Great Western Electrification Progress

[R G NOW.]

Does anyone know when BPW to Newport is to go live!!, I am very excited, if a member could explain, it would calm my nerves.

 

[swt_passenger]

Does anyone know when BPW to Newport is to go live!!, I am very excited, if a member could explain, it would calm my nerves.

Bristol - Cardiff in one section in late 2019 was stated a few pages ago.

 

[R G NOW.]

Bristol - Cardiff in one section in late 2019 was stated a few pages ago.

Well i'm blowed if I could find an answer before posting, went through this thread like a hawk, but still could not see it. Time for glasses I think.

 

[swt_passenger]

Well i'm blowed if I could find an answer before posting, went through this thread like a hawk, but still could not see it. Time for glasses I think.

It’s in Post #8272 which is quoting New Civil Engineer, who are themselves quoting Network Rail’s published enhancement delivery plan.

 

[R G NOW.]

It’s in Post #8272 which is quoting New Civil Engineer, who are themselves quoting Network Rail’s published enhancement delivery plan.

Thank you, have read that and it has calmed my nerves. Looking like early next year,but if the contractor gets a move on, could be this year.

Would it of reached Swansea, if we still had eu money poring in? And why did it go over budget? I would of assumed that it of been costed per mile and at a certain price.

 

[59CosG95]

Would it of reached Swansea, if we still had eu money poring in? And why did it go over budget? I would of assumed that it of been costed per mile and at a certain price.

It was originally costed that way AIUI, but with the High Output Plant System...which didn't really deliver the promised results.
More traditional (and slower) methods were then employed. As to the going over budget/late running, there's far too many constraints to list off the top of my head.

(If you've an evening free and wish to dedicate it to trying to unravel the mystery, make yourself a cuppa and read through 280 pages - you'll need all night!)

Who knows if OLE would have reached Swansea, if the EU were funding NR/The Senedd? The majority of the Welsh Leave voters (mainly Labour voters, who voted against Remain-voting Conservative PM David Cameron, most likely in protest) probably wouldn't have cared.
(With all due respect to any Welsh Labour Leavers on this forum!)

 

[Non Multi]

Thank you, have read that and it has calmed my nerves. Looking like early next year,but if the contractor gets a move on, could be this year.

Would it of reached Swansea, if we still had eu money poring in? And why did it go over budget? I would of assumed that it of been costed per mile and at a certain price.

In the July 2016 edition of Modern Railways, Roger Ford wrote about GWEP's somewhat limited EU funding. By chasing EU Trans-European Networks funding (up to 2016: a €11,085,000 contribution to an originally £800 Million electrification budget), it may have made the project more costly as they had to design to comply with the European Technical Specifications for Interoperabilty (TSI) in order to receive EU funds. HM Treasury wanted the EU TENs funding, rather than seek a derogation from Europe (which possibly could have saved money). €11,085,000 buys 3 track miles of electrification.

 

[mds86]

After travelling from Cardiff to Paddington and back on Saturday, my observations of the South Wales route is as follows:

Wiring appears complete going westwards almost as far as the eastern portal to the Severn Tunnel - maybe one wire run to complete to connect up to the conductor rail in the tunnel.

Between the western portal and Newport, about 95% of the masts are up, most with small part steelwork in place ready for wiring. Some wire runs are also in place alongside the old Llanwern Steelworks.
The biggest area without masts is through the East Usk yard. Odd masts are also missing in places but I would assume these are the most difficult to install and require a one-off solution that is taking a bit of additional time.

Most of the masts seem to be up through Newport station, but after the Newport tunnels and through the Alexandra Dock sidings, there appears to be very little in the way of masts and foundations. After these sidings, almost all the masts appear to be up all the way to the east of Cardiff Central station, again with most small part steelwork fitted, and a few wire runs installed as the railway passes through the Rumney area.

I didn't get much chance to look at the approach to Cardiff Central from the west, but I couldn't see anything electrification related so I assume there must be a fair bit of work still to do here.

There was an engineering blockage between Newport and Cardiff today so hopefully a bit more work has been completed since my trip.

 

[coppercapped]

Thank you, have read that and it has calmed my nerves. Looking like early next year,but if the contractor gets a move on, could be this year.

Would it of reached Swansea, if we still had eu money poring in? And why did it go over budget? I would of assumed that it of been costed per mile and at a certain price.

