SEClass375
Member
- Joined
- 16 Aug 2016
- Messages
- 112
What rolling stock do you think would end up and what rolling stock would you like on the Ashford to Ore after it has been electified?
Being a bit blinkered now and then your guess is as good as mine. Fictional or not the question remains becuase its been on my mind and I cannot find a clear cut answer to what rolling stock should be used and others may know better.Isn't electrification still just an aspiration? ( Or have I missed something? )
If either the HS1 extension or infill electrification ever goes ahead, I can see the line being transferred to Southeastern for simplicity. If the extension is completed, an hourly or bi-hourly Class 395 service to St. Pancras combined with a bi-hourly Electrostar stopping service between Ashford and Hastings would more than suffice.
If the line is simply electrified, replacing the Turbostar with a dual-voltage Electrostar would do much to ease overcrowding and encourage growth on the line. It could even see the reintroduction of Ashford to Brighton or Eastbourne services due to the increased capacity.
Although if I'm honest, I don't imagine the HS1 scheme ever going ahead in the current climate. I imagine we'll see the Uckfield branch or the North Downs line electrified long before the Marshlink ever does too.
The single track sections on the Tonbridge-Hastings-Ashford section (4 single tracked tunnels between Tonbridge and Battle plus Ore-Rye and Rye-Appledore) combined with the lack of platform capacity at Charing Cross would make such a service a huge reliability risk. And I can't see any major flows which would see a benefit compared to having a London-(Tonbridge/Maidstone/HS1)-Ashford-Eastbourne service. And keeping a Brighton-Ashford service (and possibly extending it to Margate) might be better than having a direct service between the Marshlink and London via Tonbridge/Maidstone.If the line does go to southeastern then I would love to see the 375/6s do a loop service from London via Ashford and Hastings, if they call at all stations from Tonbridge to Tonbridge then I cannot se why not to run the Dover P and Ramsgates fast from Tonbridge/Paddock Wood to Ashford.
Battery storage is a form of electrification since the energy would have entered the train as electricityIt isn't going to be electrified. Ever.
Expect a hybrid of some sort, possibly battery.
Expect a hybrid of some sort, possibly battery.
Battery storage is a form of electrification since the energy would have entered the train as electricity
All fine and dandy, but no one has yet explained how the connection would be made at Ashford International between HS1 on the north side of the station and the Marsh Line on the south without grade separation. Surely the cost and complexity of this problem would preclude other considerations?
Read the Kent Route Study Technical Appendix. It includes a design for a modified junction which allows trains to move between HS1 and Ashford platform 2 without grade separation.All fine and dandy, but no one has yet explained how the connection would be made at Ashford International between HS1 on the north side of the station and the Marsh Line on the south without grade separation. Surely the cost and complexity of this problem would preclude other considerations?
That's a heck of an assumption. Anyway, I'd expect the route would be more along the lines of taking the 395 design and look to see if it could go bimode.That’s assuming a Class 800 can be cleared for the route. Reengineering the 800 design to reduce the coach length whilst retaining bi-mode capability would be prohibitively expensive, if at all possible.
Assuming bi-modes are the route taken then I would imagine you're closer to the truth and since the maximum speed required on diesel would be a lot less than the 125mph on GWML and ECML then one would imagine the engines could/would be considerably smallerThat's a heck of an assumption. Anyway, I'd expect the route would be more along the lines of taking the 395 design and look to see if it could go bimode.
Just looked at the Kent Route Study Appendix and seen that it states that a bi-mode 20m AT300 'may' need to be developed for the 'Class 802' option to be implemented. Implying that it is not simple to work out whether it would be necessary.That's a heck of an assumption. Anyway, I'd expect the route would be more along the lines of taking the 395 design and look to see if it could go bimode.
The junction between the Maidstone branch and platforms 1 & 2 is west of that between platforms 5 & 6 and HS1 i.e trains from/to Hastings cannot access HS1 now, nor could they in future without substantial redesign.There's a set of crossovers that allow trains from Maidstone East to enter platforms 1 & 2. I'm not sure whether these are East of the junction with HS1 and the domestic lines though.
Just looked at the Kent Route Study Appendix and seen that it states that a bi-mode 20m AT300 'may' need to be developed for the 'Class 802' option to be implemented. Implying that it is not simple to work out whether it would be necessary.
Perhaps a 140mph 20m carriage IPEMU for a St Pancras to Brighton via Ashford service would be an option. Would probably need to find other customers for the train.
'Substantial redesign' is adding 3 new crossovers between adjacent tracks and removing one redundant crossover (the solution in the Kent Route Study Appendix for connecting platform 2 to HS1). There is no necessity for platform 1 to be connected to HS1 (but it could be done at extra cost). Some land purchase would be required indicating that some tracks and crossovers would be relocated further west.The junction between the Maidstone branch and platforms 1 & 2 is west of that between platforms 5 & 6 and HS1 i.e trains from/to Hastings cannot access HS1 now, nor could they in future without substantial redesign.
'Substantial redesign' is adding 3 new crossovers between adjacent tracks and removing one redundant crossover (the solution in the Kent Route Study Appendix for connecting platform 2 to HS1). There is no necessity for platform 1 to be connected to HS1 (but it could be done at extra cost). Some land purchase would be required indicating that some tracks and crossovers would be relocated further west.
There is also the alternative option to make platform 3 domestic and have a crossover from the Marshlink.
I completely agree and think that the order size would be the problem factor even if Hitachi could find other customers for such a train. It would be very interesting to see how the finances would compare for a compatible bi-mode vs electrification of the necessary areas.... which implies a fair deal of reengineering for what would be a very small order.