Great Western Electrification Progress

[59CosG95]

Back to electrification, the compound east of Chippenham next to Langley bridge looked like it was being wound down when I went past yesterday.

Great news indeed! Do the wires look particularly complete round there?

 

[3973EXL]

Earth wire is up at the Bath Road footbridge on the B&H, don’t know the limits of it.
The aforementioned piles in Reading West station are going to be abandoned in place by Murphy’s until NR sort out a new rail bridge, but not until they get a new solution to the bridge.

Just Reading side of the bridge to the existing wires at MP38 1/4.

Earth wire now up to Oxford Rd junction on the upside. Also on the down from Tilehurst Rd bridge to Southcote Jn and both sides of the Basingstoke overrun.
Catenary wire up, Reading West up platform.

Full wire run on the up from London side of Southcote Jn to London side of the A4 bridge.
Footbridge piles on the up side have been cut back and covered over.

 

[76020]

There is a meeting next Wednesday 1st August about the demolition of Steventon Railway Bridge, quote from The Steventon Oxfordshire Village Web:- The application to demolish the bridge is now to be considered by the VWHDC planning committee on Wednesday 1st August
The latest conclusion that I could find from the Vale of White Horse District Council which was posted 08/05/18 was:-
Officers therefore consider that having assessed all viable options, on balance and regrettably, the justification for the total demolition of the bridge is necessary to deliver the substantial public benefits that electrification of the Great Western Main Line would bring.
Will the locals pull a rabbit out of the hat and stop it again?

 

[59CosG95]

Earth wire now up to Oxford Rd junction on the upside. Also on the down from Tilehurst Rd bridge to Southcote Jn and both sides of the Basingstoke overrun.
Catenary wire up, Reading West up platform.

Catenary now up through the Down platform too.

 

[Charlie M.]

Network Rail are more or less positive about responding to comments about Oxford. In comments on Twitter, replies have included “once we gather the funding” and “when the DfT advise us we will make an announcement.” Their Twitter often doesn’t make replies as well.

Bristol and Oxford would be electrified in the same phase, and if it does not happen CP6 then it won’t for a while.

I feel that if the line between Swindon/Gloucester and Cheltenham Soa would be electrified it would provide a benefit for all passengers. Between Gloucester and Kemble the highest speed I have recorded on a 166 was 56, 43 was 64 and IET (only once) 69mph. Electrification would allow the trains to accelerate and break faster and increase the IET performance. Then if Bristol, Oxford and Gloucester or Cheltenham was done speeds will increase and allow further progress to electrify more lines.

 

[D1009]

I feel that if the line between Swindon/Gloucester and Cheltenham Soa would be electrified it would provide a benefit for all passengers. Between Gloucester and Kemble the highest speed I have recorded on a 166 was 56, 43 was 64 and IET (only once) 69mph. Electrification would allow the trains to accelerate and break faster and increase the IET performance. Then if Bristol, Oxford and Gloucester or Cheltenham was done speeds will increase and allow further progress to electrify more lines.

That was the thinking until a few years ago. Welcome to the modern world.

 

[K.o.R]

I just can't get over how ugly that hardware is. High Speed 1 didn't need that sort of kit, did it?

 

[jimm]

There is a meeting next Wednesday 1st August about the demolition of Steventon Railway Bridge, quote from The Steventon Oxfordshire Village Web:- The application to demolish the bridge is now to be considered by the VWHDC planning committee on Wednesday 1st August
The latest conclusion that I could find from the Vale of White Horse District Council which was posted 08/05/18 was:-
Officers therefore consider that having assessed all viable options, on balance and regrettably, the justification for the total demolition of the bridge is necessary to deliver the substantial public benefits that electrification of the Great Western Main Line would bring.
Will the locals pull a rabbit out of the hat and stop it again?

Draw your own conclusions. This is the report sent to the planning committee's members ahead of next week's meeting:

http://democratic.whitehorsedc.gov.uk/documents/s44531/P17V1154LB - Steventon Overbridge High Street Steventon - Report.pdf

At the end it says...

5.7 Officers therefore consider that having assessed all viable options, on balance and regrettably, the justification for the total demolition of the bridge is necessary to deliver the substantial public benefits that electrification of the Great Western Main Line would bring.

So they haven't changed their position since May. I think the councillors will find it hard to justify further delay or a rejection, as Network Rail would win an appeal hands-down on the basis of the information in that report and the comments from official bodies in there.

