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Great Western Electrification Progress

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coppercapped

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Yes I did read your post a page or two back but chose to go with Gralister that sulphurous fumes in a damp humid atmosphere tends to become acidic and causes more corrosion to the overhead bar and connections than humidity alone.
So you didn't read, or chose not to agree with, hwl's subsequent post 9003?
"My mind is made up, don't confuse me with the facts."
As to balises at neutral sections, it is immaterial what they do. They still have to be installed at the neutral section at St Brides and are not additional to a temporary end of energisation as was implied in the original post about providing them.
As others have made clear, the operation of the circuit breakers are initiated by trackside permanent magnets, an example may be found in the Unipart rail catalogue here.
 
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deltic08

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Balises are not used at all at Neutral Sections - they’re fitted with APC magnets as described above by Elecman

Balises are fitted at the limits of passenger-authorised electrification - so yes there are some currently installed to the West of Bristol Parkway on the Filton, Avonmouth and Tunnel lines which when an IET passes over them on electric mode commands the train to automatically drop the pans and apply the brakes to protect the train and OHLE from damaging one another. Similarly such installations are present on the line towards Gloucester at Westerleigh Junction, West of Newbury station on the B&H, the various Oxford lines around Didcot and so on.

Bristol Parkway was so provided because it was intended to be the limit of passenger authorised electrification for a significant period of time; the extra effort and expense made sense. It’s also anticipated to be the permanent limit of electrification on some of the routes around there well into foreseeable future - they were always going to need to do a fair bit of the overall design work required. Meanwhile they’re only livening up Patchway to St Brides to enable them to test and certify the equipment east of there while they finish off the installation of the OHLE around Cardiff. The phased introduction plan always had Patchway to Cardiff being signed off as one complete section. There’s also no long term requirement to have end of electrification protection at St Brides; so any installation would only ever be temporary. For a project that has already spent all of its budget and a not insignificant sum on top of it; there isn’t the money to spend on design work and installation of expensive equipment that’s only going to be of use for a few months.
Thank for explaining so fully. That clears up that one.
Why so angry about it? 99 out of 100 passengers will not notice a jot of difference. So best let the engineers and those responsible for ensuring that our railway is safe make the decision as to the most effective implementation plan. As others have subsequently posted, these things are always a lot more complex than us armchair experts might imagine them to be.
I am not angry. I just wanted a reason for not running electric trains to Newport earlier than 2020
So you didn't read, or chose not to agree with, hwl's subsequent post 9003?
I said I did read your post and went with a more scientific possibility for tunnel corrosion.
Severn Tunnel was a bike ride away from my childhood home and I knew some of the drivers at STJ steam shed. Corrosion of metal in the tunnel is not a 2019 phenomenon. It happened in the 1960s.
I have been through in the cab of Prairie tanks on the car carrier shuttles operated from STJ on more than one occasion and can confirm that the atmosphere in the tunnel then was pretty awful causing the eyes to sting and chest to heave from sulphurous fumes..
 

coppercapped

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Thank for explaining so fully. That clears up that one.

I am not angry. I just wanted a reason for not running electric trains to Newport earlier than 2020

I said I did read your post and went with a more scientific possibility for tunnel corrosion.
Severn Tunnel was a bike ride away from my childhood home and I knew some of the drivers at STJ steam shed. Corrosion of metal in the tunnel is not a 2019 phenomenon. It happened in the 1960s.
I have been through in the cab of Prairie tanks on the car carrier shuttles operated from STJ on more than one occasion and can confirm that the atmosphere in the tunnel then was pretty awful causing the eyes to sting and chest to heave from sulphurous fumes..
You may have missed it, but coal firing has gone out of fashion in the Severn Tunnel... ;)

Whereas anthracite typically has a sulphur content of between 0.3 and 0.4%, bituminous coal can reach 4% or more. It is not surprising that the atmosphere in the tunnel was sulphurous. Similarly and for the same reasons the last great smog in London in December 1962 was also sulphurous - I was there when it happened and it was most unpleasant, visibility was effectively zero at times.

