Great Western Electrification Progress

[hwl]

Does a lot of the testing involve the St Brides sub-station?

That's my guess too...

 

[Envoy]

So, why are the IET’s switching to diesel between Wantage Road & Didcot Parkway? I thought that all trains could now run through Steventon on Electric with a 110mph speed restriction?

If they are planning to use 387’s for the rugby fans going to/from Cardiff, I hope they bring their own cushions as the ironing board seats are even worse than the IET’s.

 

[59CosG95]

So, why are the IET’s switching to diesel between Wantage Road & Didcot Parkway? I thought that all trains could now run through Steventon on Electric with a 110mph speed restriction?

If they are planning to use 387’s for the rugby fans going to/from Cardiff, I hope they bring their own cushions as the ironing board seats are even worse than the IET’s.

Did an IET you were on recently do that? It could be a case of driver knowledge (or lack thereof) of the changeover, or a fault with the GUs on the IET that just so happened to coincide with the changeover sections.

 

[Muzer]

So, why are the IET’s switching to diesel between Wantage Road & Didcot Parkway? I thought that all trains could now run through Steventon on Electric with a 110mph speed restriction?

If they are planning to use 387’s for the rugby fans going to/from Cardiff, I hope they bring their own cushions as the ironing board seats are even worse than the IET’s.

Presumably because it was too late by then to change the timetable. Remember once again that these are just timing loads, ie they specify the performance characteristics of the trains for the purposes of coming up with Sectional Running Times, but nothing more. It does not necessarily have bearing on what the trains will actually do.

 

[oglord]

I just saw a westbound IET leave BPW with the pantograph up... for about 20 seconds...

 

[Steve Tasker]

Have been to Didcot Parkway quite a lot recently and every IET I have seen has pan up going both ways .

 

[swt_passenger]

Where do IETs bound for Oxford and the Cotswolds drop their pans?

 

[ATW158Xpress]

Where do IETs bound for Oxford and the Cotswolds drop their pans?

Moreton Cutting between Didcot and Cholsey.

 

[swt_passenger]

Moreton Cutting between Didcot and Cholsey.

Thanks.

 

[Envoy]

Did an IET you were on recently do that? It could be a case of driver knowledge (or lack thereof) of the changeover, or a fault with the GUs on the IET that just so happened to coincide with the changeover sections.

Not been on the GWR mainline for a few months. I got the information from :>http://charlwoodhouse.co.uk/rail/liverail/train/16881234/06/01/20

Change en route at Wantage Road
UIC code
Signalling ID 1L01
Train category XX Express Passenger
TOC Headcode
Train service code 25375002
Power type D Diesel
Timing Load 802
Speed 125 mph
Operating Characteristics
Seating Class B First and Standard.
Sleepers
Reservations S Possible.
Connection Indicator
Catering Code T
Service Branding

 

[59CosG95]

Not been on the GWR mainline for a few months. I got the information from :>http://charlwoodhouse.co.uk/rail/liverail/train/16881234/06/01/20

It's booked in the long-term timetable to do that, yes, but since the restriction was lifted a few weeks ago, it should have run with pan up.

 

[Mintona]

So, why are the IET’s switching to diesel between Wantage Road & Didcot Parkway? I thought that all trains could now run through Steventon on Electric with a 110mph speed restriction?

If they are planning to use 387’s for the rugby fans going to/from Cardiff, I hope they bring their own cushions as the ironing board seats are even worse than the IET’s.

They don’t. The changeover boards have been removed so there’s not even a place in which to change power at Steventon anymore.

The boards to the east of Didcot still exist but are for trains to and from Oxford only.

 

[JN114]

Just another case of someone else reading far too much into timing loads.

 

[Jurassicjewel]

Out of interest are there any IEP trains running with diesel only restrictions at the moment?. Hopefully none as they will probably will all need to take full advantage of the juice from December 15 for superior acceleration and keep to the new timings.

 

[II]

Out of interest are there any IEP trains running with diesel only restrictions at the moment?. Hopefully none as they will probably will all need to take full advantage of the juice from December 15 for superior acceleration and keep to the new timings.

Over the last three or four months it has rarely been above two or three units at any given time and has often been zero.

 

[MarlowDonkey]

Out of interest are there any IEP trains running with diesel only restrictions at the moment?.

Is Paddington now an electric only station with the exception of the sleeper, or are there still a few Turbo services ?

