• Our booking engine at tickets.railforums.co.uk (powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!

Great Western Electrification Progress

Status
Not open for further replies.
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R

RailUK Forums

Mintona

Established Member
Joined
8 Jan 2006
Messages
3,592
Location
South West
The wires will be going live in the new EMU sidings at Swindon Cocklebury sometime in December but I don’t have the actual date in front of me at the moment.
 

Mintona

Established Member
Joined
8 Jan 2006
Messages
3,592
Location
South West
Do pay attention at the back...!

The lines are live. It's just that there is a 60mph speed restriction through there if the pantograph is raised.

The wires are live, but technically @Mag_seven is correct. Between Didcot Parkway and Causeway Crossing the lines are not yet signed off for use and are still in the testing phase, including currently being barred to 387 traction. I presume this restriction will be lifted prior to the sidings being open.

There is no line side signage to indicate a 60mph restriction, just a warning that ‘electric trains must not pass this point’ at Didcot Parkway on the down and Causeway Crossing on the up.
 

Mag_seven

Forum Staff
Staff Member
Global Moderator
Joined
1 Sep 2014
Messages
9,994
Location
here to eternity
Do pay attention at the back...!

The lines are live. It's just that there is a 60mph speed restriction through there if the pantograph is raised.

Forgive me if I've not been paying attention but I'm sure IET's lower their pans - or is just to maintain speed (i.e. maintain 60 mph plus on deisel?
 

swt_passenger

Veteran Member
Joined
7 Apr 2010
Messages
31,263
Forgive me if I've not been paying attention but I'm sure IET's lower their pans - or is just to maintain speed (i.e. maintain 60 mph plus on deisel?
You’re right, but I think the discussion had veered onto 387s which will have to have the speed limit applied instead.
 

Mrwerdna1

Member
Joined
18 Jul 2018
Messages
61
Location
The Continent
Haha, can someone please make a photoshop of what that would look like :lol::D
(besides the very real measurement train)

EDIT: ah, he was referring to an IET train viewed from an HST... But I'll admit it, he had me confused for a second...
 

oglord

Member
Joined
13 Oct 2010
Messages
330
Location
Newport, Monmouthshire
Earth wires now extend eastwards from the end of the currently wired section at Pilning through the station as far as the split-level section on both sides. Also a run of catenary and contact wire has appeared on the up and down mains at Bishton to the west of the current run of catenary only.
 
Last edited:

JN114

Established Member
Joined
28 Jun 2005
Messages
3,346
First 387s to Newbury (on test) due on nights first week of December.
 

JN114

Established Member
Joined
28 Jun 2005
Messages
3,346
Ooh, very interesting!
Of course units etc will be allocated with whatever’s available, but I’m guessing they’ll be running as 5Zxx down there?

I don't recall the exact headcodes but they were 5-something.
 

FGW_DID

Established Member
Joined
23 Jun 2011
Messages
2,724
Location
81E
Ooh, very interesting!
Of course units etc will be allocated with whatever’s available, but I’m guessing they’ll be running as 5Zxx down there?

I don't recall the exact headcodes but they were 5-something.

WO: (8 car 387) 23.24 Reading TCD - Newbury - Reading TCD 04.30 5Z26/5Z27/5Z28/5Z29
ThO: (8 car 387) 23.24 Reading TCD - Newbury - Reading TCD 04.30 5Z36/5Z37/5Z38/5Z39
 

Thatcham Xing

Member
Joined
1 Nov 2016
Messages
173
Down at Newbury earlier and took the attached, wondering what all these bits and pieces are on the OHLE just to the west of the platforms - something to do with tensioning for OHLE raising and lowering?
Newbury 241118 2.jpg Newbury 241118 1.jpg
 

swt_passenger

Veteran Member
Joined
7 Apr 2010
Messages
31,263
Down at Newbury earlier and took the attached, wondering what all these bits and pieces are on the OHLE just to the west of the platforms - something to do with tensioning for OHLE raising and lowering?
I reckon it’s mostly to do with it being over the S&C (points) where the four tracks merge into two. But there’s also a limited clearance bridge just to the west of the station, and the catenary and contact wire are being brought together vertically. That’s what those special cantilevers with the parallel tubes are all about.
 

KingswoodRed

New Member
Joined
24 Nov 2018
Messages
3
Question for you all - why would the 18:45 IET from Paddington last night run all the way to Bristol Parkway on diesel power only? Unmistakable Diesel sound throughout the trip.
 

FGW_DID

Established Member
Joined
23 Jun 2011
Messages
2,724
Location
81E
Question for you all - why would the 18:45 IET from Paddington last night run all the way to Bristol Parkway on diesel power only? Unmistakable Diesel sound throughout the trip.

