Modern Railways – April 2019

CB40s delivered to Crossrail:

the CBH90 described in this

article that is now taking shape

in Burton is a bigger beast.

39

Pan Up

http://www.modern-railways.com April 2019 Modern Railways

100mm thick steel plate while the

battery is, of course, lead acid.

We are all used to lithium batteries

these days, but while they have a

better power density they need

much cleverer control, cost more,

are hard to recycle and catch fire

if you are not careful (and some

industrial owners might fall into

that category). I watched a video

of a lithium cell on fire, which is put

out by an extinguisher, reignites,

and then explodes – taking most

of the lab equipment with it. They

also have to be kept in the 50-80%

power band for a decent life, while

lead acid are happy with 20-100%

and will do that for seven years.

HAPPY DEUTZ

The engine powers an alternator

for battery charging, and kicks in

when required running at a steady

1,500rpm, its optimum rating for

power and emissions. Lead acid cells

don’t need clever chargers and if all

else fails the loco can be plugged into

a 415V supply socket, although that

is not planned. A small fuel tank is

located between the battery packs,

and the engine is small enough not

to need a fancy exhaust system or Ad

blue treatment. It is thought to be the

first EU Stage 5 engine in traction use.

There is no remote monitoring,

no air con and all suspension parts

are rubber. If you wanted a loco

to go to war, this would be it.

HEAVY METAL

Traction motors in main line locos

are normally hung on the wheelset

and drive through a gearbox oil bath

squeezed into the space between

the wheels. This means expensive

bespoke machines vulnerable to

obsolescence, which are difficult

to get at. The CBH90 mounts the

motors at 90 degrees to the wheelsets

with a chunky gearbox driving the

wheels. This means the industrial-type

motor has space around it, so it

would be easy to find a new one if

necessary. The motors are a switched

reluctance design for high torque,

which my word limit doesn’t allow

me to explain, but they offer 78kW x4

continuous rating, 104kW x4 peak.

The design is modular, so a Co-Co

CBH135 is a possibility if required. I can

tell you are getting too excited now,

so here’s a bit about the company.

INDEPENDENCE DAY

Clayton has a massive advantage over

its competitors; it is an independent,

and has been since 2005. It has no

interfering shareholders and is not

part of a large group, so the engineer

can buy the right kit. He doesn’t have

a procurement department telling

him there is a cheaper one from

Brazil, he doesn’t have to buy from

France to be within the parent group

(just as an example) and he doesn’t

have to buy something unproven

because their salesman took the

MD for a particularly good night

out (as if that would ever happen).

We are used to companies being

bought out and becoming parts of

larger groups, but when this happens

they have to pay into that group, and,

ironically, contribute to the interest on

the loan used to buy them out. I know

of two cases where the required

mark-up was around 30%; fast

response is then a thing of the past.

Clayton can deliver a bespoke

locomotive in under a year from a

blank piece of paper for well under

£1 million (depending on spec). Go to

the big suppliers for small numbers

and you will be offered a ‘platform’

design and be looking at £4 million

with a three- to four-year delivery.

Clayton is currently tendering

for around 100 locos around the

world, already having supplied

smaller numbers to 60 countries.

Will the company clear the board?

Will we see a return to the days of

locos being loaded on to ships,

instead of being taken off them?

SMALL WONDER

Big companies like other big

companies. Their legal departments

like to think they could sue their

supplier for millions, even though

they never do. Consequently they

are quite likely to pay £4 million

for something they don’t really

want when they could have paid

£1 million for exactly what they

want. In short, we have got used

to corporate inefficiency.

I have known good suppliers

lose out just because they can’t

insure for enough, and I’ve lost

count of the times I’ve heard ‘better

the devil you know’ justifying

huge expenditure to companies

who habitually let you down.

I am deeply envious of an

engineer who is in charge of his

own fate and is free to create the

right product from the right parts

at the right price. This is the way

back for British loco building. a

Layout of main components in the CBH90.

Socking great battery: lead acid installation for CBH90.

Motive power: the CBH90 mounts the motors at 90 degrees to the wheelsets.

038-039_MR_Apr 2019_pan up.indd 39 12/03/2019 15:03