Great Western Electrification Progress

[hwl]

Will the pan reach the required height?
Is the contact wire low enough for the pans to reach?
Just a couple of inches! So that's OK then. Like the road in Australia built to connect two states across the outback - both states built their section of road to the border, but not at the same point on the border, which rendered the road rather useless.
Have management learnt from this mistake, or is it going to re-occur in the future?

Yes.
Yes.
Just a couple of centimetres - See post 8236
This is no different to tweaking the pans on 2 of the 319s to do the initial channel tunnel runs (Eurotunnel has a contact wire height 24cm higher than those level crossings were meant to be and virtually identical pantographs are used in the channel tunnel).

 

[The Ham]

Will the pan reach the required height?
Is the contact wire low enough for the pans to reach?
Just a couple of inches! So that's OK then. Like the road in Australia built to connect two states across the outback - both states built their section of road to the border, but not at the same point on the border, which rendered the road rather useless.
Have management learnt from this mistake, or is it going to re-occur in the future?

It's happened closer to home (but vertically)

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-38384483

A housing estate has been split in two by a fence because of a 1ft height difference in a road between two halves of the development.

 

[Grumbler]

Yes.
Yes.
Just a couple of centimetres - See post 8236
This is no different to tweaking the pans on 2 of the 319s to do the initial channel tunnel runs (Eurotunnel has a contact wire height 24cm higher than those level crossings were meant to be and virtually identical pantographs are used in the channel tunnel).

So what again was the problem? I thought it was that the contact wire was too high for the pans?
Themods for the Tunnel were for special runs, not for everyday service, and carried out prior to attempting the runs.

 

[hwl]

So what again was the problem? I thought it was that the contact wire was too high for the pans?
Themods for the Tunnel were for special runs, not for everyday service, and carried out prior to attempting the runs.

As I understand it: The contact wire height over LCs in traditional UK electrification is 5.8m hence Pan overheight sensors limits being set about 6.0m to give a good margin for the wiring being lifted by the pan etc. but the design spec actually says 6.24m max normal working height (+ margins and tolerances). On the GW electrification the LC contact wire height is 6.00m hence the problems with some of the overheight sensors being set to low for GW LC use but OK for the rest of the UK. Solution adjust sensor or software as appropriate.

 

[edwin_m]

As I understand it: The contact wire height over LCs in traditional UK electrification is 5.8m hence Pan overheight sensors limits being set about 6.0m to give a good margin for the wiring being lifted by the pan etc. but the design spec actually says 6.24m max normal working height (+ margins and tolerances). On the GW electrification the LC contact wire height is 6.00m hence the problems with some of the overheight sensors being set to low for GW LC use but OK for the rest of the UK. Solution adjust sensor or software as appropriate.

And modify the standard so that new trains are set to cope with a 6.24m height including allowance for tolerances and any drift over time. Anything approved to run on the GWR would need to comply with this new standard, but older stock would be grandfathered to continue on its existing routes. One more minor point to add to the hundreds needing to be checked as part of clearing stock for a route.

 

[mr_jrt]

Why even have that sort of variance between lines? 5.8m or 6m - pick one and stick to it. If you decide there's a good enough reason to change it (and it had better be a good reason), adjust it everywhere so there's always just one standard. Surely adjusting the height of the OHLE is bread and butter for NR, especially given how few LCs we have on electrified lines.

 

[Emblematic]

Why even have that sort of variance between lines? 5.8m or 6m - pick one and stick to it. If you decide there's a good enough reason to change it (and it had better be a good reason), adjust it everywhere so there's always just one standard. Surely adjusting the height of the OHLE is bread and butter for NR, especially given how few LCs we have on electrified lines.

To what end? Why change anything that's in place and functioning, without a good reason? In many cases there will be nearby structures that will limit how high the wires can go, which may be far from ideal. Even within one scheme, you will often have conflicting requirements which mean that the wires will be at varying heights at differing locations. Steventon is the obvious example on the GWR.

 

[deltic08]

So what again was the problem? I thought it was that the contact wire was too high for the pans?
Themods for the Tunnel were for special runs, not for everyday service, and carried out prior to attempting the runs.

The adjustments have probably been made by now. Just go for a lie down. It will pass.

 

[hwl]

And modify the standard so that new trains are set to cope with a 6.24m height including allowance for tolerances and any drift over time. Anything approved to run on the GWR would need to comply with this new standard, but older stock would be grandfathered to continue on its existing routes. One more minor point to add to the hundreds needing to be checked as part of clearing stock for a route.