If you really want to know the details of the cost and schedule overruns I recommend the National Audit Office's report, 'Modernising the Great Western Railway'. The report may be found here.

There is often a complete misunderstanding of how EU funding is paid to projects in the UK - and this is one of them. EU funding, in this country at least because it is a net contributor to the EU, is treated as a REPLACEMENT for money from the Treasury. EU funds are not, and never have been, an ADDITION to Treasury money. In recipient countries, Spain or Greece for example, EU funds are in addition to funding from the local Government.

 

[R G NOW.]

Thank you for that. I cannot thank you enough for that riveting read, well done!. In that report it looks like the pacers are heading for the bin, but does that also apply to transport for wales, that also had some.

As for other schemes, Oxford looks like by 2024 along with bath,Filton bank, Cardiff to Swansea to be electrified.

 

[davetheguard]

Thank you for that. I cannot thank you enough for that riveting read, well done!. In that report it looks like the pacers are heading for the bin, but does that also apply to transport for wales, that also had some.

As for other schemes, Oxford looks like by 2024 along with bath,Filton bank, Cardiff to Swansea to be electrified.

Cardiff to Swansea electrification is CANCELLED unless something has changed that I've missed. The others may or may not happen in CP6.

 

[R G NOW.]

Wish they would sort themselves out, so we know where we all stand.
Where did you find out, that it had been cancelled.

 

[59CosG95]

Here's an idea of where we presently stand...

GWML Electrification: State of Play, as of 11/2/19.
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.
• 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 (to be considered) LIVE (but not signed off for passenger use) from Wootton Bassett Jct to Christian Malford (93m 31ch) as of 10/2/2019.
• Catenary, contact & Earth wires are up over/adj. to both lines from Cocklebury Lane to Wootton Bassett Jct.
• Limit of AT Feeding: the Auto-Transformer at Christian Malford.

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.
• All 6 through Lines at Bristol Parkway have been wired and are live.
• 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.
  • Limit of Live Wires on the Filton Lines (+ Down Bristol Parkway Relief): 112m 23ch.
  • Limit of Live Wires on the Charfield Lines (from Westerleigh Jct): 120m 59ch.
• 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

• Stoke Gifford IET Depot all wired - only the arrival road & sidings are energised. Some roads may also be energised, however the wheel lathe road is dead from the lathe shed to the buffer stops.
• Patchway Tunnels conductor rail installed.
• Wires extend westwards from Filton Jct through Patchway and Pilning (across all lines) to Ableton Lane Tunnel (10m 51ch to 10m 55ch; from Bristol Temple Meads); this carries the A403 over the line and is the last tunnel before the Severn Tunnel.
• Cattybrook Brickworks Bridge closed since 18/3/18.

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 Tunnel line (perhaps all of them?) are now up at Caldicot, just before the Western tunnel mouth; these now extend westwards towards the eastern end of the platforms at STJ.
• All large steelwork now appears to be in position at Severn Tunnel Junction; roughly 85-90% of the cantilevers/SPS/Tensorex is also up. (NB: This includes the overruns towards Caldicot on the lines to Chepstow.)
• Feeder cables now hang from both the eastern set and western set of Switchgear Masts.
• Masts going up between the M4 Bridge & 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.
  • West of the 4 Magor TTCs, a Portal (due to take mid-point anchor terminations) has gone up.
  • 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.
  • Plenty of TTCs (all of them, perhaps?) and a 4-track portal are up between the A4810 and the bridge over the eastern end of Bishton Flyover. Steelwork (mainly TTCs) continues to a large Tensorex Anchor Portal at 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 East Usk Yard, 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.
• 6-track portals, probably TGBUs (aka Thumpin' Great Big-Uns) going up aroung East Usk Yard (approx. MP157 1/2); this area currently constitutes the biggest gap in steelwork east of Newport.
• 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.
• About 3 portal masts have now gone up over the eastern throat of the station; to join the 2 "square-section" portal booms and single Tensorex "TGBU" boom already in the offing.SPS and Tensorex drums are now starting to go up on these 3 structures.
• The northern pair of tracks and the southern 4 tracks now have all their steelwork up in the central part of the station; about 90% of the SPS is up too.
• Two six-track portals are 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.

