Great Western Electrification Progress

[Dren Ahmeti]

Murphy messed up at Reading West this morning and forgot to remove the barriers blocking off the station for the weekend, leading to commuters having to “smash” their way through, as affectionally described by the station manager!

 

[ArchieWoodbine]

Do we know if they successfully went live to Wootton Bassett last night?

As far as I'm aware, they were only able to successfully energise/test up to Uffington on Friday night. This was extended up to Rushey Platt (just West of Swindon) on Saturday.

I expect they'll be aiming to get all the way to Wootton Bassett this week.

 

[59CosG95]

Afternoon all! Back from a sun-baked Leicestershire field (i.e. Download Festival), with the latest update.

GWML Electrification: State of Play, week beginning 11/6/18.
All mileages given from Paddington, except where noted.
Paddington to Rushey Platt - LIVE

• All main line tracks wired as far as Rushey Platt (west of Swindon); Wootton Bassett Jct is aimed to be energised next week. Wires towards Bristol Parkway continue to around MP96, just west of Hullavington (see below).
• 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).
• The Down Steventon Goods Loop (DSGL; 55m 19ch to 56m 32ch) has now been wired.
• The USGL (Up Swindon Goods Loop), USR (Up Swindon Reception) and the DSG (Down Swindon Goods) are all wired.
• Everything wired at Swindon; P1-4, and the Through Road. Power supply equipment at the Bristol end of P1-4 is now live.
• With Effect From 22:50, 8/6/18, the current *live* wires end at Rushey Platt (78m 36ch).

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.
• A note on Steventon: Wires up under the High St Bridge (aka the "Brunel Bridge"); however, the bridge may well be demolished in CP6. It *MIGHT* need temporary parapet work to protect passers-by from stray currents; the discussion continues.
• Both Bourton & Uffington crossovers wired.
• Overruns through Swindon Jct (77m 36ch) onto the Golden Valley Line have also been wired.
• Wootton Bassett Jct (83m 07ch), including the Up Wootton Bassett Goods Loop (UWBGL), is fully wired.
• Another note on the OLE to Wootton Bassett - testing with IETs will occur in July, and entry of IETs in AC passenger service occurs in September.

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.

• 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; extending over both lines.
• Over Sutton Ln Bridge, Kellaways (between Christian Malford & Langley Burrell), catenary & contact wires have been erected over the Up Line; these extend eastwards as far as the eye can see. They have not reached Dauntsey Bank or Wootton Bassett yet.
• 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.
  • 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.

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 Jct to around MP96, just west of (and including) Hullavington Loops & crossovers. The Down Badminton (DB) now looks closer to Alderton Tunnel (97m 34ch) than the Up Badminton (UB) does.
  • All masts, most SPS and earth wires now up through Acton Turville and Badminton; multiple wired sections are now up in this area too, as well as the wider section between Alderton & Chipping Sodbury Tunnels.
  • Retaining walls drilled & bars inserted, ready to fix masts, at the eastern portals of Alderton Tunnel 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 (along with Earth wires); 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.
  • Wires now up over Chipping Sodbury Goods Loop (CSGL); SPS up over the DB & the UB west of Badminton Rd Bridge (the 3rd bridge west of the 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, and extend west to just short of Westerleigh Jct itself (107m 14ch).
• 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.
• 4-track portal now up over the southern 4 tracks, just east of the new station footbridge.
• Two six-track portals have now gone up over the western throat of the station, just short of a 4-track portal (uprights of) & a TTC (with SPS) adjacent to Clytha Park Rd.
• 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 has now gone up. All vertical steelwork appears to be up as far as Southcote Junction (37m 62ch); most of the outstanding members were intalled 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.
• The missing mast in Reading West has now gone up, and all SPS is now attached to their relevant masts within the station.
  • South of Reading West to MP 38 1/4, all masts are now up.
  • Between Tilehurst Rd Bridge and the A4 (Bath Road) Bridge, all SPS is now up. A thin mast is up on the Up side (presumably for power supply purposes).
  • South of Bath Rd, no SPS has yet been added.
  • Around Southcote Jct, approx. 6 portal booms are missing. Uprights extend down the line towards Basingstoke[/COLOR].