Modern diesel fuel may not contain more than 0.001% sulphur - so quite apart from more efficient power units using a fraction of the mass of fuel that a steam engine would use, the fuel itself contains something like a thousand times less sulphur per unit mass.

I rest by my contention that the contribution made to corrosion rates by sulphur compounds in the Severn Tunnel is marginal compared to other sources of corrosion.
 

Linda smith

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Just had another postal notification from network rail apparently there is a blockade on from bristol parkway to newport from Saturday night until monday morning to allow them to close the last few gaps (mostly earth & return wires) between severn tunnel & newport. I would assume that they will also be connecting all the feeds off the span wires at the maindee triangle in readiness for going live.

They also admit that there is still piling and mast installation still to be done I the cardiff area. As well as cutting back vegetation & fence renewals in some areas.
 

59CosG95

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Just seen the planned Christmas works on GWR's Engineering Works page: https://www.gwr.com/travel-updates/planned-engineering/christmas
Friday 27 December to Tuesday 31 December
  • track renewal in the Newport area and overhead wiring at Cardiff Central
  • coaches replace trains between Bristol Parkway, Newport, Cardiff Central and Bridgend
So it seems clear to me that IETs won't be on the juice into Cardiff by Christmas...
 

stj

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Can’t see him looking favourably on the people west of Cardiff if they keep voting Labour!
Exactly,not good safe seats as no party will offer any bribes either Labour or Tory.The money always goes to swing seats and marginals.
 

Jpeg

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324CE720-49A8-4510-BCCB-3AE132479CBD.jpeg 4288775A-4E2A-4E0E-9C8D-92AA8635FA88.jpeg DEE4711B-C44A-44C2-A72E-F3254605587B.jpeg

Slough platform extensions for platforms 2,3,4 look complete. Platform 5 extension still on going.
Also perhaps some landscaping to complete between platform 3 and 4 extensions, and on the edge of platform 2.
 

JN114

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Existing 60EMU/125 PSR under Steventon Bridge will be replaced by a new 110 PSR applicable to all traction; from 0930 on Sunday 15th September 2019

IETs will no longer have to undertake traction changeover.
 

Mag_seven

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Existing 60EMU/125 PSR under Steventon Bridge will be replaced by a new 110 PSR applicable to all traction; from 0930 on Sunday 15th September 2019

IETs will no longer have to undertake traction changeover.

A positive development.

Is there any news on how NR are getting on appealing against the decision not to allow the bridge to be demolished?
 

Legolash2o

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A positive development.

Is there any news on how NR are getting on appealing against the decision not to allow the bridge to be demolished?

Hopefully they'll at least do some track modifications at the same time as that's only of two places where W12 is restricted.

Existing 60EMU/125 PSR under Steventon Bridge will be replaced by a new 110 PSR applicable to all traction; from 0930 on Sunday 15th September 2019

IETs will no longer have to undertake traction changeover.

Back on topic... What's a 110 PSR? Im assuming by the traction changeover, you mean changing from OHLE to another power source such as diesel and then back to OHLE again?
 

59CosG95

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Hopefully they'll at least do some track modifications at the same time as that's only of two places where W12 is restricted.



Back on topic... What's a 110 PSR? Im assuming by the traction changeover, you mean changing from OHLE to another power source such as diesel and then back to OHLE again?
A 110 PSR is a Permanent Speed Restriction of 110mph; and by the Traction Changeover, that does indeed mean changing from AC to diesel.
Currently, all westbound trains pan down at Moreton Cutting, and pan up again in the Wantage/Denchworth area.
Eastbound trains all pan down at Wantage/Denchworth; trains that stop at Didcot can pan up in the platforms, while non-stoppers have to pan up at Moreton Cutting.

As of next Sunday, that is no longer the case! (Except Oxford services, for the time being)
 

Legolash2o

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Thanks.

Why do they currently have to change at Steventon? Is there a gap in the electrification that forces them to pan down?
 

JN114

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Thanks.

Why do they currently have to change at Steventon? Is there a gap in the electrification that forces them to pan down?

The speed limit for electric trains is 60mph, diesel it’s 125mph; because of the wire gradient relative to the railhead as the OHL passes under the bridge and then over the nearby level crossing.

