Rail Electrification in Great Britain
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Railway electrification in Great Britain began in the late 19th century. A range of voltages has been used, employing both overhead lines and conductor rails. The two most common systems are using overhead lines, and the third rail system used in Southeast England and on Merseyrail. As of March 2020, (38%) of the British rail network was electrified. According to Network Rail, as at 2003, 64% of the electrified network used the 25kVAC overhead system, and 36% used the 660/750VDC third-rail system. Network Rail, 2003 Technical Plan, Chapter 11 "Network Capability", page 7 "Electrification". "Approximately 40% of the rail network is currently equipped with electrification." From page 1, total network is 30764 km, 7587 km of 25 kV AC, 4285 km of 650/750 V DC and 28 km of 1500 V DC. Excludes CTRL, LUL, Old Danby test track, bulk of Tyne and Wear Metro, etc. NB it does not state what method of counting length of network is used - i.e. sidings, loops, double track etc. produce different numbers. The UIC statistics that are used in the chart showing electrification in Europe is based solely on line length. Thus, on this count, 11,900km (38.7%) is electrified. Of the electrified network, 63.8% is 25kV AC, 36.0% is 650/750V DC and 0.2% is 1,500V DC. The electrified network is set to expand over coming years, as 25kV electrification is extended to currently unelectrified lines such as the Midland Main Line, as well as lines in the North of England as part of the Northern Hub.


History


Early electrification

The first electric railway in Great Britain was Volk's Electric Railway in
Brighton Brighton () is a seaside resort and one of the two main areas of the City of Brighton and Hove in the county of East Sussex, England. It is located south of London. Archaeological evidence of settlement in the area dates back to the Bronze A ...
, a pleasure railway, which opened in 1883, still functioning to this day. The London Underground began operating electric services using a fourth rail system in 1890 on the City and South London Railway, now part of the London Underground Northern line. The Liverpool Overhead Railway followed in 1893, being designed from the outset to be electric traction, unlike the City and South London Railway which was designed to be cable hauled initially. Main line electrification of some suburban lines began in the early years of the 20th century, using a variety of different systems. The Mersey Railway converted to 600VDC electric multiple-unit operation on 3 May 1903, thus eliminating the problems caused by steam traction in the long tunnel under the River Mersey, and the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway's Liverpool Exchange to Southport (and on to Crossens) suburban commuter line was similarly electrified at 625V by March 1904. Both of these lines initially used a fourth rail system. In 1921, a government committee chose 1,500VDC overhead to be the national standard, but little implementation followed and many different systems co-existed. During the
interwar period In the history of the 20th century, the interwar period lasted from 11 November 1918 to 1 September 1939 (20 years, 9 months, 21 days), the end of the World War I, First World War to the beginning of the World War II, Second World War. The in ...
, the Southern Railway adopted the 660VDC third rail system as its standard and greatly expanded this system across its network of lines South of London.


Post-war

After World War II and the nationalisation of the railways in 1948,
British Railways British Railways (BR), which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was a state-owned company that operated most of the overground rail transport in Great Britain from 1948 to 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the Big Four British rai ...
(BR) expanded electrification at both 1,500VDC overhead and 660/750 V third rail. In 1956, BR adopted 25 kV AC overhead as standard for all projects outside logical extensions of third-rail systems.


Twenty-first century

The 25kVAC network has continued to expand slowly, and large areas of the country outside London are not electrified. In 2007, the government's preferred option was to use diesel trains running on biodiesel, its White Paper ''Delivering a Sustainable Railway'', ruling out large-scale railway electrification for the following five years. In May 2009, Network Rail launched a consultation on large-scale electrification, potentially to include the
Great Western Main Line The Great Western Main Line (GWML) is a main line railway in England that runs westwards from London Paddington to . It connects to other main lines such as those from Reading to Penzance and Swindon to Swansea. Opened in 1841, it was the or ...
and Midland Main Line and smaller "in-fill" schemes. Key benefits cited were that electric trains are faster, more reliable and cause less track wear than diesel trains. On 5 June 2009,
Lord Adonis Andrew Adonis, Baron Adonis, (born Andreas Adonis; 22 February 1963) is a British Labour Party politician and journalist who served in HM Government for five years in the Blair ministry and the Brown ministry. He served as Secretary of State ...
was appointed
Secretary of State for Transport The Secretary of State for Transport, also referred to as the transport secretary, is a secretary of state in the Government of the United Kingdom, with overall responsibility for the policies of the Department for Transport. The incumbent i ...
, and announced the plans to electrify the Great Western Main Line from London as far as Swansea, as well as infill electrification schemes in the North West of England. In Scotland, where transport is devolved to the Scottish Government, Transport Scotland has extended and continues to expand electrification, for example, on the Airdrie–Bathgate rail link. This is part of a larger plan that has seen many major routes in central Scotland electrified, including the main – route. They have pursued electrification with multiple schemes in the Central Belt. All these have been 25kVAC, as in England and Wales. In July 2012 the UK government announced £4.2billion of new electrification schemes, all at 25kVAC and reconfirmed schemes previously announced by Adonis. These were to be Northern Hub,
Great Western Main Line The Great Western Main Line (GWML) is a main line railway in England that runs westwards from London Paddington to . It connects to other main lines such as those from Reading to Penzance and Swindon to Swansea. Opened in 1841, it was the or ...
, South Wales Main Line, Midland Main Line, Electric Spine, Crossrail, Gospel Oak to Barking line and West Midlands suburban lines including the
Cross-City Line The Cross-City Line is a commuter rail line in the West Midlands region of England. It runs for from Redditch and Bromsgrove in Worcestershire, its two southern termini, to Lichfield, Staffordshire, its northern terminus, via Birmingham New Str ...
. On 25 June 2015 the government announced that some of the electrification projects would be delayed or cut back because of rising costs. Electrification work was to be "paused" on the Trans-Pennine route between York and Manchester and on the Midland main line between Bedford and Sheffield. Electrification of the Great Western main line would go ahead but the status of the Reading–Newbury and Didcot–Oxford sections was unclear. However, in September 2015, the electrification work was "un-paused", but with a delayed completion date. Since then there have been regular updates including one published in October 2016. On 20 July 2017 Chris Grayling the Secretary of State for Transport cancelled a number of electrification projects citing disruptive works and use of bi-mode technology as an alternative. Electrification has not been without controversy with cancellations and various appearances of the Secretary of State for Transport called before the Transport Select Committee. The Transport Select Committee published its report into various matters including regional investment disparity on the railways and calling again for the reinstatement of various cancelled electrification schemes. A written question was submitted and answered in parliament regarding route miles electrified in the years 1997–2019. In March 2019 the Railway Industry Association published a paper on Electrification cost challenge suggesting ways forward and a rolling program of electrification.


