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Great Western Electrification Progress

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DY444

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Wychwood93 said:
As #6745 mentioned, does anyone know if pan up/down is possible at line speed and what would be required re. strengthening of the OHLE?
Click to expand...

Pan down is permissible anywhere at any speed. Pan up above 20mph is only permitted at designated changeover points (ie currently Moreton, previously Maidenhead). The designated changeover points require the ole to be specially tensioned.
 
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D1009

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DY444 said:
Pan down is permissible anywhere at any speed. Pan up above 20mph is only permitted at designated changeover points (ie currently Moreton, previously Maidenhead). The designated changeover points require the ole to be specially tensioned.
Click to expand...
Will pan up still take place at Moreton on trains from the avoiding line after the wires on the main line towards Bristol are available for use next year?
 
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JN114

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D1009 said:
Will pan up still take place at Moreton on trains from the avoiding line after the wires on the main line towards Bristol are available for use next year?
Click to expand...

Yes, that will be the “permanent” changeover point (unless Oxford actually gets wired)
 
3973EXL

3973EXL

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HowardGWR said:
This is a tour de force 3973EXL. Please accept my grateful thanks.
Click to expand...

No problem at all. I go for my own interest and if other people also like to follow developments, I'm happy to post my point and shoot efforts.

April 23rd block;

Two HOPS formations ex Swindon Sunday night to Theale & Aldermaston.
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/search/advanced/XSJ/2018/04/22/2200-2159?stp=WVS&show=all&order=wtt
Another Monday night to Newbury RC.
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/search/advanced/XSJ/2018/04/23/2200-2159?stp=WVS&show=all&order=wtt
All three return Friday morning.
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/search/advanced/XSJ/2018/04/27/0000-2359?stp=WVS&show=all&order=wtt

Passenger trains run to Theale https://www.gwr.com/travel-updates/planned-engineering/newbury2018 which should also allow freight access to the terminals there.
I don't know if there is scope for night possessions to allow work from Theale to Southcote Jn.
 
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snowball

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Press release

https://www.networkrail.co.uk/feeds/green-lane-road-bridge-reopens-following-reconstruction/

Green Lane road bridge reopened to motorists yesterday, Wednesday 21 March, as work continues to modernise the railway between London and Cardiff.

Modernising the railway between London and Cardiff will allow passengers to fully benefit from GWR’s brand new bi-mode Intercity Express Trains. The new trains provide more seats and better on-board facilities for passengers travelling between the two capital cities and beyond, with the new trains running between Cardiff and Swansea on diesel.

The bridge, which connects Peterstone Wentlooge with St Mellons, closed to traffic in July 2016. It has been completely reconstructed and raised to accommodate the overhead line equipment needed for trains running on electricity to Cardiff.

The new bridge has a lifespan of around 120 years, and has been strengthened to withstand modern day traffic and heavier vehicles.

Steve Keighley, programme manager for Network Rail in Wales and Borders, said:

“We are delighted to have completed the upgrade of Green Lane road bridge. The community will benefit from an improved structure, and the work brings us one step closer to completing the modernisation of the South Wales Mainline.

“We worked closely with Arriva Trains Wales and GWR to ensure people could get to where they needed to be during the bridge demolition last year, and would like to thank passengers and residents for their patience during the upgrade work.”

Hawse Lane bridge, connecting Coedkernew and St Brides Wentlooge, is due to reopen in spring 2018.
Click to expand...
 
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jyte

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In case there was any doubt, GWR's latest video 'a day in the life of paddington' shows class 800s pantographs up in platform 1 and 2 and about the 1:00 mark.


Out of curiosity, when was the wiring into plats 1 and 2 completed? x-mas?
 
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D1009

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jyte said:
In case there was any doubt, GWR's latest video 'a day in the life of paddington' shows class 800s pantographs up in platform 1 and 2 and about the 1:00 mark.


Out of curiosity, when was the wiring into plats 1 and 2 completed? x-mas?
Click to expand...
As I recall platform 2 was wired at Christmas, platform 1 some time earlier.
 
SamYeager

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Talkingtobearz said:
Hope this is posted in the right place, Temple Meads Roof is it being replaced or just cleaned?
Click to expand...

