So, the parliamentary question I cited earlier is a bit economical with the truth. The minister says “a review determined that electrification was unnecessary”, but cites an earlier response from March 2019. When I look that up, it turns out to be the Hendy Review, which doesn’t cancel the electrification but defers it to CP6. Several subsequent Network Rail documents point out the value of the electrification work, especially given the opportunity to provide a feeder at Bramley, and the benefits of electric freight operations.
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Great Western Electrification Progress
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kevin_roche
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As I understand it the addition of a third train allows an improvement to the service during rush hours and the current timetable now has timing provision for a stop at Green Park. The turn around time at Reading and Basingstoke are no longer critical with three trains on the service.
3rd train enables long turnarounds (~20 mins both ends now), there’s a 4th unit on there in the peaks that then offers an uneven frequency enhancement in the peaks
They submitted a prior approval notification for the road access to the feeder site in July.
https://planning.basingstoke.gov.uk...ils.do?activeTab=summary&keyVal=PUHD7QCR0AP00
The documents include a plan for the whole site.
swt_passenger
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Well found, thanks. All adds to the overall picture.
I note that the plan has a “proposed independent feeder route” heading off long side the track in the direction of Reading, so not reliant on electrification to Basingstoke (which might need to wait for the Basingstoke flyover and a possible Southcote-Reading West corridor upgrade?)
Today's announcement about Bristol East is encouraging in the sense that it is a prerequisite for electrification from Temple Meads to Patchway, but I thought that the project was already authorised for CP6. Was that a misunderstanding on my part?
Yes I thought it was already authorised as well?
swt_passenger
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In the Enhancement “Pipeline report” of last October, (that I linked in post #9718 on the previous page), it was only at design stage, awaiting “decision to deliver”. I believe that doc superseded anything included in previous enhancement delivery plans...
59CosG95
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Do you have a link to the announcement?
swt_passenger
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It’s a small item included within the HS2 announcement.
59CosG95
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Thanks for that gents. According to this tweet here (https://twitter.com/Rail_Elec/status/1225721231233687552?s=20; 5th in a series of 11 tweets), NR are due to publish a Traction Decarbonisation Strategy later this year, so we'll find out whether Bristol East Junction will be wired soon enough!
Transcript of all 11 tweets:
Campaign to Electrify Britain's Railway said:
edwin_m
Veteran Member
https://hansard.parliament.uk/commo...D51-8CD9-93EB9D76F644/TransportInfrastructure
The only surviving Brunel-designed part is the original station fronting onto Temple Gate, which has been walled off and is in non-railway use for many years. The text above may be read as implying that they plan to extend the tracks back into it...
I'm hearing mid 2021 as there is more work involved than expected...
Possibly expect an early partial draft this year?
I think Boris just got over-excited at the opportunity to say "Brunel" in his speech.
He'll have the SS Great Britain back in service and steaming to New York next
edwin_m
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Unfortunately, much as I'd like to see the original station in railway use again, I think you're probably right.
Perhaps he ought to know Great Britain has several large holes below the waterline and will rapidly sink if exposed to the Atlantic storms. The steamer's not in great condition either. He'll have the SS Great Britain back in service and steaming to New York next
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GRALISTAIR
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This I assume is different than the update promised many moons ago of Electrification RUS first and last published in 2009?
That catch phrase in that helpful extract from 59CosG95 is now burnt into my memory:
"One nameless train manufacturer – commented on the various DfT and NR reports, that we have ‘paralysis through analysis’. We have spent a long time talking, let's get on with it."
We'll see. What does Hendy do for his huge salary nowadays and where are his plans? You never hear a peep out of him!
"One nameless train manufacturer – commented on the various DfT and NR reports, that we have ‘paralysis through analysis’. We have spent a long time talking, let's get on with it."
We'll see. What does Hendy do for his huge salary nowadays and where are his plans? You never hear a peep out of him!
GRALISTAIR
Established Member
Indeed sir. At least we have the Oakervee review! But that is still analysis. As you say let’s just do it. Surely Bristol Parkway (BPW) to Bristol Temple Meads (BRI) is close to shovel ready? Then backward electrify through Bath. Keep the Welsh happy by doing Cardiff to Swansea. But yes, enough of analysis and document publishing and just do it.
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edwin_m
Veteran Member
No, either of them needs Bristol East Junction doing first. Which now seems to have got the go-ahead but I'd expect several years and at least one big blockade before completion. Electrification could then be at about the right time to be flashed as an electoral bauble, or it could be that Boris has lost interest or reality has set in about the effect of his policies on the public finances.
GRALISTAIR
Established Member
Good lord that is depressing. How on earth are we to decarbonize in any sensible timescale?
Nuclear.
Not that it would make any difference as countries such as China will continue to increase CO2 emissions anyway.
All of which is probably of no consequence as the climate appears to be in a cooling phase now.
The Welsh would rather have (as Boris said) less congestion at Newports M4 tunnels,which affects thousands of travellers a day than wires to Swansea(officially poor value).We still have electrification of the valley lines to look forward to!
Maybe, but with wind power now being cheaper than most other sources then I'd expect a lot more wind turbines (mostly off shore).
It should also be noted that coal for generating electricity is now getting fairly rare (5% of electricity in 2018, down from 30% in 2014, with overall electricity usage down in the same timeframe) and I wouldn't be surprised if gas started to follow within the next few years.
So no trains then when the wind isn't blowing!
edwin_m
Veteran Member
Leaving the argument of climate denial aside, the critical point here is that where the electricity comes from makes no difference if the lines haven't been wired so the trains have to run on diesel.
Climate change is undeniable, a few thousand years most of Britain was covered by an ice sheet. A thousand years ago English wine was being exported to France and farming was practised in Greenland, despite CO2 levels being very low.
I think we in some danger of getting of the topic here of GWML electrification! If anyone wants to discuss climate change in detail I would ask that they do so on a new thread.
Thanks,
ainsworth74
Thanks,
ainsworth74
Hellzapoppin
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The main blockade for BRISTOL East is 2021. A lot of enabling works is underway with some of the relaying works around Dr Days junction happening April May this year.
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