Great Western Coffee Shop

Harrogate Chamber of Commerce are proposing to increase capacity between Leeds, York and Harrogate by supplementing / replacing existing stock with District line trains that will be replaced in London in the next few years. Can't see Network Rail enthusing about this. I seem to recall in a previous topic that they take a dim view of new third rail projects.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-york-north-yorkshire-14143032

Not so much NR the HMIR (ORR) are not keen, there are legal issues The Electricity at Work Regulations (1989) being one.

Realistically I doubt they would not get the require infrastructure installed to meet the 2014 timescale stated in the BBC article, 650v DC traction requires a substation every 4 to 5 miles this could be stretched a little depending on the level of service.

The idea in the original article (in the Harrogate local press) is to use DLR style shrouded bottom contact third rail, which would be allowed on a new installation as far as I can see...

I still think the whole plan is ridiculous though...

Paul

Thats putting it lightly, especially compared to some comments on uk railforums & wnxx as well as a few other forums.

Nice to see people thinking outside the box, but i have my doubts, then again i would its better than that stupid cable car in london.

Wouldn't a better idea be to string the O/H wires from Leeds round to York three ways, Harrogate,  Church Fenton. Whilst you are at it in fill via Hambledon and Selby up to  Doncaster. That will give a number of Diversionary Routes for the ECML.   Then convert the Disrtrict line stock to AC. You might have to lower the roof  bit for the pan, but  I am sure that there is room on the underframe for the transformers etc.

One major problem might be if they run as 4 car sets will they need SDO. They will certainly need the passenger door opening enabled even the good folk of Yorkshire won't like all the doors opening on cold winters morning.

Of course any sensible electrification scheme of this nature would have new stock. Be a cahnce to scrap a few nodding donkeys or send them to the West Country.

Maybe ... but it's been doneish before ...

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/93/Alderney_Train.JPG

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d1/Isle_of_Wight_Inselbahn.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7c/Shanklinstn.jpg

Nice to see someone doing a bit of creative thinking, but I really feel like they should have thought about things a little harder before splashing press releases around! Can't see the passengers being overly enamoured at the prospect of trains with longitudinal seating, no gangways and no toilets operating over that distance...

There may be platforms that have services that see both BR stock and Tube stock, but it's a step down off BR stock and a Step up from Tube Stock.

I doubt the Elf & Safety Suits would allow the low floor LU stock to be used on existing platforms.

The district line stock is not low floor. Its the same size as National Rail stock.

Seconded - Richmond and Kew Gardens for example are served by both LOROL and LUL, the D-stock normal height for those NR platforms.

Not to mention the fact the stock is 50 years old

As others have suggested, although you are correct for the Bakerloo and 'DC lines' shared platforms, which are at a tube stock/NR stock compromise height, and again in some other areas (eg Rayners Lane to Uxbridge - Met/Picc) where the platforms are at a tube stock/sub surface stock compromise, however where sub surface stock and NR stock run together there is not a stepping distance problem.

Paul

Surely the District Line stock isn't that old?

Correct - introduced 1980, so a mere 31 years old!

Apologies I miss read it as Metline stock,

In some ways you could probably make an argument that the Met line A stock would be more suitable for a longer distance run than the D stock - although on reflection perhaps "less unsuitable" is a better description than "more suitable"...

Well I never realised any Tube stock was that big, but being that big IS it Tube Stock?

District, Circle, Hammersmith and City and Metropolitan stock is colloquially know as 'sub-surface' stock, to differentiate it from the 'deep level' smaller loading gauge tube stock.

http://www.squarewheels.org.uk/rly/stock/

is a good comparison...

Thanks for that link paul7755. That photo really does highlight just how dinky the 'tube' stock is. It's almost as if someone has photo-shopped the picture to accentuate the difference!