Cross-City Electrification from Barnt Green to Bromsgrove

[linuxlad7]

just got a letter from NR (Simon Pugh, community relations))- salient points - wiring and energising of first stage to Barnt Green switch was completed on 12th March, All wiring runs were complete and registered by end of April. Now Completing last couple of weekends of final alignment, earthing and bonding. Energising of this section due on morning of 20th May
MENTOR runs on 24/25 April af 40, 60 and 75mph confirmed ok, Mechanical setup of catenary is very good.
ORR will be asked to approve by mid July. Driver training ls in progress, currently using a class 170 shuffling between Cofton and Bromsgrove. Current start of electric passenger service is 29th July

 

[GRALISTAIR]

just got a letter from NE - salient points - wiring first stage to Barnt Green switch completed on 12th March, All wiring runs completed and registered by end of April. Energising of this section due on morning of 20th May
MENTOR runs on 24/25 April af 40, 60 and 75mph confirmed ok, Mechanical setup of catenary is very good.
ORR asked to approve by mid July Current start of electric passenger service is 29th July

Great news thanks for the update.

 

[linuxlad7]

Great news thanks for the update.

So are we still expecting energisation on the 20th?? (see above)
And has anyone seen any 323s??

Bob

 

[Shrewbly]

And has anyone seen any 323s??

Not yet, but are those some 323s scheduled for the evening of the 20th (real time trains)? Keeping my fingers crossed!

 

[linuxlad7]

don't understand this RTT stuff for 5T62 - why are these dates out by a month, april not may apparently

 

[Shrewbly]

don't understand this RTT stuff for 5T62 - why are these dates out by a month, april not may apparently

Hi linuxlad7 - try this link

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/sea.../20/0000-2359?stp=S&show=all&order=wtt&toc=LM

Should show some test runs to Bromsgrove on Sunday 20th May.

5T62 (and some others) are the training runs that have been running for the last few weeks using diesel units. The ones on Sunday seem to be the first electric test runs with a 323, which fits in with what you've been told about energisation.

 

[linuxlad7]

Hi linuxlad7 - try this link

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/sea.../20/0000-2359?stp=S&show=all&order=wtt&toc=LM

Should show some test runs to Bromsgrove on Sunday 20th May.

5T62 (and some others) are the training runs that have been running for the last few weeks using diesel units. The ones on Sunday seem to be the first electric test runs with a 323, which fits in with what you've been told about energisation.

Well that's better - found it.
In that context is 323 a generic term for an emu or can we take it as being the full and genuine article, with magical hill climbing powers

 

[The Planner]

No, its timed for a 323 as that is all that goes down there. We are not going to work out running times for a random type of traction for the sake of it.

 

[Shrewbly]

Well that's better - found it.
In that context is 323 a generic term for an emu or can we take it as being the full and genuine article, with magical hill climbing powers

It's *probably* a 323, since it's coming out of Soho depot, it's a West Midlands Railway service, there'll be no shortage of 323s on a Sunday evening, and it would make sense to do a test run with a 323 into each of the platforms, but...

No, its timed for a 323 as that is all that goes down there. We are not going to work out running times for a random type of traction for the sake of it.

...and of course whether it runs or not depends whether energising goes OK.

I'm sure somebody will be there with a camera if it does run!

 

[linuxlad7]

so has anything more been energised today yet (NR impied that was a morning job to finish lt off


The RTT log seems to refer to 323 movements much later in the day

 

[Shrewbly]

Well something just ran from Soho depot to Bromsgrove - so maybe, just maybe, it's live!

 

[Laurencemcd]

Was just at Vigo Bridge and yes a 6-car 323 did run to Bromsgrove, seemed to have no trouble racing up the Incline!

 

[Shrewbly]

Was just at Vigo Bridge and yes a 6-car 323 did run to Bromsgrove, seemed to have no trouble racing up the Incline!

Excellent news!

