The Anonymous Widower

‘I Get To Work On The Most Scenic Railway Line In The World’

The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the BBC. It is a quote from someone in the BBC article.

This is the sub-heading.

Have you heard the one about the railway line that was threatened with closure, so lots of people started using it and it was saved?

These three opening paragraphs add some detail to the story.

Welcome to the Settle to Carlisle line, the quirky steel road through some of Britain’s most magnificent countryside.

The line starts in Leeds and passes through Shipley and Skipton, but it is the section between North Yorkshire and Cumbria that is world-famous for its views.

Heading north from Settle, the peak of Pen-y-Ghent soon looms large, with Whernside and Ingleborough following a few miles later.

The saving of the line in the 1980s, is one of those classic British tales of a fight against bureaucracy, which like all these tales involved a dog, who gets a heroic mention in the BBC article.

In the next few sections, I will detail how improvements to the rail infrastructure between Bradford, Carlisle, Lancaster, Leeds have gradually developed the rail infrastructure, so that the Settle and Carlisle Line can play an increasing part in improving the economic outlook for a large area of England.

Is The Settle And Carlisle Line In Good Condition?

Google AI gives this answer to the question in the title of this section.

Yes, the Settle-Carlisle line is in good, operational condition and is considered a vital, well-maintained part of the National Rail network.

Despite a history of threatened closures and past structural issues, major investments have secured its future, and it currently carries over 1.2 million passengers a year.

Here is the current status of the line as of early 2026:

Infrastructure Condition: Following significant repairs, including a major £2.1 million project on the Ribblehead Viaduct completed in 2021 and extensive work at Eden Brows (2017), the line’s 14 tunnels and 22 viaducts are in good condition.

Active Usage: It is regularly used by Northern passenger services and is a designated diversionary route for mainline express trains when the West Coast Main Line is closed.

Operational Status: The line is fully operational, featuring regular commuter services, tourist trains, and steam heritage charter trains.

Safety & Upgrades: While it is a historic line, the infrastructure is deemed safe.

Occasional, isolated issues (like the 2022 freight derailment near Carlisle) have been managed with swift repairs.As of early 2026, the line is heavily used, with special passenger services and 150th-anniversary celebrations planned.

It’s probably in better condition, than many houses in the UK.

What Is The Operating Speed Of The Settle And Carlisle Line?

Google AI gives this answer to the question in the title of this section.

The Settle and Carlisle Line generally operates at a maximum speed of 60 mph/97 km/h.

While historically faster, this 60 mph limit is standard for modern passenger and freight services on the route.

Usage Examples and ContextPassenger Services: Northern Rail and various chartered services, including the scenic “Staycation Express” HST 125, operate along the route.

Freight: The line is used for heavy freight, including oil, timber, and cement trains.

Diversions: The line is frequently used as a, albeit slower, alternative route (approx. 2.5 hours for Leeds-Carlisle) during major West Coast Main Line (WCML) closures.

Scenic Tourism: The line is renowned as one of England’s most scenic, carrying over a million travelers annually, with notable sights like the Ribblehead Viaduct.

The Settle And Carlisle Line Is Well Connected To The Rail Network At The Northern End

This OpenRailwayMap shows how the line connects to the West Coast Main Line and the Tyne Valley Line, to the South of Carlisle.

Note.

  1. Electrified lines are shown in red and lines shown in black are not electrified.
  2. The electrified West Coast Main Line runs diagonally across the South-West corner of the map.
  3. The blue arrow on this line, indicates Carlisle station.
  4. The Northernmost of the two black cross lines is the Tyne Valley Line between Carlisle and Newcastle.
  5. The Southernmost of the two black cross lines is the Settle And Carlisle Line, which goes South to Settle, Bradford Forster Square, Leeds and Settle stations.
  6. The line going South-West joins the Cumbrian Coast Line, which joins the West Coast Main Line at Carnforth.

It does appear that the junction South of Carlisle is very comprehensive and allows very flexible routing.

The Settle And Carlisle Line Is Well Connected To The Rail Network At The Southern End

This OpenRailwayMap shows how the line connects to the West Coast Main Line and the Tyne Valley Line, to the North of Skipton.

 

Note.

  1. Electrified lines are shown in red and lines shown in black are not electrified.
  2. The blue arrow on this line, indicates Bradford Forster Square station.
  3. The fully-electrified Leeds station is in the South-East corner of the map. You can just pick out the ee of the name.
  4. The electrified Leeds-Bradford Line connects Bradford Forster Square and Leeds station via Shipley station and its triangular junction.
  5. The electrification continues in a North-Westerly direction as far as Skipton, where the red track stops.
  6. Electric intercity trains can run from London to Leeds, Bradford Forster Square and Skipton.
  7. Self-powered intercity trains can also run from London to Harrogate, which is on the line without electrification, that runs North from Leeds.
  8. Leeds receives a London service of two trains per hour (tph).
  9. Bradford Forster Square station receives a London service of one train per two hours (tp2h) via Leeds.
  10. Harrogate station receives a London service of 1 tp2h via Leeds.
  11. Skipton station receives a London service of one train per day (tpd) via Leeds.

The Leeds-Bradford area gets a frequent service to London and the South.

This OpenRailwayMap shows how the Settle and Carlisle Line connects to the electrification at Skipton.

Note.

  1. Electrified lines are shown in red and lines shown in black are not electrified.
  2. The only electrified lines on the map are at Skipton station in the South-East corner of the map.
  3. The blue arrow on this line, indicates Settle station.
  4. Skipton and Settle stations are 15.2 miles apart.
  5. Settle and Carlisle are 71.5 miles apart.

To bridge the gap in the electrification between Carlisle and Skipton, trains will need to be able to run 86.7 miles on their own power.

Bridging The Carlisle And Skipton Gap

But once the train gets to Carlisle or Skipton, the train will have the luxury of 25 KVAC overhead electrification to both power the train and charge any batteries.

In my opinion, there are three intercity trains coming into service, that could handle an 86.7 mile gap in electrification.

  1. East Midland Railways’s Class 810 train, which is a diesel bi-mode with lots of power, which is described in this Wikipedia entry.
  2. LNER’s Class 802 trains, which currently is a diesel bi-mode, that Hitachi could convert into a Hitachi Intercity Battery Train, which is described on this Hitachi web site.
  3. LNER’s Class 897 trains, which is a diesel tri-mode, that CAF are building in Spain and Wales, which is described in this Wikipedia entry.

In How Far Will A Hitachi Intercity Battery Train Travel Without Using The Electrification?, I answer the question for both Hitachi and CAF trains.

