Great Western Electrification Progress

[Tom Quinne]

An IEP and Class 387 are undergoing electric test running between Slough and Didcot Parkway, on both main and Relief lines to test the OHL.

 

[InOban]

Successfully?

 

[D1009]

Successfully?

We can but hope....

 

[Tw99]

If you look on RTT you can see that a number of trains ran between Slough and Didcot although several of them ran very late or with delays en route. So it doesn't look like things went completely to plan.

 

[50031]

If you look on RTT you can see that a number of trains ran between Slough and Didcot although several of them ran very late or with delays en route. So it doesn't look like things went completely to plan.

Yes, granted it could mean problems, but on the other hand, doesn't necessarily mean tests weren't a success, at least 1 387 test appeared to run to time

 

[HarleyDavidson]

If you look on RTT you can see that a number of trains ran between Slough and Didcot although several of them ran very late or with delays en route. So it doesn't look like things went completely to plan.

Points issues at Ladbroke Grove. OHLE issues Hayes & Harlington.

 

[FGW_DID]

An IEP and Class 387 are undergoing electric test running between Slough and Didcot Parkway, on both main and Relief lines to test the OHL.

387157 & 387158 involved. Was originally requested as a 12 car formation but then requirement dropped to an 8 car.

 

[IrishRail201]

Hi guys,

Apologies may not be posting question in the correct thread.

Is there an up to date map showing where the electrification currently stands on the GWML or where poles have been erected?

Thanks,
Tim.

 

[D1009]

Hi guys,

Apologies may not be posting question in the correct thread.

Is there an up to date map showing where the electrification currently stands on the GWML or where poles have been erected?

Thanks,
Tim.

Not a map, but there is a list in post #5849 on page 195 of this thread.

 

[DidcotDickie]

Hi guys,

Apologies may not be posting question in the correct thread.

Is there an up to date map showing where the electrification currently stands on the GWML or where poles have been erected?

Thanks,
Tim.

Don't have the detail west of Swindon, but the wires are up from Padd to east of Shrivenham with short gaps between Uffington and Baulking (around 1/2 mile) and through Steventon (from Steventon loops to about 1 mile west of the village). Wires are energised from Padd to Milton Junction, just west of Didcot, but only available for passenger trains from Padd to Maidenhead.

Masts are now in place through to South Marston, just east of Swindon. AFAIK there are no masts up yet through the Swindon station area.

I believe, though can't confirm than some of the Badminton route has been wired from Callow Hill through Brinkworth and there are also masts up on most of the route. The Chippenham line also has several sections with masts up though I'm not aware that any of this has yet been wired.

I'm sure that others can add, but I hope that this helps.

 

[GazK]

Successfully?

yes... problems at Ladbroke Grove did not affect testing. Multiple Slough-Didcot runs from 0100 to 0930 with IEP and 387.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Hi. When the electrification successfully introduces 387s in Didcot/Reading stoppers - 166s will continue on North Downs and Oxford fasts, plus some will move to Bristol lines. 2 car 165s will work branches. What will the 3 car 165s do?

 

[Henbury Loop]

Following the overnight weekend closure of the M4 in South Gloucestershire the "Blue Viaduct" which crosses it has now got masts up.

 

[D1009]

Following the overnight weekend closure of the M4 in South Gloucestershire the "Blue Viaduct" which crosses it has now got masts up.

It's closed again tonight isn't it?

 

[FGW_DID]

Hi. When the electrification successfully introduces 387s in Didcot/Reading stoppers - 166s will continue on North Downs and Oxford fasts, plus some will move to Bristol lines. 2 car 165s will work branches. What will the 3 car 165s do?

The vast majority of 166s will be at SPM, come the new year there are only something like 4 166 diagrams for Reading so 165(3)s will be doing more or less everything. 165(2)s will be on the Branch Lines, as you said, and strengthening other services.

 

[Henbury Loop]

It's closed again tonight isn't it?

Yes, I believe so.
I keep meaning to take a look and see if there is any progress on the Huckford Viaduct in Winterbourne, I will report back!

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

The vast majority of 166s will be at SPM, come the new year there are only something like 4 166 diagrams for Reading so 165(3)s will be doing more or less everything. 165(2)s will be on the Branch Lines, as you said, and strengthening other services.

Ridiculous. How stupid, just plain stupid to run 3 car 166s on Severn Beach and Bristol routes with the first class declassified and 3 car 165s with no first class on Reading duties (North Downs and Oxford Fasts) which are supposed to have first class.

Plus - what does this mean for the Cotswold Line? 802s aren’t coming for a year and a bit. 180s go in December - does this mean that the line be losing tables/first class on half it’s trains? 165s working regularly to Gt Malvern. Ridiculous enough on a 166 but 165?!!

