ipswich and Stansted Airport – 106 minutes – Step-free walk across at Cambridge South station
  • Ipswich and Stevenage – 115 minutes – New direct service
  • Norwich and Stansted Airport – 107 minutes – Existing service
  • Norwich and Stevenage – 116 minutes – Step-free walk across at Cambridge South station.

A large number East Anglian rail journeys would be simpler.

Car Parking

Will there be enough car parking at Stevenage station?

I suppose, it would be possible to build a Stevenage Parkway station between Stevenage and Watton-at-Stone stations.

This Google Map shows the area.

Note, that the railway seems to mark the development limit for the town.

The high performance of the Class 717 trains, would probably mean, that there would be no lengthened journey times.

Conclusion

This project appears to have been well-thought through!

 

 

August 4, 2020 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Thoughts On East Coast Trains

According to an article and a picture, the second new Class 803 train for Open Access Operator; East Coast Trains, has arrived in the UK to be fitted out at Newton Aycliffe.

These are my thoughts on the service.

The Trains

The Class 803 trains are similar to the other Hitachi A-trains running in the UK, but with two big differences.

  • They will have a one class interior and they will be fitted with a battery, instead of a diesel engine.
  • The battery is not for traction and is to provide hotel power in stations and in the event of a dewiring. The latter has been surprisingly common on the East Coast Main Line in recent years.

Normally, these five-car trains are fitted with a single MTU 12V 1600 R80L diesel engine, which is described in this datasheet on the MTU web site.

The mass of the engine is given as 6750 Kg, when it is ready to run.

It would seem logical to replace the diesel engine with a battery of the same weight. I’ll use seven tonnes, as the fuel tank won’t be needed either.

This page on the Clean Energy institute at the University of Washington is entitled Lithium-Ion Battery.

This is a sentence from the page.

Compared to the other high-quality rechargeable battery technologies (nickel-cadmium or nickel-metal-hydride), Li-ion batteries have a number of advantages. They have one of the highest energy densities of any battery technology today (100-265 Wh/kg or 250-670 Wh/L).

Using these figures, a seven-tonne battery would be between 700 and 1855 kWh in capacity.

Incidentally, the power output of an MTU 12V 1600 R80L is 700 kW.

In Sparking A Revolution I gave Hitachi’s possible specification of a battery-electric train.

  • Range – 55-65 miles
  • Performance – 90-100 mph
  • Recharge – 10 minutes when static
  • Routes – Suburban near electrified lines
  • Battery Life – 8-10 years

These figures are credited to Hitachi.

Doing a quick calculation, it would appear that.

  • A 700 kWh battery could supply the same power as the diesel engine for an hour.
  • A 1855 kWh battery could supply the same power as the diesel engine for two hours and thirty-nine minutes.

I am drawn to the conclusion, that although Hitachi say the battery is not for traction purposes in a Class 803 train, that a battery the same weight as the current diesel engine, would be a very adequate replacement.

If say, you put a 300-500 kWh battery in a Class 803 train, it would probable give enough hotel power until the train was able to move again. but it would also reduce the weight of the train and thus improve the acceleration in normal running.

A Battery Module

I wouldn’t be surprised if Hitachi are developing a battery module, that can replace the MTU 12V 1600 R80L diesel engine.

  • The module would be used for both traction and hotel services on the train.
  • It would be charged from the electrification or by regenerative braking.
  • It would act as emergency power.
  • To the driver and the train’s computer, it would have similar performance to the diesel engine.

The diesel engine and the battery module would be plug-compatible and could be exchanged as required.

I can do a quick calculation for a 1000 kWh battery, which would weigh under four tonnes.

  • A 1000 kWh battery would provide 700 kW for 86 minutes.
  • At 90 mph, the train would travel for 129 miles.
  • At 100 mph, the train would travel for 143 miles.

That would be a very handy extended range.

As East Coast Trains will only run on a fully-electrified route, they have no need for the traction capability.

