Reading improvements milestones

[Ironside]

Any news on when the current ban on railtours and specials through Reading is due to finish ?

I recall that it was going to be "until further notice". I would speculate that it would be after the flyover came into use in two years time.
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Didn't know J-L Reading had any cafes/eateries??

It's had a cafe on the first floor for at least 25 years.

 

[FGW_DID]

Noticed tonight that the track has now been relaid and ballasted in platform 11.

 

[swt_passenger]

A new webcam has appeared, giving two views of the viaduct site:

http://www.lobstervision.tv/nrreading06#

One view looks westward directly at Reading West Jn, where there'll be a concrete box structure built to carry the main lines over the west curve. The other view seems to be from very near the same place, but is looking towards the east - and you can see the row of viaduct piers taking shape.

Hope this is of interest...

 

[Ironside]

A new webcam has appeared, giving two views of the viaduct site:

http://www.lobstervision.tv/nrreading06#

One view looks westward directly at Reading West Jn, where there'll be a concrete box structure built to carry the main lines over the west curve. The other view seems to be from very near the same place, but is looking towards the east - and you can see the row of viaduct piers taking shape.

Hope this is of interest...

Very interesting indeed, thanks for sharing.

 

[gwr4090]

Any news on when the current ban on railtours and specials through Reading is due to finish ?

I recall that it was going to be "until further notice". I would speculate that it would be after the flyover came into use in two years time.

I understand that there are now rail tours advertised through Reading in April 2014, so presumably the blockade will end when all the platform work is completed.

 

[swt_passenger]

Platform 11 in normal use from 1200 today, temporary P10 dismantled along most of its length. Track in London end of P10, and a couple of hundred yards towards London, all lifted.

 

[mr_moo]

Here's some pics of what plat 10 now looks like, taken this morning, all from the bridge.

Note that the supports for the new escalators appears to have been built directly on top of the old track that was covered by the temporary platform!

 

[swt_passenger]

Of course what probably really happened is that a concrete saw was used to cut the sleepers in situ, and the foundations are proper depth.

The camera never lies...

 

[hwl]

Of course what probably really happened is that a concrete saw was used to cut the sleepers in situ, and the foundations are proper depth.

The camera never lies...

Indeed (but the camera isn't lying!) the sleepers have indeed been visibly cut if you look carefully at the photos especially the close up #3.

 

[swt_passenger]

Took me some finding amongst all the general mess in the shot, but you're right. (Must get my eyes checked...)

I also think image 4 (when magnified), suggests those are not full length sleepers, near the mini digger, because if you look for the little details the cast-in chairs are missing at the right hand end?

 

[LexyBoy]

Further bits of the original P10 track have been sawn up, presumably for the foundations of the new platform. Not sure why one rail & sleeper ends has been left rather than lifting the lot in sections though.

 

[swt_passenger]

Given that they'd already started building the new wall's foundation strip a couple of days ago, with rebar already in place working from the country end, perhaps they'll just bury it all?

More serious suggestion though, is that they might be awaiting an opportunity to run a road/rail machine and scrap train in from the country end. That might be why there's still a rail route available into P10 from the west, even though the London end track has been lifted?

 

[LexyBoy]

That is what I'd assumed. It won't be easy to get all that scrap out if not by rail. The temporary stuff from the London end has all been moved up next to the remaining "new" P10 track (which is shown at the bottom of the last pic, if that's not clear).

 

[swt_passenger]

That is what I'd assumed. It won't be easy to get all that scrap out if not by rail. The temporary stuff from the London end has all been moved up next to the remaining "new" P10 track (which is shown at the bottom of the last pic, if that's not clear).

I had a close look at those sleeper ends this morning, and I'm now pretty sure that the ends facing P9 (visible in the pic in post #191 above) are not cut, they are just the normal rough cast ends of that type of sleeper.

