Great Western Electrification Progress

[3973EXL]

Other B&H locations;

Newbury, footbridge lights work but still plenty work to finish off.

Station has some bases, others still to go in.


Thatcham platform extensions. Looks like they will not be finished in the next block.


Reading West. No mast bases in yet. Work on footbridge piles and downside access.


Aldermaston platform extension had one section missing. Now on site. Requires fitting and the connection between the old and new made good.

SPS missing in places Aldermaston to Ufton and Wigmore Lane to Theale.

Theale to Southcote, masts, portals and cantilevers missing in places. SPS up/going up to just Reading side of MP38 1/2.

 

[Chris125]

I could not follow this (it's a dead link). What is it about please?

It was just a link to that tweet suggesting electrification to Cardiff will be delayed into 2020.

 

[jyte]

Thanks everyone for the photos (as usual). So nice to see progress at both Swindon and Newbury!

 

[HowardGWR]

It was just a link to that tweet suggesting electrification to Cardiff will be delayed into 2020.

Thanks, but as that was the link that didn't work, that was why I asked. May I ask please, who was the source for the 'suggestion', was it an NR source or just conjecture from someone at Railway Gazette?
From all the reports we are getting here, it seems to me that it is all going very well at present.

 

[Thatcham Xing]

Progress does indeed seem slow with the Thatcham platform extensions.

They also seem quite short. I noticed there are now 9 and 10 car stop signs in place beyond the reach of the extensions (at least on the up side), so presumably the extensions are to accommodate an 8-car 387 at most?

 

[aylesbury]

The other weekend the camera at Newbury was focused on the men in orange obviously putting bases in seemed to take a long while.

 

[3973EXL]

Wires West of Swindon

To recap, wires currently end here, just off the west end of the platforms.

There is then a gap on the Mains through the point work. There is some SPS missing here as well.

The wires start again on both Mains around MP77 3/4.
The DM wires then run to MP96 with one gap. This gap starts before Wootton Bassett and runs to just west of the junction.
The UM also has one gap before MP96 at Hay Lane, MP79 1/2 to MP80 1/4.

Rushey Platt is wired from the UM to UR only as far as MP78 1/4.
Wootton Bassett West & Hullavington crossovers are wired.
Hullavington Loops wired.
Wootton Bassett UGL western half wired.

Hullavington to East of Parkway (M4 viaduct).

Most large steel work appears up, and a lot of SPS. C Sodbury & Westerleigh most left to do.

Main items still to finish;
Out side the East end of Alderton Tunnel and Chipping Sodbury Tunnel, it looks like the retaining walls have been drilled and bars inserted ready to fix mast bases.

Winterbourne Viaduct looks like it may need some masts?

Other News, Progress with Twyford Platforms.

 

[kcajtam]

The new Platform at Bristol Parkway has officially been opened.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-43754179

A new Bristol train platform has opened to tackle a "historic bottleneck" in the region's rail network.

Bristol Parkway is a key station which links the West country to Wales, south-west England and London.

Network Rail says the new platform will mean faster journeys for commuters and freight trains and allow train operators to offer more services.

The fourth platform was opened on Friday by the Secretary of State for Transport, Chris Grayling MP.

"These improvements will boost reliability....

 

[Chris125]

Thanks, but as that was the link that didn't work, that was why I asked. May I ask please, who was the source for the 'suggestion', was it an NR source or just conjecture from someone at Railway Gazette?
From all the reports we are getting here, it seems to me that it is all going very well at present.

It was just a link to the tweet quoted, I don't know anything more.

 

[jimm]

Progress does indeed seem slow with the Thatcham platform extensions.

They also seem quite short. I noticed there are now 9 and 10 car stop signs in place beyond the reach of the extensions (at least on the up side), so presumably the extensions are to accommodate an 8-car 387 at most?

That's the plan.

The full list of platform extensions for Class 387s in the Thames Valley can be found on Page 90 in the Network Rail Enhancements plan. Apologies but I'm not going to try to sort out the tabbing to post them all here.

https://cdn.networkrail.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/EDP-March-2018.pdf

 

[Class 170101]

DfT and the franchisee have confirmed that EMU operations will utilise class 365 and
387 EMUs operating up to 12-car in length over the following core and diversionary route sections, on which the scope above will be implemented:

From the document linked to in the previous post referring to page 90, notice the reference to Class 365s. I thought the use of Class 365s had been dropped in favour of Class 387s?