Southcote Junction - Theale - Wigmore Lane LC

• Piles are now in next to the Down Westbury (DW) in the "vee" of Southcote Jct, heading towards Theale; about 4 masts are expected to go up on them.
• Two masts stil need to be installed at Calcot Mill FP Crossing.
• First SPS up to the west of Southcote is around MP 38 1/4; SPS is completely absent east of there. The Up Westbury (UW) has now been wired from there to approx. MP39. Some SPS is still missing by the pointwork east of Theale & in a couple of other locations. 1 mast still needs to go up adjacent to the UW, just east of the M4 bridge; this is due to 400kV National Grid cables being in close proximity. A mast is also missing around the pointwork east of Theale.
• The M4 overbridge now has brackets/"stovepipes" fitted over both lines; those over the DW have registration arms fitted.
• During the May blockade, the main lines (DW/UW) 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); approximately at MP 51 1/4.
• (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, and catenary/contact wires have now gone up westwards from MP 41 1/2, including over the pointwork at the Wigmore Lane end.
• Platform extension works now underway at Theale.

Wigmore Lane LC - Aldermaston - Midgham - Thatcham - Newbury Racecourse

• West of Theale, only two masts (in Newbury Station) and 3 cantilevers/booms (one east of Newbury, two within the station).
• 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, the Down line, and the Passegner Loop; there is still a gap between this section and the main wired "Theale to Thatcham Section" over Kennet Viaduct.
  • RC east X-overs are now wired.
  • 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

• Between Newbury's stations, only one cantilever boom needs to go up. 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). 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. All extant portals have now had SPS (registration arms) affixed over all lines; some of the single track masts in the bay platform have also been fitted. As mentioned above, two masts remain to be installed, and two masts are without a portal boom.
• Brackets for SPS have now been drilled into the A339 bridge at the eastern end of Newbury, over all lines.
• West of Bartholomew St Bridge, the uprights extend past Rockingham Rd Bridge (about 200m west of the station) to roughly MP53 1/2; the masts at the western end of this run now have registration arms affixed. The termination masts also have their Tensorex drums fitted.

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; done. PM 2/6 thru 3/6, Reading-Newbury/Basingstoke (done); 4/6 thru 7/6, Theale-Newbury (done); PM 9/6 thru 10/6, Reading-Newbury/Basingstoke (done).
• 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)

 

[3973EXL]

B&H Weekend work

Reading West, missing mast gone up with TTC & SPS.

Reading West to between Tilehurst Rd & A4 bridges SPS up.

Onwards all masts appear up to MP38 1/4. No SPS and around six portals missing at Southcote.

Masts extend a short distance towards Basingstoke.

From MP38 1/4 to MP39 on the up line, wired.

Between MP38 1/4 to Theale odd bits of SPS to go up and one mast on the up by M4 bridge.

Only other masts I know off to go up, Newbury station x 2.
Couple of portals and some SPS to go up around Newbury.
No sign of work at Bedwyn.

 

[3973EXL]

B&H

More detailed look, A4 bridge to Southcote Jn.



Platform extensions Theale.

 

[59CosG95]

Fantastic set of shots as always @3973EXL; all power to your elbow. I'll add the changes captured in your two most recent posts to my list above.

 

[3973EXL]

Current western end of the wires.

Situation today, bear in mind there is also work on the next three nights.

The down line is wired to just west of Alderton Tunnel, would be just passed MP97 3/4.
Before Chipping Sodbury Tunnel there is a short wire run, then a gap before the tunnel.
Western end is wired from the tunnel to around MP104. There is then a gap through the facing points and adjacent to part of the UGL. Wires then run to just before Westerleigh Jn, approximately MP107.

The up line wires end just east of Alderton Tunnel, around MP97 1/4.
Between the tunnels there is one wire run of around a mile through Badminton.
There is a short wire run from the west end of Chipping Sodbury Tunnel followed by a short gap.
The next run starts on the main before running through the points onto the UGL. From the points there is another short gap on the up main for part of the loop length (UGL is wired throughout).
Wires then continue as the down, end just before Westerleigh Jn.

Couple of Bristol Parkway views.

Plant line up, presume for the block coming up.

 

[ArchieWoodbine]

Paddington to Rushey Platt - LIVE

Just to clarify, the OLE is technically considered live all the way to Wootton Bassett. They may have only been succesful in testing up to Rushey Platt this weekend, but this doesn't mean that the rest of it won't be intermittently live to a degree through the testing phase.

