Great Western Electrification Progress

[jyte]

Assuming this is at Paddington?

Yes!

Will amend original post, apologies.

 

[snowball]

Press release

https://www.networkrail.co.uk/feeds...-platform-upgrades-to-accommodate-new-trains/

Two platforms at Bristol Temple Meads will be extended this summer in preparation for a new fleet of diesel-electric Intercity Express Trains, which will provide more seats, better on-board facilities and more comfortable journeys for passengers.

Great Western Railway (GWR)’s new fleet of trains are longer than the existing High Speed Trains and will require additional platform length to allow passengers to get on and off the trains safely.

These new trains will begin to come into service this autumn.

This work will fit alongside other improvement work taking place at Temple Meads as part of Network Rail’s Railway Upgrade Plan, including signalling renewals and the installation of new lighting.

To extend the platforms, the existing ramp will be demolished during the last week of June and the first week of July. This will take place overnight in order to minimise disruption for passengers.

Platform extension works will also take place overnight over a three-week period from the last weekend of July until mid-August.

Services will not run from platforms 13 and 15 on the four Sundays between 30 July and 20 August, so passengers are advised to check the departures boards at the station for updated platform information on arrival at Bristol Temple Meads.

Michelle Scogings, Senior Programme Development Manager for Network Rail, said: “I would like to thank passengers in advance for their patience as we undertake this work to accommodate the new fleet of Intercity Express Trains at Bristol Temple Meads as part of our Railway Upgrade Plan.

“We have worked closely with our colleagues at GWR to ensure that the impact on local residents and passengers from this work will be minimal.

“Passengers will see the benefits from this work in the autumn as the new trains come into service, providing a vital capacity boost, as well as more space for passengers and their luggage.”

 

[3973EXL]

Situation today, after two weeks away.

Maidenhead West, UR DR still to wire. UM now wired as well as the DM.
UM Ruscombe missing contact wire now up.
All the crossovers at Ruscombe now wired.

UR still to wire Ruscombe to Twyford station, approx. 1 mile.
DR to wire from east of Twyford station through the platform, 1/4 mile.

Twyford overbridge parapet work ongoing.

Missing mast on Pl 4 and portal now up.
Work around other mast base finished. Mast to go up? There is one laying nearby.

UM Twyford to Twyford West wired.
All Twyford west crossovers wired.
Two additional mast have gone up at Lands End. There are now 4 at each end
of the Twyford west crossovers.

DR contact wire missing for 1/2 mile at the west end of Sonning Cutting.

Just east of Reading station the DM looks to have just a straight wire run through New Jn missing. There are wires for the route towards Spur Jn.
There is more to do on the UM and various crossovers as part of Kennet Bridge Jn.

Reading platforms wired.

 

[59CosG95]

UM Twyford to Twyford West wired.
All Twyford west crossovers wired.
Two additional mast have gone up at Lands End. There are now 4 at each end
of the Twyford west crossovers.

Re the final 3 images in your post, I'd suspect that those 4 masts will have something to do with a National Grid Feeder connection, given the height and spacing.

 

[reddragon]

Twyford overbridge parapet work ongoing.

Missing mast on Pl 4 and portal now up.
Work around other mast base finished. Mast to go up? There is one laying nearby.

That's where they piled through a sewer! Was wondering how they were getting on with their special foundations.

 

[TIJO]

There's an interesting article from 2016

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/201...other-broken-promise-as-electrification-of-g/

 

[coppercapped]

Re the final 3 images in your post, I'd suspect that those 4 masts will have something to do with a National Grid Feeder connection, given the height and spacing.

The only National Grid feeder connections are at (or will be at) Didcot and Kensal Green with the neutral section between the two phases at Maidenhead. A document issued some time ago by ABB shows Twyford as an ATS site, an auto-transformer site. The switch gear being installed at Twyford West is most likely to be there for isolating sections for maintenance as it is located at a ladder crossing running between the Up Relief and the Down Main.

