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Electrification threads and resources index

Legolash2o

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I've finally got the Crossrail Geospatial data to add to my maps. Does anyone know if it will be electrified OHLE, DC4, or both please? I suspect OHLE.
 
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swt_passenger

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I've now uploaded Crossrail and it can be seen on the interactive electrification map.

https://railmap.azurewebsites.net/Public/ElectrificationMap
Since this post came up, and having had a look at Crossrail, I was then having a browse of your map in the Southampton to Redbridge area, and I think you’ve got far more 3rd rail coloured in than there actually is - ie mainly in the various lines associated with the two container terminal areas, and the western docks access.

I think having had a look at Google satellite view, then once beyond the up and down loops (east of Mountbatten Way bridge), then only the four passenger lines through Millbrook station, reducing to two just west of Millbrook, are third rail powered.

I hope this isn’t too much work to fix. :D
 

Legolash2o

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Since this post came up, and having had a look at Crossrail, I was then having a browse of your map in the Southampton to Redbridge area, and I think you’ve got far more 3rd rail coloured in than there actually is - ie mainly in the various lines associated with the two container terminal areas, and the western docks access.

I think having had a look at Google satellite view, then once beyond the up and down loops (east of Mountbatten Way bridge), then only the four passenger lines through Millbrook station, reducing to two just west of Millbrook, are third rail powered.

I hope this isn’t too much work to fix. :D
Nah, shouldn't be a problem to fix. Thanks for letting me know. I'll try and cross reference it with other official sources as well.
 

Legolash2o

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Should be sorted now.

The issue was because instead of me copying one value on a track (gradient), I copied and replaced all the values by accident. Silly me!
 

snowball

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This article from Rail Engineer on Decarbonising Scotland's Railway has been linked in the Barrhead and East Kilbride thread. The link seems worth repeating here. If the general thread on electrification in Scotland hadn't been closed, I would put it there too.


Quotes below.

Another article from Rail Engineer concerns electrical clearances:


Quotes from first article:

Last July saw the publication of both Network Rail’s Traction Decarbonisation Network Strategy (TDNS) and the Scottish Government’s Rail Services Decarbonisation Action Plan. Both reports concluded that rail decarbonisation requires electrification of a large part of the unelectrified network, with battery or hydrogen traction used on a smaller proportion of lesser used lines.

The key difference between these reports is that the former was a recommendation (from the rail industry to the UK Government) whereas the latter was an instruction (from the Scottish Government to industry).

The UK Transport Decarbonisation Plan was to be published in Autumn 2020 but has yet to appear. The Scottish Government published its National Transport Strategy in February 2020 which contains its vision for a sustainable, inclusive, safe and accessible transport system. The delivery of this vision was explained at a recent virtual event organised by the IMechE’s Railway Division in Scotland which specifically considered rail decarbonisation.

At this event Bill Reeve, Transport Scotland’s Director of Rail, Alex Hynes, Managing Director, Scotland’s Railway, Syeda Ghufran, ScotRail’s Engineering Director and Katie Vollbracht, Principal Programme Sponsor for Network Rail Scotland, explained how the programme to give Scotland a zero-carbon railway by 2035 is being delivered.

...

Bill noted that he is often asked how Scotland can afford to electrify its network, to which his answer is that we simply can’t afford not to.


1-rgb-2-1024x931.jpg
The Scottish Government’s rail decarbonisation plan.

Capture.jpg
Network Rail Scotland’s short-term project plan.

Much more at the link.

Quotes from the second article:

Whilst third rail and other low-level current collection systems add a lot of equipment to a railway at ground level, the general approach to electrification across the world has involved the adoption of overhead contact systems. In the UK, the early schemes tended to consist of installations at relatively low voltages and the clearance from surrounding structures was not a significant challenge.

However, technical advances arising from the need for higher speeds and heavier loads led the industry towards high-voltage overhead line equipment (OLE) which demanded much greater clearances. The initial higher-voltage installations accepted what would nowadays be quite conservative clearances for live equipment and consequently the early stages of the West Coast Main Line electrification involved a considerably quantity of overbridge reconstructions. The media was enlivened by images of exploding bridges whilst clever solutions for prefabricated new arches were introduced.

British Railways – as it then was – realised that the case for further electrification was at risk from the emerging costs and engaged in much significant development effort. This culminated in modified design protocols for the extension of the early work to complete the Euston-Birmingham route.