I got the impression from last night's Points West that it's a combination of the two in that some of the plastic stuff that was put up there hasn't lasted well. Therefore they are going to replace it with something else as well as cleaning the glass. I believe there's a number of other maintenance related actions that are going to be taken with regard to the roof.
 
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PhilipW

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SamYeager said:
I got the impression from last night's Points West that it's a combination of the two in that some of the plastic stuff that was put up there hasn't lasted well. Therefore they are going to replace it with something else as well as cleaning the glass. I believe there's a number of other maintenance related actions that are going to be taken with regard to the roof.
Click to expand...
A pity that all the diesel fumes will muck up the roof soon afterwards .
 
SamYeager

SamYeager

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Talkingtobearz said:
I think Temple Meads is also getting two new Platform Entrances as well :)
Click to expand...

It's also getting rewired. The refurbishment of the roof, rewiring and the two new entrances are all part of the same £40m project apparently. Probably worth pointing out the money for this has still to be officially committed but the NR chap on Points West sounded fairly confident about getting the go-ahead.
 
59CosG95

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GWML Electrification: State of Play, week beginning 26/3/2018

Paddington to Didcot - LIVE
  • All platforms at Paddington & approach tracks from Westbourne Park are live.
  • TTCs near Ealing Broadway over the Down Main to replace headspans.
  • Mains & Reliefs all done to Reading, where all through lines and western bays are wired.
  • Current live wires end at 54m 34ch (just short of Milton Jct; 55m 19ch).
  • Paddington-Didcot signed off for Class 387 operation since 28/12/17, IETs running on AC as far as Moreton Cutting from 8th Jan. Up IETs are allowed to pan up in Didcot if stopping there.
  • Reading TCD 99.9% live (Underframe clean road not yet wired); Reading Curve now fully wired (not yet live I suspect). B&H not yet complete; see below.

Small Points
  • First few yards of Windsor and Marlow branches wired.
  • AT wires in operation from Maidenhead to Didcot; Kensal Green to Maidenhead currently only using return conductors but will be AT-ready in the near future.
    • Hayes & Harlington to Maidenhead closed off over the May Bank Holiday; to prepare for the Elizabeth Line running to Maidenhead. Paddington to H&H will also be closed on May 6th, presumably for the ATF installation and finishing of Platform Extensions.
  • On May 20th, all lines between Paddington and H&H will be closed until 0800.
  • Twyford platform, canopy and bridge parapet works in progress.
  • Few masts and cantilevers now up on the Didcot Avoiding Line, which finish at Appleford; Appleford LC being the limit of wires for the time being.
  • Oxford Lines west of Didcot Pkwy wired as far as the loco fuelling sdg; Down Oxford as far as 53m31ch, Up Oxford as far as 53m42ch. Didcot avoiding lines have sprouted masts (4 portals, 2 TTCs), with a wire pair over the Down Didcot Avoider.

Didcot to Swindon - due to go live August 2018
Steventon excepted, all steelwork (including SPS) looks to be complete from Didcot to Swindon.
A note on Steventon: The railway over the Level Crossings & under the High St Bridge (aka the "Brunel Bridge") WILL be electrified; however, the bridge may well be demolished in CP6. The discussion continues.

