Network Rail's Traction Decarbonisation Network Strategy published

[jw]

Network Rail have published their Interim Programme Business Case for the Traction Decarbonisation Network Strategy.

At a national scale, of the 15,400 STKs of unelectrified railway, the following volumes of battery, electrification and hydrogen are proposed for deployment:
• c. 11,700 STKs of electrification is required for long-distance high-speed passenger and freight services;
• hydrogen train deployment over c. 900 STKs of infrastructure;
• battery train deployment over c. 400 STKs of infrastructure; and
• there are 2,400 STKs where a single technology is not immediately clear.

Of this 2,400 STKs, further analysis suggests the deployment of:
• a further c. 1,340 STKs of electrification;
• hydrogen train deployment over c. 400 STKs of infrastructure;
• battery train deployment over c. 400 STKs of infrastructure; and
• there remains 260 STKs where a technology choice is yet to be made.

There are maps included which detail the various proposals.

An ambitious, but naturally expensive and lengthy programme. Let's hope there's some positive movement on this in the 'build back better'/'levelling up' environment.

 

[Legolash2o]

Yay, finally! It's going to be fun mapping this.

 

[59CosG95]

So it looks good for intermodal freight, certainly.
F2N, the MML, the GNGE, and the Electric Spine are to be implemented in full, along with the Poplar Chord (GWML - everywhere else), London Gateway, Nuneaton - Lawley St - Camp Hill...

Perhaps the biggest surprise I've seen is the wiring of the Leicester - Coalville - Burton route!

 

[swt_passenger]

I’ve got a feeling I’ve seen this map before, has part of it been leaked somewhere? Particular the main conclusion about how such a very high proportion needs conventional wiring, rather than battery or whatever ...

 

[Ianno87]

I’ve got a feeling I’ve seen this map before, has part of it been leaked somewhere? Particular the main conclusion about how such a very high proportion needs conventional wiring, rather than battery or whatever ...

There was the proposal put forward by that guy (name escapes me) from an industry group / study association a couple of months ago which looks very, very similar to this. Was a thread on it somewhere.

 

[crablab]

What is "alternative traction"?

 

[swt_passenger]

There was the proposal put forward by that guy (name escapes me) from an industry group / study association a couple of months ago which looks very, very similar to this. Was a thread on it somewhere.

Found it - David Shirres? An article in Jul Modern Railways. With a very similar map included.

 

[Ianno87]

What is "alternative traction"?

Possibly "something a bit less polluting than what the current trains are"?

Found it - David Shirres? An article in Jul Modern Railways. With a very similar map included.

That's the one

 

[swt_passenger]

That's the one

The thread about it is in speculation:

https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/david-shirres-article-on-electrification-july-modern-railways.205839/#post-4643106

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Dont shout at me - I just printed all 251 pages off. Started reading already. Looks good.

 

[Mikey C]

Further East the network within Sussex and Kent is slightly different. Providing a 25kV
overhead line system on small sections between third rail infrastructure does not
make operational sense. A piece of strategic work is currently underway between
Network Rail, RSSB and the ORR to establish the feasibility of providing a modern-day
conductor rail system for these areas. This will report in late 2021. If this work
identifies the inability to deploy further third rail electrification it is likely that battery
operation would be required to achieve a zero-carbon solution.

So 3rd rail extensions not ruled out totally

 

[DorkingMain]

So 3rd rail extensions not ruled out totally

There are definitely some locations where third-rail extension would make perfect sense. Ore to Ashford is an obvious one, Uckfield, Salisbury to Basingstoke, and the Fawley branch (if and when that happens).

 

[crablab]

So 3rd rail extensions not ruled out totally

Section between Southampton and Basingstoke is indicated as such on the map.

Problem is, as NR allude to, the ORR don't want any new third rail installations, but it would take decades to transfer over to 25kV and that money could be better spent in the first instance getting up to 3rd rail standard on unelectrified lines.

 

[swt_passenger]

Section between Southampton and Basingstoke is indicated as such on the map.

Problem is, as NR allude to, the ORR don't want any new third rail installations, but it would take decades to transfer over to 25kV and that money could be better spent in the first instance getting up to 3rd rail standard on unelectrified lines.

Southampton to Basingstoke third rail exists already though? I thought the dotted line implied something else, which from the text is either to use bimode freight locos or convert to 25 kV?

 

[Legolash2o]

It's interesting how they have decided to have a mix of Hydrogen and Battery.

