Railway electrification in Great Britain describes the past and present
electrification systemsA railway electrification system supplies electrical energy to railway locomotives and multiple units so that they can operate without having an on-board prime mover. There are several different electrification systems in use throughout the world...
used to supply traction current to
railways and tramways in Great BritainThe railway system in Great Britain is the oldest in the world, with the world's first locomotive hauled public railway opening in 1825. As of 2006, it consists of of standard gauge lines , of which are electrified. These lines are single, double or quadruple track. In addition, a number of...
with a chronological record of development, a list of lines using each system, and a history and a technical description of each system.
History
Railway electrification emerged at the end of the nineteenth century. Advantages over the then predominant
steamA steam locomotive is a locomotive powered by steam. The term usually refers to its use on railways, but can also refer to a "road locomotive" such as a traction engine or steamroller....
traction, particularly in respect of its quick acceleration (ideal for urban (metro) and suburban (commuter) services) and power (ideal for heavy freight trains through mountainous/hilly sections). Many systems emerged in the first twenty years of the twentieth century (as listed below). In 1921 a government committee chose 1500 V DC overhead to be the national standard
, but little implementation followed, and many different systems co-existed.
After
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including all great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and subsequent nationalisation of the railways in 1948, British Railways expanded electrification of both the 1500 V DC overhead and Southern Region
third railA third rail is a method of providing electric power to a railway train, through a continuous rigid conductor placed alongside or between the rails of a railway track. It is used typically in a mass transit or rapid transit system, which has alignments in its own corridors, fully or almost fully...
systems, but in 1955 adopted
25 kV ACThe AC, railway electrification system is commonly used in railways worldwide, especially on high-speed lines.-Overview:This electrification system is ideal for railways that cover long distances and/or carry heavy traffic...
overhead for its proposed main line electrification.
Despite the following years of minimal capital investment, the 25 kV AC network has continued to expand, slowly, although large areas of the country outside London are still non-electrified, despite their urban, suburban, hilly or intercity nature.
The British government's preferred option was to use diesel trains and run them on
biodieselBiodiesel refers to a vegetable oil- or animal fat-based diesel fuel consisting of long-chain alkyl esters. Biodiesel is typically made by chemically reacting lipids with an alcohol....
. In the 2007
White PaperA White paper is an authoritative report or guide that often addresses issues and how to solve them. White papers are used to educate readers and help people make decisions...
Delivering a Sustainable Railway the government ruled out large-scale railway electrification in Network Rail's Control Period 4.
However, since then, with a new Network Rail Chief Executive,
Iain CoucherIain Michael Coucher is Chief Executive of Network Rail. Network Rail employs 35,000 people across 850 sites, running around 24,000 trains a day.-Early life:...
and a new
Transport MinisterIn the United Kingdom, the Department for Transport is the government department responsible for the English transport network and transport matters in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland which are not devolved...
Lord Adonis (now
Secretary of State for TransportThe Secretary of State for Transport is the member of the cabinet responsible for the British Department for Transport. The role has had a high turnover as new appointments are blamed for the failures of decades of their predecessors...
) the outlook has changed considerably. In May 2009
Network RailNetwork Rail owns and operates Britain’s rail infrastructure. It is a British "not for dividend" company limited by guarantee whose principal asset is Network Rail Infrastructure Limited, a company limited by shares....
launched a consultation on large scale electrification, potentially to include the
Great Western Main LineThe Great Western Main Line is a main line railway in Great Britain that runs westwards from London Paddington station to the west of England and South Wales. The core Great Western Main Line runs from London Paddington to Temple Meads station in Bristol...
and
Midland Main LineThe Midland Main Line is a major railway line in the United Kingdom, part of the British railway system.The 'Modern' line links London St. Pancras International to Sheffield station in northern England via Luton, Bedford, Kettering, Leicester, Derby, Nottingham and Chesterfield.Historically the...
. Alongside major projects like these would be a raft of smaller "in-fill" schemes. Key benefits cited in the consultation were that electric trains are faster, more reliable and cause less track wear than diesel ones.
In
ScotlandScotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, where transport is a matter devolved to the Scottish Government,
Transport ScotlandTransport Scotland was created on 1 January 2006 as the national transport agency of Scotland. It is an Executive Agency of the Scottish Government's Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning Department and accountable to Scottish Ministers...
is extending electrification where appropriate, for example on the
Airdrie-Bathgate Rail LinkThe Airdrie-Bathgate Rail Link is a railway under construction in Central Scotland.Instigated as part of a round of transport improvement projects proposed by the then Scottish Executive in 2003, the plan is to open up a fourth direct railway link between the cities of Glasgow and Edinburgh...
and
Glasgow Airport Rail Link|}The Glasgow Airport Rail Link was a proposed rail link during the 2000s to directly link Glasgow Central station with Glasgow International Airport in Scotland, United Kingdom...
. This is part of a larger plan that foresees many major routes in Central Scotland electrified including the main Edinburgh to
Glasgow Queen StGlasgow Queen Street is a railway station in Glasgow, Scotland, the smaller of the city's two main line railway termini and the third-busiest station in Scotland. It is between George Street to the south and Cathedral Street Bridge to the north, at the northern end of Queen Street adjacent to...
route.
Facts and figures
In 2006 40% (3,062 miles / 4,928 km) of the British
rail networkThe railway system in Great Britain is the oldest in the world, with the world's first locomotive hauled public railway opening in 1825. As of 2006, it consists of of standard gauge lines , of which are electrified. These lines are single, double or quadruple track. In addition, a number of...
was
electrifiedA railway electrification system supplies electrical energy to railway locomotives and multiple units so that they can operate without having an on-board prime mover. There are several different electrification systems in use throughout the world...
and 60% of all rail journeys are by electric traction (both by
locomotivesAn electric locomotive is a locomotive powered by electricity from an external source. Sources include overhead lines, third rail, or an on-board electricity storage device such as a battery or flywheel system....
and
multiple unitThe term multiple unit or MU is used to describe a self-propelling train unit capable of coupling with other units of the same or similar type and still being controlled from one cab...
s)
According to
Network RailNetwork Rail owns and operates Britain’s rail infrastructure. It is a British "not for dividend" company limited by guarantee whose principal asset is Network Rail Infrastructure Limited, a company limited by shares....
, 66% of the electrified network uses the 25 kV a.c. overhead system and 36% uses the 660/750 V d.c. third rail system .
Systems no longer used
Great Britain has used a number of different electrification systems in the past. Many of these date from the early part of the 20th century when electricity was being experimented with for traction purposes. This section describes each system, in order of increasing voltage.
500 V DC, Overhead
- Grimsby and Immingham Railway
The Grimsby & Immingham Electric Railway was an electric tramway linking Grimsby with the port of Immingham in Lincolnshire, England.It is probably best described by the American term "interurban" as it ran on reserved track rather that through the streets....
525 V DC, Third Rail
- Liverpool Overhead Railway
The Liverpool Overhead Railway was the world's first electrically-operated overhead railway. It was located close to the River Mersey in Liverpool, England. It opened in 1893 and closed in 1956.-Construction:...
- The Liverpool Overhead Railway was one of the earliest electric railways in Great Britain. The first section between Alexandra Dock
Alexandra Dock was a station located on the Liverpool Overhead Railway, west of Regent Road and within the MDHB Dock Estate. The station was named after the adjacent Alexandra Dock....
and Herculaneum Dock was opened in 1893. The line connected with Lancashire and Yorkshire RailwayThe Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway was a major British railway company before the 1923 Grouping. It was incorporated in 1847 from an amalgamation of several existing railways....
's North Mersey BranchThe North Mersey Branch is a railway line that connected the Liverpool and Bury Railway at Fazakerley Junction with the Gladstone Dock. It was opened in 1867 by the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway.- Usage :...
. It was never nationalised and it closed on 30 December 1956 due to extensive corrosion throughout its iron infrastructure, which was deemed uneconomical to replace.
600 V DC, Third Rail
- This was electrified in 1904, in response to extensive competition from new electric trams. The concept was a success for the North Eastern Railway
The North Eastern Railway , was an English railway company. It was incorporated in 1854, when four existing companies were combined, and was absorbed into the London and North Eastern Railway at the Grouping in 1923.- Introduction :...
(NER) a noted early pioneer in electrification, as passenger numbers returned to pre Tram levels. As the stock reached life expectancy in 1937, the network was remodelled by London and North Eastern RailwayThe London and North Eastern Railway was the second-largest of the "Big Four" railway companies created by the Railways Act 1921 in Britain...
