Birmingham to Bristol Electrification

[Purple Orange]

What are the chances of seeing Brum - Bristol electrified by 2035-40?

I won’t go in to the obvious benefits, but along with Midland Mainline electrification, this would be very promising for reducing the carbon emissions thrown in to the air north to south.

Thoughts?

 

[snowball]

I've voted for "Likely".

Although the govt keeps putting off the making of any new specific electrification commitments, it simultaneously witters about being a leader in all things green - yet another example of BJ trying to have his cake and eat it. But eventually reality will catch up with the spin. The govt's recent transport decarbonisation report says clearly that there will be an electrification programme based on Network Rail's decarbonisation strategy published last year, and that in turn clearly says most lines will have to be electrified. And Brum-Bristol will have to be among the earlier ones.

 

[The Planner]

2034-39 is CP9, if control periods still exist. I would still expect the Snow Hill lines to get done first which could be back end of CP7, CP8.

 

[Mikey C]

I voted definitely, as 2040 is nearly 20 years ago away and if there is a rolling electrification programme, this surely would be one of the more important routes. I can imagine it being done by the mid 2030s

 

[martinsh]

I voted definitely, as 2040 is nearly 20 years ago

Are you a time traveller ?

 

[Mikey C]

Are you a time traveller ?

Yes I come back to you from the year 2060, when local services are operated by 319s converted to run on nuclear fusion

 

[swt_passenger]

Yes I come back to you from the year 2060, when local services are operated by 319s converted to run on nuclear fusion

How are the 442s getting on? Oh, and is someone still hoping to get 365s back on the GN?

 

[PerryPacer]

Yes I come back to you from the year 2060, when local services are operated by 319s converted to run on nuclear fusion

What’s the latest update on sub- atomic splitting of algae as a fuel source?

 

[Bigman]

Only 64 miles from Bromsgrove to Yate, so surely should be easy to do.

 

[Ianno87]

Likely to happen eventually, but not in those timescales.

 

[cle]

Bristol Parkway to Bromsgrove isn't quite the whole stretch. It would open up the Manchester service instantly. I think that is it, in terms of pure electric. And of course would help on Lickey!

But I can see other several lines where it would be of greater benefit - Snow Hill / Chiltern, as mentioned.

 

[Ianno87]

Bristol Parkway to Bromsgrove isn't quite the whole stretch. It would open up the Manchester service instantly. I think that is it, in terms of pure electric.

Except it wouldn't, as the Bristol-Manchester XC service regularly extends south of Bristol, and also cross-forms with the Bournemouth service at Piccadilly.

However, introduction of bi-modes on XC combined with incremental OLE extensions would do wonders for de-carbonisation around cities like Birmingham.

 

[507020]

I was thinking about Bromsgrove - Bristol electrification yesterday. Perhaps Birmingham - Nuneaton, Nuneaton - Leaminton Spa and Birmingham - Stratford-upon-Avon are more likely to get done as short bitesize schemes around Birmingham to please the treasury, but thanks to the original 1993 Cross-City Line electrification and 2018 extension to Bromsgrove, that is now the closest approach of electrification from Birmingham to another main route. If it can be extended in more short sections as far as Bristol Temple Meads and perhaps Taunton or Exeter, starting with Worcester, we should be likely to see it done by 2040, but I’m not certain we will be.

However we MUST speed up and not just do another less than 4 miles in 25 years!

 

[gg1]

Only 64 miles from Bromsgrove to Yate, so surely should be easy to do.

Plus the fast lines between Longbridge and Kings Norton and the Camp Hill line.

This really should happen as part of a scheme to electrify the entirety of the cross country network, whether it will is another matter. Sadly I can see the future of electrification being urban areas only with longer distance services being operated by bimodes.

 

[Halish Railway]

I can see this, as well as Birmingham to Derby and further north being done as a compromise in response to the recent news about HS2’s eastern leg.

Whilst they’re at it the should build a link between this line and HS2 so that trains from the Northwest can continue beyond Birmingham, although I don’t see that happening unfortunately.

 

[Whistler40145]

If Bromsgrove to Yate is electrified, would Gloucester to Severn Tunnel Junction be added?

 

[PTR 444]

If Bromsgrove to Yate is electrified, would Gloucester to Severn Tunnel Junction be added?

And what about the Golden Valley and Worcester lines?

