Great Western Electrification Progress

[mr_moo]

I gave an update last December to say that Thorney Lane Bridge and Stoke Poges Bridge were the last to go under Crossrail, well I was wrong, there is a new bridge for Leigh Road just west of Slough which will open Oct 2015. so sorry about that.

The bridge you mention is nothing to do with Crossrail. The existing Leigh Road bridge is listed and will remain in place.

It was quite foul of electrification clearances and track lowering has been undertaken under the bridge on all four lines (You'll notice the track is rather new through the bridge if you look down!)

The new bridge is part of a Slough area masterplan:
http://www.segro.com/Slough/Leigh-Road-Bridge/

 

[sarahj]

It's most likely been said before in this thread. But it was always going to be hard going from, putting up no OHLE in many years, just the odd repair, to wiring up many lines in one go. Even just training up the staff to do the work will take time.
Remember the last very big job was the ECML and that was mid to late 80's, and many things have changed since then. The move away from cross spans to tubular outriggers.

I'm trying to think of lists of OHLE work done since the ECML.

Paddington to Heathrow
HS1
Scottish central belt.

If you were an expert in overhead, you would have spent many years twiddling with your thumbs.

 

[snowball]

I'm trying to think of lists of OHLE work done since the ECML.

Paddington to Heathrow
HS1
Scottish central belt.|

It's small, but Kidsgrove to Crewe.

 

[HowardGWR]

The bridge you mention is nothing to do with Crossrail. The existing Leigh Road bridge is listed and will remain in place.

It was quite foul of electrification clearances and track lowering has been undertaken under the bridge on all four lines (You'll notice the track is rather new through the bridge if you look down!)

The new bridge is part of a Slough area masterplan:
http://www.segro.com/Slough/Leigh-Road-Bridge/

Thanks very much. Is it the intention to use the old bridge for non-motorised traffic? Will the new bridge be directly alongside or somewhere else? I went to the web site but couldn't see from that.

Lovely to see on Street View, from the present bridge, the old broad gauge spacing - 'The 10 foot'.

whoops, I just downloaded the plan on that page and it answers the questions, I think.

 

[Techniquest]

Unless the guys from the North West move down to the GWML I suspect we'll struggle to have such a well documented record of the wiring up of the Western!

Good to hear some progress is being made down there, I haven't been along the GWML much at all in recent years. Indeed I believe it's not that far off 3 years since my last trip to Bristol, and that was just a flying visit off a Voyager and onto a 143. I used to be down that way much more often, I think a day trip to the area is long overdue!

Anyway, I digress. Isn't Didcot to Reading supposed to be getting somewhat closer now, given the prototype SET is now here?

Presumably that will be on Old Dalby until that's ready?

Also, with the bases starting to go in, it must only be a matter of months now? I thought it was all the clearing work that took time.

Old Dalby would make sense for the time being aye. Not sure where they've taken the prototype 800 to be honest, I'm a bit behind on current events!

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

I'm trying to think of lists of OHLE work done since the ECML.
Paddington to Heathrow
HS1
Scottish central belt.
If you were an expert in overhead, you would have spent many years twiddling with your thumbs.

There has also been the WCML fast lines rewiring and the GEML rewiring out of Liverpool St (still in progress).
But these did not generally involve piling/steelwork erection and all the clearance work.

The TV4 project however was a new 15-mile 4-track electrified section of the WCML (Tamworth-Armitage).
Good to see GW progress towards Newbury though.

 

[themiller]

I'm trying to think of lists of OHLE work done since the ECML.

Paddington to Heathrow
HS1
Scottish central belt.

If you were an expert in overhead, you would have spent many years twiddling with your thumbs.

Aire Valley?

 

[SpacePhoenix]

For the sections that have been completed will they be able to test the pan clearances and stuff with a class 800 with its pan raised but running in diesel mode?

 

[RichmondCommu]

Old Dalby would make sense for the time being aye. Not sure where they've taken the prototype 800 to be honest, I'm a bit behind on current events!

