Railway electrification in Great Britain describes the past and present electrification systems used to supply traction current to railways and tramways in Great Britain with a chronological record of development, a list of lines using each system, and a history and a technical description of each system. Railway electrification supplies electrical energy to railway Locomotives and Multiple units so they can operate without having a Reciprocating The Railway system in Great Britain is the oldest in the world

History

Railway electrification emerged at the end of the nineteenth century. Advantages over the then predominant steam traction, particularly in respect of its quick acceleration (ideal for urban (metro) and suburban (commuter) services) and power (ideal for heavy freight trains through mountainous/hilly sections). A steam locomotive is a Locomotive powered by Steam. The term usually refers to its use on Railways but can also refer to a "road locomotive" Many systems emerged in the first twenty years of the twentieth century (as listed below). In 1928 a government committee chose 1500 V DC overhead to be the national standard, but little implementation followed, and many different systems co-existed.

After World War II, with nationalisation (1948), British Railways expanded electrification (the 1500 V DC overhead and Southern Region third rail systems) but soon (mid 1950s) adopted 25 kV AC overhead for its proposed mainline electrification. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including See also Rail transport in Great Britain, National Rail, Network Rail This article is about the defunct entity "British Railways" A third rail is a method of providing Electricity to power a railway through a continuous rigid conductor alongside the railway track or between the rails 25 kV 50 Hz AC is a type of Railway electrification system.

Despite the following years of minimal capital investment, the 25 kV AC network has continued to expand, slowly, although large areas of the country are still non-electrified, despite their urban, suburban, hilly or intercity nature.

Facts and figures

Railway electrification in Europe by country. Data source: UIC

As of 2006, 40% (3,062 miles / 4,928 km) of the British rail network is electrified and 60% of all rail journeys are by electric traction (both by locomotives and multiple units) ^[1]

According to Network Rail, 66% of the electrified network uses the 25 kV a. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. The Railway system in Great Britain is the oldest in the world Railway electrification supplies electrical energy to railway Locomotives and Multiple units so they can operate without having a Reciprocating "Electric Trains" redirects here For the 1995 Squeeze single see Electric Trains (song. The term multiple unit or MU is used to describe a self-propelling train unit capable of coupling with other units of the same or similar type and still Network Rail is a British "not for dividend" Company limited by guarantee whose principal asset is Network Rail Infrastructure Limited a company limited c. overhead system and 36% uses the 660/750 V d. c. third rail system ^[1].

CO₂ emissions

If electricity is generated by renewables or by nuclear power then railway electrification is one way of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Renewable energy is Energy generated from Natural resources mdashsuch as Sunlight, Wind, Rain, tides and geothermal Nuclear power is any Nuclear technology designed to extract usable Energy from atomic nuclei via controlled Nuclear reactions Greenhouse gases are gaseous constituents of the atmosphere bothnatural and anthropogenic that absorb and emit radiation at specific wavelengths within the spectrum of thermal infrared

The British government's preferred option is to use diesel trains and run them on biodiesel. Biodiesel refers to a non-petroleum-based Diesel fuel consisting of short chain Alkyl ( Methyl or ethyl) Esters made by In the White Paper Delivering a Sustainable Railway ^[2] the government rules out large-scale railway electrification for the foreseeable future. A white paper is an authoritative report or guide that often addresses problems and how to solve them

Systems no longer used

Great Britain has used a number of different electrification systems in the past. Many of these date from the early part of the 20th century when electricity was being experimented with for traction purposes. This section describes each system, in order of increasing voltage.

500 V DC, Overhead Line

• Grimsby and Immingham Railway

525 V DC, Third Rail

• Liverpool Overhead Railway

The Liverpool Overhead Railway was one of the earliest electric railways in Great Britain. The Liverpool Overhead Railway (known locally as the Dockers' Umbrella in Liverpool, England, opened on February 4 1893. The first section between Alexandra Dock and Herculaneum Dock was opened in 1893. Alexandra Dock railway station was a station located on the Liverpool Overhead Railway West of Regent Road ( A565) within the MDHB Dock Estate named after The line connected with Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway's North Mersey Branch. The Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway (L&YR was a major British railway company before the 1923 Grouping. The North Mersey Branch (NMB is a railway line that connected the Liverpool and Bury Railway at Fazakerley Junction with the Gladstone Dock. It was never nationalised and it closed on 30 December 1956 due to extensive corrosion throughout its iron infrastructure, which was deemed uneconomical to replace. Events 1460 - Wars of the Roses: Battle of Wakefield. 1816 - The Treaty of St Year 1956 ( MCMLVI) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

600 V DC, Third Rail

• Tyneside Electrics

NER No. The Tyneside Electric refers to the suburban railways on Tyneside that were electrified by the North Eastern Railway from 1904 onwards and formed one of the earliest 1, Locomotion museum, Shildon

This was originally 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 early pioneer in electrification, as passenger numbers returned to pre Tram levels. The North Eastern Railway (NER unlike many other of the pre-Grouping companies had a relatively compact territory having the district it covered to itself ^[3] As the stock reached life expectancy in 1937, the network was remodelled by London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) to reflect the changing industrial and residential makeup of the area. The ^[4] Electrified at the same time was the dockside branch, where a pair of Class ES1 (formerly NER No. British Rail Class ES1 was a class of two Electric locomotives commissioned by the North Eastern Railway in 1905 1 and 2) locomotives were introduced from 1905. These British Thomson-Houston locomotives operated from both the third rail and from overhead catenary. British Rail brought in third-rail stock (12 2EPBs) from the Southern Region in 1955. See also Rail transport in Great Britain, National Rail, Network Rail This article is about the defunct entity "British Railways" The British Rail Class 416 (or 2EPB) Electric multiple units were built between 1953 and 1956 The system was de-electrified by British Rail in between 1963 and 1967, citing the changing industrial and population makeup of the area, reducing the need for electric traction. In an "interesting" reversal of policy much of the Tyneside network was re-electrified using a 1500 V d. c. , overhead line system (see below) as the Tyne and Wear Metro. The Tyne and Wear Metro is a metro system serving stations in Newcastle upon Tyne, Gateshead, South Tyneside North Tyneside and Sunderland,

650 V DC, Overhead

• Swansea and Mumbles Railway

1200 V DC, Third Rail (Side-Contact)

A Class 504 (1200 V DC) train at Manchester Victoria station just weeks before closure for conversion to the Metrolink light rail system. The Swansea and Mumbles Railway was the world's first passenger Railway service, located in Swansea, Wales. The British Rail Class 504 was a unique type of Electric multiple unit that ran on 1200 V DC third rail with side-contact current collection