(LNER) to reflect the changing industrial and residential makeup of the area. Electrified at the same time was the dockside branch, where a pair of Class ES1British Rail Class ES1 was a class of two electric locomotives commissioned by the North Eastern Railway in 1902. They were of steeplecab design....
(formerly NER No.1 and 2) locomotives were introduced from 1905. These British Thomson-HoustonBritish Thomson-Houston was a British engineering and heavy industrial company, based at Rugby, Warwickshire, England. They were known primarily for their electrical systems and steam turbines. They were merged with the similar Metropolitan-Vickers company in 1928, but the two maintained their own...
locomotives operated from both the third rail and from overhead catenary. British RailBritish Railways , which later traded as British Rail, was the operator of most of the British railway system from the nationalisation of the 'Big Four' British railway companies in 1948 until privatisation in stages from 1994 to 1997...
brought in third-rail stock (12 2EPBThe British Rail Class 416 electric multiple units were built between 1953 and 1956. They were intended for inner suburban passenger services on London's Southern Electric network...
s) from the Southern Region in 1955. The system was de-electrified by British Rail in between 1963 and 1967, citing the changing industrial and population makeup of the area, reducing the need for electric traction. Much of the Tyneside network was re-electrified using 1500 V DC overhead (see below) as the Tyne and Wear MetroThe Tyne and Wear Metro, also known as the Metro, is a metro system in North East England, serving Newcastle upon Tyne, Gateshead, South Tyneside, North Tyneside and Sunderland. It opened in 1980 and in 2007-2008 provided 40 million public journeys on its network of nearly...
.
1200 V DC, Third Rail (Side-Contact)
- Manchester Victoria - Bury
- In 1917 the line between Manchester Victoria and Bury was electrified using 1200 V DC third rail (side contact). The line between Bury and Holcombe Brook that had been electrified using 3500 V DC overhead in 1913 was converted to this system in 1918. This system was abandoned in 1991 when the line was converted to 750 V DC system and became part of the Manchester Metrolink
Manchester Metrolink is a light rail system in Greater Manchester, England. It consists of three lines which converge in Manchester city centre and serve the surrounding towns of Bury, Altrincham and Eccles...
1500 V DC, Overhead
In the wake of
World War IWorld War I , also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Wars, was a global military conflict which involved most of the world's great powers, assembled in two opposing alliances: the Triple Entente and the Triple Alliance...
, the British Government set up a committee to investigate the various systems of railway electrification and in 1928 it reported that 1500 V DC overhead should be the future national standard. Several schemes (see below) were implemented in its wake, although the
Great DepressionThe Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
and
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including all great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
meant very little work was done. Technological advances post-war saw a government U-turn and the 25 kV AC system was adopted instead, for the West Coast Main line and Glasgow suburban electrification, as set out in the BR 1955 Modernisation Plan - at the same time the large amounts of money had/were still being spent converting several lines to 1500 V DC.
- A joint LMS
The London Midland and Scottish Railway was a British railway company. It was formed on 1 January 1923 under the Railways Act of 1921, which required the grouping of over 300 separate railway companies into just four....
and LNERThe London and North Eastern Railway was the second-largest of the "Big Four" railway companies created by the Railways Act 1921 in Britain...
effort, opened on 11 May 1931. The success of this scheme propelled LNER's later electrification efforts. The line was converted to 25 kV AC in 1971 but the stretch between AltrinchamAltrincham station, or Altrincham Interchange, serves the town of Altrincham in Greater Manchester in the United Kingdom. It was originally named Altrincham and Bowdon and is located on Stamford New Road, adjacent to the Altrincham Ice Dome—home to the Manchester Phoenix ice hockey team...
and Trafford BarTrafford Bar Metrolink Station serves the areas of Old Trafford and Whalley Range in Greater Manchester and lies at the junction of Talbot Road and Seymour Grove. The station is in Ticketing Zone E.-History:...
plus the stretch between Trafford Bar and the Cornbrook viaduct were later incorporated into Manchester MetrolinkManchester Metrolink is a light rail system in Greater Manchester, England. It consists of three lines which converge in Manchester city centre and serve the surrounding towns of Bury, Altrincham and Eccles...
and converted again, to 750 V DC.
- Manchester-Sheffield-Wath
The Manchester-Sheffield-Wath electric railway was an early electrification scheme on British railways. The route featured long ascents on both sides of the Pennines with the long Woodhead Tunnel at its central summit close to the Woodhead pass...
- Known as the Woodhead Route. The LNER chose this hilly and busy mainline for its first mainline electrification, with work starting in 1936. Due to the depression and World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including all great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
it was not completed until the 1950s. On completion the government chose to standardise on 25 kV AC instead, leaving the Woodhead Route and the few other 1500 V DC. lines isolated and non-standard. Subsequent rationalisation by BR saw much of this route closed east of Hadfield in 1981 in favour of the more southerly Hope Valley LineThe Hope Valley Line is a railway line in England linking Sheffield with Manchester. It was completed in 1894.From Sheffield, trains head down the Midland Main Line to Dore, where the Hope Valley Line branches off to run through the Totley Tunnel .It emerges in the stunning scenery of the Hope...
, which serves more local communities. The remaining stub in Manchester was converted to 25 kV AC in December 1984.
- LNER decided to electrify the Liverpool Street
Liverpool Street station, also known as London Liverpool Street, is a major railway station and connected London Underground station in the north eastern corner of the City of London in England...
to ShenfieldShenfield is a major station located in Shenfield in the borough of Brentwood in Essex, England. It lies on the Great Eastern Main Line and links Liverpool Street station in the City of London to places in the East of England. It was first opened by the Eastern Counties Railway on 29 March 1843 on...
section of the Great Eastern Main LineThe Great Eastern Main Line is a major railway line of the British railway system, which connects Liverpool Street station in the City of London with destinations in east London and the East of England, including Ipswich, Norwich and several coastal resorts such as Clacton-on-Sea and...
(GEML), known as the Shenfield Metro. Civil engineering works began in the 1930s but World War II intervened. Work was completed in 1949 and extended to ChelmsfordChelmsford railway station is a railway station serving the town of Chelmsford in Essex. The station is located on the Great Eastern Main Line.The station is served by National Express East Anglia....
and Southend (Victoria) in 1956 using Class 306 (AM6) EMUsThe British Rail Class 306 was a type of electric multiple unit introduced in 1949. It consisted of 92 three-car trains which were used on newly electrified suburban lines between Shenfield and London Liverpool Street.- Overview :...
. It was converted to the new standard of 25 kV AC, initially with some sections at 6.25 kV, on 4—6 November 1960, in the wake of the BR 1955 Modernisation Plan that called for 25 kV AC to be the new standard. The rest of the GEML was subsequently electrified.
- This line ran from Shildon
Shildon is a town in County Durham, in England. It is situated to the 2 miles south east of Bishop Auckland and 11 miles north of Darlington. It is 13 miles away from Durham, 23 from Sunderland and 23 miles from Newcastle-upon-Tyne...
(County Durham) to Newport (near Middlesbrough). In the wake of the electrification of Tyneside by the NERThe North Eastern Railway , was an English railway company. It was incorporated in 1854, when four existing companies were combined, and was absorbed into the London and North Eastern Railway at the Grouping in 1923.- Introduction :...
, this coal carrying line was electrified between 1 July 1915 and 1 January 1916, as a planned precursor to electrifying NER's busy York to Newcastle main line (part of the ECMLECML may refer to:*East Coast Main Line*European Conference on Machine Learning...
). It was dismantled by LNER, as due to the the decline in the coal market it was uneconomic to undertake the significant renewals required to continue electric operation, it was thus dismantled from 7 January 1935 to 8 July 1935. The locos were stored for other electrified routes .
3500 V DC, Overhead
- This was electrified by the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway
The Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway was a major British railway company before the 1923 Grouping. It was incorporated in 1847 from an amalgamation of several existing railways....
in 1913 as part of a trial system for export. The system was converted to third rail in 1918 (see above) .
6.25 kV 50 Hz AC, Overhead
During the initial electrification of parts of the network to 25 kV 50 Hz AC overhead the initial solution to the limited clearance problems in suburban areas (due to numerous tunnels and bridges) in London and Glasgow was to use the lower voltage of 6.25 kV. Latter technological improvements in insulation allowed these areas to be converted to 25 kV. The last sections of 6.25 kV were converted in the 1980s and this system of electrification is now obsolete in the UK.
