the rail engineer • April 2013
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An electric spine ollowing the usual opening remarks, first off the line as keynote speaker was Peter earman, head of energy for Network Rail and the man leading the charge towards full network electrification. Peter openly stated that he wanted the UK to be like wit erland with an all-electric railway The outline of the day was set by the fact that Network Rail is to develop an ‘Electric pine’, with high-voltage overhead-contact system electrification, between outhampton and the Midlands. This highlights the need to upgrade the power system between outhampton and Basingstoke, a section of railway which is currently electrified at 50 volts third rail.
AC or DC? A study of history reveals two great protagonists - Nikola Tesla and Thomas Edison Tesla for A and Edison for . In the United Kingdom, the Edison corner won the day as the country has a large proportion of the world’s electrified railway. However, the situation in regard to energy costs has changed hugely since those early days, as have attitudes towards safety. ould anybody really countenance laying down metal bars, electrified at 50 volt , all over the transport infrastructure nowadays evelopment costs of systems are also high. Peter earman pointed out that the fairly recent spend on power supply reinforcement in the outh only enabled the railway to stand still in traction capability terms. There is massive technological development in A systems already, and this advance is transferrable to renewal in areas as well as new development in non-electrified regions. A particular example is in the application of IE 1 50 dealing with rationalised feeding architecture.
DC economics The seminar was intended to fully debate the subject and was not confined to purely engineering and technical presenters. Peter earman was therefore followed by Michael oods who is head of operations and management research at the Rail afety and tandards Board R B). R B had enabled a research project, T 50, investigating the economics of the third rail system compared to other electrification systems. This research, carried out on behalf of the uture Electrification roup a sub-group of TE I - the ehicle Train Energy ystem Interface ommittee), has considered the long-term options for modification to or replacement of the 50 third rail electrified system. Michael has had considerable experience in managing a third rail railway and also has a useful eye for history. e came up with a very relevant quote from ilvanus P Thompson R , president of the Institution of Electrical Engineers in 1 0 , who said ‘live rails will soon be a thing of the past’. ollowing that historical interlude, Michael then moved on to set the agenda for the rest of the day by presenting a list of the potential benefits of changing to
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a 25k E system which could include » Reduction in the capital cost of renewal » Reduction in energy consumption and carbon footprint on a ‘like for like’ basis » Reduced sensitivity to ice and snow » Reduced track maintenance and renewal costs » Increased system performance enabling reduced journey time, reduced fleet si e and increased route capacity » Increased line speed above 100mph in some specific cases » Reduction in risk of electrocution of lineside workers and trespassers » Reduced distribution charges and costs of electrical control » Energy and operational cost savings from the electric operation of freight and cross-country passenger services. Nevertheless, the potential shortcomings of 25k overhead electrification schemes were not ignored. Events during the week before the seminar had reminded delegates what can happen when things go wrong with major disruption on the East oast main line at t Neots and the Midland main line at Radlett. ee A ‘bad wire day’ in this issue on page 32.)
An operator’s view The wider range of the day was then emphasised by Tim hoveller, managing director of the outh est Trains Network Rail Alliance. Tim put the point from the business angle and was at pains to point out that he would concentrate on the revenue line.” is early point was “If we don’t get the electricity to the train, the train does not run.” Tim is well-aware of the shortcomings of the existing system and expressed his concerns regarding traction cable lugs degrading and coming adrift together with other symptoms of a railway seriously overloaded in the traction sense. owever, Tim had promised he would surprise the assembled multitude and he did so by reminding us that his railway was full (standing customers inbound from inchester on occasions) and that his preference would be to put up the wires to outhampton by way of Andover, the averstock loop and Romsey
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