Gospel Oak to Barking Line (GOBLIN) electrification

[hwl]

Everyone but the client London Overground / TfL who must be now seething over NR & their Contractors poor management of this project.

It isn't just a passenger project for TfL. DfT and FOCs are also technically clients and all the clients have different motivations. So i'd expect TfL not to come out of this completely blame free...

 

[Class 170101]

Chris Grayling will be delighted about that - another stick to beat Sadiq Khan with.

 

[Nym]

How about the fact that Sadiq wouldn't have had trains that could use the overhead lines running on it for at least a year anyway?

 

[YorkshireBear]

Murphys were principle contractor on this project weren't they?

 

[87015]

How about the fact that Sadiq wouldn't have had trains that could use the overhead lines running on it for at least a year anyway?

But the lack of faith in the completion was a MAJOR point in the business plans' developed for two types of EMU - if the 172s had found a taker there may well have been EMUs waiting wires now.

 

[reddragon]

Murphys were principle contractor on this project weren't they?

Yes there were

 

[SpacePhoenix]

Murphys were principle contractor on this project weren't they?

Sod's Law that it's not all gone smoothly?

 

[YorkshireBear]

Sod's Law that it's not all gone smoothly?

Less sods law and more the balance of probability I imagine.

 

[hwl]

Less sods law and more the balance of probability I imagine.

Looks like all the civils that Murphy were doing has gone well, they had very little do with actually electrification side of things.

 

[Juniper Driver]

How is this going? Haven't seen any wires up in Leytonstone.

 

[332 > 444]

They have more structure posts finally on the platform, I saw as passing on the underground and when I was walking home. Not sure if they are the cantilever type though.

 

[traji00]

Some more registration arms have appeared on masts between Crouch Hill & Upper Holloway.

 

[SpacePhoenix]

Are all the basic mast columns now in place throughout the GOBLIN route?

 

[traji00]

Are all the basic mast columns now in place throughout the GOBLIN route?

There are a few missing at platforms but the majority are in place.

 

[fgwrich]

Some further detail and images can be found in these two links.

The first is from the London Reconnections Blog.
http://www.londonreconnections.com/...e-electrified-west-anglia-franchise-devolved/

Update
From the “BOGORUG” user-group newsletter [See moderator’s note at end].
Work outstanding at the time of publication 6th February):  Completion of platform extensions (except at Barking, Blackhorse Road and Gospel Oak)  Completion of step-free access works at Blackhorse Road (completion date: April 2017)  Completion of erection of overhead wires support masts  Completion of fitting out each mast with support arms for the electric wires Installation of 25,000volts AC contact and support wires  Repairs to damaged sewer in Walthamstow  Raising the Crouch Hill road bridge
“Generally, the civil engineering aspects of the project have gone well, it is the work connected with installing the electrification infrastructure that is well behind.”
The original work plan set out by Network Rail back in February 2016 envisaged that all of the electrification infrastructure would be in place by this month, with diesel trains resuming and the period onwards to the end of June being used for testing and commissioning the overhead wires.
Other problems have been accidental breaches of sewers in Walthamstow by pile drivers and the discovery that there will be insufficient clearance for the overhead wires under the road bridge at Crouch Hill station. It is believed that Network Rail has received a temporary dispensation to run electric trains under the bridge pending a later closure to raise the height of the bridge.
“BGORUG expects an imminent joint announcement from Network Rail and Transport for London (TfL) confirming that train services will recommence from Monday 27th February on Mondays to Fridays only, with continuing closures during weekends and bank holidays. It is difficult to predict what form these later closures may take (some may be longer than a weekend) as there are impending Crossrail (Elizabeth Line) works due at Stratford that require freight trains to be diverted to the Barking – Gospel Oak Line.”
“At the moment, we are also unclear as to whether Blackhorse Road Overground platforms will be opened to passengers before April when the step-free access works are due for completion. ”

While images of the current progress can be found in the Barking - Gospel Oak users press release / pdf.

http://www.barking-gospeloak.org.uk/documents/20170206_press_release.pdf

 

[HowardGWR]

While images of the current progress can be found in the Barking - Gospel Oak users press release / pdf.

http://www.barking-gospeloak.org.uk/documents/20170206_press_release.pdf

Funny - McAfee told me not to go to this link, they think the site is dodgy. Anyone else get that message?

 

[snowball]

Funny - McAfee told me not to go to this link, they think the site is dodgy. Anyone else get that message?

I don't get one for that page but I do occasionally get ones for pages that I'm pretty sure are OK.

Edit: Just remembered I once got one for these forums.

 

[class303]

A load of freight paths in this Saturday's (18th Feb) realtraintimes.

Even what looks like a few HST paths from/to old oak common. Don't recall ever seeing an HST on the GOBLIN before, although I mainly use the eastern side of the line.

Are these paths route learners? I know at least 1 freight from Daventry traversed the line last weekend. Plus the LO driver training runs.

Looking forward to the line coming back. I have yet to do the 0759 Woodgrange Park to Willesden Junction low level, via some rare track. I assume this service will cease to exist come the start of 4 car electrics in 2018?

 

[plcd1]

There are a few missing at platforms but the majority are in place.

