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.
- Sofia is being installed by German Company ; RWE.
- Sofa will use 14 MW Siemens Gamesa wind turbines, some of which have recyclable blades.
- 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.
- Wilton 10 opened as a biomass power station in 2002.
- 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.
- SSE are building a big hydrogen store in Yorkshire at Aldbrough.
- Centrica are converting the Rough gas storage to a hydrogen store.
- SSE are building a 910 MW hydrogen-powered power station at Keadby.
- 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.
UK Breakthrough Could Slash Emissions From Cement
The title of this post. is the same as that of this article on the BBC.
This is the sub-heading.
Scientists say they’ve found a way to recycle cement from demolished concrete buildings.
These five paragraphs outline, why cement is such an environmental problem.
Cement is the modern world’s most common construction material, but it is also a huge source of planet-warming gas emissions.
That is because of the chemical reactions when you heat limestone to high temperatures by burning fossil fuels.
Recycling cement would massively reduce its carbon footprint. Researchers say that if they switched to electric-powered furnaces, and used renewable energy like wind and solar rather than fossil fuels, that could mean no greenhouse gases would be released at all.
And that would be a big deal. Cement forms the foundation of the modern economy, both literally and metaphorically.
It is what binds the sand and aggregate in concrete together, and concrete is the most widely used material on the planet after water.
If cement was a country, it would be the third biggest source of emissions after China and the US, responsible for 7.5% of human-made CO2.
This article shows how by applying chemical magic to two effectively unrelated processes; the recycling of steel and the recycling of concrete to make new cement, very high rewards are possible.
Cambridge University are calling their new product electric cement.
As large amounts of electricity are used in an arc furnace, to produce the two products
These paragraphs outline the innovative Cambridge process.
Cement is made by heating limestone to up 1600 Celsius in giant kilns powered by fossil fuels.
Those emissions are just the start. The heat is used to drive carbon dioxide from the limestone, leaving a residue of cement.
Add both these sources of pollution together and it is estimated that about a tonne of carbon dioxide is produced for every tonne of cement.
The team of scientists,, has found a neat way to sidestep those emissions.
It exploits the fact that you can reactivate used cement by exposing it to high temperatures again.
The chemistry is well-established, and it has been done at scale in cement kilns.
The breakthrough is to prove it can be done by piggybacking on the heat generated by another heavy industry – steel recycling.
When you recycle steel, you add chemicals that float on the surface of the molten metal to prevent it reacting with the air and creating impurities. This is known as slag.
The Cambridge team spotted the composition of used cement is almost exactly the same as the slag used in electric arc furnaces.
They have been trialling the process at a small-scale electric arc furnace at the Materials Processing Institute in Middlesbrough.
These are my thoughts.
The Only Inputs Are Steel Scrap, Green Electricity And Used Cement
Consider.
- We probably need to increase the percentage of steel scrap we collect.
- Gigawatts of green electricity in a few years, will be available in those places like Port of Ardersier, Port Talbot, Scunthorpe and Teesside, where large amounts of steel will be needed.
- I can envisage large steel users having their own hybrid electric cement/electric arc furnace plants.
- Used cement would be collected and brought to the plants.
- Years ago, I used to live next door to an old World War II airfield. The farmer who owned the airfield, told me, that the concrete was his pension, as when he needed money, he called a company, who crushed it up for aggregate.
I can see a whole new integrated industry being created.
Conclusion
This could be one of the best inventions since sliced bread.
Teesside Private SMR Nuclear Power Station To Be Built
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the BBC.
This is the sub-heading.
An agreement has been reached to build a privately financed nuclear power station in Teesside.
These are the first three paragraphs.
Community Nuclear Power (CNP) has announced plans to install four small modular reactors (SMRs) in North Tees.
CNP said it aims to be up and running in ten years’ time and will supply “roughly a gigawatt of energy”.
With other similar power stations planned, hundreds of jobs are expected to be created in the north-east of England.
A CNP spokesperson said the four North Tees reactors will generate clean, always-on energy which will be used to help develop a green energy and chemical hub, also within the North Tees Group Estate, on the north bank of the River Tees near Stockton.
These are my thoughts.