Future of third rail

In June 2011 Peter Dearman of Network Rail suggested that the third-rail network will need to be converted into overhead lines. He stated: "Although the top speed is , the trains cannot go over well and 25% of power is lost from heat." Agreeing that conversion would be expensive, he said that the third rail network is at the limit of its power capability, especially as trains become more advanced in technology. The July 2012
Department for Transport The Department for Transport (DfT) is a department of His Majesty's Government responsible for the English transport network and a limited number of transport matters in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland that have not been devolved. The d ...
High Level Output Specification for Network Rail Control Period 5 includes the conversion of the South West Main Line between and from 750VDC third rail to 25kVAC overhead as part of a scheme to improve rail freight capacity from
Southampton Port The Port of Southampton is a passenger and cargo port in the central part of the south coast of England. The modern era in the history of the Port of Southampton began when the first dock was inaugurated in 1843. The port has been owned and op ...
. This conversion would be a pilot scheme to develop a business case for full conversion of the third-rail network. The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) has also stated that, on safety grounds, third-rail 750VDC has a limited future.


Existing systems – overhead line (OHL)


National Rail: 25 kV, 50 Hz AC overhead

British Railways British Railways (BR), which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was a state-owned company that operated most of the overground rail transport in Great Britain from 1948 to 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the Big Four British rai ...
chose this as the national standard for future electrification projects outside of the third rail area in 1956. Following this, a number of lines that were originally electrified at a different voltage were converted, and a number of lines have been newly electrified with this system. Work started in the late 1950s. The first major electrification project using 25 kV was the West Coast Main Line (1959–1974). Initially this was Crewe, Manchester and Liverpool south into London and Birmingham.
Weaver Junction Weaver Junction is a railway junction connecting the West Coast Main Line (WCML) with the Weaver Junction–Liverpool line, opening on 1 April 1869. Trains bound for Liverpool from London diverge from the WCML at this junction. Weaver Junction i ...
north to Glasgow followed later. The 25 kV network has been gradually expanded ever since:


Existing

;
Great Western Main Line The Great Western Main Line (GWML) is a main line railway in England that runs westwards from London Paddington to . It connects to other main lines such as those from Reading to Penzance and Swindon to Swansea. Opened in 1841, it was the or ...
*Electrified from
London Paddington Paddington, also known as London Paddington, is a London station group, Central London railway terminus and London Underground station complex, located on Praed Street in the Paddington area. The site has been the London terminus of services pro ...
via , and to . *Electrified from to . *Electrified from
London Paddington Paddington, also known as London Paddington, is a London station group, Central London railway terminus and London Underground station complex, located on Praed Street in the Paddington area. The site has been the London terminus of services pro ...
to in 1994 in a joint venture between British Rail and the British Airports Authority using the Mark 3B series. ; West Coast Main Line: *Electrified from London Euston during the late 1950s and mid-1960s using the Mark 1 series under the BR
1955 Modernisation Plan Events January * January 3 – José Ramón Guizado becomes president of Panama. * January 17 – , the first nuclear-powered submarine, puts to sea for the first time, from Groton, Connecticut. * January 18– 20 – Battle of Yijian ...
to , extended to in 1974 using the Mark 3A range. *: see Northampton loop. *: see
Rugby–Birmingham–Stafford line The Rugby–Birmingham–Stafford line (also known as the Birmingham loop) is a railway line in the West Midlands of England. It is a loop off the West Coast Main Line (WCML) between Rugby and Stafford, via the West Midlands cities of Coventry ...
. * to . * to
Manchester Piccadilly Manchester Piccadilly is the principal railway station in Manchester, England. Opened as Store Street in 1842, it was renamed Manchester London Road in 1847 and became Manchester Piccadilly in 1960. Located to the south-east of Manchester city ...
: see Stafford–Manchester line and Crewe–Manchester line. *The "Abbey Flyer" ( Abbey Line) was electrified in 1987–88 by Network SouthEast. * in 1989 (from Carstairs Junction in conjunction with
East Coast Main Line The East Coast Main Line (ECML) is a electrified railway between London and Edinburgh via Peterborough, Doncaster, York, Darlington, Durham and Newcastle. The line is a key transport artery on the eastern side of Great Britain running broa ...
electrification) *In 2003, the Crewe– section of the Crewe–Derby line was electrified as a diversionary route for the WCML. *Since 1999, the line has been modernised and the overhead line equipment has been refurbished and renewed from Mark 1 / Mark 3A to UK1 range to allow an increase line speeds from 110mph to 125mph (with 140mph capability in areas previously fitted with Automatically Tensioned Mark 1 equipment - subject to upgrading of the balance weight arrangement to provide individually tensioned contact / catenary wires and regrading of the contact wires). At the same time sections of the line are being progressively changed to autotransformer system. ; Midland Main Line *Electrified between London St Pancras and in 1983 using the Mark 3B range, and Dock Junction to Moorgate - now cut back to
City Thameslink City Thameslink is a central London railway station within the City of London, with entrances on Ludgate Hill and Holborn Viaduct. The station is on the Thameslink route between to the south and to the north. The station opened in 1990 to ...
. *Electrification from Bedford to and using the UK Master Series (MS125) range is expected by Spring 2021 (MML Phase 1), further extensions to Leicester, Nottingham Trent Junction and Sheffield (via Derby) by 2023 (MML Phase 2) were cancelled in July 2017. In November 2021, the Integrated Rail Plan (IRP) was published. This included full Midland Main Line electrification. On 21 December 2021 it was announced that work would start immediately on electrification of the section between Kettering and Market Harborough.
Grant Shapps Grant Shapps (born 14 September 1968) is a British politician who is serving as Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy since October 2022. He previously served as Secretary of State for Transport in the Premiership of Bo ...
claimed this work was proof the IRP was being implemented quickly but was met with ridicule. ;
High Speed 1 High Speed 1 (HS1), legally the Channel Tunnel Rail Link (CTRL), is a high-speed railway linking London with the Channel Tunnel. It is part of a line carrying international passenger traffic between the United Kingdom and mainland Europe; ...
* Newest main line, completed in 2007. Links London St Pancras with and the
Channel Tunnel The Channel Tunnel (french: Tunnel sous la Manche), also known as the Chunnel, is a railway tunnel that connects Folkestone (Kent, England, UK) with Coquelles ( Hauts-de-France, France) beneath the English Channel at the Strait of Dover. ...
. ;
East Coast Main Line The East Coast Main Line (ECML) is a electrified railway between London and Edinburgh via Peterborough, Doncaster, York, Darlington, Durham and Newcastle. The line is a key transport artery on the eastern side of Great Britain running broa ...
: *Electrified in two parts: 1975–78, and 1984–91 *The line between and was electrified between 1976 and 1978 using the Mark 3A range as part of the Great Northern Suburban Electrification Project. This included the Hertford loop line. The section between and was electrified in 1988 using the Mark 3B range. *In 1984, authority was given to electrify to Edinburgh and . The section between
Hitchin Hitchin () is a market town and unparished area in the North Hertfordshire Districts of England, district in Hertfordshire, England, with an estimated population of 35,842. History Hitchin is first noted as the central place of the Hicce peopl ...
and was completed in 1987, and and were reached in 1989. By 1990, electrification had reached , and in 1991 Edinburgh Waverley. The Mark 3B range was used throughout the electrification scheme, certain areas are presently being upgraded to the Mark 3D design range, this will eliminate known corrosion issues with the AWAC catenary and replace solid stainless steel droppers with flexible copper current carrying designs. Some headspan to portal conversions are also taking place. *In order to keep construction teams working, two additional schemes were authorised, to and ( North Berwick Line). *At the peak of the electrification project during the late 1980s, it was claimed to be the "longest construction site in the world" at over . ; West Anglia / Fen Line: This covers the lines from (Bethnal Green Junction) to , , and . In the 1960s, the lines to Chingford, Enfield Town and Cheshunt were electrified at 6.25kV, from Cheshunt to and Hertford East at 25kV. The Lea Valley line between Coppermill Junction and Cheshunt was electrified at 25kV in 1969. All the 6.25kV areas were converted to 25kV in 1983. In 1987, electrification was extended from Bishop's Stortford to Cambridge at 25kV. In 1990 the line to opened, and in 1992 electrification was extended from Cambridge to along the Fen Line. ;
Great Eastern Main Line The Great Eastern Main Line (GEML, sometimes referred to as the East Anglia Main Line) is a major railway line on the British railway system which connects Liverpool Street station in central London with destinations in east London and t ...
: *
London Liverpool Street Liverpool Street station, also known as London Liverpool Street, is a central London railway terminus and connected London Underground station in the north-eastern corner of the City of London, in the ward of Bishopsgate Without. It is the t ...
to Norwich. *Converted from 1,500 V DC (see 1,500 V DC section " Shenfield Metro") Converted from 6.25 kV/1,500 V DC to a combination of AT and FT 25 kV Mark GE (Great Eastern) between 1976 and 1980. Presently being upgraded to the GEFF (Great Eastern Furrer + Frey) range altering the catenary from a compound to simple sagged arrangement. *
Romford–Upminster line The Romford–Upminster line is a railway branch line in Greater London that connects , on the Great Eastern Main Line, to , on the London, Tilbury and Southend line and London Underground. The route is in length and there is one intermediate ...
*
Shenfield–Southend line The Shenfield–Southend line is a branch line off the Great Eastern Main Line in Essex, in the east of England. It links in the west to , in Southend-on-Sea, in the east. The vast majority of services connect to or from the Great Eastern Main ...
* Crouch Valley line * Braintree branch line * Mayflower line *
Sunshine Coast Line The Sunshine Coast Line is the current marketing name of what originally was the Tendring Hundred Railway Line, a branch off the Great Eastern Main Line in the East of England. It links to the seaside resorts of and, via a branch, . The line ...
; London, Tilbury and Southend line to . The majority was originally electrified at 6.25 kV, final sections converted to 25 kV in March 1989. ; London Overground Local lines within London electrified with 25 kV are: *
North London line The North London line (NLL) is a railway line which passes through the inner suburbs of west, north-west, north, and east London, England between Richmond in the south-west and Stratford in the east, avoiding central London. Its route is a rou ...
, between and . * Lea Valley lines * Gospel Oak to Barking line *Various other suburban lines in the north of the city are electrified as part of other routes mentioned above. ;West Midlands *West Coast Main Line routes electrified in the 1960s: **
Trent Valley line The Trent Valley line is a railway line between Rugby and Stafford in England, forming part of the West Coast Main Line. It is named after the River Trent which it follows. The line was built to provide a direct route from London to North West E ...
**
Stone to Colwich Line In geology, rock (or stone) is any naturally occurring solid mass or aggregate of minerals or mineraloid matter. It is categorized by the minerals included, its chemical composition, and the way in which it is formed. Rocks form the Earth's ...
**
Rugby–Birmingham–Stafford line The Rugby–Birmingham–Stafford line (also known as the Birmingham loop) is a railway line in the West Midlands of England. It is a loop off the West Coast Main Line (WCML) between Rugby and Stafford, via the West Midlands cities of Coventry ...
** Stafford–Manchester line **
Walsall–Wolverhampton line The Walsall–Wolverhampton line is a railway line in the West Midlands, England. It connects the town of Walsall to the city of Wolverhampton. The complete line does not currently have any regular scheduled passenger services: The line's local ...
*Commuter lines out of : **
Cross-City Line The Cross-City Line is a commuter rail line in the West Midlands region of England. It runs for from Redditch and Bromsgrove in Worcestershire, its two southern termini, to Lichfield, Staffordshire, its northern terminus, via Birmingham New Str ...
: electrified 1993 ** Chase Line: New Street to completed 2017 ;Manchester and North West area * Manchester to Glossop / Hadfield (converted from the truncated 1500 V DC Manchester-Sheffield-Wath electric railway) * Manchester to Liverpool via Earlestown line: electrified in 2015 as part of the Northern Hub project. * Manchester, South Junction and Altrincham Railway (part was converted to Manchester Metrolink) * Styal Line: including branch to *
Manchester–Preston line The Manchester–Preston line runs from the city of Manchester to Preston, Lancashire, England. It is largely used by commuters entering Manchester from surrounding suburbs and cities, but is also one of the main railway lines in the North West ...
: via Bolton and completed 2019 * Preston to Blackpool North: completed 2018 * Stafford–Manchester line: branch of the WCML, electrified in the wake of the BR
1955 Modernisation Plan Events January * January 3 – José Ramón Guizado becomes president of Panama. * January 17 – , the first nuclear-powered submarine, puts to sea for the first time, from Groton, Connecticut. * January 18– 20 – Battle of Yijian ...
* Crewe–Manchester line: branch of the WCML, electrified in the wake of the 1955 Modernisation Plan ;Leeds area In 1994, a project to electrify some of the local lines around Leeds was given authority to proceed. The project was called the "Leeds North West Electrification", which electrified: * Airedale line to Skipton and * Wharfedale line to Ilkley * Wakefield line electrified in 1989 as part of the
East Coast Main Line The East Coast Main Line (ECML) is a electrified railway between London and Edinburgh via Peterborough, Doncaster, York, Darlington, Durham and Newcastle. The line is a key transport artery on the eastern side of Great Britain running broa ...
electrification to London King's Cross * In 2020 the electrification of the first part of the stalled TransPennine project, from Leeds to Dewsbury and Huddersfield, was approved and work also commenced on the York to Church Fenton section of the York to Leeds line. ;Edinburgh: *In 1991, the ECML to Edinburgh was electrified. A few local routes were also electrified. *
Edinburgh Crossrail The Borders Railway connects the city of Edinburgh with Galashiels and Tweedbank in the Scottish Borders. The railway follows most of the alignment of the northern part of the Waverley Route, a former double-track line in southern Scotland a ...
: Edinburgh Waverley to . The service is by
DMUs A diesel multiple unit or DMU is a multiple-unit train powered by on-board diesel engines. A DMU requires no separate locomotive, as the engines are incorporated into one or more of the carriages. Diesel-powered single-unit railcars are also ...
, pending reopening of part of the Waverley Route. * North Berwick Line: Edinburgh Waverley to *
Glasgow–Edinburgh via Carstairs line The Glasgow–Edinburgh via Carstairs line is a main railway route which connects the Scottish cities of Glasgow and Edinburgh, by means of their respective sections of the West Coast Main Line (WCML). Along with the Shotts line, the Falki ...
: some North Berwick Line trains continue to . Intercity trains from the ECML continue to Glasgow Central. ;Central Scotland: The route from Edinburgh to Glasgow via Bathgate has been reinstated between Bathgate and and electrified throughout. It opened on 11 December 2010. The electrification of the main inter-city route between Edinburgh and Glasgow Queen Street High Level via
Falkirk Falkirk ( gd, An Eaglais Bhreac, sco, Fawkirk) is a large town in the Central Lowlands of Scotland, historically within the county of Stirlingshire. It lies in the Forth Valley, northwest of Edinburgh and northeast of Glasgow. Falkirk had a ...
was completed in 2017. The project, known as the
Edinburgh to Glasgow Improvement Programme The Edinburgh Glasgow Improvement Programme or EGIP was an initiative funded by Transport Scotland on behalf of the Scottish Government to increase capacity on the main railway line between Edinburgh and Glasgow, with new, longer electric train ...
, entailed infill electrification in the Glasgow area and Greenhill Junction to Stirling, Dunblane and Alloa, which mainly carry commuter services. Electric services on these lines commenced in December 2018. ;Glasgow Suburban: Suburban electrification was begun during the 1960s in the wake of the BR
1955 Modernisation Plan Events January * January 3 – José Ramón Guizado becomes president of Panama. * January 17 – , the first nuclear-powered submarine, puts to sea for the first time, from Groton, Connecticut. * January 18– 20 – Battle of Yijian ...
. Electrification was piecemeal and is still incomplete, with a few commuter lines still unelectrified such as the East Kilbride branch and Glasgow to Anniesland via Maryhill, and the mainline from Glasgow to Carlisle via Kilmarknock and Dumfries. The Glasgow Suburban railway network can be divided into three main areas: *'' North Clyde Line'': also known as the "Glasgow North Electric Suburban Line", one of the first lines in Glasgow electrified in 1960 (, and to Glasgow Queen Street (Low Level) and to and ). *''South Clyde'': the Cathcart Circle Line (Glasgow Central to
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and ) was electrified on 22 May 1962. The Inverclyde Line (Glasgow Central to and ) was electrified in 1967. The Ayrshire Coast Line (Glasgow Central to , and ) was electrified in 1986–1987. The Paisley Canal line was electrified to from Glasgow Central, in late 2012 extended to Paisley. *'' Argyle Line'': between and via Glasgow Central (Low Level) to Hamilton Circle, , and (via Hamilton,
Motherwell Motherwell ( sco, Mitherwall, gd, Tobar na Màthar) is a town and former burgh in North Lanarkshire, Scotland, United Kingdom, south east of Glasgow. It has a population of around 32,120. Historically in the parish of Dalziel and part of Lanarks ...
or
Holytown Holytown ( sco, 'Holy-Town' - Holytown, gd, Baile a' Chuilinn)
). There is also peak service to . On the
Glasgow–Edinburgh via Carstairs line The Glasgow–Edinburgh via Carstairs line is a main railway route which connects the Scottish cities of Glasgow and Edinburgh, by means of their respective sections of the West Coast Main Line (WCML). Along with the Shotts line, the Falki ...
, some North Berwick Line trains continue to Glasgow Central. A single daily East Coast intercity train from the ECML continues to and from Glasgow Central. The Shotts Line, Junction to was electrified in April 2019. The Cumbernauld Line to and the remaining section of the
Motherwell–Cumbernauld line The Motherwell–Cumbernauld line is a suburban railway line linking Motherwell and Cumbernauld in Scotland. It is part of the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport network. History The line was built as part of the: *Wishaw and Coltness R ...
was electrified in mid 2014. The line between Springburn and Glasgow Queen Street (High Level) has not yet been completed. Until Glasgow Queen Street High Level has been electrified, electric Cumbernauld Line trains reverse at Springburn and run through Glasgow Queen Street Low Level station. The Whifflet Line between and via was electrified in late 2014.