  • But it would fit well with the routes of Avanti West Coast, East Midlands Railway, Great Western Railway, Hull Trains, LNER and TransPennine Express.
  • All except East Midlands Railway and LNER, share part or full ownership with East Coast Trains.

It does look to me, that Hitachi is using East Coast Trains and their fully electrified route to give the battery module for the trains, a thorough work-out, on a route, where it will not normally be needed.

The Proposed Service

From various sources we know the following.

  • There will be five trains per day in both directions between London Kings Cross and Edinburgh. – See Wikipedia
  • East Coast Trains have ordered five trains. – See Wikipedia.
  • There will be stops at Stevenage, Durham, Newcastle and Morpeth. – See Wikipedia
  • The first Northbound service will arrive in Edinburgh before 10:00. – See Rail Advent.
  • Fares will be low-cost at around £25 – See Wikipedia.

It is also likely that East Coast Trains will want a journey time of under four hours, which is being planned for the route anyway under the L2E4  project.

As the record time between London and Edinburgh was set in 1991 by an InterCity 225 train at a minute under three-and-a-half hours, could a time of around three hours and forty-five minutes be possible, including the turnaround of the train?

10:00 Arrival In Edinburgh

This is obviously a good idea, but with a four hour journey time, it would mean leaving London before six.

  • Perhaps to make the most of clear tracks in the morning the train would leave early.
  • Currently, the first two trains from Kings Cross are the 06:15 to Edinburgh, which arrives at 11:08 and the 06:33 to Leeds.
  • How early could the train leave?

I suspect that the first train to Edinburgh would leave Kings Cross around 05:30 and arrive in Edinburgh and be ready to return before 10:00.

10:00 Arrival In London

If arriving in Edinburgh before ten is a good idea, then surely arriving in London by the same time is worthwhile.

  • Currently, the first train from Edinburgh to London is the 05:48, which arrives at 10:40.

As with the Northbound service, I suspect the first train to Kings Cross would leave Edinburgh around 05:30 and arrive in Kings Cross and be ready to return before 10:00.

Five Services Per Day

If the first Edinburgh and  Kings Cross services left at 05:30 and after unloading and loading, were ready to return before 10:00, that would be the first service.

The simplest way to handle the rest of the day would be to split the time into four and run the trains continuously.

Suppose, the last train got to its destination at one in the morning, that would mean that fifteen hours were available for four trains or three hours and forty-five minutes for each trip between London and Edinburgh and the turnaround.

The train starting from Kings Cross would run the following services.

  • Kings Cross to Edinburgh – Leaves 05:30 – Arrives before 10:00
  • Edinburgh to Kings Cross – Leaves 10:00
  • Kings Cross to Edinburgh – Leaves 13:45
  • Edinburgh to Kings Cross- Leaves 17:30
  • Kings Cross to Edinburgh – Leaves 21:15 – Arrives 01:00 on the next day.

The train starting from Edinburgh would run the following services.

  • Edinburgh to Kings Cross – Leaves 05:30 – Arrives before 10:00
  • Kings Cross to Edinburgh – Leaves 10:00
  • Edinburgh to Kings Cross – Leaves 13:45
  • Kings Cross to Edinburgh – Leaves 17:30
  • Edinburgh to Kings Cross – Leaves 21:15 – Arrives 01:00 on the next day.

There would be two very tired trains at the end of every day, that would be looking forward to some well-deserved tender loving care.

This has been my best guess at what the timetable will be! But!

  • Travellers can catch an early train, do a full days work in the other capital and return at the end of the day.
  • There are three services during the day; one each in the morning, the afternoon and the early evening, for those who want affordable, slightly less frenetic travelling.
  • I suspect the intermediate stops have been chosen with care.
  • Improvements at Stevenage station could make the station, the preferred interchange for many between East Coast, LNER and local services for Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire and North London. Car parking is probably easier than Kings Cross!
  • Is Durham station an alternative station on the other side of the Tyne from Newcastle, with better parking?
  • Could Durham City Centre be the terminal of a Leamside Line extension of the Tyne and Wear Metro?
  • Newcastle station is very well-connected to all over the North East.
  • Morpeth station could attract a large number of travellers from over the Border. It also looks to have space to expand the parking!