 

[59CosG95]

Just to clarify, the OLE is technically considered live all the way to Wootton Bassett. They may have only been succesful in testing up to Rushey Platt this weekend, but this doesn't mean that the rest of it won't be intermittently live to a degree through the testing phase.

Ahh OK, thanks for the clarification Archie. I'll amend the point for next week's post.

 

[Mag_seven]

Ahh OK, thanks for the clarification Archie. I'll amend the point for next week's post.

Put it this way it's a good idea to regard OLE as being live at all times!

 

[59CosG95]

Put it this way it's a good idea to regard OLE as being live at all times!

Oh, I don't doubt that in the slightest! I was just trying to give a more accurate representation of the extent to which the OLE was live; amendments to the "State Of Play" have been made to that effect.

 

[50031]

Swindon Transfer to Westerleigh Junction tonight on RTT. More wiring and other works in this area tonight?

 

[59CosG95]

Swindon Transfer to Westerleigh Junction tonight on RTT. More wiring and other works in this area tonight?

Very possibly; as @3973EXL mentioned above, there are a few gaps between Westerleigh Jct & the Alderton Tunnel area. I suspect it may be either extending the first runs of wires over Westerleigh Jct itself, or filling in the gaps around Chipping Sodbury.
AFAIK, the gaps between CS & Alderton Tunnels may be filled in later, when the structures on the eastern approach of both tunnels are affixed to their respective retaining wall brackets - which I'm not sure are drilled in place yet.

 

[D1009]

Swindon Transfer to Westerleigh Junction tonight on RTT. More wiring and other works in this area tonight?

Almost certainly, the weeknight possessions this week are the longest I can remember, with no trains at Swindon after the 1915 Padd, which I was on this evening.

 

[50031]

Thanks, both, for the info. Last time I travelled through the junction, the catenary/contact wires finished at just short of the junction itself, with 1 ATF wire continuing Westwards over the junction itself for a short distance.

SPS in the cess around the curve towards Yate awaiting fixing to masts

 

[4141]

Thanks, both, for the info. Last time I travelled through the junction, the canary/contact wires finished at just short of the junction itself, with 1 ATF wire continuing Westwards over the junction itself for a short distance.

SPS in the cess around the curve towards Yate awaiting fixing to masts

a
I sincerely hope that no canaries were harmed in the process...

 

[59CosG95]

a
I sincerely hope that no canaries were harmed in the process...

I'm fairly sure there aren't any mine workings near the line of route

I believe 50031 may have meant catenary, which is a bit of a mouthful to say!

 

[50031]

I'm fairly sure there aren't any mine workings near the line of route

I believe 50031 may have meant catenary, which is a bit of a mouthful to say!

My phone strikes again! Must learn to proof read my posts! Maybe there is a use for catenary canaries to guard the SPS in the cess!

 

[3973EXL]

Catch up with some associated projects east of Reading.

Twyford, platform extensions not in use yet. Up Main to finish.
Platform 4 canopy now has a plain facing board.

Ruscombe, Southbury Lane bridge parapet work.

Butts Hill Rd bridge Woodley. No parapet work visible yet.

 

[PaulHarding150]

Rail passengers travelling between south Wales and London face longer journey times for the next three weeks as the Severn Tunnel will be closed.

Main line services between Swansea and London Paddington will take 40 minutes longer as trains will be diverted via Gloucester from Saturday until 6 July.

Great Western Railway said those trains will not call at Bristol Parkway.

The track inside the four-mile Severn Tunnel is to be renewed, while "further electrification works" are planned. The track will also be lowered in the two Patchway tunnels.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-east-wales-44493847

 

[59CosG95]

Catch up with some associated projects east of Reading.

Twyford, platform extensions not in use yet. Up Main to finish.
Platform 4 canopy now has a plain facing board.
View attachment 48356 View attachment 48357 View attachment 48358
Ruscombe, Southbury Lane bridge parapet work.
View attachment 48359 View attachment 48360 View attachment 48361 View attachment 48362 View attachment 48363
Butts Hill Rd bridge Woodley. No parapet work visible yet.
View attachment 48364 View attachment 48365

Looks more like the Down Main one to me, there. Realised after examination that it IS the UM platform (i.e. P2) that isn't yet complete! Good to see that progress is nearly complete though.