Steventon-Uffington-Swindon
  • In the Steventon area (between MP55 3/4 and MP57 1/4), all masts are up, with just a few last bits of SPS to go up west of *ahem* that bridge.
  • Wires resume after MP57 1/4 (400m west of Causeway Crossing), with a break on the Up line just east of Uffington X-overs.
  • West of Uffington, after MP67 1/2, the wires continue to approx MP72 1/4, with a small gap just east of Bourton X-overs.
  • West of Bourton the wires resume and continue, almost to Swindon:
    • as far as Highworth Jct (76m 32ch) on the Down and
    • as far as the western end of Swindon Dn Yard (76m 64ch) on the Up.
    • The USGL at Stratton (Swindon Up Goods Loop) is also wired.
Swindon Station - progress over 17/3 and 18/3 not yet registered
  • All masts and portal booms are up, and SPS is starting to be installed; from east to west as far as the old Swindon B signal box.
  • Only one cantilever boom/portal boom needs to be put up at the western end; still awaiting confirmation as to whether this has indeed been rectified.
  • Three bare tall masts (one at London end of P4, 2 at Bristol end of P4); presumably for power supply feed.
Swindon-Wootton Bassett Jct
  • Rushey Platt (MP 78 1/2) has a single wire run from the UM (Up Main) onto the loop, while the DM (Down Main) through it has 2 wire runs finishing further west.
  • The UM has another two wire runs, from MP79 to MP79 3/4 and from MP 81 3/4 to MP82 1/2.
  • Wootton Bassett's steelwork, mainly portals, isn't complete but still looking quite near complete.
  • Update: East of Wootton Bassett, a lot of the SPS is now up, along with the earthing/ATF wire (albeit on temp. pulleys); thanks to @haddock1000 for the update here.
The "Main Line"; Wootton Bassett Jct - Chippenham - Thingley Jct
  • In the Down Cess just west of Wootton Bassett Jct, a lot of SPS is stored on pallets, ready to be installed. (Thanks to "haddock1000" for spotting this)
  • Track lowering and drainage work at Dauntsey completed.
  • Nr Tockenham Wick, pretty much all the masts are up, TTCs, STCs and portals alike; most have SPS fitted now.
  • First few headspans (?) erected over 25/6th of Feb '17 at Dauntsey Bank (87m ish), and some (not all) of the missing masts have gone up too, plus brackets for fittings.
  • East of Chippenham, in the Langley Burrell (Crossing Rd) area, all masts appear to be up, fully dressed with SPS; works compound established at Langley Green L.C.
    • Single earth wire on the Down side from Langley Burrell to Christian Malford.
    • Masts also up south of Langley Burrell to Cocklebury Lane Bridge (last bridge east of Chippenham), but no SPS up on them yet.
    • As yet, no masts west of the bridge but piles are in.
  • No piles in Chippenham station, nor any masts affixed to the viaduct.
All piles in and majority of masts (and cantilevers) up from the western end of the viaduct to Thingley Junction (where the feeder station will be)
  • Piles continue westwards to the next bridge.
  • Piles also in (and have been for over a year) at Ashley (beyond Box Tunnel).
Thingley Jct - Bath
Nothing yet, for the foreseeable future.

Bath to Bristol
Piles in, particularly around Saltford. Not due to see use for a while after the wiring delay.

South Wales Main Line (Wootton Bassett Jct-Bristol Parkway-Severn Tunnel-Newport-Cardiff)

Wootton Bassett Jct - Bristol Parkway; apparently set to go live in September 2018.
  • 11 odd miles worth of wires up from Wootton Bassett (MP 83 1/2) to just west of (and including) Hullavington loops.
    • All masts and most SPS appears to be up around Acton Turnville.
    • O/H Conductor rail installed in Chipping Sodbury Tunnel.
  • Progress as well around Chipping Sodbury/Old Sodbury:
    • many masts up, some with booms attached.
    • SPS now appearing too.
  • From Westerleigh Jct to Bristol Parkway; fewer than 20 bases are mastless now. Most SPS is concentrated at the Westerleigh end.
    • A run of masts (all boomed) has sprouted on the curve towards Cheltenham Spa.
  • The "Blue Viaduct" over the M4 just east of BPW now has SPS up on the masts along it.
  • BPW Platforms extensions underway.
    • Update from last week: TTCs up over all platforms as of 20/3; thanks "oglord" for the confirmation!
    • TTCs facing south on the P1/2 island cover 2 lines; the Down Bristol Parkway Passenger Loop (through P1) and the Down Bristol Parkway Goods Loop.
    • TTCs facing north on the P1/2 island cover P2/P3; the Down Badminton & Up Badminton Lines respectively.
    • TTCs by the car park cover 2 lines; the Up Bristol Parkway Passenger Loop & the Platform 4 line. Some may still need to be installed at the east end.
Bristol Parkway - Pilning
  • Stoke Gifford IEP Depot all wired.
  • Patchway Tunnel conductor rail to be installed, 18/6/18 to 8/7/18.
  • Masts, booms and SPS up through Patchway.
    • Cattybrook Brickworks Bridge closed as of 18/3/18.
  • At Pilning, piling and masts appearing towards both Cattybrook & Severn Tunnel, Platform 2 now closed. SPS going up on some portals and masts too.
Approx. 70% masts now up between BPW and Severn Tunnel.

