Great Western Electrification Progress

[IanXC]

If you have something to post on a subject, I suggest you make your own decision - either start a new thread or contact the mods to ask them to unlock the old one. Otherwise they may not get round to noticing.

Quite. As you mention, please don't assume we have the chance to read everything which is posted on the forum!

I have reopened the old thread if anyone wishes to continue this discussion.

 

[Emblematic]

I sort of suspect that the plan for the depot would have been for it to draw power from the same feed that would have fed Swansea and Cardiff and not its power supply.

Wouldn't that have caused issues during isolations etc? Unless the feed was at Swansea, and could be isolated separately from the running lined.
As I recall, Maliphant depot was planned for wiring even before Cardiff to Swansea was approved. So even if the plan changed, there should be an original design to provide a depot power supply.

 

[edwin_m]

With all the trains having a diesel capability there's no need for wires to move them around the depot. A low-power 25kV supply would be useful though, to check everything is OK before a unit leaves the depot. This might even be able to power low-speed movements but would be considerably cheaper and less complicated than the sort of feeder station needed on the main line.

 

[spark001uk]

With all the trains having a diesel capability there's no need for wires to move them around the depot. A low-power 25kV supply would be useful though, to check everything is OK before a unit leaves the depot. This might even be able to power low-speed movements but would be considerably cheaper and less complicated than the sort of feeder station needed on the main line.

Reminds me of the short stretch of test OHLE at New Cross Gate depot for the 378s.

 

[jimm]

Roger Ford's write up puts current costs at £1.7m per track km. The abandoned Cardiff to Swansea electrification was also in the hundreds of millions of £.

The Shotts contract only looks to cover catenary as part of a £160m package on the route.

If we take your 30 miles, convert to km, multiply by two for double track (giving us 96.5km), then multiply by the Ford figure, we get £161.5m - one and a bit hundreds of millions, as opposed to your "hundreds of millions", which was suggestive of some hyper-inflated figure.

Any electrification through South Devon would clearly not require the amount of work at stations that the Shotts scheme involves, so no reason to suppose £160m on current prices is an unreasonable figure for wires in Devon - not that it's likely to happen anyway.

Meanwhile, back in the bits of the GW area where electrification is happening, installation of overhead wires at Uffington looks imminent, judging by the amount of small-part steelwork in place in a series of pictures taken on Friday by Martin Loader

http://hondawanderer.com/Recent_Additions.htm

 

[Mintona]

There have been another 2 wire runs around milepost 69 (Knighton area); one on each the up and down main overnight this week, since I last posted on Wednesday.

Network Rail have taken a very very late possession for this weekend (decided yesterday afternoon), meaning we have a 2 track railway between London and Hayes + Harlington all weekend when all the schedules and diagramming have been planned with 4. Expect delays.

 

[Kite159]

Looked like the stoppers have been split this morning, half hourly Oxford - Maidenhead connecting with a half hourly Maidenhead - Paddington EMU.

 

[MarlowDonkey]

a half hourly Maidenhead - Paddington EMU.

They must now have enough units and power to run an electric only service between Maidenhead and Paddington even if only to a Saturday timetable.

How do they use the platforms at Maidenhead when they have to reverse both the electrics to and from Paddington and the 165/166s to and from Oxford? Platform 4 is reversible so is this used for both arrivals and departures? Platform 5 is reversible as well, but the Marlow shuttle will be in the way once an hour for around 10 minutes. The electrics can arrive in platform 3 and depart from 4 or 5 by using the depot as a turn back. I don't think there's a turn back in the London direction.

 

[jimm]

They must now have enough units and power to run an electric only service between Maidenhead and Paddington even if only to a Saturday timetable.

How do they use the platforms at Maidenhead when they have to reverse both the electrics to and from Paddington and the 165/166s to and from Oxford? Platform 4 is reversible so is this used for both arrivals and departures? Platform 5 is reversible as well, but the Marlow shuttle will be in the way once an hour for around 10 minutes. The electrics can arrive in platform 3 and depart from 4 or 5 by using the depot as a turn back. I don't think there's a turn back in the London direction.

If you look on realtimetrains, you can see what happening today fairly well - Oxfords use 5 if it's free, but 4 when a Marlow service is around, electrics use 4 to arrive and depart when they can, otherwise arrive in 3 then visit the sidings. So much as you suspected.

 

[spark001uk]

If you look on realtimetrains, you can see what happening today fairly well - Oxfords use 5 if it's free, but 4 when a Marlow service is around, electrics use 4 to arrive and depart when they can, otherwise arrive in 3 then visit the sidings. So much as you suspected.

