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Western Pathfinder
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« Reply #765 on: March 21, 2019, 19:00:26 » |
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Had HST▸ as Traction both ways between Bri and Tau yesterday Xcountry both ways.
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IndustryInsider
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« Reply #766 on: April 03, 2019, 12:15:46 » |
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Sunday sees the section between Wootton Bassett and just east of Chippenham (93m 31c) energised, with a view towards passenger authorisation at the end of the month. This includes the 1 in 100 Dauntsey Bank which IETs▸ on electric should fly up!
A shame Chippenham station itself isn’t included as that would probably save a further minute for departing IET trains to London, but the difference should still be felt.
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To view my GWML▸ Electrification cab video 'before and after' video comparison, as well as other videos of the new layout at Reading and 'before and after' comparisons of the Cotswold Line Redoubling scheme, see: http://www.dailymotion.com/user/IndustryInsider/ |
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Electric train
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« Reply #767 on: April 06, 2019, 11:22:00 » |
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Sunday sees the section between Wootton Bassett and just east of Chippenham (93m 31c) energised, with a view towards passenger authorisation at the end of the month. This includes the 1 in 100 Dauntsey Bank which IETs▸ on electric should fly up!
A shame Chippenham station itself isn’t included as that would probably save a further minute for departing IET trains to London, but the difference should still be felt.
Given that DfT» have approved a bit more electrification on the MML» there is potential for more parts of the GWML▸ although I expect the Oxford " branch" to be done first. Going past 93m 31c and through to Temple Meads is dependent on resolving the issues through Bath and the bridge at Chippenham |
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Starship just experienced what we call a rapid unscheduled disassembly, or a RUD, during ascent,”
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Red Squirrel
Administrator
Hero Member
Posts: 5455
There are some who call me... Tim
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« Reply #768 on: April 06, 2019, 12:31:56 » |
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Given that DfT» have approved a bit more electrification on the MML» there is potential for more parts of the GWML▸ although I expect the Oxford "branch" to be done first. Going past 93m 31c and through to Temple Meads is dependent on resolving the issues through Bath and the bridge at Chippenham
A quick google suggests that the difference in all-up mass between a full-length all-electric IEP▸ train and a bi-mode is 23 tonnes. I wonder how far an electric train fitted with 23 tonnes of batteries could get? You should be able to store well over 100 W-h/kg, so even if you could only have 15 tonnes of battery (assuming other kit would be needed to run them) you ought to be able to store at least 1.5MW-h, or - it I've understood this thread properly - enough to keep a train (OK, a Pendolino - but close enough I hope) going at full pelt for about 15mins. Just a thought... |
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Things take longer to happen than you think they will, and then they happen faster than you thought they could.
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Celestial
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« Reply #769 on: April 06, 2019, 19:42:14 » |
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15 mins doesn't sound like much compared to the flexibility that having the diesels brings, especially if you have to turn around and get the train back under the wires again. That wouldn't even do Bristol Parkway to Temple Meads and back.
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Bmblbzzz
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« Reply #770 on: April 06, 2019, 20:52:44 » |
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True but OTOH▸ it wouldn't be going "full pelt" on that stretch, so presumably the batteries should last correspondingly longer (or a bit more, cos of V2 and all that).
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Waiting at Pilning for the midnight sleeper to Prague.
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Celestial
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« Reply #771 on: April 06, 2019, 21:33:03 » |
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Maybe, but if they couldn't get to Swansea, Weston, Cheltenham or wherever then I'm not sure of the advantage. I think the original plan was to have some pure electrics when Bristol and Swansea were going to be electrified? That would have made sense, but to take out the diesels and replace with less flexible batteries now would seem to be spending a lot of money to reduce the capability of the trains.
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Red Squirrel
Administrator
Hero Member
Posts: 5455
There are some who call me... Tim
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« Reply #772 on: April 06, 2019, 23:11:46 » |
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15 mins doesn't sound like much compared to the flexibility that having the diesels brings, especially if you have to turn around and get the train back under the wires again. That wouldn't even do Bristol Parkway to Temple Meads and back.
It would get them all the way through Bath with a decent margin, and all the way through Chippenham. Most of the rest of the route could be wired without upsetting anyone... |
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Things take longer to happen than you think they will, and then they happen faster than you thought they could.
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grahame
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« Reply #773 on: April 06, 2019, 23:27:54 » |
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15 mins doesn't sound like much compared to the flexibility that having the diesels brings, especially if you have to turn around and get the train back under the wires again. That wouldn't even do Bristol Parkway to Temple Meads and back.
