Great Western Electrification Progress

[3973EXL]

It would appear only one of the MPV workings got to site last night.

1/4 mile of UR through Twyford station wired. Another 3/4 mile to do as well as Twyford East points.

DR has 3/4 mile from MP25 west of Maidenhead to do as well.

East parapet of Twyford overbridge looks ready for the top stones.

 

[SpacePhoenix]

Once platforms 1 & 2 at Paddington are done how far west can you go where all bits of track intended to be electrified, have been?

 

[swt_passenger]

Once platforms 1 & 2 at Paddington are done how far west can you go where all bits of track intended to be electrified, have been?

Still only Maidenhead surely? Energising P1 and P2 doesn't coincide with further switch ons anywhere else, AFAICT from this thread so far...

 

[Mordac]

Is there a plan to make the wires from Paddington to Airport Junction 125mph capable?

 

[Andyjs247]

Cleared via Islip - they went that way last time I think.

This is the first time GW that will divert via Bicester Village - the section between Oxford Parkway and Oxford North Jn didn't reopen until December 2016. Previously reversal at Banbury was necessary. No particular reason why HSTs would not be cleared that way - I think one may have done Oxford to Bletchley previously (would be pre-1993) - but I don't believe an HST has gone via the Bicester SW chord. Happy to be corrected though.

 

[coppercapped]

Is there a plan to make the wires from Paddington to Airport Junction 125mph capable?

An interesting question! I don't think anything definite has been made public.

At the moment the 125mph limit applies from 4 miles 40 chains on the Down Main and stops at 4 miles 60 chains on the Up. This location is just to the west of Acton Main Line station, about opposite the entrance to Acton Yard.

Mr Phlopp, once of this parish, wrote some time ago that the headspan suspension of the contact wires would be replaced by independent suspension, i.e., from portal structures, to improve reliability. One can only assume that as part of this work the tension and other parameters would be tweaked to permit 125mph running.

However, apart from the installation of some portals near Westbourne Park at Christmas about 18 months ago I can't say I've noticed many other changes. This is not to say nothing has been done but I've not usually craned my neck to look up out of an HST window!

Maybe the overhead has been tweaked - but I don't know for sure. I hope something has been done, for reliability's sake if nothing else, as the number of pantograph passes per hour and power draw will increase dramatically over the next few months

ADDED after some research...

I have just found a reference to the Acton - Stockley OHLE work in NR's June 2017 Enhancements Update document found here. In Project reference code: W002a Intercity Express Programme: Western Capability it states

MILESTONE: GRIP 6 complete – provision of 125mph OLE Acton to Stockley resilience. DESCRIPTION: Completion of works necessary for resilient operation at 125mph. DATE: May 2018. STATUS: Indicative.

So work is being done. That's a relief...!

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

This would affect 387s as well, which can do 110mph, as well as 800s.
I thought the fast (Main) lines would have to be rewired, or at least strengthened (with autotransformers fitted).
They are/were aiming for 140mph not just 125mph in the design.

 

[jyte]

Mr Phlopp, once of this parish

What happened to Mr Phlopp? Does he still post? I can't find his profile.

 

[MatthewRead]

West of England services are running via Bristol and follow all the rest via Oxford to Paddington.
Where's this New North Main Line? Is it HS2?
The Chiltern line is not part of GW any more, it's managed by LNW (South).
Since 1963.

Will be HS2 in 2026

 

[Mordac]

What happened to Mr Phlopp? Does he still post? I can't find his profile.

I think he either got hit with the naughty stick from his bosses for posting here, or got tired of constantly having the same arguments with the third rail mafia.

I miss his contributions, and was worried whether he was alright personally, but someone here who knows him personally (might have been Joseph_Locke, but I'm not sure) reported him being alive and well, so he just got fed up for one reason or another.

 

[edwin_m]

This is the first time GW that will divert via Bicester Village - the section between Oxford Parkway and Oxford North Jn didn't reopen until December 2016. Previously reversal at Banbury was necessary. No particular reason why HSTs would not be cleared that way - I think one may have done Oxford to Bletchley previously (would be pre-1993) - but I don't believe an HST has gone via the Bicester SW chord. Happy to be corrected though.

Passing by 25 years ago probably wouldn't qualify as route clearance these days, especially as the track has been completely replaced in the meantime. However if they are doing their job the engineers will have designed what is effectively a new route to take any sort of train that might conceivably need to use it, unless there would be a huge extra cost in doing so.

 

[Henbury Loop]

What happened to Mr Phlopp? Does he still post? I can't find his profile.

I miss Mr Phlopp's contributions on here.

 

[jimm]

But that doesn't fully answer my question they are running into Paddington via the New North Manline via Greenford and North Acton.

Well the question I thought I was answering was the bit in front of the question mark - about West of England services - in your previous post.

If you want answers, try some clear questions, and rather than using names like the New North Mainline (one lost in the mists of time, frankly), why not just use some obvious geographic locations like 'Oak Oak to Northolt', or 'via Greenford and West Ealing'?

Or you could try looking things up yourself... when you would have quite easily found out the information given by swt_passenger on routing.

 

[jimm]

Getting back to topic, fresh picture from Compton Beauchamp taken yesterday by Martin Loader, showing lots of twin-track cantilever arms are now in place waiting for small-part steelwork.
http://hondawanderer.com/43069_Compton_Beauchamp_2017.htm

 

[themiller]

I think he either got hit with the naughty stick from his bosses for posting here, or got tired of constantly having the same arguments with the third rail mafia.

