Purely for fun...OHL in preservation?

Right, so I'm posting this out of an idle interest and a desire to be educated. But also for a laugh.

We've already discussed 3rd rail preservation, and how it would be virtually impossible to do legally, even if there were money to do it.

What about Overhead Line?

Obviously, the first hurdle is that 25KV is nasty, nasty stuff, but it is both managed safely and actively encouraged on the big railway, the latter being where 3rd rail falls down. But, maybe with the reduced speeds and lengths of preserved lines, a cut in voltage might be practical?

I'm sure we can all enjoy a good wibble at the ACLG fleet finally being unleashed for our enjoyment, plus the potential to save a 91 set, or reactivate the APT...

Over to you...

 

One thing the knitting has going for it that the stabiliser rail hasn't is that it's less likely to fry trespassers being 15ft up in the air, if you manage to get close enough to it to do so then you deserve all that's coming to you!.

Not sure there's a great deal to run on it however away from the few classes 81-85 at Barrow Hill, the 86's and 90's look likely to carry on with Freightliner for some time and 87's have found a new life oversea's, that leaves possibly the odd EMU ?.

 

There are technical issues with single phase traction suplies which affect other users. Negative Phase Sequence being one of them. On the main line this is addressed by selecting alternative phases along the line on the basis of a computer simulation. Who pays for the simulation? (usually the conectee as part of the connection charge).

Distribution Network Operator connection or National Grid? A DNO are unlikely to want to connect at less than 132kV. Is there a suitable line nearby.? Is a 400kV or 275kV National Grid line closer.

You would need the expertise of engineering experts qualified to operate at these voltages, in house or external contractors?. Can you get liability insurance and could you afford it?

Last of all have you seen the prices charged by manufacturers for suitable kit, it aint cheap

Still its nice to dream

 

You'll be telling us next "wouldn't it be nice to have a Shinkansen running on a preserved line"

 

Where are you going to get the electricity. The weird beards (just a joke) are against fracking/nuclear/coal/biomass generating. We are running out of electricity and you are wanting to put up OHL on a preserved railway........as Clarkson would say......"it's stupid...........stupid"

I hasten to add, my little note is very much tongue in cheek, posted for a bit of fun.

 

Where to get the power from? Take the "cycle cinema" idea and scale it up a bit. Make it part of the visitor experience.

 

Is the aim to provide realistic preservation and operation of old assets (at enormous cost) or to give a visitor experience?

If the later then the quality of modern simulators and virtual reality suggests that before long there won't be any need for heritage railways as we know them because people will be able to access the visitor experience directly participating actively in the role of their dreams be it as passenger, driver, signalman etc. whilst setting their personal preferences for comfort (cold or overly warm, rough or smooth track, noisy or quiet carriages....)

 

There's a ready made one when NR have finished with it, it's the Old Dalby test track.

Dave B

 

Yeh instead of seats have rows of bikes as in picture get the passengers to peddle like billio and presto instant tizzy. lol.

 

Haha, thought that'd get a response!
I'm thinking of a heritage line setting out to recreate OHL lines from the 60s onwards. Much as I am at risk of sounding like a gibberring loon, I've been involved with tramway preservation for most of my life. It's quite surprising what specialists turn up.

Main reason I bothered asking is that, as I understand it, the 80something class locos are all basically substations on wheels, dropping the line voltage to something more useable. How feasible would it be to supply a much reduced line voltage, and bypass some of the transformer? Or does that equate to new equipment?

 

This is purely from memory so may be wrong. Part of some control systems uses tap changing on the transformer. On the LV side of the transformeras well as the full turns conection conections will be made at points on the winding with fewer turns. This gives a range of available voltages which can be selected by the control system. It is not an insurmountable problem but solutions might preclude main line running

 

Resigned from forum due to inflammatory posts by Mr Knowun.

 

Would be cool to erect fake OHLE in the garden for the wife to hang her washing on.

 

How many existing preservation sites are already affected by OHLE at 25KV?

I know for certain that the KWVR is.
As I was responsible for installing IBJ's in the track under the station bridge and bonding to the station roof and watertank building.
This was back in 1993-4 when the Leeds NW Electrification was under way.

 

The Cholsey & Wallingford before too much longer.

 

The old dalby test track is certainly a possibility as it's already set up, can't remember the is the OHLE active still?

I know they occasionally switch it off from time to time but certainly worth considering. Although that said I can't see NR ever wanting to sell it off as there's always going to be a need for a test track for high speed trials etc.

 

Should be, they have been testing the Class 800 Hitachi Super Express that was shipped over.

 

I know this isn't trains, but the east Anglian railway museum has overhead electrics for its trams. What voltage is it and the safety implication for it?

 

Don't you mean the East Anglian Transport Museum? Completely different place

 

I wonder if some enterprising types could attach a heritage site to it? Yeah, probably not, but would be nice to imagine. Does it have 3rd rail too?

Regards East Angular transport miseum, they are a tramway, like Crich (also Beamish, Summerlee and Heaton Park). They run on about 550V DC, which is much less unpleasant to deal with. For example, due to all the span wires being double insulated, you can work on our overhead whilst it's live (assuming you're in a wood or plastic tower of course). Whereas if I remember rightly, 25KV will jump at you from a good foot or two away. And kill you quite horribly.