The Westinghouse AP300™ SMR
This SMR has its own web page.
This is the sub-heading.
Only SMR based on Licensed, Operating & Advanced Reactor Technology
These paragraphs introduce the reactor.
The Westinghouse AP300™ Small Modular Reactor is the most advanced, proven and readily deployable SMR solution. Westinghouse proudly brings 70+ years of experience developing and implementing new nuclear technologies that enable reliable, clean, safe and economical sources of energy for generations to come.
Our AP1000® reactor is already proving itself every day around the globe. Currently, four units utilizing AP1000 technology are operating in China, setting performance records. Six more are under construction in China and one AP1000 reactor is operating at Plant Vogtle in Georgia while a second nears completion.
Our AP300 SMR leverages that operating experience, as well as tens of millions of hours on AP1000 reactor development.
Gain the benefits of the record-setting Westinghouse AP1000 PWR technology in a smaller power output to augment the backbone of your community energy system.
The AP300 SMR complements the AP1000 reactor for a cleaner energy mix, energy security, and grid flexibility and stabilization.
Westinghouse seem to have taken a very professional and scientifically correct approach and downsized something that works well.
Where Will The Reactors Be Built?
This is a paragraph from the BBC article.
Small reactors, built in a factory by the American power giant Westinghouse, will be transported to Seal Sands near Billingham, coming on stream in the early 2030s and going some way to providing part of the big rise in nuclear capacity the UK government wants to see by 2050.
This Google Map shows the mouth of the River Tees.
Note.
- The red arrow at the bottom of the map indicates the location of North Tees Group Estate.
- Follow the river to the North and a capitalised label indicating the position of Seal Sands can be seen.
This second Google Map shows the Seal Sands area in a larger scale.
There seems to be several spaces, where the reactors could be located.
Would It Be Safe To Locate A Nuclear Reactor Or Reactors In a Cluster Of Oil Refineries And/Or Chemical Plants?
Consider.
- In the 1970s, when I worked at ICI, there were companies like Westinghouse advocating nuclear steelmaking.
- We did discuss the concept a couple of times over coffee but no one, I worked with, ever looked at it officially or seriously, as far as I know.
- In addition to requiring large amounts of electricity, oil refineries and chemical plants often use a lot of steam.
- Nuclear reactors generate steam to produce electricity, so some could be diverted to oil refineries or chemical plants
- To decarbonise some processes might switch to hydrogen.
- In Westinghouse And Bloom Energy To Team Up For Pink Hydrogen, I talk about how to use a nuclear reactor to efficiently produce pink hydrogen.
It looks like for efficiency, building the various plant close together could be a good thing.
But is it safe?
I suspect the level of safety will be that of the least safe plant.
So provided all plants are designed to the highest standards, it should be OK, as nuclear plants, oil refineries and chemical plant don’t regularly explode.
The Donald C Cook Nuclear Plant
The Donald C Cook Nuclear Plant in Michigan is a 2.2 GW nuclear plant, that was built by Westinghouse and commissioned in the mid-1970s.
They were clients for Artemis, the project management system that I wrote.
Soon after the Three Mile Island accident on March 28th, 1979, I visited the Donald C Cook Nuclear Plant to see how they were coping with the aftermath of the accident.
I remember being told by the operators of the plant, who were American Electric Power, that as it was their only nuclear plant, they were going to do everything by the book and Artemis was helping them to do that.
Reading about the plant, which is now licenced to operate until 2034 for one reactor and 2037 for the other, it seems to have performed impeccably so far for nearly fifty years.
It is a credit to both Westinghouse, who built it and American Electric Power who own it.
Now that is what I call high-class engineering and I’d be happy to have a cluster of SMRs to the same standard in my back yard.
Sizewell B
I used to live a few miles from Sizewell B, which is another Westinghouse reactor.
- This is the Wikipedia entry for the power station.
- Sizewell B was based on a proven Westinghouse design.
- It seems to have performed well since it was commissioned in 1995.
It looks like it will be operating until 2055, which will make its working life similar to those of the reactors at the Donald C Cook Nuclear Plant.
Westinghouse And Hinckley Point C Compared
Consider.
- Sizewell B was built in approximately seven years.
