Great Western Electrification Progress

pt_mad said:

Am I right in thinking I remember that under the early days of the coalition government the electrification from Cardiff to Swansea was spoken about at various times by different figures as though it was never certain anyway?

And then Caneron made an announcement one day that yes it will happen all the way to Swansea? And then after 2015 the scheme was cut?

Or was it a different course of events to that? Because I'm sure I vaguely remember the Cardiff being absolutly certain from that start but Swansea being a kind of bolt on in the way it was treated anyway?

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pt_mad said:

Am I right in thinking I remember that under the early days of the coalition government the electrification from Cardiff to Swansea was spoken about at various times by different figures as though it was never certain anyway?

And then Caneron made an announcement one day that yes it will happen all the way to Swansea? And then after 2015 the scheme was cut?

Or was it a different course of events to that? Because I'm sure I vaguely remember the Cardiff being absolutly certain from that start but Swansea being a kind of bolt on in the way it was treated anyway?

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PaulHarding150 said:

Electrification of the mainline from London to Swansea was announced (by Labour) in Summer 2009.

The Coalition reviewed all existing spending when and announced on 1st March 2011 that it would go only as far as Cardiff

In the Autumn of 2012 Cardiff-Swansea was re-added along with all the Valley Lines - the Cardiff-Bridgend section being used by both mainline and valley line trains was key in this decision.

There were various arguments from 2013 onwards as to who would pay - Welsh or UK Governments.

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TwistedMentat said:

I would have expected more than 2 years before any real corrosion set in. Is it oddly damp in the Severn tunnel compared to other tunnels? It is an old underwater tunnel after all. Not like a modern bored tunnel with massive concrete segments. Seems totally plausible that there is something unexpectedly odd for the environment there.

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59CosG95 said:

GWML Electrification: State of Play, week beginning 2/7/18.

All mileages given from Paddington, except where noted.

Paddington to Wootton Bassett Jct - LIVE

• All main line tracks wired as far as Wootton Bassett Jct, and are to be considered "live" as such. Wires towards Bristol Parkway continue to around MP97, around Alderton (see below).
  
• TTCs have replaced/been replacing headspans at various locations within London - locations include Westway (beneath the A40), Acton Main Line, Ealing B'way, W. Ealing, Southall, H&H.
  
• Everything wired at Reading (bar P4-6 which were never in the plan). Includes the TCD & the curves, down to Reading West (see B&H section).
  
• West of Didcot Parkway, all lines are wired & live heading towards Swindon.
  
• Everything wired at Swindon; P1-4, and the Through Road. Switchgear at the Bristol end of P1-4 is now live.

Small Points

• ATF wires in operation from Maidenhead to Wootton Bassett; Kensal Green to Maidenhead currently only using return conductors but will be AT-ready in the near future. Some AT wires up along this stretch now; whether they are live remains to be seen.
  • In preparation for the Elizabeth Line running to Maidenhead, Hayes & Harlington to Maidenhead was closed off over the Early May Bank Holiday (5/5 to 7/5); this included renewals of S&C at West Drayton & Slough West Jct, alongside HOPS work at Langley. Paddington to H&H was also closed on May 6th, and encompassed final OLE works for Crossrail, alongside (presumably) ATF installation, finishing of Platform Extensions, lift shaft installation, passenger footbridge installation, and ticket hall foundation installation.
• Parapet Work ongoing at Southbury Lane Bridge, Ruscombe.
  
• Twyford platform extensions almost finished; the Up Main is the last remaining one to be done.
  
• Parapet Work has yet to commence on Butts Hill Rd Bridge, Woodley.
  
• Few masts and cantilevers now up on the Didcot Avoiding Line, which finish at Appleford; Appleford LC being the limit of wires for the time being.
  
• Oxford Lines west of Didcot Pkwy wired as far as the loco fuelling sdg; Down Oxford as far as 53m31ch, Up Oxford as far as 53m42ch. Didcot avoiding lines have sprouted masts (4 portals, 2 TTCs), with a wire pair over the Down Didcot Avoider.
  
• A note on Steventon: Wires up under the High St Bridge (aka the "Brunel Bridge"); however, the bridge may well be demolished in CP6. It *MIGHT* need temporary parapet work to protect passers-by from stray currents; the discussion continues.
  
• Both Bourton & Uffington crossovers wired.
  
• Overruns through Swindon Jct (77m 36ch) onto the Golden Valley Line have also been wired.
  
• Another note on the OLE to Wootton Bassett - testing with IETs will occur in July, and entry of IETs in AC passenger service occurs in September.

The "Main Line"; Wootton Bassett Jct - Chippenham (Cocklebury Lane Bridge)

Until further notice, the 25kV transmission wires will run in a trough from Cocklebury Lane Bridge (just east of Chippenham) to Thingley Jct. Large steelwork is expected to remain in situ until wiring is authorised west of Thingley, but some specific items may be poached if required elsewhere (and duplicates aren't stored at RAF Wroughton). Details given in the "Postponements" section.

• Track lowering and drainage work at Dauntsey completed.
  
• Nr Tockenham Wick, pretty much all the masts are up, TTCs, STCs and portals alike; most have SPS fitted now.
  
• All masts (at first glance) appear to be up at Dauntsey Bank (87m ish), with the majority of SPS fitted. Earth wires have also reached the area; extending over both lines.
  
• All earth wires are now up between Wootton Bassett Jct & Cocklebury Lane Overbridge.
  
• Over Sutton Ln Bridge, Kellaways (between Christian Malford & Langley Burrell), catenary & contact wires have been erected over the Up Line; these extend eastwards as far as the eye can see. They have not reached Dauntsey Bank or Wootton Bassett yet, to my knowledge.
  