 

[59CosG95]

The only National Grid feeder connections are at (or will be at) Didcot and Kensal Green with the neutral section between the two phases at Maidenhead. A document issued some time ago by ABB shows Twyford as an ATS site, an auto-transformer site. The switch gear being installed at Twyford West is most likely to be there for isolating sections for maintenance as it is located at a ladder crossing running between the Up Relief and the Down Main.

Ahh, that makes more sense. Thanks very much @coppercapped.

 

[59CosG95]

In conjunction with the excellent mapping work I've seen going on here, I've kept a log of all the changes to the wiring work along the GWML over the past few months. This is just the 'core' section between London & Reading; I've got more logs about the Reading-Didcot, Didcot-Swindon, Reading-Newbury and various smaller sections too, but I'll add them in later.

GWML Core
Paddington to Stockley
Paddington P1&2 being wired…slowly.
Support wires installed between the roof bracing members.
On the P1/2 approach roads, SPS + reg arms + up beyond the footbridge and on the old parcel platform roof.

Acton Dive-Under now in service.
Class 387s now in 2tph service between PAD & HAY, peak hour trains to MAI.
AT wire now in between Hanwell & West Ealing, and West Acton & Mitre Bridge (NLL).

Stockley to Reading
Stockley-Maidenhead live since 26/3; however, AT wire still missing in places (such as east of Slough) and fixed up with temporary hangings as well.

Maidenhead
P5 now fully wired.
Maidenhead stabling sidings - track and ballast laid, Volker tamper present. Still work required to finish off. Wires now complete. Turnback siding finished.

Small Points
ATF wires up over Reliefs and Mains.
First few yards of Windsor and Marlow branches wired.
Twyford Crossovers all wired.
Ruscombe Crossovers all wired.
At Twyford Station, P2-4 canopies being cut back and Parapet work ongoing with overbridge.
MP25 is the current limit of wires from Padd on Reliefs, but they pick up again at MP 25 3/4.

Mains
Both UM & DM wired as far west as MP 34 3/4 (Kennet Loop), giving a continuous run of wiring from Paddington.
Reliefs
DR: MP25 3/4 to MP30 and MP31 to MP34 3/4 (gap from Ruscombe to Twyford).
UR: MP25 3/4 to MP30 3/4 and MP31 to MP34 3/4 (east of Twyford stn thru platform).

Reading
Wired Areas
Kennet Loop; wired in full.
Festival Line; wired in full.
All lines through the station fully wired. P1-3 also wired; P4-6 unwired as no plans to electrify the North Downs Line at 25kV AC have yet been made.
DR fully wired from Kennet Loop to West Jct (through the station), catenary only from there to Scours Ln.
UR as above, but has a short gap east of Reading.
DM fully wired between bottom of flyover and Scours Lane.
Flyover: details not yet known.

Main areas still to be wired
West Curve
Feeder Relief
Section of the DM at the London end of the flyover.
Various small parts of wiring around the station.

Gaps, East of the station:
DM: MP 34 3/4 to New Jct.
UM: MP 34 3/4 to MP 35 3/4.

Gaps, West of the station:
UM: catenary wires only from the bottom of the flyover to Scours Lane.
UR: catenary wires only from the bottom of the flyover to Scours Lane.
DR: catenary wires only from the bottom of the flyover to Scours Lane.


If there's any changes I've missed, feel free to mention them!

 

[snowball]

Found today, a 50-minute 2-year-old video of a lecture about GWR electrification in relation to aesthetics and listed structures.

https://www.sal.org.uk/events/2015/...-historic-infrastructure-in-the-21st-century/

I strongly suspect that the lecturer is the same person who wrote an article on the subject in Modern Railways at about the same time, though the article was more national in focus.

I'll post this also on the pinned electrification resources thread.

 

[Banana]

AT wire now in between Hanwell & West Ealing, (NLL).

Thanks for this post. This all seems to be a haphazard implementation.

What is a "AT wire" please? And surely these two stations have been operating HEX and HConn for years....so why the need to implement more here?

Thanks

 

[snowball]

What is a "AT wire" please?