- This compares well with the two units at the Donald C Cook Nuclear Plant, which took six and nine years respectively
- It looks like Hinckley Point C will take between twelve and fourteen years to build.
- Sizewell B and the two units at Donald C Cook Nuclear Plant seem to be looking at a sixty year operating lifetime.
- Sizewell has a rail connection and Hinckley Point does not.
- Sizewell B seems to have been signed off, when John Major was Prime Minister.
- Hinckley Pont C seems to have resulted from a government white paper when Gordon Brown was Prime Minister.
Westinghouse seem to design nuclear power stations, that can operate for a long period and can be built within a decade.
Westinghouse And Rolls-Royce
Consider.
- Rolls-Royce also have an SMR design.
- Rolls-Royce and Westinghouse are both world-class companies.
- Rolls-Royce have the advantage they are British.
- I also suspect, that both Westinghouse and Rolls-Royce will use the same subcontractors and sub-assembly manufacturers.
- The Rolls-Royce SMR has a power output of 470 MW.
- The Westinghouse SMR has a power output of 300 MW.
I suspect the choice between the two, will be like choosing between top-of-the-range British and American products.
Conclusion
I wonder why we ended up with an unproven new French design at Hinckley Point, when sitting in Suffolk was a traditional Westinghouse design, that was performing to its design specification?
But for the SMR, we need to buy the reactors, which are financially best for Britain. If Westinghouse choose to manufacture large sections in the UK, they could be the better bet, as I suspect, if SMRs are successful, we’ll be seeing exports from the UK.
SeAH Wind Goes On Recruitment Spree For UK Monopile Factory
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on offshoreWIND.biz.
This is the sub-heading.
South Korea’s SeAH Wind has started its large-scale drive to recruit for positions including welders, platers, roll bending machine operatives, mechanical and electrical technicians, supervisors, and general operatives for its XXL monopile manufacturing facility on Teesworks, the UK.
These are the first two paragraphs.
Applications will be accepted via the company’s dedicated recruitment website where individuals can sign up for job alerts, register their expressions of interest, and apply directly for jobs.
SeAH Wind will hold events across multiple Teesside towns, including Middlesbrough, Redcar, Cleveland, and Hartlepool over the coming months where more details will be shared about vacancies and training opportunities at the South Bank site.
These three paragraphs talk about the education and training, and the number of jobs.
As part of the recruitment drive, the South Korean firm has also joined forces with Nordic Products and Services and Middlesbrough College to create two programmes under its SeAH Wind Academy programme.
During the 24-week training and development programme, 30 people will be trained to become welders for SeAH Wind.
Once fully operational, it is expected that a total of 750 direct jobs and 1,500 further supply chain jobs are set to come from the SeAH manufacturing facility.
I suspect, this the sort of investment that Teesside needs and will welcome.
SSE Thermal Acquires 50% Stake In H2NorthEast Hydrogen Project
The title of this post is the same as that of this press release from SSE Thermal.
These are the first three introductory paragraphs.
SSE Thermal has become joint owner of a blue hydrogen project in Teesside which is set to play a major role in supporting a reliable decarbonised power system by 2035 and accelerating industrial decarbonisation.
The partnership with Kellas Midstream will see the companies jointly develop H2NorthEast, a hydrogen production facility with carbon capture and storage that could help to kickstart a hydrogen economy in the Tees Valley. The agreement is for an initial consideration of <£10m to Kellas Midstream with further contingent consideration due should the project reach a financial investment decision.
In its first phase, H2NorthEast could deliver up to 355MW of blue hydrogen production capacity from 2028 with plans to scale up to more than 1GW. Offtakers would include heavy industry and power generation, either through blending into existing assets or in new hydrogen-fired plants.
Note.
- Production of 355 MW of hydrogen could start in 2028.
- Several existing processes have been converted from gas-firing to hydrogen-firing or a blend of natural gas and hydrogen firing. See Lime Kiln Fuelled By Hydrogen Shown To Be Viable.
- Teesside has quite a few industries, like steel and chemicals that theoretically could be converted to hydrogen or a hydrogen blend.
I have some thoughts.
Carbon Capture And Storage
This paragraph in the press release talks about the carbon capture and storage.