 

[Phil G]

Decided to check out how far west the wires do go at Chippenham having reported them being at Langley Burrel crossing and heading west. Had a look at cocklebury road bridge which is going to be the end of the wires for some time by the sound of it. Just west of the bridge there are two portals, one with tensorex drums fitted and all SPS fitted. East all masts are up and earth wires both sides but the catenary hasn't reached there. Two pictures, one looking west the other East.

 

[59CosG95]

Decided to check out how far west the wires do go at Chippenham having reported them being at Langley Burrel crossing and heading west. Had a look at cocklebury road bridge which is going to be the end of the wires for some time by the sound of it. Just west of the bridge there are two portals, one with tensorex drums fitted and all SPS fitted. East all masts are up and earth wires both sides but the catenary hasn't reached there. Two pictures, one looking west the other East.View attachment 48438 View attachment 48439

Yep, that's the spot where it all ends for now. Glad to see the earth wire's made it this far at last, too.

 

[59CosG95]

GWML Electrification: State of Play, week beginning 18/6/18.
All mileages given from Paddington, except where noted.
Paddington to Wootton Bassett Jct - LIVE

• All main line tracks wired as far as Wootton Bassett Jct, and are to be considered "live" as such. Wires towards Bristol Parkway continue to around MP97, around Alderton (see below).
• 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).
• West of Didcot Parkway, all lines are wired & live heading towards Swindon.
• Everything wired at Swindon; P1-4, and the Through Road. Switchgear at the Bristol end of P1-4 is now live.

Small Points

• ATF wires in operation from Maidenhead to Wootton Bassett; 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.
• Parapet Work ongoing at Southbury Lane Bridge, Ruscombe.
• Twyford platform extensions almost finished; the Up Main is the last remaining one to be done.
• Parapet Work has yet to commence on Butts Hill Rd Bridge, Woodley.[/COLOR]
• 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.
• A note on Steventon: Wires up under the High St Bridge (aka the "Brunel Bridge"); however, the bridge may well be demolished in CP6. It *MIGHT* need temporary parapet work to protect passers-by from stray currents; the discussion continues.
• Both Bourton & Uffington crossovers wired.
• Overruns through Swindon Jct (77m 36ch) onto the Golden Valley Line have also been wired.
• Another note on the OLE to Wootton Bassett - testing with IETs will occur in July, and entry of IETs in AC passenger service occurs in September.

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.

• 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; extending over both lines.
• Over Sutton Ln Bridge, Kellaways (between Christian Malford & Langley Burrell), catenary & contact wires have been erected over the Up Line; these extend eastwards as far as the eye can see. They have not reached Dauntsey Bank or Wootton Bassett yet.
• Langley Burrell (east of Chippenham)
  • 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; this (and a parallel run on the Down) extend to Cocklebury Ln Bridge.
  • The "termination" twin-track portal west of Cocklebury Lane now carries Tensorex drums & SPS.
  • Another catenary/contact wire pair appear to be up over the Down Line as far as Langley Burrell.

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 Jct to around MP97, in the Alderton Tunnel (97m 34ch) area. The Down Badminton (DB) now finishes west of the tunnel (around MP97 3/4) whilst the Up Badminton (UB) finished around MP97 1/4.
• All masts, most SPS and earth wires now up through Acton Turville and Badminton; multiple wired sections are now up in this area too, with a short section on the DB and a longer (approx. 1 mile) section on the UB.
• Retaining walls drilled & bars inserted, ready to fix masts, at the eastern portals of Alderton Tunnel 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:
  • Catenary & contact wires (over both lines) now up between the west portal of C.S. Tunnel and the westernmost "tension portal" mentioned above (along with Earth wires); it is assumed that these are now connected to the conductor rail in C.S. Tunnel. Wires on the DB carry on to around MP104; a gap is then present for the points for the CSGL before resuming and continuing to around MP107 (see below).
  • Chipping Sodbury Goods Loop (CSGL) is fully wired; the UB & DB are partially wired parallel to the loop.
• The wires from Chipping Sodbury have now connected with those around Yate/Wapley, and extend west to around MP107, just short of Westerleigh Jct itself (107m 14ch). One ATF wire contines westwards over the junction for a short distance.
• 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. SPS is now in the cess awaiting fitment.
• Earth Wire (on the Down side) now accompanies the 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

• The Patchway/Severn Tunnel Blockade is now in full & merry swing - no trains between Bristol Parkway & Severn Tunnel Jct between 16th of June & 6th of July.
• 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 during the Blockade; 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. During the Blockade, 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.