It looks a well-designed route and timetable.

How Many Trains Would Be Needed?

Consider.

  • Each train could be two five-car trains working together as a ten-car train.
  • This would maximise the use of paths on the East Coast Main Line.
  • Four trains would be needed for the full five trains per day ten-car service.

As there is going to be a fleet of five trains, the fifth train would either be in maintenance or waiting to enter the action as a substitute.

Improving Efficiency

It looks to me, that the efficiency of this service could be improved by good old-fashioned time and motion study.

  • Will  drivers use stepping-up to speed the reverse of trains?
  • Would cleaning teams board at Morpeth and Stevenage stations and clean the train on the last leg?
  • Will the buffet be designed for fast replenishment?
  • Will drivers be given all possible aids to go faster?

Every little will help!

Conclusion

I like this system and the competition will keep LNER on its toes!

Would a similar system work on the West Coast Main Line?

  • Grand Union have proposed a service between Euston and Stirling stations.
  • There will be stops at Milton Keynes Central, Nuneaton, Crewe, Preston, Carlisle, Lockerbie, Motherwell, Whifflet, Greenfaulds and Larbert.
  • Trains will be InterCity 225s.

The service could start in 2021.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

June 3, 2020 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , | 2 Comments

Will The East Coast Main Line Give High Speed Two A Run For Its Money To The North East Of England?

I have looked up High Speed Two timings on their Journey Time Calculator and compared them with current LNER timetables.

  • London-Leeds – Current – 136 minutes – HS2 – 81 minutes
  • London-York – Current – 111 minutes – HS2 – 84 minutes
  • London – Darlington – Current – 141 minutes – HS2 – 112 minutes
  • York- Darlington – Current – 27 minutes – HS2 – 26 minutes
  • London – Durham – Current – 170 minutes – HS2 – 138 minutes
  • York – Durham – Current – 45 minutes – HS2 – 44 minutes
  • London – Newcastle – Current – 170 minutes – HS2 – 137 minutes
  • York – Newcastle – Current – 55 minutes – HS2 – 51 minutes
  • London – Edinburgh – Current – 259 minutes – HS2 – 220 minutes
  • Newcastle – Edinburgh – Current – 83 minutes – HS2 – 83 minutes
  • York – Edinburgh – Current – 138 minutes – HS2 – 134 minutes

Note.

  1. I have assumed that Newcastle and Edinburgh takes 83 minutes, which is the current timing.
  2. The time savings possible to the North of Leeds are only a few minutes.
  3. As an example, the straight route between York and Darlington is 34 miles, which means an average speed of only 75 mph.

Serious work needs to be done North of York to improve timings.

Improvements To The East Coast Main Line

Various improvements to the East Coast Main Line are in process of building designed or built.

Extra Tracks

These example of more tracks are from the Wikipedia entry for the East Coast Main Line.

  • Four tracks are being restored between Huntington and Woodwalton.
  • Freight loops between York and Darlington.

There are probably other places, which will see extra tracks in the next few years.

Power Supply And Electrification

Wikipedia identified places where the power supply and the electrification could be better.

This sentence indicates the comprehensive nature of the planned work.

Power supply upgrades (PSU) between Wood Green and Bawtry (Phase 1 – completed in September 2017) and Bawtry to Edinburgh (Phase 2), including some overhead lines (OLE) support improvements, rewiring of the contact and catenary wires, and headspan to portal conversions (HS2P) which were installed at Conington in January 2018.

The Hertford Loop Line is also due to have some power supply upgrades.

Station Improvements

Darlington, Kings Cross, Stevenage and York will have track improvements, which will improve the capacity of the tracks through the stations.

Werrington Dive Under

The Werrington Dive Under will be a big improvement. This is an extract from the Wikipedia entry.

