Great Western Electrification Progress

[superkev]

Are they still using the factory train as intended?
K

 

[jimm]

Are they still using the factory train as intended?
K

Describing it as a single train was never really accurate - more PR-speak. There are several sections that usually work independently, as described below by Network Rail back in 2013.

How it works:
With several consists in one train, the HOPS will leave the purpose-built depot in Swindon and split up to head to different parts of the line at its 60mph top speed. It carries enough supplies and equipment to avoid having to bring anything to the trackside on lorries and staff can be picked up at stations en-route.

The different consists are:

- A piling rig, with two MPVs with Movax vibro piling heads, which literally vibrate the steel piles into the soil, 2 pile carrying wagons, and finally a Fambo hydraulic percussion hammer MPV for tougher ground.

- An excavation and concrete batching consist. This will feature an Hitachi excavator plus a Kniele concrete unit which will mix concrete from onboard aggregate, cement and water tanks.

- A structures consist, which will erect the Series One masts, portal booms and twin track cantilevers. It is intended to carry 30 masts for erection, per night.

- Ancillary conductor consist, which will install the earthing wires, return wires and small parts such as registration arms and other equipment.

- The contact and catenary consist, which will string up the remaining wires, under tension. Another unit install other articles such as contenary wires under low bridges, neutral sections and record information such as height and stagger.

Each consist will include two MPVs with full driving cabs, powered by MTU power packs, which can be driven at 60mph off-site. On site driving cabs will allow the train to be driven very slowly in possessions, such as when installing contact wire.

https://www.networkrailmediacentre....o-cut-years-off-great-western-electrification

 

[jyte]

The mains are closed from Paddington-Dolphin Junction today/tonight.

Is that electrification related or just general renewal/maintenance?

 

[76020]

I have just done a trip from London to Cardiff, so starting at Paddington, still no sign of any wires or anything else for that matter on Platforms 1 & 2.
Onto the journey then, obviously I could not see the down main so I cannot comment on this, even though the juice was switched on last weekend from Airport Junction to Maidenhead the A/T wire is not complete and is missing in a few places such as east of Slough, also it is fixed up with temporary hangers in some places as well.
Between Maidenhead and Reading the up main wiring is nearly complete with a gap just west of Maidenhead, another around the Twyford area and on the approach to Reading, the relief lines are well behind with only a small section of wiring on both lines just west of Maidenhead and another small section on the down relief between Twyford and Reading, all the steel work is up apart from an odd 1 or 2, about 90% of the support arms are fitted.
In the Reading area about 40-50% of the wiring is now complete.
After the Steventon gap there is wiring to about 2/3 of the way until the four track section starts, at the western end of the four track section the is a small section of wiring, both the up main and up relief, another small section of wiring on the two track section up to Swindon is also complete, I would say about 80-90% of the steel work is up between Didcot and Swindon, it fizzles out on the approaches to Swindon and also there is still some piling to do as well.
I did notice that there is still a few old signal gantries in the Swindon area that will have to go of coarse.
From Swindon to Wootton Bassett most of the piling is now done, about 80% and a few masts have been installed for good measure.
From Wootton Bassett to about half way to Bristol Parking nearly all the piling is done and about 70% of these have masts attached.
Apart from a few piles east of Bristol Parkway, piling starts again at Patchway and it continuous until the Seven Tunnel with about 40-50% of these have masts.
Not much has changed from Seven Tunnel Junction to Cardiff from what I can see in the last few months but more piling work in the Newport area is happening soon so I see on a previous post.
So Maidenhead to Tilehurst wiring complete? I would say middle/late summer
Steventon to Swindon wiring complete?, maybe by the turn of the year.
Swindon to Bristol Parkway? this is going along nicely so maybe all wired by summer next year at a push and onto Cardiff by the end of next year we all hope!

 

[II]

According to some posters at RMWEB, as of the 27th March Maidenhead's platform 5 didn't even have SPS installed.

Is this true?

The London end of Platform 5 through to Maidenhead East Junction has yet to be wired, though IIRC the SPS is installed. Should be a quick job, though slightly odd given the turnback siding has wires but no track yet!

 

[SpacePhoenix]

The London end of Platform 5 through to Maidenhead East Junction has yet to be wired, though IIRC the SPS is installed. Should be a quick job, though slightly odd given the turnback siding has wires but no track yet!

What's SPS short for?

 

[Domh245]

What's SPS short for?

Small part steelwork

 

[jyte]

The London end of Platform 5 through to Maidenhead East Junction has yet to be wired, though IIRC the SPS is installed. Should be a quick job, though slightly odd given the turnback siding has wires but no track yet!

Okay, thanks.

For the purposes of the map, does anyone know of any other specific parts of Stockley-Maidenhead missing wires?

 

[II]

Don't think there are any others - save for the lack of ATF wire at several locations still as previously mentioned by other posters.

 

[3973EXL]

The wire run on part of plat 5 runs onto the branch. The straight route west has no wires until it joins the UR. The connection to the stabling sidings has no wires, including the S&C to Plat 4.

Two masts at the unwired London end of plat 5 have no SPS.

Catenary wire has gone up on the UM from Reading side of Ruscombe S&C to the existing wired section.

ATF wire has gone up on the down side from Twyford West into Sonning cutting.

 

[3973EXL]

Reading Platforms

Catenary wire up on 3, 11 & 12.

