Great Western Electrification Progress

[59CosG95]

There was a chance as a diversion route to Bath and Bristol via Westbury and Trowbridge but now we have bimodes and a misguided approach to electrification, very doubtful.

All we can hope for is a change of Government.

I seem to remember OLE to Westbury was looked at, but it gave a business/cost ratio of just 0.3.

 

[Thatcham Xing]

All we can hope for is a change of Government.

I don't see how that will help, unless the "magic money tree" is going to deliver some more fruit (cash) to put us all further in debt.

I do accept though that if the electrification we do have had not been so costly, the money that was available could have used to spread it further.

As has also been said, we now have (or will have) a totally hybrid IET fleet (and an extended turn-back at Bedwyn to accommodate 5-car ones), so it could be argued the need has largely gone away.

 

[deltic08]

I don't see how that will help, unless the "magic money tree" is going to deliver some more fruit (cash) to put us all further in debt.

I do accept though that if the electrification we do have had not been so costly, the money that was available could have used to spread it further.

As has also been said, we now have (or will have) a totally hybrid IET fleet (and an extended turn-back at Bedwyn to accommodate 5-car ones), so it could be argued the need has largely gone away.

Other parties are more sympathetic to electrification and ecology.

I seem to remember OLE to Westbury was looked at, but it gave a business/cost ratio of just 0.3.

About the same BCR as under costed HS2 then, but that is going ahead and with electrification!

 

[swt_passenger]

There was a chance as a diversion route to Bath and Bristol via Westbury and Trowbridge but now we have bimodes and a misguided approach to electrification, very doubtful.

There was no easy grid supply available. Electrification beyond Newbury was ruled out very early in the scheme, I don’t really think it would have ever been considered on the basis of a diversion route.

 

[HowardGWR]

There was no easy grid supply available. Electrification beyond Newbury was ruled out very early in the scheme, I don’t really think it would have ever been considered on the basis of a diversion route.

No, indeed. Westbury to Bathampton would seem more attractive than Newbury to Westbury as it would have enhanced a case for ordering bimodes (trimodes even!) for the Cardiff to Portsmouth / Brighton services and Great Malvern to Weymouth ones too. That line and its trains provide commuter /shopper traffic from Trowbridge north to Bath /Bristol that would benefit hugely from an electric service (see comments from our colleague Parallel on the present state of these services). Were that achieved, then Westbury to Newbury would subsequently look more attractive, I imagine, as services from Exeter to Paddington would also benefit; not just diversions and Bedwyn services.

 

[swt_passenger]

No, indeed. Westbury to Bathampton would seem more attractive than Newbury to Westbury as it would have enhanced a case for ordering bimodes (trimodes even!) for the Cardiff to Portsmouth / Brighton services and Great Malvern to Weymouth ones too. That line and its trains provide commuter /shopper traffic from Trowbridge north to Bath /Bristol that would benefit hugely from an electric service (see comments from our colleague Parallel on the present state of these services). Were that achieved, then Westbury to Newbury would subsequently look more attractive, I imagine, as services from Exeter to Paddington would also benefit; not just diversions and Bedwyn services.

I think that's a fair point. Because there were no existing services from Paddington to Westbury, they'd have to be created first to justify wires to Westbury alone.

 

[59CosG95]

GWML Electrification: State of Play, as of 17/12/18.
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. The envelope of "live" wires continues along the South Wales Main Line to Filton Jct (inc. Bristol Parkway), and to the Limits of Wiring on the Berks & Hants line and Reading-Basingstoke Line; details are given below.
• TTCs have replaced/been replacing headspans at various locations within London - locations include Westway (beneath the A40), Acton Main Line, Ealing Broadway, and between Southall & H&H. These are part of the works for the Elizabeth Line.
• 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 (bar the goods lines north of P1, where provision is provided).

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. Some AT wires up along this stretch now; whether they are live remains to be seen.
  • 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.
• At Ealing Broadway, the staircase to P2/3 has been demolished and replacement with a new structure as part of the Crossrail works is now underway. Access is via the footbridge at the London end from P4 - work started on 1/10 and should continue until late December.
• Parapet Work extended upwards(!) at Southbury Lane Bridge, Ruscombe; the wing walls remain unfinished. Original Coping stones have now been replaced. Butts Hill Rd is now complete & reopened; cladding is now also complete on the outer (i.e. rail) side.
• Platforms are being extended at Cholsey (country end), Goring & Streatley (London end), Pangbourne (country end), & Tilehurst (1 & 4 country end; 2 & 3 London end).
• 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 53m 31ch, Up Oxford as far as 53m 42ch. 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. "Temporary" parapet work to protect passers-by from stray currents now complete. Wires west of Causeway Crossing are only authorised for passenger service on 80x trains in both directions, while 387s are allowed to run empty to/from Cocklebury sidings under AC. The discussion continues.
• Overruns through Swindon Jct (77m 36ch) onto the Golden Valley Line have also been wired.
• Another note on the OLE beyond Didcot: the wires west of Causeway Crossing were authorised for passenger service (as of Sunday 28th October) as far as Swindon for Down (westbound) trains, with the Up line following 2 weeks later on Remembrance Sunday. Trains may run on AC under test conditions (as ECS) beyond to Wootton Bassett & Bristol Parkway, but entry of IETs in AC passenger service beyond Swindon is unlikely before December.
• Swindon Cocklebury Sidings live for electric traction as of 0700hrs on Sunday 9th December - no authorisation for its use has yet been given.

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.

• The Up Line is wired throughout from Cocklebury Lane to Wootton Bassett.
• The Down Line is wired throughout from Cocklebury Lane to Wootton Bassett.
• All earth wires up as far as Cocklebury Lane Overbridge; ATF wires are now up from Wootton Bassett as far as the transformer at Christian Malford. As yet, they do not continue west.

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). Most TTCs have booms from beyond the viaduct to Thingley East Junction. 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.

Thingley Jct - Keynsham

• No wiring for the foreseeable future, but overbridges between Thingley Jct & Box Tunnel have all been rebuilt. Corsham Main Road Bridge needs its parapets raising. New aqueduct & footbridge at Corsham complete.
• Both Box & Middle Hill Tunnels have had track lowered.
• A new footbridge has been built at Ashley Box.
• Piles also in (and have been for over a year) at Ashley (beyond Box Tunnel) - these might well be trial piles.
• Bathampton Jct to beyond Sydney Gardens has had track lowered. A new signal gantry at Bathampton Jct was installed over Xmas 2017 but is not yet in use.
• Bath Spa platforms realigned & raised, with track also slewed.
• Track through Oldfield Park & Keynsham now lowered.
• A lot of piles are in along the embankment around Saltford and Keynsham in readiness for future wiring.