• Manchester Victoria - Bury

In 1917 the line between Manchester Victoria and Bury was electrified using a 1200 V d. c. third rail (side contact) system. The line between Bury and Holcombe Brook that had been electrified using 3500 V d. c. overhead system in 1913 was converted to this system in 1918. This system was abandoned in 1991 when the line was converted to a 750 V d. c. overhead system and became part of the Manchester Metrolink ^{[5] [6]}

1500 V DC, Overhead

In the wake of World War I, the British Government set up a committee to investigate the various systems of railway electrification and in 1928 it reported that 1500 V DC overhead should be the future national standard. Manchester Metro redirects here - for the Manchester Metroshuttle free bus routes see Metroshuttle or First Manchester Manchester Metrolink World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Several schemes (see below) were implemented in its wake, although the Great Depression and World War II meant very little work was done. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Technological advances post-war saw a government U-turn and the 25 kV AC system was adopted instead, for the West Coast Main line and Glasgow suburban electrification, as set out in the 1955 BR modernisation plan - at the same time the large amounts of money had/were still being spent converting several lines to 1500 V DC.

• Manchester, South Junction and Altrincham Railway

A joint LMS and LNER effort, opened on 11 May 1931. The Manchester South Junction and Altrincham Railway (MSJ&AR was a suburban railway which operated a 13 London Midland for the new (2007 railway company The London Midland and Scottish Railway ( LMS) was a British Railway company The Events 330 - Byzantium is renamed ''Nova Roma'' during a dedication ceremony but is more popularly referred to as Constantinople Year 1931 ( MCMXXXI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1931 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The success of this scheme propelled LNER's later electrification efforts. The line was converted to 25 kV AC. in 1971 but, the stretch between Altrincham and Trafford Bar, plus the stretch between Trafford Bar and the Cornbrook viaduct were incorporated into Manchester Metrolink. Altrincham station serves the town of Altrincham in Greater Manchester and is located on Stamford New Road Trafford Bar Metrolink Station serves the areas of Old Trafford and Whalley Range in Greater Manchester and lies at the junction of Talbot Road and Seymore Grove Manchester Metro redirects here - for the Manchester Metroshuttle free bus routes see Metroshuttle or First Manchester Manchester Metrolink ^[7]

• Manchester-Sheffield-Wath

Known as the Woodhead Route. The Manchester-Sheffield-Wath electric railway was an early electrification scheme on British railways The Woodhead Line was a railway line linking Sheffield, Penistone and Manchester in the north of England. The LNER chose this hilly and busy mainline for its first mainline electrification, with work starting in 1936. ^[8] Due to the depression and World War II it wasn't completed until the 1950s. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including However upon completion the government chose to standardise on 25 kV AC instead, leaving the Woodhead Route and the few other 1500 V DC. lines isolated and non-standard. Subsequent rationalisation by BR saw much of this route closed east of Hadfield in 1981 (in favour of the more southerly Hope Valley Line, which serves more local communities). The Hope Valley Line is a Railway line in England linking Sheffield with Manchester. The remaining stub in Manchester was converted to 25 kV AC in December 1984.

• Shenfield Metro

LNER decided to electrify the Liverpool Street to Shenfield section of the Great Eastern Main Line (GEML), known as the Shenfield Metro. Liverpool Street station, also called London Liverpool Street, is a major railway station and connected London Underground station in the north eastern Shenfield is a major station located in Shenfield in the borough of Brentwood in Essex, England. The Great Eastern Main Line ( "GE") is a major railway line of the British railway system, which connects Liverpool Street station in the Civil engineering works began in the 1930s but World War II intervened. Work was completed in 1949 and extended to Chelmsford in 1956 using 306 (AM6) EMUs. Chelmsford railway station is a Railway station serving the town of Chelmsford in Essex. The British Rail Class 306 was a type of Electric multiple unit (EMU introduced in 1949. ^[9] It was converted to the new standard of 25 kV AC, initially with some sections at 6. 25 kV AC, on 4—6 November 1960, in the wake of the 1955 BR Modernisation plan that called for 25 kV AC to be the new standard. The rest of the GEML was subsequently electrified.

• Shildon to Newport

This line ran from Shildon (County Durham) to Newport (near Middlesbrough). Shildon is a town in County Durham, in England. It is situated to the 2 miles south east of Bishop Auckland and 11 miles north of Darlington In the wake of the electrification of Tyneside by the NER, 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 mainline (part of the ECML). The North Eastern Railway (NER unlike many other of the pre-Grouping companies had a relatively compact territory having the district it covered to itself "July 1st" redirects here For the Ayumi Hamasaki song see H (song. Year 1915 ( MCMXV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year New Year See also New Year The Ancient Romans began their consular year on January 1st since 153 BC Year 1916 ( MCMXVI) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year The East Coast Main Line ( ECML) is the electrified high-speed railway link between London and Edinburgh connecting Yorkshire, North East It was dismantled by LNER, as due to the the decline in the coal market it was uneconomic to undertake the significant renewals required to continue electric operation, it was thus dismantled from 7 January 1935 to 8 July 1935. Events 1325 - Alfonso IV becomes King of Portugal. 1558 - France takes Calais, the last continental Year 1935 ( MCMXXXV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 939 - The Major Occultation or Ghaybat el-Kubra of Muhammad al-Mahdi 1099 - First Crusade: 15000 Year 1935 ( MCMXXXV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The locos were stored for other electrified routes ^{[10] [11] [12] [13] [14]}.

3500 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 Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway (L&YR was a major British railway company before the 1923 Grouping. The system was converted to third rail in 1918 (see above) ^[15].

6250 V (6. 25kV), 50 Hz AC, Overhead Line

During the initial electrification of parts of the network to 25 kV, 50 Hz a. c. overhead the initial solution to the limited clearance problems in suburban areas (due to numerous tunnels and bridges) – notably London and Glasgow – was to use the lower voltage of 6. 25 kV, 50 Hz a. c. overhead. Latter technological improvements in insulation allowed these area to be converted to 25 kV, 50 Hz a. c. overhead. The last sections of 6. 25 kV, 50 Hz a. c. overhead were converted to 25 kV, 50 Hz a. c. overhead in the 1980s and this system of electrification is now obsolete in the UK.