- London, Tilbury and Southend (LTS)
The London, Tilbury and Southend Railway is an English railway line linking Fenchurch Street station in the City of London with East London and the entire length of the northern Thames Gateway area of Essex. It is known as the Thameside Route by Network Rail. Train services on the line are...
- The majority of the line was electrified at 6.25 kV in the early 1960s. Some sections were electrified using 25 kV from the outset. The sections electrified at 6.25 kV were converted to 25 kV in the early 1980s.
- Shenfield Metro
The Great Eastern Main Line is a major railway line of the British railway system, which connects Liverpool Street station in the City of London with destinations in east London and the East of England, including Ipswich, Norwich and several coastal resorts such as Clacton-on-Sea and...
- The line was originally electrified at 1500 V DC overhead in the 1950s. In the early 1960s the line was converted to 6.25 kV AC overhead. In the early 1980s the line was converted for a second time, to 25 kV.
- Glasgow Suburban network
- The majority of the network was originally electrified at 6.25 kV in the early 1960s. Some sections were electrified using 25 kV from the outset. The sections electrified at 6.25 kV were converted to 25 kV in the early 1980s.
- North Clyde Line
The North Clyde Line is a suburban railway in West Central Scotland. The route is operated by First ScotRail, on behalf of the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport .- Route :The North Clyde Line runs east-west through the Greater Glasgow conurbation, linking northern Lanarkshire with...
- the central area, Springburn, Bridgeton and Milngavie branches and the Yoker loop)
- Cathcart Circle Line
- See SPT
The Strathclyde Partnership for Transport is a public body which is responsible for planning and co-ordinating regional transport, and especially the public transport system, in the Strathclyde area of western Scotland...
and Transport in GlasgowThe city of Glasgow, Scotland has a transport system encompassing air, rail, road, and an underground rail circuit. Prior to 1962, the city was also served by trams.-Airports:Glasgow is served by two international airports and a seaplane terminal:...
6.6 kV, 25 Hz AC, Overhead
- Lancaster to Heysham via Morecambe
|}The Morecambe Branch Line is a railway line in Lancashire, England, from Lancaster to Morecambe and Heysham where services connect with the ferry service to Douglas on the Isle of Man. To reach Heysham, trains must reverse at Morecambe....
(Morecambe Branch Line)
- LBSCR's London urban/metro lines
The London, Brighton and South Coast Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1846 to 1922. Its territory formed a rough triangle, with London at its apex, practically the whole coastline of Sussex as its base, and a large part of Surrey...
110 V DC, Third Rail
Volk's Electric RailwayVolk's Electric Railway is the oldest operating electric railway in the world. It is a narrow gauge railway that runs along a length of the seafront of the English seaside resort of Brighton...
was originally electrified at 50V DC. This was raised to 160V in 1884, and then reduced to the present 110V DC in the 1980s.
630 V DC, Fourth Rail
The
London UndergroundThe London Underground, Underground or Tube is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and neighbouring areas of Essex, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire in the UK. The first section opened in 1863, and was the first underground railway system in the world, and, starting in...
is a large metro system operating across
LondonGreater London is the top-level administrative subdivision covering London, England. The administrative area was officially created in 1965 and covers the City of London, including Middle Temple and Inner Temple, and thirty two London boroughs...
, and beyond, commonly known as "the Tube". The 408 km (253
mileA mile is a unit of length in a number of different systems. In contemporary English, mile most commonly refers to the statute mile of 1,609.344 meters or the nautical mile of 1,852 meters...
s) network is made up of 12 lines and has been electrified for some time, starting in the 1890s. The network was largely unified between 1900-1910 and nationalised in 1933 becoming the railway component of London Transport (LT). A major expansion programme, the "New Works", was immediately launched, which saw LT take over several urban branches of mainline railways.
The London Underground network has historically been located in north London. In south London, expansion was limited by the poor geology (for building tunnels) and the extensive above-ground railway network already in that area, this being soon electrified (see "Southern Electric").
Due to the early pioneering work by the
City & South London RailwayThe City & South London Railway was the first deep-level underground "tube" railway in the world, and the first major railway to use electric traction...
(now part of the
Northern lineThe Northern line is an underground railway in London, United Kingdom that is coloured black on the London Underground Tube map. The line's two branches carry 206.734 million passengers per year—the highest on the London Underground system. For most of its length it is built as a deep-level...
), the Underground uses a relatively obscure four rail system of electrification. Two
standard gaugeThe standard gauge is a widely-used rail gauge. Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
rails are the running rails; the outer third rail carries positive current at +420 V DC, while the inner fourth rail is the negative return at –210 V DC, giving a supply voltage of 630 V DC.
The advantage of the fourth rail system is that the two running rails are available exclusively for
track circuitA track circuit is a simple electrical device used to detect the presence or absence of a train on rail tracks, used to inform signallers and control relevant signals.- Principles and operation :...
s, of which there are many, though this was not the primary reason for adopting a fourth-rail scheme. Most of the deep-level tube lines run in cast iron tunnels (only some of the more recent constructions use concrete tunnel lining). Using a third-rail scheme necessitates that the return current is conducted through one (earthed) running rail. Such current is just as easily able to travel through the cast iron tunnel lining. Unless the joints between the sections are electrically sound, the current will arc across the sections causing considerable damage, or
corrodeCorrosion is the disintegration of a material into its constituent atoms due to chemical reactions with its surroundings. In the most common use of the word, this means a loss of electrons of metals reacting with water and oxygen. Weakening of iron due to oxidation of the iron atoms is a...
the tunnel segments via
electrolysisIn chemistry and manufacturing, electrolysis is a method of using an electric current to drive an otherwise non-spontaneous chemical reaction. Electrolysis is commercially highly important as a stage in the separation of elements from naturally-occurring sources such as ores using an electrolytic...
.
There are many cast iron gas and water mains in the vicinity of the tube tunnels, and the return current would travel along these just as easily. Some of these mains date back to the 19th century and the joints between separate sections would certainly not have been designed to be electrically sound, as deep-level electric tube trains were unthought of.
The surface sections of the lines are constructed using fourth-rail purely to permit through running of the same trains, there being no other technical reason to do so.
The system shares track with Network Rail in several places. Some of these are non-electrified sections of the national railway network (e.g.
Chiltern RailwaysChiltern Railways is a train operating company in England. It was formed by the privatisation of British Rail in 1996, and operates mainline passenger trains from Marylebone station in London to Aylesbury and Birmingham Snow Hill...
out of
Marylebone stationMarylebone station, also known as London Marylebone, is a National Rail and London Underground station in central London, England. The station is located midway between the mainline stations at Euston and Paddington, about 1 mile from each....
), and diesel trains are used (by Network Rail). The suburban network of London North Western Railway (LNWR) was electrified in co-operation with London Underground, but in the 1970s British Rail introduced third-rail EMUs and the sections of the LNWR suburban network not used by the Underground had the fourth rail removed (see London and North Western Railway section below).
650 V-850 V DC, Third Rail "Southern Electric"
The
LSWRThe London and South Western Railway was a railway company in England from 1838 to 1922. Its network extended from London to Plymouth via Salisbury and Exeter, with branches to Ilfracombe and Padstow and via Southampton to Bournemouth and Weymouth. It also had many routes connecting towns in...
third rail system at 660 V DC was initially constructed prior to World War One out of Waterloo, to various suburban destinations. With grouping in the wake of World War One to form
Southern RailwayThe Southern Railway , was a British railway company established in the 1923 Grouping. It linked London with the Channel ports, South West England and Kent...
, the LSWR method of electrification was adopted. The 1920s saw
LBSCRThe London, Brighton and South Coast Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1846 to 1922. Its territory formed a rough triangle, with London at its apex, practically the whole coastline of Sussex as its base, and a large part of Surrey...
's 6600 V AC overhead suburban network replaced with third rail, by 1929). The third rail extended throughout most South London lines under Southern control quickly (LBSCR and
SECRThe South Eastern and Chatham Railway Companies Joint Management Committee , known by its shorter name of the South Eastern and Chatham Railway was a working amalgamation of two neighbouring rival railways, the South Eastern Railway and London, Chatham and Dover Railway , that operated services...
), out all its London termini. The 1930s saw a wave of main line electrification with the
Brighton mainlineThe Brighton Main Line is a major British railway line running from London Victoria and London Bridge to Brighton. The route is approximately 50 miles in length. It is operated by Southern and First Capital Connect and is electrified throughout...
