Post by krwA treatise on electric trains.
London Underground uses 4 rail trains. The two live rails are in the
centre and offset from the running rails (also two) on which the wheels
connected by axles run. Do not touch rails three or four.
Third rail electrification stretches from Dover to Weymouth with the
exceptions of the Marshlink, Uckfield, and North Downs lines, plus the
lines from Southampton/Basingstoke to Salisbury.
Network Rail is electrifying some of God's Worst Railway but have spent
too much so cannot finish it. The government identified nice new
electric trains but had to spend the money needed to finish the
electrification on new diesel engines, fuel tanks and so on on the nice
new trains so they can go where there is no electricity at slower speeds
than we were all promised. IKB is spinning so fast at this that he
could probably provide the electricity needed.
:-)
Apparently a money saving suggestion for the cross-Pennine route
is only to electrify the uphill track. Words fail me.
So long ago that it seems like another age, I was involved in
regular night time testing of the Brush/GEC class 314 prototype
(converted from a 2-car PEP) on LTS (now c2c).
The Brush and BR Derby contingent would rendezvous at
Loughborough station to catch the latest possible train to St
Pancras, then make our way to East Ham. It would still be far too
early for our midnight start, so the adjacent Indian restaurant
was our next call, followed for some by a cooling lager.
(Different times...)
By this time, the last up train would have run, so only the down
platform was open. We marched onto the station, donning our hi-vi
as we went, straight off the ramp and across the underground
lines. Stepping gingerly over two singles and a double - rather
like show jumping, the doubles were the hardest. One of the BR
guys (ex SR) was much more at home, but being rather short
confessed to being concerned about catching the rail with the
back of his standard-issue coat on a wet night.
All we had to do then was cross the LTS running lines and we were
on route to the depot, ready to spend the night shuttling between
East Ham and Southend.
Chris
--
Chris J Dixon Nottingham
'48/33 M B+ G++ A L(-) I S-- CH0(--)(p) Ar- T+ H0 ?Q
***@cdixon.me.uk
Plant amazing Acers.