cal.n
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Posts posted by cal.n
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3 hours ago, Dungrange said:
The article @JeremyC linked to above states:
"The Breeze is a three-car unit that is a conversion of a redundant Class 321 EMU. It has two driving trailer coaches, which each have roof mounted fuel cells and interior hydrogen fuel tanks taking up a third of the coach space. The central motor coach has the traction motors and batteries. The unit will have between 148 and 168 standard class seats which is more than the two-car Class 15x DMUs that they will replace.
Alstom’s Breeze has hydrogen stored inside the train behind the driver’s cab.
These trains will be designated Class 600 HMUs and so, as far as numbering is concerned, they will be the first of the 6xx category of units, a new classification for alternatively powered traction. Following discussions with various potential customers for the Class 600 HMU, it is likely that the first deployment will be in the Tees Valley, where Northern Trains have selected the Class 600 HMU as its preferred solution for the operation of zero-emissions rolling stock. This would initially be a fleet of ten trains operating services to Bishop Auckland, Hartlepool, Saltburn and Whitby. Their deployment will be supported by the UK’s first hydrogen transport hub in Teeside. As part of this, it is proposed to build a hydrogen train maintenance facility on the former Lackenby Steelworks site. This will consist of a three-road maintenance shed, stabling for 16 units, train wash and CET facilities along with a hydrogen production and refuelling plant."
I suspect this new announcement means the 600s have been quietly dropped. But the 600 and 799/2 as case studies show that to get meaningful range with a UK gauge, H2 storage has to enter space that would otherwise be passengers.
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17 hours ago, black and decker boy said:
Posted elsewhere is this press release from Alstom
Alstom & Eversholt Hydrogen MUs
Alstom, Britain’s leading train manufacturer and maintenance provider, and Eversholt Rail, leading British train owner and financier, have today announced a Memorandum of Understanding aimed at delivering the UK’s first ever brand-new hydrogen train fleet.
The two companies have agreed to work together, sharing technical and commercial information necessary for Alstom to design, build, commission and support a fleet of ten three-car hydrogen multiple units (HMUs). These will be built by Alstom in Britain. The new HMU fleet will be based on the latest evolution of the Alstom Aventra platform and the intention is that final contracts for the fleet will be signed in early 2022.
They're understandably being very quiet with technical details. But there are some pretty major questions with a 3-car unit of this size.
How powerful a fuel cell(s) is to be fitted? Where are they storing the H2? If the tanks are going to be in the roof, there will either be a continuous 'pan recess' or it'll have no range.
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4 hours ago, newbryford said:
Inspired by this photo - taken by Cal N of this parish after I couldn't get to it in time.
Next (last?) job with the PCAs is to fit a flashing tail lamp to one of them.
The wheels are already live to one side, so I'll probably use DCC Concepts axle springs and then fit wipers to the insulated side.
The quick and easy way would be to reverse one wheel set, but I'm not keen on only one axle pickup.
Nevermind a flashing tail lamp, I think you need to motorise one to be fully prototypical...https://www.gov.uk/government/news/runaway-and-derailment-of-a-wagon-at-clitheroe?
But seriously the graffiti and weathering look amazing and as a set they look even better.
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10 hours ago, newbryford said:
Thanks for the diversion guys, but getting back to my workbench......
All 18 suitably weathered/graffitied.
A dummy tail lamp has been fitted to one of the rake for now - I will investigate fitting a working one later noting that the axles supplied with the PCAs are already live to one wheel.......
Just a couple of little paint touch-ups to do and they're ready for a debut at Stafford next week.
Motive power will most likely be 66711 or 66718 - both have worked with the PCAs.
Although- with a fair wind, there may be another GBRf contender for use........... (fingers crossed)
Cheers,
Mick
Brilliant weathering Mick, they do very much look the part.
Looking forward to having a play at Stafford.-
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On 24/06/2019 at 16:54, GWRPhil said:
Any progress on the layout recently
Nothing major happening at the moment I'm afraid. I am at uni and the layout is now 300 miles away. Although it is very much in my mind and is going to be worked on hopefully soon.
I have built stack-able transit frames for all 3 boards. I have
been inspired bystolen the design of the transit frames used on Deadman's Lane which are very useful when moving the layout and taking to shows etc.Hopefully more progress soon...
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Here are some of my images from the weekend. The layout performed well, only with certain locos struggling in certain known places. Otherwise it’s a great layout to show off Jacks all singing and dancing DRS fleet.
Mr Ladybird making a return to the layout.
20303 awaits having a B exam in the shed building.
The very special ‘halo’ marker lights on 68002.
37716 is fuelled in the morning sun.
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On 21/10/2019 at 19:45, big jim said:
ive just bought one of the HO ltd ed wagons off ebay (as seen on the last page), having a look at the pics if i modify the covers to lose the vented top they wont look far off the older UK spec wagons, that and a bit of fine detailing such as white handrails, yellow lifting lugs and new OHLE flashes etc and i recon i can pass it off for a UK wagon, rule 1 applies of course
Sounds good. Very interested to see the results
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11 minutes ago, Simon Bendall said:
From what I remember, this one was brought back to the UK for evaluation for use by BNFL, the move was from Dollands Moor to Crewe Coal Sidings. Its sister also turned up at some point and both were stored at Crewe. Both went to Booths in 2014.
Ah okay, so it must have come through the tunnel (empty) then.
Comparing the CADs the the prototype images, there are a number of pretty major errors in the model.
The master bogies, ladders and handrails are vastly different on each side of the wagon. The closest side here has a lower walkway which I think is actually on the 'double bogie' and has two sets of handrails with a short ladder. The far side has a single handrail on the main body of the wagon with a small gate and a ladder that extends the full height of the wagon.
The CADs show they have simply used the same arrangements for both sides. The CADs are also missing most of the ferry tie-down loops, both handbrake wheels
While granted there are not many prototype photos at all, these are pretty big mistakes for a £150 model.
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3 hours ago, big jim said:
Now I’m confused as to which wagons these are
Simple question then, can I use these wagons “prototypically” with my DRS stock or were they withdrawn before drs came along?
(The website suggests DRS use them but general consensus seems otherwise)
Info about these wagons is understandably not too easy to come by but here is what I understand,
KUA wagons are very different to IQA wagons, the model is the latter.
KUAs are used regularly today with flows from Devonport dockyard with spent naval nuclear submarine fuel to Sellafield for reprocessing. They also run to Georgemas Junction for spent fuel from Douneray to Sellafield (there was an experimental naval reactor at Douneray). KUAs have also run to Rosyth Dockyard (presumably for a submarine in there) and they go to Eastleigh for overhauls and tyre turning etc. All behind DRS traction. Note KUAs always travel with a pair of DRS mk2s with military/armed police for security.
As far as I can tell, IQAs are no longer used in the UK, but were used for spent fuel from power station reactors in continental Europe for reprocessing at Sellafield, crossing the channel via the train ferry. When the channel tunnel was built, all nuclear traffic is banned so continental spent fuel is now moved by ship and unloaded at Barrow Docks and moved to Sellafield by KXA wagon.
https://gingespotting.smugmug.com/Wagons/I-TOPSCode/IQA/i-qzHNc42/A
This is the only image I could find with DRS traction and an IQA (albeit early DRS traction). Due to the lack of escort coaches and only a single loco I don't think it is loaded and I suspect the master bogies from the IQAs were modified with walkways then used on KUAs.
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From what I understand, it was malfunction with the weight detection system on the secondary suspension air bags. So it thought it was a lighter train and therefore only applied a lower brake force which turned out to be next to nothing.
This is third hand info so take with a pinch of salt but I believe may be true.
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On 11/07/2019 at 22:21, newbryford said:
So you need gloves to touch kettles....................
Wouldn’t want to catch something
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On 07/07/2019 at 19:57, bradfordbuffer said:
GLOVES?
RUBBER/LATEX?
BLUE / BLACK / NATURAL?
SIZE?
Come on Jack pics!
Got mine on today...
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Love over Gold - Dire Straits
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14 hours ago, jools1959 said:
Another stunning model from you guys, shame I have no need for them as they only seem to be in use with DRS in the North West now.
With DRS they run to Crewe Coal sidings to Sellafirld and eventually Drigg LLW depository from Dungeness in Kent and Berkeley, Gloucestershire.
They have also run to Hull docks before to take naturally occurring radioactive sources to Sellafield from North Sea oil.