(1932/33, including
EastEast Coastway is the name used by the train operating company, Southern , for the routes it operates along the south coast of Sussex and Kent to the east of Brighton, England. Those to the West of Brighton are named the West Coastway Line...
and
West CoastwaysThe West Coastway Line is a railway line in England, along the south coast of West Sussex and Hampshire, to the west of Brighton., plus the short branches to Littlehampton and Bognor Regis....
and other related routes), followed by
Portsmouth DirectThe Portsmouth Direct Line is a railway service operated by South West Trains which runs between London Waterloo and Portsmouth Harbour, England...
(4 July 1937), and mid-Kent (Maidstone and Gillingham 1939).
World War Two saw extensive damage to the region, but electrification was soon resumed under the newly nationalised
British RailBritish Railways , which later traded as British Rail, was the operator of most of the British railway system from the nationalisation of the 'Big Four' British railway companies in 1948 until privatisation in stages from 1994 to 1997...
's
southern regionThe Southern Region was a region of British Railways from 1948. The region ceased to be an operating unit in its own right in the 1980s and was wound-up at the end of 1992. The region covered south London, southern England and the south coast, including the busy commuter belt areas of Kent, Sussex...
. The BR 1955 Modernisation Plan, with the two stage "Kent Coast Electrification". The
Chatham mainlineThe Chatham Main Line is a British railway line that runs from London Victoria to Dover Priory or Ramsgate via the Medway Towns and Bromley...
was completed first, followed by SER mainline and related lines. At this time voltage used was changed from 660 V to 750 V. Since then all further electrification has used 750 V, but the lines electrified before this time remain at 660 V. Attention then switched to the neglected LSWR region (now titled the South Western Division). The
South Western Main LineThe South Western Main Line is a railway line from London Waterloo to Weymouth on the Dorset coast, in the south of England. It is a major railway which serves many important commuter areas, as well as the major settlements of Southampton and Bournemouth...
(SWML) to
SouthamptonSouthampton Central railway station is a main line railway station serving the city of Southampton in Hampshire, southern England. It is on the Wessex Main Line, the South Western Main Line and the West Coastway Line...
and
BournemouthBournemouth railway station, once known as Bournemouth Central, is the main railway station serving the town of Bournemouth in Dorset, England. It is located on the South Western Main Line from London Waterloo to Weymouth...
was electrified in 1967, as was the
Island LineThe Island Line is a railway line on the Isle of Wight, running some 8½ miles from Ryde Pier Head to Shanklin down the eastern side of the island. The line was electrified in 1967. Trains connect with passenger ferries to Portsmouth Harbour at Ryde Pier Head, and these ferries in turn connect with...
.
Under sectorisation in the 1980s,
Network SouthEastNetwork SouthEast was one of three passenger sectors of British Rail created in 1982. NSE principally operated commuter trains in the London area and inter-urban services in densely populated South East England, although the network reached as far west as Exeter...
conducted extensive infill electrification. The SWML was completed to
WeymouthWeymouth railway station is a railway station serving the town of Weymouth, Dorset, England. The station is the terminus of both the South Western Main Line from London Waterloo and the Heart of Wessex Line from .-History:...
1988. The
Snow Hill tunnelSnow Hill Tunnel is a railway tunnel on the northern edge of the City of London between City Thameslink and Farringdon stations. The tunnel runs beneath the Smithfield meat market and was constructed using the cut and cover method immediately prior to the building of the market...
was reopened, enabling
ThameslinkThameslink is a fifty-station route in the British railway system running north to south from Bedford to Brighton through the Snow Hill tunnel in Central London. It is an important commuter route and serves the airports at London Gatwick and London Luton...
. The
Hastings LineThe Hastings Line is a railway line in Kent and East Sussex linking Hastings with the main town of Tunbridge Wells, and from there into London via Sevenoaks.-Openings:The line was opened by the South Eastern Railway in main three stages:...
,
Eastleigh to Fareham LineThe Eastleigh-Fareham Line is the railway line from Eastleigh to Fareham in the United Kingdom. At Eastleigh, trains join the South Western Main Line for onward travel to Basingstoke, Reading or to London Waterloo. At Fareham trains join the West Coastway line for onward travel to Portsmouth or...
,
Oxted Line - East Grinstead branchThe Oxted Line is a railway line in southern England. It was originally operated jointly by the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway and the South Eastern Railway. It is now part of the Southern franchise....
were also electrified. This left only a few generally isolated, rural lines and freight branches unelectrified (
West of England Main LineThe West of England Main Line is a British railway line, running from London Waterloo to Exeter St Davids. Historically, the main line continued to Okehampton and Plymouth, and competed for the lucrative Atlantic Boat Train traffic.-History:...
,
North Downs LineThe North Downs Line is the name of the passenger train service connecting Reading, on the Great Western Main Line, to Gatwick Airport, on the Brighton Main Line...
,
Marshlink Line|}The Marshlink Line is the name given to services on the railway line linking Ashford with Hastings in the South East of England. The line was part of an original proposal by a company named the Brighton, Lewes and Hastings Company to extend its coast route to Hastings...
, and
Oxted Line - Uckfield branchThe Oxted Line is a railway line in southern England. It was originally operated jointly by the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway and the South Eastern Railway. It is now part of the Southern franchise....
).
650 V - 850 V DC, Third Rail, Other
- Merseyrail
Merseyrail is the name given to the electric commuter rail network, centred on Liverpool in the metropolitan county of Merseyside in England. The system has 67 stations spread across 75 miles of track, and runs underground and overground, carrying over 100,000 passengers each day...
- This uses 750 V . A history is here
The London, Midland and Scottish Railway was involved in the development of railway electrification of Britain. Like the LNER and the SR the LMS took over several schemes that had been developed by its constituent companies and also completed some of its own. All were suburban lines, in London,...
- London and North Western Railway
The London and North Western Railway was a railway company of the United Kingdom which existed between 1846 and 1922. It was created by the merger of three railway companies - the Grand Junction Railway, the London and Birmingham Railway and the Manchester and Birmingham Railway. During the late...
- Euston
Euston station, also known as London Euston, is a major railway station to the north of central London in the London Borough of Camden and is the sixth busiest rail terminal in London . It is one of 18 British railway stations managed by Network Rail, and is the southern terminus of the West Coast...
and Broad Street to Watford JunctionWatford Junction station is a railway station in Watford, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom. Located a short distance from the town centre, it is served by the West Coast Main Line , the Watford DC Line to Euston, currently operated by London Overground services and a branch line to St Albans. Journeys...
and Croxley GreenCroxley Green is a disused railway station near Watford, outside London, UK. It is located between Watford and the village of Croxley Green to the west of Watford, at the end of a short branch line.-History:...
(Watford DC LineThe Watford DC Line is a commuter railway line from London Euston to Watford Junction.Services on the line are operated by London Overground...
)
- Richmond - North Woolwich (North London Line
The North London Line is a railway line which passes through the inner suburbs of London, England. Its route is a rough semicircle from the south west to the north east, avoiding central London. The line is owned and maintained by Network Rail...
)
- A short history is here
The London, Midland and Scottish Railway was involved in the development of railway electrification of Britain. Like the LNER and the SR the LMS took over several schemes that had been developed by its constituent companies and also completed some of its own. All were suburban lines, in London,...
. In 1970 the North London DC lines and the Class 501 EMUsThe British Rail Class 501 electric multiple units were built in 1957/58 for use on the former LNWR/LMS suburban electric network of the London Midland Region...
used on these services were converted for third rail operation, with generally the fourth rail being removed on sections of lines not used by LUL. Some fourth rail was retained in the Gunnersbury and Queens Park areas for emergency use by LUL. With the closure of Broad Street, the NLL was joined with former Broad Street to North Woolwich via Stratford line, to extend the NLL: this section was electrified with third rail and OLE as far as Stratford and just third rail to North Woolwich. Two branches off the Watford DC Line have been closed; to RickmansworthRickmansworth railway station was a London and North Western Railway station in the Rickmansworth area of west Hertfordshire...
in 1952 (to passengers, goods 1967) and to Croxley GreenCroxley Green is a disused railway station near Watford, outside London, UK. It is located between Watford and the village of Croxley Green to the west of Watford, at the end of a short branch line.-History:...
in 1996.
