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Great Western Electrification Progress

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edwin_m

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As these 'crowd busting trains would be formed of multiple class 387s, surely the obvious solution would be to shuffle the defective cab to the inside of the train! It could be done during the layover whilst awaiting its return to (e.g.) London.
I did wonder about that, but the shuffle would also be difficult if the wires stop at the western end of the platforms and the easternmost cab wasn't useable.
 
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swt_passenger

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I see in the very useful update above, that Brickwork Sidings are to be electrified for stabling 387's. I don't know the area that well; are these sidings west or east of Cardiff Central?
West. As mentioned in the original post about this, #7739
 

JN114

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I did wonder about that, but the shuffle would also be difficult if the wires stop at the western end of the platforms and the easternmost cab wasn't useable.

I thought Brickyard was being wired? That would enable the London End unit to run round it’s train via East End and Brickyard onto the Swansea end of its train.
 

swt_passenger

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I thought Brickyard was being wired? That would enable the London End unit to run round it’s train via East End and Brickyard onto the Swansea end of its train.
I think edwin_m was replying to a suggestion that the wiring wasn’t needed, made by previous poster themiller.
 

edwin_m

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I missed the point about Brickyard sidings in my comment about run-round. Having found them on the Quail map they're on the north side west of the station, so could be used to facilitate run-round from a low-numbered platform. Whether this is possible from a high-numbered plaform depends on how much of the western throat is electrified. I'm not sure if they still contain a loop and if so whether run-round would be possible within the sidings rather than blocking a platform which would be even more of a problem during special events.
 

JN114

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I missed the point about Brickyard sidings in my comment about run-round. Having found them on the Quail map they're on the north side west of the station, so could be used to facilitate run-round from a low-numbered platform. Whether this is possible from a high-numbered plaform depends on how much of the western throat is electrified. I'm not sure if they still contain a loop and if so whether run-round would be possible within the sidings rather than blocking a platform which would be even more of a problem during special events.

Platforms 0-4, the two through roads and all lines and connections at Cardiff West - including Brickyard sidings - are to be electrified. The limit of electrification I understand is just short of Leckwith Loop Junction.

If it got so bad that a 387 would need to run round it’s train, blocking a platform for 5 minutes during an event while it happens really won’t be the end of the world.

That said in a couple of years of being a GWR Info Controller and now a few months of service controller for the LTV fleet I’ve yet to see the 387s suffer an issue where we’ve had to box a cab in out in the wild - it’s more likely the techs on the depot discover an issue and put a multi-only restriction on the unit. Non-Multis are much more common.
 

jimm

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I missed the point about Brickyard sidings in my comment about run-round. Having found them on the Quail map they're on the north side west of the station, so could be used to facilitate run-round from a low-numbered platform. Whether this is possible from a high-numbered plaform depends on how much of the western throat is electrified. I'm not sure if they still contain a loop and if so whether run-round would be possible within the sidings rather than blocking a platform which would be even more of a problem during special events.

Why? If it is a sports fixture or concert - the usual kind of thing that happens in the stadium - there will be a period between extras arriving and the time they depart to take people home afterwards, which should allow ample opportunity for shunting to put a faulty cab in the middle of a formation. And that's in the extremely unlikely event such a manoeuvre should be required in the first place.
 

Thatcham Xing

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Had another look around and Kennet Viaduct earlier - road closure at end of Hambridge Lane due to "overhead power line removal". Looks like some have already come down, although those over the tracks remain. Presumably these will come down during the blockade that starts on Monday.

Another update from a look about an hour ago. Overhead power lines now down (last of the poles being pulled out of the ground when I passed) and looks like the OHLE wires pretty-much up across Kennet Viaduct.
 

edwin_m

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Why? If it is a sports fixture or concert - the usual kind of thing that happens in the stadium - there will be a period between extras arriving and the time they depart to take people home afterwards, which should allow ample opportunity for shunting to put a faulty cab in the middle of a formation. And that's in the extremely unlikely event such a manoeuvre should be required in the first place.
That assumes they identify the faulty cab well before someone climbs in to start using it.
 

59CosG95

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Platforms 0-4, the two through roads and all lines and connections at Cardiff West - including Brickyard sidings - are to be electrified. The limit of electrification I understand is just short of Leckwith Loop Junction.

If it got so bad that a 387 would need to run round it’s train, blocking a platform for 5 minutes during an event while it happens really won’t be the end of the world.

That said in a couple of years of being a GWR Info Controller and now a few months of service controller for the LTV fleet I’ve yet to see the 387s suffer an issue where we’ve had to box a cab in out in the wild - it’s more likely the techs on the depot discover an issue and put a multi-only restriction on the unit. Non-Multis are much more common.
Am I right in guessing that P6 & P7 won't be electrified as part of GWEP, as they're part of the Valley Lines Electrification remit?
 

JN114

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Am I right in guessing that P6 & P7 won't be electrified as part of GWEP, as they're part of the Valley Lines Electrification remit?