 

[59CosG95]

From the document linked to in the previous post referring to page 90, notice the reference to Class 365s. I thought the use of Class 365s had been dropped in favour of Class 387s?

It certainly has; NR have a bit of KUATB-ing to do!
(KUATB: Keep Up At The Back)

 

[59CosG95]

Worth mentioning also that the RMWeb thread on this is still active; should be good for cross-examination. http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/78877-gwml-electification/page-187

 

[swt_passenger]

From the document linked to in the previous post referring to page 90, notice the reference to Class 365s. I thought the use of Class 365s had been dropped in favour of Class 387s?

The enhancement plans have often had this sort of out of date info, sometimes they’ll just be an advance planning assumption, so are better read as “Class 365 or similar”. It doesn’t make a huge difference to NR, what they mostly need to know is vehicle length and number, eg 8 car 20m vehicle. Off topic, but they refer in the same document to modelling and development of Kings Lynn 8 car electrification with Class 379. Page 30.

 

[TalkingtoBear3]

Thanks for the Bath to Bristol Updates much appreciated

 

[dmncf]

I'm not sure if this post belongs here or a thread about timetabling issues.

GWR's webpage about the dates to which Advance tickets have been released (https://www.gwr.com/plan-journey/tickets-railcards-and-season-tickets/booking-tickets-in-advance) states a few exceptions to what has been released:
"*Reservations aren’t open yet on the following dates:" ...
"Monday 14 May until Thursday 17 May, Monday 4 June until Thursday 7 June, and Tuesday 12 June until Thursday 14 June on the London to South West England route"

A relative is trying to book tickets on Monday 14 May and I noticed that journey planning websites currently show a timetable that looks like a normal Monday. I assume they're not yet showing the actual timetable, hence reservations and Advance tickets aren't yet available. However GWR has another webpage (https://www.gwr.com/travel-updates/planned-engineering/newbury2018) showing that on Monday 14 May West of England services will be diverted via Swindon due to engineering work near Newbury, hence the timetable currently shown on journey planning websites can't be right (unless I'm mistaken and the timetable and journey lengths for the diversions is amazingly similar to the normal timetable).

It's weird that on one hand GWR doesn't know what the timetable will be on Monday 14 May, but on the other hand GWR seems to have a clear understanding of how services will operate on that day. Why is there still such confusion over a timetable that's just 4 weeks away?

 

[Class 170101]

Network Rail are having trouble publishing timetable data more than six weeks out currently due to issues with projects (mainly electrification) being discussed elsewhere on this board. Its affecting all operators countrywide as a result. Sunday 13 May is the first affected date I believe.

As for Monday 14 May Real Time Trains is still showing services operating via Newbury when they should be diverting via Swindon. GW will have a very good idea what they want to operate but can't open reservations until NR give them the green light to do so.

 

[59CosG95]

Does anyone know of the state of progress around Swindon this morning, now the blockade's over?

 

[Stewart2887]

Wires up under Steventon bridge now

 

[59CosG95]

Wires up under Steventon bridge now

Both lines? Was it both catenary & contact wires?

 

[hassaanhc]

Power supply failure this morning, there was one earlier too which was sorted but it has happened again

Cancellations to services between Maidenhead and London Paddington

Due to failure of the electricity supply between Maidenhead and London Paddington fewer trains are able to run on all lines.
Train services running to and from these stations may be cancelled or delayed by up to 60 minutes. Disruption is expected until 11:15 17/04.
Customer Advice
The power to overhead electric lines has been lost between Paddington and Maidenhead. Customers may use available TfL bus and underground services where possible.
Last Updated:17/04/2018 10:17

 

[3973EXL]

Steventon

Mains wired from SB963/SB965 (west of A34) to the existing wires west of Stocks Lane/Causeway.
Up & Dn loops unchanged.

So all four lines under the A34 bridge still to wire.