2010s Network Rail electrification programme

In 2009,
Lord Adonis Andrew Adonis, Baron Adonis, (born Andreas Adonis; 22 February 1963) is a British Labour Party politician and journalist who served in HM Government for five years in the Blair ministry and the Brown ministry. He served as Secretary of State ...
was appointed
Secretary of State for Transport The Secretary of State for Transport, also referred to as the transport secretary, is a secretary of state in the Government of the United Kingdom, with overall responsibility for the policies of the Department for Transport. The incumbent i ...
. After a gap of more than a decade, electrification was back on the agenda and Adonis announced plans to electrify the
Great Western Main Line The Great Western Main Line (GWML) is a main line railway in England that runs westwards from London Paddington to . It connects to other main lines such as those from Reading to Penzance and Swindon to Swansea. Opened in 1841, it was the or ...
from London to , as well as infill electrification schemes in the North West of England. In July 2012, the UK government announced £4.2billion of new electrification schemes, all at 25kVAC and reconfirmed schemes previously announced by Adonis. These were to be Northern Hub, Great Western Main Line, South Wales Main Line, Midland Main Line, Electric Spine, Crossrail, Gospel Oak to Barking line and West Midlands suburban lines. Rail transport in Scotland is a devolved matter for the Scottish Government but they too have pursued electrification with multiple schemes in the Central Belt. All these have been 25kVAC also as in England and Wales. Electrification has not been without controversy with cancellations and various appearances of the Secretary of State for Transport called before the Transport Select Committee. The number of route miles electrified in these years was answered to a written question in parliament. In November 2019 the annual statistics for route miles electrified was published by the DfT and shows that 38% of the UK network is now electrified. The projects have been subject to cost overruns and delays, and on 8 November 2016 the government announced that several elements of the Great Western Main Line electrification programme would be indefinitely deferred. In an attempt to mitigate and improve the cost situation the Railway Industry Association published a report in March 2019 detailing why costs had risen and suggested ways forward. However, in the new parliament after the 2019 General election, the Transport Select Committee chaired by Huw Merriman has met on a number of occasions and continued the "Trains fit for the future" enquiry theme started by the previous committee. On 23 March 2021, after many witnesses were called and written and oral evidence considered, a report was released calling for an immediate resumption of electrification in a rolling programme. However, in December 2021 in a story that appeared in the Telegraph it was stated that the Treasury had declined to support the electrification programme. Reputable peer reviewed journals state that electrification is the most relevant technology for reducing transports effect on the environment.


