GOBLIN Electrification - It may still happen

[PhilipW]

I enclose an interesting article from 'London Reconnections' about the Gospel Oak - Barking electrification.

http://www.londonreconnections.com/2012/hlos-highlights-part-1-the-orange-elephant-in-the-room/

Although excluded from the recent HLOS announcement, it appears that it still may happen in the not too distant future. The stumbling block is not the desirabily of it, which both DfT and TfL agree on, but who pays for it. Both think the other should pay.

The DfT thinks that at the moment it has the upper hand. With severe overcrowding on the current Class 378s, TfL has been looking to see if it can buy some longer trains. As manufacturers in both the UK and Europe are reluctant to build small fleets of DMUs, TfL might find that it no option other than to electrify the line itsself and buy new EMUs.

As they say, watch this space.

 

[HSTEd]

Well given the extremely low speeds on the entire line, much like the Valley Lines really, I doubt that the equipment used will be Furrer and Frey FL200 type equipment that appears to have found favour on main line routes of late.

It is far more likely that the equipment will be some sort of lower cost semi tensioned type such as one produced by Furrer and Frey or even the 25kV derivative of the TramPower system they (Trampower) are supposed to be developing.

As such I doubt the project would involve the presence of the HOOP train so it does not count towards our main line electrification "limits".

 

[WatcherZero]

It is quite easy to work electrification into the business case for fleet replacement on a line like this, (savings from electric instead of diesel over 30 years pay for the work itself). I can see why the Dft wants Tfl to do it as part of its fleet replacement.

 

[fgwrich]

Well given the extremely low speeds on the entire line, much like the Valley Lines really, I doubt that the equipment used will be Furrer and Frey FL200 type equipment that appears to have found favour on main line routes of late.

It is far more likely that the equipment will be some sort of lower cost semi tensioned type such as one produced by Furrer and Frey or even the 25kV derivative of the TramPower system they (Trampower) are supposed to be developing.

As such I doubt the project would involve the presence of the HOOP train so it does not count towards our main line electrification "standard".

Why non standardise the line, if one of the potential advantages would be to shift electric freight? I think, if and when it does finnaly get electrified it'll use a standard set up - probably the mainline type, partly to shift freight, and partly for parts compatibility - afterall, it does connect in various places with standard OLE sections.

 

[HSTEd]

Why non standardise the line, if one of the potential advantages would be to shift electric freight?

... Why would it not be standard? One design of 25kV OLE is much like another at low speeds.