Apologies if this has already been asked (I did look), but have their been any further announcements Bristol Temple Meads and Bath since it was paused? I understand there is a sensible order to do things in, but if the resignalling is going to be complete within the next six months, surely now is the time to be planning what is needed for the electrification (for example, would they want a possession over Easter 2019).
They don’t make announcements normally, they just update the CP5 enhancements plan every 3 months or so, there should be an update this month. The last edition in March had repeated all the Dec 2017 info for GW wiring though, so perhaps there might be an actual update this next time.
The station has been re-signalled without significant changes to the layout. I thought the plan was to remodel it Reading-style and if so it would make sense to do that before considering electrification.
The only significant change, IIRC, would be the addition of tracks in the Midland Shed once Bristol PSB is bulldozed; that won't take place until after October (once Bristol TM - Bath Spa is resignalled to the TVSC) at the earliest. I suspect the Filton works may also have an impact on wiring plans.
I thought at some point Bristol East Jn was going to be remodelled? It's a fairly archaic layout at present, you wouldn't want to electrify it.
My understanding. Is that the capacity enhancements as a result of Filton Bank 4 tracking cannot be realised until Bristol East Jn is remodelled e.g. MetroWest and extra services from South Wales.
There is even a better solution to Reading West! Do not build the bridge at all.
There is now a notice of change of access at Reading West:
I hadn't known about the additional track on the Ebbw branch, but it certainly would make sense to kill two birds with one stone.
At Newport station, the work on cutting back canopies has been going on for quite some time. Platform 1 is largely complete apart from the sections adjacent to the skeletal remains of the old footbridge, which must soon be due for removal! Platforms 2/3 are more complex because of the different design of canopy in the 'central' part of the canopies and the tunnel side of the old footbridge, though the remainder has been completed for some time. Platform 4 was a new construction some years ago and presumably does not require any work.
I recall a portal boom across the four tracks of the main line and a fairly adjacent Twin track cantilever across the very first part of the Ebbw Vale branch as I passed on 18.6.18.
Looking at the rusty state of the steelwork in the photo with the man in the mast-climber, it's probably temporary work for the canopy. I would have thought that any electrification metalwork would be either galvanised or powder-coated.
That would make more sense to be fair.
Ahh yes, are those the masts at the "completed" end of the P2/3 island? While they certainly aren't visually appealing, they are at least in keeping with the rest of the GWML, so there's little/no chance of Skates saying that Wales has had it worse off than England with ugly OHLE structures
Ahh yes, are those the masts at the "completed" end of the P2/3 island? While they certainly aren't visually appealing, they are at least in keeping with the rest of the GWML, so there's little/no chance of Skates saying that Wales has had it worse off than England with ugly OHLE structures
Unlikely to be cor-ten as it’s a bit of a sod to weld and not suitable for that sort of application.
Ahh fair enough - the rusty steelwork at Cardiff's probably just formwork/temporary members of some description then.
Perhaps it will carry a temporary barrier to allow work on the roof with the adjacent line open?
Now I think about it, that seems very likely. Maybe it would support a scaffold over P2/3 (and poss. the through lines) while workers can then swarm over the roof and make the necessary alterations to the canopies?
