The Anonymous Widower

Is A Crossrail For Leeds On The Way?

This article on Insider Media is entitled Schemes Totalling More Than £140m Backed By Investment Committee.

This is introductory paragraph.

Schemes totalling more than £140m to support the region’s recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic, have have been backed by West Yorkshire Combined Authority’s Investment Committee.

These are the two main schemes.

A £24.2m million (including £17m Combined Authority funding) rail station between Morley and Cotttingley on the Transpennine route at White Rose/

A 31.6m (including £13.9m of Combined Authority funding) parkway rail station at Thorpe Park on the Leeds to York section of the route.

There are also several other schemes for West Yorkshire.

White Rose Station

This Google Map shows the White Rose Centre.

The Huddersfield Line runs North-South alongside the Centre and there must be plenty of space for a new White Rose station.

From Wikipedia and other sources, the following seems to be on the agenda for the station.

  • Two platforms.
  • Ability to take six-car trains, with a possibility to extend to eight-cars.
  • Two trains per hour (tph) in both directions.
  • Up to 340,000 passengers per year.
  • Lots of parking.

The station would be about 3.5 miles to the South-West of Leeds station.

Thorpe Park Station

This Google Map shows the area where the station could be built.

Note.

  1. The Selby Line curving across the Northern side of the map.
  2. Cross Gates station is the next station to the West.
  3. Going East on the Selby Line, you pass through Garforth, East Garforth and Micklefield stations before the line divides for York to the North and Selby and Hull to the East.
  4. The M1 Motorway passing to the East of Leeds.

Other features of the proposed station and the area include.

  • Wikipedia says that the station will have two island platforms and the ability to handle inter-city trains.
  • The route through the station would be electrified.
  • High Speed Two could be routed to go close to the station.
  • Lots of parking.

The station would be about 4 miles to the East of Leeds station.

A Crossrail For Leeds

Could these two stations in the future become stations on a high-capacity route across Yorkshire centred on Leeds?

  • The Western end of the route could be Huddersfield.
  • The Eastern end of the route could be both York and Hull.
  • Plans exist and projects have started to fully electrify between Huddersfield and York.
  • Both stations will be Park-and-Ride stations with good connections to the motorway network.
  • Intermediate stations between Leeds and Huddersfield could include Cottingley, White Rose, Morley, Batley, Dewsbury, Ravensthorpe, Mirfield and Deighton
  • Intermediate stations between Leeds and York could include Cross Gates, Thorpe Park, Garforth, East Garforth, Micklefield, Church Fenton and Ulleskelf.
  • Intermediate stations between Leeds and Hull could include Cross Gates, Thorpe Park, Garforth, East Garforth, Micklefield, South Milford, Selby, Wrassle, Howden, Eastrington, Gilberdyke, Broomfleet, Brough, Ferriby and Hessle.

With the exception of the two new stations and the electrification, infrastructure needs would not appear to be large.

These are some thoughts.

Distances And Timings

These are some distances and estimated timings from Leeds.

  • Huddersfield – 27 miles – 32 minutes – 51 mph
  • Hull – 52 miles – 55 minutes – 57 mph
  • York – 15,5 miles – 23 minutes – 40 mph

Note.

  1. With full electrification, timings could be improved.
  2. York and Huddersfield would be under an hour.
  3. Kull and Huddersfield could be under ninety minutes.

These timings would certainly be achievable by a 125 mph Class 802 train, but I suspect, that they could be achieved by a 110 mph electric train like a Class 730/1 train.

Current Services Through White Road, Leeds and Thorpe Park Stations

These services currents pass through the three stations or their proposed sites.

  • TransPennine Express – Liverpool Lime Street and Edinburgh
  • TransPennine Express – Liverpool Lime Street and Scarborough
  • TransPennine Express – Manchester Airport and Newcastle
  • TransPennine Express – Manchester Airport and Redcar Central
  • TransPennine Express – Manchester Piccadilly and Hull

Note.

  1. All of these trains are one tph.
  2. There could be five quality tph on the route, most of which would be five-car Class 802 trains.

In addition the following services would pass through Leeds and Thorpe Park stations.

  • CrossCountry – Plymouth and Edinburgh/Glasgow
  • Northern Trains – Blackpool North and York via Bradford Interchange
  • Northern Trains – Halifax and Hull via Bradford Interchange
  •  

Note.

  1. All of these trains are one tph.
  2. Two trains serve Bradford Interchange.

These services could mean eight tph between Thorpe Park and Leeds stations.

In addition the following services would pass through Leeds and White Rose stations.

  • Northern Trains – Wigan Wallgate and Leeds
  • TransPennine Express – Huddersfield and Leeds

Note.

