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Journey by Journey / South Western services / Re: South Western Railways and NR propose new plan to electrify line.
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on: October 02, 2024, 20:59:13
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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 |
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All across the Great Western territory / The Wider Picture in the United Kingdom / Re: HS2 - Government proposals, alternative routes and general discussion
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on: September 23, 2024, 09:52:38
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Not sure if this is covered elsewhere but a report in The Times today (12/09/24). Probably sounds familiar to anyone who's worked in Project Management.
"The absence of a guiding mind, a single accountable individual in Westminster or Whitehall taking ownership of HS2▸ , led to runaway costs and ultimately the cancellation of the second leg of the high-speed railway project north of Birmingham to Manchester.
That is a key conclusion of a report by the Institution of Civil Engineers into one of the great national debacles of recent times, which says that the lack of a multi-decade commitment to such a large-scale infrastructure scheme left HS2 open to cancellation by a prime minister able to overturn predecessors’ decisions without recourse to parliament."
That ICE report is ICE Briefing Paper: The cancellation of HS2’s northern leg – learning lessons I didn't get a clear idea from it of what might or could have been possible if the whole project had been better done from the start. Maybe that's too much to ask for! This commentary has no named author, so presumably it is an institutional opinion. Two other ICE reports are relevant here. Civil engineering insights on HS2 and alternative proposals is a narrative of the project's evolution to 2022, with limited discussion of some of the cost-reducing alternatives proposed. And Reducing the gap between cost estimates and outturns for major infrastructure projects and programmes does pretty much what its title says. It has rather more about managing risk, unforeseen changes, and expectations than getting estimates that predict outturns. HS2 has always been cursed by a bad client .......... the UK▸ Government which from its inception has been a vanity project for various Government Sectaries of State, Ministers and Prime Ministers the need to build it as one of fastest in Europe 360 km/h (225 mph) and not at a more sedate speed of HS1▸ 300 km/h (190 mph) or even just a 225 km/h (140mph) with more emphasise on the capacity and not the 15 mins off of the journey London / Birmingham. |
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All across the Great Western territory / Across the West / Re: Old Oak Common/Paddington blockade, December 2024. Service changes, diverts, engineering etc
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on: September 23, 2024, 09:40:27
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I don’t know, it’s almost as if we need a rebuilt Euston station with loads more platforms and space to help the legacy station cope.
Perhaps at the same time there could be a new, reliable High Speed line to help the legacy trains cope as people flock back to rail travel?
The 1960's design of Euston was based on diminishing numbers of passengers and the view of Intercity would be more "Airline" style travel and not the increase in passenger numbers seen in the past 20 years. Add to that Euston is constrained with only really one entrance, the Western side being closed off due to HS2▸ which also means the loss of a number of platforms. There were plans 15 years ago to convert the Parcels Deck into a new concourse, NR» never got the funding for this because HS2 would solve all of Euston's problems as the whole station would be rebuilt, the whole station rebuild was shelved because of the cost HS2 Ltd basically saying to NR your on your own |
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All across the Great Western territory / Looking forward - the next 5, 10 and 20 years / Re: Rebalancing transport investment investment
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on: September 09, 2024, 07:54:47
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From the Financial Times https://www.ft.com/content/eab88ac4-1c1a-4dfd-ab33-87fcc6785204The Labour government is “locked in” to rebalancing transport investment towards parts of the UK▸ outside London that are struggling economically, culture secretary Lisa Nandy has said.
On a visit to Blackpool, Nandy told the Financial Times that Labour’s “mission” for economic growth would end 40 years of new infrastructure being concentrated “where there’s already infrastructure”. She mentions Wigan, Blackpool and Grimbsy and "The North" - but the descripion might include parts of the South West where infrastrucure investment has been limited and there are some places - Cornwall, and Minehead come to mind, which struggle. There are areas in Wiltshire too where investment in infrastructure has been limited, and the goverment is looking to hugely increase the new housing build. Member's mirror - http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/mirror/ft_labour_rebalance.pdfAn example already of a different approach to "levelling up" is the "mid Cornwall Metro" the new Government have committed to fund this, listening to BBC» 4 Westminster Hour it seems the new Government are reviewing / regrouping all of the previous Government schemes, my personal view is the previous Government promised to spend the same pot of money many times over to appease the "Red wall" |
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All across the Great Western territory / Across the West / Re: Old Oak Common/Paddington blockade, December 2024. Service changes, diverts, engineering etc
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on: September 09, 2024, 07:45:04
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The long-distance trains will stop at Ealing Broadway for crew handovers and the lowering of the pantograph, but passengers will not be able to get off, nor will passengers on the platform at Ealing be able to board to travel to Euston.
Presumably there must be some good operating reason (to minimise stopping time there?) as an Ealing Broadway stop for in-bound changes for the District and Central Line would seem a good further option for those unable to travel to Paddington? The reason ............ to prevent the inevitable chaos, Ealing Broadway is a busy station at the best of times adding in embarking and disembarking passengers on diverted services will just delay every service. Just wondering if the diverted services to / from Euston will use platforms 1 & 2 and the Elizabeth line using 3 & 4 |
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All across the Great Western territory / Across the West / Re: Peter, Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill
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on: September 06, 2024, 06:56:29
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One of there key messages in their podcast was "if you want / need to whistle blow, then do it through the correct channels, as this will prevent you upsetting someone who can misuse their power and influence to threaten your employer by not awarding them future contracts unless they dismiss you."
Fixed that for you.  If the guy concerned breached company policies then that's a matter entirely between employer and employee. Peter Hendy shouldn't have stuck his oar in. Peter Hendy from what was commented in the podcast not ask for the individual to be sacked, Hendy did, according to the podcast, say they (Network Rail) in a letter to Systra could cease using Systra as a supplier. There are a number of confidential reporting lines regarding safety concerns in the rail industry, all of which are widely known within the industry. |
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