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

Wootton Bassett Jct to Filton Jct (inc. Bristol Parkway) - LIVE

• All catenary & contact wires up from Wootton Bassett Jct, past Westerleigh Jct (107m 14ch) through Bristol Parkway and thence to Filton Jct & Stoke Gifford IEP Depot; Chipping Sodbury Goods Loop and the Cheltenham Curve overrun (as far as the limit of wiring) are also fully wired and live.
• BPW Platforms now fully wired; includes the Down Goods Loop & Up Passenger Loop.
• Authorisation of the wires from Wootton Bassett Jct to Bristol Parkway for use in passenger service is due to be granted on 30/12/2018.
  • A number of masts & booms (now all wired up) 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.
  • Section Isolator Masts now installed immediately before Stoke Gifford Jct No. 1, for the proposed neutral section just west of Bristol Parkway; these now have their feeder wires.
• 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.

Filton Jct - Severn Tunnel

• The Patchway/Severn Tunnel Blockade is now complete.
• The 3-week Bristol Parkway Blockade and subsequent weekend blockade are also now complete.
• Stoke Gifford IEP Depot all wired.
• Patchway Tunnels conductor rail installed.
• Masts, booms and SPS up through Patchway. No wires yet.
  • Cattybrook Brickworks Bridge closed as of 18/3/18.
• At Pilning, during the Summer Tunnels blockade, all portals and masts have now been erected, and wires have gone up (west of the station). Earth wires and C&C wires are now up eastwards from this wired section, through the station, to the split-level section before the Patchway Tunnels. The Down line is fully wired here, while the Up line still needs finishing work in a few places.

Severn Tunnel - Newport
Due to have IETs in AC service by 2020!

• Piling taking place until Christmas Eve between Rogiet & Llandevenny.
• Severn Tunnel Conductor rail in place. A number of masts on both sides of the line are now up at Caldicot, just before the Western tunnel mouth; these now extend westwards towards the eastern end of the platforms at STJ.
• Part of the central island platform at Severn Tunnel Junction has been fenced off - a possible mast location?
• Many masts now up west of STJ, and many of them have portal/TTC booms.
• Feeder cables now hang from the eastern set of Switchgear Masts; th western set are all up, but uncabled.
• 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 11 between Undy (Church Rd Bridge) 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 mast over the Reliefs west of the "white house" has now gained a TTC boom with 1 SPS assembly; it has a twin over the Mains.
  • Two opposing pairs of TTC masts have gone up between Church Rd Bridge & the Playing Fields Footbridge.
  • Two large uprights have gone up between Undy Playing Fields footbridge & "the ramp" bridge at Magor on opposite sides of the line; these may well take a portal boom.
  • 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.
  • 3 of the 4 TTCs west of "the ramp" bridge (2 on the Down side, 1 on the Up side) bear SPS; a 4th TTC has been boomed on the up, opposite the more western boom on the Down side.
  • The signal gantry at Magor (west of the West End Footbridge) has been replaced by 4 signals on posts; this should mean its removal prior to electrification is imminent. A TTC with SPS is up over the Mains there too.
  • 1 mast is up to the west of Redwick Rd Bridge (by the Down Relief), and a mast due to bear a portal is up to the east of Whitewall Footbridge (by the Up Main). A "Slim" TTC is up over the centre pair of lines just east of Redwick Rd bridge. OTP is in place for a masting operation by Redwick Rd compound.
  • One 4-track portal is up between the A4810 and the bridge over the eastern end of Bishton Flyover.
  • 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 single masts (with SPS fitted & folded) up along the Mains between the Flyover and Bishton LC. A run of Earth wire is now up on the Up side at Bishton.
• Between Bishton LC (153m 01ch) and Llanwern Golf Course, masts are around 90-95% up (all bar a few have booms and SPS), with the main gap at Llanwern Works East Connection (153m 05ch). This continues west towards Llanwern Works West Connection/Llanwern West Junction (156m 03ch to 156m 20ch). 4 masts (3 over the Mains, 1 over the Reliefs) also have booms & SPS immediately west of the LC.
• A run of Earth Wires & ATF wires have been strung up on the Relief side (adjacent to the DR) between Llanwern Works East Connection & Llanwern West Jct.
• All 4 lines are now wired past Llanwern Steelworks.
• Some masts have sprouted near Lliswerry pond.
• Piling taking place until Christmas Eve between Lliswerry & Maindee.
• 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).
• Caerleon Rd Overbridge to be refurbished in 2 phases - 20/7 to 30/11, and then January ‘19 to March ‘19. Not sure what impact on wiring this will have.
• 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

• All canopies now cut back.
• 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 now removed; 4-track portal of the "TGBU" (Thumpin' Great Big 'Un) variety has been installed in its place.
• A new portal has gone up at the east end of Newport, with all the fixings for switchgear affixed at the top. Droptubes for registration arms are also on.

Newport - Cardiff

• Plenty masts up around Gaer Jct (159m 32ch) north of Cardiff Rd Bridge (the B4237):
  • one by the Down Relief;
  • two by the Up Main (one of which is a boomed TTC with SPS);
  • three by the Gaer Jct - Park Jct Chord.
• Around 6 piles are in adjacent to the Up Main between Gaer Jct and Ebbw Jct (160m 07ch); these will probably take masts for portal booms. One such boom appears to have gone in! Currently unknown if Alexandra Dock Jct Yard will be electrified.
• Lots of steelwork up immediately behind the signal gantry adjacent to the Up Main at Ebbw Jct; this includes a full portal boom and a TTC acting as an overrun mast on the Ebbw Vale branch.
• 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.
• 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).
• Piling taking place until Christmas Eve between Rumney & Cardiff Central.
• 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; one of these has all its registration arms up.
• 1 run of C&C has gone up between Moorland Road Jct (168m 65ch) and Long Dyke Jct (169m 35ch) over the Reliefs; this is assumed to be a crossover as it crosses from one Relief line to the other.
• A handful of masts are also up around Long Dyke Jct; some have now gained TTC booms and SPS as well.
• Substantial mast foundations have appeared at each corner of the bridge over St. Mary's Street in Cardiff, along with work behind the nearby OU building. Masts may be imminent.
• Similar bespoke mast foundations are going in just east of Bute St Bridge, near the junction with the line from Queen Street.
• Splott Rd Bridge upgrade work now complete.