The early clearances were foreshadowed at a conference held in 1960 by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers and permission was obtained from the Chief Inspecting Officer for Railways to experiment with a view to determining minimum safe clearance dimensions. As presented in the follow-up electrification conference in 1966, revised electrical clearances were approved by the Minister of Transport in August 1962. This allowed the London Midland Region electrification to be completed at 25kV throughout and advantage was gained from the acceptance of the new dimensions for all domestic schemes.

...

However, the industry was determined to prove that costs could be controlled and an opportunity to show how arose within the Great Western Electrification Programme (GWEP). Recently projects have shown that civils work – especially bridge reconstructions – can make up around a third of the cost.

One example is the Cardiff Intersection Bridge, a substantial skewed crossing of the Cardiff and Merthyr line with the South Wales Main Line. Initial plans to reconstruct the bridge were estimated to be around £40 million. Alternative proposals involved lowering the track, rebuilding a culvert and pumping water from the canal around Cardiff city centre, which was estimated to cost around £20 million. Both solutions would be very disruptive to passengers and the costs threatened the viability of continuing the electrification west into Cardiff Central Station, only 400 metres away.

The challenge was met by a group consisting of Andromeda Engineering of Speke (Liverpool), GLS Coatings, Great Western Railway, Network Rail (Infrastructure Projects, Safety Technical & Engineering (STE) and Wales & Western Route), Pace Networks, Siemens Mobility and the University of Southampton (UoS) High Voltage Laboratory.

Andromeda Engineering, GWEP’s OLE designers for Cardiff, and Network Rail (Wales & Western), contacted Network Rail (STE) to propose an alternative design – initially in the form of a proof of concept – to avoid further descoping of the programme. A steering group was formed to bring in all the decision-makers and focus on achieving an engineering solution.

STE identified modern equipment from Europe that could assist with the challenge. This included:

Bonomi insulated bridge arms, supplied by Pace Networks,

Siemens 25kV surge arrestors, complete with Siemens Arrestor Condition Monitor (ACM)

an electrically-insulating coating from GLS Coatings (GLS 100R) that Network Rail had previously used for signalling power supplies.

...

The concept of Voltage Controlled Clearances (VCC) has been adopted by future electrification projects, including TransPennine and in Scotland. Collectively, it is estimated that VCC could save over £100 million. It will therefore play a pivotal role in making electrification more efficient and help to decarbonise the railway.
 

Mikey C

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Bill noted that he is often asked how Scotland can afford to electrify its network, to which his answer is that we simply can’t afford not to

It's a nice sound bite but the reality is that politicians have lots of priorities to spend money on, and there's no blank cheque to electrify lines, when hospitals, schools, social care etc are also demanding more money
 

GRALISTAIR

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July 2021-December 2021 Threads

Tunnel reboring

Government publishes decarbonise for all modes of domestic transport by 2050

Freight Terminal electrification prototype

Wigan to Bolton Electrification approved

WCML Electrification over runs

Is the electricity (leccy) supply to the railway "just enough"?

Wigan to Bolton electrification - CONSTRUCTION UPDATES ONLY

Forth Bridge cannot have overhead electric lines installed

What is the purpose of Bradford -Leeds electrification?

Haymarket to Dalmeny electrification

GWML OLE alterations eastwards from Acton main line - Old Oak Common enabling work

Treasury blocking electrification plans



SPECULATIVE IDEAS THREADS

Electrification possible alternatives and solutions

Electrification that is likely to be delivered in the next 10 years
 
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Legolash2o

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I've seen a post on LinkedIn that says the first foundation for OLE for the South Wales Metro in Aberdare has been installed/piled.

Not sure the best way to share the post or the locations they are doing first.
 
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GRALISTAIR

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FDCAADCF-9F05-4CD4-924E-AEF4ABD7A471.jpeg
So this is from June 2021 Modern Railways but as can be seen although a good overview it really is very schematic. I will get a more detailed one in due course with full credit of course to the publication. I do take copyright seriously and authors should definitely be credited.
 

WatcherZero

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Dft announcement made at midnight:

Green light given for Wigan to Bolton electrification - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Rail Minister Chris Heaton-Harris has today (1 September 2021) announced that a major upgrade to the railway line between Wigan and Bolton has been given the green light, focused on providing passengers with a greener and more reliable railway.

The track between Wigan North Western station and Lostock Junction near Bolton will receive a £78 million upgrade, targeted to complete in 2024/2025.