 

[jimm]

I feel that if the line between Swindon/Gloucester and Cheltenham Soa would be electrified it would provide a benefit for all passengers. Between Gloucester and Kemble the highest speed I have recorded on a 166 was 56, 43 was 64 and IET (only once) 69mph. Electrification would allow the trains to accelerate and break faster and increase the IET performance. Then if Bristol, Oxford and Gloucester or Cheltenham was done speeds will increase and allow further progress to electrify more lines.

There is no chance of wiring from Swindon to Gloucester/Cheltenham unless and until the Birmingham-Bristol axis of the CrossCountry network is electrified.

Even an hourly London service would represent a pitifully small proportion of the trains operating in the Gloucester/Cheltenham area. Only a scheme allowing a substantial number of trains to switch to electric traction would wash its face financially.

 

[stgls]

A site compound has popped up at the base of the viaduct to the west of Winterbourne (https://goo.gl/maps/uUt3jZoeqFt), complete with rope access gear and a work platform on the southern side of the viaduct itself.

(been following this thread for ages, it's good to finally be able to make a contribution!)

 

[59CosG95]

A site compound has popped up at the base of the viaduct to the west of Winterbourne (https://goo.gl/maps/uUt3jZoeqFt), complete with rope access gear and a work platform on the southern side of the viaduct itself.

(been following this thread for ages, it's good to finally be able to make a contribution!)

Wiring that viaduct must be imminent then!

 

[hwl]

Draw your own conclusions. This is the report sent to the planning committee's members ahead of next week's meeting:

http://democratic.whitehorsedc.gov.uk/documents/s44531/P17V1154LB - Steventon Overbridge High Street Steventon - Report.pdf

At the end it says...



So they haven't changed their position since May. I think the councillors will find it hard to justify further delay or a rejection, as Network Rail would win an appeal hands-down on the basis of the information in that report and the comments from official bodies in there.

It still doesn't stop local councillors obfuscating for local political reasons (again). They can be seen to be going down fighting when they lose the appeal.

The interesting question is how quickly could NR start on site for demolition? I.e. could the wire heights be raised before year end?

 

[jimm]

I doubt many council taxpayers across the Vale of White Horse would be impressed by them wasting a lot of money on lawyers to fight an appeal that Network Rail would be nailed on to win.

Even if the demolition finally gets consent, there is still the prior approval application for the replacement bridge to be dealt with and while Network Rail may have a contractor in mind, they wouldn't be able to finalise contracts until that application is approved and there is an agreement on any conditions about materials to be used, etc, are resolved.

There would be also be uproar among local diehards if Network Rail shut and demolished the existing bridge over Christmas but didn't immediately start work on the replacement. All the ducks will need to be in a row before anything happens.

 

[3973EXL]

Catenary now up through the Down platform too.

No wires up through Reading West on the down. Earth wire and the catenary on the up are the only two.

Wouldn't expect any work until the possessions Sat and Sun night.

 

[59CosG95]

No wires up through Reading West on the down. Earth wire and the catenary on the up are the only two.

Wouldn't expect any work until the possessions Sat and Sun night.

Ahh my bad.

 

[3973EXL]

Wires Reading to Theale

Down Line
Fully wired from the existing wires at Oxford Rd Junction to between Tilehurst Rd & A4 bridges. Gap through A4 bridge towards Southcote J. Wires start again before the junction and run through the junction to before the fittings east of Theale.

Up Line
Catenary wire only Oxford Rd J through Reading West up platform. Gap to between Tilehurst Rd & A4 bridges. Then fully wired, ends before Southcote J. Gap to MP38 1/4 then wired to before fittings at Theale east.

Theale loop now fully wired on to the up at Theale east, ends in the up line gap.
Crossovers at Reading West & Theale east to wire.
Basingstoke overruns to wire, earths up.

 

[3973EXL]

Reading West Up Platform Extension Work



Theale Loop Wired

 

[MD007]

Wiring that viaduct must be imminent then!

My first post on this thread/ forum so here goes - There was a lot of activity under the Winterbourne viaduct this morning and this evening - workers being whinched up the viaduct parapets, temporary traffic lights on the road, the compound appears to have more equipment on it over the past few days.......I drive along that road most days so will have a look again very soon.

 

[Class 170101]

There is no chance of wiring from Swindon to Gloucester/Cheltenham unless and until the Birmingham-Bristol axis of the CrossCountry network is electrified.

Even an hourly London service would represent a pitifully small proportion of the trains operating in the Gloucester/Cheltenham area. Only a scheme allowing a substantial number of trains to switch to electric traction would wash its face financially.