Surprisingly, I got the answer of a range of 120 miles for both the Hitachi and CAF trains. But could it be that Network Rail and the train companies wanted a range of 120 miles to electrify the UK rail network and so a 120 mile battery range was in the specification.

My estimate of 120 miles for Hitachi’s trains, was also confirmed by the company.

Bridging The Gaps

Some other distances, where gaps must be bridged include.

  • Sheffield and South Wigston – 69.4 miles
  • Holyhead and Chester – 84.4 miles
  • Exeter and Basingstoke – 124,3 miles
  • Fishguard Harbour and Cardiff Central – 119.1 miles
  • Aberystwyth and Shrewsbury – 81.5 miles
  • Bristol Temple Meads and Newbury – 70.8 miles
  • Inverness and Aberdeen – 108.3 miles
  • Carlisle and Glasgow Central via Dumfries – 115.9 miles
  • Hereford to Didcot Junction – 96.9 miles

120 miles could be a good fit.

Could it be that that distance was the range of a steam locomotive on a full load of water?

The Updating Of Bradford Forster Square Station

This is now a four-platform station, with two platforms able to take a pair of 5-car Hitachi or the new CAF 10-car Class 397 trains.

In Bradford Forster Square Station – 20th May 2025, I describe and show pictures of the updated station.

Bradford Forster Square station now gets seven trains per day to and from London King’s Cross via Leeds.

This article on the BBC, which is entitled New Platform’s Opening Gives Bradford More Trains has this sub-heading.

A new £35m platform at Bradford’s Forster Square Station has opened – boosting rail services in the city

£35million seems a lot of money to spend to just increase the number of services between King’s Cross and Bradford, even though 2025 was the year that Bradford was UK City of Culture, but there may be valid reasons to create a new route between London and Scotland, using the Settle and Carlisle Line.

  • The Settle and Carlisle Line is one of the UK’s most famous scenic routes with 20 viaducts, 14 tunnels and countless beautiful vistas along its 72 mile track.
  • You put the Mona Lisa on display, not in a store.
  • LNER now has battery-electric bi-mode trains, with CAF tri-mode trains due to enter service in 2028, that can both handle the 86.7 mile gap in the electrification in silence.
  • The CAF trains have extra diesel power, about which CAF is not disclosing much. This to me, suggests some innovative use.
  • There appear to be no flights between Leeds/Bradford Airport and Scotland.
  • There appear to be no direct trains between Glasgow and West Yorkshire.
  • A direct train between Glasgow and Leeds and Bradford Forster Square would add additional connectivity between Scotland and Yorkshire.
  • With the cancellation of High Speed Two, we need more train paths between London and Scotland.
  • Decarbonisation of aviation is difficult, but replacing fossil-fueled planes with zero-carbon trains is easier.
  • A single Class 897 train can carry 569 seated passengers, which is about 3.5 times the capacity of a single Airbus A320.
  • The proposed Leeds Metro would bring passengers to the new service.
  • Leeds and Bradford could see an upturn in tourism.

I also think the line will not be lightly used due to its iconic status.

How Would A Leeds/Bradford And Scotland Service Call At Bradford Forster Square Station?

  • Bradford Forster Square station now gets seven trains per day to and from London King’s Cross via Stevenage, Newark Northgate, Doncaster, Wakefield Westgate, Leeds and Shipley.
  • There is one fewer train on Sunday.
  • There is a triangular junction at Shipley station, which connects the three electrified lines to Leeds, Bradford Forster Square and Skipton.

This OpenRailwayMap shows Shipley station and the triangular junction.

Note.

  1. All rail lines are electrified and shown in red.
  2. The blue arrow on this line, indicates Shipley station.
  3. Shipley station appears to be in the middle of the junction.
  4. The line going East connects to Leeds station.
  5. The line going South connects to Bradford Forster Square station, which is at the end of the line.
  6. The line going West connects to Skipton station and the Settle and Carlisle Line.

Trains returning to London would reverse out of Bradford Forster Square station and take the Eastern route through Shipley and Leeds back to London.

  • An appropriate number of trains for Carlisle and Scotland, could surely just reverse out of the station and take the Western route through Skipton station and go on to the Settle and Carlisle Line.
  • The trains would call at Wakefield Westgate, Leeds, Shipley, Bradford Forster Square and Skipton stations in the Leeds/Bradford conurbation.
  • Other stations could be added to the route if required.
  • The trains would effectively reverse direction in their call at Bradford Forster Square station.
  • Going North the trains might check their battery levels in Bradford Forster Square station and use a fast-charger if necessary.
  • Going South, there would be no need for charging, as the route South from Bradford Forster Square station, is already fully-electrified.
  • Would the operator, use this longer stop to replace the crew with a fresh one?

It could be a simple and efficient way to run a London and Scotland service via the Settle and Carlisle Line.

What About Hull, Sheffield And York?

I’m asking this question, as Yorkshire is a large county and this article has only mentioned a few places, where people live and might need to go to London or Scotland.

In February, I wrote Northern Launches New Yorkshire Flyer Fast Service Between Leeds And Sheffield.

I’m fairly sure that Hull, York and other cities and large towns in Yorkshire already have a good regional service to Bradford Forster Square or Leeds station, which will give a good connection to the new service.

Could Dumfries Be Served By Using The Glasgow South Western Line?

This OpenRailwayMap shows the Southern part of the Glasgow South Western Line.

Note.

  1. Electrified lines are shown in red and lines shown in black are not electrified.
  2. The blue arrow on the black track, indicates Dumfries station on the Glasgow South Western Line.
  3. The red track is the West Coast Main Line.
  4. Carlisle is in the South-East corner of the map.
  5. Carlisle and Glasgow Central via Dumfries is 115.9 miles
  6. The Thames-Clyde Express, ran on this route until 1974.
  7. According to the Wikipedia entry for the Thames-Clyde Express, the train called at Dumfries and Kilmarnock stations.

From this brief look it appears that the new service could include Dumfries and should be able to serve the town on battery power.

Is More Capacity Needed On The West Coast Main Line Between Carlisle And Glasgow?

I asked Google AI, this question, to see if there is capacity.

This was the answer I received.

Yes, increased capacity and infrastructure enhancements are required on the West Coast Main Line (WCML) between Carlisle and Glasgow, as the line is currently full and unable to meet modern, growing passenger and freight demands.

Upgrades are necessary to tackle aging infrastructure, bottlenecks, and the need for more frequent services.

Key Aspects of the Need for Capacity:Full Capacity: The WCML is essentially full, with little space left for growth, despite 75 million passengers using it annually.