Cardiff Central - Platforms 0-4 to be wired

• 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.
• Canopy cut-back work now underway on P2.
• Brackets appear to be in place on the coping stones on the Taff Viaduct (at the western end of the station).
• Plenty piles up adjacent to Cardiff Canton.
• Brickwork Sidings to be increased in length (and electrified) to accommodate GWR Class 387s.
• Proposed Limit of Wiring: Leckwith Loop North Jct (171m 55ch) at a guess.

Swansea IEP Depot

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

GWML/SWML Blockades:

• 6/7 to 3/12: Reduced capacity between Newport & Cardiff Central while electrification progresses; assume only 1 pair of lines open at a time. Done.
• 15/9 to 6/10, and 13/10 to 14/10: Bristol Parkway blockaded to allow OLE to be installed within the station; done.
• 27/10 to 18/11, 24-25/11, 1-2/12: Filton Bank 4-tracking bloackade & follow-up work complete.
• 11/11: Bristol TM to Bath Spa resignalling work complete.
• 9/12: Bristol Parkway blockaded; done.
• 16/12: Didcot Parkway blockaded; done.
• 25/12/18 to 1/1/19: Bristol Parkway - Newport will be blockaded again, due to electrification work at Severn Tunnel Junction.
• More Blockades will follow; details as they become available.

Berks & Hants Line (Reading-Newbury) - LIVE
Electric trains are set to be in squadron service from January 2019.

• Wires from Oxford Rd Jct are now LIVE to the limits of electrification (53m 42ch on the Newbury Lines, 38m 07ch on the Basingstoke Lines) as of 0650 on 21/10/18.
• EMUs to Newbury on test have begun! 800002 left Newbury on the AC over the weekend - 387s have begun test runs on weeknights. Platforms will need to be gauged for other EMU classes.
• Authorisation of the wires from Reading West to Newbury for use in passenger service is due to be granted on 30/12/2018.
• Within Reading West, piles for the new footbridge (under Murphy's remit) are in, but have been "decapitated" (i.e. shortened) and capped until a new footbridge solution is found.
• Extension to Reading West Up platform complete, but not yet authorised for use. A new camera of sorts has appeared, and new station signs (GWR-style) have been erected.
• Parapet work for Tilehurst Rd overbridge are now underway; the bridge has now been reduced to single-lane working for road traffic.
• Platform extension works complete (and now opened) at Theale, Aldermaston and Thatcham.
• Newbury's new footbridge is now open - the lifts are not yet working, causing much local amusement/bemusement.
• Immunised signalling continues to about MP55 1/2. Bedwyn Turnback Siding now extended to accommodate 5-car IETs.

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; if CP6 accounts allow for wiring to be extended to Oxford, it would be very likely to happen now that Oxford has been remodelled.
• Catenary & Contact wires between Chippenham (Cocklebury Lane Overbridge) & Thingley Jct have been deferred until (presumably) CP6. 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 Bath in November 2018 - both done; the WSM stretch from Flax Bourton Tunnel to Cogload Jct remains outstanding), track remodelling and Filton Bank 4-tracking (assumed done).
• 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).
GWML Electrification: State of Play, as of 17/12/18.
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. The envelope of "live" wires continues along the South Wales Main Line to Filton Jct (inc. Bristol Parkway), and to the Limits of Wiring on the Berks & Hants line and Reading-Basingstoke Line; details are given below.
• TTCs have replaced/been replacing headspans at various locations within London - locations include Westway (beneath the A40), Acton Main Line, Ealing Broadway, and between Southall & H&H. These are part of the works for the Elizabeth Line.
• 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 (bar the goods lines north of P1, where provision is provided).

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. Some AT wires up along this stretch now; whether they are live remains to be seen.
  • 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.
• At Ealing Broadway, the staircase to P2/3 has been demolished and replacement with a new structure as part of the Crossrail works is now underway. Access is via the footbridge at the London end from P4 - work started on 1/10 and should continue until late December.
• Parapet Work extended upwards(!) at Southbury Lane Bridge, Ruscombe; the wing walls remain unfinished. Original Coping stones have now been replaced. Butts Hill Rd is now complete & reopened; cladding is now also complete on the outer (i.e. rail) side.
• Platforms are being extended at Cholsey (country end), Goring & Streatley (London end), Pangbourne (country end), & Tilehurst (1 & 4 country end; 2 & 3 London end).
• 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 53m 31ch, Up Oxford as far as 53m 42ch. 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. "Temporary" parapet work to protect passers-by from stray currents now complete. Wires west of Causeway Crossing are only authorised for passenger service on 80x trains in both directions, while 387s are allowed to run empty to/from Cocklebury sidings under AC. The discussion continues.
• Overruns through Swindon Jct (77m 36ch) onto the Golden Valley Line have also been wired.
• Another note on the OLE beyond Didcot: the wires west of Causeway Crossing were authorised for passenger service (as of Sunday 28th October) as far as Swindon for Down (westbound) trains, with the Up line following 2 weeks later on Remembrance Sunday. Trains may run on AC under test conditions (as ECS) beyond to Wootton Bassett & Bristol Parkway, but entry of IETs in AC passenger service beyond Swindon is unlikely before December.
• Swindon Cocklebury Sidings live for electric traction as of 0700hrs on Sunday 9th December - no authorisation for its use has yet been given.

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.

• The Up Line is wired throughout from Cocklebury Lane to Wootton Bassett.
• The Down Line is wired throughout from Cocklebury Lane to Wootton Bassett.
• All earth wires up as far as Cocklebury Lane Overbridge; ATF wires are now up from Wootton Bassett as far as the transformer at Christian Malford. As yet, they do not continue west.

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). Most TTCs have booms from beyond the viaduct to Thingley East Junction. 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.