I agree there is no chance of wiring via Kemble before Bristol to Birmingham axis is wired. However I would say it might be possible to come up with a scheme that only installs wires on that section and doesn't include a feeder station (I understand this is the expensive bit) with the feed for this route coming from either GW or future Birmingham to Bristol wiring. That being said if there is a power supply point on the route it may be wired as a means to supply the Birmingham to Bristol route (in same way Melksham is where the supply point is for Chippenham).

 

[Class 170101]

It still doesn't stop local councillors obfuscating for local political reasons (again). They can be seen to be going down fighting when they lose the appeal.

Even if the demolition finally gets consent, there is still the prior approval application for the replacement bridge to be dealt with and while Network Rail may have a contractor in mind, they wouldn't be able to finalise contracts until that application is approved and there is an agreement on any conditions about materials to be used, etc, are resolved.

Well looks like its going to drag on

http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/16392259.network-rails-steventon-bridge-plans-refused/

A HISTORIC bridge was saved from demolition after councillors voted against controversial plans to destroy the structure.



7 comments
Vale of White Horse District Council's planning committee refused Network Rail's application to demolish the grade-II listed bridge at a meeting this evening as it was unconvinced the wider national benefit had been demonstrated.

The rail company insisted the project, which would have caused a 10-month road closure and cut off a major route into the village, was the only way to electrify the line.

Tonight's decision marks a huge victory for campaigners who have spent four years rallying against the plans.

They claimed destroying the bridge would have a negative impact on businesses in the village and presented their case at this evening's meeting.

Steventon Parish Council chairman Chris Wilding was one of those to fight against the bridge's demolition and he reinforced the importance of the resolution on local businesses.

He said: "We're exceedingly delighted by the decision.

"It came out that they clearly had taken no consideration into local sustainability and economics.

"In no time since 2013 have they discussed what the effect would be on businesses in Steventon so we welcome this decision."

The bridge's future was originally due to be decided at a planning committee meeting in May, but councillors wanted further information on alternatives and opted to defer.

Representatives from Network Rail made their case at tonight's meeting in Wantage, while Matthew Barber, district councillor for Steventon and the Hanneys, spoke out against the plans.

Mr Barber hailed the committee's decision after the meeting, tweeting 'common sense prevails'.

Network Rail first proposed the plans four years ago and Steventon resident Robert Green, who campaigned against the bridge's demolition, believed tonight's decision was a logical outcome.

He said: "It's been a long road - four years working with Historic England and as the years went past it was clear the technology was all moving in our favour.

Fellow campaigner Julie Mabberley agreed, adding: "The technology is moving so fast that there's no reason to destroy something that's survived since the start of the railways just for a short term gain."

 

[Charlie M.]

We are sorry to announce that the 2017 Oxford Electrfication service is delayed by approximately 5 years. This is due to over spending, resignaling and councillors refusing bricks to be demolished for 10 months.

Please listen for further announcements whether this service will be cancelled. Thank you.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

We are sorry to announce that the 2017 Oxford Electrfication service is delayed by approximately 5 years. This is due to over spending, resignaling and councillors refusing bricks to be demolished for 10 months.

Please listen for further announcements whether this service will be cancelled. Thank you.

Brilliant

 

[hwl]

Well looks like its going to drag on

http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/16392259.network-rails-steventon-bridge-plans-refused/

The case for realigning the councils in Oxfordshire that a lot of people* don't like just appears to have got better (*the usual cry being a bigger unified council wouldn't take such an interest in local matters as the current ones do).

So the options:
1. appeal
a). Council CEO knows the committee ignored council employee advice recommending approval so doesn't both properly fighting the appeal to reduce costs
b). Council and NR spend loads on lawyers and experts and on balacne of probability the council faces a very large legal bill, they record on the matter in terms of deferring (often by more than 1 month) will also be taken into account at the appeal. Almost worth lawyering up to make the councils costs worse.

2. TWAO
In it for the long term but the presumption is for the scheme so it is harder for local (councils) to fight as the EA discovered at Werrington (they thought as they hadn't objected the inquiry would wait for their time scales /convenience till they did - the planning inspect told them otherwise! TWAOs are different)

3. DCO
Works for a defined scheme (which there is) but more prone to local interference than TWAO.

In the long term NR and HE (Highways England) will go for TWAO /DCO initially with obstructive councils (there are plenty that aren't Lancashire, Leicestershire Swindon areas have been very good)

 

[jimm]

We are sorry to announce that the 2017 Oxford Electrfication service is delayed by approximately 5 years. This is due to over spending, resignaling and councillors refusing bricks to be demolished for 10 months.

Please listen for further announcements whether this service will be cancelled. Thank you.

Er, except that it's nothing to do with electrification to Oxford, being on the GW main line west of Didcot.

