More of this please

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-merseyside-67011369

8 minutes ago, Mark-UK said:

More of this please

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-merseyside-67011369

Great idea. Dedicated charging overnight whist train out of action, no queues for it to join, a sound use of the technology...

2 hours ago, StephenFord said:

, 'Air Crash Investigation',

Daren't watch that - neither of us are particularly keen on flying. Well, not in airliners anyway - I've quite happily taken the controls of gliders and even a Tiger Moth and not been in the least bothered. Probably because they were definitely "analogue" and I could understand how they worked!😀 

We'll be watching "Soldier" which starts tonight though, Catterick is not too far from us and we often cross the various ranges and training areas when we're that way.

4 hours ago, Eric Bloodaxe said:

I saw that story earlier and thought I'd see a post from you!😀 Sounds very scary!

I have a suspicion though, that I'd seen something similar concerning an ICE car. Seems to be a possibility with anything controlled by an electronic "brain" - we already have accelerators with no physical connection to the engine, I recall Mercedes trying "brake by wire" a while back, and I was reading something about "steer by wire" the other day.

 

Yeah , lots of different ice cars have had the same happen. Ford were not immune to that scenario. The explorer was one. 

Been going on for years but you tend not to hear about it unless it's got electric car attached to the headline. 😂😂

As for steer by wire, ford attempted a version of that with the edge and smax. That didn't end well either. 

Brake by wire in a fashion was used in Citroen's back in the 1980's I vaguely remember. I nearly crashed on motorway multiple times when it malfunctioned on me in a car belonging to someone else.  Ended being a 10 second delay from pressing pedal and brakes coming on. 10 seconds is a long time at 70mph trying to stop. 

2 hours ago, StephenFord said:

Great idea. Dedicated charging overnight whist train out of action, no queues for it to join, a sound use of the technology...

Don't fret , the rail company next to where I work are trialing hydrogen fuel cell electric trains. Have been for a number of years. 

Speaking as a former Ford technician, some people would say that I came to my senses, I have felt that the balance of vehicle cost, repairability and complexity tipped unfavorably for the customer after around 2006.

I have no interest in buying or leasing anything that has been offered in the past five years. This includes all Ford products.

I have decided to buy past models that I have familiarity with and will just make use of them going forward. 
Last month I bought a 1987 Escort GT from an estate sale that had been in storage for over twenty years. It’s in solid shape and is as close as we ever got to getting an Escort XR3i. Over the winter I will replace the brakes and rebuild the cylinder head along with renewal of many other components, then I will enjoy it as it was intended to be used! I have zero interest in buying a massively expensive hard drive on wheels! 

15 minutes ago, Scottman said:

Last month I bought a 1987 Escort GT from an estate sale!

As an (ex) owner of a 1986 XR3i, I admire your good taste...

not an estate from a GT sale -- sorry

2 hours ago, Jimpster said:

not an estate from a GT sale -- sorry

That’s okay! I am certain that the original owner takes no offense! It sure would have been nice to get some original documents and maybe a couple of pictures from when it was new. Any provenance really. I concluded that he must have really liked it, he spent serious money on the rustproofing!

16 hours ago, StephenFord said:

Great idea. Dedicated charging overnight whist train out of action, no queues for it to join, a sound use of the technology...

Actually I think it may also be able to charge from the third rail on Liverpool metrolink, giving it the ability run further and longer if needed

Because new electric infrastructure would have been needed for the new station. I hope they also put in several fast EV charging points there too. I noticed this in York park and ride system where it's electric buses and fast chargers for cars.

1 hour ago, Mark-UK said:

. I noticed this in York park and ride system where it's electric buses and fast chargers for cars.

Yes, that's my area,and they have made good provision for cars at the newer P&R site where the buses charge. Unfortunately the one nearest to me is not so good.

3 hours ago, Mark-UK said:

I think it may also be able to charge from the third rail on Liverpool metrolink,

From what I've seen, that is the case. Can also recharge through regenerative braking. Manufacturers leaflet:

mmer_ipemu0922e.pdf

4 hours ago, Eric Bloodaxe said:

From what I've seen, that is the case. Can also recharge through regenerative braking. Manufacturers leaflet:

mmer_ipemu0922e.pdf 991.42 kB · 1 download

Reading that,  if charged every single day the batteries will last over 27 years, If it was the same for a car those very first UK  Toyota Prius would have another 4 years to go and you can pick one up for under a grand  😁 🤣

Also, I see the 320kwh battery can recharged in under 15 minutes. If we had stats like that for cars there'd be a stampede at EV showrooms. 

On 10/5/2023 at 3:04 PM, Mark-UK said:

More of this please

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-merseyside-67011369

Noooooooooo. What an effin waste. Electric commuter trains? Bad. Very bad. Where the hell is the electricity gonna come from to charge those huge batteries? Where did the materials like lithium cone from to build the batteries? What a ruddy bad idea and waste of money. 

For cars yes EV's have a place but in mass transport no way.

Hydrogen is the way for mass transport and logistics. Oh and for those who ask 'but how's Hydrogen made and is it clean etc etc etc' just think where electricity comes from.

I know nothing about trains but our local lines been electric all my life. A long time, not quite back to coal fired though. 

About EVs my local council have just implemented a tariff on all the public charging points. 

1 hour ago, tazzman600 said:

Noooooooooo

In this case I must disagree. The Merseyrail network has been electrified for very many years using a 750 volt DC third rail system which is, I think, unique to that area, and this simply allows them to expand the network slightly without the need to install further electric infrastructure which is "non-standard" to most of the rest of the country.

The trains are a modification of those already in use to include a battery storage facility - most of the time they will run on the existing electrified network and only switch to battery power for a short distance. 

 

56 minutes ago, Alex.S said:

About EVs my local council have just implemented a tariff on all the public charging points. 

You mean, they charge you money to park & charge?

8 minutes ago, StephenFord said:

You mean, they charge you money to park & charge?

Pretty common round here. Many chargers are located in car parks run by the councils or other authorities (e.g. National Park) and they charge you to park while you charge. As the National Park ones in particular are pretty slow chargers, it could be a pricey exercise!

9 minutes ago, Eric Bloodaxe said:

Pretty common round here. Many chargers are located in car parks run by the councils or other authorities (e.g. National Park) and they charge you to park while you charge. As the National Park ones in particular are pretty slow chargers, it could be a pricey exercise!

Crikey! I hope my local BP doesn't get wind of this. But then again, I'm usually no longer than 5 minutes 🤣

40 minutes ago, Eric Bloodaxe said:

Pretty common round here. Many chargers are located in car parks run by the councils or other authorities (e.g. National Park) and they charge you to park while you charge. As the National Park ones in particular are pretty slow chargers, it could be a pricey exercise!

Supermarkets are installing them even my nearest Lidl, 3 hour limit tho, not sure if that applies to charge points

 

8 minutes ago, Jimpster said:

Supermarkets are installing them even my nearest Lidl, 3 hour limit tho, not sure if that applies to charge points

 

No mention of time limit at my Lidl...

59 minutes ago, StephenFord said:

No mention of time limit at my Lidl...

Can't believe you contaminated your phone with that photo😂😂 well, actually I'm surprised it was a colour photo, have you retired your camera now. Unlike your phone ,No damn child labour digging cobalt on that one. 

1 hour ago, Jimpster said:

Supermarkets are installing them even my nearest Lidl, 3 hour limit tho, not sure if that applies to charge points

 

Not sure I could shop for 3 hrs in lidl or any other supermarket charging or not. 

If your primary reason is  for charging and not shopping related , I would just use a rapid charger elsewhere.