Banbury - all the changes

[OneTrackMind]

Lots going on during today's block, including ground works for the signalling system to the south of the station, further relaying of the down main line, removal of the old track sidings linked to the down goods loop, and more groundwork's to the north of the station

 

[swt_passenger]

Back end of summer, July beginning of August though it is likely to get shifted a week because of the works at Hinksey.

Network Rail (and Chiltern) have published dates now:

From Saturday 30 July until the line reopens on Monday 8 August, engineers will replace the signalling through the Banbury area, upgrading it to a more reliable and modern system that will be controlled from the West Midlands Signalling Centre in Birmingham.

https://www.networkrail.co.uk/news/...ine-days-summer-railway-upgrade-banbury/?cd=1

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Network Rail (and Chiltern) have published dates now:

Funny how the NR press item only mentions Chiltern services and not Cross Country.
Unless they have found a magic way of keeping XC Oxford-Leamington services running during the blockade.
To my mind it is (strategically) an XC route which Chiltern shares, and not the other way round.
And they both have the same parent - Arriva.

 

[Andyjs247]

Funny how the NR press item only mentions Chiltern services and not Cross Country.
Unless they have found a magic way of keeping XC Oxford-Leamington services running during the blockade.
To my mind it is (strategically) an XC route which Chiltern shares, and not the other way round.
And they both have the same parent - Arriva.

Well XC don't run to London...

 

[BanburyBlue]

Does anyone know of the sequencing once the stations works commence in earnest?

I was thinking the other day, that nothing seems to be happening with the new platform 4. Later, I just happened to be at the station collecting some tickets, when I wondered if they had to do anything at all, since it's not going to be the full length of platform 3 (and I assume will not go past the wall at the foot of the stairs)?

Will they actually need to widen the existing platform? or will it just become Platform 4 (in its current guise) during the embargo when they relay and rearrange the trackworks?

 

[swt_passenger]

Will they actually need to widen the existing platform? or will it just become Platform 4 (in its current guise) during the embargo when they relay and rearrange the trackworks?

As a new platform it will have to meet current standards for height and stepping distance, it will need tactile strips, and the edge has to be a certain distance beyond the wall beneath it to allow for a safety space. (I think those special concrete blocks they now use provide what is called 'oversail'.)

But in the overall scheme of things that isn't major work really.

 

[L&Y Robert]

Are the dates (July 29th to August 8th) for the Big Blockade still correct? It was suggested that the date might slip because of works down at Hinksey. (Quote in post 92)

 

[jimm]

Are the dates (July 29th to August 8th) for the Big Blockade still correct? It was suggested that the date might slip because of works down at Hinksey. (Quote in post 92)

It's all down on the Chiltern website engineering changes calendar for that week, so can't see that it would change at this point, given the amount of advance planning required for such projects.

https://www.chilternrailways.co.uk/tickets-and-times/changes/2016-08

 

[OneTrackMind]

Are the dates (July 29th to August 8th) for the Big Blockade still correct? It was suggested that the date might slip because of works down at Hinksey. (Quote in post 92)

It is definitely on - also, you might wanna see...

http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=130742

 

[L&Y Robert]

Also, I noticed how high the new - well, nearly new - footbridge at Kings Sutton is. Ready for the overhead, I thought - good planning. But then, looking at the Banbury Bridge Street bridge (by Banbury North signal box) today, is that to be altered to accommodate the wires? - and there's another one, the Grimsbury bridge, a mile north. Road over railway in both cases, not an easy alteration to do.

 

[OneTrackMind]

Also, I noticed how high the new - well, nearly new - footbridge at Kings Sutton is. Ready for the overhead, I thought - good planning. But then, looking at the Banbury Bridge Street bridge (by Banbury North signal box) today, is that to be altered to accommodate the wires? - and there's another one, the Grimsbury bridge, a mile north. Road over railway in both cases, not an easy alteration to do.

Bridge Street is due to be replaced during installation of Electric Spine (depending on any delays).

Grimsbury Bridges (x2) would alter the depth of the track bed and accommodate it somehow.

I think we are a long way off yet unfortunately though...

 

[The Planner]

You only allow for electrification on new bridges when they are needed. The others around Banbury would get done as part of electrification or if they required rebuilding anyway. I wouldn't expect wires along there until CP7 or 8 anyway.

 

[YorkshireBear]

Generally all major bridge rebuilds or new bridges will now take account of electrification. Unless this alters the price of the job significantly in which case a review will be done to see how likely the line is to be electrified and then a decision will be based on that.

For example, cumbrian coast you can do what you want. Calder Valley, not so much.

 

[didcot]

First of the new signals which have just been installed at the north end of the station

 

[BanburyBlue]

Where did they spring from - I'm sure they weren't there Tuesday?

 

[L&Y Robert]

There's lots of bits and pieces being installed around and to the north of the station. Light grey cabinets and access platforms, concrete ducts - that sort of thing. The crossovers up near the site of Banbury North junction - they've been in place for weeks! I suppose much of the stuff can be assembled on site without interrupting the old normal - mechanical - operations. Anybody know how the new Chiltern depôt is coming on? [ô = Alt 147!]