Freight and Passenger Growth: Passenger numbers are expected to double by 2050, and the line is a crucial artery for Anglo-Scottish freight.

Infrastructure Age: The northern section is undergoing its largest upgrade in half a century to address reliability issues.

Performance Bottlenecks: Specific locations, such as those north of Carlisle, require signaling and track improvements to prevent delays.

Proposed Upgrades: Current initiatives include a £400m investment until March 2029 for upgrades, including signalling and track renewals, though these are largely to boost reliability rather than provide a massive increase in capacity.

It looks to me, that a bit of a redesign and some use of battery trains on the Glasgow South Western Line, might squeeze a few more trains into the route.

 

 

 

 

 

May 2, 2026 Posted by | Artificial Intelligence, Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Could A Feeder Network Of Local Trains Be Developed For HS2 At Lancaster Station?

Lancaster station is one of the less important stations that will be served by High Speed Two.

I visited in May 2025 and afterwards wrote Lancaster Station – 23rd May 2025.

This OpenRailwayMap shows the railway network around Lancaster.

Note.

  1. The red track on the East side of the map is the electrified West Coast Main Line.
  2. The location of Lancaster station is indicated by a blue arrow.
  3. Morecambe, where the Eden Project North is being developed and the important port of Heysham are on the coast to the West of Lancaster.
  4. Oxenholme station is towards the North-East corner of the map, on the main line.
  5. The Windermere branch connects to the main line at Oxenholme station.
  6. HS2 will use the West Coast Main Line and call at Lancaster and Oxenholme.

North of Oxenholme, HS2 calls at Penrith and Carlisle, before going on to Glasgow and Scotland.

West of the main line, the map is dominated by the waters of Morecambe Bay, which in recent decades has produced a lot of our gas, but is now transitioning to an area, that will produce a few gigawatts of wind power.

North of Morecambe Bay, there is the Lake District, with the shipbuilding at Barrow and the nuclear waste processing at Sellafield on the coast.

It is an important area of England, where there is a lot going on!

Tying it all together is the yellow ribbon of the Cumbrian Coast Line, which connects Carnforth and Carlisle on an hourly basis.

  • The service calls at Grange-over-Sands, Barrow-in-Furness, Millom, Ravenglass, Drigg, Seascale, Sellafield, St Bees, Whitehaven, Workington, Maryport, Aspatria, Wigton and other places.
  • Four services a day link Carlisle and Lancaster stations.
  • Carlisle and Lancaster stations are 120.5 miles apart via the coast and according to Google AI, the journey takes between three and three-and-a-half hours.
  • In  From Barrow-in-Furness To Ravenglass, From Ravenglass to Sellafield and From Sellafield To Carlisle, there are some images, that give a flavour of the route.

This is a route, that is worth decarbonising.

Consider.

  • There is a couple of gigawatt of wind power in the bay to charge any batteries with green electricity or make green hydrogen.
  • There is a project called BARROW GREEN HYDROGEN, which is located in Barrow-in-Furness.
  • Both hydrogen and battery-powered trains could handle the hundred and twenty miles of the Cumbrian Coast Line.
  • A zero-carbon train running silently round the Lake District could be a tourist attraction in its own right.
  • Hydrogen-powered buses could provide the local transport.

Given the scenery and the closeness to the Lake District and High Speed Two, I suspect that major train manufacturers like Alstom, CAF and Siemens will be keen to bid.

 

April 20, 2026 Posted by | Hydrogen, Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Easter Disruption For Europe’s Busiest Train Line

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

This is the sub-heading.

Thousands of Easter train journeys will be disrupted by a six-day shutdown on the West Coast Main Line (WCML).

These two paragraphs add more details.

Engineering work means no intercity services will run between London Euston and Milton Keynes from Good Friday to Wednesday, 8 April, Network Rail said.

The Easter work is part of a £400m project to boost reliability, which WCML said was Europe’s busiest railway line used for passenger and freight trains.

This graphic from London Northwestern Railway, shows the Rail Replacement Bus routes around the blockade.

Note.

  1. There are no trains South of Milton Keynes Central
  2. There is a Rail Replacement Bus between Milton Keynes Central and Bedford.
  3. There is a Rail Replacement Bus between Milton Keynes Central and Watford Junction

This OpenRailwayMap , shows the Marston Vale Line between Milton Keynes Central and Bedford.

Note.

  1. The two Bedford stations ; Bedford and Bedford St. Johns are in the North East corner of the map.
  2. Milton Keynes Central station is on the Western edge of the map.
  3. The Marston Vale Line, which is shown in yellow, links Milton Keynes Central and the two Bedford stations.
  4. The track shown in red, going through Milton Keynes Central is the West Coast Main Line.
  5. The track shown in orange, going North South through Bedford is the Midland Main Line.
  6. The Midland Main Line appears to be running normally between Bedford and St. Pancras. This is according to Real Time Trains.
  7. The Marston Vale Line should be running new Class 196 trains, but it is not due to a door opening dispute with the trains.
  8. The Marston Vale Line appears to be running normally between Milton Keynes Central and Bedford. This is according to Real Time Trains.

This OpenRailwayMap shows Bletchley station and the flyover on the East side of the station.

Note.

  1. The West Coast Main Line is on the West side of the map.
  2. Bletchley station is indicated by the blue arrow at the bottom of the map.
  3. To the East of the station is Bletchley flyover, which is labelled “Summit of Bletchley Flyover.
  4. The flyover splits with one branch going North to Milton Keynes and the other East to Bedford.

It does appear, that no train can go between Milton Keynes Central and Bedford stations, without a reverse at Bletchley station.

But you can go between Milton Keynes Central and Oxford stations, without a reverse at Bletchley station, as you stop on the flyover.

To check, I read the tracks right, I asked Google AI, “Can Trains Go Between Bedford And Milton Keynes Central Without A Reverse At Bletchley and received this answer.

Currently, no. Trains running between Bedford and Milton Keynes Central cannot bypass a reversal (reversing direction) at Bletchley because the Marston Vale line terminates at Bletchley station. Trains must enter Bletchley and then change direction to join the West Coast Main Line to reach Milton Keynes Central.

Key Details:

Current Routing: The Marston Vale line connects Bedford and Bletchley. Services from Bletchley to Milton Keynes Central operate as a separate connection.

The Reversal: Passengers currently must change trains or experience a driver change/reversal at Bletchley to continue.

Future Changes: The East West Rail project aims to improve these connections, but as of early 2026, the direct link remains through Bletchley.

Conclusion

Does this explain, why there is a Rail Replacement Bus rather than a shuttle train between  Bedford And Milton Keynes Central stations?

