Great Western Electrification Progress

[Thatcham Xing]

Newbury Railcam shows work in progress (as I type) hanging wires under Boundary Road bridge.

 

[59CosG95]

Newbury Railcam shows work in progress (as I type) hanging wires under Boundary Road bridge.

All three lines are now wired past there.

 

[59CosG95]

Advance warning again for you all: I'm going to be out of the UK (sans laptop) from Saturday until Sunday the 5th of August, so apologies in advance for the lack of summative updates in that time.

 

[jyte]

Advance warning again for you all: I'm going to be out of the UK (sans laptop) from Saturday until Sunday the 5th of August, so apologies in advance for the lack of summative updates in that time.

Maybe I should wheel the track maps back out again...

 

[Thatcham Xing]

All three lines are now wired past there.

Yep, the 3rd line (which is really a down loop between the 2 stations) was done this morning.

 

[Envoy]

It is appalling that despite completing the new bridge over the line near St.Brides Wentloog months ago, that Network Rail have still not opened this minor road to traffic.

 

[59CosG95]

It is appalling that despite completing the new bridge over the line near St.Brides Wentloog months ago, that Network Rail have still not opened this minor road to traffic.

There must be something they (the engineers) know that we don't.

 

[swt_passenger]

There must be something they (the engineers) know that we don't.

It’s likely to be a utilities issue. Often a bridge re-opens to rail traffic long before everyone else gets on with their bits...

 

[Dai Corner]

It is appalling that despite completing the new bridge over the line near St.Brides Wentloog months ago, that Network Rail have still not opened this minor road to traffic.

Are we talking about the Green Lane / Pont Estyll Lane bridge? The road leading to it was in an awful state with deep ruts and potholes and I regretted trying to drive it a couple of weeks ago. Having said that,it's not a through route for motor vehicles anyway as far as I know. I can't comment on Hawse Lane.

 

[Envoy]

The bridge I am talking about is at the centre of this map:>https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.537622,-3.0420509,1409m/data=!3m1!1e3!5m1!1e1

The approach road from the south seems fine though I think that they should have had a wider ramp going up to the bridge. It has always been a through road.

 

[Mrwerdna1]

GWML Electrification: State of Play, week beginning 16/7/18.
All mileages given from Paddington, except where noted.
Paddington to Wootton Bassett Jct - LIVE

(...)

• Another note on the OLE to Wootton Bassett - testing with IETs will occur in July, and entry of IETs in AC passenger service occurs in September.

(...)

Excuse my ignorance (I'm a Brit living in Switzerland and relatively clueless concerning UK railways), but do you mean to say with the last part that the class 800 trains will only start operating between London and Swindon under overhead electric power from September? If so, why the long wait? Have previous segments just after Didcot not been tested rigorously beforehand, as soon as they were installed? This seems like quite an inefficient wait to be honest if all the wiring has been essentially completed since around mid June. Also, does anyone know whether or rather when any of the class 800 trains will start operating on the Kemble - Stroud - Cheltenham branch? It's a pity that they don't intend to electrify that part of the network at the moment, but then the GWML electrification has been a bit of an unfortunate endeavor from what I gather. Maybe some day...

 

[InterCity:125]

Does anyone know if and when the wires will reach Bristol?

 

[Dai Corner]

The bridge I am talking about is at the centre of this map:>https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.537622,-3.0420509,1409m/data=!3m1!1e3!5m1!1e1

The approach road from the south seems fine though I think that they should have had a wider ramp going up to the bridge. It has always been a through road.

Ah that's Hawse Lane. According to roadworks.org it's supposed to reopen on 25 July (Wednesday). I live quite close and will pop down and see.

Edited to add: There are 'Road Closed Ahead' and 'Road Closed at Rail Bridge' signs at the junctions either end but none at the bridge itself. It looks like someone has been too impatient to wait for the official reopening and removed the barriers and it would be possible to walk or drive across.

