Great Western Electrification Progress

[lewisf]

BBC points west were reporting today that electrification started last night, but I think it was actually that the HOPS train was starting work.

 

[fgwrich]

If it's the same report as the one on BBC South Today, then it was just really about the HOPS MPV at work. Paul Clifton seems to be quite the optimist though: Oxford, Bristol and South Wales all to be electrified by this MPV by 2016.

I do wonder if this Ho-Ha is NR Getting the HOPS fully commissioned and all the MPVs into service then, as a HOPS MPVs have been very slowly at work since the winter/spring of this year.

 

[76020]

If it's the same report as the one on BBC South Today, then it was just really about the HOPS MPV at work. Paul Clifton seems to be quite the optimist though: Oxford, Bristol and South Wales all to be electrified by this MPV by 2016.

I do wonder if this Ho-Ha is NR Getting the HOPS fully commissioned and all the MPVs into service then, as a HOPS MPVs have been very slowly at work since the winter/spring of this year.

Here is the link for the video, you will have to be quick there is only 15 hours left!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b04d8qxn/bbc-oxford-news-12082014

 

[395 Olympic Javelin]

Can't wait to see the line finished in two years time and does anyone know what the number of the MPV Brunel?

 

[thelem]

Here is the link for the video, you will have to be quick there is only 15 hours left!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b04d8qxn/bbc-oxford-news-12082014

Report starts at 3:45.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Hmmm. "Passengers will hardly notice".
The troublesome bit will be the erection of the portals over all 4 tracks east of Didcot, requiring a full possession.
They only showed the piling rig at work. Does the publicity mean the whole lot including the wiring rig is ready to go?

 

[185]

The iPlayer item is loaded up against this small news article, nothing new really we don't already know

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-28766197

 

[Unclepete]

Hi, am I right in thinking NR ordered more that one of these HOPS units?

If so, when's the next one due to be up & running?

 

[swt_passenger]

Hi, am I right in thinking NR ordered more that one of these HOPS units?

If so, when's the next one due to be up & running?

They have only mentioned ordering one 'system'. But I think some confusion might have arisen because the overall train has 5 or more independent parts and includes two of some sections.

 

[Y186520]

Can't wait to see the line finished in two years time and does anyone know what the number of the MPV Brunel?

http://antony-christie.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/windhoff-great-western-electrification.html

Found this a while back. Photos at Taunton and numbers of vehicles. Hope its what you need.

 

[WatcherZero]

Hi, am I right in thinking NR ordered more that one of these HOPS units?

If so, when's the next one due to be up & running?

I believe they tendered for two but ultimately decided to only buy one and instead reactivate an older mothballed wiring train.

 

[fgwrich]

I believe they tendered for two but ultimately decided to only buy one and instead reactivate an older mothballed wiring train.

Which I think is the former West Coast 'Ghost' White Electrification MPV.

 

[HSTEd]

Will it be anywhere near as capable though?

 

[swtandgw]

Has anyone got any photos of the masts going up in places that've never been up before, particularly west of Reading?

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

I believe they tendered for two but ultimately decided to only buy one and instead reactivate an older mothballed wiring train.

There are several (non-HOPS) wiring trains around, with 2 others currently at work: in the north west (Balfour Beatty) and in Scotland (Carillion).
Balfour Beatty are also using one east of Maidenhead, but whether they are time-sharing with the north west one I don't know.
Nor is it clear if these are NR machines hired by the contractors, or their own.
The north west one certainly has Balfour Beatty plastered all over it.

 

[Unclepete]

Now I come to think of it, isn't there supposed to be a deadicated unit for MML?

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Now I come to think of it, isn't there supposed to be a deadicated unit for MML?

Yes, but apparently not a "HOPS".

 

[WatcherZero]

There are several (non-HOPS) wiring trains around, with 2 others currently at work: in the north west (Balfour Beatty) and in Scotland (Carillion).
Balfour Beatty are also using one east of Maidenhead, but whether they are time-sharing with the north west one I don't know.
Nor is it clear if these are NR machines hired by the contractors, or their own.
The north west one certainly has Balfour Beatty plastered all over it.