I then had a long chat with a bloke working for the contractor who will build the new platform face, (a different contractor is doing the concrete footings), and he said it is NOT intended to remove the redundant sleepers...

 

[455driver]

Some of the new platforms have simply been built over the old track because it was easier and quicker to do it that way I have some photos of it somewhere.

 

[swt_passenger]

I've been watching the work for two years now and this is the only main platform where this has happened so far. I'll admit to not knowing if the old P6/16 bay got filled in over its track, but the old P7 west end bay definitely had the track lifted before it was filled in. The old P11 bay was likewise cleared before being rebuilt as a through platform, and of course P12-15 were built on a completely cleared area.

 

[LexyBoy]

I had a close look at those sleeper ends this morning, and I'm now pretty sure that the ends facing P9 (visible in the pic in post #191 above) are not cut, they are just the normal rough cast ends of that type of sleeper.

I agree - it's pretty clear from the P10 side; the sleepers used for the "new" P10 track are the same, plus if the old track had been cut then it would have been extremely close to the old track, which was not the case - the spacing was normal (despite trains never using both lines).

I've been watching the work for two years now and this is the only main platform where this has happened so far. I'll admit to not knowing if the old P6/16 bay got filled in over its track, but the old P7 west end bay definitely had the track lifted before it was filled in. The old P11 bay was likewise cleared before being rebuilt as a through platform, and of course P12-15 were built on a completely cleared area.

P16 was cleared as part of the big Easter re-jig, along with the other trackworks at the eastern end. Maybe 455 driver is thinking of the temporary P10, or another station.

 

[mr_moo]

Hi again,

Here's some more photos, this time taken from platform 9 looking across at platform 10.
These were taken on the afternoon of 5th September. Sorry it's taken me a while to upload these - I've been very busy recently!

It's pretty clear to see that the old track is indeed fully in situ and is simply being built over. I already feel sorry for the person doing major upgrade work in 50 years time who is searching for buried services etc and finds buried track!

Ref the connection at the West end - there are now road railers on the track so it has been retained as an access avenue for them.

Enjoy!

 

[davetheguard]

We had a bit of a surprise at Reading yesterday while en route to Yarmouth Isle of Wight; the Basingstoke train was leaving from platform 12 rather than the normal 2 or 3.

We soon found out why though - track to platform 7 (the old 4) and bays 1 to 3 all disconnected. Further work was taking place round the curve on the direct line to Reading West station.

So we proceeded towards Didcot as far as Tilehurst station, where we reversed and then ran via Reading West Junction and Oxford Road Junction (i.e. via the normally freight-only Reading avoider) to Reading West station where we regained our normal route. This FGW Basingstoke service was halved to only run hourly as a result, and Cross Country were running non stop from Oxford, missing out Reading station altogether, to a special stop at Reading West.

Not sure how long these arrangements are in place for, but it might be of interest to track bashers out there!

 

[swt_passenger]

Not sure how long these arrangements are in place for, but it might be of interest to track bashers out there!

Most weekends until December

 

[fgwrich]

Most weekends until December

We had a bit of a surprise at Reading yesterday while en route to Yarmouth Isle of Wight; the Basingstoke train was leaving from platform 12 rather than the normal 2 or 3.

We soon found out why though - track to platform 7 (the old 4) and bays 1 to 3 all disconnected. Further work was taking place round the curve on the direct line to Reading West station.

So we proceeded towards Didcot as far as Tilehurst station, where we reversed and then ran via Reading West Junction and Oxford Road Junction (i.e. via the normally freight-only Reading avoider) to Reading West station where we regained our normal route. This FGW Basingstoke service was halved to only run hourly as a result, and Cross Country were running non stop from Oxford, missing out Reading station altogether, to a special stop at Reading West.

Not sure how long these arrangements are in place for, but it might be of interest to track bashers out there!

So with the points / track disconnected, what is happening to the Bas - Reading services Monday to Friday? Are they using P7?

