There’s a really mixed back in this month’s column, including an amazing pictorial blast from my past. But as promised last month we start with some positive news on electrification
A ‘Study on further electrification of
One of the exemplar routes is the East Coast Main Line. Yes, I know it’s electrified already – the Study just wanted to make sure that it was worth renewing the equipment. Yes, really, it’s as bonkers as that.
Of the serious propositions, the Midland Main Line makes a good case, partly because it is a
While a case cannot be made for Cross Country ‘in general’, infill is considered a possibility. I’m not sure where a long infill turns into a short route, but wiring the central core – say York-Sheffield-Derby-Birmingham-Bristol – would do wonders for a future electrified network.
And pending the final version, it seems to me that what the Study lacks is the concept of a rolling programme, where the benefits for later schemes improves as they become part of the growing network. That said it is only a first look. Investigation of further routes is promised, including more diversions and in-fill schemes.
That’s the first positive news. The second is that we are seeing some impressive results from regenerative braking on 25kV ac electrified lines.
In the column I give a bit of technical background plus the latest figures from c2c which has switched all of its Class 357 Electrostars to regenerative braking. Having settled down the provisional saving is now estimated at 21%.
Meanwhile, the Government is falling over itself not to mention the ‘E’ word. In its recent ‘Low carbon transport innovation strategy’ there was no mention of the proven potential of electrification to improve energy efficiency. Naturally the now-obligatory reference to ‘considering the longer term role that hydrogen fuel cells could play featured.’
If you are getting tired of my ridiculing those unthinking souls who believe hydrogen power could make electrification redundant, let me know. But this month I’m off again – and this time the target is Network Rail’s outgoing chief Executive John Armitt.
I won’t bore you with the technical analysis, except to say that allowing for savings from regenerative braking makes electrification even more attractive . But for a witty reality check on hydrogen can I recommend http://www.oilcrash.com/articles/h_scam.htm?
The opportunity to lengthen the Pendolino fleet in parallel with the big H2 Bogie Overhaul having been missed, Virgin Rail has been weighing the risk to availability and reliability of taking a train a week out of service from the second half of 2010. Longer Pendolinos are only part of the capacity equation. More passengers mean more spaces at stations to take their cars.
Clearly there is risk for Virgin in lengthening and other capacity enhancements which won’t be needed until after the franchise ends in March 2012. But there is Risk for DfT if more capacity isn’t provided, leaving a West Coast franchise to be re-let with no spare capacity.
So Virgin is now arguing that since the existing franchise gets no benefit from any additional capacity, for enhancements to go ahead they must be linked to reward. This could be achieved by a four year franchise extension.
I suspect this has gone down badly with DfT Rail. Tough! Virgin and Alstom can happily run the franchise out to March 2012, making steady money and leaving DfT Rail to sort out the mess.
Don’t expect any movement this side of the High Level Output Specification being published – expected on 17 July. But unless I have missed something, the longer nothing happens, the stronger Virgin’s hand.
MTU’s new maintenance contract for its engines going into First Great Western’s InterCity 125 power cars took me back to the Summer of ’63 and the arrival of DP2, the ‘23rd Deltic’, at Finsbury Park Depot where I was working.
That summer DP2 covered 43,000 trouble free miles in 58 consecutive days running, with only 08.30 to 15.30 on Sundays allowed for maintenance . For 1963, that was impressive, but the critics claimed that English Electric had cheated by lavishing TLC on its demonstrator.
And by British Rail standards it was true. But BR engineers, right up to the end, believed that there was something wrong with a diesel loco if it couldn’t handle regular mistreatment.
Now MTU have righted this long standing wrong with its £70m, 11 year service package for FGW’s engines. For example, the contract requires the engine coolant to be pre-heated before the engine can be started. No pre-heat – no power car. Perhaps it’s more tough love than TLC.
On a separate topic, Aslef is going to war over conditions in Class 66 freight locomotive cabs. About time too, in my view.
When I first footplated a 66 I soon came to the conclusion that I would need ear defenders if I worked in such noise levels for a living. And, yes, I know that the Class 55 Deltic cab was pretty noisy. In the Class 66 you also get high levels of engine vibration and last summer highlighted the lack of air conditioning.
Aslef has now set deadline of 18 June, after which ‘members should refuse to work trains which are operated by Class 66 locomotives’. Could be interesting times ahead.
Pandering to my youthful love affair, the Editor has found a colour photograph of my favourite locomotive to illustrate the column. Actually, I had been thinking of DP2 when Virgin got embroiled in some pointless spin about heroism in the Grayrigg derailment.
For sheer professional bravery on the footplate, the last moments of DP2 are a tribute to the courage shown over the years by the men on the front end. I hope you agree it bears retelling.
Having regularly highlighted the tendency of new trains to put on weight, I was intrigued to read that the District Line track was suffering from D78 Stock trains which had experienced weight creep during refurbishment.
As built, the six car sets weighed 146.26 tonnes. A change of bogie then refurbishment has brought the current weight 160.8 tonnes
More tones mean more tonne miles which is the basic factor in tract wear. Add in a new timetable which saw more train miles run and you can see why the index of measured track quality has deteriorated since 2000.
Having been round the various Mk 3 and Mk 4 coach refurbishments I reckon that these schemes also add weight Installing a universal access toilet must have a noticeable effect on the scales.. On some of this refurbished stock I have noticed that the original ‘painted weights’ on the vehicles’ ends have been removed and not replaced. Is there a connection?
Even taking bits out can have consequences. I quote the modifications to the Class 465 EMUs to create the Class 465/9 with a wheelchair space.
When not in use, this space provides additional high density standing room. The extra passenger not only increase the laden weight, they raise the centre of gravity affecting the vehicle’s dynamic envelope and clearance in tight tunnels.
Something which puzzled me and my chum at the other end of the magazine, Alan Williams, was how Network Rail could tell South West Trains that the Portsmouth Signalling Commissioning would go ahead at the second time of asking in March when everyone else in the signalling industry knew it wouldn’t happen – and it didn’t.
Not what you would expect from an informed customer and ORR seems to agree. On 6 June ORR announced that weaknesses in the planning and execution of the scheme had caused Network Rail to breach Condition 7 of its network licence.
ORR Chief Executive, Bill Emery now expects Network Rail to ensure that it completes the signalling work at
Not a lot to report this month, with the long overdue holiday in Skye followed by a rush of work which meant that I didn’t get to the Railfreight Conference or escape for a day out in Lille for the French railway industry exhibition.
I have to admit that for the holiday we flew from
Coming back we left the cottage in the top left hand corner of Skye at 06.31 and were pushing back the mail inside the front door at 15.00. It will be interesting to see how far into Europe it will be possible to get in 8 ½ hours when HSL1 opens in November and St Pancras International is 40 minutes from our front door.
Looking ahead Friday 22 June sees the final Fourth Friday Club meeting of the Session with guest speaker Transport Minister Tom Harris. Not sure yet what subject to choose for my warm-up chat.
More fun the following week, with an up-date session with Siemens and then an appearance debating the structure of the railways on Christian Wolmar’s show on the
Finally its best suit on and serious face as I go to the Competition Commission to take part in a fact finding round table session. ‘Do you need any material’ I asked when invited? ‘No, we read all your articles’ the man from the commission replied with a sardonic chuckle.
Meanwhile, as soon as e-Preview is off to the webmaster I must finish my application form for the latest batch of Network Rail Public Members. Last time my application didn’t get past the first sort: this time I’m trying a more forceful approach. Wish me luck!
Roger