LU D stock for Harrogate?
 

Brilliant idea! :)

Excellent idea, it works on the IOW.

And surely, 3rd rail electric is ideal for other than high speed ?

.... "The power would come from a rail mounted a couple of feet above the track and a "current collector" would run along it, feeding electricity to the trains' motors. "

I wonder just where they got THAT information from? A COUPLE OF FEET????

:confused::confused:

It sounds like a wonderful idea. This stock is from 1967 is it not?

It should also provide badly needed extra DMUs to northern.

3rd rail works very nicely up to 100 mph. I know some twonk from NR was poo-pooing it recently, but it's worked without any problems at 100 for class 319s and 377s on the Brighton Main Line in my experience as a driver. The shoe gear rides onto and off it without any problems from an operational point of view.

However what CRE doesn't do is snow. You just can't draw any traction current with even the finest coating of snow, in fact a light touch of ice can bring trains to a stand.

It's utterly hopeless - but hey I'm sure it NEVER snows in Harrogate, right ? :rolleyes:

It's not quite that old. The D stock was introduced in the early 1980s, I think. It has since had an internal refurb.

Yes, I was interested in the NR guy's comments about 80mph being the effective top whack on the third rail. Trains coming through Purley seem to be doing a good 90mph in the up direction, so I'm not sure where he's getting his figures from. There might be an issue with traction supply in the busier parts of the network but speed is going to be limited by signals and speed restrictions there anyway.

I guess the people in Yorkshire could get round the snow problem by going for the side-contact system that they used to use on the Manchester Bury line if they're going for a new-build. I suppose the one objection is that it wouldn't be compatible with the 25kv overhead electrification that already exists in the Leeds area.

it may be a good idea but harragate coc had class 142 exchanged for 158 but the trains due not still fill is harragate going to invest in thier idea

In 1993 we electrified all the railway from Neville Hill to Skipton, Ilkley, Bradford Foster Sq.This was a missed chance to do the Harrogate line at 25KV. Perhaps onto York to join up with the ECML.
I would ask where the £ millions will come from.
The chance was missed in 1993.
This is just another pipe dream which will not come true.

"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

I think all the regions suffer nowadays. The problem is rife - scrap dealers are supposed to alert police when industrial quality cable comes in from questionable sources - but some of them are in on it too. :rolleyes: