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Post by wirewiper on Jun 29, 2021 13:22:58 GMT
Given the unlikelihood of electrification anytime soon, Great Western Railway is seeking a supplier for a battery-powered train for its West Ealing-Greenford shuttle. The tender also includes the installation of fast-charging equipment at West Ealing. The current service is operated by a two-car class 165 Turbo diesel unit. With a running time of just 12 minutes from end to end, one unit is able to maintain a half-hourly service. The unit performs 33 round trips a day (except Sundays) over a total of 165 miles. It is hoped to start trialling a battery train from April 2022. Source: www.ianvisits.co.uk/blog/2021/06/29/battery-powered-train-trial-for-west-london/ |
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Post by wirewiper on Feb 15, 2022 18:46:41 GMT
GWR has now signed a contract with Vivarail, and a class 230 battery-only train formed of ex-District Line carriages will commence trial operations on the Greenford branch later this year. As part of the trail, Vivarail will install fast charging equipment in the bay platform at West Ealing station. The trial is supported by £2.15m funding from the Department for Transport’s Rail Network Enhancement Pipeline (RNEP). Development of the Fast Charge technology also received funding from Innovate UK. Source: www.ianvisits.co.uk/articles/ex-london-underground-trains-to-be-tested-on-the-greenford-branch-line-51960/ |
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Post by richard on Feb 15, 2022 19:34:56 GMT
GWR has now signed a contract with Vivarail, and a class 230 battery-only train formed of ex-District Line carriages will commence trial operations on the Greenford branch later this year. As part of the trail, Vivarail will install fast charging equipment in the bay platform at West Ealing station. The trial is supported by £2.15m funding from the Department for Transport’s Rail Network Enhancement Pipeline (RNEP). Development of the Fast Charge technology also received funding from Innovate UK. Source: www.ianvisits.co.uk/articles/ex-london-underground-trains-to-be-tested-on-the-greenford-branch-line-51960/Nice to see the D stock back in London |
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Post by Busboy105 on Feb 16, 2022 7:25:22 GMT
GWR has now signed a contract with Vivarail, and a class 230 battery-only train formed of ex-District Line carriages will commence trial operations on the Greenford branch later this year. As part of the trail, Vivarail will install fast charging equipment in the bay platform at West Ealing station. The trial is supported by £2.15m funding from the Department for Transport’s Rail Network Enhancement Pipeline (RNEP). Development of the Fast Charge technology also received funding from Innovate UK. Source: www.ianvisits.co.uk/articles/ex-london-underground-trains-to-be-tested-on-the-greenford-branch-line-51960/Wasn't these trains used for the Coventry- Leamington line that reopened a couple of years ago? I remember seeing an article with those exact trains mentioned |
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Post by wirewiper on Feb 16, 2022 8:00:30 GMT
GWR has now signed a contract with Vivarail, and a class 230 battery-only train formed of ex-District Line carriages will commence trial operations on the Greenford branch later this year. As part of the trail, Vivarail will install fast charging equipment in the bay platform at West Ealing station. The trial is supported by £2.15m funding from the Department for Transport’s Rail Network Enhancement Pipeline (RNEP). Development of the Fast Charge technology also received funding from Innovate UK. Source: www.ianvisits.co.uk/articles/ex-london-underground-trains-to-be-tested-on-the-greenford-branch-line-51960/Wasn't these trains used for the Coventry- Leamington line that reopened a couple of years ago? I remember seeing an article with those exact trains mentioned This was a trial operation with a prototype in 2016/2017. The first use of Vivarail class 230s in regular service was on the Marston Vale line (Bedford-Bletchley), on which three units were deployed from April 2019. Transport for Wales has five which are currently being tested and will enter service on the Borderlands Line (Wrexham-Bidston) this year. These units are all diesel-electric hybrids whereas the unit to be trialled on the Greenford branch will be battery-only. Vivarail also provided the five converted D-stock trains for the Isle of Wight, these are class 484 and are third-rail electric. |
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Post by dommci on Feb 21, 2022 16:05:17 GMT
GWR has now signed a contract with Vivarail, and a class 230 battery-only train formed of ex-District Line carriages will commence trial operations on the Greenford branch later this year. As part of the trail, Vivarail will install fast charging equipment in the bay platform at West Ealing station. The trial is supported by £2.15m funding from the Department for Transport’s Rail Network Enhancement Pipeline (RNEP). Development of the Fast Charge technology also received funding from Innovate UK. Source: www.ianvisits.co.uk/articles/ex-london-underground-trains-to-be-tested-on-the-greenford-branch-line-51960/Nice to see the D stock back in London D stocks will be nice, though it will probably look not much like an old district line and it's a shame to see the 165s go. |
