Progress with electrification

[whole diary]

[Trowres]

https://www.newcivilengineer[/quote].com/latest/concerns-raised-over-rail-electrification-pace-with-only-2-2km-of-track-added-in-last-year-31-01-2023

Network Rail only managed to electrify 2.2km of total track length open for traffic in Great Britain last year, less than 1% of its annual target which is needed to achieve a fully net zero railway by 2050

Overall, the total amount of electrified track currently open to traffic actually decreased over the past year. By March 2021, it stood at 6,045km (of a total 15,935km of track) but by March 2022, it was 6,042km (of a total 15,874 of track). This is due to Network Rail decommissioning certain lines.

The item in NCE refers to the financial year 2021-2022, The article continues with views on the (yet to be published?) electrification pipeline and possible alternatives.

(edited to correct the link)

[infoman]

I could read one article,but the second one(the trans pennine one) was behind a pay wall.

[grahame]

I could read one article,but the second one(the trans pennine one) was behind a pay wall.

Very interesting conundrum on paywalled sites, especially but not only those which let you read one or two articles a month.  They need to make their money / no reason they cannot paywall and indeed it's there business model but it makes it frustrating and difficult to comment and discuss here, sometimes frustrating for members or encouraging members to pat up and join.  There's an irony here where we're a free site and perhaps we are even carrying free "advertorial" text with our members prompting a paid service here.

That is just a "webmaster's comment" at present - no proposals of any changes to what we do or what is allowed.  Just indicating an awareness.

[Bmblbzzz]

I'm a bit surprised anything was electrified last year. I wonder where it was? Also interesting about the subtly but materially different approach in Scotland.

[grahame]

I'm a bit surprised anything was electrified last year. I wonder where it was? Also interesting about the subtly but materially different approach in Scotland.

I wondered too.  "Track Miles".  Wasn't there a new lay-by siding at Wokingham?

[stuving]

I'm a bit surprised anything was electrified last year. I wonder where it was? Also interesting about the subtly but materially different approach in Scotland.

I wondered too.  "Track Miles".  Wasn't there a new lay-by siding at Wokingham?

That was already electrified - at least somewhat, and it may not have been serviceable. And, in any case, did they count third rail (either added or removed)?

[Trowres]

The NCE article says that the 2.2km was due to remodelling at Kings Cross as part of the East Coast upgrade.

[Noggin]

Perhaps it might have been more balanced if they mentioned the length of the projects currently in progress, not just those that were delivered? There's all the South Wales work, Manchester to Stalybridge, York to Church Fenton etc. 

[onthecushions]

... and the Midland Main Line, with  two schemes in hand (to  Market Harborough and Wigston South, with tenders out for the AT Feeder Station at Ratcliffe (North of Leicester) and the promise of Sheffield as the end point. And Huddersfield - Dewsbury, Dewsbury - Leeds, also Lostock Jn to Wigan, with design/tendering for Leeds - Church Fenton, the CLC^▸ (Castle Cary) line through Warrington and Miles Platting to Rochdale...

Unannounced though..

OTC

[IndustryInsider]

And Didcot to Oxford…oh, wait…!   

I think the Welsh Valleys scheme is wholly outside NR^» (Network Rail - home page)’s remit, but most welcome nonetheless.  Rhymney branch passengers will be delighted with their new trains post electrification.  Less so potentially on the Merthyr lines as they’re getting the tram-trains which might not go down quite so well, but a frequency ramp-up might be enough to pacify passengers.  I still can’t see how Cardiff Central can handle all the extra trains planned though as it struggles now!

[Noggin]

And Didcot to Oxford…oh, wait…!   

Oxford Station is supposedly being rebuilt with electrification in mind, so the optimist in me hopes that someone at NR^» (Network Rail - home page) is saving it up for a "hey, look at what we can do really cheaply as we've done all the hard work already" moment.

[Electric train]

I'm a bit surprised anything was electrified last year. I wonder where it was? Also interesting about the subtly but materially different approach in Scotland.

I wondered too.  "Track Miles".  Wasn't there a new lay-by siding at Wokingham?

There is the Midland Mainline electrification which is in the construction phase at the moment, will not be declared "electrified route mile / km) until it is energised and available for traffic.

[grahame]

I'm a bit surprised anything was electrified last year. I wonder where it was? Also interesting about the subtly but materially different approach in Scotland.

I wondered too.  "Track Miles".  Wasn't there a new lay-by siding at Wokingham?

There is the Midland Mainline electrification which is in the construction phase at the moment, will not be declared "electrified route mile / km) until it is energised and available for traffic.

Playing Devil's Advocate - I wonder how significant a single year's figures are?   Turning on and using power is a natural binary thing and comes in lumpy.  When Inverness to Kyle of Lochalsh is electrified, will it be turned on in phases - Dingwall to Garve, then Lochuichart, then Achnashellach, then Plockton and brought into the stats dripwise year by year, or come all at once? (Intermediate break points may vary  )

[TonyK]

And Didcot to Oxford…oh, wait…!   

Oxford Station is supposedly being rebuilt with electrification in mind, so the optimist in me hopes that someone at NR^» (Network Rail - home page) is saving it up for a "hey, look at what we can do really cheaply as we've done all the hard work already" moment.

More likely to be looking at what can be switched from the station build budget to the electrification budget, or vice versa.