- The Watford DC Line between Queens Park and Harrow & Wealdstone is used by London Overground
London Overground is a commuter rail service in London, UK, the brand applied by Transport for London to the services on four railway lines: the Watford DC Line, the North London Line, the West London Line and the Gospel Oak to Barking Line.The name has been used since 2007, when TfL took over...
trains designed for 750 V third rail and Bakerloo LineThe Bakerloo line is a line of the London Underground, coloured brown on the Tube map. It runs partly on the surface and partly at deep level, from the Elephant and Castle in south-east to Harrow & Wealdstone in north-west of London. The lines serves 25 stations of which 15 are underground...
trains designed for 630 V third and fourth rail. As a compromise the nominal line voltage is 650 V, and the centre rail is bonded to the running rails.
- The North London Line between Richmond and Gunnersbury is used by London Overground
London Overground is a commuter rail service in London, UK, the brand applied by Transport for London to the services on four railway lines: the Watford DC Line, the North London Line, the West London Line and the Gospel Oak to Barking Line.The name has been used since 2007, when TfL took over...
trains designed for 750 V third rail and District LineThe District line is a line of the London Underground, coloured green on the Tube map. It is a "sub-surface" line, running through the central area in shallow cut-and-cover tunnels. It is the busiest of the sub-surface lines and the third busiest overall on the Underground network. Out of the 60...
trains designed for 630 V third and fourth rail. As a compromise the nominal line voltage is 660 V, and the centre rail is bonded to the running rails. A similar arrangement applies on the District LineThe District line is a line of the London Underground, coloured green on the Tube map. It is a "sub-surface" line, running through the central area in shallow cut-and-cover tunnels. It is the busiest of the sub-surface lines and the third busiest overall on the Underground network. Out of the 60...
between Putney Bridge and Wimbledon, where District LineThe District line is a line of the London Underground, coloured green on the Tube map. It is a "sub-surface" line, running through the central area in shallow cut-and-cover tunnels. It is the busiest of the sub-surface lines and the third busiest overall on the Underground network. Out of the 60...
tracks also used by South West TrainsSouth West Trains is the trading name of a train operating company operating in the United Kingdom, providing train services to the south-west of London, chiefly in Greater London and the counties of Surrey, Hampshire, Dorset, Devon, Somerset, Berkshire, Wiltshire and the Isle of Wight, the area...
, although the latter are not normally in passenger service.
The Northern City Line connects the
East Coast Main LineThe East Coast Main Line is a 393-mile long electrified high-speed railway link between London, Peterborough, Doncaster, Leeds, York, Newcastle and Edinburgh....
to
MoorgateMoorgate station is a London Underground and National Rail station in the City of London, on Moorgate, north of London Wall. At one time the station was named "Moorgate Street"...
. It was isolated by the abandonment of the 1930s "New Works" programme (and the development of the greenbelt). Tube services were truncated at its northern end by the new
Victoria LineThe Victoria line is part of the London Underground system and is a deep-level line running from the south to the north-east of London. It is coloured light blue on the Tube map and, in terms of the average number of journeys per mile, is the busiest line on the network...
in 1964, at Drayton Park. The remainder was handed over to BR in 1975 in conjunction with the suburban electrification of the
East Coast Main LineThe East Coast Main Line is a 393-mile long electrified high-speed railway link between London, Peterborough, Doncaster, Leeds, York, Newcastle and Edinburgh....
. The line uses 25 kV AC overhead and third rail DC electrification, with the switchover at the platform at Drayton Park.
750 V DC, Third rail (Bottom Contact)
- Docklands Light Railway
The Docklands Light Railway is a light metro or light rail system opened on 31 August 1987 to serve the redeveloped Docklands area of East London, England...
- This system uses bottom-contact third rail. The third rail is composite, with an aluminium body and a steel contact surface. The benefit of this is a low-resistance, high current capacity rail that has a durable steel surface for current collection.
750 V DC, Overhead
- Manchester Metrolink
Manchester Metrolink is a light rail system in Greater Manchester, England. It consists of three lines which converge in Manchester city centre and serve the surrounding towns of Bury, Altrincham and Eccles...
- Sheffield Supertram
Supertram is a tram network in Sheffield, England. It is owned and operated in partnership between South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive , who own the railway infrastructure, and Stagecoach Group who operate and maintain the trams, through their Stagecoach Supertram branded...
- Croydon Tramlink
Tramlink is a tramway system in south London in the United Kingdom which began operation in May 2000...
- Nottingham express transit
Nottingham Express Transit is a light-rail tramway in the Nottingham area in England. The first line opened to the public on 9 March 2004, having cost £200 million to construct. The scheme took sixteen years from conception to implementation...
- Midland Metro
The Midland Metro is a light-rail or tram line in the West Midlands of England between the cities of Birmingham and Wolverhampton via West Bromwich and Wednesbury....
1500 V DC, Overhead
- Tyne and Wear Metro
The Tyne and Wear Metro, also known as the Metro, is a metro system in North East England, serving Newcastle upon Tyne, Gateshead, South Tyneside, North Tyneside and Sunderland. It opened in 1980 and in 2007-2008 provided 40 million public journeys on its network of nearly...
- When the former "Tyneside Electrics" routes (which had been electrified using third rail until the 1960s when BR discontinued the "non-standard" equipment in favour of diesels) were rebuilt as the "Tyne and Wear Metro" in the 1970s, this system was used. Styled as "Light Rail" it is in practice normal heavy rail, and shares the Durham Coast Line
|}The Durham Coast Line is the name given to the railway line which links Newcastle upon Tyne with Middlesbrough, via Sunderland and Hartlepool...
with the national rail network (unlike the other tram systems in the UK, which operate alongside on separate rights of way).
25 kV, 50 Hz AC, Overhead
- London, Tilbury and Southend (LTS)
The London, Tilbury and Southend Railway is an English railway line linking Fenchurch Street station in the City of London with East London and the entire length of the northern Thames Gateway area of Essex. It is known as the Thameside Route by Network Rail. Train services on the line are...
The majority of this line was originally electrified at 6.25kV. It was converted to 25 kV in the early 1960s.
- Great Eastern Main Line (GEML)
The Great Eastern Main Line is a major railway line of the British railway system, which connects Liverpool Street station in the City of London with destinations in east London and the East of England, including Ipswich, Norwich and several coastal resorts such as Clacton-on-Sea and...
- Converted from 1500 V DC (see 1500 V DC section "Shenfield Metro"
- Converted from 6.25 kV/1500 V DC
- Romford to Upminster Line
The Upminster Branch Line is a 3.4 mile branch line between Romford and Upminster in the London Borough of Havering. The line is part of the Network Rail Strategic Route 7, SRS 07.09 and is classified as a rural line....
- Shenfield to Southend Line
|}The Shenfield to Southend Line is a railway line from Southend-on-Sea to Shenfield in Essex. Almost all trains continue through to London Liverpool Street along the Great Eastern Main Line...
- Crouch Valley Line
|}The Crouch Valley Line is a branch line from Wickford to Southminster in Essex. It is usually called the Southminster Branch by users of the line, although that is no longer its official name...
- Braintree Branch Line
|}The Braintree Branch Line is a branch line from Witham to Braintree in Essex, England.The line diverges from the Great Eastern Main Line at Witham. Passenger services are currently operated by National Express East Anglia...
- Colchester to Clacton Line
The Sunshine Coast Line is a railway line linking Colchester to Walton-on-the-Naze and via a branch line to Clacton-on-Sea. Passenger services are run by National Express East Anglia. Trains to Clacton-on-Sea are usually trains from London, while those to Walton-on-the-Naze start at Colchester on...
- Mayflower Line
The Mayflower Line is a branch railway line from Manningtree to Harwich in the county of Essex in England. Passenger services are operated by National Express East Anglia...
- West Anglia
The West Anglia Main Line is one of the two main lines which run from London Liverpool Street, the other being the Great Eastern Main Line. It runs generally north from London, through the towns of Cheshunt, Broxbourne, Harlow, Bishop's Stortford and Audley End station before reaching Cambridge,...
/ Fen LineThe Fen Line runs from Cambridge in Cambridgeshire to King's Lynn, Norfolk. It is so called because it runs through The Fens. The line is part of the Network Rail Strategic Route 5 and comprises SRS 05.06 and part of 05.05...
- This covers the lines from London Liverpool Street (Bethnal Green Jn) to Chingford, Enfield Town, Hertford East, and Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. It is also at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen....
