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Great Western Electrification Progress

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Wychwood93

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Even a barrage as low down the estuary to allow a new line from Undy to Chittening would be upstream of the important Portbury Docks. See map:>
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.5308935,-2.753213,12z/data=!5m1!1e1
I was going to point out something similar yesterday - both of the current Severn bridges allow adequate clearance for Sharpness and Gloucester ship traffic. Which is probably not a great deal. My own thoughts also saw a rail bridge/barrage leading to joining the existing railway in the Undy area - a start at Chittening would have a rail feed from Bristol Parkway via the minimally used freight line. Which, as the line exists, could be easily (?) upgraded. Quite what would happen to Severn Tunnel Junction and Caldicot is another matter. A bridge or barrage could well see the Severn Tunnel being of no use?
 

59CosG95

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GWML Electrification: State of Play, as of week commencing 09/10/19.
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 MPATS to Royal Wootton Bassett ATFS; Kensal Green ATFS to Maidenhead MPATS 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. West Drayton's Relief Line platforms (3 & 4) have now been extended - Platform 5 is also open.
  • 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.
  • The AT Site just north of Radley is structurally complete, but no electrical connections have been made.
  • The vast majority of piles have been installed between Didcot & Oxford; no piles were installed in the Oxford area (pending resignalling & remodelling works, and EWR Phase 1 junction works).
  • 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 authorised for passenger service on all trains in both directions, with a universal 110mph PSR, since 15th September 2019. IETs no longer have to undertake traction changeover at Denchworth to the west, and Moreton Cutting to the east.
  • 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 Site 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 ATFS. Most TTCs have booms from beyond the viaduct to Thingley East Junction. About 14 masts are up in the vicinity of the ATFS, 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)
The "treat as LIVE" date for wires between Severn Tunnel Junction & Cardiff Central is 27/12/19 - revenue electric service begins on 15/01/20.
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: LIVE
  • 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.
  • All wires are now LIVE from Up & Down Tunnel Line structure "BSW 181/747" and Up & Down Bristol Line structure "BSW 181/200" to Relief Lines & Main Lines structure "SWM 220/160" (162m 01ch). This also includes:
    • Both Pilning Loops;
    • the Up Tunnel Loop;
    • the Up Branch Down Loop in East Usk Yard;
    • all 4 platforms at Newport; and
    • the Up/Down Goods Loop adjacent to ADJ Yard.
  • The overruns at the following locations are also LIVE:
    • Main Lines + Down Relief from STJ to Caldicot structure "SWM 198/313" at 148m 33ch;
    • Up Service Line at structure "SWM 210/422" at 155m 78ch;
    • Up and Down Hereford Line at structure "HNL 213/668" at 41m 50ch (from the former Rotherwas Jn);
    • Gaer Branch Line at structure "SWM 216/293" at 159m 49ch; and
    • the Up/Dn Cardiff Curve at structure "SWM 216/844" at 0m 11ch.
    • 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
    • Fully Wired.

    St. Brides - Cardiff
    • The western limit of live wires is at St. Brides ATFS, at structure "SWM 220/160" (162m 01ch), as of 11:00 on 14th of September 2019.
    • Wires up across all 4 tracks between Pengam Jct (168m 40ch) & Marshfield; these are assumed to continue to St. Brides.
    • 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.
    • Wires are now at Cardiff Intersection Bridge, and stop at the Tensorex overlap around Bute St.
    Cardiff Central - Platforms 0-4 to be wired
    • Re-signalling completed. Platform 0 now open.
    • All steelwork appears to be up through Platforms 0-4 (and the Through Roads), extending down to the tracks adjacent to Canton.
    • Wires are up through Platforms 0-3 (and now 4!) - it is not known how far they extend, but they are assumed to go as far as the Limit of Wiring.
    • 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 "the big switch-on"; done.
    • 22/9/19 until 14:00: Newport to Bridgend blockaded (inc. Cardiff Central) for electrification work; done.
    • 29/9/19 until 14:00: Newport to Bridgend blockaded (inc. Cardiff Central) for electrification work; done.
    • 13/10/19 until 14:00: Newport to Bridgend blockaded (inc. Cardiff Central) for electrification work; done.
    • 20/10/19 until 14:00: Newport to Bridgend blockaded (inc. Cardiff Central) for electrification work; done.
    • 24/12/19 to 27/12/19: OLE renewal in the Southall area; most likely to the east of the current station, where new Series 1 style masts have gone up. This work is more strictly part of Crossrail.
    • 27/12/19 to 01/01/20: electrification work at Cardiff Central. This will most likely be finishing any outstanding works.

    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. This looks less certain now; details on this will be made available once the information goes public.
    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).
 