They are also used as barrier vehicles to spread the load of a train over bridges. On the Cumbrian Coast, they are places between each loco and between each KXA-C flask wagon between Barrow Marine Terminal and Sellafield. In Scotland (as mentioned above) they serve the same purpose on flasks to Georgemas Junction (for Douneray).
https://www.flickr.com/photos/ricardo4eyes/29222599848/
They also come with various types of boxes that aren't impossible to scratcbuild or convert from a carwoods box.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/ricardo4eyes/9764392251/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/75784477@N08/35259024482/
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3 hours ago, woodenhead said:
Those of us in the North are quite used now to a 6 day railway with no Saturday service by Northern.
East Midlands, Cross Country and TPE are running - various options
If coming from the West - TPE services via Sheffield to (Manchester Airport - Cleethorpes) will be running, from Liverpool East Midlands from Liverpool to Sheffield then Cross Country to Doncaster.
From York - direct LNE services or via Wakefield using Cross Country and LNE.
But if you are that side of the Pennines already then a car is probably the quickest and most direct way to get to Doncaster.
As of about 3 hours ago as I type, RMT have called off all strikes on Northern. Probably worthy of its own thread. But Northern have said it still won’t manage a full timetable on Saturday after running nothing for so long but there will be a decent amount of trains running. As stated above, plenty of other TOCs into Doncaster.
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58 minutes ago, Jack374 said:
I'll be trying to make sure it's on show, especially as a pair of full size Cats transferred to the RTC yesterday. I can inform you that F2 and F3 are fully (and loudly) functioning!!
Thanks,
Jack.
Great work on the 68. I wonder what the 68s are for at the RTC. High speed ex-67 yellow trains?
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Problem it's the 0.1% give the others a bad reputation
That made my think of someone of this parish...
Seriously, the vast majority or railway are more than happy to let you film/photo/collect numbers provided you follow the pretty sensible guidelines above. If your camera equipment is extremely large, staff may suspect commercial filming which Network Rail charge for.
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DRS’ 66304 through Clitheroe with 6K05. 1st at the station, then a signal check at the level crossing allowed to get a shot in front of Clitheroe Castle.
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Browsing and found a very large number of locos and units are allocated to the national collection from TOCs and leasing companies after they have finished their useful life. e.g Class 60, 150/2, 159, 139, 66, 92, 142, 2 of DRS’ DBSOs, Caroline, a Mk4 DVT, a 442 Driving car. a full HST set with coaches and an example of numerous wagons and snowploughs.
https://group.sciencemuseum.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/RHC-designated-items-2018.pdf
A really interesting read.
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What a great story, really going the extra mile. Well done Hattons and well done to your daughter!
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They don't actually (visibly) flash in real life.
Since (the real) loco has LED headlamps, an energy saving can be made by flashing them on and off multiple times a second. Compared to other lights, the lifespan of an LED is not effected by flashing so this can be done and about half the energy is used. The frequency that they flash is so high that the human brain just sees them as being constantly on.
The reason they appear to flash when being filmed is that (I'm guessing) that flash frequency is approximately 30-40 per second. Since most modern cameras film in either 30 or 60 frames per second (the rate at which the camera captures still frames). Since the rate of flash is slightly higher than a 30fps camera they will be a little 'out of phase' so will match and unmatch at a rate that causes the viewer of the video to see it flashing. A 60fps will probably have a similar effect (maybe to a lesser degree) since it is exactly twice the frame-rate of a 30fps camera.
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Still number 4?
67004 with a Northern Cumbrian Coast service to Barrow
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Only DRS liveried examples had the livery and nameplate issues. 68014 is a Chiltern loco so shouldn't have any issues.
Hattons are usually extremely helpful and if you have any doubts, just email or message then on the site and they should be able to let you know.
Alstom Hydrogen Multiple Units
in UK Prototype Discussions (not questions!)
Posted
Which ROSCOs are based in tax havens? Underlining it doesn't make it true.
That's a very interesting question. The main reason I'd point out is that most automotive tanks are pressurised to 700 bar, whereas all rail applications to date have been 350 bar tanks. As I'm sure you're aware, twice the pressure doesn't mean twice the mass, so is a law of diminishing returns.
Also worth noting that all automotive EV/FCEV 'ranges' are absolute maximums, whereas rail has an relatively large auxiliary load.