Train GraphicClick on the map to explore geographics
 
I need help
FAQ
Emergency
About .
Travel & transport from BBC stories as at 06:55 29 Mar 2024
- Bus plunges off South Africa bridge, killing 45
- Easter getaway begins with flood alerts in place
Read about the forum [here].
Register [here] - it's free.
What do I gain from registering? [here]
 02/06/24 - Summer Timetable starts
17/08/24 - Bus to Imber
27/09/25 - 200 years of passenger trains

On this day
29th Mar (1913)
Foundation of National Union or Railwaymen (*)

Train RunningCancelled
06:30 Bristol Temple Meads to London Paddington
07:00 Bedwyn to Newbury
07:22 Newbury to Bedwyn
07:49 Bedwyn to Newbury
08:13 Newbury to Bedwyn
08:46 Bedwyn to Newbury
09:54 Bedwyn to Newbury
10:22 Newbury to Bedwyn
11:29 Newbury to Bedwyn
11:57 Bedwyn to Newbury
12:52 Bedwyn to Newbury
Short Run
04:54 Plymouth to London Paddington
05:23 Hereford to London Paddington
05:33 Plymouth to London Paddington
05:55 Plymouth to London Paddington
06:00 Bedwyn to London Paddington
06:37 Plymouth to London Paddington
07:03 London Paddington to Paignton
07:38 Bristol Temple Meads to Penzance
07:40 Bristol Temple Meads to Westbury
08:35 Plymouth to London Paddington
10:35 London Paddington to Exeter St Davids
Delayed
23:45 London Paddington to Penzance
05:03 Penzance to London Paddington
06:05 Penzance to London Paddington
07:10 Penzance to London Paddington
08:03 London Paddington to Penzance
08:15 Penzance to London Paddington
09:04 London Paddington to Plymouth
09:37 London Paddington to Paignton
10:04 London Paddington to Penzance
11:03 London Paddington to Plymouth
PollsOpen and recent polls
Closed 2024-03-25 Easter Escape - to where?
Abbreviation pageAcronymns and abbreviations
Stn ComparatorStation Comparator
Rail newsNews Now - live rail news feed
Site Style 1 2 3 4
Next departures • Bristol Temple MeadsBath SpaChippenhamSwindonDidcot ParkwayReadingLondon PaddingtonMelksham
Exeter St DavidsTauntonWestburyTrowbridgeBristol ParkwayCardiff CentralOxfordCheltenham SpaBirmingham New Street
March 29, 2024, 06:57:06 *
Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Forgotten your username or password? - get a reminder
Most recently liked subjects
[82] would you like your own LIVE train station departure board?
[76] West Wiltshire Bus Changes April 2024
[74] Reversing Beeching - bring heritage and freight lines into the...
[67] Return of the BRUTE?
[57] Infrastructure problems in Thames Valley causing disruption el...
[46] 2024 - Service update and amendment log, Swindon <-> Westbury...
 
News: A forum for passengers ... with input from rail professionals welcomed too
 
   Home   Help Search Calendar Login Register  
Pages: [1]
  Print  
Author Topic: "Greening heritage lines"  (Read 4245 times)
broadgage
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 5398



View Profile
« on: May 20, 2019, 15:41:55 »

Elsewhere on these fora we have discussed the growing concerns about climate change and the relevance to main line railways.

But what about heritage lines ?

Here are a few suggestions regarding motive power.

Steam locos burn a fair bit of coal simply when raising steam and warming up, before a train can be hauled. Consider fitting electric immersion heaters to the boiler to assist in warming up. The intention is not to actually raise significant steam pressure, but to gently warm the boiler by means of off peak electricity in the early morning. Steam may raised rapidly and with less coal if starting with boiler already full of hot water.
IIRC (if I recall/remember/read correctly) this has already been done by a narrow gauge line but not on a full size steamer.

Heritage diesels could be usefully fitted with a mains input to assist starting. This could fully charge the starter batteries, and also preheat the oil and the coolant.
Quick and reliable starting, longer life from the expensive starter batteries, and less wear and tear.
A mains power supply able to produce say 100 amps at 100 volts would greatly reduce the load on the battery and might permit of another season or two seasons use from marginal batteries.

For works trains and shunting, consider a battery locomotive.

If out of season commuter trains are to be run, consider a battery train.

Logged

A proper intercity train has a minimum of 8 coaches, gangwayed throughout, with first at one end, and a full sized buffet car between first and standard.
It has space for cycles, surfboards,luggage etc.
A 5 car DMU (Diesel Multiple Unit) is not a proper inter-city train. The 5+5 and 9 car DMUs are almost as bad.
grahame
Administrator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 40691



View Profile WWW Email
« Reply #1 on: May 20, 2019, 18:54:43 »

I agree with the greener heritage lines and operations where that's practical. 

A discussion recently, "heritage" v "preservation" and the operational lines, realistically are not preservation, except perhaps preservation of the right of way - all track will need replacing in time, as will all the other elements.  Trigger's Broom at best, nearest equivalent at worst to conform to modern safety standards. And, yes, those changes should be clean as well as safe and efficient.