 

April 3, 2026 Posted by | Artificial Intelligence, Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Could The Settle And Carlisle Be Used As A More Formal Route?

In June 2021, I wrote Through Settle And Carlisle Service Under Consideration, which starts like this.

The title of this post, is the same as that of an article in the June 2021 Edition of Modern Railways.

This is the first paragraph.

Plans for a new Leeds to Glasgow through service via the Settle and Carlisle line are being developed, with CrossCountry and the Department for Transport starting to look at the possible scheme.

It sounds like a sensible idea to me.

The article also suggests the following.

  • CrossCountry is a possible operator.
  • CrossCountry are keen to improve services between Leeds and Glasgow
  • The trains could be InterCity 125s, freed up, by a the arrival of Class 221 trains from Avanti West Coast, when they receive their new Class 805 trains.
  • Maintenance of the trains wouldn’t be a problem, as this could be done at Neville Hill in Leeds or Craigentinny in Edinburgh.
  • Services could start in December 2023.

But nothing more has been heard.

However some things have happened.

The Settle And Carlisle Has Become A Popular Charter Route

Google AI gave me this paragraph.

The Settle and Carlisle line is an extremely popular, premier route for heritage rail charters, steam excursions, and luxury rail tours in the UK, often operating at full capacity. Renowned for its scenic 72-mile journey through the Yorkshire Dales and Pennines, it features iconic structures like the Ribblehead Viaduct.

I have also written these posts about charters on the Settle and Carlisle Line.

Scheduled Steam-Hauled Services For the Settle And Carlisle Railway

Rail Operator Crosses Line For First Time In Years

‘Staycation Express’ To Return Along Full Length of S & C

It doesn’t appear that the numbers of charter trains are showing any sign of decrease.

LNER Has Ordered Class 897 Trains

When LNER took over the East Coast Main Line services, they had six main classes of trains.

  • Five-car Class 800/1 bi-mode trains
  • Nine-car Class 800/2 bi-mode trains
  • Five-car Class 801/1 electric trains
  • Nine-car Class 801/2 electric trains
  • Seven-car InterCity225 trains
  • Nine-car InterCity225 trains

Note.

  1. The five-car trains can run in pairs as ten-car trains.
  2. The Class 800 and Class 801 trains can run to destinations, that lack full electrification using diesel power where needed.
  3. Hitachi are developing battery-power for rail routes without electrification.

In 2023 to replace the InterCity225 trains ten ten-car Class 897 tri-mode trains were ordered from CAF, which will soon be in service, over all LNER’s network.

LNER Has Fully Electrified And Unelectrified Destinations

LNER’s current  destinations, that are fully electrified to King’s Cross include.

  • Bradford Forster Square
  • Berwick on Tweed
  • Darlington
  • Doncaster
  • Durham
  • Edinburgh Haymarket
  • Edinburgh Waverley
  • Grantham
  • Keithley
  • Leeds
  • Newark Northgate
  • Newcastle
  • Peterborough
  • Retford
  • Shipley
  • Skipton
  • Stevenage
  • Wakefield Westgate
  • York

Whilst those are not fully electrified include.

  • Aberdeen
  • Cleethorpes
  • Dundee
  • Grimsby Town
  • Harrogate
  • Huddersfield
  • Horsforth
  • Hull
  • Inverness
  • Lincoln
  • Middlesbrough
  • Sheffield
  • Sunderland
  • Thornaby
  • Worksop

Note.

  1. Other destinations can be added as required.
  2. I suspect, that Class 897 trains will be able to approach many stations without electrification on battery power alone.
  3. Staff and Passengers would probably like underground stations like Sunderland to be worked on batteries alone.

The Class 800 bi-mode, the Class 801 electric and the Class 897 tri-mode trains will give LNER a very flexible fleet.

Onward To Skipton, Carlisle and Glasgow Central And Edinburgh From Bradford Forster Square

I wonder is someone has realised that the Class 897 trains could use their tri-mode capabilities to invade Scotland?

This OpenRailwayMap shows the railways between the Scottish Lowlands and northern England.

Note.

  1. Red tracks are electrified.
  2. Black tracks are not.
  3. The blue arrow in the middle of the map indicates Carlisle.
  4. The red track going North-South through Carlisle is the West Coast Main Line.
  5. The black track going South from Carlisle is the Settle and Carlisle Line.
  6. Where it turns red is at Skipton station and the electrification can power the train to Bradford Foster Square, Doncaster, Leeds or Sheffield stations.
  7. The West Coast Main Line splits North of Carlisle and electrified trains can reach either Glasgow Central in the West or Edinburgh Haymarket or Waverley in the East.
  8. The black track going North-South between Carlisle and Glasgow via Dumfries is the Glasgow South Western Line, which can be used as a diversionary route by some trains with a self-powered capability.

The Settle and Carlisle Line certainly makes Anglo-Scottish routes more robust and flexible when there is bad weather, engineering works or overhead wire or signalling failures.

Will Class 897 Trains Be Able To Run On The Settle And Carlisle Line?

I asked Google AI this question and it gave this answer.

Yes LNER’s new Class 897 tri-mode trains (scheduled for introduction from 2027) will be able to run on the Settle and Carlisle line. As tri-mode electro-diesel multiple units, these 10-car trains are designed to operate across the entire LNER network, utilizing electric, diesel, or battery power to manage non-electrified routes like this, providing a modern alternative to older, diesel-only fleets.

Key details regarding Class 897 on the Settle and Carlisle Line:

Tri-mode Capability: These trains can run on electric, diesel, or battery power, making them highly versatile for non-electrified, scenic, or challenging routes.
Operating Strategy: The trains are designed for flexibility and can be used across the LNER network, which includes routes connecting to Scotland via the West Coast Main Line (WCML) or through services from Leeds.

Upgrading Service: They will replace the 40-year-old InterCity 225 fleet, offering a more environmentally friendly, modern alternative to current diesel bi-modes, such as the Class 800/802.

The route is a major, yet challenging, rail line featuring 20 viaducts and 14 tunnels, making it suitable for modern, versatile train sets.

I also believe that running Class 897 trains between Yorkshire and Glasgow offers opportunities to run new services, that will appeal to both travellers and rail operators.

Does The UK Need More Passenger Rail Capacity Between Yorkshire And Glasgow?

I asked Google AI this question and it gave this answer.

Yes, the UK requires more passenger rail capacity between Yorkshire and Glasgow due to severe overcrowding and forecasted demand growth. Major routes like the East Coast Main Line (ECML) and West Coast Main Line (WCML) are, or will soon be, at maximum capacity. Key constraints include infrastructure limitations and the need for better Scotland-England connectivity.