With an anticipated minimum carbon capture rate of 97%, H2NorthEast meets both UK and EU low-carbon standards. Specifically, the hydrogen produced via H2NorthEast would be fully compliant with both the UK’s Low Carbon Hydrogen Standard and is expected to be aligned with the EU Taxonomy for sustainable activities.
If the plant can achieve a carbon capture rate of 97 %, that is very good and it appears to meet the required standards.
- I also feel, that if it is of a high purity, then that could be a bonus, as it could be used in food manufacturing and other processes, where high purity is needed.
- I feel SSE should endeavour to use as much of the carbon dioxide, as it can to produce valuable by-products, which could include cement substitutes, building blocks, plasterboard and animal feed.
- Carbon dioxide can also be fed to soft fruit, salad vegetables, tomatoes, flowers and other plants in giant greenhouses or vertical farms.
- Polyester yarn can also be made from carbon dioxide.
It is my belief that this list of products will grow in the next ten years and carbon dioxide of a high purity will become an important chemical feedstock.
Replacement of Blue Hydrogen With Green
If SSE Renewables were to build an electrolyser near to H2NorthEast, they could use that to replace the blue hydrogen.
- From an offtaker’s point of view green and blue hydrogen would be identical.
- It’s just that the green hydrogen doesn’t produce any carbon dioxide.
- I can see the complex being run to produce enough carbon dioxide to supply the users that need it and producing blue and/or green hydrogen accordingly.
Hopefully, the more uses that can be found for the carbon dioxide, the less of it will need to use long-term storage.
Expanding The Plant
As blue and green hydrogen plants create an identical product, the decision of whether to add an extra blue hydrogen or green hydrogen plant can be taken solely on financial grounds.
Conclusion
This looks like it could be a very sensible decision by SSE.
UK And South Korea Help Secure Millions For World’s Largest Monopile Factory
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on offshoreWIND.biz.
This is the sub-heading.
UK Export Finance (UKEF) and South Korea’s export credit agency Korea Trade Insurance Corporation (K-Sure) have helped SeAH Wind to secure GBP 367 million in Standard Chartered Bank and HSBC UK financing to build the world’s largest wind monopile manufacturing facility.
These three paragraphs outline the story.
UKEF and K-Sure have secured support worth GBP 367 million for South Korean manufacturer SeAH Steel Holding’s construction of a wind tech factory near Redcar, in the Tees Valley.
Issuing its first-ever “Invest-to-Export” loan guarantee to secure overseas investment in British industry, UKEF together with K-Sure has ensured that SeAH Wind UK can fund the construction project – worth almost GBP 500 million – with GBP 367 million in financing from Standard Chartered Bank and HSBC UK.
SeAH Wind UK, a subsidiary of South Korean steel company SeAH Steel Holding, announced its decision to invest and broke ground at Teesworks Freeport last summer.
The article also says.
- This is SeAH Wind’s first such investment outside Korea.
- The factory will make between 100 and 150 monopiles a year.
- The factory will create 750 jobs when it opens in 2026.
- The factory is conveniently placed for transport to the North Sea.
Everybody seemed to have worked hard during the state visit of the Korean President and his wife.
Hydrogen Bus Fleet Project Gains Momentum
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article from Energy Live News.
This is the sub-heading.
Luxfer Gas Cylinders and Ricardo have formed a partnership to advance a project that aims to deploy 150 hydrogen-powered buses on UK routes by 2024
I first came across this project in June 2022 and wrote Ricardo Repowers Double Decker Diesel Bus With Hydrogen Fuel Cells, where I said this.
The title of this post, is the same as that of this press release from Ricardo.
Ricardo, a global strategic, environmental, and engineering consulting company, in partnership with Stagecoach North East, has repowered a diesel, double decker bus with a hydrogen fuel cell propulsion system. Delivering zero tailpipe emissions, Ricardo is now seeking to secure customers to invest in the production of a fleet of passenger vehicles fit for the future of sustainable shared mobility.