  1. All of these trains are one tph.

These services could mean seven tph between White Rose and Leeds stations.

A Possible Future Service

I believe that services across Leeds could be recast to give the City a network of railways that would satisfy the needs of the City.

Possible services could include.

Four tph – York and Huddersfield via Thorpe Park, Leeds and White Rose in under an hour.

Two tph – Hull and Huddersfield via Thorpe Park, Leeds and White Rose in under ninety minutes.

Two tph – Halifax and Thorpe Park via Leeds and Bradford

Note

  1. There are a lot of possibilities.
  2. Services would be timed to make interchange easy with other services at Leeds.

I would also arrange for East to West and West to East services to share the same island platform at Leeds.

Conclusion

Leeds will get the electrified local railway the city deserves.

February 14, 2021 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , , | 3 Comments

WYCA To Discuss Latest Plans For £24.2m White Rose Rail Station

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

I briefly commented on this proposed station in Is There Going To Be Full Electrification Between Leeds And Huddersfield?, where I said this.

White Rose Station

There are plans to build a new White Rose station in the next couple of years at the White Rose Centre..

This would be between Morley and Cottingley stations.

This station will surely increase the passenger numbers on the Huddersfield Line.

This Google Map shows the White Rose Centre.

The Huddersfield Line runs North-South alongside the Centre and there must be plenty of space for a new White Rose station.

From Wikipedia and other sources, the following seems to be on the agenda for the station.

  • Two platforms.
  • Ability to take six-car trains, with a possibility to extend to eight-cars.
  • Two trains per hour (tph) in both directions.
  • Up to 340,000 passengers per year.

These are my thoughts.

Will White Rose Station Be Electrified?

The Rail Technology Magazine article has a visualisation of the new White Road station and very swish it looks too!

But it doesn’t show any electrification through the station.

This document on the Network Rail web site is entitled Overhead Line Electrification – Huddersfield to Westtown (Dewsbury).

This is the first paragraph.

We’re proposing to electrify the railway between Huddersfield and Westtown (Dewsbury) – and right through to Leeds.

This will enable train operators to use electric – or bi-mode (hybrid) trains – along this section of the route.

I am pretty certain, this paragraph can be interpreted, as saying that Leeds and Huddersfield will be connected by a fully-electrified railway.

This Google Map shows the current Ravensthorpe station, where the line to and from Wakefield joins the Huddersfield and Leeds Line.

This document on the Network Rail web site is entitled Scheme Proposals – Huddersfield to Westtown (Dewsbury).

It indicates that the triangle of land between the two lines will be used for a sub-station to provide power for the electrification.

It says this.

We propose to build an electricity substation within the Ravensthorpe and Westtown area, to provide power for the electrification of the railway (known as traction power). To facilitate this work, a temporary construction compound which will provide essential welfare facilities for staff will be established in an area of land occupying the current landfill site to the east of Ravensthorpe Station. Access to the facilities will be made via Forge Lane or the existing Thornhill Power Station access road. In addition, Northern Powergrid will be undertaking extensive works to their overhead network within the Ravensthorpe area.

This looks like a convenient place to build a sub-station.

  • Northern Powergrid would be able to combine one of their projects, with one for Network Rail.
  • It looks like the location of the sub-station gives both good road and rail access.

It would also be ideal to provide power to the line to Wakefield Kirkgate station, which is only ten miles away.

Services At White Rose Station

Currently, the following services would appear to go through the site of White Rose station.

  • Northern Trains – Wigan Wallgate and Leeds
  • TransPennine Express – Huddersfield and Leeds
  • TransPennine Express – Liverpool Lime Street and Edinburgh
  • TransPennine Express – Liverpool Lime Street and Scarborough
  • TransPennine Express – Manchester Airport and Newcastle
  • TransPennine Express – Manchester Airport and Redcar Central
  • TransPennine Express – Manchester Piccadilly and Hull

Note.

  1. All services are one tph.
  2. The first two services are stopping services, that stop at the two stations, that will be either side of White Rose station; Cottingley and Morley.
  3. Dewsbury station, which will be three stations away, has a service of three tph.

There may also be an LNER service between London and Huddersfield via Leeds, which might go through White Rose station.

When sources like Wikipedia, say the station will get two tph, they are probably basing this on the two stopping services.

Does White Rose Station Need A Direct Manchester Airport Service?

I think if the station becomes important, it will certainly need a direct service to Manchester Airport.

If one of TransPennine’s Manchester Airport services stopped at White Rose station it would give a direct fast hourly service to Manchester Airport.

  • It would take about eighty minutes on current timings.
  • In addition the service would call at Manchester Piccadilly, Leeds and York.

In my view it would be a very useful service.

Does White Rose Station Need A Direct London Service?