• Langley Burrell (east of Chippenham)
  • Most STCs here have their SPS up, folded out of the way; these masts also have ATF wire brackets fixed at the top. Again, these have now extended towards Christian Malford, and beyond towards Dauntsey Bank.
    
  • Some of the thicker STC masts, which have TTC-style tubular booms fitted, aren't yet dressed with SPS. The TTC "Tensorex" portals at Langley Burrell don't yet bear the Tensorex drums which will eventually go up there.
    
  • Works compound established at Langley Green L.C.
    
  • The "termination" twin-track portal west of Cocklebury Lane now carries Tensorex drums & SPS.
    
  • Another catenary/contact wire pair appear to be up over the Down Line as far as Langley Burrell.

Chippenham (Cocklebury Lane Bridge) - Thingley Jct

• No piles in Chippenham station, nor any masts affixed to the viaduct.
  
• All piles in and majority of masts (and cantilevers) up from the western end of the viaduct to Thingley Junction (where the feeder station will be). About 14 masts are up in the vicinity of Thingley Feeder Stn, 2 of which have TTC booms affixed. Another has an STC boom.
  • Piles continue westwards to the next bridge.
    
  • Piles also in (and have been for over a year) at Ashley (beyond Box Tunnel).

Thingley Jct - Bath

No wiring for the foreseeable future, but overbridges between Thingley Jct & Corsham have all had clearance works, along with Box Tunnel (track lowering) and Sydney Gardens (track lowering).

Bath to Bristol

Piles in, particularly around Saltford. Not due to see use for a while after the wiring delay. Track lowered through Bath Spa, Oldfield Park & Keynsham in readiness for future wiring.


South Wales Main Line (Wootton Bassett Jct-Bristol Parkway-Severn Tunnel-Newport-Cardiff)


Wootton Bassett Jct - Bristol Parkway; apparently set to go live in September 2018.

• 11 odd miles worth of wires up from Wootton Bassett Jct to around MP97, in the Alderton Tunnel (97m 34ch) area. The Down Badminton (DB) now finishes west of the tunnel (around MP97 3/4) whilst the Up Badminton (UB) finished around MP97 1/4.
  
• All masts, most SPS and earth wires now up through Acton Turville and Badminton; multiple wired sections are now up in this area too, with a short section on the DB and a longer (approx. 1 mile) section on the UB.
  
• Retaining walls drilled & bars inserted, ready to fix masts, at the eastern portals of Alderton Tunnel and Chipping Sodbury Tunnel.
  
• O/H Conductor rail installed in Chipping Sodbury Tunnel (101m 06ch to 103m 48ch).
  
• Progress as well around Chipping Sodbury/Old Sodbury:
  • Catenary & contact wires (over both lines) now up between the west portal of C.S. Tunnel and the westernmost "tension portal" mentioned above (along with Earth wires); it is assumed that these are now connected to the conductor rail in C.S. Tunnel. Wires on the DB carry on to around MP104; a gap is then present for the points for the CSGL before resuming and continuing to around MP107 (see below).
    
  • Chipping Sodbury Goods Loop (CSGL) is fully wired; the UB & DB are partially wired parallel to the loop.
• The wires from Chipping Sodbury have now connected with those around Yate/Wapley, and extend west to around MP107, just short of Westerleigh Jct itself (107m 14ch). One ATF wire contines westwards over the junction for a short distance.
  
• From Westerleigh Jct to Bristol Parkway; fewer than 20 bases are mastless now. Most SPS is concentrated at the Westerleigh end; the central part between there still needs masts, unbelievably.
  • A run of masts (all boomed) has sprouted on the curve towards Cheltenham Spa. SPS is starting to go up on the curve, the remainder is in the cess awaiting fitment.
• Earth Wire (on the Down side) now accompanies the SPS up on the STCs and TTCs to the west & east of "The Dramway" footbridge nr Ram Hill (Coalpit Heath); a pair of single masts which seem to be destined for a portal boom can be found just east of the bridge (https://flic.kr/p/23WGyV5).
  
• Huckford Viaduct has had bespoke mast fittings applied.
  
• The "Blue Viaduct" over the M4 just east of BPW now has SPS up on the masts along it.
  
• Winterbourne Viaduct is currently mastless.
  
• BPW Platforms extensions complete.
  • TTCs up over all platforms as of 20/3, along with the Down Bristol Goods Loop (opposite P1).
    
  • Portal now up at the eastern end over all lines through the station. Nothing more up further east on the approach though.
    
  • A number of masts & booms are up on the line towards Filton Abbey Wood, between Stoke Gifford Jct No.1 (111m 79ch) and Filton Jct No.1 (113m 01ch); these end just short of Filton Jct 1 and will presumably act as an overrun until electrification continues into Temple Meads.
• Filton Bank bridge works (mileages all from Temple Meads):
  • Easton Rd Overbridge (1m 18ch) completely rebuilt.
    
  • Narroways Footbridge (2m 12ch) replaced.
    
  • Ashley Hill Footbridge (3m 11ch) replaced.
    
  • Bonnington Walk Overbridge (3m 62ch) - parapets raised.
    
  • Footbridge south of Filton Abbey Wood (4m 18ch) will need work if wiring is to occur.

Bristol Parkway - Pilning

• The Patchway/Severn Tunnel Blockade is now in full & merry swing - no trains between Bristol Parkway & Severn Tunnel Jct between 16th of June & 6th of July.
  
• 2 boomed masts are up at the Welsh end of Bristol Parkway, and a concrete foundation awaiting a mast can be seen next to them.https://flic.kr/p/245kEME
  
• Stoke Gifford IEP Depot all wired.
  
• Patchway Tunnels conductor rail to be installed during the Blockade; in the gap between the "old" tunnels (westbound track), all the bases appear to be in, and the cutting retained with mesh. Track-lowering and drainage work to be undertaken in the "old" tunnel (on the Cardiff-bound line) in the same time period. Trackbed lowering now complete; only finishing works left.
  
