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Filton Bank 4-tracking visualisation

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contrex

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Network Rail/Arup... Dr Days to Filton...

[youtube]2jUYViwle1c[/youtube]

Four-tracking the railway line between Lawrence Hill and Filton Abbey Wood Station, Bristol, United Kingdom.
 
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83G/84D

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Last I heard the track / signalling works were to start late 2016 although that may have changed.
 

HowardGWR

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Last I heard the track / signalling works were to start late 2016 although that may have changed.

That's bound to be too late. The whole electrification project has to be implemented by end 2016.

I got this from the NR site at
http://www.networkrail.co.uk/great-western-route-modernisation/city-of-bristol/

Last updated 10 April 2015. This page will be updated regularly.

Filton Bank Four Track programme
As part of plans to modernise the railway, Network Rail will increase the number of tracks between Bristol Temple Meads and Bristol Parkway. This will mean greater passenger capacity and will allow maintenance to be carried out without disrupting services.

Vegetation clearance started in February 2015 to progress with civils enabling and infrastructure work.

For further information on this programme and all other works scheduled for the Bristol area please see our Bristol Project factsheet

Thus it will be a regular reporting item one hopes.
 
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D1009

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Yes, I travel down there regularly, and there has been a lot of clearance of trees and vegetation which has exposed the remaining original platforms at Horfield which have been overgrown for many years. Further towards Bristol, there are security fences around the remaining vegetation with notices warning: "Japanese Knotweed, DO NOT ENTER."
 

HowardGWR

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Further towards Bristol, there are security fences around the remaining vegetation with notices warning: "Japanese Knotweed, DO NOT ENTER."

:D:D

I presume they mean to warn against the poison they poured down the stems. That won't be cured so easily. Outside Swansea on the bank towards the west (Cockett is it?), it is a huge forest. I'm surprised the neighbours there have not complained.
 

NotATrainspott

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When they do this work, will there be anything they will have to later move if/when they want to implement the local rail network proposals for Bristol? It wouldn't be the end of the world but it wouldn't be ideal to have to replace or relocate electrification gantries only a few years after installing them in the first place.
 

snowball

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According to the CP5 Enhancements Delivery Plan, construction work on the 4-tracking is due to start this month and be completed by August 2017.
 

Stompehh

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When they do this work, will there be anything they will have to later move if/when they want to implement the local rail network proposals for Bristol? It wouldn't be the end of the world but it wouldn't be ideal to have to replace or relocate electrification gantries only a few years after installing them in the first place.

The proposals don't include any new track in this area.
 

TheNewNo2

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Is this the actual plan of works, or just suggestions? I'm a bit surprised they aren't considering converting Narroways Hill Junction from single lead, simply as provision for redoubling of the Severn Beach Line (it'll happen eventually). I'd also be surprised if the "No works" for Lawrence Hill is correct - the place is a dump, you'd think that if they're re-extending the platforms at Stapleton Road (or rather removing the barriers) then they'd do the same at Lawrence Hill.

On a sidenote, it's odd that they went to the effort of putting in all those bridges and buildings as 3D models, but left a major dual carriageway (St Philips Causeway, just south of Dr Days Bridge Junction) looking like a level crossing!
 

NX

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I really can't see the Severn Beach branch being doubled, although a extension of the Clifton Down loop to include Redland, referring to single short of Montpelier would cut down on the number of times Bristol bound trains are waiting a late coming Avonmouth service.

Also the lack of crossover at Narrowways is a weird one, so all Branch train are restricted to the new relief lines to Doctor Days. However I can see the logic as 99% of the branch trains are all stations as in Stapleton Rd and Lawrence Hill, so diverting non stopping trains down the new mains is logical. But excludes the potential for RL closure for engineering works before the last Branch train.

Regards the wider Bristol re signalling, it appears that the scheme is going to included in the East end of the station, with the West end left pretty much as is.
Which is shortsighted as making the current UP Relief from Parson Street to Temple Meads bi directional would allow the new Portisihead services seperation from mainline services.

NX
 

Mojo

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I really can't see the Severn Beach branch being doubled, although a extension of the Clifton Down loop to include Redland, referring to single short of Montpelier would cut down on the number of times Bristol bound trains are waiting a late coming Avonmouth service.
I think you're right there. The Bristol Metro plans are for a halfhourly service between Avonmouth & Temple Meads. Such a service requires extending the loop from Clifton to Montpelier, or three trains rather than the present two. Due to the huge cost of infrastructure, the second option is currently the preferred, with suggestions that it will be part of a through service beyond Temple Meads.
 

TheNewNo2

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I think you're right there. The Bristol Metro plans are for a halfhourly service between Avonmouth & Temple Meads. Such a service requires extending the loop from Clifton to Montpelier, or three trains rather than the present two. Due to the huge cost of infrastructure, the second option is currently the preferred, with suggestions that it will be part of a through service beyond Temple Meads.

I don't expect a full redoubling, but I don't believe 2tph is currently feasible without infrastructure enhancements. A Sprinter has enough trouble getting from Clifton Down to Severn Beach and back in the 40 mins it has for the journey.
 

Mojo

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I don't expect a full redoubling, but I don't believe 2tph is currently feasible without infrastructure enhancements. A Sprinter has enough trouble getting from Clifton Down to Severn Beach and back in the 40 mins it has for the journey.
Phase 1 of MetroWest which is for a halfhourly service between Avonmouth & Temple Meads (amongst other things not on the line) is deliverable with no infrastructure improvements other than improvements to the turn back at Avonmouth. It is to be delivered with extra rolling stock instead.
 