The project will see the construction of 1.9 miles (3 km) of new line that will run underneath the fast lines, culverting works on Marholm Brook and the movement of the Stamford lines 82 feet (25 m) westwards over the culverted brook. This will mean that trains for the GN/GE line no longer need to cross the fast lines on the level, nor use the Up Fast line between Peterborough station and the junction. The project, coupled with other ECML improvement schemes (such as the four tracking from Huntingdon to Woodwalton) will improve capacity on the line through Peterborough by 33% according to Network Rail. This equates to two extra train paths an hour by 2021, when the work is scheduled to be completed. In turn, this will remove 21 minutes from the fastest King’s Cross to Edinburgh Waverley service, and 13 minutes from the fastest King’s Cross to Leeds service. It will also see an increase of 1,050 ‘intercity’ seats per hour on express trains through Peterborough.

The upgrade will add two more train paths to the route and knock 21 and 13 minutes off the faster Edinburgh and Leeds services respectively.

The Newark Flat Crossing

This is the railway equivalent of a light-controlled pedestrian crossing in the middle of a motorway.

This Google Map shows the crossing.

Note.

  1. The East Coast Main Line running roughly North-South
  2. The A 46 road crossing the line.
  3. The Nottingham-Lincoln Line running parallel to the railway.
  4. A chord allowing trains to go between the Nottingham-Lincoln Line and Newark North Gate station, which is to the South.
  5. The River Trent.

Complicated it certainly is!

I wrote about the problems in The Newark Crossing and felt something radical needed to be done.

Looking at the numbers of trains at the Newark Crossing.

  • The number of trains crossing the East Coast Main Line, is typically about three to five trains per hour (tph) and they block the East Coast Main Line for about two minutes.
  • But then there could be a fast train around every four minutes on the East Coast Main Line, with eight tph in both directions.

The numbers of trains and their speeds would probably cut out a Control Engineer’s solution, where all trains are computer controlled through the junction.

Although, it might be possible to reduce the number of conflicting trains on the East Coast Main Line dramatically, by arranging a Northbound and a Southbound express passed each other at the flat junction.

There’s also the problem of what happens if a crossing train fails, as it goes over the East Coast Main Line. But that must be a problem now!

Whatever happens here will be a well-thought through solution and it will add to the capacity of the East Coast Main Line and increase the line-speed from the current 100 mph.

Level Crossings

Wikipedia says this about level crossings.

Level crossing closures between King’s Cross and Doncaster: As of July 2015 this will no longer be conducted as a single closure of 73 level crossings but will be conducted on a case-by case basis (for example, Abbots Ripton Level Crossing will close as part of the HW4T scheme).

It is my personal view that all should be removed.

ERTMS Signalling

Wikipedia says this about the installation of ERTMS digital in-cab signalling.

The line between London King’s Cross and Bawtry, on the approach to Doncaster, will be signalled with Level 2 ERTMS. The target date for operational ERTMS services is December 2018 with completion in 2020.

Note that, ERTMS is needed for 140 mph running.

140 mpg Running

Wkipedia says this about 140 mph running.

Increasing maximum speeds on the fast lines between Woolmer Green and Dalton-on-Tees up to 140 mph (225 km/h) in conjunction with the introduction of the Intercity Express Programme, level crossing closures, ERTMS fitments, OLE rewiring and the OLE PSU – est. to cost £1.3 billion (2014). This project is referred to as “L2E4” or London to Edinburgh (in) 4 Hours. L2E4 examined the operation of the IEP at 140 mph on the ECML and the sections of track which can be upgraded to permit this, together with the engineering and operational costs.

A rough calculation indicates that up to eleven minutes could be saved by this upgrade, between London and Darlington.

Prospective Timings On The East Coast Main Line

Consider.