• Brackets for conductor rail now up at the Pilning End of the Old Tunnel.
  
• Masts, booms and SPS up through Patchway. During the Blockade, wires will also be strung up through Patchway.
  • Cattybrook Brickworks Bridge closed as of 18/3/18.
• At Pilning, during the Summer Tunnels blockade, all portals and masts have now been erected, and the first wires are beginning to go up.

Severn Tunnel - Newport

• Severn Tunnel Conductor rail in place .
  
• All bridge rebuilding complete from Severn Tunnel Jct (149m 14ch) to Bishton Flyover (152m 30ch).
  
• Masts beginning to go up between Severn Tunnel Jct & Bishton Flyover, as of 3/4/18. These include:
  • At least 11 between Undy (Playing Fields Footbridge) and the M4 viaduct over the mains; one just east of the "white house" has a TTC boom. It can be assumed that its 8 comrades will be similarly adorned. Another near the "white house" has now gone up on the Relief side; perhaps a 4-track portal is in the offing?
    
  • Another 3 masts (two for a portal boom, one a TTC with boom up) have appeared east of "the ramp" bridge at Magor; these join the sole TTC on the Up side by the bridge. Another can be found on the Up Side, west of the W End/Main Rd footbridge. Another 3 are west of "the ramp" bridge; 2 on the Down side, 1 on the Up side.
    
  • Masts (with SPS fitted) up between Bishton Flyover (including over it) and Llanwern West Jct (156m 20ch). 5 masts are currently up on the curve down from the flyover at its eastern end.
• Plenty piles are in around the Bishton LC (153m 01ch) to Llanwern Works East Connection (153m 05ch) area; further west towards Llanwern Works West Connection/Llanwern West Junction (156m 03ch to 156m 20ch), masts are going up at the double. Portal structures/TTCs etc. are up just east of the utility bridge between the Llanwern Connections, and to the west. SPS has gone up too on lots of them; not easy to find exact numbers though.
  
• Some masts have sprouted near Lliswerry pond.
  
• 6-track portals, probably TGBUs (aka Thumpin' Great Big-Uns) going up aroung East Usk Yard (approx. MP157 1/2).
  
• Between the Maindee Jcts (157m 74ch to 158m 16ch), a cluster of piles is in beside the Down Relief; these are complemented by masted piles on the Main side (adjacent to the Up Main).
  
• Caerleon Rd Overbridge to be refurbished in 2 phases - 20/7 to 30/11, and then January ‘19 to March ‘19. Not sure what impact on wiring this will have.
  
• Some SPS has now gone up between Maindee West & Maindee East; between Maindee West Maindee North Jct (41m 03ch from the former Rotherwas Jct, just south of Hereford; the ELR for the southern part of the Marches Line), masts with TTCs on are also going up (as overruns) over the Marches Line; the termination mast & associated TTC are just north of signal "NT 1559".
  
• Fixings for masts have now been installed on the Usk Bridge.

Newport

• P1 Canopies all cut back; P2 & P3 canopies still in progress.
  
• Masts and portals now appearing at the western end of the station, some with SPS attached. More started to appear in mid-April; additionally, two at the Cardiff end & two through the P1 canopy on the weekend of April 28th/29th.
  
• 4-track portal now up over the southern 4 tracks, just east of the new station footbridge.
  
• Two six-track portals have now gone up over the western throat of the station, just short of a 4-track portal (uprights of) & a TTC (with SPS) adjacent to Clytha Park Rd.
  
• Old stn footbridge still in situ.

Newport - Cardiff

• Around 6 piles are in adjacent to the Up Main between Ebbw Jct (160m 07ch) and Gaer Jct (159m 32ch); these will probably take masts for portal booms. One such boom appears to have gone in! Currently unknown if Alexandra Dock Jct Yard will be electrified.
  
• A sole mast is up immediately behind the signal gantry adjacent to the Up Main at Ebbw Jct.
  
• Over 100 masts from Ebbw Jct to Marshfield (163m 60ch). Booms & SPS starting to appear in the area too.
  
• Green Lane Bridge, nr Marshfield (164m 57ch) reopened to traffic after reconstruction. Masts (with SPS) up around here too.
  
• Some of the masts near Duffryn have SPS affixed.
  
• Lots of masts (with booms, SPS & ATF brackets) now up near Mardy Rd Bridge, Rumney.
  
• Two TTCs, one on each side of the tracks, have been erected by the bridge at Rhymney River Bridge Jct (167m 61ch).
  
• About 4 or 5 portals have been erected just west of Pengam Jct (168m 40ch); 5 masts are up on the Up side east of Rover Lane bridge, complemented by 2 on the Down side. Some of the portals now have booms, and bear SPS.
  
• A handful of masts are also up around Long Dyke Jct (169m 35ch); some have now gained TTC booms and SPS as well.

Cardiff Central

• Re-signalling completed. Platform 0 now open. 3 masts now up over P0/1 with TTC booms.
  
• Piling underway at the extreme ends of P1/2 & P3/4 for future masts. One can assume portals will bridge the gap between P2 & P3, over the Through lines.
  
• Canopy cut-back work now underway on P2.

Swansea IEP Depot

• New IEP Depot at Maliphant Sidings, Swansea now complete; all steelwork up but no wires.

GWML/SWML Blockades:

• 14/4 & 15/4 - Swindon; done.
  
• 26/5 to 28/5 - Swindon; done.
  
• 23/4 to 25/5 (exc. weekends): Complete; Swansea-Padd services are now leaving/arriving at Swansea as per their booked times again.
  
• 30/4 to 18/5 (exc. weekends): Complete; Cardiff-Pompey & Cardiff-Taunton services working as normal.
  