An autotransformer wire, which on some electrification schemes exists instead of a return wire. Where a return wire is carried on small insulators, an AT wire requires full-size insulators like those used for the contact and catenary wires. If the rails are at 0V and the contact wire is at +25kV, an AT wire is at -25kV. It enables more or heavier or faster trains to run for reduced power losses.

 

[Banana]

An autotransformer wire, which on some electrification schemes exists instead of a return wire. Where a return wire is carried on small insulators, an AT wire requires full-size insulators like those used for the contact and catenary wires. If the rails are at 0V and the contact wire is at +25kV, an AT wire is at -25kV. It enables more or heavier or faster trains to run for reduced power losses.

Thanks. Is there a website that explains all? Much appreciated. Sounds fascinating.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Thanks. Is there a website that explains all? Much appreciated. Sounds fascinating.

There is a sticky at the top of the page which references all the threads on electrification, and much much more. If you go to the first post there under general you will see loads of resources and PDFs which discuss the subject in great deal and also for beginners.

http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=138487

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

What is a "AT wire" please? And surely these two stations have been operating HEX and HConn for years....so why the need to implement more here?

The HEx wiring was good for 100mph and 6xEMUs an hour each way.
The GW route needs 125mph (arguably 140mph) and a much heavier electric load with something like 15tph (800s and 387s) added to the mix, plus some freight.
Hence it will need a much higher performance, so an AT solution is needed.
New power supplies at Kensal Green will power it all out to Maidenhead.
For the same reason, St Pancras to Bedford OHLE will have to be uprated when the MML is wired north of Bedford.

 

[leomartin125]

I have just gone under the Acton Dive Under. Didn't realise it was used yet? I have never been through it before? A freight train was just leaving Acton Yard so that would be why. Just didn't realise it was operational yet... how long has it been like this?

 

[swt_passenger]

I have just gone under the Acton Dive Under. Didn't realise it was used yet? I have never been through it before? A freight train was just leaving Acton Yard so that would be why. Just didn't realise it was operational yet... how long has it been like this?

It has been available about 6 months, IIRC. Here's the video from NR in January, includes a cab view: https://youtu.be/WIOX3aqG4xs

Reports from people who used it during the first few days can be seen about 1000 posts back in this thread.

 

[3973EXL]

Had a quick look earlier today.

DM UM wired.
DR wired.
UR catenary wire only from West Jn to Scours.
Festival wired.

Lines outstanding:
Both lines West Curve.
Feeder Relief.

Doesn't include any small sections through S&C.

Overall summary:

Mains are basically done except for the remaining sections east of Reading.

Reliefs both have three sections to do:
UR DR west of Maidenhead.
UR ( 1 mile ) DR ( 1/4 mile ) Twyford station and east thereof.
DR catenary wire only west end of Sonning Cutting.
UR catenary wire only West Jn to Scours.

 

[edwin_m]

The HEx wiring was good for 100mph and 6xEMUs an hour each way.
The GW route needs 125mph (arguably 140mph) and a much heavier electric load with something like 15tph (800s and 387s) added to the mix, plus some freight.
Hence it will need a much higher performance, so an AT solution is needed.
New power supplies at Kensal Green will power it all out to Maidenhead.
For the same reason, St Pancras to Bedford OHLE will have to be uprated when the MML is wired north of Bedford.

Also the power from Kensal Green now has to get as far as Maidenhead, and probably to Reading or beyond if the Didcot feeder is out of use for any reason. Because the AT system works at double the voltage from this point of view, it can supply an adequate voltage in the line at least twice as far away.

 

[spark001uk]

...Reports from people who used it during the first few days can be seen about 1000 posts back in this thread.

I've got a vid up of a pass under it on opening day, shot from the window of a 387.

On another note, when does Kensal supergrid get sparked up? And will it be a prerequisite for the additional Maidenhead runs from 3rd July?

 

[swt_passenger]

I've got a vid up of a pass under it on opening day, shot from the window of a 387.

On another note, when does Kensal supergrid get sparked up? And will it be a prerequisite for the additional Maidenhead runs from 3rd July?

It's live today according to a post in the "GW Coffee Shop" forum.