For various reasons, several of the IETs have a diesel only restriction.

Welcome to the forum BTW :D
 

KingswoodRed

New Member
Joined
24 Nov 2018
Messages
3
Thanks for your welcome.

Was a shame I didn’t get any electric only running as I only travel to London on GWR once a quarter or so, normally in combination with a Eurostar to Brussels and DB to Aachen. Flying has become much less reliable and as can be read into the fact I’ve signed up to this forum, I do generally prefer to let the train take the strain....
 

3973EXL

Established Member
Joined
2 Feb 2017
Messages
2,435
GWML Bridge parapet work update.

Southbury Lane & Butts Hill Rd, state of work today.
DSC01616.JPG DSC01617.JPG DSC01618.JPG DSC01619.JPG DSC01620.JPG
DSC01622.JPG DSC01625.JPG
 

Chris125

Established Member
Joined
12 Nov 2009
Messages
3,074
A long awaited video has been uploaded to youtube - 800002 leaving Newbury with the pantograph up:

 

Thatcham Xing

Member
Joined
1 Nov 2016
Messages
173
It's been doing a few runs this afternoon by the looks. Just saw it on the Railcam coming back down to Newbury via the Racecourse loop. Interesting to see it in the bay platform aswell (although suspect IETs won't do that often in service).
 

Jurassicjewel

Member
Joined
26 Sep 2018
Messages
27
I have been reading with considerable interest about the Steventon Bridge situation, has anyone heard whether Network Rail have lodged their appeal yet to demolish and replace the bridge? . I would imagine if the issue is not resolved in the next year, the knock on effect for accelerated timetables in late 2019 could be a real problem unless IET's can make up the time when accelerating either side of the bridge on electric from the 60mph speed restriction.
 

swt_passenger

Veteran Member
Joined
7 Apr 2010
Messages
31,263
I have been reading with considerable interest about the Steventon Bridge situation, has anyone heard whether Network Rail have lodged their appeal yet to demolish and replace the bridge? . I would imagine if the issue is not resolved in the next year, the knock on effect for accelerated timetables in late 2019 could be a real problem unless IET's can make up the time when accelerating either side of the bridge on electric from the 60mph speed restriction.
Welcome.

The 60 mph restriction won't apply to IETs as they'll be running on diesel and they won't have their pans up. Not a long term solution but it shouldn't affect timing as much as you'd expect.
 
Last edited:
Joined
9 Nov 2017
Messages
260
With the various project's drawing to a close I hope the electrification teams with there hard earned knowledge are not disbanded awaiting Grayling to stop sitting on his hands. Presumably the piles and mast teams are already starting to be layed off.
K
Unfortunately, that's very much what's happening. A lot of contractors and staff have gone to HS2 or OLE projects abroad; or simply left (along with their knowledge) for greener (and more secure) pastures outside of the railway.

If the decision was formally made tomorrow to continue the wires down to Bristol via Bath, it would almost be like starting from scratch again.
 

jimm

Established Member
Joined
6 Apr 2012
Messages
5,230
I have been reading with considerable interest about the Steventon Bridge situation, has anyone heard whether Network Rail have lodged their appeal yet to demolish and replace the bridge? . I would imagine if the issue is not resolved in the next year, the knock on effect for accelerated timetables in late 2019 could be a real problem unless IET's can make up the time when accelerating either side of the bridge on electric from the 60mph speed restriction.

When he was still Rail Minister, Jo Johnson said in a House of Commons written answer at the start of this month that he understood Network Rail had lodged an appeal with the Planning Inspectorate.
 

ji459

Member
Joined
1 Mar 2011
Messages
112
When he was still Rail Minister, Jo Johnson said in a House of Commons written answer at the start of this month that he understood Network Rail had lodged an appeal with the Planning Inspectorate.

If they have, the appeal hasn't been registered yet (according to the Vale of White Horse District Council website and Planning Inspectorate website).
 

Ken H

On Moderation
Joined
11 Nov 2018
Messages
6,271
Location
N Yorks
Just turning on the diesels isnt that easy. they re not designed to run at full tilt from cold. So you have to pre heat them somehow, by idle running or with heaters. So some time before you need the diesel, you need to run the start up procedure.
You at least need to give it time to get oil in the turbo. My garage man says people break their car engines by not allowing the engine to idle for 30 seconds before setting off.
 

3973EXL

Established Member
Joined
2 Feb 2017
Messages
2,435
Reading West

Tilehurst Rd bridge parapet work - no progress.

Platform extension last week. Lights & fence to complete.
DSC01612.JPG DSC01613.JPG
Today.
DSC01626.JPG DSC01627.JPG

At some point, all these DSC01543.JPG have been removed. DSC01628.JPG
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Top