However, heritage lines only make up - say - 10% of the UK (United Kingdom) mileage (that's a hideous guess) and even making them zero carbon would only make a limited difference.   And I'll admit to worrying about the ability for them all to carry on as set up for many decades ahead; sadly, we might see mileage reduced (no, I am not going to speculate where). Lines that were steam have been moving towards diesel - still not carbon neutral but more efficient that burning coal or oil to boil water.

What we are missing (!) is a heritage electric line ....what's going to be the first?
Logged

Coffee Shop Admin, Acting Chair of Melksham Rail User Group, Option 24/7 Melksham Rep
Western Pathfinder
Global Moderator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 1528



View Profile
« Reply #2 on: May 20, 2019, 19:32:34 »

My vote for the first line would be The Bluebell , checks to see whether Lee Has returned with my Tin Hat, don't think it will happen any time soon though.
Logged
MVR S&T
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 438


View Profile
« Reply #3 on: May 20, 2019, 20:03:51 »

Electrifacation of the Bluebell, of course refers to the Ardingly line, not from East Grinstead to Sheffield Park.
Though a link to Lewes could be of more national significance in the 22nd century perhaps.
Logged
Lee
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 7519


GBR - The Emperor's New Rail Network


View Profile WWW
« Reply #4 on: May 20, 2019, 20:06:21 »

My vote for the first line would be The Bluebell , checks to see whether Lee Has returned with my Tin Hat, don't think it will happen any time soon though.

Still need the tin hat - I've been chased by angry Bedwyn line IET (Intercity Express Train) commuters all the way from Newbury, and I'm just heading towards Hungerford now. I didnt stop at Kintbury, but that only seemed to make things worse...

On a serious note, I was also thinking Bluebell, but not the current line - Rather, as with MVR S&T (Signalling and Telegraph)'s post, the planned future extension from Horsted Keynes to Ardingly (trackbed already owned or leased by the Bluebell Railway) and beyond from Ardingly to Haywards Heath (currently in use for freight).

Before passenger service withdrawal in 1963, the Haywards Heath-Horsted Keynes line had been electrified in the 1930s, and reopening as an electrified heritage line has not been ruled out. More info in the links below:

https://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/bluebell/extend.html

http://www.rail.co.uk/rail-news/2015/bluebell-railway-planning-to-head-west/
Logged

Vous devez ĂȘtre impitoyable, parce que ces gens sont des salauds - https://looka.com/s/78722877
Western Pathfinder
Global Moderator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 1528



View Profile
« Reply #5 on: May 20, 2019, 20:21:41 »

As was I ,should have made it clear in my earlier post , oh and Lee hang on to the Hat I've got a spare one in the shed 😎
Logged
CyclingSid
Data Manager
Hero Member
******
Posts: 1918


Hockley viaduct


View Profile
« Reply #6 on: May 21, 2019, 07:27:40 »

Land Rover used to do a "glow plug" for their old diesel engines. Plug into the mains overnight for easy starting in cold weather.
Logged
Western Pathfinder
Global Moderator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 1528



View Profile
« Reply #7 on: May 21, 2019, 08:55:01 »

Land Rover used to do a "glow plug" for their old diesel engines. Plug into the mains overnight for easy starting in cold weather.
[/quote

It's not quite a glow plug ,it was in fact an cooling system heater element to maintain temperature in The engines block ,versions of which are to be found in many Fire engines today.
Logged
Oxonhutch
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 1244



View Profile
« Reply #8 on: May 21, 2019, 13:20:37 »

We have an electric train on our railway but there's a bit of a gap in the third rail - about 40 miles, I reckon  Cheesy
Logged
Do you have something you would like to add to this thread, or would you like to raise a new question at the Coffee Shop? Please [register] (it is free) if you have not done so before, or login (at the top of this page) if you already have an account - we would love to read what you have to say!

You can find out more about how this forum works [here] - that will link you to a copy of the forum agreement that you can read before you join, and tell you very much more about how we operate. We are an independent forum, provided and run by customers of Great Western Railway, for customers of Great Western Railway and we welcome railway professionals as members too, in either a personal or official capacity. Views expressed in posts are not necessarily the views of the operators of the forum.

As well as posting messages onto existing threads, and starting new subjects, members can communicate with each other through personal messages if they wish. And once members have made a certain number of posts, they will automatically be admitted to the "frequent posters club", where subjects not-for-public-domain are discussed; anything from the occasional rant to meetups we may be having ...

 
Pages: [1]
  Print  
 
Jump to:  

Powered by MySQL Powered by PHP Powered by SMF 1.1.2 | SMF © 2006-2007, Simple Machines LLC Valid XHTML 1.0! Valid CSS!
This forum is provided by customers of Great Western Railway (formerly First Great Western), and the views expressed are those of the individual posters concerned. Visit www.gwr.com for the official Great Western Railway website. Please contact the administrators of this site if you feel that the content provided by one of our posters contravenes our posting rules (email link to report). Forum hosted by Well House Consultants

Jump to top of pageJump to Forum Home Page