Severn Tunnel - Newport
  • Severn Tunnel Conductor rail in place .
  • All bridge rebuilding complete from Severn Tunnel Jct (149m 14ch) to Bishton Flyover (152m 30ch).
  • No masts until 1 mile east of Llanwern.
  • Some masts have sprouted near Llanishen pond.
  • Cluster of piles in opposite the Down Relief between the Maindee Jcts (157m 74ch to 158m 16ch).
Newport
  • Canopies all cut back; thanks "oglord" for the confirmation.
  • Masts and portals now appearing at the western end of the station, some with SPS attached.
  • Some concrete bases in between stn & tunnels, perhaps for portals.
  • Old stn footbridge still in situ.
Newport - Cardiff
  • Approx. 97 masts from Ebbw Jct (160m 7ch) to Marshfield (163m 60ch).
  • Some of them, near Duffryn, have SPS affixed.
    • Two TTCs, one on each side of the tracks, have been erected by the bridge at Rhymney River Bridge Jct (167m 61ch).
    • About 4 or 5 portals have been erected just west of Pengam Jct (168m 40ch).
    • Green Lane Bridge reopened to traffic after reconstruction.
Cardiff Central
  • Re-signalling completed. Platform 0 now open. 3 masts now up over P0/1 with TTC booms.

Swansea IEP Depot
  • New IEP Depot at Maliphant Sidings, Swansea now complete; all steelwork up but no wires.

Berks & Hants Line (Reading-Newbury)
Reading-Newbury set to go live from December 2018; electric trains in service from January 2019.
Reading West-Southcote Junction
  • Through Reading West to Southcote Jct, perhaps 60% (up from 50%) of masts at best up.
    • These are mainly between Tilehurst Rd Bridge and the A4 (Bath Road) Bridge south of Reading West; a cluster of about 6 (5 on the Down side, one on the Up) are also up just short of Southcote Jct (37m 62ch).
    • 4 additional masts on the Up (Reading) side parallel to Southcote Jct.
    • Long-standing mast at Southcote Jct by the Up line from Newbury has recently had a support added..

Southcote Junction - Theale - Aldermaston
  • From Southcote Jct past Calcot Mill FP crossing to Theale, most masts are now up (less than 10% left to erect). Still some portals and cantilevers to go up.
    • First SPS up in this area at around MP 38 1/2; SPS work is about 50% complete, continuing sporadically to Wigmore Lane, at the western end of Theale Goods Loop (42m 8ch).
    • Update: lots of SPS now up between 38 1/2 and the M4 bridge.
  • Masts have gone up on the Loop Platform at Theale; only bases so far on the Down side platform. These should be taking TTCs in that case.
  • From Theale Goods Loop to Ufton Lane Bridge, steelwork looks pretty complete; only 3 booms are missing - which should all be installed in the April Blockade (see below). Ready for wires with those errors excepted!
  • At Ufton (Towney) Loop (42m08ch to 44m11ch), all the missing masts over the Up Line opposite and over the western end of the loop are now in place.
    • SPS continues part way down the loop, with a gap at the Aldermaston end.
  • The gap on the loop excepted, the majority of SPS is now up between Wigmore Rd & Aldermaston. Some patches still here and there where it does need to go up.
Aldermaston - Midgham - Thatcham - Newbury Racecourse
  • The Down platform extension at Aldermaston is mostly in, unlike at Thatcham. One concrete panel is missing before the joint to the existing platform.
  • From Aldermaston to east of Midgham LC, all steelwork appears to be up;
    • masts and SPS have gone up in Aldermaston Station alongside the platform extensions.
  • Both lines are fully wired from east of Midgham LC, through Thatcham, to just east of Kennet Viaduct (nr Newbury Racecourse).
    • All 3 level crossings (Midgham, Colthrop, Thatcham) are now wired.
    • A short wire run from just east of Racecourse to just east of the overbridge linking the RC to Hambridge Lane has appeared on the Up line;
    • there is still a gap between this section and the main wired "Thatcham Section" over Kennet Viaduct.
  • RC east X-overs still need wiring. Piles for the Loop line at Newbury RC are in through the platform.
Newbury Racecourse - Newbury
  • Piles almost all in, masts down to single figures.
  • At Newbury, the new footbridge is now up; piling also taking place within the station, on the platforms. Old footbridge not yet removed.
  • The electrical substation/PSU at Boundary Rd is now under construction; @Unclepete captured the concrete bases curing on the Up side. Thanks very much Pete!
Proposed Limit of Wiring: 53m 51ch.
Gives ample room to reverse even a 12-car 387 formation.
Immunised signalling continues to about MP55 1/2.