I believe it was the one which did the West Coast route modernisation during the 00's, it had been sat mothballed for the last few years since the WCML work finished.

 

[NotATrainspott]

What wiring trains get used when the knitting comes down? Do Network Rail have use of a spare one, which can be used on small infrastructure projects, or do they have to steal one off of a wiring job?

 

[Bald Rick]

What wiring trains get used when the knitting comes down? Do Network Rail have use of a spare one, which can be used on small infrastructure projects, or do they have to steal one off of a wiring job?

Ladders and mobile work platforms

 

[SkinnyDave]

Mystic Meg prediction (cheating after lunch with Network rail employees today)

There shall be no electrification to Swansea and Wires to Bristol will be delayed by 2 years

Right off to the bookies to see what odds are

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Mystic Meg prediction (cheating after lunch with Network rail employees today)
There shall be no electrification to Swansea and Wires to Bristol will be delayed by 2 years
Right off to the bookies to see what odds are

It would be very difficult to "un-announce" Swansea.
They'll find a way to do the main line, whatever the disagreement between Westminster and Cardiff Bay.
Timescale is another thing though.

 

[SkinnyDave]

It would be very difficult to "un-announce" Swansea.
They'll find a way to do the main line, whatever the disagreement between Westminster and Cardiff Bay.
Timescale is another thing though.

I'm willing to do a bet for charity on it with you??

 

[snowball]

Mystic Meg prediction (cheating after lunch with Network rail employees today)

There shall be no electrification to Swansea

How long does Swansea have to remain unelectrified for you to count this as a win?

 

[SkinnyDave]

I don't think it will happen at all mate they are so over budget and behind schedule I think we will be lucky to see it get to Cardiff..
But let's say I don't think Swansea will be done by 2020

 

[HowardGWR]

I don't think it will happen at all mate they are so over budget and behind schedule I think we will be lucky to see it get to Cardiff..
But let's say I don't think Swansea will be done by 2020

You know SD, in a sense I don't care. I think as long as rail routes remain open and no danger of closure, temporary setbacks are but a bagatelle. I get more enthusiastic about reopenings, service frequency improvements, and new connections being proposed (e.g. Swindon to Exeter via Yeovil, etc).

I admit, in this mood, I want to see Bristol TM become a combined hub with the buses and coaches next door to the old terminus, now transformed, things like that.

 

[deltic08]

I don't think it will happen at all mate they are so over budget and behind schedule I think we will be lucky to see it get to Cardiff..
But let's say I don't think Swansea will be done by 2020

To hell with anything west of Didcot. They have good quality stock. Just electrify to Oxford and Newbury to mop up surplus 319s to release DMUs for areas with Pacers or where there is a shortage. Introduce IEP on East Coast first and cascade displaced HSTs to GWML until overspend can be brought under control.

 

[SkinnyDave]

I got shot down in another thread for suggesting East Coast franchise gets IEP first so I shall not go into that one again lol

 

[fgwrich]

To hell with anything west of Didcot. They have good quality stock. Just electrify to Oxford and Newbury to mop up surplus 319s to release DMUs for areas with Pacers or where there is a shortage. Introduce IEP on East Coast first and cascade displaced HSTs to GWML until overspend can be brought under control.

And that I rather agree with. Can we have our Adelantes back on the GWML where they belong as well?

Little progress to report from last nights late night trip from Padd to Reading - indeed the most exciting thing was seeing a Warship stabled on Old Oak Common again!

Fast lines from Westbourne Park to Reading closed. Little work going on in a few places, Balfour Beatty were out with a handful of RRVs and 2 DBS 66s topping and tailing the ex Freightliner flats with a stack of piles on. So some progress there.

 

[HSTEd]

They won't dare back down on already committed schemes.
But you are now witnessing the death of the rolling electrification programme, no scheme that is not committed will be put forward.