Following on from the previous post of interesting things happening in the proximity of Perivale Park, here is another.
The small branch line connecting Greenford to West Ealing station and thence the Elizabeth line, runs alongside Perivale park on a railway embankment. Just round the corner, the park has its very own stop – South Greenford. Standing on the platform there yesterday, I spotted this train on the opposite side, waiting for the regular scheduled service to vacate the line ahead. It is apparently quite an important test of battery operated trains – this little branch line (dating from the 1920s?) is too small for it to be electrified by overhead cables and so they have added batteries to the train instead.
At each terminus, there are the chargers, which spring into action for the 3-4 minutes that the trains wait there, before the train speeds off back down the line.
When testing is completed and the drivers trained, the existing diesel trains will be replaced by these battery-electric ones. No more diesel pollution then – the air in Perivale Park will get even cleaner and more fragrant! However! This little branch line, apart from the passenger traffic, also has freight trains running quite frequently- but presumably these are not going to be batteryfied any time soon. Other interesting trains have been spotted on this line in the past. I am pretty sure we spotted the Flying Scotsman steam locomotive there one day, and we also saw the Orient Express (which circulates on track in southern England) – but not sure if passengers were on board. And for those who have never traveled along this line, the view from the train is pretty good from its elevation on the viaduct. Maybe Michael Portillo will do a great little train journey along it one day.