 

[TwistedMentat]

Power supply failure this morning, there was one earlier too which was sorted but it has happened again

I wonder if that's related to the handful of 800s I saw going through Reading with the pantographs down. After all they're there now, might as well use them.

 

[3973EXL]

Causeway LC



East of the A34, looking east to Milton.

 

[haddock1000]

NR on twitter have uploaded an image of a letter regarding works to the Filton tunnels this summer:

https://twitter.com/networkrailwest/status/986177723704971266

It looks like they're going to hit this in one big lump, but there seems to be delays with a replacement bridge at Patchway. Let's hope the temporary bridge does not block the lines from being energised!

 

[59CosG95]

Update time!

GWML Electrification: State of Play, week beginning 16/4/2018

Paddington to Didcot - LIVE

• All main line tracks wired within the M25.
• TTCs near Ealing Broadway over the Down Main to replace headspans.
• Everything wired at Reading (bar P4-6 which were never in the plan). Includes the TCD & the curves, down to Reading West (see B&H section).
• Current live wires end at 54m 51ch on the Mains (just short of Milton Jct; 55m 19ch). The Didcot Relief OLE ends at Foxhall Jct (53m 55ch).

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 to be 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
All steelwork (including SPS) looks to be complete from Didcot to Swindon.
A note on Steventon: Wires up over the Level Crossings & under the High St Bridge (aka the "Brunel Bridge"); 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 wires over the Mains up, with just the gap between the existing live section & the A34 left to wire.
• Update: both Mains are wired from signals SB963/SB965 (just west of the A34) to the existing wires west of Causeway Crossing, going under *that* bridge at Steventon.
• The Didcot Relief Line (Did.RL; 55m 00ch to 56m 32ch) and the Down Steventon Goods Loop (DSGL; 55m 19ch to 56m 32ch) remain unwired. As the A34 straddles all 4 of the Did.RL, DM, UM & DSGL, it can be said that all 4 lines under and east of the A34 still need to be wired.
• Wires over the Mains continue to approx MP72 1/4, where a small gap just east of Bourton X-overs remains. Both Bourton & Uffington X-overs wired.
• West of Bourton the wires resume and continue, to the western end of Swindon Station (see below).
  • The USGL at Stratton (Swindon Up Goods Loop) is also wired.
  • East of County Rd underbridge, the USR (Up Swindon Reception) & DSG (Down Swindon Goods) are also wired.

Swindon Station

• SPS still absent through P3 and at the eastern end of P1; some still to go up around the London end of the approaches. Some still missing over the pointwork at the Bristol end. SPS now up over P2.
• Wires up through P4 (Down Main) & the through Road (Up Main); these terminate in the Tensorex drums at the western end of the station.
• All large steelwork now up in the station area.
• The gaggle of tall masts at the Bristol end of the Main lines now have cables over them; this must be for ATF purposes.

Swindon-Wootton Bassett Jct

• Wootton Bassett Jct (83m 07ch) was wired over the weekend of 24/25th March. The western half of the Up Wootton Bassett Goods Loop (UWBGL) has also been wired.
• Wires on both DM (Down Main) & UM (Up Main) resume around MP 77 3/4; these continue to MP96, just west of Hullavington (see below). A gap on the DM also exists over Wootton Bassett Jct.
• Rushey Platt (78m 36ch) has a single wire run from the UM onto the loop (only as far as approx MP78 1/4).
• The UM gap at Hay Lane between MP79 1/2 and MP 80 1/4 has not yet been filled in.

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.
• 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. Extends towards Christian Malford too. https://flic.kr/p/266iNtf
  • 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
No wiring for the foreseeable future, but overbridges between Thingley Jct & Corsham have all had clearance works, along with Box Tunnel (track lowering) and Sydney Gardens (track lowering).

Bath to Bristol
Piles in, particularly around Saltford. Not due to see use for a while after the wiring delay. Track lowered through Bath Spa, Oldfield Park & Keynsham in readiness for future wiring.

