Major new electrification projects to be anounced shortly

[whole diary]

[woody]

TRANSPORT Secretary Justine Greening is poised to pump billions of pounds into the rail network to cut journey times and boost growth.In days she will announce plans for a major new electrification project to upgrade key rail routes across the country.Among the other schemes vying for funds is one which will link valley towns in South Wales with Swansea and Cardiff after plans to electrify the Great Western Mainline as far as ^Cardiff were announced last year.

http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/331484/-billion-rail-boost-will-electrify-the-Midlands

[onthecushions]

Hmmmm.

If the Midland main Line scheme (A19.1 in the electrification RUS^▸ (Route Utilisation Strategy)) is given the go-ahead, i.e. allowed to go forward in the GRIP^▸ (Guide to Railway Investment Projects) process, it will be interesting to read in the tea leaves what the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) is really thinking. MML^» (Midland Main Line. - about) was stated to have a better return than our GWML^▸ (Great Western Main Line) but how extensive will the wiring/capacity schemes be? Will there be a "Swansea chop" in the Midlands?

Watch out for whether both Trent Valley and Derby routes to Sheffield are included, also whether much 4 track is reinstated and the Corby and Matlock branches are wired. Yorkshire PTA^▸ (Passenger Transport Authority)'s are now keen on sparks so it's possible they may get Sheffield - Moorthorpe (for Leeds) as well. Dft isn't that good at Geography so NR^» (Network Rail - home page) may fix things.

It's too much to hope for all XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) as well but as an outside, add-on wiring from Basingstoke to Coventry/B'ham (via Oxford) would allow all the NW-South Coast "XC" to go electric. Perhaps we'd get our Liverpools and Glasgows back in our glitzy new Reading General.

Politically, wiring announcements before Summer hols would leave a good taste when HS2^▸ (The next High Speed line(s)) was faltering. Also Nick (or is it Norman) Clegg is a Sheffield MP^▸ (Member of Parliament) and looks vulnerable. So back to the armchair to listen to the Home Service....


OTC

[anthony215]

Contract for IEP^▸ (Intercity Express Program / Project.) has been signed although a press annoucement about it isnt expected until the annoucement about electrification etc.

Still I look forward to seeing what the government have planned although I do hope it includes wires to Swansea

[JayMac]

The contract for IEP^▸ (Intercity Express Program / Project.) is believed to have been signed. That's all that's floating around the internet at the moment. I've little doubt it's a done deal with Hitachi but it's important to make the distinction that nothing official has yet been announced.

[woody]

The following article entitled "Electrification could speed up trains in Gloucestershire" says that FGW^▸ (First Great Western) is considering upgrading the network in other areas, and that is expected to include Cheltenham if Bristol/Birmingham XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) was electrified.

http://www.thisisgloucestershire.co.uk/story-16514651-detail/story.html

Quote from above article "Other routes that may come up for possible consideration for electrification include Bristol to Birmingham via Cheltenham (and Gloucester) as part of a wider initiative to electrify services between Bristol, Birmingham and the North. "If this was proposed, there would be a case for considering electrification of the routes from Severn Tunnel Junction to Gloucester and the South Cotswold route from Swindon to Standish Junction (south of Gloucester)."

So I await with great interest what the Government will shortly announce regarding its wider electrification plans for the period 2014/2019.

[Electric train]

The following article entitled "Electrification could speed up trains in Gloucestershire" says that FGW^▸ (First Great Western) is considering upgrading the network in other areas, and that is expected to include Cheltenham if Bristol/Birmingham XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) was electrified.

http://www.thisisgloucestershire.co.uk/story-16514651-detail/story.html

Quote from above article "Other routes that may come up for possible consideration for electrification include Bristol to Birmingham via Cheltenham (and Gloucester) as part of a wider initiative to electrify services between Bristol, Birmingham and the North. "If this was proposed, there would be a case for considering electrification of the routes from Severn Tunnel Junction to Gloucester and the South Cotswold route from Swindon to Standish Junction (south of Gloucester)."

So I await with great interest what the Government will shortly announce regarding its wider electrification plans for the period 2014/2019.

  History has proven that Electrification is infectious, once a primary route is electrified the (Train) operator pushes for more it as it improve flexibility, reduces the number of different types of traction they have to maintain and maintenance costs of electric traction is far lower than diesel

[paul7575]

As I pointed out in another thread, the forthcoming announcement is the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about)'s view on all CP5^▸ (Control Period 5 - the five year period between 2014 and 2019) projects, ie the HLOS^▸ (High Level Output Specification)/SoFA. 

It is not just an 'electrification announcement', as is sometimes being assumed...