• London, Tilbury and Southend (LTS)
  • The majority of the line was electrified at 6. 25 kV a. c. overhead in the early 1960s. Some sections were able to be electrified using 25 kV a. c. overhead from the outset. The sections electrified at 6. 25 kV a. c. overhead were converted to 25 kV a. c. overhead in the early 1980s.

• Shenfield Metro
  • The line was originally electrified at 1500 V d. The Great Eastern Main Line ( "GE") is a major railway line of the British railway system, which connects Liverpool Street station in the c. overhead in the 1950s. In the early 1960s the line was converted to 6. 25 kV a. c. overhead. In the early 1980s the line was converted for a second time to 25 kV a. c. overhead.

• Glasgow Suburban network
  • The majority of the network was originally electrified at 6. 25 kV a. c. overhead in the early 1960s. Some sections were able to electrified using 25 kV a. c. overhead from the outset. The sections electrified at 6. 25 kV a. c. overhead were converted to 25 kV a. c. overhead in the early 1980s.
  • North Clyde Line - the central area, Springburn, Bridgeton and Milngavie branches and the Yoker loop)
  • Cathcart Circle Line
  • See SPT and Transport in Glasgow

6600 V (6. The North Clyde Line (defined by Network Rail as the Glasgow North Electric Suburban line is a suburban Railway in West Central Scotland. The Cathcart Circle Lines form a suburban railway route linking Glasgow (Central to Cathcart via a circular line with branches to Newton and The Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT is a public body which is responsible for planning and co-ordinating regional transport and especially the Public transport The city of Glasgow, Scotland has a Transport system encompassing air rail road and an underground rail circuit 6 kV), 25 Hz AC, Overhead

• Lancaster to Heysham via Morecambe (Morecambe Branch Line)
• LBSCR's London urban/metro lines

Existing Systems - Conductor Rail Type (Third and Fourth Rails)

600 V DC, Third Rail

• Glasgow Subway

This was electrified in 1935. History The current route is a fusion of lines opened by the London and North Western Railway (LNWR and "little" North Western Railway (NWR The London Brighton and South Coast Railway (LB&SCR (commonly known as "the Brighton line" was a Railway company in the United Kingdom from 1846 to 1923 The Glasgow Subway is an underground metro line in Glasgow, Scotland.

630 V DC, Fourth Rail

The Tube's 4th rail system

London Underground track, showing the third and fourth rails beside and between the running rails

The London Underground is a large metro system operating across London, and beyond, commonly known as "the Tube". The London Underground is a Metro system serving a large part of Greater London and neighbouring areas of Essex, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire The London Underground is a Metro system serving a large part of Greater London and neighbouring areas of Essex, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire The London Underground is a Metro system serving a large part of Greater London and neighbouring areas of Essex, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire Greater London is the top-level administrative subdivision covering London, England. The 408 km (253 miles)^[16] network is made up of 12 lines and has been electrified for some time, starting in the 1890s. A mile is a unit of Length, usually used to measure Distance, in a number of different systems including Imperial units United States The network was largely unified between 1900-1910 and nationalised in 1933 becoming the railway component of London Transport (LT). A major expansion programme, the "New Works", was immediately launched, which saw LT take over several urban branches of mainline railways.

The London Underground network has historically been located in north London. In south London, expansion was limited by the poor geology (for building tunnels) and the extensive above-ground railway network already in that area, this being soon electrified (see "Southern Electric").

Due to the early pioneering work by the City & South London Railway (now part of the Northern line), the Underground uses a relatively obscure four rail system of electrification. The Northern line is a deep-level tube line on the London Underground, coloured black on the Tube map. Railway electrification supplies electrical energy to railway Locomotives and Multiple units so they can operate without having a Reciprocating Two rails, at standard gauge spacing, are the running rails for the trains; the outer - "third" - rail carries a positive current at +420 V DC, while the inner, middle - "fourth" - rail is a negative return of –210 V DC, giving an equivalent supply voltage of +630 V DC. The standard gauge (also named the Stephenson gauge after George Stephenson, or Normal gauge) is a widely-used Rail gauge.

The advantage of the fourth rail system is that the two running rails are available exclusively for track circuits, of which there are many, though this was not the primary reason for adopting a fourth-rail scheme. A track circuit is a simple electrical device used to detect the presence or absence of a Train on Rail tracks, used to inform signallers and control relevant signals Most of the deep-level tube lines run in cast iron tunnels (only some of the more recent constructions use concrete tunnel lining). Using a third-rail scheme necessitates that the return current is conducted through one (earthed) running rail. Such current is just as easily able to travel through the cast iron tunnel lining. Unless the joints between the sections are electrically sound, the current will arc across the sections causing considerable damage, or corrode the tunnel segments via electrolysis. Corrosion means the breaking down of essential properties in a material due to Chemical reactions with its surroundings In chemistry and manufacturing electrolysis is a method of separating chemically bonded elements and compounds by passing an Electric current

Further, there are many cast iron gas and water mains in the vicinity of the tube tunnels, and the return current would travel along these just as easily. Some of these mains date back to the 19th century and the joints between separate sections would certainly not have been designed to be electrically sound, as deep-level electric tube trains were unthought of.

The surface sections of the lines are constructed using fourth-rail purely to permit through running of the same trains, there being no other technical reason to do so.

The system shares track with Network Rail in several places. Some of these are non-electrified sections of the national rail network (e. g. Chiltern Railways out of Marylebone station), and diesel trains are used (by Network Rail). Chiltern Railways is a train operating company in England. It was formed by the Privatisation of British Rail in 1996 and operates mainline passenger Marylebone station or London Marylebone station is a National Rail and London Underground station in central London, England. The suburban network of London North Western Railway (LNWR) was electrified in co-operation with London Underground, however in the 1970s British Rail introduced common, 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 section below).