Thingley Jct - Keynsham

• No wiring for the foreseeable future, but overbridges between Thingley Jct & Box Tunnel have all been rebuilt. Corsham Main Road Bridge needs its parapets raising. New aqueduct & footbridge at Corsham complete.
• Both Box & Middle Hill Tunnels have had track lowered.
• A new footbridge has been built at Ashley Box.
• Piles also in (and have been for over a year) at Ashley (beyond Box Tunnel) - these might well be trial piles.
• Bathampton Jct to beyond Sydney Gardens has had track lowered. A new signal gantry at Bathampton Jct was installed over Xmas 2017 but is not yet in use.
• Bath Spa platforms realigned & raised, with track also slewed.
• Track through Oldfield Park & Keynsham now lowered.
• A lot of piles are in along the embankment around Saltford and Keynsham in readiness for future wiring.

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

Wootton Bassett Jct to Filton Jct (inc. Bristol Parkway) - LIVE

• All catenary & contact wires up from Wootton Bassett Jct, past Westerleigh Jct (107m 14ch) through Bristol Parkway and thence to Filton Jct & Stoke Gifford IEP Depot; Chipping Sodbury Goods Loop and the Cheltenham Curve overrun (as far as the limit of wiring) are also fully wired and live.
• BPW Platforms now fully wired; includes the Down Goods Loop & Up Passenger Loop.
• Authorisation of the wires from Wootton Bassett Jct to Bristol Parkway for use in passenger service is due to be granted on 30/12/2018.
  • A number of masts & booms (now all wired up) 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.
  • Section Isolator Masts now installed immediately before Stoke Gifford Jct No. 1, for the proposed neutral section just west of Bristol Parkway; these now have their feeder wires.
• 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.

Filton Jct - Severn Tunnel

• The Patchway/Severn Tunnel Blockade is now complete.
• The 3-week Bristol Parkway Blockade and subsequent weekend blockade are also now complete.
• Stoke Gifford IEP Depot all wired.
• Patchway Tunnels conductor rail installed.
• Masts, booms and SPS up through Patchway. No wires yet.
  • Cattybrook Brickworks Bridge closed as of 18/3/18.
• At Pilning, during the Summer Tunnels blockade, all portals and masts have now been erected, and wires have gone up (west of the station). Earth wires and C&C wires are now up eastwards from this wired section, through the station, to the split-level section before the Patchway Tunnels. The Down line is fully wired here, while the Up line still needs finishing work in a few places.

Severn Tunnel - Newport
Due to have IETs in AC service by 2020!

• Piling taking place until Christmas Eve between Rogiet & Llandevenny.
• Severn Tunnel Conductor rail in place. A number of masts on both sides of the line are now up at Caldicot, just before the Western tunnel mouth; these now extend westwards towards the eastern end of the platforms at STJ.
• Part of the central island platform at Severn Tunnel Junction has been fenced off - a possible mast location?
• Many masts now up west of STJ, and many of them have portal/TTC booms.
• Feeder cables now hang from the eastern set of Switchgear Masts; th western set are all up, but uncabled.
• 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 11 between Undy (Church Rd Bridge) 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 mast over the Reliefs west of the "white house" has now gained a TTC boom with 1 SPS assembly; it has a twin over the Mains.
  • Two opposing pairs of TTC masts have gone up between Church Rd Bridge & the Playing Fields Footbridge.
  • Two large uprights have gone up between Undy Playing Fields footbridge & "the ramp" bridge at Magor on opposite sides of the line; these may well take a portal boom.
  • 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.
  • 3 of the 4 TTCs west of "the ramp" bridge (2 on the Down side, 1 on the Up side) bear SPS; a 4th TTC has been boomed on the up, opposite the more western boom on the Down side.
  • The signal gantry at Magor (west of the West End Footbridge) has been replaced by 4 signals on posts; this should mean its removal prior to electrification is imminent. A TTC with SPS is up over the Mains there too.
  • 1 mast is up to the west of Redwick Rd Bridge (by the Down Relief), and a mast due to bear a portal is up to the east of Whitewall Footbridge (by the Up Main). A "Slim" TTC is up over the centre pair of lines just east of Redwick Rd bridge. OTP is in place for a masting operation by Redwick Rd compound.
  • One 4-track portal is up between the A4810 and the bridge over the eastern end of Bishton Flyover.
  • 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 single masts (with SPS fitted & folded) up along the Mains between the Flyover and Bishton LC. A run of Earth wire is now up on the Up side at Bishton.
• Between Bishton LC (153m 01ch) and Llanwern Golf Course, masts are around 90-95% up (all bar a few have booms and SPS), with the main gap at Llanwern Works East Connection (153m 05ch). This continues west towards Llanwern Works West Connection/Llanwern West Junction (156m 03ch to 156m 20ch). 4 masts (3 over the Mains, 1 over the Reliefs) also have booms & SPS immediately west of the LC.
• A run of Earth Wires & ATF wires have been strung up on the Relief side (adjacent to the DR) between Llanwern Works East Connection & Llanwern West Jct.
• All 4 lines are now wired past Llanwern Steelworks.
• Some masts have sprouted near Lliswerry pond.
• Piling taking place until Christmas Eve between Lliswerry & Maindee.
• 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).
• Caerleon Rd Overbridge to be refurbished in 2 phases - 20/7 to 30/11, and then January ‘19 to March ‘19. Not sure what impact on wiring this will have.
• 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

• All canopies now cut back.
• 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 now removed; 4-track portal of the "TGBU" (Thumpin' Great Big 'Un) variety has been installed in its place.
• A new portal has gone up at the east end of Newport, with all the fixings for switchgear affixed at the top. Droptubes for registration arms are also on.

Newport - Cardiff

• Plenty masts up around Gaer Jct (159m 32ch) north of Cardiff Rd Bridge (the B4237):
  • one by the Down Relief;
  • two by the Up Main (one of which is a boomed TTC with SPS);
  • three by the Gaer Jct - Park Jct Chord.
• Around 6 piles are in adjacent to the Up Main between Gaer Jct and Ebbw Jct (160m 07ch); these will probably take masts for portal booms. One such boom appears to have gone in! Currently unknown if Alexandra Dock Jct Yard will be electrified.
• Lots of steelwork up immediately behind the signal gantry adjacent to the Up Main at Ebbw Jct; this includes a full portal boom and a TTC acting as an overrun mast on the Ebbw Vale branch.
• 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.
• 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).
• Piling taking place until Christmas Eve between Rumney & Cardiff Central.
• 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; one of these has all its registration arms up.
• 1 run of C&C has gone up between Moorland Road Jct (168m 65ch) and Long Dyke Jct (169m 35ch) over the Reliefs; this is assumed to be a crossover as it crosses from one Relief line to the other.
• A handful of masts are also up around Long Dyke Jct; some have now gained TTC booms and SPS as well.
• Substantial mast foundations have appeared at each corner of the bridge over St. Mary's Street in Cardiff, along with work behind the nearby OU building. Masts may be imminent.
• Similar bespoke mast foundations are going in just east of Bute St Bridge, near the junction with the line from Queen Street.
• Splott Rd Bridge upgrade work now complete.