 

[Siemens Staines]

I notice that one of the new Maidenhead - Reading shuttle trains that was supposed to start from Monday with the revised electrostar timetable, has disappeared from online journey planners (2F13 the 0756 from Maidenhead). It is still in the downloadable GWR pdf timetable, but not anywhere else. It was present on RTT a couple of weeks ago but no longer. The outward working (0655 Newbury - Maidenhead) still runs, so perhaps it is just a quirk of the electronic databases?

 

[Mordac]

https://www.networkrailmediacentre....ns-railway-sidings-for-new-electric-services#

Friday 30 Jun 2017
Prime Minister opens railway sidings for new electric services

Route:
Western

Prime Minister, Theresa May, officially opened a new £4.5million railway siding in her constituency of Maidenhead this morning, which will see Great Western Railway (GWR) increase the number of electric, peak time trains.

The sidings have been installed as part of Network Rail’s Railway Upgrade Plan and will ease congestion on the railway, allowing GWR to introduce a further three new eight carriage Electrostar trains, increasing capacity and improving passenger’s experience.

Theresa May, the Maidenhead MP, unveiled a plaque to mark the opening of the sidings and said: “It is great to see that this vital work, which will increase capacity and improve services for passengers, has been completed ahead of schedule.

“Improving peak-time services between Maidenhead and London is one of my priorities as an MP, and it is good news for the town that we are making such progress.”

The new Electrostar services were extended from Hayes & Harlington to operate between Maidenhead and London Paddington in May this year at peak times. Today will see a total of eight, eight carriage electric trains now in service, replacing five and six carriage diesel services.

The newly-opened sidings have been delivered 18 months early, and electrification between Maidenhead and London Paddington was also completed ahead of time after being funded and delivered by the Crossrail project. The new sidings will be used by Elizabeth line trains from 2019.

Mark Langman, route managing director for Network Rail, said: “It is a real honour to have the Prime Minister with us to officially open the sidings which will allow more of the fantastic new GWR electric trains to run between Maidenhead and London Paddington.

“By delivering the sidings 18 months early it allows passengers to enjoy the benefits of electrification and our Railway Upgrade Plan sooner than expected.”

Mark Hopwood, GWR Managing Director, said: “The Thames Valley is one of the most popular rail corridors in the UK. We have promised the current fleet would be upgraded to provide much needed additional capacity and more comfortable, quieter journeys.

“We started to run our first new electric trains between Paddington and Maidenhead in May and I am delighted to be here today, as we further increase the number of new, eight carriage electric trains in service.”

ENDS

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

https://www.networkrailmediacentre....ns-railway-sidings-for-new-electric-services#

The newly-opened sidings have been delivered 18 months early, and electrification between Maidenhead and London Paddington was also completed ahead of time after being funded and delivered by the Crossrail project.

Talk about rewriting history.
For years, the mantra was that Paddington-Oxford/Newbury/Bristol was supposed to be finished by Dec 2016.

 

[Mordac]

Talk about rewriting history.
For years, the mantra was that Paddington-Oxford/Newbury/Bristol was supposed to be finished by Dec 2016.

Yeah, I was quite confused when I read that, to say the least. I'm guessing this is against Hendy dates?

 

[spark001uk]

I take it as there's plenty of activity booked for Monday in the sidings that it's going to be energised by then? Those 8 units in there all still have the pans down so I'm assuming it isn't yet?

 

[59CosG95]

I take it as there's plenty of activity booked for Monday in the sidings that it's going to be energised by then? Those 8 units in there all still have the pans down so I'm assuming it isn't yet?

Let's just hope the wires, when in regular service, remain strong and stable...

 

[Nippy]

The sidings are energised. The ones I sent in there were driven in after detaching the loco that dragged them from reading. They have been stored pan down.

 

[edwin_m]

Let's just hope the wires, when in regular service, remain strong and stable...

Any good headlines or photos of Theresa "in a siding" or "hitting the buffers"?

 

[Jippy101]

Hi are their any drivers for GWR here as I would love an insight into the role?