... and that's why schools close on the day that snow falls.

OTC

Normally, the 25kVac supply from the pantograph is transformed down to 1500Vac, rectified and fed to the motor control system (PCM and resistances, thyristor or inverter). On third rail, only 750Vdc is available at best (it can be 590V) and half Volts means quarter power, 3MW instead of 12MW. The Eurostars thus had a balancing speed up the Kentish hills of 44 mph! Even this current was a lot for SE Division substations to cope with.

The Evening Standard did a prophetic cartoon of the Chunnel mouth, with a French TGV^▸ (Train a Grande Vitesse) meeting a UK^▸ (United Kingdom) Victorian 4-wheel, open topped tram, head on.

South Yorkshire benefits from having parallel Midland and Great Central (MS&L^▸ (Manchester Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway)) routes, so might possibly avoid the need for dual voltage locally. Also, the safety record of TPWS^▸ (Train Protection and Warning System) has probably made the tram-train possible.

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Also Lancashire and the CI.

The loyal toast: "The Queen our Duke"

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C3 stock on a C1^▸ ((on coaches) National route restriction) route.

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Stealing "live" signalling cable involves the risk of a wrong side failure even for a few seconds. An HST^▸ (High Speed Train) entering an occupied section at full speed puts the lives of all on board at "capital" risk.

No punishment, including hanging would deter someone who will cut live 650V cable with shears or jump off a 15m high viaduct. Which of the 4 "R's" might then work - Retribution, Restraint, Reformation, Reparation - depends on the individual criminal. We don't seem to have it right yet.

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Looking at some old photos of Cowley Bridge Junction, the bridge appears to have been moved up the Barnstaple branch since steam days. Oddly enough, the main wash-out seems to occur over the old bridge site!

A more drastic version of this took place in Madeira, where a river was moved to allow road improvements. After the last big storm, the road had gone and the river restored to its natural route!

The siting of electrical substations also seems to neglect nature with HV gear being sited at ground level barely a metre above nearby water courses. Reading district nearly lost power over the holiday because the site at Pingewood (alongside the railway, approx 38m60c) was threatened, only Corporation sandbags and two fire engines saving the day. The three sites at Gloucester were threatened last time, one being a 400kV supergrid station, only the crew of HMS Ocean coming to the rescue.

Are concrete plinths that expensive?


OTC

Happy New Year everyone.

Might not the ac/dc change-over be simpler on the Wokingham line rather than at Reading, as dual voltage stock is now to be the future for the South Western....

S'pect it's been suggested before,

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As the "New Routemasters" are hybrids, i.e. have an electric traction motor, all that's needed (for a true hybrid) is a charging feed to the energy store/battery from the OHL^▸ (Over-Head Line).

They could work like IEP^▸ (Intercity Express Program / Project.)'s in fact.

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This road scheme was the Northern part of the Dishforth -Barton upgrading of the A1 to full motorway standard. The Southern part contracts were let by the May 2010 election. Phillip Hammond, the first Tory SoSfT (he of no electrics to Swansea fame) wouldn't sign off the rest so the Leeming - Barton section lapsed.

Now that infrastructure and transport is fashionable, it's being finished.


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Isn't the Super-Grid electricity sub-station at Bramley Hants now to have a traction Grid Supply Point, with the Nuneaton - Soton wiring?

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I expect that a canopy's role is more to shelter waiting customers than those alighting.

It's a pity that a modern overall roof couldn't be provided for some part of the platforms, near the concourse. Leeds City has this, giving a much improved passenger experience.

It's marvellous to see, anyway. Well done NR^» (Network Rail - home page).

OTC

A few thoughts:

1. Rubbish on trains is probably deposited by passengers not cleaners.

2. Strikes aren't popular with workers - they lose pay and are victimised by management on return.

3. Shop stewards/reps are usually elected and do low level conciliation - easing operation when management co-operates.

4. The "Servant Problem" turned out to be largely Madam's fault.

5. Perhaps a passengers' "jury" should decide on the dispute between Mitie (what does the acronymn stand for) and its staff.

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I'd back First Group on this.

The WCML^▸ (West Coast Main Line) was always the biggest market on BR^▸ (British Rail(ways)), with Manchester leading. Also rail is underused in the regions compared to L&SE.

Tim O'Toole also is a proper railwayman, both a businessman and operator, with US experience as well as LUL^▸ (London Underground Ltd). He understands the PPP nonsense and has tangled with DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) before.

We may not love them but if their trains are full and they do what it says on the TT.......

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While Paddington - Reading  may be timed for 25/7 minutes, in recent years trains tend to have been approach controlled into (old) platform 4 or had to stand at signal R28 "awaiting platform allocation", lengthening actual journeys considerably.

When HST^▸ (High Speed Train)/IC125 started in 1976, 22 minutes was the normal time achieved, there being no long 40mph to Old Oak Common, no Airport Junction and 80mph not 50mph through (old) platform 4 and of course fewer competing trains. Governor settings were said to be more liberal then also.

Loco hauled trains could do the run in 28 minutes regularly - the shortest I ever timed was the (then) 0935 from Newbury, leaving Reading at 1000. That day it was double headed by AJAX (50046) and THE QUEEN MOTHER (47722) and stopped at Paddington at 1026...

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These are the fast-ish downs that I meant. They often do Reading in 30 minutes because of good paths - better than fasts!

OTC