Other systems


1,500 V DC, overhead

* '' Tyne and Wear Metro'': The Tyne & Wear Metro, which opened in 1980, is now the only system left in the UK using the 1500VDC overhead lines. Although it is often described as " light rail", it is closer to a heavy metro, using only segregated track. Much of its route follows that of the previous Tyneside Electrics, which had been converted to diesel by 1967. Since 2002, the Metro has shared main-line track on the Durham Coast Line to
Sunderland Sunderland () is a port city in Tyne and Wear, England. It is the City of Sunderland's administrative centre and in the Historic counties of England, historic county of County of Durham, Durham. The city is from Newcastle-upon-Tyne and is on t ...
. This presents a potential problem for main-line services if routes into Sunderland or Newcastle upon Tyne that use this section were to be electrified at 25kVAC. Historically, there were more lines electrified at 1,500 V DC, but these have all since been either converted to 25kVAC or closed. (see 1,500VDC, overhead (historic))


750 V DC, overhead

Used on several tram systems: *
Edinburgh Trams Edinburgh Trams is a tramway in Edinburgh, Scotland, operated by Edinburgh Trams Ltd. It is a line between St Andrew Square in the New Town and Edinburgh Airport, with 15 stops. Construction began in June 2008, and after encountering delays ...
* Manchester Metrolink * Sheffield Supertram * Croydon Tramlink *
Nottingham Express Transit Nottingham Express Transit (NET) is a tram system in Nottingham, England. The system opened to the public on 9 March 2004 and a second phase, that more than doubled the size of the total system, opened on 25 August 2015, having been initially ...
*
West Midlands Metro The West Midlands Metro (originally named Midland Metro) is a light-rail/tram system in the county of West Midlands, England. Opened on 30 May 1999, it currently consists of a single route, Line 1, which operates between the cities of Birmin ...


Other overhead systems

* Blackpool Tramway: originally 550VDC, in 2011 upgraded to 600 V to operate more modern rolling stock. * The National Tramway Museum at Crich, Derbyshire uses 600 V DC. This voltage was chosen for maximum compatibility with its historic fleet of trams as well as more modern units. * The Wirral Tramway uses 550VDC. * The
Seaton Tramway The Seaton Tramway is a narrow gauge electric tramway in the East Devon district of South West England. The route runs alongside the Axe Estuary and the River Coly, running between the coastal resort of Seaton, the village of Colyford, an ...
uses 120VDC.


Existing systems - third and fourth rails


National Rail: 650 V - 750 V DC, third rail (top contact)

;Southern Electric: The extensive southern third rail electric network covers South London and the southern counties of Dorset, Hampshire,
Sussex Sussex (), from the Old English (), is a historic county in South East England that was formerly an independent medieval Anglo-Saxon kingdom. It is bounded to the west by Hampshire, north by Surrey, northeast by Kent, south by the English ...
,
Surrey Surrey () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South East England, bordering Greater London to the south west. Surrey has a large rural area, and several significant urban areas which form part of the Greater London Built-up Area. ...
and Kent. The London and South Western Railway (L&SWR) third-rail system at 660VDC began before World War I from
London Waterloo Waterloo station (), also known as London Waterloo, is a central London terminus on the National Rail network in the United Kingdom, in the Waterloo area of the London Borough of Lambeth. It is connected to a London Underground station of ...
to suburban destinations. The Southern Railway was formed in the 1923 grouping; it adopted the L&SWR system, and by 1929 the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway (LB&SCR) suburban overhead network was replaced by third rail. The South Eastern Main Line was electrified at 600V, later upgraded to 750VDC. The third rail extended throughout most South London lines out of all its London termini. Throughout the 1930s, there was much main line electrification, including the Brighton Main Line (including East, West Coastways and related routes in 1932–1933), the Portsmouth Direct line (4 July 1937) and to Maidstone and Gillingham (1939). After World War II, electrification was soon resumed in the newly nationalised
British Railways British Railways (BR), which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was a state-owned company that operated most of the overground rail transport in Great Britain from 1948 to 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the Big Four British rai ...
' Southern Region. The BR
1955 Modernisation Plan Events January * January 3 – José Ramón Guizado becomes president of Panama. * January 17 – , the first nuclear-powered submarine, puts to sea for the first time, from Groton, Connecticut. * January 18– 20 – Battle of Yijian ...
included the two-stage "Kent Coast Electrification". The
Chatham Main Line The Chatham Main Line is a railway line in England that links London VictoriaQuail Map 5 – England South ages 2–13Sept 2002 (Retrieved 14 December 2011) and Dover Priory / Ramsgate, travelling via Medway (of which the town of Chatham is ...
was completed, followed by the South Eastern Main Line and related lines. The voltage was raised from 660V to 750V. Since then, all electrification has used 750V; lines electrified before then remain at 660V. Attention then switched to the neglected former L&SWR area (then the South Western Division). The South West Main Line (SWML) to Southampton Central and was electrified in 1967 and to in 1988. During sectorisation in the 1980s, Network SouthEast conducted extensive infill electrification. The Snow Hill tunnel was reopened, enabling Thameslink. The Hastings Line,
Eastleigh–Fareham line The Eastleigh–Fareham line is the railway line from Eastleigh to Fareham in the United Kingdom. At Eastleigh, trains join the South West Main Line for onward travel to Basingstoke and London Waterloo. At Fareham trains join the West Coastwa ...
and the Oxted line (East Grinstead branch) were electrified. This left only a few lines unelectrified: the
West of England line The West of England line (also known as the West of England Main Line) is a British railway line from , Hampshire, to in Devon, England. Passenger services run between London Waterloo station and Exeter; the line intersects with the Wessex Ma ...
, the
Wessex Main Line The Wessex Main Line is the railway line from Bristol Temple Meads to Southampton Central. Diverging from this route is the Heart of Wessex Line from Westbury to Weymouth. The Wessex Main Line intersects the Reading to Taunton Line at and th ...
, the North Downs Line, the Oxted line (Uckfield branch), the Marshlink line and the
Eastleigh–Romsey line The Eastleigh–Romsey line is the railway line from Eastleigh to Romsey in Hampshire, England. At Eastleigh, trains join the South West Main Line for onward travel to Southampton. At Romsey most trains terminate. The line is not electrified and ...
. ; Merseyrail: Two lines of the Merseyrail network; the Northern line and the Wirral line use 750V DC third rail (see Suburban electrification of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway for its history). ; Island Line (Isle of Wight): The single remaining national rail line on the Isle of Wight, from Ryde Pierhead to Shanklin (with the Wroxall to Ventnor section closed), was electrified in 1967, so that former London Underground rolling stock could be used, due to the limited height of Ryde Tunnel. The Island Line used 660VDC third rail, as it was a cheaper option to convert the LUL stock into third rail, and implement third rail only on the line. The rolling stock currently used is British Rail Class 484s ( D-Train). The line was upgraded to a 750VDC third rail system in 2021 to allow Class 484 units to be used. ; London Overground: * to ( Watford DC line). *
Richmond Richmond most often refers to: * Richmond, Virginia, the capital of Virginia, United States * Richmond, London, a part of London * Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town in England * Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada * Richmond, California, ...
to Stratford (
North London line The North London line (NLL) is a railway line which passes through the inner suburbs of west, north-west, north, and east London, England between Richmond in the south-west and Stratford in the east, avoiding central London. Its route is a rou ...
). 750VDC third rail from
Richmond Richmond most often refers to: * Richmond, Virginia, the capital of Virginia, United States * Richmond, London, a part of London * Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town in England * Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada * Richmond, California, ...
to Acton Central. * West London line. 750VDC from near the location of the former St. Quintin Park & Wormwood Scrubs railway station to Clapham Junction (shared with Southern services). * East London line. Highbury & Islington to New Cross station and the junctions with the South London network near
New Cross Gate station New Cross Gate is a railway station in New Cross, London, on the Brighton Main Line and the London Overground. It is down the line from and is about west of station. It is in Travelcard Zone 2, and is operated by London Overground. History ...
and
Queens Road Peckham station Queens Road Peckham railway station is in the London Borough of Southwark and also serves the area to the east of Peckham, in the London Borough of Lewisham. It is on the South London Line, from , and trains also go to Croydon via various rout ...
. Formerly, the East London Line was a much shorter London Underground line with fourth rail 630VDC between Shoreditch (closed 2006) and New Cross/New Cross Gate. See Suburban electrification of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway for Euston–Watford DC Line history. In 1970, the North London DC lines and the Class 501 EMUs used on these services were converted for third-rail operation, with the fourth rail generally being removed on sections not used by London Underground (LUL). Some fourth rail was retained in the Gunnersbury and Queens Park areas for emergency use by LUL. With the closure of Broad Street, the
North London line The North London line (NLL) is a railway line which passes through the inner suburbs of west, north-west, north, and east London, England between Richmond in the south-west and Stratford in the east, avoiding central London. Its route is a rou ...
was joined with the Stratford to North Woolwich line; this was electrified with third rail and overhead line as far as Stratford, third rail to North Woolwich. Two branches of the Watford DC line have been closed: to Rickmansworth in 1952 (to passengers, to goods in 1967) and to in 1996. The Watford DC line between Queen's Park and and the North London Line between Richmond and Gunnersbury are used by London Overground trains designed for 750V third rail and Bakerloo line trains designed for 630V third and fourth rail. As a compromise, the nominal line voltage is 650V, and since 1970 the centre rail has been bonded to the return running rail. There are no special provisions required at Queens Park, where the two dissimilar systems meet, just a gap longer than one coach of a Bakerloo line train at the entry to (and exit from) the Bakerloo, which operates with a nominal -210V on the fourth rail and +420V on the third rail. There is no bridging of the incompatible systems as trains pass from one to the other since, like all UK electric trains intended to run extensively in tunnels, there is no continuity of traction power circuits between vehicles of the train. A similar arrangement applies between Putney Bridge and
Wimbledon Wimbledon most often refers to: * Wimbledon, London, a district of southwest London * Wimbledon Championships, the oldest tennis tournament in the world and one of the four Grand Slam championships Wimbledon may also refer to: Places London * ...
, where the District line runs over tracks owned by Network Rail, which is also used by South Western Railway, though normally only for stock movements. ;
Northern City Line The Northern City Line is a commuter railway line in England, which runs from Moorgate station to Finsbury Park in London with services running beyond. It is part of the Great Northern Route services, and operates as the south-eastern branc ...
: The Northern City Line connects the
East Coast Main Line The East Coast Main Line (ECML) is a electrified railway between London and Edinburgh via Peterborough, Doncaster, York, Darlington, Durham and Newcastle. The line is a key transport artery on the eastern side of Great Britain running broa ...
to Moorgate. It was isolated by the abandonment of the 1930s New Works Programme (and the development of the Metropolitan Green Belt). Tube services were truncated at its northern end by the Victoria line in 1964 at
Drayton Park Drayton Park is a National Rail station in Highbury, in the London Borough of Islington. It is on the Northern City Line between Highbury & Islington and Finsbury Park stations, down the line from ; it is in Travelcard Zone 2. The ...
. The remainder was handed over to
British Rail British Railways (BR), which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was a state-owned company that operated most of the overground rail transport in Great Britain from 1948 to 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the Big Four British rai ...
in 1975 in conjunction with the suburban electrification of the
East Coast Main Line The East Coast Main Line (ECML) is a electrified railway between London and Edinburgh via Peterborough, Doncaster, York, Darlington, Durham and Newcastle. The line is a key transport artery on the eastern side of Great Britain running broa ...
. The line uses third-rail DC electrification between Moorgate and Drayton Park, where trains switch to 25 kV AC overhead.