650 V-850 V DC, Third rail "Southern Electric"

An example of a third rail EMU

1933 poster for the Southern Railway’s newly-electrified suburban services

1933 poster for the Southern Railway’s newly-electrified suburban services

The LSWR third rail system (at 660 V DC) was initially constructed prior to World War One out of Waterloo, to various suburban destinations. The London and South Western Railway (L&SWR was a Railway company in England from 1838 to 1922 With grouping in the wake of World War One to form Southern Railway, the LSWR method of electrification was adopted. The Southern Railway (SR was a British railway company established in the 1923 Grouping. The 1920s saw LBSCR's 6600 V AC overhead suburban network replaced with third rail (1928/29). The London Brighton and South Coast Railway (LB&SCR (commonly known as "the Brighton line" was a Railway company in the United Kingdom from 1846 to 1923 The Third rail extended throughout most South London lines under Southern control quickly (LBSCR and SECR), out all its London termini. The South Eastern and Chatham Railway (SE&CR was a working amalgamation of two neighbouring rival railways the South Eastern Railway (SER and London Chatham The 1930s saw a wave of mainline electrification with the Brighton mainline (1932/33, including East and West Coastways and other related routes), followed by Portsmouth Direct (4 July 1937), and mid-Kent (Maidstone and Gillingham 1939). The Brighton Main Line is a major British railway line running from London Victoria and London Bridge to Brighton. East Coastway is the name used by the train operating company, Southern (formerly South Central Trains) for the routes it operates along the south coast West Coastway Line is the name of a railway line in England, along the south coast of West Sussex and Hampshire, to the west of Brighton The Portsmouth Direct Line is a Railway service operated by South West Trains which runs between London Waterloo and Portsmouth Harbour, Events 836 - Pactum Sicardi, peace between the Principality of Benevento and the Duchy of Naples Year 1937 ( MCMXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

World War Two saw extensive damage to the region, but electrification was soon resumed under the newly nationalised British Rail's southern region. See also Rail transport in Great Britain, National Rail, Network Rail This article is about the defunct entity "British Railways" The Southern Region was a region of British Railways from 1948 The 1955 BR modernisation plan, with the two stage "Kent Coast Electrification". This article is part of a series on the History of rail transport in Great Britain The History of rail transport in Great Britain 1948 - 1994 covers the period The Chatham mainline was completed first, followed by SER mainline and related lines. The Chatham Main Line is the British railway line that runs from London Victoria to Dover Priory or Ramsgate via the Medway Towns The South Eastern Main Line is one of two long-distance routes crossing the county of Kent, England, UK to reach to Kent Coast At this time voltage used was changed from 660 V DC to 750 V DC. ^[17] Since then all further electrification has used 750 V DC, but the lines electrified before this time remain at 660 V DC. Attention then switched to the neglected LSWR region (now titled the South Western Division). The South Western Main Line (SWML) to Southampton and Bournemouth was electrified in 1967, as was the Island Line. The South Western Main Line is a Railway line from London Waterloo to Weymouth on the Dorset coast in the south of England. Southampton Central railway station is a main line railway station serving the city of Southampton in Hampshire, southern England. Bournemouth railway station, once known as Bournemouth Central, is the main Railway station serving the town of Bournemouth in Dorset, This article is about the railway on the Isle of Wight For other uses see Island Line. ^[18]

Under sectorisation in the 1980s, Network SouthEast conducted extensive infill electrification. 1586 at London Victoriajpg|thumb|right|A train in modified NSE livery with rounded corners The SWML was completed to Weymouth 1988. Weymouth railway station is a Railway station serving the Town of Weymouth, Dorset, England. The Snow Hill tunnel was reopened, enabling Thameslink. Snow Hill Tunnel is a railway tunnel on the northern edge of the City of London between City Thameslink and Farringdon stations Thameslink is a fifty-station line in the British railway system running north to south from Bedford to Brighton through the Snow Hill tunnel The Hastings Line, Eastleigh to Fareham Line, Oxted Line - East Grinstead branch were also electrified. The Hastings Line is a railway line in Kent and East Sussex linking Hastings with the main town of Tunbridge Wells, and from there into History The Eastleigh-Fareham line was built by the London and South Western Railway (LSWR and opened in 1841 The Oxted Line is a Railway line in southern England It was originally operated jointly by the London Brighton and South Coast Railway and the South Eastern This left only a few generally isolated, rural lines and freight branches unelectrified (West of England Main Line, North Downs Line, Marshlink Line, and Oxted Line - Uckfield branch). The West of England Main Line is a British railway line running from London Waterloo to Exeter St Davids. The North Downs Line is the name of the passenger train service connecting Reading, on the Great Western Main Line, to Gatwick Airport, on the Brighton Description of route The towns on the route are listed below Ashford International Ham Street: was Ham Street & Orlestone The Oxted Line is a Railway line in southern England It was originally operated jointly by the London Brighton and South Coast Railway and the South Eastern

650 V - 850 V DC, Third rail ('Other')

Third-rail lines that were not formerly part of the Southern Region of British Railways:

• Merseyrail

This uses a 650 V system. The Southern Region was a region of British Railways from 1948 Merseyrail is the name given to the electric metro-style commuter Train network centred on Liverpool in the metropolitan county of Merseyside A history can be found here ^[19]

• London and North Western Railway

• Euston and Broad Street to Watford Junction and Croxley Green (Watford DC Line)
• Richmond - North Woolwich (North London Line)

A short history can be found here ^[20]. The London Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS in common with the other "Big Four" railways was involved in the development of railway electrification of Britain The London and North Western Railway (LNWR L&NWR was a Railway company of the United Kingdom which existed between 1846 and 1922 Euston station (official name London Euston) is a major Railway station to the north of central London in the London Borough of Camden This article is about the closed railway station in London For other stations of the same name see Broad Street Station. Watford Junction station is a railway station in Watford, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom. Croxley Green is a disused railway station near Watford, outside London, UK. The Watford DC Line is a railway line that runs from London Euston to Watford Junction. Richmond is a town and the principal settlement of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames in England. The North London Line is a railway line in roughly a circular arc which ran through the inner suburbs of north London, England from Richmond The London Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS in common with the other "Big Four" railways was involved in the development of railway electrification of Britain In 1970 the North London dc lines and the Class 501 EMUs used on these services were converted for 3rd rail only operation, with (as general theme) the fourth rail being removed on sections of lines not used by LUL stock. } The British Rail Class 501 Electric multiple units were built in 1957-1958 for use on the former LNWR / LMS suburban electric network of the London Some 4th rail was retained in the Gunnersbury and Queens Park areas for emergency use by LUL trains. With the closure of Broad Street, the NLL was joined with former Broad Street to North Woolwich via Stratford line, to extend the NLL - this section was electrified for the first time with third rail and OLE as far as Stratford and just third rail to North Woolwich. This article is about the closed railway station in London For other stations of the same name see Broad Street Station. Two branches off the Watford DC Line have been closed; the branch to Rickmansworth was closed in 1952 (to passengers, goods 1967) and the branch to Croxley Green closed in 1996. Rickmansworth (Church Street railway station is a former London and North Western Railway (LNWR station in the Rickmansworth area of west Hertfordshire Croxley Green is a disused railway station near Watford, outside London, UK.

