March 18th 2016 saw Virgin Trains East Coast unveil the first of their new Class 800 bi-mode IEP (Intercity Express Programme) units at London King's Cross Station. In the main the Class 800s will be powered by 25kV overhead electrification but they are also fitted with seven 940hp diesel engines to enable them to operate on non-electrified routes and to provide so called 'last mile' and 'get you home' power.
Whilst in France recently I photographed a couple of SNCF Class B 81500 AGC (Autorail à Grande Capacité) at Cosne-Cours-sur-Loire in Burgundy, like the Class 800s these units are bi-mode, each set being fitted with two 887hp diesel engines in addition to overhead current collection equipment. One of the units was in use on local services to Nevers and as it departed I noticed that it was obviously running on diesel power even though the line is electrified…
The train was indeed running on diesel power, its ability to pick up power from the overhead electrification rendered useless because the line here is electrified at 25kV AC and the Class B 81500 is designed to pick up power from 1500V DC systems as used elsewhere in France…
I did think that the anti-railway elements of the British press would have a field day using 'The wrong sort of voltage' in a headline!
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