With mixed-mode traction like the IETs it was deemed an unacceptable risk to have different speeds to obey depending on what mode the train was being driven in - lest a driver think they were on Diesel and were on electric - so an enforced traction changeover was installed.

Testing has recently been done with very sensitive measuring equipment; and all parties concerned have agreed that both the trains and infrastructure can cope with the wire gradient at 110mph; so the speed for electrics has been upped to 110. Again for mitigation of risk (and the fact there’s not scheduled >110mph diesel traction over the route anymore), both speeds have been adjusted such that its 110 Diesel OR Electric.
 

swt_passenger

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Thanks.

Why do they currently have to change at Steventon? Is there a gap in the electrification that forces them to pan down?
As installed NR believed the rate of change in vertical height of the wires required a 60 mph speed limit. This was believed to be too much of a time penalty so trains pan down before reaching the bridge so as to pass at line speed. But the wires are live.
 

JN114

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As installed NR believed the rate of change in vertical height of the wires required a 60 mph speed limit. This was believed to be too much of a time penalty so trains pan down before reaching the bridge so as to pass at line speed. But the wires are live.

It was the wrong-mode risk, not the time penalty, that was the deciding factor in enforcing changeovers.
 

59CosG95

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GWML Electrification: State of Play, as of week commencing 9/9/19.
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. From Wootton Bassett Jct, the envelope of "live" wires continues along the South Wales Main Line to Filton Jct (inc. Bristol Parkway), and to the Limits of Wiring on the Berks & Hants line and Reading-Basingstoke Line; details are given below.
  • TTCs have replaced/been replacing headspans at various locations within London - locations include Westway (beneath the A40), Acton Main Line, Ealing Broadway, and between Southall & H&H. These are part of the works for the Elizabeth Line.
  • 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 (bar the goods lines north of P1, where provision is provided).

Small Points
  • ATF wires in operation from Maidenhead to Wootton Bassett; Kensal Green to Maidenhead currently operating as boosterless classic but will be AT-ready in the near future. AT wires up along this stretch now; whether they are live remains to be seen.
  • Parapet Work extended upwards at Southbury Lane Bridge, Ruscombe; the wing walls remain unfinished. Original Coping stones have now been replaced.
  • Platforms all extended from Reading (exc.) to Didcot Parkway.
  • Few masts and cantilevers now up on the Didcot Avoiding Line, which finish at Appleford; Appleford LC being the limit of structures for the time being.
  • Oxford Lines west of Didcot Pkwy wired as far as the loco fuelling sdg; Down Oxford as far as 53m 31ch, Up Oxford as far as 53m 42ch. 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. "Temporary" parapet work to protect passers-by from stray currents now complete. Wires west of Causeway Crossing are only authorised for passenger service on 80x trains in both directions, however, 387s are allowed to run empty to/from Cocklebury sidings under AC. Modelling data suggests that electric trains can run safely beneath the bridge at 110mph; as such, the current speed differential of 60mph for EMUs and 125 for DMUs is due to be replaced with a universal 110mph PSR from 15th September 2019. IETs will no longer have to undertake traction changeover at Denchworth(?) to the west, and Moreton Cutting to the east. The discussion continues.
  • Overruns through Swindon Jct (77m 36ch) onto the Golden Valley Line have also been wired.
  • Swindon Cocklebury Sidings in operation for Class 387 stabling as of 2/1/19.

The "Main Line"; Wootton Bassett Jct - Chippenham (Cocklebury Lane Bridge) - LIVE
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.
  • Both lines are LIVE, signed off for passenger use, and in service from Wootton Bassett Jct to Christian Malford (93m 31ch) as of 0700 on 21/04/2019 (Easter Sunday).
  • Catenary, contact & Earth wires are up over/adj. to both lines from Cocklebury Lane to Wootton Bassett Jct.
  • Limit of AT Feeding: the Auto-Transformer at Christian Malford.

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). Most TTCs have booms from beyond the viaduct to Thingley East Junction. 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.

