Great Western Electrification Progress

[deltic08]

Chris Green ran InterCity 1992-95 and Virgin Trains 1999-2005.
He was just too late to be in charge of the introduction of IC225 on the newly electrified ECML, but he did introduce Pendolinos on the WCML in the midst of the route upgrade trauma..

He also ran Scotrail for a couple of years I think before he came to Network Southeast.

 

[Radedamer]

I understand that the platforms at Keynesham have to be lowered in connection with electrification. Could anyone explain why this is? Thanks!

 

[Philip Phlopp]

I understand that the platforms at Keynesham have to be lowered in connection with electrification. Could anyone explain why this is? Thanks!

Track bed lowering to increase clearance under the Station Road bridge, lower track bed requires lower platforms (sorry for stating the obvious). It's an alternative to bridge replacement because in this case, a replacement bridge provides no additional clearances.

The bridge will gain new/heightened parapets though, at 1.8m, to meet new safety requirements.

 

[HowardGWR]

I understand that the platforms at Keynesham have to be lowered in connection with electrification. Could anyone explain why this is? Thanks!

Shewing your age (as my 'shew' does). K E Y N S H A M and don't forget the fabulous 'infra draw method.'*

* Horace Batchelor advert Radio Luxembourg 1950s Rediffusion.

 

[Radedamer]

Ooops! I must have been thinking of that 'new' town in Bucks, you know: John Maynard Friedman.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Track bed lowering to increase clearance under the Station Road bridge, lower track bed requires lower platforms (sorry for stating the obvious). It's an alternative to bridge replacement because in this case, a replacement bridge provides no additional clearances.

The bridge will gain new/heightened parapets though, at 1.8m, to meet new safety requirements.

Sorry, I don't really understand that. I can see that lowering the track might be cheaper, easier, quicker or less disruptive than replacing the bridge, but how could it be that a replacement bridge could not provide additional clearance?

 

[swt_passenger]

Sorry, I don't really understand that. I can see that lowering the track might be cheaper, easier, quicker or less disruptive than replacing the bridge, but how could it be that a replacement bridge could not provide additional clearance?

If the bridge deck is currently of minimum thickness for a large span (and on the skew as in this case) they would have to raise the road surface with the bridge, and they'd end up with all sorts of odd road cambers because of the skew, and it is right next to a road junction.

Every bridge is different, there is no general purpose solution.

If it was an ordinary perpendicular ramped approach, then lifting the road surface all round, with a gradual height increase on the ramps would be much easier.

 

[Philip Phlopp]

If the bridge deck is currently of minimum thickness for a large span (and on the skew as in this case) they would have to raise the road surface with the bridge, and they'd end up with all sorts of odd road cambers because of the skew, and it is right next to a road junction.

Every bridge is different, there is no general purpose solution.

If it was an ordinary perpendicular ramped approach, then lifting the road surface all round, with a gradual height increase on the ramps would be much easier.

That's precisely it - the road layout precludes raising the height of the road to match a raised bridge deck, the bridge deck is of minimum thickness for the span and can't be reduced even with a new build, which leaves dropping the railway underneath the bridge as the only option.

Bridge decks in the past, prior to steel reinforced concrete, tended to much thicker, so rebuilding them with a reinforced concrete deck whilst maintaining road height 'as is' usually frees up more than enough space for electrical clearances. It's easy to gain 12 inches in many cases.

GWML Series 1 OLE doesn't change contact wire height underneath beneath bridges either, so this bridge may require attention that it wouldn't need using the Series 2 equipment, but this has significant reliability benefits from the aerodynamic performance of pantograph and train, over the longer term and is a good thing.

 

[Radedamer]

Okay, thanks. I'd taken it for granted that raising the bridge deck involved raising the road surface and had not considered it might be impossible here due to the bends on the approach.

 

[ainsworth74]

I've moved discussion about Goring Gap and the impact of electrification on it and other AONBs into a new thread here. Please therefore leave this thread for more general discussion and updates regarding the GWML electrification and conduct discussions around Goring Gap and any consultations/recriminations/other issues on that thread.