The reasoning for Manchester Airport, would probably apply to London.

Consider.

  • Leeds currently has a two tph LNER service to London.
  • I believe that LNER’s Leeds and London service could be uprated to three tph.
  • Huddersfield should be getting a daily service or perhaps better to London.
  • White Rose station is only planned to have a two tph service to Leeds.

I think there is scope to improve the service between White Rose and London.

  • Stopping services between Leeds and Huddersfield should connect conveniently with the London trains at Leeds.
  • If a third tph between Leeds and Huddersfield stopped at White Rose, that might help.
  • Perhaps, some or all services between Huddersfield and London, should stop at White Rose.

It would all depend on the needs of passengers, once the station opened.

White Rose Station And Elland Road Stadium

This Google Map shows the distance between the White Rose Centre and Elland Road stadium.

Note.

  1. Elland Road stadium is in the North-East of the map
  2. The White Rose Shopping Centre is towards the South of the map.
  3. The Huddersfield Line runs down the Western side of the White Rose shopping centre.
  4. Cottingley station in North-West corner of the map is the nearest station to Elland Road stadium.
  5. I estimate it is about a mile-and-a-half walk, which is typical for many football grounds.

Would it be sensible on match days to run longer trains to White Rose station?

I also feel, that thought be given to the walking route between White Rose Station and Elland Road Stadium.

Would it also be better, if the new station was towards the North of the shopping centre?

Platform Length At White Rose Station

Platform length at White Rose station is stated that it will initially take six-car trains, with a possibility to extend to eight-cars.

Consider the lengths of trains likely to call at White Rose station.

To handle pairs of three-car Class 185, Class 195 and Class 331 trains, it looks like 150 metre long platforms will be needed.

But to handle pairs of four-car  Class 195 and Class 331 trains, it looks like 200 metre long platforms will be needed.

I suspect that because of the proximity of Elland Road and there is a lot of shopping in the build up to Christmas, that a thorough analysis of platform length should be done, before White Rose station is built.

Will A Cross-Leeds Service Serve White Rose Station?

If you look at Birmingham, Cardiff, Glasgow, Liverpool, London, Manchester and Newcastle, suburban lines fan out all around the city.

If you look at Leeds, you find the following routes.

  • Bradford – West – Electrified
  • Harrogate -North – No Electrification
  • Dewsbury and Huddersfield – South-West – Electrification planned
  • Ilkley – North – Electrified
  • Skipton – North-West – Electrified
  • Wakefield – South-East – Electrified
  • York and Selby – North-East and East – No Electrification

It appears to me, that the suburban routes are better on the Western side of the City, with more electrification in operation or planned.

The planned electrification between Leeds and Huddersfield via White Rose station can only make matters more uneven.

The Rail Technology Magazine article also says this.

The Investment Committee will also consider plans for a new £31.9m parkway rail station at Thorpe Park on the Leeds to York section of the Transpennine route.

Wikipedia says that proposed Thorpe Park station, will be built on the Selby Line to the East of Leeds, in the Thorpe Park are of the city. Wikipedia also says this about the operation of the station.

It would be served by trains from the west of Leeds which would normally terminate at Leeds station; by continuing eastwards to this station, it is hoped that extra capacity for through trains would be created at Leeds. The station would also form the first phase of electrifying the railway line to the east of Leeds. As a parkway station (an early name was East Leeds Parkway), the intention would be to allow for a park-and-ride service and the plans include parking for 500 cars.

This Google Map shows the area where the station could be built.

Note.

  1. The Selby Line curving across the Northern side of the map.
  2. Cross Gates station is the next station to the West.
  3. Going East on the Selby Line, you pass through Garforth, East Garforth and Micklefield stations before the line divides for York to the North and Selby and Hull to the East.
  4. The M1 Motorway passing to the East of Leeds.

Other features of the proposed station and the area include.

  • Wikipedia says that the station will have two island platforms and the ability to handle inter-city trains.
  • The route through the station would be electrified.
  • High Speed Two could be routed to go close to the station.

Currently, the following services would appear to go through the site of Thorpe Park station.

  • CrossCountry – Plymouth and Edinburgh/Glasgow
  • LNER – Leeds and Edinburgh
  • Northern Trains – Blackpool North and York
  • Northern Trains – Halifax and Hull
  • Northern Trains – Leeds and York
  • TransPennine Express – Liverpool Lime Street and Edinburgh
  • TransPennine Express – Liverpool Lime Street and Scarborough
  • TransPennine Express – Manchester Airport and Newcastle
  • TransPennine Express – Manchester Airport and Redcar Central
  • TransPennine Express – Manchester Piccadilly and Hull

Note.