 

[linuxlad7]

what no sparks;;;
surely we can equal the display over Shap

 

[Chris125]

 

[59CosG95]

Lovely video there Chris. Glad to see that the sparks effect is finally bearing fruit for Bromsgrove - now we just need to wait for the 29th of July!

 

[Kite159]

Lovely video there Chris. Glad to see that the sparks effect is finally bearing fruit for Bromsgrove - now we just need to wait for the 29th of July!

Good news indeed, it will be a step change for Bromsgrove especially on Sundays going from 0.5 tph to 2.5 tph and to roughly 4tph during the week

 

[sufian123]

Good news indeed. Thanks for sharing this great news!

 

[Elecman]

The 323 cleared the top of Lickey at 60+mph from the standing start

 

[The Planner]

61 to be exact.

 

[bluenoxid]

What would a diesel achieve and what would a non stopping Voyager achieve?

 

[XDM]

The 323 cleared the top of Lickey at 60+mph from the standing start

Interesting to know how many kWh of electricity were needed to get the 115tonnes of 323 to pass the top at 61 mph from stationary at Bromsgrove. Bet the air cooled traction motors were hot.

 

[Class172]

What would a diesel achieve and what would a non stopping Voyager achieve?

The difference between a 170 and a 172 would also be an interesting one - I've only been in the latter up the Lickey Incline a couple of times, but it felt like it was near 40 at the top perhaps?

 

[linuxlad7]

so now that the end is in sight
1 well done to all

2 how much did it cost

3 where next? Worcester ? Cheltenham/Gloucester Newtown?

4 wheres the freight??

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

3. The same team are doing Walsall-Rugeley, which still has a way to go before the wires are up.

 

[59CosG95]

3 where next? Worcester ? Cheltenham/Gloucester Newtown?

4 wheres the freight??

I suspect Q3 & Q4 can be answered simultaneously; until such time as a long-distance electrified corridor between Bristol (at Westerleigh Jct) and Derby exists, there won't be much in the way of electric freight (if any).
If Worcester were to be done, it would make sense to do the Snow Hill Lines (i.e. Leamington/Stratford-u-Avon - Dorridge/Whitlock's End - Tyseley - B'ham Moor St/Snow Hill - Smethwick GB High Level - Stourbridge Jct - Kidderminster - Droitwich - Worcester Shrub Hill/Foregate St - Great Malvern - Hereford) as a whole package, throwing Stoke Works Jct - Droitwich in for good measure.
That's going to be some way off though, as the new Class 196s for WMR are bound for Snow Hill services.

I suspect politicians will want Bristol - Birmingham - Leicester/Derby to be done soon too, in tandem with the MML programme; again, this depends on the MML OLE reaching north of Market Harboro'!

 

[linuxlad7]

we have some early leaf fall on milbury heath
(could indicate an early test of traction for the lickey?)
bob

 

[linuxlad7]

I ve seen the system described in Rail Engineer as boosterless classic but ATF ready - does this mean it can go faster before the solder melts

 

[snowball]

Probably means autotransformers could be added if ever the whole line to Bristol is wired.

 

[deltic08]

What would a diesel achieve and what would a non stopping Voyager achieve?

Never been on a Voyager, but when they were loco-hauled by class 45/46/47 in the 1970s/80s/90s charging at 80mph at the bottom with 10 on, they would be doing around 34mph at the top. I couldn't put my hand on 35/42/43 hauled logs but I have some double headed Warships somewhere from 1968/69. I have only been down the Lickey behind Westerns. Notable was a run from New Street to Cheltenham stop in a few seconds over 36 minutes behind 1066 Western Nobleman in 1975 with a late running train off the 25kv to Plymouth. We touched 100 mph over the River Avon at Defford.
HSTs were only a few mph faster than loco hauled despite the higher power to weight ratio.
Once, on a charter from Gloucester, a class 40 struggled to make 20mph at the top.