The case for realigning the councils in Oxfordshire that a lot of people* don't like just appears to have got better (*the usual cry being a bigger unified council wouldn't take such an interest in local matters as the current ones do).

So the options:
1. appeal
a). Council CEO knows the committee ignored council employee advice recommending approval so doesn't both properly fighting the appeal to reduce costs
b). Council and NR spend loads on lawyers and experts and on balacne of probability the council faces a very large legal bill, they record on the matter in terms of deferring (often by more than 1 month) will also be taken into account at the appeal. Almost worth lawyering up to make the councils costs worse.

2. TWAO
In it for the long term but the presumption is for the scheme so it is harder for local (councils) to fight as the EA discovered at Werrington (they thought as they hadn't objected the inquiry would wait for their time scales /convenience till they did - the planning inspect told them otherwise! TWAOs are different)

3. DCO
Works for a defined scheme (which there is) but more prone to local interference than TWAO.

In the long term NR and HE will go for TWAO /DCO initially with obstructive councils (there are plenty that aren't Lancashire, Leicestershire Swindon areas have been very good)

Why do you think this is anything to do with a Transport and Works Act Order or anything else?

It's a planning law matter pure and simple - all that the council planning committee was being asked to decide last night was whether or not to grant listed building consent for the demolition of a listed structure.

So off to the Planning Inspectorate it will go - big bill for Vale of White Horse taxpayers for specialist lawyers and then the councillors get to blame a 'bureaucrat' planning inspector for taking a decision based on planning law and the evidence presented - which is overwhelmingly on the side of demolition.

Quite why Mr Green mentions Historic England in the article I have no idea, as the report to the committee clearly stated their position to be

No Objection

did not object last time so I think our advice can still stand.

Email of 18 July 2018 - In light of additional comments submitted it is up to LPA to make their recommendation in line with Para.132 and 133 of NPPF that demolition is demonstrably justified in order to achieve substantial public benefits that outweigh the loss of the heritage asset.

And that section of the National Planning Policy Framework is what will guide the inspector hearing the appeal.

As the reporter was clearly not at the hearing, we have no account of what was said during the debate, nor of the actual vote by the committee.

 

[hwl]

Er, except that it's nothing to do with electrification to Oxford, being on the GW main line west of Didcot.



Why do you think this is anything to do with a Transport and Works Act Order or anything else?

It's a planning law matter pure and simple - all that the council planning committee was being asked to decide last night was whether or not to grant listed building consent for the demolition of a listed structure.
.

I was just outlining all the options open to NR now the council didn't approve demolition. TWAO is the nuclear option and would also cover off the new bridge design and remove the council from directly from the process.

 

[jimm]

All Network Rail needs here is listed building consent to demolish, so that is the - simple and straightforward - avenue that they will be pursuing - not a 'nuclear option' or any other option that involves resetting the clock to zero, starting from scratch and getting into public inquiries and so on, which is what you get with the TWA process, a process that is intended to deal with large-scale projects where a number of issues need to be addressed as efficiently as possible - not the removal and replacement of one bridge.

A council is not removed from the TWA process, being one of the parties that would most certainly be represented by lawyers at the public inquiry stage to argue its case. And as was was seen in the case of work at Oxford for Chiltern's extension project, a Transport and Works Act Order can come with all manner of conditions attached by the inspector/Transport Secretary, which the relevant local council is responsible for overseeing and deciding if they have been met - and can take its own sweet time over doing that.

Whereas, if listed building consent to demolish is secured in the case of Steventon and it moves on to a prior approval process, Vale of White Horse Council does not have any power to stop anything happening, just the right to be consulted on what is planned.

 

[3973EXL]

Newbury Area Wires

As of this morning, there is still a gap on both lines east of Newbury Racecourse.

Wires complete on the DM & DPL from east of the A339 bridge to the limit of Electrification.
Bay platform wired.
UM & UPL from the limit of Electrification to east of the A339 bridge has the catenary wire up.
Newbury West crossover to wire.

There were 5 x Road/Rail vehicles working at the west of Newbury.

 

[3973EXL]

Work activity at Newbury this morning.

 

[Unclepete]

There's a brief update on the Bedwyn turnback siding in the latest Rail magazine (page 24). Looks like it's planned to be done in the August blockade at the end of the month.

 

[swt_passenger]

There's a brief update on the Bedwyn turnback siding in the latest Rail magazine (page 24). Looks like it's planned to be done in the August blockade at the end of the month.

Ah that’s encouraging. I’ve long thought it could be done very quickly once permissions were obtained, such as the previously discussed footpath diversion.