B&H Blockades:
  • 12/3 to 15/3; done.
  • 23/4 to 26/4,
  • 4/6 to 7/6,
  • 9/7 to 12/7,
  • 16/7 to 5/8
  • 28/8 to 30/8,
  • 8/10 to 11/10,
  • 19/11 to 22/11.
Project Postponements
  • Appleford LC to Oxford paused, pending track realignment and resignalling of Oxford (due summer 2018); if CP6 accounts allow for wiring to be extended to Oxford, it would be very likely to happen.
  • Bristol Temple Meads to Bath & Bristol Parkway paused, dependent on Bristol resignalling (Taunton-Parkway over Easter 2018; Temple Meads to Both in October 2018), track remodelling and Filton Bank 4-tracking (to be completed by December 2018).
As always, do let me know if I've missed anything!
(apologies to anyone who saw it in a state of source code chaos too)
 
Last edited:
FGW_DID

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59CosG95 said:

Paddington to Didcot - LIVE
  • All platforms at Paddington & approach tracks from Westbourne Park are live.
  • TTCs near Ealing Broadway over the Down Main to replace headspans.
  • Mains & Reliefs all done to Reading, where all through lines and western bays are wired.
  • Current live wires end at 54m 34ch (just short of Milton Jct; 55m 19ch).
  • Paddington-Didcot signed off for Class 387 operation since 28/12/17, IETs running on AC as far as Moreton Cutting from 8th Jan. Up IETs are allowed to pan up in Didcot if stopping there.
  • Reading TCD 99.9% live (Underframe clean road not yet wired); Reading Curve now fully wired (not yet live I suspect). B&H not yet complete; see below.
Click to expand...

(My bold) There is a possession planned for 3-5 Apr for OLE wiring work in the Underframe Clean. This will bring it up to 100%. Shed Road 4 and the Wheel Lathe road will be the only track without OLE but it was never planned to do those.
 
Dren Ahmeti

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The wires that stretch to just south of Oxford Road Junction are to be treated as live, and have been for a while.
 
59CosG95

59CosG95

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FGW_DID said:
(My bold) There is a possession planned for 3-5 Apr for OLE wiring work in the Underframe Clean. This will bring it up to 100%. Shed Road 4 and the Wheel Lathe road will be the only track without OLE but it was never planned to do those.
Click to expand...

Dren Ahmeti said:
The wires that stretch to just south of Oxford Road Junction are to be treated as live, and have been for a while.
Click to expand...
Thanks gents! Adding that to the source code for next week.

The next update will be on Wednesday (April 4th) after the Bristol Blockade is wrapped up.
 
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Mag_seven

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59CosG95 said:
Wonderful news! Have these wires connected with the existing wires at the eastern end of the station?
Click to expand...

Sorry didn't notice as the train arrived within two minutes of me arriving on Platform 4. Just noticed the wires on P4 and the through road.
 
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HowardGWR

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Do we know how far down each branch from BPW will be wired, in advance of the part down to BTM that has been paused / deferred? Thus, the line towards Filton and the one towards Henbury.

Also I wonder if the last part of that clover leaf, between Filton and Patchway could be wired in case of wrong line setting?
 
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D1009

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I think the original intention was that the whole triangle Brisrol Parkway/Filton/Patchway would be wired, but that was when there was a hope of electric traction other than the class 80x using it. At the moment the altered trackwork at the exit from Stoke Gifford Yard (FLHH) isn't quite finished, and I'm not sure there are even any piles for the OHLE between Bristol Parkway and Filton.
 
Mintona

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Quite impressed with how much has been done over the weekend. There’s only one wire run missing on each the up and down lines from what I can see between Wootton Bassett and Rushey Platt, before the weekend there were only a few runs up in total in this section. In addition, (as noted above) Causeway Level Crossing now has a wire above it on the down main. Getting there...
 
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