Simon Kendler

Biomass empties as it’s coming from Drax

I hope he has a nice ride and can chat to GWR’s comms team. I’m now safely stabled back in north London.

Here’s the set departing for Greenford having topped up its batteries.

Popped down to West Ealing for my first ride on the @gwr.com record breaking Class 230 #BatteryTrain

The latest tech, meets tube train, meets 1992 Tube Stock as well as the Elizabeth Line & I bumped into the delightful @mrtimdunn.bsky.social 🚇 🔋 ⚡️

To do the equivalent by road would involve around 60x120 mile round trips. Multiply that by 3 trains and that’s around 180x120 mile round trips. So 3 trains replacing 21,600 HGV miles per week or over 1 million HGV miles per year - and that’s just one flow.

This is how #DCRail deliver up to 1500t of aggregate into their Chessington terminal multiple times a week. At the moment, using a pair of glorious Class 56s. It was a privilege to get & about and work on these for operational validation work with more to come. #RailFreight

Striking images of Dutch bike infrastructure taken by @ModaCityLife.com

IMPORTANT: The Dutch invest €595 million annually on urban biking, resulting in €19 BILLION saved in public health care costs alone. That’s how smart governments do the math on investing in better mobility.

Let’s be clear— it WASTES public money to NOT do it.

#CityMakingMath HT @modacitylife.com

Either they’ll procure a bi or multi-mode fleet or they’ll grab some off lease 222s as a stop gap before doing the above.

Gosh, it really has been that long. Was lucky enough to grab a full ride on WSMR with dinner service in 2010. Still the best meal I’ve eaten on a train.

They’re completely knackered, saw parts of them held together with Gaffa tape, Chiltern have done well to keep them going this long.

Tbh I don’t think there’s anywhere suitable to be cascades either.

I love a Mk3 as much as the next person but my goodness these are tired. The Mk5as will be a massive improvement and long overdue.

#ChilternRail

Likely my last ever ride on a loco-hauled Mk3 set, courtesy of @chilternrailways.bsky.social Prince’s Risborough peak buster. At least we’ll hear those CATs roar for a while yet.

#TrainTravel #LocoHauled #BRMark3

There is a plan being worked up now to increase capacity by over 3 times which will likely entail a complete spatial redesign of the check in area (and likely eat into the massively overly large arrivals sections)

The report says “could” and ignores factors like a reduction in hyper local car use due to the LTN and the fact that maybe people could do more journeys not by a car (67% of journeys in inner London are less than 2 miles).

Not sure about that. The branch faces the wrong way, and the eastern approach is through a big hill/cliff so the only approach is really the old way via the town and perhaps a flexible bridge over the harbour mouth to reach the current terminal. Also, the bus is fine. Most people go by car anyway.

Very much a bus ride to the current terminal now from just outside the main station.

Chavez blasted the U.S. empire. 'It is the most perverse empire in history: It talks about freedom while invading and destroying other nations.... The empire is very powerful, but not infallible. This century we will bury the U.S. empire. The empire has to face the people of Venezuela and Latin America. It has failed in Iraq already." He urged the audience to "imagine a world in which the U.S. administration declares peace to the world, withdraws its forces, and uses its resources to produce medicines and food for the poor people of the world."

The people of Venezuela do not deserve this. Solidarity with the people of Venezuela. May the words of Chavez give them some solace

Well as we hurtle rapidly towards WWIII, at least I’ve got a nice view this morning thanks to SNCF/TER Normandie on this Alstom bi-mode unit from Rouen to Dieppe. The late winter sunrise highlighting last night’s dusting of snow. Magnifique 👌 🇫🇷 #TrainTravel

Israel approves plan for 126 settler homes in West Bank <article data-history-node-id="433314" about="https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/israel-approves-plan-126-settler-homes-west-bank" class="live-blog-update default clearfix"> <h2> <a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/israel-approves-plan-126-settler-homes-west-bank" rel="bookmark"> <span class="field field-title">Israel approves plan for 126 settler homes in West Bank</span> </a> </h2> <div class="content"> <div class="field field-field-text"><p>Israeli authorities&nbsp;approved the construction of 126 settler homes in the Sanur outpost in the northern West Bank, which was evacuated in 2005, local media reported.</p> <p>Israeli news media Channel 7 reported that&nbsp;the High Planning Council approved a detailed plan allowing illegal settlers to return to Sanur.</p> <p>The report said that the plan is expected to take effect within two months, enabling illegal settlers to return.&nbsp;</p> </div> </div> </article>

Israel approves plan for 126 settler homes in West Bank - https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/israel-approves-plan-126-settler-homes-west-bank

Thank you, you too. Bit of a one off on the kilt though, it was my wedding day!

Other highlights include:
Running a #YoungRailProfessionals #YoungRailTours France trip, taking a Class 43 almost to the Channel Tunnel, holding multiple safety inspections & trialling new freight sites for traffic. And next year, a whole new challenge awaits… 👶

I’ve worked a few charters, driven this 08 (under instruction), wore this kilt & done many cab rides including this one on the Class 99s first run to/from the Southern Region ⬇️

2025 started with this Highland Cow in Pollok Park on New Year’s Day and ends with this beach in northern France today on New Year’s Eve.

It’s been a year of some massive highs & some latent lows #2025

First off #FreePalestine 🇵🇸

Now, my summary of highlights are: ⬇️

Having a fab day working Train 1 of SWR’s #Class455 Farewell Charter

Another fleet from my #NetworkSouthEast❤️💙🤍 childhood coming to an end so a privilege to working it today

Currently about 2 per day per direction.

Even more fanciful then. We’re not going to be building any freight only main lines in this country. We can barely build a high speed network to provide additional capacity on the existing network!

I don’t believe there is any protected freight capacity on HS1 but it must be remembered that HS1 has plenty of capacity and that freight, unless high speed, would generally only run outside of passenger operating hours

Capacity on the BML is quite constrained but we have 35 protected paths per direction each day for international freight between the tunnel and Wembley so not an issue.

The above map seems an archaic view of the rail network that assumes the Brighton Main, West London & Chiltern Lines are under utilised, could be gauge-cleared and that loads of connecting infra from the GCML to Daventry+Golden Triangle could be built.

W10 clearance from the tunnel & a fleet of new low-liner wagons that can accommodate S45s would be a good start. HGV trailers tend to head into London/SE or the Midlands where payback for investment over short distances is tricky but HS1 has potential should a London terminal be built for it.