• 16/6 to 6/7: Bristol Parkway - Severn Tunnel Jct is now underway.
  
• 30/6 to 1/7: Bristol Parkway - Swindon; done. What went on here?
  
• 24/12/18 to 1/1/19: Bristol Parkway - Newport will be blockaded again for more OLE works.
  
• More Blockades will follow; details as they become available.

Berks & Hants Line (Reading-Newbury)

Reading-Newbury set to go live from December 2018; electric trains in service from January 2019.

Reading West-Southcote Junction - Theale

• At a guess, 10-12 masts still need to go up for this scheme; most around MP38 1/4, plus some more around Newbury.
  
• Within Reading West, piles for the new footbridge (under Murphy's remit) are now mostly in, awaiting final driving. About 3 still need to go in on the Down side.
  
• Between the existing live wires at Reading West and the A4 (Bath Road) Bridge, all large steelwork & SPS is up.
  
• South of the A4, the next 2 masts (STCs) have no SPS, then the next 4 (all TTCs) have SPS. Just short of Southcote Jct , a cluster of about 6 masts (5 on the Down side, one on the Up) are are up, with 4 additional masts on the Up (Reading) side parallel to the junction.
  
• All large steelwork is then up south of the 4th bedanglied TTC, through Southcote Junction (37m 62ch) to just before MP38 1/4. Two TTC cantilever booms have gone up on the Basingstoke Line (on the Up side).
  • Piles recently installed next to the Down Westbury (DW) in the "vee" of Southcote Jct have now been bemasted.
    
  • The two masts missing at Calcot Mill FP Crossing have now gone up.
• First SPS up to the west of Southcote is around MP 38 1/4; SPS is completely absent east of there. Some SPS is still missing by the pointwork east of Theale & in a couple of other locations. The mast just east of the M4 bridge on the Up side has now been erected; this is shorter due to 400kV National Grid cables being in close proximity. A mast is also missing around the pointwork east of Theale.
  
• (The next structure east of the eastern limit of B&H wires is currently missing a portal.)
  
• The M4 overbridge now has brackets/"stovepipes" fitted over both lines; those over the DW have registration arms fitted.

Theale - Aldermaston - Midgham - Thatcham - Newbury Racecourse

• Wires over the main lines (DW/UW) begin just east of Theale station, and are now continuous to just east of Kennet Viaduct (nr Newbury Racecourse); approximately at MP 51 1/4. The gap on the UW west of Theale has been wired.
  
• In Theale Goods Loop, the Earth (AT) wire has now been hung, and catenary/contact wires have now gone up westwards from MP 41 1/2, including over the pointwork at the Newbury end.
  
• Platform extension works now underway at Theale.
  
• West of Theale, only two masts (in Newbury Station) and 3 cantilevers/booms (one east of Newbury, two within the station).
  
• The platform extensions at Aldermaston and Thatcham are structurally complete; finishing works (e.g. levelling, fencing etc.) are all that remains to be done.
  
• After the gap over Kennet Viaduct, wires over all lines (Mains, crossovers and the DPL) resume at about MP51 3/4, and run to just east of Newbury Racecourse station.
  
• Earth wires and all SPS now up in Racecourse, with the SPS heading west to Newbury.

Newbury Racecourse (excl.) - Newbury Town (53m 06ch)

• Between Newbury's stations, only one portal boom needs to go up, at Boundary Rd Bridge. SPS is now all up east of the A339 bridge. A gaggle of taller masts (presumably for another ATF feeder station) can be seen opposite the Sainsbury's.
  
• The electrical substation/PSU at Boundary Rd looks roughly 80% complete.
  
• At Newbury, the new footbridge is now open (not the lifts yet). The old footbridge has now been removed; this was undertaken during the first June blockade.
  
• Between the western end of the platforms at Newbury, & Bartholomew St Bridge (at the western throat of the station), all the masts have had portal booms affixed. Almost all extant portals (bar one at the western end of the station) have now had SPS (registration arms) affixed over all lines. The single track masts in the bay platform have also been fitted. As mentioned above, two masts remain to be installed, and two masts are without a portal boom.
  
• Brackets for SPS have now been drilled into the A339 bridge at the eastern end of Newbury, over all lines; the relevant SPS has not yet gone up.
  
• West of Bartholomew St Bridge, the uprights extend past Rockingham Rd Bridge (about 200m west of the station) to roughly MP53 1/2; the masts at the western end of this run now have registration arms affixed. The termination masts also have their Tensorex drums fitted. (SPS may be missing on a couple of masts around Rockingham Rd Bridge.)

Proposed Limit of Wiring: 53m 51ch.

Gives ample room to reverse even a 12-car 387 formation.

Immunised signalling continues to about MP55 1/2.


B&H Blockades:

• 12/3 to 15/3; done.
  
• 23/4 to 26/4; done.
  
• 14/5 to 17/5; done.
  
• 2/6 to 10/6; done.
  
• 9/7 to 12/7,
  
• 16/7 to 5/8,
  
• 28/8 to 30/8,
  
• 8/10 to 11/10,
  
• 19/11 to 22/11.

Project Postponements

• Thames Valley Branches: Windsor & Henley deferred to CP6. Marlow removed from scope of current programme. The first few yards of each branch (bar the Henley Branch) have been wired as an overrun.
  
• Southcote Jct to Basingstoke has also been deferred to CP6.
  
• Appleford LC to Oxford paused, pending track realignment and resignalling of Oxford (6/7 to 23/7); if CP6 accounts allow for wiring to be extended to Oxford, it would be very likely to happen.
  
• Catenary & Contact wires between Chippenham (Cocklebury Lane Overbridge) & Thingley Jct have been deferred until (presumably) CP6; presumably this will wait until Bath-Bristol resignalling is complete. All Large steelwork to remain, unless required elsewhere.
  