  • The package of new trains level crossing closures, ERTMS, OLE rewiring and the OLE PSU, which is collectively known as L2E4 should deliver Edinburgh in four hours.
  • Nineteen minutes need to be saved on current times.
  • I believe that if the train takes four hours or less, travellers will switch from the airlines.
  • High Speed Two are aiming for a time of 220 minutes, but is this by the West or East Coast routes?
  • As their proposed Glasgow service has a similar time, I assume it is by the West Coast route.
  • Wikipedia states that an Open Access Operator was thinking of running Class 390 trains or Pendelinos between London Kings Cross and Edinburgh in 223 minutes.

If the managers of LNER are the least bit ambitious, I can see them wanting to run a service between London and Edinburgh, in a time that is several minutes under four hours.

It should always be remembered that the East Coast Main Line was built for speed, as these true stories illustrate.

  • Mallard set the world speed record for steam locomotives in 1938 of 126 mph, on the line.
  • The record time between London and Edinburgh was set in 1991 by an InterCity 225 train at a minute under three-and-a-half hours.

I even have my own special memory of the line, which I wrote about in The Thunder of Three-Thousand Three-Hundred Horses. Behind a Deltic or Class 55 locomotive, I went from Darlington to London in two hours and fifteen minutes, which is faster than today’s fastest trains. Not bad for a 1960s design, but the train was a coach short and had a clear run. And was probably extremely-well driven.

Is the East Coast Main Line and especially the section South of Darlington, a route, where a knowledgeable driver can coax the maximum out of a high speed train?

Possible savings over the next few years include.

Werrington Junction

When this is completed, it could knock twenty-one minutes off the timings to Edinburgh.

Newark Crossing

How much time could be saved here?

There must be some time savings if the line speed can be increased from 100 mph.

140 mph Running

The various improvements in L2E4 are intended to enable services to run between London and Edinburgh in under four hours.

  • Does L2E4 include any possible time savings from the Werrington Dive Under?
  • Does L2E4 include any possible time savings from improvements at Newark?
  • What is the completion date for L2E4?
  • Most of the time savings for L2E4 will be South of Darlington as the track is straighter.

As I said earlier a rough calculation indicates that L2E4 will save about eleven minutes to the South of Darlington.

Conclusion

There must be over thirty minutes of savings to be accumulated on the East Coast Main Line. Much of it because of the Werrington and Newark improvements will be South of Darlington.

I wouldn’t be surprised to see timings like these.

  • London-Leeds – Current – 136 minutes – HS2 – 81 minutes – Possible ECML – 120 minutes
  • London-York – Current – 111 minutes – HS2 – 84 minutes – Possible ECML – 90 minutes
  • London – Darlington – Current – 141 minutes – HS2 – 112 minutes – Possible ECML – 115 minutes
  • London – Durham – Current – 170 minutes – HS2 – 138 minutes – Possible ECML – 130 minutes
  • London – Newcastle – Current – 170 minutes – HS2 – 137 minutes – Possible ECML – 130 minutes
  • London – Edinburgh – Current – 259 minutes – HS2 – 220 minutes – Possible ECML – 210 minutes

It looks to me, that the East Coast Main Line could be fulfilling the aspirations of British Rail’s engineers of the 1980s.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

June 1, 2020 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

The First Train To The New Platform 5 At Stevenage Station

I was sent this video, by the creator.

Visiting Stevenage from my local Essex Road station, is high on my list of priorities once COVID-19 has been given the good kicking it deserves.

April 26, 2020 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , | Leave a comment

The Northern City Line Must Almost Be At Capacity

Most Monday mornings, I go to LEON on Moorgate for breakfast.

I go to that branch, mainly because I can get a proper china mug for my tea and also because a cheery member of staff usually has what I want ready within a minute of my entering the store.

One day, I’ll confuse them by having something different! But then she looks the sort, who enjoys a joke!

To get to Moorgate station, I can take a bus, but I usually go via the Northern City Line from Essex Road station, as it’s quicker in the Peak and drops me in the right side of Moorgate for LEON.

Today, the train was very full and it looked like you’d have had trouble squeezing in any more.