The project, part funded by the Department of Transport, through its Hydrogen Transport Hub Demonstration competition, saw Ricardo, working with Stagecoach North East to retro-fitted hydrogen fuel cell technology into an existing double decker bus. It created a zero emissions demonstrator that is now undergoing a ten-week test and demonstration programme around the Tees Valley and Brighton and Hove. Feedback and data from the trials will support the team to explore future market opportunities and applications with bus operators and other partners across the UK and beyond.
Given that there are around 38,000 existing buses in the UK, many of which still have a few years of life left, this surely must be an affordable way of creating more zero-carbon hydrogen buses.
It appears that Ricardo are aiming to have an initial batch of 150 buses in service from late 2024.
It looks to me, that this project is certainly gaining momentum.
High Speed Two To Barrow-in-Furness
There has been a lot of speculation about the Northern end of High Speed Two, so I might as well add sort out a few facts and add a bit of speculation of my own.
Barrow-in-Furness Used To Have A Service To London
Barrow-in-Furness station doesn’t have a direct service to London.
This paragraph from the Wikipedia entry, describes how it used to be.
The present station was formerly known as Barrow Central, and at one time it was a terminus for British Rail long-distance or InterCity services. From October 1947 until May 1983 these included sleeper services to and from London Euston. A sleeper service in the London direction only was briefly reintroduced between May 1987 and May 1990.
Note.
- I find it interesting, that the area had both InterCity and sleeper services.
- There are some big employers like BAe Systems and British Nuclear Fuels in the area.
- Rishi Sunak has announced that the Cumbrian Coast Line will be upgraded.
- A High Speed Two service could improve low-carbon access to the Lake District.
- Grimsby/Cleethorpes in Lincolnshire, which probably has a similar economic profile to Barrow-in-Furness appears to be getting a service from London as I wrote about in Azuma Test Train Takes To The Tracks As LNER Trials Possible New Route. So why shouldn’t Barrow-in-Furness have a similar service?
It is my view that Barrow-in-Furness station could support a sprinkling of services.
The Current Barrow-in-Furness Service
Barrow-in-Furness station’s current services are described in these two paragraphs from the Wikipedia entry.
Services to the north are provided on Monday-Saturday by Northern, with services approximately hourly during the day to Whitehaven and Carlisle. One train per day operates to Sellafield specifically for workers at Sellafield nuclear plant (BNFL). Evening trains run only as far as Millom. There are 19 northbound departures each weekday; 15 of these go to Carlisle, three to Millom and one to Sellafield. There are 20 arrivals from the northern part of the line: 15 from Carlisle, three from Millom, one from Maryport and one from Sellafield. Some of these services continue along the Furness Line to Lancaster and Preston.
To the south, there are a mixture of stopping services to Lancaster and a number of through services to Manchester Airport via Manchester Piccadilly. These operate on a broadly hourly frequency, with a few peak extras throughout the week (including Sundays).
Hard facts on what the improvements to the line will be, have not been reported. But it does seem that a doubling of frequency to two trains per hour (tph) is being proposed.
What Are The Government’s Plans?
This news story from the Government is entitled North West To Benefit From £19.8 billion Transport Investment.
Proposed improvements in Cumbria are contained in this paragraph.
A brand new £2.5 billion fund to transform local transport in 14 rural counties, smaller cities and towns. This new money could pay for new stations, further electrification, bus corridors and new integrated public transport networks. The Energy Coast Line between Carlisle, Workington and Barrow will be upgraded, improving capacity and journey times, enabling trains every 30 minutes between Carlisle, Workington and Whitehaven. The upgrade will also accommodate major new freight demands from the new coal mine and provide regular services for the Westlakes Science Park, Nuclear Academy and Sellafield. This could support the creation of over 18,000 jobs.
I have my thoughts.
Will The Route Be Electrified?
The Cumbrian Coast and the Furness Line effectively form a near 120 mile loop between Carnforth and Carlisle stations on the West Coast Main Line.
- A journey from one end to the other takes about three hours and 18 minutes.
- Main towns and places served include Barrow-in-Furness, Sellafield, Whitehaven and Workington.
- A train between Carnforth and Carlisle can stop at as many as 29 stations.
- The route is not electrified, but it connects to the electrified West Coast Main Line at both ends at Carnforth and Carlisle.
This OpenRailwayMap shows Carnforth.