• Bristol Temple Meads to Bath & Bristol Parkway paused, dependent on Bristol resignalling (Taunton-Parkway over Easter 2018; Temple Meads to Both in October 2018), track remodelling and Filton Bank 4-tracking (to be completed by December 2018).
  
• Bristol Temple Meads' "Midland Shed" to be reopened in CP6, after Bristol resignalling is complete and the PSB is demolished.

As always, do let me know if I've missed anything!

(apologies to anyone who saw it in a state of source code chaos too)

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• All the retaining-wall mast-fixings at Chipping Sodbury & Alderton tunnel approaches completed approx. four weeks ago.
  
• All steelwork up to just past Winterbourne cutting (SWB 110m) complete.
  
• Chipping Sodbury East-portal fully wired this weekend just gone. As far as I'm aware, this is the first tunnel on the project to have continuous wiring throughout & be connected to the open-route.

Dai Corner said:

[re Severn Tunnel conductor rail …]why install it over two years before it was due to be used?

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gallafent said:

Wasn't it originally supposed to be in use from December 2016?

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Dai Corner said:

Perhaps I should have said '.... over two years before it was expected to be used based on the schedule at the time it was done'

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gallafent said:

I'm suddenly reminded of all the new tenses that needed to be introduced in the Hitchhikers Guide, world … once time travel had been invented. I'm sure that starting with reference to https://h2g2.com/entry/A1126595 “The Grammar of Time Travel” it should be possible to work out how to construct a sentence in the right way to describe the sequence of events as viewed from various temporal, engineering, and political, standpoints, and to make them all make perfect sense!

From the link:

“—One of the major problems encountered in time travel not that of becoming your own mother or father. There is no problem involved in becoming your own mother or father that a broad-minded and well-adjusted family can’t cope with. There is no problem about changing the course of history- the course of history does not change because it all fits together like a jigsaw. All the important changes have happened before the things they were supposed to change and it all sorts itself out in the end.

“The major problem is quite simply one of grammar…”

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ORR raised concerns with Network Rail in February 2018 having benchmarked previous electrification performance. An achievable plan to deliver electrification to Cardiff in 2018 has not been produced. Network Rail is looking at options with its funders and customers for delivering electrification to Cardiff that would complete the works in 2019 taking into account the impact on passengers.

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• All main line tracks wired as far as Wootton Bassett Jct, and are to be considered "live" as such. Wires towards Bristol Parkway continue to around MP97, around Alderton (see below).
• TTCs have replaced/been replacing headspans at various locations within London - locations include Westway (beneath the A40), Acton Main Line, Ealing B'way, W. Ealing, Southall, H&H.
• Everything wired at Reading (bar P4-6 which were never in the plan). Includes the TCD & the curves, down to Reading West (see B&H section).
• West of Didcot Parkway, all lines are wired & live heading towards Swindon.
• Everything wired at Swindon; P1-4, and the Through Road. Switchgear at the Bristol end of P1-4 is now live.

• ATF wires in operation from Maidenhead to Wootton Bassett; Kensal Green to Maidenhead currently only using return conductors but will be AT-ready in the near future. Some AT wires up along this stretch now; whether they are live remains to be seen.
  • In preparation for the Elizabeth Line running to Maidenhead, Hayes & Harlington to Maidenhead was closed off over the Early May Bank Holiday (5/5 to 7/5); this included renewals of S&C at West Drayton & Slough West Jct, alongside HOPS work at Langley. Paddington to H&H was also closed on May 6th, and encompassed final OLE works for Crossrail, alongside (presumably) ATF installation, finishing of Platform Extensions, lift shaft installation, passenger footbridge installation, and ticket hall foundation installation.
• Parapet Work ongoing at Southbury Lane Bridge, Ruscombe.
• Twyford platform extensions almost finished; the Up Main is the last remaining one to be done.
• Parapet Work has yet to commence on Butts Hill Rd Bridge, Woodley.
• Few masts and cantilevers now up on the Didcot Avoiding Line, which finish at Appleford; Appleford LC being the limit of wires for the time being.
• Oxford Lines west of Didcot Pkwy wired as far as the loco fuelling sdg; Down Oxford as far as 53m31ch, Up Oxford as far as 53m42ch. Didcot avoiding lines have sprouted masts (4 portals, 2 TTCs), with a wire pair over the Down Didcot Avoider.
• A note on Steventon: Wires up under the High St Bridge (aka the "Brunel Bridge"); however, the bridge may well be demolished in CP6. It *MIGHT* need temporary parapet work to protect passers-by from stray currents; the discussion continues.
• Both Bourton & Uffington crossovers wired.
• Overruns through Swindon Jct (77m 36ch) onto the Golden Valley Line have also been wired.
• Another note on the OLE to Wootton Bassett - testing with IETs will occur in July, and entry of IETs in AC passenger service occurs in September.

• Track lowering and drainage work at Dauntsey completed.
• Nr Tockenham Wick, pretty much all the masts are up, TTCs, STCs and portals alike; most have SPS fitted now.
• All masts (at first glance) appear to be up at Dauntsey Bank (87m ish), with the majority of SPS fitted. Earth wires have also reached the area; extending over both lines.
• All earth wires are now up between Wootton Bassett Jct & Cocklebury Lane Overbridge.[/COLOR]
• Over Sutton Ln Bridge, Kellaways (between Christian Malford & Langley Burrell), catenary & contact wires have been erected over the Up Line; these extend eastwards as far as the eye can see. They have not reached Dauntsey Bank or Wootton Bassett yet, to my knowledge.
• Langley Burrell (east of Chippenham)
  • Most STCs here have their SPS up, folded out of the way; these masts also have ATF wire brackets fixed at the top. Again, these have now extended towards Christian Malford, and beyond towards Dauntsey Bank.
  • Some of the thicker STC masts, which have TTC-style tubular booms fitted, aren't yet dressed with SPS. The TTC "Tensorex" portals at Langley Burrell don't yet bear the Tensorex drums which will eventually go up there.
  • Works compound established at Langley Green L.C.
  • The "termination" twin-track portal west of Cocklebury Lane now carries Tensorex drums & SPS.
  • Another catenary/contact wire pair appear to be up over the Down Line as far as Langley Burrell.

