Reading improvements milestones

[BananaRepublic]

......which are the conflicting moves that it removes?

Traffic routing to/from the west (Didcot) on the relief lines, can now access the Westbury/Basingstoke lines without having to cross the main lines.
This is mostly freight traffic to/from Southampton Docks, which now passes under the viaduct, rather than blocking the mains.

Similarly, traffic on the relief lines to/from the same direction will be able to access platforms on the south side of Reading station (platforms 3, 7 & 8), via the new Festival Line (due to open after Easter), which passes under the viaduct near where the western curve now passes under it.
This is normally XC traffic to/from Southampton and Bournemouth, reversing at Reading.

Traffic to/from the Westbury lines from the up main or up & down relief lines, towards/from the London direction, will soon be able to route via the new Feeder lines (due to open after Easter), that pass under the viaduct. Again, removing the need to cross the busy main lines.

The layout also allows for a number of parallel moves that were not previously possible and this combined with the removal of most conflicts and the station improvements, provides a significant boost in capacity and reduction in delays.


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[Ironside]

In cab video of the first train over the viaduct.

http://www.itv.com/news/meridian/st...ion-viaduct-to-ease-reading-rail-chaos-opens/

 

[Nippy]

Pedant mode on.

Not strictly the first.

First one was an ECS, second a tamper thingy, that was the first passenger train.

Pedant mode off.

 

[D1009]

Pedant mode on.

There would have been a lot of "tamper thingys" going over it before it officially opened.

Pedant mode off.

 

[BananaRepublic]

Infrastructure trains with locos were on the viaduct a couple of months ago during ballasting, after the rails had been laid.
The "first" being celebrated is the first passenger services.......what the viaduct was built for.

 

[D1009]

Infrastructure trains with locos were on the viaduct a couple of months ago during ballasting, after the rails had been laid.
The "first" being celebrated is the first passenger services.......what the viaduct was built for.

This must be one of the most significant enhancements to the rail network, leaving aside new or reopened lines, in recent years.

 

[mr_moo]

To out-pedant you all, just for fun, the tracks across the "elevated railway" to give it it's correct name, were laid by the Balfour Beatty NTC train :
http://www.bbrail.co.uk/Products-and-Services/Plant/High-Output

There's some cool videos of it in use in various places on youtube.

Thus, the first 'train' was before even the ballast and was, quite literally, as the tracks were being laid!

PS - "tamper thingy" - ROFL! Thanks

 

[Nippy]

Ok to be even more pedantic then, that was the third train signalled throughout by the staff at TVSC under normal operating conditions, after the ECS and Tamper Thingy.

 

[HowardGWR]

Pedant mode on.

There would have been a lot of "tamper thingys" going over it before it officially opened.

Pedant mode off.

Not Gromit then?

 

[Railsigns]

To out-pedant you all, just for fun, the tracks across the "elevated railway" to give it it's correct name, were laid by the Balfour Beatty NTC train

Since we're all in pedantic mode today, I will just say that the possessive word its does not have an apostrophe in it.

 

[D1009]

As I understand it, the current layout requires XC trains reversing at Reading going towards Basingstoke has to use the main lines from Didcot. Does that mean that a driver approaching Didcot East given the road towards the relief lines has to stop and query it?

 

[swt_passenger]

As I understand it, the current layout requires XC trains reversing at Reading going towards Basingstoke has to use the main lines from Didcot. Does that mean that a driver approaching Didcot East given the road towards the relief lines has to stop and query it?

Not sure. There are occasional trains that pass through the station on the relief side, reverse in Kennet Bridge loop, and then call at P7. The train from Newcastle that forms the 1220 towards Southampton is down to do this until after Easter.

So staying on the reliefs at Didcot is not necessarily a 'last chance'.

 

[BananaRepublic]

Not sure. There are occasional trains that pass through the station on the relief side, reverse in Kennet Bridge loop, and then call at P7. The train from Newcastle that forms the 1220 towards Southampton is down to do this until after Easter.

So staying on the reliefs at Didcot is not necessarily a 'last chance'.

As swt_passenger says, the very few XC services that reverse in the relief platforms (12 - 15), currently have to continue on up the Reliefs to reverse at Kennet Bridge loop and route back through platform 7 on their return through the station towards the Basingstoke line.

This is also a contingency move for trains that were due to arrive via the Up Main into platform 3, 7 or 8, but were re-routed via the reliefs from Didcot to Reading. This has happened a few times due to disruption or late running.

After Easter, any such moves using the relief platforms (12 - 15), scheduled or otherwise, will reverse in the relief platforms and route to the Basingstoke line via the soon to be opened Feeder lines. Thus removing the need to use the Kennet Bridge loop and the conflicting crossing of the main lines.
Normally these services will use platforms 3, 7 & 8, arriving from Didcot either via the Up Main and Festival Line from Reading High Level Jct, or via the Up relief and full length of the Festival line.

 

[swt_passenger]

After Easter, any such moves, scheduled or otherwise, will reverse in the relief platforms and route to the Basingstoke line via the soon to be opened Feeder lines. Thus removing the need to use the Kennet Bridge loop and the conflicting crossing of the main lines.

There's almost full flexibility in the completed layout, as far as I can work out it is easier to just say that as well as P3, XC to/from the south will be able to reverse in every through platform except P9.

There'd then have to be a fairly amazing set of problems for a XC service approaching Reading to be held up 'awaiting a platform'...

 

[Ships]

Not Gromit then?