 

[BananaRepublic]

So with the points / track disconnected, what is happening to the Bas - Reading services Monday to Friday? Are they using P7?

Platform 7 was out of action too, but all (1, 2 & 7) are back in service today, according to Realtime Trains.

Platform 7 is currently using a temporary short platform, located towards the eastern end of the station, extending out beyond the original platform. Platform 6 is closed as a result.
The old platform 7 (formerly 4) is about to undergo reconstruction and extension outwards towards the new platform 7 track line, which sits more or less where the old through road lay.

 

[swt_passenger]

So with the points / track disconnected, what is happening to the Bas - Reading services Monday to Friday? Are they using P7?

They do a small stage of the work each weekend, but P1/2 have been reconnected again each Monday morning so far.

For instance, the weekend before last they removed various redundant sets of S&C that previously provided the crossovers from the old platform loop (P8) across the down main line towards the Up Westbury, a route that was out of use since Easter, but the two sets of points were still in place with the rails cut either side. That's now plain line on the old alignment, they'll straighten it in due course, probably in conjunction with removal of the points and temporary route leading from P8 to the new down main.

(That's the short section of track that 'cuts the corner' of the country end of P8 - it comes out eventually if you, or others, weren't already aware...)

Some of the recent work has also involved installing the new points for platform 3, which don't go anywhere useful yet.

 

[Eagle]

Most weekends until December

Just to point out that it looks to be a mixture as to whether XC go via the Reading west curve, or go via Guildford and Havant. It seems to be different every weekend.

 

[swt_passenger]

Just to point out that it looks to be a mixture as to whether XC go via the Reading west curve, or go via Guildford and Havant. It seems to be different every weekend.

Yes, that's right - to get the whole picture you need to take into account works at Basingstoke or Winchester as well, as the SWML is often closed on upcoming Sunday mornings as well - with diversions Woking to Southampton via Havant. These are sometimes back to normal by Sunday afternoon.

XC's online timetable notes do confirm the dates of their Reading West diversionary calls, only a couple more Saturdays, so I guess that means an end to the major work?
Sat 14th Sep to 19th Oct
Sun 15th Sep to 1st December
... that is presumably a reasonable indication of what dates FGW will be doing the west curve as well.

 

[Y186520]

So far today 3 concrete beams have been lifted onto the piers forming the
viaduct west of the station. Good progress on that part of the project.

 

[fgwrich]

So far today 3 concrete beams have been lifted onto the piers forming the
viaduct west of the station. Good progress on that part of the project.

They were certainly lifted into position fairly quickly then as I didn't see them while on patrol in that area last Saturday night. Some of the piers are nearing completion though, while a good number are gradually being formed.

 

[swt_passenger]

They were certainly lifted into position fairly quickly then as I didn't see them while on patrol in that area last Saturday night. Some of the piers are nearing completion though, while a good number are gradually being formed.

Webcam 06 - tab 2 shows a good number of piers for the main viaduct are complete, (as far as the stage of fitting cross beams - there'll be more concrete to add yet). I reckon at least nine piers between about Cow Lane and the western end of the central viaduct, ie where the Festival line underpass box will be. (Although the nearest pier is still getting its bearing faces sorted out today.) If you run the webcam back a week or so there's a good view of the situation before they started rebuilding the scaffolding again...

The 3 beams were lifted in over a period of about 4 hours today, from about 1015 onwards. So it could be quite rapid progress now, I would expect they'll be able to lift more than that on a good day dependent on weather, there are seven beams for each 25m span.

Webcam is here: http://www.lobstervision.tv/nrreading06#

 

[Y186520]

3 beams were lifted between 0900 and 1400 today.

2 more lorries with beams on site at 1900 by the cranes.

Beams visible in this image.

 

[swt_passenger]

They are now starting on a fourth viaduct span, with three sets of seven already fitted. Webcam link in my post just above...