Linda smith
Member
- Joined
- 31 Oct 2018
- Messages
- 53
Looks like the wiring of the line to Newport has passed under somerton bridge, will confirm how many lines have been wired tomorrow
Wonderful news!Looks like the wiring of the line to Newport has passed under somerton bridge, will confirm how many lines have been wired tomorrow
Lovely stuff - eagerly awaiting those findings!Checked this morning, j can confirm that both relief lines have their ATF plus c&c wires. I don't know how far towards maindee this goes as yet. Will check on friday as I am travelling to london that day
That's a great shot!Wiring progress at Duffryn: Up and down reliefs fully wired; Up main done except for a strange missing loop on the catenary wire here; Down main currently missing wires. Bonus Class 66 triple-header with ridiculously short train.
That missing loop on the UM looks like the current jumper for the Mid-Point Anchor (which that portal structure is).View attachment 65677
Wiring progress at Duffryn: Up and down reliefs fully wired; Up main done except for a strange missing loop on the catenary wire here; Down main currently missing wires. Bonus Class 66 triple-header with ridiculously short train.
lines from p1 & both thru lines are wired to the tensorex just before the river usk bridge. The relief wired are now just short of caerleon bridge & the earth wires end where the posts with the span wires are.Also did a bit of Flickr digging-around, and discovered that the Down Main & Up Main are now wired for a short length west of the platforms to at least Hillfield Tunnel.
Installation of wires is one thing; installation of wires at points, crossovers and complex station areas is another. That's even before the power element of it is considered - each electrical section, between neutral sections, located at either an ATFS (Auto Transformer Feeder Station), SATS (Sectioning Auto Transformer Site), or MPATS (Mid-Point Auto Transformer Site) has to be fully connected up to the OLE, with earthing points installed, before it can be electrically proven - which requires a total line block in that section. It's not something you can split between "mains & reliefs"!Took the train from Bristol to Cardiff and back yesterday and from what I could see from the train nearly all of the wiring, apart from a short section (the last few hundred meters before Cardiff Central and a few short stretches here and there) seemed to be completed. It looked to my layman's eye as if the whole thing could be wrapped up in a weekend if the will was there.
Which way are they facing? Does this mean there will be an electric "island" between STJ and Cardiff and the tunnel will remain diesel-powered until the rusting earth straps are fixed. Or for ever?Traction changeover zones, diesel notice boards and raise/lower pantograph signs but covered over in black sheeting are being installed west of Severn Tunnel Junction station directly under the M4 bridge.
Which way are they facing? Does this mean there will be an electric "island" between STJ and Cardiff and the tunnel will remain diesel-powered until the rusting earth straps are fixed. Or for ever?
View attachment 65677
Wiring progress at Duffryn: Up and down reliefs fully wired; Up main done except for a strange missing loop on the catenary wire here; Down main currently missing wires. Bonus Class 66 triple-header with ridiculously short train.
Yes it is as the wires from the Gloucester line start/end exactly between Severn Tunnel Junction and Caldicot stations.I suspect it’s much more likely to be for trains headed to/from the Gloucester line.
Took the train from Bristol to Cardiff and back yesterday and from what I could see from the train nearly all of the wiring, apart from a short section (the last few hundred meters before Cardiff Central and a few short stretches here and there) seemed to be completed. It looked to my layman's eye as if the whole thing could be wrapped up in a weekend if the will was there.
Those are switching components installed on the boom - is that what you’re referring to? They’ll be used to either electrically section the overhead lines into smaller, controllable areas; or control the feed of power into the system.View attachment 66140 can someone please explain why this cantenary near moorland park in Newport is different from others please? Thanks in advance.
Huge update : had a post card notification from network rail today, the line from Bristol parkway through to St Brides (Newport) is due to be energised on 14 september, with testing of that section to be done in the weeks following that. Am not sure of how long after that date the line will be authorized for passenger use. But for now this is still very good news
Well it would make sense for a number of reasons. As we know there have been corrosion issues on the conductor bar but constant use will almost certainly alleviate this issue though obviously not remove it completely. There will be other wear and tear of course (erosion) but assets are meant to be used not left unused.Does this mean that the sparkies can run through the tunnel, as sparks?
Well it would make sense for a number of reasons. As we know there have been corrosion issues on the conductor bar but constant use will almost certainly alleviate this issue though obviously not remove it completely. There will be other wear and tear of course (erosion) but assets are meant to be used not left unused.
Well in fairness I do have a MSc and DIC in 'The Corrosion of Engineering Materials" from Imperial College London.Damn - When you phrase it like that... I have not previously read a comment of that description. It does make sense.
With continued use, the maintenance regime can be properly implemented to mitigate against the corrosion issues.
*silly me.