Brighton's Volk's Railway to go solar (From The Argus)
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Brighton's Volk's Railway to go solar
9:38am Tuesday 2nd October 2012 in News
Brighton's Volk's Railway to go solar
Solar trees could help power the world’s oldest electric railway.
For nearly 130 years the Volk’s Railway has been operating along a mile stretch of the promenade from Brighton’s Palace Pier to Black Rock.
But Brighton and Hove City Council plans to spend about £1.5 million on a raft of changes to boost tourism and ensure its long-term future.
This includes planting a “solar forest” of five trees in Madeira Drive to catch the sun and generate enough energy to power the train all year round.
Chris English, of the Volk’s Electric Railway Association, said: “We very much welcome this exciting new initiative which is in the spirit of Magnus Volk, a man who would undoubtedly be developing such environmentally sound ideas if he lived in this century.
“When completed, the increased operation will surely raise the profile of not only the railway, but also the whole of the Madeira Drive area.”
However, historians have described it as a “harebrained scheme” and asked why the changes are needed.
Local historian David Rowland said: “I know this current council has been doing some strange things but why do they want to alter something which has been in existence for more than 100 years?
“I should think Mr Volk would be turning in his grave at the thought.”
The railway was opened in 1883 by Magnus Volk, the engineer and original owner of the line.
It passed into control of the council in 1940 and currently operates only from Easter to September.
The new proposal, which would allow it to open all year round, includes plans for an all-weather train.
It also features a new train shed with solar panels on the roof and a public viewing gallery.
The Argus understands the scheme would see electricity produced to power the railway, with any excess feeding into the National Grid.
In turn, on overcast days the railway would take energy from the National Grid.
The council believes the scheme would save it £6,000 a year in electricity bills.
The cost is £1.5 million although the local authority claims only £245,000 would come from the council, with the rest met by grants.
A planning application was submitted yesterday with a decision due in November.
If the plans are approved, the work will be carried out during the winter season of 2013 and completed by Easter 2014.
Council leader Jason Kitcat said: “If we are successful it will be the perfect example of what Brighton can do.
“It’s a massively exciting scheme.”
Comments(29)
nosolution
says...
10:00am Tue 2 Oct 12
HJarrs
says...
10:11am Tue 2 Oct 12
Paying £245000 to lever in an extra £1.25 million of funding for renovating an area and an attraction that have been left to decay over many years is a cute bit of business to my mind and will only serve to attract additional business to Brighton and Hove. I even bet the solar panels pay for themselves through the feed-in-tarrif and are a good public demonstration that this city is serious about tackling environmental issues.
Over to you moaners....
Goldenwight
says...
10:11am Tue 2 Oct 12
It may not be cost effective, but if that artist's impression is accurate it will certainly be a crowd puller- looks fantastic!
Jimmy Stewart's Imaginary Rabbit
says...
10:20am Tue 2 Oct 12
nosolution wrote:Or at least extend it eastwards so that it goes all the way to the Marina.
How about extending the line on into Hove, this will safeguard the railways future much more...
Anyway, I imagine those large solar 'trees' on the seafront will really annoy the Regency Society - so I'm all in favour!
Jimmy Stewart's Imaginary Rabbit
says...
10:21am Tue 2 Oct 12
HJarrs wrote:No moans from me, I totally agree with you.
Is local historian David Rowland suggesting that this end of the sea front has been shabby for the last 100 years and should remain so? That in itself is a bit odd.
Paying £245000 to lever in an extra £1.25 million of funding for renovating an area and an attraction that have been left to decay over many years is a cute bit of business to my mind and will only serve to attract additional business to Brighton and Hove. I even bet the solar panels pay for themselves through the feed-in-tarrif and are a good public demonstration that this city is serious about tackling environmental issues.
Over to you moaners....
censored
says...
10:46am Tue 2 Oct 12
It has to get it's energy from somewhere, getting it from a better and more innovative source doesn't affect the railway itself.
easyrider
says...
10:48am Tue 2 Oct 12
At least that would keep a few of the selfish s*ds off the footpaths.
Music Lover
says...
11:07am Tue 2 Oct 12
With seafront businesses struggling like mad at the moment, they are going to blow £1.5m on something that saves £6k per year. Its ridiculous.
It will do nothing whatsoever to raise the profile of Madeira Drive which is basically a very expensive Car Park.
chrisso
says...
11:21am Tue 2 Oct 12
easyrider wrote:As both a motorist and a cyclist, i can safely say it's the former that there is an oversupply of in Brighton. Gridlock again this morning,like yesterday, shame a few more of the lazy gits don't get on a bike whenever possible.
Cheaper to enrol this city's oversupply of cyclists to pull the train 24 hours a day. At least that would keep a few of the selfish s*ds off the footpaths.
RustyRobot
says...
11:26am Tue 2 Oct 12
pwlr1966
says...
12:11pm Tue 2 Oct 12
RustyRobot wrote:Spot on.
I think you will find that £1.5m is for a lot more than just adding in some solar trees! If you care to read, the article describes a 'raft of changes' for this investment -Solar trees being just one of the improvements. This railway is part of our National Heritage, and part of the seafront - it should be preserved and improved for future generations to enjoy.
billy goat-gruff
says...
12:21pm Tue 2 Oct 12
tidytime
says...
1:07pm Tue 2 Oct 12
Shouldn't we do something about the pier? The i360? all the unfinished works that the fickle council never seem to get completed?
