Great Western Electrification Progress

[jyte]

Is that a contact wire in the last photo?

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Is that a contact wire in the last photo?

It sure looks like one to me. Good news

 

[3973EXL]

Is that a contact wire in the last photo?

The last six all show full wiring of the down line.

 

[cactustwirly]

I've not managed to go west of Maidenhead on a 387 yet, but the benefits of faster acceleration and less noise are the same. 387s have much faster acceleration than 165/166 DMUs. On leaving Slough they can already be at 90mph before passing Langley. In comparison, a 165/166 manages 80-85 on the longer distance between Maidenhead and Twyford before they have to slow down for the station. And for me the 165s/166s always seem to feel like they're going slower than they actually are.

For noise, the 165/166 units are louder when sat above the engine when compared to sitting over the motors on a 387. The 166s appear to have better sound insulation as their engines always seem quieter inside than 165s (but the same on the outside). Ok the 387s make annoying noises of their own (buzz from the transformer and the loud bangs from the circuit breaker), but most people would probably find that better than the engines running underneath. I also find that 387s seem slightly less insulated from rail noise over points compared to 165/166s.

As a DMU fan () I will miss the 165s, 166s and also the 180s, but there is no doubt that for the normal passenger a 387 is a far better travelling environment (both on board and while at the station due to the lack of fumes and noise).

Turbos do get up to 90 mph between Twyford and Maidenhead, according to my Speedo app.
The 387s have better acceleration than the 165s, although the seats are hard I do think that they are more comfortable having 2+2 and armrests etc.

I will miss the turbos too, they were quite fun at 90mph.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

The last six all show full wiring of the down line.

And in picture 7 you can clearly see that copper-red colour of the contact wire. Excellent

 

[3973EXL]

https://www.networkrail.co.uk/runni...estern/great-western-mainline/west-berkshire/

"Reading West Station - - - Work will be starting in January 2018 to replace the existing footbridge as well as commencing work to modify the existing buildings, canopies and platforms."

There has been some preparation work going on, hopefully something more interesting will happen soon.

With the clearance of vegetation you can make out the old ramped path from the down platform to Oxford Road. Ends in a brick wall now.

 

[FGW_DID]

Hearing the OHLE has gone dead at Reading this morn, anyone confirm what's happened?

Reports of arcing on Reading Depot; sounds as if the requisite isolations to effect a repair took out OHL west of Reading for a time.

An insulator was observed to be arcing in the Depot, an emergency switch off was requested which took out the whole depot. Depot was renenergised with damaged section isolated which left two Sidings blocked to electric traction.

 

[Non Multi]

I will miss the turbos too, they were quite fun at 90mph.

I won't miss the Turbos, because they're still on the branches.
Image: 2 car 165 on the 'Marlow Donkey' at Maidenhead, 1/1/2018.

 

[cactustwirly]

I won't miss the Turbos, because they're still on the branches.View attachment 41197
Image: 2 car 165 on the 'Marlow Donkey' at Maidenhead, 1/1/2018.

True, but the branches aren't exactly high speed

 

[Non Multi]

True, but the branches aren't exactly high speed

Turbos will still do fast Oxford runs until the IETs replace them. It was rather strange seeing them still barreling along on the main line whilst I was waiting at Goring for a 387.

 

[jyte]

The last six all show full wiring of the down line.

Oh whoops. Flicked through them all too quickly...

I'm probably not going to be doing this route till Easter, it's going to be interesting to see how much NR gets done in that time.

 

[jimm]

I will miss the turbos too, they were quite fun at 90mph.

Fun is probably the last word I would use about sitting in a 165 at 90mph with a force nine blowing through the coach thanks to all the hopper windows being open... give me a 387 or 800 any day.

 

[Class 170101]

NR were meant to wire the link between the GWML at Acton with the WCML at Acton Canal Wharf but that seemed to die a death around 18 months ago. Whether the idea will be resurrected in future I don't know.

In terms of the wiring to be done / being undertaken now on the GWML is this being done with the High Output OLE train or by convential means because NR have no confidence in the kit they have bought?

 

[superkev]

With all the wind over the last few days how's the new Dreadnought class overhead standing up. Do trains have to run at reduced speeds as the Ecml?
K

 

[FGW_DID]

With all the wind over the last few days how's the new Dreadnought class overhead standing up. Do trains have to run at reduced speeds as the Ecml?
K

I’ve been on nights the last week, AFAIK the only wind related issue with the GWML OLE was the scaffolding poles hanging off it when they got blown onto the Railway.

 

[JN114]

I’ve been on nights the last week, AFAIK the only wind related issue with the GWML OLE was the scaffolding poles hanging off it when they got blown onto the Railway.

Even that was the old Mk3 kit...

With all the wind over the last few days how's the new Dreadnought class overhead standing up. Do trains have to run at reduced speeds as the Ecml?
K

Dreadnought Class I like that...

No, no issues with the “new” OHL.

The ECML problems stem from long spacing between masts - particularly on the Northern/Borders parts of the ECML.

There is debate as to whether that is cost-cutting, poor design, combination of both or neither on BRs part.

Spacing on GWML is much smaller.

 

[jyte]

Aah the great ECML OHLE debate.