Yes it is Old Dalby. That's the only location where they can do the initial testing.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Aire Valley?

Yes that's another. I wonder if the Cross-City route in the West Midlands might also qualify? However it might be worth pointing out that none of the routes that we have all listed are high speed routes where perhaps more specialist knowledge is required.

Anyway lets hope that the process now begins to pick up speed.

 

[Rich McLean]

For the sections that have been completed will they be able to test the pan clearances and stuff with a class 800 with its pan raised but running in diesel mode?

They could only do that if the Wires are in place, or else the panto would fully extend then revert to the down position

 

[edwin_m]

Aire Valley?

Aire Valley was 20+ years ago. Most people who worked on that will have retired, forgotten the skills or moved into something more worthwhile (either working on electrification overseas or finding an alternative career).

Trent Valley, and indeed Airdrie-Bathgate, were effectively brand new routes without the many extra complications of adding OLE to existing infrastructure.

 

[Class 170101]

and the GEML rewiring out of Liverpool St (still in progress). But these did not generally involve piling/steelwork erection and all the clearance work.

Plenty of new steelwork added to the GEML for the new wires.

 

[mr_moo]

Thanks very much. Is it the intention to use the old bridge for non-motorised traffic? Will the new bridge be directly alongside or somewhere else? I went to the web site but couldn't see from that.

Lovely to see on Street View, from the present bridge, the old broad gauge spacing - 'The 10 foot'.

whoops, I just downloaded the plan on that page and it answers the questions, I think.

Yep, the new bridge and old bridge are very close to each other. The old is to become a cycle path and footway.

You'll also notice that the 'main' lines 6ft has become a bit narrower through the bridge - narrowing the generous 6ft avoids too much lowering. The releif lines, however, go deeper, as they did not have the same extra horizontal space to play with.

 

[59CosG95]

I wonder if the Cross-City route in the West Midlands might also qualify?

I do hope so! Would be wonderful to get it going past University!

 

[trac]

I see they have refreshed the track with brand new track and pointwork around West Drayton this morning.

 

[TheKnightWho]

Will we see anything related to electrification happening at Reading over the Easter weekend? Or is it entirely to do with the station remodelling?

 

[swt_passenger]

Will we see anything related to electrification happening at Reading over the Easter weekend? Or is it entirely to do with the station remodelling?

Station physical remodelling, i.e. platforms and tracks is already complete, it was finished at Christmas just gone. There are some new routes that come into use (e.g. from P10/11 towards the Feeder Main underpass, and from the down relief towards the Feeder Relief) but IIRC most signals are already present with some aspects unused and some route indicators (feathers) bagged up out of use.

I'd expect nearly all the masts that can be are up already, but until the slew of the reliefs into their final position takes place I think the necessary OHLE piling can't really start. I'm assuming here that alongside the viaduct they'll be using multitrack gantries, as there will be three tracks over nearly the whole length, including a passenger loop between the up relief and the depot, and there are parallel tracks for some distance where the lines to/from the west curve run between mains and reliefs to allow extra freight standage. Most of that length is not in its final position, and slewing it and commissioning all the resultant S&C additions and re-sitings is the major job to be done in this blockade.

Given the work involved to alter track and then the signalling commission I'd be surprised if much piling gets superimposed on the job - it is just more stuff that can cause delays with no advantages that I can see.

 

[TheKnightWho]

Station physical remodelling, i.e. platforms and tracks is already complete, it was finished at Christmas just gone. There are some new routes that come into use (e.g. from P10/11 towards the Feeder Main underpass, and from the down relief towards the Feeder Relief) but IIRC most signals are already present with some aspects unused and some route indicators (feathers) bagged up out of use.