. The line was first electrified in the 1960s when the lines to Chingford, Enfield Town and Cheshunt were electrified 6.25 kV. The line from Cheshunt to Bishop's Stortford and Hertford East was electrified at 25 kV. The Lea Valley line between Coppermill Junction and Cheshunt was electrified at 25 kV in 1969. All the 6.25 kV areas were converted to 25 kV in 1983. In 1987 electrification was extended from Bishop's Stortford to Cambridge using 25 kV. In 1990, the line to Stansted Airport opened, and in 1992, electrification was further extended from Cambridge to King's LynnKing's Lynn is a town and port in Norfolk, England. The town has been known variously as Bishop's Lynn and Lynn Regis, while it is frequently referred to by locals as simply Lynn, the Celtic word for lake....
along the Fen Line.
- East Coast Main Line (ECML)
The East Coast Main Line is a 393-mile long electrified high-speed railway link between London, Peterborough, Doncaster, Leeds, York, Newcastle and Edinburgh....
- Electrified in two parts, the first between 1975 and 1978 and the second between 1984 and 1991.
- The line between London (Kings Cross) and Royston was electrified between 1976 and 1978 as part of the Great Northern Suburban Electrification Project. This included the Hertford Loop Line
The Hertford Loop Line is a branch of the East Coast Main Line, providing a commuter route to London for Hertford and other Hertfordshire towns...
.
- In 1984, authority was given to electrify to Edinburgh and Leeds. The section between Hitchin and Peterborough was completed in 1987, and Doncaster and York were reached in 1989. By 1990 electrification had reached Newcastle, and in 1991 the final section to Edinburgh was completed.
- In order to keep the construction teams busy two additional schemes were authorised that extended electrification to Carstairs
Carstairs railway station in South Lanarkshire, Scotland, is a major junction station on the West Coast Main Line , situated close to the point at which the lines from London Euston to Glasgow Central and Edinburgh diverge...
and to North Berwick (North Berwick LineThe North Berwick Line is a railway line linking Edinburgh with North Berwick in Scotland. The route follows the East Coast Main Line as far as Drem, where it then branches to the north....
).
- At the peak of electrification works in the late 1980s it claimed to be the "longest construction site in the world", at over 400 km.
- Midland Main Line (MML)
The Midland Main Line is a major railway line in the United Kingdom, part of the British railway system.The 'Modern' line links London St. Pancras International to Sheffield station in northern England via Luton, Bedford, Kettering, Leicester, Derby, Nottingham and Chesterfield.Historically the...
- Electrified between London (St Pancras) and Bedford in 1983. The branch from Dock Junction to Moorgate was also electrified.
- See also Thameslink
Thameslink is a fifty-station route in the British railway system running north to south from Bedford to Brighton through the Snow Hill tunnel in Central London. It is an important commuter route and serves the airports at London Gatwick and London Luton...
- West Coast Main Line (WCML)
The West Coast Main Line is a busy mixed-traffic railway route in the United Kingdom. It provides fast, long-distance Intercity passenger services between London, the West Midlands, the North West, North Wales and southern Scotland....
- Electrified from the late 1950s to the mid 1960s under the BR 1955 Modernisation Plan as far as Crewe (and branches), it was extended to Scotland in 1974.
- Northampton - see Northampton Loop Line
- Birmingham (New Street)
Birmingham New Street is Birmingham's main railway station located in the city centre. It lies on the Birmingham loop of the West Coast Main Line, and is a major hub of the British railway system....
- see Rugby-Birmingham-Stafford LineThe Rugby-Birmingham-Stafford Line is a loop off the West Coast Main Line between Rugby and Stafford via the West Midlands cities of Coventry, Birmingham and Wolverhampton.-Places served:...
- Liverpool (Lime Street)
Liverpool Lime Street railway station on Lime Street is a mainline and underground railway station serving the city centre of Liverpool, England...
- Manchester (Piccadilly)
Manchester Piccadilly station is the principal railway station of Manchester in England. It serves intercity routes to London Euston, Birmingham New Street, South Wales and the south coast of England, Edinburgh and Glasgow Central in Scotland, and routes throughout northern England...
- see Stafford to Manchester LineThe Stafford to Manchester Line is a branch of the West Coast Main Line serving Stafford, Norton Bridge, Stone, Stoke-on-Trent, Kidsgrove, Congleton, Macclesfield, Cheadle Hulme, Stockport and Manchester....
and Crewe to Manchester Line|}The Crewe to Manchester Line is a railway line in north west England, running from Crewe north east to Manchester.The line serves the following places: Crewe; Sandbach; Holmes Chapel; Goostrey; Chelford; Alderley Edge; Wilmslow; Cheadle Hulme; Stockport and Manchester.The line was built by the...
.
- Glasgow (Central) - in 1974 from Weaver Junction.
- The "Abbey Flyer" (St Albans Branch Line
The Abbey Line is a railway line from Watford Junction to St Albans Abbey. Its pass through town and countryside. The service is often referred to as the "Abbey Flyer", after St Albans Abbey.-History:...
) was electrified 1987-88 by Network SouthEast
- Edinburgh (Waverley)
Edinburgh Waverley railway station, commonly called "Waverley", is the main railway station in the Scottish capital Edinburgh. Covering an area of over 25 acres in the centre of the city, it is the second-largest main line railway station in the United Kingdom in terms of area, the largest being...
in 1989 (from Carstairs Junction in conjunction with ECML electrification).
- In 2003 Crewe to Kidsgrove section of the Crewe to Derby Line
The Crewe to Derby Line is a railway line in central England, running from Crewe south east to Derby. Services on the line are provided by East Midlands Trains....
was electrified as a diversionary route for the WCML.
- Since 1999 the line has been modernised and the overhead line equipment has undergone a programme of refurbishment and renewal as part of works to increase train speeds from 110 mph to 125 mph.
- 1989 saw the electrification of the ECML to Edinburgh. A few local routes were electrified, but the majority of local services are unelectrified.
- Edinburgh Crossrail - only Edinburgh Waverley
Edinburgh Waverley railway station, commonly called "Waverley", is the main railway station in the Scottish capital Edinburgh. Covering an area of over 25 acres in the centre of the city, it is the second-largest main line railway station in the United Kingdom in terms of area, the largest being...
to NewcraighallNewcraighall railway station is a railway station serving the Newcraighall area of Edinburgh in Scotland. It is the current terminus of the Edinburgh Crossrail line...
. Currently the service is by DMUs, pending reopening of part of the Waverley LineThe Waverley Route is an abandoned double track railway line that ran south from Edinburgh in Scotland through Midlothian and the Scottish Borders to Carlisle in England. It was built by the North British Railway Company; the first section, from Edinburgh to Hawick opened in 1849. The final...
- North Berwick Line
The North Berwick Line is a railway line linking Edinburgh with North Berwick in Scotland. The route follows the East Coast Main Line as far as Drem, where it then branches to the north....
- Edinburgh WaverleyEdinburgh Waverley railway station, commonly called "Waverley", is the main railway station in the Scottish capital Edinburgh. Covering an area of over 25 acres in the centre of the city, it is the second-largest main line railway station in the United Kingdom in terms of area, the largest being...
to North BerwickNorth Berwick railway station is a railway station serving the seaside town of North Berwick in East Lothian, Scotland. It is the terminus of the Edinburgh to North Berwick Line, 36 km east of .- History :...
, with some extensions to Edinburgh HaymarketHaymarket railway station is in Haymarket, Edinburgh, Scotland. It is Edinburgh's second largest station after Waverley, a major commuter and long-distance destination, located quite centrally near the West End...
.
- Glasgow to Edinburgh via Carstairs Line
The Glasgow to Edinburgh via Carstairs Line is a main railway line which connects the West Coast Main Line to the East Coast Main Line in the Central Belt of Scotland....
- some North Berwick LineThe North Berwick Line is a railway line linking Edinburgh with North Berwick in Scotland. The route follows the East Coast Main Line as far as Drem, where it then branches to the north....
trains continue to Glasgow Central. Intercity trains from the ECML continue to Glasgow Central.
- – see also: Transport in Edinburgh
Edinburgh constitutes a major transport hub in east central Scotland and as such is at the centre of a multi-modal transport network comprising road, rail and air communications connecting the city with the rest of Scotland, the United Kingdom and internationally....
Suburban electrification was started in the 1960s in the wake of the BR 1955 Modernisation Plan. Electrification was piecemeal over the preceding year and is still incomplete, with several suburban, rural and inter city lines still unelectrified. Expansion plans call for reopening of the
Airdrie-Bathgate Rail LinkThe Airdrie-Bathgate Rail Link is a railway under construction in Central Scotland.Instigated as part of a round of transport improvement projects proposed by the then Scottish Executive in 2003, the plan is to open up a fourth direct railway link between the cities of Glasgow and Edinburgh...