• No piles in Chippenham station, nor any masts affixed to the viaduct.
• All piles in and majority of masts (and cantilevers) up from the western end of the viaduct to Thingley Junction (where the feeder station will be). About 14 masts are up in the vicinity of Thingley Feeder Stn, 2 of which have TTC booms affixed. Another has an STC boom.
  • Piles continue westwards to the next bridge.
  • Piles also in (and have been for over a year) at Ashley (beyond Box Tunnel).

• 11 odd miles worth of wires up from Wootton Bassett Jct to around MP97, in the Alderton Tunnel (97m 34ch) area. The Down Badminton (DB) now finishes west of the tunnel (around MP97 3/4) whilst the Up Badminton (UB) finished around MP97 1/4.
• All masts, most SPS and earth wires now up through Acton Turville and Badminton; multiple wired sections are now up in this area too, with a short section on the DB and a longer (approx. 1 mile) section on the UB.
• Retaining wall fixtures completed at the eastern portal of Alderton Tunnel.
• O/H Conductor rail installed in Chipping Sodbury Tunnel (101m 06ch to 103m 48ch); wires now connected to both rails at both ends, now the eastern portal retaining wall brackets are complete.
• Progress as well around Chipping Sodbury/Old Sodbury:
  • Catenary & contact wires (over both lines) now up between the west portal of C.S. Tunnel and the westernmost "tension portal" mentioned above (along with Earth wires). Wires on the DB carry on to around MP104; a gap is then present for the points for the CSGL before resuming and continuing to around MP107 (see below).
  • Chipping Sodbury Goods Loop (CSGL) is fully wired; the UB & DB are partially wired parallel to the loop.
• The wires from Chipping Sodbury have now connected with those around Yate/Wapley, and extend west to around MP107, just short of Westerleigh Jct itself (107m 14ch). One ATF wire contines westwards over the junction for a short distance.
• From Westerleigh Jct to Bristol Parkway, all structures are up as far as approx. MP110, in Winterbourne Cutting. SPS is concentrated at the Westerleigh end; the central part between there still needs masts, unbelievably.
  • A run of masts (all boomed) has sprouted on the curve towards Cheltenham Spa. SPS is starting to go up on the curve, the remainder is in the cess awaiting fitment.
• Earth Wire (on the Down side) now accompanies the SPS up on the STCs and TTCs to the west & east of "The Dramway" footbridge nr Ram Hill (Coalpit Heath); a pair of single masts which seem to be destined for a portal boom can be found just east of the bridge (https://flic.kr/p/23WGyV5).
• Huckford Viaduct has had bespoke mast fittings applied.
• The "Blue Viaduct" over the M4 just east of BPW now has SPS up on the masts along it.
• Winterbourne Viaduct is currently mastless.
• BPW Platforms extensions complete.
  • TTCs up over all platforms as of 20/3, along with the Down Bristol Goods Loop (opposite P1).
  • Portal now up at the eastern end over all lines through the station. Nothing more up further east on the approach though.
  • A number of masts & booms are up on the line towards Filton Abbey Wood, between Stoke Gifford Jct No.1 (111m 79ch) and Filton Jct No.1 (113m 01ch); these end just short of Filton Jct 1 and will presumably act as an overrun until electrification continues into Temple Meads.
• Filton Bank bridge works (mileages all from Temple Meads):
  • Easton Rd Overbridge (1m 18ch) completely rebuilt.
  • Narroways Footbridge (2m 12ch) replaced.
  • Ashley Hill Footbridge (3m 11ch) replaced.
  • Bonnington Walk Overbridge (3m 62ch) - parapets raised.
  • Footbridge south of Filton Abbey Wood (4m 18ch) will need work if wiring is to occur.

• The Patchway/Severn Tunnel Blockade is now complete.
• 2 boomed masts are up at the Welsh end of Bristol Parkway, and a concrete foundation awaiting a mast can be seen next to them.https://flic.kr/p/245kEME
• Stoke Gifford IEP Depot all wired.
• Patchway Tunnels conductor rail to be installed during the Blockade; in the gap between the "old" tunnels (westbound track), all the bases appear to be in, and the cutting retained with mesh. Track-lowering and drainage work to be undertaken in the "old" tunnel (on the Cardiff-bound line) in the same time period. Trackbed lowering now complete; only finishing works left.
• Brackets for conductor rail now up at the Pilning End of the Old Tunnel.
• Masts, booms and SPS up through Patchway. During the Blockade, wires will also be strung up through Patchway.
  • Cattybrook Brickworks Bridge closed as of 18/3/18.
• At Pilning, during the Summer Tunnels blockade, all portals and masts have now been erected, and wires have gone up - does anyone know the extent of said wires?