Thingley Jct - Keynsham
  • No wiring for the foreseeable future, but overbridges between Thingley Jct & Box Tunnel have all been rebuilt. Corsham Main Road Bridge needs its parapets raising. New aqueduct & footbridge at Corsham complete.
  • Both Box & Middle Hill Tunnels have had track lowered.
  • A new footbridge has been built at Ashley Box.
  • Piles also in (and have been for over a year) at Ashley (beyond Box Tunnel) - these might well be trial piles.
  • Bathampton Jct to beyond Sydney Gardens has had track lowered. A new signal gantry at Bathampton Jct was installed over Xmas 2017 and is now in use after the removal of the old gantry in May 2019.
  • Bath Spa platforms realigned & raised, with track also slewed.
  • Track through Oldfield Park & Keynsham now lowered.
  • A lot of piles are in along the embankment around Saltford and Keynsham in readiness for future wiring.

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

Wootton Bassett Jct to Patchway Jct (inc. Bristol Parkway) - LIVE
  • Wires from Wootton Bassett Jct to Bristol Parkway in passenger service since 30/12/18.
  • All 6 through Lines at Bristol Parkway have been wired and are live.
  • Live wires continue to Patchway Jct (112m 68ch) & Stoke Gifford IEP Depot; Chipping Sodbury Goods Loop and the Cheltenham Curve overrun (as far as the limit of wiring) are also fully wired and live.
    • Limit of Live Wires on the Filton Lines (+ Down Bristol Parkway Relief): 112m 23ch.
    • Limit of Live Wires on the Charfield Lines (from Westerleigh Jct): 120m 59ch.
  • Filton Bank bridge works (mileages all from Temple Meads):
    • Easton Rd Overbridge (1m 18ch) completely rebuilt.
    • Narroways FB (2m 12ch) & Ashley Hill FB (3m 11ch) replaced.
    • Bonnington Walk Overbridge (3m 62ch) - parapets raised.
    • FB south of Filton Abbey Wood (4m 18ch) will need work if wiring is to occur.
Filton Jct - Severn Tunnel - Newport - St. Brides: due to go LIVE on 14/9/19
  • Stoke Gifford IET Depot all wired and energised.
  • Patchway Tunnels conductor rail installed.
  • Wires extend westwards from Filton Jct through Patchway and Pilning (across all lines) to the Severn Tunnel (on BOTH lines).
  • Severn Tunnel Conductor rail in place.
  • Wires are now up over all lines (both Tunnel Lines, both Main Lines & the Down Relief) at STJ Station; this also includes the overruns on the mains towards Chepstow. Wires continue westwards to Somerton Rd Bridge (East Usk Yard); all 4 lines have C&C.
  • The Up Tunnel Loop between STJ & the Tunnel is fully wired.
  • Ground trunking installed at STJ in preparation for the electrical feed.
  • Feeder cables now hang from both the eastern set and western set of Switchgear Masts at STJ Feeder.
  • All previous gaps of C&C have now been closed between STJ & Newport.
  • 6-track portals, probably 'Vierendeels', going up around East Usk Yard (approx. MP157 1/2).
  • Switchgear installed on a TTC near Moorland Park, Newport.
  • 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).
  • Both Up & Down Hereford Lines are wired between Maindee West Jct & Maindee North Jct (41m 03ch from the former Rotherwas Jct, just south of Hereford); the Limit of wires is just north of signal "NT 1559".
  • The gap between the Maindee Triangle (Caerleon Rd Bridge) & East Usk Yard (Somerton Rd Bridge) is closing, with the erection of a number of back-to-back non-Series 1 TTCs in East Usk Yard. The Reliefs are now fully wired between Somerton Rd & East Usk Yard.
  • At the AT Feeder Station at the Maindee Triangle, the tall masts have now gained their spanwires in readiness for the C&C below.
  • Wires are up over the Usk Bridge; C&C is now up over BOTH Relief lines from the Tensorex portal immediately east of the bridge, through P1 & the Through Lines at Newport and up to Hillfield Tunnel.

Newport
  • All canopies now cut back.
  • All steelwork in Newport is complete.
  • All wires are now up through the station; all are permanently registered.