  1. Most of these trains are one tph.
  2. I believe that LNER, when they get extra paths on the East Coast Main Line, could run a London, Leeds and Edinburgh service to increase frequency to the two Northern destinations to three tph.
  3. All the TransPennine Express services will pass through White Rose, Leeds and Thorpe Park stations.

I can see a high-capacity Leeds Crossrail service emerging.

These could be some example frequencies.

  • Leeds and York – 6 tph
  • Leeds and Thorpe Park – 10 tph
  • Leeds and Hull – 2 tph
  • Leeds and Huddersfield – 6 tph
  • Leeds and Manchester Victoria/Piccadilly – 6 tph
  • Leeds and Manchester Airport – 2 tph
  • Leeds and White Rose – 4 tph

A four-track electrified route could be developed through Leeds station.

Are Two Platforms Enough At White Rose Station?

Superficially White Rose and Thorpe Park stations seem aimed at similar purposes in different parts of Leeds.

But White Rose station will only have two platforms and it appears that Thorpe Park could have four.

So does White Rose station need more platforms?

Conclusion

White Rose and Thorpe Park stations could be the start of something very big in Leeds.

 

 

February 2, 2021 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Dancing Azumas At Leeds

This picture shows the 1749 arrival at Leeds from London Kings Cross.

Train details were as follows.

  • The train had left Kings Cross at 1533.
  • It was formed of two five-car trains working as a pair.
  • The train was perhaps a couple of minutes late, arriving in Leeds.
  • The train arrives in Platform 6.
  • The complete ten-car formation left for Harrogate at 1800.

My train for London, which was another pair of five-car trains arrived in Platform 8 at Leeds at 1806 from Harrogate. The train left on time at 1815.

At present there is no joining and splitting, but if this is used by LNER, the following timings are possible.

  • 1533 – Two five-car trains working as a pair leave Kings Cross.
  • 1749 – The train arrives in Platform 6 at Leeds and the two trains are uncoupled.
  • 1800 – A second driver gets into the rear train and he drives it towards Harrogate.
  • 1800 – The front train stays in the platform.
  • 1806 – The Harrogate to London service arrives from Harrogate and couples to the train in Platform 6.
  • 1815 – The pair of five-car trains leave for London.

I think it is all rather elegant.

  • Harrogate gets a five-car Azuma service, which is probably sufficient for the town’s need.
  • Five-car trains probably fit all platforms easily on the Harrogate Line, where stops are planned.
  • Will platforms at Headingley station be extended, so that London trains can stop during Test matches?
  • The inbound and outbound services to and from Harrogate pass each other on the double track.
  • The rear train from London reverses and goes to Harrogate..
  • The front train just fills up with new passengers and after coupling with the train from Harrogate goes back to London.
  • As Class 800 trains are supposed to be able to couple and uncouple in under two minutes, there should be only a small delay.
  • LNER are running two trains per hour between London and Leeds, but they could be running four separate services per hour Between London and Yorkshire.

But the biggest advantage is that the front train from London can go somewhere else! Bradford? Huddersfield?

Possible Destinations

These are possible destinations, distances and times.

  • Bradford – 13 miles – 25 minutes
  • Harrogate – 18 miles – 30 minutes
  • Huddersfield – 17 miles – 35 minutes
  • Hull – 20 miles – 60 minutes
  • Ilkley – 16 miles – 26 minutes
  • Middlesbrough – – 76 miles – 84 minutes
  • Scarborough – 67 miles – 75 minutes
  • Skipton – 26 miles – 43 minutes
  • York – 25 miles – 30 minutes

Harrogate would probably pair well with Bradford, Huddersfield, Skipton or York

Note.

  1. I have added Ilkley although it doesn’t have a service to London.
  2. Bradford Forster Square and Skipton already have one train per day (tpd) from London via Leeds.
  3. Routes to Bradford Forster Square, Ilkley and Skipton are electrified.
  4. Network Rail has plans to electrify the routes to Huddersfield and York.
  5. There are at least thirty tpd between London and Leeds in both directions run by LNER.

Six tpd, as are now running to Harrogate and Lincoln to all six destinations would need just eighteen tpd to split and join at Leeds.

Stations That Could Be Served

All these stations could be given a direct service to and from London.

I have included every station, which the LNER trains pass, in this list.

But why not?

  • These modern trains can make a station stop much quicker than older trains.
  • They would improve the local service to Leeds.
  • Some stations might be too small for five-car Azumas, that are 130 metres long.
  • No electrification would be needed, but it could be added.

Leeds could become an even more important rail hub for North Yorkshire.

 

December 30, 2019 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , | 1 Comment

Is There Going To Be Full Electrification Between Leeds And Huddersfield?