Note.
- The red line is the West Coast Main Line between Carlisle and Lancaster.
- Carlisle is to the North.
- Lancaster is to the South.
- The black line going North-West is the Furness Line to Barrow-in-Furness.
- The black line going East is the Bentham Line to Settle and Leeds.
This OpenRailwayMap shows Carlisle.
Note.
- The red line is the West Coast Main Line between Scotland and Carnforth.
- Scotland is to the North.
- Carnforth is to the South.
- The black line going South-West is the Cumbrian Coast Line to Workington, Whitehaven and Barrow-in-Furness.
- The black line going East is the Settle and Carlisle Line to Settle and Leeds.
If it were to be fully electrified, it could be a diversion route for electrified trains on the West Coast Main Line.
This document on the Government web site is the Train Technical Specification for High Speed Two Classic-Compatible Trains.
The specification says this about the unit and train formation.
The nominal length of the Unit shall be 200m. It has been determined that all Units should
be the same length, with no requirement for a Unit to be capable of being lengthened or
shortened. This supports the overall HS2 business case.The Unit shall be capable of Normal Operation as a single Unit or as two coupled Units.
On the Wikipedia entry for the Cumbrian Coast Line, there is a picture of a very long steam-hauled train on the line.
Full electrification would have these advantages.
- In the next few years several 21st century electrical multiple units will be looking for new places to operate.
- I am fairly certain, that a fully-electrified Cumbrian Coast Line could act as a diversion for High Speed Two and the West Coast Main Line between Carnforth and Carlisle.
- It would enable occasional High Speed Two services to Carlisle via Barrow-in-Furness, Sellafield, Whitehaven and Workington.
- It would also allow electrified freight trains to the new coal mine at Workington and to Sellafield.
But trains from the coal mine would probably need to have hydrogen-hybrid locomotives to get across the Pennines to Teesside for export.
Partial Electrification Of The Line
Partial electrification would probably need the following.
- Installation of electrification between Carnforth and Barrow-in-Furness, so that High Speed Two services can reach Barrow-in-Furness.
- Installation of electrification from Carlisle for enough miles towards Workington to be able to charge the local trains.
- The local trains would need to be able to run about seventy miles on batteries.
Partial electrification would be more affordable, but it would allow the following.
- Battery-electric trains to work between Carnforth and Carlisle.
- It would enable occasional High Speed Two services to Barrow-in-Furness
- Hydrogen-hybrid locomotive-hauled freight trains to the new coal mine at Workington and to Sellafield.
Rail passengers in, to and from Cumbria would probably see a similar level of improvement to that with full electrification.
What Time Would Be Possible At The Present Time?
Consider.
- According to the Wikipedia entry for High Speed Two, two hours and twenty-five minutes is the fastest time between London Euston and Lancaster.
- Trains are timed to take one hour and four minutes with the nine stops, between Barrow-in-Furness and Lancaster.
- To save time some stops could be cut between Barrow-in-Furness and Lancaster.
This would give a London Euston and Barrow-in-Furness time of three hours and twenty-nine minutes, but by removing perhaps five stops, the time could be around three hours and fifteen minutes.
What Time Would Be Possible When High Speed Two Lite Opens To Handsacre Junction?
Consider.
- According to the Wikipedia entry for High Speed Two, two hours and three minutes will be the fastest time between London Euston and Lancaster, after High Speed Two opens to Handsacre junction.
- Trains are timed to take one hour and four minutes with the nine stops, between Barrow-in-Furness and Lancaster.
- To save time some stops could be cut between Barrow-in-Furness and Lancaster.
This would give a London Euston and Barrow-in-Furness time of three hours and seven minutes, but by removing perhaps five stops, the time could be under three hours.
What Frequency Would Be Needed?
LNER seem to run their secondary services to places like Harrogate and Lincoln using a frequency of one train per two hours (tp2h).
That could be an ideal frequency.
Would There Be A Path For The Train To And From London Euston?
This graphic shows High Speed Two services after Phase 2b is completed.
Note.
- Services shown in blue are run by High Speed Two Full Size trains.
- Services shown in yellow are run by High Speed Two Classic-Compatible trains.
