HSTs to Nigeria

[Baxenden Bank]

Not sure if anyone seen this, but a tweet by Richard Clinnick - but it shows what the Ex-GWR HST coaches being adapted for the Red Line, not sure what to make of it though.

From what I can see they’ve made all seat longitudinal and added more grab poles.

https://x.com/clinnick1/status/1780175715838656872?s=46

They did something similar with the Talgo sets, it's more a high-capacity commuter service than long distance leisure travel. There are Youtube videos showing the Talgo sets (done by local media channels) probably at the official launch.

I take the opportunity to re-post this picture.
Picture shows a loco on the current commuter service with passengers occupying the entirety of the side walkway (typical American / BR class 58 style sides).

 

[Gag Halfrunt]

Here's a video with a walk-through of a Talgo train. Most of the seats are longitudinal but there are a few transverse seats here and there.

The Red Line is not operating yet, although the opening ceremony was held on February 29th.

Tinubu inaugurates 37km red line rail project in Lagos - Daily Trust

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Thursday commissioned the 37 Kilometer Lagos red line train project. The Red Line rail project is a 37 Kilometer North South rail route which will run from Agbado in Ogun state to Marina with 13 stations at Agbado, Iju, Agege, Ikeja, MMIA International, MMIA Domestic,…

dailytrust.com

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Thursday commissioned the 37 Kilometer Lagos red line train project.

The Red Line rail project is a 37 Kilometer North South rail route which will run from Agbado in Ogun state to Marina with 13 stations at Agbado, Iju, Agege, Ikeja, MMIA International, MMIA Domestic, Oshodi, Mushin, Yaba, Ebute meta, Iddo, Ebute Ero and Marina.

It is expected to facilitate 37 trips daily, accommodating approximately 500,000 passengers.

Because it is not open yet, videos of trains running on the line are hard to find. Here is a test run of a Talgo set with the governor of Lagos State on board.

Perhaps the Talgos and HSTs will be reconverted for long distance services once more suitable stock has been acquired.

 

[jojoseph72]

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Thursday commissioned the 37 Kilometer Lagos red line train project.

The Red Line rail project is a 37 Kilometer North South rail route which will run from Agbado in Ogun state to Marina with 13 stations at Agbado, Iju, Agege, Ikeja, MMIA International, MMIA Domestic, Oshodi, Mushin, Yaba, Ebute meta, Iddo, Ebute Ero and Marina.

It is expected to facilitate 37 trips daily, accommodating approximately 500,000 passengers.

At 37 trips daily (Im assuming each way), operating on a regular basis at normal hours so lets say between 5am and 11:30pm - 37 trips daily allows for service to run half hourly through out the whole day. I'm not sure at that frequency it will handle 500,000 passenger (Im guessing each day) - the Bakerloo line in London for comparison (which I can safely say does a lot more then 37 daily trips handles) as of 2017 ridership data handles 401,123 daily riders.

Be interesting to see what the actually daily ridership is once it fully opens to the public. But, I think I can safely say it wont by 500,000 especially with the coach stock it'll be using on the line.

Also, off topic but aren't the AC units for the Mk.3 coaches located on the underbelly of the coaches (might be wrong)? But if so, with the amount of dust in Nigeria and the position of the AC units pose a increase risk of failure? - can't imagine that would be nice in Nigeria.

 

[RT4038]

At 37 trips daily (Im assuming each way), operating on a regular basis at normal hours so lets say between 5am and 11:30pm - 37 trips daily allows for service to run half hourly through out the whole day. I'm not sure at that frequency it will handle 500,000 passenger (Im guessing each day) - the Bakerloo line in London for comparison (which I can safely say does a lot more then 37 daily trips handles) as of 2017 ridership data handles 401,123 daily riders.

Be interesting to see what the actually daily ridership is once it fully opens to the public. But, I think I can safely say it wont by 500,000 especially with the coach stock it'll be using on the line.

Also, off topic but aren't the AC units for the Mk.3 coaches located on the underbelly of the coaches (might be wrong)? But if so, with the amount of dust in Nigeria and the position of the AC units pose a increase risk of failure? - can't imagine that would be nice in Nigeria.

'Super Dense Crush Load' factor ?

 

[jojoseph72]

'Super Dense Crush Load' factor ?

I think it might be more then that lmao, to achieve 500,000 daily riders across 37 trips each way (so 74 trips total), each train would need to carry 6,757 passengers - I would be very curious to see if that is possible lol.

 

[takno]

Not sure if anyone seen this, but a tweet by Richard Clinnick - but it shows what the Ex-GWR HST coaches being adapted for the Red Line, not sure what to make of it though.

From what I can see they’ve made all seat longitudinal and added more grab poles.

https://x.com/clinnick1/status/1780175715838656872?s=46

As long as nobody lets the DfT see that I think we're probably fine.

 

[jojoseph72]

Also another update by Richard Clinnick, this time showing with of the HST power cars repainted. Opinions on the livery?

https://x.com/clinnick1/status/1780176335622562024?s=46

On a side note, the gap between the train and the platform makes the ones in the U.K. seem like child play lmao.

 

[stadler]

Using these HSTs and MK3 coaches for a metro style suburban service is absolutely bonkers. These trains are designed for long distance intercity services. What has probably happened is that they have run out of money (in other words money went missing) and so they just had to buy whatever cheap low cost old trains they could find for the red line. I hope the eventually find money to buy proper metro trains and hopefully electricity the line too.

