Great Western Electrification Progress

[JN114]

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?

Through journeys to enable switch to IETs as soon as they’re available.

 

[Kite159]

Will it be both units on Reading - Newbury stoppers going over to 387 operation in the new year or just the one?

 

[JN114]

Will it be both units on Reading - Newbury stoppers going over to 387 operation in the new year or just the one?

At certain points of the day - the diagrams are a little more complex than in turbo days. Still getting my head around the workings somewhat! I’ll sit down on Saturday and try and put something together.

 

[Sean Emmett]

What are the prospects of any electrically worked passenger services West of Swindon on Sun 30 Dec or Mon 31 Dec?

 

[Thatcham Xing]

will it be 387 to Newbury then shuttle turbo?

The January timetable shows that things running pretty much as now. Guessing 387's will start to replace Turbos on the Reading-Newbury shuttles only.

 

[Mintona]

What are the prospects of any electrically worked passenger services West of Swindon on Sun 30 Dec or Mon 31 Dec?

Should be all on electric heading to Bristol Parkway from the 30th. Will be on diesel from Swindon if heading to Chippenham.

 

[ArchieWoodbine]

Will be on diesel from Swindon if heading to Chippenham.

I was under the impresssion that IETs would pan-down prior to Wootton Bassett Jnc., if heading down the mains?

 

[JN114]

I was under the impresssion that IETs would pan-down prior to Wootton Bassett Jnc., if heading down the mains?

Not at present - Manual Power changeover must be initiated while stopped in the platform at Swindon, or at SW1161/1163 signals if not stopping at Swindon.

Trains headed toward Bristol Parkway May continue on AC power.

 

[59CosG95]

https://twitter.com/networkrailwest/status/1078588835959840768?s=19
NR have stated that IETs and Electrostars will be running on AC power to Newbury from January the 2nd.

 

[Dren Ahmeti]

https://twitter.com/networkrailwest/status/1078588835959840768?s=19
NR have stated that IETs and Electrostars will be running on AC power to Newbury from January the 2nd.

Any idea as to the first passenger 387 service down to Newbury on the 2nd/3rd?

 

[ArchieWoodbine]

Not at present - Manual Power changeover must be initiated while stopped in the platform at Swindon, or at SW1161/1163 signals if not stopping at Swindon.

Trains headed toward Bristol Parkway May continue on AC power.

Ah, my mistake. I was thrown by the pan-down signage & balises which are being installed at Wootton Bassett. These must be a final safety-net for any Chippenham bound services which don't changover in Swindon.

 

[urpert]

Not at present - Manual Power changeover must be initiated while stopped in the platform at Swindon, or at SW1161/1163 signals if not stopping at Swindon.

Trains headed toward Bristol Parkway May continue on AC power.

May or may not be relevant, but I was on a Bristol (TM but via Parkway) 800 yesterday which very obviously left Didcot on diesel power.

 

[Sean Emmett]

Should be all on electric heading to Bristol Parkway from the 30th. Will be on diesel from Swindon if heading to Chippenham.

Thanks.

I note there is a block between Paddington and Reading until mid-morning on Sun 30 Dec and that the first westbound train from Reading via Parkway is formed of a set (800 not HST?) that starts its roster from Bristol Parkway and turns back at Reading.

Does this means it's likeky to be on diesel, or will Stoke Gifford be able to do the requisite pan checks on Sunday morning and allow it to run on electric?

Sean

 

[JN114]

May or may not be relevant, but I was on a Bristol (TM but via Parkway) 800 yesterday which very obviously left Didcot on diesel power.

Yes, IETs continue to use Diesel between Didcot (stopping) / Moreton Cutting (Non-stopping) and Wantage Road to get around the 60mph EMU speed limit under Steventon bridge - this will continue for the foreseeable future.

 

[59CosG95]

5 portals appear to have gone up on the eastern approach to Cardiff Central; 3 of them are over St. Mary's Street bridge. More are also up to the east.
https://flic.kr/p/2csLBgk, https://flic.kr/p/2b5TWLd, and https://flic.kr/p/2b5TXmS.

 

[RichardGore]

Yes, IETs continue to use Diesel between Didcot (stopping) / Moreton Cutting (Non-stopping) and Wantage Road to get around the 60mph EMU speed limit under Steventon bridge - this will continue for the foreseeable future.

How foreseeable future really is this foreseeable future? As in for at least the next few months or are we expecting this to be a permanent quirk of the GWML?

 

[Mintona]

Thanks.

I note there is a block between Paddington and Reading until mid-morning on Sun 30 Dec and that the first westbound train from Reading via Parkway is formed of a set (800 not HST?) that starts its roster from Bristol Parkway and turns back at Reading.

Does this means it's likeky to be on diesel, or will Stoke Gifford be able to do the requisite pan checks on Sunday morning and allow it to run on electric?