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 around MP96, just west of (and including) Hullavington Loops & crossovers.
  • All masts and most SPS appear to be up around Acton Turnville.
  • Retaining walls drilled & bars inserted, ready to fix masts, at the eastern portals of Alderton Tunnel (97m 34ch) and Chipping Sodbury Tunnel (101m 06ch).
  • O/H Conductor rail installed in Chipping Sodbury Tunnel (MP101 to MP103 1/2).
• Progress as well around Chipping Sodbury/Old Sodbury:
  • many masts up, some with booms attached.
  • SPS now appearing too. Still a lot left to install.
• From Westerleigh Jct to Bristol Parkway; fewer than 20 bases are mastless now. Most SPS is concentrated at the Westerleigh end; the central part between there still needs masts, unbelievably.
  • 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.
• Winterbourne Viaduct is currently mastless.

• BPW Platforms extensions complete.
  • TTCs up over all platforms as of 20/3, along with the Down Bristol Goods Loop (opposite P1).
  • Portal now up at the eastern end over all lines through the station. Nowt more up further east on the approach though.

Bristol Parkway - Pilning

• Stoke Gifford IEP Depot all wired.
• Patchway Tunnels conductor rail to be installed, 18/6/18 to 8/7/18. Track-lowering and drainage work to be undertaken in the "old" tunnel (on the Cardiff-bound line) in the same time period.
• Masts, booms and SPS up through Patchway. When the conductor rail is being installed (18/6 to 8/7), wires will also be strung 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).
• Masts beginning to go up between Severn Tunnel Jct & Bishton Flyover, as of 3/4/18. These include:
  • About 3 west of "the ramp" bridge at Magor; 2 on the Down side, 1 on the Up side. https://flic.kr/p/2333VJs
  • Masts (with SPS fitted) up between Bishton Flyover (including over it) and Llanwern West Jct (156m 20ch). 5 masts are currently up on the curve down from the flyover at its eastern end.
    https://flic.kr/p/23NSDKD and https://flic.kr/p/23NSCRp.
• Some masts have sprouted near Llanishen pond.
• 6-track portals, probably TGBUs (aka Thumpin' Great Big-Uns) going up aroung East Usk Yard (approx. MP157 1/2).
• 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). Booms & SPS starting to appear in the area too.
• Green Lane Bridge (Marshfield) reopened to traffic after reconstruction.

• 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).

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 complete from there west to Theale, but some still to go up from there to Wigmore Lane, at the western end of Theale Goods Loop (42m 8ch).

• 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, mainly between Aldermaston & Ufton.

Aldermaston - Midgham - Thatcham - Newbury Racecourse

• The Down platform extension at Aldermaston is mostly in, unlike at Thatcham (where work is likely to take longer than the next blockade). The missing concrete panel is now on site awaiting fitment.

• 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.

Newbury Racecourse - Newbury

• Piles almost all in, masts down to single figures. Furthest west is just west of Boundary Rd Bridge.
• No masts within Racecourse Station, but Piles for the DPL are all now in, and trial bores for the Down Platform have also been dug.

• At Newbury, the new footbridge is now up (now with working lights); 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.

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 done over Easter 2018; Temple Meads to Bath in October 2018), track remodelling and Filton Bank 4-tracking (to be completed by December 2018).

• Bristol Temple Meads' "Midland Shed" to be reopened in CP6, after Bristol resignalling is complete and the PSB is demolished.

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)

 

[oglord]

New TTCs with SPS have appeared at the west end of Newport High St station, as well as new masts on the main-line part of the Maindee triangle.

 

[59CosG95]

New TTCs with SPS have appeared at the west end of Newport High St station, as well as new masts on the main-line part of the Maindee triangle.

Thanks very much for the confirmation Oglord, adding that into the changelog for next week right now.

 

[jimm]

New TTCs with SPS have appeared at the west end of Newport High St station, as well as new masts on the main-line part of the Maindee triangle.

While I know what you mean, perhaps for the sake of others not familiar with the jargon, how about spelling out twin-track cantilevers and small part steelwork in full?

 

[SamYeager]

While I know what you mean, perhaps for the sake of others not familiar with the jargon, how about spelling out twin-track cantilevers and small part steelwork in full?

Thanks for the explanation. I've been wondering what TTC and SPS stood for. I must admit small part steelwork still doesn't mean much to me but I can live with that.