Key insights on this need:

Capacity Constraints: The WCML, particularly at its southern end, is already effectively full, with limited capacity for additional, longer trains. Similarly, the ECML is experiencing significant overcrowding.

Growing Demand: Passenger demand for long-distance rail travel continues to rise, with significant increases noted in journeys between Scotland and other regions.

Infrastructure Issues: Constraints include steep inclines, tight curves, and the need to mix passenger and freight traffic, particularly on the West Coast route.

Proposed Solutions: While some improvements are planned, such as Lumo extending services to Glasgow, the Integrated Rail Plan (IRP) focuses on capacity enhancements in the North/Midlands.

Strategic Need: Enhanced, high-speed connections are considered essential for long-term economic integration and to prevent increased air travel/emissions.

The great advantage of the route, is that is already in place.

Can The Settle And Carlisle Line Handle Planned Diversions?

 

Can The Settle And Carlisle Line Handle The Caledonian Sleeper?

I asked Google AI this question and it gave this answer.

The Settle-Carlisle line is not a standard route for the Caledonian Sleeper, which typically travels via the West Coast Main Line (WCML) to Edinburgh, Glasgow, and beyond. While the line is a scenic, double-track route with significant infrastructure, it is generally used for local services and freight, not long-distance, heavy sleeper trains.

Key Considerations:

Route: The Caledonian Sleeper operates on the West Coast Main Line, serving destinations like Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Inverness, and Fort William.

Capacity & Infrastructure: While the Settle-Carlisle line has major structures like the Ribblehead Viaduct, it is not the primary route for high-speed or overnight sleeper services.

Operational Normal: The sleeper service splits into portions at Edinburgh, and does not regularly operate via the Settle-Carlisle line.

In short, the Settle-Carlisle line is not designed for or used by the Caledonian Sleeper, which operates via the West Coast Main Line.

But it does appear, that in the past some sleeper trains have used it.

How Many Freight Trains Use the Settle And Carlisle Line In A Typical Day?

This article on the BBC is entitled Settle To Carlisle line: Shortage of trains ‘Hampering Growth’, says this about the number of trains.

From only two trains a day in the 1980s the Settle and Carlisle line now sees 14 passenger and 18 freight services a day.

That is progress!

February 27, 2026 Posted by | Artificial Intelligence, Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Does The UK Need More Passenger Rail Capacity Between London And Glasgow?

 

I asked Google AI this question and received this answer.

Yes, the UK requires more passenger rail capacity between London and Glasgow to meet growing demand and combat overcrowding, with key improvements and new services planned on the East Coast Main Line (ECML) through 2025. Despite previous capacity constraints on main routes, rail has overtaken air as the preferred mode of travel for these journeys, necessitating increased frequency.

Key details:

Capacity Expansion: The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) approved new services for late 2025, including Lumo extending London-Edinburgh services to Glasgow.

Growing Demand: Passenger numbers on West Coast routes showed significant growth, with a 29% increase in Glasgow-London travellers reported between 2013 and 2019.

Infrastructure Constraints: While demand increases, the ORR has rejected some service proposals due to insufficient capacity on the existing, congested lines.

Future Upgrades: HS2 is expected to improve connectivity, targeting reduced journey times to under 3 hours 40 minutes by 2033.

Sustainability Shift: Increased capacity supports shifting travellers from air to rail, reducing environmental impact.

I posed this question out of curiosity, but Google AI gave me, what I think is a well-reasoned answer.

In The Last Three Months, These Two Improved Anglo-Scottish Services Have Started

In Lumo Will Extend Its King’s Cross And Edinburgh Service To Glasgow, I talk about Lumo’s extended service to Glasgow, which started on December 14th, 2025.

In Man In Seat 61: My Nail-Biting Journey To Orkney By Train And Ferry, I describe a trip by the Man In Seat 61 (Mark Smith) in the new Birmingham-Scotland Sleeper.

There Is A Third New Anglo-Scottish Service To Come

In Lumo To Expand Scotland’s Rail Network With New London-Stirling Rail Route From Spring 2026, I describe Lumo’s new Euston and Stirling open access rail route.

 

 

February 22, 2026 Posted by | Artificial Intelligence, Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Next Generation: LNER Reveals Exciting New Details Of Upcoming East Coast Main Line Trains

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

This is the sub-heading.

A new generation of comfort and speed is coming for LNER customers on the East Coast Main Line with the introduction of 10 state-of-the-art intercity trains, delivering improved journey experiences.

These two paragraphs introduce the trains.

LNER has released a fleet name and the latest interior images of the trains, built by manufacturer CAF and financed by Porterbrook, to show customers what they can expect following their introduction to the UK rail network in the coming years.

The new fleet will help support and accommodate strong demand for rail travel on the East Coast Main Line. Since Covid, LNER has seen a year-on-year increase in customers, with more than 24 million customers in 2024-25. The introduction, in December 2025, of a new, transformative timetable has brought an extra 60,000 seats per week across the route, and new CAF-built trains will further grow capacity and reliability.

Note.

  1. The trains will be ten cars long.
  2. The trains will be tri-mode trains, which will be able to use 25 KVAC Overhead electricity, diesel and battery power.
  3. The trains will have a top speed of 125 mph.
  4. The trains will be named Serenza.

The trains will be numbered as Class 897 trains.

I have some further thoughts.

What Diesel Engines Will Be Used?

I asked Google AI this question and received this answer.

The British Rail Class 897 Civity, designed by CAF for London North Eastern Railway, are tri-mode electro-diesel multiple units. While they are built for electric, battery, and diesel operation, specific details regarding the engine manufacturer for the Class 897’s diesel power units have not been officially announced or detailed in public documentation.

Information on the specific model of the diesel engines (e.g., Cummins, MAN) is not available in the provided search results.

CAF’s other diesel-multiple units built in the UK,  as eight of these Class 897 trains will be, have German-made Rolls-Royce mtu diesel engines.

Consider.

  • American diesel-engine manufacturer; Cummins is specifically-mentioned by Google AI.
  • Cummins have a large diesel engine factory in Darlington, just round the corner from Darlington station.
  • Cummins are known to be decarbonising the company and are producing a range of diesel-engines, that can be converted to run in a carbon-zero mode on hydrogen.
  • Wrightbus now produce the Streetdeck Ultroliner EU6 with a Cummins engine. They also say on their web site, that the bus can be decarbonised, by converting to electric power.
  • Stadler produce the Class 99 locomotive with a Cummins engine.