Newport - Cardiff
  • Plenty masts up around Gaer Jct (159m 32ch) north of Cardiff Rd Bridge (the B4237):
    • one by the Down Relief;
    • two by the Up Main (one of which is a boomed TTC with SPS);
    • three by the Gaer Jct - Park Jct Chord.
  • Currently unknown if Alexandra Dock Jct Yard will be electrified. All 4 lines (Reliefs & Mains) are wired through Hillfield Tunnel & past ADJ Yard.
  • Lots of steelwork up immediately behind the signal gantry adjacent to the Up Main at Ebbw Jct; this includes a full portal boom and a TTC acting as an overrun mast on the Ebbw Vale branch.
  • ATF wire installed on the Up Main between Lighthouse Rd & New Dairy Farm bridges. In the Up direction, the Earth Wire is in place until just before the bridge over the Ebbw River.
  • Wires up through Duffryn on both Main lines between the Ebbw River Bridge & New Dairy Farm Bridge, after which it switches to both Relief Lines. At the MPA Portal at Duffryn, the Reliefs are fully wired, the Down Main is unwired, and the Up Main is fully wired (bar the MPA Jumper & Z-dropper). The Up side ATF wire is also missing.
  • Wires up across all 4 tracks between Pengam Jct (168m 40ch) & Marshfield.
  • The western limit of live wires is due to be at St. Brides Feeder Station, just east of Green Lane (Heol Las) Overbridge, from 14th of September 2019.
  • About 4 or 5 portals have been erected just west of Pengam Jct; 5 masts are up on the Up side east of Rover Lane bridge, complemented by 2 on the Down side.
  • 1 run of C&C has gone up between Moorland Road Jct (168m 65ch) and Long Dyke Jct (169m 35ch) over the Reliefs; this is assumed to be a crossover as it crosses from one Relief line to the other.
  • At Long Dyke Jct, all masts are up, and the ATF wire is now up over the Relief Lines.
  • In the Pellet St area, a Mid Point Anchor Portal Boom has now gone up.
  • Just east of St. Mary's St Bridge, 2 hexagonal Tensorex Portals have been erected over all tracks.
  • Over the bridge over St. Mary's Street in Cardiff (just east of Central), and immediately to the west of the bridge, 5 portal booms spanning all tracks have gone up.
  • Similar bespoke mast foundations are going in just east of Bute St Bridge, near the junction with the line from Queen Street.
  • Splott Rd Bridge upgrade work now complete.
Cardiff Central - Platforms 0-4 to be wired
  • Re-signalling completed. Platform 0 now open. 3 masts now up over P0/1 with TTC booms.
  • An Anchor Portal (of the hexagonal "TGBU" variety) has gone up over P2/3, just east of the canopies.
  • All large steelwork for P4 is now in position.
  • Most (if not all) TTC masts for P2 & the Up Through Line, along with P3 & the Down Through Line have gone up at the station. Some already have SPS.
  • Brackets appear to be in place on the coping stones on the Taff Viaduct (at the western end of the station).
  • Plenty piles up adjacent to Cardiff Canton. Increasing numbers of these now appear to have masts on them, as seen from a westward-facing shot from Central.
  • 4 portal booms have gone up over the P2, P3 & Through lines immediately west of the station, behind the signal gantry.
  • Brickwork Sidings to be increased in length (and electrified) to accommodate GWR Class 387s; the first masts and cantilevers have now gone up, with around 2 boomed TTCs and 2 STCs in position.
  • Proposed Limit of Wiring: Leckwith Loop North Jct (171m 55ch) at a guess.
Swansea IEP Depot
  • New IEP Depot at Maliphant Sidings, Swansea now complete; all steelwork up. SPS, such as Insulators, Switchgear and Cantilevers have all been taken down, leaving only bare masts/booms in situ.

GWML/SWML Blockade Works (2018):
  • 6/7 to 3/12: Reduced capacity (2 lines only) for wiring work between Newport & Cardiff Ctl.
  • 15/9 to 6/10, and 13/10 to 14/10: Bristol Parkway electrified.
  • 27/10 to 18/11, 24-25/11, 1-2/12: Filton Bank 4-tracked.
  • 11/11: Bristol TM to Bath Spa resignalled.
  • December blockades at Bristol Parkway & Didcot Parkway done.
  • Christmas-New Year Blockade at Severn Tunnel Jct done.