• The Watford DC Line between Queens Park and Harrow & Wealdstone features track sharing with London Overground trains, designed for 750 V third rail, and Bakerloo Line trains designed for 630 V third and fourth rail. London Overground (LO is a Commuter rail service in London UK. The Bakerloo line is a line of the London Underground, coloured brown on the Tube map. As a compromise the nominal line voltage is set at 650 V, and the centre rail is bonded to the running rails, whereas in normal London Underground usage the traction supply floats with the centre rail at nominally -210 V and the outer rail at nominally +420 V. giving 630 V overall.

• The North London Line between Richmond and Gunnersbury features track sharing with London Overground trains, designed for 750 V third rail, and District Line trains designed for 630 V third and fourth rail. London Overground (LO is a Commuter rail service in London UK. The District line is a line of the London Underground, coloured green on the Tube map. As a compromise the nominal line voltage is set at 660 V, and the centre rail is bonded to the running rails. A similar arrangement also applies on the District Line between Putney Bridge and Wimbledon stations, where District Line trains operate of tracks also used by South West Trains, although the latter are not normally in passenger service. The District line is a line of the London Underground, coloured green on the Tube map. The District line is a line of the London Underground, coloured green on the Tube map. South West Trains ( SWT) is a train operating company operating in the United Kingdom, providing Train services to the south-west of London chiefly

• Northern City Line

Main article: Northern City Line

The Northern City Line connects the East Coast Main Line to Moorgate - It was a former main line taken over by the Underground and turned into a tube line. Connections The majority of the stations on the line provide connections with one or more Underground or Network Rail lines Finsbury Park The East Coast Main Line ( ECML) is the electrified high-speed railway link between London and Edinburgh connecting Yorkshire, North East Moorgate station is a London Underground and National Rail station in the City of London, on Moorgate, north of London Wall. It was however isolated by the abandonment of the 1930s "New Works" programme (and the development of the greenbelt). The Northern line is a deep-level tube line on the London Underground, coloured black on the Tube map. A green belt or greenbelt is a policy or land use designation used in Land use planning to retain areas of largely undeveloped wild or agricultural land Tube services were further truncated by the new Victoria Line in 1964 (which truncated the northern end of the line to Drayton Park). Victoria Line train leaving depotjpg|thumb|right|300px|1967 Stock train leaving Northumberland Park Depot]] The Victoria line is part of the London Underground The remainder was handed over to BR in 1975 in conjunction with the suburban electrification of the East Coast Main Line. The East Coast Main Line ( ECML) is the electrified high-speed railway link between London and Edinburgh connecting Yorkshire, North East The line uses 25kV AC overhead and Third Rail DC electrification, (with the switchover occurring with trains in the platform at Drayton Park).

750 V DC, Third rail (Bottom Contact)

• Docklands Light Railway

This system uses a bottom-contact third rail. The Docklands Light Railway (DLR is a Light rail system serving the redeveloped Docklands area of East London England. The third rail uses a composite conductor rail made of an aluminium body with a steel contact surface. The benefit of this is a low-resistance, high current capacity rail that has a durable steel surface for the current collection shoegear of the train.

Existing Systems - Overhead Line (OHL) Type

1500 V DC, Overhead

Tyne & Wear Metro is the only current 1500 V DC system in the UK

• Tyne and Wear Metro

Despite the abandonment in favour of 25 kV a. The Tyne and Wear Metro is a metro system serving stations in Newcastle upon Tyne, Gateshead, South Tyneside North Tyneside and Sunderland, c. overhead in the 1950s, large parts of the former "Tyneside Electrics" routes (which had been electrified using third rail until the 1960s when BR discontinued the "non-standard" equipment in favour of diesels) were rebuilt as the "Tyne and Wear Metro" in the 1970s. Styled as "Light Rail" it is in practice normal heavy rail, and even shares the Durham Coast Line with the rail network (unlike the other tram systems in the UK which operate alongside but on separate rights of way). Route Middlesbrough Thornaby Stockton Billingham Seaton Carew

25000 V (25 kV), 50 Hz AC, Overhead Line

The West Coast Main Line is electrified at 25 kV AC Overhead

• London, Tilbury and Southend (LTS)

The majority of this line was originally electrified at 6. The West Coast Main Line (WCML is a busy mixed-traffic railway route in the United Kingdom. 25kV AC overhead. It was converted to 25 kV AC Overhead in the early 1960s.

• Great Eastern Main Line (GEML)

• Converted from 1500 V DC (see 1500 V DC section "Shenfield Metro"
• Converted from 6. The Great Eastern Main Line ( "GE") is a major railway line of the British railway system, which connects Liverpool Street station in the 25kV AC overhead and 1500 V DC overhead
• Romford to Upminster Line
• Shenfield to Southend Line
• Crouch Valley Line
• Braintree Branch Line
• Colchester to Clacton Line
• Mayflower Line

• West Anglia / Fen Line

This covers the lines from London Liverpool Street (Bethnal Green Jn) to Chingford, Enfield Town, Hertford East, and Cambridge. History and specification The line was originally built as a branch of the London Tilbury and Southend Railway and opened on 7 June 1893 providing Braintree to Bishop's Stortford The line once continued further west passing the southern perimeter of what is now Stansted Airport and meeting the West Anglia Main Sunshine Coast Line is also a colloquial name referring to the Nambour and Gympie North railway line in Queensland, Australia. The West Anglia Main Line is one of the two main lines which run from London Liverpool Street, the other being the Great Eastern Main Line. The Fen Line (sometimes Fenline without the space runs from Cambridge in Cambridgeshire to King's Lynn, Norfolk. The city of Cambridge (ˈkeɪmbrɪdʒ is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England The line was first electrified in the 1960s when the lines to Chingford, Enfield Town and Cheshunt were electrified at electrified at 6. 25 kV, 50 Hz a. c. , overhead. The line from Cheshunt to Bishop's Stortford and Hertford East was electrified at 25 kV, 50 Hz a. c. , overhead. The Lea Valley line between Coppermill Junction and Cheshunt was electrified at 25 kV in 1969. All of the 6. 25 kV areas were converted to 25 kV in 1983. In 1987 electrification was extended from Bishop's Stortford to Cambridge using 25 kV. In 1990, the line to Stansted Airport opened, and in 1992, electrification was further extended from Cambridge to King's Lynn along the Fen Line. King's Lynn is a town and Port in Norfolk, England. Over the years the town has been known variously as Bishop's Lynn and Lynn Regis

• East Coast Main Line (ECML)

Electrified in two parts, the first between 1975 and 1978 and the second between 1984 and 1991. The East Coast Main Line ( ECML) is the electrified high-speed railway link between London and Edinburgh connecting Yorkshire, North East

The line between London (Kings Cross) and Royston was electrified between 1976 and 1978 as part of the Great Northern Suburban Electrification Project. This included the Hertford Loop Line. The Hertford Loop Line is a branch of the East Coast Main Line.

