GWML Electrification: State of Play, week beginning 4/6/2018.
All mileages given from Paddington, except where noted.
Paddington to Wantage Rd - LIVE
- All main line tracks wired within the M25.
- TTCs have replaced/been replacing headspans at various locations within London - locations include Westway (beneath the A40), Acton Main Line, Ealing B'way, W. Ealing, Southall, H&H.
- 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).
- With Effect From 10:00, 26/5/18, the current *live* wires end at Wantage Road (60m 22ch).
Small Points
- ATF 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.
- In preparation for the Elizabeth Line running to Maidenhead, Hayes & Harlington to Maidenhead was closed off over the Early May Bank Holiday (5/5 to 7/5); this included renewals of S&C at West Drayton & Slough West Jct, alongside HOPS work at Langley. Paddington to H&H was also closed on May 6th, and encompassed final OLE works for Crossrail, alongside (presumably) ATF installation, finishing of Platform Extensions, lift shaft installation, passenger footbridge installation, and ticket hall foundation installation.
- Twyford platform extensions almost finished.
- 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.
Wantage Rd - Swindon - Wootton Bassett Jct: due to go live 7th of June 2018
All steelwork (including SPS) looks to be complete around Milton Junction, the last unwired section between the main Steventon-Swindon wires & the existing live section.
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.
Another note on the OLE west of Didcot - live wires are now as far as Wantage Road. They will reach as far as Wootton Bassett in June, testing with IETs will occur in July, and entry of IETs in AC passenger service occurs in September.
Steventon-Uffington-Swindon
- In the Steventon area (between MP55 3/4 and MP57 1/4), all wires over the Mains are up, with wires now extending eastwards to the existing live section at Milton Jct.
- *That* bridge at Steventon might need temporary parapet work, to protect the general public from stray currents after live wires extend to Swindon.
- The Down Steventon Goods Loop (DSGL; 55m 19ch to 56m 32ch) remains unwired at the western end - (can anyone confirm?).
- Wires over the Mains continue to approx MP72 1/4, where a small gap just east of Bourton X-overs remain only on the DM (the UM now being done). Both Bourton & Uffington X-overs wired.
- West of Bourton the DM wires resume, continuing 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; on the USR, both wires are up to the east of the NR training centre, catenary only west of there.
Swindon Station (77m 23ch)
- Wires (both Catenary & Contact) up through P4 (Down Main), the through Road (Up Main), P3 (the Up Relief) and P1 (the Up Swindon Passenger Loop/USPL); the wires on the Mains continue past the Tensorex drums at the western end of the station. A registration arm is missing over the DM, and the UM only has a catenary wire going east to the existing wires at Rushey Platt.
- The Catenary wire on the USR runs through P3 and onwards to the Up Relief (UR), opposite the old Swindon 'B' PSB. The UR is then fully wired west of there to the existing wires at Rushey Platt (78m 36ch). The dropper arms have now been fixed to the contact wire over P3. The wires on P1 are connected to the Swindon Recp via the Cocklebury Recp, but not at the direct connection immediately off the platform.
- The SPS over P1 has 2 arms in places; of these pairs, only one of each appears to be attached to the wires.
- P2 has now gained its catenary wire, along with the overrun stretches through Swindon Jct (77m 36ch) and onto the Golden Valley Line (i.e. the Down & Up Kemble Lines).
- 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
- Wires on both DM & UM resume around 77m 60ch (i.e. MP 77 3/4); these continue to MP96, just west of Hullavington (see below).
- Wootton Bassett Jct (83m 07ch), including the Up Wootton Bassett Goods Loop (UWBGL), is fully wired.
The "Main Line"; Wootton Bassett Jct - Chippenham (Cocklebury Lane Bridge)
Until further notice, the 25kV transmission wires will run in a trough from Cocklebury Lane Bridge (just east of Chippenham) to Thingley Jct. Large steelwork is expected to remain in situ until wiring is authorised west of Thingley, but some specific items may be poached if required elsewhere (and duplicates aren't stored at RAF Wroughton). Details given in the "Postponements" section.
- 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.
- All masts (at first glance) appear to be up at Dauntsey Bank (87m ish), with the majority of SPS fitted. Earth wires have also reached the area.
- Over Sutton Ln Bridge, Kellaways (between Christian Malford & Langley Burrell), catenary & contact wires have been erected; these extend eastwards as far as the eye can see. It is not yet known if they have reached Dauntsey Bank or Wootton Bassett.
