Embarrasing electrification

[jopsuk]

could Kings Cross handle loco + 12*23 +DVT? I know the platfoms are longer than currently required, but even so- you're talking about 69 metres longer than the current sets.

Edinburgh could easily, though may sit across points.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

If anything they actually cancelled the construction of some Mk4 vehicles, 11264 to 11271 and 12490 to 12512 being the relevant numbers that never were.

They also played silly beggars with a couple of the bodyshells; 12232 was converted from 12405, but they then built a 12405 anyway from the bodyshell for 12221. Never understood why!

 

[LE Greys]

Probably they were going for 130% of the expected load, just to make sure that there was enough power in reserve. If you can keep time with 12+DVT, 9+DVT is no problem.

 

[TGV]

Ressurecting this old thread because standing here at Huntingdon station where so many OLE problems have happened I have only just realised it has the widest headspan catenery I've ever seen. There's one that has one mast in the east side car park, the span covers the fence, track for platform 1, platform 1 itself, platform 2, up slow, up fast, down fast, down slow, platform 3, the station building itself and the other mast is just in the west side car park. Its a very long distance to adequately support 5 tracks of elecrtified line plus all the other obstacles. When a 91 passes at speed the whole thing bounces up and down on all tracks WAY more than you normally see. I've never really noticed how wide it is before.

 

[Aictos]

I think that is tbh hindsight engineering. The design at the time was regarded as being state of the art that allowed a business case to be made for the electrification.

The East Coast Main line has for historical reasons always been a priority for investment when both population distribution and wealth generation mean that post WW2 it should very much be a secondary priority (being serious for once )

Right, so which mainline got electrified first and which has seen much more investment by the Government, I' give you a clue it ain't the East Coast!

If the East Coast has always been a priority for investment then why pray wasn't it electrified sooner or why done on the cheap?