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Title: South Western Railway and Network Rail - merged posts Post by: grahame on July 05, 2018, 16:43:59 Office of Rail and Road Investigation
Review of Network Rail’s performance delivery to South Western Railway services July 2018 53 pages at http://orr.gov.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/28186/review-of-network-rail-performance-delivery-to-south-western-railway-services-july-2018.pdf and from the conclusions: Quote 135. Overall, we have concerns around the route’s performance planning. While Wessex appears to be addressing the challenges it faces (for example it has plans in place), our interrogation of its plans has exposed issues particularly with the level of detail and commitment to deliver solutions to address those challenges. 140. We were also not fully assured the route’s capability to deliver its performance plans. Are the route’s plans also sustainable in the medium to long term 141. Given that we have concerns around Wessex’s plans to deliver improvements in the short term, we do not have confidence there are sustainable plans for the medium to long term. Title: Re: Review of Network Rail’s performance delivery to South Western Railway services Post by: SandTEngineer on July 05, 2018, 17:28:47 That makes for very interesting reading Grahame. Wouldn't it be nice to have a similar investigation into NR/GWR performance?
Title: South Western Railway and Network Rail - merged posts Post by: grahame on September 13, 2018, 12:17:10 https://www.southwesternrailway.com/other/about-us/independent-performance-review
Quote South Western Railway and Network Rail recognise that we haven’t delivered the standard of service expected or that we want to deliver. A number of challenges have contributed to this and we took action earlier this year to commission an independent review of performance on the network. Following the completion of that review, chaired by Sir Michael Holden, we now have a blueprint to help us improve performance – and the good news is that many of the recommendations in the report had already been identified and are underway. Network Rail is also investing a record £2 billion1 over the next five years to run the railway and help give passengers more reliable journeys. The independent report commissioned by South Western Railway and independently chaired by experienced railwayman Sir Michael Holden, looked at every aspect of performance on the South Western Network to establish why it has been in decline since 2011. The report concludes that a number of factors have caused a loss of timetable resilience and a degradation in service recovery capability during and after disruption over a number of years. It lists growing passenger numbers, the management of train crew , the operation of longer trains, increasing numbers of speed restrictions, , and ageing infrastructure as having contributed to the decline over the last eight years. More recently the Waterloo works in August 2017 and the move of the joint Control between Network Rail and the train operator to Basingstoke in early 2017, have exacerbated the situation. As well as identifying the causes of decline the report makes a number of recommendations to address these issues. In some cases these areas had already been identified and remedial action has been underway for some time. Title: Re: South Western Railway and Network Rail - independent review of performance Post by: Lee on September 13, 2018, 12:32:28 They were only a couple of strategically placed letters away from having the bloke who narrated Paddington chairing the review, which would have been the ultimate irony.
Title: South Western Railways and NR propose new plan to electrify line. Post by: johnneyw on September 30, 2024, 18:14:46 From Rail magazine online:
'Islands’ of third-rail electric power are being assessed for the West of England line between Basingstoke and Exeter. Network Rail and South Western Railway have been working for two years on plans to remove diesel trains on the long-distance route. They have involved train manufacturers and rolling stock leasing companies in studies to fit battery power to either Class 450 Desiros or new Class 701 Arterio trains, able to recharge on sections of discontinuous third-rail track.o You need to log on to their site to read the rest. https://www.railmagazine.com/news/2024/09/26/discontinuous-third-rail-idea-for-west-of-england-line Edit to add link. Title: Re: South Western Railways and NR propose new plan to electrify line. Post by: Timmer on September 30, 2024, 19:14:55 At last, some common sense finally prevailing by extending third rail towards Exeter even if it’s discontinuous.
Title: Re: South Western Railways and NR propose new plan to electrify line. Post by: ChrisB on September 30, 2024, 19:51:57 So, at line speed, how many miles of third rail would be required how often to keep the b attery at least 75% charged? Or is that answer impossible?
Title: Re: South Western Railways and NR propose new plan to electrify line. Post by: grahame on September 30, 2024, 21:41:45 So, at line speed, how many miles of third rail would be required how often to keep the battery at least 75% charged? Or is that answer impossible? I suspect there are too many variables to make for an easy answer. Let's start with "will trains be charging while sat in the Tisbury loop" ... and "will there be pickup charging on each carriage or will it be the train as a whole that charges?". "Does in need to be 75% all the time even when it arrives in Basingstoke" Title: Re: South Western Railways and NR propose new plan to electrify line. Post by: Mark A on September 30, 2024, 21:43:20 Service to be marketed as the 'Sarum Sizzlers'.