- Langley Burrell (east of Chippenham)
- In the Crossing Rd area, all TTC-bearing masts appear to be up with their booms on. These masts have extended east towards Christian Malford too.
- Most STCs here have their SPS up, folded out of the way; these masts also have ATF wire brackets fixed at the top. Again, these have now extended towards Christian Malford, and beyond towards Dauntsey Bank.
- Some of the thicker STC masts, which have TTC-style tubular booms fitted, aren't yet dressed with SPS. The TTC "Tensorex" portals at Langley Burrell don't yet bear the Tensorex drums which will eventually go up there.
- Works compound established at Langley Green L.C.
- Single run of earth wire on the Up side between Langley Burrell & Christian Malford, now accompanied by a second run in Langley Burrell itself.
- Masts also up (with booms) south of Langley Burrell to Cocklebury Lane Bridge (the new western limit of wiring on the route); SPS starting to appear on the thinner uprights.
- The "termination" twin-track portal (plus inclined bracing arms) has now gone up west of Cocklebury Lane; this will eventually carry a group of Tensorex drums.
- Another catenary/contact wire pair appear to be up over the Down Line as far as Langley Burrell; we await @Phil G's observations.
Chippenham (Cocklebury Lane Bridge) - Thingley Jct
- 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). About 14 masts are up in the vicinity of Thingley Feeder Stn, 2 of which have TTC booms affixed. Another has an STC boom.
- 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, most SPS and earth wires now up through Acton Turville and Badminton.
- Retaining walls drilled & bars inserted, ready to fix masts, at the eastern portals of Alderton Tunnel (97m 34ch) and Chipping Sodbury Tunnel.
- O/H Conductor rail installed in Chipping Sodbury Tunnel (101m 06ch to 103m 48ch).
- Progress as well around Chipping Sodbury/Old Sodbury:
- West of the Frome Valley Walkway bridge (1st bridge west of the tunnel), two substantial portals have gone up at each end of the neutral section; both now bear Tensorex drums.
- Catenary & contact wires (over both lines) now up between the west portal of C.S. Tunnel and the westernmost "tension portal" mentioned above; it is assumed that these are now connected to the conductor rail in C.S. Tunnel. SPS continues beyond to at least the Frome Valley Walkway bridge.
- SPS up over all 3 lines west of Badminton Rd Bridge (3rd bridge west of the Tunnel); the Down Badminton (DB), the Up Badminton (UB) & Chipping Sodbury Goods Loop (CSGL).
- Earth wires are now up through Old Sodbury (just west of C.S. Tunnel).
- Wires have now reached the footbridge at Yate (just east of Westerleigh Jct), and extend east to the compound at Wapley. The wires over the Down line extend further east still.
- 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.
- Majority of SPS up on the STCs and TTCs to the west & east of "The Dramway" footbridge nr Ram Hill (Coalpit Heath); a pair of single masts which seem to be destined for a portal boom can be found just east of the bridge (https://flic.kr/p/23WGyV5).
- Huckford Viaduct has had bespoke mast fittings applied.
- 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. Nothing more up further east on the approach though.
- A number of masts & booms are up on the line towards Filton Abbey Wood, between Stoke Gifford Jct No.1 (111m 79ch) and Filton Jct No.1 (113m 01ch); these end just short of Filton Jct 1 and will presumably act as an overrun until electrification continues into Temple Meads.
- Filton Bank bridge works (mileages all from Temple Meads):
- Easton Rd Overbridge (1m 18ch) completely rebuilt.
- Narroways Footbridge (2m 12ch) replaced.
- Ashley Hill Footbridge (3m 11ch) replaced.
- Bonnington Walk Overbridge (3m 62ch) - parapets raised.
- Footbridge south of Filton Abbey Wood (4m 18ch) will need work if wiring is to occur.
Bristol Parkway - Pilning
- 2 boomed masts are up at the Welsh end of Bristol Parkway, and a concrete foundation awaiting a mast can be seen next to them.https://flic.kr/p/245kEME
- Stoke Gifford IEP Depot all wired.
- Patchway Tunnels conductor rail to be installed, 16/6/18 to 6/7/18; in the gap between the "old" tunnels (westbound track), all the bases appear to be in, and the cutting retained with mesh. 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 (16/6 to 6/7), 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 (https://flic.kr/p/26twWMw), 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:
- At least 1 between Undy (Church Rd) and the M4 viaduct; over the mains just east of the "white house".