An alternative and possibly simpler way to decarbonise the Streetdeck Ultroliner EU6s, the Class 99 locomotives and the Class 897 trains might be to convert the diesel engines to zero-carbon hydrogen?

I asked Google AI how many railway locomotives use Cummins diesel engines and received this reply.

More than 13,000 Cummins rail engines are in operation globally, powering various locomotives and railcars. They are heavily utilized in both passenger and freight applications, with over 10,000 underfloor engines in service for diesel railcars. They are commonly found in locomotives built by companies like Siemens and Stadler.

Replacing that number of diesel engines will be a large amount of work. And what better place to base the European side of that business, than in the historic railway town of Darlington?

Will The Class 897 Trains Be Able To Take The Great Northern and Great Eastern Joint Line?

As I write this post,  some trains will be replaced by coaches at the weekend, so there is not much point in my mind for tri-mode trains not to be able to take the Diversion using the onboard diesel and battery power.

Google AI gave this answer.

Yes, the Class 897 “Serenza” trains, designed for LNER, are expected to be capable of using the Great Northern and Great Eastern Joint Line (GNGE). As tri-mode electro-diesel multiple units, they are designed for flexibility and can utilize battery power to navigate routes like the GNGE through Lincoln during engineering works or overhead wire issues.

I suspect it could also allow combining services like Lincoln and Middlesbrough if required.

Will The Class 897 Trains Be Able To Take Services To The North Of Scotland?

Google AI gave this answer.

Yes, LNER’s new Class 897 tri-mode trains are designed to operate across their entire network, including routes to Scotland, utilizing electric, diesel, or battery power. These 10-car units will replace older fleets, supporting, as noted by The Anonymous Widower, services from London to the North of England and Scotland, with deployment scheduled to begin from 2027.

Thanks, for the link, Google!

Will LNER Take On The Airlines To Scotland?

Consider.

  • The Class 897 trains running as diesel tri-modes will probably emit less carbon dioxide, than the current Class 800/802 diesel bi-modes.
  • If the Class 897 trains could run as hydrogen tri-modes, they could probably be zero-carbon trains.
  • Hydrogen would not be needed South of Stirling or Edinburgh.

Think of the advertising possibilities to change travellers from the airlines to the trains.

Hydrogen-tri-mode trains make sense

Will The Class 897 Trains Be Able To Take Services To The New Destinations In South Yorkshire?

By reading a map, I feel that this route will be possible.

  1. Retford, where the train would leave the East Coast Main Line
  2. Worksop, where there is a good cafe with excellent cakes.
  3. Woodhouse for Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre.
  4. Sheffield with a reverse.
  5. Meadowhall for the shopping.
  6. Barnsley Interchange
  7. Wakefield Kirkdale.
  8. Leeds

Note.

The route I mapped out is not much different to Hull Trains’s route to Sheffield, that I wrote about in FirstGroup Applies To Run New London To Sheffield Rail Service.

  1. Trains could go on from Leeds to York, Darlington, Newcastle and Edinburgh on the East Coast Main Line.
  2. Trains could go on from Leeds to Settle, Carlisle, Lockerby, Motherwell and Glasgow Central on the Settle and Carlisle Line and the West Coast Main Line.
  3. I do like the idea of a King’s Cross and Glasgow service on the Settle and Carlisle.

There are certainly interesting possibilities for trains to take a number of routes through South Yorkshire.

 

 

February 2, 2026 Posted by | Hydrogen, Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Electric Freight: A Solution To The WCML Capacity Conundrum

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

These two paragraphs introduce the article.

Network Rail considers the West Coast Main Line (WCML) to be the busiest mixed traffic railway in Europe. It carries 125mph passenger trains from London to the West Midlands, North West, and Scotland and is used by 90% of intermodal UK rail freight which has a maximum speed of 75mph. Traffic on the line has been steadily increasing. In 1994 there were seven daily passenger trains from Glasgow to London. Now there are 26.

In 2006 Network Rail commissioned an in-depth study to find the best way of providing additional capacity as, with increasing traffic, the WCML between London and the North West was forecast to be full by 2020. The study found that the provision of a new high-speed line was the best solution and was the basis for the development of the HS2 project. The 2006 study correctly forecast that the WCML will by now be at full capacity south of Crewe, yet following the curtailment of HS2 two years ago there are no proposals to address the capacity issue between Rugby and Crewe that was identified 20 years ago.

David Shirres, puts forward a solution that involves electric freight locomotives and faster freight wagons.

I can add some knowledge of what British Rail were doing in the 1970s to solve the problem of freight on the West Coast Main Line all those years ago.

This picture shows a PACE 231R.

In the early 1970s, I was lucky enough to work with one of these amazing machines. They were probably one of the most powerful analogue computers ever built, that could solve a hundred simultaneous differential equations at once using thermionic valve circuitry. Their most famous application was at NASA, where two of these machines formed the analogue half of the moon-landing simulator.

There were a handful of these powerful beasts in the UK at ICI Plastics, where I worked, British Motor Corporation, Cambridge University and British Rail Research at Derby.

At the time, British Rail were trying to run freight trains faster and the four-wheel freight wagons of the time were derailing with an unwanted regularity. So the problem was given to British Rail Research and the problem was put on the PACE 231R. The problem was solved and the lessons learned were applied to the Mark 3 Coach and the InterCity 125.

After privatisation, the research went to the National Railway Museum and out of curiosity a few years ago, I tried to look at it, but was told it was commercially sensitive to Bombardier. It is my belief, that if this research were to be continued at one of our best universities, that faster freight bogies could be developed, that would help to create the extra freight paths needed on the WCML.

 

December 24, 2025 Posted by | Computing, Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Manchester To London Train To Run Without Passengers

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

This is the sub-heading.

A train service taking commuters from Manchester to London is to run empty for around five months following a decision by the rail regulator.

These three paragraphs add more detail.

A decision by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR), means the 07:00 GMT service operated by Avanti West Coast from Manchester Piccadilly to London will still run but will only be used to carry staff from mid-December.

An Avanti West Coast spokesperson said they were “disappointed” with the decision, which would “clearly impact those customers who already use these services”.

An ORR spokesperson said the decision was made on “robust evidence” from Network Rail to guard against possible service disruption on the West Coast Main Line.

It is a long article on the BBC and I suspect, it is one of those, that should be fully-read before commenting.

I looked up last Friday’s service and found this.

  • It was an eleven-coach Class 390 train.
  • The train goes via Macclesfield, Stoke-on-Trent and Stafford, but only stops to pick up passengers at Stockport.
  • It left on time at 07:00.
  • It arrived in London at 09:20, which was twenty-one minutes late.