The Pans are all physically capable of running at 6.24m except the overheight limit has usually* been adjusted far lower to reduce the scale of major OHLE damage on most routes iof something does go wrong. *The exception are the 92s

 

[hwl]

Why even have that sort of variance between lines? 5.8m or 6m - pick one and stick to it. If you decide there's a good enough reason to change it (and it had better be a good reason), adjust it everywhere so there's always just one standard. Surely adjusting the height of the OHLE is bread and butter for NR, especially given how few LCs we have on electrified lines.

Over height vehicles with pointy shapes have an occasion tendency to get zapped* at 5.8m so moving to 6.0m reduces the risk, this is only really sensible to do on Series 1 as the normal contact wire height is also higher.

*e.g. Car aerial on a car on the top of car transporter on the ECML.

 

[59CosG95]

GWML Electrification: State of Play, as of 7/1/19.
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.
• 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 complete.
• 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 structures 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, however, 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.
• Swindon Cocklebury Sidings in operation for Class 387 stabling as of 2/1/19.

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, and both earth wires have been fully run.
• 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

• Wires from Wootton Bassett Jct to Bristol Parkway in passenger service since 30/12/18.
• BPW Platforms fully wired, along with the Down Goods Loop & Up Passenger Loop.
• Live wires continue 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.
  • 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 - not yet known if it can service units on AC power.
• 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 next year - hopefully sooner!

• 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.
• Virtually all masts & booms (where relevant) now in position at Severn Tunnel Junction. Cantilevers/SPS also in evidence.
• Feeder cables now hang from both the eastern set and western set of Switchgear Masts.
• 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).
• Wires up across all 4 tracks between Pengam Jct & Wentloog FLT - lengths of these are all unknown.
• 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.
• Over the bridge over St. Mary's Street in Cardiff (just east of Central), and immediately to the west of the bridge, 5 portal booms spanning all tracks have gone up.
• 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 Blockade Works (2018):

• 6/7 to 3/12: Reduced capacity (2 lines only) for wiring work between Newport & Cardiff Ctl.
• 15/9 to 6/10, and 13/10 to 14/10: Bristol Parkway electrified.
• 27/10 to 18/11, 24-25/11, 1-2/12: Filton Bank 4-tracked.
• 11/11: Bristol TM to Bath Spa resignalled.
• December blockades at Bristol Parkway & Didcot Parkway done.

GWML/SWML Blockade Works (2019):

• 25/12/18 to 1/1/19: Bristol Parkway - Newport was blockaded for electrification work at Severn Tunnel Junction.
• 20/1/19: Newport to Bridgend blockaded (inc. Cardiff Central) for electrification work AT Cardiff Central.
• 10/2/19: Newport to Bridgend blockaded (inc. Cardiff Central) for electrification work AT Cardiff Central.
• 17/2/19: Bristol Parkway to Newport blockaded for electrification work, presumably at Severn Tunnel Jct.
• 31/3/19: Newport to Bridgend blockaded (inc. Cardiff Central) for electrification work AT Cardiff Central.
• 19/4/19 to 22/4/19: Bristol Parkway to Newport blockaded for electrification work in the Severn Tunnel.
• 27/4/19 to 28/4/19: Bristol Parkway to Newport blockaded for electrification work in the Severn Tunnel.
• More Blockades will follow; details as they become available.

Berks & Hants Line (Reading-Newbury) - LIVE
Electric trains in squadron service.

• 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.
• Class 387s are now in service on Reading-Newbury services as of 31/12/18.
• 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.
• Platforms extended 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 (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).

 

[Richard Scott]

Quite a number of masts have appeared in Undy and Magor over the holiday period, some complete with booms and wire supports (sorry not sure what correct terms for these are) and tensioners. The pile that was left sticking out of the ground by the vets in undy appears to have been sorted.

 

[oglord]

Wiring now appears complete from Bristol Parkway (and therefore Paddington) to the A403 tunnel just shy of the Severn Tunnel eastern portal. This includes the overrun section of BSW from Patchway towards Filton Abbey Wood, and even a short section of the chord linking it to the Henbury Loop.

 

[59CosG95]

Wiring now appears complete from Bristol Parkway (and therefore Paddington) to the A403 tunnel just shy of the Severn Tunnel eastern portal. This includes the overrun section of BSW from Patchway towards Filton Abbey Wood, and even a short section of the chord linking it to the Henbury Loop.

Excellent observations there, oglord! I assume the "gap" between the tunnels is still unwired?

 

[oglord]

I assume the "gap" between the tunnels is still unwired?

