"Mind the Gap" in Yorkshire LOL..

Sorry.. "Mind t' Gap"

I don;t see why many commuter liens have been electrified with overhead cables and 25000v, as they won't ever realistically run trains at or over 100mph. 3rd rail is cheaper and would suit them better. I think money has been wasted here.

Nothing's been wasted yet except words; let's just wait and see whether this actually happens first.... Could be pie in the sky.

I think I should have been clearer, the waste I was talking about refoered to previous electrification projects, and not the harrogate line. :)

why bother electrifying lines - just use modern steam locos with all that yorkshire coal still in the ground it would keep their carbon foot print natty.

When I heard that they were proposing 3 rail I looked to see the date-April 1st? they must be insane-mind you it would stop cable thieves.

And why would 3rd rail be insane ?

Apart from the snow and ice problems that is.;)

No idea what the total 3rd rail mileage is but I bet it's substantial.

Frayed knot. Cable thieves absolutely love 3rd rail. All the traction current cables are much much thicker than ac ones because they carry approximately 25 times the current*, and are packed full of yummy copper.

And best of all they're all layed out conveniently just lying along the ground for the taking - no need to get a ladder even. ;)


*[Taking the the heating value (RMS) of 1000v ac to be roughly equivalent to 750v dc ]

I never thought of that Is cable theft a problem on southern
it is a huge problem here in east anglia and i understand on GNER