I think, I’ll see this train arrive on Monday.

Could Avanti West Coast Be Planning A Fast Service From Both Liverpool and Manchester?

Consider.

  • Manchester Piccadilly has a 07:00 train to Euston, that takes two hours via Stoke-on-Trent.
  • The train also stops at Stockport.
  • The Manchester Piccadilly train is an eleven-car Class 390 train, that is 265.3 metres long.
  • Liverpool Lime Street has a 06:43 train to Euston, that takes two hours and 11 minutes via Crewe, that stops at Runcorn.
  • The Liverpool Lime Street train is a seven-car Class 807 train, that is 182 metres long.

Note.

  1. I wonder, if at some time in the future, these two services could both be run by seven-car Class 807 trains, that joined at Crewe.
  2. This might not have been possible with Class 390 trains, as the pair of trains would have been very long.
  3. Class 390 trains may not be able to split and join.
  4. I don’t think any extra paths would be needed.

This would give Crewe, Liverpool, Manchester, Runcorn and Stockport, a fast early train to Euston.

November 29, 2025 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

FIRST TO THE FUTURE: Lumo Owner Bids To Turbo-Charge UK Rail With New Routes

The title of this post, is the same as that of this press release from First Group.

These first three paragraphs introduce FirstGroup’s application for the first phase of three separate applications to the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) for new and extended open access rail services.

FirstGroup plc plans to expand its open access rail operations through its successful Lumo business, boosting connectivity, improving UK productivity and passenger choice across the UK.

The expansion aims to replicate the success of Lumo’s Edinburgh to London service in driving material growth on the East Coast Main Line. Lumo operates without government subsidy and contributes more per train mile to infrastructure investment than any other long-distance operator – delivering growth on the railway and connectivity to local communities, at a substantial benefit to the taxpayer.

FirstGroup has submitted the first phase of three separate applications to the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) for new and extended open access rail services, which are described in these bullet points.

  • A revised application to run new services between Rochdale and London Euston via Manchester Victoria from December 2028; 
  • An extension to Lumo’s current Stirling to London Euston track access agreement to operate services beyond 2030;
  • A new route between Cardiff and York via Birmingham, Derby, and Sheffield from December 2028; and
  • Purchase of new trains meaning continued investment in UK manufacturing of c.£300 million, and long-term jobs.

This paragraph from the press release describes the philosophy of the rolling stock.

Should these applications be successful, FirstGroup will make use of its option to commit further investment in new Hitachi trains built in County Durham. This investment will include five battery electric trains for the Stirling route and three battery electric trains for Rochdale, supporting jobs at Hitachi’s Newton Aycliffe plant. For the services between Cardiff and York, it will deploy refurbished Class 222s.

Note.

  1. The Class 222 trains will run the Euston and Stirling service until the future Hitachi trains are delivered in 2028.
  2. The Class 222 trains will run the Cardiff and York service from 2028.
  3. The Class 222 trains have a maximum speed of 125 mph
  4. Avanti West Coast’s Class 390 trains have a maximum speed of 125 mph.
  5. Avanti West Coast’s Class 805 trains have a maximum speed of 125 mph on electrification.
  6. Avanti West Coast’s Class 807 trains have a maximum speed of 125 mph.
  7. Grand Central Trains’s future Hitachi trains have a maximum speed of 125 mph.
  8. Hull Trains’s Class 802 trains have a maximum speed of 125 mph.
  9. Lumo’s current Class 803 trains have a maximum speed of 125 mph.
  10. LNER’s current Class 800 and 801 trains have a maximum speed of 125 mph.
  11. LNER’s current InterCity 225 trains have a maximum speed of 125 mph.
  12. LNER’s future Class 897 trains have a maximum speed of 125 mph.
  13. All of the trains, with the exception of the Class 222 trains are electric and have been designed for 140 mph running and can do this if there is appropriate 140 mph signalling.

If the Class 222 trains don’t run on the East and West Coast Main Lines, then these lines could introduce 140 mph running in stages to speed up rail travel between London and the North of England and Scotland.

Rochdale And London

These three paragraphs from the press release describe the proposed Rochdale and London service.

The new Lumo service will operate the first direct service since 2000 between Rochdale and London. Services will call at Manchester Victoria, Eccles, Newton-le-Willows and Warrington Bank Quay. Eccles station connects other parts of the city of Salford, including the fast-growing MediaCity area, via the nearby interchange with Metrolink. Services to Newton-le-Willows will deliver greater rail connectivity for St Helens.

There will be three new return services on weekdays and Sundays, and four return services on Saturdays, which will provide 1.6 million people in the north-west with a convenient and competitively priced direct rail service to London, encouraging people to switch from cars to train as well as providing additional rail capacity. It will also deliver material economic benefits for the communities along the route, including regeneration areas such as Atom Valley and the Liverpool City Region Freeport scheme.

The application has been revised to address the ORR’s concerns about network capacity set out in its letter of July 2025 rejecting FirstGroup’s original application. Supported by extensive modelling, the company has identified sufficient space on the network to accommodate the proposed services. Services will also make use of the Government’s recent investment in power supply for the West Coast Mainline (WCML).

In FirstGroup’s Lumo Seeks To Launch Rochdale – London Open Access Service, I gave my thoughts for Lumo’s application last year.

Differences between the two applications include.

  • The service will be run by Lumo’s standard battery-electric Hitachi trains.
  • The original application was for six return journeys per day, whereas the new application is for three return services on weekdays and Sundays, and four return services on Saturdays.

Note.

  1. The battery-electric trains will be able bridge the 10.4 mile gap between Manchester Victoria and Rochdale, and return after charging on the West Coast Main Line.
  2. The battery-electric trains could be useful during engineering works or other disruptions.
  3. The trains would be ready for 140 mph running on the West Coast Main Line, when the digital signalling is installed.
  4. Is the extra return service on a Saturday to cater for football and rugby fans?

I still feel, that with Lumo’s battery-electric trains one or more services could extend across the Pennines to Hebden Bridge, Bradford Interchange or Leeds. Trains would be recharged for return at Leeds.

Stirling And London

This  paragraph from the press release describes the proposed Stirling and London service.

Stirling has a wide catchment area, with an estimated three million people living within an hour’s drive. Extending the current track access agreement for the Stirling route from May 2030 will support the shift from car to rail, and investment in the city, as well as in the service’s intermediate stations which include Larbert, Greenfaulds and Whifflet, thanks to greater connectivity to London. The four return services weekdays and Saturdays, and three on Sundays, on the new route are expected to start early in the company’s 2027 financial year.