Steelwork looks pretty complete in both directions to my inexpert eye.

 

[snowball]

Does anyone know if and when the wires will reach Bristol?

Assuming you don't count Parkway as Bristol, the answer is some time after next spring, possibly.

 

[InterCity:125]

Parkway isn’t even in the same county

 

[D1009]

Excuse my ignorance (I'm a Brit living in Switzerland and relatively clueless concerning UK railways), but do you mean to say with the last part that the class 800 trains will only start operating between London and Swindon under overhead electric power from September? If so, why the long wait? Have previous segments just after Didcot not been tested rigorously beforehand, as soon as they were installed? This seems like quite an inefficient wait to be honest if all the wiring has been essentially completed since around mid June. Also, does anyone know whether or rather when any of the class 800 trains will start operating on the Kemble - Stroud - Cheltenham branch? It's a pity that they don't intend to electrify that part of the network at the moment, but then the GWML electrification has been a bit of an unfortunate endeavor from what I gather. Maybe some day...

Unless something has changed recently, current plans are to start electric operation west of the Didcot area on 1 Jan 2019. For safety reasons the wires as far as Wootton Bassett have to be regarded as live while testing takes place. There is still some way to go before an intensive electric service can be operated, and passenger services cannot be operated until authority is given by the ORR, due in December.

 

[Mag_seven]

Unless something has changed recently, current plans are to start electric operation west of the Didcot area on 1 Jan 2019.

Electric running through Swindon is supposed to commence in September?

Another note on the OLE to Wootton Bassett - testing with IETs will occur in July, and entry of IETs in AC passenger service occurs in September.

 

[Mrwerdna1]

Unless something has changed recently, current plans are to start electric operation west of the Didcot area on 1 Jan 2019. For safety reasons the wires as far as Wootton Bassett have to be regarded as live while testing takes place. There is still some way to go before an intensive electric service can be operated, and passenger services cannot be operated until authority is given by the ORR, due in December.

Oh wow, even later than I had thought. So even though wires are already up, trains will continue to travel on diesel power between Didcot and Swindon (around 24 miles) for more than half a year? Seems a bit unfortunate. Oh well, it'll probably be worth the wait.

 

[3973EXL]

Newbury.

Missing mast & portal now up.


Wires from Newbury RC to just east of the A339 bridge.


Still a wire gap on both lines east of Racecourse, Kennet Viaduct.

Workers busy this afternoon finishing the new canopy facing boards at Newbury.

 

[Mag_seven]

Oh wow, even later than I had thought. So even though wires are already up, trains will continue to travel on diesel power between Didcot and Swindon (around 24 miles) for more than half a year? Seems a bit unfortunate. Oh well, it'll probably be worth the wait.

We don't know that - some on here have claimed September, some January.

 

[oglord]

Parkway isn’t even in the same county

Indeed not; Parkway is in Gloucestershire, whereas Temple Meads is in Somerset. https://wikishire.co.uk/map/#/centre=51.448,-2.581/zoom=14/base=outline

 

[Dai Corner]

Indeed not; Parkway is in Gloucestershire, whereas Temple Meads is in Somerset. https://wikishire.co.uk/map/#/centre=51.448,-2.581/zoom=14/base=outline

Ultra-pedantically, they were both in the County of Avon from 1974-1996 and Temple Meads has never been in Somerset as the County of Bristol was created centuries before it was built. Pre-Avon Parkway was in Gloucestershire. Post-Avon it is in the Unitary Authority of South Gloucestershire and the ceremonial county of Gloucestershire.

But we better get back to electrification! It's only about five miles from Filton Junction to Temple Meads and it's closure for requadrifucation would be a good opportunity to electrify.

 

[D1009]

But we better get back to electrification! It's only about five miles from Filton Junction to Temple Meads and it's closure for requadrifucation would be a good opportunity to electrify.