Mark Title: Re: South Western Railways and NR propose new plan to electrify line. Post by: TonyN on October 01, 2024, 09:52:22 Service to be marketed as the 'Sarum Sizzlers'. It's got to be The Electric Mule Mark Title: Re: South Western Railways and NR propose new plan to electrify line. Post by: broadgage on October 01, 2024, 10:32:27 So, at line speed, how many miles of third rail would be required how often to keep the battery at least 75% charged? Or is that answer impossible? Too many variables to calculate I suspect. And it would depend upon WHICH miles were electrified, rather than how many miles were electrified. Passing loops and stations would be a high priority, and inclines. For new or heavily modified trains, energy use on battery power could be minimised, for example heat the passenger saloon to say 22 degrees on electrified sections but only to 20 degrees on battery power. In Summer, cool to 23 degrees on electrified sections, but to 25 degrees on battery power. Fill compressed air tanks to the maximum safe pressure on electrified sections, but to a lower pressure on battery power. In cold weather, use waste heat from the electronic variable speed drive, to warm the saloon. Modern electronics are very efficient and the gain is moderate, but even a few KW per coach reduces battery drain for heating. Title: Re: South Western Railways and NR propose new plan to electrify line. Post by: grahame on October 01, 2024, 10:59:40 Service to be marketed as the 'Sarum Sizzlers'. It's got to be The Electric Mule Mark That has me thinking of this sort of thing - perhaps it should be a side-thread in "The Lighter side" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panama_Canal_locks#/media/File:Mule_in_the_Miraflores_Locks.JPG (https://www.wellho.info/pix/electricmule.jpg) In all seriousness, third rail section between also between (say) Mottisfont and Dean, and between Wilton and Warminster, could also transform and electrify the Cardiff - Portsmouth service too. Further of topic, my first ever departure on Saturday on board a train that was electric powered from Pilning. Clean, fast, good acceleration reducing the headway needed on that line to restart trains. Title: Re: South Western Railways and NR propose new plan to electrify line. Post by: broadgage on October 01, 2024, 21:10:03 Are they proposing 25 KV AC or 750 volts DC ?
AC might be out nimbyed, DC is de-facto prohibited by the healthansafety. My preferred system would be 750 volt DC overhead, lighter structures and smaller insulators so less liable to nimbys. Use of this system reduces the need for costly grid upgrades, because the load is balanced three phase and therefore less disturbing to other consumers. Title: Re: South Western Railways and NR propose new plan to electrify line. Post by: ChrisB on October 01, 2024, 21:22:09 Third rail
Title: Re: South Western Railways and NR propose new plan to electrify line. Post by: broadgage on October 02, 2024, 06:23:36 Third rail I doubt that it will be allowed. Someone, somewhere, will have to "sign off" the design as being as safe as is reasonably practicable, whilst knowingly rejecting safer alternatives such as OHLE, or batteries throughout. That person could be at risk of criminal prosecution, maybe decades later, when a trespasser is electrocuted. Title: Re: South Western Railways and NR propose new plan to electrify line. Post by: bradshaw on October 02, 2024, 07:38:50 I feel that this scheme should be looked at as part of a long term future full electrification strategy, not just in isolation.
There must be a fairly good case for electrifying from Southampton to Reading via Salisbury and Basingstoke for the freight route to and from Southampton. If so then this, in all likelihood will be at 25Kv OHLE. Likewise from Yeovil to Exeter might have to be considered as part of the GWML diversionary route as well as the Devon Metro. Thus the scheme chosen for the Basingstoke to Exeter line should be able to sit within this not just in isolation. However, I wonder if the current thinking is along the lines of charging as on the Greenford branch, which appears to be progressing well. If so then sections of charging rails will be in stations, perhaps Salisbury, Yeovil, Axminster and New Yard, Exeter. This might be backed up with short sections of third rail where current drain is heavy, such as Sherborne, Honiton and Crewkerne banks. Title: Re: South Western Railways and NR propose new plan to electrify line. Post by: broadgage on October 02, 2024, 08:20:26 Short sections of conductor rail for charging a static train in a platform should be acceptable to the healthansafety as they could be fitted with an interlock so as to be dead except when a train is parked over them.
I remain very doubtful about all but trivial extensions to conventional conductor rail systems for reasons already given. 25KV is the future especially if heavy freight or full length, fast passenger trains are expected. Lightweight tramway style overhead at 750 volt DC is worth considering for local passenger services. Title: Re: South Western Railways and NR propose new plan to electrify line. Post by: infoman on October 02, 2024, 08:41:48 As the article is behind a pay wall,
would anyone like to hazard the cost of the 125 miles if the construction started today? Title: Re: South Western Railways and NR propose new plan to electrify line. Post by: bradbrka on October 02, 2024, 11:20:32 The key points taken from the printed version of the article in Rail are
Modified Class 450 or 701 trains, batteries put into space that transformers would occupy if they were 25kv fitted. 15 third rail islands concentrated in areas of rapid acceleration such as stations. Total 50 miles third rail. Suitable electric connections identified avoiding needing very high voltage grid points. Based on the above, islands would be approx. 3.3 miles long averaging 8 miles apart. Station spacing between Basingstoke and Honiton varies between 4 to 13 miles so would fit with the above. After Honiton they are more closely spaced so would not all need third rail. Title: Re: South Western Railways and NR propose new plan to electrify line. Post by: Electric train on October 02, 2024, 20:59:13 So, at line speed, how many miles of third rail would be required how often to keep the b attery at least 75% charged? Or is that answer impossible? Once at line speed trains require very little energy to keep them going due to the very low rolling resistance Third rail I doubt that it will be allowed. Someone, somewhere, will have to "sign off" the design as being as safe as is reasonably practicable, whilst knowingly rejecting safer alternatives such as OHLE, or batteries throughout. That person could be at risk of criminal prosecution, maybe decades later, when a trespasser is electrocuted. The ORR have not ruled out top contact third rail on new electrification. There are a number of constraints, improved fencing, NR to look at the risks in station areas for which a scheme has been developed for station platform areas for the power in the conductor rail to be off when not required by trains. The main point the ORR want to see is management of the electrical risk to the general public and staff This page is printed from the "Coffee Shop" forum at http://gwr.passenger.chat which is provided by a customer of Great Western Railway. Views expressed are those of the individual posters concerned. Visit www.gwr.com for the official Great Western Railway website. Please contact the administrators of this site if you feel that content provided contravenes our posting rules ( see http://railcustomer.info/1761 ). The forum is hosted by Well House Consultants - http://www.wellho.net |