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 9 between Undy (Church Rd) and the M4 viaduct over the mains; one just east of the "white house" has a TTC boom. It can be assumed that its 8 comrades will be similarly adorned. Another near the "white house" has now gone up on the Relief side; perhaps a 4-track portal is in the offing?
  • Another 3 masts (two for a portal boom, one a TTC with boom up) have appeared east of "the ramp" bridge at Magor; these join the sole TTC on the Up side by the bridge. Another can be found on the Up Side, west of the W End/Main Rd footbridge. Another 3 are west of "the ramp" bridge; 2 on the Down side, 1 on the Up side.
  • 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.
• 4-track portal now up over the southern 4 tracks, just east of the new station footbridge.
• Two six-track portals have now gone up over the western throat of the station, just short of a 4-track portal (uprights of) & a TTC (with SPS) adjacent to Clytha Park Rd.
• 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.
• Lots of masts (with booms, SPS & ATF brackets) now up near Mardy Rd Bridge, Rumney.
• 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. Some of the portals now have booms, and bear SPS.
• A handful of masts are also up around Long Dyke Jct (169m 35ch); some have now gained TTC booms and SPS as well.

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 is now underway.
• 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 mast) has now gone up. All vertical steelwork appears to be up as far as Southcote Junction (37m 62ch); most of the outstanding members were intalled 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.
• At a guess, 15-20 masts still need to go up for this scheme; most around Reading West/Southcote Jct, plus some more around Newbury.
  • Immediately south of Reading West, 4 masts are in on the Up side; the closest one to the station has a TTC boom, and the furthest one (just north of Tilehurst Rd Bridge) is part of a portal boom (which will bear Tensorex drums) with an equivalent mast on the Down side. It can be assumed that the 2 in the middle will also bear TTC booms.
  • 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 , 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

• Piles are now in next to the Down Westbury (DW) in the "vee" of Southcote Jct, heading towards Theale; about 4 masts are expected to go up on them.
• Two masts stil need to be installed at Calcot Mill FP Crossing.
• First SPS up to the west of Southcote is around MP 38 1/4; SPS is completely absent east of there. Some SPS is still missing by the pointwork east of Theale & in a couple of other locations. 1 mast still needs to go up adjacent to the Up Westbury (UW), just east of the M4 bridge; this is due to 400kV National Grid cables being in close proximity. A mast is also missing around the pointwork east of Theale.
• The M4 overbridge now has brackets/"stovepipes" fitted over both lines; those over the DW have registration arms fitted.
• During the May blockade, the main lines (DW/UW) 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); approximately at MP 51 1/4.
• (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, and catenary/contact wires have now gone up westwards from MP 41 1/2, including over the pointwork at the Wigmore Lane end.
• Platform extension works now underway at Theale.

Wigmore Lane LC - Aldermaston - Midgham - Thatcham - Newbury Racecourse

• West of Theale, only two masts (in Newbury Station) and 3 cantilevers/booms (one east of Newbury, two within the station).
• 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, the Down line, and the Passenger Loop; there is still a gap between this section and the main wired "Theale to Thatcham Section" over Kennet Viaduct.
  • RC east X-overs are now wired.
  • 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

• Between Newbury's stations, only one cantilever boom needs to go up. 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). 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. All extant portals have now had SPS (registration arms) affixed over all lines; some of the single track masts in the bay platform have also been fitted. As mentioned above, two masts remain to be installed, and two masts are without a portal boom.
• Brackets for SPS have now been drilled into the A339 bridge at the eastern end of Newbury, over all lines.
• West of Bartholomew St Bridge, the uprights extend past Rockingham Rd Bridge (about 200m west of the station) to roughly MP53 1/2; the masts at the western end of this run now have registration arms affixed. The termination masts also have their Tensorex drums fitted.

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; done.
• 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)

 

[3973EXL]

B&H

It will probably be during the next block before I get down there again, so, recap of the position as of today.

From the existing wires at Reading West, all steelwork & SPS is up to the A4 Bath Rd bridge.


From the A4 bridge the first two masts have no SPS, then the next four are fitted. After this all the steelwork is up with no SPS to just before MP38 1/4.
This is through Southcote Jn where there are also masts on the overrun towards Basingstoke.

The two cantilevers facing left have just gone up on the Basingstoke line.