Sean

If the set comes off Stoke Gifford it is fine to use electric unless it is already listed as a diesel only unit. There’s no specific restriction that trains coming off Stoke Gifford can only use diesel until they get to North Pole, it’s just that if they do have that restriction they can only be fixed and cleared to return to electric at North Pole (at present). I hope that makes sense at 0350 on a Saturday.

There are currently around 8 sets running with a diesel-only restriction, so you would have to be pretty unlucky for it to be one of those 8 but I guess it isn’t impossible.

 

[59CosG95]

A number of Mk3 1990s-era headspans have been replaced by Series 1 equipment in the Southall area, in connection with the track renewals work there. Tomorrow's closure will likely result in final registration of the OLE on the new steelwork.

Many more headspans have been replaced with portal booms between Paddington and North Pole as well.

 

[jimm]

How foreseeable future really is this foreseeable future? As in for at least the next few months or are we expecting this to be a permanent quirk of the GWML?

Network Rail has apparently lodged an appeal with the Planning Inspectorate against the district council's refusal of listed building consent to demolish the existing bridge, so an inspector should be looking at the matter shortly.

 

[Kettledrum]

This is the bridge in question:

 

[Bikeman78]

GWML Electrification: State of Play, as of 24/12/18.

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.

I went for a walk to the footbridge between Wentloog freightliner and Pengam sidings on Boxing day. The OHL appears to be complete on all four lines on that section. Not sure how far the wires go.

 

[59CosG95]

I went for a walk to the footbridge between Wentloog freightliner and Pengam sidings on Boxing day. The OHL appears to be complete on all four lines on that section. Not sure how far the wires go.

Thanks for the confirmation there John. @oglord - do you know the extent of wires down this way?

 

[HowardGWR]

This is the bridge in question:

Thanks and well done jimm for reporting the appeal. Do we know if the design is future-proofed for four tracks, or was it just an Outline Application, as opposed to a Detailed one?

 

[oglord]

Thanks for the confirmation there John. @oglord - do you know the extent of wires down this way?

I have only ventured as far as Coedkernew, and it certainly doesn't reach as far as there.

 

[DidcotDickie]

Should be all on electric heading to Bristol Parkway from the 30th. Will be on diesel from Swindon if heading to Chippenham.

Reported by Garry Keenor on Twitter (@25Kv) that the first eastbound IET in passenger service on electric from Bristol Parkway has run this morning.

https://twitter.com/25kV/status/1079295551617798144
(thread shows a number of video clips and photos taken at Bristol Parkway and on the move)

Presume this was 1A08, the 8:28 from Bristol Parkway to Reading (there is an engineering block into Padd today so IETs are turning round at Reading)

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/C55535/2018/12/30/advanced

 

[Sean Emmett]

Not sure aboit the 08.28, but can confirm 08.53 came off Stoke Gifford on diesel then switched to AC in the platform at Parkway. 800 301.
Into Sodbury Tunnel at 118 mph. Overall time ruined by signal stop.

 

[jimm]

Thanks and well done jimm for reporting the appeal. Do we know if the design is future-proofed for four tracks, or was it just an Outline Application, as opposed to a Detailed one?

I posted some weeks ago that Jo Johnson (prior to his resignation as Rail Minister) had said in Parliament that an appeal had been lodged.

The point at issue is not the design and installation of a replacement bridge - that is for Network Rail to determine under permitted development powers as the operator of railway infrastructure, though they will as a courtesy ask the council for its comments.

The council planning committee decision and the subsequent appeal to the Planning Inspectorate are over the question of listed building consent being given for demolition of the existing bridge. Network Rail needs to have that consent before it can send in demolition contractors.

If the bridge was not Grade II listed, Network Rail could have taken knocked it down whenever it liked as a result of the powers contained in the 19th century Act of Parliament authorising construction of the Great Western Railway.

 

[59CosG95]

Some images of the Mk3 replacement by Series 1 equipment at Southall over the past few days (taken yesterday). Assume further progress will be made during today's blockade.

 

[jyte]

Interesting they went will full replacement rather than conversion as seen on the Paddington end.

Headspans around Ealing were replaced about this time last year, wonder how many will be left between airport junction and Paddington when they're done.

 

[59CosG95]

Interesting they went will full replacement rather than conversion as seen on the Paddington end.

Headspans around Ealing were replaced about this time last year, wonder how many will be left between airport junction and Paddington when they're done.

There are a couple east of Ealing Broadway which are de-registered from the Mains, but still support the wires over the Reliefs.
At Southall and Hayes & Harlington, TTCs have universally taken charge - the western end of the goods loop at Southall was also re-registered on new equipment.
At least one headspan also remains over the platforms at Acton Main Line & West Ealing, and Hanwell is entirely head-spanned (as it's listed), and much of the area near OOC still has 1990s equipment - though I suspect that may change when construction of OOC's station begins...