 

[Whistler40145]

And what about the Golden Valley and Worcester lines?

If the infrastructure allows, then yes, plus would it make sense to electrify the whole Cotswold Line?

 

[Killingworth]

Birmingham - Derby might be an easier win at about 40 miles and 125mph running for part of it.

 

[MatthewRead]

Yes I come back to you from the year 2060, when local services are operated by 319s converted to run on nuclear fusion

No even Classes 357/375/377/378/379/444/450 would've ceased to exist by then

 

[The Planner]

Birmingham - Derby might be an easier win at about 40 miles and 125mph running for part of it.

Another one where you need the infills of Wichnor to Lichfield and Kingsbury, Whitacre, Water Orton. Or fleets of bi-modes again. It unlocks more in terms of the very aspirational Cross City extensions etc...

 

[Ianno87]

If the infrastructure allows, then yes, plus would it make sense to electrify the whole Cotswold Line?

Seems relatively small benefits in de-carbonisation terms, given bi-mode stock already in use.

 

[cle]

Birmingham - Derby might be an easier win at about 40 miles and 125mph running for part of it.

A non-stop would barely save anything. The Tamworth/Burton stopper a little better. But there is nothing else more semi/local on that route which could benefit.

Better returns on routes with more start/stop, especially those with hills. See Cardiff Valleys for instance.

 

[Mikey C]

Plus the fast lines between Longbridge and Kings Norton and the Camp Hill line.

This really should happen as part of a scheme to electrify the entirety of the cross country network, whether it will is another matter. Sadly I can see the future of electrification being urban areas only with longer distance services being operated by bimodes.

By 2040 ANY diesel operation, even in a Bimode, will be seen as a short term solution until full electrification, or the use of "alternative" power which won't suit a route like this.

Politically in 2040 I can't see any politician getting away with running Bimodes over long distance trunk routes with just token electrified sections in cities, without a plan for full electrification.

 

[Halish Railway]

A non-stop would barely save anything. The Tamworth/Burton stopper a little better. But there is nothing else more semi/local on that route which could benefit.

The Leeds FLT to Lawley Street FLT trains for example could switch over to electric haulage with some short infills. If other parts of the XC network are electrified then there would be even more opportunities for electric freight trains going to the likes of Southampton which would make use of the line between Derby and Birmingham.

 

[gg1]

By 2040 ANY diesel operation, even in a Bimode, will be seen as a short term solution until full electrification, or the use of "alternative" power which won't suit a route like this.

Politically in 2040 I can't see any politician getting away with running Bimodes over long distance trunk routes with just token electrified sections in cities, without a plan for full electrification.

They will undoubtedly try though, with any plans for future electrification being a vague, woolly aspiration at some point in the future. As the general public's knowledge of and interest in railway electrification is somewhat limited, they will quite possible succeed too.

 

[ABB125]

I reckon it will be electrified, along with the Worcester loop. But other lines, such as Snow Hill, will probably be done first as they remove more diesel trains.

 

[Kremlin Stooge]

Presumably at some point, consideration will eventually have to turn towards replacing the Cross Country Voyager fleet, and how this pans out will, in turn, affect decisions over electrifying not just Bristol - Birmingham but also further Southwest towards Exeter and Plymouth, as well as the conventional (i.e. not HS2) routes from Birmingham towards Yorkshire, the Northeast and Scotland.

 

[Killingworth]

Presumably at some point, consideration will eventually have to turn towards replacing the Cross Country Voyager fleet, and how this pans out will, in turn, affect decisions over electrifying not just Bristol - Birmingham but also further Southwest towards Exeter and Plymouth, as well as the conventional (i.e. not HS2) routes from Birmingham towards Yorkshire, the Northeast and Scotland.

Presumably a lot cheaper to electrify Birmingham - Derby than to build a new HS2. By then MML Derby - Sheffield should be electrified. Electrify Chesterfield - Rotherham via Barrow Hill and on to the north!

 

[Mikey C]

They will undoubtedly try though, with any plans for future electrification being a vague, woolly aspiration at some point in the future. As the general public's knowledge of and interest in railway electrification is somewhat limited, they will quite possible succeed too.

The public WILL notice, as by then just about all cars on the road will be electric, seeing that petrol/diesel cars can't be sold after 2030, with 2035 for hybrids. Diesel trains, even Bimodes will be seen as old fashioned and dirty