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First electric loco at swindon

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timstours

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67012+90035+11074{mk3)+82115dvt+67028 have arrived at swindon this afternoon ,for tests this week between swindon and didcot parkway ,could this be to do with grand unions plans to run between paddington and cardiff
 
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67012+90035+11074{mk3)+82115dvt+67028 have arrived at swindon this afternoon ,for tests this week between swindon and didcot parkway ,could this be to do with grand unions plans to run between paddington and cardiff
Nothing to do with Grand Union.
 

Bayum

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67012+90035+11074{mk3)+82115dvt+67028 have arrived at swindon this afternoon ,for tests this week between swindon and didcot parkway ,could this be to do with grand unions plans to run between paddington and cardiff
The OHLE will need assessing at some point in order to be put forward as safe and usable, so there will be a number of electric locomotives there at some point to do just that.
 

221129

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The OHLE will need assessing at some point in order to be put forward as safe and usable, so there will be a number of electric locomotives there at some point to do just that.
This being the OHLE that's been in use for quite a while now? Or did you actually mean for Loco operations.
 

Class 170101

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I think it very unlikely that we will see Class 90 locos there in regular use especially as the GW OLE is, as far as I can tell, physically isolated from the rest of the OLE network.
 

gimmea50anyday

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Are the connections at Acton between the GW and North london routes not wired? Bit short sighted if not as that would give direct connections to west coast, east coast and greater anglia routes
 

hwl

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Are the connections at Acton between the GW and North london routes not wired? Bit short sighted if not as that would give direct connections to west coast, east coast and greater anglia routes
No they aren't but on the GWEP to do list so who knows what will happen.
 

Spekejunction

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Looking forward to the gap between Acton and North London line being closed .
This would allow class 88 haulage of Daventry to Cardiff Tesco Trains
and perhaps Felixstowe to Cardiff Freightliners...with class 93 's !
 

59CosG95

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Looking forward to the gap between Acton and North London line being closed .
This would allow class 88 haulage of Daventry to Cardiff Tesco Trains
and perhaps Felixstowe to Cardiff Freightliners...with class 93 's !
The Daventry-Cardiff liners run via the Camp Hill Line, Ashchurch, Gloucester and Chepstow - not many wires on that corridor! (The only wired sections are Daventry - Nuneaton, Kings Norton - Longbridge (Slow lines only), Longbridge - Barnt Green (Fast lines only), Barnt Green - Bromsgrove, and Severn Tunnel Junction - Wentloog (Cardiff)).
Even at Wentloog, there's no electrified reception roads, but if 88s or 93s are used, that's not much of a problem.
 

59CosG95

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My assumption is for panning tests and measurements of the OLE under *that* bridge at Steventon (that's caused all the strife with the GW electrification programme), to see if speeds higher than 110mph can be undertaken. The fact that the NMT is out of action (maintenance) and MENTOR (NR's OLE measurement coach) is covering for the NMT might be a plausible explanation.
 

Spekejunction

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The Daventry-Cardiff liners run via the Camp Hill Line, Ashchurch, Gloucester and Chepstow - not many wires on that corridor! (The only wired sections are Daventry - Nuneaton, Kings Norton - Longbridge (Slow lines only), Longbridge - Barnt Green (Fast lines only), Barnt Green - Bromsgrove, and Severn Tunnel Junction - Wentloog (Cardiff)).
Even at Wentloog, there's no electrified reception roads, but if 88s or 93s are used, that's not much of a problem.
I agree that present route is via Gloucester etc ,but it has been mooted that if wires are all the way then Via London is an option..
 

59CosG95

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Even via the Crossrail tunnels? (I'll get my coat, I know it's not allowed).
Electrically, it isn't isolated via the Crossrail tunnels, but the signalling farces mean that they aren't authorised for revenue traffic.
Besides, the chances of an electric loc travelling through the Crossrail tunnels is next to none.

The sooner that the GWML & NLL are electrically connected at Acton Wells, the better.
 

fgwrich

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The OHLE will need assessing at some point in order to be put forward as safe and usable, so there will be a number of electric locomotives there at some point to do just that.

It's believed to be there for OHLE tests this week between Didcot, Swindon and Newport. The OHLE East of Swindon is currently in use and has been signed off for some time, but does have the bridge issue at Steveneton to contend with, while the OHLE to Newport isn't signed off and is untested. The MkIII itself isn't owned by the 125 Group anymore either (before anyone questions why that is there!) and is now being used by a testing company (Data Acquisition and Testing Ltd). I'd expect it to run with DVT+11074+90035 with the 67 on standby.

(This wasn't entirely in response to you Bayum, just a general reply type post)
 

Class 170101

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I assume that when North Pole was connected to the GWML it was disconnected from the West London Line?

As for Class 88s between Wentloog and Daventry they do have a diesel engine but whether its powerful enough to operate between Acton West Jn (GWML) and Acton Canal Wharf (WCML) I wouldn't know.
 

59CosG95

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I assume that when North Pole was connected to the GWML it was disconnected from the West London Line?

As for Class 88s between Wentloog and Daventry they do have a diesel engine but whether its powerful enough to operate between Acton West Jn (GWML) and Acton Canal Wharf (WCML) I wouldn't know.
No, the electrical connection between the WLL & North Pole is still extant.
 

Mag_seven

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No, the electrical connection between the WLL & North Pole is still extant.

In which case the GWML is connected to the rest of the 25kv network but to access it an electric train would have to do a triple reversal from the GWML to the West London line via North Pole depot. :D

(Although how far does the OLE extend from the entrance to North Pole Depot down the West London line towards Kensington Olympia?)
 
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Mag_seven

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We could probably play this game endlessly, as Class 71s were hauled through Swindon to Newport to be cut up there.

And a few of the AC locos that were stored at Long Marston were also hauled there via Swindon and the Stroud line.
 

Class 170101

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In which case the GWML is connected to the rest of the 25kv network but to access it an electric train would have to do a triple reversal from the GWML to the West London line via North Pole depot. :D

Why a triple reversal?

From WCML to WLL to reverse near electrical changeover point - then into North Pole and straight onto GWML towards Reading surely?
 

LNW-GW Joint

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Looking forward to the gap between Acton and North London line being closed .
This would allow class 88 haulage of Daventry to Cardiff Tesco Trains
and perhaps Felixstowe to Cardiff Freightliners...with class 93 's !

You'd need a bit more OHLE in the Acton area to connect the WCML to the GWML without reversal on the NLL - from Acton Wells Jn to Acton Canal Wharf Jn.
All the connections in that area need to be done really, but the freight boys weren't interested (enough) at the crucial time.
 

Mag_seven

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90035, 11074 & 82115 have now been moved to the HOOB at Swindon (where the High Output Wiring Train is based). Tests begin tomorrow, apparently.

Saw them in there earlier (though the 90 was inside the shed so I couldn't see it)
 
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