630 V DC, fourth rail (top contact)

; London Underground: The London Underground is a large metro system operating across
Greater London Greater may refer to: *Greatness, the state of being great *Greater than, in inequality (mathematics), inequality *Greater (film), ''Greater'' (film), a 2016 American film *Greater (flamingo), the oldest flamingo on record *Greater (song), "Greate ...
and beyond, commonly known as "the Tube". Its is made up of 11 lines; electrification began during the 1890s. It was largely unified between 1900 and 1910 and nationalised in 1933, becoming the railway component of London Transport (LT). A major expansion programme (the "New Works") was launched, in which LT took over several urban branches of mainline railways. The Underground is mostly in North London; its expansion into south London was limited by geology unfavourable to tunnelling and by the extensive main-line network, much of which was being electrified (see "Southern Electric"). The Underground uses a relatively uncommon four rail system of electrification. Two
standard gauge A standard-gauge railway is a railway with a track gauge of . The standard gauge is also called Stephenson gauge (after George Stephenson), International gauge, UIC gauge, uniform gauge, normal gauge and European gauge in Europe, and SGR in Ea ...
rails are the running rails; the outer third rail carries positive current at +420VDC and the inner fourth rail is the negative return at –210VDC, giving a supply voltage of 630VDC. The chief advantage of the fourth-rail system is that, in tunnels with a metallic (usually cast-iron) lining, the return traction current does not leak into the lining causing
electrolytic corrosion Galvanic corrosion (also called bimetallic corrosion or dissimilar metal corrosion) is an electrochemical process in which one metal corrodes preferentially when it is in electrical contact with another, in the presence of an electrolyte. A simi ...
there or in adjacent utility mains. It also means that the two running rails are available exclusively for track circuits. The surface sections use the fourth rail solely for operational consistency: the system shares track with Network Rail in several places. Where the track is shared with 750 V third-rail stock, the central rail is bonded to the running rails and the outside rail electrified at 660 V. This allows both types of train to operate satisfactorily. The suburban network of the London & North Western Railway (LNWR) was electrified in co-operation with the Underground, but during the 1970s British Rail introduced third-rail EMUs and the sections of the LNWR suburban network not used by the Underground had the fourth rail removed (see "London and North Western Railway", above). The Underground has carried out studies to consider raising the voltage above the present 630V nominal. New equipment at their substations does allow for a future increase to a standard 750V nominal. In addition, the electrical equipment of new trains are also based on the use of 750V rated equipment. So, whilst new equipment is being designed to for 750V operation, no decision to increase the voltage has yet been made public by the Underground.


750 V DC, third rail (bottom contact)

; Docklands Light Railway: This uses bottom-contact composite third rail, with an aluminium body and a
steel Steel is an alloy made up of iron with added carbon to improve its strength and fracture resistance compared to other forms of iron. Many other elements may be present or added. Stainless steels that are corrosion- and oxidation-resistant ty ...
contact surface. The advantage of this is a low-resistance, high-current-capacity rail with a durable steel surface for current collection. The rail may be surrounded by insulating material on the top and sides to reduce the risk of
electrocution Electrocution is death or severe injury caused by electric shock from electric current passing through the body. The word is derived from "electro" and "execution", but it is also used for accidental death. The term "electrocution" was coined ...
to railway staff and trespassers. The bottom-contact system is less prone to derangement by snow than top contact.