This article on Rail Technology Magazine is dated 23/08/19 and is entitled Network Rail Reveals Detailed £2.9bn Upgrade Plans For TransPennine Route and it prompted me to write this post of the same name.

The Rail Technology Magazine article talks about a comprehensive upgrade to the Huddersfield Line is planned that includes.

  • Improvement between Huddersfield and Westtown
  • Grade separation or a tunnel at Ravensthorpe
  • Rebuilding and electrification of eight miles of track.
  • Possible doubling the number of tracks from two to four.
  • Improved stations at Huddersfield, Deighton, Mirfield and Ravensthorpe.

I have now found this document on the Network Rail web site, which is entitled Huddersfield to Westtown (Dewsbury).

This statement is included under proposals.

Electrification of the railway from Huddersfield to Ravensthorpe – and right through to Leeds.

Because there is a dash in the words, has electrification to Leeds, been a recent addition?

It certainly doesn’t fit with the Rail Technology Magazine article.

It also doesn’t fit with this article on the BBC, which is dated 20/08/19 and is entitled Detailed TransPennine £2.9bn Rail Upgrade Plans Unveiled.

Electrification is mentioned in the second paragraph.

Network Rail has also announced it intends to electrify the line between Huddersfield and Dewsbury and double the number of tracks from two to four.

And in the sixth paragraph.

Network Rail said the proposed major overhaul and electrification work would be carried out on an 8-mile (13km) section of the route, with the “first round” of consultations starting with those living closest to the railway.

The two news sites seem to have used the same source.

The BBC also uses this map, that I have copied from the Network Rail document

Note the railway lines shown in red. Are these the ones to be electrified? As they go from Huddersfield to Westtown, I think the answer is probably in the affirmative.

I seems to me, that Rail Technology Magazine and the BBC are using a common source and could it be an earlier version of the Network Rail document.

But the map, I have shown, shows the electrification only going as far as Westtown, despite coming from a document, that states twice that the electrification is going as far as Leeds.

It is certainly sloppy documentation.

Track Layouts

This document on the Digital Railway web site is dated 16/08/18 and is entitled Transpennine Route Upgrade SDO1 ETCS – Analysis.

Significantly, it is written by the Digital Railway – Joint Development Group (JDG), which consists of representatives of Siemens, Hitachi, ARUP and Network Rail.

It is mainly about using digital signalling called ETCS on the Transpennine Route, but it does give these track layouts between Huddersfield and Dewsbury.

This is the current layout.

There is also this full four-track layout, which I assume was the original plan.

It is more complicated and involved the building of bridges in the area of Ravensthorpe station.

There is also a reduced four-track layout, which I assume was developed as the track analysis progressed.

It is not a massive upgrade from the current layout.

As I see it, if the reduced layout can handle the required number of services, it has major advantages over the full scheme.

  • There are no changes to track  layout between Ravensthorpe and Dewsbury stations.
  • Rebuilding Ravensthorpe station should be a smaller project.
  • The current and reduced layout have three tracks between Mirfield and Ravensthorpe stations.
  • There are no expensive new bridges to be built.

To make the scheme work there is a small amount of bi-directional running on the centre track, which is made possible by using digital signalling on the route.

Track Usage

By using bi-directional running on the centre track between Ravensthorpe and Mirfield stations, which is controlled by ETCS, the track layout is simplified, with three tracks instead of four.

  • Slow trains from Huddersfield to Dewsbury will dive under the Brighouse lines and call in/pass Platform 1 at Mirfield station before going straight on to Ravensthorpe and Dewsbury. This is as trains do now.
  • Slow trains from Dewsbury to Huddersfield will use the centre track from East to West and call in/pass Platform 2 at Mirfield station before turning South-West  on to Huddersfield. This is as trains do now.
  • Fast trains from Huddersfield to Dewsbury will call in/pass Platform 3 at Mirfield station and then cross over to the top track and go straight on to Ravensthorpe and Dewsbury.
  • Fast trains from Dewsbury to Huddersfield will use the centre track from East to West and call in/pass Platform 4 at Mirfield station before turning South-West  on to Huddersfield.
  • Trains from Brighouse  to Wakefield will call in/pass Platform 1 at Mirfield station and then cross to the centre track and go straight on to Wakefield. This is as trains do now.
  • Trains from Wakefield to Brighouse will use the centre track from East to West and call in/pass Platform 2 at Mirfield station and go straight on to Brighouse.

Note.

  1. Platforms at Mirfield station are numbered 1 to 4 from the North
  2. The slow lines between Mirfield and Huddersfield are shown in black.
  3. The fast lines between Mirfield and Huddersfield are shown in blue.
  4. Passengers can use Platforms 1/2 as a cross-platform interchange between slow Huddersfield-Leeds and Brighouse-Wakefield services.