• Severn Tunnel Conductor rail in place .
• All bridge rebuilding complete from Severn Tunnel Jct (149m 14ch) to Bishton Flyover (152m 30ch).
• Masts beginning to go up between Severn Tunnel Jct & Bishton Flyover, as of 3/4/18. These include:
  • At least 11 between Undy (Playing Fields Footbridge) and the M4 viaduct over the mains; one just east of the "white house" has a TTC boom. It can be assumed that its 8 comrades will be similarly adorned. Another mast over the Reliefs west of the "white house" has now gained a TTC boom with 1 SPS assembly; it has a twin over the Mains.
  • Another 3 masts (two for a portal boom, one a TTC with boom up) have appeared east of "the ramp" bridge at Magor; these join the sole TTC on the Up side by the bridge. Another can be found on the Up Side, west of the W End/Main Rd footbridge. Another 3 are west of "the ramp" bridge; 2 on the Down side, 1 on the Up side.
  • Masts (with SPS fitted) up between Bishton Flyover (including over it) and Llanwern West Jct (156m 20ch). 5 masts are currently up on the curve down from the flyover at its eastern end.
• Plenty piles are in around the Bishton LC (153m 01ch) to Llanwern Works East Connection (153m 05ch) area; further west towards Llanwern Works West Connection/Llanwern West Junction (156m 03ch to 156m 20ch), masts are going up at the double. Portal structures/TTCs etc. are up just east of the utility bridge between the Llanwern Connections, and to the west. SPS has gone up too on lots of them; not easy to find exact numbers though.
• Some masts have sprouted near Lliswerry pond.
• 6-track portals, probably TGBUs (aka Thumpin' Great Big-Uns) going up aroung East Usk Yard (approx. MP157 1/2).
• Between the Maindee Jcts (157m 74ch to 158m 16ch), a cluster of piles is in beside the Down Relief; these are complemented by masted piles on the Main side (adjacent to the Up Main).
• Caerleon Rd Overbridge to be refurbished in 2 phases - 20/7 to 30/11, and then January ‘19 to March ‘19. Not sure what impact on wiring this will have.
• Some SPS has now gone up between Maindee West & Maindee East; between Maindee West Maindee North Jct (41m 03ch from the former Rotherwas Jct, just south of Hereford; the ELR for the southern part of the Marches Line), masts with TTCs on are also going up (as overruns) over the Marches Line; the termination mast & associated TTC are just north of signal "NT 1559".
• Fixings for masts have now been installed on the Usk Bridge.

• P1 Canopies all cut back; P2 & P3 canopies still in progress.
• Masts and portals now appearing at the western end of the station, some with SPS attached. More started to appear in mid-April; additionally, two at the Cardiff end & two through the P1 canopy on the weekend of April 28th/29th.
• 4-track portal now up over the southern 4 tracks, just east of the new station footbridge.
• Two six-track portals have now gone up over the western throat of the station, just short of a 4-track portal (uprights of) & a TTC (with SPS) adjacent to Clytha Park Rd.
• Old stn footbridge still in situ.

• Around 6 piles are in adjacent to the Up Main between Ebbw Jct (160m 07ch) and Gaer Jct (159m 32ch); these will probably take masts for portal booms. One such boom appears to have gone in! Currently unknown if Alexandra Dock Jct Yard will be electrified.
• A sole mast is up immediately behind the signal gantry adjacent to the Up Main at Ebbw Jct.
• Over 100 masts from Ebbw Jct to Marshfield (163m 60ch). Booms & SPS starting to appear in the area too.
• Green Lane Bridge, nr Marshfield (164m 57ch) reopened to traffic after reconstruction. Masts (with SPS) up around here too.
• Some of the masts near Duffryn have SPS affixed.
• Lots of masts (with booms, SPS & ATF brackets) now up near Mardy Rd Bridge, Rumney.
• Two TTCs, one on each side of the tracks, have been erected by the bridge at Rhymney River Bridge Jct (167m 61ch).
• About 4 or 5 portals have been erected just west of Pengam Jct (168m 40ch); 5 masts are up on the Up side east of Rover Lane bridge, complemented by 2 on the Down side. Some of the portals now have booms, and bear SPS.
• A handful of masts are also up around Long Dyke Jct (169m 35ch); some have now gained TTC booms and SPS as well.

• Re-signalling completed. Platform 0 now open. 3 masts now up over P0/1 with TTC booms.
• Piling underway at the extreme ends of P1/2 & P3/4 for future masts. One can assume portals will bridge the gap between P2 & P3, over the Through lines.
• Canopy cut-back work now underway on P2.

• New IEP Depot at Maliphant Sidings, Swansea now complete; all steelwork up but no wires.

• 14/4 & 15/4 - Swindon; done.
• 26/5 to 28/5 - Swindon; done.
• 23/4 to 25/5 (exc. weekends): Complete; Swansea-Padd services are now leaving/arriving at Swansea as per their booked times again.
• 30/4 to 18/5 (exc. weekends): Complete; Cardiff-Pompey & Cardiff-Taunton services working as normal.
• 16/6 to 6/7: Bristol Parkway - Severn Tunnel Jct is now complete.
• 30/6 to 1/7: Bristol Parkway - Swindon; done. What went on here?
• 6/7 to 3/12: Reduced capacity between Newport & Cardiff Central while electrification progresses; assume only 1 pair of lines open at a time.
• 15/9 to 6/10, and 13/10 to 14/10: Bristol Parkway blockaded to allow OLE to be installed within the station. RRBs in operation between Yate & Filton Abbey Wood, and between Swindon & Newport.
• 24/12/18 to 1/1/19: Bristol Parkway - Newport will be blockaded again for more OLE works.
• More Blockades will follow; details as they become available.