After contact wire goes up, only 10 left to do.

 

[spark001uk]

I see Reading P1 still doesn't have termination insulators, I do hope they don't forget!

Mind you I'm sure various continuity/insulation tests are done at low voltage prior to energising.

 

[jyte]

Went to Paddington earlier this week - forgot to take & upload pictures.

Only thing I spotted was that the little glass wall installed on the pedestrian over-bridge above Platforms 1 and 2 has been removed.



oh and platform 13/14 is still a building site.

 

[spark001uk]

Only thing I spotted was that the little glass wall installed on the pedestrian over-bridge above Platforms 1 and 2 has been removed.

I noticed that last week, meant to say! The brackets are still there though, just the glass panels gone. Something up with them maybe?

 

[jyte]

Right!

To make up for the lack of photos earlier this week & the delayed new map (sorry!), when I returned to Paddington today to meet a friend I took some photos around platform 1 & 2.

Not much has been done. There's some SPS droppers on the far end of the platform, the glass separator has been left and replaced by the rather attractive taped up...things and some new cable ducts have been installed on the pedestrian overbridge. Presumably the current position of the ducts breaks the rules with regards to clearance?

It looks like some work has been done to create 2-3 canopy mount points on platform 1 (no photos sorry).

The only thing I thought was of any real interest was in the background of the "SPS Closeup" photo you can see that the old portal has had all its SPS steelwork and a new gantry with independently registered arms (like the ones on the WCML) but the new steelwork is starting to rust around the base so this is either shoddy work or more than 2-3 years old, I would say.

 

[3973EXL]

Catenary wire has gone up on the UM from Reading side of Ruscombe S&C to the existing wired section.

Approximate mileage for the above is MP29 to just after MP29 1/2.

The DM adjacent to this has now wired, catenary and contact.

On the UM, continuing on from the section with just the catenary, a further wiring run has gone up to near MP30.

 

[spark001uk]

A little OT I know, but just wondering if anyone noticed, on the DM just east of the platforms at Hayes there's a dozen or so little "cogs" hung from the catenary wire in a neat line, just swinging in the breeze.! I take it that was an engineer putting them up for a laugh?

The things I notice!!
.

 

[jyte]

Approximate mileage for the above is MP29 to just after MP29 1/2.

The DM adjacent to this has now wired, catenary and contact.

On the UM, continuing on from the section with just the catenary, a further wiring run has gone up to near MP30.

Any contact wire?

 

[3973EXL]

Any contact wire?

UM MP29 to MP29 1/2 is just catenary.

On to MP30 is catenary & contact.

 

[jyte]

UM MP29 to MP29 1/2 is just catenary.

On to MP30 is catenary & contact.

Okay thanks.

The Swindon-Maidenhead section of the new map is essentially complete, working on expanding it still (focusing on Stockley-Maidenhead right now because it's clear that section is a bit unfinished!)

Once I've finished Swindon-Maidenhead I'll start do Swindon to Severn Tunnel Junction Station and Melksham and then I'll focus on Severn Tunnel Junction to Cardiff Central.

 

[spark001uk]

I was at Maidenhead briefly earlier, I notice p5 is wired, however one of the masts has two reg arms on it (pic); the one with the longer steady arm is tied up and not used? What's that for then, is it something to do with tensioning?

 

[3973EXL]

I was at Maidenhead briefly earlier, I notice p5 is wired, however one of the masts has two reg arms on it (pic); the one with the longer steady arm is tied up and not used? What's that for then, is it something to do with tensioning?

There is a set of points at the country end of the platform. The wire that is up goes onto the Bourne End branch. The wire for the straight route is not up yet.

 

[jyte]

Rmweb memebers are reporting masts going up in Chippenham area.

 

[Tw99]

I think this is new in the last few days: There's contact wire installed on one line on the east-south curve of the Reading Triangle, towards Reading West.

 

[alxndr]

The overbridge at Bourton (72m 15c) has a sign announcing overnight closures from the 15–23 April. I'm assuming this is to do with increasing clearances?

 

[59CosG95]

I think this is new in the last few days: There's contact wire installed on one line on the east-south curve of the Reading Triangle, towards Reading West.

Is the East-South curve from the Reading direction or the Tilehurst direction?

 

[DidcotDickie]

The overbridge at Bourton (72m 15c) has a sign announcing overnight closures from the 15–23 April. I'm assuming this is to do with increasing clearances?

I think they are raising the parapets on the bridges for safety reasons. I believe that they have already lowered (or, if not intend to) lower the tracks under the two bridges at Bourton to provide clearance for the OLE. Both bridges are grade 2 listed I think.

 

[DidcotDickie]

Is the East-South curve from the Reading direction or the Tilehurst direction?

I think that Tw99 means the Westbury lines curve from the station to Reading West. I don't think that the curve from the Scours Lane/Tilehurst direction to Reading West (West Curve) has been wired yet.

 

[3973EXL]

From what I could see today, I think the current situation is currently this:

West Curve - Reading West Jn to Oxford Road Jn - not wired.
Reading Westbury Line Jn to Oxford Rd Jn - first part has catenary wires up. The Oxford Rd end passed the upper triangle is fully wired.
The Main Feeder line also looks to have been fully wired south of the flyover to just before Oxford Rd Jn.

 

[jyte]

I keep getting confused between Bruton and Bourton then getting excited about the B&H being wired.


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