In Lumo To Expand Scotland’s Rail Network With New London-Stirling Rail Route From Spring 2026, I gave my thoughts for Lumo’s application in June 2025.

Differences between the two applications include.

  • The service will only be run initially by Class 222 trains.
  • The service will be run by Lumo’s standard battery-electric Hitachi trains after 2028.
  • The original application was for five return journeys per day, whereas the new application is for four return services on weekdays and Saturdays, and three return services on Sundays.
  • In the original application, Lumo’s new route was to 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.

Note.

  1. The battery-electric trains could be useful during engineering works or other disruptions.
  2. The trains would be ready for 140 mph running on the West Coast Main Line, when the digital signalling is installed.
  3. Is the extra return service on a Saturday to cater for football and rugby fans?

It should be noted that there are always more return services per day going to Stirling, than Rochdale.

Could The Rochdale and Stirling Services Share A Path?

Consider.

  • The two services use the West Coast Main Line South of Warrington Bank Quay station.
  • Pairs of Class 803 trains can split and join.
  • A pair of Class 803 trains are shorter than an 11-car Class 390 train.
  • An 11-car Class 390 train can call in Warrington Bank Quay or Crewe stations.

I believe that the Rochdale and Stiring services could share a path.

  • One Weekday service per day would be a single train.
  • Going South, the trains would join at Warrington Bank Quay or Crewe stations.
  • Going North, the trains would split at Warrington Bank Quay or Crewe stations.
  • The pair of trains would share a platform at Euston station.

Operating like this would increase the connectivity and attractiveness of the services, and probably increase the ridership and profitability.

Cardiff And York  via Birmingham, Derby And Sheffield

These four paragraphs from the press release describe the proposed Cardiff and York service.

Lumo’s new route between Cardiff and York will join up the entire Great British Railway network, connecting all four main lines from the Great Western Main Line to the East Coast Main Line. The plans will also deliver more capacity and drive passenger demand on a previously underserved corridor.

The application proposes six return services each weekday – a significant increase from the current single weekly service.

Bringing Lumo’s popular low-cost model to the corridor will support local communities between Cardiff, Birmingham, Derby, Sheffield, and York. These cities alone have a combined population of more than 2.5 million people. The new services will give local communities access to jobs and services along the route, in support of significant investment that has already been committed by the Government and private sector. This investment includes the Cardiff Capital Regional Investment Zone, the £140million proposed refurbishment at Cardiff Central station, the West Midlands Investment Zone which is expected to create £5.5 billion of growth and 30,000 new jobs, as well as investment plans in Derby, Sheffield and York.

The ORR will now carry out a consultation exercise as well as discuss the applications with Network Rail to secure the required approvals.

Note.

  1. Only minimal details are given of the route.
  2. The TransPennine Upgrade will create a new electrified route across the Pennines between York and Huddersfield via Church Fenton, Leeds and Dewsbury.
  3. The Penistone Line is being upgraded, so that it will handle two trains per hour.
  4. In the 1980s, the Penistone Line took InterCity 125s to Barnsley.
  5. The connection with the Penistone Line at Huddersfield has been upgraded.

I am reasonably certain, that FirstGroup intend to route the York and Cardiff service over this partially electrified route.

Sections of the route will be as follows.

  • Cardiff and Westerleigh junction – 38 miles – Electrified
  • Westerleigh junction and Bromsgrove – 65.2 miles – Not Electrified
  • Bromsgrove and Proof House junction – 15 miles – Electrified
  • Proof House junction and Derby – 40.6 miles – Not Electrified
  • Derby and Sheffield – 36.4 miles – Not Electrified
  • Sheffield and Huddersfield – 36.4 miles – Not Electrified
  • Huddersfield and York – 41.9 miles – Electrified

There are only two sections of track, that is not electrified.

  • Westerleigh junction and Bromsgrove – 65.2 miles
  • Proof House junction and Huddersfield – 113.4 miles

Out of a total of 273.5 miles, I believe in a few years, with a small amount of extra electrification or more powerful batteries, Hitachi’s battery-electric high-speed trains will have this route cracked and the Class 222 trains can be sent elsewhere to develop another route.

October 30, 2025 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Mega Airport Costing £24billion In Europe To Rival Heathrow And Dubai

The title of this post is the same as that of this article in the Daily Express.

Note.

  1. The airport will be designed by Foster + Partners in collaboration with Buro Happold.
  2. Initially the airport is planned to have two runways, but will eventually be expanded to four.
  3. The combined airport and railway station is planned to serve 40 million passengers per year, double the size of Berlin Brandenburg Airport.
  4. The long-term goal is about 100 million passengers per year.

These are my thoughts.

The Airport’s Location

The Wikipedia entry for the airport has a section called Location, which has this first paragraph.

The airport’s planned site is about 40 km west of Warsaw, next to the village Stanisławów which is part of Gmina Baranów in Grodzisk Mazowiecki County. The Baranow commune occupies a significant part of the Grodzisk County and, despite its rural character, has an extensive road infrastructure. The A2 autostrada and railway lines run in the immediate vicinity of the potential construction site, and Wrocław (Expressway S8) and Poznań (National road 92) is nearby.

It sounds to me, that a British equivalent airport, would be a four-runway airport at Birmingham Airport with connections to the M1, M6, HS2 and the West Coast Main Line.

Rail Connections

The Wikipedia entry says this about rail connections.

Planned train connections from the CPK will take 15 minutes to Warsaw Central railway station, 25 minutes to Łódź Fabryczna railway station, and 2 hours to most other major Polish cities, such as Kraków, Wrocław, Poznań and Gdańsk. The construction of a high-speed train to Frankfurt (Oder) is also planned, which is to shorten the travel time on the Berlin-CPK route to under 3.5 hours

I suspect that Rail Baltica’s trains between Berlin and Helsinki via Warsaw, Kaunus, Riga, Bialystok and Tallinn will also stop at the airport.

The Airport Will Become A Gateway To North-East Europe

I wouldn’t be surprised to see Central Communications Port become a low-cost gateway to the surrounding countries., like Belarus, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania and hopefully Ukraine.

Polish Hospitality

Consider.

  • Most Poles speak English better, than what I does!
  • There are several large Polish cities that are worth a visit.
  • The food is excellent, as the local basic ingredients are of high quality.
  • I have spent about a month in Poland and I’ve stayed in all levels of accommodation from the lowest to the highest and have never felt need to complain.
  • They handle my gluten-free diet with no problem.

My experience of Belarus was also similar.

 

October 10, 2025 Posted by | Design, Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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