750 V DC, fourth rail (top contact)

; Waterloo and City line This system is unique to this line of London Underground operated railways. The use of 750 volts came about because the line was originally owned by Railtrack and operated by Network South East. It was upgraded in 1992/3 for both traction supply and rolling stock. Railtrack upgraded the original three rail system to four rail to solve problems with electrolytic damage to the iron tunnel linings (the reason four rail operation was adopted for all other tube lines). They also changed the voltage to 750 volts which had been adopted as their standard DC operating voltage some years earlier. The line was subsequently sold to London Underground in 1994 who inherited the non standard system (for London Underground). The line is still powered from its own substation located in the Waterloo depot.


600 V DC, third rail (top contact)

*
Glasgow Subway The Glasgow Subway is an underground light metro system in Glasgow, Scotland. Opened on 14 December 1896, it is the fourth-oldest underground rail transit system in Europe after the London Underground, Liverpool's Mersey Railway and the Budapes ...
, electrified in 1935


250 V DC, third rail (top contact)

* Hythe Pier Railway, electrified in 1922


110 V DC, third rail (top contact)

* Volk's Electric Railway was originally electrified at 50VDC, raised to 160V in 1884 and reduced to 110VDC during the 1980s.


100 V DC, four rail

*The elevated "monorail" at the National Motor Museum, Beaulieu uses rubber tyres running on two metal tracks, one on either side of the central guide. Because it is rubber-tyred, it requires two current conductors and two collectors (hence the four-rail designation).


Obsolete systems

Great Britain has used different electrification systems in the past. Many of these date from the early part of the 20th century, when traction electricity was in the experimental stage. This section describes each system, in order of decreasing voltage.


6,600V, 25Hz AC, overhead

*'' Lancaster to Heysham via Morecambe:'' Used for an early trial of electrification; opened between 13 April and 14 September 1908. In 1953, it was converted to 50Hz, and operated until 1966. *'' 'Elevated Electric' London suburban lines'' of the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway (LBSCR): The first large-scale suburban electrification scheme; starting with the South London Line and then extended to other commuter lines around the south of London, operational from 1 December 1909. Following the grouping into the LBSCR into the Southern Railway in 1922, all of the 6,600V lines were converted to the 650VDC third rail system by September 1929.


6,250V 50 Hz AC, overhead

During the initial electrification of parts of the network to 25kV50HzAC overhead, the initial solution to the limited clearance problems in suburban areas (due to numerous tunnels and bridges) in London and Glasgow was to use the lower voltage of 6.25kV. Later technological improvements in insulation allowed these areas to be converted to 25kV. The last sections of 6.25kV were converted during the 1980s. ;London, Tilbury and Southend Lines: The 6.25kV section was from Fenchurch Street to beyond Barking, with changeovers there on both the Upminster and Tilbury lines. The section between and was also at 6.25kV. The remainder was at 25kV. The sections electrified at 6.25kV were converted to 25kV during the early 1980s. ;Great Eastern Lines: The line from Liverpool Street to
Southend Victoria Southend Victoria railway station is the eastern terminus of the Shenfield to Southend Line in the East of England, a branch off the Great Eastern Main Line, and is one of the primary stations serving the resort city of Southend-on-Sea, Essex (t ...
was originally electrified at 1,500VDC overhead during the 1940s-50s. During the early 1960s, the whole of this line was converted to 6.25kVAC overhead, while the main line east of Shenfield was progressively electrified at 25kV, with changeover east of Shenfield. During the early 1980s, the line was again converted, this time to 25kV. The Cambridge line and branches from Liverpool Street was electrified in the early 1960s, with 6.25kV out to a changeover at Cheshunt, and 25kV beyond. The Chingford and Enfield lines were thus at 6.25kV throughout. This route was again fully converted to 25kV in the early 1980s. As part of the electrification onwards to Cambridge and Norwich in the 1980s, electric locomotives were transferred to these routes from the West Coast route. These locomotives would not have been able to operate at 6.25kV. ;Glasgow Suburban network: On the North Clyde, the central section between Parkhead and before Dalmuir (Clydebank loop) and Westerton (Anniesland loop) were at 6.25kV, with the outer sections at 25kV. The Bridgeton and Springburn branches were thus at 6.25 kV throughout. The sections electrified at 6.25kV were converted to 25kV during the early 1980s. On the South Clyde, the route from Glasgow Central around the Cathcart Loop was initially at 6.25kV, with changeovers to 25kV at Kings Park and Muirend on the Motherwell and Neilston routes. These lines were progressively converted to 25kV in the 1970s-80s.


3,500 V DC, overhead

;Bury to Holcombe Brook: This was electrified by the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway in 1913 as part of a trial system for export. The system was converted to third rail in 1918 (see
below Below may refer to: *Earth *Ground (disambiguation) *Soil *Floor *Bottom (disambiguation) Bottom may refer to: Anatomy and sex * Bottom (BDSM), the partner in a BDSM who takes the passive, receiving, or obedient role, to that of the top or ...
).


1,500 V DC, overhead (historic)