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.
• Almost all steelwork up from Ebbw Jct to Long Dyke Jct (169m 35ch) east of Cardiff Central; most SPS is now up too.
• Wires up across all 4 tracks between Pengam Jct (168m 40ch) & Wentloog FLT (in the Rumney area) - lengths of these are all unknown.
• About 4 or 5 portals have been erected just west of Pengam Jct; 5 masts are up on the Up side east of Rover Lane bridge, complemented by 2 on the Down side.
• 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.
• Just east of St. Mary's St Bridge, 2 hexagonal Tensorex Portals have been erected over all tracks.
• 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.
• An Anchor Portal (of the hexagonal "TGBU" variety) has gone up over P2/3, just east of the canopies. This is the first portal over the Through Lines.
• Adjacent to that, a TTC for the P4 line has also been erected.
• Canopy cut-back work now underway (complete?) 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. A number of these now appear to have masts on them, as seen from a westward-facing shot from Central. Portals next?
• 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.
• Christmas-New Year Blockade at Severn Tunnel Jct done.

GWML/SWML Blockade Works (2019):

• 20/1/19: Newport to Bridgend blockaded (inc. Cardiff Central) for electrification work AT Cardiff Central; done.
• 10/2/19: Newport to Bridgend blockaded (inc. Cardiff Central) for electrification work AT Cardiff Central; done.
• 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.
• Foot access from Reading West's Down platform to Oxford Rd has been repositioned - work might be soon beginning on a permanent footbridge replacement.
• Completion of parapet work for Tilehurst Rd overbridge is due to be in February, around the 24th. More fixings are now on the south parapet, and work has begun on adding fixings to the north parapet, behind the Heras fencing.
• Platforms extended at Reading West, 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).

 

[JN114]

Wish they would sort themselves out, so we know where we all stand.
Where did you find out, that it had been cancelled.

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/busin...electrification-swansea-cardiff-been-13357575

 

[ArchieWoodbine]

Both lines are (to be considered) LIVE (but not signed off for passenger use) from Wootton Bassett Jct to Christian Malford (93m 31ch) as of 10/2/2019

Alas, were that the case. Powering-up of this section has been delayed; new date TBC. I believe this was as a result of the inclement weather the week before, hindering works.

 

[R G NOW.]

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/busin...electrification-swansea-cardiff-been-13357575

That came as a shock!!, seems like they have done a u turn. I was led to believe, back in 2012 they were going to do from Paddington to Swansea, what the hell.

 

[59CosG95]

That came as a shock!!, seems like they have done a u turn. I was led to believe, back in 2012 they were going to do from Paddington to Swansea, what the hell.

Emphasis on the "they were", sadly.

As discussed at length on this thread, with fairly justified wailing & gnashing of teeth, Chris Grayling threw Cardiff-Swansea, Oxenholme-Windermere, and Kettering-Nottingham/Derby/Sheffield out of the window - the then-undecided extent of TransPennine electrification was also affected, as the cat's basically out of the bag that the section between Stalybridge & Huddersfield will remain unelectrified for the time being.

He had the gall to cite "reduction of disruptive engineering works" (or words to that effect) as the reasoning behind the cancellations, when the universally acknowledged truth was that the DafT were doing it purely as a cost-cutting exercise.

 

[59CosG95]

Alas, were that the case. Powering-up of this section has been delayed; new date TBC. I believe this was as a result of the inclement weather the week before, hindering works.

Ah, that is indeed a shame, but very much unavoidable in the circs!

 

[superkev]

Emphasis on the "they were", sadly.

As discussed at length on this thread, with fairly justified wailing & gnashing of teeth, Chris Grayling threw Cardiff-Swansea, Oxenholme-Windermere, and Kettering-Nottingham/Derby/Sheffield out of the window - the then-undecided extent of TransPennine electrification was also affected, as the cat's basically out of the bag that the section between Stalybridge & Huddersfield will remain unelectrified for the time being.

He had the gall to cite "reduction of disruptive engineering works" (or words to that effect) as the reasoning behind the cancellations, when the universally acknowledged truth was that the DafT were doing it purely as a cost-cutting exercise.