, connecting the
North Clyde LineThe North Clyde Line is a suburban railway in West Central Scotland. The route is operated by First ScotRail, on behalf of the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport .- Route :The North Clyde Line runs east-west through the Greater Glasgow conurbation, linking northern Lanarkshire with...
and
Edinburgh to Bathgate LineThe Edinburgh to Bathgate Line is a railway line in East Central Scotland. It is also known as the Bathgate branch and the Edinburgh and Bathgate Railway.- History :...
. See also:
SPTThe Strathclyde Partnership for Transport is a public body which is responsible for planning and co-ordinating regional transport, and especially the public transport system, in the Strathclyde area of western Scotland...
and
Transport in GlasgowThe city of Glasgow, Scotland has a transport system encompassing air, rail, road, and an underground rail circuit. Prior to 1962, the city was also served by trams.-Airports:Glasgow is served by two international airports and a seaplane terminal:...
.
- The Glasgow Suburban railway network can be split into three main areas;
- North Clyde
- Also known as "Glasgow North Electric Suburban Line", this was one of the first lines in Glasgow to be electrified, in 1960. Helensburgh Central
Helensburgh Central railway station serves the town of Helensburgh on the north shore of the Firth of Clyde, near to Glasgow, Scotland. The station is a terminus on the North Clyde Line, north west of Glasgow Queen Street railway station...
, BallochBalloch railway station is a railway station serving the town of Balloch in Scotland. The station is a terminus on the North Clyde Line, 31 km north west of Glasgow Queen Street railway station...
and MilngavieMilngavie railway station serves the town of Milngavie, East Dunbartonshire, near Glasgow in Scotland. The station is 14 km north west of Glasgow Central on the Argyle Line and 14.5 km north west of Glasgow Queen Street on the North Clyde Line.Its principal purpose today is as a commuter station...
to Glasgow Queen Street (Low Level)Glasgow Queen Street is a railway station in Glasgow, Scotland, the smaller of the city's two main line railway termini and the third-busiest station in Scotland. It is between George Street to the south and Cathedral Street Bridge to the north, at the northern end of Queen Street adjacent to...
and to SpringburnSpringburn Railway Station serves the Springburn district of Glasgow, Scotland. The station is 2 km north of Glasgow Queen Street station on the Cumbernauld Line and is a terminus of the Springburn branch, a spur from Bellgrove Station, on the North Clyde Line.Cumbernauld Line trains, running...
and DrumgellochDrumgelloch railway station is a railway station serving Drumgelloch, an eastern suburb of Airdrie, North Lanarkshire, Scotland. The station is managed by First ScotRail and is the eastern terminus of the North Clyde Line, 20 km east of...
.
- South Clyde
- Cathcart Circle Line - ( Glasgow Central to Newton
Newton railway station is a railway station located between the town of Halfway and the village of Newton in South Lanarkshire, near the larger town of Cambuslang in Scotland. The station is managed by First ScotRail on the Argyle and Cathcart Circle Lines....
and NeilstonNeilston railway station is a railway station in Neilston, East Renfrewshire, Scotland. The station is managed by First ScotRail and lies on the Cathcart Circle Lines, 18 km south east of Glasgow Central station.- History :...
) was electrified on 22nd May 1962
- Inverclyde Line
The Inverclyde Line is a railway line running from Glasgow Central station through Paisley and a series of stations to the south of the River Clyde and the Firth of Clyde, terminating at Gourock and Wemyss Bay, where it connects to Caledonian MacBrayne ferry services...
- (Glasgow Central to GourockGourock railway station is a terminus of the Inverclyde Line, located at Gourock pierhead and serving the town as well as the ferry services it was originally built for...
and Wemyss BayWemyss Bay railway station serves the village of Wemyss Bay, Inverclyde, Scotland. The station is a terminus on the Inverclyde Line, about west of . The station incorporates the Caledonian MacBrayne ferry terminal connecting mainland Scotland to Rothesay on the Isle of Bute...
), electrified in 1967.
- Ayrshire Coast Line
The Ayrshire Coast Line is one of the lines within the Strathclyde suburban rail network in Scotland. It has 26 stations and connects the Ayrshire coast to Glasgow...
- Glasgow Central to AyrAyr railway station serves the town of Ayr in South Ayrshire, Scotland. It is situated in Smith Street, off Burns Statue Square. The station, which is managed by First ScotRail, is on the Ayrshire Coast Line, south-west of Glasgow Central railway station....
, LargsLargs railway station is a railway station in the town of Largs, North Ayrshire, Scotland. The station is managed by First ScotRail and is on the Ayrshire Coast Line, south west of .- History :...
and Ardrossan HarbourArdrossan Harbour railway station is one of three remaining railway stations in the town of Ardrossan, North Ayrshire, Scotland. The station is managed by First ScotRail and is on the Ayrshire Coast Line, south west of...
, electrified in 1986/87.
- Paisley Canal Line
The Paisley Canal Railway line was originally a Glasgow and South Western Railway branch line running from Glasgow, Scotland, through three stations in Paisley, to North Johnstone...
- electrified only as far as CorkerhillCorkerhill railway station serves Corkerhill, a district of Glasgow, Scotland. The station is managed by First ScotRail and lies on the Paisley Canal Line 5 km west of .- 1967 to 1983 :...
(from Glasgow Central)
- West Coast Main Line
- Argyle Line
The Argyle Line is a suburban railway located in West Central Scotland. It connects the Lanarkshire towns of Lanark, Larkhall and Motherwell to West Dunbartonshire via central Glasgow using sub-surface running...
- DalmuirDalmuir railway station is a railway station serving the Dalmuir area of Clydebank, West Dunbartonshire, Scotland. It is a large, five platform interchange between the Argyle Line, North Clyde Line and West Highland Line....
and MilngavieMilngavie railway station serves the town of Milngavie, East Dunbartonshire, near Glasgow in Scotland. The station is 14 km north west of Glasgow Central on the Argyle Line and 14.5 km north west of Glasgow Queen Street on the North Clyde Line.Its principal purpose today is as a commuter station...
via Glasgow Central (Low Level) to Hamilton Circle, LarkhallLarkhall railway station serves the town of Larkhall, South Lanarkshire, Scotland. The station is the south-eastern terminus of the Argyle Line, 26 km south east of Glasgow Central railway station.- History :...
, LanarkLanark railway station is in South Lanarkshire, Scotland. It is managed by First ScotRail and is the southern terminus of the Argyle Line.-History:...
and CarstairsCarstairs railway station in South Lanarkshire, Scotland, is a major junction station on the West Coast Main Line , situated close to the point at which the lines from London Euston to Glasgow Central and Edinburgh diverge...
(via a variety of lines via Hamilton, Motherwell or Holytown). There is also a peak service to Coatbridge CentralCoatbridge Central railway station is located in the town of Coatbridge, North Lanarkshire, Scotland. It is on the Motherwell to Cumbernauld Line...
- Glasgow to Edinburgh via Carstairs Line
The Glasgow to Edinburgh via Carstairs Line is a main railway line which connects the West Coast Main Line to the East Coast Main Line in the Central Belt of Scotland....
- some North Berwick LineThe North Berwick Line is a railway line linking Edinburgh with North Berwick in Scotland. The route follows the East Coast Main Line as far as Drem, where it then branches to the north....
trains continue to Glasgow Central. GNER intercity trains (from the ECML) continue to Glasgow Central.
- Motherwell to Cumbernauld Line
The Motherwell to Cumbernauld Line is a suburban railway line linking Motherwell and Cumbernauld in Scotland. It is part of the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport network.The line was built as part of the:-...
- the MotherwellMotherwell railway station serves Motherwell in North Lanarkshire, Scotland. It lies on the West Coast Main Line, and is served also by Argyle Line trains of the Glasgow suburban railway network. It is the penultimate stop on the northbound WCML before Glasgow. There are four platforms of various...
to CoatbridgeCoatbridge Central railway station is located in the town of Coatbridge, North Lanarkshire, Scotland. It is on the Motherwell to Cumbernauld Line...
section is electrified, but the Coatbridge to CumbernauldCumbernauld railway station is a railway station serving the town of Cumbernauld, Scotland. The station is managed by Strathclyde Partnership for Transport and is located on the Cumbernauld Lines 22 km north east of Glasgow Queen Street station and the Motherwell to Cumbernauld 19 km north of...
section is not.
