Network Rail draws up list of 'no regret' electrification schemes

[whole diary]

[grahame]

From New Civil Engineer

Network Rail draws up list of 'no regret' electrification schemes

Network Rail bosses are drawing up a list of "no regret" schemes to accelerate the electrification of the UK^▸ (United Kingdom)?s rail network.

The list will be submitted to Treasury and the Department for Transport (DfT^» (Department for Transport - about)) ahead of the publication of the government?s Transport Decarbonisation Plan.

Network Rail chief executive Andrew Haines described the list as a series of "quick wins" with strong business cases to ensure a pipeline of work is maintained after schemes such as the electrification of the Midland Main Line draws to a close.

"We expect to see the DfT?s decarbonisation plan by March next year," Haines told a press briefing yesterday. "Until then we can?t say what schemes will or will not go ahead as all schemes have to be approved on an individual basis.

"The point of the no regret list is to present a series of quick wins that can be worked on as soon as the government gives the go ahead."

What should the top 10 schemes - say 5 in our area and 5 elsewhere in the UK - be?

[ray951]

GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) Land
The half-complete Didcot to Oxford scheme.
Reading to Basingstoke
Bristol TM^‡(resolve) and Bristol suburban lines
Thames Valley branches

Elsewhere
East West Rail
Infills around London eg link up GWML^▸ (Great Western Main Line)>WCML^▸ (West Coast Main Line)>ECML^▸ (East Coast Main Line)>MML^» (Midland Main Line. - about)>GE with 25KV
MML to Sheffield/Leeds
Birmingham to Bristol
Birmingham to Derby/Sheffield

[PhilWakely]

GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) Land
Didcot to Oxford.
Reading to Basingstoke
Dr Days Junction to Parkway/Patchway
Taunton to Exeter
Newton Abbot to Plymouth

Elsewhere
MML^» (Midland Main Line. - about) to Derby/Sheffield/Leeds
Birmingham to Bristol
Birmingham to Derby/Leicester
Basingstoke to Southampton via Andover
London links

[Oxonhutch]

Lots of duplication but in my area:-

Didcot to Hanborough (both platforms!) - and cheekily to Witney 
Thames branches with peak through services to London
The non-electric gap in the North Downs Line - either third rail or overhead with dual stock like the North London Line
Southcote Junction to Basingstoke - with onward projection to Southampton, in conjunction with ...

... East-West Rail from Oxford to Bletchley.

[Electric train]

You should think on the lines of extension to existing and infill electrification, where a TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company) can make better use of existing rolling stock.  This has historically what has happened in the past with previous electrification schemes, a big headline electrification happens, then over the following decade or so infills and short(ish) extensions take place.

I have mention in the "electrification to Exeter" thread that NR^» (Network Rail - home page) has recently changed it policy regarding certain design requirements and specifications for new electrification (by new its is meant infills, extensions or whole schemes) which should reduce the cost, complexity  and improve constructability without loosing performance and maintainability.

 

[stuving]

I have mention in the "electrification to Exeter" thread that NR^» (Network Rail - home page) has recently changed it policy regarding certain design requirements and specifications for new electrification (by new its is meant infills, extensions or whole schemes) which should reduce the cost, complexity  and improve constructability without loosing performance and maintainability.

There is some coverage of this topic, as you would expect, in "Traction Decarbonisation Network Strategy ? Interim Programme Business Case" (see its own thread). However, it doesn't go into it in any depth. The most factual part is this on P. 130:

Case Study 5 ? Enabling Efficient Electrification

Network Rail Technical Authority in response to the challenges outlined by the Rail Industry Decarbonisation Taskforce undertook an appraisal of electrification costs in collaboration with Scotland?s Railway Region to determine the most appropriate efficient cost allocation for electrification projects. This culminated with the Efficient Electrification Executive Summary which outlines the most appropriate cost allocation and considerations for future electrification schemes.

The paper identified that costs of electrification projects vary significantly as a result of variations in: track access arrangements; geography; gauge of existing structures; topography; ground conditions; traction power capacity and programme duration. The vast majority of electrification project cost is not on electrification items, with direct electrification materials comprising less than 5% of overall project cost.

As well as indicating a range of STK outputs of between ?1.25m and ?2.9m per STK for historic projects in Scotland the paper outlines a number of potential opportunity areas with an order of magnitude saving. These include:

? Clearances to overline structures (potential saving of 0-8%).
? Clearances to platforms (potential saving of 0.2%).
? Access Improvements (potential saving of 0-11%).
? OLE^▸ (Overhead Line Equipment, more often "OHLE") Technology (potential saving of 0-1%).
? Substation IPC (potential saving of 0-1%).
? Consecutive delivery (rolling programme) (potential saving of 0-2%).

Subsequent work undertaken by Network Rail?s Technical Authority and the Great Western Electrification Programme has shown the potential to minimise electrical clearances in complex areas. This was achieved at Cardiff Intersection Bridge, where reduced electrical clearances were agreed to support electrification of a complex area.

EU^» (European Union - about) regulations outline the need to provide up to 1.8m high bridge parapets for bridges over electrified railway. Work being led by Network Rail?s Technical Authority and Scotland?s Railway is challenging the need for this based on the disproportionate costs this brings. Analysis work following the EGIP programme has identified that providing parapet heights of 1.8m increased the cost of bridge work by around ?135k per structure compared to providing 1.5m high parapets.