I'd expect nearly all the masts that can be are up already, but until the slew of the reliefs into their final position takes place I think the necessary OHLE piling can't really start. I'm assuming here that alongside the viaduct they'll be using multitrack gantries, as there will be three tracks over nearly the whole length, including a passenger loop between the up relief and the depot, and there are parallel tracks for some distance where the lines to/from the west curve run between mains and reliefs to allow extra freight standage. Most of that length is not in its final position, and slewing it and commissioning all the resultant S&C additions and re-sitings is the major job to be done in this blockade.

Given the work involved to alter track and then the signalling commission I'd be surprised if much piling gets superimposed on the job - it is just more stuff that can cause delays with no advantages that I can see.

That makes sense. So after this weekend everything will be in its finalised position ready to be electrified in the future then?

Is there any significant work still to be done afterwards? I know there are some TSRs that aren't going to be lifted until August, but I'm not sure what still needs to be done to allow that to happen.

 

[swt_passenger]

That makes sense. So after this weekend everything will be in its finalised position ready to be electrified in the future then?

That's my understanding too.

Is there any significant work still to be done afterwards? I know there are some TSRs that aren't going to be lifted until August, but I'm not sure what still needs to be done to allow that to happen.

My reading of the engineering access statement is that between the completion of this next block and the summer period it is mostly about recovery of redundant equipment and general site tidying up - the sort of work that might spring to mind is removal of redundant cable routes, proper walking routes, safety barriers round location cabinets, etc etc. All the many and various loose ends - and while there's still a sizeable workforce alongside the tracks perhaps that justifies some of the TSRs?

 

[TheKnightWho]

That's my understanding too.


My reading of the engineering access statement is that between the completion of this next block and the summer period it is mostly about recovery of redundant equipment and general site tidying up - the sort of work that might spring to mind is removal of redundant cable routes, proper walking routes, safety barriers round location cabinets, etc etc. All the many and various loose ends - and while there's still a sizeable workforce alongside the tracks perhaps that justifies some of the TSRs?

I'd imagine an HST hitting you at 70mph vs 100mph isn't going to make all that much difference really... (I forget what the numbers are, but that's approximately correct.)

Could be something to do with better visibility of signals at lower speeds whilst things are still being moved around, though.

 

[Class 170101]

In ternms of photographs for Great estern wiring looks like a recent update here.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Great-Western-Electrification/604788489597378?fref=photo

 

[AM9]

I'd imagine an HST hitting you at 70mph vs 100mph isn't going to make all that much difference really... (I forget what the numbers are, but that's approximately correct.)

Could be something to do with better visibility of signals at lower speeds whilst things are still being moved around, though.

And the safe(r) distance from moving trains, (pressure waves etc.), just like the yellow line is nearer to the platform edge on lower speed lines.

 

[TheKnightWho]

Saw some large, square holes in some Bristol platforms that look like they could be mast foundations whilst on the aforementioned Bristol-Oxford journey earlier in the FGW Franchise thread. Looks like work not quite as dormant as we'd all assumed.

I know this is slightly off-topic, but there were very good loadings on the train even though it was taking around an extra 90 minutes to London, with a very number disembarking at Oxford. I know this is only one train, but I suspect FGW's stories about no-one using the old Bristol-Oxford service might no longer apply. This is especially true if they started running them through to Bedford on the EW link. Given our 10 minute timetabled wait at Swindon, I suspect you could get to Oxford in 70 minutes on a properly-timetabled service. Possibly an hour with an IEP, given the very large time savings predicted in the Bristol-Bath section of the GWR.

 

[IrishDave]

Saw some large, square holes in some Bristol platforms that look like they could be mast foundations whilst on the aforementioned Bristol-Oxford journey earlier in the FGW Franchise thread. Looks like work not quite as dormant as we'd all assumed.

Earlier today there were definitely some mast foundations (the circular pile things, not sure of the correct terminology) in the ground between Oxford and Didcot, and several ready to go in between Didcot and Swindon. Didn't notice much west of Swindon, though.