That's right. I actually saw three 387s there at once the other week, one sat in 5, one sat in 4 ready to go back to pad, and another arriving in 3! (which then went into the TB)

 

[CapitalStar378]

When do the 387s start working Reading trips? There were 2 stabled in the sidings on Thursday when I passed.

 

[spark001uk]

When do the 387s start working Reading trips? There were 2 stabled in the sidings on Thursday when I passed.

The wires from Maidenhead to Reading and Didcot have to undergo a thorough testing programme yet before passenger electrics can start, so it's not likely to be until early next year at least.

The Reading sidings and TCD are indeed in use for stabling / maintenance of 387s, but they are currently dragged to/from Reading by loco.

 

[jimm]

When do the 387s start working Reading trips? There were 2 stabled in the sidings on Thursday when I passed.

Class 387 services to Reading and Didcot should be from the start of January next year - along with IETs operating on electric power as far as Didcot - assuming that final sign-off of the overhead wires takes place as planned on December 27, as was noted by JN114 in post 5706 on page 381

Final sign off of the OHLE west of Maidenhead and its various emergency control arrangements isn't due to take place until a possession on December 27th - at least that's the date that had been briefed to us. Until that's done you won't see ANY electric passenger services west of Maidenhead.

 

[spark001uk]

Class 387 services to Reading and Didcot should be from the start of January next year - along with IETs operating on electric power as far as Didcot - assuming that final sign-off of the overhead wires takes place as planned on December 27, as was noted by JN114 in post 5706 on page 381

A slight expansion on what I just said but ok. Unsure why he/she needs to know the page and post number when you've quoted the post anyway!

 

[3973EXL]

Some photos of Twyford platform work from yesterday.

B&H work this week:
Mon to Thur, two workings each night from Swindon Transfer on RTT.

 

[SpacePhoenix]

Between Reading and Paddington, have all bits of track that are planned to be electrified now at least got the OLE in place?

 

[Sean Emmett]

Between Reading and Paddington, have all bits of track that are planned to be electrified now at least got the OLE in place?

Well for starters P2 at PAD was not wired as at Fri 22/09/2017 although P1 was.

 

[Carntyne]

1. EGIP (includes via Shotts)
2. Manchester - Blackpool
3. GWML
4. Kettering - Corby
5. GOBLIN
6. Bromsgrove and Walsall - Rugely

Are these the 6 you mean

Shotts isn't part of EGIP, and isn't late. Different project & contractor.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

I am aware this is going off topic so I have put this in the main electrification sticky - http://www.railforums.co.uk/showpost.php?p=3137764&postcount=39 - I am genuinely interested in how many separate electrification projects people think are ongoing at this moment in time- and if the phrase GWML is all encompassing.

Actually ALL SIX current electrification projects are both late and over budget, although the GW one is much the worst performer.
Network Rail has cut/deferred many of its other projects as a result, not just electrification.

1. EGIP (includes via Shotts)
2. Manchester - Blackpool
3. GWML
4. Kettering - Corby
5. GOBLIN
6. Bromsgrove and Walsall - Rugely

Are these the 6 you mean

Shotts isn't part of EGIP, and isn't late. Different project & contractor.

Which 6 were meant then?

 

[jimm]

A slight expansion on what I just said but ok. Unsure why he/she needs to know the page and post number when you've quoted the post anyway!

A slight expansion to when it is actually supposed to happen, as opposed to your rather vague wording.

I gave the quote number and page in case anyone wanted to look it up - after all there are 384 pages and counting in this thread, with about 100 added since the start of this year alone, so finding where quotes come from isn't always immediately obvious if someone picks up on/quotes a post from some time ago.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Which 6 were meant then?

I counted the Chase and Bromsgrove projects separately, and didn't include Corby or Shotts as it's difficult to assess progress and costs as they form part of larger projects.
My starting point is the dates announced by DfT/SG when they gave the go-ahead and funding (eg Paddington-Oxford/Bristol/Newbury/Cardiff by end- 2016).
That is often at odds with what NR publishes in its plans.

 

[spark001uk]

A slight expansion to when it is actually supposed to happen, as opposed to your rather vague wording.

...Subject to change if events so far are anything to go by. I'd rather just be specific when it's a certainty.

 

[jimm]

...Subject to change if events so far are anything to go by. I'd rather just be specific when it's a certainty.

Well the January 2 GWR timetable is now available at Opentraintimes - subject to the usual provisos about what is on Opentraintimes at this stage ahead of a timetable change.

And events so far in terms of electric services starting to Hayes & Harlington and Maidenhead at the revised dates GWR was aiming for both passed off okay.