On average across the ECML^▸ (East Coast Main Line) and WCML^▸ (West Coast Main Line) the number of bridges per track kilometre is around 0.42. If this rate was the same across the wider network where 13,000 STKs of electrification are proposed by TDNS^▸ (Traction Decarbonisation Network Strategy) this would equate to an additional total cost of ?737m compared to the cost in providing 1.5m high parapets.

[grahame]

For discussion 

* In our area
1. Bristol Temple Meads to ... Severn Beach, Patchway, Parkway and Cocklbury Lane
2. Didcot (Foxcote, Station and east) to Oxford and Hanborough
3. Wokingham to Reigate
4. Westbury to ... Newbury, Thingley, Bathampton
5. Westerleigh Junction to Bromsgrove

* Outside our area and as I wrote this I realise how poorly informed I am
1. Midland main line
2. Transpennine - Manchester to Leeds connected
3. Marylebone suburban
4. Birmingham area to Midland Main Line
5. Peterbourough to Ely and Ipswich

Or taking Electric train's infill advice further (all the things at the top look like filler anyway!)

* Fillers in our area
1. Twyford to Henley
2. Slough to Windsor
3. Southcode Junction ro Basingstoke
4. Newbury to Bedwyn (but part of one of the schemes above)

[ellendune]

Your list does not mention

Bristol Temple Meads to Chippenham
Bristol Temple Meads to Bristol Parkway
Bristol Temple Meads to Weston?

Westerleigh Junction to Bromsgrove

[grahame]

Your list does not mention

Bristol Temple Meads to Chippenham
Bristol Temple Meads to Bristol Parkway
Bristol Temple Meads to Weston?

Westerleigh Junction to Bromsgrove

Is "Your" to me and my list? I may have been so short in what I wrote as to be unclear.   

My item 1 ... "Cocklebury Lane" is the current end point of electrification to the east of Chippenham, and "Parkway" is shorthand for BRISTOL Parkway. 

My list does not include Greenford, Marlow or Weston - various reasons I could follow up with if I really am the "your" ...

[eXPassenger]

For discussion 

* In our area
1. Bristol Temple Meads to ... Severn Beach, Patchway, Parkway and Cocklbury Lane
2. Didcot (Foxcote, Station and east) to Oxford and Hanborough
3. Wokingham to Reigate
4. Westbury to ... Newbury, Thingley, Bathampton
5. Westerleigh Junction to Bromsgrove

....

In your 1 I would add Bristol Tempe Meads to Yate and Taunton to cover Avon metro and Cardiff / Taunton services.

[Red Squirrel]

For discussion 

* In our area
1. Bristol Temple Meads to ... Severn Beach, Patchway, Parkway and Cocklbury Lane
2. Didcot (Foxcote, Station and east) to Oxford and Hanborough
3. Wokingham to Reigate
4. Westbury to ... Newbury, Thingley, Bathampton
5. Westerleigh Junction to Bromsgrove

....

In your 1 I would add Bristol Tempe Meads to Yate and Taunton to cover Avon metro and Cardiff / Taunton services.

MetroWest may well to extend beyond Yate, to Gloucester. It's a tricky business drawing the line, isn't it, when in reality pretty much everything needs doing!

[grahame]

For discussion 

* In our area
1. Bristol Temple Meads to ... Severn Beach, Patchway, Parkway and Cocklbury Lane
2. Didcot (Foxcote, Station and east) to Oxford and Hanborough
3. Wokingham to Reigate
4. Westbury to ... Newbury, Thingley, Bathampton
5. Westerleigh Junction to Bromsgrove

....

In your 1 I would add Bristol Tempe Meads to Yate and Taunton to cover Avon metro and Cardiff / Taunton services.

MetroWest may well to extend beyond Yate, to Gloucester. It's a tricky business drawing the line, isn't it, when in reality pretty much everything needs doing!

Fun, isn't it?

I had up to Parkway and Parkway in phase 1 ... with extension through Yate in phase 5.  I wondered whether to be explicit in saying the Gloucester triangle and into Worcester should be included. Not only would that allow electric Bristol to Manchester, and Scotland via the West Coast, but also the GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) local trains. And add in the use of electric traction for the London to Cheltenham Spa bi-modes for their Gloucester and Cheltenham stops.

[johnneyw]

With all the dosh splashed out on the Box Tunnel, I would guess that it might be part of (at least) a bit more electrification.

[JontyMort]

With all the dosh splashed out on the Box Tunnel, I would guess that it might be part of (at least) a bit more electrification.

Couldn?t Box be an island of steam working using the strategic reserve?

[Electric train]

Your list does not mention

Bristol Temple Meads to Chippenham
Bristol Temple Meads to Bristol Parkway
Bristol Temple Meads to Weston?

Westerleigh Junction to Bromsgrove

These 2 Bristol Temple Meads to Chippenham, Bristol Temple Meads to Bristol Parkway would be close to "shovel ready" now as most of the design work will have been completed under GWEP^▸ (Great Western Electrification Program).