MarkyT

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Regards the wider Bristol re signalling, it appears that the scheme is going to included in the East end of the station, with the West end left pretty much as is. Which is shortsighted as making the current UP Relief from Parson Street to Temple Meads bi directional would allow the new Portisihead services seperation from mainline services.

I think it's fairly certain the Portishead trains will not be self-contained but will run through Temple Meads, either to Severn Beach, Yate or somewhere out on the Bath line, so the down trains will have to cross the Up Main somewhere. What could be very useful is to have the current down main platform designated a 'right turn lane' for the branch at Parson Street with the Down Main rerouted around the outside of the down island, along the course of the long closed former Carriage Line that led to the old West Depot Carriage Yard site. Hence a freight or passenger train, waiting for a suitable margin to cross the Up Main would not delay any following down traffic heading for Weston and beyond.

See here for some historical background:
http://bristol-rail.co.uk/wiki/West_Depot
 

Sean Emmett

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See attached report. Historic sites at Ashley Hill and Horfield - and alternative site at Constable Rd are all feasible but would involve changes to the layout which is due to be installed - principally the vertical alignment but also to move a crossover if the Horfield option is chosen.

There will be unnecessary costs which could and should have been avoided.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Second attempt to attach report.
 

HowardGWR

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See attached report. Historic sites at Ashley Hill and Horfield - and alternative site at Constable Rd are all feasible but would involve changes to the layout which is due to be installed - principally the vertical alignment but also to move a crossover if the Horfield option is chosen.

There will be unnecessary costs which could and should have been avoided.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Second attempt to attach report.
Didn't succeed. Do you have a link instead?
 

dysonsphere

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Just reading through that PDF I hope there planning is better than the PDF with pics missing and drawings spread over 2 pages. Only in the UK can it take 9 years from start of detail planning to completion and probably nearer 15 with slippage and planning appeals. The french built an int airport in 4 years start to finish.
 

BantamMenace

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Just reading through that PDF I hope there planning is better than the PDF with pics missing and drawings spread over 2 pages. Only in the UK can it take 9 years from start of detail planning to completion and probably nearer 15 with slippage and planning appeals. The french built an int airport in 4 years start to finish.

Personally, i was quite impressed with the PDF even if it was designed to be viewed in print not electronic format.

It offered a good amount of detail without being overly technical to someone with little to no railway knowledge.

The most important thing when setting out on a project is understanding what you want to achieve and i think it's clear that they do.
 

Noddy

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If Bristol-Yate is going half hourly as part of this electrified 'Metro' what are they proposing to do with the Great Malvern/Cheltenham-Bristol hourly stoppers?
 
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jw

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If Bristol-Yate is going half hourly as part of this electrified 'Metro' what are they proposing to do with the Great Malvern/Cheltenham-Bristol hourly stoppers?
MetroWest does not cover electrification. A study was produced which said that it was too expensive while the Turbos still had life left in them, and it would be better to wait and tack it onto Birmingham to Bristol electrification which was envisaged as a CP6 project, although now likely delayed.
 

duffield

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I couldn't see an existing dedicated thread for this and I think it might deserve one.

I've been trying to find info about what (if any) work relating to the 4-tracking is happening during the May bank holiday (28th-30th), when BRI<->BPW is closed.

I'm assuming it's probably moving S&T equipment out of the way, is this correct?
Also has anyone got any further details on time-scales - e.g. are there any dates for slewing the existing track? Or is it likely to be done as a big bang with a longish closure, all track ripped up and four new tracks laid in one go?

I've had a good search around but concrete details (as opposed to general outlines of the scheme) seem hard to find.
 

MarkyT

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I've been trying to find info about what (if any) work relating to the 4-tracking is happening during the May bank holiday (28th-30th), when BRI<->BPW is closed.

I understand the first two major phases will tackle the Parkway area existing layout plus the new IEP depot connections, then the Temple Meads area.

I'm assuming it's probably moving S&T equipment out of the way, is this correct?

By the time the four tracking is tackled, Filton bank will already be under complete`control of the new signalling, components of which will be placed clear of the final track alignments where possible. There will also be further layout changes undertaken in the Parkway area in later stages. The final work will be transfer of control of the line west of Bristol as far as the Exeter boundary near Bridgwater which will then allow closure and demolition of the existing PSB, making space for the extension of platform #1 under the trainshed roof to 'express' length and provision of a second twin new terminal platform alongside (platform #0 presumably).
 

Mintona

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Not sure if platform 0 & 1 at Bristol TM building is still happening and was told today to expect 4 tracking with electrification to be finished in 2032. That seems a bit pessimistic, but it was direct from one of the guys working on it at Stapleton Road today, so who knows.
 

swt_passenger

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Not sure if platform 0 & 1 at Bristol TM building is still happening and was told today to expect 4 tracking with electrification to be finished in 2032. That seems a bit pessimistic, but it was direct from one of the guys working on it at Stapleton Road today, so who knows.

2022 surely, was that a typo? Hendy's revised dates for Bristol Parkway to TM was 'early CP6.
 

Mintona

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2022 surely, was that a typo? Hendy's revised dates for Bristol Parkway to TM was 'early CP6.

Nope. The chap earlier told me that the works might stretch til 2032 as more and more stuff keeps getting added. I think that was fresh news today.
 
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