GWML/SWML Blockade Works (2019):
  • 20/1/19, and 10/2/19: Newport to Bridgend blockaded (inc. Cardiff Central) for electrification work AT Cardiff Central; both done.
  • 17/2/19: Bristol Parkway to Newport blockaded for electrification work over the Usk Bridge at Newport; done.
  • 31/3/19: Newport to Bridgend blockaded (inc. Cardiff Central) for electrification work AT Cardiff Central; done.
  • 19/4/19 to 22/4/19, and 27/4/19 to 28/4/19: Bristol Parkway to Newport blockaded for electrification work in the Severn Tunnel Junction area; done.
  • 9/6/19, and 16/6/19: Newport to Bridgend blockaded (inc. Cardiff Central) for electrification work; done.
  • 27/7/19 to 28/7/19: Bristol Parkway to Cardiff Central blockaded for electrification work; done.
  • 25/8/19 until 14:00: Bristol Parkway to Cardiff Central blockaded for electrification work; done.
  • 8/9/19 until 14:00: Bristol Parkway to Cardiff Central blockaded for electrification work; done.
  • 14/9/19 to 15/9/19: Newport to Bridgend blockaded (inc. Cardiff Central) for electrification work.
  • 22/9/19 until 14:00: Newport to Bridgend blockaded (inc. Cardiff Central) for electrification work.
  • 29/9/19 until 14:00: Newport to Bridgend blockaded (inc. Cardiff Central) for electrification work.
  • 13/10/19 until 14:00: Newport to Bridgend blockaded (inc. Cardiff Central) for electrification work.
  • 20/10/19 until 14:00: Newport to Bridgend blockaded (inc. Cardiff Central) for electrification work.
  • Details of any further OLE-related blockades will be added as they are made available.

Berks & Hants Line (Reading-Newbury) - LIVE
Electric trains in squadron service.
  • Wires from Oxford Rd Jct are LIVE to the limits of electrification (53m 42ch on the Newbury Lines, 38m 07ch on the Basingstoke Lines) since 0650 on 21/10/18.
  • Class 387s are now in service on Reading-Newbury services as of 31/12/18.
  • Within Reading West, piles for the new footbridge (under Murphy's remit) are in, but have been "decapitated" (i.e. shortened) and capped until a new footbridge solution is found.
  • Immunised signalling continues to about MP55 1/2.

Project Postponements
  • Thames Valley Branches:
    • Windsor & Henley deferred to at least CP6. The first few yards of the Windsor branch (Not the Henley Branch) have been wired as an overrun.
    • Marlow removed from scope of current programme. The first few yards of the branch have been wired as an overrun.
    • Southcote Jct to Basingstoke deferred to at least CP6. The first few yards of the Basingstoke Lines have been wired as an overrun.
  • Appleford LC to Oxford paused; if CP6 accounts allow for wiring to be extended to Oxford, it would be very likely to happen now that Oxford has been remodelled.
  • Catenary & Contact wires between Chippenham (Cocklebury Lane Overbridge) & Thingley Jct have been deferred until at least some point in CP6. All Large steelwork to remain, unless required elsewhere.
  • Bristol Temple Meads to Bath & Bristol Parkway paused, dependent on Bristol resignalling:
    • Taunton-Bristol Parkway completed over Easter 2018;
    • Bristol Temple Meads to Bath Spa completed in November 2018;
    • The WSM stretch from Flax Bourton Tunnel to Cogload Jct remains outstanding;
    • Track remodelling of Bristol East Jct remains outstanding;
    • Filton Bank 4-tracking completed Autumn 2018.
    • Further Signalling works due in 2019: Bath Spa due to be resignalled over the 11th/12th of May, and the 23rd of June (both done).
  • Bristol Temple Meads' "Midland Shed" to be reopened in CP6 at the earliest, 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).
 

Legolash2o

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Messages
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GWML Electrification: State of Play, as of week commencing 9/9/19.

Filton Jct - Severn Tunnel - Newport - St. Brides: due to go LIVE on 14/9/19

Project Postponements

  • Bristol Temple Meads to Bath & Bristol Parkway paused, dependent on Bristol resignalling
Thanks for the update.

