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Recent content by Searchlight

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    Potential Mangotsfield and Bath branch line reopening - Sustrans has got it wrong, says rail group

    CPO should take care of it! Maybe Act of Parliament in difficult cases. No-one owns land Absolutely. Such things do not stop Road Schemes do they?
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    SEARCHLIGHT

    SEARCHLIGHT
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    OHLE clearances, and 25kv v 1500v dc.

    400Kv Feeder Stations may be far apart, but, they are VERY large and expensive. Compared to 33Kv Substations. The Higher the voltage the more expensive the equipment, and the more space it takes-up. 6Kv DC Re-electrification was seriously considered in...
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    OHLE clearances, and 25kv v 1500v dc.

    For all the discussion about "efficency", DC losses, etc. It seems to be overlooked that Diesel-Electric Traction, Battery Traction, Fuel Cells, etc.......Are far MORE inefficient than 3Kv DC Electrification. At 6KV DC the losses are equal to 25Kv AC...
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    Proposal for Bristol to get an Underground

    I stand by my assertion. Bristol pop. 454200 (I think this is a bit on the low side actually) Nuremberg with a U-Bahn, pop. 498,900. Dusseldorf, with a U-Bahn, pop586,217. These figures are not "Three times the size of Bristol". IF Bristol had a U-Bahn, would anyone...
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    Proposal for Bristol to get an Underground

    If Bristol was in Germany, it would have had an U-Bahn decades ago. So, would Birmingham, Leeds, and probably Southampton/ Portsmouth.
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    Proposal for Bristol to get an Underground

    I would have thought a DLR type system, would be whats needed in Bristol, possibly re-using old railway alignments, where possible. Much tunnelling would be required, as "cut-an-cover" as used for most Metros, would be too disruptive. The geology under...
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    Could the closure of Kellingley Colliery affect supply of coal for steam railways?

    NO, Kellingley Colliery supplied low grade Power Station coal. Not loco coal. If loco coal gets too expensive conversion to oil is possible. Half of Russia s former steam locos ran on oil.
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    Sheffield/Rotherham Tram-Train update

    --- old post above --- --- new post below --- Could it be, the "Tram-Train" fad is because we don t like building Interurban Tramway infrastructure in this country? So, we think use the existing Railway.......Trouble is, the Railway is already running near full...
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    Single Line Operation = Capacity Enhancement

    Thank you for your detailed and balanced reply. You put across the issues very well. I don t envison many more singling schemes in Britain, but new schemes like the Borders Line, would be candidates for evaluation of the pros and cons of single lines...
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    Single Line Operation = Capacity Enhancement

    I was specifically refering to CTC single line operations. If you look up CTC operation, you will see figures of 70% 75% quoted regarding track capacity. This can be easily explained, because we think of single line as just that, whereas in the USA...
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    Would The Big Four have survived if No BR?

    Perhaps Sir Brian Robertson still thought he was in the Forces? Giving out Orders, instead of Collective Responsibility and consultation at meetings?:lol:
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    Would The Big Four have survived if No BR?

    Statements 1 and 2 are contardictory.......If the LMS had merged with LNER, the huge LNER losses would have crippled the LMS, which was already weak itself! When the LNER was formed in 1923, it inherited a large dept from the GCR London Extension...
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    BR Modernisation policies and subsequent investment

    Very interesting! I understand BR resorted to the no shut-down technique on its diesels, to some extent? This was because of problems with the batteries running down (especially in cold weather) preventing start-up in the mornings......Engines would be...
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    BR Modernisation policies and subsequent investment

    Thanks for that, Taunton. Of course the Americans are used to extreamly cold weather, so would make sure everything was well lagged, and wouldn t freeze up. Sounds like the British versions were built on the cheap, and were untried products?

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