Class 170 doors do close automatically 30 seconds after someone uses them (there is an infrared beam through the doorway to detect this). On a full and standing train this is sometimes a problem because people standing in the vestibule can prevent the doors from closing themselves.
That was precisely what this “petrol station” sought to achieve - essentially drive over a thing - the thing then locates some pins - activates some solenoids - removes one item from the underside of your vehicle and inserts another. Presumably the lack of uniformity of cars and battery specifications has moved road transport away from this - but for example - you could evidently need more battery capacity to do an “all day diagram” on the Kyle line than you would for example for a single trip. Conversely there might be some prospect of charging batteries on the HST replacements when they hit the wires in the central belt (and remain under the wires for a good length of time). It is really a question of whether there is enough confidence in the battery technology to place a significant order prior to the HSTs needing to hit the scrapyard, or whether an interim product (again) such as the 222s might give the space to wire Aberdeen and give more confidence in the battery technology before an order to replace the rest.
You’re right in that ScotRail* 170s don’t have interior doors seperating the standard class saloons from the exterior door vestibules, though there are doors seperating the vestibules from the first class end compartments in the 50 and 79 cars.
Absolutely. The real problem is that that's comparatively expensive and inconvenient if the doors aren't end doors. I guess you could take a few sets of doors out of use and fit internal doors to the remaining lobbeys to make the trains work more like vestibule ends, but it seems like it's just another compromise stacked on to making trains which aren't fit for purpose just about usable
True. But since they only have three carriages, they quite often are really busy.
I'm assuming this is referring to a 170 standing in for a HST? if so it does make sense that it would be very busy!
With the XC units starting to be sold off to foreign railways I'm slightly less sure of that than I was. If there's a ready market for them as slightly slower luxury stock in countries where damp and rust are less of a problem, then the loss from buying out the lease will be much lower
I know little about EVs but watched a couple of youtube videos from a guy in Sweden or Norway who was trying the concept of battery swap stations. I think he made a long journey which involved two swaps in each direction at the places designated by a Chinese (I think) manufacturer. Basically, he had prebooked, and drove into the swap station, then turned his car off. A robot under the floor unfastened his battery, then moved it tp a charge area and replaced it with a freshly charged power pack. The downside of the concept is no "hotel power" inside the car while the swap is occurring, sp no climate control or mobile charging or audio.
To be fair, the climate control wouldn't be available during a fuel stop in an ICE car.
Well, there's no good reason to make them self-propelled beyond what is required to move them to/from the sidings, so they'd be more properly called power cars.We could have powered battery boxes on wheels which could be added or removed to formations and plonked in a siding to charge without doing so to the passenger accommodation too.
Could even call them "locomotives". Will never catch on.
Yes I did miss that - thanks. Though still leaves enough 221s and 222s to replace the IC7 sets
Yes my point was if as suggested upthread one considers a joint product for say the HML and the far north etc - then the "locomotive" to move it once between Inverness and Perth could be rather smaller than one needing to do the full day of diagram. And thus lighter, quicker to charge, less track wear etc - it doesnt seem beyond the realms of possibility some small wheeled/palletised object could dock from the platform and power the train in such a way.We could have powered battery boxes on wheels which could be added or removed to formations and plonked in a siding to charge without doing so to the passenger accommodation too.
Could even call them "locomotives". Will never catch on.
In the long-term, electrification of a small part of the Far North and Kyle lines is already part of Transport Scotland's Rail Services Decarbonisation Action Plan (PDF link). Initial decarbonisation (with no wires north of Inverness) is targeted for 2035 but a section north of Inverness (I think as far as Tain, but it isn't labeled on the map) is planned to be electrified later (target of having it done by 2045). I don't know much about electrical or civil engineering either but I would have thought that it would be technically possible to electrify the entire UK rail network one way or another. The costs of doing so (including visual impact in the case of the most-scenic bits) might well outway the benefits on such infrequently-served sections as these however.
Which, in the long run, would be mititaged by interworking Far North and Kyle services with Aberdeen-Inverness as they would then be spending a (larger) part of their daily diagrams 'under the wires' and the required range between recharging/refilling batteries / hydrogen tanks will be less. Clearly there is an issue between 2035 and 2045 when Aberdeen-Inverness won't be (fully) wired but the IC125s will need to have been replaced, and an even bigger issue if the wires from the Central Belt are late reaching Aberdeen and Inverness.
Yes, it is (or was) Tain, but the Scottish decarbonisation plan is proceeding at a small fraction of the rate hoped for two or three years ago. The review due later this month may clarify.
Yeah we can kiss goodbye to most, if not all of the previous timescales for electrification. There will need to be a HST replacement pre- electric for the mainlines, as they will not be around till 2035 or anywhere near it.
Currently, 2030 at least. There is no official indication of withdrawal before the lease ends.
Yeah I wouldn't start panicking for a good while yet.
Thanks very much
New diagrams should be available shortly, with the usual caveat of checking RTT on the day as availability remains variable.
2030? Would be surprised if they make it much past 2025...
There is a lease, guaranteed by ScotGov, until 2030 for the HSTs
Asides from the lease running until 2030 and the desire to save money meaning TS are not likely to want to pay two concurrent leasing charges.
Yes, but that's very different from "at least" 2030.