- Each of these trains will have a frequency of one tph.
- The nine paths to the right of the vertical black line will not be needed for some time. If ever!
- It looks like a maximum of only eleven paths will be needed to the South of Birmingham.
- It looks like a maximum of only fourteen paths will be needed to the North of Birmingham.
In Will High Speed Two Lite Make Stafford An Important Station?, I totted up all the services through Stafford after High Speed Two Lite opened to Handsacre junction and got these figures.
- Through Stafford station, there are totals of 11 tpd and 14 tph.
- Along the Trent Valley Line, there are totals of 11 tpd and 12 tph.
- North of Stafford on the West Coast Main Line, there are totals of 9 tpd and 12 tph.
- South of Stafford on the West Coast Main Line, there are totals of 2 tpd and 2 tph.
- Between Stafford and Stoke-on-Trent, there are totals of 2 tph.
I accounted for services moving from the West Coast Main Line to High Speed Two.
Consider.
- A large proportion of the route between Preston and Handsacre junction, where the route would join High Speed Two Light has two dedicated high speed tracks and two tracks for freight and local services.
- Digital signalling on High Speed Two has been designed to handle eighteen trains per hour (tph) at 225 mph.
- Surely, the two dedicated high speed tracks, if fitted with High Speed Two digital signalling could handle say 16 tph at 140 mph.
- Network Rail are good at juggling trains to squeeze in more services.
- Extra paths could be created by splitting and joining trains at Crewe or Preston.
My Control Engineering training and practice tells me that it should be possible to add perhaps two tph between Lancaster and Euston.
Could High Speed Two’s Lancaster Service Be Extended To Barrow-in-Furness?
I don’t see why some services could be extended the 34.8 miles to Barrow-in-Furness.
Would Much Work Be Needed At Barrow-in-Furness?
This Google Map shows Barrow-in-Furness station.
Note.
Trains to and from Carnforth come and go from the South East.
Trains to and from Sellafield, Whitehaven and Workington and Carlisle come and go from the North West.
There are three platforms.
Work needed to be done would include.
- Creation of a 200 metre platform for the High Speed Two trains.
- Electrification.
- Addition of charging facilities to the platform for the local trains, which would probably be standard electrification.
Passengers would walk across between the High Speed Two and local trains.
Conclusion
I believe that High Speed Two Classic-Compatible trains could be under three hours between Barrow-in-Furness and London Euston, when High Speed Two Lite opens from Handsacre junction.
Did I See The UK’s Hydrogen-Powered Future In Hull Today?
I went from London to Hull today on Hull Trains for £50.80 return (with my Senior Railcard) to see SSE’s presentation for their Aldbrough Pathfinder Hydrogen project, which will feature a 35 MW green hydrogen electrolyser and 320 GWh of hydrogen storage in the thick layers of salt under East Yorkshire.
- Green electricity would come mainly from the part-SSE owned 8 GW Dogger Bank wind farm complex.
- According to their web site, Meld Energy are planning a 100 MW electrolyser, which would produce 13,400 tonnes of hydrogen per year.
Every large helps!
- It should be noted that the thick layers of salt stretch all the way to Germany, and as drilling and storage technology improves, the amount of hydrogen storage available will increase.
- I was also impressed by the ambition, competence and enthusiasm, of the SSE engineers that I met.
- As has been pointed out, HiiROC, who have backing from Centrica, Hyundai, Kia and others, are also in Hull!
I believe, that I saw our hydrogen-powered future in Hull today!
We need more hydrogen mega-projects like these! Perhaps in Aberdeen, Clydeside, Freeport East, Isle of Grain, Merseyside, Milford Haven and Teesside?
3GW Green Hydrogen Project To Power Heavy Industry With Surplus Scottish Wind Energy
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the Institute of Mechanical Engineers web site.
I have covered the Kintore Electrolyser before, but this is a professional description of the project from a respected institution, who should know what they are talking about.
I can see several other giant electrolysers being built, in places like Humberside, Merseyside, Teesside, where there are large amounts of wind power and heavy energy users in the cement, chemicals and steel industries.
There could also be one in Norfolk or Suffolk to use the masses of offshore wind power being developed.
The Anonymous Widower 