Cardiff Central - Platforms 0-4 to be wired

• 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.
• Canopy cut-back work now underway on P2.
• Brackets appear to be in place on the coping stones on the Taff Viaduct (at the western end of the station).
• Plenty piles up adjacent to Cardiff Canton.
• Brickwork Sidings to be increased in length (and electrified) to accommodate GWR Class 387s.
• Proposed Limit of Wiring: Leckwith Loop North Jct (171m 55ch) at a guess.

Swansea IEP Depot

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

GWML/SWML Blockades:

• 6/7 to 3/12: Reduced capacity between Newport & Cardiff Central while electrification progresses; assume only 1 pair of lines open at a time. Done.
• 15/9 to 6/10, and 13/10 to 14/10: Bristol Parkway blockaded to allow OLE to be installed within the station; done.
• 27/10 to 18/11, 24-25/11, 1-2/12: Filton Bank 4-tracking bloackade & follow-up work complete.
• 11/11: Bristol TM to Bath Spa resignalling work complete.
• 9/12: Bristol Parkway blockaded; done.
• 16/12: Didcot Parkway blockaded; done.
• 25/12/18 to 1/1/19: Bristol Parkway - Newport will be blockaded again, due to electrification work at Severn Tunnel Junction.
• More Blockades will follow; details as they become available.

Berks & Hants Line (Reading-Newbury) - LIVE
Electric trains are set to be in squadron service from January 2019.

• Wires from Oxford Rd Jct are now LIVE to the limits of electrification (53m 42ch on the Newbury Lines, 38m 07ch on the Basingstoke Lines) as of 0650 on 21/10/18.
• EMUs to Newbury on test have begun! 800002 left Newbury on the AC over the weekend - 387s have begun test runs on weeknights. Platforms will need to be gauged for other EMU classes.
• Authorisation of the wires from Reading West to Newbury for use in passenger service is due to be granted on 30/12/2018.
• Within Reading West, piles for the new footbridge (under Murphy's remit) are in, but have been "decapitated" (i.e. shortened) and capped until a new footbridge solution is found.
• Extension to Reading West Up platform complete, but not yet authorised for use. A new camera of sorts has appeared, and new station signs (GWR-style) have been erected.
• Parapet work for Tilehurst Rd overbridge are now underway; the bridge has now been reduced to single-lane working for road traffic.
• Platform extension works complete (and now opened) at Theale, Aldermaston and Thatcham.
• Newbury's new footbridge is now open - the lifts are not yet working, causing much local amusement/bemusement.
• Immunised signalling continues to about MP55 1/2. Bedwyn Turnback Siding now extended to accommodate 5-car IETs.

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; if CP6 accounts allow for wiring to be extended to Oxford, it would be very likely to happen now that Oxford has been remodelled.
• Catenary & Contact wires between Chippenham (Cocklebury Lane Overbridge) & Thingley Jct have been deferred until (presumably) CP6. 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 Bath in November 2018 - both done; the WSM stretch from Flax Bourton Tunnel to Cogload Jct remains outstanding), track remodelling and Filton Bank 4-tracking (assumed done).
• 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).

 

[vanillasplash]

So what will happen to the Bedwyn semi-fast turbos, will they get replaced by 800's terminating further west?

 

[DidcotDickie]

So what will happen to the Bedwyn semi-fast turbos, will they get replaced by 800's terminating further west?

They will be replaced with 800s, terminating at Bedwyn (eventually).

 

[Thatcham Xing]

They will be replaced with 800s, terminating at Bedwyn (eventually)

I was told by a member of GWR staff today that IET's will not be on the Bedwyn's now until May 2019.
(this is a delay from the original date of January due apparently to problems with their door cameras which need enhancing for DOO operation on these services).

 

[JN114]

I was told by a member of GWR staff today that IET's will not be on the Bedwyn's now until May 2019.
(this is a delay from the original date of January due apparently to problems with their door cameras which need enhancing for DOO operation on these services).

Not an unreasonable estimate - I think it will be a little sooner than that though.

The issue isn’t with the cameras themselves - more that the camera housings aren’t protected from the elements quite as well as their Electrostar cousins, so the cameras are getting all kind of debris and detritus on the housings rendering them useless. The mods are to fit an obstacle deflector - like those already found on the 387s - to shield the camera housings from the worst of the elements.

Turbos will soldier on on the Bedwyns for the time being!

 

[Thatcham Xing]

I think it will be a little sooner than that though.

Thanks JN114 for your insight.

If the switch to IET's does come sooner, does that mean they would run to a Turbo schedule until the next timetable change?

I ask as presumably the schedule will be a bit faster, bearing in mind that the Turbo's are timetabled at 30 mins (at quickest) for the non-stop PAD-RDG run and the IET's should be able to shave 5 mins off that at 125?

 

[JN114]

Thanks JN114 for your insight.

If the switch to IET's does come sooner, does that mean they would run to a Turbo schedule until the next timetable change?

I ask as presumably the schedule will be a bit faster, bearing in mind that the Turbo's are timetabled at 30 mins (at quickest) for the non-stop PAD-RDG run and the IET's should be able to shave 5 mins off that at 125?

As far as I'm aware there are no plans to run IETs on IET (125mph) timings until the major timetable recast - whenever that comes. Even speeding up trains by a couple minutes here/there would require NR validation, and that is the big stumbling block for all TT changes nationally at present.

With drivers likely relatively unfamiliar with the units initially it won't be the end of the world that the timings are slack from a performance perspective; and it will also enable turbos to cover while Hitachi availability settles.

 

[Thatcham Xing]

Ok, and thanks again.

Time improvements will be a bonus, but what will really be welcome is a 5-coach IET replacing a 3- (or sometimes 2-, as it was on the 1103 from Thatcham into PAD yesterday) coach Turbo, which are often very busy even outside of peak periods.