After World War I, the UK Government set up a committee to investigate the various systems of railway electrification; in 1921, it recommended that 1,500VDC overhead should be the future national standard. Several schemes were implemented in its wake, but the
Great Depression The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...
and World War II meant that very little work was done. Technological advances after 1945 meant that the 25kVAC system was adopted instead for the West Coast Main line and Glasgow suburban electrification (as set out in the BR
1955 Modernisation Plan Events January * January 3 – José Ramón Guizado becomes president of Panama. * January 17 – , the first nuclear-powered submarine, puts to sea for the first time, from Groton, Connecticut. * January 18– 20 – Battle of Yijian ...
). However, at the same time, large amounts of money had been (and were still being) spent converting several lines to 1,500VDC. ; Manchester, South Junction and Altrincham Railway: A joint
LMS LMS may refer to: Science and technology * Labeled magnitude scale, a scaling technique * Learning management system, education software * Least mean squares filter, producing least mean square error * Leiomyosarcoma, a rare form of cancer * Lenz ...
and
LNER LNER may refer to: *London and North Eastern Railway, a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1923 until 1947 *London North Eastern Railway, a train operating company in the United Kingdom since 2018 * Liquid neutral earthing resistor, a type ...
scheme, it opened on 11 May 1931. The success of this scheme influenced LNER's later electrification schemes. The line was converted to 25kVAC in 1971, but the stretch between Altrincham and Trafford Bar (plus the stretch between Trafford Bar and the Cornbrook viaduct) were later incorporated into Manchester Metrolink and converted again (this time to 750VDC). ; Manchester–Sheffield–Wath: Known as the Woodhead Route, the LNER chose this hilly (and busy) main line for its first mainline electrification, with work beginning in 1936. Due to the Depression and World War II, it was not completed until the 1950s. After completion, the government chose to standardise on 25kVAC instead, leaving the Woodhead Route and the few other 1,500VDC lines isolated and non-standard. The passenger locomotives were sold in 1969 and saw further service in the Netherlands. In a subsequent rationalisation, BR closed much of this route east of Hadfield in 1981 in favour of the more southerly Hope Valley line, which serves more local communities. A section of the line between Manchester, Glossop and Hadfield remained open as part of the Manchester suburban network, and was operated by Class 506 EMU's, until it was converted to 25kVAC in December 1984. ;Shenfield Metro: The LNER decided to electrify the to section of the
Great Eastern Main Line The Great Eastern Main Line (GEML, sometimes referred to as the East Anglia Main Line) is a major railway line on the British railway system which connects Liverpool Street station in central London with destinations in east London and t ...
(GEML), known as the Shenfield Metro. Civil engineering works began during the 1930s, but World War II intervened. Work was completed in 1949 and extended to and in 1956, using Class 306 (AM6) EMUs. It was converted on 4–6 November 1960, in the wake of the BR
1955 Modernisation Plan Events January * January 3 – José Ramón Guizado becomes president of Panama. * January 17 – , the first nuclear-powered submarine, puts to sea for the first time, from Groton, Connecticut. * January 18– 20 – Battle of Yijian ...
, to the new standard of 25kVAC (initially with some sections at 6.25kV). The rest of the GEML was subsequently electrified. ;Shildon to Newport: This line ran from Shildon (County Durham) to Newport (near Middlesbrough). The route was initially over the 1825 Stockton-to-Darlington line, then via Simpasture Junction (the former Clarence railway) through Carlton, Carlton Junction to Carlton South Junction, Bowesfield West Junction to Bowesfield Junction, through Thornaby and ending at Erimus Yard (Newport East). In the wake of the electrification of Tyneside by the
NER NER may refer to: * New European Recordings, a record label * ISO 3166-1 three letter code for Niger * Named entity recognition, a text processing task that identifies certain words as belonging to one class or another * Northeast Regional, an Amtr ...
, this coal-carrying line was electrified between 1 July 1915 and 1 January 1916 as a planned precursor to electrifying NER's busy York to Newcastle main line (part of the
East Coast Main Line The East Coast Main Line (ECML) is a electrified railway between London and Edinburgh via Peterborough, Doncaster, York, Darlington, Durham and Newcastle. The line is a key transport artery on the eastern side of Great Britain running broa ...
). The LNER removed this electrification system in 1935 (between 7 January and 8 July); the decline in the coal market making it economically unfeasible to undertake the significant renewals required to continue electric operation. The locomotives were stored for other electrified routes.


1,200 V DC, third rail (side-contact)

; Manchester Victoria - Bury: In 1916, the line between Manchester Victoria and
Bury Bury may refer to: *The burial of human remains *-bury, a suffix in English placenames Places England * Bury, Cambridgeshire, a village * Bury, Greater Manchester, a town, historically in Lancashire ** Bury (UK Parliament constituency) (1832–19 ...
was electrified using 1,200 V DC third rail (side contact). The line between Bury and Holcombe Brook which had been electrified using 3,500V DC overhead in 1913 was converted to this system in 1918. It was abandoned in 1991, when the line was converted to a 750V DC system and became part of the Manchester Metrolink.


650 V DC, overhead

* Swansea and Mumbles Railway


600 V DC, third rail

; Tyneside Electrics: This was electrified in 1904, in response to extensive competition from new electric trams. The concept was a success for the North Eastern Railway (NER), a noted pioneer in electrification, as passenger numbers returned to pre-tram levels. As the stock reached life expectancy in 1937, the network was remodelled by
London and North Eastern Railway The London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) was the second largest (after LMS) of the " Big Four" railway companies created by the Railways Act 1921 in Britain. It operated from 1 January 1923 until nationalisation on 1 January 1948. At th ...
(LNER) to reflect the changing industrial and residential makeup of the area. Electrified, at the same time, was the dockside branch, where a pair of Class ES1 (formerly NER No.1 and 2) locomotives were introduced in 1905. These
British Thomson-Houston British Thomson-Houston (BTH) was a British engineering and heavy industrial company, based at Rugby, Warwickshire, England, and founded as a subsidiary of the General Electric Company (GE) of Schenectady, New York, United States. They were kno ...
locomotives operated from both the third rail and overhead line.
British Rail British Railways (BR), which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was a state-owned company that operated most of the overground rail transport in Great Britain from 1948 to 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the Big Four British rai ...
removed the electrification between 1963 and 1967, citing the changing industrial and population makeup of the area which reduced the need for electric traction. Much of the Tyneside network was later re-electrified, (using 1500VDC overhead), as the Tyne and Wear Metro.


525 V DC, third rail

; Liverpool Overhead Railway: The Liverpool Overhead Railway was one of the earliest electric railways in Great Britain. The first section, between Alexandra Dock and Herculaneum Dock, was opened in 1893. The line connected with Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway's North Mersey Branch. It was never nationalised, and closed on 30 December 1956 due to extensive corrosion throughout its iron infrastructure (which was deemed uneconomical to replace).


500 V DC, overhead

*
Grimsby and Immingham Electric Railway The Grimsby & Immingham Electric Railway (G&IER) was an electric light railway, primarily for passenger traffic, linking Great Grimsby with the Port of Immingham in Lincolnshire, England. The line was built by the Great Central Railway (GCR), ...


500 V DC, third rail

; City and South London Railway: The City and South London Railway electrification was unusual (compared with later schemes) in that it used a three-wire DC system. This meant that, although the offset centre third rail was electrified at +500volts in the northbound tunnel, it was electrified at -500volts in the southbound tunnel. The motors on the locomotives and the incandescent electric lamps in the carriages worked, regardless of the polarity of the supply. The three-wire system was adopted because the initial system was fed directly from the dynamos in the surface power plant at the Stockwell end of the line. It was important to minimise the voltage drop as much as possible, bearing in mind the rather steep gradient on the approach to King William Street Station.


440 V DC, third rail

;
London Post Office Railway The Post Office Railway, is a narrow gauge, driverless underground railway in London that was built by the Post Office with assistance from the Underground Electric Railways Company of London, to transport mail between sorting offices. Inspire ...
: Underground railway under London operated by the Post Office. Operated between 1927 and closure in 2003. Partially re-opened as a tourist attraction in 2017.


See also

*
British electric multiple units An electric multiple unit (EMU) is an electric train capable of operating in multiple with other EMUs that does not have a separate locomotive, typically passenger trains with accommodation in every vehicle and a driving position at each end. Th ...
* Campaign to Electrify Britain's Railways *
History of rail transport in Great Britain :''This article is part of the history of rail transport by country series.'' The railway system of Great Britain started with the building of local isolated wooden wagonways starting in the 1560s. A patchwork of local rail links operated by s ...
* List of British electric locomotives


References


Further reading


525 V DC, third rail

* * * *


630 V DC, fourth rail

*


650 V DC, third rail

*


750 V DC, third rail

* *


1,500 V DC, overhead

* *


6.6 kV 25 Hz AC, overhead

*


25 kV 50 Hz AC, overhead

* * * * * * * *


External links


Citytransport.info's Electrification advocacy page

Kent Rail



Southern E-mail Group

Southern Electric Group

Suburban Electric Railway Association
{{DEFAULTSORT:Railway Electrification In Great Britain Rail infrastructure in the United Kingdom Great Britain Train-related introductions in 1883