- About 3 west of "the ramp" bridge at Magor; 2 on the Down side, 1 on the Up side, along with 1 east of the bridge (on the Up Side). Another can be found on the Up Side, west of the W End/Main Rd footbridge.
- 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.
- Plenty piles are in around the Bishton LC (153m 01ch) to Llanwern Works East Connection (153m 05ch) area; further west towards Llanwern Works West Connection/Llanwern West Junction (156m 03ch to 156m 20ch), masts are going up at the double. Portal structures/TTCs etc. are up just east of the utility bridge between the Llanwern Connections, and to the west. SPS has gone up too on lots of them; not easy to find exact numbers though.
- Some masts have sprouted near Lliswerry pond.
- 6-track portals, probably TGBUs (aka Thumpin' Great Big-Uns) going up aroung East Usk Yard (approx. MP157 1/2).
- Between the Maindee Jcts (157m 74ch to 158m 16ch), a cluster of piles is in beside the Down Relief; these are complemented by masted piles on the Main side (adjacent to the Up Main).
- Some SPS has now gone up between Maindee West & Maindee East; between Maindee West Maindee North Jct (41m 03ch from the former Rotherwas Jct, just south of Hereford; the ELR for the southern part of the Marches Line), masts with TTCs on are also going up (as overruns) over the Marches Line; the termination mast & associated TTC are just north of signal "NT 1559".
- Fixings for masts have now been installed on the Usk Bridge.
Newport
- P2 & P3 Canopies all cut back; P1 canopies still in progress.
- Masts and portals now appearing at the western end of the station, some with SPS attached. More started to appear in mid-April; additionally, two at the Cardiff end & two through the P1 canopy on the weekend of April 28th/29th.
- Some concrete bases in between stn & tunnels, perhaps for portals.
- Old stn footbridge still in situ.
Newport - Cardiff
- Around 6 piles are in adjacent to the Up Main between Ebbw Jct (160m 07ch) and Gaer Jct (159m 32ch); these will probably take masts for portal booms. Currently unknown if Alexandra Dock Jct Yard will be electrified.
- A sole mast is up immediately behind the signal gantry adjacent to the Up Main at Ebbw Jct.
- Over 100 masts from Ebbw Jct to Marshfield (163m 60ch). Booms & SPS starting to appear in the area too.
- Green Lane Bridge, nr Marshfield (164m 57ch) reopened to traffic after reconstruction. Masts (with SPS) up around here too.
- Some of the masts 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); 5 masts are up on the Up side east of Rover Lane bridge, complemented by 2 on the Down side.
Cardiff Central
- Re-signalling completed. Platform 0 now open. 3 masts now up over P0/1 with TTC booms.
- Piling underway at the extreme ends of P1/2 & P3/4 for future masts. One can assume portals will bridge the gap between P2 & P3, over the Through lines.
Swansea IEP Depot
- New IEP Depot at Maliphant Sidings, Swansea now complete; all steelwork up but no wires.
GWML/SWML Blockades:
- 14/4 & 15/4 - Swindon; done.
- 26/5 to 28/5 - Swindon; done.
- 23/4 to 25/5 (exc. weekends): Complete; Swansea-Padd services are now leaving/arriving at Swansea as per their booked times again.
- 30/4 to 18/5 (exc. weekends): Complete; Cardiff-Pompey & Cardiff-Taunton services working as normal.
- 16/6 to 6/7: Bristol Parkway - Severn Tunnel Jct will be under a big possession for wiring.
- 30/6 to 1/7: Bristol Parkway - Swindon;
- 24/12/18 to 1/1/19: Bristol Parkway - Newport will be blockaded again for more OLE works.
- More Blockades will follow; details as they become available.
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
- Within Reading West, all large steelwork (bar 1 TTC) appears to be up. All vertical steelwork appears to be up as far as Southcote Junction; most of the outstanding members were installed during the first June Blockade.
- Piles for the new footbridge (under Murphy's remit) are now mostly in, awaiting final driving. About 3 still need to go in on the Down side.
- Immediately south of Reading West, 4 masts are in on the Up side; the three ones to the station have TTC booms, and the furthest one (just north of Tilehurst Rd Bridge) is part of a portal boom (which will bear Tensorex drums).
- Between Tilehurst Rd Bridge and the A4 (Bath Road) Bridge, 4 slender masts (presumably for 2 "slender portals") have gone up to the south of Tilehurst Rd Bridge. One such "slender portal" is up just north of the A4 bridge. Between the "slender portals"/"slender portals-in-waiting", 5 TTC masts are in on the Up side (one of which has a boom), along with a thick mast on the Down side and a tall, thin mast on the Up side (presumably for power supply purposes).