Through electrifying almost 13 miles of infrastructure and lengthening platforms, this investment will ensure that CO2 emitting diesel trains are replaced by electric rolling stock. As longer trains with additional capacity, these will provide passengers with greener, more comfortable and more reliable journeys.

Chris Heaton-Harris, Rail Minister, said:

As we build back better and create a railway that truly works for passengers, I am delighted to give this rail upgrade the go-ahead.
This significant investment will provide a service around Greater Manchester that is better for both passengers and the environment, ensuring our railway plays its part in meeting our ambitious net zero ambitions.
Phil James, North West route director at Network Rail, said:

To help the region recover from the pandemic, we’re turning over a new leaf thanks to the £78 million investment to electrify the railway between Wigan and Lostock junction.
This environmentally and passenger-centric scheme will be a game changer for Greater Manchester’s railway as more electric trains mean better air quality, less railway noise and more reliable and spacious journeys for rail travellers.
Nick Donovan, Managing Director at Northern, said:

The electrification of the line between Wigan and Bolton will make a really positive impact for the North and will help us give our customers better journeys on greener trains.
In the past 18 months we have made significant improvements to the Northern network with a fleet of 101 new trains, refurbishment of our older trains and enhancements at stations. Today’s announcement provides further evidence of the rail industry’s commitment to improve and modernise our services and infrastructure to benefit passengers and the environment.
The upgrade project will provide 450 new overhead line equipment stanchions, and modifications to 17 bridges and two-level crossings. Platforms will also be extended at Hindley, Westhoughton and Ince stations to reduce overcrowding at peak times and cater for six-carriage trains in the future.

The project provides train operators with more operational flexibility to deploy trains to these parts of Wigan and Bolton from the recently upgraded train maintenance facility at Wigan Springs Branch.

So after originally being greenlit in 2013 with a completion date of 2017 and a budget of £37m fast forward 8 years and its now got a completion date of 2024/5 and budgets doubled to £78m.
 

Chris125

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So after originally being greenlit in 2013 with a completion date of 2017 and a budget of £37m fast forward 8 years and its now got a completion date of 2024/5 and budgets doubled to £78m.

Hard to imagine that budget was ever deliverable though - a mere doubling seems pretty reasonable given how much other schemes back then actually ended up costing...
 

GRALISTAIR

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Thread started


Threads from Speculative ideas section

Speed upgrades and electrification

Wigan to Bolton possible service changes
 
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Nicholas Lewis

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Firstly this is a great resource @GRALISTAIR has produced and continues to update. In looking at one of the links from Gary Keenor you gave came across another video he did in Feb of this year explaining the Steventon issue as well as other investigations they've done for NR to get OLE standards refreshed that ought to help with cost reduction.

YRP Western: The Modern World of Overhead Electrification

It might well be buried in one of the many other threads you've referenced but hadn't spotted it.
 

Mollman

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HM Treasury published its infrastructure pipeline list on 13 September.


Line 435 of the spreadsheet has an entry for North of Market Harborough electrification.
The document in the quoted message above also mentions finishing GW Electrification, however the money runs out after next year so is that just paying off cost of what has already been completed or is it some extra small schemes?
 

Nicholas Lewis

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The document in the quoted message above also mentions finishing GW Electrification, however the money runs out after next year so is that just paying off cost of what has already been completed or is it some extra small schemes?
Interesting document although little ambition on electrification schemes but has the exorbitant Lostock to Wigan electrification under NWIP, funding in for North of Market Harborough although limited spend over next 18 months but big allocation for TRU so expect an announcement on full electrification come Autumn is my punt.

The procurement timeline tab is pretty poor with only routine renewals type activity in there. Lets see if the RNEP gets n update this year.
 

GRALISTAIR

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INTEGRATED RAIL PLAN (deserves -or not depending on you POV - its own page)

Integrated Rail Plan for the North and Midlands (publishing.service.gov.uk)

Main thread is here
 
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Legolash2o

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From from an initial quick look, they want to electrify:

  • Page 13: MML to Sheffield and Nottingham
  • Page 13: York -> Leeds and Manchester
  • Page 15: Leeds to Bradford Interchange via New Pudsey?
  • Page 17: Wigan -> Bolton -> Manchester.
  • Page 100: Manchester to Liverpool via Warrington Central?
  • Page 109: Warrington to Liverpool (Fiddlers Ferry Route)? The tip would join onto HS2.
Some already have boots on the ground I think. I'll have a more thorough look later but I have probably missed some.
 
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