It should be the other way round.

3 car 165s to Bristol.
166s Reading.

 

[HarleyDavidson]

That's why the NDL should be juiced up, you can send all of the turbos across to the Bristol area, then you can with the juice rail in place use a 455 which can be saved from the scrap pile or make 455 "flex" across there instead.

 

[FGW_DID]

Ridiculous. How stupid, just plain stupid to run 3 car 166s on Severn Beach and Bristol routes with the first class declassified and 3 car 165s with no first class on Reading duties (North Downs and Oxford Fasts) which are supposed to have first class.

Plus - what does this mean for the Cotswold Line? 802s aren’t coming for a year and a bit. 180s go in December - does this mean that the line be losing tables/first class on half it’s trains? 165s working regularly to Gt Malvern. Ridiculous enough on a 166 but 165?!!

It should be the other way round.

3 car 165s to Bristol.
166s Reading.

Looks like, apart from the odd early / late service, no Turbos on the Cotswolds. 166s will still go to Gatwick.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Yes but from when? There aren’t enough HSTs to do all Cotswold services - they’re being withdrawn! 802s aren’t coming for ages; and 800s are being concentrated on Bristol/South Wales and soon Cheltenham services.

 

[FGW_DID]

No idea, not seen any IET diagrams for the new year, as I have no need of them, so no idea how far and wide they’ll be operating.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

How do you know all this? Please can you tell me how to find future GWR diagrams if you’ve got or seen them?

 

[D6975]

Yes but from when? There aren’t enough HSTs to do all Cotswold services - they’re being withdrawn! 802s aren’t coming for ages; and 800s are being concentrated on Bristol/South Wales and soon Cheltenham services.

The 802s aren't that far away, the first 2 are already out on test.

 

[50031]

The 802s aren't that far away, the first 2 are already out on test.

I believe that IETs are supposed to start replacing some Cotswold services in January (i.e. when the 180s are released)?

 

[HarleyDavidson]

The 802s aren't that far away, the first 2 are already out on test.

Be interesting to see how well they tackle places like Hemerdon and Dainton in low adhesion conditions.

Will too much power be the killer?

 

[snowball]

Be interesting to see how well they tackle places like Hemerdon and Dainton in low adhesion conditions.

Will too much power be the killer?

I would have thought the greater percentage of powered axles would give them an advantage over HSTs.

I assume they have wheelslip protection systems?

 

[HarleyDavidson]

But sometimes power is your enemy, unless you are able to apply it very carefully and subtly, just as it is with braking.

 

[jimm]

Ridiculous. How stupid, just plain stupid to run 3 car 166s on Severn Beach and Bristol routes with the first class declassified and 3 car 165s with no first class on Reading duties (North Downs and Oxford Fasts) which are supposed to have first class.

Plus - what does this mean for the Cotswold Line? 802s aren’t coming for a year and a bit. 180s go in December - does this mean that the line be losing tables/first class on half it’s trains? 165s working regularly to Gt Malvern. Ridiculous enough on a 166 but 165?!!

It should be the other way round.

3 car 165s to Bristol.
166s Reading.

What is getting ridiculous is your habit of not bothering to read other people's posts and then asking over and over about points that have already been answered.

As I have posted several times, the 180s will be replaced from January 2 by five-car Class 800s, the type of IET which will do the bulk of the work on the Cotswold Line in the future. They also will also be replacing Turbo duties over the course of next year as more 800s enter service. Someone else may know at what point nine-car 802s will start to appear in the peaks.

And this thread is about the GW electrification project, not the rolling stock. There are threads about both Class 800s and Class 387s in the rolling stock areas.

 

[reddragon]

How do you know all this? Please can you tell me how to find future GWR diagrams if you’ve got or seen them?

It should be obvious to you that many posters on here work for the railways and hence have inside knowledge.

If you are rude to them & question their information, they will stop posting it.

If you read the posts, you can easily work out who know and who make stuff up / guess the facts

 

[Siemens Staines]

How do you know all this? Please can you tell me how to find future GWR diagrams if you’ve got or seen them?

Some of the information is in the public domain if you care to look. If you look at North Pole depot on RTT in January you will see that 5W12 & 5W14 originate from there and therefore are currently planned to be IET (hst would originate from Old Oak Common). These two ECS trains then do 1W12 & 1W14 along the North Cotswold route. Now plans can be changed, but it is clear that at this stage the intention is for IET to work some of the North Cotswold trains as mentioned upthread.

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/sea...0/0200-0159?stp=WVS&show=all&order=wtt&toc=GW