Dont shout at me - I just printed all 251 pages off. Started reading already. Looks good.

Sometimes it's easier and better to read off paper instead of a screen.

 

[DorkingMain]

Southampton to Basingstoke third rail exists already though? I thought the dotted line implied something else, such as strengthening for freight capacity?

If I remember correctly, part of the Electric Spine project was an aspiration for converting Basingstoke - Southampton to OHLE, so services could run on the electric down from Reading to Basingstoke on OHLE and then onto Southampton via the SWML.

Would require new or modified stock at SWR though.

 

[swt_passenger]

If I remember correctly, part of the Electric Spine project was an aspiration for converting Basingstoke - Southampton to OHLE, so services could run on the electric down from Reading to Basingstoke on OHLE and then onto Southampton via the SWML.

Indeed and that’s what the text does mention, so I’ve amended my post.

 

[Legolash2o]

Southampton to Basingstoke third rail exists already though? I thought the dotted line implied something else, which from the text is either to use bimode freight locos or convert to 25 kV?

London to Southampton is current DC 3rd rail.

It's interesting on the map in the 1st post that Market Harborough is class as electrified.

 

[Ianno87]

London to Southampton is current DC 3rd rail.

It's interesting on the map in the 1st post that Market Harborough is class as electrified.

No, MH is "Baseline", i.e. already committed so can be taken to have happened.

 

[swt_passenger]

London to Southampton is current DC 3rd rail.

Yes, I was responding to post #13 that intimated the map showed an extension of third rail...

 

[hwl]

It's interesting how they have decided to have a mix of Hydrogen and Battery.


Sometimes it's easier and better to read off paper instead of a screen.

Hydrogen is where range is too great for battery or the charging time available is too short so lots more battery units would be needed for charging (e.g. North / East Norfolk / Suffolk branches. )
The aim seems to be for battery if there are only single / short branches locally, hydrogen economics is seen as needing a minimum number of units in an area to be viable.

 

[Bald Rick]

Found it - David Shirres? An article in Jul Modern Railways. With a very similar map included.

It was also leaked about 2-3 months ago, and appeared in Modern Railways.

 

[Legolash2o]

Hydrogen is where range is too great for battery or the charging time available is too short so lots more battery units would be needed for charging (e.g. North / East Norfolk / Suffolk branches. )
The aim seems to be for battery if there are only single / short branches locally, hydrogen economics is seen as needing a minimum number of units in an area to be viable.

Thanks for clarifying.

 

[153375]

So it looks good for intermodal freight, certainly.
F2N, the MML, the GNGE, and the Electric Spine are to be implemented in full, along with the Poplar Chord (GWML - everywhere else), London Gateway, Nuneaton - Lawley St - Camp Hill...

Perhaps the biggest surprise I've seen is the wiring of the Leicester - Coalville - Burton route!

Yes that surprised me, if I’ve read the map properly it’s also suggests wiring Nottingham - Skegness which was a surprise also.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

It's a comprehensively updated version of the 2009 Electrification RUS.
As far as I can see there is no attempt to prioritise schemes, although there are some hints in the notes.
But it's a huge step forward from where we were, and is addressed squarely at today's economic challenges and opportunities.
I'm impressed.

The capital cost of an STKM is shown in the range £1m-2.5m, and the grand total investment for the plan appears to be £36-47 billion.
Until we hear something from DfT, it has no "delivery" status, of course

 

[WatcherZero]

What is "alternative traction"?

Possibly "something a bit less polluting than what the current trains are"?

Alternative traction is diesel, i.e. neither electrification, battery or hydrogen are viable.

They are all long, mountainous routes.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Alternative traction is diesel, i.e. neither electrification, battery or hydrogen are viable.

They are all long, mountainous routes.

I assumed Biodiesel - perhaps I am wrong.

 

[WatcherZero]

I believe blended bio diesel has been used in the UK for 15 years.

 

[DorkingMain]

I believe blended bio diesel has been used in the UK for 15 years.

It doesn't take a huge deal of modification to make conventional Diesel engines run on a much higher blend either. One of my former colleagues on the buses was involved with doing that.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

The capital cost of an STKM is shown in the range £1m-2.5m, and the grand total investment for the plan appears to be £36-47 billion.
Until we hear something from DfT, it has no "delivery" status, of course

So let us round up to 60 Billion quid (I know it is easy to spend other peoples money) over 30 years that is 2 billion a year - so not nearly as bad as I thought.