I miss his contributions, and was worried whether he was alright personally, but someone here who knows him personally (might have been Joseph_Locke, but I'm not sure) reported him being alive and well, so he just got fed up for one reason or another.

I, too, miss his informed and reasoned posts. It'd be a shame if he got fed up of the sniping from some 'contributors' and decided it was not worth the trouble!

 

[MatthewRead]

Well the question I thought I was answering was the bit in front of the question mark - about West of England services - in your previous post.

If you want answers, try some clear questions, and rather than using names like the New North Mainline (one lost in the mists of time, frankly), why not just use some obvious geographic locations like 'Oak Oak to Northolt', or 'via Greenford and West Ealing'?

Or you could try looking things up yourself... when you would have quite easily found out the information given by swt_passenger on routing.

I'm sorry I didn't realize

 

[jyte]

Does anyone in this thread know if this chaos at Paddington has been caused by the GWEP?

There's been two days of severe disruption with endless cancellations.

 

[Mordac]

Have the Colnbrook freight branch and the chord from Healing Broadway Acton Main Line to the Acton Central line been electrified?

 

[swt_passenger]

Have the Colnbrook freight branch and the chord from Healing Broadway Acton Main Line to the Acton Central line been electrified?

Colnbrook has never been mentioned with respect to electrification.

The Acton chord is a definite, but separately listed sub-project. It was approved by DfT at the same time as the Thames Valley branches and Reading - Basingstoke, and like them has its own page in the enhancements delivery milestones update.

"Acton (GWML) to Willesden (WCML) Electrification" CROO7 - assumed CP6"

 

[steevp]

I, too, miss his informed and reasoned posts. It'd be a shame if he got fed up of the sniping from some 'contributors' and decided it was not worth the trouble!

Ditto from me - I learnt a lot!

 

[Mordac]

Colnbrook has never been mentioned with respect to electrification.

The Acton chord is a definite, but separately listed sub-project. It was approved by DfT at the same time as the Thames Valley branches and Reading - Basingstoke, and like them has its own page in the enhancements delivery milestones update.

"Acton (GWML) to Willesden (WCML) Electrification" CROO7 - assumed CP6"

Thanks. I think I may have meant Brentford rather than Colnbrook, but I suspect the answer it the same re: electrification, i.e., not gonna happen (probably rightly).

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

ADDED after some research...
I have just found a reference to the Acton - Stockley OHLE work in NR's June 2017 Enhancements Update document found here. In Project reference code: W002a Intercity Express Programme: Western Capability it states
So work is being done. That's a relief...!

Yes, just seen that too, but they had an opportunity to say the work was "complete" in May as planned, and didn't.
In any case it's "indicative" which means it's a guess.
The milestones report is an unreliable document now.

 

[3973EXL]

Two MPV workings last night.

Appears for the second night running work was lost for some reason. One arrived on the DR west of Maidenhead and later left early back to Swindon.
No wiring was done between MP25 & MP25 3/4.

The other was working on the UR east of Twyford. The gap from the previous nights work and MP30 was wired.

So, after a ride around today catenary/contact wire status:

DM Maidenhead - Tilehurst done.
UM 1/2 mile to complete adjacent to the east end of Kennet Loop to New Jn.
DR MP25 to 25 3/4.
UR Catenary wire only West Jn to Scours.

Twyford east crossover to wire.
Parts of Kennet Bridge Jn to wire.
Feeder relief and West curve to wire.

There maybe other small sections.

 

[jimm]

Does anyone in this thread know if this chaos at Paddington has been caused by the GWEP?

There's been two days of severe disruption with endless cancellations.

Repeated fault in signalling at Hayes. Can't see why that should have anything to do with the electrification project.

 

[steverailer]

Two MPV workings last night.

Appears for the second night running work was lost for some reason. One arrived on the DR west of Maidenhead and later left early back to Swindon.
No wiring was done between MP25 & MP25 3/4.

The other was working on the UR east of Twyford. The gap from the previous nights work and MP30 was wired.

So, after a ride around today catenary/contact wire status:

DM Maidenhead - Tilehurst done.
UM 1/2 mile to complete adjacent to the east end of Kennet Loop to New Jn.
DR MP25 to 25 3/4.
UR Catenary wire only West Jn to Scours.

Twyford east crossover to wire.
Parts of Kennet Bridge Jn to wire.
Feeder relief and West curve to wire.

There maybe other small sections.

I believe that this was down to the signal failure and late departures from Paddington. There was some delays in getting the trains into position.

 

[IanXC]

Can I ask we keep discussion of the Brentford branch to its own thread: http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=131161
Thanks

 

[MatthewRead]

Can I ask we keep discussion of the Brentford branch to its own thread: http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=131161
Thanks

Sorry

 

[Thatcham Xing]

In terms of the B&H I said the following a few days ago:

There's been little progress over the last few months, from my inexpert observations anyway.

Had a run into PAD and back from THA yesterday, and would update as follows:
1. Some dangly bits now appearing immediately west of THA
2. More uprights appearing west of Southcote Junction, but still big gaps between there and Theale.
4. Some uprights going up immediately south of Reading West, but still mostly a gap to Southcote Junction.
5. Still a lot to do between Ufton Nervet and Aldermaston (very little infrastructure in evidence at all on this stretch).

 

[spark001uk]

I'm curious - why are there runs of decorative gold discs hanging on the catenary wires in several places in the Hayes / Southall area? Are they just that, decorations??

 

[3973EXL]

Noted passing Reading East today the UM is now wired.

Still parts of Kennet Bridge Jn to complete and Twyford East.