The blue line (which is another similar line that Lagos has built) has received proper metro trains (trains with four wide doors on each side of the carriage) built in China so this is what the red line really should have received too. Although the blue line metro trains are being hauled by diesel locomotives (just like the Abuja Metro is too) despite being EMUs as they ran out of money for electrification. The issue with Nigeria is that it is a very corrupt country. Money never goes where it is supposed to go.

The use of these HSTs and MK3 coaches (and the use of the Talgo trains for that matter) is going to be a disaster. These are suburban metro style services intended to be used by 500,000 passengers a day and quite possibly even more. Dwell times will be so long with all passengers boarding and alighting through narrow single leaf doors at the very ends of each of the carriages. Also ridiculously huge gaps that are easy to fall through as they have built it for a very wide loading gauge but are using stock with the very narrow British loading gauge.

 

[Gag Halfrunt]

The Blue Line opened in September 2023 and switched to electric power in October.

Construction of the Red Line began in 2020 with the goal of opening in 2022, which probably explans why they resorted to buying secondhand trains or, in the case of the Talgos, unwanted new trains that were available immediately. Now the opening has slipped back two years but they still face the consequences of taking whatever they could get to open the line as quickly as possible.

 

[Rick1984]

Just seen on Facebook. Speechless.
Someone commented looks like a stripclub on wheels

 

[Baxenden Bank]

Vanguard News gives various figures in an article dated 12 March 2024.

It's a comprehensive article, only relevant extracts below:

The train is the first phase of the project, which will run from Agbado in Ogun State to Oyingbo in the heart of Lagos. The train, when fully operational, will run 37 trips and convey about 500,000 passengers daily.

As agreed by FG and Lagos, the Red Line project is sharing the hub with the Blue Line Station integrated with other transport modes. The Red Line is using the international Standard Guage [1435mm] and is expected to carry 750,000 passenger daily at inception and 1,100,000 when fully operational.

At full capacity this first phase of the Red Line will transport 250,000 passengers daily, which will grow to 750,000 passengers daily when the full complement of rolling stock on the line is ready.

Just a few weeks ago, bolstered by the unwavering support of the Federal Government, Sanwo-Olu was in China to finalize the purchase of six additional sets of rolling stock for both the Blue and Red Lines. These are currently being retrofitted for intra-state travel which will boost the number of daily passenger trips.

Info: Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu is a Nigerian politician who has served as the governor of Lagos State since 2019.

And in the typographical department:

Two stabbing yards were proposed at Ebute Metta and Agbado.

That's one way to deal with fare evaders!

Also another update by Richard Clinnick, this time showing with of the HST power cars repainted. Opinions on the livery?

https://x.com/clinnick1/status/1780176335622562024?s=46

On a side note, the gap between the train and the platform makes the ones in the U.K. seem like child play lmao.

Wider than the gap in this article?
PIC. 18. PEOPLE ON BOARD A TRAIN IN LAGOS ON TUESDAY (16/10/12).
source: Infrastructure News NG
Picture shows passengers boarding from the trackside, plus roof riders.

 

[Gag Halfrunt]

Picture shows a loco on the current commuter service with passengers occupying the entirety of the side walkway (typical American / BR class 58 style sides).

IIRC that line was closed to make way for the new Lagos-Ibadan standard gauge line, with which the Red Line shares tracks.

Here's a diagram from Wikipedia showing the Blue Line, the Red Line and the Lagos prtion of the Lagos-Ibadan line.

File:2lineslagos3.jpg - Wikimedia Commons

commons.wikimedia.org

 

[Baxenden Bank]

IIRC that line was closed to make way for the new Lagos-Ibadan standard gauge line, with which the Red Line shares tracks.

Here's a diagram from Wikipedia showing the Blue Line, the Red Line and the Lagos prtion of the Lagos-Ibadan line.

File:2lineslagos3.jpg - Wikimedia Commons

commons.wikimedia.org

The narrow gauge line is still in existence. It may have moved laterally a few metres to share the alignment with the new standard gauge but the route is still complete. It can be followed on Google Aerial from Apapa port through to where the new line diverges north of Lagos. On the port branch running to Ebute-Metta you can see the parallel tracks. There was a publicity shot showing some complex mixed-gauge track (switches/crossings) within the port complex. In the Ebute-Metta station area you can see where the NG crosses the SG to get to the works. Heading north, along the SG / Red Line you can make out the NG running alongside. Bring in the Streetview person (or media launches / youtube clips of new stations) and you can often see the two lines adjacent.

 

[Rick1984]

Will be the first time a mkiiii having passengers riding on the roof I'd imagine!

 

[StephenHunter]

To be honest, I'd rather have seen the coaches scrapped than end up like that.

 

[jojoseph72]

To be honest, I'd rather have seen the coaches scrapped than end up like that.

Honestly same, they’ve worked a hard life in the U.K. and it’s safe to say they are about to be worked even harder in a country with suboptimal conditions.

 

[BRX]

Why would it be a good thing to scrap stuff that can still be used, even if the use is a rather different one?

 

[Rick1984]

I forgot that Talgos passively tilt. That could make things "interesting" with that layout!

 

[jojoseph72]

Why would it be a good thing to scrap stuff that can still be used, even if the use is a rather different one?

I think it’s more sentimental feeling towards those coaches - nothing more.

I forgot that Talgos passively tilt. That could make things "interesting" with that layout!

That make the commute a little more interesting.

 

[WessexEclectic]

From what I can see they’ve made all seat longitudinal and added more grab poles.

https://x.com/clinnick1/status/1780175715838656872?s=46

Dem Opposite people?....