As has been explained up thread, the main reason for the non electrification is the need to remodel Bristol East Jn, which is a project deemed not deliverable in the current Control Period (CP5). The requadrification is a requirement for the new timetable, which has also been deferred, however it (4 tracking) is going ahead and should be complete by December.

 

[oglord]

Dai, you know full well that local government structures have no bearing on geographical counties! The boundary between the counties of Gloucester and Somerset has always been the Avon. The county corporate of Bristol was situate in both.

 

[Dai Corner]

As has been explained up thread, the main reason for the non electrification is the need to remodel Bristol East Jn, which is a project deemed not deliverable in the current Control Period (CP5). The requadrification is a requirement for the new timetable, which has also been deferred, however it (4 tracking) is going ahead and should be complete by December.

Yes. I should have said 'electrify, or prepare as much as possible for electrification, as far as Bristol East Junction'. Off topic for this thread so let's leave it there?

 

[Dai Corner]

Dai, you know full well that local government structures have no bearing on geographical counties! The boundary between the counties of Gloucester and Somerset has always been the Avon. The county corporate of Bristol was situate in both.

Off-topic (apologies) but
http://museums.bristol.gov.uk/narratives.php?irn=2794

Great Charter of Liberties
King Edward III granted important rights and privileges to Bristol by this royal charter in 1373 that were to have far-reaching consequences for its future self-governance and identity.

The town burgesses had petitioned him for more independence and they asked that Bristol be raised to the status of county completely separate from the counties of Gloucester and Somerset. Until this time Bristol was divided, geographically and administratively, by the River Avon. The parishes to the west and north of the river lay in Gloucestershire, while those to the south were in Somerset. The charter of 1373 gave Bristol and its suburbs jurisdiction independent from those county authorities, making it a county in its own right.

That the said town of Bristol with its suburbs ... shall be separated henceforth from the said counties of Gloucester and Somerset equally and in all things exempt, as well by land as by water, and that it shall be a county by itself and [be] called the County of Bristol forever......

Bristol was the first provincial town to be given this status. The form of local government that this charter allowed for Bristol, as well as the settling of its boundaries, remained unaltered for the next 450 years until the Municipal Reform Act of 1835. Its illuminated first letter also incorporates a shield with the ship and castle of the Bristol coat of arms and is thought to have been the first time it was used.

 

[steverailer]

Oh wow, even later than I had thought. So even though wires are already up, trains will continue to travel on diesel power between Didcot and Swindon (around 24 miles) for more than half a year? Seems a bit unfortunate. Oh well, it'll probably be worth the wait.

From experience there's a big difference between the wires being up and live to actually being able to run trains on.

Basically they get them up and in a position to turn the switch on on a certain date, at this point its a situation where the power can safely go on but not fully complete. This means the contractor is seen to be meeting deadlines. Then comes a couple of months of 'snagging', basically getting the setting correct and to spec before the ORR pass it off for passenger traffic. There will still be 'snagging' required after this point too.

 

[D869]

Indeed not; Parkway is in Gloucestershire, whereas Temple Meads is in Somerset. https://wikishire.co.uk/map/#/centre=51.448,-2.581/zoom=14/base=outline

Dai, you know full well that local government structures have no bearing on geographical counties! The boundary between the counties of Gloucester and Somerset has always been the Avon. The county corporate of Bristol was situate in both.

The vast majority of Temple Meads is north of the middle of the river Avon, ergo in Gloucestershire and I claim my £5.

 

[Dai Corner]

The vast majority of Temple Meads is north of the middle of the river Avon, ergo in Gloucestershire and I claim my £5.

I stand by my post above, but even one was to accept your argument I think you'd only be able to claim about £4.70

 

[Sean Emmett]

The current River Avon at the south end of Temple Meads is the 'New Cut,' dug in 1804-09, allowing its original course through the city to be dammed up to form the floating harbour. So most of Temple Meads is in historic (pre 1373) Somerset rather than Glos.

Back to electrification, the compound east of Chippenham next to Langley bridge looked like it was being wound down when I went past yesterday.