Yes, which is a shame as when the gap is filled it will add an additional 4 miles 28 chains and 8 yards to the total!

 

[Grumbler]

Yes, which is a shame as when the gap is filled it will add an additional 4 miles 28 chains and 8 yards to the total!

What's that in Centigrade?

 

[59CosG95]

What's that in Centigrade?

7008 metres - but for sanity's sake, let's round down to 7 kilometres!

 

[FGW_DID]

Stoke Gifford IET depot not fully energised yet, only the Arrival road and sidings are. The stabling roads and Departure road are still currently Blocked to Electric Traction.

 

[3973EXL]

GWML Electrification: State of Play, as of 7/1/19.


Berks & Hants Line (Reading-Newbury) - LIVE
Electric trains in squadron service.

• 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 in use.
photo from 5/11/18. Still the same today.

 

[59CosG95]

View attachment 57720 platform in use.
View attachment 57721 photo from 5/11/18. Still the same today.

Thanks very much for the updates @3973EXL; I'll amend those points for next week's update.

 

[Dren Ahmeti]

Some very quickly snapped photos of 387140 at Reading West the other day, brought a giddy smile to my face seeing these down the Westbury line!

Spoiler

[\SPOILER]

 

[MikePJ]

Story in New Civil Engineer today with suggested in-service dates: https://www.newcivilengineer.com/la...lectrification-delayed-again/10038626.article

In its Enhancement Delivery Plan, Network Rail confirmed that electrification works between Cardiff Central Railway Station from Bristol Parkway will be authorised for passenger use in November 2019, but new dual-mode Hitachi trains will not run on electric power on that section of the line until January 2020.

 

[deltic08]

Story in New Civil Engineer today with suggested in-service dates: https://www.newcivilengineer.com/la...lectrification-delayed-again/10038626.article

Incredible. BPW-STJ is almost complete leaving about 25 miles of track almost fully masted. How can that take a year to finish off? Can they go any slower without stopping?

I hope BPW-Newport can be energised and used before May. Only about ten miles of wiring from tunnel west portal needed.

 

[oglord]

Incredible. BPW-STJ is almost complete leaving about 25 miles of track almost fully masted. How can that take a year to finish off? Can they go any slower without stopping?

I hope BPW-Newport can be energised and used before May. Only about ten miles of wiring from tunnel west portal needed.

Entirely my thoughts too. I hope this is just a case of under-promising and over-delivering. Alas, the plan states that there will be no incremental opening -- we will need to wait until the very last wire on the entire project is installed and tested before anything runs electrically west of BPW.

 

[MikePJ]

From what I understand of the process from seeing how things have progressed so far: the structures go up, the wiring goes in, everything gets inspected, there's some electrical testing and then the wiring "goes live". There's then more testing to check things like interference with signalling before the wiring can be authorised for the first trains to use it, and then further compatibility checks when other types of trains are introduced. I suspect the NCE piece is flagging up that interference issues with the Class 800s are expected to take time to resolve - maybe some key piece of signalling immunisation has to be done over a Christmas blockade? I guess it's possible that they may do the early stage testing with a 387 - there was talk of having them cleared to Cardiff, wasn't there? Happy to be corrected by those who have a better grasp of the details.

 

[Phil G]

What about the Chippenham branch of the main line, wires are all in, why not turn that on now? Went over Langley burrel farm bridge yesterday and there were large new danger signs fixed to the parapets. The compound is still brightly lit at night and has a number of aerial access platforms but not a lot else. Wondering when they'll close it.

 

[JN114]

Are all the wires complete to Chippenham? There’s ATF still to do certainly; and there hasn’t been an energisation notice yet so they must be several weeks, if not months, at the very least before being ready to even test, never mind go for sign off from ORR.

Not all the work involved is visible.

 

[Phil G]

Are all the wires complete to Chippenham? There’s ATF still to do certainly; and there hasn’t been an energisation notice yet so they must be several weeks, if not months, at the very least before being ready to even test, never mind go for sign off from ORR.

Not all the work involved is visible.

I understand that the wires are complete with only ATF left to do from Christian Malford (3 or 4 miles). It was the energisation I was wondering about as that's the first step.

 

[Envoy]

I find it incredible that with so much work done already, it will take another year until electric traction is running to Cardiff.

 

[Grumbler]

I find it incredible that with so much work done already, it will take another year until electric traction is running to Cardiff.

Before WW2 the Southern Railway managed to complete electrification projects in months, compared to Network Rail which faffs around for years before delivering.