 

[Linda.smith]

Had another look at Severn tunnel station this afternoon, more masts going up, but couldn`t see any registration arms etc. On teh way back to Newport, passing bishton, more contact wires have gone up on the Llanwern straight towards Bishton crossing. However there are still gaps between Llandevenny And Severn Tunnel station And through several sectionsof the eastern side of Newport, where piling still needs to be completed. At Newport station, sections of a wall, from the end of platform 4 to the usk river bridge have been removed, with bespoke foundations laid in readiness to recieve more masts to be raised at some point in the future. There is a blockade on from this coming sunday to complete the works at severn tunnel station, but i have no idea if they are going to take advantage of the blockade to newport to install more masts or continue piling etc.

 

[Richard Scott]

Had another look at Severn tunnel station this afternoon, more masts going up, but couldn`t see any registration arms etc. On teh way back to Newport, passing bishton, more contact wires have gone up on the Llanwern straight towards Bishton crossing. However there are still gaps between Llandevenny And Severn Tunnel station And through several sectionsof the eastern side of Newport, where piling still needs to be completed. At Newport station, sections of a wall, from the end of platform 4 to the usk river bridge have been removed, with bespoke foundations laid in readiness to recieve more masts to be raised at some point in the future. There is a blockade on from this coming sunday to complete the works at severn tunnel station, but i have no idea if they are going to take advantage of the blockade to newport to install more masts or continue piling etc.

Noticed one lone mast has gone up behind houses in Magor to the east of A4810 bridge. Assume most of the piles around there complete?

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Noticed one lone mast has gone up behind houses in Magor to the east of A4810 bridge. Assume most of the piles around there complete?

Welcome - I see this is your first post

 

[Wilts Wanderer]

In terms of the 'feed' from Thingley Jcn to the (hopefully only interim) commencement of catenary from Chippenham East, I understand that the plan is to run the 25kV cable via a trough arrangement. Does anyone know any details about how this is being done, and what precautions will be taken to protect it and anyone in the vicinity? It might just be my ignorance on the subject, but I'd feel a bit uncomfortable working lineside with that sort of power buried sonewhere underneath my feet. It'll give the cable thieves a new challenge as well!!!

 

[Elecman]

Presumably th3 same way ATF cables are passed under restricted bridges in cable troughing with Danger 25 KV notices painted on much th3 same as the LongbExtension lead from Heyrod feeder to Ordsall Lane is

 

[MadMac]

In terms of the 'feed' from Thingley Jcn to the (hopefully only interim) commencement of catenary from Chippenham East, I understand that the plan is to run the 25kV cable via a trough arrangement. Does anyone know any details about how this is being done, and what precautions will be taken to protect it and anyone in the vicinity? It might just be my ignorance on the subject, but I'd feel a bit uncomfortable working lineside with that sort of power buried sonewhere underneath my feet. It'll give the cable thieves a new challenge as well!!!

There used to be a large oil-filled cable that ran in a trough from Coatbridge to Motherwell which linked the two electric networks together. When the electrification was extended from Mossend to Gartsherrie FLT, one of the factors was that doing so did away with the need for this cable to be renewed, which would apparently have cost close to the price of the electrification!

 

[Emblematic]

In terms of the 'feed' from Thingley Jcn to the (hopefully only interim) commencement of catenary from Chippenham East, I understand that the plan is to run the 25kV cable via a trough arrangement. Does anyone know any details about how this is being done, and what precautions will be taken to protect it and anyone in the vicinity? It might just be my ignorance on the subject, but I'd feel a bit uncomfortable working lineside with that sort of power buried sonewhere underneath my feet. It'll give the cable thieves a new challenge as well!!!

There are buried distribution network cables under streets in every town in the country. Typically these are higher voltage, usually in the range 11-132kV. I am presently sitting within 2 metres of one of these, which goes to a substation at the end of the garden. I wouldn't feel concerned working near a cable in a trough, any more than I worry about digging in my garden next to the substation (which is not at all.)

 

[Phil G]

It's been in place for at least a year, it is in a large cable trough, goes under the disused platform at Chippenham and emerges on stilts heading for Wotton Bassett.

 

[Joe D]

When I went through Chippenham in the summer there was what looked like a freshly installed shiny clean cable trough, mainly elevated, on the westbound side, between the end of the wires and the junction, disappearing under the station where a narrow strip of fresh tarmac runs the length of the westbound platform. I assumed that was the feed?

 

[Phil G]

When I went through Chippenham in the summer there was what looked like a freshly installed shiny clean cable trough, mainly elevated, on the westbound side, between the end of the wires and the junction, disappearing under the station where a narrow strip of fresh tarmac runs the length of the westbound platform. I assumed that was the feed?

Yes that's it.

 

[PaulHarding150]

Masts have started appearing near Cardiff Central over the weekend including 4 on the bridge over St Mary Street.

 

[59CosG95]

GWML Electrification: State of Play, as of 24/12/18.
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. The envelope of "live" wires continues along the South Wales Main Line to Filton Jct (inc. Bristol Parkway), and to the Limits of Wiring on the Berks & Hants line and Reading-Basingstoke Line; details are given below.
• TTCs have replaced/been replacing headspans at various locations within London - locations include Westway (beneath the A40), Acton Main Line, Ealing Broadway, and between Southall & H&H. These are part of the works for the Elizabeth Line.
• 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 (bar the goods lines north of P1, where provision is provided).

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. Some AT wires up along this stretch now; whether they are live remains to be seen.
  • 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.
• At Ealing Broadway, the staircase to P2/3 has been demolished and replacement with a new structure as part of the Crossrail works is now underway. Access is via the footbridge at the London end from P4 - work started on 1/10 and should continue until late December.
• Parapet Work extended upwards at Southbury Lane Bridge, Ruscombe; the wing walls remain unfinished. Original Coping stones have now been replaced. Butts Hill Rd is now complete & reopened; cladding is now also complete on the outer (i.e. rail) side.
• Platforms are being extended at Cholsey (country end), Goring & Streatley (London end), Pangbourne (country end), & Tilehurst (1 & 4 country end; 2 & 3 London end).
• 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 53m 31ch, Up Oxford as far as 53m 42ch. 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. "Temporary" parapet work to protect passers-by from stray currents now complete. Wires west of Causeway Crossing are only authorised for passenger service on 80x trains in both directions, while 387s are allowed to run empty to/from Cocklebury sidings under AC (from New Years' Eve). The discussion continues.
• Overruns through Swindon Jct (77m 36ch) onto the Golden Valley Line have also been wired.
• Another note on the OLE beyond Didcot: the wires west of Causeway Crossing were authorised for passenger service (as of Sunday 28th October) as far as Swindon for Down (westbound) trains, with the Up line following 2 weeks later on Remembrance Sunday. Trains may run on AC under test conditions (as ECS) beyond to Wootton Bassett & Bristol Parkway, but entry of IETs in AC passenger service beyond Swindon is unlikely before December.
• Swindon Cocklebury Sidings live for electric traction as of 0700hrs on Sunday 9th December - no authorisation for its use has yet been given.