 

[II]

Still a few Turbo services, though most of the time it's a quiet haven compared with when HST's, Turbos and 180s could often be found there at the same time.

 

[swt_passenger]

Is Paddington now an electric only station with the exception of the sleeper, or are there still a few Turbo services ?

The Greenfords are a couple of the few DMUs, they still go via Paddington at the start and end of service.

 

[JN114]

It should be down to single figures Turbo departures with the December TT change - just the last couple of Oxford fasts and the first Greenford in the morning.

Presently there’s one or two daytime Oxford fasts; plus a pair of all-day 6 car Turbos on suburban workings.

 

[linuxlad7]

According to Noel Dolphin: https://twitter.com/NoelDolphin/status/1188164309563707394

"Severn Tunnel is currently live & electrified at 25kv for the first time. For testing in the run up to full switch on later this year"​

is the 25kv line through the tunnel under the Severn now giving adequate service?? .

(Where is the juice sourced from?? we are not short of fat wires in the 10 miles around

 

[swt_passenger]

Where is the juice sourced from?? (we are not short of fat wires in the 10 miles around

I believe from earlier discussions the tunnel will normally be fed from the single “Welsh” grid feed, (at St Brides?). The westernmost “English” section is fed from Thingley Jn (near Melksham), the boundary is somewhere around Bristol Parkway.

 

[edwin_m]

I believe from earlier discussions the tunnel will normally be fed from the single “Welsh” grid feed, (at St Brides?). The westernmost “English” section is fed from Thingley Jn (near Melksham), the boundary is somewhere around Bristol Parkway.

However there will be alternative arrangements provided for supply resilience, so for example Thingley presumably feeds all the way to Cardiff if the supply is lost at St Brides.

 

[anthony263]

I wonder now with it looking like electrification being back on the agenda could we see the wires being completed to Swansea, Bristol tm and oxford as well as the Thames branches etc

 

[swt_passenger]

However there will be alternative arrangements provided for supply resilience, so for example Thingley presumably feeds all the way to Cardiff if the supply is lost at St Brides.

Yes of course.

 

[Linda smith]

I believe from earlier discussions the tunnel will normally be fed from the single “Welsh” grid feed, (at St Brides?). The westernmost “English” section is fed from Thingley Jn (near Melksham), the boundary is somewhere around Bristol Parkway.

There are four welsh feeds, seven tunnel, newport, st Brides & finally cardiff Canton

 

[The Ham]

I wonder now with it looking like electrification being back on the agenda could we see the wires being completed to Swansea, Bristol tm and oxford as well as the Thames branches etc

I'd include in that list some of the B&H and the potential for some wires to allow EMU running around Bristol and maybe even Exeter.

Longer term wires to allow Portsmouth to Cardiff services (the gap is basically Bath to Southampton) which would also benefit Southampton to Salisbury services, as well as keying in with a Basingstoke to Salisbury or even Yeovil project to remove a lot of diesel services from Waterloo.

Likewise longer term keying in with Paignton to Birmingham electrification to benefit XC and GWR services.

That would mean that London to Plymouth would be mostly under wires and even London Penzance could be just over 50% under wires.

However to continue the discussion much further would likely require a new thread to be created.

 

[jimm]

I'd include in that list some of the B&H and the potential for some wires to allow EMU running around Bristol and maybe even Exeter.

Longer term wires to allow Portsmouth to Cardiff services (the gap is basically Bath to Southampton) which would also benefit Southampton to Salisbury services, as well as keying in with a Basingstoke to Salisbury or even Yeovil project to remove a lot of diesel services from Waterloo.

Likewise longer term keying in with Paignton to Birmingham electrification to benefit XC and GWR services.

That would mean that London to Plymouth would be mostly under wires and even London Penzance could be just over 50% under wires.

However to continue the discussion much further would likely require a new thread to be created.

No need to create one - one already exists in Speculative Ideas

https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/great-western-electrification-extension-suggestions.192922/

 

[swt_passenger]

There are four welsh feeds, seven tunnel, newport, st Brides & finally cardiff Canton

St Brides is the only feed from the grid. That’s where the power “comes from”...

 

[hwl]

St Brides is the only feed from the grid. That’s where the power “comes from”...

Hence energising and testing St Brides is a big step on it own.

 

[WAO]

ABB's electrification map also showed ATFS's at Canton and Long Dyke.

Seemed very close together!

WAO