GWR battery train procurement suggestions & predictions

[Mollman]

Tender out last Friday (only spotted today) although details not yet on GWR's procurement website:

Section I: Contracting entity
I.1) Name and addresses
Official name: FIRST RAIL HOLDINGS LIMITED
Postal address: 4th Floor Capital House 25 Chapel Street
Town: London
Postal code: NW15DH
Country: United Kingdom
Contact Person: Stephen Stewart
Email: [email protected]
Internet address(es):
Main address: https://www.gwr.com/
Address of the buyer profile: https://www.gwr.com/

I.3)Communication
Access to the procurement documents is restricted.Further information can be obtained at:https://procurement.gwr.com/tenders
Additional information can be obtained from:the above mentioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted
to the above mentioned address
I.6) Main activity:
Railway services

Section II: Object
II.1) Scope of the procurement:
II.1.1) Title: Fast Charging Battery Train Trial
II.1.2) Main CPV code: 60000000
II.1.3) Type of contract: Services
II.1.4) Short Description:
Great Western Railway (GWR) is seeking is seeking expressions of interest from suppliers for a trial to prove the capability of a battery powered train, supported by fast charging equipment, to safely and reliably operate passenger services on a non-electrified branch line (West Ealing-Greenford), for a period of at least one year. This trial will support the objectives of the Traction Decarbonisation Network Strategy and will be delivered with the support of Network Rail and the Department for Transport.
The route from West Ealing to Greenford is 2¾ miles of mostly double track railway and is served by a two car Turbo stopping at all stations. Trains are Driver Only Operated using a combination of CCTV, mirrors and look back during train despatch. The shortest platforms on the route that the train will need to serve, are at Castle Bar Park, and are 47.5m and 47.6m long. GWR does not operate trains without toilets on board.


II.1.6) Information about lots

The contract is divided into lots:no
II.2) Description
II.2.2)Additional CPV code(s)
Main CPV code: 34000000

II.2.3) Place of performance
Nuts code: Main site or place of performance:
The route from West Ealing to Greenford is 2¾ miles of mostly double track railway and is served by a two car Turbo stopping at all stations. Trains are Driver Only Operated using a combination of CCTV, mirrors and look back during train despatch. The shortest platforms on the route that the train will need to serve, are at Castle Bar Park, and are 47.5m and 47.6m long. GWR does not operate trains without toilets on board.

II.2.4) Description of the procurement:
We wish to procure the lease of a single train and associated charging equipment, for a trial operating period from April 2022 to March 2023, with the possibility of extension subject to performance. The charging equipment will be required to be installed by the supplier to the bay platform at West Ealing station under Network Rail supervision (noting Greenford station is operated by LUL and space-constrained).
We anticipate that servicing and light maintenance of the train will be undertaken by GWR at West Ealing EMU sidings, while heavy maintenance will remain the responsibility of the supplier. Maintenance of the charging equipment will be the responsibility of the supplier under the supervision of Network Rail.
II.2.5)Award criteria
II.2.7) Duration of the contract,framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Start:2021-12-01
/ End:2023-03-31
This contract is subject to renewal: no
II.2.9) Information about the limits on the number of candidates to be invited
II.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted:yes
II.2.11) Information about options
Options: no

II.2.13) Information about European Union funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: no

Section III: Legal, economic, financial and technical information
III.1) Conditions for participation

Section IV: Procedure
IV.1) Description
IV.1.1) Type of procedure:
Negotiated procedure with prior call for competition
IV.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement(GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: no
IV.2) Administrative information
IV.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
Date:2021-07-12 Local time:17:00
IV.2.4) Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted: EN

Section VI: Complementary information
VI.1) Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement:no
VI.2) Information about electronic workflows
VI.4) Procedures for review
VI.4.1) Review body
Official name: FirstGroup Rail Division
Town: London
Country: United Kingdom


VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice:

2021-06-11

 

[DanNCL]

I'm struggling to think of anyone other than Vivarail that has a product which meets all of the criteria set out here. Are any of the other suppliers able to supply a battery EMU shorter than 47.5 metres in length in less than a year?

 

[Bletchleyite]

I'm struggling to think of anyone other than Vivarail that has a product which meets all of the criteria set out here. Are any of the other suppliers able to supply a battery EMU shorter than 47.5 metres in length in less than a year?

Not at all unusual for tenders to be written carefully to ensure only the product they actually want is bidded...

 

[Speed43125]

I'm struggling to think of anyone other than Vivarail that has a product which meets all of the criteria set out here. Are any of the other suppliers able to supply a battery EMU shorter than 47.5 metres in length in less than a year?