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.

• Both lines are wired throughout from Cocklebury Lane to Wootton Bassett.
• All earth wires up as far as Cocklebury Lane Overbridge; ATF wires are now up from Wootton Bassett as far as the transformer at Christian Malford. As yet, they do not continue west.

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). Most TTCs have booms from beyond the viaduct to Thingley East Junction. 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.

Thingley Jct - Keynsham

• No wiring for the foreseeable future, but overbridges between Thingley Jct & Box Tunnel have all been rebuilt. Corsham Main Road Bridge needs its parapets raising. New aqueduct & footbridge at Corsham complete.
• Both Box & Middle Hill Tunnels have had track lowered.
• A new footbridge has been built at Ashley Box.
• Piles also in (and have been for over a year) at Ashley (beyond Box Tunnel) - these might well be trial piles.
• Bathampton Jct to beyond Sydney Gardens has had track lowered. A new signal gantry at Bathampton Jct was installed over Xmas 2017 but is not yet in use.
• Bath Spa platforms realigned & raised, with track also slewed.
• Track through Oldfield Park & Keynsham now lowered.
• A lot of piles are in along the embankment around Saltford and Keynsham in readiness for future wiring.

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

Wootton Bassett Jct to Filton Jct (inc. Bristol Parkway) - LIVE

• All catenary & contact wires up from Wootton Bassett Jct, past Westerleigh Jct (107m 14ch) through Bristol Parkway and thence to Filton Jct & Stoke Gifford IEP Depot; Chipping Sodbury Goods Loop and the Cheltenham Curve overrun (as far as the limit of wiring) are also fully wired and live.
• BPW Platforms fully wired, including the Down Goods Loop & Up Passenger Loop.
• Authorisation of the wires from Wootton Bassett Jct to Bristol Parkway for use in passenger service is due to be granted on 30/12/2018.
  • A number of masts & booms (now all wired up) 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.
  • Section Isolator Masts installed immediately east of Stoke Gifford Jct No. 1, for the neutral section just west of BPW. This is the current live limit.
• Filton Bank bridge works (mileages all from Temple Meads):
  • Easton Rd Overbridge (1m 18ch) completely rebuilt.
  • Narroways FB (2m 12ch) & Ashley Hill FB (3m 11ch) replaced.
  • Bonnington Walk Overbridge (3m 62ch) - parapets raised.
  • FB south of Filton Abbey Wood (4m 18ch) will need work if wiring is to occur.

Filton Jct - Severn Tunnel

• The Patchway/Severn Tunnel Blockade is now complete.
• Stoke Gifford IEP Depot all wired.
• Patchway Tunnels conductor rail installed.
• Masts, booms and SPS up through Patchway. No wires yet.
  • Cattybrook Brickworks Bridge closed as of 18/3/18.
• At Pilning, during the Summer Tunnels blockade, all portals and masts have now been erected, and wires have gone up (west of the station). Earth wires and C&C wires are now up eastwards from this wired section, through the station, to the split-level section before the Patchway Tunnels. The Down line is fully wired here, while the Up line still needs finishing work in a few places.

Severn Tunnel - Newport
Due to have IETs in AC service by 2020!

• Piling taking place until Christmas Eve between Rogiet & Llandevenny - presumed complete.
• Severn Tunnel Conductor rail in place. A number of masts on both sides of the line are now up at Caldicot, just before the Western tunnel mouth; these now extend westwards towards the eastern end of the platforms at STJ.
• Part of the central island platform at Severn Tunnel Junction has been fenced off - a possible mast location?
• Many masts now up west of STJ, and many of them have portal/TTC booms.
• Feeder cables now hang from the eastern set of Switchgear Masts; the western set are all up, but uncabled.
• All bridge rebuilding complete from Severn Tunnel Jct (149m 14ch) to Bishton Flyover (152m 30ch).
• Masts going up between Severn Tunnel Jct & Bishton Flyover. These include:
  • At least 11 between Undy (Church Rd Bridge) 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 mast over the Reliefs west of the "white house" has now gained a TTC boom with 1 SPS assembly; it has a twin over the Mains.
  • Two opposing pairs of TTC masts have gone up between Church Rd Bridge & the Playing Fields Footbridge.
  • Two large uprights have gone up between Undy Playing Fields footbridge & "the ramp" bridge at Magor on opposite sides of the line; these may well take a portal boom.
  • 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.
  • 3 of the 4 TTCs west of "the ramp" bridge (2 on the Down side, 1 on the Up side) bear SPS; a 4th TTC has been boomed on the up, opposite the more western boom on the Down side.
  • The signal gantry at Magor (west of the West End Footbridge) has been replaced by 4 signals on posts; this should mean its removal prior to electrification is imminent. A TTC with SPS is up over the Mains there too.
  • 1 mast is up to the west of Redwick Rd Bridge (by the Down Relief), and a mast due to bear a portal is up to the east of Whitewall Footbridge (by the Up Main). A "Slim" TTC is up over the centre pair of lines just east of Redwick Rd bridge. OTP is in place for a masting operation by Redwick Rd compound.
  • One 4-track portal is up between the A4810 and the bridge over the eastern end of Bishton Flyover.
  • 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 single masts (with SPS fitted & folded) up along the Mains between the Flyover and Bishton LC. A run of Earth wire is now up on the Up side at Bishton.
• Between Bishton LC (153m 01ch) and Llanwern Golf Course, masts are around 90-95% up (all bar a few have booms and SPS), with the main gap at Llanwern Works East Connection (153m 05ch). This continues west towards Llanwern Works West Connection/Llanwern West Junction (156m 03ch to 156m 20ch). 4 masts (3 over the Mains, 1 over the Reliefs) also have booms & SPS immediately west of the LC.
• A run of Earth Wires & ATF wires have been strung up on the Relief side (adjacent to the DR) between Llanwern Works East Connection & Llanwern West Jct.
• All 4 lines are now wired past Llanwern Steelworks.
• Some masts have sprouted near Lliswerry pond.
• Piling taking place until Christmas Eve between Lliswerry & Maindee - presumed complete.
• 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).
• Caerleon Rd Overbridge to be refurbished in 2 phases - 20/7 to 30/11, and then January ‘19 to March ‘19. Not sure what impact on wiring this will have.
• 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

