Diesel & petrol alternatives? Your thoughts please

And I presume they will stop all the new Electric trains from entering cities now that they have had to have Diesel engines fitted because of the failure to complete the electrification program??

If you are referring to IKBs GWR, then no as the new trains are both diseasel and electric. They will run under the wires as far as the wires go using electric, then switch to diseasel from there to South Wales where there will be no wires.

The issue comes when the diseasel can't accelerate at the rate the electric can to meet train paths, nor do they have the power to meet line speed running. That'll be fun if the electric fails and they have to drop the pantograph to run under wires on diseasel. At least they will be able to run if electric failure, unlike the first new train that broke down on its inaugural journey from Temple Meads to Paddington.

The railway rolling stock is under the remit of a HMG department, as is electrification. Like catalytic convertors and emissions controls in the 1980s that burned more fuel, governments took the wrong decision, should have gone lean burn. 

The diseasel train engines use Urea injection, just like trucks and cars.

As the railway is currently the largest single user of electricity generated in the UK, the generation requirement is not being met on a winters night and there is insufficient new generation coming online anytime soon, add to that EV cars and there are big decisions to be made, outwith the 5 year government cycle. 

Actually Keefy I knew all of that. As the local member to one of the new IEP electric train Depots, I am in there almost weekly and have travelled to Japan to visit the Hitachi factory and watched at the depot while the new Maybach diesels were being fitted with their huge Adblu tanks.

I am afraid that I was being a bit sarky towards a Govt that wants to build HS2 and hasn't even been able to complete the electrification of the existing SW lines yet!

And as for being told about AdBlu - my own car has it fitted from new!

My point is what price a Gov't that demonises Diesel and then has to fit them to their brand new Electric trains?  As I said I already run a Diesel, have done since 1980. Have been using AdBlu since 2015.  So with respect I really don't need it being explained!!

But hey, I do accept that you weren't to know and I was being a bit sarky. So honours even!

Picture is me in the cab of one of the new trains!

TF

No worries. Some emojis would assist your natural cynicism / realism in your text 

FYI I'm on my second AdBlu Merc. 1st an S350l, now a GLE 350AMG Line. An E220 & E270 prior to those, both diseasels, and countless others when I had company cars from the early Orions onwards.

Lots of people don't understand the SCR (Selective Catalytic Reduction [AdBlu]) technology employed, so it is often helpful to explain it. Which in turn will help understanding of the Euro6 compliance for prospective buyers of perfectly clean diesel cars. That pre Euro4 engines are the biggest polluters is something HMG fail to talk about. What are predominantly pre E4? Taxis, busses, trains, postal vehicles, dustcarts etc that are effectively public entity owned and operated despite being revalued / re liveried and leased again to 'privatised' entities ie ROSCO as you are aware of  

I'm more concerned about HMG and the strike price for electrickery that is risking energy security than HS2 tbh. HS2 is a disgrace for UK PLC. How many high speed lines in China since HS2 has been a dream in the mind of railwaymen that are stuck in a bygone age? When will it be operational? Professor M has a lot to answer for. I thought he was sensible when I dealt with him post Hatfield  HS2 is Failtrack2 as far as I can see 

Don't tell HMG of tidal energy or we'll have the lights go out before we know it 

Keefy, We are as one on this! - Merc ML350AMG  Bluetech.

TF

Looks like I've introduced 2 words to the forum ...... electrickery & diseasal 

As the boss of Stagecoach buses east said when Cambridge council announced they were going to make the city centre internal combustion engine free ,who is going to pay for the over 25% increase in the bus fleet to cope with the recharging needed for the buses needed to run the timetable,

And the fleet of Hibrid buses in London are being converted to diesel only until batteries are better as they do not now last, with the continuose stop start needed in cities  

JVB,  I also worry about this stop/start business on modern cars. So much so that if I am in slow moving traffic I often switch it off!  Now before someone points out that I am defeating the whole object of having it, - I know!  But who is going to pay for the increased wear & tear on my battery and engine?

TF

TF, the thinking behind all these planet saving ideas are ok if the long term engineering can cope,, but at present it has not been tested over a long enough period,

As for the the new hibrid trains that are being introduced in your area,because HMG decided to curtail the electrification,they will have a job maintaining the the timetable when not under the wires as they are now much heavier with the strait electric version and maintainence costs will also be much higher,and all the fleets will get heavier as there is a very large amount of discontent from "customers?"about the poor seating,which looks like it will be "upgraded"

We have the same here with our new Thameslink trains "customers"me included, say they are like sitting on a plank or park bench and they now run services from Cambridge to Brighton

Interesting view from the head of PSA group (Peugeot/Citroen/Opel/Vauxhall) 

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/industry/carlos-tavares-electric-cars-could-be-more-problematic-people-think

This is exactly my take on it. Not long ago PSA showed a prototype hybrid using compressed air which had most of the benefits of battery hybrids without the cost and recharging problems of batteries. It works extremely well but given the politicians are now pushing EV's no other manufacturers are willing to share development costs. I think we can guess how that will end up....How long until we have 'batterygate'?

It will be something to worry about in the next life to fight off boredom.