That was my thought as well.

Although, timeframe excepted, possibly some 2 car variant of a FLIRT could be doable?

 

[zwk500]

I'm struggling to think of anyone other than Vivarail that has a product which meets all of the criteria set out here. Are any of the other suppliers able to supply a battery EMU shorter than 47.5 metres in length in less than a year?

The tender doesn't prohibit SDO, nor does it say the charging equipment has to take the form of a pantograph collecting from 25kv AC. However I suspect GWR have a product in mind - nobody is going to commit to the design and development costs for a 1-year trial without a good reason to believe it will lead to further orders.

 

[Non Multi]

Considering that those here from FG described the d-trains IIRC as, "ancient" or similar, it would be quite a U-turn. Unless of course, someone is offering to sling some batteries under some off-lease 466s or 456s?

 

[JonathanH]

The tender would appear to allow a converted 466 (or pair of 465 motor coaches), which is what posters have indicated in the past is a possibility for GWR. There just happen to be some of those going spare now.

eg https://www.railforums.co.uk/thread...us-bar-the-165-166.207694/page-3#post-4731022

You need them to go back to a depot for toilet emptying every day or two - doing that task remotely is not now permissible, nor is not providing toilets on existing services which have them now. The pure battery solution for the branch lines has been closely looked at by FG and found wanting - the turnrounds on key lines (such as the St Ives) can be under 5 minutes at both ends so fast charging is out. Several branch line units also work mainline turns so you don't want to have more fleet to cover existing work or to have to install more charging points.

The additional cost of driver training is also an issue - most branch lines see several drivers a day (for safety reasons) so D trains are definitely out on that ground alone (and for other reasons as well - top speed, seat capacity and political acceptablility) but something 2 or 3 car based on a 465/466 platform may very well be a runner, especially as if it has a HyDrive like self charging capability. GWR, as well as others, could use quite a few of those and that could be a real opportunity for Vivarail if they got their skates on.

I note that the tender indicates that it would be based at West Ealing Sidings but sent elsewhere, ie not Reading, for heavy maintenance. Clearly putting a battery unit on the Greenford line and having it based locally removes the need for the Turbo to cycle to Reading / Oxford as it does at present.

 

[Non Multi]

Timescale seems rather optimistic if it's a new battery conversion project.

 

[XAM2175]

Although, timeframe excepted, possibly some 2 car variant of a FLIRT could be doable?

Yes, a two-car FLIRT would be 49 metres long (assuming a 755/3 with the intermediate trailer taken out), and the passenger doors are far enough from the ends of the train that they'd all be accommodated as long as the stopping point was hit with enough caution. Fill the power pack with batteries and I imagine it'd give a decent range.

Of course this assumes that Stadler will even be interested in tendering.

 

[JonathanH]

Yes, a two-car FLIRT would be 49 metres long (assuming a 755/3 with the intermediate trailer taken out), and the passenger doors are far enough from the ends of the train that they'd all be accommodated as long as the stopping point was hit with enough caution. Fill the power pack with batteries and I imagine it'd give a decent range.

Of course this assumes that Stadler will even be interested in tendering.

It would almost certainly have to be done with an existing unit though as the trial is only for one year and the timescales tight. Could a 755 could be commandeered from Greater Anglia and reduced to 2-car?

 

[Failed Unit]

A 2 car 442?

Seriously. How did the trails on the existing EMUs go? Wasn’t there one on the Anglia region? Did it work?

 

[2192]

Do West Ealing EMU sidings have facilities for emptying toilets? If not where is the nearest, or how cheap is it to install such facilities? Or alternatively, Vivarail could offer a variant without toilets, assuming there are toilets already at Greenford and West Ealing stations.

 

[Roast Veg]

Looks like Parry wouldn't have a product for this off the shelf, but they'd be close. They seem to advertise a "charge at every stop" solution for their people movers, and offer a bigger size than the 139.

 

[Bob Price]

Seeing as Vivarail have 001 now converted to batteries and an off the shelf charging unit I would guess they would be the leaders in the race.

 

[Mikey C]

A sporty timetable to get the train available AND the charging equipment installed at West Ealing. Unless they've been planning this for a while!

 

[JN114]

Do West Ealing EMU sidings have facilities for emptying toilets? If not where is the nearest, or how cheap is it to install such facilities? Or alternatively, Vivarail could offer a variant without toilets, assuming there are toilets already at Greenford and West Ealing stations.

