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Great Western Electrification Progress

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oglord

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Thanks.

Just mapping the progress, I'll share some maps when done.

EDIT: Can somene confirm it's just the four platform tracks that are electrified at Newport and the two slow lines are not?
Nope, it’s everything. Also it is only five tracks through East Usk and over Wharf Road, not all six.
 
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Linda smith

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https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/quicker-train-services-south-wales-16973276

"From London, electrification currently extends as far as the Severn Tunnel, with Network Rail planning for it to reach and be operational to Newport by Christmas."

Having read the article, I note that some of the wording demonstrates a total lack of research by the reporter. As we all know, the section between Bristol parkway and St Brides newport is currently under test & may well be in use be early December. There are, however various reports saying that the last section through Cardiff central is due to be switched on over the Christmas period
 

edwin_m

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Having read the article, I note that some of the wording demonstrates a total lack of research by the reporter. As we all know, the section between Bristol parkway and St Brides newport is currently under test & may well be in use be early December. There are, however various reports saying that the last section through Cardiff central is due to be switched on over the Christmas period
Is that "switched on" or "operational"?
 

59CosG95

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Back at the London end, this shot on Flickr (https://flic.kr/p/2hjbfKK) shows that new S1 equipment is going up just east of Southall, with re-registration due over Christmas.
Great Western Railway said:
Travelling with GWR at Christmas
What’s happening?
Tuesday 24 to Friday 27 December
  • track renewal and replacement overhead wiring in the Southall area
  • trains will be unable to run between London Paddington and Slough/Reading
 

swt_passenger

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Back at the London end, this shot on Flickr (https://flic.kr/p/2hjbfKK) shows that new S1 equipment is going up just east of Southall, with re-registration due over Christmas.
Has there ever been any information about the exact length to be re-fitted from headspan to portal? I seem to remember an idea that it was only certain complex areas such as running junctions, but if it is to be the entire length from Paddington to Airport Jn is there still a lot to do, and is it still (AIUI) covered by Crossrail “on network funding”?
 

edwin_m

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Has there ever been any information about the exact length to be re-fitted from headspan to portal? I seem to remember an idea that it was only certain complex areas such as running junctions, but if it is to be the entire length from Paddington to Airport Jn is there still a lot to do, and is it still (AIUI) covered by Crossrail “on network funding”?
It would make sense to prioritise junctions and also places like wire overlaps, as they are possibly more prone to dewirement and certainly more difficult to repair if it happens.
 

59CosG95

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Has there ever been any information about the exact length to be re-fitted from headspan to portal? I seem to remember an idea that it was only certain complex areas such as running junctions, but if it is to be the entire length from Paddington to Airport Jn is there still a lot to do, and is it still (AIUI) covered by Crossrail “on network funding”?
Most of the larger-spanned tracks are under the square-boomed, hinge-fixed "Vierendeel" portals installed as part of the Heathrow Express electrification (i.e. around Paddington); some of them are spanwire portals, so I suspect that they'll get independent registration from the same booms, done, as you suggest, on an "as-and-when-network-funding-becomes-available" basis.

From what I've seen so far, renewals & replacements with mechanically independent arrangements have been concentrated around station areas and complex junctions (such as the eastern approach to Ealing Broadway, the crossovers at the country end of Southall Dn Yard, and the Hayes & Harlington area IIRC).
Due to it being listed, Hanwell (& Elthorne for the traditionalists among us) might remain a headspan location, especially as it has cylindrical hollow masts rather than universal columns ('H' sections). There are also a few headspans still extant west of Acton Main Line - my penn'orth's going on them being replaced by portals that also span two tracks or so in Acton Yard. Some were already repalced as part of the dive-under works a few years back.

Hopefully the Poplar chord will get wired...one of these days...
 
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jazzy

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No, the project is indefinitely paused.

EDIT:- sorry, must read the question properly!

I’m afraid that there’s not much more to add. It may be included in the infrastructure spending for the next control period; but with the ever tightening squeeze on Network Rail’s purse strings there’s no guarantees. That would likely be the first opportunity to hear something, but it’s anyones guess at this stage if we will or not.

I wondered if there was any update on the electrification of the line from Chippenham to Bristol Temple Meads and Parkway via Bath Spa? Presumably, there'll reach a point where the particular skills of the people working on the electrification to Cardiff will no longer be required due their work being complete. Will they be let go or will they roll onto this next stage?
 

Wychwood93

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I wondered if there was any update on the electrification of the line from Chippenham to Bristol Temple Meads and Parkway via Bath Spa? Presumably, there'll reach a point where the particular skills of the people working on the electrification to Cardiff will no longer be required due their work being complete. Will they be let go or will they roll onto this next stage?
If there was a God (assorted views available) then this could well be, for somewhat obvious reasons, what should happen. Breath not being held on a partially overcast evening here in Eastern Dorset - I was born in South-West Hampshire and still consider that where I am is where I was etc...
 