Paul

[IndustryInsider]

It's looking like Monday for the HLOS^▸ (High Level Output Specification) statement if you believe the number of articles with journalists attempting to pre-empt the detail within.

Several articles saying that MML^» (Midland Main Line. - about) electrification north of Bedford will be announced, and the following article from the Guardian also suggests that Cardiff to Swansea and the Valley Lines will figure along with confirmation of East-West Rail linking Oxford/Aylesbury with Milton Keynes/Bedford.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/jul/13/rail-network-investment-cameron-clegg

I remember similar such bold claims in the past though, so I won't believe anything until I hear it!

[onthecushions]

Interesting looking at the sources of this "announcement".

The Guardian article probably comes from a Lib-Dem leak.

There is also something in RailNews:

http://www.railnews.co.uk/news/2012/07/14-hope-grows-for-midland-main.html

This mentions "industry sources" and mentions wiring North of Sheffield.

Could the mention of Swansea betoken a change of heart or just journalists repeating last year's copy?

OTC

[paul7575]

For the MML^» (Midland Main Line. - about), Network Rail's CP5^▸ (Control Period 5 - the five year period between 2014 and 2019) proposals had the core network as follows:

Bedford to Sheffield via Derby;
Kettering to Corby; and
Trent Junction to Nottingham.

...and they costed that at between ^216m - ^257m

they then said that incremental costs would be worked out for:

Trent Junction to Clay Cross South Junction (Erewash valley line);
Matlock branch;
Etches Park depot;
Sheffield to Doncaster;
Sheffield to Leeds; and
Up and Down Hendon lines from Silkstream Junction to Watling Street Junction.

The leaked figure for the MML wiring quoted in all the papers now turns out to be roughly twice the amount of the core route, at ^500m.  If true that suggests the whole lot is being done...

Paul

 

[Electric train]

The Sheffield to Doncaster / Leeds will be useful as an ECML^▸ (East Coast Main Line) diversionary route, the ECML totally falls apart if there is a incident anywhere South of Doncaster.

All this electrification work is only bringing us back on track where BR^▸ (British Rail(ways)) wanted to be by 2000 so we will only be about 20 to 25 years late! and 5 times the cost

[woody]

The Independent while reporting Plans to electrify the Midland Mainline adds that the move would see the current fleet of inter-city diesel trains replaced with electric ones".

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/midland-mainline-to-be-electrified-7944136.html

Just a thought what would happen to the Meridian fleet.Would they transfer to West of England services to replace Great Westerns HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train) onthe Paddington/Plymouth/Penzance route.Or would they be retained on the Midland main line and converted to electric traction by inserting a pantograph car into Meridian sets.

It is also being reported that the Swansea and the South Wales Valleys will benefit because an extra ^500 million pounds has been secured to bring electric trains to the south Wales Valles and onto Swansea.

http://www.itv.com/news/wales/2012-07-14/electrification-to-swansea-to-be-given-go-ahead/
I suppose we will have to wait until Monday for more details.Never the less any thoughts on the matter.

[Southern Stag]

Meridians fitted with pantograph coaches has been one suggestion. They use the same bodyshells as Voyagers so would be a logical extension of any project to fit Voyagers with pantographs. I think the e-meridian idea was mainly being suggested when it was rumoured the MML^» (Midland Main Line. - about) would only be electrified to Leicester, therefore requiring continued usage of some diesel power. If the whole of the route is electrified it seems a bit strange to keep trains with that many diesel engines underneath them. They wouldn't be used much and they'd be adding lots of weight to the trains.

[Trowres]

With all these diesel-fitted electrics being proposed, I wonder if the railway will be able to negotiate a lower electricity supply price on the basis of an "interruptible" supply tarriff (at times when the national grid is approaching overload, some large consumers can be disconnected.  In the case of rail this could be done a train at a time as required).

[John R]

If the whole of the route is electrified it seems a bit strange to keep trains with that many diesel engines underneath them. They wouldn't be used much and they'd be adding lots of weight to the trains.

Very good point, and the Meridians could then form the top end of a DMU^▸ (Diesel Multiple Unit) cascade. Although then the question of what stock to use on the MML^» (Midland Main Line. - about) would be interesting. The route is ideal for tilt given it's relatively curvy, but Pendolinos would be a very long shot.

Incidentally, if the routes to Leeds and Doncaster are included, which given the speculated cost may be the case then that would leave relatively little unwired between Edinburgh and Bristol. With GW^▸ (Great Western) and Trans Pennine routes already committed, the addition of MML ready does get us to a point whereby infill schemes start to become no brainers, particularly given the current philosophy that significant new dmu stock is unlikely.