Sorry to disagree but that's not right. There are masts mostly in place between Gospel Oak and Walthamstow Queens Road. Beyond that coverage is very sparse with a few portal masts and the odd vertical mast for a cantilever arrangement. The long viaduct section through Leyton to almost Woodgrange Park has clearly proved very problematic.

There are a couple of cab ride videos on Youtube from last weekend's test runs. That clearly shows the mixed fortunes of installing electrification kit. Even on the western end there are gaps in mast installation and mixed progress in terms of adding extra components. The former electrified section through South Tottenham has been removed so electric trains can't currently travel between the WAML and the line at Seven Sisters. That won't change until the main route electrification is completed.

The video clips do show that nearly all the platform extension works are done with only Harringay Green Lanes have some platform structure work to do. Woodgrange Park is having ticket gate enclosures built on each platform and I suspect it'll be a hard slog right until just before reopening to finish them. There's a new ramp and step arrangement at Blackhorse Road to replace the old steep ramp between LU's ticket hall and the footbridge. To cover the height difference there is a long ramped arrangement to give a compliant rise while there are steps for the able bodied. The lift towers are in place but it will be a while before lifts are installed and commissioned.

Gospel Oak to Barking run

Barking to Gospek Oak run

 

[traji00]

Sorry to disagree but that's not right. There are masts mostly in place between Gospel Oak and Walthamstow Queens Road. Beyond that coverage is very sparse with a few portal masts and the odd vertical mast for a cantilever arrangement. The long viaduct section through Leyton to almost Woodgrange Park has clearly proved very problematic.



There are a couple of cab ride videos on Youtube from last weekend's test runs. That clearly shows the mixed fortunes of installing electrification kit. Even on the western end there are gaps in mast installation and mixed progress in terms of adding extra components. The former electrified section through South Tottenham has been removed so electric trains can't currently travel between the WAML and the line at Seven Sisters. That won't change until the main route electrification is completed.



The video clips do show that nearly all the platform extension works are done with only Harringay Green Lanes have some platform structure work to do. Woodgrange Park is having ticket gate enclosures built on each platform and I suspect it'll be a hard slog right until just before reopening to finish them. There's a new ramp and step arrangement at Blackhorse Road to replace the old steep ramp between LU's ticket hall and the footbridge. To cover the height difference there is a long ramped arrangement to give a compliant rise while there are steps for the able bodied. The lift towers are in place but it will be a while before lifts are installed and commissioned.



Gospel Oak to Barking run



Barking to Gospek Oak run

Apologies , I stand corrected - thanks for the video links.

 

[Dixie]

These videos appear to have been taken down.

 

[plcd1]

These videos appear to have been taken down.

A shame but looks as if the "author" has been "spoken to" and he's had to remove them. Clearly there's some sensitivity somewhere. They were there when I made my previous post.

 

[AlanFry1]

It sounds absolutely horrific. To be fair, there was no work that TFL and Network Rail bothered to do, they as good as only started in 2017. Ridiculous, and hopefully the re-opening will be absolutely slammed by commuters with not one benefit for the 9 month closure at current other than utter inconvenience.

 

[450.emu]

Any plans to finish the wiring around South Tottenham? Can see the registration arms fitted but they are all folded out of the way... Are they leaving this till Easter or the next holiday to get on with any work in a longer possession?

 

[class303]

Any plans to finish the wiring around South Tottenham? Can see the registration arms fitted but they are all folded out of the way... Are they leaving this till Easter or the next holiday to get on with any work in a longer possession?

There's very little wiring in place anywhere on the line.

 

[plcd1]

Any plans to finish the wiring around South Tottenham? Can see the registration arms fitted but they are all folded out of the way... Are they leaving this till Easter or the next holiday to get on with any work in a longer possession?

Not sure anyone knows for certain. There are no new booked closures evident on the TfL closures list which is updated weekly. There are a couple of small Sunday closures on the GOBLIN but they're the regular cyclical closures for normal NR maintenance and inspection. I would be surprised if much happens before June in terms of actually blocking the route for a weekend or longer.

I've not seen the easternmost end of the line for a while so don't know if NR are making progress in getting masts erected on the viaduct structures. There was a sudden surge of activity in the Walthamstow / Tottenham area just before reopening where missing masts were added and registration arms suddenly appeared en masse.

 

[87015]

Any plans to finish the wiring around South Tottenham? Can see the registration arms fitted but they are all folded out of the way... Are they leaving this till Easter or the next holiday to get on with any work in a longer possession?

No money left in the till, unless someone finds some behind the sofa progress this year seems unlikely!!

 

[plcd1]

No money left in the till, unless someone finds some behind the sofa progress this year seems unlikely!!

Eh? they can't possibly have frittered away circa £125m in the space of 8 months. Is this a "financial year" thing (given we're near the end of 2016/17) or a total project cost thing?

 

[YorkshireBear]

No money left in the till, unless someone finds some behind the sofa progress this year seems unlikely!!

Hmm it doesn't work like that....

 

[snowball]

Sorry this is a bit old now. I forgot to post it when I first saw it.

An item in RAIL magazine 820 (Feb 15-28) reports the B-GO Rail User Group as saying the civil engineering (as distinct from actual electrification works) mostly went well during the blockade. However it mentions breaches of sewers at Walthamstow while driving piles, and the discovery of insufficient clearance under the road bridge at Crouch Hill station.