In 1984, authority was given to electrify to Edinburgh and Leeds. The section between Hitchin and Peterborough was completed in 1987, and Doncaster and York were reached in 1989. By 1990 electrification had reached Newcastle, and in 1991 the final section to Edinburgh was completed.

In order to keep the construction teams busy two additional schemes were authorised that extended electrification to Carstairs and to North Berwick (North Berwick Line). Carstairs Railway station in South Lanarkshire, Scotland, is a major junction station on the West Coast Main Line (WCML situated close to the The North Berwick Line is a Railway line linking Edinburgh with North Berwick in Scotland.

At the peak of electrification works in the late 1980s it claimed to be the "longest construction site in the world" at over 400 km.

• Midland Main Line (MML)

Electrified between London (St Pancras) and Bedford in 1983. The Midland Main Line is a major railway line in the United Kingdom, part of the British railway system. The branch from Dock Junction to Moorgate was also electrified.

See also Thameslink

• West Coast Main Line (WCML)

Electrified from the late 1950s to the mid 1960s under the 1955 BR modernisation plan as far as Crewe (and branches), it was extended to Scotland in the 1970s. Thameslink is a fifty-station line in the British railway system running north to south from Bedford to Brighton through the Snow Hill tunnel The West Coast Main Line (WCML is a busy mixed-traffic railway route in the United Kingdom.

• Northampton - see Northampton Loop Line
• Birmingham (New Street) - see Rugby-Birmingham-Stafford Line
• Liverpool (Lime Street)
• Manchester (Piccadilly) - see Stafford to Manchester Line and Crewe to Manchester Line. The Northampton loop is a Railway line serving the town of Northampton deviating from the main West Coast Main Line. Birmingham New Street is a major railway station located in the centre of the city of Birmingham, England. The Rugby-Birmingham-Stafford Line is a loop off the West Coast Main Line (WCML between Rugby and Stafford via the West Midlands cities of Liverpool Lime Street railway station on Lime Street is a mainline and underground Railway station serving the city centre of Liverpool, England Manchester Piccadilly station, known locally as just Piccadilly, is the principal railway station of Manchester in England.
• Glasgow (Central) - in 1974 from Weaver Junction. Glasgow Central is the larger of the two present main-line Railway terminals in Glasgow, Scotland, and is managed by Network Rail.
• The associated "Abbey Flyer" (St Albans Branch Line) was electrified 1987-88 by Network SouthEast
• Edinburgh (Waverley) in 1989 (from Carstairs Junction in conjunction with ECML electrification). The St Albans Abbey Branch Line is a railway line from Watford Junction to St Albans Abbey. Edinburgh Waverley railway station, commonly referred to as just " Waverley " locally is the main Railway station in the Scottish capital
• In 2003 Crewe to Kidsgrove section of the Crewe to Derby Line was electrified as a diversionary route for the WCML.

Since 1999 the line has been modernised and the overhead line equipment has undergone a programme of refurbishment and renewal as part of works to increase train speeds from 110 mph to 125 mph.

• Edinburgh

1989 saw the electrification of the ECML which goes through Edinburgh, at the time a few local routes were electrified, but the majority of local services are unelectrified.

• Edinburgh Crossrail - Only Edinburgh Waverley to Newcraighall, currently the service is by DMUs, pending reopening of part of the Waverley Line
• North Berwick Line - Edinburgh Waverley to North Berwick, with some extensions to Edinburgh Haymarket. Edinburgh Crossrail is a Suburban rail service through Edinburgh, Scotland, from Newcraighall in the east to Bathgate and Edinburgh Waverley railway station, commonly referred to as just " Waverley " locally is the main Railway station in the Scottish capital Newcraighall railway station is a Railway station serving the Newcraighall area of Edinburgh in Scotland. The Waverley Route is an abandoned Double track railway line that ran south from Edinburgh in Scotland through Midlothian and the Scottish The North Berwick Line is a Railway line linking Edinburgh with North Berwick in Scotland. Edinburgh Waverley railway station, commonly referred to as just " Waverley " locally is the main Railway station in the Scottish capital North Berwick railway station is a Railway station serving the seaside town of North Berwick in East Lothian, Scotland. Haymarket railway station is in Haymarket, Edinburgh, Scotland.
• Glasgow to Edinburgh via Carstairs Line - Some North Berwick Line trains continue to Glasgow Central. The Glasgow to Edinburgh via Carstairs Line is a main railway line which connects the West Coast Main Line to the East Coast Main Line in the Central Belt The North Berwick Line is a Railway line linking Edinburgh with North Berwick in Scotland. Glasgow Central is the larger of the two present main-line Railway terminals in Glasgow, Scotland, and is managed by Network Rail. GNER intercity trains (from the ECML) continue to Glasgow Central. Glasgow Central is the larger of the two present main-line Railway terminals in Glasgow, Scotland, and is managed by Network Rail.