From MP38 1/4 the up is wired to MP39. Both lines are then wired from just east of Theale station to approximately MP51 1/4. Theale Loop east end is not wired (wired west from MP41 1/2).
Just a few odd masts without SPS from MP38 1/4 to Theale. The missing mast by the M4 bridge has gone up, looks like they may have been waiting for a shorter mast to be delivered.
SPS to be fitted under the M4 bridge on the up side.

 

[3973EXL]

B&H cont.

Wire gap in both lines from east of the Kennet Viaduct to just after MP51 3/4. Wires then to just east of Racecourse station including connections and DPL.

Portal missing east of Boundary Rd bridge.
Two masts and two portals missing Newbury station. The base on plat 2 is covered, previously screened off, so assume it has now been completed.


SPS missing on a portal just west of the station and under the A339 bridge. May still be SPS missing on a couple of masts by Rockingham Rd.


Reading West, down side access work.

 

[59CosG95]

B&H

It will probably be during the next block before I get down there again, so, recap of the position as of today.

From the existing wires at Reading West, all steelwork & SPS is up to the A4 Bath Rd bridge.
View attachment 48492 View attachment 48493 View attachment 48494 View attachment 48495

From the A4 bridge the first two masts have no SPS, then the next four are fitted. After this all the steelwork is up with no SPS to just before MP38 1/4.
This is through Southcote Jn where there are also masts on the overrun towards Basingstoke.
View attachment 48496 View attachment 48497 View attachment 48498 View attachment 48503 View attachment 48500
The two cantilevers facing left have just gone up on the Basingstoke line.
View attachment 48501
From MP38 1/4 the up is wired to MP39. Both lines are then wired from just east of Theale station to approximately MP51 1/4. Theale Loop east end is not wired (wired west from MP41 1/2).
Just a few odd masts without SPS from MP38 1/4 to Theale. The missing mast by the M4 bridge has gone up, looks like they may have been waiting for a shorter mast to be delivered.
SPS to be fitted under the M4 bridge on the up side.

Have the two missing masts at Calcot Mill FP Xing, and the missing portal boom east of Theale gone up?

 

[3973EXL]

Have the two missing masts at Calcot Mill FP Xing, and the missing portal boom east of Theale gone up?

Usually disclaimers apply, as far as I can tell, the only large steelwork missing is around Newbury as detailed previously (only masts missing are two at Newbury station).

There are two masts at Calcot Mill, and the one east of the M4 bridge with no SPS, amongst the small amount of SPS missing between MP38 1/4 and Theale.

 

[3973EXL]

Planning application for the new footbridge at Reading West was refused.
http://documents.reading.gov.uk/AnitePublicDocs/00403277.pdf

Link for all documents.
http://documents.reading.gov.uk/AniteIM.WebSearch/Results.aspx?grdResultsP=2

Looks like it might be, finish down side access, remove old footbridge, then try again.

 

[TwistedMentat]

Planning application for the new footbridge at Reading West was refused.
http://documents.reading.gov.uk/AnitePublicDocs/00403277.pdf

Link for all documents.
http://documents.reading.gov.uk/AniteIM.WebSearch/Results.aspx?grdResultsP=2

Looks like it might be, finish down side access, remove old footbridge, then try again.

The reasons seem fair and relatively easy to fix. Basically look at putting it somewhere better and make it a bit prettier godammit.

REASONS FOR REFUSAL
1.
The proposed bridge, by reason of its height, bulk, and proximity to the neighbouring dwelling at 13A Brunswick Hill, together with its stark functional appearance, would result in an overbearing effect and perceived loss of privacy to this dwelling, harmful to the amenity of occupiers.
The bridge ought to be and could reasonably be carried out elsewhere on the land to avoid the harm described. In accordance with the provisions of Part 18, Schedule 2, Article 3 of The Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015 (as amended) and Policy DM4 of the Reading Borough LDF Sites and Detailed Policies Document 2012 (amended 2015).

2.
The proposed bridge by reason of its height, bulk, stark functional appearance and visually unsympathetic siting relative to existing buildings, would result in harm to the appearance of the street-scene within Brunswick Hill with consequent injury to the visual amenity of the neighbourhood. The bridge ought to be and could reasonably be
carried out elsewhere on the land and the design modified in order to avoid the harm described. In accordance with the provisions of Part 18, Schedule 2, Article 3 of The
Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015 (as amended) and Policy CS7 of the Reading Borough LDF Sites and Detailed Policies
Document 2012 (amended 2015).