If you got a pound for every time 'poor reliability' was brought up on railforums in the context of the ECML, you might have enough money to fix it!

 

[D1009]

Not directly electrification related, but I arrived in platform 1 at Bristol Parkway for the first time about 40 mins ago on 1B91 2115 Padd to Swansea. RTT is not picking it up, so does anyone know which was the first train to use it?

 

[AlexNL]

I won't miss the Turbos, because they're still on the branches.

When will those be electrified?

 

[Unclepete]

Thatcham today. Station and the wired section on the down line taken from around MP50.

View attachment 41173 View attachment 41174 View attachment 41175 View attachment 41176 View attachment 41177 View attachment 41178 View attachment 41179 View attachment 41180 View attachment 41181

Recent work around Southcote Jn has seen piles and mast go in between the junction and the existing masts towards Theale. There are still some missing on the down side and back towards Reading West there are approximatly 5 masts on the up and 6 on the down.

The main area still missing most masts is from east of Calcot Mill FP crossing to the main to main crossover at Theale East. Other than this, most masts are up to Newbury Racecourse, excluding stations. Most SPS is up from Newbury RC to west of Aldermaston.

Great pictures of increasing progesss, so trhanks for that.

The first of many line blocks accures w/c 12th March, so assume station works will be the main focus. https://www.gwr.com/travel-updates/planned-engineering

 

[MarlowDonkey]

When will those be electrified?

Electrification to Marlow has been ruled out because it isn't possible to reverse a 4 car 387 at Bourne End and there aren't any 2 or 3 car electric units available. I don't think South Ealing to Greenford was ever proposed.

 

[MatthewRead]

Electrification to Marlow has been ruled out because it isn't possible to reverse a 4 car 387 at Bourne End and there aren't any 2 or 3 car electric units available. I don't think South Ealing to Greenford was ever proposed.

West Ealing-Greenford.

 

[MatthewRead]

NR were meant to wire the link between the GWML at Acton with the WCML at Acton Canal Wharf but that seemed to die a death around 18 months ago. Whether the idea will be resurrected in future I don't know.

In terms of the wiring to be done / being undertaken now on the GWML is this being done with the High Output OLE train or by convential means because NR have no confidence in the kit they have bought?

Not unless the Dudding hill line is wired!

 

[swt_passenger]

NR were meant to wire the link between the GWML at Acton with the WCML at Acton Canal Wharf but that seemed to die a death around 18 months ago. Whether the idea will be resurrected in future I don't know.

It is still in the Dec 17 CP5 update as a standalone project, with the same status as a few other bits such as Reading to Basingstoke ie "Assumed CP6". At least it still doesn't read "cancelled".

 

[steverailer]

In terms of the wiring to be done / being undertaken now on the GWML is this being done with the High Output OLE train or by convential means because NR have no confidence in the kit they have bought?

Its a mixture of both to get the work completed on time. TBH the wiring consist of the HOPS train is probably the only part that actually does what its designed to do correctly, ie run a complete contact and catenary run at full tension and make off to the tensioners in a shift.

The piling consist is no redundant since Christmas, the same will be for the steel and sps consist by the middle of the year. TBH can only see the wiring consist being kept in service after this project, the rest will be mothballed.

 

[furnessvale]

Its a mixture of both to get the work completed on time. TBH the wiring consist of the HOPS train is probably the only part that actually does what its designed to do correctly, ie run a complete contact and catenary run at full tension and make off to the tensioners in a shift.

The piling consist is no redundant since Christmas, the same will be for the steel and sps consist by the middle of the year. TBH can only see the wiring consist being kept in service after this project, the rest will be mothballed.

So just like previous electrification on the railways, this equipment will remain in a siding to quietly rust away until being hauled away for scrap!

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Electrification to Marlow has been ruled out because it isn't possible to reverse a 4 car 387 at Bourne End and there aren't any 2 or 3 car electric units available. I don't think South Ealing to Greenford was ever proposed.

Sorry for the stupid question, are there no 319s left that could have carriages removed and made into 3 car?

 

[JN114]

Sorry for the stupid question, are there no 319s left that could have carriages removed and made into 3 car?

It’s not clear that even a 3 car would fit in the Marlow platform at Bourne End; A 3 car 117 used to be a very tight fit for the pointwork - and those coaches were <20m

While Turbos are still required to be based in the Thames Valley; 2 car 165s on the Marlow make sense.

Once the time comes to replace/cascade the remaining Turbos there might be a case for extending the platform (somehow) to permit 387s to operate.

 

[YorkshireBear]

So just like previous electrification on the railways, this equipment will remain in a siding to quietly rust away until being hauled away for scrap!

Hopefully not. But potentially likely.

 

[Non Multi]

Sorry for the stupid question, are there no 319s left that could have carriages removed and made into 3 car?

I'm fairly sure if the 377/3s exist, 3 car 387s could be formed. Bourne End platform 1 is 67 m long apparently, so should fit. Many years back a Turbo failed to stop at Bourne End, so a friction buffer stop was installed (photo). The passenger walkway at the end of the platforms could be removed, allowing the buffer stop to go further back to enable 3 car trains to run, but it's still a really tight fit.