Yes West Ealing LMD has flush and tank capabilities already

 

[zwk500]

A sporty timetable to get the train available AND the charging equipment installed at West Ealing. Unless they've been planning this for a while!

They won't have put the Invitation to tender out for a laugh.

 

[Non Multi]

The tender would appear to allow a converted 466 (or pair of 465 motor coaches), which is what posters have indicated in the past is a possibility for GWR. There just happen to be some of those going spare now.

eg https://www.railforums.co.uk/thread...us-bar-the-165-166.207694/page-3#post-4731022

I note that the tender indicates that it would be based at West Ealing Sidings but sent elsewhere, ie not Reading, for heavy maintenance. Clearly putting a battery unit on the Greenford line and having it based locally removes the need for the Turbo to cycle to Reading / Oxford as it does at present.

Would certainly kill 2 birds if it was utilising 4 car 465s: driving cars to battery conversion, trailer coaches to extend the Turbos. Very neat.

 

[Roast Veg]

Would certainly kill 2 birds if it was utilising 4 car 465s: driving cars to battery conversion, trailer coaches to extend the Turbos. Very neat.

Too neat: the turbos also need their hydroflex conversion, which isn't a done deal yet. This tender doesn't cover that, and as such it probably isn't going to be considered as one project.

 

[rebmcr]

I'm struggling to think of anyone other than Vivarail that has a product which meets all of the criteria set out here. Are any of the other suppliers able to supply a battery EMU shorter than 47.5 metres in length in less than a year?

Except:

GWR does not operate trains without toilets on board.

---

Would certainly kill 2 birds if it was utilising 4 car 465s: driving cars to battery conversion, trailer coaches to extend the Turbos. Very neat.

Aren't the Turbos sluggish to begin with? I'd hate to see how underpowered they'd be with trailers inserted.

 

[JonathanH]

Aren't the Turbos sluggish to begin with? I'd hate to see how underpowered they'd be with trailers inserted.

Yes, Turbos would need a traction upgrade before trailers can be inserted but that is for later - prove the battery package on a 466 and the potential exists to use more 466s or 465 motor coaches for more similar battery conversions.

 

[DanNCL]

Except:

Vivarail offer accessible toilets on the D-Trains, an option which has been taken up on the 230s for LNR and TFW.

 

[Clarence Yard]

It’s a DfT inspired scheme - GWR/FG are acting as their agent.

 

[rebmcr]

Vivarail offer accessible toilets on the D-Trains, an option which has been taken up on the 230s for LNR and TFW.

Ah OK, thanks for helping me learn!

 

[Gloster]

I am not familiar with tender documents, but could the way the reference to toilets is phrased be deliberate: it doesn’t say that the train must have toilets, just that GWR does not (present tense) operate trains without toilets on board. If the train is only going to be used on the Greenford branch, a service much shorter in duration than many bus, tram and underground ones, then perhaps toilets could be dispensed with. (Or am I being too linguistically pedantic?)

 

[adc82140]

It’s a DfT inspired scheme - GWR/FG are acting as their agent.

Do TfL have any input? I'm wondering if they want rid of any diesel services running exclusively within their area.

 

[Horizon22]

The timeframe for the tender does seem rather tight for any sort of new product. Saying that passenger numbers on the line have been pathetic since Covid hit (and before tbh) - regularly in the single digits max for several circuits of the line. It's the ideal place for a trial.

Do TfL have any input? I'm wondering if they want rid of any diesel services running exclusively within their area.

Quite possibly; it is very much a diesel island and something of a GWR stations island now with both terminus stations now operated by TfL (TfL Rail in the case of West Ealing)

 

[brad465]

Yes, Turbos would need a traction upgrade before trailers can be inserted but that is for later - prove the battery package on a 466 and the potential exists to use more 466s or 465 motor coaches for more similar battery conversions.

466s do of course have a history of short length branch line operations, providing were they to be used they could get a new PRM delegation/full compliance and a third rail charge point somewhere.

 

[Bob Price]

Its an interesting debate but the only company with an out of the box solution is Vivarail. And they have a unit ready to deliver which has been approved for use on the national network. Anything else is vapourware

 

[Fincra5]

Its an interesting debate but the only company with an out of the box solution is Vivarail. And they have a unit ready to deliver which has been approved for use on the national network. Anything else is vapourware

Yeah I can't see anything but Vivarail tbh... They have a Rapid Charge System developed (or in development) and, as other have said, Cleared Stock for the metals.

I don't think the Greenford Bay has any electrification does it?