  • Is the 14th September (next Saturday) still on track?
  • What's the latest in regards to the Bristol re-signalling please?
  • Sorry if this is a naive questions, what's C&C?
 

59CosG95

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Thanks for the update.

  • Is the 14th September (next Saturday) still on track?
  • What's the latest in regards to the Bristol re-signalling please?
  • Sorry if this is a naive questions, what's C&C?
1. As I understand it, yes. No news seems to be good news!
2. A bit of resignalling work between Bristol Parkway & Filton Abbey Wood is pencilled in for the 26th & 27th of October, which also affects the Severn Beach Line; I'm not entirely sure what the details are, or if it's controlled from Didcot TVSC or Bristol PSB. (It could be the recontrol of St Andrews Jn SB, which controls the line to Avonmouth from Bristol Parkway)

The entire route from Paddington to Bristol TM is now controlled by the TVSC, but on the line onwards to Taunton, Panel A of Bristol PSB still controls the route from 124m 56ch (between Flax Bourton Tunnel and Nailsea & Backwell) to 154m 12ch (Fordgate).
This would also need to be recontrolled to Didcot before Bristol PSB can be demolished, and the tracks to the "Midland Shed" can be reinstated, along with the remodelling of the eastern approach to Temple Meads, the subsequent remodelling of Bristol East & Dr Day's junctions, and hopefully the electrification of the route from Bristol Parkway/Chippenham via Bath to Temple Meads.
 

JN114

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No news should indeed be considered good news; but note for all to remember is live does not mean commissioned for service. That will likely be inline with commissioning of wires in the Cardiff area - meant to be late December but looking ever more likely more towards spring 2020.

We will still see IETs doing traction changeovers between Westerleigh Jcn and Bristol Parkway if bound for S Wales for the next few months.
 

59CosG95

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No news should indeed be considered good news; but note for all to remember is live does not mean commissioned for service. That will likely be inline with commissioning of wires in the Cardiff area - meant to be late December but looking ever more likely more towards spring 2020.

We will still see IETs doing traction changeovers between Westerleigh Jcn and Bristol Parkway if bound for S Wales for the next few months.
Spring 2020 sounds rather worrying, especially with the Six Nations coming up...
 
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iantherev

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I would have thought it absolutely vital that the Severn Tunnel is electrified in order to remove fumes - which I have smelt in the carriages.

You’re not going to remove fumes completely when the London’s go electric - Taunton and Portsmouth trains will still be diesel and that’s before you think about freight.
 

Right Away

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2. A bit of resignalling work between Bristol Parkway & Filton Abbey Wood is pencilled in for the 26th & 27th of October, which also affects the Severn Beach Line; I'm not entirely sure what the details are, or if it's controlled from Didcot TVSC or Bristol PSB. (It could be the recontrol of St Andrews Jn SB, which controls the line to Avonmouth from Bristol Parkway)
Signalling and crossovers in the Filton, Patchway and Parkway areas that are already in situation but not yet in use will be commissioned over two weekends. Operational flexibility will be enhanced. A couple of the highlights are that trains from Filton and Patchway will be able to arrive in platforms 1 and 2 at Parkway. Platform 2 at Filton Abbey Wood becomes bi-directional. The Up line between Ableton Lane and Patchway is signalled bi-directionally. A new turnback signal is provided on the down line west of Patchway, providing access to the north end of the IET depot and Parkway/Filton lines, removing the need to run to Ableton Lane to cross over.
 

59CosG95

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Signalling and crossovers in the Filton, Patchway and Parkway areas that are already in situation but not yet in use will be commissioned over two weekends. Operational flexibility will be enhanced. A couple of the highlights are that trains from Filton and Patchway will be able to arrive in platforms 1 and 2 at Parkway. Platform 2 at Filton Abbey Wood becomes bi-directional. The Up line between Ableton Lane and Patchway is signalled bi-directionally. A new turnback signal is provided on the down line west of Patchway, providing access to the north end of the IET depot and Parkway/Filton lines, removing the need to run to Ableton Lane to cross over.
Thanks very much @Right Away, a very comprehensive explanation of the work there!
 
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