I also think it likely, that the proposed layout will improve the timetable.

Does The Reduced Layout Produce A Cost Saving?

In one of the first jobs I did at ICI Plastics Division, I simulated a chemical process on an analogue computer. My mathematics showed they could use much smaller vessels, which meant the height of the plant could be reduced by a few  metres. I remember the engineer in charge of the project being very pleased, when he told me, that height costs money.

  • The reduced layout removes three bridges, which must mean a cost saving.
  • There is probably less track to lay

The negative is that digital signalling with ETCS must be installed through the area. This is going to be installed on the UK network, so it probably needs little more than shuffling the installation order.

On balance, when all things are considered, I suspect if the reduced layout can be used, there will be substantial cost savings on the project.

Problems At Morley Station

Morley station is two stations after Dewsbury station on the route towards Leeds.

Unusually for Wikipedia, the entry for Morley station has a large section entitled Current Problems.

This is the first two paragraphs.

The increase in demand, combined with growth elsewhere on the line, means that overcrowding in the morning peak, particularly for commuters heading towards Leeds, is becoming more of an issue.

Despite this commuter growth little has been done to bring this station into the 21st century. For example, only one platform is accessible for disabled passengers, there is insufficient parking, access routes to and from the station are often overgrown with weeds, and there are frequent drainage problems which all combine to make the station not as pleasant as other stations in West Yorkshire. In 2012 a “Friends of Morley station” group was formed, and is addressing some of these issues. Work to improve the car park and drainage commenced in February 2013.

To make matters worse, the station is 10-15 minutes walk from the centre of Morley with poor bus and taxi connections.

Would the following help the Friends of Morley Station?

  • Longer trains.
  • More frequent trains.
  • Faster trains to Leeds
  • Better bus services.

Electric trains would help solve the first three.

White Rose Station

There are plans to build a new White Rose station in the next couple of years at the White Rose Centre..

This would be between Morley and Cottingley stations.

This station will surely increase the passenger numbers on the Huddersfield Line.

Have Network Rail Designed The Electrification Between Dewsbury And Leeds?

This electrification has been off and on more times, than the lights in an average kitchen, so I suspect there is a workable plan dating from the last century amongst many others.

Would Extending Electrification To Leeds Provide The Power?

Electrification needs a good connection to the National Grid to provide the power needed to run the trains.

The short eight-mile electrification, as originally proposed could probably have been fed from one end; Huddersfield or Dewsbury.

Both locations would need new sub-stations, with Huddersfield possibly needed in the future to power the wires all the way to Manchester.

Leeds is already fully-electrified with electric expresses to Doncaster and London and several electric local services.

So is the easiest and most affordable way to power the eight-mile electrification between Huddersfield and Westtown to run an extension cable between Leeds and Dewsbury?

Network Rail had a similar problem on the Midland Main Line, which I wrote about in Welcome For Extension Of Midland Electrification.

National Grid had provided a power connection near Market Harborough for the Midland Main Line electrification, which was then cancelled North of Kettering North Junction, leaving the electrification to Corby without a power supply.

The problem is being solved, by extending the electrification to Market Harborough and connecting the wires to the power there.

I do wonder, that the most affordable way to power the Huddersfield and Westtown electrified line is to electrify all the way to Leeds and connect to the power there.

Conclusion

Improving services on the Huddersfield Line between Huddersfield and Leeds is going to be very necessary in the next few years, as passenger numbers will surely grow, due to new housing, increased commuting and the opening of White Rose station.

  • New or refurbished four-car electric trains would provide more capacity, increased frequencies and faster services,
  • Digital signalling with ETCS would allow more trains to run smoothly.

It appears to me, that to electrify all of the Huddersfield Line between Huddersfield and Leeds would be a good idea, if the money can be found.

Has that money been found by developing a more affordable track layout for the proposed TransPennine Upgrade between Huddersfield and Westtown?

But also using the power at Leeds and electrifying all the way between Huddersfield and Leeds, seems to be a bloody great tail, that is wagging the dog of electrification.

Further Electrification

Providing a fully-electrified route between Huddersfield and Leeds, would leave just two sections of the main TransPennine route without electrification.

I don’t know about the planning and difficulty of the first route, but from my helicopter the engineering shouldn’t be too difficult, with the exception of the elecxtrification of the Standedge Tunnels, although Wikipedia seems optimistic about the electrifying the main twin-bore tunnel.

During the 2000s, Network Rail proposed reinstating rail traffic through the 1848 and 1871 tunnels to increase capacity on the Leeds-Manchester trans-Pennine route, but after a re-appraisal after the decision to electrify the trans-Pennine line, it was reported in 2012 that reinstatement was unnecessary.

