Powering the Railway of the Future

Over the last year, debate has grown about the merits of electrification of the UK rail system. The visibility of the debate as well as the positions of interested parties changes over time, often linked to external factors. UK electrification systems cover 25-kV AC overhead catenary, 750-V DC third rail, LUL 4th rail as well as the DLR and other light rail designs including the Parry People Mover. Whilst debate often focuses on 25-kV systems, others have also been discussed, for example, infill of the Southern system to Uckfield, Brighton-Hastings and Redhill-Reading, but 750-V DC was also proposed for expanding the Merseyrail electric network from Bidston to Wrexham. Yet it was not long ago that a very prominent operator suggested taking down the wires, so unreliable were they proving and freight operators continue to build on a diesel traction policy. In this recording, three speakers give different perspectives on powering the railways of the future.