I know this is slightly off-topic, but there were very good loadings on the train even though it was taking around an extra 90 minutes to London, with a very number disembarking at Oxford. I know this is only one train, but I suspect FGW's stories about no-one using the old Bristol-Oxford service might no longer apply. This is especially true if they started running them through to Bedford on the EW link. Given our 10 minute timetabled wait at Swindon, I suspect you could get to Oxford in 70 minutes on a properly-timetabled service. Possibly an hour with an IEP, given the very large time savings predicted in the Bristol-Bath section of the GWR.

I was on one of the diversions today too from Oxford to Bristol; a lot of people got off at Oxford, and it was actually quite quiet from Oxford to Swindon, with a large number of people getting on at Swindon having come by bus from Reading. So I'm not so sure about Oxford-Bristol traffic.

For the record, though, we were late leaving Oxford and as a result we did Oxford to Bristol TM in 70 minutes dead, so it's certainly possible.

 

[jimm]

Saw some large, square holes in some Bristol platforms that look like they could be mast foundations whilst on the aforementioned Bristol-Oxford journey earlier in the FGW Franchise thread. Looks like work not quite as dormant as we'd all assumed.

I know this is slightly off-topic, but there were very good loadings on the train even though it was taking around an extra 90 minutes to London, with a very number disembarking at Oxford. I know this is only one train, but I suspect FGW's stories about no-one using the old Bristol-Oxford service might no longer apply. This is especially true if they started running them through to Bedford on the EW link. Given our 10 minute timetabled wait at Swindon, I suspect you could get to Oxford in 70 minutes on a properly-timetabled service. Possibly an hour with an IEP, given the very large time savings predicted in the Bristol-Bath section of the GWR.

If there is an Oxford-Bristol service at some point in the future, it will not be operated by inter-city stock, it will be a semi-fast worked by emus - preferably in conjunction with reopened stations at Wantage Road, Wootton Bassett and Corsham.

And they were not 'stories', many of the services while the Turbo service was running were very lightly loaded, largely because of its 90mph top speed - bar the Oxford-Didcot leg, all the journeys that could be made using it could be done faster on an HST and no one ever came up with the money to build those intermediate stations, which should have swiftly followed the service's launch.

 

[HowardGWR]

If there is an Oxford-Bristol service at some point in the future, it will not be operated by inter-city stock, it will be a semi-fast worked by emus - preferably in conjunction with reopened stations at Wantage Road, Wootton Bassett and Corsham.

And they were not 'stories', many of the services while the Turbo service was running were very lightly loaded, largely because of its 90mph top speed - bar the Oxford-Didcot leg, all the journeys that could be made using it could be done faster on an HST and no one ever came up with the money to build those intermediate stations, which should have swiftly followed the service's launch.

I keep thinking that such services and possibly more freight, would demand quadrupling Wootton Bassett to Didcot before too long. I wonder if present works in conjunction with electrification have taken account of that possibility, especially the heightened bridges?

Much of the stretch has loads of room left over from all the stations and freight loops. I think the substantial works would be just east and west of Swindon.

 

[387star]

When is work due to begin on the Reading to Basingstoke branch?

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

When is work due to begin on the Reading to Basingstoke branch?

No date offered.
The project reaches Grip 3 in December 2015 so we will know after that.
I wouldn't bet on much happening until they have finished at least to Bristol/Oxford/Newbury.

 

[swt_passenger]

No date offered.
The project reaches Grip 3 in December 2015 so we will know after that.

I just noticed that the latest CP5 update for March shows Grip 3 for the original three branches having just slipped from April to Dec 2015 as well, so at least Basingstoke isn't being treated differently - yet!

(Three branches because the CP enhancement plan March edition hadn't caught up with Marlow/Bourne End being deferred yet.)

 

[snowball]

There's a very interesting article in Modern Railways, April 2015, pp. 66-71, by Richard Pollard. It's about the challenge of designing overhead electrification in the presence of listed bridges and buildings, and mentions examples from several lines.

I hope people will forgive me for posting this in several threads. I'm doing it because there may be people who only read the thread about their favourite line.