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Post by vjaska on Mar 18, 2022 0:06:40 GMT
Didn't want to create a new topic but it's somewhat related to the Greenford branch - does anyone know if GWR tickets are valid on TfL Rail between Paddington & Reading (excluding the Heathrow branch which I believe isn't valid for obvious reasons). I'm looking at purchasing a day Thames Rover for a day out on the line but in order to access the Greenford branch from Paddington, I need to take TfL Rail to West Ealing
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Post by enviro498 on Mar 18, 2022 6:55:14 GMT
Didn't want to create a new topic but it's somewhat related to the Greenford branch - does anyone know if GWR tickets are valid on TfL Rail between Paddington & Reading (excluding the Heathrow branch which I believe isn't valid for obvious reasons). I'm looking at purchasing a day Thames Rover for a day out on the line but in order to access the Greenford branch from Paddington, I need to take TfL Rail to West Ealing Yes Thames Rovers are valid on TFL Rail. |
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Post by vjaska on Mar 18, 2022 17:10:21 GMT
Didn't want to create a new topic but it's somewhat related to the Greenford branch - does anyone know if GWR tickets are valid on TfL Rail between Paddington & Reading (excluding the Heathrow branch which I believe isn't valid for obvious reasons). I'm looking at purchasing a day Thames Rover for a day out on the line but in order to access the Greenford branch from Paddington, I need to take TfL Rail to West Ealing Yes Thames Rovers are valid on TFL Rail. Thanks, one final question - the Thames Rover has a ticket restriction of no use before 9:30am, does that apply to the ticket barriers you pass through or could you access a platform before 9:30am with the ticket but obviously not board a train until 9:30am has passed? |
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Post by enviro498 on Mar 18, 2022 18:09:39 GMT
Yes Thames Rovers are valid on TFL Rail. Thanks, one final question - the Thames Rover has a ticket restriction of no use before 9:30am, does that apply to the ticket barriers you pass through or could you access a platform before 9:30am with the ticket but obviously not board a train until 9:30am has passed? To be honest, I'm not too sure. I would guess that it won't let you through the barriers before 9:30am, because someone could easily board a train before 9:30am. |
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Post by BE37054 (quoll662) on Mar 18, 2022 18:19:29 GMT
Yes Thames Rovers are valid on TFL Rail. Thanks, one final question - the Thames Rover has a ticket restriction of no use before 9:30am, does that apply to the ticket barriers you pass through or could you access a platform before 9:30am with the ticket but obviously not board a train until 9:30am has passed? Don't tend to work at the barriers so would need to speak to an official and they haven't often heard of it! If it's around 0925 they'll probably let you through but not before, like, quarter past. |
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Post by Busboy105 on Apr 22, 2022 21:33:44 GMT
Any update on the trains?
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Post by vjaska on Apr 22, 2022 23:40:57 GMT
Any update on the trains? Nope, still a lovely Class 165 on the branch |
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Post by wirewiper on Feb 17, 2023 9:21:46 GMT
The battery train trial on the Greenford branch is still to go ahead, after Great Western Railway completed the purchase of a number of assets from the administrators of Vivarail. The purchases include intellectual property, rolling stock, and equipment connected with the fast charging and battery technology. Nine former Vivarail staff have been taken on by GWR. GWR will now work with Network Rail and the Department of Transport to get the project back on track and establish a new timeline. The DoT has supported the project to the tune of £2.15 million. The trial is seen as supporting the Government's ambition for the railways to become net-zero emission by 2050. www.focustransport.org/2023/02/gwr-agrees-deal-to-purchase-vivarail.html |
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Post by VPL630 on Oct 18, 2023 22:44:26 GMT
The charging rails have been installed at West Ealing, Rail Adventure drivers have been out route learning, the actual GWR battery unit is still not at Reading as it’s still undergoing testing, but if anyone has passed Reading TCD there are some ex LNR 230’s which seem to be getting an ever increasing amount of gravity applied…
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