 

[HowardGWR]

Okay, thanks. I'd taken it for granted that raising the bridge deck involved raising the road surface and had not considered it might be impossible here due to the bends on the approach.

What's great (I now think - it was not always so) is that the platform shelters, otherwise incongruous for a wayside station, are preserved. They record (and should thus be listed structures) the fact that hundreds of Bristolians were shipped out to Keynsham daily to man the chocolate making machines at Fry's. The latter factory was originally situated plum in the centre of Bristol, near Union St.

If the project had been proposed now, it would not be countenanced - a flood meadow where the Duke of Monmouth's forces had assembled and in the Green Belt to boot.

The flow now is in the reverse direction with trains going to Abbey Wood.

 

[Radedamer]

I'm not sure what's incongruous about the shelters, but :cry: for Somerdale.

 

[alb1]

According to NR the first wires went in last night between Tilehurst and Pangbourne.

https://twitter.com/networkrailgwrm/status/665079906854916096

@networkrailgwrm: Electrification milestone: the first overhead wire on the Great Western was installed last night! #greaterwest https://t.co/J0zrXo6Z04

 

[snowball]

Press release

http://www.networkrailmediacentre.c...electrification-work-to-improve-rail-journeys

The local community gathered in Magor to celebrate Whitewall footbridge becoming the first new railway bridge to open in South Wales as part of Network Rail’s electrification of the South Wales Mainline.

...

Although Whitewall does not carry an official public right of way, Network Rail reconstructed the bridge after discussions with Monmouthshire Council and the local community revealed it was regularly used by children walking to school. It is also used on weekly school visits to the nearby Magor marshlands, with the only alternative being walking along a road with no footpath which is frequently used by large agricultural vehicles.

 

[jimm]

According to NR the first wires went in last night between Tilehurst and Pangbourne.

https://twitter.com/networkrailgwrm/status/665079906854916096

Also on the Twitter feed below the wiring images is an update on the new road bridge on the B4000 Station Road at Shrivenham in Oxfordshire.

 

[furnessvale]

Quote:
Although Whitewall does not carry an official public right of way, Network Rail reconstructed the bridge after discussions with Monmouthshire Council and the local community revealed it was regularly used by children walking to school. It is also used on weekly school visits to the nearby Magor marshlands, with the only alternative being walking along a road with no footpath which is frequently used by large agricultural vehicles.

Presumably DEFRA, on behalf of agriculture helped with the cost.......No, I thought not.

 

[LexyBoy]

What's this? Crossrail to Oxford? The public should be told!

Great Western Route ‏@networkrailgwrm 3h3 hours ago
@YoungCommuter it's between Tilehurst and Pangbourne so within Crossrail area but will be used by Crossrail and main line trains.

 

[Ironside]

Network rail have announced that wires went up last night on a section between between Tilehurst and Pangbourne.

The announcement was on twitter (@networkrailgwrm)

 

[Philip Phlopp]

You're all a cheery, attentive bunch this morning.

 

[swt_passenger]

According to NR the first wires went in last night between Tilehurst and Pangbourne.

https://twitter.com/networkrailgwrm/status/665079906854916096

Using an SES roadrailer wiring vehicle I think? No HOPS yet?

 

[Ironside]

You're all a cheery, attentive bunch this morning.

Oops, missed the posts from earlier!

 

[Philip Phlopp]

Using an SES roadrailer wiring vehicle I think? No HOPS yet?

It's a CrossRail and not a GWep worksite. The guys on the ground still managed to wire up 1km of (I think) contact wire in 35 minutes. I'd say that's a good result for the Series 1 OLE, although we knew it was going to be good in this respect having used a closely related design on the GEML renewal.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

According to NR the first wires went in last night between Tilehurst and Pangbourne.
https://twitter.com/networkrailgwrm/status/665079906854916096

Well, they beat my gloomy prediction of "not before Christmas".
I imagine nothing can get powered up until a full set of wires reaches the grid access point west of Didcot?