In addition, could it be, that Manchester with lots of electric trains can provide enough power at Stalybridge, where an updated power connection has been recently installed, to power electric trains between Manchester and Huddersfield?

, The second has been planned for years and has a string of advantages.

  • Speed up services between Leeds and Newcastle and Scotland.
  • Allow LNER to run electric trains between London and Scotland via Leeds.
  • Create an electrified route between Neville Hill Depot and York.
  • Create an electrified diversion through Leeds for the East Coast Main Line

This section should be electrified for operational reasons on the East Coast Main Line.

A Final Conclusion

Network Rail’s plans seem to have evolved under analysis to be as follows.

  • Limited four-tracking and updated track between Huddersfield and Westtown.
  • Digital signalling with ETCS between Huddersfield and Leeds.
  • Full electrification between Huddersfield and Leeds
  • Power for the electrification from Leeds.

Could it even cost less than the allocated £2.9billion?

 

 

 

August 31, 2019 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Hammond To Announce ‘More Money’ For Northern Powerhouse Rail

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

This is said.

Chancellor Philip Hammond is to announce an extra £300m to improve rail links in northern England, in a speech to the Conservative Party conference.

Plans to electrify the whole Trans-Pennine route have been in doubt.

But the new money will be used to ensure HS2 will link to faster trains between Liverpool and Manchester, Sheffield, Leeds and York – so-called Northern Powerhouse rail.

What would I do with £300 million to improve the rail lines in the North?

To Electrify Or Not!

If we don’t electrify a few routes it will make things difficult.

As an example, you might want to create an HS2 route from London to Middlesbrough, using the Northallerton to Middlesbrough Line.

HS2 trains would probably travel from the HS2 terminus at Leeds along the East Coast Main Line to Northallerton.

If the last few miles were not electrified, then the train would need to be a bi-mode.

However, the dead weight of a diesel engine might reduce the performance sufficiently, so the train couldn’t run at full speed on HS2.

So the HS2 trains would probably need electrified track at all time!

I don’t think that all the destinations that might need an HS2 service are on all-electric route from HS2.

How about these stations?

  • Barrow
  • Blackburn
  • Burnley
  • Edinburgh
  • Huddersfield
  • Lincoln
  • Middlesbrough
  • Newcastle
  • Sheffield
  • York

Note that Carlisle and Glasgow are not on my list, but four important stations , that are served by the East Coast Main Line, cannot be reached by an electric train from HS2, because of gaps in the electrification.

Splitting And Joining

I am assuming that trains can join and split like the Class 395 trains to Kent.

As a simple example two five-car trains might start from London as a ten-car train and split at Crewe or Nottingham, with perhaps each train going to different destinations.

Going southward, two trains would join for the dash to London.

Cross-And Same-Platform Interchanges

By clever station design, it might be possible for interchanges at places like Crewe, Nottingham, Preston and York to be a simple procedure, where passengers get off one train and get on the connecting service either immediately or after a few minutes, without negotiating any steps, escalators or lifts.

Electrification

Possible routes to electrify would be as follows.

Batley To Selby Via East Leeds Parkway, Leeds and White Rose Centre

Leeds are keen to build two new stations; East Leeds Parkway and White Rose Centre. The line could be electrified between these two stations to form a new electrified CrossLeeds service perhaps between Batley in the West and Selby in the East.

There is the 4km. long tunnel at Morley and this could be easy to electrify, by using an overhead rail, as was used in the Severn Tunnel.

Leeds to York

This would give the following advantages.

  • It would complete a fully electric route from Leeds to York, Newcastle, Edinburgh and Glasgow.
  • A time saving of upwards of upwards of five minutes between Leeds and York.
  • Direct connection for HS2 to the East Coast Main Line.
  • It would allow electric trains to be moved between York and Neville Hill depot in Leeds.

It would also be a fairly simple piece of electrification.

Northallerton To Middlesbrough

This line is only twenty miles long and it would allow electric trains and HS2 to go to Middlesbrough.

Preston To Burnley via Blackburn

I’m very keen on this electrification.

  • It would give a lift to the area.
  • Electric and bi-mode trains could run between Blackpool, Blackburn, Clitheroe, Burnley, Colne, Liverpool and Manchester.

HS2 trains would be able to reach Blackburn and/or Burnley.

Tunnels

There are several long tunnels in the Pennines. I believe that these should be electrified, as Network Rail seem to be able to handle tunnels.

Bi-mode trains would run through using the electrification.

Improved Lines

These lines could be improved and might even be electrified.

Camp Hill Line

This would create a second line across Birmingham. Extra chords at Bordesley, a couple of stations and electrification would make it a quality improvement.

