Gospel Oak to Barking Line (GOBLIN) electrification

[Class 170101]

I believe the GOB / ECML link at Haringay is commissioned over Christmas.

 

[matthewmacleod]

I noticed the wires are mostly up north of Wanstead Park now too. Everything seems to be moving at a fair clip!

 

[Ianno87]

I believe the GOB / ECML link at Haringay is commissioned over Christmas.

Passing over the ECML-GOB intersection bridge this morning, could see a Unimog attending to the wires at Harringay Park Jn. All masts and arms in that area appear to be up, and the ECML curve has the arms swung out of the way with the catenary wire loosely strung between them. Getting there!

 

[plcd1]

Based on an informed comment in "another place" it seems Gospel Oak to South Tottenham will be energised from 10 December. South Tottenham to Woodgrange Park to be energised from 17 December. Decent progress there with the wiring train and connections into the relevant power feeds. I assume various forms of testing will follow in the period up to reopening in mid January.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Based on an informed comment in "another place" it seems Gospel Oak to South Tottenham will be energised from 10 December. South Tottenham to Woodgrange Park to be energised from 17 December. Decent progress there with the wiring train and connections into the relevant power feeds. I assume various forms of testing will follow in the period up to reopening in mid January.

Outstanding news - thanks for the update

 

[plcd1]

Network Rail tweeted this morning that they are wiring up the Seven Sisters chord line today and the South junction (towards Lea Bridge) tomorrow. In response to questions they confirmed the Haringay curve will be wired and connected up on Boxing Day.

https://twitter.com/NetworkRailGOBE/status/941994513807085568

 

[plcd1]

Confirmation that the Crouch Hill bridge raising works start in the New Year - 3rd January 2018.

https://twitter.com/IslingtonBC/status/942667780662480897

 

[GRALISTAIR]

The latest enhancement delivery document also confirms electrification complete very soon.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

I believe the GOB / ECML link at Haringay is commissioned over Christmas.

Any updates? Did this happen please?

 

[D365]

I saw completed electrification infrastructure as I travelled past the week before Christmas, but as you say, waiting for updates regarding commissioning.

 

[greatkingrat]

The line has been open for the last few days in order to provide a diversionary route for freight during the current NLL closure at Highbury.

 

[class303]

The line has been open for the last few days in order to provide a diversionary route for freight during the current NLL closure at Highbury.

Yep. I've seen freights on the viaduct on the eastern section of the line.

 

[Mojo]

Slightly off topic but a warning for customers who are diverted via the North London line, that Camden Town will be exit only during the evening peak and most of the afternoon on Weekends from Tuesday (as well as during Night Tube).

Not ideal given that so many Goblin customers are being diverted via the North London line and Northern line changing at Camden Road/Camden Town.

 

[Mikey C]

Slightly off topic but a warning for customers who are diverted via the North London line, that Camden Town will be exit only during the evening peak and most of the afternoon on Weekends from Tuesday (as well as during Night Tube).

Not ideal given that so many Goblin customers are being diverted via the North London line and Northern line changing at Camden Road/Camden Town.

A shame this work couldn't wait until the new station entrance has been built, I guess they couldn't wait that long

 

[Mojo]

A shame this work couldn't wait until the new station entrance has been built, I guess they couldn't wait that long

They haven’t even applied for the necessary permissions to do the work let alone even start constructions. All escalators are closed every now and again for works.

It is a shame they couldn’t have waited for the Goblin to reopen given many customers who would have used the Goblin would be diverted via Camden Tw to avoid paying for zone 1 or a bus+rail fare.

 

[greatkingrat]

Are there that many Goblin passengers changing at Camden Town? It is only really Upper Holloway where the Northern line is a realistic alternative.

 

[Class 170101]

I imagine if the GOB had finished on time this would not have been an issue. However.....

 

[Mikey C]

Are there that many Goblin passengers changing at Camden Town? It is only really Upper Holloway where the Northern line is a realistic alternative.

Camden Road is a handy interchange between the Overground and Northern Line at Camden Town, as you can go in all 4 directions!

 

[BahrainLad]

An email from TFL advises that the Goblin will reopen from 15/1 as planned, but some further weekend closures may be required.

Any news on the new trains?

 

[Class 170101]

I believe the first one arrives in the early summer. I imagine they will be tested on Watford DC and West Anglia lines if the GOB wiring is not ready.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

I believe the first one arrives in the early summer. I imagine they will be tested on Watford DC and West Anglia lines if the GOB wiring is not ready.

I am pretty confident from my source in London that it will be ready by then if not sooner.