 

[LexyBoy]

It's a CrossRail and not a GWep worksite. The guys on the ground still managed to wire up 1km of (I think) contact wire in 35 minutes. I'd say that's a good result for the Series 1 OLE, although we knew it was going to be good in this respect having used a closely related design on the GEML renewal.

OK, I'll take back my earlier sarcasm!

But why is this Crossrail's remit? I thought Crossrail wouldn't be going west of Reading depot?

 

[Philip Phlopp]

Well, they beat my gloomy prediction of "not before Christmas".
I imagine nothing can get powered up until a full set of wires reaches the grid access point west of Didcot?

Yes and no - wiring extending from Airport Junction could go live earlier but this serves no real purpose, other than a little testing work.

 

[swt_passenger]

It's a CrossRail and not a GWep worksite. The guys on the ground still managed to wire up 1km of (I think) contact wire in 35 minutes. I'd say that's a good result for the Series 1 OLE, although we knew it was going to be good in this respect having used a closely related design on the GEML renewal.

Still confused then - what has "between Tilehurst and Pangbourne" got to do with Crossrail?

Has the twitterer got the location completely wrong then?

 

[Philip Phlopp]

Still confused then - what has "between Tilehurst and Pangbourne" got to do with Crossrail?

Has the twitterer got the location completely wrong then?

Location is accurate, as far as I'm aware.

I believe (but will need to double check) is it's due to the extension of CrossRail from Maidenhead to Reading, the original CrossRail West Outer Electrification scheme has been altered and CrossRail are responsible for wiring between Maidenhead and Reading (and a little further) but as part of the GWep project, rather than the CrossRail WOE project.

 

[swt_passenger]

Location is accurate, as far as I'm aware.

I believe (but will need to double check) is it's due to the extension of CrossRail from Maidenhead to Reading, the original CrossRail West Outer Electrification scheme has been altered and CrossRail are responsible for wiring between Maidenhead and Reading (and a little further) but as part of the GWep project, rather than the CrossRail WOE project.

Ah, so it could be a way of sharing out the overall work more efficiently, taking a chunk of work and giving it to a different set of people who are already 'worked up' and have their own methods and equipment.

Meanwhile the original GW team end up with slightly less to do?

I did notice a lot more insulators hanging from the TTCs east of Maidenhead - is that a sign that the work in that area is accelerating?

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Philip, are you saying Balfour Beatty are now doing work west of Maidenhead, and Amey consequently doing less?
I don't really understand how Crossrail can be involved in a 140mph GW test section at Pangbourne...
I would have thought that Reading would be the furthest point of interest to them.
I'll just say that BB's performance in the NW was less than exhilarating.

 

[Philip Phlopp]

Philip, are you saying Balfour Beatty are now doing work west of Maidenhead, and Amey consequently doing less?
I don't really understand how Crossrail can be involved in a 140mph GW test section at Pangbourne...
I would have thought that Reading would be the furthest point of interest to them.
I'll just say that BB's performance in the NW was less than exhilarating.

CrossRail is using Series 1 OLE equipment - there's no difference in the OLE between the CrossRail and GWep works. The OLE is very similar out of the GEML on the Eastern surface side of CrossRail too.

Will try and find out exactly who is doing what and why for you.

And yes, BB weren't brilliant on the Northwest Electrification, but Carillion have been less than stunning on the GWML, despite general excellence in Scotland.

 

[steverailer]

It's a CrossRail and not a GWep worksite. The guys on the ground still managed to wire up 1km of (I think) contact wire in 35 minutes. I'd say that's a good result for the Series 1 OLE, although we knew it was going to be good in this respect having used a closely related design on the GEML renewal.

I think you could be wrong there Phil? Looks like earth wire to me as its sliver colour and under the boom, although don't know why its going into a insulator?