That’s my understanding- but only from reading between the lines of the various works undertaken and planned.
 

3973EXL

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Contact wires at Theale east are now up.
DSC01527.JPG DSC01528.JPG DSC01529.JPG DSC01531.JPG

Also at Theale the barriers to the platform extensions have been removed.
 
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59CosG95

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Contact wires at Theale east are now up.

Also at Theale the barriers to the platform extensions have been removed.
That should mean that all the wires on the B&H are now up! *pops champagne cork*
AIUI, the last remaining works are
  • Reading West Platform extensions
  • Aldermaston Platform extensions
  • Tilehurst Rd Bridge parapet works.
It's looking very good indeed!
 

deltic08

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That should mean that all the wires on the B&H are now up! *pops champagne cork*
AIUI, the last remaining works are
  • Reading West Platform extensions
  • Aldermaston Platform extensions
  • Tilehurst Rd Bridge parapet works.
It's looking very good indeed!
Only the bridge parapet works holding up energisation then?
 

JN114

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And platform extensions. I'm not sure how far works have progressed on the new substation at Boundary Rd (between Newbury's stations), but it seems to be going quite well.

Platform Extensions have no bearing on energisation
 

Thatcham Xing

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That should mean that all the wires on the B&H are now up! *pops champagne cork*
AIUI, the last remaining works are
  • Reading West Platform extensions
  • Aldermaston Platform extensions
  • Tilehurst Rd Bridge parapet works.

I understood that the platform extension (there is only 1, on the down side) at Aldermaston is complete? Will try to pop by for a look.
As are those at Thatcham - will also go for a look.
As far as I know, Tilehurst isn't on the B&H :lol:
 

3973EXL

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That should mean that all the wires on the B&H are now up! *pops champagne cork*
AIUI, the last remaining works are
  • Reading West Platform extensions
  • Aldermaston Platform extensions
  • Tilehurst Rd Bridge parapet works.
It's looking very good indeed!

I understood that the platform extension (there is only 1, on the down side) at Aldermaston is complete? Will try to pop by for a look.
As are those at Thatcham - will also go for a look.
As far as I know, Tilehurst isn't on the B&H :lol:

I would concur that Aldermaston has been complete for sometime.

Tilehurst Rd bridge is on the B&H, between Reading West and the A4 Bath Rd bridge.

Some new signs on the country end of Reading West platforms.
DSC01526.JPG
 

deltic08

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I understood that the platform extension (there is only 1, on the down side) at Aldermaston is complete? Will try to pop by for a look.
As are those at Thatcham - will also go for a look.
As far as I know, Tilehurst isn't on the B&H :lol:
But Tilehurst Road bridge is!
 

alxndr

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That sign about “access beyond this point etc” doesn’t seem normal in public areas.

I've seen similar on access gates, I suspect it was just easier to put there rather than on the limited room on the gate at the end of the platform. Not a sign for the public, just happens to be in a public place.
 

swt_passenger

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I've seen similar on access gates, I suspect it was just easier to put there rather than on the limited room on the gate at the end of the platform. Not a sign for the public, just happens to be in a public place.
Are they really saying it’s dangerous for staff to walk in the cess?
 
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Thatcham Xing

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But Tilehurst Road bridge is!
Yes, of course, reader error.

Didn't have a look at Aldermaston (platforms still closed this evening), but a drive-past at Thatcham confirmed that the platform extensions look ready for use (Heras fencing blocking-off the extensions is gone)

Granted that "platform extensions have no bearing on energisation" but was thinking people would be interested in progress on this aspect of the capacity increases that the new electric and hybrid trains will bring on the B&H.
 

59CosG95

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Yes, of course, reader error.

Didn't have a look at Aldermaston (platforms still closed this evening), but a drive-past at Thatcham confirmed that the platform extensions look ready for use (Heras fencing blocking-off the extensions is gone)

Granted that "platform extensions have no bearing on energisation" but was thinking people would be interested in progress on this aspect of the capacity increases that the new electric and hybrid trains will bring on the B&H.
Indeed, my reasoning on their inclusion of the extensions in the wiring update was that the work was being done concurrently, and that people might want to use the list as a guide to find out why the work was going on.
 
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Are they really saying it’s dangerous for staff to walk in the cess?
Those signs are actually planned to be removed for that very reason, I'm told. They're misleading to the public and factually incorrect for staff accessing the cess, so there's been quite a few complaints regarding them floating about.
 

Mintona

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Not sure if it’s been posted, I don’t recall seeing it but it may have been done.

The OLE is being energised at 25000v AC between the existing limit of electrification at Southcote Junction and Newbury, and must be considered live at all times from 0650 on Sunday 21 October 2018.
 

swt_passenger

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Not sure if it’s been posted, I don’t recall seeing it but it may have been done.

The OLE is being energised at 25000v AC between the existing limit of electrification at Southcote Junction and Newbury, and must be considered live at all times from 0650 on Sunday 21 October 2018.
It was actually mentioned in post #7706, in a reply to your earlier post about getting to Southcote Jn.
 
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