• All canopies now cut back.
• 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 now removed; 4-track portal of the "TGBU" (Thumpin' Great Big 'Un) variety has been installed in its place.
• A new portal has gone up at the east end of Newport, with all the fixings for switchgear affixed at the top. Droptubes for registration arms are also on.

Newport - Cardiff

• Plenty masts up around Gaer Jct (159m 32ch) north of Cardiff Rd Bridge (the B4237):
  • one by the Down Relief;
  • two by the Up Main (one of which is a boomed TTC with SPS);
  • three by the Gaer Jct - Park Jct Chord.
• Around 6 piles are in adjacent to the Up Main between Gaer Jct and Ebbw Jct (160m 07ch); these will probably take masts for portal booms. One such boom appears to have gone in! Currently unknown if Alexandra Dock Jct Yard will be electrified.
• Lots of steelwork up immediately behind the signal gantry adjacent to the Up Main at Ebbw Jct; this includes a full portal boom and a TTC acting as an overrun mast on the Ebbw Vale branch.
• 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.
• 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).
• Piling taking place until Christmas Eve between Rumney & Cardiff Central - presumed complete
• 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; one of these has all its registration arms up.
• 1 run of C&C has gone up between Moorland Road Jct (168m 65ch) and Long Dyke Jct (169m 35ch) over the Reliefs; this is assumed to be a crossover as it crosses from one Relief line to the other.
• A handful of masts are also up around Long Dyke Jct; some have now gained TTC booms and SPS as well.
• Substantial mast foundations have appeared at each corner of the bridge over St. Mary's Street in Cardiff, along with work behind the nearby OU building. Masts have now arrived on the St. Mary's Street foundations!
• Similar bespoke mast foundations are going in just east of Bute St Bridge, near the junction with the line from Queen Street.
• Splott Rd Bridge upgrade work now complete.

Cardiff Central - Platforms 0-4 to be wired

• 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.
• Canopy cut-back work now underway on P2.
• Brackets appear to be in place on the coping stones on the Taff Viaduct (at the western end of the station).
• Plenty piles up adjacent to Cardiff Canton.
• Brickwork Sidings to be increased in length (and electrified) to accommodate GWR Class 387s.
• Proposed Limit of Wiring: Leckwith Loop North Jct (171m 55ch) at a guess.

Swansea IEP Depot

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

GWML/SWML Blockades:

• 6/7 to 3/12: Reduced capacity between Newport & Cardiff Central while electrification progresses; assume only 1 pair of lines open at a time. Done.
• 15/9 to 6/10, and 13/10 to 14/10: Bristol Parkway blockaded to allow OLE to be installed within the station; done.
• 27/10 to 18/11, 24-25/11, 1-2/12: Filton Bank 4-tracking bloackade & follow-up work complete.
• 11/11: Bristol TM to Bath Spa resignalling work complete.
• December blockades at Bristol Parkway & Didcot Parkway done.
• 25/12/18 to 1/1/19: Bristol Parkway - Newport will be blockaded again, due to electrification work at Severn Tunnel Junction.
• More Blockades will follow; details as they become available.

Berks & Hants Line (Reading-Newbury) - LIVE
Electric trains are set to be in squadron service from January 2019.

• Wires from Oxford Rd Jct are now LIVE to the limits of electrification (53m 42ch on the Newbury Lines, 38m 07ch on the Basingstoke Lines) as of 0650 on 21/10/18.
• EMUs to Newbury on test have begun! 800002 left Newbury on the AC over the weekend - 387s have begun test runs on weeknights. Platforms will need to be gauged for other EMU classes.
• Authorisation of the wires from Reading West to Newbury for use in passenger service is due to be granted on 30/12/2018.
• Within Reading West, piles for the new footbridge (under Murphy's remit) are in, but have been "decapitated" (i.e. shortened) and capped until a new footbridge solution is found.
• Extension to Reading West Up platform complete, but not yet authorised for use. A new camera of sorts has appeared, and new station signs (GWR-style) have been erected.
• Parapet work for Tilehurst Rd overbridge is now underway; the bridge has now been reduced to single-lane working for road traffic.
• Platform extension works complete (and now opened) at Theale, Aldermaston and Thatcham.
• Newbury's new footbridge is now open - the lifts are not yet working, causing much local amusement/bemusement.
• Immunised signalling continues to about MP55 1/2. Bedwyn Turnback Siding now extended to accommodate 5-car IETs.

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; if CP6 accounts allow for wiring to be extended to Oxford, it would be very likely to happen now that Oxford has been remodelled.
• Catenary & Contact wires between Chippenham (Cocklebury Lane Overbridge) & Thingley Jct have been deferred until (presumably) CP6. 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 Bath in November 2018 - both done; the WSM stretch from Flax Bourton Tunnel to Cogload Jct remains outstanding), track remodelling and Filton Bank 4-tracking (assumed done).
• 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).

 

[59CosG95]

The Christmas work to replace the staircase at Ealing Broadway has been completed a day early. https://twitter.com/networkrailwest/status/1077828824681844737?s=19

 

[Nick Ashwell]

When they move onto doing Valleys electrification will GWR trains run underwires as far as Bridgend if the plan is to electrify the line to Maesteg?

 

[Dai Corner]

When they move onto doing Valleys electrification will GWR trains run underwires as far as Bridgend if the plan is to electrify the line to Maesteg?

The main line electrification will only go as far as Cardiff. See the South Wales Metro thread for discussion of the Valleys Lines.

 

[spark001uk]

Turbos will soldier on on the Bedwyns for the time being!

Will these turbos likely carry on as they were for now, ie running the entire journey from Padd/Reading, or will it be 387 to Newbury then shuttle turbo?