That tickled me! Who needs high output when we have Gromit and a box of track!

 

[D1009]

I came over the flyover today, and it provides a good view of the progress on track laying on the feeder lines.

 

[furlong]

The new station roof behind Western Tower:



Flyover:

 

[HowardGWR]

Great photos thanks. The third one appears to shew a space left to be able to join the Main line from Reading West towards Tilehurst, beyond the flyover, without going first onto the Relief lines. I looked at the NR diagram

http://www.networkrail.co.uk/aspx/6339.aspx

but this is not shewn. Will this be possible, does anyone know? It would need a switch in the reverse direction from the Up Main to go under the flyover of course. That would presumably still have to cross the Down Relief of course.

Edit
See top left little box halfway down on that page

 

[swt_passenger]

Great photos thanks. The third one appears to shew a space left to be able to join the Main line from Reading West towards Tilehurst, beyond the flyover, without going first onto the Relief lines. I looked at the NR diagram

http://www.networkrail.co.uk/aspx/6339.aspx

but this is not shewn. Will this be possible, does anyone know?

I don't think there is room alongside the viaduct once you get round the bend. I'm assuming you are thinking about the strip of land that appears to curve round to the left of the West Curve underpass with blue hoardings on the left, between the viaduct and the buildings, but I reckon that is outside the NR operational boundary.

Found a view on flickr, looking east alongside the west end of the viaduct. The twin track west curve underpass 'box' is in the distance above the white van. As I suggested, I think the palisade fence within the blue contractors fence is the eventual railway boundary:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/52834510@N00/16047709469/

 

[pro4600]

Is it expected for most works to be completed over Easter weekend? Or are further blockades expected?

 

[swt_passenger]

Is it expected for most works to be completed over Easter weekend? Or are further blockades expected?

AFAICS that's the last full blockade in the Engineering Access statement. From then on they are in the phase of removal of redundant equipment and general tidying up trackside, and I believe that there is some sort of end date in the summer after which all the TSRs will be lifted.

Any further work appears to be done using normal Sat or Sun 'two track railway' procedures.

 

[davetheguard]

Is it expected for most works to be completed over Easter weekend? Or are further blockades expected?

I was under the impression that the Easter work removes the conflicting movements between stone trains (from the Mendips to Acton Yard), and trains on the Up & Down Main Lines.

Then there is the so-called Festival Line for Cross Country trains to/from platform 3 to finish; I don't think that is being done at Easter, but others may know better........

 

[JamesRowden]

I was under the impression that the Easter work removes the conflicting movements between stone trains (from the Mendips to Acton Yard), and trains on the Up & Down Main Lines.

Then there is the so-called Festival Line for Cross Country trains to/from platform 3 to finish; I don't think that is being done at Easter, but others may know better........

Real Time Trains shows Southampton to Newcastle services using the FVL line after Easter.

 

[louis97]

I was under the impression that the Easter work removes the conflicting movements between stone trains (from the Mendips to Acton Yard), and trains on the Up & Down Main Lines.

Then there is the so-called Festival Line for Cross Country trains to/from platform 3 to finish; I don't think that is being done at Easter, but others may know better........

The Festival Line is part complete, it is complete between Reading and High Level Junction, part way over the flyover. From Easter the Festival Line will open beyond High Level Junction and will connect with the relief lines at Reading West Junction, going under the flyover. Note that Reading West Junction is now no longer on the 'Main' lines as the flyover goes over it.

From Easter Crosscountry trains have a number of options when departing for and arriving from Didcot.

- Festival lines can be used up to High Level junction and then the main lines from there to Didcot East (This is what XC trains do currently)
- Festival lines all the way to Reading West Junction and then the relief lines to Didcot East
- If reversing in Platform 8 the main lines can be used all the way to Didcot East
- Or finally if using a relief line platform the relief lines can be used all the way to Didcot East.

So a great number more options than XC had previously!

 

[swt_passenger]

- Festival lines can be used up to High Level junction and then the main lines from there to Didcot East (This is what XC trains do currently)
- Festival lines all the way to Reading West Junction and then the relief lines to Didcot East
- If reversing in Platform 8 the main lines can be used all the way to Didcot East
- Or finally if using a relief line platform the relief lines can be used all the way to Didcot East.

So a great number more options than XC had previously!

Agreed, and I would emphasise that the Festival Line to/from the reliefs will just be one option used at certain times of the day.

It had been suggested in previous discussions that all XC services will use the whole of the Festival Line once it opens fully, but that will not be the case for every service, as many are pathed on the fast lines between Reading and Didcot.

As seen in RTT the Reading terminators appear be to continuing to use P13 or P14 - another standard practice that some expected to cease.

 

[TheKnightWho]

Sorry for my ignorance here, but can anyone explain why it's being called the Festival Line?

Something to do with Reading Festival I'd guess?

 

[swt_passenger]

Sorry for my ignorance here, but can anyone explain why it's being called the Festival Line?

Something to do with Reading Festival I'd guess?

That's what I thought it must be but it is a pretty tenuous link, as the view of the Festival site is pretty much obscured by the new depot fence...

 

[PMN1]

When were proposals for improved flow through the station first suggested?

 

[Buttsy]

The festival line is due to open after the Easter blockade.

 

[swt_passenger]

The festival line is due to open after the Easter blockade.

It is to be completely opened after the Easter Blockade.

Trains have been using it as far as the high level junction since the new year, as explained yesterday by Louis97...