Hitachi 807s

[irish_rail]

Camarthen station is in the middle of a flat field. Either lengthen the platform there or stop serving it with direct trains to London. Platform length at Camarthen should not be determining the rolling stock strategy on the GWML

True but we have a massive surplus of 5 car sets and they have to go somewhere. In an ideal world many would be lengthened to 9s but seeing as that isn't happening the Western is lumbered with all these 5s for the foreseeable.

 

[CAF397]

The decision on Newton Aycliffe will be taken in Japan, which is where all commercial decisions go to. The management at Newton Aycliffe will not decide their own future.

It is well known that Hitachi are concentrating on filling Japan and Italy with orders and unless the UK Government comes up with a big order, Newton Aycliffe doesn’t have a long term future, at least as a train assembly plant.

There's 29, and *upto 55* trains in the pipeline for TPE (pending authorisation). Manufacturer not known, but it's also dressed up with TPE saying they want to learn from their mistakes -ie introduce multiple fleets.

5 depots already sign 802s, out of the other 5 - two more depots (one link of one depot) are signing 802s.

Logic would dictate a new train order would be an 80x type train.

That might keep Newton Aycliffe open for a few more years.

 

[YorkRailFan]

An 805 as is or lengthened would be suitable for XC.

An 810 could fit that criteria very well.

 

[deltic08]

There’s multiple issues with that. First is you’d be getting rid of the direct link from Birmingham to Leeds and Newcastle. Not a chance would that be politically acceptable. There’s also the issue of platform capacity in Sheffield for terminating these services, it isn’t there.

Next is the issue of battery range. It’s far from certain that a battery fitted 80x actually would manage the mileage you’re suggesting under battery power. Remember that power supply limitations would mean that the batteries would also be powering the units north of Chathill, which means you’d either need batteries that can fully recharge in the 90 minutes it takes to do York - Chathill or you’d need to terminate at Newcastle, which’d be a non starter because of platform capacity.

220s can’t be shortened to 3 car. 4 car is the shortest configuration a 22x unit can operate in. Even if it were possible it wouldn’t make sense, a 3 car 22x would be a capacity cut compared to a 3 car 170.

I was hoping that the MML would be finished in 3 years time to allow extension from Derby to Birmingham on battery but apparently not. Just build with diesel engines instead and run them between Aberdeen and Penzance as now.

When does the upgrade at Marshall Meadows come on stream if they were built with batteries only?

I didn't know 22x units could not be shorter than 4 coaches. A good idea while it lasted. We will just have to put up with them burning diesel under the wires for another 20 years then.

 

[Narrowgauge725]

Hitachi also offering Intercity battery trains
Hitachi press release

Accelerate the decarbonisation of intercity rail with batteries​

A quick and easy application of battery technology is to install it on existing or future Hitachi intercity trains. Hitachi Rail’s modular design means this can be done without the need to re-engineer or rebuild the train and return them to service as quickly as possible for passengers.

Replacing one diesel engine with just one battery reduces emissions by more than 20% and offers cost savings of 20-30%. Our intercity battery powered trains can cover 70km on non-electrified routes, operating at intercity speeds at the same or increased performance.

 

[800001]

Hitachi also offering Intercity battery trains
Hitachi press release

Yes, currently installed on TPE 802207 which is at Newton Aycliffe and under going testing.

 

[Trainbike46]

Yes, currently installed on TPE 802207 which is at Newton Aycliffe and under going testing.

Good to hear tests are underway - let's hope they go well and we can start fitting the entire bimode 80x fleet with them soon

The press release states:

We use batteries that have already been proven as reliable and safe in the automotive sector, and then optimise them for rail use with our partner Turntide.

So that sounds like they're not using lithium titanate, unlike other rail batteries. Does anyone know if that's right?

 

[Nottingham59]

So that sounds like they're not using lithium titanate, unlike other rail batteries. Does anyone know if that's right?

Turntide Technologies that Hitachi are using seem to be offering NMC chemistry, but I don't know if that's what's gone into 802207:

"The Turntide new range of Lithium-ion Nickel / Manganese / Cobalt battery solutions are manufactured with an improved chemistry that provides a 15% increase in energy with an associated improvement in both gravimetric and volumetric densities."

Energy Storage - Turntide

Our flexible, energy storage lithium-ion NMC batteries offer 15% more energy with improved density. They’re ideal for rugged applications.

turntide.com