 

[MatthewRead]

I thought the new trains were entering service in the spring.

 

[cle]

So will it go back to being diesel 172s under the active wires? Could anything else (maybe any spare 319s from up north?) operate in the interim?

 

[traji00]

So will it go back to being diesel 172s under the active wires? Could anything else (maybe any spare 319s from up north?) operate in the interim?

Yes, it was always the plan to have 172s under the wires for the interim - although I'm pretty sure they're now earmarked for WMR?
IIRC other electric stock (319 etc) were not taken up since to a need to train drivers on short term stock wasn't considered viable (open to corrections on this).

 

[G_A_C_C_C]

I thought the new trains were entering service in the spring.

I wouldn't hold your breath waiting for the 710/2s into service ...not if these Aventras have the same level of issues that the 345s have had. It should be hoped that lessons have been learned...but then this a different production line of a different length unit.

 

[Domh245]

Some testing underway today. 378211 is on the line under it's own power, and has got a few trips planned, as shown here (which if traced through, are Upper Holloway - Temple Mills - Seven Sisters - Temple Mills - Gospel Oak - Temple Mills - Gospel Oak - Barking - East Ham EMUD)

 

[Dstock7080]

378.211 was stabled in Barking pfm.1 at 0630 this morning.

 

[swt_passenger]

IIRC other electric stock (319 etc) were not taken up since to a need to train drivers on short term stock wasn't considered viable (open to corrections on this).

Yes, TfL repeatedly stated (both in board papers that are available on their website, and in Mayoral Q&A responses), that it was not cost effective to train either crew or maintainers on a different fleet for such a short term period.

 

[snowball]

Press release

https://www.networkrail.co.uk/feeds...electrification-of-the-line-nears-completion/

• Gospel Oak to Barking line to fully re-open on Monday 15 January
• The new electrified line will be fully tested ahead of new state-of -the-art trains being introduced in spring 2018

London Overground’s Gospel Oak to Barking line reopens on Monday 15 January following the installation of new overhead electric lines by Network Rail, that will enable new longer electric trains to run from spring 2018.

The completion of this physical work by Network Rail will now be followed by testing that will, from spring, enable Transport for London (TfL) to run new state-of-the-art electric trains, providing customers with increased capacity and feature walk-through carriages, air conditioning, live network information screens and improved reliability. The new cleaner electric trains will also improve air quality for people living and working along the route.

When services resume next week the existing two car diesel trains will be used until the new four car electric trains have been fully tested and driver training complete.

Customers will again see services running every 15 minutes throughout the day until late evening and at least every 20 minutes after 22:00. Connecting Gospel Oak station in north London with Barking in east London, the re-opened line will again provide convenient interchanges with the Victoria line at Blackhorse Road and Hammersmith & City, District line and c2c services at Barking.

The electrification work on the Gospel Oak to Barking London Overground line is part of TfL’s improvement plans, enabling new longer trains with greater capacity to run from spring 2018, and forms part of Network Rail’s London Railway Upgrade plan, creating new connections and increasing capacity in the peak hour by 30 per cent.

Improvements to the London Overground network are included in the Mayor’s draft Transport Strategy, which aims to create a fairer, greener, healthier and more prosperous city by improving public transport and reducing reliance on car journeys.

Jonathan Fox, TfL’s Director of Rail and Sponsored Services, said: “I welcome the return of services to the Gospel Oak to Barking line and would like to thank customers for their patience while Network Rail completed this stage of the electrification works. A period of testing of the new electrified line will now take place ahead of introducing new, more reliable and longer electric trains in the spring.”

Meliha Duymaz, Network Rail’s route managing director for Anglia, said: “Passengers travelling on the Gospel Oak to Barking line are set to benefit from a transformational, once in a generation upgrade with a new fleet of longer, electric trains so that twice as many people can travel comfortably, once line testing is complete. I’d like to say a big thank you to our railway neighbours and passengers for their enormous patience and understanding while we worked to improve this busy London route.”

Testing of the new electrical infrastructure and the new trains will take place in-between normal services and at night to ensure it does not affect customer journeys.

Network Rail still needs to carry out some improvements to the Crouch Hill Bridge, which crosses the Gospel Oak to Barking line, which means no London Overground services will operate on this line over the weekend of Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 April. Services will restart on Monday 9 April.

 

[class303]

Some videos of the 1st test trains appearing on twitter.

https://twitter.com/DpeRail/status/951458531500314624

https://twitter.com/DpeRail/status/951422706557308928

Quite an interesting account.