Optom1

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Logic suggests Oxford would be next as there would be fewer empty stock movements to Swindon, 3 trains an hour each way could go electric, there would be reduced congestion at Didcot once track reorganisation is complete.

However there are eight road overbridges between Didcot and Oxford; do any of them need raising?
 
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swt_passenger

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Logic suggests Oxford would be next as, less empty stock movements to Swindon:3 trains an hour each way going electric:less congestion at Didcot:track reorganisation complete.However there are eight road overbridges between Didcot and Oxford,do any of them need raising?
Welcome to the forums.

I reckon most if not all are already done, at least as indicated by the raised parapets visible on Google Streetview? Some have new coping stones, others have metal extensions.
 

hwl

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Logic suggests Oxford would be next as, less empty stock movements to Swindon:3 trains an hour each way going electric:less congestion at Didcot:track reorganisation complete.However there are eight road overbridges between Didcot and Oxford,do any of them need raising?
The majority of the piling has already been done as well.
 

Brissle Girl

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Both routes to Temple Meads will need to follow Bristol East remodelling, so couldn’t start immediately. Although I suspect if work started at the east and worked west then I suspect it would be complete by the time they got there.

With Filton bank recently rebuilt, Box Tunnel already sorted, and a remodelled Bristol East with hopefully more than passive provision included in the work, it would then appear to be a relatively straightforward job to finish off the original scheme. Whether the political will is there is another matter.
 

HowardGWR

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Thanks - it confirms what I was once told, but nobody ever believed me when I passed the info on!
The significance of this part of the thread escapes me. What has this subject about East Dorset and West Hampshire to do with Jazzy's post on GWR electrification?
 

R G NOW.

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Maybe more money will be found to fund completing the wires to Bristol and perhaps to Penzance. Heard something the other day on the tv, that the government are considering scrapping hs2.
 

Wychwood93

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The significance of this part of the thread escapes me. What has this subject about East Dorset and West Hampshire to do with Jazzy's post on GWR electrification?
Several parts of nothing at all - as it happens I found out something interesting. Maybe you have as well - depending where you live?
 

The Ham

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Maybe more money will be found to fund completing the wires to Bristol and perhaps to Penzance. Heard something the other day on the tv, that the government are considering scrapping hs2.

The scraping or not of HS2 will make no difference to the likelihood or not of there being more electrification (although if anything cancelling HS2 is likely to reduce the chances of future electrification).
 

R G NOW.

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Both routes to Temple Meads will need to follow Bristol East remodelling, so couldn’t start immediately. Although I suspect if work started at the east and worked west then I suspect it would be complete by the time they got there.

With Filton bank recently rebuilt, Box Tunnel already sorted, and a remodelled Bristol East with hopefully more than passive provision included in the work, it would then appear to be a relatively straightforward job to finish off the original scheme. Whether the political will is there is another matter.

When does one think, that the east junction at Bristol will done. a person I had heard some time ago suggested Christmas this year, but nothing on the GWR site suggests otherwise.

A junction at Gloucester was done back in july. This was a waste of money as it did nothing to simplify it.
 

Bald Rick

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When does one think, that the east junction at Bristol will done. a person I had heard some time ago suggested Christmas this year, but nothing on the GWR site suggests otherwise.

A junction at Gloucester was done back in july. This was a waste of money as it did nothing to simplify it.

Bristol East isn’t this Christmas. It’s a big big job.

Gloucester - it wasn’t a waste of money, because had it not been done parts of it would now undoubtedly be failing regularly or even blocked to traffic.
 
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R G NOW.

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Bristol East isn’t this Christmas. It’s a big big job.

Gloucester - it wasn’t a wage of money, because had it not been done part# of it would now undoubtedly be failing regularly or even blocked to traffic.

The reason why I quoted about the junction was, although it was over 40 years old it was just a replacement of what is there. Station staff told me, that they thought nr would of relaid the jointed track and just had points to platforms 2 ,3 and 4 thus making the middle lines the up and down main. The problem is that through trains run down both platforms right close to where people stand. The member of staff I talked to, thought they were going to alter it the same as oxford. That is why I suggested it, was a waste of money,because they did not upgrade the jointed track.
 

edwin_m

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The reason why I quoted about the junction was, although it was over 40 years old it was just a replacement of what is there. Station staff told me, that they thought nr would of relaid the jointed track and just had points to platforms 2 ,3 and 4 thus making the middle lines the up and down main. The problem is that through trains run down both platforms right close to where people stand. The member of staff I talked to, thought they were going to alter it the same as oxford. That is why I suggested it, was a waste of money,because they did not upgrade the jointed track.
Probably because if it was any more than a like-for-like replacement it would involve changing the signaling. I believe this is nearly life-expired and the type and state of the interlocking probably makes changing very costly and disruptive. From Rick's comment it seems the junction couldn't be kept going until track and signaling could be changed at the same time.

Bristol East signaling was of similar vintage but was replaced a couple of years ago with few or no layout changes, making it easier to change the layout in stages as they did with Reading.
 
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