It would get them all the way through Bath with a decent margin, and all the way through Chippenham. Most of the rest of the route could be wired without upsetting anyone... Now what has happened to that idea of wiring up the cheaper and more straightforward sections to slingshot the trains with a boost of electricity ... talk was some of the stiff climbs on the Devon banks, but how about Batheaston to Thingley where we've had gawd knows how many closure weeks and money spent on lower the track through the tunnels for the electrics! I suspect Oldfield Park to Keynsham might be possible too - not sure how easily that would plug into the local mains. |
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Coffee Shop Admin, Chair of Melksham Rail User Group, TravelWatch SouthWest Board Member
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Adrian
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« Reply #774 on: April 07, 2019, 08:46:55 » |
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15 mins doesn't sound like much compared to the flexibility that having the diesels brings, especially if you have to turn around and get the train back under the wires again. That wouldn't even do Bristol Parkway to Temple Meads and back.
It would get them all the way through Bath with a decent margin, and all the way through Chippenham. Most of the rest of the route could be wired without upsetting anyone... Now what has happened to that idea of wiring up the cheaper and more straightforward sections to slingshot the trains with a boost of electricity ... talk was some of the stiff climbs on the Devon banks, but how about Batheaston to Thingley where we've had gawd knows how many closure weeks and money spent on lower the track through the tunnels for the electrics! I suspect Oldfield Park to Keynsham might be possible too - not sure how easily that would plug into the local mains. I think there is most 'network benefit' in getting Bristol Temple Meads to Bristol Parkway electrified first (as it will also allow Cardiff to Bristol local services to go electric), followed by Temple Meads to Bath, then fill in the gap between Bath and Chippenham last. As for battery electric trains, surely it is the Thames Valley branches where this is most readily applicable? Do the trains spend long enough under the wires at the respective mainline stations to recharge for a round trip? For the Windsor branch it is perhaps more realistic than Marlow, but presumably it doesn't actually cost much to string up the wires the short distance from Slough to Windsor? |
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IndustryInsider
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« Reply #775 on: April 07, 2019, 10:12:59 » |
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Do the trains spend long enough under the wires at the respective mainline stations to recharge for a round trip?
As it currently stands, only the Marlow service spends any time under the wires at all - generally around 10 minutes each hour at Maidenhead, though it can be less than half of that in the peak hours. The other stations at West Ealing, Slough and Twyford don't currently have any overhead wires on the bay platforms the trains use. That's not to say short sections couldn't be added though of course. |
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To view my GWML▸ Electrification cab video 'before and after' video comparison, as well as other videos of the new layout at Reading and 'before and after' comparisons of the Cotswold Line Redoubling scheme, see: http://www.dailymotion.com/user/IndustryInsider/ |
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Adrian
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« Reply #776 on: April 07, 2019, 20:47:50 » |
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Do the trains spend long enough under the wires at the respective mainline stations to recharge for a round trip?
As it currently stands, only the Marlow service spends any time under the wires at all - generally around 10 minutes each hour at Maidenhead, though it can be less than half of that in the peak hours. The other stations at West Ealing, Slough and Twyford don't currently have any overhead wires on the bay platforms the trains use. That's not to say short sections couldn't be added though of course. Seems surprising that they haven't wired everything in the vicinity of those stations (and might actually be useful) when in other places they are electrifying bits of line which will probably never see an electric train. For instance, not just platforms 1 and 2 at Severn Tunnel Junction and a couple of hundred metres beyond, but also the freight line that bypasses those platforms. |
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IndustryInsider
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« Reply #777 on: April 08, 2019, 10:14:24 » |
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There's usually some kind of reasoning behind it. In the case of Severn Tunnel Junction then Platform 2 can be explained as it is sensible policy to wire a couple of hundred metres of diverging routes to prevent an electric train being wrong routed and subsequently stranded. However, that logic isn't so easy to apply to Platforms 1 and the 'Down Relief' line that goes behind the station.
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To view my GWML▸ Electrification cab video 'before and after' video comparison, as well as other videos of the new layout at Reading and 'before and after' comparisons of the Cotswold Line Redoubling scheme, see: http://www.dailymotion.com/user/IndustryInsider/ |
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IndustryInsider
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« Reply #778 on: April 09, 2019, 14:57:58 » |
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Sunday sees the section between Wootton Bassett and just east of Chippenham (93m 31c) energised, with a view towards passenger authorisation at the end of the month.
Sunday 21st April is the date for passenger authorisation according to a post on another forum. |
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To view my GWML▸ Electrification cab video 'before and after' video comparison, as well as other videos of the new layout at Reading and 'before and after' comparisons of the Cotswold Line Redoubling scheme, see: http://www.dailymotion.com/user/IndustryInsider/ |
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onthecushions
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« Reply #779 on: April 09, 2019, 18:46:55 » |
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Sunday sees the section between Wootton Bassett and just east of Chippenham (93m 31c) energised, with a view towards passenger authorisation at the end of the month. This includes the 1 in 100 Dauntsey Bank which IETs▸ on electric should fly up!
A shame Chippenham station itself isn’t included as that would probably save a further minute for departing IET trains to London, but the difference should still be felt.
The chief elements left out in my view are the Box and Middle Hill tunnels, just 5 miles further on; 3410 yards of mostly 1/100 with minimal ventilation for all those diesel fumes. I wonder whether that has been risk-assessed? The terrain is quite flat and undemanding from then on. OTC |
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