Sad the politicians and other over promoted clerks who seem to run things these days seem to think that engineering can be turned on and off like a tap and experienced engineers can materialise out of thin air.
Witness the amount of skill and plant currently layed up as the various schemes near completion.
I wonder who was responsible for the electric (sorry bi mode) depot being built at Swansea without any wires to it, or, delaying the Man Vic- stalybridge wiring when the feeder was at the stalybridge end needing a million plus extension lead (still not finished). Could have added many more
Useless the lot of them. End of moan.
Ex engineer
K

 

[ainsworth74]

If anyone does want to talk about the cancellation of the Cardiff - Swansea electrification please use the existing thread here. Otherwise lets focus on what's actually happening and not what should have happened.

Thanks,
ainsworth74

 

[Mintona]

I have to go to Cardiff soon. I’ve not been there in daylight for a long time so interested to see how different things might look now.

It’s hard to get a proper feel for it in the dark!

 

[dave_sigs]

[
GWML Electrification: State of Play, as of 11/2/19.
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.

Update for you on Swansea IEP Depot (aka Carriage Cleaners Corner) -
All electrical insulators, drops and booms have now been removed from Morfa IEP Depot.
Typical pictures attached taken July 2017 showing haw far they got and this morning showing bare steelwork.

 

[ArchieWoodbine]

[
GWML Electrification: State of Play, as of 11/2/19.
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.

Update for you on Swansea IEP Depot (aka Carriage Cleaners Corner) -
All electrical insulators, drops and booms have now been removed from Morfa IEP Depot.
Typical pictures attached taken July 2017 showing haw far they got and this morning showing bare steelwork.
View attachment 59124 View attachment 59125

Good spot. I suppose there’s no point it sitting there when it could be used more productively elsewhere. I reckon in a good few decades, if this forum is still going, those bare OLE masts will feature in some sort “railway oddities” thread...

“Does anyone know why Maliphant has these portals over the track? They almost look like OLE gantries...”

 

[Linda.smith]

Whilst on a recent journey fromn Newport to london, i noted that the class 800 that i was on, remained under diesel power until Didcot before switching to electric. I seemed to be a similar thing on the way back, being diesel after Swindon. Does anyone know why the usage of the overhead wires seem to be patchy on the weekends? Was just wondering because i actually thought that all the lines to Bristol parkway were now fully energised & being used on a daily basis. However, after that recent jounrey, this doesn`t seem to be the case.

Does anyone know if they are still doing weekend "tweaks" on the new wires, which could explain this patchy use of the overhead supply.

 

[59CosG95]

Whilst on a recent journey fromn Newport to london, i noted that the class 800 that i was on, remained under diesel power until Didcot before switching to electric. I seemed to be a similar thing on the way back, being diesel after Swindon. Does anyone know why the usage of the overhead wires seem to be patchy on the weekends? Was just wondering because i actually thought that all the lines to Bristol parkway were now fully energised & being used on a daily basis. However, after that recent jounrey, this doesn`t seem to be the case.

Does anyone know if they are still doing weekend "tweaks" on the new wires, which could explain this patchy use of the overhead supply.

Some Class 800s have individual faults which mean that they're on a diesel-only restriction.
Alternatively, some drivers are only trained on diesel, rather than diesel and AC.
Thirdly, it could be a Temporary Operating Notice restricting the use of electric traction on that stretch.

 

[oglord]

New runs of catenary and contact wire have been installed on the main lines at the western end of Llanwern steelworks, taking the continuous run from the Llanwern East junction past the West junction and under the A48 overbridge.

 

[Linda.smith]

New runs of catenary and contact wire have been installed on the main lines at the western end of Llanwern steelworks, taking the continuous run from the Llanwern East junction past the West junction and under the A48 overbridge.

Out and about in Newport today, and there are now new cantenaries going up over the river usk bridge in Newport.

Also there are earth wires being installed on the down relief line heading east from just after the Bishton level crossing which i saw in progress this afternoon (17/02/2019)

 

[59CosG95]

Out and about in Newport today, and there are now new cantenaries going up over the river usk bridge in Newport.

Also there are earth wires being installed on the down relief line heading east from just after the Bishton level crossing which i saw in progress this afternoon (17/02/2019)

Oo fancy! Did you happen to get any photos of either activity?

 

[oglord]

Out and about in Newport today, and there are now new cantenaries going up over the river usk bridge in Newport.

Walking over Newport Bridge yesterday evening to the Man City game I looked over at the rail bridge and saw the brackets that had been installed on the outside of the bridge and wondered when they would getting masts! Glad to see some decent progress at last.

 

[Linda.smith]