• At a guess, 10-12 masts still need to go up for this scheme; most around MP38 1/4, plus some more around Newbury.
• Within Reading West, piles for the new footbridge (under Murphy's remit) are now mostly in, awaiting final driving. About 3 still need to go in on the Down side.
• Between the existing live wires at Reading West and the A4 (Bath Road) Bridge, all large steelwork & SPS is up.
• South of the A4, the next 2 masts (STCs) have no SPS, then the next 4 (all TTCs) have SPS. Just short of Southcote Jct , a cluster of about 6 masts (5 on the Down side, one on the Up) are are up, with 4 additional masts on the Up (Reading) side parallel to the junction.
• All large steelwork is then up south of the 4th bedanglied TTC, through Southcote Junction (37m 62ch) to just before MP38 1/4. Two TTC cantilever booms have gone up on the Basingstoke Line (on the Up side).
  • Piles recently installed next to the Down Westbury (DW) in the "vee" of Southcote Jct have now been bemasted.
  • The two masts missing at Calcot Mill FP Crossing have now gone up.
• First SPS up to the west of Southcote is around MP 38 1/4; SPS is completely absent east of there. Some SPS is still missing by the pointwork east of Theale & in a couple of other locations. The mast just east of the M4 bridge on the Up side has now been erected; this is shorter due to 400kV National Grid cables being in close proximity. A mast is also missing around the pointwork east of Theale.
• (The next structure east of the eastern limit of B&H wires is currently missing a portal.)
• The M4 overbridge now has brackets/"stovepipes" fitted over both lines; those over the DW have registration arms fitted.

• Wires over the main lines (DW/UW) begin just east of Theale station, and are now continuous to just east of Kennet Viaduct (nr Newbury Racecourse); approximately at MP 51 1/4. The gap on the UW west of Theale has been wired.
• In Theale Goods Loop, the Earth (AT) wire has now been hung, and catenary/contact wires have now gone up westwards from MP 41 1/2, including over the pointwork at the Newbury end.
• Platform extension works now underway at Theale.
• West of Theale, only two masts (in Newbury Station) and 3 cantilevers/booms (one east of Newbury, two within the station).
• The platform extensions at Aldermaston and Thatcham are structurally complete; finishing works (e.g. levelling, fencing etc.) are all that remains to be done.
• After the gap over Kennet Viaduct, wires over all lines (Mains, crossovers and the DPL) resume at about MP51 3/4, and run to just east of Newbury Racecourse station.
• Earth wires and all SPS now up in Racecourse, with the SPS heading west to Newbury.

• Between Newbury's stations, only one portal boom needs to go up, at Boundary Rd Bridge. SPS is now all up east of the A339 bridge. A gaggle of taller masts (presumably for another ATF feeder station) can be seen opposite the Sainsbury's.
• The electrical substation/PSU at Boundary Rd looks roughly 80% complete.
• At Newbury, the new footbridge is now open (not the lifts yet). The old footbridge has now been removed; this was undertaken during the first June blockade.
• Between the western end of the platforms at Newbury, & Bartholomew St Bridge (at the western throat of the station), all the masts have had portal booms affixed. Almost all extant portals (bar one at the western end of the station) have now had SPS (registration arms) affixed over all lines. The single track masts in the bay platform have also been fitted. As mentioned above, two masts remain to be installed, and two masts are without a portal boom.
• Brackets for SPS have now been drilled into the A339 bridge at the eastern end of Newbury, over all lines; the relevant SPS has not yet gone up.
• West of Bartholomew St Bridge, the uprights extend past Rockingham Rd Bridge (about 200m west of the station) to roughly MP53 1/2; the masts at the western end of this run now have registration arms affixed. The termination masts also have their Tensorex drums fitted. (SPS may be missing on a couple of masts around Rockingham Rd Bridge.)

• 12/3 to 15/3; done.
• 23/4 to 26/4; done.
• 14/5 to 17/5; done.
• 2/6 to 10/6; done.
• 9/7 to 12/7; underway.
• 16/7 to 5/8,
• 28/8 to 30/8,
• 8/10 to 11/10,
• 19/11 to 22/11.

• Thames Valley Branches: Windsor & Henley deferred to CP6. Marlow removed from scope of current programme. The first few yards of each branch (bar the Henley Branch) have been wired as an overrun.
• Southcote Jct to Basingstoke has also been deferred to CP6.
• Appleford LC to Oxford paused, pending track realignment and resignalling of Oxford (6/7 to 23/7); if CP6 accounts allow for wiring to be extended to Oxford, it would be very likely to happen.
• Catenary & Contact wires between Chippenham (Cocklebury Lane Overbridge) & Thingley Jct have been deferred until (presumably) CP6; presumably this will wait until Bath-Bristol resignalling is complete. All Large steelwork to remain, unless required elsewhere.
• Bristol Temple Meads to Bath & Bristol Parkway paused, dependent on Bristol resignalling (Taunton-Parkway over Easter 2018; Temple Meads to Both in October 2018), track remodelling and Filton Bank 4-tracking (to be completed by December 2018).
• Bristol Temple Meads' "Midland Shed" to be reopened in CP6, after Bristol resignalling is complete and the PSB is demolished.

RP said:

Thanks for an excellent update, as usual. In answer to your question about wiring at Pilning, wiring was evident on 9.7.18 from just west of Pilning to the Severn Tunnel portal, The wiring may not have been complete but it did encompass the crossover and the loops at the Severn Tunnel end. On my return from Temple Meads, unfortunately, due to two cancelled trains and a short formed train which was massively overcrowded, I was unable to re-check this.

There were more TTCs west of Severn Tunnel Junction than I witnessed on my last trip just under two weeks ago, but still some sizeable gaps, especially in the Newport area.

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Dren Ahmeti said:

Earth wire is up at the Bath Road footbridge on the B&H, don’t know the limits of it.

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59CosG95 said:

Thanks for the update regarding the wires at Pilning; any similar progress at Patchway?

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RP said:

Thanks for an excellent update, as usual. In answer to your question about wiring at Pilning, wiring was evident on 9.7.18 from just west of Pilning to the Severn Tunnel portal

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There were more TTCs west of Severn Tunnel Junction than I witnessed on my last trip just under two weeks ago, but still some sizeable gaps, especially in the Newport area.

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3973EXL said:

A4 Bath Rd bridge to Southcote Junction .

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LNW-GW Joint said:

Talk about ugly and over-engineered, for a slow-speed section of line (60mph).
Would seem the ideal place for Series 2 single-track cantilevers to be used?

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