Carnforth To Barrow

Barrow and the nearby Sellafield need a lift and perhaps, if the line were to be improved bi-mode trains could reach Barrow from Crewe, where there will be an easy interchange with HS2.

Electrifying the line might be possible, but the Heritage lobby won’t want the Lake District spoiled.

Derby To Nottingham Via East Midlands Hub

When HS2 gets to the East Midlands Hub station between Nottingham and Derby, it will need good connections to both cities.

This could be heavy rail or an extended Nttingham Express Transit.

Liverpool To Manchester Via Chat Moss

The electrified route between Liverpool Lime Street and Manchester Victoria stations has a very low operating speed.

Sort it!

New And Reopened Lines

There are a couple of lines thsat could be built or reopened.

MerseyRail’s Northern Line to Skelmersdale

I like this idea and it could be an improvement with a high return.

Skipton And Colne

This missing link should be created, so that there is another route across the Pennines.

As Skipton is electrified, why not electrify the link and the existing Colne to Rose Grove line, which would be on the Preston to Burnley route that I think should be electrified.

 

 

 

Conclusion

I’ve probably spent £300 million now!

But I do think, if Network Rail are innovative, things can be made a lot better.

 

 

October 2, 2017 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , | Leave a comment

Will Elland Road Stadium Ever Get a Railway Station?

The traffic getting to Elland Road for the match between Leeds United and Ipswich Town was horrendous. But then the crowd was over 34,000!

You can see Elland Road stadium as you come into Leeds on the trains from London, and this Google Map shows the relation between the rail line and the stadium.

My friend actually parked her car alongside the rail line and we walked to the ground along Elland Road.

I took these pictures from where we parked.

Development is happening between the railway and the stadium including a new ice rink.

So will a new station be built on this line, if Leeds United won promotion to the Premier League?

This article in Rail Technology Magazine is entitled Plans For Three New Leeds Railway Stations Unveiled. It says that a new station at theWhite Rose Shopping Centre could be built.

This Google Map shows Elland Road Stadium and the White Rose Shopping Centre and the two rail lines in the area.

Note.

  1. The line through Cottingley station is the Huddersfield Line.
  2. Cottingley station is currently the nearest station to Elland Road Stadium.
  3. The Huddersfield Line passes alongside the White Rose Shopping Centre.
  4. The Huddersfield Line is not electrified.

After the traffic, I saw at the match, something needs to be done.

TransPennine Improvements

The Huddersfield Line will be improved to form part of a strategy for 125 mph trains across the Pennines.

The map from Wikipedia shows the lines between Leeds and Batley stations, that go through Cottingley.

Note.

  1. The White Rose Centre is probably near the closed Churwell station.
  2. The four kilometre long Morley Tunnel, which if it is in good condition could be reasonably easy to electrify.
  3. After Batley the route diverges and serves nemerous towns in the area like Bradford, Brighouse, Halifax and Huddersfield.

There is surely scope for a comprehensive and frquent service to the West of Leeds.

A Digitally-Signalled Trans-Pennine Route

The complexity of the routes around Leeds must be a nightmare to operate.

In this article on Rail Technology Magazine, which is entitled Grayling Commits £5m To Install Digital Signalling On TransPennine Route, the Transport Minister advocates the use of digital signalling to increase capacity and stability on the line.

Having waited at Leeds station to get a train to Guiseley, operation of the suburban routes in Leeds seems to be incredibly complicated and I suspect difficult for both passengers and the operators.

The Ordsall Chord will give Manchester a cross-city route, so could digital signalling open up an East-West route across Leeds and thread it through all the long distance services serving Leeds?

New stations at Apperley Bridge, Kirkstall Forge, Leeds-Bradford Airport, Thorpe Park and White Rose Shopping Centre would all fit this pattern and I believe digital signalling could be the key to making it work, with four trains per hour to each terminus.

More Suburban Electrification In Leeds

In some ways the most important stretch of electrification needed in Leeds would be the route from Neville Hill depot to York, as this would add the following.

  • Ease movements of trains between York and the depot.
  • Improve the performance of services between Liverpool and Newcastle via Manchester, Huddersfield, Leeds and York.
  • Allow electric services from Thorpe Park to destinations on the other side of the city.

There must be an exceedingly good reason, why this route has not been electrified.

Conclusion

Leeds could expand the Metro dramatically by doing the following.

  • Running services through two through platforms in Leeds station.
  • Building several new stations.
  • Electrifying between Neville Hill depot and York.
  • Using digital signalling.
  • Obtaining some bi-mode trains. Even Class 769 trains would do the job.

The network of lines around Leeds could give Leeds a Metro of a very high standard, at a very affordable cost.

September 23, 2017 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , | 1 Comment