Since the new Class 717 trains have been introduced ridership has grown and the trains are getting more crowded in the Peak. This is despite an 11% increase in capacity, compared to the older Class 313 trains.

Currently, there are the following Off Peak services into Moorgate station.

  • Four trains per hour (tph) – Welwyn Garden City
  • Four tph – Hertford North, Watton-at-Stone and Stevenage.

There are also extra services in the Peak.

Various improvements and developments will affect the number of passengers going to and from Moorgate.

Improvements To Stevenage Station

Stevenage station is a bottleneck on one leg of the services  of the Northern City Line to and from Moorgate station.

An additional platform with full step-free access, is being added to the station and should open this year, to terminate services from Moorgate station.

Currently, services that stop at Stevenage station, that are going North include.

  • One tph – LNER to Leeds or Harrogate.
  • One tph – LNER to Lincoln or York
  • Four tph – Thameslink to Cambridge.
  • Two tph – Thameslink to Peterborough.

These will be joined in Autumn 2021 by East Coast Trains to Edinburgh at a frequency of five trains per day.

I suspect a lot of passengers going between the North and Hertfordshire and Cambridge will change at Stevenage, rather than Kings Cross.

The works at Stevenage also give the impression, that they could handle more than the four tph, that run on the route.

Improvements To Highbury & Islington Station

Highbury & Islington station is going to get more escalators and step-free access to the four deep-level platforms at some point and this will surely attract more passengers to use both the Victoria and the Northern City Lines.

Frequency increases are also planned for the North and East London Lines, in the next year.

Will the Northern City Line be able to handle the extra passengers?

A Second Entrance At Walthamstow Central Station

Walthamstow Central station is one of the constraints on even more trains on the ever-welcoming Dear Old Vicky and may have had money allocated for a second entrance with more escalators and much-needed lifts.

As I said with Highbury & Islington station, will the Northern City Line be able to handle the extra passengers?

Rebuilding Of Essex Road Station

I think that Essex Road station could be a good investment for a creative property developer.

  • The building has little if any architectural merit.
  • The location is convenient on a busy road Junction.
  • Large numbers of buses pass the station, but the positioning of bus stops could be improved.
  • The station needs step-free access.
  • A large number of flats could be built on the site, with good access to the station.
  • Car parking is terrible locally.

I could see this station being transformed.

But if it were to be improved with much better access, it would further increase the number of passengers using the services into Moorgate.

The Gospel Oak And Barking Line

If you are going between Barking and the West End, lots of passengers in the Peak seem to change to the Victoria Line at Blackhorse Road station and numbers doing this seems to have increased since the Gospel Oak and Barking Line was electrified and now, the route  has double the capacity it had before.

Also are more passengers needing the City walking across at Highbury & Islington station.

It should not be forgotten, that the Gospel Oak and Barking Line is being extended to Barking Riverside with a same platform interchange to c2c’s services to and from Grays.

An increase in frequency between Barking and Gospel Oak is also planned.

Developments on the Gospel Oak to Barking Line will increase the number of passengers going to and from Moorgate station.

Crossrail

Consider.

  • The route between Moorgate and Highbury & Islington stations will become an important link between the Victoria Line and Crossrail, as there is no direct connection between the two lines.
  • The short route will also link the North London Line to Crossrail.
  • I suspect too,that passengers from Hertfordshire will go all the way to Moorgate for Crossrail.

In addition, when Crossrail opens, Moorgate station will be fully step-free with umpteen escalators and lifts.

Will there be enough capacity and services on the Northern City Line?

Conclusion

Rough calculations and my instinct suggest that there will need to be an increase of services into Moorgate station.

Currently, in the morning Peak, twelve tph or a train every five minutes run into Moorgate station.

  • This frequency is easily handled in a two platform station.
  • Lines with modern signalling on the London Underground can handle up to thirty-six tph in a two-platform station.
  • The route is double-track between Moorgate and Alexandra Palace stations, where the route splits into two.

Twenty or more tph could be run on this simple route, with modern signalling.

January 13, 2020 Posted by | Food, Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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