 

[BanburyBlue]

Went past a couple of weeks ago. Looks like still levelling the site - now putting down hardcore.

 

[BanburyBlue]

Apologies for poor photos, but I guess this is the start of the new Platform 4.

 

[Freightmaster]

To save people cricking their necks...

 

[BanburyBlue]

Thanks Freightmaster - looked okay when I put them on the computer

 

[mikestone1952]

Where will the hauled set stable after the blockade - temporary facilities on the depot site?

 

[OneTrackMind]

The Up Goods Loop being relaid today, preparations for Platform 4 now well underway!

No sight of the loco hauled set today (notice the points have been disconnected) - so I assume it is in Birmingham somewhere at the moment.

 

[mikestone1952]

It always has gone back to Wembley on Friday nights.
;
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/C73958/2016/07/01/advanced
;
Looking at RTT it would seem that it is probably going back and stabling in the Wall siding all this week.
;
After the blockade this is shown, partially answering my own question
;
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/C73100/2016/08/17/advanced

 

[L&Y Robert]

Had a look at the new P.4 works this morning - all very busy, but ultimate shape of things not yet clear. I stood on the platform eying out alignments, platform edges, space for up loop and so-on, but I am not sure about a couple of things (Oops- nearly wrote "points" there!) Does the new platform extend southward past the stairs? And, looking at the excellent diagrams by MarkyT (post 48) there isn't a connection from the up loop to the new platform 4. Is that right? Should there be? And - what's that little spur (like catch points) on the Down loop beyond the station?

 

[The Planner]

No connection from the up loop to the platform, there doesnt need to be, one is for freight the other passenger. The platform doesnt go past the stairs.

 

[t_star2001uk]

Had a look at the new P.4 works this morning - all very busy, but ultimate shape of things not yet clear. I stood on the platform eying out alignments, platform edges, space for up loop and so-on, but I am not sure about a couple of things (Oops- nearly wrote "points" there!) Does the new platform extend southward past the stairs? And, looking at the excellent diagrams by MarkyT (post 48) there isn't a connection from the up loop to the new platform 4. Is that right? Should there be? And - what's that little spur (like catch points) on the Down loop beyond the station?

Platform 4 will only be a 5 car platform. So it will run from the north end of the current platform as far as the current building. The starter signal is at the south end of the loop.

 

[L&Y Robert]

No connection from the up loop to the platform, there doesnt need to be, one is for freight the other passenger.

But - but, but, splutter, cough, - - - what about "Operational flexibility" then? This 'is for' this, and that 'is for' that doesn't seem to be an adequate answer, somehow. Shortsighted. May well be the reason - don't doubt it - but stiff unimaginative thinking - the same simplistic approach that led to, for instance, loss of Todmoden West Curve (forgive me, I'm from Tod). And I read somewhere in this thread that the up and down loops were being brought up to passenger standard, so the loop that's 'for freight' is - will be -good enough for passenger trains as well - but if southbound, such a train can't call at Banbury. I rest my case.

 

[MarkyT]

But - but, but, splutter, cough, - - - what about "Operational flexibility" then? This 'is for' this, and that 'is for' that doesn't seem to be an adequate answer, somehow. Shortsighted. May well be the reason - don't doubt it - but stiff unimaginative thinking - the same simplistic approach that led to, for instance, loss of Todmoden West Curve (forgive me, I'm from Tod). And I read somewhere in this thread that the up and down loops were being brought up to passenger standard, so the loop that's 'for freight' is - will be -good enough for passenger trains as well - but if southbound, such a train can't call at Banbury. I rest my case.

The new through Platfrom #4 replaces the old bay #4. The new platform, because of it's through functionality, can be run into and departed from directly at both ends of the station, so can be used easily by units terminating and starting at Banbury without additional shunting movements being required. Joining the Up Goods Loop to the Up Cherwell at the south end of the station allows a freight in the loop to exit towards the south whilst a train may be laying over in #4. I expect #4 will be used routinely for trains reversing at Banbury except at the beginning and end of the operating day when #1 may be more attractive due to its direct depot connection. Goods loops are automatically signalled for passenger movements today. There is usually no extra cost in that and it helps flexibility under some scenarios. Say there was a train stuck at the station home signal on the Up Cherwell. A following passenger train could use the Up Goods Loop to bypass it, but clearly could not call at a platform, unless it reversed back into the station from the south once past it. Alternatively however, it will be able to cross over onto the Down Cherwell or Down Goods Loop at Reservoir Jn and use #1, #2. From the Down Cherwell it will also be able to cross back over to the up side at Banbury North and still gain access to either #3 or #4. After any of these movements the Up train will be able to continue on to the south or terminate and reverse. The new layout is very flexible indeed yet with fewer points overall than at present. That is a good engineering and operating optimisation and there's no justification whatsoever for another crossover from Up Goods Loop to #4 at Banbury North nor an additional platform face alongside the Up Goods Loop.

 

[The Planner]

What Marky T said, Banbury becomes a lot more flexible than now, you do not need the connection that you said is missing. Nice to have is normally expensive and never used.

 

[HarleyDavidson]

Please remember that common sense and the railway are at totally the opposite ends of the spectrum,what some people would call an oxymoron.