– see also: Transport in Edinburgh

• Glasgow Suburban

Suburban electrification was started in the 1960s in the wake of the 1955 BR modernisation plan. Edinburgh constitutes a major transport hub in east central Scotland and as such is at the centre of a multi- Modal transport network comprising road rail and air communications Electrification was piecemeal over the preceding year and is still incomplete with several suburban, rural and inter city lines still unelectrified. Rail expansion plans call for reopening of the Airdrie-Bathgate Rail Link, connecting the North Clyde Line and Edinburgh to Bathgate Line. The Airdrie-Bathgate Rail Link is a proposed Railway development in Central Scotland. The North Clyde Line (defined by Network Rail as the Glasgow North Electric Suburban line is a suburban Railway in West Central Scotland. The Edinburgh to Bathgate Line is a Railway line in East Central Scotland. See also: SPT and Transport in Glasgow. The Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT is a public body which is responsible for planning and co-ordinating regional transport and especially the Public transport The city of Glasgow, Scotland has a Transport system encompassing air rail road and an underground rail circuit

The Glasgow Suburban railway network can be split into three main areas;

North Clyde

• Also known as "Glasgow North Electric Suburban Line", This was one of the first lines in Glasgow to be electrified in 1960. Helensburgh Central, Balloch and Milngavie to Glasgow Queen Street (Low Level) and out to Springburn and Drumgelloch. Helensburgh Central railway station serves the town of Helensburgh on north shore of the Firth of Clyde, near to Glasgow, Scotland. Balloch railway station is a railway station serving the town of Balloch in Scotland. Milngavie Railway station serves the town of Milngavie, East Dunbartonshire, near Glasgow in Scotland. Glasgow Queen Street ( Glaschu Sràid na Banrighinn in Gaelic) is a Railway station in Glasgow, Scotland, and is one of the city's Springburn Railway Station serves the Springburn district of Glasgow, Scotland. Drumgelloch railway station is a railway station serving Drumgelloch, an eastern suburb of Airdrie, North Lanarkshire, Scotland.

South Clyde

• Cathcart Circle Line - ( Glasgow Central to Newton and Neilston) was electrified on 22nd May 1962^[21]
• Inverclyde Line - (Glasgow Central to Gourock and Wemyss Bay), this was electrified in 1967. The Cathcart Circle Lines form a suburban railway route linking Glasgow (Central to Cathcart via a circular line with branches to Newton and Glasgow Central is the larger of the two present main-line Railway terminals in Glasgow, Scotland, and is managed by Network Rail. Newton railway station is a railway station located between the town of Halfway and the village of Newton in South Lanarkshire, near the larger town of For the station on the former Glasgow Barrhead and Kilmarnock Joint Railway see Neilston Low railway station. The Inverclyde Line is a railway line running from Glasgow Central station through Paisley (Gilmour Street and a series of stations to the south of the River Glasgow Central is the larger of the two present main-line Railway terminals in Glasgow, Scotland, and is managed by Network Rail. Gourock railway station is a terminus of the Inverclyde Line, located at Gourock pierhead and serving the town as well as the ferry services it was originally built Wemyss Bay railway station serves the village of Wemyss Bay, Inverclyde, Scotland. ^[21]

• Ayrshire Coast Line - Glasgow Central to Ayr, Largs and Ardrossan Harbour, electrified in 1986/87. The Ayrshire Coast Line is one of the lines within the Strathclyde suburban rail network in Scotland. Glasgow Central is the larger of the two present main-line Railway terminals in Glasgow, Scotland, and is managed by Network Rail. Ayr railway station serves the town of Ayr in South Ayrshire, Scotland. Largs railway station is a railway station in the town of Largs, North Ayrshire, Scotland. Ardrossan Harbour railway station is one of three railway stations in the town of Ardrossan, North Ayrshire, Scotland. ^[22]

• Paisley Canal Line - Electrified only as far as Corkerhill (from Glasgow Central)

West Coast Main Line

• Argyle Line - Dalmuir and Milngavie via Glasgow Central (Low Level) to Hamilton Circle, Larkhall, Lanark and Carstairs (via a variety of lines via Hamilton, Motherwell or Holytown). The Paisley Canal Railway line was originally a Glasgow and South Western Railway branch line running from Glasgow, Scotland, through three stations in Corkerhill railway station serves Corkerhill, a district of Glasgow, Scotland. Glasgow Central is the larger of the two present main-line Railway terminals in Glasgow, Scotland, and is managed by Network Rail. The Argyle Line is a suburban Railway located in West Central Scotland. Dalmuir railway station is a Railway station serving the Dalmuir area of Clydebank, West Dunbartonshire, Scotland. Milngavie Railway station serves the town of Milngavie, East Dunbartonshire, near Glasgow in Scotland. Glasgow Central is the larger of the two present main-line Railway terminals in Glasgow, Scotland, and is managed by Network Rail. Larkhall railway station serves the town of Larkhall, South Lanarkshire, Scotland. Lanark railway station is a railway station in Lanark, South Lanarkshire, Scotland. Carstairs Railway station in South Lanarkshire, Scotland, is a major junction station on the West Coast Main Line (WCML situated close to the There is also a peak time branch to Coatbridge Central

• Glasgow to Edinburgh via Carstairs Line - Some North Berwick Line trains continue to Glasgow Central. Coatbridge Central railway station is located in the town of Coatbridge, North Lanarkshire, Scotland. The Glasgow to Edinburgh via Carstairs Line is a main railway line which connects the West Coast Main Line to the East Coast Main Line in the Central Belt The North Berwick Line is a Railway line linking Edinburgh with North Berwick in Scotland. Glasgow Central is the larger of the two present main-line Railway terminals in Glasgow, Scotland, and is managed by Network Rail. GNER intercity trains (from the ECML) continue to Glasgow Central. Glasgow Central is the larger of the two present main-line Railway terminals in Glasgow, Scotland, and is managed by Network Rail.

• Motherwell to Cumbernauld Line - The Motherwell to Coatbridge section is electrified, but the Coatbridge to Cumbernauld section of the line is not. The Motherwell to Cumbernauld Line is a suburban Railway line linking Motherwell and Cumbernauld in Scotland. Motherwell railway station serves Motherwell in North Lanarkshire, Scotland. Coatbridge Central railway station is located in the town of Coatbridge, North Lanarkshire, Scotland. Cumbernauld railway station is a railway station serving the town of Cumbernauld, Scotland.

• Shotts Line - The central section (Holytown Junction to Kirknewton) is not electrified, however both ends are electrified, as they are shared with the WCML, Argyle Line and ECML. The Shotts Line is a suburban Railway line linking Glasgow Central and Edinburgh Waverley via Shotts in Scotland. Holytown railway station is a Railway station serving both Holytown and New Stevenston in North Lanarkshire, Scotland. Kirknewton railway station is a Railway station serving Kirknewton in West Lothian, Scotland, opened as Midcalder and Kirknewton,

• Whifflet Line - The section that follows the WCML (Glasgow Central to Rutherglen) is electrified, the rest of the line to Whifflet is not. The Whifflet Line is one of the lines within the Strathclyde suburban rail network in Scotland. The West Coast Main Line (WCML is a busy mixed-traffic railway route in the United Kingdom. Glasgow Central is the larger of the two present main-line Railway terminals in Glasgow, Scotland, and is managed by Network Rail. Rutherglen (pronounced ruh-ther-glen is a town in South Lanarkshire, Scotland. Whifflet railway station is located in the Whifflet area of Coatbridge and is the terminal station on the Whifflet Line.