- Shotts Line
The Shotts Line is a suburban railway line linking Glasgow Central and Edinburgh Waverley via Shotts in Scotland. The route from Glasgow to Shotts is part of the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport network...
- the central section (Holytown JunctionHolytown railway station is a railway station serving both Holytown and New Stevenston in North Lanarkshire, Scotland. It is located on the Shotts Line, 21 km south east of Glasgow Central towards Edinburgh Waverley and is also on the Argyle Line....
to KirknewtonKirknewton railway station is a railway station serving Kirknewton in West Lothian, Scotland, Opened as Kirknewton in February 1848 the station was renamed Midcalder and Kirknewton after 2 months, before becoming Midcalder in 1855. The full circle was finally completed 127 years later in May 1982...
) is not electrified but both ends are electrified, as they are shared with the WCML, Argyle Line and ECML.
- Whifflet Line
The Whifflet Line is one of the lines within the Strathclyde suburban rail network in Scotland.- History :The line was built between 1863 and 1865 as the Rutherglen and Coatbridge Railway, part of the Caledonian Railway. It opened to goods traffic in September 1865 and to passengers in August...
- the section that follows the WCMLThe West Coast Main Line is a busy mixed-traffic railway route in the United Kingdom. It provides fast, long-distance Intercity passenger services between London, the West Midlands, the North West, North Wales and southern Scotland....
(Glasgow Central to RutherglenRutherglen is a town in South Lanarkshire, Scotland. Rutherglen comes from the Gaelic An Ruadh Ghleann, meaning "the red valley". In 1975, it lost its own local council and administratively became a component of the City of Glasgow...
) is electrified, the rest of the line to WhiffletWhifflet railway station is located in the Whifflet area of Coatbridge and is the terminal station on the Whifflet Line. Train services are provided by First ScotRail.To the east of the station is the link line from the North Clyde Line at Sunnyside Junction...
is not.
- The main line to Leeds from London (via Wakefield Westgate
Wakefield Westgate railway station is the mainline railway station for the city of Wakefield in West Yorkshire, England. It is located on the western edge of the main city centre, on the opposite side from Wakefield's other station, Kirkgate.-Services:...
) was electrified in 1990. In 1994, a project to electrify some of the local lines around Leeds was given authority to proceed. The project was called the "Leeds North West Electrification", and covered lines to Bradford (Forster Square), Skipton (Airedale LineThe Airedale Line is the name given to one of the rail services in the Metro area of northern England. The service is operated by Northern Rail, on the route connecting Leeds and Bradford with Skipton in the North of England. Some services along the line continue to Morecambe or Carlisle. The route...
) and Ilkley (Wharfedale LineThe Wharfedale Line is the name given to one of the rail services in the West Yorkshire Metro area of northern England. The service connects Leeds and Bradford with Ilkley, and is operated by Northern Rail. West Yorkshire Metrocards are available for use on the line, covering Zones 3 - 5...
).
- Manchester area -
- Manchester to Glossop / Hadfield
|}The Hadfield and Glossop Line is a railway line in North West England, connecting Manchester with Glossop and Hadfield in Derbyshire. Passenger services on the line are currently operated by Northern Rail....
(converted from the truncated 1500 V DC Manchester-Sheffield-Wath electric railway),
- Manchester, South Junction and Altrincham Railway
The Manchester South Junction and Altrincham Railway was a suburban railway which operated a 13.7 km route between Altrincham in Cheshire and London Road Station in Manchester....
(part was converted to Manchester Metrolink)
- Styal Line (primarily operated by diesel multiple units)
- Stafford to Manchester Line
The Stafford to Manchester Line is a branch of the West Coast Main Line serving Stafford, Norton Bridge, Stone, Stoke-on-Trent, Kidsgrove, Congleton, Macclesfield, Cheadle Hulme, Stockport and Manchester....
- branch of WCML, electrifed in the wake of the BR 1955 Modernisation Plan.
- Crewe to Manchester Line
|}The Crewe to Manchester Line is a railway line in north west England, running from Crewe north east to Manchester.The line serves the following places: Crewe; Sandbach; Holmes Chapel; Goostrey; Chelford; Alderley Edge; Wilmslow; Cheadle Hulme; Stockport and Manchester.The line was built by the...
- branch of WCML, electrifed in the wake of the 1955 Modernisation Plan.
- Liverpool to Manchester Line - to be electrified as part of plans announced by the British government in July 2009
- A few lines out of New Street
Birmingham New Street is Birmingham's main railway station located in the city centre. It lies on the Birmingham loop of the West Coast Main Line, and is a major hub of the British railway system....
mainly related to the West Coast Main Line.
- Trent Valley Line
The Trent Valley Line is a railway line between Rugby and Stafford in England, forming part of the West Coast Main Line.The line was electrified on 25 kV AC system during the 1960s, in the wake of the 1955 British Rail modernisation plan....
- WCML, 1964.
- Rugby-Birmingham-Stafford Line
The Rugby-Birmingham-Stafford Line is a loop off the West Coast Main Line between Rugby and Stafford via the West Midlands cities of Coventry, Birmingham and Wolverhampton.-Places served:...
- WCML, 1966.
- Cross-City Line - 1993.
- Walsall Line
The Chase Line is the railway line from Birmingham New Street to Walsall and Rugeley.-Overview:The line from Birmingham to Walsall has two alternative routes, both of which are electrified at 25 kV AC overhead...
- electrified from New Street to Walsall.
- Great Western Main Line (GWML)
The Great Western Main Line is a main line railway in Great Britain that runs westwards from London Paddington station to the west of England and South Wales. The core Great Western Main Line runs from London Paddington to Temple Meads station in Bristol...
- Electrified in 1994 between London Paddington and Heathrow Airport, a joint venture between British Rail and the British Airports Authority.
- As part of the works for Crossrail
Crossrail is a project to build major new railway connections under central London. The project's name refers to the first of two routes proposed by Cross London Rail Links Ltd, based around an east-west tunnel from Paddington to Liverpool Street station...
, the electrified section will be extended as far as Maidenhead. The British government also announced in July 2009 that the remaining sections of line from Maidenhead to Bristol and Swansea would be electrified.
- See Heathrow Express
Heathrow Express is an express train service from London Heathrow Airport to London Paddington station in Central London operated by the Heathrow Express Operating Authority, a wholly-owned subsidiary of BAA. It was opened by the then Prime Minister Tony Blair in 1998...
and Heathrow ConnectHeathrow Connect is a train service in London provided jointly by Heathrow Express and First Great Western, connecting Heathrow Airport with Paddington station. The service follows the same route as the Heathrow Express service but serves intermediate stations en route, thus connecting several...
- London Crossrail
Crossrail is a project to build major new railway connections under central London. The project's name refers to the first of two routes proposed by Cross London Rail Links Ltd, based around an east-west tunnel from Paddington to Liverpool Street station...
(Proposed)
25-0-25 kV, 50 Hz AC, Overhead, AutotransformerAn autotransformer is an electrical transformer with only one winding. The winding has at least three electrical connection points called taps. The voltage source and the load are each connected to two taps. One tap at the end of the winding is a common connection to both circuits...
- The first time that an auto-transformer system has been used in the UK.
- West Coast Main Line (WCML)
The West Coast Main Line is a busy mixed-traffic railway route in the United Kingdom. It provides fast, long-distance Intercity passenger services between London, the West Midlands, the North West, North Wales and southern Scotland....
- Currently in use between Ashton (north of Milton Keynes) and Hillmorton (south of Rugby), but planned to be extended along most of the route between London and Glasgow.
See also
- Railway electrification in Great Britain - conductor rail systems
- Suburban electrification of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway
The London, Midland and Scottish Railway was involved in the development of railway electrification of Britain. Like the LNER and the SR the LMS took over several schemes that had been developed by its constituent companies and also completed some of its own. All were suburban lines, in London,...
- Manchester-Sheffield-Wath electric railway
The Manchester-Sheffield-Wath electric railway was an early electrification scheme on British railways. The route featured long ascents on both sides of the Pennines with the long Woodhead Tunnel at its central summit close to the Woodhead pass...
- Volk's Electric Railway
Volk's Electric Railway is the oldest operating electric railway in the world. It is a narrow gauge railway that runs along a length of the seafront of the English seaside resort of Brighton...
External links