- Just short of Southcote Jct (37m 62ch), a cluster of about 6 masts (5 on the Down side, one on the Up) are are up, with 4 additional masts on the Up (Reading) side parallel to the junction.
- Long-standing mast at Southcote Jct by the Up line from Newbury has recently had a support added.
Southcote Junction - Theale - Wigmore Lane LC
- From Southcote Jct past Calcot Mill FP crossing to Theale, the remaining masts, portals & cantilevers to be erected are all down to single figures. Piles are now in next to the Down Westbury line in the "vee" of Southcote Jct, heading towards Theale.
- First SPS up in west of Southcote is around MP 38 1/2; SPS is still missing by the pointwork east of Theale & in a couple of other locations. 1 mast still needs to go up on the Up side, just east of the M4 bridge.
- During the May blockade, the main lines (Down Westbury/Up Westbury) were wired from east of Theale station, joining the pre-existing section near Wigmore Lane; the Up Westbury has a gap between Wigmore Lane & the western end of Theale. This gap excepted, wires are now continuous to just east of Kennet Viaduct (nr Newbury Racecourse).
- (The next structure east of the eastern limit of B&H wires is currently missing a portal.)
- In Theale Goods Loop, the Earth (AT) wire has now been hung. No catenary/contact wires yet.
- Platform extension works now underway at Theale.
- From Theale to Wigmore Lane, at the western end of Theale Goods Loop (42m 8ch), SPS is largely complete on the Mains, but the Loop still has some left to put up.
Wigmore Lane LC - Aldermaston - Midgham - Thatcham - Newbury Racecourse
- The platform extensions at Aldermaston and Thatcham are structurally complete; finishing works (e.g. levelling, fencing etc.) are all that remains to be done.
- 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 "Theale to Thatcham Section" over Kennet Viaduct.
- RC east X-overs still need wiring.
- Earth wires and all SPS now up in Racecourse, with the SPS heading west to just short of Newbury (53m 06ch); this was attached during the 3rd (May) blockade.
Newbury Racecourse (excl.) - Newbury Town
- At a glance, all heavy steelwork looks to be up between Newbury's stations. SPS has now gone up immediately east of the A339 bridge; this accompanies the extant SPS on a portal approximately opposite the "Mole" warehouse, and the SPS east of there. A gaggle of taller masts (presumably for another ATF feeder station) can be seen opposite the Sainsbury's.
- The electrical substation/PSU at Boundary Rd looks roughly 80% complete.
- At Newbury, the new footbridge is now open (not the lifts yet); piling also taking place within the station, on the platforms. About 4 masts behind P1, along with a handful behind P2/P3 have also sprouted. At least 3 masts left to install. 2 masts are up between the footbridges (closest to the new one), and have gained a portal boom - the first within the station.
- The old footbridge has now been removed; this was undertaken during the first June blockade.
- Between the western end of the platforms at Newbury, & Bartholomew St Bridge (at the western throat of the station), all the masts have had portal booms affixed. (It can be assumed that the portal booms will extend throughout the station.)
- West of Bartholomew St Bridge, the uprights (no booms or SPS) extend past Rockingham Rd Bridge (about 200m west of the station) to roughly MP53 1/2; seems to be only one mast missing (the pile is, however, in).
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; done.
- 14/5 to 17/5; done.
- 2/6 to 10/6: PM 2/6 thru 3/6, Reading-Newbury/Basingstoke (done); 4/6 thru 7/6, Theale-Newbury (underway); PM 9/6 thru 10/6, Reading-Newbury/Basingstoke.
- 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
- Thames Valley Branches: Windsor & Henley deferred to CP6. Marlow removed from scope of current programme. The first few yards of each branch (bar the Henley Branch) have been wired as an overrun.
- Southcote Jct to Basingstoke has also been deferred to CP6.
- Appleford LC to Oxford paused, pending track realignment and resignalling of Oxford (7/7 to 22/7); if CP6 accounts allow for wiring to be extended to Oxford, it would be very likely to happen.
- Catenary & Contact wires between Chippenham (Cocklebury Lane Overbridge) & Thingley Jct have been deferred until (presumably) CP6; presumably this will wait until Bath-Bristol resignalling is complete. All Large steelwork to remain, unless required elsewhere.
- 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).
- 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)