Goldenwight
says...
1:22pm Tue 2 Oct 12
Music Lover wrote:£245,000- read the article. And that figure is matched SEVEN times over by grants from outside sources, which sounds a pretty good deal to me.
This says it all about the arrogance of Brighton and Hove City Council.
With seafront businesses struggling like mad at the moment, they are going to blow £1.5m on something that saves £6k per year. Its ridiculous.
It will do nothing whatsoever to raise the profile of Madeira Drive which is basically a very expensive Car Park.
F in L
says...
1:28pm Tue 2 Oct 12
Mr Sworld
says...
2:20pm Tue 2 Oct 12
“I should think Mr Volk would be turning in his grave at the thought.”
Hardly Mr Rowland. I would think that, as an engineer himself, Magnus Volk would be overjoyed at the engineering and science that would enable his railway to run with sunlight!
lordenglandofsussex
says...
2:30pm Tue 2 Oct 12
nosolution wrote:I would extend it to Hove and right into the Marina.
How about extending the line on into Hove, this will safeguard the railways future much more...
Here's another suggestion: B&H Buses should invest in a city wide tram network. Most large cities now have them.
mustaphaLeeko
says...
4:16pm Tue 2 Oct 12
tidytime wrote:Great idea!
High speed volks all the way to hove? Cut out the pesky traffic and charge minimal fees to compete with the awful bus service!
Shouldn't we do something about the pier? The i360? all the unfinished works that the fickle council never seem to get completed?
Love the solar trees, and your idea of it going to hove!
As for the i360.. It's fully funded and going to be built (site commencement Autumn 2012) and open by March 2015 !!!!
go look at the loan agreement:
http://present.brigh
ton-hove.gov.uk/Publ
ished/C00000689/M000
04315/AI00028197/$20
120704093234_002467_
0008599_i360reportFI
NAL.docA.ps.pdf
davedebrax
says...
6:24pm Tue 2 Oct 12
because the world needs to change or we won't need historians anymore!
davedebrax
says...
6:28pm Tue 2 Oct 12
which is ... very little. Why can't a city like B&H have a modern, cheap and efficient public transport system?
Isn't this what a green council should deliver?
tengri
says...
6:42pm Tue 2 Oct 12
davedebrax wrote:Totally agree. The Greens have had a dose of reality and all their visions have gone out the window. Might just as well have Labour or Tories, they are all the same.
“If we are successful it will be the perfect example of what Brighton can do"
which is ... very little. Why can't a city like B&H have a modern, cheap and efficient public transport system?
Isn't this what a green council should deliver?
trolleyfan
says...
7:52pm Tue 2 Oct 12
Phani Tikkala
says...
11:33am Wed 3 Oct 12
Goldenwight wrote:Err... the net payment from Council Taxpayers is £245,000.
Music Lover wrote:£245,000- read the article. And that figure is matched SEVEN times over by grants from outside sources, which sounds a pretty good deal to me.
This says it all about the arrogance of Brighton and Hove City Council.
With seafront businesses struggling like mad at the moment, they are going to blow £1.5m on something that saves £6k per year. Its ridiculous.
It will do nothing whatsoever to raise the profile of Madeira Drive which is basically a very expensive Car Park.
Saving £6,000 p.a. means it will take over 40 years to make back the investment.
A great deal for council tax payers....NOT
Hove Actually
says...
10:28pm Wed 3 Oct 12
No solar panel will last 40 years so that means the cost of repair and replacement will have to be factored in, not forgetting the feed in tariff will be LONG GONE before even the next 10 years has past
Goldenwight
says...
8:12am Fri 5 Oct 12
Hove Actually wrote:Granted. but it is certainly a lot less that paying back £1.5m. And how many other projects locally can attract 175% of local authority investment in contributions. And the saving to the Earth, the reduction in CO2 production, the increase in air quality and the reduction in our dependence on Foreign imported fuel with a knock on effect on our balance of payments.
Saving £6,000 p.a. means it will take over 40 years to make back the investment.
No solar panel will last 40 years so that means the cost of repair and replacement will have to be factored in, not forgetting the feed in tariff will be LONG GONE before even the next 10 years has past
And lets not forget the ancillary benefits. Not least of which is that these things look fantastic and will attract visitors from far and wide- who will hopefully spend money while here.
Not since Battersea Power Station has a power generation unit been such a design icon. Anyone going to disagree with THAT argument?
olebut
says...
10:46am Fri 5 Oct 12
sasquatch2202
says...
4:59pm Fri 5 Oct 12
SimonS
says...
11:57am Sun 7 Oct 12
Phani Tikkala wrote:Read the article again, and you'd see the £1.5m is for more than just the solar panels.
Goldenwight wrote:Err... the net payment from Council Taxpayers is £245,000.
Music Lover wrote:£245,000- read the article. And that figure is matched SEVEN times over by grants from outside sources, which sounds a pretty good deal to me.
This says it all about the arrogance of Brighton and Hove City Council.
With seafront businesses struggling like mad at the moment, they are going to blow £1.5m on something that saves £6k per year. Its ridiculous.
It will do nothing whatsoever to raise the profile of Madeira Drive which is basically a very expensive Car Park.
Saving £6,000 p.a. means it will take over 40 years to make back the investment.
A great deal for council tax payers....NOT
PETE OF QUEENS PARK says...
9:58am Tue 2 Oct 12