 

[Thatcham Xing]

Looks to be work in progress on the B&H this week, more infrastructure going up between Ufton Nervet and Aldermaston, and between Theale and Southcote Junction.

 

[3973EXL]

B&H work this week:
Mon to Thur, two workings each night from Swindon Transfer on RTT.

After the work this week and not having being down there recently, had a look around today.

First, to get a couple of other oddments out of the way:
Paddington plat 2 not wired yet.
Reading West curve up line still has contact wire to go up.

Reading West station has the original positions for the piles marked out but no other work has yet taken place.

There are some masts, but not all, south of the station in the Tilehurst Road/A4 bridge areas.

There are then just piles onward through Southcote Jn till after MP38 1/4. There are then masts, some missing, which stop before the M4 bridge where there are also electricity overheads crossing. Don't know if they are low enough to cause a problem.

After a short gap the other side of the M4 bridge there are a number of masts in the cess waiting to go up. Before Theale station there are masts up but nothing through the station.
After Theale most of the masts look up to past the start of Ufton Loop.

There is then basically a gap before the masts start again east of Aldermaston.
No work through Aldermaston, Midgham and Thatcham stations, but otherwise masts nearly all up from east of Aldermaston to just west of Newbury Racecourse station.
Registration arms and drum wire tensioning units are also nearly all up from west of Colthrop crossing to east of Racecourse station.

Photos are Theale(3), Aldermaston (2), Midgham (2) and Thatcham (3).

More to follow.

 

[3973EXL]

Cont.

Newbury Racecourse station has now been marked up for piles/bases.

There are some, but not many masts west of the station then nothing onwards through Newbury station.

Two areas are fenced off on the platforms at Newbury, new footbridge?

Photos are Newbury Racecourse (4), Newbury (4) and another of Midgham car park.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Cont.
Two areas are fenced off on the platforms at Newbury, new footbridge?

Yes, that is where the new bridge is going to be.

 

[jimm]

After the work this week and not having being down there recently, had a look around today.

First, to get a couple of other oddments out of the way:
Paddington plat 2 not wired yet.
Reading West curve up line still has contact wire to go up.

Reading West station has the original positions for the piles marked out but no other work has yet taken place.

There are some masts, but not all, south of the station in the Tilehurst Road/A4 bridge areas.

There are then just piles onward through Southcote Jn till after MP38 1/4. There are then masts, some missing, which stop before the M4 bridge where there are also electricity overheads crossing. Don't know if they are low enough to cause a problem.

After a short gap the other side of the M4 bridge there are a number of masts in the cess waiting to go up. Before Theale station there are masts up but nothing through the station.
After Theale most of the masts look up to past the start of Ufton Loop.

There is then basically a gap before the masts start again east of Aldermaston.
No work through Aldermaston, Midgham and Thatcham stations, but otherwise masts nearly all up from east of Aldermaston to just west of Newbury Racecourse station.
Registration arms and drum wire tensioning units are also nearly all up from west of Colthrop crossing to east of Racecourse station.

Photos are Theale(3), Aldermaston (2), Midgham (2) and Thatcham (3).

More to follow.

Thanks for all the photos - good to see the state of progress there.

Re your comment about the gaps in steelwork under National Grid cables near the M4 - there was a similar gap around cables crossing the line just east of Didcot Parkway, with the portals there just about the last steelwork to go up.

I assume they co-ordinated the work with a planned switch-off of the grid cable but I don't think the grid cables had to be adjusted for height. I think the concern was the one you'd expect of avoiding any risk of crane/steelwork contacting a live cable.

 

[steverailer]

Thanks for all the photos - good to see the state of progress there.

Re your comment about the gaps in steelwork under National Grid cables near the M4 - there was a similar gap around cables crossing the line just east of Didcot Parkway, with the portals there just about the last steelwork to go up.

I assume they co-ordinated the work with a planned switch-off of the grid cable but I don't think the grid cables had to be adjusted for height. I think the concern was the one you'd expect of avoiding any risk of crane/steelwork contacting a live cable.

Not to co-ordinate with a switch off as that rarely happens. Down that area is being re piled due to some sort of loop/sidings being put in ( so the lads putting the piles in said)

The Didcot one was because the closeness of the wires wasn't anticipated properly by the planners meaning is had to have a redesign and a different method of install. If you look at the portal there its on the same angle to the track as the power lines run, it was built across the tracks on a Saturday night possession and then winched up the masts into position as a crane couldn't do the install as it would be to close to the power lines.

 

[Mag_seven]

Lines through Reading blocked until about 12.30 today. Is this to do the work that allegedly was not done a couple of weekends ago?