Class 377 Merseyrail trial: what might be achieveable?

[Mogz]

https://www.transportxtra.com/publi.../merseytravel-to-trial-battery-powered-train/

The Liverpool City Region Combined Authority has awarded Merseytravel £3.5m of Transforming Cities Fund grant to trial fitting one of the new Merseyrail Electrics trains with batteries to enable it to operate on non-electrified lines.

The new fleet of Class 777 electric trains are being built by Swiss firm Stadler and are due to enter service in 2020, replacing the Class 507/508 trains built in the late-1970s. The Merseyrail Electrics network is a 750V DC third rail system.

Would a 777 on battery be able to reach:

1. Heswall (last Station in the Merseytravel area)

2. Neston (last Station within Wirral geographically).

3. Shotton (interchange does Chester and North Wales).

4. Wrexham (end of the line).

1, 2 or 3 could mean that the existing service could continue to run as normal, supplemented by a more frequent Wirral commuter service into Liverpool.

 

[Meerkat]

Would a 777 on battery be able to reach:

1. Heswall (last Station in the Merseytravel area)

2. Neston (last Station within Wirral geographically).

3. Shotton (interchange does Chester and North Wales).

4. Wrexham (end of the line).

1, 2 or 3 could mean that the existing service could continue to run as normal, supplemented by a more frequent Wirral commuter service into Liverpool.

what batteries?

 

[anamyd]

what batteries?

the batteries they're being fitted with I heard they were only for moving in and out of the depot though.

 

[D365]

the batteries they're being fitted with I heard they were only for moving in and out of the depot though.

A handful of units are being fitted with batteries for a full-scale trial e.g. Ellesmere Port to Helsby and Ormskirk to Preston. Can't remember the exact number of units.

Given that the 230s are rebuilt London Underground rolling stock, it seems a shame not to leave the collector shoes in place for use to recharge the batteries.

Admittedly a late reply as I wasn't able to discuss it at the time, but Vivarail now have their fast charging solution which makes use of the old third/fourth shoes.

 

[Meerkat]

A handful of units are being fitted with batteries for a full-scale trial e.g. Ellesmere Port to Helsby and Ormskirk to Preston. Can't remember the exact number of units.

I thought they had decided they couldn’t make that work and abandoned fitting batteries?