Linda smith

Member
Joined
31 Oct 2018
Messages
53
With testing of the wires still ongoing with the class 90, a class 72 & a pair of class 67's, what chanc is there of the line to Newport from Bristol parkway actually being signed off to run on electric traction this week?
 

oglord

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Joined
13 Oct 2010
Messages
330
Location
Newport, Monmouthshire
Not to answer the question, but a DVT is just a carriage, not a locomotive. Therefore it is not “class 82”, just a trailer vehicle numbered in that range. Things were so much easier when carriages had letter prefixes!
 

Nick Ashwell

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20 Dec 2018
Messages
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I've seen rumours on Facebook about Sunday being the first IEP electric from Newport, I queried it and was told its right however I still continue to question the validity of that rumour? Anyone got anything to verify or debunk the rumour?
 

Linda smith

Member
Joined
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Messages
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I've seen rumours on Facebook about Sunday being the first IEP electric from Newport, I queried it and was told its right however I still continue to question the validity of that rumour? Anyone got anything to verify or debunk the rumour?
I was talking with a chap from tfw this morning, whilst waiting for the 10.10 to london. He confirmed that revenue earning electric services from Newport to London are due to commence this sunday.
 

DaveHarries

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England
I've seen rumours on Facebook about Sunday being the first IEP electric from Newport, I queried it and was told its right however I still continue to question the validity of that rumour? Anyone got anything to verify or debunk the rumour?
I was talking with a chap from tfw this morning, whilst waiting for the 10.10 to london. He confirmed that revenue earning electric services from Newport to London are due to commence this sunday.
Looking on RealTimeTrains it is suggested that Paddington trains will be pathed for electric traction between Pilning and Bristol Parkway from 15th December.

Dave
 

ATW158Xpress

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Messages
287
Looking on RealTimeTrains it is suggested that Paddington trains will be pathed for electric traction between Pilning and Bristol Parkway from 15th December.

Dave
These are only timing loads and don’t read into all the changeover points too seriously. From Sunday trains will certainly go electric to Newport with trains changing over from electric to diesel at Pilning and from diesel to electric at Severn Tunnel Junction at milepost 150.
 

ATW158Xpress

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white house undy

so what then now stops them running electric through the big tunnel??
Call for Mr Dolphyn
More work is needed in the Severn Tunnel to resolve the issues relating the the conductor bar and earthing before bringing into use.
 

linuxlad7

Member
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Messages
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More work is needed in the Severn Tunnel to resolve the issues relating the the conductor bar and earthing before bringing into use.
sounds like old news
is the test with the ally alloy conductor, reported by Dolphyn, continuing???
+
 
Last edited:

Mintona

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oglord

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Newport, Monmouthshire
That didn’t happen. The power is off in the tunnel. However if you board at Newport, see the pantograph raised, sit in a coach without an engine underneath, and get off at Bristol Parkway to see the pantograph raised I can understand the confusion.
Yes, I assumed that too.
 

JN114

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Messages
3,346
Silly question - would anything untoward happen if the pan were to be kept raised as the train runs through the tunnel powered by diesel?

AFAIK None of it has been checked for alignment yet, so it’s impossible to say that nothing untoward would happen.
 

Dai Corner

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AFAIK None of it has been checked for alignment yet, so it’s impossible to say that nothing untoward would happen.

Presumably there's a device to lower the pan automatically if the driver forgets then?
 

ATW158Xpress

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Presumably there's a device to lower the pan automatically if the driver forgets then?
All I noticed is 2 square yellow boxes underneath the track around STJ, is that something to do with that lowers pantographs automatically in the event the driver forgets to pan down before the end of the OLE area?
 

Optom1

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Cardiff
All I noticed is 2 square yellow boxes underneath the track around STJ, is that something to do with that lowers pantographs automatically in the event the driver forgets to pan down before the end of the OLE area?
Interesting first trip Newport to Parkway under the wires.The electric acceleration from Newport was in three notable phases,limited by line speed signs ,up to 40,then70, then full line speed of 90 to M.P.152,felt diesel kick in bySTJnc.Diesel to East of Pilning then a noticeable drop of speed(8mph),when changing back to electric.So no improvement in H.ST. times.In the reverse direction electric showed its metal as the acceleration from S.T.JncWest was under electric.
 

Dren Ahmeti

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17 Oct 2017
Messages
550
Location
Bristol
OLE energising at 1800 on Friday 27th December from St Brides Feeder station (current limit of electrification just west of Newport) to:
Cardiff West Jct + Brickyard Sidings, incl. Pengam Up/Down Recp Sidings 1, 2 and 3 and Cardiff platforms 0-4.
 

S-Bahn

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2 Nov 2018
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When Cardiff does go live, is the plan for the IET's to switch over at the platforms, or to switch over west of the station and run electric through Cardiff Central?
 

Linda smith

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Joined
31 Oct 2018
Messages
53
When Cardiff does go live, is the plan for the IET's to switch over at the platforms, or to switch over west of the station and run electric through Cardiff Central?
Presumably as the feed extends to the Canton depot, they should be able to run on a/c from there. But only time will tell
 
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