• Leeds area

The main line to Leeds from London (via Wakefield Westgate) was electrified in 1990. Wakefield Westgate is the mainline Railway station for the city of Wakefield in West Yorkshire, England. 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", and was intended to electrify the lines from Leeds to Bradford (Forster Sqaure), Skipton (Airedale Line) and Ilkley (Wharfedale Line). The Airedale Line is the name given to one of the rail services in the West Yorkshire Metro area of northern England The Wharfedale Line is the name given to one of the rail services in the West Yorkshire Metro area of northern England

• Manchester area -

• Manchester to Glossop / Hadfield (converted from the truncated 1,500 V DC Manchester-Sheffield-Wath electric railway),
• Manchester, South Junction and Altrincham Railway (although part of this line was converted to the Manchester Metrolink)
• Styal Line (although primarily operated by diesel multiple units)
• Stafford to Manchester Line - branch of WCML, electrifed in the wake of the 1955 BR Modernisation plan. Route The line serves the following places Manchester Piccadilly Ardwick - very occasional trains Ashburys (originally Ashburys The Manchester South Junction and Altrincham Railway (MSJ&AR was a suburban railway which operated a 13 History In early 1900s the line between Manchester Piccadilly and Stockport became unable to cope with the increasing traffic
• Crewe to Manchester Line - branch of WCML, electrifed in the wake of the 1955 BR Modernisation plan.

• West Midlands area

A few lines out of New Street mainly related to the West Coast Main Line. Birmingham New Street is a major railway station located in the centre of the city of Birmingham, England.

• Trent Valley Line - WCML, 1964. The Trent Valley Line is a Railway line between Rugby and Stafford in England, forming part of the West Coast Main Line.
• Rugby-Birmingham-Stafford Line - WCML, 1966. The Rugby-Birmingham-Stafford Line is a loop off the West Coast Main Line (WCML between Rugby and Stafford via the West Midlands cities of
• Cross-City Line - Electrified in the early 1990s, re-opening in 1993. The Cross-City Line is a Suburban Railway line in the West Midlands region of England.
• Walsall Line - Electrified from New Street to Walsall. The Chase Line is the railway line from Birmingham New Street to Walsall and Rugeley.

• Great Western Main Line (GWML)

Electrified in 1994 between London Paddington and Heathrow Airport. The Great Western Main Line is a main line Railway in England that runs westwards from London Paddington station to Temple Meads London Paddington station, also known as London Paddington, or just simply Paddington, is a major National Rail and London Underground station This scheme was a joint venture between the British Railways Board and the British Airports Authority.

See Heathrow Express and Heathrow Connect

• London Crossrail (Proposed)

25-0-25 kV, 50 Hz AC, Overhead Line, Auto-Transformer

• High Speed 1

The first time that an auto-transformer system has been used in the UK. Heathrow Express is a Train service from Heathrow Airport to Paddington in Central London operated by the Heathrow Express Operating Authority Heathrow Connect is a train service in London provided by Heathrow Express and First Great Western, connecting Heathrow Airport with Paddington Crossrail is a project to build major new Railway connections under central London.

• West Coast Main Line (WCML)

Currently in use between Ashton (north of Milton Keynes) and Hillmorton (south of Rugby), but planned to be extended along most of the route between London and Glasgow. The West Coast Main Line (WCML is a busy mixed-traffic railway route in the United Kingdom.

See also

• Suburban electrification of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway
• Manchester-Sheffield-Wath electric railway
• Volk's Electric Railway

References

External links

• Citytransport.info's Electrification advocacy page
• Kent Rail
• Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Society
• Southern E-mail Group
• Southern Electric Group
• Suburban Electric Railway Association

Further reading

525 V, d. c. , Third Rail

• Box, Charles E. (1959). Liverpool Overhead Railway. Railway World Ltd. .  
• Gahan, John W. (1992). Seventeen stations to Dingle - The Liverpool Overhead Railway remembered. Countyvise and Avon-Anglia. ISBN 0-907768-20-2.  
• Bolger, Paul (1992). The Docker's Umbrella - A History of Liverpool Overhead Railway. The Bluecoat Press. ISBN 1-872568-05-X.  
• Jarvis, Adrian (1996). Portrait of the Liverpool Overhead Railway. Ian Allan. ISBN 0-7110-2468-5.  

630 V, d. c. , Fourth Rail

• Glover, John (2003). London's Underground (10th Edition). Ian Allan. ISBN 0 7110 2935 0.  

650 V, d. c. , Third Rail

• Maund, T. B. (2001). Merseyrail Electrics - The Inside Story. NBC Books. ISBN 0-9531896-1-3.  

750 V, d. c. , Third Rail

• Moody, G. T. (1979). Southern Electric 1909-1979. Ian Allan. ISBN 0-7110-0924-4.  
• Glover, John (2001). Southern Electric. Ian Allan. ISBN 0-7110-2807-9.  

1500 V, d. c. , Overhead Line

• Appleby, K. C. (1990). Shildon - Newport in Retrospect. ISBN 0-901115-67-3.  
• Dixon, Frank (1994). The Manchester South Junction & Altrincham Railway. The Oakwood Press. ISBN 0-85361-454-7.  

6600 V, 25 Hz a. c. , Overhead Line

• Goslin, Geoff (2002). London's Elevated Electric Railway - The LBSCR Suburban Overhead Electrification 1909-1929. Connor & Butler Ltd. ISBN 0-947669-35-X.  

25kV, 50 Hz a. c. , Overhead Line

• Nock, O. S. (1966). Britain's New Railway. Ian Allan.  
• Nock, O. S. (1974). Electric Euston to Glasgow. Ian Allan. ISBN 0-7110-0530-3.  
• Boocock, Colin (1991). East Coast Electrification. Ian Allan. ISBN 0-7110-1979-7.  
• Semmens, Peter (1991). Electrifying the East Coast Route. Patrick Stephens Ltd. . ISBN 0-85059-929-6.  
• Glover, John (2003). Eastern Electric. Ian Allan. ISBN 0-7110-2934-2.